END OF YEAR TEST: Writing

SAMPLE
RESPONSES AND
MARKING GRID

Can write a personal letter

Can write a story

Sample Responses
Task 1
Your Australian penfriend, Sam, is coming to stay with you and your family for a few days next month.
Write a letter to Sam. In your letter, you should
 say how pleased you are that he’s coming
 suggest some things to do together during his stay
 tell Sam what he should bring, and why
 explain the arrangements for meeting him at the airport

Write your letter.

Write between 110 and 130 words.

Hi Sam,
I’m very pleased you’re coming to stay with us! We’re all looking forward to seeing you!
I’ve made a few plans for while you’re here. Maybe one day, we could go to the city centre and visit all the famous
places there, and then another day we could do some sport, which I know you like. There’s a lake near here, and we can
go kayaking or horse riding if you like.
You should bring summer clothes with you, but also some warm sweaters and a raincoat. The weather is quite bad this
summer!
I’ll be at the airport with my parents. I’m sending a photo, just in case you can’t find us!
Don’t worry about anything – we’re going to have fun!
See you soon,
Best wishes

129 words

Task 2
Your teacher has asked you to write a story. Your story must begin with this sentence:

Jane got off her bike and looked at the map.

Your story must include the following:

 a beach
 a surprise

Write your story.

Write between 110 and 130 words.

Jane got off her bike and looked at the map. A boy in her class, called Sam, gave it to her the day before the school
holidays started. She looked carefully – it said she had to go towards the beach. So off she went. She could soon hear the
sound of the sea. It was a beautiful sunny day, and there were quite a few families on the beach, playing in the sand or
swimming in the sea.
She looked around. Then she noticed some young people playing volleyball, next to a small tent. Some of them looked
like her classmates – and there was Sam! She left her bike and walked towards them. While she was walking, Sam
suddenly saw her. ‘Hi, Jane,’ he called. ‘Come and join us – for an end-of-year party!’

123 words

© 2017 Pearson PHOTOCOPIABLE 1

 END OF YEAR TEST: Writing
SAMPLE
RESPONSES AND
MARKING GRID

Marking Grid
Marks Content Task Organisation and Range Accuracy
achievement structure
0 Award 0 marks only if there is no written response to assess or if what is written is unintelligible or is an
obviously rehearsed response bearing little or no relation to the tasks.
1 One or two Lexical and Little or no text Uses only very Many lexical and
content points grammatical organisation basic vocabulary grammatical
may be omitted inaccuracies according to and grammar errors, even in
completely, or impede task genre. structures with a basic language,
covered in achievement, Text organised lot of errors which severely
insufficient depth severely at times. largely at phrase evident. impede
and/or scope. Control may be with some No complex or communication
Content would sufficient for very complete compound of ideas.
have a negative simple tasks but sentences sentences.
effect on the not more evident. Little or
intended reader complex ones. no linking
due to lexical Stretches of text between phrases
and/or may be or sentences.
grammatical unintelligible or
inaccuracies require a lot of
and/or poor effort by the
control of reader to decode.
register.
2 May not cover all Lexical and Little or no text Uses only very Many lexical and
the content grammatical organisation basic vocabulary grammatical
points, or in inaccuracies according to and grammar errors, even in
insufficient depth impede task genre. structures, basic language,
and/or scope. achievement. Text organised at perhaps with a which impede
Content would Control may be phrase or lot of errors. communication
have a negative sufficient for very sentence level. No complex or of ideas.
effect on the simple tasks but No linking compound
intended reader generally not between sentences.
due to lexical more complex sentences.
and/or ones.
grammatical
inaccuracies
and/or poor
control of
register.
3 All points may Control is Text organised Uses basic A number of
have been sufficient to largely at vocabulary, but lexical and
covered, but respond to all sentence level. largely used grammatical
some in simple tasks and Some simple and accurately. errors probably
insufficient to complete logically- Uses basic evident but not in
depth. some more sequenced grammar sufficient
Sections of the complex ones. sections with structures, quantity to
content would The majority of linking between perhaps with a greatly impede
probably have a the response sentences. few errors. communication
positive effect on would achieve its There may be Probably no of ideas.
the intended intended evidence of complex, but
reader. purpose. paragraphing, but possibly some
this may be compound,
inappropriate. sentences.

© 2017 Pearson PHOTOCOPIABLE 2

 END OF YEAR TEST: Writing
SAMPLE
RESPONSES AND
MARKING GRID

4 All content points Control of Text organised Uses a good Occasional lexical
covered with language is and sequenced range of level- and grammatical
sufficient depth clearly sufficient simply but appropriate errors probably
and scope. to respond to logically vocabulary and evident but not in
The text would simple and more throughout. grammar sufficient
have a positive complex tasks. Linking between structures. quantity or
effect on the There is sentences Largely used severity to
intended reader demonstrable throughout. accurately. impede the
due to good achievement of Paragraphs used Possibly some communication
lexical and/or all parts of the appropriately for complex and/or of ideas.
grammatical task. the purpose and compound
accuracy and/or genre of the sentences.
sufficient control writing.
of register.

© 2017 Pearson PHOTOCOPIABLE 3