cae_hb_samp_p2.pdf

PAPER 2 WRITING

General Description

Answering

Paper Format

Candidates write their answers on separate answer paper.

The paper contains two parts.

Timing

Number of Tasks

2 hours.

Candidates are required to complete two tasks: a compulsory

one in Part 1 and one from a choice of four in Part 2.

Marks

Each question in the paper carries equal marks.

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.

Part

Task Type and Focus

Number of Tasks

and Length

Task Format

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.

One or more

compulsory tasks.

A contextualised writing task giving

candidates guidance to the content through

instructions and one or more texts and/or

visual prompts.

Approx. 250 words

in total.

Task types as for Part 1.

Four questions from

which candidates

choose one.

Approx. 250 words.

A contextualised writing task specified in no

more than 80 words

Page 18

PREPARING FOR PAPER 2

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Page 19

ASSESSMENT

Acceptable performance at CAE is represented by a band of

3. A piece of writing which fails to meet the criteria

described in the task-specific mark scheme for that task

cannot achieve more than band 2. The accuracy of

language, including spelling and punctuation, is assessed on

the general impression scale for all tasks.

An impression mark is awarded to each piece of writing; all

tasks carry the same maximum mark.

The general impression mark scheme is used in conjunction

with a task-specific mark scheme, which focuses on criteria

specific to each particular task. This summarises the content ,

organisation and cohesion , range of structures and

vocabulary, register and format , and target reader indicated

in the task which need to be included to achieve band 3 or

above.

General Impression Mark Scheme

This mark scheme is interpreted at CAE level.

Band 5

Minimal errors: resourceful, controlled and natural use of language, showing good range of

vocabulary and structure. Task fully completed, with good use of cohesive devices, consistently

appropriate register. No relevant omissions.

N.B. Not necessarily a flawless performance.

Very positive effect on target reader.

Band 4

Sufficiently natural, errors only when more complex language attempted. Some evidence of

range of vocabulary and structure. Good realisation of task, only minor omissions. Attention

paid to organisation and cohesion; register usually appropriate. Positive effect on target reader

achieved.

Band 3

Either (a) task reasonably achieved, accuracy of language satisfactory and adequate range of

vocabulary and range of structures or (b) an ambitious attempt at the task, causing a number of

non-impeding errors, but a good range of vocabulary and structure demonstrated. There may be

minor omissions, but content clearly organised.

Would achieve the required effect on target reader.

Band 2

Some attempt at task but lack of expansion and/or notable omissions/irrelevancies. Noticeable

lifting of language from the input, often inappropriately. Errors sometimes obscure

communication and/or language is too elementary for this level. Content not clearly organised.

Would have a negative effect on target reader.

Band 1

Serious lack of control and/or frequent basic errors. Narrow range of language. Inadequate attempt

at task. Very negative effect on target reader.

Band 0

(a) Fewer than 50 words per question.

(b) Totally illegible work.

Page 20

Length

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.

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.

MARKING

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.

Page 21

Part 1

You do not need to include

postal addresses.

You should use your own words as far as possible.

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