Syllabus: Cambridge International AS & A Level English Language

SYLLABUS
Cambridge International AS & A Level

English Language
9093
For examination in June and November 2020.
Also available for examination in March 2020 for India only.
Literature in English
9695
Also available for examination in March 2020 for India only.
Language and Literature in English (AS only)
8695
Cambridge Advanced Version 2

Changes to the syllabus for 2020
The latest syllabus is version 2, published February 2018.
Changes have been made to page 34. A text title has been changed to:
Geoffrey Chaucer The Knight’s Prologue and Tale.
Due to the change in poetry texts for 2020 the list of Marvell’s poems on page 36 has been removed.
An amendment to the administration of Coursework has been made to page 27. It now states,
‘Component 8 is only available to centres which have submitted a full coursework proposal to Cambridge
International. Refer to section 3.1 of the Cambridge Handbook for instructions. This component is not
available to private candidates.’
You are strongly advised to read the whole syllabus before planning your teaching programme.
Any textbooks endorsed to support the syllabus for examination from 2016 are still suitable for
use with this syllabus.
Cambridge Assessment International Education is part of the Cambridge Assessment Group. Cambridge Assessment is
the brand name of the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which itself is a department of the
University of Cambridge.
UCLES retains the copyright on all its publications. Registered centres are permitted to copy material from this booklet for
their own internal use. However, we cannot give permission to centres to photocopy any material that is acknowledged to a
third party even for internal use within a centre.
Contents
Introduction........................................................................................................................... 2
Welcome
Why choose Cambridge Assessment International Education?
Why Cambridge International AS & A Levels?
Why Cambridge International AS & A Level English Language?
Why Cambridge International AS & A Level Literature in English?
Why Cambridge International AS Level Language and Literature in English?
Teacher support
Cambridge International AS & A Level English Language................................................... 12

1 Syllabus overview
2 Syllabus aims and assessment objectives
3 Syllabus content
Cambridge International AS & A Level Literature in English............................................... 20

1 Syllabus overview
3 Syllabus content
Cambridge International AS Level Language and Literature in English............................... 30

1 Syllabus overview
3 Syllabus content
Set texts for Cambridge International AS & A Level Literature in English........................... 34
Set texts for Cambridge International AS Level Language and Literature in English.......... 38
Other information................................................................................................................ 41
Equality and inclusion
Language
Grading and reporting
Exam administration
Introduction Syllabus for examination in 2020.
Welcome
Cambridge International AS & A Level English encourages students to explore their subject in
depth. The syllabus has been designed, in consultation with teachers and universities, to help
students develop not only subject knowledge, but also a strong understanding of some of the key
concepts that are critical to mastering the subject.
All our syllabuses are reviewed and updated regularly so that they reflect the latest thinking of international
experts and practitioners, and take account of the different national contexts in which they are taught.
Consultation is an important part of the way we develop our syllabuses.
Consulting teachers Consulting universities

Teachers at Cambridge schools worldwide help Like teachers, universities help to shape our
us to shape our Cambridge International AS & A Cambridge International AS & A Level syllabuses.
Level syllabuses. The feedback contributes to the We consult with leading higher education
development of syllabus content, assessments and institutions to make sure the syllabuses encourage
support materials. Consulting teachers ensures that students to get a firm grasp of the subject’s key
our materials are designed carefully around their concepts and develop the skills necessary for
needs and the needs of their students. success at university.
Key concepts
Key concepts are essential ideas that help students develop a deep understanding of their subject
and make links between different aspects. Key concepts may open up new ways of thinking about,
understanding or interpreting the important things to be learned. The key concepts that this syllabus
is designed to develop are detailed on page [X].
Teacher support
Our comprehensive teacher support will help you deliver the syllabus confidently and effectively.
The support includes resources for teaching and learning as well as exam preparation. The teaching
support package helps teachers integrate the key concepts into their teaching, showing how they fit
into the overall syllabus and suggesting ways to teach them with each topic. Learn more on page [x].
Cambridge International AS and A Levels prepare students well for university

because they’ve learnt to go into a subject in considerable depth. There’s that
ability to really understand the depth and richness and the detail of a subject. It’s a
wonderful preparation for what they are going to face at university.
Christoph Guttentag, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions, Duke University, USA
2 www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel Back to contents page

Why choose Cambridge Assessment International Education?

Cambridge Assessment International Education prepares school students for life, helping them
develop an informed curiosity and a lasting passion for learning. We are part of the University of
Cambridge.
Our international qualifications are recognised by the world’s best universities and employers,
giving students a wide range of options in their education and career. As a not-for-profit
organisation, we devote our resources to delivering high-quality educational programmes that can
unlock learners’ potential.
Our programmes and qualifications set the global standard for international education. They are created
by subject experts, rooted in academic rigour and reflect the latest educational research. They provide a
strong platform for students to progress from one stage to the next, and are well supported by teaching and
learning resources.
Every year, nearly a million Cambridge learners from 10 000 schools in 160 countries prepare for their future
with an international education from Cambridge.
Cambridge learners
Our mission is to provide educational benefit through provision of international programmes and
qualifications for school education and to be the world leader in this field. Together with schools, we
develop Cambridge learners who are:
• confident in working with information and ideas – their own and those of others
• responsible for themselves, responsive to and respectful of others
• reflective as learners, developing their ability to learn
• innovative and equipped for new and future challenges
• engaged intellectually and socially ready to make a difference.
fident
Con
d
Engage
Cambridge
learner
Learn more about the Cambridge learner attributes in Chapter 2 of our Implementing the curriculum
with Cambridge guide at www.cambridgeinternational.org/curriculumguide
Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel 3

Why Cambridge International AS & A Levels?

Cambridge International AS & A Levels are international in outlook, but retain a local relevance.
The syllabuses provide opportunities for contextualised learning and the content has been created
to suit a wide variety of schools, avoid cultural bias and develop essential lifelong skills, including
creative thinking and problem-solving.
Our aim is to balance knowledge, understanding and skills in our qualifications to enable students to become
effective learners and to provide a solid foundation for their continuing educational journey. Cambridge
International AS & A Levels give students building blocks for an individualised curriculum that develops their
knowledge, understanding and skills.
Cambridge International AS & A Level curricula are flexible. It is possible to offer almost any combination
from a wide range of subjects. Cambridge International A Level is typically a two-year course, and
Cambridge International AS Level is typically one year. Some subjects can be started as a Cambridge
International AS Level and extended to a Cambridge International A Level.
There are three possible assessment approaches for Cambridge International AS & A Level:
Option two Option three
Cambridge International
Year 2
A Level
Option one (remainder of A Level) Cambridge
International
Cambridge International Cambridge International A Level
Year 1
AS Level AS Level
(standalone AS) (AS is first half of A Level)
Students take the Cambridge Students take the Cambridge Students take all papers of the
International AS Level only. The International AS Level in Year 1 and Cambridge International A Level course
syllabus content for Cambridge in Year 2 complete the Cambridge in the same examination series, usually
International AS Level is half International A Level. at the end of the second year of study.
of a Cambridge International
A Level programme.
Every year thousands of students with Cambridge International AS & A Levels gain places at leading
universities worldwide. Cambridge International AS & A Levels are accepted across 195 countries. They
are valued by top universities around the world including those in the UK, US (including Ivy League
universities), European nations, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. Learners should check the university
website for specific entry requirements before applying.
Did you know?

