B1 Preliminary For Schools Writing Part 2 (Story)

B1 Preliminary for Schools Writing Part 2 – Teacher’s notes
Description
Students look at Part 2 questions and discuss what they have to do and how to select the most suitable
option for them. They look at sample answers and consider how well they are written. They discuss what
examiners are looking for, which answer is better and why. They then try writing an answer, read
another student’s answer, and give each other some feedback.
Time required: 60 minutes plus homework

Materials  Student handouts 1 and 2
required:
 Sample task
 Candidate answer sheet
Aims:  to introduce Writing Part 2
 to raise awareness of what a good answer is and what examiners are looking for
 to give practice in process writing to produce an answer
Procedure
1. Ask students to think about any longer pieces of writing they sometimes do. Prompt students
by asking them if they ever write stories or articles. Have a quick class discussion about types
of writing they may do. It will be useful to know if all they ever write is emails, texts and school
assignments such as creative writing, essays, reports.
2. Hand out the sample task and ask students to look at the first set of instructions. Elicit from
the class that you don’t have to answer both questions, you can choose between writing an
article or a story and you should write about 100 words.
3. Point out that the instructions tell you what to write in the article, and give you the first sentence
of the story. Allow students a couple of minutes to read through the task then elicit the following
points:
 the differences between Part 1 and Part 2: Part 2 is longer, there is a choice of task
and the content is much more open
 how to choose which task to answer (article or story): candidates should choose
according to their interest and ideas for the topic and the amount of language they
have to write about the topic
 candidates must make sure they answer the task and do not write a ‘pre-learned text’
 as in Part 1, planning your answer and leaving time to check and edit it at the end are essential
4. Give out the handout and ask students to read the two sample answers and then work in pairs to
answer the questions.
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5. Discuss their answers as a class (see Answer key). Then ask them what they think the examiners
might be looking for when they mark the answers. The questions on the worksheets provide some
hints. Elicit or add to the student ideas so that the following list is on the board:
 Does it have a positive effect on the reader?
 Is everything relevant to the task?
 Does it communicate the ideas successfully?
 Is it well organised and do the sentences/ideas go together well?
 Does it include good everyday vocabulary and structures?
 Are there many errors, and do they make it difficult to read?
Emphasise that it is important for candidates to show ambition, that top marks are given for
answers that include a range of language (e.g. structures, tenses, appropriate expressions and
different vocabulary) even if there are mistakes. They shouldn’t worry too much about accuracy as
this is only a problem if it stops the reader understanding the answer or makes the answer difficult
to read. Hand out a copy of the Student handout 2 which shows that accuracy is not the only area
that is being tested.
6. Ask students to look at the two answers again, and in pairs to answer the six assessment questions
for each answer, then decide which answer they think is better, and why. Whole class feedback
(see Answer key). Tell students what marks each candidate received and why (see examiner’s
feedback as a guide). Note 5 is the top band for this part of the test.
7. Divide the class in half, then divide each half of the class into groups of 3 or 4. Give one half of
the class question 7 (the article) and the other half of the class question 8 (the story). Ask
students to brainstorm in their groups ideas for their answers. Allow 5 minutes for this.
8. Keep the groups the same but swap over the questions so each half of the class is now
brainstorming ideas for the other question.
9. Ask students to work individually and choose one of the questions. Ask them to write their answer
and keep the questions on Handout 2 in mind while they are writing. Give them 15 minutes to write
their answer.
10. Ask students to swap their answer with another student who chose the same question. Explain
that it is useful to read other answers and see different ideas and language, and then to re-write
or amend their own answer. Ask students to also give some feedback about their partner’s
writing, e.g. to think of one thing they think is good and one thing they think needs some more
work (note that this will need demonstrating if the class is not used to giving peer feedback). If
time allows, encourage students to swap answers with a few different students. Introduce or
reinforce the idea that writing is a process and improves with re-drafting.
11. Ask students to re-write their answer at home, using an answer sheet. Hand out a copy for
each student to take away with them.
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Answer key
Handout
Guideline answers
1. Article
a) Is the article about what the writer finds funny and who they enjoy laughing with? Yes, ‘when someone
fall down’, ‘bad jokes, ‘funnys videos’, ‘with my family and my friend’, ‘with my best friend’.
b) Does the article include the writer’s opinion on whether it is good to laugh a lot? Yes, ‘I think it’s good to
laugh a lot and have humour’
c) Does the article include reasons for their opinion? Yes, they mention laughing is good in order to ‘be
better and have a good life’
d) Is the article well organised? Yes, the text is connected using some basic linking words and is clearly
structured in paragraphs.
e) Is the language varied? Everyday vocabulary is used appropriately but there is some repetition both in
words and structures.
f) Can you find some examples of ambitious language? Very few examples of ambitious language ‘I
enjoy life like it is’
g) Are there many errors? Do these make the answer difficult to understand? While errors are noticeable,
they don’t make it difficult to understand.
Examiner comments (for procedure step 6)
Scales Mark Commentary
All content is relevant to the task.

