What format should I use for an IGCSE English article?

A strong IGCSE English article follows five clear components: headline, strapline, introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

The headline sits at the top and hooks the reader immediately. Directly below it, a strapline of one short sentence hints at your angle. Together, they establish your voice before the reader reaches your first paragraph.

Your introduction should open with a rhetorical hook, a question or a bold claim that draws the reader in. Keep it short. One or two sentences is enough to set the tone and signal your argument.

The body runs across two to three sections. Each section gets its own subheading. Develop one idea per section and use transitional phrases to move between them smoothly. This is where examiners check for logical structure and consistent register.

Your conclusion should echo the opening or call the reader to action. Never introduce a new argument in the final paragraph. End with a line that sticks.

Register is one of the most commonly lost marks in Cambridge IGCSE directed writing. If the prompt specifies a teenage school magazine, formal academic vocabulary works against you. Fix your register before you write the first word, not halfway through.

These techniques appear across high-band student samples for both Cambridge IGCSE and Edexcel papers. They include direct address using "you", varied sentence lengths, and specific adjectives that illustrate rather than state.

The following are the most common format mistakes, each linked to a mark scheme criterion:

• Missing headline or subheadings
• Register shifting mid-article
• Overlong paragraphs with multiple ideas
• Ignoring the specified audience
• Ending with a new argument

Word count targets vary by paper. First Language English directed writing sits at 250 to 350 words. Composition tasks run to 350 to 450 words. ESL responses are shorter, at 120 to 160 words.

If you want annotated examples and a full step-by-step breakdown, visit our blog for the complete guide to IGCSE English article writing. For structured practice with feedback on your own responses, online tutoring with a Cambridge-specialist tutor is the fastest way to move up the band descriptors. Contact us to get matched in under ten minutes.