Exam Thread: Paper One Task Five and Further Work On Paper One Task Four: Genre

The Distance Delta Module One
Exam Thread: Paper One Task Five

and Further Work on Paper One Task Four: Genre
Summary
This unit we will be looking at Paper 1 Task 5 in the exam for the first time with a
focus on assessing learners’ writing. We will explore assessment criteria and work
through the task in some detail. We will also consider Paper 1 Task 4 again. Here
you are asked questions not only about the language but also about the piece of
authentic material at whole text level. This relates to features which are typical of a
certain genre.
We recommend before progressing further that you take the opportunity to re-read
the initial Exam Training section on Paper 1 Task 4 together with the comments
made by your Course Tutor on your own first attempt at this task type.
Objectives
By the end of this section you should:
 know what is involved in both parts of Paper 1 Task 5
 understand how to organise your answer and what to include.
 have a clearer idea of how to identify features of genre.
 have had some exam practice in identifying features of genre in an authentic text.
 have done some further practice on language analysis of a Paper 1 Task 4 text.
 feel more confident about handling these types of task in the exam.
Unit 5 Exam Training 1

Contents
1. Introduction to Paper 1 Task 5

2. Training
2.1. Identifying key instructions
2.2. Assessing learners’ written output: Task 5 a)
2.3. Prioritising an area and justifying your choice: Task 5 b)
3. Paper 1 Task 4: Genre
4. Training:
4.1. Features of Genre Task 4a)
4.2. Features of Style Task 4a)
5. Practice: Language Analysis Task 4b)
6. Exam Practice
Appendices
(Material adapted from the Delta written exam report is reproduced by kind
permission of Cambridge ESOL)

1. Introduction to Paper One Task 5

Task 5 is always based on a sample of a learner’s text. This can be written or a
transcript of the learner speaking. In Part a) you assess its strengths and
weaknesses. In Part b) you select ONE of the weak areas you have highlighted in
part (a) that you would prioritise for remedial work and give justifications for your
choice.
Task 5 is directly relevant to your professional development. It can improve your
ability to assess learners' spoken and written work and help you to prioritise
problems. It is particularly useful if you have exam classes or classes with a strong
emphasis on writing or speaking.
There are 27 marks available in the exam for Task 5. For task 5a, you will be
awarded 1 mark for each correct strength/weakness you identify, and 1 mark for
each example from the text supporting each point, to a total of 12 marks. There are
also extra marks available for relevant comments on the effect of these strengths
and weaknesses on the reader/listener.
For Task 5b, 1 mark is awarded for each justification, and 1 mark for developing the
point, up to a total of 6 marks.
The marks for this task are then weighted up to a total of 27 marks.
2. Training
We will focus first on assessing a learner’s writing.
2.1. Identifying Key Instructions
ACTIVITY 1: Identify Key Instructions (2 mins)
Read the rubric from the December 2004 exam (updated to reflect new Module One
requirements) and underline the key words in each part.
Task Five (25 minutes)
The text (181 words) for this task is reproduced on the opposite page. It was written
by a learner in an Intermediate class in response to the writing task reproduced on
the following page.
a) Identify three key strengths and three key weaknesses of the text. Provide an
example of each strength and each weakness.
Your answer should focus on some or all of the areas listed below:
 Task achievement
 Appropriacy of genre and style
 Range and complexity of lexis
 Range and complexity of grammar

b) Which one of the weaknesses identified above would you choose to prioritise?
Give reasons for your choice.
Check in Appendix 1

ACTIVITY 2: Try it Yourself (5mins)

1. Read the writing task given to the learner below.
2. Before you look at the learner’s attempt, quickly try writing the letter yourself.
This will be helpful later as a reference point for general appropriacy of style and
tone as well as items for inclusion, although bear in mind that under exam
conditions, you won’t have time to write your own text.

2.2. Assessing learners’ output: Task 5a

The first thing to consider is the criteria you are given to assess the learner’s writing.
This relates closely to the course materials where you look at a range of possible
criteria for evaluating learners’ writing (see Unit 7 Writing 2 – 1.2, pages 5 – 8). The
following criteria are generally used to assess learners’ writing, working from global
to more detailed analysis:
a) Task achievement
b) Effect on the reader
c) Appropriacy of style and genre
d) Organisation
e) Cohesion
f) Punctuation
g) Range of lexis
h) Complexity of lexis
i) Range of grammar
j) Complexity of grammar
k) Accuracy of lexis
l) Accuracy of grammar
m) Accuracy of spelling

ACTIVITY 3: Applying Assessment Criteria (10 mins)

Look at the questions and comments below. Decide which of the assessment
criteria above each point refers to. The first one has been done as an example for
you:
Example:
 Has the writer covered all elements of the task specified in the rubric without
irrelevancies and within the word count?
Answer: Task Achievement
 Given the learner’s level, are there many errors in terms of the use of
collocations, derivatives, dependent prepositions, and the choice and spelling of
lexical items?
 Given the task, is the writing engaging and effective? For example, an article for
the school magazine intended for other students or a narrative intended for an
unspecified general reader or a business letter to a school secretary.
 Are there paragraphs? Is the content and order of these appropriate for the
genre? Are they the right length? Where relevant, do they have topic
sentences?
 Is there a wider or narrower variety of lexical items / collocations / expressions

than you would expect, given the writer's level? Is the writing repetitive? In
relation to the genre, does it vary sufficiently? For example, for a descriptive
essay, is the lexis appropriately vivid / interesting? For a formal letter
requesting information, is there a suitable variety of appropriate phrases for
requesting?
 Does the writer communicate their ideas clearly (given their level) or would the
writing impose a strain on a reader?
 Is the overall content and style appropriate to the type of text? For example, an
email asking your boss for a day off would need to be formal and not include
inappropriate extraneous information.
 Does it follow the conventions for the type of text? For example, a standard
letter format, or a report with sub-headings, or a discursive essay with a
summarising final statement. (Layout features could go under either of two
categories).
 Is the student 'playing safe' in their use of compound and complex sentences,
of structures after verbs, of dependent prepositions, etc. Are these poor or
strong for the level?
 Does the text 'hang together well’? Does the writing 'flow' or is it a series of
short, disjointed sentences? Are linking devices used accurately? In relation to
the level of the students and the genre, is there a good range of linking
devices? For example, an intermediate student might be using only simple
conjunctions such as 'and, because, so' whereas in a discursive essay they
should be using a wider range. However, if the text is an informal letter, these
simple conjunctions might be more appropriate.

