WJECGCSE18 resources

WJEC GCSE Welsh Second Language Past Papers & Mark Schemes

Download free WJEC GCSE Welsh Second Language past papers & mark schemes. Speaking, listening, reading and writing Welsh as a learned language. 18 resources.

Papers Overview Paper Structure Key Info Key Topics Command Words Grade Boundaries Revision Tips Try AI Tutor ✦

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Year

18 of 18 resources

Summer 2023

8 files

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GCSE Welsh Second Language – Unit 4: Written: Descriptive, Creative and Imaginative [Paper size: A4 Font size: 18] – Modified Paper – Summer 2023

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GCSE Welsh Second Language – Unit 3: Written: Narrative, Specific and Instructional – Past Paper – Summer 2023

Past Paper

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GCSE Welsh Second Language – Unit 4: Written: Descriptive, Creative and Imaginative – Past Paper – Summer 2023

Past Paper

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GCSE Welsh Second Language – Unit 3: Written: Narrative, Specific and Instructional – Mark Scheme – Summer 2023

Mark Scheme

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GCSE Welsh Second Language – Unit 4: Written: Descriptive, Creative and Imaginative – Mark Scheme – Summer 2023

Mark Scheme

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GCSE Welsh Second Language – Unit 3: Written: Narrative, Specific and Instructional [Paper size: A3 Font size: 36] – Modified Paper – Summer 2023

Modified Paper

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GCSE Welsh Second Language – Unit 3: Written: Narrative, Specific and Instructional [Paper size: A4 Font size: 18] – Modified Paper – Summer 2023

Modified Paper

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GCSE Welsh Second Language – Unit 4: Written: Descriptive, Creative and Imaginative [Paper size: A3 Font size: 36] – Modified Paper – Summer 2023

Modified Paper

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Summer 2022

5 files

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GCSE Welsh Second Language – Unit 3: Written: Narrative, Specific and Instructional – Mark Scheme – Summer 2022

Mark Scheme

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GCSE Welsh Second Language – Unit 4: Written: Descriptive, Creative and Imaginative – Mark Scheme – Summer 2022

Mark Scheme

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📋

GCSE Welsh Second Language – Unit 4: Written: Descriptive, Creative and Imaginative [Paper size: A4 Font size: 18] – Modified Paper – Summer 2022

Modified Paper

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📄

GCSE Welsh Second Language – Unit 3: Written: Narrative, Specific and Instructional – Past Paper – Summer 2022

Past Paper

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📄

GCSE Welsh Second Language – Unit 4: Written: Descriptive, Creative and Imaginative – Past Paper – Summer 2022

Past Paper

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Summer 2019

5 files

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GCSE Welsh Second Language – Unit 3: Written: Narrative, Specific and Instructional [ Maint papur: A4 Maint ffont: 18] – Modified Paper – Summer 2019

Modified Paper

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GCSE Welsh Second Language – Unit 3: Written: Narrative, Specific and Instructional – Past Paper – Summer 2019

Past Paper

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📄

GCSE Welsh Second Language – Unit 4: Written: Descriptive, Creative and Imaginative – Past Paper – Summer 2019

Past Paper

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GCSE Welsh Second Language – Unit 4: Written: Descriptive, Creative and Imaginative – Mark Scheme – Summer 2019

Mark Scheme

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GCSE Welsh Second Language – Unit 3: Written: Narrative, Specific and Instructional – Mark Scheme – Summer 2019

Mark Scheme

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Learning Welsh as an Additional Language in English-Medium Schools

WJEC GCSE Welsh Second Language is designed for students in English-medium schools in Wales who study Welsh as a learned language. Welsh is compulsory in all state schools in Wales up to age 16, and this qualification provides the formal GCSE assessment for students learning Welsh as their second language. The qualification assesses all four language skills. Unit 1 (Oracy) evaluates speaking and listening skills through controlled assessments. Unit 2 tests reading and writing through narrative and descriptive tasks. Unit 3 tests reading and writing through argumentative and persuasive tasks. Unit 4 (Listening) is an examination paper testing aural comprehension of spoken Welsh. Content covers everyday communication: personal information, family and friends, home and local area, school and future plans, leisure activities, and Welsh culture and traditions. The specification recognises that Welsh Second Language learners are developing their language skills within a bilingual country, so topics naturally connect to students' experience of hearing and seeing Welsh in their daily environment — on road signs, in shops, on Welsh-language television, and in their communities. This qualification plays a crucial role in Welsh Government policy to create a bilingual Wales. This archive contains 18 resources from Summer 2019 to Summer 2023.

