Writing Tips: Tips and Practice For The Writing Module of The

THE OXFORD TEST OF ENGLISH
IS CERTIFIED BY THE
UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD
Writing Tips
Tips and practice for the Writing module of the
Oxford Test of English and Oxford Test of English for Schools
Contents
Introduction 4
Test overview 5
The Writing module 6
Tips for preparing for the Writing module 8
Writing Part 1: Email 9
Exercise 1 Tip: Include all three prompts in your email 10
Exercise 2 11
Exercise 3 Tip: Answer each prompt fully 12
Exercise 4 13
Exercise 5 14
Exercise 6 Tip: Use your own words15
Exercise 7 16
Exercise 8 Tip: Use the right level of formality17
Exercise 9 18
Exercise 10 18
Exercise 11 19
Exercise 12 20
Exercise 13 20
Exercise 14 Tip: Expand your responses21
Exercise 15 22
Exercise 16 24
Writing Part 2: Choosing the question
Tip: Choose a Part 2 question you can answer 26
Exercise 1 26
Writing Part 2: Essay 27
Exercise 1 Tip: Make sure you answer the question 27
Exercise 2 Tip: List some ideas29
Exercise 3 29
Exercise 4 30
Exercise 5 Tip: Organize your essay31
Exercise 6 32
Exercise 7 33
Exercise 8 Tip: Use topic sentences34
Exercise 9 Tip: Write a clear conclusion35
Writing Part 2: Magazine article or Review36
Writing Part 2: Review37
Exercise 1 Tip: Use expressions for giving opinions and making
recommendations 37
Exercise 2 38
Exercise 3 38
Exercise 4 38
Exercise 5 Tip: Include a range of language in your answer39
Exercise 6 Tip: Organize your review40
Exercise 7 41
Exercise 8 42
2 Oxford Test of English Writing Tips Photocopiable © Oxford University Press

Writing Part 2: Magazine article43
Exercise 1 Tip: Include all the prompts in your answer43
Exercise 2 Tip: Involve the reader 44
Exercise 3 44
Exercise 4 Tip: Make the article interesting 45
Exercise 5 47
Writing Tips at a glance48
DOs and DON’Ts for taking the Writing module50
Answer key 51
Writing Part 1: Email 51
Writing Part 2: Choosing the question 56
Writing Part 2: Essay 56
Writing Part 2: Review 60
Writing Part 2: Magazine article 61
Writing Tips at a glance 62
DOs and DON'Ts for taking the Writing module 63
Oxford Test of English Writing Tips Photocopiable © Oxford University Press 3

Introduction
Oxford Test of English Writing Tips is designed to help you maximize your result for the
Writing module of the Oxford Test of English and Oxford Test of English for Schools. There
are four sections, one for each question type: email, essay, magazine article, and review.
Each section has advice (the ‘tips’) on how to answer the questions in the test, and
exercises to help you put the tips into practice.
How to use Oxford Test of English Writing Tips

Oxford Test of English Writing Tips is designed to be used for self-study or with a teacher in
class. Before you start using the tips, it’s a good idea to take the online demo. This will show
you what the test looks like, and give you an opportunity to practise using the system. You
can access the demos here:
Oxford Test of English demo
Oxford Test of English for Schools demo
Self-study
If you are using Oxford Test of English Writing Tips for self-study, then work your way
through each tip, completing the exercises and checking your answers in the answer key
as you go.
Classroom use
If you are a teacher using Oxford Test of English Writing Tips with a class, you can work
through each tip and exercise in order, and refer to the answer key for more information.
Take every opportunity for students to work together and practise answering questions.
Ideas to do this include students working:
• through the exercises collaboratively (e.g. in pairs)
• through the exercises alone, and then comparing answers in pairs or groups
• in pairs; one asking questions, the other answering the questions
• in teams to create questions for other teams.
Further practice
For further practice, the following materials are available for free to download from
oxfordtestofenglish.com, or click on the image to go to the practice tests.

Test overview
The Oxford Test of English is for adult learners of English (aged 16 and over) at B2, B1, and
A2 levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and
is certified by the University of Oxford. It tests your ability to communicate in English in a
range of educational, professional, and social settings. The test takes approximately two
hours.
The Oxford Test of English is a computer-based test. It consists of four modules: Speaking,
Listening, Reading, and Writing. You can take the whole test (all four modules), a single
module, or any combination of the four modules. The test uses a bank of questions for
each module so that during one test session, each test taker gets a different version of the
test. The Listening and Reading modules are adaptive, which means that the questions
get easier or more difficult depending on whether you answer them correctly or not. This
allows the computer to accurately assess your level of English. The Speaking and Writing
modules are marked by trained English language assessors.
The Oxford Test of English for Schools is for 12- to 16-year-olds and is identical to the
Oxford Test of English, except that the topics in the test are more suited to the age group.
If you take all four modules, you will receive a certificate. If you take three modules or
fewer, you will receive a module report card. The results can be used to show employers
and universities your level of proficiency in English according to the CEFR levels. You can
find a list of test centres where you can take the test at www.oxfordtestofenglish.com. The
certificate for Oxford Test of English and Oxford Test of English for Schools is the same.
Module Part No. tasks No. items Structure Timing

Speaking Part 1 2 6 (+ 2 Interview: eight spoken questions on everyday topics Approx.
unassessed) 15 minutes
Part 2 2 2 Two voicemails with spoken and written input
Part 3 1 1 A talk on an issue or scenario, with spoken and written
input and picture prompts
Part 4 1 6 Six spoken questions related to the theme of the Part 3 talk
Listening Part 1 5 5 Five discrete short monologues/dialogues with picture Approx.
options, each with one question 30 minutes
Part 2 1 5 A longer monologue with a note-completion task
Part 3 1 5 A longer dialogue with a task focusing on identifying
opinions
Part 4 5 5 Five discrete short monologues/dialogues with text
options, each with one question
Reading Part 1 6 6 Six short texts from a variety of sources, each with one 35 minutes
question
Part 2 1 6 Six texts, profiling people, are matched to four descriptions
OR
Six items are matched to three profiles of people
Part 3 1 6 Six extracted sentences are inserted into a longer text
Part 4 1 4 A longer text with four questions
Writing Part 1 1 1 Email (80–130 words) 45 minutes
Part 2 1 1 Essay (100–160 words)
OR
Magazine article or Review (100–160 words)

The Writing module
The Writing module has two parts. In Part 1, you will write an email. In Part 2, you will have
a choice. One choice will always be an essay. The other choice will be either a magazine
article or a review.
You have 20 minutes to answer Part 1 and 25 minutes to answer Part 2. For each question,
a clock shows how much time you have left to answer.
You need to write a minimum number of words for each question. A word counter on
screen shows how many words you have written.
You will type your answers. You are not allowed a pen or paper in the test. You are also not
allowed a dictionary or access to the Internet.
Part Structure Testing focus

Part 1 Email • giving information
80–130 words • expressing and responding to
Test taker responds to an email opinions and feelings
There are three points which the test taker must include in their email • transactional functions
The response may be informal or neutral in tone such as inviting/requesting/
Time to process the task and complete the response: 20 minutes suggesting
Part 2 A choice of writing tasks: an essay or a magazine article/review
Essay • expressing and responding to
100–160 words opinions
Writing an essay on a topic typical of classroom discussions • developing an argument
Time to process the task and complete the response: 25 minutes
or • describing
Magazine article/Review • narrating
100–160 words • expressing feelings and
Writing a general article (such as the profile of a famous sports person) opinions
or writing a review (such as a review of a website) • recommending
The target reader is usually an English teacher
Time to process the task and complete the response: 25 minutes

The Writing module
The screenshot below shows what a Writing Part 1 task looks like in the actual test:
The clock shows how much

Question time you have left.
You don’t need to This is where you type

write in the ‘To:’ your response.
or ‘Subject:’ fields
– these are done
for you.
The word counter shows how

many words you have typed.
For more information about the test, make sure you check out Oxford Test of English:
A Guide for Test Takers.

Tips for preparing for the
Writing module
1 Make a plan
• Find a ‘study buddy’ – another English learner who you can practise with.
• Make a weekly schedule of when you will practise.
2 Make sure you know what to expect
• Take the demo test so that you know what it’s like to take the test on a computer.
• Do practice tests so that you get used to the different kinds of questions in the test.
• Study the sample responses and learn what makes a good response.
3 Practise, practise, practise!
• Read in English as often as possible, as this will help you to learn new words and
make fewer mistakes.
• Get into the habit of writing in English by using English to exchange emails or chat
on social media with your ‘study buddy’. You could also keep a journal or diary, or
write a blog.
• Ask your ‘study buddy’ to check your work and offer to check theirs. Identifying and
correcting each other’s mistakes will help you both.
• Use a clock to time yourself answering the questions in the Writing Tips. Keep doing
this until you are comfortable writing for the same amount of time as you will be
given to write your answers in the actual test.
• Practise typing your responses, rather than writing them with a pen and paper, as you
will need to type your responses in the test.
• Practise planning, writing, and reviewing.
For Writing Part 1, you have 20 minutes, so plan for 2 minutes, write for 15 minutes,
and review for 3 minutes.
For Writing Part 2, you have 25 minutes, so plan for 2 minutes, write for 20 minutes,
and review for 3 minutes.

