Assessing writing for

Cambridge English Qualifications:

A guide for teachers
B1 Preliminary
for Schools
Contents Who this guide is for

Who this guide is for

Who this guide is for......................................................................................................................................... 3 Teachers around the world spend many hours evaluating learners’ writing. This guide
is for you. With lots of practical tips and real examples, it will help you to develop and
How to use this guide....................................................................................................................................... 3 assess learners’ writing skills in preparation for the Cambridge English B1 Preliminary for
Schools exam.
Key terminology.................................................................................................................................................. 4
About B1 Pr eliminary for Schools
Understanding the Cambridge English Writing Assessment Scale......................................... 6  Tests reading, writing, speaking and  The next step in a student’s language-
listening skills learning journey between A2 Key for
How to assess and develop learners’ writing skills in the classroom...................................... 9 Schools and B2 First for Schools
 S
 hows that learners have mastered the
basics in English, including:  Targeted at the same CEFR level as
How to assess writing for B1 Preliminary for Schools.....................................................................24 B1 Preliminary but with content aimed
• reading simple textbooks and articles
at school-age learners rather than
Sample tasks with comments.....................................................................................................................35 • writing emails on everyday subjects adults
• understanding factual information
 Can be taken digitally or on paper
Extra resources..................................................................................................................................................48 • showing awareness of opinions and mood
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How to use this guide
To get the most from this guide:
• Try the practical ideas and reflect on how these techniques affect the processes of
learning and teaching in your classroom.
• Discuss different approaches with learners in order to understand their preferences
and needs, and to find out what approaches are most helpful to them.
• At the end of this guide, there are some real-life examples of assessed writing
from the B1 Preliminary for Schools exam. But before you look at the real marks and
comments, try applying the official assessment criteria to the written samples by
yourself. Take time to reflect on whether you gave similar marks or made similar
comments – why (or why not)?
• You can navigate the document by using the hyperlinks in the text and the buttons
on each spread:
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Previous page  Next page First page Previous view

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Key terminology

Key terminology
Language assessment is a specialist field and there is some common terminology These terms are commonly used to refer to Cambridge English Qualifications. There
which might be unfamiliar to you. Learning to recognise these terms will help you to are also some other terms in this guide which are more widely used in the field of
understand this guide. assessment. When these terms appear in this guide, you’ll find an explanation nearby in
a glossary box like this:
Definition Cambridge English says … Teachers might say …

A person who is learning English,

usually in a classroom.
learner Key terminology CEFR scale
A person who takes an exam. (This is student / learner / pupil The Common European Framework of
a more formal word because it refers Reference (CEFR) is an international standard
candidate
to work done in the exam, not work for describing language ability. It uses a six-point
done in the classroom.) scale, from A1 for beginners up to C2 for those
who have mastered a language. This makes it
The things considered when a piece easy for anyone involved in language teaching
of writing is marked for an exam. For and testing, such as teachers or learners, to see
1. Writing Assessment Scale 1. Assessment criteria
the B1 Preliminary for Schools exam, the level of different qualifications.
these are: Content, Communicative 2. Writing Assessment 2. Assessment
subscales categories 
 Achievement, Organisation and
Language.

Each piece of writing gets four sets of

marks for each of the subscales, from Bands (0–5) marks / scores / grades
0 (lowest) to 5 (highest).

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Understanding the Cambridge English Writing Assessment Scale

