1123_s26_gt — 2026 May-June English Language 1123 Grade Threshold · Cambridge CAIE O Level

Homophones — there/their, too/to, your/you're

“Candidates frequently confused common homophones such as 'there/their/they're', 'too/to/two' and 'your/you're', errors which significantly weakened otherwise competent responses.”— 1123 Paper 1, May/June 2023

How to fix: Before submitting, scan your work specifically for homophones. 'Their' = belonging to them. 'There' = a place. 'They're' = they are. 'Your' = belonging to you. 'You're' = you are. These errors are easy to fix on a second read-through.

Overambitious vocabulary used unnaturally

“Some candidates attempted to use sophisticated vocabulary but did so inaccurately, creating an unnatural tone that detracted from the overall quality of the writing.”— 1123 Paper 1, May/June 2023

How to fix: Only use words you fully understand. A correctly used simple word scores higher than a misused complex one. If you are unsure of a word's exact meaning, choose a simpler alternative you are confident with.

Description drifting into narrative in composition

“Many candidates who chose descriptive writing quickly drifted into narrative, telling a story rather than creating a vivid scene using sensory detail.”— 1123 Paper 1, May/June 2023

How to fix: In a descriptive piece, freeze the moment. Use the five senses — sight, sound, smell, touch, taste — to build atmosphere. If you catch yourself writing 'then' or 'next', you have shifted into narrative. Go back and describe instead of narrate.