Pearson Edexcel International GCSE English as a Second Language (4ES1)
A legacy English qualification assessing practical reading, writing and listening, with an optional separate speaking endorsement. It is not the replacement 4ES2 course.
Legacy 4ES1; final assessment June 2025
Course structure and assessment routes
- Take Papers 1 and 2 for the qualification. Paper 3 was optional and separately endorsed on a 9–1 scale.
- Final assessment was June 2025, with no later resit opportunity under this specification.
Main syllabus content
- Reading for gist, detail, argument and attitudes
- Situational and factual writing
- Summary writing
- Listening comprehension
- Optional interview, talk and discussion
Use Syllabus for the topic checklist. Where the qualification offers options, follow your chosen route rather than treating every option as compulsory.
4ES1 assessment structure
Use the route above to identify which components you take. Marks below are raw marks; the stated weightings determine their contribution to the award.
4ES1/01
Reading and Writing
- Duration
- 2 hours
- Marks
- 100
- Weighting
- 66⅔%
4ES1/02
Listening
- Duration
- 55 minutes (later official papers)
- Marks
- 40
- Weighting
- 33⅓%
Specification Issue 2 lists 50 minutes, but later official exam papers state 55. Follow the timing on the cover of the paper you are using.
4ES1/03
Speaking
- Duration
- 9–12 minutes
- Marks
- 40
- Weighting
- Optional; separately endorsed
Recorded interview, student talk and discussion, marked by Pearson.
Key assessment information
- The qualification uses a single tier and external assessment. The Listening timing discrepancy is retained explicitly rather than presenting the older specification’s 50 minutes as the timing of later papers.
Official sources and verification
Checked 2026-09-04 against the official 4ES1 syllabus/specification (PDF). Legacy 4ES1; final assessment June 2025.
Source PDF pages: 13, 14. PDF page positions may differ from printed page numbers.
Official Listening paper: 55-minute timing
Pearson final-assessment notice for 4ES1
IGCSEfy is an independent study aid. Check the full official document and your exam-paper instructions, especially exam-year options, equipment and centre arrangements. Older archive papers may follow an earlier syllabus.