GCSE (9-1) German (1GN1) - Question 1 Foundation tier Exemplars - Paper 4 Writing

Oct 20, 2026

GCSE (9-1) German (1GN1) Question 1 Foundation tier exemplars for Paper 4 Writing provide teachers and students with marked student responses to the picture task and guidance on Pearson’s approach to assessment. The pack includes an introduction, marking points with key expectations, a mark scheme, and exemplar responses (A to H) alongside examiner commentary. It explains how credit is awarded, including equal credit for language outside specification lists, and highlights factors that affect marks such as handwriting clarity, spelling accuracy, ambiguity, and relevance.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Purpose of the exemplification pack

Key notes on specification and marking

Marking points in the spotlight

Equal credit for language outside lists

Handwriting and decipherability

Spelling errors and accents

Crossed out work and replacements

Repetition rules

Person and timeframe usage

Relevant and partially relevant detail

Irrelevant detail

Overview of exemplars

Foundation tier Question 1 mark scheme

Exemplar A

Exemplar B

Exemplar C

Exemplar D

Exemplar E

Exemplar F

Exemplar G

Exemplar H

GCSE (9-1) German (1GN1) Question 1 Foundation tier Exemplars Paper 4 , Writing Contents Introduction 3 Marking points in the spotlight 4 Tips for success 6 Overview of exemplars 6 Foundation tier Question 1 Mark scheme 7 Exemplar A 8 Exemplar B 9 Exemplar C 10 Exemplar D 11 Exemplar E 12 Exemplar F 13 Exemplar G 14 Exemplar H 15 Introduction The purpose of this exemplification pack is to provide teachers and students with some examples of marked responses to the new GCSE German Paper 4 , Writing , and to demonstrate Pearson’s approach to marking Question 1 Foundation tier (the picture task) . In this pack, you will find a mark scheme, a sample of responses, and an examiner commentary for each student response. The examples are based on real student answers and we have shown their original responses. Please note that due to the timing of publishing these exemplars, students who produced work had not been taught under the 2024 specification. As such, students may have used some vocabulary and grammar outside of the 2024 specification, and this is given equal but not extra credit. This is in accordance with the requirements of the Department for Education’s subject content. Marks awarded in the exemplars are based on a relatively small sample. Whilst they are a good indication of the marks likely to be awarded for different levels, exact marks may differ somewhat when based on standardisation of a whole live series. The Sample assessment materials which these responses are based on can be found on the Pearson website here. If you have any enquiries regarding these materials or have any other questions, please contact our subject advisor [team on](team on Teachinglanguages@pearson.com)[ ](team on Teachinglanguages@pearson.com)[Teachinglanguages@pearson.com](team on Teachinglanguages@pearson.com). Marking points in the spotlight Following our review of student work across the three languages of French, German and Spanish, we have shone a spotlight on a few specific points: • ‘Equal credit’ for use of language outside of the vocabulary and grammar lists To fulfil tasks, students are only required to use vocabulary and grammar included in the vocabulary and grammar lists of the specification. Using language outside of the vocabulary and grammar lists can be awarded the same (but no extra) credit. For example, “ There is a basket” (where ‘basket’ is not included in the vocabulary list) would receive the same credit as “ There is a man”. • Handwriting To mark the task accurately, it is crucial for the examiners to be able to decipher each word and see clearly how it is spelled. Students should ensure their handwriting is of a reasonable size and that each letter is well-formed. In the example below, the examiner was not able to decipher the last word of the student’s response, so could not give it credit. • Spelling errors Students should take care to use words they know how to spell , but may achieve marks despite inaccurate spelling (including accents and cases), providing that the meaning is clearly communicated in the context of the image. However, if inaccurate spelling results in ambiguity of meaning, full marks may not be achieved. Digits instead of number words will be accepted. • Crossed out work If a response is crossed out and replaced, it is the replacement that will be considered as the student’s answer, even if the crossed-out word is more accurate than it’s replacement. If a response is crossed out and not replaced, examiners will still consider it if it is creditable. • Repetition Repetition of the same phrase with varied nouns/verbs is rewardable (e.g. it is acceptable to write “ There is a ” multiple times) . This is because there is no requirement for varied grammar in Question 1 of the Foundation tier Writing paper. However, repetition of the same detail (e.g. “ There are two girls” written multiple times) can only obtain credit once as

FAQs

What is the purpose of the exemplification pack for GCSE German Paper 4 Writing?

The pack provides teachers and students with examples of marked responses for the new GCSE German Paper 4 Writing Question 1 picture task, including a mark scheme and examiner commentary to show Pearson’s marking approach.

How does “equal credit” work for language outside the specification lists?

Students are only required to use vocabulary and grammar from the specification lists, but using language outside those lists can receive the same credit as listed language, without extra credit.

What factors most affect whether an answer earns marks for Question 1 Foundation tier?

Marks depend on clear handwriting, intelligible spelling (with meaning communicated in context), whether crossed-out work is replaced, the relevance of details to the image, and how ambiguity is handled for partially relevant information.

Oct 20, 2026

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