Understanding the Cambridge English

Writing Assessment Scale
Every Cambridge English Qualification targets a specific level of the CEFR and These points are considered by Cambridge English when marking a piece of work:
includes a range of tasks that are suitable for learners at this level.
 The candidate answered the task. They have done what they were asked
to do.
The detailed descriptors in the Writing Assessment subscales are slightly different for Content
 The candidate did not include everything they were asked to. They have
each exam and are based on its target CEFR level. However, all Cambridge English written something irrelevant.
Qualifications are designed to test a learner’s ability to understand and use English
 The writing is appropriate for the task. The candidate has used a style
effectively in real-life contexts, so the descriptors for different exams have some things
which is appropriate for the specific communicative context.
in common. Communicative
 The writing is appropriate for the target reader.
For example, candidates at every level are expected to demonstrate good organisation Achievement
 They have written in a way that is not suitable – for example, using a very
in their written work, but examiners will expect to see progression and different levels of
formal style in an email to a friend or ending an article with ‘Love’.
ability in each exam:
 The writing is put together well. It is logical and ordered.
Organisation
 It is difficult for the reader to follow. It uses elements of organisation
A2 Key for Schools B1 Pr eliminary for Schools B2 First for Schools Organisation which are not appropriate for the genre, like beginning an email with a 
 The text is connected using The text is connected and The text is generally well
title or starting every sentence in an article on a new line instead of using
Descriptor

paragraphs.
basic, high-frequency coherent, using basic linking organised and coherent,
linking words. words and a limited number using a variety of linking  There is a good range of vocabulary and grammar. They are used
of cohesive devices. words and cohesive accurately.
devices. Language
 Check the mistakes. How serious are they? Do the mistakes make it difficult
for the reader to understand?
Key terminology A learner might be stronger in one area than another – for example, they might be
good at fully answering the question (Content) but not very accurate in their use of
Descriptors are detailed notes to help examiners grammar and vocabulary (Language). For this reason, each piece of writing is given
and teachers use the assessment subscales
effectively to evaluate and grade a learner’s
a separate mark for each subscale, from 0 to 5. Together, these indicate the learner’s
writing. Descriptors for Bands 1, 3 and 5 indicate areas of strength and weakness in the four different areas of assessment.
what a candidate is expected to demonstrate at
lower, average and higher levels of ability.
For example, if a candidate scores Band 5 for Content and Band 2 for Language, this
suggests that they answered the question well and the reader would not feel that
any information was missing, but that the use of grammar or vocabulary was not very
accurate.
If a candidate scores Band 3 or above in the B1 Preliminary for Schools exam, this
generally indicates an ability of at least CEFR B1 level. Bands 1 and 2 indicate that the
learner is still performing at A2 level.

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Subscales
How to assess and develop learners’

How to assess and develop learners’

writing skills in the classroom
Communicative
Content
Achievement
Organisation Language
writing skills in the classroom
5
4 It takes time and practice to develop good writing skills, and part of this
development is regular formative assessment. Teachers can do this assessment, but
3
learners can also assess their performance for themselves.
2
To prepare for the B1 Preliminary for Schools exam, learners should:
1
• have plenty of practice, in class and at home, of reading and writing the kinds of texts
0
they will see in the exam, i.e. emails, articles and stories
Bands Descriptors • have the chance to practise exam tasks with clear time limits and word limits, just like
in the real exam
Learners’ writing is assessed using these assessment scales, bands and descriptors. The
• make sure they can write clearly so that their answers can be read easily.
quality and consistency of the marking is closely monitored, which means that learners
around the world can feel confident that their exam results reflect their true ability to They must also understand:
write in English. • how the Writing paper is assessed 
 • their own strengths and weaknesses
• how they can improve any areas of weakness.
The key to this understanding is regular, effective assessment.
It’s a good idea to use a mix of teacher assessment, peer assessment and self-
assessment during an exam preparation course. This variety can make lessons more
interesting and engaging, but it’s also useful for learners to write for different audiences
and to get feedback from different sources, as we all have different strengths and
notice different things.

Key terminology

Formative assessment is when a teacher gives learners feedback on their progress during a course, rather
than at the end of it, so that the learners can learn from the feedback.

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Teacher assessment

How to assess and develop learners’

writing skills in the classroom
Top tips
• In class, encourage learners to practise reading the writing task very carefully. This will ensure they
stay on topic and answer the question that has been asked. It will also help them achieve a good
score for Content.

• Assessment isn’t just about correcting mistakes, and three of the four Writing Assessment subscales in B1
Preliminary for Schools are not about language accuracy. So it’s important to respond to what learners
write, not just how they wrote it. Activity 1 will help you practise this.

• In the classroom, assessment isn’t the end of the writing process. If you give something back to a
learner to correct or to write again, remember to check the next version and then give them feedback
on this too.

