TIMING 1 hour 20 minutesNO. OF PARTS 2

By Prof Alexander Benito

Part 1TASK TYPEAND FOCUS

Question 1Writing an essay.Focus on agreeing or disagreeing with a statement, giving information, giving opinion, giving reasons, comparing and contrasting ideas and opinions, drawing a conclusion.

FORMAT Candidates are required to deal with input of up to 120 words. There is an opening rubric to set the scene, and then an essay question with two given prompts, plus a prompt requiring candidates to write about their own additional idea.

NO. OF TASKSAND LENGTH

One compulsory task.140–190 words.

Part 2TASK TYPEAND FOCUS

Questions 2–4Writing one of the following: an article, an informal email or letter, a formal email or letter, a report, a review.

FORMAT A situationally based writing task specified in no more than 70 words.

NO. OF TASKSAND LENGTH

One task to be selected from a choice of three.140–190 words.

It is always written for the teacher. It should answer the question given by addressing both content points and providing a new content point of the writer’s own. The essay should be well organised, with an introduction and an appropriate conclusion and should be written in an appropriate register and tone.

A REPORT is usually written for a superior (e.g. a teacher) or a peer group (e.g. members of an English club). Candidates are expected to give some factual information and make suggestions or recommendations. A report should be clearly organised and may include headings.

It is usually written for an English-language magazine or newsletter, and the reader is assumed to have similar interests to the writer. The main purpose is to interest and engage the reader, so there should be some opinion or comment.

A letter/email is written in response to the situation outlined in the question. Letters and emails in the Cambridge English: First Writing paper will require a response which is consistently appropriate in register and tone for the specified target reader. Candidates can expect to be asked to write letters or emails to, for example, an English-speaking friend or colleague, a potential employer, a college principal or a magazine editor.

A review is usually written for an English-language magazine, newspaper or website. The main purpose is to describe and express a personal opinion about something which the writer has experienced (e.g. a film, a holiday, a product, a website etc.) and to give the reader a clear impression of what the item discussed is like. Description and explanation are key functions for this task, and a review will normally include a recommendation to the reader.