igcse art essay

How to Approach the IGCSE Art Exam: Observational / Interpretative Assignment

Last Updated on April 2, 2023

This article aims to demystify Paper 1: Observational / Interpretative Assignment (0400/01), CIE IGCSE Art and Design. It outlines a clear process that Painting and Related Media students may use to create their preparatory work and final exam piece. This article has been written in response to the large number of questions the Student Art Guide has received and aims to assist teachers and schools who are new to CIE or who have received disappointing results in the past. It should be noted that this process is not an official recommendation from Cambridge, nor is it claimed to be the best or only way of approaching this paper (luckily, there are many, many ways of producing an excellent IGCSE portfolio): nonetheless, it is based on a strategy that has worked well for my own students and those of my colleagues, and is provided in the hope that it makes things easier for others.

NOTE: This article has not been updated to reflect changes in the 2015 curriculum . A new version of this article will be written later in the year, with more detail, in response to the changes to the 2015 CIE 0400 syllabus. The long term goal is that teachers of CIE IGCSE Art and Design can work together via the Student Art Guide to share ideas and approaches, culminating in the ‘ultimate’ set of recommendations – best practises – for completing the IGCSE Controlled Test / Exam.

An Overview: Paper 1

Paper 1 is described in the CIE 0400 2014 IGCSE Art and Design syllabus as:

An externally set, eight-hour assignment marked by Cambridge. The examination allows candidates to respond in either an observational or interpretative manner or a combination of both.

Students are required to submit:

• 1 x final artwork – a two or three-dimensional artwork, maximum weight 4.5kgs and maximum dimension in any direction of 750mm, completed within the 8 hour Art Exam. Painting and Related Media students are encouraged to submit a final work that is a maximum size of A2 (larger works must be photographed, prior to sending away for assessment).
• A maximum of 2 x A2 sheets (4 sides) of preparatory work . This is a body of work illustrating a visual response to one examination question, using any appropriate colours, tones, mediums, processes or techniques. The preparatory work is completed in the eight weeks before the examination and must include direct observation from primary sources, research, analysis and development of ideas.

Our recommendations for approaching the 8 week preparatory period are as follows:

Select your topic

Recommended time-frame: 1 – 3 days

As a class, brainstorm topic ideas based on the set starting points that are given within the examination paper. Use our article about how to select a good  Art project idea  and look at artist works (see our Pinterest Boards ) for inspiration.

Examiner Reports also provide great examples of how past students have interpreted topics. This is how examiners described responses to the topic ‘before daybreak’ (June 2013):

This question probably provided the most imaginative responses as well as the most cliched. The obvious, in this instance sunrise, was frequently the subject of very weak submissions. However, the very best candidates attempted more interesting interpretations including morning rituals such as Morning Prayer, brushing teeth, waking to alarm clocks and some interesting abstractions using media such as batik. Several other candidates sought inspiration in an urban setting; street scenes for instance. By far the best submissions were those who had actually photographed the event themselves and then made paintings entirely from their own images.

The following recommendations may also assist:

1. Brainstorm ideas quickly. Students often take far too long on this process (this is a  common mistake  made by high school Art students). While it is important to have quality first-hand imagery to work from, you need to use as many of the 8 weeks as possible to complete your preparatory work.

2. Select a topic that your Coursework has prepared you for . For example, if you have drawn still-life within your Coursework project, it can be beneficial to select an exam topic that allows you to extend upon these skills. While you are free to select any question from the exam paper that you wish, selecting an unfamiliar topic can be akin to writing an essay on Othello, when you have studied Macbeth. Some exceptional students are more than capable of answering any exam topic, but in general, you are best answering a question that you are prepared for. This does not mean you choose something which is exactly the same as your Coursework project (this would stifle and bore you), but rather that you should select something that builds upon your prior learning.

3. Select a topic which allows you to work from first-hand observation in the classroom . This is not always possible – particularly for landscape or figure topics – but there are certain advantages to being able to set up and arrange items within the classroom itself. (Teachers can also bring in a collection of objects to supplement those collected by the students – or used entirely by disorganised students – however entire classes should not be forced to draw from the same still-life). If you wish to work from a scene or subject that cannot be brought into the classroom, it is essential that you demonstrate very early on that you are able to take many high quality original photographs and can easily return to the scene if more are needed. Drawing from second-hand images taken by others – or drawing solely from your imagination – should be avoided at almost all costs. Examiners frequently comment that low grade work is characterized by a “ reliance on copying from secondary sources such as the Internet or magazine photographs”  (June 2013 Examiner Report), with the strongest work, on the other hand, “ always supported by excellent supporting studies with an emphasis on thorough investigation from primary sources” . Examiners go on to say that:

All questions are carefully selected to enable candidates to research from direct observation, but those who do not show any evidence limit their access to the higher marks ranges particularly in Assessment Objective 1 (AO1) and AO5.

Similarly, the October 2013 examiner report notes that often:

…lower level submissions worked purely from these images printed off the Internet and copied them without developing any ideas of their own. Some even worked only from imagination and demonstrated no recording from observation or second sources.

The examination paper itself makes this very clear:

Record and develop your ideas from direct observation and experience in order to meet all Assessment Objectives.

4. Ensure your subject matter is complex, interesting and varied . For example, three oranges is unlikely to provide sufficient variety to sustain an entire examination submission. Similarly, patterns on a flat surface (a brick wall, a sunrise, silhouetted forms or a cloudy sky, for example) do not offer you adequate opportunity to depict complex three-dimensional form. Look for a topic that is visually interesting and contains a variety of shapes, textures, details and forms. This is one of the requirements outlined in our guide to selecting a good Art topic .

 Take beautiful photographs

Recommended time-frame: 1-2 days

Find and gather all of the objects, scenes and background materials that you are contemplating including within your project, and take beautiful photographs of these using a high quality camera. Treat these as artworks in themselves. Take close-up details, as well as single objects and whole arranged scenes. Do not worry about your final piece at this point, simply observe and record your subject matter, noticing the shapes, proportions, textures and forms. Select items carefully, so that your work is imaginative and personal.

Once completed, have your teacher approve the photographs (and your topic) and offer advice.

The 2014 0400 IGCSE Art and Design syllabus  states:

Candidates may seek initial guidance regarding the selection of question and appropriate choice of materials and processes at the beginning of the preparation time. They should then be advised to work independently.

This is the time to gain confirmation from your teacher that you on the right track. If you have struggled to compose the photographs in a beautiful, well-balanced way, this might be an indication that you need to select a different topic. If you do, change quickly. Once you enter the next stage, a change of topic is almost always a mistake.

Produce the first prep sheet (A2 – side 1)

Recommended time-frame: 2 weeks

Treat the first preparatory sheet as an opportunity to identify your subject matter and explore this from a range of different angles and scales, using a range of different black and white mediums.

