How we mark and

grade papers
Our examiners are now ready to
start marking. Senior examiners
check the marking of every
examiner to make sure that they
keep marking correctly
Cambridge International Examinations receives over eight
million answer scripts a year from all over the world. Every
script needs the correct mark so that everybody gets the
correct grade. This is how it happens...
If one examiner is not able to mark So now we have marks
consistently, they are asked to stop. Another
examiner then re-marks their scripts for every script. How do we
Start here...
work out the grades?
Students put down their pens. We turn marks into grades by using
The exam is over, and the grade boundaries. Grade boundaries
scripts are packaged up and are the minimum marks that
sent back to Cambridge students need to achieve a grade

me
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end
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eu sed is ,
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ec h roci Pell neq po rtti lac s tur se itt
Crasnas or.
ut . nib h c ,or
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tti
po
t
nib Nun dole risu abi dis sag
es lis um eu
aece r m ius. in squvel .Cur pen e id s
ici mol o.eM nec
rult ipsSus t
ue a lib ur or qua var per Qui a ame squ risu
cid tort ali non nun m. re in nte. Qui
sem
ac
aug Nam nt es . rta
c, ntu ue po i
at erat. tin non
tp o,
at rtu pis ula pos rultici t sit orb
o
tis odi lig fer a me eu, et um que ult nas .M aum
est
voluctum neclobr mem cus
us cul m ips , as.e aece ips
s
ntu rhon eac lo
di ec s ele
imu ell vehi tu ntu d
tu
ali ricis.
ini M
ibu natises nt srem
Donvamu l eu ferme smo rpis a me
Vi nis max pis
.Phas lr eu eui ie lac fin vene fam imu
,non
mi sa o ada umax ula ele s
tor nas nisctus est le a u
vel lu mvel mol mas ctus odi neq
e, lig . qui
it a
tor eu , dui din esu aug d ini m.
M aece ctor m us qua ,at h in pa um cus mal per sed vel e, ntu
au nib reti itu re o smolac
ate qua lac Ali rem et
lo ini o
tjus ue
, rhon et sem
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put.Ali ec ris. uest at lac s . sa epos m
tp a per mas e, or i
vul ienDon maucid nt h sol dum eli l eet
trlao t,
it ies evit dol ans,
saprpis. cus tin volum
tur nib .a us u ntI er nisf in sem s Fusice ult s att odi
g s. e,ue ame m qui nis . vel ric ros id ums s
it
tu rhon s abi veldia ravid lactell um pos r rcu ntu us
me ra ur qui o imu or ien
et vamu Cur s sus s ips d
sit ex sem
mi ret mi s acc o.
cip i
o. uli qui an ele pha bit fend sap
Vi ecur s id smo ula lac rices ,la s ati
odi et sus ele max dol
od iac
ros vamuu jus ums Cras di ult ctor
au .Cura en id
nun i
a lo eu sed is ,
sed nas eui o. .lig ctumis fgil uli
commoin Vi
us s.cibaece vel t ae acc in sed t aur aeu m rin ,ven ue
ien
c. , nis
non ini a ur se
in
rem itt
Pr la a la de,
ell fau nul .M nul
vit se ac ex, ndi um .M nt c
. ege lus t iac esq ue tor i lac us sag eu
e t in ae
a dis smo nun l eni saple ,or ris bit disid
,
rvin is pen at. lu
tp bla end eui s t,t tel
et nt neq po rtt
dolvel us
nar s
or imi vit pul all Sus
ctus o bib
le ibu nis eli hegercio Pel
. h c e .Cura um pen e
et ue um ec t acris
pr reo tur conv ex. t volupel odi m ips dap mat lis ctumt
di Cras nas tor
ut . nib
i nibs. Nun
in squ ips Sus squ i
esq ci ntu .Don po u a ame
lib abi ue or nt or au to Etia mol ndi rtt m per Qui in nte. Qui rta
po orb um
uveli esttor, ferme
eu m
, nonisus. ue, bla ies liseM aecenec . .M a
Cur temp po ris . , jus
ie a quanon vari nun m. ue re ies sit est
s acipsremlo
m congnec cid sed rtti
nt ctor per
dia
a po
r ne ult mol ro.
ric
sem
ult t ult nas
tin us an mau est tor cong
la nac, rum u or
lib ali s ulac, ntu pos ric nte s a
qua c t molullu
am
cor cul srttinul ue a , um que s. aece
aie ati es
Nun In met umsege is mag e
rut cid tort
nt at rpi tu lig la fermem eu , et M en imu ula
acc it nt cid itt qui at
vehi ro, aug Nam non o, s ric s.
ini ibu ven fammax
ius. a rem lo i itur sed lib tin s odi ips ali ,non
var nec t cip tin sag
orb ele dui at erat. o m ncu
me lus tuicu ntu d tu s lac fin o ada a u lig
nec lam , redie
ex abi rta utp m nec rti s s neq
sus non
t lam ris.M Cur m po st lob ntu rho
ele sel eusvehferme smo ie rpi sa le odi esu e, sed jus sa
to
Nul erdum imp u
Ut mauqua t, eli vol ctu ec imu rpi eu eui est ctu sdin
int c
e.
neqit, eli
Nul a fend.veli
st. cul ali su sa .Vi gvamu di us l .Pha l s
mi mas mal per Nam
.
per mas i e
tor cin Don vam nis max nis ctu mvel mol in pa ium itu
ncu sem t.
Nun eu rder
di s m id cur
ctumvehi tsor .maspis Vi vel eu , dui lu h ret rho et s
,lic
a
lao sem s nis .Fusc
c hen pl
ae or nas us qua nib ,at rem et ini tree m qui
nun c ea qui dDui m lo
sol dum feli l
. sse
at dia smo s. vit r adi tort aece auctor at lac
, in
ame ntu us
me ex sem mi
Nun et
ita Nam s eui M e qua lacris.Aliuest utp h . us s.nter I ue nis rcu
at lumectetu at ele lac ces ctor
equ hab rpi ibuid
s. put .Ali ec maucid nt vol nib
ur m gda lac umlu pos re, sit
ula m ult ri
au
m
tu dap ibu ame s ravi s ipstel d
cons hac i leo t,cons vul iens.Don tin bit veldia sus
an Cras di s
.lig ctu
aeu c eni
. ege
odo vest sit sap rpi ncu qui smo ums d
nte, nun l t,t
In orb ue, tu rho us
s id jus in sed t M auri
commna.M rum or Cura ecurus . smo s nis eli
leesqdol
nt et vam o. uli u nas eui to. ae acc ac ex, ndi um m
di
ur rut ros vam eui ibu at
pel um
a
Vi
mod iac sed Vi la la vel vit se s bla end t
lis ctu
Ut s.cib dap am
ro, rutrum
n aece a at. lu o bib um
libe
us ips a dis a

