Paper 2 - Writing

General description
Format: T he paper contains two parts .
Timing: I hour 30 m inutes
Parts: 2
Task: Candidates are required to complete two tasks:
I) a compulsory task in Part I and 2) one task from a choice of three in Part 2.
A r ange fro m t he fo llowing: article; emai l/lette r ; essay ; repo rt; review.
Scor ing: Each q uesti o n on th is paper carries equal weight .

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!; Structure&Tasks
i Part I - Writing a discursive essay
Candidates are asked to write an essay based on two points given in the input text. They will be asked to explain which of
the two points is more important and to give reasons to support their argument. The essay title will be on a subject of
general interest not requiring any specialised know ledge.
1 Word Requirement: 220- 260 words

Part 2 - Writing paper

Writing one from a number of possible te xt types based on a conte xtualised w riting task.
Candidates have a choice of task. In questions 2--4, th e t asks pr ovide candidates with a clear context, topic , purpose and
t arget reader for their w r iting. The output text t ypes are : • article • email//etter • report • review.
Word Req uirement: 220- 260 words

Task types in the Writing paper:

The different task types endeavour to est ablish frameworks for candidates t o develop their ideas on a topic with a purpose
for writing and a target reader in mind .

A PROPOSAL is written for a group of contem poraries like cl ub members or colleagues. Candidates will be expected to
make suggestions backed by facts t o persuade th eir readers .

AN EMAIL/A LETTER is written to respond to a situation outlined in the question reflecting the appropriate register and
tone for the specified target reade r. C and idates are asked to develop correspondence to, for example, an English-speaking
friend or colleague, a potential employer, a college principal or a magazine editor.

AN ESSAY is always written for a teacher. lt should address the pr ompt pr ovided in terms of add r essing both content
points and providing a new view point of the w rite r 's own. The essay shou ld be well developed with an introduction,
appropriate conclusion as well as w ritten in an appr opriate register an d tone .

A REPORT is usually developed fo r a superior (e .g. a teacher) or a peer group (e .g. members of an English club) . The
question identifies the subject of the compositio n and the areas to be covered. C andidates must provide some factual
information and make recommendations , but th ere is space for t hem t o incor por ate their own ideas and ex periences.

Ii A REVIEW is written traditionally for an English-language magazine, newspaper or website. The main purpose is to de-
i ascribe and ex press a personal opinio n about somet hi ng w hich the w riter has experienced (e.g. a film , a holiday. a product,
website etc. ) and to give the reade r a clear imp re ssion o f w hat the item discussed is like. Description and explanation
I are key functions fo r th is task and a review will normally incl ude a reco mmendation to the reader.
I, For all task types, questions are constructed to enable candidates to display th eir English language proficiency at CEFR C I
! level ; candidates should take special care to read every part of each question , and not to omit any required development
I of the topic.
i Guidelines on length
I Guidelines on length are provided for each task; essays that ar e too short may not have an adequate range of language and
I may not provide all the information that is required, while responses which are too long may contain extraneous content
J and have a negative effect on the reader. These m ay affect candidates' mar ks on the relevant subscales.
1 Candidates are expected to employ a consistent form of English in areas, such as spelling and not, for example, switch
L from using a British spell ing of a w ord to an Amer ican spelling of the same w ord .
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. /, ~:~~~·. ~ .· Advanced Exam Guide

Writing Part I : Essay

composition in the Writing section is traditionally composed for an academic tutor and may be developed as a follow-up to a
activity, like attending a seminar or watching a documentary film . The main purpose of this task is to highlight relevant
nt issues on the stated topic as well as to support an argument with subsidiary points and reasons. Your essay should be
organised well , including an introduction, supporting paragr~phs and a compelling conclusion . The composition should capture
r eader's attention and express sophisticated ideas using a range of stylistic str uctures and vocabulary.

Task Format
ere will be no choice of tasks in this Part. The task will introduce a topic that is to be written as a response to an academic
activity like a panel discussion or listening to a radio show. A set of notes on the subject matter will be provided , expressed as
ree bullet points plus three short opinions related to the bullet points.

Task Type and Focus

You ar e asked to compose an essay drawing on two of the bullet points. You will be asked to explain which of the two points is
ore important and to express reasons for your viewpoint. The objective of this exercise is to enable you to identify the most
rel evant issues on a topic and to support the argument with supporting ideas. Your essay should include a well-organised intro-
uction, supporting paragraphs and an appropriate conclusion .
e writing task is constructed to permit you to demonstrate your ability to write at this elevated level. You should read every
part of the task carefully, not to omit any required development of the topic.