• Formative assessment is about learning from feedback. It’s not necessary to identify every mistake in every
piece of writing. This can take a lot of time for you and give your learners the impression that they never
do anything right! Just as we don’t try to teach every grammar point in one lesson, we shouldn’t try to
develop every aspect of writing every time we give feedback. See Activity 2 for an idea to focus attention


on one area at a time.

• Feedback is very personal. Talk to learners about what feedback they appreciate and work together to
find what works best for them.

• Hearing the teacher’s voice can feel more personal and supportive than receiving written feedback in
red pen. For example, you could make a short video or voice recording with your comments.

• Adopting different approaches to giving feedback is particularly helpful to support learners with specific
learning needs, such as dyslexia.

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Activity 1
Activity 1 Activity 1

Assessment focus: Content and Communicative Achievement. 6. Alternative approach to an email sent from the teacher:
Aims: To demonstrate the value of writing for real communication; to motivate learners who •  sk learners to write an email to one of their classmates, inviting them to join in an activity they are
A
are afraid of making mistakes; to provide useful evidence of how well learners can respond to going to do in the next few days or weeks.
email prompts. •  ive learners guidance on what to include with suggestions and preferences. Learners reply to
G
the emails.
•  his type of task enables learners to engage in authentic communication which relates to the
T
Steps:
real-life nature of the Part 1 task.
1. Send learners a short email, like the kind that appears in Task 1 of the B1 Preliminary for Schools Writing
•  his activity lends itself to peer assessment, where learners can evaluate how well they feel they have
T
paper. Choose a topic that you really want them to respond to, such as plans for our class party or how to
met the criteria.
improve our classroom environment.
Make sure it includes:
• an opening sentence which states why you’re writing 7. Optional next steps:
• a question which requires them to explain something to you • You could lead into Activity 2, below.
• a question which requires them to suggest something to you
• something at the end which requires them to ask or tell you something.
These are all typical parts of Task 1 of the exam, but by choosing a topic that is really useful for you and
your class, learners will feel that this communication is more genuine – not just exam practice.

 2. The learners should respond to your email with their own ideas.

3. Reply to their email naturally! You could:

• say what you liked about their ideas
• ask if they have any other suggestions
• suggest they talk to another learner who had similar ideas and plan something together.

4. Keep private notes for yourself about how well each of the learners answered your first email according
to the Content and Communicative Achievement assessment subscales. The learners don’t need this
feedback now, but these notes will help you assess what they are already able to do in real-life
email communication.

5. Remember that you originally selected a topic which you really wanted the learners to respond to.
Make sure you reach a clear and natural conclusion together by continuing the plans or discussions
verbally in class.

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Peer assessment

Activity 2
Activity 2
Assessment focus: Language accuracy – in whatever area you choose!
Top tips
Aims: To focus on specific areas which need development; to personalise feedback and build
• Remind learners to think of their reader and who they are writing for. This is mentioned in the assessment
confidence; to develop learners’ ability to check and correct their own work.
subscale for Communicative Achievement. Encourage learners to practise writing for their reader. In the
classroom, their reader might be their teacher or a classmate.
Steps:
1. Choose one or two things to focus on. For example, when practising story-writing for Part 2 you might
• Some learners can feel nervous and uncomfortable about getting feedback from peers instead of a
focus on the use of past tenses, because these are important for the story genre and for the Language
assessment subscale in the exam. teacher. This is especially common among teens and in teacher-centred or accuracy-focused contexts.
Talk to learners about the benefits of peer assessment so they understand that it will help them develop
2. Let the learners know what you’ve chosen to focus on. See Adaptation box. their writing skills and that they will have other opportunities to get feedback from the teacher.

