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Multiple-choice answer sheets for foreign languages

From 2021, candidates sitting selected foreign language listening exams will submit their answers on a multiple-choice answer sheet. They will not submit them on the question paper. At the end of the exam candidates will have six minutes to transfer their answers from the question paper onto the multiple-choice answer sheet.

Centres should not return the question papers to us. The multiple-choice answer sheets must be returned in the script packet envelope provided.

Below are some FAQs and a sample multiple-choice answer sheet.

Which foreign language listening exams does it affect?

From the March 2021 series, candidates sitting the following Cambridge exams will submit their answers on a multiple-choice answer sheet. (Where component ‘01’ is mentioned, it includes all variants of component ‘01’ where applicable. For example, 11, 12, 13.)

March 2021 series

  • 0520/01 - Cambridge IGCSE French
  • 0530/01 - Cambridge IGCSE Spanish

June 2021 series

  • 7156/01 - Cambridge IGCSE 9-1 French
  • 0525/01 - Cambridge IGCSE German
  • 7159/01 - Cambridge IGCSE 9-1 German
  • 7160/01 - Cambridge IGCSE 9-1 Spanish
  • 0535/01 - Cambridge IGCSE Italian
  • 7164/01 - Cambridge IGCSE 9-1 Italian
  • 0544/01 - Cambridge IGCSE Arabic

November 2021 series

  • 0618/01 - Cambridge BGCSE French
  • 5020/01 - Cambridge O Level French
  • 5025/01 - Cambridge O Level German
  • 5030/01 - Cambridge O Level Spanish

June 2022 series

  • 0546/01 - Cambridge IGCSE Foreign Language Malay
  • 0547/01 - Cambridge IGCSE Foreign Language Mandarin Chinese

How long will candidates have to transfer the questions to the multiple-choice answer sheet?

At the end of the exam, candidates will have six minutes to transfer their answers from the question paper onto the multiple-choice answer sheet.

How long is the listening exam?

The total exam time is approximately 50 minutes. This includes six minutes at the end of the exam for candidates to transfer their answers from the question paper onto the multiple-choice answer sheet. The six minutes’ transfer time is included in the recorded material that we provide for the listening exam.

What if candidates make mistakes transferring their answers from the question paper to the multiple-choice answer sheet?

The answer on the multiple-choice answer sheet will be taken as the candidates’ final answer. Candidates are strongly advised to check carefully to make sure they have correctly transferred all of their answers onto the multiple-choice answer sheet. The six minutes’ transfer time has been designed to allow candidates enough time to transfer and check their answer.

Can candidates answer directly on the multiple-choice answer sheet?

We strongly recommend that candidates first answer on the question paper. They should use the six minutes’ transfer time to transfer their answers onto the multiple-choice answer sheet.

Do we give candidates the multiple-choice answer sheet at the start of the test (at the same time as the question paper), or do we give them the multiple-choice answer sheet after the audio material has finished?

You must give the candidate everything at the start of the test – the question paper and the multiple-choice answer sheet.

If a candidate has been approved to have extra time in the exam, do they also get extra time to transfer their answers from the question paper to the new multiple-choice answer sheet?

Yes. If you have applied for an access arrangement to allow a candidate to have extra time in their exam, they will also have extra time to transfer their answers. They will get the same percentage of time e.g. if they get 25% extra time for the exam, they also get 25% extra time to transfer their answers from the question paper to the multiple-choice answer sheet.

What documents do we return to Cambridge?

All candidate multiple-choice answer sheets, including those for absent or withdrawn candidates, must be returned to Cambridge in the script packet envelope provided. See section 5.4 of the Cambridge Handbook for instructions on packing and sending scripts.

What do I do with the candidate question papers at the end of the exam?

The question papers should not be returned to Cambridge. They should be collected at the end of the exam and stored securely until at least 24 hours after the end of the exam or Key Time, whichever is later.

What does the multiple-choice answer sheet look like?

An example of the Foreign Language Listening paper Multiple-choice answer sheet (PDF, 399KB)

If you make entries for Cambridge IGCSE Mandarin Chinese (0547) you must use a different multiple-choice answer sheet. We have provided an example of this below.

Chinese Listening (0547) multiple answer booklet example (PDF, 347KB)

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