Cambridge Assessment International Education

Cambridge International Advanced Level

ENGLISH LANGUAGE 9093/41

Paper 4 Language Topics May/June 2018
MARK SCHEME
Maximum Mark: 50

Published

This mark scheme is published as an aid to teachers and candidates, to indicate the requirements of the
examination. It shows the basis on which Examiners were instructed to award marks. It does not indicate the
details of the discussions that took place at an Examiners’ meeting before marking began, which would have
considered the acceptability of alternative answers.

Mark schemes should be read in conjunction with the question paper and the Principal Examiner Report for
Teachers.

Cambridge International will not enter into discussions about these mark schemes.

Cambridge International is publishing the mark schemes for the May/June 2018 series for most
Cambridge IGCSE™, Cambridge International A and AS Level and Cambridge Pre-U components, and
some Cambridge O Level components.

IGCSE™ is a registered trademark.

This document consists of 8 printed pages.

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Generic Marking Principles

These general marking principles must be applied by all examiners when marking candidate answers.
They should be applied alongside the specific content of the mark scheme or generic level descriptors
for a question. Each question paper and mark scheme will also comply with these marking principles.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 1:

Marks must be awarded in line with:

• the specific content of the mark scheme or the generic level descriptors for the question
• the specific skills defined in the mark scheme or in the generic level descriptors for the question
• the standard of response required by a candidate as exemplified by the standardisation scripts.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 2:

Marks awarded are always whole marks (not half marks, or other fractions).

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 3:

Marks must be awarded positively:

• marks are awarded for correct/valid answers, as defined in the mark scheme. However, credit
is given for valid answers which go beyond the scope of the syllabus and mark scheme,
referring to your Team Leader as appropriate
• marks are awarded when candidates clearly demonstrate what they know and can do
• marks are not deducted for errors
• marks are not deducted for omissions
• answers should only be judged on the quality of spelling, punctuation and grammar when these
features are specifically assessed by the question as indicated by the mark scheme. The
meaning, however, should be unambiguous.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 4:

Rules must be applied consistently e.g. in situations where candidates have not followed
instructions or in the application of generic level descriptors.

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 5:

Marks should be awarded using the full range of marks defined in the mark scheme for the question
(however; the use of the full mark range may be limited according to the quality of the candidate
responses seen).

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 6:

Marks awarded are based solely on the requirements as defined in the mark scheme. Marks should
not be awarded with grade thresholds or grade descriptors in mind.

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1 Spoken language and social groups

Discriminating analysis of language: subtle appreciation of the conventions and

ingredients of specific forms; very detailed and perceptive exploration of the
effects and qualities conveyed by language, structure, purpose and contexts;
Band 1 22–25 (where appropriate) sophisticated awareness of mode of address and how it
and a sense of the target audience help to establish register, tone and
meaning; the ability to convey knowledge and understanding in a comparative,
balanced, articulate and very fluent manner.

Engaged and very focused analysis of language; proficient appreciation of the

conventions and ingredients of specific forms; detailed and insightful
exploration of the effects and qualities conveyed by language, structure,
Band 2 18–21 purpose and contexts; (where appropriate) proficient awareness of mode of
address and how it and a sense of the target audience help to establish
register, tone and meaning; the ability to convey knowledge and understanding
in a comparative, sustained, consistent and fluent manner.

Measured analysis of language; sound appreciation of the conventions and

ingredients of specific forms; some detailed and informed exploration of the
effects and qualities conveyed by language, structure, purpose and contexts;
Band 3 14–17 (where appropriate) competent awareness of mode of address and how it and
a sense of the target audience help to establish register, tone and meaning;
some ability to convey knowledge and understanding in a reasonably
comparative, controlled manner.

Some attempt to develop analysis of language; the beginnings of appreciation

of the conventions and ingredients of specific forms; sound, if at times uneven
and undeveloped, exploration of the effects and qualities conveyed by
Band 4 10–13 language, structure, purpose and contexts; (where appropriate) some sense of
mode of address and how it and a sense of the target audience help to
establish register, tone and meaning; some ability to convey knowledge and
understanding in a comparative, if at times partial, manner.

Basic analysis of language; simple response to the conventions and

ingredients of specific forms; some exploration of the effects and qualities
conveyed by language, structure, purpose and contexts; (where appropriate) a
Band 5 6–9 measure of awareness of mode of address and how it and a sense of the
target audience help to establish register, tone and meaning; general ability to
convey knowledge and understanding; some reliance on feature-spotting, with
basic comment.

