Skills for Life
Writing Entry 3
Examination Report
2009 – Test 087
1
Skills for Life Writing Examination Report: Entry 3
This report is based on candidate performance on one version of the Skills for Life Writing Entry 3 tests in
2008/9.
The report is intended as an aid to teachers and colleges in preparing candidates for future Cambridge
ESOL Skills for Life Writing tests. It includes a number of sample candidate answers accompanied by
examiner comments.
Test 087
The three tasks in this test were an email to a friend about collecting clothes from a dry cleaner’s, a letter of
application for a restaurant job and a report for a teacher about education in a country you know.
There were 36 marks available on the paper: 9 for Task 1, 12 for Task 2 and 15 for Task 3. The breakdown
of marks available for each assessment focus (Text, Sentence and Word) is shown below.
Text
Sentence
Word
Total
Task 1
3
6
0
9
Task 2
6
3
3
12
Task 3
6
6
3
15
Total
15
15
6
36
Scores were highest for Word focus and lowest for Sentence focus.
Task 1 Email about collecting clothes from dry cleaner’s
This task was well answered by most candidates. For Text focus, the majority of candidates were able to
cover the three points well, with stronger candidates achieving a polite and/or persuasive tone.
Occasionally, candidates confused the time frame (writing about the past) or the perspective (writing as
collector of the clothes), but reached Band 2 providing the content points were addressed. Most candidates
organised the points effectively and paragraphed accordingly.
For Sentence focus, most candidates were able to achieve at least Band 2. The limited word length made it
difficult to achieve a great deal of complexity, but stronger candidates achieved Band 3 through effective
use of cause and effect linkers and polite request forms.
Word focus was not assessed in this task.
Task 2 Letter of application to a restaurant
This task was generally dealt with effectively by most candidates. For Text focus, most candidates
addressed all the points. Most candidates seemed familiar with the format, tone and phrasing of a standard
letter of application and were thus able to achieve at least the middle band. Band 3 candidates were
assured in register and organisation. Band 2 performance was characterised by inconsistency in register,
or poor paragraphing. Where candidates wrote about a job they had applied for, or suggested the job to
another, the mark was held in Band 2.
For Sentence focus, strong candidates demonstrated a sound knowledge of present (perfect) and past
tenses when describing current abilities and experience. Some were also able to construct indirect
questions. Band 2 candidates tended to mix tenses, confuse ‘ing’ and ‘ed’ endings (‘I am interesting in ...’),
and mix adverbs (‘hard’ v ‘hardly’). The few Band 1 candidates had basic difficulties with full stops or wrote
in excessively short sentences, or generally did not seem to be of the level to construct grammatically
acceptable sentences.
2
For Word focus, the familiarity of the topic and genre enabled most candidates to achieve the middle or top
band. Good use was made of descriptive language, e.g. ‘sociable’, ‘kind’ and ‘confidence’. Weaker
candidates tended to make spelling errors with topic-specific words, which tended to impede.
Task 3 Report on education in a country
There was a wider range of candidate performance in this task. For Text focus, most candidates were able
to address all bullet points adequately. Better answers expanded appropriately on the good and bad points
of education in their countries, were effectively paragraphed with good opening and closing frames, and
managed to convey a sense of enthusiasm for the subject. Band 2 answers tended to be poorly
paragraphed, disorganised and often repetitive. Other Band 2 answers were sometimes underlength or
failed to speculate on future developments.
For Sentence focus, stronger candidates showed a sound use of complex sentences and linkers. There
was also appropriate use of tenses when describing their own experiences and speculation about the
future. Middle band answers showed inconsistency in tenses or in word or phrase order. Weaker answers
omitted key words (auxiliaries and verbs) or were poorly punctuated, both of which impeded meaning.
For Word focus, most candidates were able to achieve Band 3. Stronger candidates showed a good range.
At Band 2, words were occasionally misspelt but were immediately recognisable. At Band 1, misspellings
were frequent and impeded meaning.
3
Recommendations for Candidate Preparation
All Cambridge ESOL Skills for Life tests are based on the Adult ESOL Core Curriculum and cover all the
Basic Skills Standards in each mode at each level. Therefore, by following the Adult ESOL Core
Curriculum, teachers will be preparing their students for the tests. Candidates will benefit from being
reminded of the following Dos and Don'ts:
Do
•
Do read all the task instructions carefully.
•
Do make sure you know all the task types by looking at practice tests.
•
Do make sure that your handwriting is clear and easy to read.
•
Do read the task carefully and plan an answer which addresses all the content points of the task.
Try to develop each point fully.
•
Do consider who you are writing to and try to write in an appropriate style and tone.
