¡Descarga CAE Example Writing Test y más Exámenes en PDF de Idioma Inglés solo en Docsity!
PA P E R 2 W R I T I N G
General Description
Paper Format
The paper contains two parts.
Number of Tasks
Candidates are required to complete two tasks: a compulsory one in Part 1 and one from a choice of four in Part 2.
Task Types
From the following: newspaper and magazine articles, contributions to leaflets and brochures, notices, announcements, personal notes and messages, formal and informal letters, reports, proposals, reviews, instructions, directions, competition entries, information sheets, memos, written for a given purpose and target reader.
Answering Candidates write their answers on separate answer paper.
Timing 2 hours.
Marks Each question in the paper carries equal marks.
Task Type and Focus
Applying information contained in the input, selecting & summarising input, comparing items of information; task types from the following: newspaper and magazine articles, contributions to leaflets and brochures, notices, announcements, personal notes and messages, formal and informal letters, reports, proposals, reviews, instructions, directions, competition entries, information sheets, memos.
Task types as for Part 1.
One or more compulsory tasks.
Approx. 250 words in total.
Four questions from which candidates choose one. Approx. 250 words.
A contextualised writing task giving candidates guidance to the content through instructions and one or more texts and/or visual prompts.
A contextualised writing task specified in no more than 80 words
Number of Tasks
and Length
Part Task Format
P R E PA R I N G F O R PA P E R 2
Part 1
Part 1 is compulsory and requires candidates to process about 400 words of input material, and use the information appropriately to perform the task required. Candidates must read all the input material carefully, selecting that which is important. Input material may consist of varied combinations of text and notes, sometimes supported by illustrations or diagrams. The task is often divided into more than one section. Task types will vary in Part 1, and may include formal letters, informal letters, reports, articles, notes or any combination of these. (See page 18 for full list.)
Part 2
In Part 2, candidates have to choose one of four tasks. This part covers a range of task types, such as articles, reports and leaflets, and includes a work-orientated task as the last of the four questions.
Students must become aware of the need to adopt an appropriate style, layout and register for the format (or text type) of each writing task: the overall aim of the task being to have a positive effect on the target reader. Teachers need to spend time focusing on the key elements of the task type and draw attention to the differences and constraints involved. Notes, for example, need to be concise, while a report should not look like a discursive composition or a letter. Candidates should be told to avoid selecting a task in Part 2 if they are unfamiliar with the appropriate features of the particular format. Equally, candidates with no relevant business or work experience are not advised to choose the work question. During the preparation stage, students can learn to write in a variety of styles and registers and identify which tasks are best suited to their interests and experience.
Examiners are looking for an appropriate selection and expansion of the key points. Paragraphs should be well organised and points need to be appropriately linked. Therefore, answers need to be planned carefully and students may need help in this respect. They also need to practise checking their work for errors and inaccuracies. To get them into the habit, teachers can encourage students to give homework a final check, in class, before handing it in.
Answers which suffer from irrelevance, repetition, deviation, needless repetition of rubric, illegibility, misinterpretation or omission are likely to be penalised. In assessing written work, teachers should become familiar with the assessment criteria and try to apply them. Examiners will consider a number of factors, such as: content, organisation, cohesion, range and accuracy of structure and vocabulary, register and effect on target reader. Feedback on students’ written work which relates to the assessment criteria will help them to learn what is being assessed and where their strengths and weaknesses lie.
Some students fail to do as well as they might otherwise due to their poor grammar. To help rectify this, teachers should encourage students to spend time looking carefully at their corrected written work. Serious, numerous and/or repetitive errors may need to be dealt with systematically. There are various ways in which this might be done. Some students may benefit from re-writing their work, in whole or in part, leaving gaps where grammatical errors occur. They can then go back to the gapped version later and try to fill the gaps. Further remedial action may be taken where errors persist. Model answers which incorporate typical student errors, such as spelling, unnecessary and omitted words can also help students to identify and correct common grammatical errors.
Well-written model answers can also provide students with good examples of natural language appropriate to the task. However, care should be taken. Students do not need to write ‘perfect’ answers; model answers which are beyond the level to which students might reasonably aspire might be de-motivating and therefore should be avoided.
To become more effective at written communication, students often need to improve the range and extent of their productive vocabulary. Word lists, recycling activities, vocabulary games and exercises, as well as extensive and intensive reading practice will serve to achieve this aim.
During marking, each examiner is apportioned scripts chosen on a random basis from the whole entry in order to ensure there is no concentration of good or weak scripts or of one large centre of one country in the allocation of any one examiner. Each script is marked twice by different examiners, and where there is significant disagreement in the marks allocated, the script is marked a third time.
