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Practice paper, not an official KPM paper
English
Ujian Akhir Sesi Akademik

English

Tingkatan 4, Paper 1: 1 hour 30 minutes; Paper 2: 1 hour 30 minutes, 100 marks
Nama / Name
Kelas / Class
Tarikh / Date
Markah / Marks:      / 100
Instructions
  1. This model paper has Paper 1 (Reading and Use of English, 40 marks) and Paper 2 (Writing, 60 marks). In the real test the two papers are taken separately.
  2. Answer all questions.
  3. Paper 1: choose or write the answer for each question.
  4. Paper 2: write your answers in the spaces provided.

Practice shows answers as you go. Exam times you and hides answers until you submit.

Paper 1 Part 1

8 marks
Read the text in each question carefully. Choose the best answer, A, B or C.
1

Question 1

SMK BUKIT KENANGA BOOK SWAP
Bring a book you have finished. Take a different one home.
Every book swapped earns you one raffle ticket.
School hall, Wednesday, 1.15 p.m. to 2.00 p.m.
Magazines and textbooks are not accepted.
What is the purpose of this notice?
Show answerHide answer
B
You bring a finished book and take a different one home, so students exchange books. Textbooks are not accepted (A), and nothing is sold (C).
For the teacher: Understanding, low difficulty, Unit 3, standard Reading short texts: notices and announcements
2

Question 2

Farhan  7.05 p.m.
Suresh, the futsal practice is at 4.30 tomorrow, not 4.00. Encik Bakar has to attend a meeting first. Don't forget your jersey. The old ones are still in the store room, so we will all wear the blue ones from last year. See you!
What does Farhan want Suresh to remember?
Show answerHide answer
A
The time moves from 4.00 to 4.30, which is half an hour later. Nothing is cancelled (B), and the store room is only where the old jerseys are kept (C).
For the teacher: Understanding, medium difficulty, Unit 1, standard Reading short texts: messages
3

Question 3

CRUNCHY NUT BARS  (box of 6)
Best before: 12 March
Store in a cool, dry place.
Contains peanuts and soya. May contain traces of milk.
Who should not eat these nut bars?
Show answerHide answer
C
The bold warning says the bars contain peanuts, so people allergic to peanuts must avoid them. The label says nothing about sweetness, and it only may contain traces of milk, so (B) is not the main warning.
For the teacher: Understanding, low difficulty, Unit 3, standard Reading short texts: labels and signs
4

Question 4

To: Form 4 Science students
From: Puan Zalina
Subject: Science project
Because of the school sports meet, the final deadline for the project report has been moved from Friday to the following Monday. However, I still need to see your poster drafts this Friday so that I can give you comments.
What must the students do by Friday?
Show answerHide answer
B
The report deadline has moved to Monday, but the poster drafts are still needed this Friday.
For the teacher: Applying, medium difficulty, Unit 4, standard Reading short texts: emails and deadlines
5

Question 5

SUNDAY MORNING RIDE
Kuching Cycling Club welcomes beginners!
Free helmet hire. Please bring a water bottle and your IC.
Meet at the Waterfront at 6.45 a.m. for a 20-kilometre ride at an easy pace.
What is true about the ride?
Show answerHide answer
A
Free helmet hire means beginners can borrow a helmet without paying. The ride welcomes beginners, so riders do not have to be members.
For the teacher: Understanding, low difficulty, Unit 4, standard Reading short texts: advertisements
6

Question 6

Nurin,
Dinner is in the fridge. Heat it in the microwave for three minutes. I will be home after ten, so don't wait up for me. Please lock the back door before you go to bed and put the rubbish out.
Mum
What does Mum not ask Nurin to do?
Show answerHide answer
C
Don't wait up for me means Nurin should not wait for Mum. The other two are both requested in the note.
For the teacher: Applying, medium difficulty, Unit 1, standard Reading short texts: notes
7

Question 7

LABORATORY
Students may enter only when a teacher is present.
Long hair must be tied back. Bags are to be left outside.
Report all breakages to the teacher at once.
What should a student do if a test tube breaks?
Show answerHide answer
B
Report all breakages to the teacher at once means tell the teacher immediately. The other actions are different rules.
For the teacher: Understanding, medium difficulty, Unit 6, standard Reading short texts: signs and rules
8