Writing Part 1: Email
In Writing Part 1, you will read an email (the ‘input email’) and write a response to it. The
question will tell you who you are writing to. The email has three prompts (or ‘notes’) that
you need to respond to.
The person you

are writing to
The input email
Prompt 1
Prompt 2
Prompt 3

Tip: Include all three prompts in your email
The input email always has three prompts in the form of notes, which you
must include in your email. Responding to all three prompts will help to
organize your email, and give you the opportunity to show your range of
language, such as grammar, vocabulary and functions (e.g. apologizing,
suggesting, giving reasons, etc.). You will get a lower mark if you do not
respond to all three prompts.
Exercise 1
Read the following Part 1 task. Which three questions must you answer in your response?
You have 20 minutes to write an email. Write 80–130 words.

You are doing an English course at a language school. First, read the email from Pablo, one
of the students in your class. Then, write an email to Pablo, including the three notes you
have made.
FROM: Pablo
SUBJECT: Afternoon out
Hi
As you know, our course is finishing soon, and I thought we could organize an afternoon out for
the whole class. What do you think?
Great, because …
I thought we could either go to the cinema or to a cafe. Which would you prefer?
Say which and why
Can you suggest a good day and time to go out?
Suggest …
Hope to hear from you soon.
Pablo
Check your answers with the answer key on page 51.

Exercise 2
Two students, Olivia and Peter, have written responses to the task in Exercise 1.
Read the responses and decide:
1 Which student gives a better answer?
2 Why is it better?
Olivia’s response
To: Pablo
Subject: Re: Afternoon out
Hi Pablo,
Olivia
Thanks for your email.
An evening out with the whole class? Yes, I think that’s a really good
idea. We’ve all enjoyed the course and we should do something nice
together to say goodbye.
I like going to the cinema and my favourite films are thrillers. My
favourite food is Italian food, but I don’t know any good Italian
restaurants near here.
See you in the next class. Remember we have a test in the last class.
Olivia
Words: 80
Peter’s response
To: Pablo
Subject: Re: Afternoon out
Hi Pablo, Peter
Thanks for your email.
A class evening out is a great idea. The whole class gets on very well
and it would be nice to do something fun together before the course
finishes.
Personally, I love films, but this time I think we should go to a
restaurant. The thing is that if we go to a cinema, we can’t speak to
each other, and different people might want to see different films.
In a restaurant, on the other hand, we can all talk to each other.
I think Friday evening would be the best time because we don’t have
school the next day, and it’s the last day of the course.
See you soon.
Peter
Words: 118

Tip: Answer each prompt fully
Sometimes prompts require you to write about more than one thing. For
example:
Prompt Comment
Make suggestions You need to make at least two suggestions.
Say which and why You need to make a choice (‘which’) and give a reason
(‘why’).
You will lose marks if you do not answer a prompt completely, so make
sure you answer all parts of the prompt.
Exercise 3
For each prompt (1–5), choose the best response (a or b). The first one (0) has been done
for you.
Prompt Response
0 Say which and a You mentioned accommodation. I think I’d prefer camping to
why staying in a hotel, personally.
b How about going camping? It’d be cheaper than the hotel, and
more fun, too.
1 Make a How about giving our teacher a photo of all the class together?
suggestions We could all sign the back with messages. That would be a
great way to remember each other.
b I think a photo of all the class together would make a great
gift and help him remember our time together. Or perhaps we
could take him for a meal instead? He seems to love eating out.
2 Yes, but … a I think that’s a great suggestion for a present. Unfortunately, I
don’t think we have time to arrange a meal before he leaves.
b The problem is there won’t be time to arrange a meal before
he leaves. Perhaps we could do something in class instead?
3 No, a Unfortunately, I won’t be able to attend the festival as I am on
because … holiday that week.
b Thank you for your kind offer, but unfortunately I am unable to
attend the festival.
4 Give details a I just wanted to let you know about my arrival – I’ll be landing
at about 3 p.m. so I look forward to seeing you then!
b My flight (number 0989) gets into Heathrow Terminal 2 at
5 p.m., so let’s meet in Arrivals at about 5.45 p.m., near the
main snack bar.
5 Ask some a I have some questions about the job. Firstly, is a uniform
questions provided or do I have to supply my own?
b Can you tell me what the hours are and whether a uniform is
supplied?

Exercise 4
Read the Part 1 task and the response by a student, Basha. Decide if Basha has answered
each prompt completely.

You recently had a party in a room at a sports centre. First, read the email from Helen
Maxwell, the sports centre manager. Then, write an email to Ms Maxwell, including the
three notes you have made.
From: Helen Maxwell

Subject: Party at Greenway Sports Centre
Dear Customer,
Thank you for having your party at the Greenway Sports Centre party room last week. I would like
to ask you some questions about it.
How did you find out about the party room at Greenway Sports Centre?
Say how …
What things did you like about having your party here?
Give details
I want to improve the service we provide for parties. Do you have any suggestions?
Give suggestions …
Kind regards,
Helen Maxwell
Basha’s response
To: Helen Maxwell

Subject: Re: Party at Greenway Sports Centre
Dear Ms Maxwell,
Basha
Thank you for your email. I’m happy to answer your questions. My
neighbour told me about the party room at the sports centre. She
said that she had used the room once before for a special celebration
and I thought it would be good. The room is a fantastic size for a big
party, so I was very happy with the service.
My only suggestion is that the party room needs a small kitchen
where people can heat up food and wash dishes. We had brought
some food, but had nowhere to heat it up, and after the party we had
nowhere to wash up. I hope this is useful.
Best wishes,
Basha Lakov
Words: 117

Exercise 5
Rewrite Basha’s email using your own words. Try to answer each prompt fully.
To: Helen Maxwell


Tip: Use your own words
You need to use your own words when you write your email – don’t copy
phrases and sentences from the task.
Exercise 6
Read the Part 1 task and the response by a student, Roberto. Underline any words or
phrases that Roberto has taken from the task. The first phrase taken from the task has been
underlined for you.

There is going to be a party at your international language school because it is the end of
your English course. First, read the email below from the school principal, Mark Lester. Then,
write an email to the principal, including the three notes you have made.
From: Mark Lester

Subject: End-of-course party
Dear Student,
I am writing about the party we are organizing for the end of the course.
Which day do you think would be best?
Say which day and why
We would like some students to cook some food from their country and bring it to the party.
Are you able to cook something?
No, because …
We want everyone to remember this party. How can we make the party special?
Suggest …
Thank you.
Mark Lester
School Principal

Roberto’s email
To: Mark Lester

Subject: Re: End-of-course party
Dear Mr Lester,
Roberto
I am writing about the party you are organizing for the end of the
course. I think Saturday would be best. Let me explain why: we don’t
have classes on Saturdays, so everyone should be free to attend.
You said you would like some students to cook some food from their
country and bring it to the party. I am not able to cook anything
because I cannot find the ingredients I need. If you like, I can bring
my guitar and sing some traditional Czech folk songs from my home
country.
I think it’s a great idea for everyone to remember this party. I have
some ideas for how we can make the party special. First of all,
I suggest that we have a dance where we all teach each other
traditional dances from our countries – that would be completely
unforgettable! Secondly, we should all take a picture together, which
would be a great souvenir of our amazing time at this school.
I hope you like these ideas.
Thank you,
Roberto
Words: 175
Exercise 7
Rewrite Roberto’s email using your own words. Try not to use words or phrases from the task.
To: Mark Lester

Subject: Re: End-of-course party

Tip: Use the right level of formality
In Part 1, the input email could be from a friend, someone you don’t know
well or someone you don’t know at all. When writing your response, you
should use the correct level of formality for the person you are writing to.
If you are writing to a friend, use informal language. If you are writing to
someone you don’t know very well, use neutral or formal language.
Exercise 8
Complete the tables with the correct functions from the wordpools. The first one has been
done for you.
showing excitement giving advice giving news requesting information
suggesting thanking
Function Phrases
giving news Guess what!

I am pleased to tell you that …
I am writing to enquire about …
Can you tell me … ?
Many thanks for your help.
Thanks for your help!
Brilliant! I can’t wait!
I was so happy to receive your news …
Why don’t you … ?
Have you considered … ?
My suggestion would be to …
Why don’t we … ?
accepting an invitation apologizing preferring refusing an invitation requesting
Function Phrases
I was wondering if you could …
Could you … ?
Please accept my apologies.
Sorry!
I fancy …
My preference would be …
Thanks for the invite – it’ll be great to see you again.
I would very much like to accept your invitation.
Unfortunately, I am unable to attend.
Sorry – I can’t make it to your party.

Exercise 9
For each of the phrases (1–22) from Exercise 8, decide if it is informal (I) or formal/neutral
(F/N).
1 Guess what! 13
I was wondering if you could …
2 I am pleased to tell you that … 14
Could you … ?
3 I am writing to enquire about … 15
Please accept my apologies.
4 Can you tell me … ? 16
Sorry!
5 Many thanks for your help. 17
I fancy …
6 Thanks for your help! 18
7 Brilliant! I can’t wait! 19
Thanks for the invite – it’ll be great to see
8 I was so happy to receive your news … you again.
20
I would very much like to accept your
9 Why don’t you … ? invitation.
10
Have you considered … ? 21
Unfortunately, I am unable to attend.
11
My suggestion would be to …
22
12
Exercise 10
For each of the phrases below, decide which kinds of emails they would appear in:
informal, neutral or formal. Tick () the correct box or boxes for each question. The first one
(0) has been done for you.
Opening informal neutral formal

Dear Luka,   
Hi Carlo,
Dear Mr Chan,
Closing
I can’t wait to see you!
I look forward to meeting you.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Saying goodbye
Best wishes,
All the best,
Take care.

