What Paper 4 assesses
A critical response to an unseen poem or prose passage. Candidates answer one of two questions. Route 2 candidates take it with Paper 1 and Paper 3.
- Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Marks: 25
- Weight: 25% of Cambridge International 0475 (2027 syllabus)
- How it is assessed: External
- Who takes it: Route 2 only
Paper 4 is worth 25% of the 0475 grade and carries 25 marks. Each mark moves the qualification by about 1.00%. The qualification is graded A*–G.
What the examiners reward in Paper 4
Reading
- AO4: Communicate a sensitive and informed personal response to literary texts
This is one of the objectives. The 0475 overview lists the full set.
Question types we practise for Paper 4
- Unseen poem commentary: Writing about an unfamiliar poem under time. Skills guide · annotated model response · practice
- Unseen prose commentary: Writing about an unfamiliar prose passage under time. Skills guide · annotated model response · practice
The trial lesson can work on Cambridge International 0475 Paper 4 directly, with timings, mark scheme and your child's own answers.
A timing plan for Paper 4
The syllabus gives 25 marks and 1 hour 15 minutes for Paper 4. That is about 3 minutes per mark. A 10-mark answer therefore earns about 30 minutes.
At the halfway point of 37.5 minutes, check that you have covered about 12.5 marks' worth of the paper. This is a practice guide built from the stated totals. The paper's own instructions come first.
Where marks are lost on Paper 4
Reading an unseen poem: Analysing after one reading. You write before you understand the situation. Read the full guide.
Reading an unseen prose passage: Deciding too early. The student defends a reading that the ending undercuts. Read the full guide.
Preparing for Paper 4 with us
A teacher works through Paper 4 question types with your child under timed conditions, against the criteria in the mark scheme. See Literature in English tuition for how a session runs.
Paper 4 is one component of Cambridge International 0475, graded on the A*–G scale. Check the current arrangement for your exam year with your school or the board.