Question 3 Model Answer: Letter (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE English Language)

Revision Note

Deb Orrock

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.

CIE IGCSE English Language Paper 1 Question 3 Text C
CIE IGCSE English Language Paper 1 Question 3 Text C
CIE IGCSE English Language Paper 1 Question 3 Text C

Question 3:

CIE IGCSE English Language Paper 1 Question 3 example

Question 3 letter model answer

Based on the above question, the following model answer is an example of a full-mark letter response.

CIE IGCSE English Language question 3 model answer letter part 1
CIE IGCSE English language question 3 letter model answer part 2
CIE IGCSE English Language question 3 letter model answer part 3

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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Deb Orrock

Author: Deb Orrock

Expertise: English Content Creator

Deb is a graduate of Lancaster University and The University of Wolverhampton. After some time travelling and a successful career in the travel industry, she re-trained in education, specialising in literacy. She has over 16 years’ experience of working in education, teaching English Literature, English Language, Functional Skills English, ESOL and on Access to HE courses. She has also held curriculum and quality manager roles, and worked with organisations on embedding literacy and numeracy into vocational curriculums. She most recently managed a post-16 English curriculum as well as writing educational content and resources.

Kate Lee

Author: Kate Lee

Expertise: English and Languages Lead

Kate has over 12 years of teaching experience as a Head of English and as a private tutor. Having also worked at the exam board AQA and in educational publishing, she's been writing educational resources to support learners in their exams throughout her career. She's passionate about helping students achieve their potential by developing their literacy and exam skills.