Why is "Trying to translate every single word before answering" a common mistake in Paper 2 - Reading: skim/scan, dealing with unknown vocabulary?

Why it happens: Beginners feel they must understand the whole text, so they get stuck on the first unknown word and run out of time. How to avoid it: Skim for gist, then scan only for what each question needs. You can score full marks while ignoring many words. Read the question first so you know what to look for. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 2 (Reading), time management

Why is "Falling for false friends (reading librairie as 'library', journée as 'journey')" a common mistake in Paper 2 - Reading: skim/scan, dealing with unknown vocabulary?

Why it happens: Cognates work so often that learners trust every English-looking word automatically. How to avoid it: Learn the common faux amis (librairie = bookshop, journée = day, sensible = sensitive, actuellement = currently). If a cognate guess makes the sentence sound odd, reconsider it. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 2 (Reading)

Why is "Missing a negative and giving the opposite answer" a common mistake in Paper 2 - Reading: skim/scan, dealing with unknown vocabulary?

Why it happens: The little words *ne… pas / plus / jamais* wrap around the verb and are easy to skip when scanning fast. How to avoid it: Once you've located the right line, slow down and read the whole clause. *Je ne joue plus au foot* contains 'foot' but means he has STOPPED playing — the opposite of the rushed answer. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 2 (Reading), accuracy

Why is "Answering in the wrong language or copying long French chunks into an English answer" a common mistake in Paper 2 - Reading: skim/scan, dealing with unknown vocabulary?

Why it happens: Candidates ignore the rubric, or play safe by copying text rather than committing to an answer. How to avoid it: Read the instruction line first. If it says 'Answer in English', give the information in English. Lift only the precise detail — don't copy a whole French sentence that may include contradictory or irrelevant parts. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 2 (Reading)

Why is "Giving only one detail when the question is worth two marks" a common mistake in Paper 2 - Reading: skim/scan, dealing with unknown vocabulary?

Why it happens: Learners stop as soon as they find one correct point and don't check the mark allocation. How to avoid it: Let the marks guide you: 2 marks usually means TWO distinct details. Re-scan the line for a second point, often introduced by *et* (and) or a second connective. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 2 (Reading)

Why is "Picking the wrong number when several appear (price, closing time, dates)" a common mistake in Paper 2 - Reading: skim/scan, dealing with unknown vocabulary?

Why it happens: Texts deliberately include extra numbers, and a scanning eye grabs the first one it sees. How to avoid it: Match the number to the right keyword: *ouvre* (opens) vs *ferme* (closes), *coûte* (costs), *à… heures* (at … o'clock). Read the word attached to the number before you write it. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 2 (Reading)

Exam-Skill SectionsCambridge IGCSE French (0520)

Paper 2 - Reading: skim/scan, dealing with unknown vocabulary

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Paper 2 Reading — skim, scan and dealing with unknown vocabulary — Cambridge IGCSE French 0520 (2025-2027)

A step-by-step exam-technique guide to the Reading paper: how to skim for the gist, scan for the exact answer, and confidently work out words you have never seen. Learn the reusable routine that turns a scary French text into easy marks.

At a glance

Paper 2 (Reading) is worth 45 marks (25% of the qualification) and lasts about 1 hour. You read French texts and answer questions in English, in French, or by ticking/matching boxes.
You do not need to understand every word. The exam tests whether you can find and understand the information the question asks for — so read the question first.
Skimming = reading fast for the overall gist (what is this text about?). Scanning = hunting for one specific detail (a name, a number, a time, a reason).
Always read the question before the text. The question tells you exactly what to scan for, so you don't waste time on irrelevant parts.
When you meet an unknown word, do not panic. Use four tools in order: cognates (words that look like English), context (the words around it), word family / part of speech, and don't-need-it (skip if it isn't required for the answer).
Beware faux amis (false friends) — words that look English but mean something else, e.g. librairie = bookshop (NOT library), journée = day (NOT journey).
Answer in the language the question is set in. If the question is in English, answer in English; for French answers, short, accurate phrases beat long, error-filled sentences.
Watch for negatives, time markers and connectives (ne… pas — not, hier — yesterday, mais — but, parce que — because) — they often flip or qualify the meaning the answer depends on.
Use every mark and clue: the title, any pictures, the layout (email? advert? blog?) and the number of marks all hint at how much information you need.

What you’ll learn

Mapped to the Cambridge IGCSE 0520 syllabus (2025-2027).