 What about the grammar? Think about the variety of verb forms and other
structures, in relation to the genre and the learner's level. For example, there is
no point in criticising a narrow range of tenses if a student is writing a letter
giving instructions where a wide range of tenses is not required.
 Would the tone be suitable for the intended reader or too abrupt or over-polite?
(This could go under either of two categories).
 How good is the learner’s control of grammar? Think about verb forms and
other structures, use of determiners (including articles), prepositions, concord,
complex sentences, etc.
Check your answers on the next page

You can use this list for reference when practising and revising this task.
Assessment Criteria for Writing

Task achievement
 Has the writer covered all elements of the task specified in the rubric without
irrelevancies and within the word count?
Effect on the reader
 Does the writer communicate their ideas clearly (given their level) or would the
writing impose a strain on a reader?
 Given the task, is the writing engaging and effective? For example, an article for
the school magazine intended for other students or a narrative intended for an
unspecified general reader or a business letter to a school secretary.
Appropriacy of style and genre
 Is the overall content and style appropriate to the type of text? For example, an
email asking your boss for a day off would need to be formal and not include
inappropriate extraneous information.
 Does it follow the conventions for the type of text? For example, a standard letter
format, or a report with sub-headings, or a discursive essay with a summarising
final statement.
Organisation
 Does the layout follow the conventions for the type of text? For example, a
standard letter format, or a report with sub-headings, or a discursive essay with a
summarising final statement.
 Are there paragraphs? Is the content and order of these appropriate for the
genre? Are they the right length? Where relevant, do they have topic sentences?
Cohesion
 Does the text 'hang together well’? Does the writing 'flow' or is it a series of short,
disjointed sentences? Are linking devices used accurately? In relation to the
level of the students and the genre, is there a good range of linking devices?
For example, an FCE student might be using only simple conjunctions such as
'and, because, so' where in a discursive essay they should be using a wider

range. However, if the text is an informal letter, these simple conjunctions might
be more appropriate.
Range and complexity of lexis
 Is there a wider or narrower variety of lexical items / collocations / expressions

than you would expect, given the writer's level? Is the writing repetitive? In
relation to the genre, does it vary sufficiently? For example, for a descriptive
essay, is the lexis appropriately vivid / interesting? For a formal letter requesting
information, is there a suitable variety of appropriate phrases for requesting?
Range and complexity of grammar
 What about the grammar? Think about the variety of verb forms and other
structures, in relation to the genre and the learner's level. For example, there is
no point in criticising a narrow range of tenses if a student is writing a letter giving
instructions where a wide range of tenses is not required.
 Is the student 'playing safe' in their use of compound and complex sentences, of
structures after verbs, of dependent prepositions, etc. Are these poor or strong
for the level?
Note: To analyse the range of both lexis and grammar it is useful to refer back
to your own version of the writing as this can show you omissions/limitations
in range.
Accuracy of lexis
 Given the learner’s level, are there many errors in terms of collocations,
derivatives (eg: different parts of speech made from the root), dependent
prepositions and the choice and spelling of lexical items?
Accuracy of grammar
 How good is the learner’s control of grammar? Think about verb forms and other
structures, use of determiners (including articles), prepositions, concord
(subject/verb agreement), complex sentences, etc.

[NB You will be looking at criteria for assessing speaking and an example of a
spoken text for this task in Unit 5].
The rubric asks you to ' Identify three key strengths and three key weaknesses of
the text. Provide an example of each strength and each weakness.’ For this you will
need to bear in mind the learner’s level. Your answer should only focus on the
specified areas. Here these are task achievement, appropriacy of genre and style,
range and complexity of grammar, range and complexity of lexis. You also need to
comment briefly on the effect the particular strengths and weaknesses have on
the effectiveness of the text as there are additional marks available for this.
ACTIVITY 4: Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses (10 mins)
1. Imagine you work for the holiday agency and you receive the following letter.
Based on your expectations of this sort of letter, what is your initial reaction to
the content and style/tone and general conventions (rather than the language,
unless the language is getting in the way)? Make brief notes on these.
2. Re-read the instructions for the student and decide whether she has fulfilled the
task. Write brief notes.


Commentary
In the Exam, for Task 5a you need to be able to
 take account of the learner’s level
 identify the key areas of strength or weakness
 comment on the effect the particular strengths and weaknesses have on

the effectiveness of the text where relevant (these are highlighted in bold
italics in the answer below)
 write your evaluation quickly and efficiently
 give an example of each of the strengths and weaknesses

Using headings and sub-headings and bullet points will help you organise your
answer and help the marker follow your ideas. So for the first two criteria you could
write as follows:
Task Achievement
Strengths
 The purpose of the letter is clearly stated at the outset (eg: ‘I am
interested in your Holiday Agency), and the points are covered in logical
fashion (eg: first the best date, then a question about televisions, then
about the location of historical places), so that the intended reader would
have little trouble in extracting the writer’s message.
 The writer has generally fulfilled the task regarding length (just), and has
included questions regarding six of the seven prescribed points (eg: dates,
availability of television, location of historical places etc.)
Weaknesses
 The writer doesn’t include a reference to 'late June' or a question regarding
'sheets and towels.' The question as to whether there is “anything similar”
has been lifted almost verbatim from the rubric, and because of that
doesn’t get sufficient prominence. This shows a lack of awareness of
examination requirements.
 I would ask you about the best date to go is a bit ambiguous and might
cause some confusion in the reader. It would be better to ask directly
about availability.

