FCE for schools writing part 2

First for Schools Writing Paper: Part 2 – teacher’s notes
Description
Students do a matching activity to help identify different task types. They then look at a
sample paper and find out more about some of the text types they could be asked to
produce in Part 2. They focus on how to write one of the task types, the story.
Time required:

50 minutes

Materials
required:



Student’s Worksheet 1 (copies and cut into strips)



Student’s Worksheet 2 (one copy for each student)



Student’s Worksheet 3 (one copy for each student)



Sample Tasks (one copy for each student)



to familiarise the students with what they are expected to write in

Part 2 of Paper 2

Aims:

Procedure
1. Before the class, copy Student’s Worksheet 1 and cut it into strips so that each
student has one slip of paper.
2. Tell the students that there are six different task types they may be expected to
produce in Part 2, and that you are going to look at them briefly in this activity.
Remind or tell them that they only have to write one task in Part 2, and that they can
choose one out of questions 2–4, or a set text question.
3. If there are more than twelve students, divide the students into two or three groups
which will mingle in different areas of the classroom and distribute the strips from
Student’s Worksheet 1 evenly between the students. Some students may have to
have more than one strip and find more than one partner.
4. Students either have the name of a text type, or an example of a text. They have to
find a partner with whom they can match the extract with the text type. They are all
task types candidates may be required to write in Part 2 of the First for Schools
Writing paper.
5. When they have found their partner(s), in their groups students lay out the strips so
each task type matches an example, and:
 agree as a group that each pairing is correct
 decide what the task for each text is (e.g. a review of a film, a letter of advice
to a friend about going on a trip)
6. Feed back some ideas with the whole class (see Key below). If appropriate, draw
attention to features of the text which give you information about the target reader
(audience) of the text.

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First for Schools Writing Paper: Part 2 – teacher’s notes

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6. Give students a copy of Student’s Worksheet 2, which has three example answers
to questions taken from a First for Schools Writing paper. Ask students to work in
pairs and identify what type of task each one is (A: article, B: story, C: essay).
7. If you wish to focus on assessment, the marks and comments for these scripts are in
the First for Schools handbook. You could ask the students to identify the good and
weak points of each sample script.
8. Ask the students to decide in pairs what the question might have been for the
example answers A, B and C. Give out the Sample Tasks so students can see the
original questions (A: question 2, B: question 3, C: question 4).
9. Refer students to example answer B on Student’s Worksheet 2, which was
awarded a mark in the top band, 5. Elicit ideas about what makes this a good story.
Accept all answers at this stage.
10. Discuss with students:
 Would you choose to write a story in the exam?
 Why/why not?
Point out/elicit that:
 they may be asked to write a short story for a teenage magazine.
 the main reason for writing would be to get the interest of the reader.
 when writing a story, you have to find inspiration and details to make your
story colourful and interesting for the reader.
12. Give out Student’s Worksheet 3 and ask students to complete it in pairs. When they
have finished, elicit feedback from the whole class (see Key below).
13. Discuss together whether the example answer B does what is suggested on the
worksheet. Ask students in pairs to underline examples of linking words, narrative

tenses and descriptive adjectives and adverbs. Feed back together (see Key below).
14. Answer any other questions about Part 2 of the Writing paper, and explain that you
will look in detail at all the different task types during the course.

Additional information


For more information about assessment criteria, see the First for Schools handbook
or the Teaching Resources activity First for Schools Writing Paper Overview.



For more information on the set text questions, see the First for Schools Handbook or
the Teaching Resources activity First for Schools Writing Paper Overview.



Reading one of the books for the set text in class increases students’ options in the
Writing paper. It’s also possible to use the film version of the set texts, if this is
preferred. If you are not studying one of the titles, make sure the students know if
they choose question 5, they should know the book or the film as they must refer to it
in their answer. They might know it in their own language, which is fine, but they must
know something about it in order to write a relevant answer.