We use a mixture of
utp lectu mol ndi
elit dui
com lus fau nul .M , nul m m su.Eti ,
.Vivamus
temp em rvin ue odi ips
Proi tel in ae lis pen et pel
vol non
, ris gue c,ne bla rum
Lor adipiscing pul ntu au jus to dia
amectetur di val Sus it esq orci
ctum
are
.massa
i con la na
t,conse
tor e
rut
t, ege
. er, la po
sit
nt , erme
c,neblandit elit orn mise vit ur vel estpo ie
dolor vitae con ex. i f srtt nul mag
sed magna
ro u
eu tor ro,
lib
ipsum mollis
ctor
e,vestibulum .
enim
pri ris est corp is
icu
Lorem t, porta
bit gue por cid sedanrttt mau uam
ntesqu congue, nisl qui at
tortorveli elei at nulla s.Etiamat
lib
pelle itt i i ur sed
nt veh dui
cursu con tem mol ull
tempus s. Duis abitur torrisu nunc
Cura
fend.Cur quisrtti po tin us ums ege cid t
euismod
m nec bit
Lor leo id diam id aliquam dapibus it nt sag orb ele rta us
temp em ris.M orbi
mau , non
diam qua c In metacc lo tin M Curam po eli
Ut rutrum dapibus vehicula
cip ris. qua. t,i gvam
vehicula us. nec a rem lam mau
sagittis
Nun Vi
Nam quis . Nullam
orbi sa cin.
us ips urna.M
sus non Nul la fendorvel
turpis.
et
Ut ctumst
vari ,ex e
atea pldi
t
pel um
.
ur rut
ali su
ctor mi
m rdi .maspis
commodo habitasse nec lam imp u
Ut
com na. au s
nte,aeu
mst icu id cur tort
leesqdol
nt
e. eli
In hac
ae adi
In modM orbrum .
Nul erduc
at et
neq t,
euismod ctu
di s m Dui
or
pl veh d
to ipsum
int d
consequ eu reri vitur
con hac o ue, jus
s.
corper, a
ea qui dia smo
i leo ves sit
Nun m
nt ullam .Fusce
c hen
seq t ro, rutrum
sse
nisi
at
tu dap
r tib,con non tinciductor. au rices sem
. ita Nam s eui ulu sectet libe
uat hab pis. ibuid elit dui
ult . nun c et
Nun ame
ulu sect rerit, elit molestie
.M auris lacus ex quis
massa tib coname .Vivamus
ibuid
ita Nam hend o uat hab rpis.
e.Ut suscipit tjus
Nun
nun c et
. s eui m etu
Nunc
eu nequ
bibendum ctum di semper adipiscing
t,
ntum amectetur di
tu dap
at
sse
ea qui dia smo risferme ex, sed ntum .massa ctum
ves sit
t,conse
seq
c hen s. vit r nunc mau blandit Cras eleme
o i leo ue, sit vitae c,neblandit elit t, ege
Nun lo eget tti odio ligula
. con hac orb dolor
eu rder s m iddDui ae adi
rem tor, orci ctus ac in sed magna
or
int c ctu veh
pl
di rdiet r po ipsum e,vestibulum mollis .
enim
t, porta
In modM rum
neq it, cur impe pelle lu Lorem
leesqdol
ntesqu congue, nisl
Nul erdum imp mst icu tsort .maspis Nunc accumsan est esque pelle tortorveli elei at nulla s.Etiamat
nt
,ex a sed nt et at.
com a. rut
e. eli a cursu
nec lam Ut
u . Nul la ali su or interdum nec metus velit volutp tempus s. Duis abitur
fend.Cur quisrtti torrisu
po nunc
sa cin
pel um
sed ligula euismod
urn
,ex redie t fend
qua vel .Vi nt eu leo id diam id aliquam , non
dapibus
a . Nam ris.M orbi
Ut
var sus non diam
lam mau
ris. . ti, gvam Nullam . In tincidu eet
in rlao
pus ips mau
iu nec a t r cip M Curm po eli necvar
ius rcu amet
sit
m Ut rutrum dapibus vehicula vehicula
sagittis