Strengths
 The student has used a standard letter format, i.e. appropriate salutation
and closing.
 The student is aware of the need to use a formal style and is relatively
successful with this for her level. For example, 'I am writing to you..' and
general lack of contracted forms: 'I am interested..'
Weaknesses
 A key problem here is a general awkwardness with modality which makes the
writer sound quite demanding, and abrupt, e.g. I would know… (line 5), I ask
you about the price… (line 18). This could have a negative effect on the
reader, who might think the writer was being rather rude, and respond
accordingly. The effect of so many requests could be mitigated by such
stylistic devices as: Could you give me more information about… Can you tell
me …etc.
 The suggestion that the advertisement wasn’t clear is rather direct and
potentially rude, and should perhaps have been hedged, e.g. there are a few
things I’m not clear about…
ACTIVITY 5: Task 5 a): Strengths and Weaknesses (15 mins)
Write about the strengths and weaknesses in the other two criteria. Before you
start, re-read your own version of the letter to give you a benchmark from which to
work, and read the advice below.
See: Appendix 2 for a guideline answer

Exam Tips
 Remember to evaluate the text in relation to the learner’s level – this is a key
aspect of the task
 Prioritise and evaluate – pick out the key strengths and weaknesses. Avoid
the temptation to list every mistake – concentrate on the most important and
noticeable areas, bearing in mind the student’s level. Areas which are not key
are not awarded any marks
 Check (and highlight in the exam rubric) the areas specified in the task.
These will vary according to the piece of work chosen.
 Some areas may only have key strength(s) or only have key weakness(es).
For example, for ‘accuracy of language’ and ‘range of language’, the text may
be very accurate for the level (so a strength under ‘accuracy of language’) but
the learner is playing safe for their level (and therefore a weakness under
‘range of language’).
 On the other hand there may though be both a strength and a weakness in
one area. For example, the information may be in a good, logical order, but
there may be a lack of paragraphing – in this case, there would be both a
strength and weakness under ‘organisation’.
 Don’t be too negative. Always think about your own learners at the stated
level and try and give a fair appraisal.
 Don’t forget to include brief comments about the effects of the strengths and
weaknesses on the overall effectiveness of the text, where appropriate. There
are additional marks available for this and it is a part of the exam which
candidates often don’t include, thus missing out on valuable marks.
 Always include one example for each point you make for Task 5a
Follow-up tasks
 Experiment with highlighter pens. For example, you can use colours to mark
up the piece of writing, using a different one for each area. If you find good
ways that work for you, please share these in the forums.
 Look at some samples of learners’ written work (perhaps photocopy some

from colleagues’ exam classes if you haven’t got much yourself) and any
transcripts of learners’ speaking you can get hold of. With a list of the
possible assessment categories for this task beside you, look for key
strengths and weaknesses and decide what feature you would work on and
why. Make yourself do this under pressure, say 15 minutes.

2.3 Prioritising an area and justifying your choice: Task 5 b

‘Which one of the weaknesses identified above would you choose to prioritise? Give
reasons for your choice.’
For this task, you must choose one of the key weaknesses you listed in part (a). You
will only gain marks if you select a weakness which is considered correct according
to the guideline answers, so choose one you feel confident is key. You then need to
provide a rationale for your choice which is relevant to the learner and their text and
refers to three of the areas below, the ones you feel are most relevant to the weak
area you have chosen:
 the learner’s level
 the learner’s future needs (e.g. exams, future study, job)
 fossilization of error
 transfer to other genres
 transfer to other skills
 specific to the learner’s context
 specific to the communicative purpose / success of the text (i.e. reference to

genre in its own right)
 the effect on the reader
 easy to rectify, therefore motivating.

ACTIVITY 6: Evaluating an Answer (10mins)
Now read the following sample answers or parts of answers to Task 5 b) for the
same learner text. Write one (or more) reasons why each one has not followed the
advice above.
Sample answers
1 I would choose prepositions because she makes quite a few mistakes with
these.
2 I would look at the appropriacy of genre. If the learner could get letter
writing conventions right it would make a vast difference to the clarity of her
writing.
3 I would work on cohesion, specifically linkers such as ‘furthermore, moreover,
in addition, despite’ because if she is writing for exams she will need to show
she can use these accurately.
4 I would choose: range and complexity of lexis, and grammatical accuracy in
general (focussing on articles and prepositions)
See Appendix 3

ACTIVITY 7: Justifications (10mins)
Write down at least five different reasons why you might choose to focus on any
particular area of weakness with any learner. Think of the learners’ needs in general
terms (not just for this specific letter) and concentrate on learners’ future language
and skills needs. For example, the area could be easily transferable to other
genres of writing which the students might need.
See Appendix 4
ACTIVITY 8: Task 5 b): (10mins)
Look at the student’s letter and choose one weakness to prioritise. Give reasons for
your choice.
See Appendix 5 for a guideline answer
Exam Tips
 Many candidates fail to gain any marks on this task because they offer no
justifications or because their justifications are circular: ‘I would work on X
because they are making a lot of mistakes with X.’ The simple occurrence of the
error does not provide the sort of justification that is required. You need to
consider areas from the list above, including the learner’s future language and
skills needs.
 Prioritise the areas. Ask yourself what would make the most difference to the
effectiveness of this piece of writing, given the learner’s level and their future
needs.
 Give three justifications for the area you select.
 Refer specifically to level in your answer.
 Do not simply trot out a list of prepared justifications. Tailor the ones you choose
to the learner and the area under consideration.
 Try to comment fully in your rationale as there are additional marks available for
fully developed rationales.
Follow-up tasks
 Devise an acronym to help you remember the areas listed above and post your
suggestions on the website.