•
Do think carefully about whether the task requires you to ask, describe, invite etc and make sure
you do this in your answer.
•
Do allow time to check through what you have written.
Don’t
•
Don’t use a pencil.
•
Don’t worry if you make a few grammatical errors in tasks. Communicating the message is the most
important thing.
•
Don’t write answers which are much shorter or longer than the recommended number of words.
•
Don’t spend too long on one answer.
•
Don’t write a full, rough copy of your answer. Just write brief notes to plan your answer.
Sample Scripts
Sample scripts are provided for each task in the question paper. Please note that it is not possible to
reproduce the candidate answers in the original handwriting, and so any references in the commentaries to
quality of handwriting will not be reflected in the samples provided.
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Entry 3 (Test 087) Sample Scripts and Commentaries
Entry 3 Script A
Task 1
(About 15 minutes)
You have left some clothes at the dry cleaner's but you can't collect them. You ask your English friend,
Charlie, to help you.
Write an email to Charlie. In your email:
•
tell Charlie why you can't collect your clothes
•
ask him to go to the dry cleaner's for you
•
describe the clothes.
Write about 60 words.
To:
[email protected]
Subject:
dry cleaner's
Dear Charlie.
Hello! How have you been?
My life is getting difficult. I don’t have any time. It’s not
easy to me. I have been worked so hard, and when I
leave my job I arrive at home so tired. I just watch TV
and go to bed.
I apologize your help you know I left my clothes at the
dry cleaner’s but I can’t collect them. Because when my
job ends the dry cleaners has already openned. Could
you do me a great favor? Take my clothes at the dry. I
need it.
There are about 15 clothes: 5 skirt – 2 blues, 1 black and
2 Pinks / 5 trousers - both are Jeans. /5 T-shirt – 3 whites,
1 black and 2 reds.
Thank you so much. CJ will call you later.
See you
Ruth
5
Entry 3 Script A Task 1
Commentary
Band
Mark
Text
focus
Three points are covered with elaboration.
Coherent and organised into paragraphs.
‘Openned’ instead of ‘closed’ seems to be a slip.
3
3
Sentence
focus
There is average control. Sentences are short but
meaning is mostly clear.
Complex sentences are present but sometimes flawed,
e.g. ‘Because’ as a linker is misplaced.
2
3
Word
focus
Not
assessed in
this task
6
Entry 3 Script B
Task 1
(About 15 minutes)
You have left some clothes at the dry cleaner's but you can't collect them. You ask your English friend,
Charlie, to help you.
Write an email to Charlie. In your email:
•
tell Charlie why you can't collect your clothes
•
ask him to go to the dry cleaner's for you
•
describe the clothes.
Write about 60 words.
To:
[email protected]
Subject:
dry cleaner's
Hi Charlie!
I needed to fly to Berlin this morning, and I
can’t collect my clothes from the cleaner’s. If
you have time, please go to the cleaner’s and
collect my clothes.
The key of the house is under the brick, near
the front door. The cleaner’s ticket is on the
cupboard in the living room, behind the table.
At the cleaner’s is two jeans, six Tshirt, four
towell, two jackets, and one cover.
Than you for your help!
John!
7
Entry 3 Script B Task 1
Commentary
Band
Mark
Text
focus
Candidate addresses all points.
Well organised and clear.
Appropriate register.
3
3
Sentence
focus
Language is generally accurate with use of complex
sentences, e.g. ‘If you have time…’
3
5
Word
focus
Not
assessed in
this task
8
Entry 3 Script C
Task 2
(About 15 minutes)
You read an advertisement for a job in a new restaurant.
JOE'S DINER
We have many jobs available in our new restaurant –
chefs, waiters, cleaners, kitchen staff
For more information write to:
Mr Juan Suarez
Write a letter to Mr Suarez. In your letter:
•
say what job you want
•
say why you think you are a good person for the job
•
ask about the pay
•
ask about the days and hours of work.
Write about 90 words. You do not need to write the address or the date.
Dear Mr Suarez,
I am writing in response to the advertisement for a job in your anew
restaurant.
I am interesting very much in this job, as I have worked as chefs
quite often before. I had been working in a famous restaurant in my
town where I gained my experience. as you will see in my enclosed cv.
I wonder if I could ask you some question, could you tell me will I
paid for this job. I would like to ask you about how many days will I
be at work and how many hours of work per a week.
I hope that you see that I am suitable for this job, and I hope to
hearing from your soon.
Your’s sincerly,
9
Entry 3 Script C Task 2
Commentary
Band
Mark
Text
focus
Text is coherent and well organised into clear
paragraphs.
Appropriate beginning and ending.
Misses direct reference in introduction to job title.