statistical evidence and

Nun s. em
lo abi rta us orbi Nam quis . Nullam
sag orb ele urna.M
tem
In metacc ege tin
qua c it nt t e accumsan lo
rem turpis.
Lore
dui atea pl ctumst
di
m nec tin us ums t cid
mol ull itt i quiitur
veh at
sed
ex. Suspendiss to. jus a maximus
nequ
e, a
ipsum commodo habitasse ctor mi
au
con temp ucor tempor a vitae nte ac In hac nte,aeu
Cur cid sedanrtt mau
nt est am icu
is srtt nul mag lib
ro, Nunc
nec felis
semper fames
.M orbi at et . euismod
lib abi gue or eu
uvel
r
tior isfer
po ct per
orie la po tior conla nac, rut
e congue
convallis re, nisl
posue et malesuada atis est consequ justo ipsum
pr reo tur conv ex. est
nt , . , quam
vel euismod s.ntI erdum odio ,venen
non corper,
or imi vit it esq orci ntu
me jus , nonrisu gue, ne
dia rum tellu in nt ullam .Fusce
nisi
nar s all Sus
au to bla r, nulla
pulvina id ipsum sollicitud ,rhoncus non tinciductor. au rices sem .
e t in ae pul et pel
vol m s.Eti mol ndi .M aecenas quis lacus rerit, elit molestie ult massa
is pen
ue odi m ips a Curabitur nulla hend .M auris lacus ex quis o
tjus
ell rvin
. , nul
utp le lu o bib um dap am lis ctu ro vitaefaucibu s.Vivamus ravida g . eu Nunc e.Ut suscipit bibendum ctum di
Pr fau nul
us s. M aece at ctu t libe
rta ac risus eu nequ ntum ex, sed
semper
com oin a a dis . s bla end eui ibuat di primis
in
ros ecursus po nunc risferme
mau blandit Cras eleme
ntum
Vi la la
cib vel vit se nis elim sed
s.M aecenas lo eget tti odio ligula
.
mod iac sed
ros vam to. ac ex, ndi um smo s ornare
tellus
le finibu
rem tor, orci ctus
r po ac in
Vi u nas eui ae acc in sed
.M nun l t,t ctus s.ult , sapien
impe rdiet
pelle lu

