B1 Preliminary for Schools Writing

Part 2 Activity – Notes for teachers

Description
Students look at a Part 2 task, brainstorm ideas on how to answer it, plan and write individually, then read
each other’s answers. They look at two sample answers and use a checklist to decide which is better and
why, and to focus on what the requirements for this task are.

Time required: 50 + minutes

Materials  Handout Activity 1 (and on an OHT if possible)
required:
 Handout Activity 2
 Sample paper Part 2
 Requirements for part 2
 Bluetack or similar adhesive for sticking paper on walls
 Answer sheets (photocopy from handbook)
Aims:  to introduce Part 2
 to practice planning answers
 to raise awareness of how Part 2 is assessed
 to practice writing an answer.

Procedure
1. Ask the class who has been on holiday without their parents, or who has been abroad. Invite a few
volunteer students to briefly tell the class about their experiences.
2. Hand out the sample Part 2 task. Ask students to read it.
3. Ask the following concept check questions to the class:
- What do you have to write? (a card)
- Are you writing to someone you know or a stranger? (someone you know, your British friend Sam)
- Where were you last week? (in Britain, at the home of your friend, Sam)
- How many main points do you need to write about? (3)
- What are they? (your journey home, what you liked most about your stay and an invitation for Sam to
visit you) Note: write these three points on the board
- How long should your answer be? (35 – 45 words)

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4. Divide the class into groups of 3 or 4. Tell them they are going to brainstorm ideas for each of the
three content points. Hand out a copy of the worksheet for Activity 1 to each group as a guideline or
show it on an OHT. Encourage them to share their ideas and use their imagination.
5. After 5-10 minutes, hand out a copy of the worksheet for Activity 1 to each student and ask them to
individually write down a few notes for each of the main content points. They should choose the ideas
they like best from their group discussion.
6. Explain that in the exam, candidates should spend around 5 minutes planning their answer to make
sure they include all the necessary information and think about the best language to express their
ideas.
7. Ask students to write their answers in full now. Remind students they are writing a card and elicit
ways of starting and finishing when writing to a friend. Also remind students of the word limit and
encourage them to count their words half way through and at the end. Set a time limit of 15 minutes.
8. Students exchange their answers with a partner. They read each other’s, compare their ideas and
check the word length.
9. Stick the answers around the room on the walls and white board and invite students to stand up and
go and read a few of them.
10. Hand out Activity 2. Put students in pairs to decide which is the better answer and why. Then hand
out the checklist for Activity 2 and ask them to discuss the questions for each answer.
11. Whole class check and discussion (see key)
12. Review the task by going over the main requirements of Part 2 and then hand out the student copy of
this for them to keep as reference:

- You always have to write a short message (about 35 – 45 words long) in Part 2.
- The task and situation will be different, so you must read the instructions carefully.

- Your answer must be about the same situation as the question.

- You should plan your answers before you write anything.

- Always write your answer on the answer sheet. You can make notes on the question paper first.

- For top marks, the message must be clear and all the three content points must be included.

- Always check your writing at the end.

- You don’t lose marks if you make little mistakes, but your answer must be clear and easy to read.
13. Either in class or for homework, ask students to re-write their answers on real answer sheets, making
any changes or improvements they can.
14. Collect in the answers, mark them and give feedback. When giving them back, encourage students to
exchange them and read each other’s.

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Key to checklist for Activity 2 sample answers
A) Do both answers contain all three content points? Script A – yes; Script B – no, there is no mention of
the journey home or an invitation.
B) Are the answers written in the right style for the person they are writing to? Give some examples of
the language which is in the right style. Yes, in both cases the style is informal and friendly. Examples
are ‘I really enjoyed swimming with you in the sea, it was fun’, ‘Hey!’ and ‘I want to go to you again’.
C) Do both answers have the correct number of words? Yes, in both cases but in B there is too much
repetition ‘I had very nice holidays. This holidays were super’.
D) How do the answers start and finish? Is this suitable for the situation? A – Sam, I look forward it, B –
Dear Sam, I’m waiting to your answer. They are both fairly appropriate but could be friendlier, e.g. Hi
Sam, Lots of love, take care, etc.
E) What phrases do the candidates use to invite Sam to visit? In A the invitation is clear – ‘Why don’t you
come to visit my place next summer’, in B there isn’t an invitation, just a statement ‘I want to see you
too’.
F) Are there any mistakes? Do these make the answers difficult to read? There are some small mistakes
in both but the message is still clear, e.g. I very like, I had to stay in a plane, I want to go to you again,
I’m waiting to your answer.

The examiner’s comments for each script are below. Script A (5/5) is better than script B (2/5).
A

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B1 Preliminary for Schools Writing
Part 2 Activity 1

Brainstorm ideas for each of the three main content points below.
Use the hint questions in italics to help you.
Be imaginative!
Think about which vocabulary and grammar you can use.
Remember Sam can be a boy’s or a girl’s name

1. Your journey back home

How did you travel?
How long was the journey?
Who did you travel with?
What adjectives could you use to describe it? (e.g. comfortable / tiring / exciting / boring / noisy / difficult,
etc)

2. What you enjoyed most about your stay

What is the most interesting thing you can imagine doing in Britain?
Was it something you did with Sam?
Was it something you had never experienced before or was it your favourite hobby?
Why did you like it?

3. An invitation for Sam to visit you

Which month or season are you going to invite him/her?
How long could he/she stay?
What do you think he/she would like to do in your country?
What words or phrase can you use to invite someone to do something?

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Activity 2

Read these two sample answers.

With a partner, decide which one you think is better and why.

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Checklist for Activity 2 sample answers

A) Do both answers contain all three content points?

B) Are the answers written in the right style for the person they are writing to? Give some examples of
the language which is in the right style.

C) Do both answers have the correct number of words?

D) How do the answers start and finish? Is this suitable for the situation?

E) What phrases do the candidates use to invite Sam to visit?

F) Are there any mistakes? Do these make the answers difficult to read?

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Sample paper Part 2

The main requirements of Writing Part 2

- You always have to write a short message (about 35 – 45 words long) in Part 2.

- The task and situation will be different, so you must read the instructions carefully.

- Your answer must be about the same situation as the question.

- You should plan your answers before you write anything.

- Always write your answer on the answer sheet. You can make notes on the question paper first.

- For top marks, the message must be clear and all the three content points must be included.

- Always check your writing at the end.

- You don’t lose marks if you make little mistakes, but your answer must be clear and easy to read.

© UCLES 2008. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom use provided no charge is made.
For f urther information see our Terms and Conditions