Cambridge IAL English Language exam-day guide
Cambridge IAL English Language · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Valid photo ID
Bring the identification document your centre requires for admission to the exam room. Accepted forms and any name-matching rules vary by centre, so confirm the exact requirement with your exams officer well before the day.
Statement of entry or candidate number
Know your candidate number, centre number, and the exact paper codes and session times for each unit you are sitting. Print or download your statement of entry if your centre issues one; confirm with the provider whether you may bring it into the room.
Two or more black or blue pens
English Language answers are handwritten, so bring several pens you have already written with and find comfortable. Check your centre's rules on permitted stationery; some centres specify black ink only.
Pencils, eraser, and sharpener
Useful for planning, annotating, and any multiple-choice or grid sections. Keep them in a clear pencil case if your centre requires transparent containers.
Clear pencil case or transparent bag
Many centres require stationery to be visible in a clear case. Confirm the local rule with your exams officer rather than assuming.
Analogue watch
A simple watch helps you pace long writing tasks. Check with your centre whether wristwatches are permitted in the room; smartwatches and phones are almost always prohibited.
Water in a clear, label-free bottle
Staying hydrated helps during long papers. Confirm the centre's policy on drinks in the exam room, as rules differ.
Printed or written revision summary
Prepare a one-page sheet of text-type features, analysis frameworks, and timing targets to review in the final hours. Leave it outside the room; do not carry notes into the exam.
Confirmed travel and arrival plan
Check the start time, the building and room, and your route. Aim to arrive well before the doors open; lateness rules are set by the centre, so confirm them with your exams officer.
Access arrangements confirmed in advance
If you are entitled to extra time, a separate room, a reader, or a word processor, confirm the arrangements in writing with your centre before the exam. These are not granted on the day without prior approval.
Phone switched off and stored away
Plan where your phone will be before you enter the room. Bringing a phone into the exam room, even switched off, can be treated as malpractice; confirm your centre's storage arrangements.
Sleep, food, and water routine
Treat the night before as preparation, not cramming. A normal sleep schedule and a proper meal before a long writing paper matter more than one more past paper.
Plan the day
Confirm logistics: re-read your statement of entry, verify the date, start time, room, and paper codes, and check with your exams officer about ID, permitted stationery, and any access arrangements. Plan your journey and a backup route. Then complete one full timed past paper under exam conditions, including handwriting, to check your pacing and stamina. Mark it against the mark scheme and list the three or four specific weaknesses to fix, such as weak commentary on language choices, thin comparison, or running out of time in the final section.
Spend the remaining revision time on active recall rather than re-reading notes. Rehearse your analysis framework for the main text types: for each one, recall typical purposes, audiences, register, and characteristic language and structural features. Practise writing short analytical paragraphs that quote briefly and then explain the effect of specific choices, since marks depend on analysis rather than feature-spotting. Review your own marked scripts for repeated errors and write a one-page summary of fixes and timing targets.
Do light consolidation only: read your one-page summary, skim your framework for text types, and review a couple of model analytical paragraphs you have written. Do not start a new full paper. Pack your bag with ID, statement of entry, pens, pencils, eraser, sharpener, clear case, watch, and water, and lay out clothes. Confirm the alarm and travel plan. Eat properly and go to bed at a normal time; sleep is more valuable than late-night cramming.
Eat a proper breakfast and drink water. Read only your one-page summary; do not attempt new material. Arrive at the centre with time to spare, locate the room, and check the seating plan. Switch your phone off and store it as instructed before entering. Visit the toilet before the paper starts. Once seated, set out your pens and watch, read the front of the paper carefully, and note the instructions and total time.
Read all instructions and check the number of questions and sections. Allocate time per section before you start writing, and write the allocation on your paper. Read the source texts or question prompts actively, underlining key choices and noting purpose, audience, and register. Plan briefly rather than launching straight into prose; a short plan saves time and improves structure.
Keep to your time allocation and leave a few minutes per section to check. For analysis questions, quote briefly, name the technique precisely, and explain the effect on the reader or the purpose it serves. For comparison, organise by point of comparison rather than describing each text in turn. For directed writing, match the form, audience, and purpose specified, and use a consistent register. Watch the clock at each section boundary and move on even if a task feels unfinished.
Stop writing a few minutes before the end to check that every required question is answered, that question numbers are clear, and that you have not left a task blank. Correct obvious slips in spelling, punctuation, and sentence boundaries, since accuracy is assessed. Cross out rough work neatly if instructed. Stop writing immediately when told and follow the invigilator's instructions for handing in scripts and materials.
Rules to check
Bring the identification your centre requires and be ready to show it on request. The exact accepted documents and name-matching rules are set locally, so confirm with the provider before the exam day.
Follow all invigilator instructions. Do not communicate with other candidates once in the exam room, and do not look at another candidate's work; conduct rules are enforced by the centre and can lead to malpractice proceedings.
Phones, smartwatches, and unauthorised electronic devices must not be brought into the exam room. Store them as your centre directs; possession in the room can be treated as malpractice even if the device is switched off.
Bring only permitted stationery and materials. Notes, textbooks, and revision summaries must stay outside the room; confirm the permitted-items list with your centre, as it can vary.
If you need to leave the room, raise your hand and wait for the invigilator; you will normally be accompanied. Toilet and supervision arrangements are set by the centre, so confirm them in advance.
If you are entitled to access arrangements such as extra time or a word processor, these must be approved and arranged before the exam; they are not granted on request on the day.
Marks are awarded for analysis, structure, and accuracy, not length. Answer the question actually set, address the specified audience and purpose, and manage your time so every required task is attempted.
If illness or another problem affects your performance, tell the invigilator or your exams officer immediately and ask about special consideration; procedures and deadlines are set by the provider, so confirm them with your centre.