Length
The specific number of words used is not taken into account (except in band 0), as length is an integral part of task achievement. Significantly fewer words are likely to mean that the task has not been completed, whereas over-long pieces of writing may involve irrelevance or have a negative effect on the target reader. If this is the case, over-length will be penalised.
Handwriting
Work which is difficult to read is penalised by a one or possibly two-band reduction depending on the degree of illegibility.
Spelling
American spelling is acceptable, but there should be consistency. Poor spelling is penalised by a one-band reduction if it interferes with communication.
Irrelevance
The examiners’ first priority is to give credit for the candidates’ efforts at communication, but candidates are penalised for content irrelevant to the task set.
Layout
Following the conventions of the various task types (writing letters, reports, instructions, etc.) is part of task achievement. Any acceptable modern layout for a formal letter may be used. Paragraphs should be clearly laid out either by indenting or by leaving a space between each paragraph.
M A R K I N G
The panel of examiners is divided into small teams, each with a very experienced examiner as Team Leader. A Principal Examiner guides and monitors the marking process, beginning with a meeting of the Principal Examiner for the paper and the Team Leaders. This is held immediately after the examination and begins the process of establishing a common standard of assessment by the selection of sample scripts for all the questions in Paper 2. These are chosen to demonstrate the range of responses and different levels of competence, and a task-specific mark scheme is finalised for each individual task on the paper.
Examiners discuss these task-specific and general mark schemes and refer to them regularly while they are working. A rigorous process of co-ordination and checking is carried out before and throughout the marking process.
PA P E R 2 W R I T I N G S A M P L E PA P E R
Part 1
You do not need to include
postal addresses.You should use your own words as far as possible.
M A R K S C H E M E S & S A M P L E S C R I P T S W I T H E X A M I N E R C O M M E N T S
The accuracy of language, including spelling and punctuation, is assessed on the general impression scale for all tasks. Criteria for assessing specific range of language and task achievement are outlined below.
Q U E S T I O N 1
TASK-SPECIFIC MARK SCHEME
BAND 3 DESCRIPTORS (SATISFACTORY)
Content (points covered) To obtain a band 3 or above, both tasks must be attempted and use made of the information in the poster and the memo across the two tasks. N.B. It is not necessary to include all the handwritten notes on the memo, even for a 5. Article: must inform students of Principal’s intentions and encourage them to oppose these plans. Letter: must state students’ /committee’s opposition to the Principal’s plans.
Organisation and Cohesion Article: early mention of the issue. Clearly organised with suitable paragraphing. Better candidates will attempt to engage the reader’s attention.
Part 1 The testing focus of Part 1 is on content, effective organisation of the input, appropriacy of the piece(s) of writing to the intended audience, and on accuracy. Some use of key words from the input is acceptable, but candidates should have re-worded phrases appropriately. The range of vocabulary, functions and structures will be defined by the task.
Letter: formal letter layout with appropriate opening and closing formulae (addresses not needed). Suitable linking of ideas and clear paragraphing.
Range Article: language of giving information, opinion and persuasion. Letter: language of disagreement and opinion.
Register Article: consistently informal or neutral, with rallying tone that will encourage students to take action. Letter: formal with polite opposition.
Target Reader Article: will be clearly informed and prepared to take action. Letter: will understand the students’ position.
C A N D I DAT E A
Save Our Sports
Our College wants to sell off sports facilities. The student welfare committee has recently been confronted by a memo from our Principle, in which he showed his intention to hire the sports hall to the public and to sell the football field.
Principal Baton backed his decision by saying the college had to save – a fact we had never heard of – and that the sports facilities are under-used. The committee has conducted a survey to prove that this is not the case. Over sixty percent of the students use the sports hall more than three times a week. And though there are only two football matches a month the field is used for training.
We need your help! Support the committee that we can use our sports facilities further on and don’t have to pay membership for our own sports centre. Show the Principal your enthusiasm and interest. I am sure that, if we stand together, we will get our sports back.
E X A M I N E R C O M M E N T S
Content
Article: Fully completed. Letter: Fully completed and particularly resourceful.
Organisation and Cohesion
Article: A well thought out approach to organisation. Three logical paragraphs which define the context, set out the facts, and call for action. Letter: Well organised. Links the committee’s opposition and a positive suggestion for future discussion.
Range
Article: Good evidence of range e.g. conducted a survey; if we stand together. Letter: Good range e.g. proved the contrary; decided to oppose; at least in this form. Extremely diplomatic - But I am sure we can talk about this matter...