Describe the format, timing and mark weighting of Cambridge IGCSE French 0520 Paper 2 (Reading).
Skim a French text quickly to establish its type, topic and overall gist.
Scan a text to locate a specific piece of information demanded by a question.
Apply a reliable question-first reading routine under timed conditions.
Work out the meaning of unfamiliar French words using cognates, context, word families and part of speech.
Recognise common faux amis (false friends) and avoid the traps they set.
Use negatives, time markers and connectives to read for precise rather than approximate meaning.
Write concise, accurate answers in the required language that match the marks available.

What Paper 2 actually looks like

Know the format, timing and question types before you walk in — it removes most of the fear.

Cambridge IGCSE French 0520 Paper 2 (Reading) is the paper where you read French and show you have understood it. Here is what you are dealing with:

Feature	Detail
Marks	45 marks
Weighting	25% of the qualification
Time	About 1 hour
What you read	Short, authentic-style French texts: signs, adverts, emails, messages, blogs, articles, interviews
How you answer	A mix of: answer in English, answer in French, multiple choice, tick the box, true/false, and matching
Topic areas	The five 0520 themes: everyday life; personal & social life; the world around us; the world of work; the international world

The exercises move from easier to harder through the paper. Early questions are often short texts with tick-box or multiple-choice answers; later questions are longer texts needing answers written in French.

Read the rubric (the instructions). It tells you the language to answer in and the type of answer expected. A common, avoidable error is answering in French when the question wanted English, or writing full sentences when a single word was enough.

Worked mini-example — reading the signposts. If a question says "Answer in English" and is worth 1 mark, the examiner wants one piece of information — a word or short phrase. You do not need a full sentence, and you will not lose marks for imperfect English. Match the size of your answer to the mark.

Paper 2 = 45 marks, 25%, about 1 hour.
Texts are authentic-style: signs, adverts, emails, blogs, articles.
Answer types: English answers, French answers, multiple choice, tick-box, true/false, matching.
Questions get harder through the paper; always read the rubric for the language and answer type.

Skimming vs scanning — two different speeds

Skim first to get the gist, then scan to pinpoint each answer. They are different skills used at different moments.

Skim for the gist first, then scan the question keywords to find each precise answer.

These two reading skills sound similar but they are used at different moments, and good candidates switch between them deliberately.

Skimming — reading for the gist. Skimming is fast, light reading to find out what a text is about overall. You let your eyes glide over it without stopping on hard words. You look at:

the title and any pictures,
the layout (is it an email, an advert, a timetable, a blog?),
the first and last lines, and any bold or repeated words.

After 20-30 seconds you should be able to say: "This is an email from a girl describing her holiday in the mountains." That gist alone helps you guess the meaning of unknown words later.

Scanning — reading for a specific detail. Scanning is targeted hunting. You already know (from the question) exactly what you are looking for — a name, a number, a time, a place or a reason — so you sweep the text for that one thing and ignore everything else.

For example, if the question asks "At what time does the train leave?", you scan only for a time (digits, or words like heures — o'clock, matin — morning) and stop the moment you find it.

Worked mini-example. Suppose a short text is headed « Camping Les Pins — ouvert d'avril à septembre » (Camping Les Pins — open from April to September). Skim: it's an advert for a campsite. Scan for the question "When is the campsite open?": you hunt for months and find d'avril à septembre → April to September. You never needed to read the rest of the advert.

Skim = fast reading for the overall gist (text type + topic).
Scan = targeted hunting for one specific detail named in the question.
Skim using the title, pictures, layout and first/last lines.
Scan for the kind of word the question wants: name, number, time, place, reason.

The question-first routine (your reliable method)

A repeatable five-step routine: read the question, find the keyword, scan, read around it carefully, answer to the marks.

Under exam pressure you want a routine you can trust. Use the same five steps on every question.

Step	What you do	Why
1	Read the question first (before the text section it refers to)	Tells you what to look for
2	Underline the keyword(s) in the question	Gives you a target to scan for
3	Scan the text for that keyword (or a synonym of it)	Finds the right line fast
4	Read carefully around the line you found	Negatives and small words change the meaning
5	Answer to the marks in the required language	1 mark = 1 detail; don't over-write

Watch for synonyms. The text rarely repeats the question's exact word — it uses a synonym or related idea. If the question asks about le travail (work), the text might say mon emploi (my job) or mon métier (my profession). Scan for the idea, not only the exact word.