In some countries universities accept Cambridge International AS Levels in their own right as
qualifications counting towards entry to courses in the same or other related subjects. Many students
who take Cambridge International AS Levels also choose to progress to Cambridge International
A Level.
Learn more
For more details go to www.cambridgeinternational.org/recognition

Why Cambridge International AS & A Level English Language?

Cambridge International AS & A Level English Language is accepted by universities and employers
as proof of knowledge and understanding.
About the syllabus
Successful English Language learners develop an understanding and enjoyment of a wide variety of different
texts, both written and spoken. They gain pleasure and awareness of how language works in different ways,
for different purposes and for different audiences. In addition, they gain skills for life, including:
• the ability to appreciate how different texts are shaped by their language and style
• skills in creating their own imaginative and persuasive writing for different purposes and audiences
• skills in researching, selecting and shaping information from different sources
• the ability to analyse and compare written and spoken texts in close detail
Key concepts
The key concepts on which this syllabus is built are set out below. These key concepts, carefully introduced
and developed, will help to underpin the course you will teach. You may identify additional key concepts
which will also enrich teaching and learning.
Of the concepts that are important to the study of English Language at this level, we have identified the
following as key. As a teacher, you will refer to these concepts, which can serve as tools to understand both
familiar and unfamiliar written and spoken texts. The Scheme of Work suggests how these concepts can
help with teaching.
• When we say the characteristics of written and spoken texts, we are referring to the ways in which
constructed and spontaneous language are either consciously or unconsciously formed and shaped by
different means for a variety of purposes and effects.
• Structure refers to the organisation of a text or passage, its shape and development and how this
contributes to meaning and effect: for example, the way in which a written passage or spoken language
may develop using different techniques and moods.
• Context refers to the relationship between a text and its background – for example, historical, social,
cultural, and economic – and the ways in which it may influence the meaning and interpretation of a
particular extract.
• By the features of imaginative writing, we mean the ingredients which may help to form different
types of creative responses: for example, these may include aspects of structure (such as the opening
to a short story) and particular linguistic skills and forms of expression (for example, establishing
character and motivation; varying sentence structures; selecting effective vocabulary for different
purposes).
• The features of persuasive and argumentative writing encompass the different techniques and
devices employed in conveying points of view, exemplification and cohesive reasoning in different
formats (for example, newspaper articles, magazine features, letters, diaries, scripted speeches) for
different types of audiences (such as those based on age or interest).
• The features of spontaneous speech include: their differences to shaped and scripted speeches and
dialogue; the characteristics which mark spontaneous speech out (for example, hesitation, fillers, use of
non-standard grammar) as being unrehearsed.
• Language acquisition refers here to the ways in which children and teenagers learn to recognise,
understand and construct language at different times in their development. It also explores how these
processes shape their different uses of both written and spoken language as they grow.

• When we refer to spoken language and social groups, we mean the ways in which different groups
(defined, for example, by gender, occupation, age or culture) construct language (with its own terms,
sounds, vocabulary and expression) to form a distinct identity of their own (for example, to include or
exclude others or to create power and status).
• Issues raised by global English refer to different debates about and reactions and attitudes to the rise
of English as an ‘international’ means of communication, its cultural effects, the varieties of English
created, its impact on local languages in terms of speech and writing and the threat it may pose to such
languages.

Why Cambridge International AS & A Level Literature in English?

Cambridge International AS & A Level Literature in English is accepted by universities and
employers as proof of knowledge and understanding.
About the syllabus
Successful Literature in English learners develop a lifelong understanding and enjoyment of literary texts,
and, importantly, gain a range of essential skills, including:
• the ability to write clearly and effectively
• skills in developing arguments
• skills in researching and managing information
• the ability to analyse complex texts in different forms and styles.
Key concepts
The key concepts set out below offer ways to approach the study of Cambridge International AS & A Level
Literature in English. The teaching support package helps teachers integrate the key concepts into their
teaching. See page 11 for more information on our teacher support.
As a teacher, you will refer to these concepts, which can serve as tools when considering both familiar and
unfamiliar works of literature.
• When we say imaginative literature, we are referring to the texts as literary, imaginative constructs.
• By form, we mean the main characteristics of prose, drama, and poetry, and how these contribute to
meaning and effect.
contributes to meaning and effect, for example, the structure of a poem created by the number of lines,
line length and rhyme pattern.
• Genre encompasses the characteristics of different genres: for example, tragedy, comedy and satire.
• Conventions are the rules or traditional features which are characteristic of, for example, a play
(dialogue and action), or a romantic novel (narrative point of view), or sonnet (length, shape, argument,
counter-argument and conclusion).
• Context is the relationship between a text and its background – historical, social and cultural.
• Audience and readership implies the interaction of texts with the reader or audience (audience in the
case of drama).
• Language and style covers the variety and use of language and style in different forms, genres and
periods, and for different audiences and readerships.
• Interpretation involves the appreciation and discussion of different critical readings of a text (Cambridge
International A Level only).

Why Cambridge International AS Level Language and Literature in

English?
Cambridge International AS Level Language and Literature in English is accepted by universities
and employers as proof of knowledge and understanding.
About the syllabus
Successful Cambridge International AS Level Language and Literature in English learners gain a foundation
in lifelong language skills together with an understanding and enjoyment of literary texts, including:
• the ability to write clearly, accurately, creatively and persuasively
• the ability to use appropriate styles and registers for different contexts and audiences
• the ability to analyse a variety of complex texts in a variety of forms and styles
• an understanding of language use to inform and persuade
• skills in researching and managing information.
Key concepts
The key concepts set out below offer ways to approach the study of Paper 2 Writing for Cambridge
International AS Level Language and Literature in English.
• By the features of imaginative writing, we mean the ingredients which may help to form different
types of creative responses: for example, these may include aspects of structure (such as the opening
to a short story) and particular linguistic skills and forms of expression (for example, establishing
character and motivation; varying sentence structures; selecting effective vocabulary for different
purposes).
• The features of persuasive and argumentative writing encompass the different techniques and
devices employed in conveying points of view, exemplification and cohesive reasoning in different
formats (for example, newspaper articles, magazine features, letters, diaries, scripted speeches) for
different types of audiences (such as those based on age or interest).
The key concepts set out below offer ways to approach the study of Paper 9 Poetry, Prose and Drama for
Cambridge International AS Level Language and Literature in English.
• When we say imaginative literature, we are referring to the texts as literary, imaginative constructs.
• By form, we mean the main characteristics of prose, drama, and poetry, and how these contribute to
meaning and effect.
contributes to meaning and effect, for example, the structure of a poem created by the number of lines,
line length and rhyme pattern.
• Genre encompasses the characteristics of different genres: for example, tragedy, comedy and satire.
• Conventions are the rules or traditional features which are characteristic of, for example, a play
(dialogue and action), or a romantic novel (narrative point of view), or sonnet (length, shape, argument,
counter-argument and conclusion).
• Context is the relationship between a text and its background – historical, social and cultural.
• Audience and readership implies the interaction of texts with the reader or audience (audience in the
case of drama).
• Language and style covers the variety and use of language and style in different forms, genres and
periods, and for different audiences and readerships.