Content 5 The target reader is fully informed about what the candidate finds funny, when someone fall
down, who they enjoy laughing with, my family; my best friend, and why laughter is
important, it’s good to laugh a lot; to be better and have a good life.
The conventions of article writing, such as sharing personal information and expressing
opinions, are used generally appropriately to communicate straightforward ideas, I think it’s
Communicative 3 good to laugh a lot; It’s for this I laugh for anything. The article doesn’t have a standard
Achievement introduction, but the topic is generally introduced with a sentence about what the candidate
does, So, I laugh always and for nothing.
The text is connected and coherent. Paragraphs are used to separate the text into sections
and, although these are often limited to one sentence, different ideas are expressed in each
Organisation 3 one, providing a structure to the text. Some basic linking words and the occasional cohesive
device, such as a referencing pronoun, are used to connect the ideas, when; and; with my
family and my friend but I really enjoy; It’s for this.
Everyday vocabulary is used generally appropriately, jokes; videos; enjoy; humour;

important, although some lexis is overused, laugh; funny; friend.
Language 3
Simple grammatical forms, such as the present tense, are used with a good degree of
control, although there is not much variety in terms of tenses used, I like to watch; I really
enjoy laughing; with our friends to be better and have a good life; I enjoy life like it is.
There are some noticeable errors, with agreement and prepositions, but meaning can still be
determined, someone fall down; laugh for bad jokes; funnys videos; to have a funny and
good; I laugh for anything.
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2. Story
a) Does the story start with the correct sentence? Yes

b) Are there around 100 words? There are 117. Advise students that there is no penalty for over
or under length, but if they write too much, they may include irrelevant content which could have
a negative effect on the target reader. (This is not the case here).
c) Is the story interesting to read? Why? Yes, you can imagine the situation clearly.
d) Is the story easy to follow? Why? Generally yes, because the events are in a logical order.
However, the text could use some more connecting by using linking words/phrases, e.g. ‘when’,
‘while’, ‘so’. The text could have been broken in paragraphs to facilitate understanding.
e) Does the story have a clear ending? Yes – ‘he never go to the unknows places on foot’.
f) Can you find some examples of ambitious language? A few words and phrases, such as
‘mushroomes, ‘berries’, ‘found a way’.
g) Are there many errors? Do these make the answer difficult to understand? While errors are
noticeable, they don’t make it difficult to understand
Examiner comments (for procedure step 6):
Scales Mark Commentary
The story continues from the prompt, with a beginning, middle and end,
Content 5 and all the content is relevant.
The target reader is fully informed.
The story follows the conventions of storytelling in generally appropriate

Communicative 3 ways. The simple storyline is communicated to the reader, despite errors
Achievement and weak organisation.
The text is connected using a limited number of linking words (and; But;
Organisation 2 from that day). Although the majority of sentences are short and there is
limited linking across sentences, the story is coherent.
Everyday vocabulary is used generally appropriately. There is some

