9686 Past Paper A Level Urdu – Pakistan only Examiner Report 2021

The 9686 A Level Urdu – Pakistan Only Examiner Report 2021 is an official Cambridge assessment resource prepared for teachers and learners following the Cambridge International A Level Urdu (9686) qualification. It analyses candidate performance in the June 2021 examination series and provides valuable guidance on how students can improve their responses in future examinations.

The report covers the main A Level components:

• Paper 2 – Reading and Writing
• Paper 3 – Essay
• Paper 4 – Texts

Paper 2 – Reading and Writing

Examiners reported that candidates generally performed well. However, some students lost marks by copying excessively from the passages rather than answering questions in their own words.

Key examiner advice includes:

• Read the passages, questions and rubrics carefully.
• Answer comprehension questions concisely.
• Use your own words wherever possible.
• Avoid unnecessary details.
• Follow the prescribed 140-word limit for Question 5.
• Pay close attention to the exact focus of each question.

Paper 3 – Essay

The examiner report highlights the importance of developing a clear, balanced argument. Strong candidates supported their ideas with logical examples and relevant references, while weaker responses sometimes showed grammatical and structural inaccuracies.

Students are encouraged to:

• Address the exact question.
• Develop arguments from different perspectives.
• Support opinions with relevant examples.
• Use accurate Urdu grammar and vocabulary.
• Use idioms and metaphors appropriately.
• Structure essays clearly and logically.

Paper 4 – Texts

For Paper 4, examiners emphasised careful question selection and focused literary analysis. Candidates were expected to answer three questions, each based on a different set text.

The report recommends that students:

• Choose texts they understand well.
• Read the question carefully before writing.
• Plan each response before beginning.
• Focus directly on the question rather than providing general information.
• Avoid spending too much time discussing an author’s biography when it is not relevant.
• Support literary interpretations with appropriate textual evidence.

Why Use the 2021 Examiner Report?

The report is particularly useful when studied alongside the corresponding 2021 Question Papers and Mark Schemes. It helps students understand not only what questions were asked, but also why some responses received higher marks than others.

Teachers can use it to:

• Identify common candidate weaknesses.
• Improve Urdu essay-writing instruction.
• Develop comprehension strategies.
• Teach effective literary analysis.
• Create targeted revision activities.
• Prepare students for Cambridge-style examination questions.

The 2021 resources include separate June and November examination materials, including examiner reports, question papers, mark schemes, grade thresholds and inserts.

Note: Cambridge currently identifies 9686 as A Level Urdu – Pakistan Only. From assessment in 2027, this syllabus is replaced by Cambridge International A Level Urdu Language & Literature (9866).