Exercise 11
Read the Part 1 task and decide:
1 How well does Ms Maxwell know the person she is writing to?
2 Should the response be formal/neutral or informal?

You recently had a party in a room at a sports centre. First, read the email from Helen
Maxwell, the sports centre manager. Then, write an email to Ms Maxwell, including the
three notes you have made.
From: Helen Maxwell

Subject: Party at Greenway Sports Centre
Dear Customer,
Thank you for having your party at the Greenway Sports Centre party room last week. I would like
to ask you some questions about it.
How did you find out about the party room at Greenway Sports Centre?
Say how …
What things did you like about having your party here?
Give details
I want to improve the service we provide for parties. Do you have any suggestions?
Make suggestions …
Kind regards,
Helen Maxwell

Exercise 12
A student, Anna, has written a response to the task in Exercise 11. Underline the parts of
her email which are too informal. The first one has been done for you.
Anna’s response
To: Helen Maxwell

Dear Ms Maxwell
Anna
Thank you for your email. No problem answering your questions!
My neighbour told me about the room at the sports centre. Yasmin
went to a cool party there a couple of months ago, I think.
The room’s really big, so you can get loads of people in. The staff
were all very helpful. We all had a good laugh.
I reckon the party room could do with a kitchen so people can get
food ready. Secondly, as you know, the sports centre closes at 9 p.m.,
which is early for a party to finish. It’s ridiculous actually – it should
be open till at least 11 p.m.
I hope this is useful.
Take care and see you soon.
Anna
Words: 119
Exercise 13
Rewrite Anna’s email using your own words. Try to use a more formal style.
To: Helen Maxwell


Tip: Expand your responses
The instructions for Part 1 ask you to write 80–130 words. You should try
to write about 130 words because this will give you more opportunity to
show a range of language. To help you think of ways that you can expand
your response, remember the acronym RED:
Reasons Examples Details
Exercise 14
Read the Part 1 task and the response by a student, Erik. The response is quite short. How
could you make it longer using Reasons, Examples and Details?

You have received an email from Mr Parker, the principal of the language school where you
are studying. First, read the email below from Mr Parker about his plans to start a new school
magazine. Then, write an email to Mr Parker, including the three notes you have made.
From: Mr Parker
Subject: New school magazine
Dear student,
I am planning to start a new school magazine for students and staff. It would be very helpful if
you could answer these questions:
What do you think of this idea?
Good, because …
What do you think should be in a magazine like this?
Suggest …
Would you be interested in writing anything for the magazine?
Yes, but …
Best wishes,
Mr Parker
Erik’s email
To: Mr Parker
Subject: Re: New school magazine
Dear Mr Parker,
Erik
Thank you for your email. I think it’s a good idea because students will
read the magazine.
I think the magazine should have articles about people in the school.
I am interested in writing about sports for the magazine, but not football.
Kind regards,
Erik
Words: 48

Exercise 15
In this exercise, you will focus on all the tips for the email task. Read the Part 1 task and the
responses from two students, Alice and Afonso. Tick () the correct box or boxes for each
question.
Which student … Alice Afonso

didn’t include all three prompts in their answer?
didn’t answer each prompt completely?
didn’t use their own words?
didn’t use the right level of formality?
didn’t expand their responses?

You and your friend Alex are planning a day out shopping together. First, read the email
below from Alex about the shopping trip. Then, write an email to Alex, including the three
notes you have made.
From: Alex
Subject: Shopping Trip
Hi,
I can’t go on our shopping trip on Friday any more. Can we go on Thursday instead?
No, because …
At the shops, let’s buy a present for our English teacher because she’s leaving next week.
What do you think we should get her, some flowers or a book?
Say which and why
And let’s go for a meal after shopping. Where would you like to eat?
Suggest where …
Alex

Alice’s email
To: Alex
Subject: Re: Shopping trip
Hi Alex, Alice
I’ve just seen your email. Unfortunately, I can’t make it on Thursday.
Can we go on Saturday instead? There’s a sale starting on Saturday
so we might see some good offers!
I’m glad you suggested buying a present for our English teacher
because she’s leaving next week – I was thinking the same thing.
She’s always reading something, so we should definitely get a book.
Also, the flowers won’t last and it would be good to get something
for her to remember us by. I think a book is a bit more personal.
Maybe something about the history of the local area.
I was grateful to receive your invitation for a meal. I would like to
recommend the Penguin Cafe which is located within easy walking
distance of the shopping centre. They offer a number of different
options to suit all occasions. What do you think?
Take care.
Alice
Words: 152
Afonso’s email
To: Alex
Subject: Re: Shopping trip
Dear Alex,
Afonso
Do you fancy meeting up next week? It’d be great to catch up.
We never seem to get much time together at school. You won’t
believe what I’ve been up to!
I think it’s a great idea to get a present for the teacher, by the way,
but I don’t think we should get flowers or a book. We should do
something to remember our time together. How about we get the
whole class to take a photo together with the teacher, and then have
it printed out and framed? I think she’d love that! Maybe we could
organize a little celebration, too?
Anyway, we should definitely go for a meal after. How about the
Corner Cafe?
Let me know what you think.
All the best,
Afonso
Words: 129

Exercise 16
Read the Part 1 task and write your response. Use the checklist to help you.

You recently applied to work in a hotel during the summer. First, read the email below from
Mrs Wilson, the hotel manager. Then, write an email to Mrs Wilson, including the three
notes you have made.
From: Mrs Wilson

Subject: Job application
Dear applicant,
Thank you for your application for a summer job.
Can you come for an interview on Tuesday next week at 11.00 a.m.?
No – suggest
As you know, there are two jobs available at the hotel: waiter and kitchen assistant. Please tell us
which job you would prefer and why.
Say which job and why
If you have any questions about the job, please do ask.
Ask some questions
Best wishes,
Mrs Wilson
City Hotel Manager

Email checklist
Have I …
included all three prompts in my answer?
answered all parts of each prompt?
used my own words?
used the right level of formality?
expanded my responses?
To: Mrs Wilson

Subject: Job application

Writing Part 2: Choosing the
question
In Writing Part 2, you will have two minutes to choose a question to answer. If you do not
choose a question in two minutes, the computer will choose one for you.
Tip: Choose a Part 2 question you can answer

In Part 2, you will choose between different text types: an essay and a
magazine article/review. When choosing, ask yourself these questions:
1 Which text type can I write well?
2 Which topic can I say something about?
Exercise 1
Set the timer on your phone for two minutes. Read the following two tasks and decide
which one you would answer in the test. Think about which text type you can write well,
and which topic you would be able to write something about.
Part 2 – Essay
You have 25 minutes to write an essay. Write 100–160 words.
You have been talking about the environment in your English class. Your teacher has asked
you to write an essay. The title of the essay is:
Should everyone do something to protect the environment?
Write your essay.
Part 2 – Review
You have 25 minutes to write a review. Write 100–160 words.
You have seen the following advert in an online magazine for English language students.
Write a review!
Write a review of a museum or an art gallery you have visited. What could you
see there? What was special about the place? Could it be improved in any way?
The best reviews will be published in the magazine next month.
Write your review.
Check your answer with the answer key on page 56.

Writing Part 2: Essay
In Writing Part 2, you have 25 minutes to write an essay between 100 and 160 words.
The task gives you an essay title, which you should use as the title of your essay.
Here's an example of an essay task:
The essay title
Tip: Make sure you answer the question

Read the task carefully and make sure you answer the question.
Don’t just write about the topic in general.
Exercise 1
Read the Part 2 task and the responses from two students, Juliana and Wolfgang. How well
do you think each student has answered the question?

You have had a class discussion on health. Your teacher now wants you to write an essay.
The title of the essay is:
Should governments ban shops from selling food that is bad for your health?
Write your essay.

Juliana’s essay
A lot of food these days is not very good for us. There is so much fast
food in shops and it is usually cheaper than healthy food. So, it’s not
surprising that many people eat food which has too much fat, sugar,
salt and chemicals.
Juliana
As a result, there are more and more people with health problems
caused by their bad eating habits. If they have health problems, they
need medical care, which costs a lot of money. They will probably
feel bad and also they might not be able to work or study. So, shop
owners should think about their responsibilities.
In my family, we eat well. We have fresh vegetables and fruit, and we
hardly ever eat fast food. When I was younger, I liked food with a lot
of salt or sugar, but now I don’t really like it. For example, I loved ice-
cream, but I don’t like it so much now.
Words: 156
Wolfgang’s essay
These days, people in my country generally have a good

understanding of what healthy and unhealthy food is. There are lots
of television programmes about food, newspapers and magazines
always have articles about it, and children get lots of information at
school. Wolfgang
In fact, I think that many people are quite bored with the subject.
They don’t want to hear or read any more about healthy and
unhealthy eating. They just want to eat food they like. It’s important
to enjoy life, but the problem is that the food people enjoy eating is
often unhealthy.
One problem is that healthy food is often quite expensive. For
example, in the supermarket where my parents go shopping, fresh
fish is more expensive than frozen fish, and fresh fruit is double the
price of fruit in tins. To encourage people to eat in a healthier way, I
think shops should make healthy food cheaper.
Words: 151

Tip: List some ideas
It is useful to list out ideas ‘for’ and ‘against’ the question. This will help
you decide what to include in your essay.
Exercise 2
Read the Part 2 task and the ideas in the table. Which ideas do you agree with?