3. Set a writing task. Tell learners to pay particular attention to the area you’re going to assess later. • Peer feedback is most effective when it’s included as a regular part of a course. You could also consider
including teacher feedback as a final step, after learners have had a chance to revise their writing based
4. Collect the writing. At the top of each learner’s work, write a note of what you’re focusing on (for on peer feedback.
example, ‘past tenses for story-telling’). This helps you remember not to spend lots of time looking at other
things, and also helps learners understand later why you have commented on only a few points. • Learners might not know how to begin giving feedback, so before they start, give them a clear list of
things to look for or a model of how you mark a piece of writing.
5. Now mark each piece of work, focusing only on the area you’ve chosen:


• If you find good work, mark it with a tick:  • Encourage learners to start with the ‘big picture’ before focusing on specific things to change or correct.
• If you find a mistake, circle it. Don’t correct it. Learners often notice mistakes immediately and forget that the general purpose of writing is to
communicate! Invite them to think about content and organisation first, and to offer praise before
6. Return the work to the learners and tell them: criticism.
• to keep a record in their notebooks of anything you ticked, for example:

Date Task I can … Example Key terminology

4 June 2020 Task 2: story Use different past tenses to When she walked into the
explain events classroom, all the learners were
Peer assessment is when learners give feedback on each other’s language, work, learning strategies, or
sitting on the floor!
performance. Research shows that people who are similar to the learner in age, gender, first language and
• to correct anything you’ve circled and give the work back to you for a second assessment. learning goals are very motivating as role models.

Adaptation – Activity 2

Ask learners to choose what they want your feedback on and provide them with options to choose from,
for example, a specific grammar point you have been working on in class, text organisation or spelling. They
could choose one thing for the whole class, or different learners could choose different things which are
personal to them. This combines teacher assessment with self-assessment, which builds a good relationship
between the teacher and learners and helps learners become more aware of their own strengths and
weaknesses.

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Activity 3
Activity 3 Activity 3
Assessment focus: Understanding how the Organisation assessment subscale is applied. 6. F
 inish the activity by asking the learners what they thought about this. For example, were they surprised by
Aims: To improve learners’ awareness of the importance of good organisation and how this can any of the examiner’s comments? Did they agree on each other’s marks? Why/why not?
affect their exam marks.

7. Follow-up: give learners a different sample Part 2 article task from the B1 Preliminary for Schools exam.
Steps: Ask them to write their answer for homework, taking as much time as they need, and to focus on the
1. Give learners the sample Part 2 article task from the end of this guide and ask them to: organisation of their writing. In the next class, they will swap with another learner and assess each other’s
• highlight key information writing.

• brainstorm ideas
• organise their ideas and make some notes about how this article should be organised.
 lternatively provide learners with a model answer. Ask them to think about what each paragraph
A
focuses on. The model answer has the added advantage of enabling learners to see how cohesive
devices are used in context.

2. Check their ideas and help them with anything they missed. Before the next step, remind learners that the
article should:
• be about 100 words long in total 
 •
•
have a title and/or opening sentence that presents the topic to the reader
have full sentences to express their ideas, organised into paragraphs
•  se linking words to connect ideas and sentences. (You should check here that the learners know some
u
basic and more sophisticated linking words.)

3. D
 ivide the class into two groups. Give one group sample answer 4 and the other group sample answer 5
from the end of this guide. Give both groups a copy of the task and the explanation of the Organisation
assessment scale from this guide. Don’t show them the comments yet. Ask them to look at their sample
answer and decide which mark to give it.

4. Now put the learners in pairs. Each pair should have one learner who looked at sample answer 4 and one
learner who looked at sample answer 5. They should read each other’s texts and compare, explaining the
marks they gave.

5. G
 ive each pair a copy of the comments about the organisation of these samples (available at the end of
this guide).

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Self-assessment

Activity 4
Activity 4
Top tips
Assessment focus: The writing process – generating ideas based on a prompt.
Aims: To generate and maintain genuine interest and communication; to practise creative thinking and • Include self-assessment as a regular part of your course. For example, circle mistakes in learners’ writing
imagination; to provide learners with a safe space to write where they aren’t worried about mistakes. and ask them to make the corrections themselves. Talk to learners about why it’s helpful to take personal
responsibility for their own learning.
Steps:
• If doing the paper-based exam, get learners to count the number of words in their writing every time they
1. Tell learners to find an account on social media (Instagram, Facebook, X, etc.) where there are posts in
do exam practice until they get an idea of what 100 words typically looks like in their own handwriting. In the
English about topics which genuinely interest them. They should take a picture or screenshot of a post
digital exam, the words typed on the screen are counted automatically.
that they would like to respond to.