Guided learning hours

Guided learning hours give an indication of the amount of contact time teachers need to have with learners
to deliver a particular course. Our syllabuses are designed around 180 guided learning hours for Cambridge
International AS Level, and around 360 guided learning hours for Cambridge International A Level.
These figures are for guidance only. The number of hours needed to gain the qualification may vary
depending on local practice and the learners’ previous experience of the subject.
Prior learning
We recommend that candidates who are beginning this course should have previously completed a
Cambridge O Level or Cambridge IGCSE® course in English Language, or Literature in English and should
have a level of English equivalent to First Language English at IGCSE.
Progression
Cambridge International A Level English Language provides a suitable foundation for the study of English
Language or related courses in higher education. Equally it is suitable for candidates intending to pursue
careers or further study, or as part of a course of general education.
Cambridge International A Level Literature in English provides a suitable foundation for the study of English
Literature or related courses in higher education. Equally it is suitable for candidates intending to pursue
careers or further study, or as part of a course of general education.
Cambridge International AS Level English Language constitutes the first half of the Cambridge International
A Level course in English Language and therefore provides a suitable foundation for the study of English
Language at Cambridge International A Level and thence for related courses in higher education. Depending
on local university entrance requirements, it may permit or assist progression directly to university courses
in English, Humanities or some other subjects. It is also suitable for candidates intending to pursue careers
or further study, or as part of a course of general education.
Cambridge International AS Level Literature in English constitutes the first half of the Cambridge
International A Level course in Literature in English and therefore provides a suitable foundation for the
study of English Literature at Cambridge International A Level and thence for related courses in higher
education. Depending on local university entrance requirements, it may permit or assist progression directly
to university courses in English, Humanities or some other subjects. It is also suitable for candidates
intending to pursue careers or further study, or as part of a course of general education.
For more information about the relationship between the Cambridge International AS Level and Cambridge
International A Level see the ‘Assessment’ section of the syllabus overview.
We recommend learners check the Cambridge recognitions database and the university websites to find the
most up-to-date entry requirements for courses they wish to study.

How can I find out more?

If you are already a Cambridge school
You can make entries for this qualification through your usual channels. If you have any questions,
please contact us at [email protected]
If you are not yet a Cambridge school
Learn more about the benefits of becoming a Cambridge school from our website
at www.cambridgeinternational.org/startcambridge
Email us at [email protected] to find out how your organisation can register to
become a Cambridge school.
Cambridge AICE
Cambridge AICE Diploma is the group award of the Cambridge International AS & A Level. It gives schools
the opportunity to benefit from offering a broad and balanced curriculum by recognising the achievements
of candidates who pass examinations from different curriculum groups.
Learn more
For more details go to www.cambridgeinternational.org/aice
Our research has shown that students who came to the university with a
Cambridge AICE background performed better than anyone else that came to the
university. That really wasn’t surprising considering the emphasis they have on critical
research and analysis, and that’s what we require at university.
John Barnhill, Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management, Florida State University, USA

Teacher support
We offer a wide range of practical and innovative support to help teachers plan and deliver our
programmes and qualifications confidently.
The support package for our Cambridge International AS & A Levels will help teachers integrate key
concepts into their teaching, showing how they fit into the overall syllabus and suggesting ways to teach
them within each topic. It also gives teachers access to a worldwide teaching community enabling them to
connect with other teachers, swap ideas and share best practice.
Teaching and learning Exam preparation

• Support materials provide teachers with ideas and • Past question papers and mark schemes so
planning resources for their lessons. teachers can give learners the opportunity
to practise answering different questions.
• Endorsed textbooks, ebooks and digital resources
are produced by leading publishers. We have • Example candidate responses help teachers
quality checked these materials to make sure they understand exactly what examiners are looking for.
provide a high level of support for teachers and
• Principal examiner reports describing learners’
learners.
overall performance on each part of the papers.
• Resource lists to help support teaching, The reports give insight into common
including textbooks and websites. misconceptions shown by learners, which teachers
can address in lessons.
Cambridge
International
AS & A Level
support for
Professional development teachers Learn more
Face-to-face training Find out more about support for this syllabus
We hold workshops around the world to support at www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel
teachers in delivering Cambridge syllabuses and Visit our online resource bank and discussion forum
developing their skills. at www.cambridgeinternational.org/support
Online training
You can find useful information, as well as share
We offer self-study and tutor-led online training
your ideas and experiences with other teachers, on
courses via our virtual learning environment. A
our social media channels and community forums.
wide range of syllabus-specific courses and skills
courses is available. We also offer training via Find out more at
video conference and webinars. www.cambridgeinternational.org/social-media
Qualifications
We offer a wide range of practice-based qualifications
at Certificate and Diploma level, providing a
framework for continuing professional development.

Cambridge International AS & A Level English Language syllabus Syllabus overview
Syllabus for examination in 2020.
Cambridge International AS & A Level English Language
1 Syllabus overview
1.1 Content
Cambridge International AS Level English Language provides candidates opportunities to make critical
and informed responses to texts which are wide-ranging in their form, style and context. Candidates will
also produce their own imaginative writing, and will demonstrate their ability to produce writing for given
audiences. Those who opt for Cambridge International A Level English Language will develop a strong
foundation in the study of linguistics, focusing on spoken language, English as a global language and
language acquisition.
1.2 Assessment
For Cambridge International AS & A Level English Language, candidates:
• take Papers 1 and 2 only (for the Cambridge International AS qualification)
or
• follow a staged assessment route by taking Papers 1 and 2 (for the Cambridge International AS
qualification) in one series, then Papers 3 and 4 (for the Cambridge International A Level qualification) in
a later series
or
• take Papers 1, 2, 3 and 4 in the same examination series, leading to the full Cambridge International
A Level.
Cambridge International AS Level candidates take:
Paper 1 Passages Duration Weighting
The paper contains three questions. 2 hours 15 minutes 50%

Candidates answer two questions: Question 1, and either
Question 2 or Question 3.
Questions carry equal marks.
Externally assessed. 50 marks
and
Paper 2 Writing Duration Weighting
Two sections: Section A and Section B. 2 hours 50%

Candidates answer two questions: one from Section A
and one from Section B.

Cambridge International A Level candidates take:
Paper 1 Passages Duration Weighting
The paper contains three questions. 2 hours 15 minutes 25%

Candidates answer two questions: Question 1, and either
Question 2 or Question 3.
and
Two sections: Section A and Section B. 2 hours 25%

Candidates answer two questions: one from Section A
and one from Section B.
and
Paper 3 Text Analysis Duration Weighting
The paper contains two questions. 2 hours 15 minutes 25%

Candidates must answer both questions.
and
Paper 4 Language Topics Duration Weighting
The paper contains three questions, each on a separate 2 hours 15 minutes 25%
topic area.
Candidates answer two questions.

Availability
This syllabus is examined in the June and November examination series. This syllabus is also available for
examination in March, for India only.
This syllabus is available to private candidates.
Detailed timetables are available from www.cambridgeinternational.org/examsofficers
Centres in the UK that receive government funding are advised to consult the Cambridge International
website www.cambridgeinternational.org for the latest information before beginning to teach this
syllabus.
Combining this with other syllabuses

Candidates can combine this syllabus in an examination series with any other Cambridge International
syllabus, except:
• Cambridge International AS Level Language and Literature in English (8695).

