Question 1 Model Answer: Letter (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE English Language)
Revision Note
Written by: Deb Orrock
Reviewed by: Kate Lee
Question 1 Model Answer: Letter
For this task, you will be asked to produce a piece of writing in a particular format, based on the opinions, ideas and information you are presented with in one or two reading passages. You may be asked to write in one of three possible formats (genres):
A letter
A speech
An article
The following guide will demonstrate how to answer Question 1 in the format of a letter. The task itself is taken from a past exam paper.
Addressing the reading assessment objectives
Up to 15 marks are available in this task for your ability to evaluate both the explicit and implied ideas, opinions and attitudes expressed in one or two texts, and assimilate them to write a developed and sophisticated response.
Let’s take a look at how you do this, using the following Question 1 example:
Your response here has to be based on the ideas, opinions and attitudes contained in the following two texts:
After carefully reading the task, you should read the texts and highlight the ideas and opinions that could inform your writing. Your response might use the following ideas from these texts:
Text A:
“Pre-teens” pick up a new language quickly
New languages can change young people’s personalities
Picking up on nuance and being able to express humour in a new language is hard
Arguably, true bilingualism is not possible
Accents are always obvious
Attitudes to bilingualism have changed with research
Bilingualism can help with empathy and help people to see different perspectives
There is some evidence that bilingualism could protect against dementia and makes our minds more flexible
But it can make people less articulate/developed in both languages
Bilingualism can be very enriching and help you to become more eloquent
Text B:
Gaining a second language is not always a choice
It can make you a more interesting person
Bilingual people are rarely equally proficient in both languages and it is easy to make mistakes
Languages can be lost without effort
Being able to speak an extra language can make you more employable
It is not always possible to be fluent in more than one context
Retaining your first language helps you keep your link to your culture
Switching from one language to another can lead to personality changes
Planning your response
Once you have read the text(s), identified relevant opinions, ideas and attitudes and bullet-pointed these in your own words, you should then spend five minutes planning your written response. When planning:
Decide on your “voice” and point of view
Write a statement that summarises your point of view, based on your reading
Note down which points you can develop that support your point of view in your first paragraph
Decide if you are going to make a counter-argument, and note down which points you can develop to support this
Return to your main argument, ensuring that you have included ideas and opinions from both texts (if more than one)
Note down the points you can make to address the second bullet point in the task
Note down how you are going to start and finish your response, ensuring that it establishes the correct style and tone
Letter model answer
The following model answer demonstrates a top-mark response to the above task:
Unannotated model answer
Dear Auntie Ruth, It was good to hear from you, and thank you for asking for my advice about your possible move to France! Although I’ll miss Luke and Harry, it will be an exciting adventure for them if you decide to go. I’m sure that it will definitely have challenges for them though, as well as for you and Uncle Ali. I’ve done a bit of research on this, especially about the impact of having to learn a new language and integrate into a new culture. I think becoming fluent in a new language is harder the older you are, and given that Luke and Harry are now both teenagers, they might struggle with integrating into their new school, especially if they stand out because of their accents. I would hate for them to feel isolated, and they might feel as though they cannot properly express themselves while they are learning French. This also applies to you, especially if you both also have new jobs to become used to. Things like tone and humour can be really difficult to master, and this might lead to confusion and misunderstandings. It also might be that they learn faster than you, so this could lead to distance between you all. I think there is no doubt that being able to communicate in more than one language definitely has its benefits. I would imagine that it can help us see the world from different perspectives, and being able to speak a second language well would be a really great employability skill, especially for Luke and Harry, if they are able to switch the contexts in which they are able to communicate fluently. Flexing your brains to learn a second language would also be good for you in the future; in fact, I think I read that being bilingual can help prevent dementia later in life. However, for most people, becoming bilingual is not necessarily a choice, and that can make it harder. I think bilingual people are not often completely proficient in both languages, and therefore it is easy to make mistakes. Again, this might make you all feel more isolated or that you don’t completely fit in. More importantly for you, though, is that you might lose your links with your culture and way of life here. Even our first language can be lost if we are not speaking it regularly, so while you may think that being able to speak more than one language might make you more interesting, this might be at the expense of what makes you, you! If you do decide to go, I hope the move will be successful for you all, but I am concerned that there will be more implications than just the actual process of learning a second language. It is amazing to go on a new adventure and experience life in another country, but this may lead to arguments and frustrations between you all. I know you will all give it 100 percent, but trying to learn to communicate fluently in French may result in you all being actually less articulate in both languages. If Luke and Harry had been younger, then they might have been able to adapt more quickly, but given their ages and the fact that learning new languages can change people’s personalities, I do not think this will be a good move for you all. Whatever you decide, however, I wish you all the best! Hope to speak to you soon, Nadia |
Commentary:
The greeting and tone are appropriate for a letter to a relative
The introduction demonstrates an understanding of the purpose of the task
The second paragraph develops ideas and opinions mainly from Text A, and establishes a point of view
Although the letter is informal, the vocabulary is sophisticated
The third paragraph acknowledges a counter-argument, using ideas from both texts
The fourth paragraph returns to the main argument, using ideas mainly from Text B
Punctuation is used deliberately to emphasise the more friendly tone
The final paragraph explicitly addresses the second bullet point in the task
Persuasive devices are used to add weight to the argument
Style and tone are maintained throughout, with an appropriate sign off
Spelling, grammar and punctuation are accurate throughout
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:
What you are writing, who you are writing to and why you are writing
The focus of each bullet point
Read the text(s) and highlight the relevant information that could be developed in your answer
Bullet-point this information in your own words
Plan your writing, focusing on one main idea or opinion per paragraph
Address each bullet point in order:
Make sure you cover all of the bullet points as equally as possible
Decide on the voice and style you want to create and maintain that in your answer
Do not just repeat details from the text(s):
You need to evaluate and develop the ideas, opinions and attitudes in the text(s) - you are not summarising them
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