Recommendations:

• Do not worry about forming ‘complete compositions’: instead record, draw or paint interesting objects, combinations of objects, parts of scenes or enlarged details , investigating a variety of appropriate items and background materials from different angles, viewpoints and scales. Try to include every object or scene that you intend to include within your project. D on’t worry about what your final work will look like. Consider this phase ‘visual research’ into your subject matter. Gather, record, research and investigate (through drawing and painting) a variety of appropriate first-hand sources, working from direct observation or your own photographs. This prep sheet helps you to gain the marks in AO1: Gathering, recording, research and investigation (assessment will be explained in more detail at the end of this article).
• Focus upon producing strong, realistic, observational drawings and paintings – accurately depicting shape, tone, proportion, perspective, surface/textural qualities and form. Even those who wish to move towards an interpretative or abstract should begin working from observation (if you struggle with this, please read our article with tips for improving your observational drawing ).
• Work primarily in black and white (or monochrome) . While this is not a requirement, eliminating colour in the initial phase of investigation simplifies this part of your project. It allows you to focus on accurately representing shape, proportion and tone, before moving onto more complex tasks in later prep sheets. Use black and white mediums that you are able to control well, while ensuring that you include sufficient experimentation and a wide enough range of different mediums. We recommend that students complete 4 – 12 artworks, using mediums selected from the list below:
• Graphite pencil on white cartridge drawing paper . These drawings may be partially incomplete – i.e. trailing out to become line only around the edges.
• Ink pen or biro pen on brown kraft paper or coloured paper that fits in with the colour of your subject matter (see our article about types of paper ). This might be a line drawing, such as a cross-contour drawing or a continuous line drawing or a more realistic piece that is shaded using techniques such as cross-hatching (see our line drawing article for ideas).
• Black and white colouring pencil on grey paper , with the paper showing through visible for the mid-tone.
• Indian ink and white paint or black and white pencil over a watered down Indian ink ground . This will create an awesome irregular blotchy ground to work over (if you are new to grounds, our article about painting and drawing on grounds is essential reading).  
• Graphite pencil, black biro pen and/or acrylic over a textured ground of collaged text or patterned or textured paper . This may be pieces of old wallpaper, or things specific to your topic, i.e. a page from an old recipe book for a food related topic – see this article about painting or drawing on something interesting for more ideas). You may also wish to use white paint for highlights.
• Black biro pen over a ground of splashed ink or smeared acrylic paint , with tone applied using the biro pen, possibly white paint or white pen for highlights. Ensure that any colours used tie in with the with the colours of your subject matter.
• Indian ink applied using a stick . This can be onto ordinary white paper, or something more exciting, such as a torn piece of cardboard box.
• Black and white charcoal on drawing paper.
• White charcoal on black paper.
• Black watercolours or ink on watercolour paper.
• Black and white photographic prints (do not cram your sheet with photographs as a space-filling mechanism, but a few high quality photographs, printed on matt paper, can make it clear you worked from observation and can help the examiners see and understand your starting point).
• Any other black and white drawings or paintings in another medium.

READ NEXT: How to make an artist website (and why you need one)

The examples in the diagram above show the first A2 pages of exam prep by:

• Tarika Sabherwal –  A Bunch of Keys  (100% /A* – Top in the World), ACG Strathallan College
• Nikau Hindin – Crustaceans and Natural Forms (95% /A*), ACG Parnell College
• Tingjian He (Jim) –  An Iron and a Pile of Washing (100% /A* – Top in the World), ACG Strathallan College

Before you begin, take a minute to plan the layout of the preparatory sheet (remembering that the label will be adhered top right) and prepare a series of grounds / drawing surfaces. Use pieces of paper that are slightly larger than necessary, so that they can be trimmed neatly and attached to your A2 sheet once complete.

Remember the emphasis is always quality. You do not need to demonstrate every technique on the above list. It is better to do less, well. Also, note that you do not need to be ridiculously creative: i.e. don’t glue on something absurd just in the effort of being ‘creative’. Always select something that is appropriate for your project and focus on creating awesome observational work (if you struggle with this, please read our article with tips for improving your observational drawing ). Ensure you e xplore, experiment with and use a wide range of appropriate mediums: this helps you gain marks for A04: Selection and control of materials, media and processes.

Finally, if colours are used at this stage, make sure they are considered carefully, following the guidance given below for Prep Sheet Two.

Annotation:  Marks are not given for annotation, but it may help you to note down some of your ideas / clarify your thoughts in the spaces in and around your drawings. Examiners comment that high achieving candidates often submit supporting studies that are annotated, with notes evaluating ideas, explaining thinking and “ clarifying the journey made “. However, this statement in the June 2013 Examiner Report is particularly valuable:

Some candidates spend considerable time writing about their intentions. There were instances where these descriptions of intent were more extensive than any actual visual research. Clearly, these candidates would benefit from spending less time writing about what they are going to do and more time on actually carrying out the visual research and developing their ideas in a visual form. Brief bullet points would suffice with the main thrust of the supporting studies being a visual and not literary form of communication. Such an approach would enable candidates to achieve higher marks for all of the Assessment Objectives.

To understand more about the sorts of notes that are appropriate in an Art project (if you choose to include any), read our article about sketchbook presentation .

For your inspiration, examples of additional black and white artworks produced by IGCSE Art students have been included below:

Drawings by Georgia Shattky, completed while studying IGCSE Art and Design (89% / A) at ACG Parnell College:

Drawings by Christine Lee, from Macleans College, awarded Top in New Zealand for CIE IGCSE Art and Design, Nov 2013 (98% /A*):

Drawings by  Abby Hope Skinner , completed while studying IGCSE Art and Design (A*) at the International School of Paphos, Cyprus:

Drawing by Tingian He from ACG Strathallan College, who gained Top in the World for IGCSE Art and Design (100% /A*), Nov 2011:

A drawing by Hania Cho , completed while studying IGCSE Art and Design (95% /A*) at ACG Strathallan College:

Drawings completed by Nikau Hindin , while studying IGCSE Art and Design (95% /A*) at ACG Parnell College:

Drawings by Rhea Maheshwari, completed while studying IGCSE Art and Design (A*) at ACG Parnell College:

A drawing by Claire Mitchell, completed while studying IGCSE Art and Design (A) at ACG Strathallan College:

A graphite pencil drawing by Jae Won Yun, completed while studying IGCSE Art and Design (A) at ACG Strathallan College:

Drawings by   Julie Zhu, who was awarded Top in New Zealand IGCSE Art and Design (98% /A*) while studying at Macleans College:

Black and white drawings completed by Emma Phillips, while studying IGCSE Art and Design (A*) at ACG Strathallan College:

Produce second prep sheet (A2 – side 2)

In the second prep sheet, introduce colour and start thinking about composition in earnest. As you begin to explore composition, ensure that you:

• Overlapping objects and including shadows to create a sense of depth and space
• Foreground, middle-ground and background
• Interesting viewpoints – perhaps looking down on things, through things, or from a worm’s eye view
• Perspective and scale – you might wish to create compositions that are focused on enlarged details and parts of compositions, and/or scenes viewed from a greater distance
• The positioning, interaction and balancing of visual elements , such as colour, shape, texture, space etc. If you have a red item at the bottom of your artwork, for example, you might balance this with a few smaller red areas towards the top. Similarly, if you have a busy area of an artwork, you might want to balance this with emptier areas. (Note: exact symmetrical balancing of an artwork is rarely successful). Composition is a big subject that will be discussed in more detail in an upcoming article – in the meantime, analyse your own work carefully and study the composition of artist works to learn successful strategies
• Communicate ideas, meanings and emotion (think about how colour selection and intensity, positioning of items, expressions on faces, dramatic contrasts and other components of your artwork communicate ideas to the viewer). Note: when it comes to colour selection, it is usually better to select a limited palette that supports the ideas and themes expressed, rather than to use every single colour (see the complete IGCSE Art Exam projects shown at the end of this article for examples).
• Learn from artists . Learning from artist models is the best and easiest way to learn new techniques and compositional approaches. You may find it easiest to learn from artists that are the same or similar to the ones explored in your Coursework project. This concept has been discussed in our article about the AS Art Exam:  

One helpful strategy can be for students to follow a similar development process to that used in their Coursework (i.e. using the same artist models and a similar pattern of developing composition), as this allows students to work much faster. It means students have to ‘think’ and worry less, and simply put all of their effort into producing stunning artwork within the short time frame given. As the subject or theme is of course totally different (because it is selected from the examination paper), students are thus excited and invigorated about their work, despite the processes being very similar to their Coursework, at least in the initial stages. As the work progresses, the new topic usually drives the work in a new and exciting direction, so the final pieces are quite different.

