0510

Cambridge IGCSE English - Second Language (0510) - May-June 2022 Past Papers

Download 32 free IGCSE English - Second Language past papers, mark schemes, and examiner reports from the May-June 2022 Cambridge examination session. Includes question papers for all variants with full solutions.

About IGCSE English - Second Language (0510)

IGCSE English as a Second Language tests reading, writing, listening, and speaking for non-native speakers. Candidates must comprehend texts, complete forms, write reports, and respond to listening passages.

What this exam tests: Key skills include note-taking, email writing, summarizing information, and clear written expression.

Papers available in variants 11, 12, 13 for different time zones. All variants cover the same English - Second Language syllabus with equal difficulty.

Grade Thresholds

0510 May-June 2022 Papers

0510 Paper 1 - Reading and Writing (Core)

1 hr 30 min • 70 marks

Tests broad syllabus knowledge with 40 questions. Each question has four options (A-D). Core tier paper.

Select variant:

QP + MS QP + ER

All variants (different time zones):

QP:

MS:

View syllabus topics tested in Paper 1 (5 topics, 70 marks total)

This 0510 Paper 1 from May-June 2022 tests 5 different syllabus topics. The highest-weighted topic is Formal writing (Writing) worth 20 marks out of 70 total marks. Other significant topics include Summary writing (12 marks) and Informal writing (12 marks).

Mark distribution by topic:

Formal writing 20/70

Summary writing 12/70

Informal writing 12/70

Reading for gist and detail 9/70

Retrieving and organising information 7/70

Understanding which topics carry the most marks helps you prioritize your English - Second Language revision. Practice questions from high-mark topics like Formal writing to maximize your score.

0510 Paper 2 - Reading and Writing (Extended)

2 hr • 90 marks

Extended tier multiple choice with more challenging questions covering the full syllabus. 40 questions, 45 minutes.

Select variant:

QP + MS QP + ER

All variants (different time zones):

QP:

MS:

View syllabus topics tested in Paper 2 (6 topics, 90 marks total)

This 0510 Paper 2 from May-June 2022 tests 6 different syllabus topics. The highest-weighted topic is Summary writing (Reading) worth 16 marks out of 90 total marks. Other significant topics include Informal writing (16 marks) and Formal writing (16 marks).

Mark distribution by topic:

Summary writing 16/90

Informal writing 16/90

Formal writing 16/90

Reading for gist and detail 13/90

Review writing 10/90

Retrieving and organising information 9/90

Understanding which topics carry the most marks helps you prioritize your English - Second Language revision. Practice questions from high-mark topics like Summary writing to maximize your score.

0510 Paper 3 - Listening (Core)

30-40 min • 30 marks

Structured and free-response questions testing understanding and application. Core tier, grades available C-G.

Select variant:

QP + MS QP + ER

All variants (different time zones):

QP:

MS:

View syllabus topics tested in Paper 3 (2 topics, 30 marks total)

This 0510 Paper 3 from May-June 2022 tests 2 different syllabus topics. The highest-weighted topic is Review writing (Writing) worth 8 marks out of 30 total marks. Other significant topics include Formal writing (8 marks)

Mark distribution by topic:

Review writing 8/30

Formal writing 8/30

Understanding which topics carry the most marks helps you prioritize your English - Second Language revision. Practice questions from high-mark topics like Review writing to maximize your score.

0510 Paper 4 - Listening (Extended)

45 min • 40 marks

Extended tier theory paper with more demanding questions. Full grade range A*-G available with this paper.

Select variant:

QP + MS QP + ER

All variants (different time zones):

QP:

MS:

View syllabus topics tested in Paper 4 (3 topics, 40 marks total)

This 0510 Paper 4 from May-June 2022 tests 3 different syllabus topics. The highest-weighted topic is Spoken communication (Speaking) worth 10 marks out of 40 total marks. Other significant topics include Review writing (8 marks) and Formal writing (8 marks).

Mark distribution by topic:

Spoken communication 10/40

Review writing 8/40

Formal writing 8/40

Understanding which topics carry the most marks helps you prioritize your English - Second Language revision. Practice questions from high-mark topics like Spoken communication to maximize your score.