Cambridge International AS & A Level English Language syllabus Syllabus aims and assessment objectives

2.1 Syllabus aims
The syllabus aims to develop:
• a critical and informed response to texts in a range of forms, styles, contexts and audiences
• the interdependent skills of reading, analysis and research
• effective, creative, accurate and appropriate communication
• a firm foundation for further study of language and linguistics.
2.2 Assessment objectives

Candidates are assessed on their ability to:
AO1: r ead with understanding and analyse texts in a variety of forms
AO2: d
emonstrate a knowledge and understanding of English language (including, at A Level, spoken
language) and its use in a variety of contexts
AO3: write clearly, accurately, creatively and effectively for different purposes/audiences, using different
forms.
2.3 Relationship between assessment objectives and components
Assessment objective Paper 1 Paper 2 Paper 3 Paper 4
AO1   
AO2    
AO3    
The assessment objectives for Cambridge International AS & A Level English Language carry equal weight
within each component. Components are marked holistically using the mark levels printed in the specimen
paper mark schemes.
For the Cambridge International AS Level qualification, each paper is worth 50 per cent of the total marks
and each question carries equal marks.
For the Cambridge International A Level qualification, each paper is worth 25 per cent of the total marks and
each question carries equal marks.

Cambridge International AS & A Level English Language syllabus Syllabus content
3 Syllabus content
Paper 1 Passages
• The paper contains three questions.
• Candidates answer two questions: Question 1, and either Question 2 or Question 3.
• Questions carry equal marks.
Each question is based on one passage (or thematically related shorter passages) printed in the question paper.
Texts will be drawn from a range of English language sources such as advertisements, brochures,
leaflets, editorials, news stories, articles, reviews, blogs, investigative journalism, letters, podcasts,
(auto) biographies, diaries, essays, scripted speech (e.g. a speech by a politician) and narrative/descriptive
writing.
Each question is in two parts:

(a) commentary on the use of language in the passage(s). [15 marks]
(b) directed writing task based on the passage(s). [10 marks]
In all questions, candidates are required to:

• identify distinguishing features of the texts, relate them to the function and context of the writing, and
organise information in their answers
• comment on aspects such as vocabulary, figurative language (e.g. use of metaphor and simile), word
ordering and sentence structure, formality/informality of tone, and the communication of attitudes, bias
or prejudice, structure
• write for a specific purpose and/or audience using appropriate vocabulary, tone, and style.
Candidates are advised to spend approximately 15 minutes reading the whole paper before they begin writing.
Dictionaries may not be used.
Paper 2 Writing
The paper contains two sections: Section A and Section B. There are three questions in each section.
• Candidates answer two questions: one question from Section A and one question from Section B.
Section A: Imaginative writing (i.e. imaginative/descriptive)

Candidates choose one out of three questions.
Questions require a narrative or descriptive piece of continuous writing of 600–900 words (or two shorter
linked pieces of 300–450 words).
Candidates are required to show that they can write imaginatively, using language to create deliberate
effects, e.g. in conveying a mood or describing a character.
Section B: Writing for an audience (i.e. discursive/argumentative)


Questions require a piece of continuous writing of 600–900 words (or two shorter linked pieces of 300–450
words). In each question, a specified form for the writing will be given (e.g. a magazine feature, article,
review, letter to a newspaper, scripted speech, voiceover) for a specified audience.
Candidates are required to show that they can present a view clearly, construct an argument carefully, and
write coherently and persuasively.
Paper 3 Text Analysis

• The paper contains two questions.
• Candidates must answer both questions.
Each question is based on text(s) printed on the question paper. One of the texts (either for Question 1
or Question 2) will be a transcription of speech/spoken material/scripted speech (e.g. a campaigning
broadcast or political speech). The other texts will be drawn from forms such as advertisements, brochures,
leaflets, editorials, news stories, articles, reviews, blogs, investigative journalism, letters, podcasts,
(auto) biographies, diaries, essays, and narrative/descriptive writing.
In Question 1(a) candidates are required to write for a specific purpose and/or audience using appropriate
vocabulary, tone, and style.
In Question 1(b) and Question 2 candidates are required to:

• identify and analyse distinguishing features of written and spoken language in the text(s), such as
vocabulary, word order and the structure of sentences/utterances, figurative language (e.g. use of
metaphor and simile), formality/informality of tone, and the communication of attitudes, bias or prejudice
• relate these features to the function and context of the text(s)
• organise information coherently in their answers.
Question 1 is in two parts:

(a) directed writing task relating to the text, involving writing 120–150 words in a specific form and for a
specified purpose/audience, using appropriate vocabulary, tone, and style. [10 marks]
(b) comparison of the style and language of the candidate’s writing in (a) with that of the original text.
[15 marks]
Question 2 is based on two longer texts (300–400 words each). The texts will have some thematic
connection, but will be from different types of source/form.
Candidates are required to compare style and language of the texts. [25 marks]
Candidates are advised to spend approximately 15 minutes studying the question paper before they begin
writing.

Paper 4 Language Topics

• The paper contains three questions, each on a separate topic area.
• Candidates answer two questions.
The topic areas for examination in 2020 are:

• Topic A: Spoken language and social groups
• Topic B: English as a global language
• Topic C: Language acquisition by children and teenagers.
One essay question will be set on each topic area.
Each question will incorporate a short stimulus (such as a relevant text extract or speech transcription)
relating to the topic area. Candidates will be expected to refer to this and to their own wider reading and
research in answering.
Topic A: Spoken language and social groups

Relevant areas for study include:
• specific features of spoken language which are influenced by context
• the use of language to include and exclude
• group identity, power and status
• slang, jargon and other non-standard features
• idiolect/sociolect/dialect
• speech sounds and accents
• theories and studies of social variation in language, for example variations according to gender, age,
occupation, social class.
Topic B: English as a global language

• issues arising from differing ideas of ‘world’/’global’/‘international’ English
• Kachru’s Three Circles: inner circle, outer circle, expanding circle
• the local status of English – as an ‘official’ (second) language
• ‘Englishes’ – standard and non-standard varieties
• cultural effects – especially from, for example, British v. American English
• national government attitudes: language planning policies
• language death.

Topic C: Language acquisition by children and teenagers

• the main stages of early development, for example, the holophrastic, telegraphic and post-telegraphic
stages
• the different functions of young people’s language, for example:
–– instrumental function: language used to fulfil a need – obtaining food, drink and comfort
–– regulatory function: asking, commanding, requesting
–– interactional function: language that develops social relationships
–– personal function: language that expresses personal opinions
–– representational function: relaying or requesting information
–– heuristic function: language that is used to explore the world and to learn and discover
–– imaginative function: using language to tell stories and create imaginary worlds
• knowledge of some of the theories of how children acquire language, such as imitation and
reinforcement (Skinner), the language acquisition device (Chomsky), cognitive development (Piaget) and
child-directed (or ‘caretaker’) speech.