Limited analysis of language; generalised response to conventions and forms;

tendency to assert some of the effects and qualities conveyed by language,
structure, purpose and contexts; (where appropriate) unfocused awareness of
Band 6 2–5 mode of address and how it and a sense of the target audience help to
establish register, tone and meaning; limited ability to convey knowledge and
understanding in a comparative manner; tendency to focus on identification of
less important features (such as the use of punctuation).

Below Minimal appreciation and awareness of language and forms/conventions; work

0–1
Band 6 fragmented or incoherent. Unfocused; very limited. Probably marked by brevity.

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Question Answer Mark

1 Likely content 25

Note: These must not be seen as prescriptive or ‘finite’ lists. Candidates

should be rewarded positively for any valid response to the task which relates
to the Assessment Objectives.

Candidates are likely to refer to:

• non-fluency features of spontaneous speech: fillers, pauses, false starts,

reformulations (e.g. anyway (.) erm (.) yesterday; and they had (1) they
had a puppy; shes like twelve weeks or something)
• structure of exchanges – co-operative overlaps and interruptions, for
example:

Laura: injections (.) no not injections

//
Josie: is it a puppy then↗

• support and feedback between participants, for example Laura interjecting

ahh and Josie saying yeah it is
• some language features that are thought to be female language
characteristics – Note: it is easy to over-state the significance of
‘gendered’ features
• Laura’s use of tag question isnt it, inviting agreement
• reference to theories/theorists of language such as Robin Lakoff, Deborah
Tannen, Deborah Cameron and Jennifer Coates
• inclusive versus exclusive speech.

Strong candidates are likely to appreciate the highly co-operative nature of this
conversation, and to see that all three participants are trying to be as helpful,
positive and informative as they can be. If candidates pursue such a line of
argument in a balanced and coherent way, they are likely to gain higher
marks.

Refer to the band descriptors and standardisation scripts in arriving at

your mark.

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2 English as a global language

Discriminating analysis of linguistic issue/topic; subtle appreciation of

ramifications beyond the specific context offered in the question; detailed and
perceptive exploration of the context(s) and example(s) in the extract(s) and of
Band 1 22–25 those from the candidate’s own wider study; (where appropriate) sophisticated
awareness of mode of address and how it and a sense of the target audience
help to establish register, tone and meaning; the ability to convey knowledge
and understanding in a balanced, articulate and very fluent manner.

Engaged and very focused analysis of linguistic issue/topic; proficient

appreciation of ramifications beyond the specific context offered in the
question; detailed and thoughtful exploration of the context(s) and example(s)
in the extract(s) and of those from the candidate’s own wider study; (where
Band 2 18–21
appropriate) proficient awareness of mode of address and how it and a sense
of the target audience help to establish register, tone and meaning; the ability
to convey knowledge and understanding in a sustained, consistent and fluent
manner.

Measured analysis of linguistic issue/topic; sound appreciation of ramifications

beyond the specific context offered in the question; some detailed and
informed exploration of the context(s) and example(s) in the extract(s) and of
Band 3 14–17 those from the candidate’s own wider study; (where appropriate) competent
awareness of mode of address and how it and a sense of the target audience
help to establish register, tone and meaning; some ability to convey knowledge
and understanding in a reasonably controlled manner.

Some attempt to develop analysis of linguistic issue/topic; the beginnings of

appreciation of ramifications beyond the specific context offered in the
question; sound, if at times uneven and undeveloped, exploration of the
context(s) and example(s) in the extract(s) and of those from the candidate’s
Band 4 10–13
own wider study; (where appropriate) some sense of mode of address and how
it and a sense of the target audience help to establish register, tone and
meaning; some ability to convey knowledge and understanding, though control
may at times be only partial.

Basic analysis of linguistic issue/topic; simple response to the specific

context(s) offered in the question; some exploration of example(s) in the
extract(s) and of those from the candidate’s own wider study; (where
Band 5 6–9 appropriate) a measure of awareness of mode of address and how it and a
sense of the target audience help to establish register, tone and meaning;
general ability to convey knowledge and understanding; some reliance on mere
assertion.

Limited analysis of linguistic issue/topic; generalised response to context(s)

offered in the question; tendency to offer without exploration/explanation
example(s) from the extract(s) and from the candidate’s own wider study;
Band 6 2–5 (where appropriate) unfocused awareness of mode of address and how it and
a sense of the target audience help to establish register, tone and meaning;
limited ability to convey knowledge and; tendency to assertion, and limited
discrimination as to what is genuinely significant.

Below Minimal appreciation and awareness of linguistic issue/topic; work fragmented

0–1
Band 6 or incoherent. Unfocused; very limited. Probably marked by brevity.

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Question Answer Mark

2 Likely content 25

Note: These must not be seen as prescriptive or ‘finite’ lists. Candidates

should be rewarded positively for any valid response to the task which relates
to the Assessment Objectives.