Other Resources

Additional materials to help you prepare and understand how exams are marked.

Examiner Report

Insights from examiners on how students performed. Learn common mistakes to avoid and what examiners look for in top answers.

Other Files

0510 May-June 2022 - Topics Breakdown by Paper

Each Cambridge IGCSE English - Second Language (0510) paper tests specific syllabus topics. Below is a breakdown of topics for each paper in May-June 2022, showing how marks are distributed. Use this to focus your revision on topics relevant to your papers.

0510 Paper 1 (Reading and Writing (Core))

70 marks total

Formal writing (Writing)

20m

Summary writing (Reading)

12m

Informal writing (Writing)

12m

Reading for gist and detail (Reading)

9m

Retrieving and organising information (Reading)

7m

0510 Paper 2 (Reading and Writing (Extended))

90 marks total

Summary writing (Reading)

16m

Informal writing (Writing)

16m

Formal writing (Writing)

16m

Reading for gist and detail (Reading)

13m

Review writing (Writing)

10m

Retrieving and organising information (Reading)

9m

0510 Paper 3 (Listening (Core))

30 marks total

Review writing (Writing)

8m

Formal writing (Writing)

8m

0510 Paper 4 (Listening (Extended))

40 marks total

Spoken communication (Speaking)

10m

Review writing (Writing)

8m

Formal writing (Writing)

8m

Study tip: If you're taking the Extended tier, focus on Papers 2, 4, and 6. For Core tier, prepare for Papers 1, 3, and 5/6. Review the topics above for your specific papers and practice past questions from those syllabus areas.

Examiner Insights - May-June 2022

Key feedback from Cambridge examiners on how students performed

Key Takeaways

• Read questions very carefully to identify all key words and the precise information required.
• Avoid including superfluous information or repeating wording from the question; keep answers brief and precise.
• Practice writing within specified word limits; plan and structure your responses effectively.
• Develop a strong understanding of grammar and use a range of vocabulary to enhance language marks.
• Tailor your writing style to the task and audience, using appropriate registers for different text types (formal vs. informal).

Paper 11 - Reading and Writing (Core) 11

Overall, most candidates were correctly entered at this level. Exercise 1 appeared to be a good indicator as to the overall level of achievement on the paper as a whole, with good performance in Exercise 1 being generally reflected in good performance throughout the paper.

Study Tips:

✓ Practice identifying key words in questions and matching them with relevant text details.
✓ Focus on writing concise notes using language from the text in Exercise 3.

Common Mistakes:

QExercise 1 (Reading Comprehension)

✗ Including additional information not directly asked for in the question.

→ Provide only brief and precise answers using language from the text.

QExercise 2 (Inference)

✗ Failing to identify the key elements and implied meaning of questions, leading to incorrect text selection.

→ Read questions carefully to identify all key words and look for paraphrases and synonyms in the texts.

QExercise 3 (Note-taking)

✗ Entering notes for the wrong question or including additional notes outside the lines, rendering them uncreditworthy.

→ Ensure notes correspond to the correct question and stay within the designated space.

QExercise 4 (Summarizing)

✗ Exceeding the word limit, leading to correct content points being uncredited.

→ Stay within the 90-word limit to ensure all content points are credited.

Paper 12 - Reading and Writing (Core) 12

The majority of candidates were entered at the right level. Candidates who appeared to find reading Exercises 1 – 4 challenging responded well to writing Exercises 5 and 6.

Study Tips:

✓ When answering reading questions, try to find synonyms or paraphrased version of the question in the correct text section.
✓ Prioritize relevant content over introductions when summarizing to remain within the word limit.

Common Mistakes:

QQuestion 3, Exercise 1 (Reading Comprehension)

✗ Incorrectly identifying aspects of life controlled by Denmark, confusing it with general information about the Faroe Islands.

→ Focus on what the Faroe Islanders do *not* govern themselves.

QQuestion 5, Exercise 1 (Reading Comprehension)

✗ Selecting distractors related to other forms of transport instead of the most recent improvement.

→ Identify the *most recent* improvement to the transport system.

QQuestion 7, Exercise 1 (Reading Comprehension)

✗ Identifying the organisation name instead of the specific name of the event.

→ Differentiate between the organiser and the actual event name.

