Pearson Edexcel · English as a Second Language
4ES1 English as a Second Language, explained
See how 4ES1 is assessed, straight from the official syllabus, and how our teachers help students prepare one-to-one.
What it is and who sits it in Malaysia
Pearson Edexcel 4ES1 belongs to the English as a Second Language strand of IGCSE / International GCSE English. It is graded on the 9–1 scale. Malaysian international schools choose their board and strand to suit their students. Private candidates and homeschoolers can sit it through an authorised centre. If you are unsure which code your child is entered for, the school's examinations office can confirm.
How we teach it
Your child works one-to-one with an experienced English teacher who teaches to this board's papers. Lessons combine reading and writing, timed practice and close work on the mark scheme. Read about English as a Second Language tuition to see how lessons run. The English as a Second Language syllabus pages explain the skills involved.
How Pearson Edexcel 4ES1 is assessed
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.
| Component | Time | Marks | Weight | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4ES1/01: Paper 1: Reading and Writing 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. | 2 hours | 100 | 66.67% (two-thirds) | External |
| 4ES1/02: Paper 2: Listening A recorded listening exam of four parts taken by all candidates. Each recording is heard twice. It is the second of the two papers that count towards the grade. The 4ES1 specification gives 50 minutes and 40 marks. The 4XES2 Listening unit is 45 minutes and 50 marks. | 50 minutes | 40 | 33.33% (one-third) | External |
| 4ES1/03: Paper 3: Speaking An optional recorded interview between the student and an interlocutor, based on task cards supplied by Pearson, and marked by Pearson. It is certificated separately on its own 9–1 scale and adds no marks to the ESL grade. Part 1 is an introductory interview (2–3 minutes), Part 2 is a student talk (1 minute of preparation, then 1–2 minutes) and Part 3 is an extended discussion (5–6 minutes). | 9–12 minutes | 40 | Endorsement | External |
Who takes each component
- 4ES1/01: All candidates
- 4ES1/02: All candidates
- 4ES1/03: Optional
Graded on the 9–1 scale (Specification, Issue 2 (December 2016); first assessment June 2019).
What the exam rewards (assessment objectives)
Candidates are assessed on the skills below. We paraphrase them from the board's official syllabus.
Reading
- Understand and respond to written texts, identifying explicit and implicit meaning
- Locate, select and interpret relevant information from a range of texts of varying length and difficulty
Writing
- Produce clear, well-organised writing appropriate to purpose, audience and context
- Use vocabulary, grammar, spelling and punctuation accurately and appropriately
Listening
- Understand spoken English and identify main points, detail and meaning from recorded material
- Interpret and respond to information heard in a range of spoken contexts
Speaking
- Communicate clearly and appropriately in spoken English across an interview, an individual talk and a discussion (assessed only in the optional, separately endorsed Paper 3)
Requirements can change between syllabus versions. Confirm the structure for your child's exam year with the school or the board's syllabus, linked below.
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