3. Paper 1 Task 4: Genre

This will relate closely to the work on discourse (Units 4.1 and 6.1), writing (Units 4.2
and 7.2) and reading (Unit 6.3) in the course materials, and you will find the material
in Unit 4 (Written Discourse, section 3, pps: 11-14) particularly useful. If you didn’t
read this during Unit 2, then it is certainly worth doing so now. Also, and again if you
haven’t done so already, you are strongly advised to undertake some research and
make notes on the typical features of genres which are likely to come up in the
exam, either in Task 4 or Task 5. You need to identify the different organisational,
stylistic and linguistic features of different genres. Consider the typical genres you
would use with your students, either as reading or as writing activities – these are the
ones which will be focussed on in the exam tasks, and there is a list below of the
most likely ones to appear.
The study of genre will be of particular interest for those of you working with
examination, EAP or ESP learners, but it is a fascinating study in its own right and
again will sharpen your language analysis skills.
In the course materials you explore different categories of features for analysing
genres. Some of the most important ones we have looked at so far are listed below.
You can use these categories to guide you when you analyse different types of
genres, as we did in the first exam thread on Task 4, so we recommend you try
to remember them. The acronym CLOGS which was suggested in Unit 1 is a
useful starting point, but you might like to reconsider this to include further points
in the following material.
However be aware that some of the features, such as content, organisation and
layout, or the language features such as lexis and grammar, overlap to some extent,
and are sometimes difficult to separate. We are also going to look at some further
points, such as punctuation, features of discourse, and further features of style.
We recommend that you use a set of headings to organise your thoughts when
doing this task. It isn’t necessary though to make your points under the
correct heading, and in the exam you aren’t even required to give headings at
all. The important thing is to make accurate and relevant points, backed up by
examples.
Finally, the study of genre may be new to you – there is a lot to learn about this topic,
but do remember that in the exam, there are only FIVE marks available in total for
this task, whereas other tasks on Paper One (Tasks 4b-d,Task 5) carry many more
marks.
Content: What kind of information is included that is typical for a text of this
genre – eg. options to choose from, advice, instructions, lots of personal details
etc. ?
Layout: How does the text look on the page? Are there headings? Addresses? Is
there a title? Are points numbered? Are bullet points used? Are there any
images?

Organisation: How are the ideas organised? Is there any particular order? If
there are paragraphs, how are they divided? Is the text organised in any other
way – eg: in sections, under headings, etc.? What types of cohesive devices are
used to organise the text? Are there long complex paragraphs, or just one idea
per paragraph?
Grammar: Are any particular tenses / structures used (e.g. passives in a type of
scientific report)?
Lexis: What kinds of words are used (e.g. adjectives in an advertisement)? Are
any words or fixed lexical expressions common in this genre?
Style: Is it informal, neutral or formal?

Possible types of genres include:
 Articles in newspapers or magazines (including student newsletters) or online,

including news stories, factual reports, narratives, advice/tips
 Advertisements e.g. for travel, jobs, etc.
 'Transactional'/information-giving texts, e.g. Leaflets for tourism, health, political

campaigns or instructions, processes etc.
 Emails
 Narratives e.g. personal, newspaper, biographical etc.
 Letters e.g. formal/informal letters of request, complaint, application, invitations

and associated replies (esp. Task 5)
 Essays e.g. describing a single topic/place/issue or a 'for and against' essay

(esp. Task 5).
 Reports, e.g. information reports or recommendation/comparison reports or eye-

witness reports
 Reviews, e.g. of a film or book
 Accounts (perhaps for classmates) e.g. of a recent visit, of your neighbourhood,

etc. (esp. Task 5)
You can research these in the following:
 Written Discourse in the course materials (see contents list).
 About Language, Thornbury,S. 1997 Cambridge University Press, Unit 27 on

Texts
 Beyond the Sentence, Thornbury, S. 2005 Macmillan, especially Unit 5 and 8
 Exam preparation books, e.g. Advanced Writing with English in Use CAE,
Cory, H. 1999, Oxford University Press
 Exploring Grammar in Context, Carter, R., Hughes, R., McCarthy, M., 2000,
Cambridge University Press. The commentaries in this book provide some
excellent insights into the language associated with different genres.

 It is also worth looking in ESP and EAP courses if you have access to them.
Follow-up Task
 Research one type of genre and share your findings with other course
participants on the forum.
4. Training: Focus on Genre Task 4a

4.1. Genre: News story
Initially we will return once again to a news story as this is a common genre for this
task, and one that has already been explored in exam practice. We will then move on
to a different genre – an informal e-mail.
ACTIVITY 9a Identifying Features of Genre (10 mins)
 Read the article below taken from the December 2000 exam.
 Look back at the headings for analysing features of genre and keep these in
mind as you do this task.
 Now look at the headline and first sentence taken from the article. What typical
features of the genre can you identify in just these two sentences?
Schoolgirl saves a life - a week after first aid course

Teenager Jennifer Crosbie became a life-saver just a week after taking a first aid
course.
Now read the suggested answers below the text

Suggested answers to Activity 9a

Layout: There is an eye-catching, slightly sensationalised headline followed by the
body of the text
Content: The first subheading expands the headline and summarises the gist of the
passage
The age and name of the protagonist are given.
Grammatical: Complex noun phrase, pre-modified with noun modifier e.g. Teenager
Jennifer

Lexical: Compound forms e.g. life-saver.
Advice:
 Remember to keep headings of possible features of genre in mind as you

analyse a text. This will help you organise your ideas and ensure greater
coverage, but as mentioned above it isn’t necessary to categorise them in your
exam answer.
 You need to give an example or illustration from the text to support your answer
as above. You only need one example for each point, not an exhaustive list.
More than one example is given in these exam training materials for training
purposes.
ACTIVITY 9b Identifying Features of Genre (15 mins)
Now write your answer to Task 4a) on the whole text above:
Identify five features of the text that are characteristic of its genre (i.e. news story)
See Guideline Answer in Appendix 6
4.2. Style: Informal Email

We will now explore a different genre with a specific focus on style. As we discussed
in section one of the thread, style is one of the key features of genre.
ACTIVITY 10a Identifying Language Features (5 mins)

 Read the text below taken from the June 2005 exam.
 Now look at these words and phrases taken from the text
Which language features do they illustrate?
Why do you think they are used in an informal email?
a) Well, (line 7)
b) goodies (line 14)
c) Hope u r all well and happy (line 34)
See suggested answers and commentary below the text.


