Full O-Level GUIDANCE AND HELP!

[Dark Destination]

How easy is it to get an A* in O Level English?
Any general tips for O Level EM? I've read the book (not thoroughly though) and will soon start doing past papers, that's enough, right?

For EM, i read the first three sections in three days and skipped biosphere.
This was three days before the exam. Had barely studied EM before this. Mainly because EM is so boring, and also because i had left the other 12 subjects for last day preparation as well.

And, i did not practice any past papers for EM. The CIE was the first paper i did.
But i ended up with an A*.

So yeah. I would say that is enough. Practice past papers just to be on the safe side.
And don't be too reckless btw. I know people who studied a lot for EM and still got a B. So instead of risking it, like i did, its better to study it thoroughly. You have time.

About O-Level English. Someone who has reasonably good English, it is easy to get an A*.
Personally, i took it too lightly.. And got an A in it.. Because i couldn't manage time in p2. Left a couple of questions. So solve a few comprehensions and you will be good to go.

 

[MarcoReus]

About O-Level English. Someone who has reasonably good English, it is easy to get an A*.
Personally, i took it too lightly.. And got an A in it.. Because i couldn't manage time in p2. Left a couple of questions. So solve a few comprehensions and you will be good to go.

This guy has no clue what he's talking about.

O Level English is interlinked with real English. You need to be a good writer to get an A*. You might be able to get away with an A with a bad P1, but for an A*, you definitely need to be good in writing. Ofcourse, you can't account for stuff like writer's block happening in the paper, that's sheer bad luck.

O Level English P1 is more driven on your writing style rather than vocabulary. Only fit in those difficult words that you know will sound right. The more you read, the better your grasp of said words. I personally read alot of online articles which led me to a good P1. My vocabulary isn't very broad but I have read articles on news, sports etc and as such I know how to write on such issues with conviction. And yes, keep as less grammar mistakes as possible. You cannot foreseeably write a good paper in a month without luck. Regarding what to read, either follow my tip (read articles on politics, sports, reviews, whatever you like) or go to books (more preferred). There is no guarantee for an A* in English, you can work really hard and still end with an A or worse. The more you read, the more you write (in school), the more practice you will have and the better it is. That's just how languages work. However, it isn't that it is tough. The percentile for these subjects is low.

Also, regarding the word limit. For the 200-300 words question, it means around 300. You can overstep the 300/500 mark by 70-100 words max (I think 530 is a good length), beyond that might result in penalizing.

Also, keep a look out on formats and styles (how to write a speech, letter format).

Regarding English P2, do you find it easy? This paper has alot of free time available so you can easily revise and think the best solution. You need some practice but it's only those 5 word meanings that can catch you out. Recent comprehensions (solve them here/maxpapers) aren't very difficult. Do answer the first question in your head, whether you can analyze the passage and answer. If you can't, I recommend googling on tips on how to read critically and applying them. This wasn't a problem for me/my friends so I can't really help you here (all I would say would be rehashing stuff on Google).

 

[aseef khan]

give me study tips for pakstud,isl,urdu.
Which books should i buy for these 3 subjects.HELP

 

[Dark Destination]

This guy has no clue what he's talking about.

O Level English is interlinked with real English. You need to be a good writer to get an A*. You might be able to get away with an A with a bad P1, but for an A*, you definitely need to be good in writing. Ofcourse, you can't account for stuff like writer's block happening in the paper, that's sheer bad luck.

O Level English P1 is more driven on your writing style rather than vocabulary. Only fit in those difficult words that you know will sound right. The more you read, the better your grasp of said words. I personally read alot of online articles which led me to a good P1. My vocabulary isn't very broad but I have read articles on news, sports etc and as such I know how to write on such issues with conviction. And yes, keep as less grammar mistakes as possible. You cannot foreseeably write a good paper in a month without luck. Regarding what to read, either follow my tip (read articles on politics, sports, reviews, whatever you like) or go to books (more preferred). There is no guarantee for an A* in English, you can work really hard and still end with an A or worse. The more you read, the more you write (in school), the more practice you will have and the better it is. That's just how languages work. However, it isn't that it is tough. The percentile for these subjects is low.