Cambridge International AS & A Level Literature in English syllabus Syllabus overview
Cambridge International AS & A Level Literature in English
1 Syllabus overview
1.1 Content
Cambridge International AS Level Literature in English requires candidates to answer two compulsory
papers: Paper 3 Poetry and Prose, and Paper 4 Drama. Overall, at AS Level candidates are required to study
four set texts. In each paper candidates answer two questions, each on a different text. Candidates are
required to answer questions on a range of poems, prose and plays, with options from the canon of English
Literature and modern texts in English. Close study of all the texts chosen is needed in preparation for a
choice of essay and passage-based questions.
Cambridge International A Level Literature in English requires candidates to answer three compulsory
papers and one from a choice of optional papers. The compulsory papers are: Paper 3 Poetry and Prose,
Paper 4 Drama, and Paper 5 Shakespeare and other pre-20th Century Texts. The optional papers are: Paper 6
1900 to the Present, Paper 7 Comment and Appreciation, and Component 8 Coursework. Overall, at A Level
candidates are required to study eight set texts, or six set texts plus two unseen texts if Paper 7 Comment
and Appreciation is chosen. In each paper candidates answer two questions, each on a different text.
Candidates are required to answer questions from a range of poems, prose and plays, with options from
the canon of English Literature and modern texts in English. Close study of all the texts chosen is needed in
preparation for a choice of essay and passage-based questions. In Paper 5 only, candidates must answer on
at least one passage-based question.
2.1 Assessment
For Cambridge International AS & A Level Literature in English, candidates:
• take Papers 3, 4, 5 and 6 or 7 or Component 8 in the same examination series leading to the full
Cambridge International A Level
or
• follow a staged assessment route by taking Papers 3 and 4 (for the Cambridge International AS
qualification) in the same series, then Papers 5 and 6 or 7 or Component 8 (for the Cambridge
International A Level qualification) in a later series
or
• take Papers 3 and 4 only in the same series (for the Cambridge International AS qualification).

Cambridge International AS Level candidates take:
Paper 3 Poetry and Prose Duration Weighting
Candidates answer two questions: one question from 2 hours 50%

Section A Poetry and one question from Section B Prose.
and
Paper 4 Drama Duration Weighting
Candidates answer two questions on two plays. 2 hours 50%

Cambridge International A Level candidates take:
Paper 3 Poetry and Prose Duration Weighting
Candidates answer two questions: one question from 2 hours 25%

Section A Poetry and one question from Section B Prose.
and
Paper 4 Drama Duration Weighting
Candidates answer two questions on two plays. 2 hours 25%

and
Paper 5 Shakespeare and other pre-20th Century Texts Duration Weighting
This paper contains two sections: Section A: Shakespeare; 2 hours 25%

Section B: Other pre-20th Century Texts.
Candidates answer two questions: one question from
Section A and one question from Section B.
At least one of the questions candidates answer must
be a (b) passage-based question, chosen from either
Section A or Section B.

and either
Paper 6 1900 to the Present Duration Weighting
Candidates answer two questions on different texts. 2 hours 25%

or
Paper 7 Comment and Appreciation Duration Weighting
Candidates answer two questions on different texts. 2 hours 25%

Candidates write critical appreciations of previously
unseen passages.
or
Component 8 Coursework Duration Weighting
Available on special application only. 25%

Candidates submit a folder of two essays on different
texts.
Internally marked, externally moderated. 50 marks
Texts are not allowed in the examination room.
Availability
This syllabus is examined in the June and November examination series.
This syllabus is available to private candidates with the exception of 9695/08, Literature in English
Coursework, which is not available to private candidates.
Centres in the UK that receive government funding are advised to consult the Cambridge International
website www.cambridgeinternational.org for the latest information before beginning to teach this
syllabus.

Candidates can combine this syllabus in an examination series with any other Cambridge International
syllabus, except:
• 8695 Cambridge International AS Level Language and Literature in English.

Cambridge International AS & A Level Literature in English syllabus Syllabus aims and assessment objectives

2.1 Syllabus aims
• appreciation of and informed personal response to literature in English in a range of texts in different
forms, and from different periods and cultures
• the interdependent skills of reading, analysis and communication
• effective and appropriate communication
• wider reading and an understanding of how it may contribute to personal development.

Candidates must demonstrate:
AO1: T
he ability to respond to texts in the three main forms (Prose, Poetry and Drama) of different types
and from different cultures.
AO2: A
n understanding of the ways in which writers’ choices of form, structure and language shape
meanings.
AO3: T
he ability to produce informed, independent opinions and judgements on literary texts.
AO4: T
he ability to communicate clearly the knowledge, understanding and insight appropriate for literary
study.
AO5: T
he ability to appreciate and discuss varying opinions of literary works (Cambridge International
A Level only).
Assessment Paper 3 Paper 4 Paper 5 Paper 6 Paper 7 Component 8

objective
AO1      
AO2      
AO3      
AO4      
AO5    
The assessment objectives for Cambridge International AS & A Level Literature in English carry equal
weight within each component. Components are marked holistically using the mark levels printed in the
specimen paper mark schemes.
For the Cambridge International AS Level qualification, each paper is worth 50 per cent of the total marks
and each question carries equal marks.
For the Cambridge International A Level qualification, each paper (including coursework) is worth 25 per cent
of the total marks and each question carries equal marks.

Cambridge International AS & A Level Literature in English syllabus Syllabus content
3 Syllabus content
Paper 3 Poetry and Prose
[This paper is timetabled with 8695 Paper 9 Poetry, Prose and Drama.]
The paper contains two sections: Section A: Poetry and Section B: Prose. Candidates answer two
questions, each from a different section.
• An essay question and a passage-based question are set on each text.
• In all answers, candidates must show understanding of the text and an informed independent opinion;
they must communicate these clearly and appropriately.
Questions will test candidates’ understanding of:

• the ways in which writers’ choices of form, structure and language shape meanings
• the language and style of texts
• the effective use of narrative methods
• how parts of the text relate to the work as a whole.
Texts are not allowed in the examination room.
Set texts are listed in the section Set Texts for Cambridge International AS & A Level Literature in
English.

Paper 4 Drama
Candidates answer two questions on two plays.

• how parts of the text relate to the work as a whole
• the dramatic qualities of play texts.
Texts may not be taken into the examination room.
English.
Paper 5 Shakespeare and other pre-20th Century Texts

This paper is divided into:
Section A: Shakespeare
Section B: Other pre-20th Century Texts.
Candidates answer two questions: one question from Section A and one question from Section B.
At least one of the questions candidates answer must be a (b) passage-based question chosen from
either Section A or Section B.

• the dramatic qualities of play texts
• varying interpretation of texts.
English.

Paper 6 1900 to the Present

Candidates answer one question on each of two different texts.

• the dramatic qualities of play texts
• varying interpretation of texts.
English.
Paper 7 Comment and Appreciation

Candidates answer two out of three questions.
• Candidates write a critical appreciation of previously unseen passages printed on the question paper.
• The passages cover at least two of the categories: prose, poetry and drama.
• One question may involve a comparison of passages.
• All passages are from works originally written in English.
• At least one of the passages is from a work published after 1900.
The questions will test candidates’ ability to read literature critically and to demonstrate, by informed
discussion and opinion, an understanding of the ways in which meaning is expressed through a writer’s
choices of form, structure and language. The authors of the passages are named, with either the dates of
the author or the date of the passage. Knowledge of the literary or historical background, or of other works
by the named author, is not expected.