Suggested answers to Activity 10a)

Informal emails have many features that are similar to spoken discourse:
a) Well:
This is a discourse marker typical of spoken language rather than formal written
style.
b) goodies
Informal lexis. Again reflects spoken language and informal context.
c) Hope u r well
Abbreviations are typical of email which prizes brevity
As you can see, we are now looking at a broader area which includes lexis and
grammar, but also other areas such as discourse markers, abbreviations etc. – we
can loosely label this ‘Language’.
ACTIVITY 10b Identifying Language Features (15 mins)
Now write your answer to Task 4a on the whole text above:

a) Identify five different language features of the text that characterise this genre
(informal e-mail).
b) Give examples of the different features from the text.
See Suggested Answer in Appendix 7
5. Practice: Language Analysis Task 4b

As we saw in the first exam training on Task 4, the other questions in this Task relate
to language systems and you are asked to comment on meaning/use, form and/or
pronunciation. Here you have the opportunity to practise answering a question on a
different system – this time linkers.
ACTIVITY 11: Language Analysis Task 4b (20 mins)
Now write your answers to Task 4b) below based on extracts from the same email
text.
Check your answers against the suggested answers in Appendix 8.

6. Task 4b) (20 mins)

Look at the eight highlighted linking devices in this extract from the text. For each
one, comment on its meaning/use and position in these sentences.
Afterwards we went for a walk around the streets, bought some goodies
at Boots (nice shaving cream for D, face mask for me) and had a drink at
a pub called Post Laser Disk (great name, hey!)
While we were in the pub D pointed to an Elephant out the window and I
nearly had a heart attack! It was quite sad b/c the owners bring it into the
city so tourists can feed it and it looks so strange and out of place, but it
was also pretty amazing. I don’t think I have ever seen an elephant
before. Anyway I went outside and gave it a pat.
Exam Tips
 Use bulletpoints and note form for your answer.
 Don’t forget to include an example with each feature of genre you mention
 For sections b-d, check carefully that you are writing your answer about the
correct areas of meaning/form/pronunciation.
 Use phonemic script in your answers relating to phonology, and also describe
the feature.
 When asked to comment on meaning, make sure you include functional

meaning (if relevant), and issues of formality, idiomatic usage etc.
 Make as many small points as you can – even simple things such as
‘irregular verb’, plural countable noun, modal auxiliary verb etc. will get you
marks.
7. Exam Practice
Look at this unit’s tasks in the CP Resources section on the Distance Delta website.
Feel free to discuss them on the forums and then write your answers and upload
them. You might like to try doing Paper 1 Task 4 under timed conditions this
time round, in which case write a note to the Course Tutor on it explaining that
you have done this. If you wish, you can draw a line under what you managed
in the time. If you don’t finish in time (which is quite likely at this stage in your
training), don’t upload an unfinished answer – continue writing so you get your CT’s
feedback on all your other ideas as well.

Appendices
Appendix 1: Identification of Key Instructions
ACTIVITY 1: Identify Key Instructions (2 mins)

You might underline more than indicated here, but these are the crucial points.
Task Five (25 mins)
The text (181 words) for this task is reproduced on the opposite page. It was written
by a learner in an intermediate class in response to the writing task reproduced on
the following page.
a) Identify three key strengths and three key weaknesses of the text. Provide an
example of each strength and each weakness.
Your answer should focus on some or all of the areas listed below:
 Task achievement
 Appropriacy of genre and style
 Range and complexity of lexis
 Range and complexity of grammar
b) Which one of the weaknesses identified above would you choose to prioritise?
Give reasons for your choice

Appendix 2: Task 5 a) and b) Guideline Answers

Guideline Answer taken from Cambridge ESOL Report. Please do not think you
need to include everything here – they are designed for exam markers and thus
need to be comprehensive. You only need one example for each point; you do not
need an exhaustive list of all accuracy mistakes. If you tried to do so, you would run
out of time in the exam. Although line numbers are provided here, you only need to
include them if there would be a problem in finding the example otherwise. Range of
lexis and grammar are difficult areas for candidates to identify so pay close attention
to the answers as they provide you with useful guidance on what to look out for.
Strengths Weaknesses
Key areas • Some quite complex sentences

are successfully attempted, with
subordination as well as co-
ordination, and the use of relative
clauses, e.g. the sentence in
paragraph 1 I am writting to you
because … that I read …(lines 1-
3); There are some things that
…because in the advertisement
… (lines5-6).
Strengths Weaknesses
Key areas  There is a tendency to repeat
some words rather than use
substitution or synonyms, e.g.
go (three times in lines 7-8);
television (lines 11, 12 (twice)),
historic (lines 15 and 17).
 There is a limited range of ways

to ask for information. I would
know is repeated three times
(lines 5, 15, 17) and I (would)
ask you is used twice (line 7,
18). The student needs to use
alternatives such as could you
tell me…? I’d like to know …? I’d
be grateful if you could let me
know … It would also be helpful
to know …
 Candidates might argue that the

student’s vocabulary is quite
basic, supported by the fact that
she ‘lifts’ items from the rubric,

e.g. fascinating historic places, I

read carefully although this
could be seen as a positive
learner strategy! Her writing
would benefit from a wider
range of reporting verbs such as
refer to, request, mention; also
the use of available