Exam Paper Structure

Unit 1No calculator

Oracy

⏱ Controlled assessment🎯 marks📊 25% of grade

Speaking in everyday contextsListening comprehensionConversation and presentation

Unit 2No calculator

Narrative and Descriptive Tasks

⏱ Written examination🎯 marks📊 25% of grade

Reading comprehensionDescriptive and narrative writing in Welsh

Unit 3No calculator

Argumentative and Persuasive Tasks

⏱ Written examination🎯 marks📊 25% of grade

Persuasive text analysisArgumentative writing in Welsh

Unit 4No calculator

Listening

⏱ Listening examination🎯 marks📊 25% of grade

Aural comprehensionResponding to spoken Welsh

Key Information

Exam Board	WJEC
Qualification	GCSE
Grading Scale	A*–G
Assessment Type	3 written papers + oracy assessment
Unit 1	Controlled assessment — Oracy
Unit 2	Written exam — Narrative and descriptive tasks
Unit 3	Written exam — Argumentative and persuasive tasks
Unit 4	Listening examination
Context	Compulsory Welsh learning in English-medium schools in Wales
Available Sessions	Summer 2019 – Summer 2023
Total Resources	18

Key Topics in Welsh Second Language

Topics you need to know

Welsh pronunciation and phonicsEveryday communication in WelshWelsh mutations (treigladau)Tenses and verb formsWelsh culture and traditionsReading and listening comprehensionWriting in formal and informal Welsh

Exam Command Words

Command word	What the examiner expects
Darllenwch	Read the passage in Welsh and answer the questions as directed
Ysgrifennwch	Write a response in Welsh following the guidance provided
Gwrandewch	Listen to the recording and answer the questions
Dewiswch	Choose the correct answer from the options given
Llenwch y bylchau	Fill in the gaps with appropriate Welsh words
Rhowch	Give a specific piece of information from the text or recording

Typical Grade Boundaries

Grade	Approximate mark needed
Grade A*	78–88%
Grade A	66–77%
Grade B	54–65%
Grade C	42–53%
Grade D	30–41%

⚠️ Typical boundaries. Welsh Second Language is a compulsory qualification and boundaries reflect a wide ability range.

Building Conversational Confidence and Tackling Welsh Mutations in Writing

Welsh mutations (treigladau) are the biggest grammatical challenge for second language learners. The three mutations — soft (treiglad meddal), nasal (treiglad trwynol), and aspirate (treiglad llaes) — change the initial consonant of words after certain triggers. Soft mutation is the most common and most tested: after 'yn' (in), 'i' (to), possessive pronouns, and many other triggers. Learn the key triggers and practise until mutation becomes instinctive rather than a conscious decision. For the speaking assessment, prepare versatile phrases that work across multiple topics. Opinion structures like 'Yn fy marn i...' (In my opinion...), 'Rwy'n credu bod...' (I believe that...), and 'Mae'n well gen i...' (I prefer...) can be applied to any topic. Similarly, connective phrases like 'Ar y llaw arall...' (On the other hand...) and 'Yn ogystal â hynny...' (In addition to that...) help extend your responses. Listening comprehension improves fastest through regular exposure. Watch S4C programmes (Pobol y Cwm, Rownd a Rownd), listen to BBC Radio Cymru, and follow Welsh-language social media accounts. Even brief daily exposure builds your ear for Welsh pronunciation patterns and helps you recognise common words at natural speed. For writing, practise the key tenses: present ('Rwy'n chwarae' — I play), past ('Chwaraeais i' — I played), imperfect ('Roeddwn i'n chwarae' — I was playing/I used to play), and future ('Bydda i'n chwarae' — I will play). Using all four tenses naturally in your writing demonstrates linguistic range and targets higher grades.

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WJEC GCSE Welsh Second Language Past Papers & Mark Schemes

Download Past Papers

Summer 2023

Summer 2022

Summer 2019

Learning Welsh as an Additional Language in English-Medium Schools

Exam Paper Structure

Key Information

Key Topics in Welsh Second Language

Exam Command Words

Typical Grade Boundaries

Building Conversational Confidence and Tackling Welsh Mutations in Writing

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