Pearson Edexcel 4ES1 Paper 1: Reading and Writing

What 4ES1/01 assesses

A 2-hour written exam that assesses reading and writing in separate exercises, split into two sections of three parts each. The reading section has three texts and the writing section has three tasks, the last of which is always a summary task.

Dictionaries are not allowed. It is one of the two papers that make the graded ESL qualification.

• Time: 2 hours
• Marks: 100
• Weight: 66.67% (two-thirds) of Pearson Edexcel 4ES1 (Specification, Issue 2 (December 2016); first assessment June 2019)
• How it is assessed: External
• Who takes it: All candidates

4ES1/01 is worth 66.67% (two-thirds) of the 4ES1 grade and carries 100 marks. Each mark moves the qualification by about 0.67%. The qualification is graded 9–1.

What the examiners reward in 4ES1/01

Reading

• Locate, select and interpret relevant information from a range of texts of varying length and difficulty

This is one of the objectives. The 4ES1 overview lists the full set.

Writing

• Use vocabulary, grammar, spelling and punctuation accurately and appropriately

This is one of the objectives. The 4ES1 overview lists the full set.

The reading marks reward students who read the question precisely and locate the right part of the text. They answer in exact, relevant words rather than copying a whole sentence. Understanding is tested at two levels: what a text states outright, and what it implies through tone and word choice.

Our teaching trains both close reading and inference. The writing marks reward clear communication that fits the set purpose, audience and register. They also reward sensible organisation, accuracy in grammar, spelling and punctuation, and a range of vocabulary and sentence types.

Good work here is not the longest answer. It is the answer that does exactly what the task asks, in language that is controlled and appropriate. We teach your child to plan for that and to self-check before moving on.

For more detail, see 4ES1 reading and writing in the syllabus.

How the routes work in 4ES1

All candidates sit two externally assessed papers, which together make the graded qualification: Paper 1 (Reading and Writing) and Paper 2 (Listening). Paper 3 (Speaking) is optional. Pearson marks it from a recording and certificates it separately on its own 9–1 scale, so it adds no marks to the ESL grade.

The qualification is single-tier (grades 9–1) and all assessment comes at the end of the course. Pearson also offers the unitised 4XES2 (four equally weighted units, first assessment June 2025). The 4ES1 specification itself does not state a withdrawal date.

Question types we practise for 4ES1/01

• ESL report or article: Writing an organised report or article for a set audience. Skills guide · annotated model response · practice
• ESL reading comprehension: Answering the question that was actually asked from a text. Skills guide · annotated model response · practice
• ESL note-making: Selecting information under headings without copying whole sentences. Skills guide · annotated model response · practice

A timing plan for 4ES1/01

The syllabus gives 100 marks and 2 hours for 4ES1/01. That is about 1.2 minutes per mark. A 10-mark answer therefore earns about 12 minutes.

At the halfway point of 60 minutes, check that you have covered about 50 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 4ES1/01

Building vocabulary by register: The wrong-register word. A formal, ornate word in casual writing, or slang in a formal piece, sounds wrong however impressive the word is. Read the full guide.

Approaching an ESL form or note task: A missed requirement. The writer covers two of the three things asked and forgets the third. Read the full guide.

Preparing for 4ES1/01 with us

A teacher works through 4ES1/01 question types with your child under timed conditions, against the criteria in the mark scheme. See English as a Second Language tuition for how a session runs.

4ES1/01 is one component of Pearson Edexcel 4ES1, graded on the 9–1 scale. Check the current arrangement for your exam year with your school or the board.

Next, visit our original practice tasks to rehearse the paper with timings. Our English as a Second Language tuition page explains how lessons run. When you are ready, the paid one-hour trial is the first step.