Step 4 is where marks are won and lost. Once you've found the right sentence, slow right down. Look for:

Negatives: ne… pas (not), ne… jamais (never), ne… plus (no longer). Je n'aime pas le sport means the opposite of J'aime le sport.
Time markers: hier (yesterday), aujourd'hui (today), demain (tomorrow), l'année dernière (last year). A question about the future needs a future detail.
Connectives: mais (but), parce que (because), donc (so/therefore), cependant (however). These often introduce the exact reason a question asks for.

Worked mini-example. Text: « Normalement je vais à l'école en bus, mais aujourd'hui j'y vais à pied parce qu'il fait beau. » (Normally I go to school by bus, but today I'm walking because the weather is nice.) Question: "How is the writer travelling to school today, and why?" Step 4 matters: the word mais (but) signals the change, aujourd'hui (today) confirms the time, and parce que (because) gives the reason. Answer: on foot / walking, because the weather is nice.

Use the same 5-step routine every time: read question → underline keyword → scan → read carefully around → answer to the marks.
The text usually uses a synonym of the question's word — scan for the idea.
Slow down at Step 4: negatives can reverse the meaning.
Time markers and connectives (mais, parce que, donc) carry the precise information.

Dealing with unknown vocabulary — four tools

You will always meet words you don't know. Use cognates, context, word family and skip-if-not-needed — in that order.

Work out an unknown word with four tools in order: cognate, context, word family, then skip if it isn't needed.

You will never know every word in the text — and you don't need to. Use these four tools, roughly in this order.

Tool 1 — Cognates (words that look like English). French and English share thousands of words. Many are obvious: la musique (music), la télévision (television), important (important), le restaurant (restaurant). Some need a small decode:

words in -tion are usually the same: la situation, la nation, la décision.
words in -ique often = English -ic / -ical: fantastique (fantastic), politique (political).
the circumflex often marks a lost 's': hôpital → hospital, forêt → forest, île → isle/island, château → castle.

Tool 2 — Context (the words around it). Even if a word is a mystery, the words next to it usually pin down the meaning. In « un panier de fruits » (a basket of fruit), even if you don't know panier (basket), you know it's a thing that holds fruits — and the answer often only needs "fruit".

Tool 3 — Word family & part of speech. Ask: is it a noun, verb or adjective? Articles (le, la, un, une) signal nouns; endings like -er, -ir, -re signal verbs. Then look for a relative you do know: if you know travailler (to work), you can guess le travail (work) and un travailleur (a worker). If you know manger (to eat), you can guess un repas relates to eating (a meal).

Tool 4 — Skip it. If the unknown word is not needed for the answer, leave it and move on. Spending two minutes decoding a word that the question never asks about is wasted time. Mark it and come back only if you have time.

Worked mini-example. You read « Mon frère est devenu pompier l'année dernière. » and don't know pompier. Cognate? No obvious English twin. Context: mon frère (my brother) est devenu (became) something l'année dernière (last year) — so pompier is clearly a job. Word family: it looks like a noun (after devenu = became). If the question is "What is the brother's job?" you might still need the exact word — but if the question only asks "What changed last year?", "he started a new job / became a [firefighter]" is enough. (Pompier = firefighter.)

Tool 1 — Cognates: spot English look-alikes (musique, -tion words, circumflex = lost 's').
Tool 2 — Context: the surrounding words usually reveal the meaning.
Tool 3 — Word family / part of speech: noun, verb or adjective? Do you know a relative (travailler → travail)?
Tool 4 — Skip it: if the answer doesn't need the word, move on and save time.

Faux amis — the false friends that trick you

Some words look English but mean something different. Learn the common ones so a 'helpful' guess doesn't cost you the mark.

Cognates are your best friend in Reading — except when they lie. Faux amis (false friends) are French words that look like an English word but mean something different. Examiners love them because a careless guess gives a confidently wrong answer.

Here are the high-frequency false friends for 0520:

French word	Looks like	Actually means
la librairie	library	bookshop (library = la bibliothèque)
la journée	journey	day (journey = le voyage)
sensible	sensible	sensitive (sensible = raisonnable)
actuellement	actually	currently / at the moment (actually = en fait)
assister à	to assist	to attend (to help = aider)
rester	to rest	to stay / remain (to rest = se reposer)
la monnaie	money	change / coins (money = l'argent)
les coins	coins	corners (coins = les pièces)
passer un examen	to pass an exam	to sit / take an exam (to pass = réussir)
grand	grand	big / tall

How to defend yourself. When a cognate guess seems too easy and it doesn't quite fit the context, pause. Re-read the sentence with your guessed meaning: if it sounds odd, you may have hit a false friend. For example, « J'ai passé une bonne journée » — "I passed a good journey" makes no sense, so journée must mean day: "I had a good day."

