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Aptis Writing Exam: Analysis, Guidance & Practice
Aptis Writing Exam: Analysis, Guidance & Practice
1a) Task 1 requires you to complete a simple form with your personal details. You should have no difficulty
getting all 3 marks. But the writer of the answer below will not get full marks. See how many mistakes you can
find:
You want to join a library. Fill in the form. You have 3 minutes.
Aptis Library
Full name: A. Ibrahim
Date of birth: 24 04 1984
Day Month (write in full) Year
City / Town / Village: Malaysia (Asia)
First language: bahasa melayu
Interests (list 3): to read book
and newpapers
atletic
2a) Read the answer below and compare it with the checklist underneath. How many marks out of 5 do you
think the writer will get?
You are a new member of a library. Fill in the form. Write in sentences. Use 20-30 words. You have 7 minutes.
Aptis Library
Please tell us about what you like to read and when you would like to use the library.
I like to read novels, history books and biographes mainly, but I also enjoy to
read magazines. Id like to use the library in the evenings and on Saturday
mornings.
The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities.
British Council Malaysia is a branch (995232-A) of the British Council, registered as a charity in England and Wales (209131) and Scotland (SC037733)
Pro-ELT Upskilling Project
3a) Read the task below and discuss these questions. Guess if youre not sure:
How many answers will you have to write?
Do you have 10 minutes per answer or 10 minutes for all your answers?
Will the computer respond to your answers?
You are a member of a library. You are talking to M. in the online library chat room. Talk to M. using sentences.
Use 30 to 40 words per answer. You have 10 minutes.
Hi! Ive just joined the library. I joined because I wanted to get some recommendations of good books to read.
Why did you join?
Post
Thats interesting. What are the best things about being a member?
Post
I know what you mean. What do you think about the new reading caf theyve just opened?
Post
3b) Here are 7 sentences from an example answer. Working in pairs, try to put them in the right boxes in the
right order. Then check that each answer is the right length:
The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities.
British Council Malaysia is a branch (995232-A) of the British Council, registered as a charity in England and Wales (209131) and Scotland (SC037733)
Pro-ELT Upskilling Project
1. They can really help you to find something that youll enjoy reading.
2. Ive only been once, but its really nice.
3. I joined because my sister was a member and she was always showing me really interesting books.
4. You can take library books in there and see if you enjoy them before taking them out.
5. My only criticism is the music they play - it can be quite distracting!
6. The books are obviously the most important thing, but its also nice being able to consult the
librarians when youre there.
7. I thought the membership fee would be expensive, so I was really surprised when she said it was
free!
4a) Read the exam task and the example answer. How many marks do you think it would get?
You are a member of a library. You have just received the following email from them.
Due to high membership, two new rules will be introduced from today:
members are only allowed to take out 2 books at a time, instead of 4 books previously allowed
all members will be charged $5 per day for books that are overdue, increased from $1
We hope you understand these changes are in the interest of all members. Please feel free to email us about
this: library@aptis_library.com
Write an email to a friend. Write your feelings about the new rules and suggest possible alternatives. Write
about 50 words. You have 10 minutes.
Hi Susan,
Im really brassed off about the new library rules. 2 books arent enough for fast readers like me, and the
$5 overdue fees are ridiculous!!!
Why dont they charge us to be members? That would keep membership numbers down, wouldnt it? Not
only that, itd give them money to buy more books!
Cheers,
Ali
The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities.
British Council Malaysia is a branch (995232-A) of the British Council, registered as a charity in England and Wales (209131) and Scotland (SC037733)
Pro-ELT Upskilling Project
Also write an email to the library, explaining your feelings about the new rules and suggesting possible
alternatives. Write 120-150 words. You have 20 minutes.
Subject: New Library Regulations
I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with the new library regulations. While I understand that your
library has limited financial resources, the changes you have introduced are, I feel, unwarranted.
Firstly, two books are not sufficient for fast readers like myself. I will now need to make two visits to the
library per week, instead of one. Secondly, the $5 per day overdue penalty seems extremely harsh, and
represents a large increase on the previous penalty.