Appendix 3: Evaluating an Answer

1. This is not an area; it is a single grammatical point which isn't a key issue in
this text. The area would be grammatical accuracy. Also the justification is
circular/self-referring: ‘I will correct this because she has made mistakes
with this’ is, therefore, no real justification in relation to the learner's future
development and needs.
2. Poor analysis. Perhaps the writer didn't notice that in the rubric the student
was specifically asked not to include addresses. In general, letter writing
conventions are followed with a minor problem over the first name in the
signature, possibly the need for a date, and (in some people's opinion) the
advantage of indenting paragraphs. This justification here is inflated and
patently rather silly.
3. You could definitely make a case for cohesion in extending the learners’
range of cohesive devices and addressing the problem with 'at first, at
second.' The real problem is that the alternative linkers suggested are not
all appropriate to this genre (a letter of request asking about holiday
accommodation) The candidate has not really thought about this text and
seems to have come up with these linkers without really considering their
appropriacy. However, with a better choice, the justification would be good
as it clearly relates to the learner's future needs.
4. These are good choices of areas but there should only be one and not
two. No justifications are given.
Appendix 4: Justifications
Possible justifications could include:
Task Achievement
 In some cases you might be helping them address the rubric more effectively e.g.
if they are taking an exam or for professional reasons. E.g. here planning skills:
If the learner is planning to take an exam, she needs to learn to read the rubric
more carefully and ensure that she includes all the key information in order to
achieve the task. She also needs to be made aware that it is not acceptable to
lift language from the rubric and that she could fail an examination as a result.
Thinking about required content could also help her with the successful
completion of other writing tasks.
 An area that causes a negative effect on the reader; for example, the content or
style of a letter might be inappropriate or offensive or too abrupt.
Particularly for a task which you analysed for ‘Effect on the Reader’, you would
be helping the learner to make a better impression on the reader. to make the
text more vivid or interesting for a reader OR you might want to focus on an
area that causes a strain on the reader because it is compromising intelligibility;

perhaps the non-use of punctuation or lack of signalling by cohesive devices is

making the text very difficult to follow.
 Learner's needs, e.g. often at intermediate level, they will be going on to take an
exam. The learner might need training in the overall organisation of ideas and
paragraphing for a particular genre such as a promotional tourist leaflet in
preparation for the writing paper in an exam, or they may need to develop a
greater control of grammar for the same exam.
 An area that would be useful for the learner's future professional needs; for
example, writing a letter of request would be useful in most business situations
 The transferability of the area in terms of other skills/situations; for example,

control and confident use of a particular verb form might improve the learner’s
spoken English or their ability to read more fluently.
 The transferability of the area in terms of other skills/situations; for example,

control and confident use of particular functional exponents might improve the
learner’s spoken English or their ability to read more fluently.
 Appropriacy of focus for the learner's level and general progression in English;
for example, an intermediate learner might be struggling to write a discursive
essay and needs to develop their range of lexis e.g. learn more expressions to
make generalisations
[This principle of level and progression could also relate with a different text to
grammatical accuracy e.g. a better control of zero article use with abstract
nouns. Alternately, the area could be below the learner's general proficiency; for
example, an intermediate learner might be making a significant number of errors
with affecting basic grammatical accuracy e.g. basic use of determiners. If this
issue is not addressed, the error may become fossilised.]

Appendix 5: Task 5 b)
Possible areas for work are:
 Task Achievement: Planning skills in preparation for PET or FCE, including

reading the rubric. The examiners can be very strict about any non-achievement
of the task or about students lifting language from the rubric and she needs to
check this if she is to take this kind of exam. This could also transfer to other
writing tasks, for example if she is given instructions on the content of a business
communication.
 Appropriacy of style and genre: The appropriacy of the requesting language:

the lack of polite forms and prefacing the request causes a rather negative effect
on the reader. Control and confident use of functional exponents for making
polite requests would help not only the learner's written but also their spoken
English. It would also be useful in the future where writing a letter or email of
request is very common in the business, tourist and academic worlds.
 Range and complexity of lexis: Modalised request expressions: I would like to

ask/know… Could you tell me… This is clearly a persistent and intrusive problem
throughout the text and creates a negative effect on the reader. The recipient of
the letter could be rather offended by the tone and might not feel inclined to rent
her farm to the student. This is also a high frequency linguistic functional area
and would be very useful for the learner to have a better control over and more
range in order to get what she wants in both oral and written situations.
Furthermore if she is thinking of taking an exam such as FCE in the near future,
she would need this language to complete similar written tasks (this could be an
example of one) and also to do the communicative activity in the oral exam. This
is also a language area which should be used more competently at this level and
could be a fossilised error which needs to be remedied before the learner can
move up the intermediate ladder.
 Range and complexity of lexis: Techniques to avoid lexical repetition: the

learner may be unaware of the negative effect that repetition can have on the
reader and the fact that it makes her writing sound rather basic and uninteresting.
She needs to widen her range of vocabulary to move to the next level and also to
learn how to use substitution more effectively to avoid repetition if she cannot find
an appropriate synonym. This could have the result of improving other pieces of
writing and may be particularly relevant to any exams she takes. It could
encourage her to edit her work with this in mind.
 Range and complexity of lexis: The learner needs to widen her range of
vocabulary for this text type to move to the next level. Both adjectives to describe
places and reporting verbs would make her writing more interesting and generate
a more positive response from the reader. Such vocabulary is also useful in daily
situations as we often talk about things we have seen or report what people have
said.