To understand ways that your work can be influenced by an artist’s work, please read our article about development and study the examples of student project at the end of this article.

When selecting artwork to study, it is worth remembering that:

• The artist does NOT need to use the same subject matter , but the work must be relevant to your project. For example, you might be inspired and learn from the way an artist communicates ideas, approaches composition or uses a technique. The June 2013 Examiner report comments that low achieving candidates often included an artist who did not inform their work but acted as a “ ‘bolt on’ addition in an attempt to satisfy the Assessment Objectives “. In other words, do not study an artist for the sake of it; instead, the artist work must influence and inform your own artwork.
• Long-winded written analysis is not required . As is mentioned earlier, annotation is not necessary. In the current 8 week format, every speck of your energy should be spent on producing quality original artwork. A small colour copy of an artist’s work, correctly referenced and credited, along with brief bullet-points analysing composition, technique and ideas is all that is needed (if any writing is deemed necessary at all). It is the integration of this learning into your own practical work that matters.
• Explore and experiment with a wide range of mediums . We recommend completing 4 – 8 works, selecting from the list below:
• Coloured pencil
• Coloured pencil with black biro pen
• Pastels on white paper or acrylic wash
• Carandache crayon over acrylic wash
• Watercolour on water colour paper
• Acrylic paint on an acrylic ground
• Acrylic painting on a variety of textured surfaces such as unstretched canvas or textured paper
• Colour photographs
• Any other coloured medium

Note: Due to drying times (and the issues with posting work away for assessment) oil paints should be avoided within the CIE IGCSE Art examination.

Examples of IGCSE Art and Design coloured prep pieces work have been included below for your inspiration:

Artwork by Christine Lee from Macleans College, awarded Top Equal in NZ, October 2013:

IGCSE Art and Design work from Marti Art and Design School (left) and an IGCSE exam piece by Kale :  

Part of an IGCSE Art and Design exam by Nefi Noufal :  

Produce final prep sheets (A2 – side 3 and 4)

Recommended time-frame: 3 weeks

The maximum quantity of work that an IGCSE Art and Design student can complete for the Paper 1: Observational / Interpretative Assignment is four x A2 sides (two A2 sheets). While more does not equal better (quality is always more important than quantity), a sufficient volume of work is required to develop your ideas and show breadth of exploration to the examiner. Three sides of comprehensive work can be a good target for many students, however two sides of exceptional work (with many smaller pieces adhered to each sheet) can also be acceptable. Those who work at a larger scale, with more gestural or abstract work, may benefit from submitting the full four sheets. Some students may begin with a target of three or four, and then edit this down for their final submission.

In the final sheets (or sheet) of prep work, your challenge is to take your best initial compositional ideas and develop these towards a successful final piece. By the time your prep work is complete, you must know exactly what you hope to produce in the exam and be confident that you can complete this in the given time.  Before beginning this part of your prep work, it can help to ask:

• Which mediums am I most skilled with? Which mediums can I use quickly and confidently? This is an important consideration, as you are likely to find it challenging to complete a great artwork within the 8 hour examination session (this article about how to work faster may give you some good strategies). The medium/s you choose for your final work can be black and white or coloured – or a combination of both. There is no hierarchy of mediums: students are just as capable of gaining an A* with an exceptional graphite pencil drawing as with an exceptional acrylic or mixed media painting. What matters is the quality of the work: your strength and skill with this medium and how convincingly you communicate ideas. If you are uncertain, or are torn between a few different mediums, continue to trial these subsequent works until you are sure – but do not leave this decision until the last minute. To be most useful, the final pieces of development work should be completed in the same medium that you intend to use within the examination, so that you have sufficient opportunity to practise and refine your skill. As noted in the June 2013 examiner report:

Some candidates chose to use a media for the examination that they had little experience with instead of using the media that they had created their strongest work with whilst producing their supporting studies.

• Which of my compositional ideas are the best so far? Look carefully at the work you have completed. Of your initial ideas, which ones show the most promise? Which drawings / paintings are most successful? Why? The examiners often make comments that final works are not as good as some of the prep pieces. Think carefully about the objects and scenes that have drawn, and how these have been successfully combined together so far. Establish what is working, and what can be improved.

Understanding development

Once you have decided which mediums and compositions hold the most promise, you need to produce new work developing these ideas (refining, trialling, exploring and improving your compositions, technique/s and use of media) showing the visual journey towards an original final piece. Your final piece may be completely abstract, surrealist, impressionist, realist or any other style or combination of styles, as long as your project begins with first-hand observation. ‘Development’ is a commonly misunderstood term (read more about what development means ). In essence, your work must show a coherent journey from an initial idea to the final piece – a journey that involves exploring and experimenting with mediums and techniques, refining approaches to composition and absorbing ideas from other artists, environments and cultures. These statements from the October 2013 Examiner Report help to explain this further:

A number of candidates did not understand the importance of ideas development choosing instead to present their supporting studies as a series of unrelated finished pieces which lacked a cohesive journey. In some cases it was a real pleasure to see sheets of research where one study had been linked to another across the whole sheet, clearly showing the progress of an idea or technique.

The best way to understand what develop means is to look closely at how the work in the IGCSE Art Exam projects below changes between the start and end of the project. (Viewing the other featured Art projects on this website can also help, as most show the same process of development).

In this final stage of your project, the number and quantity of works produced will vary considerably between students. At this stage you are likely to produce between 2-8 artworks developing ideas, primarily using your chosen medium, which may or may not be supported by photographs, composition sketches, media trials and (as described above) brief artist analysis. This very last segment of prep work should lead naturally to the work you complete in the exam. Note: Do not attempt to complete a whole ‘practice’ version in advance, but plan your final piece enough so that you don’t waste any examination time thinking about what to do. Your preparation work should allow you to practise all the different components of the final work (perhaps not in exactly the same way, but enough that you are confident you can execute every aspect of it). Trial setting up the still life you will draw from and/or pre-print high-quality photographs to work from. You should be able to walk into the examination, set up your equipment and still life if necessary and begin working immediately, without any ‘thinking’ about what you will do.

Final preparation

In the weeks leading up to the final exam, you need to:

• Decide what shape, format and kind of paper you will work on . The maximum size that can be sent away for assessment to CIE is A2, but you are able to work smaller than this – in fact, for many students, something closer to A3 is much more manageable. As noted in the October 2013 Examiner Report:

The majority of candidates produced final pieces which filled an A2 sheet; consideration could be given as to whether this format was appropriate as many of the supporting studies were more successful in either a different format or scale. A2 is the maximum size, smaller paper is perfectly acceptable.

• Prepare a ground if needed . If you specialise in Painting and Related Media, you are permitted to prepare the ground (the undercoat) in advance, which may also include patterned or textured paper. An undercoat must not include any outlines or preliminary drawing.
• Ensure all the equipment you need to use is ready and working – pencils sharpened / paint tubes full etc.
• Ensure that labels are correctly filled out with your Centre number, candidate number, name and question number and attached to the top right-hand front corner of each preparatory sheet (your teacher is likely to help you with this).
• Ensure all smudgeable work is sprayed with fixative or something similar!
• Organise the supporting work so that it shows the research, exploration of ideas, and experiments with media and materials, and shows the ‘development journey’. As noted in the June 2013 examiner report, “ candidates who simply pile the work up without any consideration for presentation are doing themselves a disservice “.