Worked mini-example. Text: « Le weekend, je travaille dans une librairie. » A beginner reads librairie as "library" and pictures a quiet study hall. But the question "Where does the writer work at the weekend?" needs the right place: librairie = bookshop. The false friend would have cost the mark.

Faux amis look English but mean something else.
Top traps: librairie = bookshop, journée = day, sensible = sensitive, actuellement = currently, assister à = to attend.
Defence: if your cognate guess sounds odd in context, suspect a false friend.
la monnaie = change/coins (not money = l'argent); passer un examen = to sit an exam (not pass).

Writing the answer — concise, accurate, to the marks

Match your answer to the marks, answer in the required language, and don't copy long French chunks blindly.

Finding the information is only half the job — you have to record the answer in a way the examiner can credit.

1. Answer in the required language. Check the rubric. If it says "Answer in English", write English. If a question is in French and asks for a French answer, keep it short and accurate — a correct three-word phrase beats a long sentence riddled with errors.

2. Match the answer to the marks.

1 mark → one piece of information (a word or short phrase).
2 marks → usually two separate details. If a question is worth 2 marks, make sure you give two distinct points, not one point said twice.

3. Don't copy long French chunks blindly into an English answer. If the question is in English, give the information in English. Copying a whole French sentence shows you may not have understood it, and an irrelevant part can contradict the right part. Lift only the precise detail.

4. For French (tick / multiple-choice / matching) answers, make your choice unambiguous. Put one clear tick or letter. If you change your mind, cross out neatly so only one answer stands — two ticks for a 1-mark question usually scores zero.

5. Use the text's own words for spelling. If you must write a French answer, copy any tricky word (with its accents) exactly from the text. The correct spelling is right there in front of you — there's no excuse for café without its accent if the text shows it.

Worked mini-example. Question (2 marks, answer in English): "Give two reasons the writer likes her town." Text: « J'aime ma ville parce qu'il y a beaucoup de magasins et les gens sont très sympas. » (I like my town because there are lots of shops and the people are very friendly.) Answer: (1) lots of shops; (2) the people are friendly. Two marks because two distinct reasons — don't merge them into one.

Answer in the language the rubric requires.
Match the answer to the marks: 1 mark = 1 detail, 2 marks = 2 distinct details.
For English answers, give the information in English — don't copy long French chunks.
Tick / multiple-choice: one unambiguous answer; copy any French spelling (with accents) exactly from the text.

Quick recap

Paper 2 (Reading) is 45 marks / 25% / about 1 hour, with authentic-style French texts and a mix of English, French, tick-box, multiple-choice and matching answers.
Skim first for the gist (text type + topic), then scan for the specific detail each question asks for.
Use the question-first routine every time: read the question, underline the keyword, scan, read carefully around the line, answer to the marks.
Slow down for negatives (ne… pas/plus/jamais), time markers (hier, demain) and connectives (mais, parce que, donc) — they carry the precise meaning.
For unknown words use four tools in order: cognate, context, word family/part of speech, then skip if the answer doesn't need it.
Beware faux amis: librairie = bookshop, journée = day, sensible = sensitive, actuellement = currently.
Answer in the required language, match the marks (1 mark = 1 detail, 2 marks = 2 details), and copy any French spelling with accents exactly from the text.

Memorise this

Verbatim phrases and definitions Cambridge mark schemes credit.

Skim = read fast for the gist; Scan = hunt for one specific detail.
Routine: read question → underline keyword → scan → read carefully → answer to the marks.
Negatives flip meaning: ne… pas (not), ne… jamais (never), ne… plus (no longer).
Connectives: mais (but), parce que (because), donc (so), cependant (however).
Time markers: hier (yesterday), aujourd'hui (today), demain (tomorrow), l'année dernière (last year).
Unknown word tools: cognate → context → word family → skip.
Faux amis: librairie = bookshop, journée = day, sensible = sensitive, actuellement = currently, assister à = to attend.
la monnaie = change/coins; l'argent = money; passer un examen = to sit (not pass) an exam.
1 mark = 1 detail; 2 marks = 2 distinct details. Answer in the language the question requires.

How it’s examined

Skim/scan and unknown-vocabulary skills are tested directly in Paper 2 (Reading), and they support the other papers too.

