Cambridge IAL English Literature exam-day guide
Cambridge IAL English Literature · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photo ID and exam entry documents
Bring the identification your centre requires (commonly a passport or national ID) plus any admission/statement of entry slip your centre issues. Exact accepted ID forms vary by centre - confirm with the provider.
Candidate number and centre number
Write these on your hand-written notes or memorise them; you usually enter them on every answer booklet and any multiple-choice or cover sheet. Confirm the format your centre uses with the provider.
Black ballpoint pens (at least two)
Most centres require black ink for scanned scripts. Check whether your centre allows pencil for diagrams or annotations - confirm with the provider rather than assuming.
Clear pencil case and permitted stationery
Transparent case, spare pens, pencil, eraser, sharpener, and a ruler if you use one for neatness. Anything not clearly permitted should stay at home.
No unauthorised electronic devices
Phones, smartwatches, and earbuds are normally banned in the exam room; many centres require phones to be switched off and handed in. Confirm your centre's device policy with the provider.
Approved calculator only if the specification permits
IAL English Literature normally does not require a calculator; do not bring one unless your centre confirms it is allowed for your papers. Confirm with the provider.
Clean unannotated texts or set-text copies if permitted
Some centres allow clean copies of set texts in open-book components; others do not. Check the specific paper rules and your centre's guidance - confirm with the provider.
Water in a clear bottle, label removed
Many centres allow this, but rules differ. Confirm with the provider, and expect it to be checked at the desk.
Know your seat, room, and arrival time
Check your centre's notice or email for reporting time and location. Arrive early enough to complete ID checks without stress.
Plan travel and a backup route
Build in a buffer for transport delays. If you are running late, contact your centre immediately rather than abandoning the exam.
A watch you can read easily (if permitted)
Exam rooms usually have a clock, but a simple non-smart watch helps pacing. Confirm whether watches are allowed with the provider.
Prepared timing plan for each section
Before the day, decide how many minutes to spend reading, planning, writing each response, and checking. Write the plan on your practice papers, not on forbidden materials.
Plan the day
Switch from new material to consolidation: reread your set-text notes, key quotations, and thematic maps for each text. Practise one timed section under exam conditions, then mark it against the assessment objectives you have been taught. Confirm your entry details, seat information, and permitted materials with your centre. Prepare clothes, stationery, and travel plan so the final day is calm.
Do a light review only: quotation lists, character and theme summaries, and your timing plan. Do not attempt a full mock. Check the exam start time and journey, set two alarms, charge nothing you cannot bring into the room, and pack your bag with ID, pens, and permitted items. Eat properly, avoid late-night cramming, and sleep at a normal hour.
Eat a proper breakfast, arrive at the centre with time to spare, and keep away from last-minute group panic. Use the wait to skim your own summary sheet only if your centre permits materials outside the room. Hand in or switch off your phone as instructed, go to the toilet before entering, and settle at your desk by checking your candidate details on the answer booklet.
Read the instructions and rubric carefully, note the marks per question, and follow your timing plan. Spend a few minutes planning each essay: a clear thesis, paragraph topics, and the quotations you will use. Answer the question actually asked, integrate short quotations, and comment on language, form, and structure rather than retelling plot. Watch the clock, leave time to finish your final point and check you have completed every required section and written your candidate details.
Rules to check
Bring the identification your centre requires and present it on request; if you do not have acceptable ID, speak to staff immediately. Accepted ID forms vary - confirm with the provider.
Follow all instructions from invigilators. Do not start writing before you are told and stop immediately when time is called; continuing to write can be treated as malpractice.
Keep all unauthorised materials and electronic devices out of the exam room. A phone that rings or is found on you, even switched off, may lead to a malpractice investigation - confirm your centre's device rules with the provider.
Raise your hand and wait for an invigilator if you need to leave the room, feel unwell, or need more paper. Do not communicate with other candidates in any way during the exam.
If you believe there is a problem with the paper, such as a missing page, report it to an invigilator at once; do not attempt to resolve it yourself.
Scoring is based on the assessment objectives and mark scheme for each question, so address the exact wording of the question and balance close textual analysis with relevant context as required by the specification.
Malpractice, including plagiarism, bringing unauthorised notes into the room, or sharing answers, can lead to disqualification from the component or the qualification. If you are unsure whether something is allowed, ask before the exam - confirm with the provider.