3
5
Sentence
focus
Some good use of expression, sentence linking and
appropriate language.
Minor errors with more complex structures (e.g.
passive).
3
3
Word
focus
Occasional misspellings, but some appropriate
vocabulary for the task.
3
3
10
Entry 3 Script D
Task 2
(About 15 minutes)
You read an advertisement for a job in a new restaurant.
JOE'S DINER
We have many jobs available in our new restaurant –
chefs, waiters, cleaners, kitchen staff
For more information write to:
Mr Juan Suarez
Write a letter to Mr Suarez. In your letter:
•
say what job you want
•
say why you think you are a good person for the job
•
ask about the pay
•
ask about the days and hours of work.
Write about 90 words. You do not need to write the address or the date.
Mr Juan Suarez:
With reference to your advertisement in local radio I am writing to apply for waiter in your
new restaurant.
I am a student and I can speak English fluently. I have got time to do a work. My course
has just been changed that is a good information. Honestly I am really sociable
and kind. I have made a large number of friends in England, I think it is depends on my
personility. When I heard your need a waiter, I have got a confidenece to do the work I believe
that I can do it very well. I will treat every customer by very polite manner. I know the
customers are most important for our restaurant.
I want to ask for salary about what your pay, and the days and hours of work. I will arrange
other things in my life. I would appreciate if your consider me.
Im looking forward to hearing from yours.
Yours faithfully
Phoebe
11
Entry 3 Script D Task 2
Commentary
Band
Mark
Text
focus
Covers all four points but somewhat unbalanced.
Has opening (although ‘Dear’ is omitted).
Has some paragraphing and register is appropriate.
2
4
Sentence
focus
Sufficient control of grammar for message to be
communicated.
Full stops are not consistently used as sentence
boundary markers, e.g. ‘…friends in England, I think it
is…’
2
2
Word
focus
Handwriting is legible and spelling is OK.
Some good vocabulary is used, e.g. ‘treat every
customer’.
3
3
12
Entry 3 Script E
Task 3
(About 25 minutes)
Your class is doing a project about education. Your teacher asks you to write about education in a
country you know.
Write about:
•
what you think is good and bad about education in that country
•
how you think education in that country will change in the future.
Write about 100 words.
Report about Venezuela’s education:
In Venezuela as in all Suth America the education is a big problem why many children don’t go
to the school. and the schools have few teacher well prepared, these in the public schools, but
in the private schools they are very expensive for all poblation.
Now I am going to say you about the Universitys, the Universitys in Venezuela are centralization
only in the most important cities in Venezuela as Caracas and Valencia, they are good University
but they are many demanded for many students and only can study there few students for
example in facultat of Medicane there is only 100 place, and take this exam maybe 5 000 000
students.
The Privates University are very expensive and only groups of the people in Venezuela can pay
this.
I hope the Gouveronament of Venezuela do something about this, because One Country
without well education doesn’t have future.
José
Journalist
13
Entry 3 Script E Task 3
Commentary
Band
Mark
Text
focus
Covers bad points; brief references to good points and
hope for future change: an unbalanced answer.
Well organised into paragraphs.
2
3
Sentence
focus
Shows some evidence of ability to construct compound
sentences with simple conjunctions.
Sentence grammar is sufficiently controlled with isolated
losses of clarity.
2
3
Word
focus
Vocabulary is appropriate to the task.
The majority of common words are correctly spelt.
3
3
14
Entry 3 Script F
Task 3
(About 25 minutes)
Your class is doing a project about education. Your teacher asks you to write about education in a
country you know.
Write about:
•
what you think is good and bad about education in that country
•
how you think education in that country will change in the future.
Write about 100 words.
Education in my country is on wery hight
level and it always was. In my opinion is
much isier to aplly on any other university
then few years ago. Now there are more and
more new schools new colleges and universitys
Now you can aplly to any of this without exam.
Of course there are a lot of famous
universitys where the exam is wery hard to
pass. Some students which pass exam resign
after one semestr because it’s too hard.
Even student’s which are studying in privet
school give up because they can’t handl
it. Those students which are strong and
graduat can easlie find a job. I don’t know
how it looks in other countrys and I can’t
compare this
15
Entry 3 Script F Task 3
Commentary
Band
Mark
Text
focus
Candidate omits third point and it is unclear whether
they are talking about good or bad points.
Only one paragraph.
1
2
Sentence
focus
Despite some minor errors, candidate shows ability to
construct compound sentences, e.g.
‘Even student’s which are studying in privet school give
up because they can’t handl it.’
3
5
Word
focus
Range of vocabulary is good, but inaccurate spelling,
e.g. ‘handl’ and ‘easlie’.
2
2
16