Question 8

CANTEEN NOTICE
From Monday, the price of nasi lemak will rise from RM3.00 to RM3.50. Drinks remain at RM1.50.
Students with a canteen card receive 10% off food only.
Aiman has a canteen card. How much will he pay for one nasi lemak and one drink?
Show answerHide answer
A
10% off RM3.50 is 35 sen, so the food costs RM3.15. The discount is for food only, so the drink stays RM1.50: RM3.15 + RM1.50 = RM4.65.
For the teacher: Applying, high difficulty, Unit 3, standard Reading short texts: prices and calculation

Paper 1 Part 2

10 marks
Read the text below. Choose the best word or phrase for each gap, A, B, C or D.
9

Question 9

Why Sleep Matters

Many teenagers believe that staying up late is harmless. However, doctors (9) ____ that most people aged 14 to 17 need eight to ten hours of sleep every night. Students who sleep for (10) ____ than seven hours often find it hard to concentrate in class, and they are (11) ____ to forget what they have learned. Lack of sleep can also (12) ____ your mood. Tired teens get annoyed (13) ____ easily, which often leads (14) ____ arguments with family and friends.

Experts suggest a few simple habits. First, go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, (15) ____ at weekends. Second, switch off your phone an hour before bed, (16) ____ the blue light makes it harder to fall asleep. If you (17) ____ a good routine, you will wake up feeling fresh. Teenagers (18) ____ get enough sleep tend to do better at school.

Gap (9)
Show answerHide answer
D
Doctors say that ... is correct. Tell needs a person after it (tell people that), and talk and speak are not followed by that.
For the teacher: Remembering, low difficulty, Unit 4, standard Cloze: reporting verbs
10

Question 10

Gap (10)   (Part 2 text, Why Sleep Matters)
Show answerHide answer
B
Hours can be counted, so fewer than seven hours is correct. Shorter, lower and smaller do not collocate with than seven hours.
For the teacher: Remembering, medium difficulty, Unit 4, standard Cloze: quantifiers and comparison
11

Question 11

Gap (11)   (Part 2 text, Why Sleep Matters)
Show answerHide answer
D
They are likely to forget is the pattern: person + be likely + to-infinitive. Possible and probable are not used with a person as the subject, and ready to forget does not make sense.
For the teacher: Applying, medium difficulty, Unit 4, standard Cloze: adjective + infinitive
12

Question 12

Gap (12)   (Part 2 text, Why Sleep Matters)
Show answerHide answer
C
The verb affect means to influence something. Effect is the noun (the effect on your mood).
For the teacher: Applying, medium difficulty, Unit 4, standard Cloze: commonly confused words
13

Question 13

Gap (13)   (Part 2 text, Why Sleep Matters)
Show answerHide answer
A
Annoyed more easily is the comparative form of the adverb. Most easily needs the and a group to compare with.
For the teacher: Applying, low difficulty, Unit 1, standard Cloze: comparatives
14

Question 14

Gap (14)   (Part 2 text, Why Sleep Matters)
Show answerHide answer
D
Lead to is the fixed phrase: lack of sleep leads to arguments.
For the teacher: Remembering, low difficulty, Unit 4, standard Cloze: prepositions
15

Question 15

Gap (15)   (Part 2 text, Why Sleep Matters)
Show answerHide answer
A
Every day, even at weekends stresses that weekends are included. Only at weekends would contradict every day.
For the teacher: Understanding, medium difficulty, Unit 4, standard Cloze: adverbs of emphasis
16

Question 16

Gap (16)   (Part 2 text, Why Sleep Matters)
Show answerHide answer
B
The blue light is the reason for switching off the phone, so because is needed. So shows a result.
For the teacher: Understanding, low difficulty, Unit 6, standard Cloze: linking words of reason and result
17

Question 17

Gap (17)   (Part 2 text, Why Sleep Matters)
Show answerHide answer
A
Follow a routine is the collocation. You do not take, hold or pass a routine.
For the teacher: Applying, medium difficulty, Unit 4, standard Cloze: collocations
18

Question 18

Gap (18)   (Part 2 text, Why Sleep Matters)
Show answerHide answer
C
Teenagers who get enough sleep: who is the subject of get and refers to people. Whose shows possession; whom is the object form.
For the teacher: Applying, medium difficulty, Unit 2, standard Cloze: relative pronouns

Paper 1 Part 3

8 marks
Read the text below and answer questions 19 to 26. Choose the best answer, A, B, C or D.
19

Question 19

A Library on the River

For most of the year, the village of Long Selatan in Sarawak can only be reached by boat. The nearest town is a three-hour journey downriver, and the village has no bookshop. So when a floating library called the Pustaka Sungai began visiting in 2019, the children were thrilled.