Most scripts are scanned, ready

ntd p ricie Nunc accumsan est esque
et vam o. uli ecurus jus ums
t aur e, eni
. ege , etretium
lacinia lacinia ,ex a sed nt et at. a
Cur id smo .lig di is aeu c massa id sagittis interdum nec metus velit volutp
tu rhon us s qui Cras ctu m diam
vel nibh
at lorem in amet e sed
dolor sed ligula
sap rpi cus tin abi vel dia sus ips d an ula m ult ri iaculis volutp
. Quisque
sit Nullam . In tincidu nt eu a . Nam
eet
vul iens.Don
ravi s tell pos ele lac ces
au
ct Proin tu aliquet nte. a Suspendiss eu maximus ius in rlao
rcu amet
cid
tur nib
vol m gda lac ums. re, sit or o.Curabitur rpis icies necvar sit
put .Ali ec mau nt us u nt
rcu commod ,at molestie ipsum , et r ult .Curabitur loeleifend
ri u utp h
. I erue nis ntu us
me ex sem mi nibh re in
ipsum arem odi e accumsan remlo
at
e qua lacs.Aliest sol dum feli
ame
in m qui nis nt est vel euismod e u, posue velrisus o. a maximus
M at lac l
sem s .Fusc
tincidu suscipit ex. Suspendiss to. jus nequ
e, a
ipsum
tort aece auct m , trlao Vivamus ris.Aliquam ferme ntum me ntum. Quisque in
, lacinia tempor a vitae nte ac
or eu us, qua nib ,at rem et
lo ini rhon et s sem
,lic eet
a i mau ctus eu tu
lu
, dui fer in dolor Nunc
nec
convallis felis
semper fames
.M orbi
est
reti . Nam per mas e etrhoncus lacus euvehicula c, semper nun re, nisl et malesuada
or nas vel lu mvel hmol
dui in pa itu . rpis quam congue
posue venenatis
non
Vi nis max nis ctu um cus mal per tjus sa turpis.Donec eu nisl ligula attis, m vel euismod s.ntI erdum inodio ,
Donvam mi
.Pha l s mas din esu o .Aliquam vel mi .Phasellus accumsan r, nulla id ipsum tellu , rhoncus
eui est ctu
le odi sed sapien au tor et pulvina sollicitud
di ec us l imu rpis eu sa s e,
neq ate c tor, nisi Curabitur .M aecenas quis lacus
vol ctu ele sel euvehferme smo ie rpis o ada a u vulput rtti
po nulla
lob ntu rhons lac fin lig
varius.
Nunc c. nun
non eleme libero vitaefaucibu s.Vivamus ravida g . eu
utp m er nec rti me lus tuicu ntu d tu ven fammax
,non pis non neque ntum.
lacinia in rta ac risus

