Three criteria, out of 30: Paper 1 (SL) is marked out of 30 on three criteria: A — Language /12, B — Message /12, and C — Conceptual understanding /6.
A rewards your English itself (vocabulary and grammar); B rewards your ideas and how you develop them; C rewards getting the text type, register and tone right for your reader.
Knowing what each one wants lets you bank marks on all three, not just on the language.
- Criterion A — Language /12
- the range and accuracy of your vocabulary and grammar
- Criterion B — Message /12
- how relevant, developed and well organised your ideas are, and whether you cover the whole task
- Criterion C — Conceptual understanding /6
- the right text type, plus register and tone matched to the audience and purpose
- 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
Write for the marker, not just the page: Every feature you add can be tied to a criterion: a varied verb (A), a developed reason (B), a proper sign-off (C). If you can name which criterion a sentence is winning, you're writing like a candidate who scores.
What each criterion rewards: Hold the whole mark scheme in your head with one table. The split most students forget under pressure is that A and B are worth twice as much as C — so strong language and a developed message carry most of your grade, but C is the easy 6 marks you bank simply by using the right form and register.
| Criterion | Max | What it rewards |
|---|---|---|
| A — Language | /12 | varied, task-appropriate vocabulary + a mix of basic and more complex grammar, used accurately |
| B — Message | /12 | covering every part of the task, developing each idea with details/examples, organising logically |
| C — Conceptual understanding | /6 | the right text type + register + tone, with its conventions, for the audience and purpose |
Lock in the split: A Language /12 · B Message /12 · C Conceptual /6 = /30. A and B are the big halves (language + ideas); C is the free 6 marks you earn just by respecting the text type, register and tone.
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One move per criterion: You don't earn the criteria by luck — each rewards a specific habit you can build in.
Show a range of language (A), cover every bullet and develop each idea (B), organise clearly (B), use the conventions (C) and match the register (C). Do all of these and you've touched all three criteria.
Earn marks on every criterion
1
Show a range of language (A)
Reach for varied, topic-appropriate vocabulary and a mix of basic AND more complex grammar — an idiom or two can push you into the top band. A few slips that don't block meaning are fine. Range + accuracy is what Criterion A rewards.
2
Cover every part of the task (B)
Answer EVERY bullet in the prompt — missing one caps your Message mark. Tick each instruction off as you write.
3
Develop and organise (B)
Don't just list points — back each one with a detail or example, and group ideas into clear paragraphs that flow. Development and organisation also count for Criterion B.
4
Use the text-type conventions (C)
Give the text the features its form needs — a blog title, an email greeting and sign-off, an article's headline and conclusion — to bank Criterion C.
5
Match the register to the reader (C)
Choose a formal or informal tone to fit your audience and purpose, and keep it consistent throughout — register and tone are the rest of Criterion C.
Range → Cover & develop → Organise → Conventions → Register
C is the easiest to lose and to win: Language (A) and ideas (B) take years to build, but Criterion C is fast: the right greeting, sign-off and register cost you nothing and bank up to 6 marks. Never write a strong answer in the wrong form — that throws C away.
One paragraph, three criteria: Here's a short slice of a blog post with the marker's eyes on it — each line is doing a job for a different criterion. Watch how a greeting, a varied sentence, a developed idea and a sign-off each bank marks.
One paragraph, three criteria
What earns each mark
- "Hi everyone, and welcome back to the blog!" — A friendly greeting that opens a blog and speaks straight to the reader. This is a text-type convention in the right register, so it earns Criterion C (Conceptual understanding).
- "Reading at night not only widens your vocabulary but also helps you unwind after a long day." — Varied vocabulary and a "not only… but also" structure show range and control of language, which earns Criterion A (Language).
- "For example, ever since I started reading for half an hour before bed, I fall asleep faster and feel calmer." — The idea is developed with a personal reason and a concrete example, not just stated. A relevant, developed message earns Criterion B (Message).
- "So why not give it a try? Your mind — and your sleep — will thank you for it." — A clear call to action that fits a blog and keeps the friendly register for fellow students; that earns marks on both Criterion B and Criterion C.
- "Take care, and I'll see you in the next post!" — A sign-off in the right register closes the blog properly — another text-type convention, earning Criterion C.
Make every sentence earn something: Notice that no sentence is wasted: the greeting and sign-off win C, the varied structure wins A, and the reason-plus-example wins B. Aim to write so that, line by line, you could point at the criterion each sentence is earning.
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What lifts vs sinks each criterion: Most lost marks come from predictable habits, criterion by criterion.
Here's the contrast: the Lifts your mark column banks marks on A, B and C; the Drops your mark column throws the same marks away. Fix these and your grade climbs without learning a single new word.
Lifts your mark
- Use varied vocabulary and a mix of grammar → lifts A.
- Cover every bullet and develop each idea with an example → lifts B.
- Use the text-type conventions (title, greeting, sign-off) → lifts C.
- Keep the right register for the reader → lifts C.
Drops your mark
- Repeat the same easy words again and again → loses A.
- Skip a bullet, or list points with no detail → caps/loses B.
- Write a generic essay that ignores the text type → loses C.
- Use the wrong register (slang for a formal task) → loses C.
Protect C — it's the cheapest 6 marks: The most common avoidable loss is Criterion C: a strong, accurate answer written in the wrong form or register.
Before you write, name the text type and register in your head and give the text its features — that protects up to 6 marks for free.