0510/12 Exam format
Component 12 is Paper 1 Reading and Writing. In the image it is scheduled for the afternoon of 29 September 2026.
Reading and Writing, 2 hours, 60 marks, containing six exercises.
Listening, approximately 50 minutes, 40 marks. This is Component 22 in the image.
Approximately 10–15 minutes, 40 marks. This is Component 32 and does not contribute to the written grade.
| Exercise | Task type | Text / response | Marks | Key strategy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Short answers: five single answers and one three-part answer | Approximately 400–450 words | 8 | Locate facts, opinions and attitudes. Answers are usually short. |
| 2 | Multiple matching A–D | Approximately 600–650 words | 9 | Identify distinctive details in each section, then look for paraphrases in the questions. |
| 3 | Complete short notes under headings | Approximately 400–500 words | 7 | Copy or condense key words from the text. Do not write full sentences. |
| 4 | Three-option multiple choice | Approximately 550–600 words | 6 | Distinguish main ideas, details, opinions and implied meaning. |
| 5 | Informal email | 120–160 words | 15 | Content 6 marks + Language 9 marks. Cover every bullet point. |
| 6 | Formal or semi-formal article, report, essay or review | 120–160 words | 15 | Match the format, audience, purpose and register required by the task. |
Suggested two-hour plan
Complete Exercise 1. Read the questions first, then locate the answers; use key words for the final three-part answer.
Complete Exercise 2. Read A–D first and summarise the main idea of each section.
Complete Exercise 3. Keep notes as noun phrases and avoid copying whole sentences.
Complete Exercise 4. Eliminate clearly incorrect options and check each answer against the text.
Spend about 20 minutes on each writing task: 3 minutes planning, 13 minutes writing and 4 minutes checking.
Check spelling, tense, word count, paragraphing and coverage of all bullet points.