Also, regarding the word limit. For the 200-300 words question, it means around 300. You can overstep the 300/500 mark by 70-100 words max (I think 530 is a good length), beyond that might result in penalizing.

Also, keep a look out on formats and styles (how to write a speech, letter format).

Regarding English P2, do you find it easy? This paper has alot of free time available so you can easily revise and think the best solution. You need some practice but it's only those 5 word meanings that can catch you out. Recent comprehensions (solve them here/maxpapers) aren't very difficult. Do answer the first question in your head, whether you can analyze the passage and answer. If you can't, I recommend googling on tips on how to read critically and applying them. This wasn't a problem for me/my friends so I can't really help you here (all I would say would be rehashing stuff on Google).

Great advice! ^

Seeing that English was one of the two A*'s you got, you demonstrate passion in helping others who are struggling with this subject. (Y)
Your mastery and devotion over the English Language is remarkable.

So i suggest everyone who needs help with English, to follow these tips.

 

[Dark Destination]

give me study tips for pakstud,isl,urdu.
Which books should i buy for these 3 subjects.HELP

History - Nigel Kelly
Geography - Huma Naz Sethi
Islamiyat - Blue book by Farkhanda Noor Muhammad

 

[Alpha Destro]

This guy has no clue what he's talking about.

O Level English is interlinked with real English. You need to be a good writer to get an A*. You might be able to get away with an A with a bad P1, but for an A*, you definitely need to be good in writing. Ofcourse, you can't account for stuff like writer's block happening in the paper, that's sheer bad luck.

O Level English P1 is more driven on your writing style rather than vocabulary. Only fit in those difficult words that you know will sound right. The more you read, the better your grasp of said words. I personally read alot of online articles which led me to a good P1. My vocabulary isn't very broad but I have read articles on news, sports etc and as such I know how to write on such issues with conviction. And yes, keep as less grammar mistakes as possible. You cannot foresee ably write a good paper in a month without luck. Regarding what to read, either follow my tip (read articles on politics, sports, reviews, whatever you like) or go to books (more preferred). There is no guarantee for an A* in English, you can work really hard and still end with an A or worse. The more you read, the more you write (in school), the more practice you will have and the better it is. That's just how languages work. However, it isn't that it is tough. The percentile for these subjects is low.

Also, regarding the word limit. For the 200-300 words question, it means around 300. You can overstep the 300/500 mark by 70-100 words max (I think 530 is a good length), beyond that might result in penalizing.

Also, keep a look out on formats and styles (how to write a speech, letter format).

Regarding English P2, do you find it easy? This paper has alot of free time available so you can easily revise and think the best solution. You need some practice but it's only those 5 word meanings that can catch you out. Recent comprehensions (solve them here/maxpapers) aren't very difficult. Do answer the first question in your head, whether you can analyze the passage and answer. If you can't, I recommend googling on tips on how to read critically and applying them. This wasn't a problem for me/my friends so I can't really help you here (all I would say would be rehashing stuff on Google).

Should I practice p1 from past papers is it necessary? because when ever i open a p1 i cannot figure out how to begin and after 15 minutes i go to sleep
i need some really good advice ,please i really need help this is the real deal HELP ME i am going to get a B otherwise

 

[Numra N.S]

Hello everyone!

Since there is ONLY one month left till CIE exams.

If anyone wants any personal help or guidance regarding ANY O-Level/IGCSE subject, feel free to message me here on xpc. I can provide you the best tips and tricks to ace these exams, since I finished my O-Level last year in 2014. Most of my papers, especially Maths, Add-Maths, Physics, Chemistry were close to perfect - almost no mistakes.

O-Level is not just about memorizing things from a book. It has a set pattern, and only if the correct strategy is adopted can an A* be achieved. You need to actually understand what the subject is about, and analyze the type of questions they give to be able to score highly. If you blindly go and give the exam, the result might not be what you want it to be. I have seen many cases like this. People expect A's and end up with a B. You need careful and meticulous preparation in order to master a subject to perfection.

Anyways, I gave the following subjects:

English
Urdu Second Language
Pakistan Studies
Islamiyat
Mathematics
Physics
Chemistry
Biology
Additional Mathematics
Sociology
Environmental Management
Business studies
Commerce
Economics
Information and Communication Technology
Commercial Studies
International Mathematics
Travel and Tourism
Combined Science
Human and Social Biology

Alhamdulillah, i got 15 A*'s and 5 A's in them, back in 2014.

