Twenty-five words can feel like very little space. Yet A2 Key Writing Part 6 is not asking you to compress a complicated essay. It asks for a short email or note that gives a reader the information they need. The challenge is to notice every task point and make each answer clear.
The instruction is 25 words or more, not exactly 25 words. A slightly longer answer can be useful if it covers the task naturally. Extra sentences are less helpful when they repeat an idea, introduce confusion or leave you without time to check.
This workshop uses original tasks and teaching examples. The quality labels describe useful differences between answers; they are not official examiner grades or predicted marks. Use our A2 Key guide to see where Part 6 fits in the combined Reading and Writing paper.
Start with three jobs for your message
Read the situation and turn each prompt into a small decision. A task might ask you to suggest a place, explain what you will bring and ask someone to bring something. Those are three different jobs, even if two can fit into one sentence.
Before writing, make a three-item plan using keywords. You do not need full sentences yet. For example: “library entrance; Saturday at two; bring notebook”. Then check that those keywords really answer the actual prompts rather than a task you remember from practice.
A simple message often needs a greeting, two or three connected sentences and a short ending. That is a useful shape, not a compulsory formula. The information matters more than a long opening such as “I am writing this email to tell you about our very interesting plan”.
Original task: organising a study meeting
You want to study English with your friend Leo on Saturday. Write Leo an email. In your email:
- say where you want to meet;
- tell Leo what time to come;
- say what Leo should bring.
Write 25 words or more. Try the task before reading the examples. You can draft on paper or use the word counter with KET Part 6 selected.
The planning decisions might be: meet at my flat; come at eleven; bring your English notebook. A different sensible plan can work equally well. There is no need to guess a hidden ideal location or invent an impressive activity.
Three answers at different stages
Example 1: friendly, but incomplete
Weak teaching example · 18 words
This message sounds friendly, but it does not answer the practical questions. Leo still does not know where to go, when to arrive or what to bring. General enthusiasm cannot replace the requested information.
The main revision priority is content. Do not begin by adding more adjectives or replacing “interesting” with a longer word. Add the missing place, time and item. Then check the minimum length. A short answer can be grammatically tidy and still fail to do the job.
Example 2: useful content with language problems
Developing teaching example · 31 words
This answer covers the three points. The reader can identify a place, a time and something to bring. Its practical purpose is much clearer than the first example, even though several patterns need correction.
Use “come to my flat”, “can study” and “need to write”. These are useful patterns to learn as complete units. After correcting them, read the whole message again. Fixing one verb should not distract you from checking that the time and request remain clear.
Notice that adding snacks is optional. It supports the situation, but it should not take the place of a task point. Relevant detail is helpful when it is brief and easy to understand.
Example 3: clear and controlled
Clear teaching example · 30 words
The three required answers are easy to find. The language is simple, but the message has a natural order: meeting place, arrival time, request and a small supporting detail. “And” links related information without making the sentences difficult to follow.
This is a useful target for practice because it depends on ordinary patterns you can reuse. You do not need to memorise the exact message. Change the person, place, time and item, then see whether the same sentence structures still communicate clearly.
The stated counts include greetings and sign-offs. We count contractions such as “I’ll” as one word and hyphenated compounds as one. The website’s counting convention is a drafting aid; focus on comfortably meeting the task rather than arguing over a borderline count.
A flexible sentence toolkit
Learn short patterns that can carry different information. They are more useful than memorising a complete email because they make you choose details that fit the prompt.
| Job | A useful pattern | A different example |
|---|---|---|
| Suggest a meeting place | Let’s meet at… | Let’s meet at the museum entrance. |
| Give a time | Please come at… | Please come at half past three. |
| Make a request | Could you bring…? | Could you bring a bottle of water? |
| Offer something | I’ll bring… | I’ll bring the tickets. |
| Give a reason | …because… | Bring a jacket because it may be cold. |
Check the verb after each pattern. “Let’s” takes the base form: “Let’s meet”, not “Let’s meeting”. A modal such as “can” also takes the base form. “Would like” usually needs “to” before another verb: “I’d like to visit”.
Keep the tone suitable for the relationship. A friendly email to a friend can use contractions and direct requests. You do not need a formal business introduction unless the task actually calls for one.
How to check without rewriting everything
Use a content check before a language check. Read each task point and point to the exact words that answer it. If you cannot find a clear answer, add one. If a detail is vague, make it practical: “at the entrance” is more useful when the reader knows which entrance.
Next, read the message as Leo. Can you act on it without guessing? A time such as “later” may be unclear if the task requires an arrangement. A request such as “bring something” may leave the reader unsure what is needed.
Finally, check a few high-value language areas: missing “to”, basic tense, singular and plural nouns, sentence endings and spelling of key details. Correct a problem you recognise; avoid replacing a clear sentence with an unfamiliar structure at the last moment.
For regular practice, keep a small error log. Write the corrected phrase and one fresh example. Our Vocabulary & Grammar guide covers common patterns, and the irregular verbs drill can help when you need past forms.
Try a second original task
Your friend Nia wants to visit your town next Sunday. Write Nia an email. Tell her one place you can visit together, explain how to get there and say what she should wear. Write 25 words or more.
Plan the three points before drafting. Avoid copying the study-meeting email, because this task asks for transport and clothing rather than a meeting time and notebook. That small difference is exactly why reading the current prompt matters.
See one possible answer and why it works
Original model · 30 words
The answer names a place, gives a way to get there and makes a clothing recommendation. The reason for comfortable shoes supports the plan. Your own answer can use different details if it covers all three points clearly.
After checking, close the model and write a new answer with different details. This is a stronger learning step than copying the same sentences. It shows whether you can use the patterns independently.
Fit writing into the whole paper
Part 6 shares the one-hour Reading and Writing paper with the reading tasks and the Part 7 picture story. In practice, notice how much time you spend planning, drafting and checking. The aim is a repeatable routine that leaves both writing tasks complete.
Try a short weekly cycle: one independent email, one review with a checklist and one new email using a corrected pattern. Combine this with a short reading exercise rather than doing only writing. You need balanced preparation for the whole qualification.
Key takeaways
- Write 25 words or more and answer every task point clearly.
- Plan three practical decisions before choosing sentences.
- Improve missing content before polishing vocabulary.
- Use short, controlled patterns and check the reader can act on your message.
- Practise with changed prompts so you learn a method rather than a script.
For the latest task requirements, check the official A2 Key format page. All prompts and answers in this workshop are original.