Will you be marked down for poor handwriting/sentence structure in exams?

As long as the handwriting is readable no, likewise for sentence structure

It depends on the exam. In English language, sentence structure, grammar and spelling are important. Handwriting needs to be legible, but you will not be penalised for handwriting that is messy.

You will be marked down in the writing section of your language exams (Section B) as there is 16 marks available for spelling, punctuation and grammar. On most Literature exams there are 4 marks available for SPAG. Handwriting not so much however, if you can make it as legible as possible it would make it easier to read.

Yes, you will. Exams, including GCSE, require a certain standard of written English. Approx 20 marks could be withheld should there be concerns in this area. Spelling, punctuation and grammar must be of a high standard to achieve the highest potential grading.

GCSE AQA: You will never be marked down for handwriting; In fact you will never be marked down even if you write the wrong point. The only thing is you won’t be marked for it. For example if your points written allow you to get 5/8 marks, you will stick to that 5. You will not be marked down.

When it comes to handwriting if yours cannot be read then the script will be passed onto a another person. Poor handwriting can however prevent you from getting marks as important points might be missed out if the examiner cannot read it, therefore handwriting is extremely important.

Sentence structure is key for Aqa paper 1 question 5 and paper 2 question 5. You get marked on this for the second half of the question which is out of 16 marks. Sentence structure is important in creative writing as it shows the examiner you have those skills. Again you will NEVER be marked down; the reality is you won’t get any extra marks if you don’t use sentence structures correctly. No one will knock marks off yours.

In the literature paper for Aqa you get an extra 4 marks for 2 questions. Again those 4 marks are SPAG marks : spelling, punctuation and grammar which can push you into the next band up (the next grade too) so do be mindful it can help boost your grade if used correctly.

Poor handwriting, no - as long as it is still legible. If your teachers are having problems reading your work then you should speak to your SEND department to discuss using a laptop in your exams.

Poor sentence structure however, will affect your mark in certain exams. This is usually only in Language exams, but sometimes Literature. If you're worried about your sentence structure, start by speaking to your teacher. If you're still not sure, then websites such as the below might help:

Sentence Structure (A Complete Guide for Students and Teachers) (literacyideas.com)

As long as what you have written can be read then no need to worry. No marks are taken off for poor handwriting.

The better your sentence structure and using a variety of sentences will help to get better marks!

Hope that helps!

Well James, if the examiner can't read your amazing analysis then yes, BUT if it is legible then you are marked for WHAT you write rather than the quality of your handwriting. We know that our handwriting often takes a battering in timed exam conditions, but this is where adding a quick proof read to check before the end of the exam helps to make sure what you have written is both legible and accurate.

Sentence Structure is really very important while writing. Yes you'll be marked down if your sentences are grammatically incorrect. Handwriting should also be neat. I'll would help your examiner read your answers easily. It makes a good impact.

Hi Jameson, you will not be marked down for poor hand writing but it does need to be legible. So as long as your hand writing can be read, you will be fine. If not, this may be something you might want to spend some time practicing. Sentence structure will be taken in to account by the examiner as this will show that you can structure your work clearly use a variety or punctuation and create a certain effect in creative/personal writing.

No, you won't, but the examiner will read a scanned copy of your exam - one of several hundred - so it is important for your handwriting to be clear.

In the writing section of GCSE language papers 1 and 2, the mark scheme mentions the use of various sentence structures for effect. There are no marks for this in the reading section of either paper.

Handwriting itself won’t affect your grade as long as it’s legible. In terms of spelling it is important that what you write is legible and understandable as well as being as accurate as possible

Hi Jameson! 🖐

It depends on the qualification and what is being assessed. So, for example, if you are writing a short story for an English exam, your sentence structure is being assessed because it is a writing exam. If however you are writing a paragraph in a Biology exam, sentence structure will not be the key skill that is assessed.

Handwriting is quite subjective, and by this I mean some examiners will struggle to read poor handwriting and move on, and some have FBI levels of deciphering! 😂 So it's always best to find the balance between having readable writing and beating the time limits on the exam. If you keep practicing your handwriting, rather than typing assessments / homework, you will soon find your handwriting improves. I hope this helps. 😊

Hi there! You won't be marked down for poor handwriting directly, but if it is causing a big issues for you you can talk to your teachers about potentially typing your exam answers out rather than writing them by hand. You would have to supervised during your exams, but this could be a solution for you. With sentence structure, this is a bit more important. The main priority is to make it sure your exam makes sense to someone who's never met you before, so try to keep things simple if you're ever in doubt. Be aware of when a sentence is getting too long and what punctuation you could use to break it up. Hope this helps!

Yes. The examiners often have to mark hundreds of students work, if they can't read it and it is illegible, you will get marked down.

A variety of types of sentences are part of what the examiner is grading you on. As is your grammar, so watch that the tenses match and you don't switch from 1st to 3rd person in the written document.