The boat is a converted ferry, painted bright yellow. Inside, there are shelves of children's books in Malay, English and Iban, a few computers and a reading corner with cushions. It is run by Puan Linda Jugah, a former primary school teacher, and two student volunteers. “At first, the villagers were rather shy,” she says. “They stood on the jetty and looked at us. Then a boy asked if he could touch a book with a picture of a dinosaur, and after that, everyone came aboard.”

The library stays in each village for two days every month. On the first day, children borrow books and join story-telling sessions. On the second day, adults attend workshops on topics such as growing vegetables and using the internet to sell crafts. The boat has a solar panel on its roof, so the computers can work even though the village has no regular electricity.

However, the project faces difficulties. The boat's engine is old and often breaks down in the rainy season, and the library depends on donations to pay for fuel. Last year, one trip had to be cancelled when the river was too low. Puan Linda says she is not discouraged. “Every cancelled visit makes the children miss us more,” she laughs. “That is proof that this project matters.”

Now the team hopes to raise enough money to buy a second boat, so that it can visit villages further upriver.

What did the villagers do when the library boat first arrived?
Show answerHide answer
C
Puan Linda says they were shy and stood on the jetty and looked at us. Only after a boy asked about a book did everyone come aboard.
For the teacher: Understanding, low difficulty, Unit 2, standard Reading a long text: detail
20

Question 20

Why is the floating library important to the people of Long Selatan?
Show answerHide answer
A
The first paragraph says the town is three hours away and there is no bookshop, so the boat brings books the villagers could not easily get.
For the teacher: Understanding, medium difficulty, Unit 2, standard Reading a long text: main idea
21

Question 21

In paragraph 2, the word converted means
Show answerHide answer
D
A converted ferry is a ferry that has been changed so that it can be used as a library.
For the teacher: Remembering, medium difficulty, Unit 2, standard Reading a long text: vocabulary in context
22

Question 22

What can adults learn on the second day of a visit?
Show answerHide answer
B
Paragraph 3 lists workshops on growing vegetables and using the internet to sell crafts.
For the teacher: Understanding, medium difficulty, Unit 2, standard Reading a long text: detail
23

Question 23

How do the computers on the boat get their power?
Show answerHide answer
A
The boat has a solar panel on its roof, so the computers can work even though the village has no regular electricity.
For the teacher: Understanding, low difficulty, Unit 2, standard Reading a long text: detail
24

Question 24

What happened last year?
Show answerHide answer
D
The text says one trip had to be cancelled when the river was too low. The engine often breaks down, but the text does not say it did so in the middle of the river.
For the teacher: Understanding, medium difficulty, Unit 2, standard Reading a long text: detail
25

Question 25

What does Puan Linda mean by That is proof that this project matters?
Show answerHide answer
B
If the children miss the visits when they are cancelled, it shows the project is important to them.
For the teacher: Analysing, high difficulty, Unit 2, standard Reading a long text: inference
26

Question 26

What is the purpose of the last paragraph?
Show answerHide answer
C
Now the team hopes to raise enough money to buy a second boat is a plan for the future.
For the teacher: Analysing, medium difficulty, Unit 2, standard Reading a long text: purpose of a paragraph

Paper 1 Part 4

6 marks
Read the text below. Six sentences have been removed from the text. Choose the correct sentence (A - H) for each gap, 27 to 32. There are two extra sentences that you do not need.
27

Question 27

Repair Café: Giving Broken Things a Second Life

Every first Saturday of the month, the multipurpose hall of SMK Bukit Pelangi turns into a busy workshop. Tables are covered with broken toasters, torn school bags and radios that no longer work. (27) ________ This is the Repair Café, started by a group of students in 2023.

The idea began when Izzat, a Form 4 student, threw away his broken desk lamp. (28) ________ He felt uncomfortable and asked his physics teacher whether the lamp could have been repaired. She said it only needed a new switch, which cost less than RM3. (29) ________ Together with three classmates, he asked the school for permission to hold a monthly repair day.

At first, the volunteers were not sure that anyone would come. (30) ________ Last month, more than sixty people brought items, and nearly forty of them were fixed on the spot. The team includes retired electricians and a tailor from the neighbourhood, who teach the students basic skills while they work.