Register Article: Could perhaps have adopted a more rallying tone from the outset, though this comes through at the end of the article e.g. We need your help! Support the committee... Letter: very controlled indignation e.g. to express the committee’s concern. Good formal language throughout.
Target Reader Article: Would be informed. Letter: Might be prepared to negotiate.
Accuracy Article: Not a flawless performance e.g. we can use our sports facilities further on... Letter: Generally accurate but one or two slips e.g. besides the high school fees.
Band 5
The Student Welfare Committee Christopher Halle
Einstein College 12 June 1997 E.G. Baton, Principle
Dear Mr Baton,
I am writing to you to express the committee’s concern about your plans for the sports facilities. You asserted a lack of student interest. So we conducted a survey which proved the contrary. Sixty percent of the students use the sports hall more than three times a week and the football ground is also used for training between the matches. Therefore the committee decided to oppose your intention, at least in this form. Students would not be able to practise if the hall were open for public all day and it is certainly not fair that they should pay besides the high school fees. The committee also had not heared that the college had to cut costs.
But I am sure we can talk about this matter and would be glad if we could arrange a meeting between you and the committee.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Christopher Halle CHRISTOPHER HALLE (Student Welfare Committee)
Q U E S T I O N 3
TASK-SPECIFIC MARK SCHEME
BAND 3 DESCRIPTORS (SATISFACTORY)
Content (points covered)
For a band 3 or above, the article must:
- name the winner and runner-up;
- give details of the hobby or pastime of each;
- say why they have won (this may be implicit).
Organisation and Cohesion
Early reference to the competition. The article should be clearly organised with suitable paragraphing.
Range Language of description, evaluation and opinion. Vocabulary relating to the hobbies chosen.
Register Consistently neutral, formal or informal.
Target Reader Would be informed.
C A N D I DAT E C
If you are an usual reader of their magazine, maybe you’ll remember our competition ‘The most interesting hobby’; the entry forms were included in the last issue and now it is time to reveal the winners.
I’ve chosen two amazing collectors, but who are they? and what do they collect?
Let’s start with the runner-up, Jane Hemsworth, from Bramley: she collects cigarrette’s packets! She is always looking for a new brand, a new strange size or shape of these little boxes which hasn’t any interest for most of us. ‘Have you ever realised how interesting the design of the letters are?’ she asked me; nevertheless she is a Graphic Designer. But you don’t know everything, she is a non-smoker!
And the 1st prize winner, Richard James, from Chelsea: he collects helmets!; every single one you are able to name is already in his collection: helmets for bycicles, motorbikes, for jokeys, the different ones used in the construction of buildings ... and WAR HELMETS! It was his grandfather who gave him his first pieces from the II World War and since then, Richard is specially interested in these sort of helmets.
More than 500 entries were registered in this competition; the selection was hard but, in the end, I decided that the two prizewinners mentioned above were the ones with the most amazing and amusing hobbies.
E X A M I N E R C O M M E N T S
Content The task has been completed, even though it is slightly underlength. The prize winners are named and their hobbies described in detail. The final sentence gives a clear, if brief, explanation as to why these two entries won the competition.
Organisation and Cohesion Good opening and conclusion, which are linked well to the body of the article. The descriptions of the hobbies are appropriately paragraphed.
Range Some good relevant vocabulary relating to magazines and competitions e.g. in the last issue; to reveal the winners.
Register Consistently and appropriately informal. The tone is lively and addresses the reader directly.
Target Reader Would be informed.
Accuracy There are some non-impeding errors e.g. cigarrette’s packets; nevertheless; jokeys; bycicles. There are also several basic errors e.g. ....how interesting the design of the letters are; ....and since then, Richard is specially interested in....
Band 3
Range Language of description, opinion and possibly comparison and contrast. Range of tenses. Vocabulary relating to relationships.
Register Neutral to formal. Must be consistent throughout.
Target Reader Would be clearly informed.
C A N D I DAT E D
Q U E S T I O N 4
TASK-SPECIFIC MARK SCHEME
BAND 3 DESCRIPTORS (SATISFACTORY)
Content (points covered)
For a band 3 or above, the report must describe the current typical family situation in the candidate’s own country (one aspect of this is sufficient) and mention how this might change in the future. N.B. Candidate’s own view of what should happen is an acceptable interpretation.
Organisation and Cohesion
Clear organisation of main points. Appropriate introduction and conclusion. N.B. Acceptable to write as a newspaper report.
The family in France Nowadays, in France, the average number of children is two per family, whereas elderly people used to have five or six sisters and brothers or even more when they were young, at least in my region: Brittany, where children were useful in farms as they were growing up.