QExercise 4 (Summarizing)

✗ Wasting words recounting the introduction and irrelevant details, leading to exceeding word count.

→ Focus on the most important information needed to complete the exercise.

Paper 13 - Reading and Writing (Core) 13

Overall, the majority of candidates were correctly entered for the Core tier. Generally, candidates should be advised that throughout the paper, the spaces and number of lines are arranged as a guide to the length of an answer required and they should not consistently exceed this.

Study Tips:

✓ Carefully interpret questions, especially when providing numerical responses.
✓ Be precise in note-taking; ensure all salient details are included for full credit.
✓ Practice paraphrasing to improve language marks on summaries.

Common Mistakes:

QQuestion 1 (Reading Comprehension)

✗ Including incorrect details with the correct detail, negating the answer.

→ Select *only* the key detail without adding superfluous information.

QQuestion 6 (Reading Comprehension)

✗ Lacking precision in reading and supplying an opposite detail in error.

→ Pay close attention to detail and confirm the answer matches the question exactly.

QExercise 3 (Note-taking)

✗ Failing to distinguish between 'reasons' and 'effects' in the text.

→ Carefully consider the headings of each section and extract relevant information accordingly.

QExercise 3 (Note-taking)

✗ Omitting key details from notes, rendering the point incomplete.

→ Ensure all salient details are included to fully convey the point.

Paper 21 - Reading and Writing (Extended) 21

Overall, the vast majority of candidates were correctly entered at this level. The paper offered a range of tasks within the six exercises, requiring the candidates to demonstrate a variety of practical skills of reading and writing.

Study Tips:

✓ For Exercise 2, look for synonyms in the texts related to the prompt.
✓ For Exercise 4, use connecting words and phrases to structure the answer and use some new wordings (paraphrase) to increase marks.

Common Mistakes:

QQuestion 2, Exercise 1 (Reading Comprehension)

✗ Omitting the comparative 'more' in the answer 'aggressive', preventing the response from being credit worthy.

→ Include every part of the necessary answer in order to get full credit.

QQuestion (b), Exercise 2 (Matching Texts)

✗ Linking the statement with the detail ‘just like being on a Hollywood movie set’ in text A. The obvious ‘word spot’ was ‘movie’ in both statement and text, but the detail was too general and did not convey the idea of a specific film.

→ Don't just word spot, look for answers which relate directly to the prompt.

QGeneral, Exercise 4 (Summarizing)

✗ Exceeding the prescribed word limit by including redundant introductions and details not relevant to the summary's specific requirements.

→ Focus on including details relevant to the specifics of the question and avoiding wordy introductions.

QExercise 4 (Summarizing)

✗ Omission of key words when summarizing.

→ Ensure correct details and key words are included to fully meet the meaning of the correct answer.

Insights extracted from the official Cambridge Examiner Report for 0510 May-June 2022. View full report →

About Cambridge IGCSE English - Second Language (0510)

Cambridge IGCSE English - Second Language (0510) is one of the most popular qualifications taken by students worldwide. The May-June 2022 examination session included 4 paper components, each testing different skills and knowledge areas.

This page contains all 0510 past papers from May-June 2022, including question papers (QP), mark schemes (MS), and examiner reports (ER). Use these resources to practice under timed conditions and understand how examiners award marks.

View all 0510 past papers → | All 2022 sessions →

Get English - Second Language Study Tips

Join students preparing for 0510. Get weekly study tips, new past papers alerts, and exam reminders.

0510 Study Tips & FAQ

What are paper variants?

Cambridge releases multiple variants of each paper (e.g., Paper 11, 12, 13) to accommodate different time zones around the world and maintain exam security.

Variant 1 (e.g., 11, 21): Usually for Zone 1 (Americas)
Variant 2 (e.g., 12, 22): Usually for Zone 2 (Europe, Africa)
Variant 3 (e.g., 13, 23): Usually for Zone 3 (Asia, Oceania)

All variants cover the same syllabus and have similar difficulty. Practice with any variant to prepare effectively for your exam.

How to use Mark Schemes effectively

Mark schemes show exactly how examiners award marks for each question. Understanding them helps you write answers that earn full marks.

