What Paper 2 assesses
Section A, Directed Writing (40 marks): a two-part question on one or two texts of 550–650 words in total. Part (a) is a structured analysis question and part (b) is a speech, letter, article or report of about 250–350 words. Section B, Composition (40 marks): one title from four choices (two descriptive, two narrative), of about 350–450 words.
- Time: 2 hours
- Marks: 80
- Weight: 50% of Cambridge International 0500 (2027–2029 syllabus)
- How it is assessed: External
- Who takes it: Candidates not entering Component 3
Paper 2 is worth 50% of the 0500 grade and carries 80 marks. Each mark moves the qualification by about 0.63%. The qualification is graded A*–G.
What the examiners reward in Paper 2
Writing
- W4. use language appropriate to purpose and to engage the audience
This is one of the objectives. The 0500 overview lists the full set.
The writing objectives for 0500 reward what a student communicates and how accurately they write it. Marks come from five areas. The first is developing ideas and expressing what is thought, felt or imagined.
The second is ordering a piece into coherent, well-linked paragraphs. The third is a range of vocabulary and sentence structures used with real purpose. The fourth is matching register to the form and reader.
The fifth is accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar. Good work reads as though the writer meant every choice. The register fits the task, paragraphs build rather than list, and sentence length varies for effect.
The accuracy is clean enough that the reader is never pulled out of the piece. In directed writing, it also shows a writer weighing the source material, not merely repeating it.
For more detail, see 0500 writing in the syllabus.
Preparing for Cambridge International 0500 Paper 2? The paid trial hour can start with a timed look at that paper.
Question types we practise for Paper 2
- Discursive essay: Exploring a topic in a balanced, well-structured way. Skills guide · annotated model response · practice
- Argumentative essay: Arguing a case clearly with reasons and evidence. Skills guide · annotated model response · practice
- Directed writing: letter: Responding to material in the form and register of a letter. Skills guide · annotated model response · practice
A timing plan for Paper 2
The syllabus gives 80 marks and 2 hours for Paper 2. That is about 1.5 minutes per mark. A 10-mark answer therefore earns about 15 minutes.
At the halfway point of 60 minutes, check that you have covered about 40 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 2
Opening a narrative: The most common fault is the slow run-up: alarm clocks, breakfast, a long description of a bedroom before anything happens. The reader waits, and waiting hurts a first impression. Read the full guide.
Ending a narrative: Collapse under time. The ending is squeezed into one last sentence because the clock ran out. Read the full guide.
Preparing for Paper 2 with us
A teacher works through Paper 2 question types with your child under timed conditions, against the criteria in the mark scheme. See First Language English tuition for how a session runs.
Paper 2 is one component of Cambridge International 0500, graded on the A*–G scale. Check the current arrangement for your exam year with your school or the board.