Paper 2 (Reading): This is the home of these skills. You will face short and longer texts where you must scan for specific details and infer the meaning of words you have not been taught. Questions deliberately use synonyms of the question wording, negatives that reverse meaning, and faux amis to catch careless cognate guesses.
Paper 1 (Listening): The same gist-then-detail approach applies. You read the questions during the pause, predict the keyword to listen for, and don't panic when an unknown word goes past — you wait for the detail you actually need.
Paper 4 (Writing): Your stored cognate and vocabulary knowledge feeds your own writing; recognising word families helps you build accurate sentences.
Paper 3 (Speaking): A wide passive vocabulary (from confident reading) makes you quicker to understand the examiner's questions and respond.

Cambridge 0520 examiner reports repeatedly note that candidates lose Reading marks by missing negatives, by falling for false friends (especially librairie), and by answering in the wrong language or giving only one detail when two marks were available.

Sources: Cambridge IGCSE French 0520 Syllabus 2025-2027; Cambridge 0520 Paper 2 (Reading) Specimen 2025-2027; Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports 2022-2024. Last reviewed 2026-06-02.

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Step-by-step worked examples — Paper 2 - Reading: skim/scan, dealing with unknown vocabulary

Step-by-step solutions to past-paper-style questions on paper 2 - reading: skim/scan, dealing with unknown vocabulary, written exactly the way a tutor would explain them at the board.

1Skim a text to identify its type and topic
Getting started
Question
Skim this opening and say (a) what type of text it is and (b) what it is about, in under 20 seconds:

« Salut Léa ! Merci pour ton message. Cette année, je passe mes vacances chez mes grands-parents à la campagne. Bisous, Camille. » (Hi Léa! Thanks for your message. This year I'm spending my holidays at my grandparents' in the countryside. Kisses, Camille.)
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Look at the layout and the edges, not the middle. It opens with Salut Léa ! (Hi Léa!) and ends Bisous, Camille (Kisses, Camille) — a greeting and a sign-off. That shape means a message / email between friends.
2. Step 2
  Pick out the content words you DO know. vacances (holidays), grands-parents (grandparents), campagne (countryside). Ignore anything unfamiliar.
3. Step 3
  Combine them into a one-line gist. Friendly message about spending the holidays at her grandparents' in the countryside. You now have a frame that helps you guess any unknown word later.
Answer
(a) An informal message/email between friends (greeting Salut + sign-off Bisous). (b) Camille's holidays at her grandparents' in the countryside.
Examiner tip
Skimming is meant to be fast and rough — you are NOT translating. Spotting the text type (message, advert, blog) and three known content words is enough to orient you. Candidates who skim first answer the detailed questions faster and guess unknown words more accurately.
2Scan for one specific detail
Getting started
Question
Question (answer in English, 1 mark): At what time does the museum open?

Text: « Le musée est fermé le lundi. Du mardi au dimanche, il ouvre à dix heures et ferme à dix-huit heures. L'entrée coûte huit euros. » (The museum is closed on Mondays. From Tuesday to Sunday it opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 6 p.m. Entry costs 8 euros.)
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Decide what kind of word you're hunting for. The question asks at what time — so you scan only for a time (numbers, or the word heures = o'clock). Ignore prices and opening days.
2. Step 2
  Find the time linked to 'opens'. The verb ouvre (opens) is the keyword. Right after it: à dix heures (at ten o'clock).
3. Step 3
  Don't be distracted by the other number. dix-huit heures (18:00 = 6 p.m.) is when it ferme (closes), and huit euros is the price — neither is the answer.
Answer
10 a.m. (dix heures). Found by scanning for the verb ouvre (opens) and taking the time beside it, ignoring the closing time and the price.
Examiner tip
Texts always include extra numbers to tempt you (closing time, price, days). Scanning means matching the time to the right verb — ouvre (opens), not ferme (closes). Lock onto the exact thing the question asks for.
3Work out an unknown word with cognate + context
Building confidence
Question
You meet amélioration in a Paper 2 text and don't know it:

« Il y a eu une grande amélioration de la qualité de l'air dans la ville. » (There has been a big ___ in the air quality in the town.) Work out the meaning.
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Part of speech first. It follows une grande (a big) and ends in -tion, so it is a noun. The English -tion ending usually survives unchanged.
2. Step 2
  Look for a word family relative. The root looks like meilleur (better) / French améliorer (to improve) — and it resembles the idea of 'ameliorate' in English.
3. Step 3
  Use context to confirm. It is 'a big ___ in the air quality' — something positive about air quality. 'Improvement' fits perfectly.
Answer
amélioration = improvement. Decoded as a -tion noun, linked to the 'improve/ameliorate' family, and confirmed by the context 'a big improvement in air quality'.
Examiner tip
The -tion ending is one of the most reliable cognate signals in French (situation, nation, pollution). Combine the ending (part of speech) with the surrounding context and you can decode words you were never taught — exactly the skill the harder Reading texts test.
4Spot a false friend before it costs you the mark
Building confidence
Question
Question (answer in English, 1 mark): Where does Théo work on Saturdays?