The final 8 hour IGCSE Art examination

These instructions are identical to those for CIE AS Art and Design students and are a modification of our  AS Controlled Test Guidelines :

Bring your supporting work to the exam ! If you forget to bring it to your first examination session, you will not be allowed to submit it later. This means it is  virtually impossible for you to pass the exam.

Immediately before the exam is to start, set up your work station . Approximately half an hour beforehand, you should be let into the room to set up your equipment, materials and still-life (if needed). You should set up everything you need and should not have to share basic equipment with anyone else. Put your supporting sheets of work neatly beside you to refer to. Note: You are not allowed access to any books, magazines or artwork of other artists. Artwork may be on the walls, but you must not access this, copy it or try to submit it as your own. 

Once the exam starts, you may move around the room as needed, to empty your water jar / get additional materials etc, although this should be minimised to reduce disturbance of others.

Tracing is rarely allowed and only in specific situations, for example, when incorporating a repeat pattern or motif that. It is not acceptable for a Painting and Related Media student to bring an enlarged photograph to the exam and trace it.

Technical assistance is allowed if you need it, such as assistance firing ceramics, welding metal sculptures or pouring out photographic chemicals, however at no stage can you ask for any advice about your art or design work. Painting and Related Media students are unlikely to need technical assistance in the exam.

All decision-making that occurs within the examination session must be your own. Any conversation between you and the invigilator must be minimal and be restricted to that which is essential. Students must not communicate with each other. It is often preferable that it is not your Art teacher supervising, to prevent subconscious grimaces by the teacher when a poor colour choice is made, for example! It can also put the students at ease to have a ‘non artist’ in the room – so they don’t feel pressure from an art specialist watching and ‘judging’ their efforts as they work.

At the end of the examination, place the final examination piece on top of the supporting studies and fasten all your work together in the top left-hand corner.

Outstanding examples: CIE IGCSE Art & Design Paper 1

Christine Lee 98% – Macleans College,  Top Equal in New Zealand,  2013:

Nikau Hindin 95% – ACG Parnell College, 2007 (read more about  Nikau’s IGCSE Art exam ): 

Tingjian He (Jim) 100% – Top equal in the World, ACG Strathallan College, 2011 (read more about Tingjian’s Art Exam ):

Julie Zhu 98% – Top equal in NZ, Macleans College, 2013:

Tarika Sabherwal 100% – Top equal in the World, ACG Strathallan College, 2011 (read more about Tarika’s IGCSE Art exam ): 

Assessment criteria

The IGCSE Controlled Test is worth 50% of your final grade. It is externally assessed (meaning that it is marked entirely by CIE examiners). Most countries send examination work to Cambridge University to be marked; other counties, like New Zealand, have the examiners travel to them.

The final exam work and supporting sheets are assessed together and are given a single mark out of 100.

We have listed the assessment criteria below. Underneath each of these we have added some questions to help you encourage you to meet these criteria. These questions are provided as informal guidance only and are not official questions provided by Cambridge University. Answering yes to these questions does not guarantee that you will gain an outstanding mark, however we hope that it points you in the right direction!

AO1 Gathering, recording, research and investigation (20%)

(a) Investigate and research a variety of appropriate sources

• Does your project including drawings and paintings of objects and scenes that include a variety of different shapes, sizes, details, patterns, textures and surface qualities?
• Have you investigated your subject matter in-depth, exploring things from different angles, different scales and arranged in different ways?
• Have you chosen an appropriate collection of objects / scenes which are personally relevant, interesting / complex and indicate a perceptive response to a theme?
• Have you undertaken research of relevant artists and is this reflected in your own work?

(b) Record and analyse information from direct observation and/or other sources and personal experience

• Is your project based upon things that you can see and touch in real life?
• Have you produced high quality observational drawings and paintings, accurately representating shape, proportion, detail, perspective, tone, space (through overlapping, inclusion of shadows, perspective etc)?
• Have you used a range of appropriate mark-making techniques to replicate interesting surfaces and textures, such as shiny metal, transparent materials and/or hair?

AO2 Exploration and development of ideas (20%)

(a) Explore a range of visual and/or other ideas by manipulating images

• Have you come up with a range of different compositions throughout your project, arranging your objects / scenes in different ways?
• Have you thought about how images are cropped?
• Have you chosen colours thoughtfully?
• Have you used composition as a tool to test, explore and communicate ideas related to your topic?

(b) Show a development of ideas through appropriate processes

• Is your project cohesive (visually connected) and based upon one topic? 
• Have you arranged your work in an organised way so that it shows the journey of how you got from start to finish?  Is it clear how you arrived at your final piece, and how this relates to earlier work? 
• Does your work morph and change, with your compositions becoming more resolved / refined towards the conclusion of your project?

AO3 Organisation and relationships of visual and/or other forms (20 marks)

(a) Organise and use visual and/or other forms effectively to express ideas

• Does your artwork convey emotion or communicate something about the world?
• Have you chosen colours / shapes / lines / textures / forms etc intentionally, with thought about how these affect the mood and message or your work?
• Are your compositions imaginative and creative, expressing ideas in an original and personal way?

(b) Make informed aesthetic judgements by recognising the effect of relationships between visual and/or other forms

• Are the shapes, lines, textures, spaces, colours, tone and other visual elements in your work positioned and used in such a way that the work appears well-balanced and pleasing to the eye?
• Have you selected appropriate mediums?

AO4 Selection and control of materials, media and processes (20 marks)

(a) Show exploration and experimentation with appropriate materials

• Have you conducted a wide range of appropriate exploration and experimentation with materials? For example, h ave you used mediums in creative ways,  painted on different materials, used lots of different mediums, and mixed these in different ways?
• Are the mediums you have chosen appropriate for your topic? 

(b) Select and control appropriate media and processes, demonstrating practical, technical and expressive skills and intentions

• Replicate fine detail if required?
• Create sharp, tidy edges if needed?
• Blend tone smoothly or with control?
• Dash, splash and spray paint etc, if required, in beautiful and purposeful ways?
• Have you selected mediums and techniques that showcase your strengths and present your ability in the best light?

AO5 Personal vision and presentation (20 marks)

(a)  Show personal vision and commitment through an interpretative and creative response

• Is your work personal and creative?
• Is your project extensive, comprehensive and thorough – suggesting that you are a committed, dedicated student with personal vision?
• Have you taken time and care with your work?

(b) Present an informed response through personal evaluation, reflection and critical thinking

• Has your work been informed / influenced by relevant artists and/or creative practitioners?
• Did you continually evaluate your own work in order to work out how to proceed (and is this obvious from your practical work)? In other words, is each new piece the result of critical analysis of the work that has come before?

Please remember that this article does not reflect changes to the 2015 curriculum – it will be updated shortly.

If you have found this helpful, please share using the social media buttons below!

Amiria has been an Art & Design teacher and a Curriculum Co-ordinator for seven years, responsible for the course design and assessment of student work in two high-achieving Auckland schools. She has a Bachelor of Architectural Studies, Bachelor of Architecture (First Class Honours) and a Graduate Diploma of Teaching. Amiria is a CIE Accredited Art & Design Coursework Assessor.

JOIN OVER 21,000 PEOPLE WHO RECEIVE OUR FREE NEWSLETTER

You will be notified first when free resources are available: Art project ideas, teaching handouts, printable lesson plans, tips and advice from experienced teachers. What are you waiting for?

Email Address*

We send emails monthly. And don’t worry, we hate spam too! Unsubscribe at any time.

Exercise 6: Writing an essay for examination from 2024 (Ultimate Guide)

Exercise 6 of the Reading and Writing paper of the IGCSE English as a Second Language (ESL) exam (0510/0511/0991/0993) is always a formal or semi-formal writing. It can be an article, an essay, a report, or a review.