expert judgment to agree

o m ula tu
r ros ecursus po
at at odicus ips ali ricis.
ini ibu
M en es imu rhoncus aliquam nibh id dolor primis sed
s.M aecenas
. tin s
aug Nam nt non o, lig lafer m eu , et que as.e aece ati nt s a maximus odi o,at id odioos evita e, euismod ornare
tellus
le finibu
cid tort at rtu pis me , um e r
s acipsemlo M aecenas ntum
eleme ntesque r quis
augu ctus s.ult , sapien
ue a lib or ula
c, ntupos rult ici t ult nas nisl tor.Pelle ,venenatis
quis odio e, lacinia
p
, etretium ricie
lacinia
u ali .est tortor nec rpotti ult
ricies . nibh massa id sagittis
ici mol ro.eM nec
rult non sem
nun m. ue re es sit . Qui po
M aum
orb tortor ci sapien
ro mi
.Curabitur
re velit diam
vel at lorem in amet e sed
dolor
qua var per Qui in nte. rta
lobortis non ro.M aecenas iaculis ra velit
posue
t, e iaculis volutp
. Quisque
sit
es lis aece rtt iu a ame i libe eget ret Proin tu aliquet nte. a Suspendiss eu maximus
m s. Sus squ ac Vivamus nt Cras
. nibh f , pha o.Curabitur rpis
.Don
ut . nib
po nib Nun in squ ips t risu nec tincidu ringilla commod , et r icies
ult .Curabitur fend
Cr nas tior e Donec at. Nam a mollis tellus
et ,at molestie ipsum
nibh re in
ipsum arem loelei odi
ec as h r .Pel h dolvele .Cur um pen s r
e ut
.Donec nt est vel euismod e u, posue velrisus o.
ege oci
c
neq po risu abi disid eu dictum icies
rult tincidu suscipit
et le rtt ,or sag at augue Vivamus ris.Aliquam ferme ntum me ntum. Quisque in
, lacinia
tell
t sap esq
nt
ue tior
lac
s tur se volutp mau ctus eu tu
lu
, dui fer in dolor
usr iac ien , in
ini ar itt etrhoncus lacus euvehicula c, semper
rpis nun
,ven ue c. nis em sed eu nisl
ing
f uli
non
a lo eu is
, turpis.Donec ligula attis, m
.Cur en id i sus ele max dol sap .Aliquam vel mi .Phasellus et accumsan

to be marked on a computer
ill
, phasabiati odi nun et sapien ctor
a cip
fend
i ate au rtti
po tor, nisi
mi s o. imu or ien vulput Nunc nun
ret tur qui o acc varius. c.
non eleme
ra rs id ums
it s pis non
tu
r neque ntum.
lacinia
ultos
vel rici att odi rhoncus aliquam nibh id dolor
it es evit dol ans, maximus odi o,at id odio evita e, euismod
i M aecenas

Then the scripts are passed

t, e, ntum
eleme ntesque ros quis
augu
epos odiaeuior m nisl tor.Pelle ,venenatis
quis odio e,
tortor nec rpotti ult
ricies .
ue lac tortor ci sapien
ro mi
.Curabitur
re velit
re o smo ntu rtis non ro.M aecenas iaculis
posue
t, e
vel e, aug d ini lobo
nt libe . nibh Cras eget ringilla retra velit
. qui
it
m.
a Vivamus
nec tincidu f , pha
u Donec at. Nam a mollis tellus
et
s ele r
e ut
.Donec
me dictum icies
rult
at augue

grade boundaries. They vary

volutp

screen by examiners. For any Cambridge examiners

exam, every students work is
marked in the same way
to our teams of examiners. slightly from year to year
are teachers or experts
in their subject Every examiner practises by
marking the same scripts as
the senior team to make sure Once the grade
Q1 Lo s met,consectetur
rem ipsum dolor ita

they understand how to mark boundaries have been ci

adipis .Nuncrutrum e
ngelit ros?
.........................
..........................
1 ..............
........................
...........................
2 ..............
to the same standard agreed, we apply them [2]

to your marks to give quismi portti tormalesuada.Sedel eif-

Q2 end,mauris a maximu s e lei fend,lacus

you a grade enim ?

.........................
...........................................
.........................
...........................................
.........................
...........................................
[3]
finibusfel is, non accumsanarcufelise u

Q3 nunc. In turpisme tus,finibusutvenena-

tiscongue,?
............................
........................................
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Some scripts are [4]

marked on paper and

some, such as multiple Senior examiners carry
choice exams, are out final checks on the
marked automatically marking. Once weve done
by a computer all of our checks, your
results are sent back to
your school

A few days after the exam,

a team of our experienced
senior examiners get
together to mark a sample Watch the video here
set of scripts