What 9280/R (Paper 1) assesses
A written exam on a range of reading texts, with separate tasks. It assesses locating detail, grasping meaning and purpose, and drawing inferences (AO1).
- Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Marks: 60
- Weight: 30% of OxfordAQA 9280 (Specification, Version 7.2 (exams May/June 2018 onwards))
- How it is assessed: External (written examination)
- Who takes it: All candidates
9280/R (Paper 1) is worth 30% of the 9280 grade and carries 60 marks. Each mark moves the qualification by about 0.50%. The qualification is graded 9–1.
What the examiners reward in 9280/R (Paper 1)
Reading
- R3: Collate, organise and present relevant detail
This is one of the objectives. The 9280 overview lists the full set.
Question types we practise for 9280/R (Paper 1)
- 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
- ESL summary: Summarising a text accurately in your own words. Skills guide · annotated model response · practice
Preparing for OxfordAQA 9280/R (Paper 1)? The paid trial hour can start with a timed look at that paper.
A timing plan for 9280/R (Paper 1)
The syllabus gives 60 marks and 1 hour 15 minutes for 9280/R (Paper 1). That is about 1.3 minutes per mark. A 10-mark answer therefore earns about 12.5 minutes.
At the halfway point of 37.5 minutes, check that you have covered about 30 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 9280/R (Paper 1)
Selecting points for a summary: Choosing examples instead of points. The student keeps the illustration and drops the idea. 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 9280/R (Paper 1) with us
A teacher works through 9280/R (Paper 1) 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.
9280/R (Paper 1) is one component of OxfordAQA 9280, graded on the 9–1 scale. Check the current arrangement for your exam year with your school or the board.