2.3. Appendix 6: Identifying Features of Genre
Guideline Answer (NB: Headings are optional)
1. Layout:
 Headline (with elliptic articles) followed by body of text eg: Teenager
Jennifer Crosbie….a first-aid course.
 Text is in short, often one sentence, paragraphs, each one starting on a
new line eg: Cool-headed Jennifer….on the street. (l.5-6)
2. Organisation:
 First sentence expands headline and summarises gist of passage.
Successive sentences add more detail, including circumstantial information
(age, job, ’16 year-old army cadet’ where from etc).
 Story told from perspective of the crisis/main event and its
consequences; background information, .e.g. previous events leading up to
crisis, sketched in later.
 Closes with a “moral” e.g. informed opinion on the event.’This shows
that a short basic course….’ l. 15
3. Grammatical:
 Long, complex/compound sentences, carrying a high load of
information e.g. The 16 year old Army Cadet...a boy who had
collapsed.
 Frequent use of complex noun phrases, pre-modified with noun
modifiers (“teenager Jennifer…”) and participles “cool-headed”,
“impressed”.
 Post modification in the form of relative clauses, prepositional phrases
and noun phrases in apposition (“Humberside Ambulance’s community
resuscitation officer Steve Johnson”).
 Use of past tenses for a narrative, including past perfect for referring to
events prior to “story time” (eg. ‘the skills she had learned’) and past
continuous for a situation in progress in “story time” (“was not
breathing”).
 Use of reporting structures, both direct (e.g. ‘It all just came back to me’
and indirect e.g. ‘Impressed medics said the teenage boy could have...’.
 Non-modalised forms to describe events (facts) but a lot of modality
when giving opinions and speculating e.g. ‘I might have done’. ‘could
have suffocated’, ‘I couldn’t have done it’
4. Lexical:
 neutral style, neither very formal nor very colloquial e.g. ‘put into
practice the skills’.
 Compound forms: life-saver, cool headed, 15-year-old.

2.4. Appendix 7: Identifying Language Features
Guideline Answer
Feature
discourse features / markers associated with spoken language more than with a
formal written style.
Egs Well (line 7), Anyway (line 32), hey! (line 15)
Feature
parataxis / use of basic conjunctions and linkers rather than complex constructions or
linkers. The sentence structure is quite simple.
Egs and (used 14 times), but (line 18), b/c (lines 17, 27) so (lines 17, 25)
Feature
colloquial / vague / idiomatic / informal lexis, including use of phrasal verbs
Egs stuff (lines 10 & 32), in Heaven (line 13), goodies (line 14), pretty amazing (line
18), hooked up with (line 24)
Feature
parenthetical comments which operate as asides rather than more syntactically
complex constructions, such as non-defining relative clauses or subordination (which
is….)
Egs (which is a ) boarder town on the Thai side; (line 9) (which was) hot, sweaty stuff
(line 10); (such as) nice shaving cream…(line 14); (which is a) ute with 2 rows of
seats… (line 20)
Feature
typographical conventions, i.e. abbreviations, contractions, numerals, dashes instead
of full stops
Egs Km = kilometre (line 10), b/c = because (lines 17, 27), u r = you are (line 33), D
= Dan (lines 16, 27), we’ve (line 7), don’t (line 18), we’re (line 31), 3 hours (line 10), 2
(line 20)
Feature
capital letters and exclamation marks
Egs NOT that easy (line 23), MAD (line 27), I nearly had a heart attack! (line 16)
Feature
ellipsis, especially in comment sentences / use of short sentences
Egs Hot, sweaty stuff (line 10), Anyway, another essay! (line 3), Exciting stuff (line
32)
Feature
spelling and punctuation errors
Egs boarder (line 9), While we were in the pub D (line 16 no comma), Elephant
(line 16), which one’s (line 24), 20Baht (line 26)
Feature
stylistic conventions in terms of openings and closings
Egs Dear All (line 7), Lots of Love, Hope u r all well and happy (line 34)

Appendix 8:Language Analysis

Guideline Answers
NB: CANDIDATES DID NOT HAVE TO STATE THE FORM OF THE LINKERS
AFTERWARDS (linking adverb)

Meaning/use: It means after that and puts the events in sequence. It is a temporal
linker.After is not usually used alone as an adverb. We use after that or afterwards instead.
Position: It goes at the beginning of the clause because it links the clause to a period of time
mentioned or implied in a previous clause. It can also go at the end of clauses.
AND (co-ordinating conjunction)

Meaning/use: It has additive meaning and signals another action in the sequence. It is part
of a list of three clauses all with the same subject we. In a sequence of past tense verbs, it
has the added meaning of then.
Position: It is in mid position because it links items in a sequence and here it signals the last
item in the list.
WHILE (subordinating conjunction)

Meaning/use: It links a subordinate clause to a main clause and introduces a longer
background event (in the subordinate clause) during which something else happened (in the
main clause). It is a temporal conjunction. In this context, it is being used as a synonym for
when.
Position: Here it must go in initial position because the subordinate clause comes first and
this is what it introduces.
B/C (BECAUSE) (a conjunction)

Meaning/use: It connects a subordinate clause of reason to a main clause.
Position: It goes in mid-position because it gives the reason for the previously mentioned
sadness.
SO (a conjunction)
Meaning/use: It introduces a purpose clause. In a more formal context, so that could be
used. So is more common in conversation and that is omitted.
Position: Here is goes in mid-position because it introduces another subordinate clause and
the purpose for bringing the elephant into the city.
BUT (a co-ordinating conjunction)

Meaning/use: It links two main clauses which are in contrast, i.e. it looked strange (negative
idea) … it was amazing (positive idea).
Position: Here it needs to go in mid-position because it introduces the contrasting idea.
ALSO (an adverb)

Meaning/use: It is used to express addition.
Position: It goes in mid-position in the clause after the verb to be. In the case of any other
main verb, it would come before the main verb. This is usually the case. Less commonly, also
can go in initial position to refer to the whole clause.
ANYWAY (linking adverb)

Meaning/use: It is an informal linker which means something like despite that. In this text, it
is used to link events in a narrative and also to go back to the main drift of the story, having
gone off at a tangent. NB: IT IS NOT USED HERE TO SIGNAL A CHANGE OF TOPIC. It is
normally followed by a comma.
Position: When used in a narrative, it must come at the beginning of the sentence it links.