You have had a class discussion on health. Your teacher now wants you to write an essay.
Should governments ban shops from selling food that is bad for your health?
Write your essay.
Main ideas ‘for’ banning Details/examples

Governments should protect individuals. They already ban other unhealthy things
and activities, so why not unhealthy food?
Producers of unhealthy food target poor Poor people can only afford the cheapest
people. foods, and these are often unhealthy
foods full of fat and sugar.
Main ideas ‘against’ banning Details/examples

Adults should be able to make up their Adults are free to make many decisions
own minds. every day that affect their lives, so why
shouldn’t they be allowed to decide what
they eat?
Many people depend on cheap food. Unhealthy food may well be full of fat,
sugar, and calories, but it’s also cheap. If
this food were taken away, what would
such people eat instead?
Exercise 3
Add some more main ideas and details/examples to the tables in Exercise 2.

Exercise 4
Three students, Paolo, Marcus, and Abril, have written responses to the task in Exercise 2.
Did they use any of the ideas from the table?
Paolo’s essay
Should governments ban shops from selling food that is bad for
your health?
Since junk food, such as sugary snacks and hamburgers, has become
easily available, many people have become less healthy. One
Paolo
solution to this problem would be to ban the sale of such food.
Governments already ban other unhealthy things, so why not
unhealthy food? After all, it is their job to protect individuals. By
taking away the option for unhealthy food, people would have to
choose healthy food and therefore improve their health. This is
important as the only food many poor people can afford is junk food,
but by removing this option, shops would need to supply healthy
food that people can afford, or their businesses would close.
Of course, some people say that this removes choice, and doesn’t
give people control over their own life. However, the fact is that
advertising for junk food is often targeted at children, rather than
adults, and children need to be protected.
In the final analysis, the only way for a large number of people’s
health to improve is for governments to take control, change the
laws to stop shops profiting from selling junk food, and to provide
healthy alternatives.
Words: 188
Marcus’s essay
your health?
Many people today have health problems due to poor diets. This
problem is made worse by the wide availability of unhealthy food
Marcus
containing high levels of sugar and fat. Some people say that a
solution to this is to ban shops from selling unhealthy food.
It is the role of governments to take care of individuals and protect
their health. This is why governments ban the use of unhealthy
chemicals and set speed limits on roads.
However, adults should be free to make important decisions in their
lives, and this should include being able to decide what food they
want to eat, too. After all, even foods with high levels of sugar and fat
are healthy to eat if you only eat them occasionally.
In conclusion, while there should be limits on things which can
be dangerous to our health, adults should be free to decide what
they want to do with their lives, and this must include the ability to
choose what you eat.
Words: 166

Abril’s essay
your health?
Today, junk food is available in more shops than ever before. This
has led to many children today becoming less healthy than children
Abril
in previous generations. Some people have called for a ban on shops
selling junk food to solve this problem.
One argument in favour of this is that governments control other
dangerous things such as dangerous chemicals, so why not
dangerous food? Another reason to support the idea is that it will
help to protect children, the most vulnerable members of society
who are not in a position to choose their diets wisely.
However, others have argued against such strict control of what we
eat for a number of reasons. Firstly, they claim that adults should be
free to decide what they eat, not governments. Secondly, it is argued
that junk food is only unhealthy when eaten in large quantities
and that eating the occasional chocolate bar or hamburger is not
dangerous for your health.
In summary, while it is important for governments to protect
individuals, they must not do this so that they take away people’s
right to choose.
Words: 182
Tip: Organize your essay

Your essay will be easy to read if it is well-organized. There are different
ways to do this. Here are three ways of organizing an essay:
The ‘for’ essay
This essay type gives reasons to support the idea in the question.
Paragraph 1: Introduction – restate the question in your own words
Paragraph 2: Ideas ‘for’
Paragraph 4: Conclusion
The ‘against’ essay
This essay type gives reasons against the idea in the question.
Paragraph 2: Ideas ‘against’
The ‘balanced’ essay
This essay type gives reasons both for and against the idea in the question.

Exercise 5
Which type of essay did each of the three students in Exercise 4 write? Tick () the correct
box or boxes for each type of essay.
Type of essay Paolo Marcus Abril

The ‘for’ essay
The ‘against’ essay
The ‘balanced’ essay
Exercise 6
What arguments ‘for’ and ‘against’ banning junk food does each student give in Exercise 4?
Complete the table with their arguments. The first one has been done for you.
Student Arguments ‘for’ banning Arguments ‘against’ banning

Paolo governments already ban other unhealthy banning removes personal choice
things
banning junk food will force people to eat
healthily
children need to be protected
Marcus
Abril

Exercise 7
Read the Part 2 task. Decide which of the paragraphs (a–i) can be used for each essay type.
Each paragraph can be used more than once. The first one has been done for you.

You have been talking about the environment in your English class. Your teacher has asked
you to write an essay. The title of the essay is:
Is it the responsibility of individuals to protect the environment?
Write your essay.
Introduction
a Our environment is facing a number of environmental issues which are a risk
to our future. Many people have argued that the solution is to ‘think globally
and act locally’. However, the idea that individuals are going to save the
planet is wrong.
b Pollution is increasing greenhouse gases which are warming the planet. If
action isn’t taken, this will lead to flooding and extreme weather. But who is
responsible for solving this problem, people or governments?
Paragraphs 1 and 2
c I believe that people have a duty to act in order to help save the
environment. People buying goods cause industries to produce pollution. If
people used fewer products, fewer greenhouse gases would be created.
d The fact is that there will be no improvement if saving the environment is left
to individuals. For example, to make any difference, everyone would need
to recycle 80% of their waste, but in reality, most people recycle much less
than that. At the same time, action needs to be taken at an international level
by governments. It is governments who are able to change laws and have
the resources to be able to control the behaviour of the industries which
produce the most pollution.
e Secondly, if people changed what they used, for example, change from
eating meat to eating vegetables, this would also reduce global warming, as
the farming methods for vegetables produce much less pollution than the
farming methods for meat.
f Another example is changing what we eat. It has been argued that
individuals changing to a vegan diet will save the planet. This may be true,
but only if there is an increase in the number of people who do so. This is not
going to happen if left up to individuals.
Conclusion
g In conclusion, it is the responsibility of each and every one of us to help
protect the environment. If we do not share the responsibility for looking
after our environment, then who will?
h In summary, while it is our duty to do whatever we can to help protect our
environment, without the governments of the world working together, we
will fail to provide a good environment to future generations.
i To sum up, individuals do not have the power to be able to stop climate
change and save the planet from environmental damage and we must put
our hope in the people we have voted for.

‘for’ essay ‘against’ essay ‘balanced’ essay
Introduction b
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 2
Conclusion
Tip: Use topic sentences

For each paragraph in your essay (apart from the introduction and
conclusion), write ‘topic sentences’ which give the main idea of the
paragraph. Then, add details, examples or reasons in the rest of the
paragraph.
Exercise 8
Read the Part 2 task and the response by a student, Samir. Answer the questions (1–3).
1 What is the main idea in each paragraph?
2 Can you underline the topic sentence in each paragraph?
3 Highlight the organizing and linking words/phrases in the essay. For example In my
opinion.

You have had a class discussion on fashion. Your teacher now wants you to write an essay.
Do people worry too much about the clothes they wear?
Write your essay.
Samir’s essay
Do people worry too much about the clothes they wear?

In my opinion, there are good reasons why people think carefully
about the clothes they wear. Generally, it’s because they want other
people to think that they look good. If you look dirty or untidy, or if Samir
your clothes are really unusual or old-fashioned, other people might
think you look strange and might not want to talk to you.
One area of life in which clothes can be important is work. For
example, people usually dress smartly for job interviews. Also, staff
who deal with customers usually need to wear clothes of a certain
style and standard.
On the other hand, some people worry too much about clothes.
Some of my friends, for example, spend lots of time shopping for
clothes, talking about them and deciding what to wear. The problem
is this takes time away from other, more interesting and useful
activities. In addition to this, some people spend too much money
on clothes and end up with financial problems.
Words: 161

Tip: Write a clear conclusion
Your final paragraph should make it clear whether you agree or disagree
with the essay question.
Exercise 9
Read the conclusions (g–i) in Exercise 7 and the ‘Conclusion checklist’ below. Cross out any
bad advice in the checklist.
Conclusion checklist
Have I …
used phrases such as In conclusion, In summary and To sum up?
introduced new arguments ‘for’ or ‘against’ the question?
stated clearly if I agree or disagree with the question?
written more than one paragraph for my conclusion?
summarized the main arguments to support my conclusion?
repeated the introduction paragraph using different words?

Writing Part 2: Magazine article
or Review
In Writing Part 2, if you don’t choose the essay, you will need to write either a magazine
article or a review. You will write 100–160 words. There are always two or three prompts in
the form of questions, which you must include in your answer.
Here’s an example of a review task:
This is what you

are writing a
review about Prompt 1
Prompt 2

Writing Part 2: Review
Tip: Use expressions for giving opinions and making
recommendations
The review question often asks you to give your opinion about something
and say whether or not you would recommend it. Make sure you know
different ways of giving opinions and making recommendations.
Exercise 1
Read the Part 2 task and the response by a student, Irem. Underline examples of language
for giving opinions and highlight examples of language for making recommendations in
Irem’s response. The first example has been underlined for you.