In this article, you will discover how to write an almost-perfect essay that impresses the examiner and gets you the highest band. So, are you ready? Let’s dive in!

So, what is an essay?

An essay is a short piece of writing on a particular subject. The purpose of an essay is to present an argument or point of view about a particular topic and give examples or reasons to support it. The topic will be a question or an issue which people generally have different opinions about.

The essay could present both sides of the argument, or just one, depending on the instructions given in the task. So, if the instructions ask you to give your opinion, you can address just this one point of view, or you can discuss the arguments for and against. But if the task instructions state that arguments for and against should be included, then you should address both points of view.

The Tone and Register of an Essay

In the exam, the essay is usually for your teacher, so the tone and register should be formal or semi-formal . Therefore, it should avoid language that is too idiomatic and colloquial.

Now, before diving into the details of how to write a successful essay, let’s first explore a few differences between articles and essays.

Differences between an article and an essay

An essay is very similar to an article with only a few key differences.

An article is usually published in a newspaper or a magazine, so as far as the exam is concerned, the audience is often students at your school (school magazine article), or sometimes your teacher or the local newspaper.

The audience of an essay is often your teacher (who requested the essay in the first place).

An article is generally written to inform and persuade the reader that a certain viewpoint is correct.

An essay is generally written as a response to a question or a proposition (often by your teacher). It presents an argument or point of view about a particular topic and gives examples or reasons to support it.

Tone and style:

Articles generally have a more objective tone and style, focusing on presenting information in a neutral or balanced manner.

Essays are generally subjective, reflecting the writer’s opinion and perspective.

An article may have a heading to grab the reader’s attention (though not compulsory in the exam).

An essay does not require a heading.

The format of a one-sided argument essay

A one-sided argument essay can have two formats, depending on whether you include a counterargument from the opposing viewpoint or not.

Paragraph 1:  Introduction (including your opinion)

Paragraph 2:  First point supporting your opinion with an explanation

Paragraph 3:  Second point supporting your opinion with an explanation

Paragraph 4:  State a counterargument (an idea from the opposing viewpoint) and counter the counterargument (i.e., explain why this counterargument is invalid). In other words, state a point made by people who have a different opinion from yours and explain why they are wrong.

Paragraph 5:  Conclusion (including your opinion again but in different words)

Paragraph 2:  One or two points supporting your opinion with an explanation

Paragraph 3:  One or two points (different from those of the previous paragraph) supporting your opinion with an explanation

Paragraph 4:  Conclusion (including your opinion again but in different words)

The format of a two-sided argument essay

Paragraph 1:  Introduction (without your opinion)

Paragraph 2:  One side of the argument

Paragraph 3:  The other side of the argument

Paragraph 4:  Conclusion (including your opinion)

Introduction

The purpose of the introduction is to  inform the reader  about the main point (topic) of the essay and  engage the reader  to make them interested in the topic. The main components of an effective introduction are:

• Topic sentence

Start your essay with a brief topic sentence that outlines the argument that the essay will discuss. Give  forceful statements  rather than “I think that”, “maybe” or “perhaps”. For example, “Teenagers love fast food.”, “Nowadays, music plays an indispensable role in our lives.”, etc.

To write an effective topic sentence, you might  use adverbial time phrases  and  generalizations . Here are some examples of each.

Adverbial time phrases

• Nowadays/these days/currently
• Every day/week/year
• Recently/for many years/decades
• In the past
• 10 years ago
• In the last (few/five) (days/weeks/months/years/decades)

Generalization

• A large number of / The vast majority (of)
• Several/some
• Not many/hardly any/ few
• In almost all cases
• In the majority of cases
• In a large number of cases
• In most cases
• In some cases
• On the whole/ Overall
• Rhetorical question(s)

Use rhetorical questions (questions that don’t require an answer but make your reader think) to get the reader interested in the topic and encourage them to read on. For example:

• How much longer do animals have to suffer?
• Could you live with yourself if you missed out on this opportunity?
• How could we possibly stand the …?
• What would happen if …?
• Could your conscience cope with …?
• Is it really worth …?
• Do you want to be part of …?
• Should students do sport at school?
• Should teenagers completely avoid fast food?
• We all love convenience food. But is it the best thing for our waistlines, our wallets and our world?
• Your opinion (if it is a one-sided argument essay)

If you are writing a two-sided argument essay,  DO NOT  give your opinion in the introduction.

If you are writing a one-sided argument essay, you MUST give your opinion (whether you support or oppose the viewpoint expressed in the statement).

Here are some opinion phrases to help you express your opinion.

• In my opinion/view
• From my perspective
• From my point of view
• I concur/agree
• I believe/think (that)
• It seems to me that
• I am in favour of
• I am against the idea of
• I am strongly opposed to
• I disagree/cannot accept

You may also kill two birds with one stone and begin your essay with a rhetorical question that introduces the topic to the reader, thus acting as a topic sentence. Here are some examples.

“Have you ever thought how school life would be if the school day started later? In my perspective, this will have countless benefits.”

“Should students do sport at school? This is a question which people have different opinions about.”

One-sided essay structure:

Body paragraph 1:  First idea supporting your opinion with an explanation

Body paragraph 2:  Second idea supporting your opinion with an explanation ( should be different from the first idea )

Body paragraph 3:  State a counterargument (an idea from the opposing viewpoint)  AND  counter the counterargument (i.e., explain why this counterargument is invalid). In other words, state a point made by people who have a different opinion from yours and explain why they are wrong.

Body Paragraph 1:  one or two points supporting your opinion with an explanation

Body Paragraph 2:  one or two points (different from those of the previous paragraph) supporting your opinion with an explanation

When introducing the counterargument in the 3 rd  body paragraph, use any of the following phrases.

• Opponents of this idea claim/assert/argue that …
• Those who disagree/are against these ideas may say/insist that …
• Some people allege/argue/contend that …
• Some people may suggest/point out that …
• A common counterargument is that …
• It can be argued that …

When countering the counterargument in the 3 rd  body paragraph, use any of the following phrases depending on the context.

• Although true to a certain extent, …
• While this may be true to some extent, …
• While it is true that …, it is important to consider…
• While some may believe that … recent studies have shown that …
• What this invalid argument misses is …
• What these people fail to notice/take note of is …
• The evidence, however, disproves this argument because …
• However, upon closer examination, it becomes clear that …
• However, a closer analysis reveals that …
• However, this flawed argument overlooks the fact that …

Two-sided essay structure:

Body paragraph 1:  One side of the argument either in favour or against ( mention 2 different ideas )

Body paragraph 2:  The other side of the argument either in favour or against ( mention 2 different ideas )

General guidelines for both kinds of essays:

• Read the question carefully  and  draft a plan  for your essay in the blank space below the question using a pencil. Here are some steps to follow.
• Separate the blank space into two parts, one for and one against.
• Jot down any points that come to your mind in the correct part, along with any interesting vocabulary or expressions suitable for the task. Remember to write briefly and in bullet points.
• Decide whether you will write a one-sided essay or a two-sided essay. If the instructions in the question state that you must include arguments for and against, then choose the best 2 points supporting each side and write a two-sided essay. If it’s not mentioned that you must include arguments for and against, then the choice is yours.
• Consider how you will begin your essay and how you will engage the reader at the start. For example, write some variations of the topic sentence and rhetorical questions that you could use.
• Choose the most effective ones and begin writing. Remember to  spend no more than 5 minutes on the plan.
• Start your body paragraphs with a topic sentence rather than just jumping into the advantages or disadvantages (especially if you’re writing a two-sided essay). This helps to organize your writing and makes the purpose of the paragraph clear to the reader. For example, in an essay discussing the advantages and disadvantages of fast food, it is better to start your first body paragraph with a topic sentence like “There are some obvious advantages of fast food. Firstly, …” rather than just getting into the first point and writing, “To begin with, it’s quite tasty.”.
• You can use the few prompts given in the question, but it is better to  use your own ideas  if you want to get higher marks. If, however, you are out of ideas, use the ideas in the question and make sure to paraphrase them (write them in different words) and develop them well.
• Support your ideas with reasons, evidence, or examples . Keep in mind that the examiner knows the evidence or examples will be made up and doesn’t expect these to be correct. Yes, you can make up your own statistics! Just make sure it’s not overly unrealistic.
• Keep to the topic  (don’t wander away from the main subject of the essay). Remind yourself constantly by looking again at the question.
• Use a variety of linking words and cohesive devices  (mainly formal) to create a smooth and logical flow in your writing. Here are some examples.

