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IGCSE Urdu

This Urdu syllabus enables learners to achieve greater fluency, accuracy and confidence in the written language, and improve their communication skills.

They will learn how to improve their use of Urdu in a variety of situations, understanding how to read texts and other source materials, and how to extract information, and respond to questions in writing.

Syllabus Aims and Assessment Objectives

2.1 Syllabus aims
The Cambridge International AS & A Level Urdu syllabus aims to:
• develop the ability to understand Urdu in a variety of registers
• enable students to communicate confidently and clearly in Urdu
• form a sound base of skills, language and attitudes required for further study, work and leisure
• develop insights into the culture and civilisation of the countries where Urdu is spoken, including the
study of literary texts where appropriate (this does not apply to AS Language qualifications)
• encourage positive attitudes to language learning and a sympathetic approach to other cultures and
civilisations
• support intellectual and personal development by promoting learning and social skills.

2.2 Assessment objectives
The examinations are designed to assess candidates’ linguistic competence and their knowledge of
contemporary society. In the exams, candidates will be expected to:
• understand and respond to texts written in Urdu, drawn from a variety of sources such as magazines,
newspapers, reports, books and other forms of extended writing
• manipulate Urdu accurately in spoken and written forms, choosing appropriate examples of lexis and
structures
• select information and present it in Urdu
• organise arguments and ideas logically.

Course Content

Component 2: Reading and Writing
1 hour 45 minutes, 70 marks
Two passages in Urdu are set which deal with related themes.
Candidates answer specific and general comprehension questions on the two passages, and respond to a
task requiring a summary or comparison of issues raised. Urdu will be used for all questions and answers.
The passages will have been written during the last twenty years, and will reflect the international scene.
In addition:
• the two passages, taken together, will not exceed 750 words
• on the first passage, two tests (5 marks each) will cover vocabulary recognition and grammatical
manipulation. These will be followed by a series of comprehension questions (15 marks for Content and
5 marks for Quality of Language)

• On the second passage, there will be a series of comprehension questions (15 marks for Content and
5 marks for Quality of Language)
• the last question will require candidates to write about 140 words, drawing information from both
passages and adding their own opinions, (10 marks for information drawn from the passages, 5 marks
for personal response to the material, and 5 marks for Quality of Language).

4.2 Component 3: Essay
1 hour 30 minutes, 40 marks
A list of five topics, selected from the topic areas in section 3, is published below for each year of
examination. The list changes every year. A question will be set on each of the five topics corresponding
to the year of examination; candidates choose one question and write an essay in Urdu of 250–400 words.
Of the 40 marks available, 24 are for the quality of the language and 16 for the content

4.3 Component 4: Texts
2 hours 30 minutes, 75 marks
Candidates answer three questions in Urdu. Each question must be on a different text, taken from the list
corresponding to the year of examination in Section 4.5. The list for each year is divided into two sections:
candidates must choose at least one text from each section.
Each question is marked out of 25. Candidates are advised to write between 500 and 600 words.
Candidates who write more than 600 words cannot be placed higher than the 16–17 category for that
answer (see section 6, Mark Schemes).
Set texts may not be taken into the examination room.

Section 1
Candidates are given a choice of two questions for each text.
For each text in this section there will be an extended passage taken from the text followed by either a
single question or a number of short questions. This will not be a context passage (the location of the
passage is given) but a stimulus to allow candidates to bring a focus to their answer. Candidates are asked
to comment on particular aspects of the passage and/or to indicate how the passage reflects the book as a
whole.
The alternative question will be an essay question, similar to those in Section 2.

Section 2
For each text there is a choice of two questions focusing on issues central to the text. Candidates are
expected to show detailed knowledge of the text and awareness of how the author conveys the message
of the work

4.4 Component 5: Prose
45 minutes, 40 marks
Candidates translate a short passage from English into Urdu.

Mark schemes
6.1 Component 2: Reading and Writing
Quality of Language – Accuracy (Questions 3, 4 and 5)
5 Very good
Consistently accurate. Only very few errors of minor significance. Accurate use of more complex
structures (verb forms, tenses, prepositions, word order).

4 Good
Higher incidence of error than above, but clearly has a sound grasp of the grammatical elements in
spite of lapses. Some capacity to use accurately more complex structures.

3 Sound
Fair level of accuracy. Common tenses and regular verbs mostly correctly formed. Some problems in
forming correct agreement of adjectives. Difficulty with irregular verbs, use of prepositions.
2 Below average
Persistent errors in tense and verb forms. Prepositions frequently incorrect. Recurrent errors in
agreement of adjectives.

0–1 Poor
Little or no evidence of grammatical awareness. Most constructions incomplete or incorrect.
Consistent and repeated error.
Additional marking guidance for Quality of Language – Questions 3 and 4
The five marks available for Quality of Language are awarded globally for the whole performance on each
set of answers.
A concise answer, containing all mark-bearing components for Content is scored on the full range of marks
for language, i.e. length does not determine the Quality of Language mark.
Answers scoring 0 for Content cannot contribute to the overall Quality of Language mark

Other information

Language
This syllabus is available in English only. The associated assessment materials are in Urdu.

Retakes
Candidates can retake Cambridge International AS Level and Cambridge International A Level as many times
as they want to. Cambridge International AS & A Levels are linear qualifications. Candidates must enter for
an option that leads to certification. To confirm what entry options are available for this syllabus, refer to the
Cambridge Guide to Making Entries for the relevant series.

Grading and reporting
Cambridge International A Level results are shown by one of the grades A*, A, B, C, D or E, indicating
the standard achieved, A* being the highest and E the lowest. ‘Ungraded’ indicates that the candidate’s
performance fell short of the standard required for grade E. ‘Ungraded’ will be reported on the statement of
results but not on the certificate. The letters Q (pending) and X (no result) may also appear on the statement
of results but not on the certificate.

Cambridge International AS Level results are shown by one of the grades a, b, c, d or e, indicating the
standard achieved, ‘a’ being the highest and ‘e’ the lowest. ‘Ungraded’ indicates that the candidate’s
performance fell short of the standard required for grade ‘e’. ‘Ungraded’ will be reported on the statement
of results but not on the certificate. The letters Q (pending) and X (no result) may also appear on the
statement of results but not on the certificate.
If a candidate takes a Cambridge International A Level and fails to achieve grade E or higher, a Cambridge
International AS Level grade will be awarded if both of the following apply:
• the components taken for the Cambridge International A Level by the candidate in that series included
all the components making up a Cambridge International AS Level
• the candidate’s performance on the AS Level components was sufficient to merit the award of a
Cambridge International AS Level grade

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