Cambridge English: Proficiency

Writing Task (go to Checklist)

Writing Paper Part 2. Task Type: Article

Question
You are looking through the alumni newsletter of a school that you once attended and you see the following announcement:

Write your article for the editor of the alumni newsletter. (around 280 - 320 words)

What you need to do to pass
Read our checklist first to understand what the examiner is looking for in a good answer.

Ideas for writing
Ask yourself the following questions to help you get started:

• Decide which school you are going to write about.
• Spend a few moments thinking about your best memory.
  - was it a special event? e.g. being presented with a prize for good work
  - was it a lively teacher who inspired you to do great things?
  - was it the friends that you made?
  - was it a particular period? e.g. your last year at primary school
  Make some notes about what happened and how you felt.
• Now do the same with your worst memory.
  - did you get into trouble for bad behaviour?
  - did you fail an important exam?
  - did you fall out with your best friend?
  Again, make notes about the points you are going to mention.
• Finally, decide about the tone and register you are going to adopt. You can be reasonably informal in this article and use humour if you wish.

Drafting and proofreading your work

You should look at your first draft of the task and decide:

• Have you answered the question fully?
• Is the layout and organisation appropriate for an article?
• Is the language accurate with a good range of structures?
• Is the style appropriate and consistent throughout?
• Will the editor and the other readers (i.e. former pupils and teachers) be interested in what you have written?

If the answer is 'no' to any of these questions then you will need to do some more drafting!