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Suggested follow-up activities
1. Students answer one of the questions from the Sample Tasks for homework. They
could write their own, different story for Question 3 if they like.
2. Students will need guidance on how to plan the different types of writing task, and
useful language for each, e.g. narrative tenses for stories, linkers, etc. During the
course, students will need plenty of practise in planning and writing the different text
types. Some of this work can be started in class (e.g. brainstorming ideas, planning
which points to make) and completed for homework.
3. Give students practice during the course in planning and write all the different text
types required in the First for Schools Writing paper.

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First for Schools Writing Paper: Part 2 – teacher’s notes

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First for Schools Writing Paper: Part 2 – answer key
Key to Procedure steps
Step 6



agree as a group that each pairing is correct (see Student’s Worksheet 1 for
correct pairs)
task for each text (possible answers)

article for a magazine or school newsletter about food in your country, or
comparing the food of your country with others
letter

advice to a friend about going on a trip, changing course, etc

review

film review, e.g. a comedy, animation, etc

story

e.g. Write a story for your teacher which begins “Peter never
imagined that a game of football could turn out the way it did.”

report

for the principal of a school/college about a website intended to
promote the school, support students, etc

essay

e.g. set by a teacher: “Answer this question: Are children allowed to
use too much technology nowadays?”

Step 13
Examples of expanded sentences in italics; linking words in bold; variety of tenses and
adjectives/adverbs underlined
At last the weekend had arrived and Anna was both nervous and excited. She was on her

way to the USA for the first time ever after winning a study trip to find out about
American culture and represent her country.

She took off at eight and by the time the plane landed, Anna was absolutely exhausted.

Luckily the family that was going to take care of her was waiting at the airport so she got
to bed straightaway.
The next day the family took Anna to watch her favourite film. Although it was in English
she understood almost everything because she had been studying English for ages. As they
were leaving the cinema, guess what? Anna saw her favourite film star. She was thrilled! He
smiled shyly at her –she was sure he did! – as she managed to take a picture of him to
treasure forever.
Back home she told everyone about her adventure and showed the picture to the film stars
many fans there. They were amazed and just couldn’t believe Anna’s luck!

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First for Schools Writing Paper: Part 2 – answer key

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Key to Student’s Worksheet 3
1

beginning

2

middle

3

end

4

before

5

paragraphs

6

prompt sentence

7

linking words and phrases

8

verb tenses

9

put the events in a story in order

10 adjectives and adverbs

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First for Schools Writing Paper: Part 2 – answer key

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First for Schools Writing Paper: Part 2 – Student’s Worksheet 1

Article

Most people will probably agree with me that the food in
our country is the best in the world! Personally, I think
this is because we appreciate the importance of eating
well, and many people enjoy cooking. My favourite dish
is...

Letter

If your parents don’t think this is a good idea, maybe you
could ask your brother to help you to change their minds.
I remember you told me that he did the same thing
himself four years ago. Why don’t you...

Review

I think that people of all ages would enjoy this film, and I

would recommend it for a fun family trip to the cinema.

Story

Peter ran down the hill as fast as he could, trying to catch
the football before it went into the river. Suddenly, ...

Report

The new website should be appealing to young people,
and include information on courses, study skills and
college clubs.

Essay

In my opinion, very young children should not be given
mobile phones because they are too immature to use
them responsibly. However, ...

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First for Schools Writing Paper: Part 2 – Student’s Worksheet 2
A
The computer – a must have

Nowadays teenagers need to be in contact all the time and the best thing that covers
that is a computer.
Internet offers a variety of web pages and systems that allow you to talk to many
friends at the same moment. Actually there are many popular websites where you can
upload videos, photos and say what you think of anything you want to.
Almost there are lots of web pages that you can use for finding information, playing or
studying. The dream of doing the homework quickly and without any effort can come
true if you surf the internet for a while.
Another reality is being made from the connection between computers. You can’t be out
of this if you mind having lots of friends and keeping in touch with them at any place.