Ti ps for Writing Part I

I Read the entire task before beginning to plan your response. You will need to fam iliarise yourself with reading the input,
understanding the instructions in full and then deciding on how to organise and construct your response.
2 Select two bullet points and develop your essay around them . Avoid trying to discuss more than two of the points, for this
w ould lead the composition to being less developed than needed.
3 You may use the opinions expressed in the task to develop your answer, but be sure to use your own words as much
as possible. No credit will be given for text that has been copied directly from the prompt.

Writing Part 2: Letter, Proposal, Report or Review

letter is composed to respond to a situation provided in the task. Expect to be required to write letters to the editor of a
blication , the director of a company, to a friend or to a university administrator. Letters will not be restricted to a narrative
ment but will also require candidates to execute other objectives, such as to resolve a misunderstanding or advocate for a
ourse of action.
proposal may be composed for a group of contemporaries at work or to a person in a position of authority, like a professor.
You will be asked to express suggestions that are supported by facts, employing persuasive language.
report may be composed for a superior or a peer group. The content of the document is somewhat factual , stemming from
e prompt, though you will have the room to inject your own ideas and experience. You w ill be required to do more than
sim ply describe a situation, including evaluating how a particular objective may be achieved or to suggest an alternative course
of action.
review may concern a book, film or work of art as well as a product or service. A review in the Writing exam does not simply
equire a general description of the item reviewed , instead calls for an evaluation of its appropriateness for its intended audience.
The target audience is specified in the task and thus candidates should be encouraged to use this information when choosing
· eas and language to incorporate into thei r response.

Task Format
T his part of the exam includes three tasks from which candidates must choose. Each item in the section features a context, a
purpose for writing and the target audience. Attention to detail is key for every component of the question to generate an
effective response. Be careful to choose language that is appropriate for the task.

Tips for Writing Part 2

I lt is imperative that you become familiar with the various task types that the exam requires. All of the task types do not appear
on each exam , thus it is important to be prepared to write in any of the styles.
2 Develop your skills in deciding which type of task you will complete. Evaluate the required functions, grammatical structures,
vocabulary and register required by each task. Then , you may select the task that you believe you can complete at the highest
level.
3 Be cognisant of your audience when crafting your essay. Consider whether the person is someone you know, a stranger or
someone in a position of authority etc. lt is vital to develop a balanced approach whereby you equally weigh the functions
required by the task and the relationship with the target audience.
 Paper 2- Writing
Tips for Writing

Candidates write best when they select tasks and topics aligned w ith their interests and background . In preparation for the
exam, expose yourself to a wide variety of tasks and topics. You will benefit from guidance on the particular features of
each task as well as the appropriate style and tone for your readers.
2 Read each question closely, highlight the most important facets and develop a response that addresses all of the points
required by the task . This will facilitate your ability to develop well-structured and balanced compositions.
3 Be sure to not simply reproduce an essay you may have written in preparation for the test. lt is unlikely that at previous
response will satisfy the exact requirements of the exam.
4 Practise developing ideas fully to illustrate a variety of vocabulary and grammatical structures to express more complex
ideas where appropriate.
5 Make effective use of linking words and phrases to polish the flow of your ideas. In addition, to enhance the logic and ease
of your composition use a variety of cohesive devices and organisational patterns.
6 Employ a range of complex language structures where suitable . The examiner will give you credit for attempting for
sophisticated modes of expression, even if you make some mistakes, as long as it does not preclude the comprehension of
the overall idea you are trying to convey.
7 The time permitted allows for a brief period of planning and then the composition of your essay. lt does not account for
time to compose fair copies or to count words. Each item on the W r iting section carries with it equal marks. So practise
using your time carefully on each question .
8 Write legibly so that your answers can be marked fairly, though the quality of your penmanship will not be assessed. lt is
immaterial whether your handwriting is joined up or not, nor whether you write in upper or lower case characters.
9 Be sure to compose your answers on the lined pages in the separate Answer Sheets for Writing. There is no need to make
a "fair copy" of a response and copying what has been written previously is a poor use of time. Should you need to make a
revision to what you have written, simply cross out the relevant words. The examiners, subsequently, will ignore these words .
This will not have a detrimental effect on your overall score.
I0 Practice writing the compositions within the word limit so that you are well versed in w hat is required. lt is wasteful to
spend time counting words and this often leads to poor alterations that erode the overall quality of your essay.
I I Check your work for spelling, grammar and errors in punctuation . These mistakes are not penalised specifically but these
mistakes can preclude communication and/or have an adverse effect on the reader.
12 American and other variations of the English spelling and usage are acceptable.
13 Practice writing your essays without a dictionary, for they are not permitted in the examination room.