Text: « Le samedi, Théo travaille dans une librairie au centre-ville. » (On Saturdays, Théo works in a ___ in the town centre.)
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Notice the tempting cognate. librairie looks exactly like English 'library' — that is the trap.
2. Step 2
  Recall the false friend. librairie actually means bookshop. A library (the place you borrow books) is une bibliothèque.
3. Step 3
  Sense-check. 'Théo works in a bookshop in the town centre' makes good sense — a shop is a normal workplace. Answer with the correct meaning.
Answer
In a bookshop (une librairie). NOT a library — that would be une bibliothèque. librairie is a classic faux ami.
Examiner tip
False friends are deliberately planted in 0520 Reading texts. librairie (bookshop) and journée (day) are the two most common. If a confident cognate guess produces a slightly odd sentence, suspect a faux ami and reconsider.
5Read carefully for negatives and time markers
Stretch
Question
Question (answer in English, 2 marks): What sport did the writer used to do, and what does she do now?

Text: « Avant, je faisais de la natation, mais maintenant je ne nage plus — je fais du vélo tous les jours. » (Before, I used to do swimming, but now I no longer swim — I cycle every day.)
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Spot the time contrast. Avant (before) vs maintenant (now) tells you the question's 'used to' and 'now' map onto two different parts of the sentence.
2. Step 2
  Past activity: je faisais de la natation (I used to do swimming) → the past sport is swimming.
3. Step 3
  Watch the negative! je ne nage plus = 'I no longer swim'. So swimming is NOT what she does now. The ne… plus is essential — it stops you from answering 'swimming' for the present.
4. Step 4
  Present activity: je fais du vélo (I cycle / do cycling) → she now does cycling.
Answer
Used to do: swimming (natation). Now: cycling (vélo). The negative ne… plus (no longer) confirms she has stopped swimming. Two distinct details = 2 marks.
Examiner tip
This question is built on two traps: a time contrast (avant / maintenant) and a negative (ne… plus). Missing the negative is one of the most common Reading errors — candidates see nage and natation and wrongly say she still swims. Two marks need two clearly separated answers.

Model Answers — Paper 2 - Reading: skim/scan, dealing with unknown vocabulary

High-scoring sample answers for paper 2 - reading: skim/scan, dealing with unknown vocabulary on the Cambridge IGCSE 0520 paper, with examiner-style notes mapping each response to the mark scheme and assessment objectives.

Question 1
2 marks
Paper 2 (Reading) style, 2 marks, answer in English. Give two reasons the writer enjoys living in her village. Text: « J'adore mon village parce que c'est très calme et tout le monde se connaît. » (I love my village because it's very quiet and everyone knows each other.)
Model answer
(1) It is very quiet (c'est très calme). (2) Everyone knows each other (tout le monde se connaît).
Why this scores
Why this scores. The question is worth 2 marks, so it gives two separate reasons, each a distinct point — not one idea repeated. The connective parce que (because) signposted exactly where the reasons were. The answer is in English (as instructed) and is short and precise. Merging the two into 'it's a nice quiet place' would risk scoring only 1.
Question 2
Strategy question. A student says: 'I saw the word poumons in the text and froze because I didn't know it.' Show the step-by-step thinking that gets the answer anyway. Text: « Le tabac est mauvais pour les poumons. » (Tobacco is bad for the ___.) Question: Tobacco damages which part of the body?
Model answer
Work through the four tools: Cognate? poumons has no obvious English twin — skip. Context? Le tabac est mauvais pour les ___ (tobacco is bad for the ___) — a part of the body linked to smoking. Word family / sense? Smoking famously harms the lungs. Answer: the lungs (les poumons).

Even without ever learning poumons, context ('tobacco is bad for…') points strongly to the lungs.
Why this scores
Why this scores. It models the recovery routine instead of freezing: cognate → context → sense-check. Context alone ('tobacco is bad for the…') is often enough to land the mark. Examiners reward candidates who infer meaning rather than leaving a blank.
Question 3
Technique question. The rubric says Answer in English. A candidate copies the whole French sentence « Elle habite à Lyon avec sa sœur » instead of answering. Explain what they should have written for the question Who does she live with? and why.
Model answer
They should write just the required detail in English: her sister (sa sœur).