Component 8 – Coursework
Component 8 is only available to centres which have submitted a full coursework proposal to Cambridge.
Refer to section 3.1 of the Cambridge Handbook for instructions. This component is not available to private
candidates.
• Candidates submit a folder of two essays on two texts (may include a small selection of poems or
short stories); the texts must not be set for study elsewhere in the syllabus, and must be whole works,
originally written in English.
• The two texts must be taken from two different forms (prose/poetry/drama).
• A minimum of 2000 and a maximum of 3000 words should be submitted in total (excluding quotations).
• The work will be internally marked and externally moderated.
• Candidates whose work is required for external moderation will be selected by Cambridge.
• The general coursework rules, published in the Cambridge Handbook, describe what is needed and give
guidelines for internal (school-based) assessment of coursework.
Outline proposal forms

Proposals for topics of study are submitted to Cambridge International for approval using an outline
proposal form. You should submit outline proposal forms for all candidates as this will assist each candidate
with their direction of study. Proposals should not be more than 500 words, describing the proposed
area of study, title and, where appropriate, list of source material to be consulted. Outline proposal
forms, and the instructions for completing them, should be downloaded from the samples database at
www.cambridgeinternational.org/samples. The database will ask you for the syllabus code (e.g. 9695)
and your centre number, after which it will take you to the correct forms. Follow the instructions on the
form itself when completing each form.
Cover sheets
A cover sheet must be completed and attached to the front of the work of each candidate. The cover
sheet, and the instructions for completing it, should be downloaded from the samples database at
www.cambridgeinternational.org/samples. The database will ask you for the syllabus code (e.g. 9695)
and your centre number, after which it will take you to the correct form. Follow the instructions on the form
itself when completing each form.
Recording and submitting candidates’ marks and work

For information, dates and methods of submission of the coursework marks and sample, please refer to the
samples database at www.cambridgeinternational.org/samples
Candidates’ marks for 9695/08 must be recorded on the Coursework Assessment Summary Form produced
by Cambridge International. The marks on this form must be identical to the marks you submit to Cambridge
International.
The Coursework Assessment Summary Form and the instructions for completing them should be
downloaded each year from the samples database at www.cambridgeinternational.org/samples. The
database will ask you for the syllabus code (e.g. 9695) and your centre number, after which it will take you
to the correct forms. Follow the instructions on the form itself when completing each form.

Internal moderation
If more than one teacher in your centre is marking internal assessments, you must make arrangements to
moderate or standardise your teachers’ marking so that all candidates are assessed to a common standard.
Further information on the process of internal moderation can be found on the samples database at
www.cambridgeinternational.org/samples
The sample you submit to Cambridge International should include examples of the marking of each teacher.
You should record the internally moderated marks for all candidates on the Coursework Assessment
Summary Form and submit these marks to Cambridge International according to the instructions set out in
the Cambridge Handbook.
Cambridge International will externally moderate all internally assessed components. You must submit the
marks of all candidates to Cambridge International.
You must also submit the marked work of a sample of candidates to Cambridge International. The samples
database provides details of how the sample will be selected and how it should be submitted. The samples
database can be accessed at www.cambridgeinternational.org/samples
External moderators will produce a short report for each centre with feedback on your application of the
mark scheme and administration of the assessment.
Guidance on using levels-based mark schemes

Marking of the tasks should be positive, rewarding achievement where possible but clearly differentiating
across the whole range of marks available.
In approaching the assessment process, the marker should look at the work and then make a ‘best fit’
judgement as to which level statement it fits. In practice the work does not always match one level
statement precisely so a judgement may need to be made between two or more level statements.
Once a ‘best fit’ level statement has been identified the following guide should be used to decide on a
specific mark:
• Where the candidate’s work convincingly meets the level statement, the highest mark should be
awarded.
• Where the candidate’s work adequately meets the level statement, the most appropriate mark in the
middle of the range should be awarded.
• Where the candidate’s work just meets the level statement, the lowest mark should be awarded.
It is the centre’s responsibility to make sure all coursework is the candidate’s original work. Candidates
should provide references to any source materials used, listing these at the end of the coursework
A general discussion on the progress of coursework is a natural part of the teacher/candidate relationship,
as it is for other parts of the course. In addition, if plans and first drafts are completed under teacher
supervision, you can be assured of the authenticity of the final coursework.
You should not mark, correct or edit draft coursework material; candidates can certainly draft and redraft
work, but you should only give brief summative comment on progress during this phase.

Avoidance of Plagiarism
Candidates should be made aware of the academic conventions governing quotation and reference to the
work of others and taught to use them. This should include full reference to the publication, including date,
author and page number. If it is a website, the website address and the date the website was accessed
should be included.
At the time of submission, the candidate is required to sign a declaration stating that the coursework is
their own work and you countersign to confirm that you believe the work is that of the candidate. Centres
should use the cover sheet for this purpose. Further details can be found in the Cambridge Handbook. The
coversheet must appear on or before the title page of the document.

Cambridge International AS Level Language and Literature in English syllabus Syllabus aims and assessment objectives
Cambridge International AS Level Language and Literature

in English
This syllabus is provided for Cambridge International AS Level only.
1 Syllabus overview
1.1 Content
Cambridge International AS Level Language and Literature in English requires candidates to answer
two compulsory papers: Paper 2 Writing, and Paper 9 Poetry, Prose and Drama. In Paper 2 Writing,
candidates have the opportunity to produce their own imaginative writing, as well as producing writing for a
given audience. In Paper 9 Poetry, Prose and Drama, candidates answer two questions, each on a different
text. Candidates are required to study two texts, from a range of poems, prose and drama, with options
from the canon of English Literature and modern texts in English. Close study of all the texts chosen is
needed in preparation for a choice of essay and passage-based questions.
1.2 Assessment
All candidates take:
Two Sections: Section A and Section B. 2 hours 50%

Candidates answer two questions: one question from
Section A and one from Section B.
and
Paper 9 Poetry, Prose and Drama Duration Weighting
This paper contains three sections: Section A: Poetry, 2 hours 50%

Section B: Prose, and Section C: Drama. Candidates
answer two questions, each from a different section.

Cambridge International AS Level Language and Literature in English syllabus Syllabus overview
Availability
This syllabus is examined in the June and November examination series.
This syllabus is available to private candidates.
Centres in the UK that receive government funding are advised to consult the Cambridge website
www.cambridgeinternational.org for the latest information before beginning to teach this syllabus.

Candidates can combine this syllabus in an examination series with any other Cambridge syllabus, except:
• Cambridge International AS & A Level English Language (9093)
• Cambridge International AS & A Level Literature in English (9695).

Cambridge International AS Level Language and Literature in English syllabus Syllabus aims and assessment objectives

2.1 Syllabus aims
• a critical and informed response to writing in a range of forms, styles, contexts and audiences
• the interdependent skills of reading, analysis and communication
• effective and appropriate communication
• appreciation of and informed personal response to literature in English
• wider reading and an understanding of how it may contribute to personal development.

Candidates must demonstrate:
AO1: A
knowledge and understanding of features of English language.
AO2: T
he ability to write clearly, accurately and effectively for a particular purpose or audience.
AO3: T
he ability to respond to texts in two of the three main forms (Prose, Poetry and Drama), of different
types and from different cultures.
AO4: A
n understanding of how writers’ choices of form, structure and language shape meanings.
AO5: T
he ability to produce informed, independent opinions and judgements on literary texts.
AO6: T
he ability to communicate clearly the knowledge, understanding and insight appropriate to literary
study.
Assessment objective Paper 2 Paper 9
AO1 
AO2 
AO3 
AO4 
AO5 
AO6 
The assessment objectives for Cambridge International AS Level Language and Literature in English carry
equal weight within each component. Components are marked holistically using the mark levels printed in
the specimen paper mark schemes.
Each paper is worth 50% of the total marks and each question carries equal marks.

