IGCSE Article Sample: A Complete Example and How to Write One

What Is IGCSE Article Writing?

In IGCSE English, an article is a piece of writing for a newspaper, magazine, website or school newsletter. You are given a topic, an audience and usually a source text, and you turn them into something that reads like a real published article: a headline, a clear point of view and organised paragraphs that keep the reader interested. In Cambridge IGCSE (opens in a new tab) First Language English (0500), article is one of several text types you may be asked to write rather than a fixed question of its own:

The forms on offer change from one exam series to the next, so always check that article is one of the choices before you plan in that format. If you study a different English syllabus, the steps below still apply, but check your own paper structure and marks with your teacher.

How to Write an IGCSE Article

The short answer: read the task carefully, plan for a few minutes, use a clear article structure, open with a hook, build your argument one paragraph at a time and finish with a strong closing line. Each step is explained below, with a short sample so you can see what it looks like on the page.

Step 1 — Understand the Question

Before you write a word, find three things in the task: who the article is for, where it will be published and what it needs to do — inform, argue or persuade. These decide your tone. An article for a school magazine can be lively and personal; one for a national newspaper needs a more measured voice. Underline the key words in the question and note any points from the source text you must respond to.

Step 2 — Plan Your Article

Spend around five minutes planning. That is general exam technique rather than a Cambridge rule, but it saves time later because you are never stuck deciding what comes next. A simple plan has four parts:

• Your headline and the one-sentence view you will argue
• Three main points, each with an example or a detail from the source text
• One counter-argument you will answer
• The idea or action you will finish on

Step 3 — Choose the Right Structure

A clear IGCSE article format makes your writing easy to follow and shows the examiner you understand the text type. Use this structure as your default and adjust it to the task:

Cambridge's writing marks reward clear ideas, organisation, vocabulary and sentence variety, the right tone and accuracy — not layout features. A headline is still worth including because it signals the text type, but do not spend time decorating the page.

Step 4 — Write an Engaging Opening

Your headline and first paragraph decide whether the reader keeps going. Avoid announcing the topic ("In this article I will talk about…"). Start instead with a question, a striking detail from the source, a short scene or a confident statement of your view.

For example, a school magazine article about homework might use the headline "Less Homework, Better Learning?" and open like this: "It is 10:45 on a Tuesday night, and Ayesha is still copying out notes she will never read again. She is not lazy; she is tired. If our school wants better results, it may need to set less homework, not more."

Step 5 — Develop the Main Content

Each main paragraph should make one point, support it and link it back to your overall view. A useful pattern is point, evidence, explanation: say what you think, back it up with an example or a detail from the source text, then explain why it matters to your reader. Connectives such as "however", "as a result" and "on the other hand" move you smoothly between ideas, and varying your sentence lengths keeps the writing lively.

A main paragraph in the same article might read: "Supporters of homework argue that it builds discipline, and they have a point: regular practice does help. However, discipline is not the same as exhaustion. When students spend three hours a night on tasks that repeat what they did in class, they lose time for reading, sport and sleep — the very things that help them concentrate the next day."

Notice how the paragraph accepts part of the opposing view before making its own point. Examiners consistently reward that kind of balance over a one-sided rant.

Step 6 — End the Article Effectively

Finish with purpose rather than simply stopping. Return to an image from your opening, suggest a practical action or leave the reader with a question. Avoid a final paragraph that just repeats everything you have already said.

The homework article could then close with: "Ayesha does not need more homework to succeed. She needs the right homework, and enough sleep to do it well. Surely that is worth trying for one term?"

Use your last few minutes to check spelling, punctuation and grammar, because accuracy is marked too. For complete IGCSE English article writing examples (opens in a new tab), marked line by line against the assessment objectives, see our companion guide.

A Complete Sample IGCSE Article

Here is the homework article from the steps above, put together as one complete piece of about 300 words for a school magazine. It was written for this guide to show the steps working together; it is not an official Cambridge model answer and does not respond to a real exam question.

Less Homework, Better Learning?

It is 10:45 on a Tuesday night, and Ayesha is still copying out notes she will never read again. She is not lazy; she is tired. If our school wants better results, it may need to set less homework, not more.

Supporters of homework argue that it builds discipline, and they have a point: regular practice does help. However, discipline is not the same as exhaustion. When students spend three hours a night on tasks that repeat what they did in class, they lose time for reading, sport and sleep — the very things that help them concentrate the next day.

The problem is not homework itself but the kind we are given. A short, focused task, such as ten maths questions on today's topic or a page of reading to discuss in tomorrow's lesson, shows a teacher exactly what each student has understood. A worksheet that copies the lesson word for word shows very little, yet it can take twice as long to finish. Students notice the difference: they work harder on a task that clearly matters than on one that only fills an evening.

One simple fix would be a weekly homework timetable, agreed between teachers, so that no two subjects set long tasks on the same night. Students would know what to expect each evening and could plan around clubs, family time and rest. Teachers, in turn, would have fewer piles of rushed work to mark and more time to give feedback that actually helps. It would cost nothing to introduce, and it could be reviewed at the end of term.

Ayesha does not need more homework to succeed. She needs the right homework, and enough sleep to do it well. Surely that is worth trying for one term?

Why This Sample Works

• Headline: a short question that signals the article form and hints at the writer's view without giving the whole argument away.
• Opening: it starts with a scene — a named student at a specific time — instead of announcing the topic, then states the writer's view in the final sentence.
• Main paragraphs: each makes one point. The first accepts part of the opposing view before answering it, the second backs its point with concrete examples, and the third offers a practical solution. Linking words such as "However" and "One simple fix" carry the reader from one idea to the next.
• Conclusion: it returns to Ayesha from the opening, sums up the argument in one line and ends with a question that invites action, rather than repeating every point.
• Tone: it speaks directly to students and teachers ("our school") and stays persuasive but polite, which suits a school magazine audience.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in IGCSE Article Writing

Most marks lost in IGCSE article writing come from a handful of avoidable habits:

• Writing a letter or an essay with a headline on top. An article should sound as if it belongs in a publication, speaking directly to its readers.
• Ignoring the audience and publication named in the task, which leaves the tone mismatched.
• Retelling the source text instead of responding to it. Use its ideas as evidence for your own view.
• Packing several points into one long paragraph. One point per paragraph is easier to follow and easier to mark.
• Writing far beyond the suggested length, which usually means less time to plan and check.
• Leaving no time to proofread, so careless spelling and punctuation errors stay in.

Practising with real exam questions is the quickest way to break these habits. Our guide to article writing IGCSE past papers (opens in a new tab) explains where to find genuine papers and how to practise with them.

How Personalised Support Helps Students Write Better Articles

Article writing improves fastest with specific feedback. A student can read a sample and see why it works, yet still miss the same problems in their own writing: a flat opening, paragraphs that drift or a tone that does not suit the audience. Regular practice with someone who marks against the syllabus turns those vague weaknesses into clear next steps.

That is the kind of support TutorWick (opens in a new tab) offers. Tutors teach IGCSE English Language (opens in a new tab) in live online lessons, one-to-one or in a small group, using structured practice, past papers and writing feedback. Families who want a clear route to the exam can also build a personalised study plan (opens in a new tab) around the skills that need the most work.

Final Thoughts

A good article IGCSE sample is useful, but the real goal is a method you can repeat in any exam: understand the task, plan quickly, follow a clear structure, hook the reader, develop one point at a time and finish with purpose. Practise that process on a few different topics and it soon becomes natural — and if you'd like guidance along the way, a TutorWick (opens in a new tab) English tutor can help you turn each practice article into steady improvement.

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