Cambridge O Level
Cambridge O Level English Language 1123 past papers
Cambridge’s past papers page for Cambridge O Level English Language (1123) has the June 2024 series and the specimen papers, free, with mark schemes. The button below opens it on Cambridge’s website.
What is free: For each syllabus, Cambridge’s public site has one exam series: the June 2024 series, with one version of each paper, its mark scheme and an examiner report. It also has specimen papers for the current syllabus.
What is held back: Every other series and version, including March, November and earlier years, is on Cambridge’s School Support Hub, for teachers at Cambridge schools.
June 2024
One version of each question paper, with its mark scheme and an examiner report for the series. Free on Cambridge’s page for 1123.
Specimen papers
Sample papers and mark schemes for the current syllabus, written by Cambridge before the first exams. Free on Cambridge’s page for 1123.
Other series: teachers only
Every other series and version, including March, November and earlier years, is on Cambridge’s School Support Hub, for teachers at Cambridge schools.
What the English Language exam contains
Cambridge O Level English Language (1123) has two papers, each 2 hours long and worth half the marks, with grades from A* to E. Paper 1, Reading, is built on two passages: comprehension and questions on the writer’s use of language for the first, then a summary of up to 150 words and a short response for the second. Paper 2, Writing, has a directed writing task (a speech, email, report, letter or article built from given texts), then a descriptive or narrative composition from a choice of four. The papers are the same on the 2024 to 2026 syllabus and the new one for 2027 and 2028.