CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL EXAMINATIONS

International General Certificate of Secondary Education

MARK SCHEME for the May/June 2013 series

0544 ARABIC (FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

0544/43 Paper 43 (Continuous Writing), maximum raw mark 50

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 will not enter into discussions about these mark schemes.

Cambridge is publishing the mark schemes for the May/June 2013 series for most IGCSE, GCE
Advanced Level and Advanced Subsidiary Level components and some Ordinary Level components.
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Introduction

Total marks for paper: 50

25 marks per question. Each question is marked over a maximum of 140 words.

1 Communication: 5 marks

Put a stroke in the left hand margin for each of the 5 relevant points.
Record 0 for a failure to score a point.

2 Language: 15 marks

Examiners are required to award ticks above each Marking Unit which is substantially correct.
Errors are not to be indicated. The total number of ticks should be recorded at the foot of the
page and converted to a mark out of 15 using the Conversion table at the end of the mark
scheme.

3 General Impression: 5 marks

The pro rata mark based on the Language mark should serve as the first guide. This mark should
be adjusted up or down by one mark where this is justified by positive qualities, such as unusually
good vocabulary or ambitious use of language, or by negative qualities, such as excessive
repetition. Indicate positive qualities by a plus sign and negative qualities by a minus sign in the
margin.

0–1 Does not rise above the requirements for the Directed Writing Task in Paper 2.

2 Fairly good use of idiom, vocabulary, structures and appropriate tenses.

3 Good use of the above.

4 Very good use of the above.

5 Excellent use of the above.

Recording of marks

Marks should be recorded at the end of the answer as follows:

Communication + Language + General Impression = Total

E.g. 4/5 + 10/15 + 3/5 = 17/25

Enter each of the two marks on the front of the Script and record the total out of 50.

Please ensure that these marks are checked carefully, especially the conversion of ticks to marks for
Language.

© Cambridge International Examinations 2013

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Counting words

(a) In letters, ignore any address or date. Ignore also any title. No marks may be gained for the
above.

(b) Count up to exactly 140 words. Award no more marks thereafter, either for Communication or
Language. But see note (e).

(c) Our definition of a word is a group of letters surrounded by a space. Count the number of words
as it should be, not necessarily as it is written. Conjunction ‫ و‬is not counted as a separate word.

(d) All numbers count as one word each, whether written as figures or as words.

(e) When the 140th word splits a Marking Unit, award a tick for the unit if correct in spite of (b).

(f) Indicate the 140th word by .

(g) Proper nouns count as one word and do not score ticks for Language.

(h) In letters, count a maximum of 2 words only for the addressee.

Repetition of material printed in the rubric

Such sections of the rubric which might score no marks for language are discussed at the Examiners’
Coordination Meeting.

Irrelevant material

In the case of a deliberately evasive answer which consists entirely of irrelevant material exploited in
defiance of the rubric, a score of 0/25 is given. These are rare in IGCSE. The genuine attempt to
answer the question which fails due to a misunderstanding of the rubric will normally lose
Communication marks but will score for Language and Impression.

When part of an answer is clearly irrelevant, include such material in the word count, but bracket it
and award no Language marks. (e.g. Bracket and include in the word count an introduction to a
question consisting of an unwanted self portrait on the lines of: ‘Hello. My name is X. I am 16 years
old. I live in... etc.’)

© Cambridge International Examinations 2013

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MARKS FOR RELEVANT COMMUNICATION

General principles

(a) Do not award Communication marks when the required elements are expressed in inappropriate
time frames.

However, reward a Present where a Future context is apparent.

(b) Tolerate and accept for Communication (but not for Language) the use of any past tenses when a
past is required, even when a different past tense would be correct. Accept for Communication
the use of a Future when a Conditional would be correct and vice versa.

(c) Bracket and exclude from the word count any letter etiquette when a letter is not asked for.

(d) A Communication mark may only score if it occurs within the first 140 words.

(e) When two ‘reactions’ are required in Question 2 and they are expressed as a list, e.g. I was sad
and tired or It was interesting and fun, award one Communication mark only. However, if a verb is
used, e.g. I was sad[…]I was tired, award two Communication marks.

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Specific instructions for individual questions

A maximum of 5 marks is available for each of the two questions. Marks are to be awarded for the
following points:

Question 1(a): email to your friend to tell him about your visit to a restaurant in town with your
family

(i) Mention of where the restaurant is 1

(ii) Mention of what type of restaurant it is 1

(iii) Description of the food your family ate 1

(iv) Mention of whether or not you will go there again 1

(v) Explanation of why you will or will not go there again 1

Question 1(b): email to your friends to tell them about a farewell party you have organised for
a friend

(i) Mention of why your friend is leaving 1

(ii) Mention of how you feel about your friend leaving 1

(iii) Description of the preparations you have made for the party 1

(iv) Mention of where the party will take place 1

(v) Description of what is going to happen at the party 1

Question 2: You visited a school in another country for a week in the spring.

(i) Description of how you spent the week in the school 1+1+1

(ii) Description of your feelings during the visit 1+1

© Cambridge International Examinations 2013

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LANGUAGE MARKS

General Comments

This positive marking scheme is intended to reward both accuracy and ambition. No marks are
deducted for errors.

Marking Units

A tick is awarded for a correct Marking Unit of which each element is correct. The tick is recorded
over the scoring word.