When presenting the first point (used in the 1 st  body paragraph of both one-sided essays and two-sided essays)

• There are some obvious advantages of
• Those in support of … believe that …
• People who think … say that …
• The main argument in favour of/against is
• The main point/reason is
• The most important point/reason is
• The first point/reason is
• First of all
• First and foremost

When  adding  more points to the same side of the argument

• In addition,
• Furthermore,
• Additionally,
• Not only … but also…
• As well as.
• Another noteworthy point is …
• Apart from that
• What is more

When  contrasting  ideas (typically used to introduce the opposite viewpoint in the 2 nd  body paragraph of a two-sided essay

• Some people argue that …
• Nevertheless
• Even though
• In spite of
• On the other hand
• On the contrary
• By contrast

When giving examples

• For example
• For instance
• One clear example is
• To illustrate
• In other words

When reasoning:

• Results and consequences: as a result, consequently, therefore, thus, hence, for this reason, as a result (of), which means that, etc.
• Reasons and causes: owing to, because (of), on account of, due to, since, as, etc.   

When highlighting and stressing

• Particularly
• In particular
• Specifically

The purpose of the conclusion is to  sum up what you have said  and  express (or re-express) your opinion.

In the conclusion:

• Briefly summarize your main points using concluding phrases. Here are some examples.
• In conclusion
• To conclude
• To reiterate
• On the whole
• All things considered
• After weighing the benefits and drawbacks
• I believe that …
• Thus, I am of the opinion that …
• Given these points

Remember to use different words from those used to express the points in the body.

• Give your final opinion (regardless of whether it’s a one-sided or a two-sided essay) and any solution or suggestion if applicable.

The solution or suggestion might be part of your opinion if you’re writing a two-sided essay and want to take a balanced view on the issue rather than siding with one side. For example, “Overall, I believe eating fast food occasionally isn’t a problem, but fresh home-cooked food is best.” Use the opinion phrases stated earlier in the Introduction section to express your opinion, and if it’s a one-sided essay, make sure to use different words from those used in the introduction.

• End with a strong, impactful statement that leaves the reader with something to think about. This could be a rhetorical question or a statement that encourages the reader to decide what they think about the same viewpoint. For example:
• “To conclude, I wholeheartedly believe that everyone should pursue higher education. Why not embrace this invaluable opportunity to fast-track your career, build your confidence, and broaden your social circle?”
• “Overall, I believe eating fast food occasionally isn’t a problem, but fresh home-cooked food is best. Do you not think so?”
• “After weighing the benefits and the drawbacks, it is apparent that convenience food, while palatable, may negatively impact other areas of your life. Think about this before you reach for your next snack!”

It’s worth mentioning that this step is PREFERABLE . So don’t stress too much about ending your essay with an impactful statement or a rhetorical question. Just make sure that the conclusion reflects the argument presented in the main body of the essay and that your final opinion is clear to the reader.

Points to keep in mind

• Read the task carefully to make sure that the ideas and supporting information you include are relevant to the topic. Students often lose focus and write about wider, more general issues associated with the topic, which significantly affects their marks.
• Organize your essay into 4-5 paragraphs . Leave a line between paragraphs or indent the first line of each new paragraph. Don’t do both!
• Take care of spelling, punctuation, and grammar . This is important as the examiner will look at the accuracy of your language.
• Use a combination of simple, compound, and complex sentences . A series of long sentences will make your writing difficult to read, and a series of short simple sentences will make your writing boring to read. Balance is the key.
• Use a wide range of formal vocabulary, including some advanced and less commonly used ones .
• Include a range of topic-related vocabulary to show that you have a good understanding of the topic.
• Use a wide variety of formal linking words to link ideas in sentences and paragraphs.  Examples have been mentioned earlier.
• Use advanced punctuation sparingly  (1-3 in the whole essay), for example, colon (:) and semicolon (;).
• Include language appropriate for expressing opinions, agreeing, and disagreeing. In addition to mentioning your opinion in the introduction and/or conclusion, your viewpoint can also be included in the body paragraphs (whether it’s a one-sided or a two-sided essay) by:
• Mentioning personal examples or experiences (which implies that you agree with this point of view)
• Explicitly agreeing while presenting a point in the body paragraph. Here is an example: “People who think sports lessons are a good idea say that students need exercise, and I agree that doing sports helps to make you healthy and avoid getting overweight.”
• Aim to complete towards the maximum word limit  (approximately 160 words). Exceeding the word limit slightly (15-20 words) is fine as long as you write accurately and complete the task within the correct time. If you exceed the word limit by any number of words, be it even 100, no marks will be cut directly, but you increase your chances of making more mistakes and spending more time than required for this exercise, which may affect your mark indirectly. If you write towards the lower limit or below, you are highly unlikely to achieve the highest band for Content as your content is not well developed.
• Spend about 30 minutes on this exercise : the initial 5 minutes for planning and the last 2-3 minutes for checking your work for simple spelling, punctuation, and grammatical mistakes.
• Write legibly

Don’ts

• Do not write a heading.
• Avoid colloquial or ‘chatty’ language (which includes informal vocabulary, abbreviations, or slang such as how r u, OMG, BTW, etc.).
• Avoid listing  (firstly, secondly, thirdly, etc.). There is no problem in writing “firstly”, but avoid writing “secondly” and “thirdly”.
• Avoid repetition of vocabulary and beginning your sentences with the same words . Sometimes, students write 3 or more sentences in a row starting with “The”!
• Avoid including too many different ideas in your essay. It is better to include fewer ideas and develop one or two in greater depth rather than writing many ideas which are not well-developed.
• Avoid writing an overlong introduction and conclusion. It would be more effective to utilize the limited word count to develop your ideas within the body of the essay. Also, avoid pre-learned language for these parts of the essay, as this may not be totally relevant or might sound unnatural.
• It’s preferable to avoid contractions , but they can be used as the essay can have a semi-formal tone and register. In both cases, remember to be consistent throughout. So, if you used contractions, use them throughout your whole essay, and if not, avoid them altogether.

Practice a lot of past papers and get feedback on your writing. We know that essay writing is newly added to the syllabus, but you can still practice writing essays in response to past years’ article writing questions as they are very similar.

Finally, don’t forget to check out our samples page and if you find this helpful, please share it with your friends.

Good luck! Go get that A*!

21 responses to “Exercise 6: Writing an essay for examination from 2024 (Ultimate Guide)”

Dear ESL KINGS Team,

Your notes have always helped me, including the samples ofcourse. I have made a number of progress, but there is still some questions I have.

To begin with, when would it be perfect/suitable for you to start uploading essay samples? My exam is on May 8 and I really do require their needs. I know that article is basically almost like an essay, But I still haven’t seen a proper essay For esl ever.

