The Reading Paper (9280/R)

British & IGCSE › Oxford International GCSE English as a Second Language

The Reading paper is worth 30% of the whole qualification, the same as Writing. The good news: it is the paper where careful technique gives the biggest improvement. You do not need perfect English to score well. You need to find the right information, understand it and show that you understood it. This page explains how the paper works and how to tackle it from the first minute to the last.

The paper at a glance

The four texts

The texts get longer and harder, and the marks increase: 6, then 12, then 18, then 24. That means Text 4 alone is worth 40% of the paper. Many students spend too long on the easy texts and rush the most valuable one. Do not make that mistake.

Text types you may meet across the paper include emails, instructions, public notices, adverts, brochures, guides, letters, newspaper and magazine articles, websites and literary texts. The last text is always literary non-fiction.

In real papers, longer texts are often printed in parts (for example, 'Read the first part of the article. Answer questions 07 to 10.'). The questions usually follow the order of the text, and the paragraphs are numbered so the question can send you to the right place ('In paragraph 3, ...').

The four reading skills (strands) in simple words

How the marks are given

• Understanding is what counts. This is a reading test, not a writing test. If your answer shows the right meaning, you get the mark, even with grammar mistakes.
• Spelling errors are accepted when the meaning is not lost and the word, said aloud, would still be understood. ('Recieve' for 'receive' is fine. A word that becomes a different word may not be.)
• Full sentences are not needed. A short phrase is enough: 'the town hall' or 'by bus' can score the mark.
• Lists: you get one mark for each correct, different point. Points on the same line can still be credited, but writing each point on its own numbered line is clearer and safer.
• Explain-a-phrase questions: the number of marks tells you the number of ideas. A 2-mark phrase has two ideas to explain (often one for each key word); a 3-mark sentence has three.
• Multiple choice: you write the letter(s) in the box(es). The number of boxes equals the number of marks. A 4-mark question needs exactly four letters, in any order.
• Do not over-answer. If a question asks for two things, give two. Extra answers do not earn extra marks, and a wrong extra idea can cancel or change the meaning of a correct one.

Timing plan: 75 minutes

A simple rule: roughly one minute per mark, plus reading time for each text, plus a few minutes to check. Here is a plan that works for most students.

How to tackle the paper, step by step

1. Read the title and the line that introduces the text ('Read the first part of an email from Lina to her cousin.'). It tells you who is writing, to whom and why. That helps with purpose questions later.
2. Read the questions for this part before reading the text closely. Underline the key words in each question: the question word (who, when, why, how many), the paragraph number and the main noun.
3. Read the text once for general meaning. Do not stop at every unknown word. Ask: what is this text about? What is each paragraph about?
4. Answer the questions in order. Go to the paragraph named in the question. Scan for the key word or a synonym of it. Read the sentences around it carefully.
5. Decide the answer format: a letter in a box, a short phrase, a list, or an explanation in your own words.
6. For MCQs, check every option against the text. Cross out options that are wrong. Be careful: wrong options often use words that DO appear in the text.
7. For explain-a-phrase questions, count the marks and explain that many ideas. Use simpler words (synonyms), not the same words from the text.
8. For list questions, give exactly the number asked, one point per line, each point different.
9. Answer the 'whole text' question last (main purpose / which statement best describes the text). By then you understand the whole text.
10. Check at the end: every box filled, right number of letters, nothing left blank.

Answering open questions well

Open questions ask you to write your own short answer. Keep it short, precise and from the text. You may use words from the text for detail questions, but for 'explain in your own words' you must use different words.

Answering multiple-choice questions well

• Read the question, then try to answer it in your head before you look at the options. Then find the option that matches your idea.
• Every wrong option is designed to look possible. Often it uses a real word from the text but changes a detail (the day, the number, the person) or makes it too general or too extreme.
• 'Main point of paragraph X': choose the option that covers the WHOLE paragraph, not just one sentence.
• 'Main purpose of the text': think about why the writer wrote it: to inform, to advise, to persuade, to invite, to thank, to describe an experience. Often two purposes are combined ('to thank ... and tell her about ...').
• 'Which two/four statements are correct?': check each statement against the text. Write exactly the number of letters asked. The order does not matter.
• Write the letter clearly in capitals. If you change your mind, cross out the old letter neatly so the examiner can see your final answer.

The top 10 mistakes (and how to avoid them)

Quick check: test yourself

1. How many marks is Text 3 worth, and how long is the text?

   Show answer

   18 marks, and the text is 400-600 words long.

2. What type of text is always the last text?

   Show answer

   Literary non-fiction.

3. A multiple-choice question is worth 2 marks. How many letters do you write?

   Show answer

   Exactly two.

4. Will you lose the mark if you spell 'beautiful' as 'beautifull'?

   Show answer

   No. Spelling errors are accepted when the meaning is clear.

5. A question asks you to explain 'a hectic schedule' for 2 marks. How many ideas do you need?

   Show answer

   Two: 'hectic' (very busy, rushed) and 'schedule' (plan / timetable of activities).

6. How long should you spend on Text 4?

   Show answer

   About 25-28 minutes: it is worth 24 marks, the biggest share of the paper.

7. Which question should you answer last for each text, and why?

   Show answer

   The 'main purpose' or 'which statement best describes the whole text' question, because you understand the whole text by then.