Past paper questions for paper 1

Section 1: Directed Writing

May/June 2020/11
Your uncle and aunt own a shop which is busy and successful. You sometimes help in
the shop during your holidays. Your English teacher asks you to make a speech to your
class about the shop and your experience of working there.
Write your speech. You must include the following:
• what kind of shop it is and what you do there
• why the shop is so busy and successful
• why working in the shop is a useful experience for you.
Cover all three points above in detail. You should make your speech interesting and
informative. Start
your speech: ‘Good morning, everyone.’

May/June 2020/12
Your school has many extra-curricular activities. These include a debating team, music
groups, sports
teams and others. You are the leader of one of them. Your English teacher asks you to
make a speech
to your classmates to inform them about your team or group.
Write your speech. You must include the following:
• which team or group you lead and why it is successful
• the qualities and skills a member of the team or group must have
• how someone who joins the team or group will benefit as a member.
Cover all three points above in detail. You should make your speech informative and
interesting. Start
your speech: ‘Good morning, everyone.’

May/June 2019/12
There have been many problems with the public transport in your area. These problems
have made
travelling difficult. You decide to write a letter to the Editor of the local newspaper to
explain how unhappy you are with the present situation.
Write your letter. You must include the following:
• details of the problems with the public transport in your area
• an example of when and how you were affected
• what you think should be done to improve the situation.
Cover all three points above in detail. You should make your letter polite and
informative. Start your letter ‘Dear Editor’, and remember to supply a suitable ending.

Oct/Nov 2019/11

Recently, two of your relatives who live abroad came to stay with your family for a
week. This was a
very happy event for everyone. You decide to write to your aunt, who lives in another
city, to tell her
about this visit.
Write your letter. You must include the following:
• who the relatives are and when they came to visit
• details about what you and your relatives did together during the visit
• what your relatives enjoyed most about their visit and why.
Cover all three points above in detail. You should make your letter interesting and
informative.
Start your letter ‘Dear Aunt ...,’ and remember to supply an appropriate ending.

Oct/Nov 2019/12

Last year, your best friend at school moved away to live in another town. Recently, a
very important
person came to visit your school. You decide to write a letter to your friend with all the
details of the visit.
Write your letter. You must include the following:
• who the important person was and when the visit took place
• details of what happened during the visit
• why the visit was important for you and your school.
Cover all three points above in detail. You should make your letter interesting and
informative.
Start your letter ‘Dear ...,’ and remember to supply a suitable ending.

May/June 2018/12
Your school is very popular and the number of students is increasing. This means that it
is more difficult to buy snacks at break time. Your Principal wants to make break time
easier for everyone. She asks you to write a report for her about how to do this.
Write your report. You must include the following:
• some of the difficulties that you and other students have at break time
• suggestions about how the school can make break time easier
• how the students and the school will benefit.
Cover all three points above in detail. You should make your report polite and
informative. Start your
report ‘To the Principal’. Remember to give your name and a date.

Oct/Nov 2018/11

You went on a trip. (It might be a trip with your school, your family, a club you belong
to, or any other
trip you wish.) During the trip something very surprising happened. Your teacher asks
you to give a
speech about this trip to your school assembly.
Write your speech. You must include the following:
• when and where you went on the trip
• details of the very surprising event
• how the surprise affected you and the people you were with.
Cover all three points above in detail. You should make your speech interesting and
informative.
Start your speech 'Good morning, everyone.’

Oct/Nov 2018/12

It is your final week in school. Your teacher asks you to make a speech to the school
assembly about
the event from your school life which you will always remember. (It might be an
academic memory, a
social event or any other event you wish.)
Write your speech. You must include the following:
• when and where the event took place
• details of what happened
• how the event affected you and other people.
Cover all three points above in detail. You should make your speech interesting and
informative.
Start your speech ‘Good morning, everyone.’

May/June 2017/12
In your school grounds, there is some land which is not used at the moment. One idea is
to make it a quiet garden where students can relax during school break times. The
Principal asks you to find out what the students think of this idea and to suggest other
ways of using this land. The Principal asks you to write a report about the best use for
the piece of land.
Write your report. You must include the following:
• what students think about having a quiet garden
• what other ideas students have for using the land and why
• which of all the ideas you would choose and how students could help to achieve this.
Cover all three points above in detail. You should make sure your report is polite and
informative.
Start your report ‘To the Principal’ and remember to supply a signature and date.

