Cambridge IGCSE Urdu as a Second Language (0539): syllabus, papers and marking

June series only. Reading marked against the points scheme; the writing exercises in Urdu are marked in levels, with the band descriptor quoted next to each mark.

Syllabus for examination in 2025, 2026 and 2027 · June series · grades A*–G

Urdu as a Second Language 0539: where the marks go

Urdu as a Second Language 0539 is Paper 1 Reading and Writing (2 h, 60 marks, six exercises) and Paper 2 Listening (about 35–45 min, 30 marks). Speaking is an optional separate endorsement. The series is June only.

We can set and mark Paper 1. Reading is marked against the points scheme; the summary and the two writing tasks are marked for content and language. Listening is sat at the centre.

How we mark a real script

Paper structure and what we mark

PaperTimeMarksWeightQuestions
Paper 1 — Reading and Writing2 h6067%Six exercises: short answers, multiple matching, note-making, 100-word summary, 120-word functional writing, 200-word extended writing
Paper 2 — Listening35–45 min3033%Four listening exercises (sat at the centre)

Syllabus outline

  1. Exercise 1: short-answer reading
  2. Exercise 2: multiple matching
  3. Exercise 3: note-making under headings
  4. Exercise 4: summary in 100 words
  5. Exercise 5: functional writing, an email with three prompts
  6. Exercise 6: extended writing
  7. Paper 2 Listening; Component 5 Speaking (optional endorsement)

How each paper is marked here

Where Urdu as a Second Language 0539 candidates lose marks

  1. Incomplete information in short answers — A missing word such as “office” lost the mark.
  2. Summary over the word limit — Information outside the two aspects asked for, or a long summary that buries the points.
  3. Copying from the text — Heavy lifting limits the language marks.
  4. Email prompts not all covered — The three content marks follow the three prompts.
  5. Opposite or half-answers — Giving the reverse of the detail, or only part of it.

Sample papers, mark schemes and marked reports for 0539

See a real handwritten script marked by eight examiners at admitportfolio.com/examiners.

Questions teachers ask

Is Listening marked?
No. It is sat at the centre.
Which series?
June only.
Is there an O Level version?
Yes, O Level Urdu Second Language 3248 has its own page; the two are separate syllabuses.
Is this official Cambridge marking?
No. Cambridge International Education marks the real exam. This is examiner-style marking of mocks and homework for 0539. Only you see the marking, and you decide what reaches the student.
Do you reproduce past-paper questions?
No. Every 0539 paper here is original and written to the syllabus for examination in 2025, 2026 and 2027, in the same structure as the real papers shown above.
Which papers are marked?
None yet are marked question by question. Practical exams sat at the centre are not marked here.
How is the next paper chosen?
From the marks a student lost: the concepts behind them are ranked by marks dropped, and the new paper weights those topics. It is the same syllabus and structure, with new questions.
When are the exams?
June series. Grades A*–G.

Other Cambridge IGCSE courses

Start marking Urdu as a Second Language scripts · See a real marked script