General English
G.C.E. Advanced Level General English, Subject 13, taken in Grades 12 and 13. This is a separate subject from A/L English Literature, and separate again from the practical English pages.
Three different things called English
General English (Subject 13) is the A/L subject on this page, sat by students in Grades 12 and 13 alongside their main subjects.
English Literature (Subject 73) is a different A/L subject, with its own prescribed texts. It is in A/L Literature.
Practical English is not an examination subject at all. It is everyday, spoken and workplace English for adults and independent learners, and it is in Practical English.
What this section will hold
General English is assessed in two papers. The work is language rather than literature: grammar and vocabulary in use, reading comprehension, and writing for a purpose.
This section is being built from provincial and zonal papers whose sources are being verified before anything is published.
General English papers and marking schemes
General English 2026: RCF answers to both papers
RCF English
RCF English material, free to use
General English Teachers' Guide, Grades 12 and 13
National Institute of Education, Sri Lanka
Linked from the National Institute of Education
G.C.E. A/L General English Practice Test 2019, Paper II Marking Scheme
Department of Education, Central Province
Provincial or departmental paper, linked not rehosted
G.C.E. A/L General English First Term Test 2019, Grade 12
Provincial Department of Education, North Western Province
Provincial or departmental paper, linked not rehosted
G.C.E. A/L General English Third Term Test 2019
Provincial Department of Education, North Western Province
Provincial or departmental paper, linked not rehosted
G.C.E. A/L General English 2018, Grade 12
Department of Education, Uva Province
Provincial or departmental paper, linked not rehosted
G.C.E. A/L General English 2019, Grade 12, Second Term
Field Work Centre Thondaimanaru, Northern Province Department of Education
Provincial or departmental paper, linked not rehosted
G.C.E. A/L General English 2019, Grade 12, Third Term
Field Work Centre Thondaimanaru, Northern Province Department of Education
Provincial or departmental paper, linked not rehosted
G.C.E. A/L General English 2019, Grade 13
Northern Province Department of Education
Provincial or departmental paper, linked not rehosted
G.C.E. A/L General English Third Term Test 2018
Field Work Centre Thondaimanaru, Northern Province Department of Education
Provincial or departmental paper, linked not rehosted
G.C.E. A/L General English Third Term Test 2018, Grade 13
Provincial Department of Education
Provincial or departmental paper, linked not rehosted
G.C.E. A/L General English 2019, Grade 13
Department of Education, Central Province
Provincial or departmental paper, linked not rehosted
A/L General English Listening Tests
Eight listening tests, one for the theme of each unit of the A/L General English textbook: Sri Lankan achievers, living in harmony, relationships, English as a local and global language, crime and social responsibility, the cyber world, continuing education and employment. They are written by RCF English, and the people and events in them are invented.
The passage is read aloud by your own browser, so there is nothing to download. Choose Practice to replay as often as you like, or Formal test for examination conditions, where the recording plays twice only. Each test has words to learn before you listen and can be printed as a worksheet. All of them are also in the Listening Laboratory.
Loading listening test…
Loading listening test…
Loading listening test…
Loading listening test…
Loading listening test…
Loading listening test…
Loading listening test…
Loading listening test…
What is still missing
The papers above are provincial and zonal papers whose issuing body was confirmed by reading the document itself, not its filename. Every one of them had an inaccurate filename.
Still to come: the official Department of Examinations General English papers, model papers, and a written guide to the examination structure. More resources coming soon.
In the meantime
Essay Writing Exercises
A/L General English essays of about 250 words, built step by step, with paragraph and linking exercises.
A/L Literature
Subject 73, the other A/L English subject, with its own prescribed texts.
Practical English
Everyday, spoken and workplace English for adults and independent learners.
Past Papers
Papers already published across the site, with filters by year and type.