Example from a Physics mark scheme:

Q: Calculate the speed of a car that travels 150m in 5 seconds. [2]

Mark scheme answer:

• speed = distance / time [1 mark for formula]

• speed = 150 / 5 = 30 m/s [1 mark for correct answer with unit]

Tips:

Look for key words that must appear in your answer
Note how many points are needed for each mark
Check if units are required for the final mark
Understand the difference between "state" (brief) and "explain" (detailed)

Understanding Grade Thresholds

Grade thresholds show the minimum marks needed for each grade. They vary each session based on paper difficulty — harder papers have lower thresholds.

Example Grade Thresholds (out of 100 total):

A*

90+

A

80-89

B

70-79

C

60-69

* Actual thresholds vary by subject and session

How to use thresholds:

Set realistic target marks based on your goal grade
Track your practice paper scores against thresholds
Remember: you don't need 100% for an A* — aim for consistency
Compare thresholds across sessions to gauge difficulty trends

How is the topic breakdown calculated?

The "Topics Breakdown by Paper" section above shows which syllabus topics are tested in each paper and how many marks they carry. Here's how we calculate this:

Our methodology:

Extract questions: We analyze each question paper (QP) and identify individual questions and their mark allocations (shown in square brackets, e.g., [3]).
Match to syllabus: Each question is matched to the official Cambridge 0510 syllabus topics based on keywords, concepts, and question content.
Sum marks per topic: For each paper, we add up the marks for all questions testing the same topic. For example, if Q1 (4 marks) and Q5b (3 marks) both test "Enzymes", that topic shows as "7 marks" for that paper.

Example: If Paper 3 shows "Photosynthesis - 13 marks", it means questions worth a total of 13 marks (out of the paper's 30 marks) tested the Photosynthesis topic from the Plant Nutrition unit of the syllabus.

How to use this: Look at the paper(s) you'll be taking (e.g., Papers 2, 4, 6 for Extended tier). The topics with the highest marks in YOUR papers are where you should focus your revision. A topic worth 15 marks deserves more study time than one worth 3 marks.

Note: Our topic matching may be inaccurate for questions that span multiple topics. Use this as a guide alongside the official syllabus.

How to Use IGCSE English - Second Language Past Papers

📝 Timed Practice

Complete papers under exam conditions. 0510 Paper 4 is 45 min - practice finishing within this time to build exam stamina.

✅ Self-Marking

Use the mark scheme to score your answers. Look for marking points you missed and understand what examiners expect in English - Second Language responses.

📊 Examiner Reports

Read the 0510 examiner report to see common mistakes. Focus revision on topics where candidates typically lose marks.

🎯 Grade Targets

Check grade thresholds to see how many marks you need for your target grade. An A* in IGCSE English - Second Language typically requires 85-90%.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I download IGCSE English - Second Language May-June 2022 past papers?

You can download all IGCSE English - Second Language (0510) May-June 2022 past papers directly from this page. We provide 32 files including question papers, mark schemes, and examiner reports for all variants (11, 12, 13). Click "View" to open in browser or "Download" to save the PDF.

Are 0510 mark schemes included?

Yes, mark schemes for all 0510 May-June 2022 papers are included. Each question paper has a corresponding mark scheme showing expected answers and mark allocation.

What papers are available for IGCSE English - Second Language 0510?

IGCSE English - Second Language (0510) has 4 papers: Paper 1 (Reading and Writing (Core)), Paper 2 (Reading and Writing (Extended)), Paper 3 (Listening (Core)), Paper 4 (Listening (Extended)). Core tier students take Papers 1, 3, 5/6. Extended tier students take Papers 2, 4, 5/6.

What is the difference between paper variants 11, 12, and 13?

The three variants (11, 12, 13) are different versions of the same paper used in different time zones to prevent cheating. All variants test the same syllabus content at the same difficulty level. You can practice with any variant as they are equally valid for revision.

How can I practice these past papers effectively?

Use our free Exam Hub to practice past papers like real exams. It lets you view question papers and mark schemes side-by-side, so you can self-mark your answers. No sign-up required, works with any PDF, and your files stay completely private.

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We share these materials freely for educational purposes to help students prepare for their examinations. This platform is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Cambridge International.

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