END OF YEAR TEST: Writing

SAMPLE
RESPONSES AND
MARKING GRID

Can write personal emails/letters, reporting recent events in detail

Can write simple structured essays, organising basic ideas

Sample Responses

Task 1

Write an email to a friend you haven’t spoken to for a month.

In your email, you should

 apologise for not writing for a month

 say what’s happened to you

 tell her/him about your plans for the summer holiday

 invite her/him to stay for a few days

 give details which will help persuade your friend to come

Write your email.

Write between 130 and 150 words.

Hi Sam,
How are you? I’m sorry I haven’t written for ages but I’ve been busy with my exams, which I think went okay, and
we’ve also moved house. What have you been up to? Have you finished your exams? I’m so looking forward to the
summer holidays now.
My parents are taking us to Greece for a beach holiday at the end of August. I’ve never been there and I’m very excited
about going there. Didn’t you go there last year? You could tell me about it and the best places to visit.
So, I was wondering if you’d like to come and stay for a few days at the beginning of the school holiday. We’re having a
big party for my brother’s 21st birthday. I know you and Felix get on well and he’d love to see you.
Anyway, let me know if you can come.
Love
Julie

150 words

Task 2

Your teacher has asked you to write an essay discussing this question: What kind of job would you like
to do in the future?

© 2017 Pearson PHOTOCOPIABLE 1

 END OF YEAR TEST: Writing
SAMPLE
RESPONSES AND
MARKING GRID

In your essay, you should

 describe the job

 explain why you would like to do that job
 say what qualifications and skills you would need
 say what you would do if you didn’t get that job

Write your essay.

Write between 130 and 150 words.

I would love to be a flight attendant so that I could travel around the world. It can be hard work looking after passengers
on a plane, but I think that it is a great way of seeing the world.
I think I would have to speak at least two languages fluently, maybe three. Luckily I already speak English, German and
Russian, so I would be able to apply for the job. I am also very good at communicating with people and I have had some
experience as a waitress in a busy café, which would help. You do not need a university degree but I know it is difficult
get this job because so many people want to be flight attendants.
If I didn’t become a flight attendant, I would look for a job in a travel agent’s so that I would still have the opportunity to
travel.

149 words

Marking Grid

The marking is based on the five following criteria: Content, Task achievement, Organisation and structure,
Range, Accuracy. These are each marked out of 4. The ‘average’ student would get 3; a very good student
would get 4; a weak student would get 2; a very poor student 0–1.The descriptors at 2–3 are ‘at level’; the
descriptors at 4 are ‘above level’ and the descriptors at 0–1 are ‘below level’.

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 content Lexical and Little or no text Uses only basic Many lexical and
points may be grammatical organisation vocabulary and grammatical
omitted inaccuracies according to genre. grammar errors, even in
completely, or impede task structures with a basic language,
covered in achievement. Text organised lot of errors which severely
insufficient depth largely at phrase evident. impede
and/or scope. Control may be level with some communication of
sufficient for very complete ideas.
simple tasks but sentences evident.

© 2017 Pearson PHOTOCOPIABLE 2

 END OF YEAR TEST: Writing
SAMPLE
RESPONSES AND
MARKING GRID

Content would not more complex Little or no linking

have a negative ones. Stretches of between phrases
effect on the text may require a or sentences.
intended reader lot of effort by the
due to lexical reader to decode.
and/or grammatical
inaccuracies
and/or poor control
of register.

2 May not cover all Lexical and Some text Has sufficient Can use some
the content points, grammatical organisation vocabulary and simple structures
or in insufficient inaccuracies may according to genre. grammar correctly but still
depth and/or impede task structures to cope systematically
scope. achievement in Uses a series of with familiar makes basic
some areas. simple phrases everyday topics mistakes. Limited
Content would and basic although errors control of short
have a negative Control may be sentences with may impede the simple sentence
effect on the sufficient for very simple connectors. message. structures.
intended reader simple tasks but sentence level. However it is clear
due to lexical generally not more Attempts at what the message
and/or grammatical complex ones. complex or is trying to say.
inaccuracies compound
and/or poor control sentences are
of register. likely to be
unsuccessful.

3 All points may Control is sufficient Text organised at Has sufficient Good control of
have been to respond to all sentence level. vocabulary and elementary
covered, but some tasks and to Can link a series of range of grammar language but major
in insufficient complete some shorter, discrete structures to errors still occur
depth. more complex simple elements express when expressing
ones. The into a linear themselves more complex
Sections of the message sequence of reasonably clearly thoughts. Uses a
content would understood and points. with some errors. range for
probably have a the task achieved frequently used
positive effect on despite some There is evidence Some successful patters reasonably
the intended errors. of paragraphing. attempts at accurately.
reader. complex or
compound,
sentences.

4 All content points Control of Text organised and Uses a good range Communicates
covered with language is clearly sequenced of level-appropriate with reasonable
sufficient depth sufficient to throughout with vocabulary and accuracy in familiar
and scope. respond to simple good linking. grammar contexts. Generally
and more complex Paragraphs used structures. Largely good control,
The text would tasks. appropriately for used accurately. though with some
have a positive the purpose and errors which do not
effect on the All parts of the task genre of the With some impede the overall
intended reader are fully achieved. writing. successful message.
due to good lexical complex and/or
and/or grammatical compound
accuracy and/or sentences.
sufficient control of
register.

© 2017 Pearson PHOTOCOPIABLE 3