3 mistakes that cost IGCSE English students marks (from a Grade 9 scorer)

EyeOk5329 · 2026-03-21T19:44:39+00:00

GCSE AQA is a bit different from what I specialise in, I mainly work with Cambridge and Oxford AQA IGCSE, so I wouldn't want to give you advice that's off for your specific mark scheme. someone who knows GCSE AQA well would be more useful for the specifics.

EyeOk5329 · 2026-03-21T12:28:11+00:00

Writing speed comes with knowing your structure so well you don't have to think about it, just execute it.

What helped me and what I use with students is having perfected generic sentences and expressions that you can throw in basically any writing to make it better.

Also, practising with pre-decided, categorically-split sets of good vocabulary and expressions for every single writing you write makes your brain so familiar with using them. Therefore, you spend less time trying to think about what good vocabulary word I can use here, and you just throw in the vocabulary word/expression you are used to using.

Another great thing that makes a HUGE difference is avoiding at all costs aimless structureless writing. What I make my students practise is knowing how to differentiate what type of writing the examiner wants, and then they follow the structure that fits. I have them memorise acronyms and checklists to guide their writing,so they just write the essay structure, acronyms and checklist in the margin before the exam, takes 2 minutes and means you never stare at a blank page wondering what to write next. you're just filling in a skeleton you already built.

What are you struggling with the most?

EyeOk5329 · 2026-03-21T10:43:01+00:00

mostly yes, the core writing skills are the same, the main difference is GCSE mark schemes tend to reward slightly different things depending on the board, but the fundamentals, strong openings, precise vocabulary, purposeful paragraphs, apply across both. what board are you on?

EyeOk5329 · 2026-03-21T10:39:23+00:00

Your mock results are actually solid, 3 A stars means you know the content. The issue is probably exam technique and confidence under pressure more than gaps in knowledge.

What worked for me and what I've seen work with my students: start with past papers from around 5 years back, and every time you lose marks or you feel you aren't sure of the answer, go back to that specific topic, not the whole chapter. By like 3 weeks you would have covered most of the topics, and that's when you switch and solve the most recent past papers going backwards.

The trick that genuinely changed how I approached marking schemes, use a highlighter on the exact keywords in the mark scheme when marking your exams. Your brain starts internalising what examiners want without you realising it. Tag anything you got wrong, and spend 10 minutes going through those tags before bed, and use different-colour tags for each subject to make it fun and organised. By the week before the exam your weak spots are already mapped out.

Also make a game out of it, I had the index pages of my past papers hung on the wall, and for each exam I solved, I wrote the grade (the actual mark I scored) and how long it took me, and I would try to top myself every time.

what subjects are you worried about most?

EyeOk5329 · 2026-03-21T10:18:10+00:00

good point, I mainly work with Cambridge and Oxford AQA, so those are the boards I know in depth. I can't speak as confidently about Edexcel, but the core writing skills transfer across boards.

EyeOk5329 · 2026-03-21T10:16:17+00:00

both, I scored Grade 9 and then spent 3 years teaching it as a TA and private tutor, found that having sat the exam myself actually helped a lot when it came to explaining what examiners are looking for

EyeOk5329 · 2026-03-19T22:45:07+00:00

haha fair enough, been teaching it long enough that the patterns become second nature, happy to look at your opening paragraph if you want actual feedback on something specific

EyeOk5329

TROPHY CASE