Moving on, I wanted to ask that are the International examiners more strict? I am asking this because the samples you have provided have made me totally fall apart as I was shocked by the language required to score top marks. My emails are average on a scale of 13/15 while my formal writings are between 10 – 12, and since I never have experienced the real examiner, I am scared I will even get less then that. It’s my hugest goal to Get around 95 marks from 100 in ESL. For now, If I can estimate I will get around 93 marks which I still don’t find in appeal.

Please do help me with this.

Warm regards, Ayaan Yousuf.

Dear Ayaan,

Thank you for your kind words! We’re glad you’re making progress!

Unfortunately, we may not be able to upload any more samples at the moment as we’re very busy with our exams. However, you may check out Cambridge’s essay sample available here . We appreciate your understanding.

It’s absolutely normal to feel that your writing is not as good as the samples because they are not a standard every student must follow to achieve good mark. They are just meant to inspire you: you can use any of their vocabulary, ideas or structures in your own writing to improve it. You can still score very good marks with a language below that of the samples. Our advice is to focus now on practicing as much as you can instead of how many marks you will score, and you will be able to get your desired grade inshallah.

Best regards, ESL Kings team

Thank you for providing such helpful resources and samples. Your examples are very good and advanced, but I feel my writing isn’t as good. Is this something to worry about, or is it normal? Will the examiners be very strict, or somewhat lenient, considering this is ESL?

Thank you for your kind words! It’s absolutely normal to feel that your writing is not as good as the samples. This is completely understandable and actually a good sign because it provides room for improvement.

We suggest that you get your writing marked by a teacher, a family member, a friend or even yourself; this will give you an idea of where your writing actually stands. And keep practising as much as you can, taking into account the tips we provide in the notes, and you will definitely see progress.

Examiners know of course that this is a second language exam and they mark based on the criteria mentioned in the mark scheme, which is more lenient than a first language exam.

Appreciate this post! Very helpful to me as a teacher.

Thank you! We really appreciate your positive feedback!

Thank you so much for giving us the ideas how to write an essay. Specially, phrases how to begin sentences from each paragraph

You’re welcome 🙂 We’re glad it helped!

Wonderful materials for my students who are going to take the exam next May. Thank you so much

Thank you so much for your kind feedback! We’re glad our notes are benefiting your students! Good luck to them!

Thank you so much for your help! Could you also post some sample essays, it would be very helpful for us!!

Hi Sara, thank you for your comment! We will definitely consider adding them after completing the review writing notes which we are currently working on.

What do you mean by do not write a heading? Do you mean we shouldn’t have a title for the essay?

Yes, an essay doesn’t require a title. Trying to come up with one will use up your exam time unnecessarily.

Is there going to be direct deduction of marks if written?

yes no title in essay

Hello, I’m having my exam in 4 months and I can’t believe I didn’t know about this website before, seriously I wholeheartedly appreciate what you do, I heard there’s a service where you can correct or give feedback on pieces of writings and grade them, is it available?

Thank you so much for your nice comment! We really appreciate it! Our marking service was available, but unfortunately, it is now suspended as it requires a lot of time and effort, which we can’t provide at the moment. We apologize for this! And we wish you good luck with your exam!

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR EFFORT AND TIME CREATING THESE SUPER AMAZING NOTES AND TIPS FOR WRITING EXERCISES

Thank you for your kind words! We’re really glad you found them helpful!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Thai high: the rise of a newfound cannabis culture – a photo essay

Photographer Dougie Wallace has been looking at the impact of the decriminalisation of cannabis in Thailand, from Khaosan Road to the beach resorts, such as Krabi and Phuket, that attract tourists

T he decriminalisation of cannabis in Thailand in June 2022 has led to an explosion in marijuana shops across the country – especially in its tourist areas. It is sold at trendy dispensaries in Bangkok, at beachside bars across resort islands and even on river cruises. On bustling streets, green leaf logos glow in neon above shop fronts, and small stalls, set up with rows of glass jars, dot the pavement.

Tourists and street advertiser in Patong, Phuket

More than 7,000 cannabis shops are estimated to have opened across the country which, until recent years, was known for having some of the world’s toughest drugs laws.

There is, however, uncertainty about the future of the industry. Elections last year brought a change in government, and the Pheu Thai party, which had campaigned on a pledge to ban recreational use of the drug, now leads the ruling coalition. The prime minister, Srettha Thavisin, has said he wants cannabis to be relisted as a narcotic by the end of the year.

Tourists on the Khaosan Road in Bangkok

Tourists in Bangkok’s Khaosan Road, a loud party street that has attracted backpackers for decades, are not impressed by the possibility of a U-turn on the law. “No, no, no, please, no change,” remarks Nazif Turkan, 32, as he relaxes in an indoor smoking area. Cannabis makes the country even more attractive as a tourist destination, he says, on top of its rich culture, excellent food and wealth of natural sites. “This is a bonus [for tourists], it’s a good thing to have.”

Critics say decriminalisation was rushed and there are loopholes and inconsistencies in the rules and their enforcement. There have been particular concerns about teenagers accessing the drug, even though it is illegal to sell it to under-20s.

Visitors to the old market area in Krabi, and below

Others say reversing the law and ridding the streets of cannabis would be virtually impossible. Cannabis has become a part of the nightlife in tourist hotspots, such as Krabi and Phuket, where weed shops and stalls have opened up alongside bars, and Thailand’s famous street food vendors. Decriminalisation has boosted the economy in since the Covid pandemic, and created new opportunities for entrepreneurs, they say.

The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce estimated in 2022 that the sector could be worth $1.2bn (£950m) by next year.

Tourists on the island of Kho Phi Phi, and below

A few years ago, Malee, who asked not to give her real name, worked with her partner bulk-buying vegetables in their home province of Chachoengsao and selling it on to local markets. They would buy greens, such as spring onions, coriander and morning glory, from farmers and package the goods ready to be sold. But when cannabis was legalised in 2022, they set up a business growing it at home. “He saw the opportunity and thought he would earn a lot more money than just selling vegetables,” Malee says of her partner.

Kho Phi Phi

At first, they made a good profit, she says, but then there was an influx of illegal foreign cannabis imports and go-betweens, which she blames for driving down prices. The couple decided to sell directly to tourists, and they now commute at least an hour to Bangkok to sell their produce on Khaosan Road, mostly to Europeans. “It’s quite hard [to make profit] because this weed is grown indoors and it takes four to five months – and you have to put in money for the electricity, the water, the seed. It’s a lot of money.” Malee will invest about 10,000 baht (£217) in growing a batch of cannabis, and will normally sell it for 30,000 baht in tourist areas.

Patong, Phuket, and below, the Old Town

She worries about the possibility of a legal clampdown, she says. “I keep following the news constantly. But in reality I don’t think it will impact our business that much. If it becomes illegal it will make our price higher,” she says, explaining that a hidden market will inevitably emerge.

Political analysts are also sceptical as to whether the government will impose dramatic legal changes. “There have been so many profits made [from] marijuana since it became decriminalised that it’s going to be virtually impossible to take it out of the economy to the extent that it is right now,” says Paul Chambers, a visiting fellow at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, in Singapore, and a lecturer at Naresuan University, in Thailand.

Tourists in Patong, in Phuket

The most likely outcome is that stricter licences will be required to sell, or a doctor’s note needed to buy, cannabis, adds Chambers. In practice, this could make little difference to consumers. “It just means you’ve got to pay more money indirectly.”

Somyos Saetae, who works in the Greenday Dispensary on Khaosan Road, was a barista before he began working in weed shops, seeing it as an opportunity to advance his career. It’s hard to know what impact any legal change could have on the business because there is a lack of clarity about what could be introduced.

