IGCSE English writing rubric

For practice compositions in IGCSE and GCSE English: descriptive, narrative and discursive writing. Four criteria, each marked in five bands out of 10, for 40 in all.

This rubric is written for classroom practice. It is not the mark scheme of Cambridge, Pearson Edexcel or any other exam board, so check your board's current scheme before you mark exam work against it.

Criterion	Band 5Marks: ⁦9–10⁩	Band 4Marks: ⁦7–8⁩	Band 3Marks: ⁦5–6⁩	Band 2Marks: ⁦3–4⁩	Band 1Marks: ⁦1–2⁩
Content and ideas	Ideas are developed in depth and hold the reader's interest. Every detail is chosen for the purpose and the audience.	Ideas are well developed with relevant detail, and they suit the purpose and the audience.	Ideas are relevant and partly developed. Some detail is general or predictable.	Ideas are simple and thinly developed, and the purpose is only partly clear.	Few ideas with little development, and the purpose is unclear.
Structure	The whole piece is shaped with care: a deliberate opening and ending, and paragraphs that carry the reader through. Sentences are ordered for effect.	A clear, secure structure. Paragraphs are well linked, and the opening and ending work.	A clear overall structure with paragraphs, though the links between them are sometimes abrupt.	Some paragraphing, but the order of ideas is uneven or the ending is weak.	Little sense of structure. Paragraphing is absent or random.
Style and vocabulary	Precise, ambitious vocabulary used with control. Sentence forms vary for effect, and the register is consistent.	Varied vocabulary that is mostly precise. Sentences vary, and the register suits the task.	Adequate vocabulary with some attempts at ambition. Some sentence variety, with a few slips in register.	Plain vocabulary and sentences that start the same way. The register wavers.	Very limited vocabulary and sentence forms.
Accuracy	Spelling, punctuation and grammar are almost always correct, in complex sentences and across a range of punctuation.	Mostly accurate. Errors are occasional and do not affect the meaning.	Generally accurate in simple sentences, with errors in more complex ones. The meaning is clear.	Frequent errors, including where sentences begin and end, that sometimes blur the meaning.	Errors are so frequent that the meaning is often lost.

Content and ideas

Band 5 (9–10): Ideas are developed in depth and hold the reader's interest. Every detail is chosen for the purpose and the audience.
Band 4 (7–8): Ideas are well developed with relevant detail, and they suit the purpose and the audience.
Band 3 (5–6): Ideas are relevant and partly developed. Some detail is general or predictable.
Band 2 (3–4): Ideas are simple and thinly developed, and the purpose is only partly clear.
Band 1 (1–2): Few ideas with little development, and the purpose is unclear.

Structure

Band 5 (9–10): The whole piece is shaped with care: a deliberate opening and ending, and paragraphs that carry the reader through. Sentences are ordered for effect.
Band 4 (7–8): A clear, secure structure. Paragraphs are well linked, and the opening and ending work.
Band 3 (5–6): A clear overall structure with paragraphs, though the links between them are sometimes abrupt.
Band 2 (3–4): Some paragraphing, but the order of ideas is uneven or the ending is weak.
Band 1 (1–2): Little sense of structure. Paragraphing is absent or random.

Style and vocabulary

Band 5 (9–10): Precise, ambitious vocabulary used with control. Sentence forms vary for effect, and the register is consistent.
Band 4 (7–8): Varied vocabulary that is mostly precise. Sentences vary, and the register suits the task.
Band 3 (5–6): Adequate vocabulary with some attempts at ambition. Some sentence variety, with a few slips in register.
Band 2 (3–4): Plain vocabulary and sentences that start the same way. The register wavers.
Band 1 (1–2): Very limited vocabulary and sentence forms.

Accuracy

Band 5 (9–10): Spelling, punctuation and grammar are almost always correct, in complex sentences and across a range of punctuation.
Band 4 (7–8): Mostly accurate. Errors are occasional and do not affect the meaning.
Band 3 (5–6): Generally accurate in simple sentences, with errors in more complex ones. The meaning is clear.
Band 2 (3–4): Frequent errors, including where sentences begin and end, that sometimes blur the meaning.
Band 1 (1–2): Errors are so frequent that the meaning is often lost.

A criterion with nothing to mark scores 0.Out of 40

How to use it

Give students the rubric before they write, so they know what each criterion asks for. It also works for self-assessment: ask them to mark their own draft before they hand it in.

When you mark, read the whole piece once before scoring, then score each criterion on its own, so strong ideas do not lift a weak accuracy score. Write one comment on the student's strongest criterion and one on their weakest. It does more for them than correcting every error on the page.

Pick the band whose description fits the writing best. Give the higher mark in the band if the writing meets all of it, and the lower mark if it only just reaches it.

You may print this rubric, copy it and change it for your own classes. qalamiapp.com/rubrics/igcse-writing

Mark one paper against this rubric

The free try marks one handwritten essay against a fixed four-criterion rubric, so you can see how the marking reads before you sign up. With an account you enter this rubric as your own and mark a class set against it.

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