Not everything can be repaired. (31) ________ In that case, the volunteers explain the problem and suggest where the parts can be recycled safely. Visitors are never charged, but many leave a small donation to buy tools and spare parts.

Izzat says the café has changed how he thinks about shopping. (32) ________

ALater that week, he read that millions of tonnes of electrical goods are thrown away every year.
BSome items, such as old phones with cracked circuit boards, are too damaged to mend.
CHe now thinks carefully before buying something new and tries to mend what he already owns.
DAround them, students and neighbours are busy with screwdrivers, glue and sewing needles.
EThe hall is also used for school assemblies and sports events.
FThat conversation gave him an idea.
GHe has since won several prizes for his science projects.
HTo their surprise, the first session attracted over thirty people carrying bags of broken things.
[1 mark] Gap 27
Show answerHide answer
D
Around them points back to the tables and broken things, and the busy people explain why the hall is a workshop. The next sentence, This is the Repair Café, names what they are doing.
For the teacher: Analysing, low difficulty, Unit 7, standard Gapped text: cohesion and reference
28

Question 28

[1 mark] Gap 28
Show answerHide answer
A
Later that week carries the story forward from the thrown-away lamp, and the facts about waste explain why he felt uncomfortable next.
For the teacher: Analysing, medium difficulty, Unit 7, standard Gapped text: sequence of events
29

Question 29

[1 mark] Gap 29
Show answerHide answer
F
That conversation refers back to the talk with the physics teacher, and an idea leads to what he did next (he asked the school for permission).
For the teacher: Analysing, medium difficulty, Unit 7, standard Gapped text: reference words
30

Question 30

[1 mark] Gap 30
Show answerHide answer
H
The volunteers were not sure anyone would come, so To their surprise fits. It also leads to Last month, more than sixty people, showing growth.
For the teacher: Analysing, low difficulty, Unit 7, standard Gapped text: contrast and surprise
31

Question 31

[1 mark] Gap 31
Show answerHide answer
B
Not everything can be repaired is followed by an example of something that cannot be mended. The next sentence, In that case, then says what the volunteers do.
For the teacher: Analysing, high difficulty, Unit 7, standard Gapped text: following ideas
32

Question 32

[1 mark] Gap 32
Show answerHide answer
C
The paragraph says the café has changed how Izzat thinks about shopping, and C gives the change: he thinks before buying and mends what he owns. G is about prizes, which is off the topic.
For the teacher: Evaluating, medium difficulty, Unit 7, standard Gapped text: concluding sentences

Paper 1 Part 5

8 marks
Read the text below and complete the notes. Use no more than four words and/or a number from the text for each answer.
33

Question 33

CYCLE FOR CARE 2026

Students from SMK Sri Aman will take part in a 45-kilometre charity bike ride on Saturday, 14 November. The ride starts at Dataran Merdeka at 6.30 a.m. and finishes at Pantai Remis Fishing Village, where there will be a picnic lunch.

Registration costs RM25 and includes a T-shirt, a drink bottle and lunch. Students who register before 31 October pay only RM20. All the money raised will go to the Sri Aman Children's Home, which plans to buy 12 new beds.

Participants must wear a helmet and are advised to bring sun cream and at least one litre of water. Cyclists under 15 must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, please contact the organiser, Cikgu Roslan, at 012-345 6789. Registration forms are available from the school office.

Notes: Cycle for Care 2026
Date of the ride33. ____________________
Time the ride starts34. ____________________
Where the picnic lunch is held35. ____________________
Fee paid by a student who registers on 25 October36. ____________________
Charity that receives the money37. ____________________
What the charity wants to buy38. ____________________
Safety item that all participants must wear39. ____________________
Person to contact for information40. ____________________
[1 mark] Date of the ride
Show answerHide answer
on Saturday, 14 November.
Tick each point you got.
For the teacher: Understanding, low difficulty, Unit 8, standard Information transfer: scanning for details
34

Question 34

[1 mark] Time the ride starts
Show answerHide answer
The ride starts at Dataran Merdeka at 6.30 a.m.
Tick each point you got.
For the teacher: Understanding, low difficulty, Unit 8, standard Information transfer: scanning for details
35

Question 35

[1 mark] Where the picnic lunch is held
Show answerHide answer
The ride finishes at Pantai Remis Fishing Village, where there will be a picnic lunch. Dataran Merdeka is only the starting point.
Tick each point you got.
For the teacher: Understanding, low difficulty, Unit 8, standard Information transfer: scanning for details
36