Write a review for the magazine.
Review competition!
Write a review of a magazine you have read. What kind of magazine is it? What
do you think is good or bad about it? Would you recommend it to anyone? The
best review will win a prize.
Write your review.
Irem’s review
Science! magazine
If you thought science was just for nerds, think again! Science!
is a popular science magazine which takes the latest scientific
developments and makes them accessible to the ordinary reader. If Irem
you like popular science, you’ll love this magazine.
Packed with news, opinions and incredible facts, Science! has well-
written and informative articles on just about everything you could
imagine, technological developments, the human brain, physics,
space, and the environment, to name just a few.
One thing that I really like is its amazing photographs, which alone
are worth the price of the magazine. The last copy I received was a
special on space, and the photos were out of this world – literally!
The only negative point is that it doesn’t come out often enough. It is
published every two months, so some of the ‘news’ is a bit old by the
time you read it. It would be much better if they published monthly,
or even weekly!
In my opinion, Science! would be a great thing for anyone who is
interested in science to read. If you only read one science magazine,
make it this one!
Words: 187

Exercise 2
Match the beginnings (1–3) and endings (a–c) of the recommendation phrases.
1 If you only read one science magazine, a you’ll love this.
2 The photographs alone are worth b make it this one.
3 If you like popular science, c the price of the magazine.
Exercise 3
Complete the recommendation sentences (1–4) with words from the table. The first one (0)
has been done for you.
a b c
play descriptions adventure movies
listen opportunity racing
read special effects crime novels
do gameplay rock ‘n’ roll
see track fun
If you only read one book this summer, make it this one.
0 a
b The author’s descriptions of the criminal underworld alone are worth the price.
c If you like crime novels, you’ll love this.
1 a
If you only to one album this year, make it this one.
b The first alone is worth the price.
c If you like music (and who doesn't!), you’ll love this.
2 a
If you only one movie this year, make it this one.
b The alone are worth the entry price.
c If you like , you’ll love this.
3 a If you only one online course this year, make it this one.
b The to talk to other learners on the course alone was worth
the price.
c If you like having while you’re learning, you’ll love this.
4 a
If you only one online game this year, make it this one.
b The quality of the alone is worth the price.
c If you like games, you’ll love this.
Exercise 4
Use the expressions from Exercise 2 to write three sentences about a cafe.
1
2
3

Tip: Include a range of language in your answer
People who write reviews often use a variety of descriptive, interesting
language to persuade readers to keep reading. Repeating the same words
makes the review less interesting to read.
Exercise 5
Read the Part 2 task and the response by a student, Johann. In his response, Johann uses
the word good ten times. Rewrite Johann’s email, replacing the word good with more
interesting adjectives.

Review competition!
Write a review of a news website which you use to get information about what is
happening in the world. What do you like about the website? Why do you think
it is better than other websites? The best review will win a prize.
Write your review.
Johann’s review
Have you ever felt that news could be more inspirational? If you
have, you’re not alone. That’s why I read Good News! website – it’s a
good way to remind us that there are many good things happening
in the world, something other news websites forget to do.
Johann
But I don’t just like it because the news stories are positive. They
have good journalists who write good articles and for a non-native
speaker of English, I have found it is a good way to improve my
English. The pictures are equally good and have won many awards.
Articles tend to link to other good sources of information, which I
find really good when I have to do projects at college.
My only complaint is that you have to pay to access some of the
articles. However, there is enough free content on the site to keep
most people happy.
All in all, if you’re looking for a good way to find out what’s
happening in the world, this is the website for you.
Words: 177

Have you ever felt that news could be more inspirational? If you have, you’re not
alone. That’s why I read Good News! website – it’s a 1 way to
remind us that there are many positive things happening in the world, something
other news websites forget to do.
But I don’t just like it because the news stories are 2 . They have
3 journalists who write 4 articles and for a non-
native speaker of English, I have found it is a 5 way to improve my
English. The pictures are equally 6 and have won many awards.
Articles tend to link to other 7 sources of information, which I find
really 8 when I have to do projects at college.
My one complaint is that it that you have to pay to access some of the articles.
However, there is enough free content on the site to keep most people happy.
All in all, if you’re looking for a 9 way to find out what’s happening
in the world, this is the website for you.
Tip: Organize your review

There are different ways to organize your review, but one way to organize
a positive review is:
Paragraph 1: Get the reader’s interest and say what you are reviewing
Paragraph 2: Say what is good about it
Paragraph 3: Say what is not so good about it
Paragraph 4: Give a recommendation
Exercise 6
Read Johann’s review in Exercise 5. Is his review organized in the way that the Tip suggests?

Exercise 7
Read the Part 2 task and the response by a student. The paragraphs in the response are in
the wrong order. Put the paragraphs (a–d) into the correct order.

Review competition!
Write a review of a TV programme about someone with an interesting job.
What job do they have? What can you learn from the programme? Would you
recommend the programme?
Write your review.
a My only complaint would be that each series is too short – just six programmes. When
I get to the end of a series, I’m always in the mood for more!
b While Rhod’s sense of humour might not be for everyone, I would recommend Rhod
Gilbert’s Work Experience to anyone who wants to find out about different people’s jobs,
and have fun doing it.
c If you enjoy finding out about different people’s jobs, you’ll love the TV programme
Rhod Gilbert’s Work Experience. Each week, the Welsh comedian Rhod Gilbert tries out
a different job and shows what it’s really like to do that job. He’s tried everything from
hairdresser, to airline pilot, to classical musician, and each episode is very funny.
d What’s interesting about the programme is the people he meets. Whether it’s a zoo
keeper, a chef, or a vet, they are often as funny as Rhod himself, and are happy to show
the funny side of their jobs, even though the jobs themselves can be quite serious.
Words: 167
1
2
3
4

Exercise 8
You have 25 minutes to write an article. Write 100–160 words.

Write a review!
Write a review of a museum or an art gallery you have visited. What could you
see there? What was special about the place? Could it be improved in any way?
The best reviews will be published in the magazine next month.
Write your review.
Review checklist
Have I …
used expressions for giving opinions and making recommendations?
included a range of language in my answer?
organized my review?

Tip: Include all the prompts in your answer
The instructions for writing the magazine article give you two or three
questions to help you plan your answer. Make sure you answer all the
questions. Remember that you should also answer all the questions in
reviews, too.
Exercise 1
Read the Part 2 task and the response by a student, Hiroki. Does Hiroki answer all of the
questions in the task?

What music means to me

How important is music in your life? What music do you like to listen to? Do you
play an instrument or sing? Write an article and tell us.
The best articles will be published over the next few weeks in Say It Loud
magazine.
Write your article.
Hiroki’s article
Life without music

Imagine a world without music. No concerts, no records, no musical
instruments. For me, this is impossible. I cannot imagine life without
music. Perhaps this is unsurprising – there is no known society on Hiroki
earth that has not developed some form of music.
My choice of music depends on how I’m feeling or how I want to
feel. Sometimes I like to be by myself and just lose myself in music.
Other times I might listen to energize myself, or to challenge myself.
Whatever the reason, I can’t imagine life without it.
I’ve never had any musical training, but I play the piano and the
guitar. Not very well, of course, but I really enjoy putting my hands
on the instrument and exploring what sounds I can make. I also find
creating music extremely relaxing.
Of course, not everyone is a fan of music – for 10% of the population,
their emotions are not affected when they listen to music. I am not
one of them.
Words: 164

Tip: Involve the reader
You need to involve the reader in the first paragraph so that they feel the
magazine article is important to them. You can do this by using strategies
such as giving a surprising fact, telling the reader they are wrong, asking
about the reader’s experience, or describing an imaginary situation.
Exercise 2
Match the strategies (1–4) to the opening paragraphs (a–d).
Strategies
1 Give a surprising fact
2 Tell someone they are wrong
3 Ask about the reader’s experience
4 Set out an imaginary situation
Opening paragraphs
a If you thought you were helping the environment by going vegetarian, think again.
While many people are choosing to eat a vegetarian diet to help save the planet, a new
study suggests that eating a vegetarian diet can actually damage the environment
more than a meat-eating diet.
b Imagine if everyone in the world became vegan and the environment no longer faced
the dangers of climate change. Well, the only way that can happen is for you to take the
first step and change your diet.
c Contrary to popular belief, many teenagers are not particularly worried about the
environment. While there are teenagers who are very active in trying to protect the
environment, most teens just don’t have the time to get involved.
d Have you ever wanted to do something about the environment, but found that you
just didn’t have the time? Well, if you have time to read this article, then you have time
to write to your political representative and request change. Here’s how to do it.
Exercise 3
Highlight the phrases in Hiroki’s response in Exercise 1 which are used for each of the
strategies in Exercise 2.

Tip: Make the magazine article interesting
Writers use a variety of techniques to make magazine articles interesting
so that they attract readers and make them want to finish reading the
article.
Exercise 4
Read the Part 2 task and the responses from two students, Clara and José. Whose response
is better, Clara’s or José’s? Why?

Writing competition
Tell us about a good friend of yours. How did you meet? Why is your friend
special to you?
Write an article and tell us. We will publish the best articles in the next issue of
English for You!
Write your article.