A Marking Unit may consist of the correct use of any of the following items:

• A verb, with or without an expressed subject (noun or pronoun) and with or without a suffixed
object pronoun. Extra marks are available for the use of negative expressions and the
interrogative.
• A compound verbal expression (e.g. ‫)آن ب‬
• An independent noun
• A noun with suffixed possessive pronoun
• A noun + adjectival phrase
• An independent adjective or adjectival phrase
• Two or more nouns in an iDaafa relationship, with or without associated adjective(s)
• Any pronoun, including relative pronouns
• All adverbs
• All conjunctions (except ‫)و‬

See below for details.

Inaccuracies in the writing of hamza (‫ )ء‬are ignored.

Inconsistencies in the writing of ‫ ي‬as ‫ ى‬are ignored.

Units containing consequential errors are not rewarded. However, if two marks or more are lost due to
a minor error of spelling or a faulty gender, the Examiner should place + in the right hand margin and
take it into account when awarding the Impression Mark.

Misspelling of proper nouns in the case of a person’s name or a town or place other than a country
should be tolerated.

Letter Etiquette

Award ticks for Language up to a maximum of 5 for prelearnt preamble at the start of a letter, and up
to 3 at the end of a letter.

Do not reward ‘letter etiquette’ for Language when a letter is not required.

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(A) VERBS

Verb used in appropriate tense and person, with or without expressed subject = 1
Singular verb used correctly with the following plural noun subject = 1 + 1
Feminine singular verb used correctly for non-human plural = 1 + 1
Verb used appropriately with correct associated preposition (e.g. ‫ = )ا ب‬1 + 1
Verb with appropriate use of ‫ ف‬،‫ س‬، = 1 + 1
Compound verbal expression (e.g. ‫ = )آن ب‬1 + 1
Negative verb constructed with correct negative particle ( ، ، ،) = 1 + 1
Verb with appropriate pronoun suffix = 1 + 1
Feminine singular suffix used for non-human plural = 1 additional tick

(B) NOUNS

Noun used with appropriate possessive pronoun suffix = 1

Feminine singular suffix used for non-human plural = 1 additional tick
Feminine noun without taa’ marbuuTa ‫ ة‬treated as feminine (e.g. ‫ = )أرض‬1
Correct broken plural used = 1
Correct use of accusative alif ‫ = ًا‬1
Correct case endings for sound masculine plural ( ،‫ = )ون‬1
Correct case endings for dual ( ،‫ = )ان‬1
Two nouns linked correctly in iDaafa construction = 2
Additional noun used in complex iDaafa = 2 + 1
iDaafa construction with 2 nouns + adjective = 2 + 1
Linking of nouns with li- in quasi-possessive construction = 2

N.B. No credit is given for a singular noun, or for a sound feminine plural noun, with or without the
definite article, except as described above.

(C) ADJECTIVES

Correct use of plural adjective, e.g. ‫ = آ"ر‬1

Use of feminine adjective to refer to non-human plural = 1
Correct use of comparative construction (with ) = 2
Correct use of superlative construction = 2
Adjective used in correct position with correct agreement in noun + adjective
phrase = 2

N.B. No credit is given for the independent use of singular adjectives, except as described above.

(D) PRONOUNS

All pronouns other than subject pronouns (e.g. #‫ )أ‬are ticked when used correctly.
%‫ ه‬،‫ ه‬are ticked only when used as ‘links’ (e.g. &'"‫ = ه(ا ه ا‬1 [demonstrative] + 1)
Correct use of suffixed object pronouns = 1
Preposition + suffixed pronoun = 1
Relative pronoun used in correct form = 1
Omission of relative pronoun in indefinite relative clause = 1
Demonstrative pronoun used in correct form (e.g. ‫ = )ه(ا‬1
Treatment of non-human plurals as feminine singular = 1 additional tick

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(E) PREPOSITIONS

All prepositions are ticked when used correctly

Preposition with noun = 1
Preposition + suffixed pronoun = 1
Preposition + suffixed feminine singular pronoun for non-human plural = 1 + 1
Verb with correct associated preposition = 1 + 1

(F) ADVERBS

All adverbs and adverbial expressions used correctly (including adverbial expressions formed with ‫)ب‬
gain one tick, except ‫ا‬.

(G) CONJUNCTIONS

Appropriate use of conjunction (except ‫ = )و‬1

‫ و‬correctly used in ‘‫ ’*ل‬construction = 1

(H) NUMBERS AND TIME

Use of simple number (e.g. 3–10 , 20) in correct form (masc / fem) = 1
Compound number (e.g. 15, 27) in correct form = 1 + 1
Number used with following noun in correct form (singular / plural) = 1 additional tick
Simple time expression (e.g. ‘six o’clock’) = 1
Complex time expression (e.g. ‘half past six’, ‘five to six’, etc) = 1 + 1

N.B. No credit is given for numbers written as figures.

(J) INTERROGATIVES

Appropriate use of question word (including +‫ = )ه‬1

Singular accusative used after ‫ = آ‬1 + 1
Agreement of ‫ = أي‬1 + 1

© Cambridge International Examinations 2013

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Conversion Table

The pro rata mark based on the Language mark should serve as the first guide. This mark should be
adjusted up or down by one mark where this is justified by positive qualities, such as unusually good
vocabulary or ambitious use of language, or by negative qualities, such as excessive repetition.
Indicate positive qualities by a plus sign and negative qualities by a minus sign in the margin.

Pro rata
Number of ticks Mark out of 15
(General Impression)
Maximum 60 (for Accuracy of Language)
Max 5
60+ 15 5

55-59 14 5

51-54 13 4

48-50 12 4

45-47 11 4

42-44 10 3

38-41 9 3

34-37 8 3

30-33 7 2

26-29 6 2

22-25 5 2

19-21 4 1

15-18 3 1

11-14 2 0

7-10 1 0

0-6 0 0

© Cambridge International Examinations 2013