Language 3 evidence of less common lexis appropriate to the story (mushroomes
and berries; found a way; unknows places). Spelling errors generally do
not cause confusion, with the exception of could for cold and plantes for
planes.
Simple grammatical forms (mainly simple past tense) are used with a
good degree of control.
While errors are noticeable, the meaning can still be determined.
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Student handout 2
Question 2: article Question 3: story

Does it have a positive effect on The target reader is on the Yes, it holds the reader’s
the reader? whole informed. attention.
Is everything relevant to the Yes, all is relevant to the task. Yes, it is all relevant to the first
task? sentence.
Does it communicate the ideas Communicates Yes, the story is written in a

successfully? straightforward ideas chronological order.
generally
successfully.
Is it well organised and do the Article is connected and No, even though the ideas go
sentences/ideas go together coherent with basic together, they are not connected
well? linking. and the use of tenses does not
help to understand the
connection between actions.
Does it include good everyday Yes, everyday vocabulary and Yes, it includes some
vocabulary and structures? simple structures are used. good everyday
vocabulary. The
structures needed better
control.
Are there many errors, and do There are some errors but it’s There are some errors, but
they make it difficult to read? not difficult to understand. you can generally follow the
storyline.
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B1 Preliminary for Schools Writing Part 2
Student handout 1
Read these sample answers to Part 2 and answer the questions for each one. Discuss with your partner.
1. Article
So, I laugh always and for nothing.
I find very funny when someone fall down and I laugh for bad jokes. I like to watch funnys videos to
laugh.
I enjoy laughing with my family and my friend but I really enjoy laughing with my best friend.
I think it’s good to laugh a lot and have humour to have a funny and good. I find important laugh with
our friends to be better and have a good life.
It’s for this I laugh for anything and I enjoy life like it is.
a) Is the article about what the writer finds funny and who they enjoy laughing with?
b) Does the article include the writer’s opinion on whether it is good to laugh a lot?
c) Does the article include reasons for their opinion?
d) Is the article well organised?
e) Is the language varied?
f) Can you find some examples of ambitious language?
g) Are there many errors? Do these make the answer difficult to understand?
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2. Story
Jo looked at the map and decided to go left. He wanted to go to the Karpats on foot. Jo liked to go to
the rivers, forests and mountains on foot. He always took map with he. But one day he lost! Jo was
very worried and scared. He was in the forest one week. He was could at night, he was very hot in the
afternoon. He ate mushroomes and berries. But he found a way from the forest. And from that day he
never came to the forest on foot. He always go to the rivers, forests and mountains on ships, by trains,
by plantes. But he never go to the unknows places on foot.
h) Does the story start with the correct sentence?

i) Are there around 100 words?
j) Is the story interesting to read? Why?
k) Is the story easy to follow? Why?
l) Does the story have a clear ending?
m) Can you find some examples of ambitious language?
n) Are there many errors? Do these make the answer difficult to understand?
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Student handout 2
Look at the two samples answers and discuss these questions with your partner.
Question 2: article Question 3: story

Does it have a positive effect on
the reader?
Is everything relevant to the

task?
Does it communicate the ideas

successfully?
Is it well organised and do the

sentences/ideas go together
well? Are there many errors,
and do they make it difficult to
read?
Does it include good everyday
vocabulary and structures?
Are there many errors, and do

they make it difficult to read?
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Sample task
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Candidate answer sheet
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B1 Preliminary For Schools Writing Part 2 (Story)

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B1 Preliminary for Schools Writing Part 2 – Teacher’s notes

Time required: 60 minutes plus homework

All content is relevant to the task.

Everyday vocabulary is used generally appropriately, jokes; videos; enjoy; humour;

a) Does the story start with the correct sentence? Yes

Scales Mark Commentary

The story follows the conventions of storytelling in generally appropriate

Everyday vocabulary is used generally appropriately. There is some

Question 2: article Question 3: story

Does it communicate the ideas Communicates Yes, the story is written in a

So, I laugh always and for nothing.

h) Does the story start with the correct sentence?

Question 2: article Question 3: story

Is everything relevant to the

Does it communicate the ideas

Is it well organised and do the

Are there many errors, and do

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