Examiners’ Comments
Where they followed the rubric, candidates generally passed the task although there were
variations in the quality and accuracy of descriptions, many of which were expressed in lay
terms. The major problem was that candidates ignored the instruction to comment on position
as well as meaning/use or they forgot to include the former half-way through their answer.
Those who did comment on position, did so at a very basic level, simply stating the position,
(e.g. because comes in the middle of two sentences), rather than explaining why it came
between two clauses. Furthermore, candidates could have made more reference to the use
and position of the linkers as they occurred in this particular text which would have made their
answers more convincing. Generally, candidates were more confident when discussing
meaning/use although many were challenged by anyway stating that it was used to signal a
change in topic rather than a return to the main point after a digression and they did not
recognise the use of while to foreground an event. The examiners concluded that linking
devices was an area that candidates found quite challenging and that Centres might need to
devote more time to analysing this language area.
Here is a sample answer from the exam which was considered quite strong
‘Afterwards’ opens the sentence, therefore linking the information it precedes to the
information given in the previous sentence. Events are being presented in sequence
otherwise to keep the reader’s attention focused on a number of events.
‘and had a drink’. A list of 3 events are given in the sentence. ‘And’ is used to introduce the
last one, the normal usage when listing items. (A comma is not required. Nb. the sentence
here is a series of main clauses at the start of the dependent clause).
‘While’ sends a signal that events happening simultaneously are about to be presented, that
is being in the pub during which time something else occurred (D pointed out of the window
etc.)
‘b/c’ is an abbreviation for because. It’s function is to introduce the dependent clause
following
‘it was quite sad’ (main clause). It enables a reason to be given.
‘So’ (more formally so that) introduces a further element to the dependent clause and signals
that purpose is about to be stated.
‘but’ is used, after a comma, to introduce a clause of concession. The information is the
previous part of the sentence is modified. ‘Not only was this spectacle strange, it was
amazing too’.
‘also’ works in tandom with ‘but’ here to give additional information to describe the event,
modifying what has already been said.
‘anyway’ introduces the main clause utterance ‘I went outside’ etc. It indicates that the
information to be given does not follow on logically from what has preceded it. It expresses It
does not follow on from stating that this is the writer’s first sighting of an elephant that
he/should go out and pat it. ‘Anyway’ gives extra information, but which is off on a new track,
although in this case not completely tangential.
Examiners’ Comments on Sample Answer

In light of the relatively poor quality of most ...answers, this candidate’s answer was quite
strong. She correctly identified the function of all the linking devices apart from anyway, and
the position of also, thus reflecting the problem stated above of candidates forgetting to
include comments on position further into their answers. Her answer was clearly weaker on
position but the examiners accepted her implicit comment regarding so and noted that the
reference to the text helped to clarify her discussion of anyway.

Exam Thread: Paper One Task Five and Further Work On Paper One Task Four: Genre

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Exam Thread: Paper One Task Five and Further Work On Paper One Task Four: Genre

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Distance Delta Module One

Exam Thread: Paper One Task Five

 know what is involved in both parts of Paper 1 Task 5

 understand how to organise your answer and what to include.

 have a clearer idea of how to identify features of genre.

Unit 5 Exam Training 1

1. Introduction to Paper 1 Task 5

Unit 5 Exam Training 2

1. Introduction to Paper One Task 5

2.1. Identifying Key Instructions

ACTIVITY 1: Identify Key Instructions (2 mins)

 Appropriacy of genre and style

 Range and complexity of lexis

 Range and complexity of grammar

Unit 5 Exam Training 3

ACTIVITY 2: Try it Yourself (5mins)

Unit 5 Exam Training 4

2.2. Assessing learners’ output: Task 5a

Unit 5 Exam Training 5

ACTIVITY 3: Applying Assessment Criteria (10 mins)

 Is there a wider or narrower variety of lexical items / collocations / expressions

Unit 5 Exam Training 6

Check your answers on the next page

Unit 5 Exam Training 7

Assessment Criteria for Writing

Effect on the reader

Appropriacy of style and genre

Unit 5 Exam Training 8

Range and complexity of lexis

 Is there a wider or narrower variety of lexical items / collocations / expressions

Range and complexity of grammar

Unit 5 Exam Training 9

ACTIVITY 4: Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses (10 mins)

Unit 5 Exam Training 10

Unit 5 Exam Training 11

 take account of the learner’s level

 identify the key areas of strength or weakness

 comment on the effect the particular strengths and weaknesses have on

 write your evaluation quickly and efficiently

 give an example of each of the strengths and weaknesses

Unit 5 Exam Training 12

Appropriacy of style and genre

ACTIVITY 5: Task 5 a): Strengths and Weaknesses (15 mins)

See: Appendix 2 for a guideline answer

Unit 5 Exam Training 13

 Look at some samples of learners’ written work (perhaps photocopy some

Unit 5 Exam Training 14

2.3 Prioritising an area and justifying your choice: Task 5 b

 the learner’s level

 the learner’s future needs (e.g. exams, future study, job)

 transfer to other genres

 transfer to other skills

 specific to the learner’s context

 specific to the communicative purpose / success of the text (i.e. reference to

 the effect on the reader

 easy to rectify, therefore motivating.

Unit 5 Exam Training 15

ACTIVITY 6: Evaluating an Answer (10mins)

Unit 5 Exam Training 16

ACTIVITY 7: Justifications (10mins)

ACTIVITY 8: Task 5 b): (10mins)

 Give three justifications for the area you select.

 Refer specifically to level in your answer.