Clara’s article
My best friend is called Sara. I first met her when we were 11 years
old. We started secondary school at the same time, and we were in
the same class. We soon became friends.
Clara We look very different and we have different personalities, but we

have always had similar interests. When we first met we were both
very interested in sports. We loved football and we both played for
the school football team. These days, we both like travelling and we
have been to many of the same places. We used to play chess a lot,
too, but now we don’t have much time for that.
Sara is a very kind and generous person. If I need help with
something, I can always ask her. Also, she’s pretty funny. She tells
lots of funny stories and she makes people laugh.
Words: 141
José’s article
Will the real José Almeida please stand up?

What are the chances? It was the first day of secondary school. I was
so nervous that I was shaking. The teacher, Miss Costa, called out our
names. After a few moments, she called my name. José
‘José Almeida?’ she asked.
But before I could answer, another boy, who was wearing a pair of
thick glasses, answered.
‘Yes, Miss Costa.’
‘But I’M José Almeida,’ I shouted.
‘No! I’M José Almeida,’ shouted the other boy.
It turned out that we both had the same name. The whole class
laughed and we have been best friends ever since.
Of course, having the same name isn’t enough to make a long-lasting
friendship. We actually have a lot more in common than just our
name. For example, we share a strange sense of humour and have
made each other laugh. Always.
We’re much older now, and our lives are very different so we don’t
see each other as often as we used to. However, our friendship is as
strong as ever, and when we do talk on the phone, it’s just like it was
back on that first day at school.
Words: 191

Exercise 5

My summer holiday
Where did you go? What did you do there? Did you enjoy it?
Write an article and tell us.
We will publish the best articles in next month’s issue of our magazine.
Write your article.
Article checklist
Have I …
included all the prompts in my answer?
involved the reader?
given a surprising fact?
told someone they are wrong?
asked about the reader’s experience?
set out an imaginary situation?
written a title?
given details?
told stories?
used interesting language?
used different types of sentences?
asked questions?
used direct speech?

Writing Tips at a glance
Exercise 1
Here are all the tips to help you write an email. Match each tip (1–5) with a reason (a–e).
Tip Reason
1 Include all three a because you are marked on your ability to make your
prompts in your language suitable for people you know well, and
email … people you don’t know well.
2 Answer each prompt b because if you use a lot of words from the question,
fully … you will not show the assessor your range of
language.
3 Use your own words … c because if you don’t answer all the parts of a prompt
(for example: ‘say which and why’), you will lose
marks.
4 Use the right level of d because giving reasons, examples, and details will
formality … show the assessor your range of language.
5 Expand your e because if you don’t answer all three prompts, you
responses … will not show the assessor your range of language.
Exercise 1
Here are all the tips to help you write an essay. Match each tip (1–5) with a reason (a–e).
Tip Reason
1 Make sure you answer a because having clear ideas for each paragraph will
the question … make it easier for the reader.
2 List some ideas … b because a general statement at the beginning of
a paragraph makes it clear what the paragraph is
about.
3 Organize your essay … c because the reader needs to know what you think
about the topic by the end of the essay.
4 Use topic sentences … d because if you don’t answer the question you will
lose marks.
5 Write a clear e because a list of ideas will help you to organize your
conclusion … essay.

Exercise 1
Here are all the tips to help you write a review. Match each tip (1–2) with a reason (a–b).
Tip Reason
1 Use expressions a because you will get better marks if you use a variety
for giving opinions of grammar, vocabulary, phrases, etc.
and making
recommendations …
2 Include a range of b because reviews should say what you think and
language in your persuade the reader
answer …
Exercise 1
Here are all the tips to help you write a magazine article. Match each tip (1–3) with a
reason (a–c).
Tip Reason
1 Include all the a because you need to make the reader feel that the
prompts … article is important to them.
2 Involve the reader … b because you want the reader to keep reading all the
way to the end of the article.
3 Make the article c because you will lose marks if you do not answer all
interesting … parts of the question.

DOs and DON’Ts for taking the
Writing module
Here is some advice for when you are taking the Writing module.
Exercise 1
Complete the tips (1–11) with DO or DON’T.
1 read the question carefully, so you know what you have to write about.
2 take time to plan your answers.
3 prepare answers in advance because they won’t answer the question you
are asked in the test.
4 think about the target reader and whether your response should be formal
or informal.
5 copy words from the question if possible – try to use your own words.
6 give reasons, examples, and details in your answers.
7 try to use a wide range of language (grammar, vocabulary, phrases, etc.).
8 give a title for your essay, article, or review
9 choose the question you can best answer in Part 2.
10
worry if you don’t understand a word in a question – just do your best to
answer it.
11
check your answer after you have finished writing.

Answer key
Exercise 1
1 Great, because …
For great, you need to say something positive about the idea of organizing an
afternoon out for the whole class.
For because you need to give a reason why organizing an afternoon out is a good
idea.
2 Say which and why
For which you need to say whether you prefer the cinema or cafe.
For why you need to say why you would prefer it.
3 Suggest …
You need to suggest both a day and a time.
Exercise 2
1 Peter
2 By including all three points, Peter has provided all the information that Pablo has
asked for. Peter’s email also shows a good range of grammar and vocabulary, and
the functions of giving an opinion, giving a preference and explaining the reasons
why, and making a suggestion.
Exercise 3
1 b
Response a only gives one suggestion. Response b gives two suggestions.
2 a
Response b does not respond to the Yes part of the prompt, only to the but part.
3 a
Response b does not give a reason.
4 b
Response a only gives one detail (3 p.m.).
5 b
Response a only asks one question.
Exercise 4
Basha has given a good response to Prompt 1 (‘Say how’), but she has not completely
answered Prompt 2 or Prompt 3. For Prompt 2 (‘Give details’) Basha gives only one
detail, that the room is a fantastic size for a big party. To improve her answer, she
needs to give more details. For Prompt 3 (‘Make suggestions’), Basha only makes one
suggestion. To improve her response, she needs to give at least one more suggestion.

Exercise 5
Here are some ideas. You may have different ideas.
To: Helen Maxwell
Dear Ms Maxwell,
Thank you for your email. I am happy to answer your questions. My neighbour told me
about the party room at the sports centre. She said that she had used the room once
before for a special celebration and I thought it would be good. The room is a fantastic
size for a big party, and the DJ you provided got everyone dancing, so I was very happy
with the service.
Thank you for requesting suggestions for improvements to your business. Firstly,
I would advise providing a small kitchen where people can heat up food and wash
dishes – we would have really welcomed this during our party. Secondly, the party
room closes at 8 p.m., which is quite early. I think it would be good for the centre to stay
open later. I hope this is useful.
Best wishes,
Basha Lakov
Exercise 6
To: Mark Lester
Subject: End-of-year party
Dear Mr Lester,
I am writing about the party you are organizing for the end of the course. I think
Saturday would be best. Let me explain why: we don’t have classes on Saturdays, so
everyone should be free to attend.
You said you would like some students to cook some food from their country and bring
it to the party. I am not able to cook anything because I cannot find the ingredients I
need. If you like, I can bring my guitar and sing some traditional Czech folk songs from
my home country.
I think it’s a great idea for everyone to remember this party. I have some ideas for how
we can make the party special. First of all, I suggest that we have a dance where we
all teach each other traditional dances from our countries – that would be completely
unforgettable! Secondly, we should all take a picture together, which would be a great
souvenir of our amazing time at this school.
Thank you,
Roberto
Exercise 7
Here is a sample response. You may have different ideas.
To: Mark Lester
Subject: End-of-year party
Dear Mr Lester,
I think a party to celebrate the end of the course is a brilliant idea. I think Saturday
would be the most convenient for most students, including me. The school doesn’t
run on Saturdays, so the class won’t miss out on any lessons, and should all be free to
attend.
I also like the idea of cooking a national dish. We have some great food in the Czech
Republic that I’d like to share with the rest of the class. Unfortunately, I can’t find the
ingredients I need, so I won’t be able to bring a dish. If you like, I can bring my guitar
instead and sing some traditional Czech folk songs from my home country.

We’ve had a fantastic time learning English at the school and I have a couple of ideas
to really mark the occasion of our course finishing. First of all, it would be brilliant if
we could organize a dance where we all teach each other traditional dances from our
countries – that would be very special! Secondly, we should all take a picture together
as a souvenir of our amazing time at this school.
Thank you,
Roberto
Exercise 8
Function Phrases
giving news Guess what!
I am pleased to tell you that …
requesting information I am writing to enquire about …
Can you tell me … ?
thanking Many thanks for your help.
Thanks for your help!
showing excitement Brilliant! I can’t wait!
I was so happy to receive your news …
giving advice Why don’t you … ?
Have you considered … ?
suggesting My suggestion would be to …
Function Phrases
requesting I was wondering if you could …
Could you … ?
apologizing Please accept my apologies.
Sorry!
preferring I fancy …
accepting an invitation Thanks for the invite – it’ll be great to see you again.
I would very much like to accept your invitation.
refusing an invitation Unfortunately, I am unable to attend.

