Coursework

Summary — The Whole Picture in One Go

• Component 3 is the optional second route through the course — you take Paper 1 (compulsory) plus either Paper 2 or this coursework portfolio, not both.
• It's made of three written assignments, each 500–800 words, worth 80 marks total.
• The three assignments cover three completely different writing skills: discuss/argue/persuade, describe, and narrate.
• Marks split as 65 for writing and 15 for reading — but the reading marks only come from Assignment 1.
• You must submit the first draft of one of your three assignments, plus the source text(s) used for Assignment 1.
• Only two assessment objectives apply: AO2 (Writing) and AO1 (Reading) — each is broken into clear sub-skills you can check off individually.
• Work can be handwritten or word-processed — and crucially, you get to revise and redraft, which you never get in a timed exam.

1. What Component 3 Actually Is

Think of the IGCSE First Language English course as having a fork in the road. Everyone does Paper 1 — that's fixed, no choice there. But then you pick one of two paths to finish the qualification:

• Path A: Sit Paper 2, a second timed exam.
• Path B: Complete the Component 3 coursework portfolio instead.

Component 3 exists because not every strong writer thrives under exam-hall time pressure. Instead of proving your skills in one stressful sitting, you build a portfolio — three pieces of writing you develop, edit, and refine over weeks, choosing topics that actually interest you. It's the same skills being tested (writing accurately, effectively, and in response to reading) but in a completely different working environment: one where quality can come from craft and revision, not adrenaline.

What the Portfolio Gives You

• The freedom and scope to improve your writing over a period of time, rather than under timed exam conditions.
• The chance to choose topics of personal interest to you.
• The opportunity to edit, revise, and correct your work independently, so you submit the highest possible quality version.

2. The Three Assignments

Your portfolio is built from exactly three pieces of writing. Each one targets a different core writing skill, and together they cover the full range of what a strong writer needs to be able to do: persuade someone, paint a picture with words, and tell a compelling story.