Question 36

[1 mark] Fee paid by a student who registers on 25 October
Show answerHide answer
25 October is before 31 October, so the early fee applies. RM25 is the normal fee.
Tick each point you got.
For the teacher: Applying, medium difficulty, Unit 8, standard Information transfer: applying a condition
37

Question 37

[1 mark] Charity that receives the money
Show answerHide answer
All the money raised will go to the Sri Aman Children's Home.
Tick each point you got.
For the teacher: Understanding, medium difficulty, Unit 8, standard Information transfer: scanning for details
38

Question 38

[1 mark] What the charity wants to buy
Show answerHide answer
The home plans to buy 12 new beds.
Tick each point you got.
For the teacher: Understanding, low difficulty, Unit 8, standard Information transfer: scanning for details
39

Question 39

[1 mark] Safety item that all participants must wear
Show answerHide answer
Participants must wear a helmet. Sun cream and water are only advised, not required.
Tick each point you got.
For the teacher: Understanding, low difficulty, Unit 8, standard Information transfer: must and advised to
40

Question 40

[1 mark] Person to contact for information
Show answerHide answer
Please contact the organiser, Cikgu Roslan.
Tick each point you got.
For the teacher: Understanding, medium difficulty, Unit 8, standard Information transfer: scanning for names

Paper 2 Part 1

20 marks
Short message. You should spend about 20 minutes on this part.
41

Question 41

Read the email from your friend, Jasmine.
Hi,
The Photography Club is holding an exhibition next Friday and I'm in charge of setting up the hall! Can you help me on Thursday afternoon? What time can you come? Also, could you bring something useful for the display? And do you have any ideas for attracting more visitors?
Thanks!
Jasmine
In about 80 words, write an email to Jasmine.
To: jasmine@email.com
[20 marks] Write your email.
Show answerHide answer

How the examiner marks it (official rating scale, Paper 2): a score from 0 to 5 in each of the four areas, total 20. The twenty points above are a checklist of five points for each area.

ScoreContentCommunicative achievementOrganisationLanguage
5All content is relevant to the task. Target reader is fully informed.Uses the conventions of the communicative task to hold the target reader's attention and communicate straightforward ideas.Text is generally well organised and coherent, using a variety of linking words and cohesive devices.Uses a range of everyday vocabulary appropriately, with occasional inappropriate use of less common lexis. Uses a range of simple and some complex grammatical forms with a good degree of control. Errors do not impede communication.
4Performance shares features of scores 3 and 5.
3Minor irrelevances and/or omissions may be present. Target reader is on the whole informed.Uses the conventions of the communicative task in generally appropriate ways to communicate straightforward ideas.Text is connected and coherent, using basic linking words and a limited number of cohesive devices.Uses everyday vocabulary generally appropriately, while occasionally overusing certain lexis. Uses simple grammatical forms with a good degree of control. While there are some errors, meaning can be determined.
2Performance shares features of scores 1 and 3.
1Irrelevances and/or misinterpretation of task may be present. Target reader is minimally informed.Produces text that communicates simple ideas in simple ways.Production unlikely to be connected, though punctuation and simple connectors (i.e. and) may on occasion be used.Uses basic vocabulary reasonably appropriately. Uses simple grammatical forms with some degree of control. Errors may impede meaning at times.
0Content is totally irrelevant. Target reader is not informed.Performance below score 1.

Model answer (86 words):

Hi Jasmine,
Thanks for your email. An exhibition sounds exciting, and I would love to help!
I can come on Thursday at about 2.30, right after the school bus drops us off. I will bring a box of drawing pins and a roll of masking tape so that we can hang the photographs easily.
To attract more visitors, we could put up colourful posters near the canteen. We could also ask the principal to announce the exhibition at assembly.
See you on Thursday!
Kavitha

Count Jasmine's questions first: can you help, what time, what to bring, ideas for visitors. Answer each one in order with a short detail, and finish with a closing sentence and your name.
Tick each point you got.
For the teacher: Creating, low difficulty, Unit 1, standard Writing: a short informal message

Paper 2 Part 2

20 marks
Guided writing. You should spend about 30 minutes on this part.
42

Question 42

Your school magazine is asking students to write articles with the title “Why Teenagers Should Spend Less Time on Their Phones”.
In about 120 words, write your article. You must use all the points in the box.
Write about:
  • how too much phone use affects health and studies
  • what teenagers can do instead
  • one thing the school or parents can do to help
[20 marks] Write your article.
Show answerHide answer

Marking: the same official rating scale (Content, Communicative achievement, Organisation, Language, 0 to 5 each, total 20).