Exercise 9
1 informal 9 informal 17
informal
2 formal/neutral 10
formal/neutral 18
formal/neutral
3 formal/neutral 11
formal/neutral 19
informal
4 informal 12
informal 20
formal/neutral
5 formal/neutral 13
formal/neutral 21
formal/neutral
6 informal 14
informal 22
informal
7 informal 15
formal/neutral
8 informal 16
informal
Exercise 10
Opening informal neutral formal

Dear Luka,   
Hi Carlo,  
Dear Mr Chan,  
Closing
I can’t wait to see you! 
I look forward to meeting you.  
Hope to hear from you soon.  
Saying goodbye
Best wishes,  
All the best,  
Take care.  
Exercise 11
1 Ms Maxwell and the person she is writing to don’t know each other.
2 The subject of the email is not personal, so the language should be neutral or
formal.
Exercise 12
Dear Ms Maxwell,
Thank you for your email. No problem answering your questions!
My neighbour told me about the room at the sports centre. Yasmin went to a cool party
there a couple of months ago, I think.
The room’s really big so you can get loads of people in. The staff were all very helpful.
We all had a good laugh.
I reckon the party room could do with a kitchen so people can get food ready.
Secondly, as you know, the sports centre closes at 9 p.m., which is early for a party to
finish. It’s ridiculous actually – it should be open till at least 11.
Take care and see you soon.
Anna

Exercise 13
Here are some ideas for improving Anna’s email. You may have different ideas.
Dear Ms Maxwell,
Thank you for your email. I am very happy to answer your questions.
My neighbour told me about the room at the sports centre. I believe one of my friends,
Yasmin, went to a party there a couple of months ago.
I was pleased that the room was very large because I was able to invite many people
to my party. The staff were also very helpful. Everyone who came to the party had a
wonderful time.
My first suggestion would be to build a kitchen next to the room, so there is
somewhere to prepare food. Secondly, as you know, the sports centre currently closes
at 9 p.m., which is early for a party to finish. Have you considered making it available
until 11p.m.?
Best wishes,
Anna Ramiros
Exercise 14
1 What do you think of this idea? Good, because …
Erik gives only one reason why he thinks the school magazine is a good idea. Try
to add more than one reason, for example not only students and staff could read it,
but the parents of students, ex-students, and people from the area might be interested
in it, too.
2 What should be in the magazine? Suggest …
Try to give more examples of things that could be in the magazine, with enough
details, for example about how to help yourself improve in English, photographs
of the school and people in it, artwork such as drawings and cartoons done by
students, articles written by students.
3 Would you be interested in writing anything … ? Yes, but …
Choose one of the topics that you thought of, and give reasons and details for
why you are interested in writing about it. For example I would be interested in
interviewing people who were students at the school in the past for the magazine in
order to find out what these old students used English for in their lives. I would also like
to know how the way people learn English has changed.
Try to include extra information (details) in your response to Prompt 3, for example
… but not this month / … but only if you can help me with my English / … but only if I
can choose the subject.
Exercise 15
Which student … Alice Afonso

didn’t include all three prompts in their answer? 
didn’t answer each prompt completely? 
didn’t use their own words? 
didn’t use the right level of formality? 
didn’t expand their responses? 

Exercise 16
Dear Mrs Wilson,
Thank you for considering my application and inviting me for an interview.
Unfortunately, I am unable to attend on Tuesday as I have a hospital appointment. I
can attend on any other day that week between 9.00 and 17.00, if that is convenient
for you.
Of the jobs available, I am most interested in the kitchen assistant role. I have
experience of working in a kitchen, and have done a range of tasks, including preparing
vegetables, baking, and washing dishes. My chosen career is cooking, and I feel that
working in your kitchen would provide me with the opportunity to build my skills.
I have some questions related to the job. The job advertisement stated that the working
hours are flexible. Can you let me know how early it is possible to start? If possible, I’d
like to start at 8 a.m. Secondly, I have a week’s holiday booked for the last week of the
summer work period. Would it be possible for me to take this holiday?
I look forward to your reply.
Best wishes,
Arnaud
Please note that while the word count for this task is 80–130 words, Arnaud wrote
179 words, 49 more words than required. Please also note that writing more words is
acceptable – you will not lose marks for this. However, writing more words means you
may make more mistakes, so we advise that you try to keep to the word count.
Writing Part 2: Choosing the question

Exercise 1
There is no right or wrong answer for this exercise, but you should make sure you
choose the text type and topic that you can write about.

Exercise 1
Juliana’s essay
The first two paragraphs of Juliana’s essay are well written. In Paragraph 1, she discusses
why people eat unhealthy food. In Paragraph 2 she describes some of the problems
that are caused by eating bad food and says that shop owners should think about their
responsibilities. All of this is relevant to the question.
However, Paragraph 3 is not so good. She describes the kind of food she and her family
eat. Although it is about healthy and unhealthy food, it doesn’t answer the question
Should governments ban shops from selling food that is bad for your health?.
This is a problem for two reasons. Firstly, the assessor wants to see if you can
understand and answer the question in a relevant way. Secondly, if you don’t give a
relevant answer to the question, you may miss the opportunity to show a range of
grammar and vocabulary.
For example, Juliana uses quite simple grammar to describe how she ate in the past
and how she eats now. For example We have fresh vegetables and fruit, and we hardly
ever eat fast food. When I was younger, I liked food with a lot of salt or sugar, but now I don’t
really like it.

To improve paragraph 3, Juliana needs to give a relevant answer to the question using
more complex language, for example In my opinion, shops could do various things to
encourage people to eat in a healthy way. If they lowered the price of healthy food, I’m sure
more people would buy it. If they put labels on food with clear information about the good
and bad things in it, people would probably choose what to buy more carefully.
Wolfgang’s essay
The first two paragraphs of Wolfgang’s essay are about eating healthy food, but they
don’t really answer the question Should governments ban shops from selling food that
is bad for your health?. Paragraph 1 is about what people in his country know about
healthy and unhealthy food. Paragraph 2 discusses the way people feel about eating
different kinds of food. The grammar is very simple, for example it frequently uses the
present simple. To score higher, Wolfgang needs to use a wider range of grammar.
Paragraph 3 is more relevant to the question because he describes the cost of healthy
food and says shops should make it cheaper in order to encourage people to buy it.
The language he uses in Paragraph 3 to give his opinion is quite complex, for example
To encourage people to eat in a healthier way, I think shops should make healthy food
cheaper.
Exercise 2
You will have your own ideas about what you agree with and don’t agree with.
Exercise 3
Main ideas ‘for’ banning Details/examples

Governments should protect individuals. They already ban other unhealthy things
and activities, so why not unhealthy food?
Producers of unhealthy food target poor Poor people can only afford the cheapest
people. foods, and these are often unhealthy
foods full of fat and sugar.
Healthy food is better for the Junk food takes raw ingredients and
environment. processes them. This takes energy which
requires fuel, which creates greenhouse
gases.
Unhealthy food does not contain the If people always eat unhealthy food,
nutrients we need. they won't get these nutrients.
Increasing the price of junk food doesn’t Some countries have already introduced
stop people buying it. taxes on unhealthy foods, but this has
not caused people to buy them less
often.

Main ideas ‘against’ banning Details/examples
Adults should be able to make up their Adults are free to make many decisions
own minds. every day that affect their lives, so why
shouldn’t they be allowed to decide what
they eat?
Many people depend on cheap food. Unhealthy food may well be full of fat,
sugar and calories, but it’s also cheap. If
this food were taken away, what would
such people eat instead?
Banning unhealthy food may lead to Thousands of people’s jobs are based
unemployment. on the junk food industry. A ban would
mean that these industries would close
and people would lose their jobs.
Foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar Eating the food that we like, even if it is
often taste good. not always healthy, is an important part
of our lives.
Unhealthy food can bring people Many of the foods eaten at birthdays
happiness. and other celebrations, such as cake and
sweets, are not healthy.
Exercise 4
Paolo uses the following arguments from Exercise 3: Governments should protect
individuals., Producers of unhealthy food target poor people., Many people depend on
cheap food.
Marcus uses the following arguments from Exercise 3: Governments should protect
individuals., Adults should be able to make up their own minds.
Abril uses the following arguments from Exercise 3: Governments should protect
individuals., Adults should be able to make up their own minds.
Exercise 5
Type of essay Paolo Marcus Abril

The ‘for’ essay 
The ‘against’ essay 
The ‘balanced’ essay 

Exercise 6
Student Arguments ‘for’ banning Arguments ‘against’ banning

Paolo • governments already ban other • banning removes personal
unhealthy things choice
• banning junk food will force
people to eat healthily
• children need to be protected
Marcus • governments already ban other • banning removes personal
• it’s how often you eat certain
foods that is unhealthy, not the
food itself
Abril • governments already ban other • banning removes personal
• children need to be protected • it’s how often you eat certain
foods that is unhealthy, not the
food itself
Exercise 7
‘for’ essay ‘against’ essay ‘balanced’ essay

Introduction b a b
Paragraph 1 c d c
Paragraph 2 e f e
Conclusion g i h
Exercise 8
1 What is the main idea in each paragraph?
Paragraph 1: Reasons why people think carefully about clothes.
Paragraph 2: How clothes are important at work.
Paragraph 3: Some people worry too much about clothes and this causes problems.
2 Can you underline the topic sentence in each paragraph?
The topic sentences are underlined in the response below.
3 What organizing and linking words/phrases are used?
The organizing and linking words are highlighted in the response below.
In my opinion, there are good reasons why people think carefully about the clothes
they wear. Generally, it’s because they want other people to think that they look good.
If you look dirty or untidy, or if your clothes are really unusual or old-fashioned, other
people might think you look strange and might not want to talk to you.
One area of life in which clothes can be important is work. For example, people usually
dress smartly for job interviews. Also, staff who deal with customers usually need to
wear clothes of a certain style and standard.
On the other hand, some people worry too much about clothes. Some of my friends,
for example, spend lots of time shopping for clothes, talking about them and deciding
what to wear. The problem is this takes time away from other, more interesting and
useful activities. In addition to this, some people spend too much money on clothes
and end up with financial problems.