Copying the full French sentence (Elle habite à Lyon avec sa sœur) doesn't answer 'who with' clearly and may not be credited — and it includes an irrelevant detail (à Lyon = in Lyon).
Why this scores
Why this scores. It answers in the required language (English) and gives only the precise information asked for — 'her sister'. Copying long French chunks into an English answer is a common error flagged in examiner reports: it suggests the candidate may not have understood, and irrelevant material can dilute the correct point.

Key Definitions and Keywords — Paper 2 - Reading: skim/scan, dealing with unknown vocabulary

Definitions to memorise and the exact keywords mark schemes credit for paper 2 - reading: skim/scan, dealing with unknown vocabulary answers — sharpened from recent examiner reports for the 2026 0520 sitting.

Skimming
Examiner keyword
Reading a text quickly and lightly to get the overall gist — its type and what it is about — without stopping on hard words.
Example
Reading a title, layout and first lines to see: 'This is an email about a holiday.'
Scanning
Examiner keyword
Searching a text for one specific piece of information (a name, number, time, place or reason) named in the question, ignoring everything else.
Example
For 'What time does it open?' you scan only for a time beside ouvre (opens).
Cognate (un mot transparent)
Examiner keyword
A French word that looks like its English equivalent and means the same thing, so you can guess it on sight.
Example
la musique (music), important (important), la nation (nation), hôpital (hospital).
Faux ami (false friend)
Examiner keyword
A French word that looks like an English word but has a different meaning — a trap for careless cognate guessing.
Example
la librairie = bookshop (NOT library); la journée = day (NOT journey).
la librairie
Examiner keyword
Bookshop. The most common false friend in 0520 Reading — it does NOT mean library (which is la bibliothèque).
Example
Je travaille dans une librairie. — I work in a bookshop.
la journée
Examiner keyword
Day (the whole daytime). A false friend — it does NOT mean journey (which is le voyage).
Example
J'ai passé une bonne journée. — I had a good day.
ne… pas / ne… plus / ne… jamais
Examiner keyword
French negatives that wrap around the verb and reverse or qualify the meaning: not / no longer / never.
Example
Je ne nage plus. — I no longer swim (so the answer is NOT 'swims').
Connectives (mais, parce que, donc)
Joining words that signal contrast, reason or consequence — they often introduce the exact detail a question asks for.
Example
mais (but), parce que (because), donc (so/therefore), cependant (however).
Time markers (hier, aujourd'hui, demain)
Words that fix when something happens, telling you whether a detail belongs to the past, present or future.
Example
hier (yesterday), aujourd'hui (today), demain (tomorrow), l'année dernière (last year).
Rubric (the instruction line)
The instruction that tells you which language to answer in and what type of answer is expected — always read it first.
Example
'Answer in English' / 'Cochez la bonne case' (Tick the correct box).

Common Mistakes and Misconceptions — Paper 2 - Reading: skim/scan, dealing with unknown vocabulary

The traps other students keep falling into on paper 2 - reading: skim/scan, dealing with unknown vocabulary questions — taken from recent Cambridge IGCSE 0520 examiner reports and mark schemes — and how to avoid them.

✕Trying to translate every single word before answering
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 2 (Reading), time management
Why it happens
Beginners feel they must understand the whole text, so they get stuck on the first unknown word and run out of time.
How to avoid it
Skim for gist, then scan only for what each question needs. You can score full marks while ignoring many words. Read the question first so you know what to look for.
✕Falling for false friends (reading librairie as 'library', journée as 'journey')
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 2 (Reading)
Why it happens
Cognates work so often that learners trust every English-looking word automatically.
How to avoid it
Learn the common faux amis (librairie = bookshop, journée = day, sensible = sensitive, actuellement = currently). If a cognate guess makes the sentence sound odd, reconsider it.
✕Missing a negative and giving the opposite answer
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 2 (Reading), accuracy
Why it happens
The little words ne… pas / plus / jamais wrap around the verb and are easy to skip when scanning fast.
How to avoid it
Once you've located the right line, slow down and read the whole clause. Je ne joue plus au foot contains 'foot' but means he has STOPPED playing — the opposite of the rushed answer.
✕Answering in the wrong language or copying long French chunks into an English answer
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 2 (Reading)
Why it happens
Candidates ignore the rubric, or play safe by copying text rather than committing to an answer.
How to avoid it
Read the instruction line first. If it says 'Answer in English', give the information in English. Lift only the precise detail — don't copy a whole French sentence that may include contradictory or irrelevant parts.
✕Giving only one detail when the question is worth two marks
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 2 (Reading)
Why it happens
Learners stop as soon as they find one correct point and don't check the mark allocation.
How to avoid it
Let the marks guide you: 2 marks usually means TWO distinct details. Re-scan the line for a second point, often introduced by et (and) or a second connective.
✕Picking the wrong number when several appear (price, closing time, dates)
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 2 (Reading)
Why it happens
Texts deliberately include extra numbers, and a scanning eye grabs the first one it sees.
How to avoid it
Match the number to the right keyword: ouvre (opens) vs ferme (closes), coûte (costs), à… heures (at … o'clock). Read the word attached to the number before you write it.