He blames what he considers to be unfair media coverage for adding to the negative perception among the public.

“When you talk about recreational use, maybe people only think about parties. But actually there are a lot of people who come to smoke weed to relax or sleep,” he says. On the counter, rows of jars are labelled with the effect the products will have – ranging from energetic, creative and talkative, to sleepy.

“Usually the customer will tell me what they need, whether they want to party, to relax or sleep, and I will recommend a different strain,” says Somyos.

Edible cannabis for sale in Kho Phi Phi

Outside, music from nightclubs thumps across the road, and bar staff wave promotional signs. A male dancer in shorts and cowboy boots dances flamboyantly over the tables outside a nearby bar. Tourists hold their phones in the air, capturing the scene.

Not everyone is ready for a big night out. Near to Somyos’s shop, Sho, 23, from Japan, explains that weed was a factor in drawing him to visit Thailand, as his friend snoozes opposite.

A Tuktuk driver on the Khaosan Rd, Bangkok

“One hour ago it was mostly Japanese people [here],” he explains, sitting away from the hustle and bustle of the street. It’s illegal back home and he’s never smoked it there, he adds. He’s staying for one week, and has been sightseeing to temples, tried Thai food – and smoked every day.

• The Guardian picture essay
• Asia Pacific

Most viewed

Art and Design - 0400 Examiner Report February / March 2022 IGCSE - Cambridge International Examination

• International
• Topical and themed

Early years

Special needs.

• Schools directory
• Resources Jobs Schools directory News Search

Lesson Resources

Over 900,000 resources made by teachers for teachers

76,695 resources

375,001 resources

678,881 resources

19,789 resources

Popular resources

NEW Topic 6 Organisms respond to stimuli model answer revision notes AQA A Level Biology

Power and Conflict Poetry Revision

KS2 Maths (Ratio + Proportion)

AQA GCSE Chemistry Paper 1 Summary PowerPoints

Collections and subscriptions, teaching shakespeare.

Discover inspiring resources from Tes’ partners and breathe life into the Bard’s work

Digital citizenship

Why not take a look at activities to help your students become empowered digital citizens?

14-18 NOW Project

Commemorate 100 years since the end of the First World War with the 14-18 NOW project

Mastery resource packs

Explore these comprehensive, pupil-friendly mastery resource packs for year 1-6

Latest blog posts

Primary maths: Statistics

17th May 2024 at 11:20

Challenges for computing students

17th May 2024 at 10:20

Plants in primary

16th May 2024 at 09:45

Teaching slavery and the British empire in history

16th May 2024 at 08:30

Featured author shops

Corblimeyguvnor's Drama Resources

RojoResources's Shop

The Imagination Box

Jerome Sauvin's Shop

• About company
• GENERAL CONTRACTOR

+7 (495) 526-30-40 +7 (49657) 0-30-99

THE HISTORY OF THE COMPANY CREATION

1993 how the construction company remstroy was created   the year 1993 was a period when a lot of construction companies, which had been working successfully during the soviet times and had rich staff capacity, were forced to cease their activity for various reasons. a lot of capable specialists either had to look for another job or change their field. but there were also those who were willing to realise their potential in the field of construction in accordance with the received degree and the experience they had accumulated. thus, in 1993 in elektrostal (moscow oblast) a group of specialists and people sharing each other’s ideas, who had enormous educational background and the highest degree in architecture, organized and registered ooo firm erg which began its rapid development and successful work, offering its service both on the construction market and other areas. 2000 industrial construction is the main area   seven years of successful work have shown that combining different types of activities in the same company is not always convenient. and in the year 2000 the founders of ooo firm erg decided to create and register a monoprofile construction company ooo remstroy construction company. industrial construction was chosen as the priority area. it was in this area that the directors of ooo sk remstroy began their working life and grew as specialists. in order to achieve the set goal, they selected a mobile team of professionals in the field of industrial construction, which allows us to cope with the tasks assigned to ooo sk remstroy throughout russia and the near abroad. 2010 manufacturing of metal structures   we possess modern equipment that allows us to carry out the entire cycle of works on the manufacture of metal structures of any complexity without assistance. designing – production – installation of metal structures. a staff of professionals and well-coordinated interaction of the departments let us carry out the work as soon as possible and in accordance with all customer’s requirements.” extract from the list of members of self-regulatory organizations, construction.

LICENSE OF MINISTRY OF EMERGENCY SITUATIONS

Certificates, system of managing quality.

SYSTEM OF ECOLOGIAL MANAGEMENT

SYSTEM OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH MANAGEMENT

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

THE GEOGRAPHY OF CONSTRUCTION SITES

YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ON THE CONSTRUCTION SITES OF OOO REMSTROY ON THE PAGE OF THE SITE

OUR CLIENTS

http://remstroi.pro/yandex-promyshlennoe-stroitelstvo

Programmes & Qualifications

Cambridge igcse (9-1) art & design 0989.

• Syllabus overview

Available in a limited number of Administrative zones. See our 'Syllabus availability notice' below for details. Not available to private candidates.

This syllabus is graded from 9 to 1 but is otherwise the same as Cambridge IGCSE Art & Design (0400).

Cambridge IGCSE Art & Design encourages a personal response by stimulating imagination, sensitivity, conceptual thinking, powers of observation and analytical ability.

The syllabus allows learners to:

• develop confidence and enthusiasm as they practice technical skills in two- and three-dimensional form and composition
• identify and solve problems in visual and tactile forms
• develop ideas from initial attempts to final solutions
• develop an awareness of the role played by the visual arts in society and history
• broaden cultural horizons and individual experience.

The syllabus year refers to the year in which the examination will be taken.

• -->2023 Syllabus update (PDF, 143KB)
• -->2023 Guide to Administering (PDF, 174KB)
• -->2024 Syllabus update (PDF, 143KB)
• -->2024 Guide to Administering (PDF, 281KB)
• -->2025 Guide to Administering (PDF, 397KB)
• -->2026 Guide to Administering (PDF, 355KB)

Syllabus support

• -->Support for Art & Design (PDF, 495KB)

Important notices

In June, this syllabus is available in Administrative zone 3 and for centres in Oman and UAE. In November, this syllabus is available in Administrative zone 3 only. Check the administrative zones for your school .

We are withdrawing Cambridge IGCSE (9–1) Art & Design (0989) from the November exam series. The last November series for this syllabus will be November 2024.

From 2025, we will only offer this syllabus in the June exam series.

We communicated this change to schools in May 2022.

Please note that if you make an entry for the 9-1 grading scale, it is not then possible to switch to the A*-G grading scale once the entries deadline has passed. If you find that you have accidentally made an entry for the 9-1 syllabus, you must withdraw and re-enter before the entries deadline.

For some subjects, we publish grade descriptions to help understand the level of performance candidates’ grades represent.

We paused the publication of grade descriptions in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the temporary changes to the awarding standard in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

As the awarding standard has now returned to the pre-pandemic standard, we are working to produce up-to-date grade descriptions for most of our general qualifications. These will be based on the awarding standards in place from June 2023 onwards.

School Support Hub

Teachers at registered Cambridge schools can unlock over 30 000 teaching and learning resources to help plan and deliver Cambridge programmes and qualifications, including Schemes of work, Example candidate responses, Past papers, Specimen paper answers, as well as digital and multimedia resources.

Schemes of work

Example responses, past papers, specimen paper answers.

Register your interest in becoming a Cambridge School

Stay up to date

Sign up for updates about changes to the syllabuses you teach

• Past papers, examiner reports and specimen papers
• Published resources