Cambridge International AS Level Language and Literature in English syllabus Syllabus content
3 Syllabus content
Paper 2 Writing
The paper contains two sections: Section A and Section B. There are three questions in each section.
• Candidates answer two questions: one question from Section A and one question from Section B.
Section A: Imaginative writing (i.e. narrative/descriptive)

Questions require a narrative or descriptive piece of continuous writing of 600–900 words (or two shorter
linked pieces of 300–450 words).
Candidates are required to show that they can write imaginatively, using language to create deliberate
effects, e.g. in conveying a mood or describing a character.
Section B: Writing for an audience (i.e. discursive/argumentative)

Questions require a piece of continuous writing of 600–900 words (or two shorter linked pieces of 300–450
words). In each question, a specified form for the writing will be given (e.g. a magazine feature, article,
review, letter to a newspaper, scripted speech, voiceover) for a specified audience.
Candidates are required to show that they can present a view clearly, construct an argument carefully, and
write coherently and persuasively.
Paper 9 Poetry, Prose and Drama

The paper contains three sections: Section A: Poetry, Section B: Prose, and Section C: Drama. Candidates
answer two questions, each from a different section.

• how parts of the text relate to the work as a whole.
Set texts are listed in the section Set Texts for Cambridge International AS Level Language and
Literature in English.

Set texts for Cambridge International AS & A Level Literature in English Syllabus for examination in 2020.
Set texts for Cambridge International AS & A Level

Literature in English
9695 Cambridge International AS & A Level Literature in English

2020 Set texts
In examinations in 2020, questions will be set on the following texts.

(Candidates study one from each section.)
Section A Poetry
Robert Frost Selected Poems
Owen Sheers Skirrid Hill
Songs of Ourselves 2 Selected Poems
Section B Prose
E M Forster Howards End
Andrea Levy Small Island
Stories of Ourselves Selected Stories
Paper 4 Drama
(Candidates study two of the following.)
Arthur Miller All My Sons

William Shakespeare Much Ado About Nothing
William Shakespeare Henry IV, Part 2
Wole Soyinka Death and the King’s Horseman
Tennessee Williams Sweet Bird of Youth

(Candidates study one from each section.)
Section A Shakespeare
William Shakespeare The Winter’s Tale
William Shakespeare Richard II
Section B
Jane Austen Northanger Abbey
Charles Dickens Oliver Twist
Geoffrey Chaucer The Knight’s Prologue and Tale
Thomas Hardy Tess of the d’Urbevilles
John MiIton Paradise Lost Books IX and X
Percy Bysshe Shelley Selected Poems

2020 Set texts (continued)
Paper 6 1900 to the present

(Candidates study two of the following.)
Virginia Woolf Mrs Dalloway

Barbara Kingsolver The Poisonwood Bible
T S Eliot Four Quartets
Athol Fugard Township Plays: The Island, Sizwe Bansi is
Dead, Nongogo, No-Good Friday
Kazuo Ishiguro Never Let Me Go
Derek Walcott Selected Poems
Tennessee Williams The Glass Menagerie
2020 Set poems and stories

In examinations in 2020, questions will be set on the following poems and stories.
Songs of Ourselves 2 – Selected Poems

A Complaint William Wordsworth

A Song of Faith Forsworn John Warren, Lord de Tabley
A Wife in London (December,1899) Thomas Hardy
Darkness George Gordon, Lord Byron
Distant Fields/ANZAC Parade Rhian Gallagher
Farewell, Ungrateful Traitor John Dryden
First March Ivor Gurney
Futility Wilfred Owen
Homecoming Lenrie Peters
I Years had been from Home Emily Dickinson
If Thou must Love Me Elizabeth Barrett Browning
On the Day of Judgement Jonathan Swift
On This Day I Complete My Thirty-Sixth Year George Gordon, Lord Byron
Shirt Robert Pinsky
Sleep Kenneth Slessor
Song Lady Mary Wroth
Song of the Shirt Thomas Hood
Sonnet 19 William Shakespeare
The Cry of the Children Elizabeth Barrett Browning
The Death-Bed Siegfried Sassoon
The Mountain Elizabeth Bishop
The Pains of Sleep Samuel Coleridge
The Pride of Lions Joanna Preston
The Wedding Moniza Alvi
Waterfall Lauris Edmond
When We Two Parted George Gordon, Lord Byron
When You are Old W B Yeats
Written Near a Port on a Dark Evening Charlotte Smith

2020 Set poems and stories (continued)
Robert Frost: Selected Poems

A Soldier Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

After Apple-Picking The Ax-Helve
An Encounter The Black Cottage
An Unstamped Letter in our Rural Letter Box The Cow in Apple Time
Birches The Death of the Hired Man
Gathering Leaves The Road Not Taken
Home Burial The Sound of Trees
Mending Wall The Wood-Pile
Mowing There are Roughly Zones
‘Out, Out –’ Two Look at Two
From Stories of Ourselves: The University of Cambridge International Examinations Anthology

of Stories in English (ISBN 978 0521 727 914)
Raymond Carver Elephant

Borden Deal The Taste of Watermelon
Arthur Conan Doyle How it Happened
Graham Greene The Destructors
Nathaniel Hawthorne The Hollow of the Three Hills
Ted Hughes The Rain Horse
V S Pritchett The Fly in The Ointment
Ahdaf Soueif Sandpiper
H G Wells The Door in the Wall
Oscar Wilde The Happy Prince
P G Wodehouse The Custody of the Pumpkin
Virginia Woolf The Lady in the Looking Glass: A Reflection

Percy Bysshe Shelley: Selected Poems

A Lament Sonnet: England in 1819

Adonais Sonnet: ‘lift not the painted veil which those
An Exhortation who live’
Autumn: a Dirge Sonnet To Byron
Hymn to Intellectual Beauty Stanzas Written in Dejection, near Naples
Invocation to Misery Summer and Winter
Jane: The Invitation The Cloud
Liberty The Mask of Anarchy
Lines: ‘the cold earth slept below’ To — [music, when soft voices die]
Lines: ‘when the lamp is shattered’ To a Skylark
Love’s Philosophy To Jane: ‘the keen stars were twinkling’
Mont Blanc To Jane: The Recollection
Mutability To Night
Ode to the West Wind To. (‘One word is too often profaned’)
On Wealth
Ozymandias
Derek Walcott: Selected Poems, from Heinemann Selected Poetry (ISBN 0 435 91197 x)
Paper 6 1900 to the Present
A Careful Passion The Almond Trees

Adam’s Song The Bright Field
Ebb The Castaway
Forest of Europe The Flock
Homecoming: Anse La Raye The Schooner Flight, Chapter 11: After the
Lampfall Storm
Landfall, Grenada The Virgins
Mass Man The Walk
Nearing Forty The Wind in the Dooryard
Oddjob, a Bull Terrier To Return to the Trees
Parades, Parades Veranda
Ruins of a Great House
Sabbaths, WI
Sea Canes

Set texts for Cambridge International AS Level Language and Literature in English Syllabus for examination in 2020.
Set texts for Cambridge International AS Level Language

and Literature in English
8695 Cambridge International AS Level Language and Literature in

English
2020 Set texts
In examinations in 2020, questions will be set on the following texts.