ScoreContentCommunicative achievementOrganisationLanguage
5All content is relevant to the task. Target reader is fully informed.Uses the conventions of the communicative task to hold the target reader's attention and communicate straightforward ideas.Text is generally well organised and coherent, using a variety of linking words and cohesive devices.Uses a range of everyday vocabulary appropriately, with occasional inappropriate use of less common lexis. Uses a range of simple and some complex grammatical forms with a good degree of control. Errors do not impede communication.
4Performance shares features of scores 3 and 5.
3Minor irrelevances and/or omissions may be present. Target reader is on the whole informed.Uses the conventions of the communicative task in generally appropriate ways to communicate straightforward ideas.Text is connected and coherent, using basic linking words and a limited number of cohesive devices.Uses everyday vocabulary generally appropriately, while occasionally overusing certain lexis. Uses simple grammatical forms with a good degree of control. While there are some errors, meaning can be determined.
2Performance shares features of scores 1 and 3.
1Irrelevances and/or misinterpretation of task may be present. Target reader is minimally informed.Produces text that communicates simple ideas in simple ways.Production unlikely to be connected, though punctuation and simple connectors (i.e. and) may on occasion be used.Uses basic vocabulary reasonably appropriately. Uses simple grammatical forms with some degree of control. Errors may impede meaning at times.
0Content is totally irrelevant. Target reader is not informed.Performance below score 1.

Model answer (about 130 words):

Put Down the Phone

Many teenagers cannot go an hour without checking their phones. This habit is harmful to both their health and their studies.

Firstly, staying up late to scroll through videos means that students are tired the next day, and long hours of staring at a screen can hurt their eyes. Moreover, a phone is a big distraction. Students lose concentration easily.

Instead of looking at a screen, teenagers could play a sport, read a book or help with the housework. These activities keep the body and mind active.

Parents and schools can help too. For example, families could keep their phones in a basket during dinner, and schools could organise phone-free days.

In conclusion, we should use phones wisely so that they remain a useful tool, not a bad habit.

Use the three bullet points as three paragraphs, with a short introduction and conclusion. Give a reason or an example for each point and link the paragraphs with firstly, moreover and for example.
Tick each point you got.
For the teacher: Creating, medium difficulty, Unit 4, standard Writing: a guided article

Paper 2 Part 3

20 marks
Extended writing. Answer one question, (a) or (b). You should spend about 40 minutes on this part. Write about 150 words.
43Choose 1

Question 43

(a) Story. Your teacher asks you to write a story for a class anthology. Your story must begin with this sentence:
“When I heard the phone ring at midnight, I knew something was wrong.”
Write your story in about 150 words.
[20 marks] Write your story.
Show answerHide answer

Marking: the same official rating scale (0 to 5 in each of the four areas, total 20).

ScoreContentCommunicative achievementOrganisationLanguage
5All content is relevant to the task. Target reader is fully informed.Uses the conventions of the communicative task to hold the target reader's attention and communicate straightforward ideas.Text is generally well organised and coherent, using a variety of linking words and cohesive devices.Uses a range of everyday vocabulary appropriately, with occasional inappropriate use of less common lexis. Uses a range of simple and some complex grammatical forms with a good degree of control. Errors do not impede communication.
4Performance shares features of scores 3 and 5.
3Minor irrelevances and/or omissions may be present. Target reader is on the whole informed.Uses the conventions of the communicative task in generally appropriate ways to communicate straightforward ideas.Text is connected and coherent, using basic linking words and a limited number of cohesive devices.Uses everyday vocabulary generally appropriately, while occasionally overusing certain lexis. Uses simple grammatical forms with a good degree of control. While there are some errors, meaning can be determined.
2Performance shares features of scores 1 and 3.
1Irrelevances and/or misinterpretation of task may be present. Target reader is minimally informed.Produces text that communicates simple ideas in simple ways.Production unlikely to be connected, though punctuation and simple connectors (i.e. and) may on occasion be used.Uses basic vocabulary reasonably appropriately. Uses simple grammatical forms with some degree of control. Errors may impede meaning at times.
0Content is totally irrelevant. Target reader is not informed.Performance below score 1.