So if you need any help, whether it is a past paper question that is troubling you.. or if you can't decide how to prepare for a subject..just contact me (message me here on xpc). ^__^

Good Luck to everyone!

Pls help me with A level sociology . I really need help !

 

[Qasim Hafeez]

Guys can anyone tell me what are the topics that are likely to come in Physics ATP? And also please tell which topics are likely or mostly come in P2 of chemistry! I need help badly pls

 

[Dark Destination]

Pls help me with A level sociology . I really need help !

I don't take Sociology in A-Level.

 

[Dark Destination]

Guys can anyone tell me what are the topics that are likely to come in Physics ATP? And also please tell which topics are likely or mostly come in P2 of chemistry! I need help badly pls

Physics ATP:

Light experiments.
Determining volume of regular, irregular object.
Electricity
Vernier Caliper and stuff.

Mostly any topic can come, and you should be aware of the practical procedures.

Chemistry P2: Again, all the topics have equal chance of coming. But you should be a master of Organic Chemistry. It constitutes a major portion of the paper.

 

[MarcoReus]

Should I practice p1 from past papers is it necessary? because when ever i open a p1 i cannot figure out how to begin and after 15 minutes i go to sleep
i need some really good advice ,please i really need help this is the real deal HELP ME i am going to get a B otherwise

Well, I don't know how you are supposed to tackle the motivation problem. Writing the essays is a drag. How I used to do it is during my boring English periods in school and getting it checked.

Generally, there are 5 options to write and I think if you brainstorm hard, you should come up with something (especially in the story topics). Considering you say you do this and sleep/lose concentration, I think it would be prudent to try this early morning when you are fresh (and the time you are giving your paper). If you still can't come up with anything, YOU MUST READ. If you can't read books or stuff online, read model essays. As many as you can. Try to read as many different topics as possible (i.e. be diverse). You could even opt to learn those essays by heart if you are really struggling.

And yes, it doesn't matter if it doesn't finish on time right now. With enough practice your writing paper will finish on time. If you are giving it in May, your practice starts today, now, like absolutely right now.

I did refer to these websites: http://www.olevelpakistan.com/2012/12/directed-writing-format-on-speech-writing/
http://www.gcestudybuddy.com/using-images/situational-writing

 

[Alpha Destro]

Well, I don't know how you are supposed to tackle the motivation problem. Writing the essays is a drag. How I used to do it is during my boring English periods in school and getting it checked.

Generally, there are 5 options to write and I think if you brainstorm hard, you should come up with something (especially in the story topics). Considering you say you do this and sleep/lose concentration, I think it would be prudent to try this early morning when you are fresh (and the time you are giving your paper). If you still can't come up with anything, YOU MUST READ. If you can't read books or stuff online, read model essays. As many as you can. Try to read as many different topics as possible (i.e. be diverse). You could even opt to learn those essays by heart if you are really struggling.

And yes, it doesn't matter if it doesn't finish on time right now. With enough practice your writing paper will finish on time. If you are giving it in May, your practice starts today, now, like absolutely right now.

I did refer to these websites: http://www.olevelpakistan.com/2012/12/directed-writing-format-on-speech-writing/
http://www.gcestudybuddy.com/using-images/situational-writing

Your a life saver man i will try your advice , hope i can stick to i am sort of a ''kaam chor''
but took you two days help that's like 48 hrs wasted

 

[MarcoReus]

Your a life saver man i will try your advice , hope i can stick to i am sort of a ''kaam chor''
but took you two days help that's like 48 hrs wasted

There is a life outside of this. Unfortunately, mine is busy at the moment.

 

[BHatti67]

How to prepare for Pakistan Studies and Islamiyat? Less than a month is left till exams start.

 

[Alpha Destro]

There is a life outside of this. Unfortunately, mine is busy at the moment.

Sorry man. Any advice for commerce 1123 its a dry subject and i haven't even read the book completely (Mary Trigwell Jones) makes me go to sleep. I solved a 2012 past paper p1 was easy but p2 is difficult please help me on this matter as well btw found the links u posted ; REALLY helpful .

