See this sample Article from the Cambridge English First (FCE) Writing paper with feedback from a teacher

Writing Class: Article

Task Type: Article

Question
You have seen the following advertisement in a magazine:

Film Weekly Top 100 films - the viewers' choice

What is your favourite film of all time?
Why should it be in the top 100?

Write a short article about these questions and you could be published in our next issue.

Write your article for the magazine (around 140-190 words).

Makeover: Clarice

Read Clarice's answer to this question below. Try correcting the piece of writing yourself first: use the marking codes to think about what might be wrong (or what's good) about the piece of work. Then when you're ready, click the green buttons in the text for our feedback.

Certainly, the best film I have ever seen was the classic Gone with the Wind. The film, based on a book written by Margaret Mitchell, tells the story of a spoiled and determinated young lady, Scarlett O'Hara. Gd Althought S she is pretty and charming, the man she loves does not love her. Scarlett fight hardly WF for this love, even when eclodes American Civil War PE . But the War changes everything in her life, her values, dreams, and almost everybody had gone WT . Then, she, WW from the South, fells S in love with a Yankee, from the North.

The film is fabulous, with a very good storyboard, WW beautiful settings and clothes. Also, the historic context is recreated, like the order from Lincoln to begin the War, the cause of it, how life was before and after this tragedy. Gone with the Wind emotions WF the youth and elders WF by showing the stupidity of war and the strength of love.

Feedback

Content
A very good attempt at this question, Clarice! You have answered the question appropriately, giving a brief description and explaining why you felt it was such a good film. At 153 words the article is well within the word count. However, it would be a good idea to aim closer to 180 words to give the examiner more opportunity to assess your English and help you give as full an answer as possible.

Communicative Achievement
You have written the article in a neutral register with a friendly tone. The reader would be fully engaged throughout.

Organisation
The article is clearly organised with the first paragraph introducinmg the film and outlining the plot, the second dealing with other issues such as setting and the historical context. Good use of discourse markers such as 'although' (careful of the spelling), 'even when', 'also', like' etc.

Language
You used several words and expressions appropriate for an article about films such as 'classic', 'setting' and 'context'. You also used the present tense well to give a sense of immediacy to your writing. You should pay attention to your spelling, however, and make a note of the corrections above.

Well done!

Marking Code

/\ Word(s) missing

- Omit word

C Capitalization

Gd Good

O Organisation

P Punctuation

PE Poorly expressed

R Register/Formality

SS Sentence Structure

S Spelling

T Tip

WF Wrong form

WO Word order

WT Wrong tense

WW Wrong word

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Cambridge English: First