Exercise 9
Have I …
used phrases such as In conclusion, In summary and To sum up?
introduced new arguments ‘for’ or ‘against’ the question?
stated clearly if I agree or disagree with the question?
written more than one paragraph for my conclusion?
summarized the main arguments to support my conclusion?
repeated the introduction paragraph using different words?

Exercise 1
The language for giving opinions is underlined in the response below. The language for
making recommendations is highlighted in the response below.
Science! magazine
If you thought science was just for nerds, think again! Science! is a popular science
magazine which takes the latest scientific developments and makes them accessible to
the ordinary reader. If you like popular science, you’ll love this magazine.
Packed with news, opinions and incredible facts, Science! has well-written and
informative articles on just about everything you could imagine: developments in
technology, the human brain, physics, space, and the environment, to name just a few.
One thing that I really like is its amazing photographs, which alone are worth the price
of the magazine. The last edition was a special on space, and the photos were out of
this world – literally!
The only negative point is that it doesn’t come out often enough. It is published every
two months, so some of the ‘news’ is a bit old by the time you read it. It would be much
better if they published monthly, or even weekly!
In my opinion, Science! would be a great thing for anyone who is interested in science
to read. If you only read one science magazine, make it this one!
Exercise 2
1 b 2 c 3 a
Exercise 3
1 a listen 2 a see 3 a do 4 a play
b track b special effects b opportunity b gameplay
c rock ‘n’ roll c adventure c fun c racing
movies
Exercise 4
1 If you only visit one cafe this week, make it this one.
2 The friendly atmosphere alone is worth the price of the drinks.
3 If you like strong coffee, you’ll love this.
Exercise 5
1 great 4 interesting 7 useful
2 positive 5 excellent 8 helpful
3 outstanding 6 high quality 9 unique

Exercise 6
Yes, Johann’s review is organized as suggested in the Tip.
Exercise 7
1 c 2 d 3 a 4 b
Exercise 8
Recently, I visited the Royal Academy during a trip to London. Although I haven’t been
to many art galleries, I promise that if you go there, you won’t be disappointed.
In my opinion, one of the best things about this gallery is the variety of art on show.
I went in July, during the Summer Exhibition, which is particularly unusual because
anyone can submit their artwork to be included in the exhibition. As a result, the
exhibition contains all kinds of different types of art, including sculptures, paintings
and even videos. There was so much to see!
There were two things I believe they should consider improving. The first one is the
number of toilets available – because the exhibition was so busy, the queues were
really long. The other is the cost of drinks in the cafes. There is a huge amount of food
and drink on offer, but all of it is expensive. It would be good if there were cheaper
options.
Part 2: Magazine article

Exercise 1
In the first paragraph, Hiroki answers the first question, How important is music in your
life? in some detail. In the second paragraph, he answers the third question Do you play
an instrument or sing? and gives details about the instrument and the type of music he
would like to be able to play.
However, he doesn’t answer the second question What music do you like to listen to? in
the advert. He could have said something like this:
I think I spend about four hours every day listening to music. When I’m having breakfast,
when I’m going to and from school, when I’m in my room after school and so on. It helps me
relax, it stops me getting bored, it makes me want to move and it’s something I talk about
with my friends every day. So, I guess music is a huge part of my life.
Exercise 2
1 c 2 a 3 d 4 b
Exercise 3
Life without music
Imagine a world without music. No concerts, no records, no musical instruments. For
me, this is impossible. I cannot imagine life without music. Perhaps this is unsurprising
– there is no known society on earth that has not developed some form of music.
My choice of music depends on how I’m feeling or how I want to feel. Sometimes I like
to be by myself and just lose myself in music. Other times I might listen to energize
myself, or to challenge myself. Whatever the reason, I can’t imagine life without it.
I’ve never had any musical training, but I play the piano and the guitar. Not very well,
of course, but I really enjoy putting my hands on the instrument and exploring what
sounds I can make. I also find the creating music extremely relaxing.
Of course, not everyone is a fan of music – for 10% of the population, their emotions
are not affected when they listen to music. I am not one of them.

Exercise 4
José’s article is more interesting than Clara’s article. These are some things that make it
more interesting to read:
Write a title – articles usually have a title. Try to think of one that could catch the
readers’ attention.
Give details – details can bring a description to life for the reader. In José’s article,
details like I was so nervous that I was shaking and It turned out that we both had the same
name help to build up an interesting picture.
Tell stories – José’s article tells a story about his first day at school which is more fun to
read than just a description.
Use interesting language – an interesting description like who was wearing a pair of
thick glasses will keep a reader’s attention.
Use different types of sentences – for example, the following two sentences are very
different lengths: For example, we share a strange sense of humour and have made each
other laugh. Always.
Ask questions – Writers often use questions, for example What are the chances?, at the
start of an article because the reader will want to read more to find out the answer.
Use direct speech – Including things that people actually say, for example ‘No! I’M José
Almeida,’ can make an article more interesting.
Exercise 5
My summer holiday
Have you ever been surprised by a holiday? I have. This year, my family and I spent two
weeks of our summer holiday on a farm and it wasn’t what I was expecting at all.
Perhaps you’re thinking that being on a farm for the holidays doesn’t sound like much
fun? Well, that was what I thought to begin with. I soon changed my mind, though!
Life on the farm was hard work. We had to get up early every day to feed the animals.
‘Go away!’ I said to my mum on the first morning when she came to wake me up. But
seeing the sunrise was wonderful – it made getting up much easier.
One thing I didn’t know was that farmers don’t often get to go on holiday, because
there’s no one to look after the animals. Holidays like ours mean we get to try
something new, and the farmer gets a rest. I thought that was a fantastic idea!
Writing Tips at a glance

Exercise 1
1 e 2 c 3 b 4 a 5 d
Exercise 1
1 d 2 e 3 a 4 b 5 c
Exercise 1
1 b 2 a
Exercise 1
1 c 2 a 3 b

DOs and DON’Ts for taking the Writing module
Exercise 1
1 DO
2 DO
3 DON’T
4 DO
5 DON’T
6 DO
7 DO
8 DO
9 DO
10
DON’T
11
DO

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THE OXFORD TEST OF ENGLISH

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How to use Oxford Test of English Writing Tips

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Module Part No. tasks No. items Structure Timing

Oxford Test of English Writing Tips Photocopiable © Oxford University Press 5

Part Structure Testing focus

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The clock shows how much

You don’t need to This is where you type

The word counter shows how

Oxford Test of English Writing Tips Photocopiable © Oxford University Press 7

8  Oxford Test of English Writing Tips Photocopiable © Oxford University Press

The person you

Oxford Test of English Writing Tips Photocopiable © Oxford University Press 9

You have 20 minutes to write an email. Write 80–130 words.

Check your answers with the answer key on page 51.

10  Oxford Test of English Writing Tips Photocopiable © Oxford University Press

Check your answers with the answer key on page 51.

Oxford Test of English Writing Tips Photocopiable © Oxford University Press 11

Check your answers with the answer key on page 51.

12  Oxford Test of English Writing Tips Photocopiable © Oxford University Press

You have 20 minutes to write an email. Write 80–130 words.

From: Helen Maxwell

To: Helen Maxwell

Check your answers with the answer key on page 51.

Oxford Test of English Writing Tips Photocopiable © Oxford University Press 13

To: Helen Maxwell

Check your answers with the answer key on page 52.

14  Oxford Test of English Writing Tips Photocopiable © Oxford University Press

You have 20 minutes to write an email. Write 80–130 words.

From: Mark Lester

Oxford Test of English Writing Tips Photocopiable © Oxford University Press 15

To: Mark Lester

Check your answers with the answer key on page 52.

To: Mark Lester

Check your answers with the answer key on page 52.

16  Oxford Test of English Writing Tips Photocopiable © Oxford University Press

giving news Guess what!

accepting an invitation ​apologizing ​preferring ​refusing an invitation ​requesting

Check your answers with the answer key on page 53.

Oxford Test of English Writing Tips Photocopiable © Oxford University Press 17

Check your answers with the answer key on page 54.

Opening informal neutral formal

Check your answers with the answer key on page 54.

18  Oxford Test of English Writing Tips Photocopiable © Oxford University Press

You have 20 minutes to write an email. Write 80–130 words.

From: Helen Maxwell

Check your answers with the answer key on page 54.

Oxford Test of English Writing Tips Photocopiable © Oxford University Press 19

To: Helen Maxwell

Check your answers with the answer key on page 54.

To: Helen Maxwell

Check your answers with the answer key on page 55.

20  Oxford Test of English Writing Tips Photocopiable © Oxford University Press

You have 20 minutes to write an email. Write 80–130 words.

Check your answers with the answer key on page 55.

Oxford Test of English Writing Tips Photocopiable © Oxford University Press 21

2 Oxford Test of English Writing Tips Photocopiable © Oxford University Press

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