 

[Talha Jameel]

Some tips for OL Math:

- Firstly, make sure that you treat math differently compared to your other subjects, in that make sure that you do math every day. We suggest you do max 2 subjects each day, but keep math as one of those subjects every day and alternate other subjects. This is due to its purely numerical nature, you can't afford to miss a day at math.

- Do p1 on one day and p2 on the next (or the p22, 42 if you're in igcse).

- At this stage we assume that you would have covered the syllabus at least once, if not then just give a quickly reading to the topics you haven't covered, go through the examples done in the text, but do not do any other textbook qsts as they are not representative of your final exam qsts.

- Focus on 2012-2014 yearly papers, and make very sure to cover all variants. It is to your best advantage to do yearly papers in this range as they are the most representative of the ones you will get in your final exam.

- Make sure to round off final answers to 3 sf and angles to 1 dp (within initial steps keep at least 4 decimal places or use the result on your calculator in the next step. Do not round off before you reach the final answer to avoid losing marks due to 'premature approximation'. The final A mark (1 point per correct final answer) is lost in all qsts if you do this error.

- Every time you do past paper qsts on a topic, you will notice a pattern in the qsts, write down a summary of key formulas, key ways to solve a qst you learnt in each paper on a separate sheet, use these sheets as a quick revision a week before the exam.

Good luck !
~ Zohaib Asad Academies ©

 

[sharjeelmumtaz]

I am seriously worried about Environmental Management. I have gone through the syllabus and find it somewhat easy, but when I open the past papers it's like WOOOAAAH were did dat com 4rm?!
I seriously need some expert advice on this, Dark Destination, should I go through the book again or should I do the past-papers. I'm aiming to do at least 4 years worth of past papers before my CIEs.
I'm confident with other subs and I feel like EM will kill my A* streak. :'(

 

[Dark Destination]

I am seriously worried about Environmental Management. I have gone through the syllabus and find it somewhat easy, but when I open the past papers it's like WOOOAAAH were did dat com 4rm?!
I seriously need some expert advice on this, Dark Destination, should I go through the book again or should I do the past-papers. I'm aiming to do at least 4 years worth of past papers before my CIEs.
I'm confident with other subs and I feel like EM will kill my A* streak. :'(

I have seen people even practice 6-7 years of papers and still end up with a B in EM.
I personally did not do a single paper, and only studied for 3 days (skipped biosphere) but got an A*, even though i was definitely expecting a B in it.
So, EM is kind of an unpredictable subject.

The questions that come in EM are mostly not from the book. They are general questions.. Nearly all you need to solve Paper 2 is given on the first two pages.
Paper 1 does have a bit of the book content, but Section B of it is completely general.

Even after reading the book, some people will not be able to score highly on Paper 2. Literally every year the questions are different. This is not the type of subject where questions would just repeat. Every time, there is a new scenario, and new questions.
Others will easily score on Paper 2.

But still, the way you can increase your odds of an A* is MASTER the entire book by reading it thoroughly and then solve as many papers as you can.
Write the answers down and check the marking schemes to see how many marks you got. No other way!
Knowledge of Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Maths, Economics, Business studies, Geography will surely help you in Environmental Management.
People who don't study sciences find it hard to score an A in EM, since it is kind of a scientific subject.
Economics helped me a bit in it too. Some questions were related to 'Why should the government improve this industry' and stuff, in Paper 1, when i gave the exam. And i just went ahead and inserted Economics terms, 'Will help raise GDP', 'More employment'.. Blah blah..

So my point is.. you have to be smart to get an A* in it. Work smart, not hard. It is not History that you can just memorize answers and get an A*.
It requires actual thinking and stimulation of the mind.

Try and solve a paper or two to see how many marks you get. If you get an A* in practice papers, you can get one in CIE as well. Good Luck!

 

[Qasim Hafeez]

I need some serious help in Chemistry and Physics... Chem ATP seems easy but still i am worried!
I am not able to do Acid,Bases...Organic and metals/nonmetals even after studying from the teachers! please need some serious help!
And physics everything seems so difficult and ATP!

If you can help here, please please do.

 

[Qasim Hafeez]

Also please give some general tips and advice for Socio