(Candidates study two of the following, each from a different section.)
Section A Poetry
Robert Frost Selected Poems
Owen Sheers Skirrid Hill
Songs of Ourselves 2 Selected Poems
Section B Prose
E M Forster Howards End
Andrea Levy Small Island
Stories of Ourselves Selected Stories
Section C Drama
Arthur Miller All My Sons
William Shakespeare Henry IV, Part 2
Wole Soyinka Death and the King’s Horseman

2020 Set poems and stories

In examinations in 2020, questions will be set on the following poems and stories.
From Songs of Ourselves 2 – Selected Poems

A Complaint William Wordsworth

A Song of Faith Forsworn John Warren, Lord de Tabley
A Wife in London (December,1899) Thomas Hardy
Darkness George Gordon, Lord Byron
Distant Fields/ANZAC Parade Rhian Gallagher
Farewell, Ungrateful Traitor John Dryden
First March Ivor Gurney
Futility Wilfred Owen
Homecoming Lenrie Peters
I Years had been from Home Emily Dickinson
If Thou must Love Me Elizabeth Barrett Browning
On the Day of Judgement Jonathan Swift
On This Day I Complete My Thirty-Sixth Year George Gordon, Lord Byron
Shirt Robert Pinsky
Sleep Kenneth Slessor
Song Lady Mary Wroth
Song of the Shirt Thomas Hood
Sonnet 19 William Shakespeare
The Cry of the Children Elizabeth Barrett Browning
The Death-Bed Siegfried Sassoon
The Mountain Elizabeth Bishop
The Pains of Sleep Samuel Coleridge
The Pride of Lions Joanna Preston
The Wedding Moniza Alvi
Waterfall Lauris Edmond
When We Two Parted George Gordon, Lord Byron
When You are Old W B Yeats
Written Near a Port on a Dark Evening Charlotte Smith
Robert Frost: Selected Poems

A Soldier Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

After Apple-Picking The Ax-Helve
An Encounter The Black Cottage
An Unstamped Letter in our Rural Letter Box The Cow in Apple Time
Birches The Death of the Hired Man
Gathering Leaves The Road Not Taken
Home Burial The Sound of Trees
Mending Wall The Wood-Pile
Mowing There are Roughly Zones
‘Out, Out –’ Two Look at Two

From Stories of Ourselves: The University of Cambridge International Examinations Anthology

of Stories in English (ISBN 978 0521 727 914)
Raymond Carver Elephant

Borden Deal The Taste of Watermelon
Arthur Conan Doyle How it Happened
Nathaniel Hawthorne The Hollow of the Three Hills
Ted Hughes The Rain Horse
Graham Greene The Destructors
V S Pritchett The Fly in The Ointment
Ahdaf Soueif Sandpiper
H G Wells The Door in the Wall
Oscar Wilde The Happy Prince
P G Wodehouse The Custody of the Pumpkin
Virginia Woolf The Lady in the Looking Glass: A Reflection

Other information Syllabus for examination in 2020.
Other information
Equality and inclusion

We have taken great care in the preparation of this syllabus and related assessment materials to avoid bias
of any kind. To comply with the UK Equality Act (2010), we have designed this qualification with the aim of
avoiding direct and indirect discrimination.
The standard assessment arrangements may present unnecessary barriers for candidates with disabilities
or learning difficulties. Arrangements can be put in place for these candidates to enable them to access
the assessments and receive recognition of their attainment. Access arrangements will not be agreed if
they give candidates an unfair advantage over others or if they compromise the standards being assessed.
Candidates who are unable to access the assessment of any component may be eligible to receive an
award based on the parts of the assessment they have taken.
Information on access arrangements is found in the Cambridge Handbook, which can be downloaded from
the website www.cambridgeinternational.org/examsofficers
Language
This syllabus and the associated assessment materials are available in English only.
Grading and reporting

Cambridge International A Level results are shown by one of the grades A*, A, B, C, D or E, indicating
the standard achieved, A* being the highest and E the lowest. ‘Ungraded’ indicates that the candidate’s
performance fell short of the standard required for grade E. ‘Ungraded’ will be reported on the statement of
results but not on the certificate. The letters Q (result pending), X (no result) and Y (to be issued) may also
appear on the statement of results but not on the certificate.
Cambridge International AS Level results are shown by one of the grades a, b, c, d or e, indicating the
standard achieved, ‘a’ being the highest and ‘e’ the lowest. ‘Ungraded’ indicates that the candidate’s
performance fell short of the standard required for grade ‘e’. ‘Ungraded’ will be reported on the statement
of results but not on the certificate. The letters Q (result pending), X (no result) and Y (to be issued) may also
appear on the statement of results but not on the certificate.
If a candidate takes a Cambridge International A Level and fails to achieve grade E or higher, a Cambridge
International AS Level grade will be awarded if both of the following apply:
• the components taken for the Cambridge International A Level by the candidate in that series included
all the components making up a Cambridge International AS Level
• the candidate’s performance on the AS Level components was sufficient to merit the award of a
Cambridge International AS Level grade.

Other information Syllabus for examination in 2020.
Exam administration
To keep our exams secure, we produce question papers for different areas of the world, known as
‘administrative zones’. We allocate all Cambridge schools to one administrative zone determined by their
location. Each zone has a specific timetable. Some of our syllabuses offer candidates different assessment
options. An entry option code is used to identify the components the candidate will take relevant to the
administrative zone and the available assessment options.

Cambridge Assessment International Education
1 Hills Road, Cambridge, CB1 2EU, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1223 553554 Fax: +44 (0)1223 553558
Email: [email protected] www.cambridgeinternational.org
® IGCSE is a registered trademark.
Copyright © UCLES September 2017

Syllabus: Cambridge International AS & A Level English Language

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Syllabus: Cambridge International AS & A Level English Language

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Syllabus: Cambridge International AS & A Level English Language

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

SYLLABUS

Cambridge International AS & A Level

Language and Literature in English (AS only)

Cambridge Advanced Version 2

Cambridge International AS & A Level English Language................................................... 12

Cambridge International AS & A Level Literature in English............................................... 20

Cambridge International AS Level Language and Literature in English............................... 30

Set texts for Cambridge International AS & A Level Literature in English........................... 34

Consulting teachers Consulting universities

Cambridge International AS and A Levels prepare students well for university

2 www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel Back to contents page

Why choose Cambridge Assessment International Education?

Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel 3

Why Cambridge International AS & A Levels?

Option two Option three

Did you know?

4 www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel Back to contents page

Why Cambridge International AS & A Level English Language?

Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel 5

6 www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel Back to contents page

Why Cambridge International AS & A Level Literature in English?

Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel 7

Why Cambridge International AS Level Language and Literature in

8 www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel Back to contents page

Guided learning hours

Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel 9

How can I find out more?

10 www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel Back to contents page

Teaching and learning Exam preparation

Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel 11

Cambridge International AS & A Level English Language

Cambridge International AS Level candidates take:

Paper 1 Passages Duration Weighting

The paper contains three questions. 2 hours 15 minutes 50%

Paper 2 Writing Duration Weighting

Two sections: Section A and Section B. 2 hours 50%

12 www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel Back to contents page

Cambridge International A Level candidates take:

Paper 1 Passages Duration Weighting

The paper contains three questions. 2 hours 15 minutes 25%

Paper 2 Writing Duration Weighting

Two sections: Section A and Section B. 2 hours 25%

Paper 3 Text Analysis Duration Weighting

The paper contains two questions. 2 hours 15 minutes 25%

Paper 4 Language Topics Duration Weighting

Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel 13

This syllabus is available to private candidates.

Detailed timetables are available from www.cambridgeinternational.org/examsofficers

Combining this with other syllabuses

14 www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel Back to contents page

2 Syllabus aims and assessment objectives

2.2 Assessment objectives

2.3 Relationship between assessment objectives and components

Assessment objective Paper 1 Paper 2 Paper 3 Paper 4

Back to contents page www.cambridgeinternational.org/alevel 15

Each question is in two parts:

In all questions, candidates are required to:

Dictionaries may not be used.

Section A: Imaginative writing (i.e. imaginative/descriptive)