Oct/Nov 2017/11

Your Principal wants to form a School Council (a group of teachers and students) to
discuss
ways of improving school life for everyone. You would like to apply to be one of the
students on
this School Council. You decide to write a letter to the Principal to say why you should
be chosen.
Write your letter. You must include the following:
• why you agree that a School Council is important
• a brief summary of your personal qualities and achievements and why they make you
suitable for the position
• the improvements to school life you would like to suggest first and why.
Cover all three points above in detail. You should make your letter polite and
persuasive.
Start your letter ‘Dear Principal’ and remember to provide a suitable ending.
Oct/Nov 2017/12
Every year the older students in your school invite adults to come and talk about why
they are
successful in their careers. You decide to write a letter to a well-known personality (for
example,
from television or business) to persuade him or her to come and speak to the students.
Write your letter. You must include the following:
• an invitation to speak to the students and the date and venue for the meeting
• what you admire about the personality and his or her work
• how the students benefit from these visits.
Cover all three points above in detail. You should make your letter polite and
persuasive. Start
your letter ‘Dear …… ,’ and remember to provide a suitable ending.

Oct/Nov 2016/11

Recently a plan was announced about the building of a new road which will pass
through part of
your area. Most residents support the plan but others are against it. You are in favour of
the plan
but understand both points of view. You decide to write a letter to your local newspaper
to make
clear your own ideas.
Write your letter. You must include the following:
• why most people like the plan for the new road
• why other people object to it
• what changes to the plan could be made to satisfy those who do not like it.
Cover all three points above in detail. You should make your letter polite and
persuasive. Start
your letter ‘Dear Editor,’ and remember to add an appropriate ending.

Oct/Nov 2016/12

Recently you became aware of a person in your area who quietly does a lot to help
members of
the community who have problems. However, very few people know about this. You
decide to write
a letter to your local newspaper to make readers aware of the good work.
Write your letter. You must include the following:
• details about the person and where this good work is done
• a description of the good work and how it benefits the community
• suggestions for how the newspaper readers could become involved.
Cover all three points above in detail. You should make your letter polite and
informative. Start
Your letter ‘Dear Editor,’ and remember to add an appropriate ending.

May/June 2016/11
Your school has built a new sports centre. A former pupil of your school, now a famous
sports star,
has been invited to open the new centre. Your Principal has asked you to make a speech
at the
official opening to welcome the sports star and introduce the centre to teachers and
pupils.
Write your speech. You must include the following:
• an introduction to the sports star and his or her achievements
• a description of the new centre and its facilities
• the benefits to the school that the centre will bring and an expression of thanks to the
sports star.
Cover all three points above in detail. You should make sure your speech is polite and
informative.
Start your speech ‘Teachers and fellow students,…’.

May/June2016/12
Recently your class organised and helped to run an after-school activity for younger
pupils in your
school. It was very successful. The Principal has asked you, as one of the organisers, to
give a
speech about it at a school assembly.
Write your speech. You must include the following:
• when and where the activity was held
• a description of the activity that took place
• the benefits to the younger pupils and to your classmates.
Cover all three points above in detail. You should make your speech interesting and
informative.
Start your speech ‘Good morning, everyone,...’.

Oct/Nov 2015/11
You are a member of a school team which recently won an important competition. Your
Principal
is very pleased with the team’s improvement and asks you to write an article for your
school
magazine about the success of the team.
(You can choose any kind of team: for example, debating, quiz, sports etc.)
Write your magazine article. You must include the following:
• some details about the team and the competition it won
• why the team was so successful this year
• how team members and the whole school have benefited from this success.
Cover all three points above in detail. You should make sure your article is lively and
informative.
Start your article with a suitable headline.

Oct/Nov 2015/12
Recently, you and some other members of your class were chosen to take part in a
festival. Your
Principal is very pleased that you took part. He has asked you to write an article for your
school
magazine about what you did at the festival.
Write your magazine article. You must include the following:
• details of the festival and where it was held
• what you and the other students did at the festival
• why you feel taking part was a benefit to you and the other students and to your
school.
Cover all three points above in detail. You should make sure your article is lively and
informative.
Start your article with a suitable headline.

May/June 2015/11
Your class has decided to celebrate the end of the school year by visiting a place of
interest. You
are the class prefect. Your teacher has asked you to write a letter to the parents of your
classmates
to explain your plans.
Write your letter. You must include the following:
• when and where you are going and details of your travel arrangements
• why your class has chosen this place and what you will do there
• how the students in your class will benefit from the trip.
Cover all three points above in detail. You should make sure your letter is polite and
informative.
Start your letter ‘Dear Parents,’ and remember to add an appropriate ending.

May/June2015/12