Candidates are likely to refer to:

• issues related to notions of world/global English

• rate at which the use of English is growing globally
• historical background of English in India and elsewhere (especially places
with an English colonial background)
• the role of English as a lingua franca
• future of English as a lingua franca
• limitations of ‘dysfunctional’ hybrids
• advantages of an ‘authentically Indian hybrid’ and the ‘growing ease’ with
which Indians are using it
• advantages of being confident in English and Hinglish (notion of code-
switching)
• issues related to – and possible distinctions between – notions of
‘world’/‘global’/‘international’ English.

Strong and confident candidates may analyse some of the differences, in the
examples, between Standard English and their Hinglish equivalents. If they do
so in a coherent way they are likely to gain high marks.

Refer to the band descriptors and standardisation scripts in arriving at

your mark.

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3 Language acquisition by children and teenagers

Discriminating analysis of language: subtle appreciation of the conventions and

ingredients of specific forms; very detailed and perceptive exploration of the
effects and qualities conveyed by language, structure, purpose and contexts;
Band 1 22–25 (where appropriate) sophisticated awareness of mode of address and how it
and a sense of the target audience help to establish register, tone and
meaning; the ability to convey knowledge and understanding in a comparative,
balanced, articulate and very fluent manner.

Engaged and very focused analysis of language; proficient appreciation of the

conventions and ingredients of specific forms; detailed and insightful
exploration of the effects and qualities conveyed by language, structure,
Band 2 18–21 purpose and contexts; (where appropriate) proficient awareness of mode of
address and how it and a sense of the target audience help to establish
register, tone and meaning; the ability to convey knowledge and understanding
in a comparative, sustained, consistent and fluent manner.

Measured analysis of language; sound appreciation of the conventions and

ingredients of specific forms; some detailed and informed exploration of the
effects and qualities conveyed by language, structure, purpose and contexts;
Band 3 14–17 (where appropriate) competent awareness of mode of address and how it and
a sense of the target audience help to establish register, tone and meaning;
some ability to convey knowledge and understanding in a reasonably
comparative, controlled manner.

Some attempt to develop analysis of language; the beginnings of appreciation

of the conventions and ingredients of specific forms; sound, if at times uneven
and undeveloped, exploration of the effects and qualities conveyed by
Band 4 10–13 language, structure, purpose and contexts; (where appropriate) some sense of
mode of address and how it and a sense of the target audience help to
establish register, tone and meaning; some ability to convey knowledge and
understanding in a comparative, if at times partial, manner.

Basic analysis of language; simple response to the conventions and

ingredients of specific forms; some exploration of the effects and qualities
conveyed by language, structure, purpose and contexts; (where appropriate) a
Band 5 6–9 measure of awareness of mode of address and how it and a sense of the
target audience help to establish register, tone and meaning; general ability to
convey knowledge and understanding; some reliance on feature-spotting, with
basic comment.

2-5 Limited analysis of language; generalised response to conventions and

forms; tendency to assert some of the effects and qualities conveyed by
language, structure, purpose and contexts; (where appropriate) unfocused
Band 6 2–5 awareness of mode of address and how it and a sense of the target audience
help to establish register, tone and meaning; limited ability to convey
knowledge and understanding in a comparative manner; tendency to focus on
identification of less important features (such as the use of punctuation).

Below Minimal appreciation and awareness of language and forms/conventions; work

0–1
Band 6 fragmented or incoherent. Unfocused; very limited. Probably marked by brevity.

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Question Answer Mark

3 Likely content 25

Note: These must not be seen as prescriptive or ‘finite’ lists. Candidates

should be rewarded positively for any valid response to the task which relates
to the Assessment Objectives.

Candidates are likely to refer to:

• child-directed speech, for example the father’s use of a range of question

types to elicit response
• other uses of caretaker speech
• theorists and theories, such as Skinner (Behaviourism/reinforcement),
Chomsky (language acquisition device), Piaget (cognitive development),
Vygotsky, Bruner et al
• Riya’s developmental stage and linguistic competence – there are
examples of simple holophrastic speech (sauce, moon) and telegraphic
speech (no bedtime, play toys) but also more complex structures (there (.)
and look up high)
• Riya’s own pronunciation of ‘cover’ (cub, cubber)
• evidence of at least four of Halliday’s functions of language: Instrumental
– sauce; Personal – no bedtime; Representational – play toys;
Regulatory – look up high)
• topic management and agenda-setting
• turn-taking in conversation, no evident interruption or overlap.

Refer to the band descriptors and standardisation scripts in arriving at

your mark.

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