Question 3 Model Answer: Letter (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE English Language)
Revision Note
Written by: Deb Orrock
Reviewed by: Kate Lee
Question 3 Model Answer: Letter
For this task, you will be asked to produce a piece of writing in a particular format, based on what you have read in Text C. You may be asked to write in one of six possible formats (genres):
A letter
A report
A journal entry
A speech
An interview
An article
The following guide will demonstrate how to answer Question 3 in the format of a letter. The task itself is taken from a past exam paper.
Text C and Question 3
The following Text C example is about two men embarking on a journey across the desert.
Question 3:
Question 3 letter model answer
Based on the above question, the following model answer is an example of a full-mark letter response.
Unannotated model answer
Model answer: Dear Mother, I am writing to you from my camp bed in the middle of the desert, underneath a sky sparkling with stars. There is a gentle warm breeze making the temperature most pleasant to write in, and I wanted to convey to you our adventures so far. Our journey so far has had many enjoyable moments. We set off through the Judaean Desert in good spirits and full of high expectations, and as our car literally glided over bubbling hot asphalt we experienced the exotic novelty of being 400 metres below sea level. It was a strange feeling to think that we were travelling at the same depth as creatures of the deep. I was also curious to see the Dead Sea as I had heard so much about it, and it really did live up to expectations. Max promptly tried it out for himself, lying on top of the water like a cork while I looked on, smiling at the inevitable salt burn that would follow. After a quick dip in the River Jordan to wash off the salt crust, I chuckled as he urged me to speed away as fast as our car would allow! Crossing the Jordan by bridge does not lend itself to acceleration, although I believe Max thought that I was driving slowly on purpose. As we crossed into Asia, I found the night journey to be not only more comfortable but stunningly beautiful. At one point we saw flocks of storks, taking a rest from their migration, the light dancing on their feathers. However, I also have to say that crossing into Asia also brought with it fresh challenges for Max and me. The terrain became steep, stony and bumpy - a definite contrast with the smooth sailing we experienced in the earlier part of our journey. The sun blazed fiercely and our car began to struggle. I began to feel anxious about whether the engine would make it, especially as I had already warned Max about the amount of weight we were carrying (although I silently knew that most of the luggage was mine, lovingly packed by you). As the thermometer hit 100 degrees, Max stopped the car as the radiator boiled and whistled. I got out the map and we considered our options, especially as we still had about 23,000km to go. Eventually, I reluctantly agreed that we needed to remove some of the weight, but hoped we could make it as far as Baghdad where we could put some of the luggage into storage, rather than throwing our luggage out into the desert! So, after a very long day, I can now reflect somewhat on the problems I foresee for the rest of the trip and how we might have been better prepared for them. One of the biggest immediate issues is whether the car is able to make it to Baghdad; in these remote areas, it is easy to get lost, and coupled with the intense heat, we are pushing our vehicle to its limits. In addition, if we cannot locate reasonable luggage storage, I anticipate some emotional strain between me and Max, although one hopes we might be able to avoid recriminations and thus continue our trip. It may have helped if we had versed ourselves better in the local languages before our trip, or at least brought along some bilingual dictionaries, and definitely not believed everything sold to us in travel brochures! We may have started out with a sense of false optimism, but let us hope that we do not encounter too many more problems on the rest of our journey. With warm wishes, Helmuth |
Commentary:
The answer starts by demonstrating understanding of the format of the writing and contextualises the letter in relation to Text C
Each bullet point in the question is dealt with in a separate paragraph
The answer uses information directly from the text, and then develops it
The response shows understanding of the task and who the narrative voice is supposed to be
The style and tone of the letter is appropriate to the time period and the intended recipient
The narrative voice and perspective is sustained throughout the response
The greeting and sign off are appropriate for a letter format
Examiner Tips and Tricks
The suggested word count for this task is a guide, and you are not penalised for writing under or over 250-350 words. However, writing too little can mean that your answer does not have enough development or detail. Writing too much can mean that you go off topic and lose focus, which again can be self-penalising. It is therefore a good idea to stick as closely as you can to the word count guidance.
Our model answers are not written in timed, exam conditions. We have therefore shown a range of points that could be included to answer this question, and provided a model you can use to help with the structure of your answer.
You can find further guidance on suggested word counts for CIE here.
Summary
Remember to read the question carefully and highlight:
The instructions (what you have to do)
The focus of each bullet point
Re-read Text C and highlight the relevant information you can use in your answer
Address each bullet point in order:
Make sure you cover all of the bullet points as equally as possible
Base all of your answer on the ideas and details you find in Text C
Decide on the voice and style you want to create and maintain that in your answer
Do not just repeat details of what happened:
You need to develop your ideas to demonstrate understanding
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