About Paper 1
Practice Flashcards
How long does Paper 1 last at SL?
Track your progress — Sign up free to save your progress and get smart review reminders based on spaced repetition.
All Flashcards in Topic 4.1
Below are all 28 flashcards for this topic. Sign up free to track your progress and get personalized review schedules.
4.1.114 cards
How long does Paper 1 last at SL?
1 hour 15 minutes.
What is Paper 1 worth in your final grade (SL)?
25% of your final grade.
How many words should you write in Paper 1?
250–400 words.
How many tasks do you write in Paper 1?
Just one — you choose 1 of 3.
What are the five themes English B is built on?
Identities, Experiences, Human ingenuity, Social organisation, Sharing the planet.
text type
the kind of text you must write — a blog, email, article, speech, set of guidelines…
register
how formal or informal your language is, chosen to fit the audience
conventions
the expected features of a text type (title, greeting, sign-off, headline…)
audience
the reader you are writing for, which decides your register and tone
What are the five exam steps for Paper 1?
Read all three → Choose for ideas → Identify text type/audience/register → Plan → Write & check.
How should you choose between the three tasks?
Pick the one you have the most ideas and vocabulary for — not the first you see.
What three criteria is Paper 1 marked on, and the total?
A Language /12, B Message /12, C Conceptual understanding /6 = /30.
On Criterion B (Message), what caps your mark?
Missing any part of the prompt — you must cover every bullet AND develop each idea.
What does Criterion C (Conceptual) reward?
The right text type, register and tone for the audience, plus that text type's conventions.
4.1.214 cards
How many marks is Paper 1 (SL) worth, and on how many criteria?
Out of 30, on three criteria (A, B and C).
What does Criterion A reward, and how many marks?
Criterion A — Language /12: the range and accuracy of your vocabulary and grammar.
What does Criterion B reward, and how many marks?
Criterion B — Message /12: covering every part of the task, developing each idea, and organising it logically.
What does Criterion C reward, and how many marks?
Criterion C — Conceptual understanding /6: the right text type, register and tone for the reader, with its conventions.
How many marks is each criterion worth in total?
A Language /12 · B Message /12 · C Conceptual /6 = /30.
register
how formal or informal your language is — matched to who is reading
conventions
the features a text type needs (a blog title, an email greeting and sign-off, a headline…)
cohesion
how connectors and paragraphs link your ideas smoothly
How do you earn marks on Criterion A (Language)?
Use varied, task-appropriate vocabulary and a mix of basic and more complex grammar, accurately — an idiom can reach the top band.
How do you earn marks on Criterion B (Message)?
Cover every bullet of the prompt, develop each idea with a detail/example, and organise it logically.
How do you earn marks on Criterion C (Conceptual)?
Choose the right text type, use its conventions, and match register and tone to the reader.
Which criterion does a blog title or an email sign-off earn?
Criterion C — Conceptual understanding (a text-type convention).
Why is Criterion C the cheapest to protect?
The right form, greeting, sign-off and register cost nothing and bank up to 6 marks — but the wrong form throws them away.
What happens to Criterion B if you miss a bullet in the prompt?
Missing a bullet caps your Message mark — always cover EVERY part of the task.
Topic 4.1 study notes
Full notes & explanations for About Paper 1
English B exam skills
Paper structures, command terms & tips
Want smart review reminders?
Sign up free to track your progress. Our spaced repetition algorithm will tell you exactly which cards to review and when.
Start Free