B
At last the weekend had arrived and Anna was both nervous and excited. She was on her
way to the USA for the first time ever after winning a study trip to find out about
American culture and represent her country.
She took off at eight and by the time the plane landed, Anna was absolutely exhausted.
Luckily the family that was going to take care of her was waiting at the airport so she
got to bed straightaway.
The next day the family took Anna to watch her favourite film. Although it was in
English she understood almost everything because she had been studying English for
ages. As they were leaving the cinema, guess what? Anna saw her favourite film star.
She was thrilled! He smiled shyly at her –she was sure he did! – as she managed to take a
picture of him to treasure forever.
Back home she told everyone about her adventure and showed the picture to the film
stars many fans there. They were amazed and just couldn’t believe Anna’s luck!

C
Spending a lot of money is not the only way that make you look good. I think it is not
nessecery to spend heap of money for fashion. You can also look good with your own
style. Fashion is changeble. There always have new style of fashion come in. It is not

mean that you have to alway spend money for new arrive fashion. You would rather look
good in your own style.
In 2010 everyone has right to decide what they want to dress up. You don’t have to
alway update and get in fashions. Find your own style. Think what you really want. Do not
let these fashions or fancy external stuffs influenced you.
Woman have naturally beautifulness from inside. We just need some colour to make up
us. Make up and dress up suitibly. We can use the method of mix and match. We can
matching our old clothes together to make up a new one.
Spending too much money on fashion is worthless. You have right to have your own
fashion!
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First for Schools Writing Paper: Part 2 – Student’s Worksheet 3

Read the following text and complete the gaps with the words and phrases in the box.

paragraphs

middle

adjectives and adverbs

end

put the events in a story in order
beginning

linking words and phrases

What makes a good story?
A story should have a 1) ______________, a 2) ______________ and an 3) ____________.
Think about how the story begins, the main events and how it ends. Do this
4) ______________ starting to write your story. As with other types of writing, you should
use 5) ______________ to organise the text into sections.
The short story tasks in the exam are based on a 6) ______________, which students have
to put at the beginning of their story. The story must be logically linked to this.
Help the reader follow the narrative by introducing events and linking them together by using
7) ______________, e.g. before, afterwards, while.
In a narrative, it is important to use a variety of 8) ______________, e.g. past simple, past
continuous, past perfect, to 9) ______________ and to put them into perspective. Make the
story interesting by adding details and colour; e.g. expand short sentences by adding
description, for example using 10) ______________.

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First for Schools Writing Paper: Part 2 – Sample Tasks

Writing ● Part 2

Write an answer to one of the Questions 2 – 5 in this part. Write your answer in 120 – 180
words in an appropriate style on the opposite page. Put the question number in the box at the top
of page 7.
Question 2
You have seen this announcement in an international teen magazine.

Competition!
The 21st-Century Teenager
What is the one thing a modern teenager should not be
without?
Computer? MP3 player? Mobile phone?
You decide!
The best article will be published in next month’s magazine.

Write your article.
Question 3
You have seen a story writing competition in an English-language magazine and you decide to enter.
Your story must begin with this sentence:

At last the weekend had arrived and Anna was both nervous and excited.
Write your story.

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Question 4
You have recently had a discussion in your English class about teenage fashions. Now your
teacher has asked you to write an essay, answering the following question.


Do you think that you have to spend a lot of money on fashion to look good?

Write your essay.
Question 5
Answer one of the following two questions based on one of the titles below.
Write the letter (a) or (b) as well as the number 5 in the question box on the top of page 7.
(a)

Shakespeare: Macbeth
You have seen the following announcement in an international school magazine.
You have decided to write an article, using a character from the story of Macbeth.
Articles wanted!

Tell us about a bad character in a story you know.




What does this person do?
Why does this person behave so badly?
Is there something you like about this person?

The writer of the best article will win £100 worth of books!

Write your article about a character in the story of Macbeth.

(b) Joe Simpson: Touching the Void
Your English class has had a discussion about what happens in Touching the Void.
Now your teacher has given you this essay for homework:
Simon and Joe have to make some difficult decisions in
the story of Touching the Void. Do you think they make
the right choices? Why? / Why not?
Write your essay.

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