More and more people divorce, and afterwards remain single, live with someone, or get married another time. If they have children, these live generally with their mother but it occurs more and more that they live with their father. That is probably due to this trend that there are less and less weddings. Young people prefer living with a mate without marrying him or her, or if they marry, they do it later than their parents who used to do it around the age of 20. That is why they usually have their first child later than their parents.
Grand-parents are still important in French families, but when they get older, they do not usually come and live in their children’s place as before. They are healthy enough to live alone or they go to residences for old people. Children sometimes live in towns further from their parents’ place than before, but their place is still the one where we like to stay at the week-ends or the holidays.
Unfortunately, I think that this trend of living further from their parents than before will get worse in the years to come, because of the unemployment rate. Indeed even if young people tend to live longer in their parents’ house, they have to search a job not only in their town but sometimes in the whole country, and when they find one, they leave, even abroad sometimes, because it is so hard to get something!
I think that the average number of children will remain the same or will decrease, as people have their children older and perhaps do not want to give birth to future unemployed people.
Finally, I think that the number of divorces, and people who live together but unmarried, will increase.
C A N D I DAT E E
AN INFORMATION LEAFLET:
PICKY
A WARM WELCOME TO PICKY, THE WORLDS BIGGEST PRODUCER OF TOOTH-PICKS.
THE COMPANY WAS FOUNDED IN 1637 BY A MAIN CALLED DAVID PICKY. DAVID PICKY WAS A
SAILOR AND ON ONE OF HIS MANY TRAVELS HE SAW THAT THE NATIVES WERE PICKING THEIR
TEETHE WITH SOME OLD BONE. PICKY GOT AN IDEA AND STARTED TO WORK ON IT AS SOON AS
HE REACHED DOVER. HE STARTED UP HIS OWN FACTORY AND NOW WE ARE THE LARGEST
EXPORTER OF TOOTH-PICKS.
OUR MAIN EXPORT IS THE ORDINARY TOOTHPICK MADE FROM WOOD. WE PRODUCE ABOUT
117 MILION PICKS PER DAY AND WE MAKE ABOUT 1 MILION PICKS FROM ONE TREE. THAN WE
ALSO HAVE THE MOST LUXORIOUS OF THE PICKS AND THATS THE ONE WE NAMED ‘THE QUEEN’,
WHICH IS MADE FROM SOLID GOLD. SINCE GOLD IS A SOFT METAL, WE HAVE TO SPRAY IT WITH
A SPECIAL MIXTURE THAT MAKES IT HARD AND RESISTANT.
THE MIXTURE IS OF COURSE SECRET AND IT IS ONLY OUR WINDOW CLEANER WHO KNOWS THE
INGREDIENTS.
HERE AT PICKY WE ALSO HAVE THE BIGGEST MOULD, NOWERE AT PRESENT IS THERE A BIGGER
ONE. IN THE MOULD CAN WE MAKE UP TO 1000 PICKS AT A TIME, BY SQUEESING BITS AND
PIECES OF WOOD. THE PROCESS IS VERY DELECAT, SO OUR WORKERS NEEDS TO WEAR SILK
GLOVES. WHEN THE TOOTH-PICKS ARE PACKED IN TO BOXES THE WORKERS MUST MAKE SURE
THAT ALL THE TOOTH-PICKS IN THE SAME BOX HAVE THE SAME COLOUR. IT WOULD HAVE A
DEVESTATING EFFECT TO OUR REPURTATION IF ONE OF OUR BOXES CONTAINED A SLIGHTLY
DARKER OR LIGHTER COLOURD PICK THAN THE OTHERS IN THE BOX.
WE HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED YOUR VISIT AT PICKY AND DO NOT FORGETT TO PICK UP YOUR
OWN SAMPLE FROM THE RECEPTION.
E X A M I N E R C O M M E N T S
Content
An attempt at the task has been made, but the text omits to mention future plans, so it cannot achieve more than band 2.
Organisation and Cohesion
The candidate has organised the writing e.g. there is a welcoming introductory sentence, appropriate paragraphing of the main content points, and a good conclusion to the leaflet.
Range
There is certainly evidence of range e.g. was founded; mould; it would have a devestating effect. The language is ambitious e.g. Since gold is a soft metal, we have to spray it with a special mixture.
Register Friendly and welcoming tone.
Target Reader Would be interested and partially informed.
Accuracy Mostly spelling errors e.g. milion; luxorious; colourd; repurtation. Also mistakes in verb agreement e.g. our workers needs.
Band 2
