PLAN • WRITE • READ IT AGAIN

The Writing Lab

Plan a clear answer, give your reader the right information and learn from original A2 Key and B1 Preliminary models.

Write for the task and the reader

Good exam writing begins with a simple question: what does this reader need to know? Highlight the task points, decide the order and write language you can control. A complicated phrase adds little if it hides your meaning.

Task	What to write	Length / marks
A2 Key Part 6	Email or note covering the prompts	25 words or more / maximum 15
A2 Key Part 7	Story based on three pictures	35 words or more / maximum 15
B1 Preliminary Part 1	Email responding to the email and notes	About 100 words / maximum 20
B1 Preliminary Part 2	Choose an article or a story	About 100 words / maximum 20

For B1, about 100 words is a guide, not a hard limit. In both exams, extra length alone does not demonstrate better writing. Use the word counter and task checklists after drafting.

A2 Part 6: make three clear decisions

Original task: You are meeting your friend Jo for a picnic. Write Jo an email. Say where to meet, what food you will bring and what Jo should bring.

Hi Jo, Let’s meet at the park gate at twelve. I’ll bring cheese sandwiches and some apples. Please bring a blanket because the grass may be wet. See you, Sam

The meeting point is specific, the writer’s contribution is clear and the request tells Jo what to do. A brief reason makes the message feel natural. There is no need for an elaborate introduction. Read the full Part 6 email workshop for weaker and stronger versions of an original task.

A2 Part 7: tell one connected story

Use all three pictures. Identify the same characters, work out the sequence and give the reader a sensible ending. A story usually benefits from a consistent past tense and a few clear links such as “then”, “but” and “when”.

Original planning exercise: Imagine three pictures: a girl sees a wet dog outside a shop; she phones the number on its collar; its owner arrives with a towel. This is a text-based planning exercise, rather than a reproduction of an exam picture task.

On Saturday, Ella found a wet dog outside a shop. She looked at its collar and phoned the number. Soon, a man arrived with a towel. The dog ran towards him, and Ella was happy that it was safe.

Each stage contributes something: the problem, the action and the resolution. Avoid describing three unrelated scenes. Check who “he”, “she” or “it” refers to, especially when several people appear.

B1 Part 1: respond and develop

An email task gives you an incoming message and notes to respond to. Turn each note into a clear answer, then add a relevant reason or detail. Group connected ideas in short paragraphs. Match the relationship with the recipient: an email to a friend can sound friendly and direct.

A flexible plan is: greeting; response to the news or invitation; practical answers and reasons; any requested question; a suitable closing. This plan must change with the task. Do not insert a memorised paragraph that gives information nobody asked for.

The 100-word email workshop includes an original task, four answers and commentary on the assessment areas. Read an example once for the content, then again to notice how it guides the reader.

B1 Part 2: choose the task you can develop

Writing an article

Check the intended reader and the questions in the prompt. An article needs a clear focus and a reason to keep reading. A title, direct opening and a concrete example can help. Explain your opinion rather than listing unsupported claims.

Original prompt: A local learning website wants articles about a useful skill. Explain what you learnt, how you learnt it and why you would recommend it.

A useful skill for busy days Learning to cook a few simple meals has made my week much easier. I started last winter because buying lunch every day was expensive. At first, I followed short recipes with my older cousin. We chose meals with only a few ingredients, and I wrote down what worked. My first soup was too salty, but the next one was much better. I would recommend cooking because you can save money and share something you have made. Start with one easy dish and practise it twice. You do not need to become an expert to enjoy the results.

Writing a story

Read the starting sentence or other instructions carefully. Build a short sequence around one event. Establish the situation, introduce a change and resolve it. A surprising ending is optional; a clear ending is useful. Check that tense changes make sense and that description leaves room for action.

How assessment works in plain English

At A2, focus on completing the content, organising a simple connected message and using language the reader can understand. In B1 Preliminary, writing is assessed through four named areas:

Content: give all the relevant information and keep it accurate to the task.
Communicative Achievement: choose a style and text type that do the job for this reader.
Organisation: arrange ideas so the reader can follow them, with useful connections and paragraphs.
Language: use vocabulary and grammar with enough variety and control to express the intended meaning.

These are our explanations, not copied marking descriptors. We do not award official grades to site visitors. When checking a draft, first repair missing information, then unclear organisation, then language errors. Read the final version aloud quietly to notice missing words.