Past paper style quiz

Get a report showing which sub-topics you've nailed and which ones still need work.

Feature

Detail

Marks

45 marks

Weighting

25% of the qualification

Time

About 1 hour

What you read

Short, authentic-style French texts: signs, adverts, emails, messages, blogs, articles, interviews

How you answer

A mix of: answer in English, answer in French, multiple choice, tick the box, true/false, and matching

Topic areas

The five 0520 themes: everyday life; personal & social life; the world around us; the world of work; the international world

Step

What you do

Why

Read the question first (before the text section it refers to)

Tells you what to look for

Underline the keyword(s) in the question

Gives you a target to scan for

Scan the text for that keyword (or a synonym of it)

Finds the right line fast

Read carefully around the line you found

Negatives and small words change the meaning

Answer to the marks in the required language

1 mark = 1 detail; don't over-write

Work out an unknown word with four tools in order: cognate, context, word family, then skip if it isn't needed.

You will never know every word in the text — and you don't need to. Use these four tools, roughly in this order.

words in -tion are usually the same: la situation, la nation, la décision.
words in -ique often = English -ic / -ical: fantastique (fantastic), politique (political).
the circumflex often marks a lost 's': hôpital → hospital, forêt → forest, île → isle/island, château → castle.

French word

Looks like

Actually means

la librairie

library

bookshop (library = la bibliothèque)

la journée

journey

day (journey = le voyage)

sensible

sensible

sensitive (sensible = raisonnable)

actuellement

actually

currently / at the moment (actually = en fait)

assister à

to assist

to attend (to help = aider)

rester

to rest

to stay / remain (to rest = se reposer)

la monnaie

money

change / coins (money = l'argent)

les coins

coins

corners (coins = les pièces)

passer un examen

to pass an exam

to sit / take an exam (to pass = réussir)

grand

grand

big / tall

Paper 2 - Reading: skim/scan, dealing with unknown vocabulary

Detailed Notes

What you’ll learn

How it’s examined

1Skim a text to identify its type and topic

2Scan for one specific detail

3Work out an unknown word with cognate + context

4Spot a false friend before it costs you the mark

5Read carefully for negatives and time markers

Skimming

Scanning

Cognate (un mot transparent)

Faux ami (false friend)

la librairie

la journée

ne… pas / ne… plus / ne… jamais

Connectives (mais, parce que, donc)

Time markers (hier, aujourd'hui, demain)

Rubric (the instruction line)

✕Trying to translate every single word before answering

✕Falling for false friends (reading librairie as 'library', journée as 'journey')

✕Missing a negative and giving the opposite answer

✕Answering in the wrong language or copying long French chunks into an English answer

✕Giving only one detail when the question is worth two marks

✕Picking the wrong number when several appear (price, closing time, dates)

Past paper style quiz

Paper 2 - Reading: skim/scan, dealing with unknown vocabulary

Detailed Notes

What you’ll learn

How it’s examined

1Skim a text to identify its type and topic

2Scan for one specific detail

3Work out an unknown word with cognate + context

4Spot a false friend before it costs you the mark

5Read carefully for negatives and time markers

Skimming

Scanning

Cognate (un mot transparent)

Faux ami (false friend)

la librairie

la journée

ne… pas / ne… plus / ne… jamais

Connectives (mais, parce que, donc)

Time markers (hier, aujourd'hui, demain)

Rubric (the instruction line)

✕Trying to translate every single word before answering

✕Falling for false friends (reading librairie as 'library', journée as 'journey')

✕Missing a negative and giving the opposite answer

✕Answering in the wrong language or copying long French chunks into an English answer

✕Giving only one detail when the question is worth two marks

✕Picking the wrong number when several appear (price, closing time, dates)

Past paper style quiz