May I suggest an alternative solution to your problem? If you were to charge a small membership fee, this
would reduce the number of members while also providing a modest income to purchase more books. I would
imagine a fee as small as $20 per annum would suffice.
Yours faithfully,
Ali Mohammed
4b) Notice the difference in register between the two emails. The first uses an informal register, the second uses
formal. Working in pairs, find equivalents in the first email to the underlined expressions / words in the second
email.
4c) Notice what does and what doesnt change when we switch between formal and informal registers. Working
in pairs complete the following table.
Vocabulary choice
Linking expressions
(conjunctions &
discourse markers)
Punctuation
Use of paragraphing
Directness of criticism
Salutations and
valedictions (how we
open and close emails)
The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities.
British Council Malaysia is a branch (995232-A) of the British Council, registered as a charity in England and Wales (209131) and Scotland (SC037733)
Pro-ELT Upskilling Project
4d) Now try doing the exam task yourself, using the blank forms on the next page. When youve finished, swap
answers with another teacher and use the Checklist for Task 4 to evaluate each others answers.
How will you improve the skills that you have self-evaluated at 3 or lower? Discuss in pairs.
The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities.
British Council Malaysia is a branch (995232-A) of the British Council, registered as a charity in England and Wales (209131) and Scotland (SC037733)
Pro-ELT Upskilling Project
2a) Despite the two mistakes (biographes - spelling / enjoy to read - verb agreement) the answer would get the
full 5 marks according to the mark scheme, due to the generally accurate, natural English, good grammar and
punctuation and full task completion.
3a) You will have to write 3 answers, with 10 minutes in total for all 3. The computer will not respond to your
comments, but will produce pre-prepared, generic comments. Dont worry if they dont follow very well after
your contributions.
3b) Answer 1: I joined because my sister was a member and she was always showing me really interesting
books. I thought the membership fee would be expensive, so I was really surprised when she said it was free!
Answer 2: The books are obviously the most important thing, but its also nice being able to consult the
librarians when youre there. They can really help you to find something that youll enjoy reading.
Answer 3: Ive only been once, but its really nice. You can take library books in there and see if you enjoy them
before taking them out. My only criticism is the music they play - it can be quite distracting!
No idiomatic language in formal emails. No slang or local rules, keep numbers regulations, reduce the
varieties of English in formal emails (e.g. bucks, mate, down, ridiculous, buy, number of members, harsh,
Vocabulary choice
wassap? etc.) Library Blues! purchase, New Library
Regulations
Little change. Both use would for hypothesising and - -
present simple to describe current state. Conditionals may
Verb tense choice
become more unreal and convoluted in formal emails (E.g.
If you were to).
Linking expressions Spoken conjunctions more common in informal email (and, and, not only that Secondly, while
(conjunctions & but, etc.). Discourse marking adverbials more common in
discourse markers) formal emails (however, nevertheless, therefore, etc.)
Main change is less use of contraction in formal emails. Im really annoyed I am writing
Keep all other areas standard (e.g. capitalisation, full stops They didnt even ask
Punctuation
and commas, etc.). Other informal features could us!!!!
include !!!.
Little change, if any. They should paragraph both (with - -
Use of paragraphing vertical spaces, rather than old-fashioned indents).
Arguably more direct in informal email, but this may be are ridiculous seems extremely harsh
Directness of criticism caused by indirect recipient.
Obviously changes. See e.g.s. In formal emails, Kind Hi Susan, Dear Sir or Madam,
Salutations and regards, Yours sincerely, and Yours truly, should be fine. Cheers, Ali Thank you for your attention.
valedictions (how we The above e.g. goes for the conservative Dear Sir or Yours faithfully,
open and close emails) Madam -> Yours faithfully,. Note also full name in formal
and extra line at end of formal email. Ali Mohammed
The British Council is the United Kingdom's international organisation for cultural relations and education opportunities.
British Council Malaysia is a branch (995232-A) of the British Council, registered as a charity in England and Wales (209131) and Scotland (SC037733)