Model answer (about 150 words):

When I heard the phone ring at midnight, I knew something was wrong. My parents were away at my cousin's wedding, and I was alone with my little brother.

“Hello?” I whispered. It was Grandmother. Her voice was weak. “Please come,” she said. “I have fallen in the kitchen and I can't stand up.”

My heart was pounding. I woke my brother and called our neighbour, Uncle Hamid, who came at once with his car. Within ten minutes we were at Grandmother's house. She was sitting on the floor, pale but calm, holding her ankle.

Uncle Hamid took her to the clinic, and the doctor said that she had only sprained it. By the time the sun rose, she was back at home, drinking hot tea and smiling. I had never felt so relieved in my life.

Plan a beginning, a problem, a turning point and an ending before you write. Use past tenses, include some direct speech and describe feelings, then end on a clear last sentence.
Tick each point you got.
For the teacher: Creating, high difficulty, Unit 5, standard Writing: a story
44Choose 1

Question 44

(b) Essay. Your school is planning to make Friday afternoons “club and community service time”, when students take part in clubs, sports or volunteer work instead of normal lessons.
Write an essay giving your opinion on this idea in about 150 words.
[20 marks] Write your essay.
Show answerHide answer

Marking: the same official rating scale (0 to 5 in each of the four areas, total 20).

ScoreContentCommunicative achievementOrganisationLanguage
5All content is relevant to the task. Target reader is fully informed.Uses the conventions of the communicative task to hold the target reader's attention and communicate straightforward ideas.Text is generally well organised and coherent, using a variety of linking words and cohesive devices.Uses a range of everyday vocabulary appropriately, with occasional inappropriate use of less common lexis. Uses a range of simple and some complex grammatical forms with a good degree of control. Errors do not impede communication.
4Performance shares features of scores 3 and 5.
3Minor irrelevances and/or omissions may be present. Target reader is on the whole informed.Uses the conventions of the communicative task in generally appropriate ways to communicate straightforward ideas.Text is connected and coherent, using basic linking words and a limited number of cohesive devices.Uses everyday vocabulary generally appropriately, while occasionally overusing certain lexis. Uses simple grammatical forms with a good degree of control. While there are some errors, meaning can be determined.
2Performance shares features of scores 1 and 3.
1Irrelevances and/or misinterpretation of task may be present. Target reader is minimally informed.Produces text that communicates simple ideas in simple ways.Production unlikely to be connected, though punctuation and simple connectors (i.e. and) may on occasion be used.Uses basic vocabulary reasonably appropriately. Uses simple grammatical forms with some degree of control. Errors may impede meaning at times.
0Content is totally irrelevant. Target reader is not informed.Performance below score 1.

Model answer (about 150 words):

Friday Afternoons for Clubs and Community Service

Our school plans to use Friday afternoons for clubs and community service instead of normal lessons. In my opinion, this is an excellent idea.

Firstly, students learn skills that cannot be taught in a classroom. If they join a team or help in a home for the elderly, they will learn teamwork, patience and responsibility. In addition, these activities help students to relax after a busy week, so they will return to lessons on Monday feeling more positive.

However, some parents may worry that students will miss important lessons. This problem can be solved if the school moves the lost lessons to other days or gives extra homework on those subjects.

In conclusion, I strongly support this plan because it prepares students for life outside school.

State your opinion in the introduction, give two reasons with examples, deal with one opposite view, and finish by repeating your opinion. Use linking words and conditional sentences.
Tick each point you got.
For the teacher: Creating, high difficulty, Unit 6, standard Writing: an essay giving an opinion
Test specification (JSU)
UnitRememberingUnderstandingApplyingAnalysingEvaluatingCreatingItemsmarks
1. Let's chat–1 (1)2 (2)––1 (20)423
2. Ready for anything1 (1)5 (5)1 (1)2 (2)––99
3. Buy it!–2 (2)1 (1)–––33
4. Being a teen3 (3)2 (2)4 (4)––1 (20)1029
5. Globetrotting–––––1 (20)120
6. Time out–2 (2)–––1 (20)322
7. Mother Nature–––5 (5)1 (1)–66
8. Image–7 (7)1 (1)–––88
Total4 (4)19 (19)9 (9)7 (7)1 (1)4 (80)44120
Each cell shows items (marks).