Pearson Edexcel International GCSE English Language B (4EB1): syllabus, papers and marking

A single three-hour paper. Reading marked point by point; comparison and writing in levels with the descriptor quoted. Full sample pack and a marked candidate script are public.

Specification first teaching 2016 · January and June series · grades 9–1

IGCSE English B: where the marks go

Edexcel International GCSE English Language B (4EB1) is a single three-hour paper: Section A reading, Section B directed writing from the texts, Section C one writing task. It is marked against reading points and in levels for writing, and it is the English course most often taken by international candidates alongside ESL.

A full sample pack is public below: an original 4EB1/01R question paper, its mark scheme, and a teacher evaluation report showing a candidate script marked line by line with the assessment-objective levels.

How we mark a real script

Paper structure and what we mark

PaperTimeMarksWeightQuestions
Paper 1 (01R) — Reading and Writing3 h100100%Section A reading on two unseen texts; Section B directed writing; Section C one writing task from a choice

Syllabus outline

  1. Section A: reading comprehension of two unseen texts
  2. Comparative analysis of writers’ methods
  3. Section B: directed writing using the texts
  4. Section C: imaginative, descriptive or argumentative writing
  5. Assessment objectives: reading AO1–AO3, writing AO4–AO5

How each paper is marked here

Where IGCSE English B candidates lose marks

  1. Comparison written as two separate halves — AO3 held at Level 3.
  2. Analysis that names the device but not the effect — Points lost.
  3. Directed writing without using both texts — Content lost.
  4. Writing accuracy — AO5 held down by comma splices and tense.
  5. Reading answers padded with opinion — No credit.

Sample papers, mark schemes and marked reports for IGCSE English B

Sample material

Real marked reports

Questions teachers ask

Can I see the marked script?
Yes: the teacher evaluation report below, HTML and PDF.
Is the question paper original?
Yes, with original texts in the 4EB1/01R format.
Does it also do ESL (4ES2)?
ESL marking is run privately for one school; ask us.
Is this official Pearson Edexcel marking?
No. Pearson Edexcel International marks the real exam. This is examiner-style marking of mocks and homework for IGCSE English B. Only you see the marking, and you decide what reaches the student.
Do you reproduce past-paper questions?
No. Every 4EB1 paper here is original and written to the specification first teaching 2016, in the same structure as the real papers shown above.
Which papers are marked?
Paper 1 (01R) 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?
January and June series. Grades 9–1.

Other Pearson Edexcel International GCSE courses

Start marking English Language B scripts · See a real marked script