Pearson Edexcel GCSE Arabic Past Papers & Mark Schemes

Pearson Edexcel GCSE Arabic is assessed across four skills — Listening (Paper 1), Speaking (Paper 2), Reading (Paper 3), and Writing (Paper 4) — at both Foundation and Higher tiers. With 198 resources, the archive spans the current 9-1 specification and legacy unitised papers (Units 1–4), and includes authentic listening MP3 recordings of native Arabic speakers. GCSE Arabic at Edexcel is primarily taken by heritage and near-native speakers — students who have significant prior exposure to Arabic at home or in community settings. The examination assesses Modern Standard Arabic (Fusha) as well as elements of spoken Arabic, and the question papers and mark schemes reflect the complexity expected of students with strong Arabic backgrounds. Paper 1 — Listening — uses authentic recordings of native Arabic speakers discussing topics from the specification themes. Both standard and extra time (25% additional) MP3 recordings are included in this archive, along with tracked recordings that are useful for preparation and analysis. Foundation and Higher tier papers differ in length and complexity of the audio material. Paper 2 — Speaking — is assessed by the teacher as an oral examination. Mark schemes for speaking are included in the archive. Paper 3 — Reading — assesses comprehension of a range of written texts in Arabic, with responses given in both Arabic and English depending on the question. The higher tier reading paper includes more complex texts and a greater proportion of questions requiring response in Arabic. Paper 4 — Writing — assesses the ability to write in Arabic across a range of tasks, including structured writing, creative composition, and translation from English to Arabic. Accurate use of Arabic script, grammar, and vocabulary is assessed throughout. The legacy unit papers (Units 1–4) are also available in this archive and provide additional practice across all four skills.