• For learners who find writing very difficult, let them try tasks first in their native language, then talk to
2. Ask them to share these posts in a safe closed group online, along with their own response (in English). This them about how this felt. Did they still find it difficult? This will help them understand their own strengths
could be your class’s own private Facebook or WhatsApp group, platform or a forum you might already and weaknesses – perhaps they need to improve their English, or perhaps they are not confident writers
use with your class, etc. (You might want to check the settings so that each post requires teacher approval in general.
before it is visible to other learners.)
• For extra practice, learners can use Write & Improve, a free online tool which has many exam-style tasks
at different levels. Learners type and submit their answers, then receive immediate feedback. It also gives
3. Invite them to respond to each other’s comments, just as they would normally on social media – but here,
some tips about how to improve.
they must use English. Remind them to be polite and respectful to each other. See Adaptation box.

 Remember the aims of this activity and don’t interrupt with comments on the accuracy of their language.
This kind of assessment can be done in other activities. Just monitor the activity to make sure the learners
Key terminology
are working well together, but let them lead and manage the communication. They will appreciate this
opportunity for autonomy and creativity. Self-assessment is when learners decide for themselves
if they think their progress or language use is good or
not. Developing good self-awareness is important for
becoming an effective independent learner.
Adaptation – Activity 4

If access to social media or the internet is not

possible, learners can respond (in English) to
other written information in their environment,
even if this information appears in another
language. For example, they might want to text
a friend about some graffiti they saw on the way
to school or ask a question about a poster on
the classroom wall. The point here is to promote
genuine communication and ideas-sharing, and
this can happen online or offline.

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Activity 5/6
Activity 5 Activity 6

Assessment focus: Comparing your work with a model; understanding how to apply the Assessment focus: Identifying priority areas to develop.
assessment subscales. Aims: To raise learners’ self-awareness; to make sure they read teacher feedback carefully and respond to it.
Aims: To raise learners’ awareness of their own strengths and weaknesses; to identify priorities
for improvement.
Steps:

1. Set a task from the coursebook or a sample exam paper. You can find model questions and answers with 1. Ask learners to create a portfolio by collecting several pieces of their writing (approximately 6–10
examiner comments in the B1 Preliminary for Schools handbook. See Adaptation box. different texts) with the feedback they received from the teacher. Explain that they’re going to look again
at their feedback.

2. Collect and mark the learners’ writing. Make a private note of the marks you gave each piece of writing,
but don’t share these with the learners yet. 2. They should divide a blank piece of paper into four sections according to the B1 Preliminary for Schools
assessment subscales: Content, Communicative Achievement, Organisation and Language. Spend some
3. Return the writing to the learners with no marks or comments, but with a copy of the model answer. Ask time together reviewing what these terms mean.
them to compare their answer with the model answer and identify two things they think are good in the
model answer and which they would like to ‘borrow’ the next time they write. This ‘borrowing’ technique
3. Give the learners time to look at the feedback on each piece of written work and make notes or
means that weaker learners can find areas to improve and stronger learners, who already wrote a good
simply write ticks () on their paper in the right category for each corrective comment. For example,
answer, can find inspiration or new ideas that help them continue to develop.
if the teacher corrected grammar three times on one piece of writing, they could put three ticks in the
Language section of their notes, or write what the corrections were. See Adaptation box.


4. Now give the learners your own marks and ask them to compare their assessments with yours. Did they
identify the same areas for improvement?
4. When they have done this for their whole portfolio, they should look at their checklist and identify which
of the four areas in their writing has been corrected the most.

Adaptation – Activity 5 5. Optional: you could pair learners with peers who can teach them how to improve. For example, a learner
who has difficulty organising their writing can ask for help from a peer who is really good at this.

If you teach the same classes every term or

every year, you might have some samples of 6. Give the learners extra practice for homework in the area they’ve identified or ask them to focus on this in
strong learner writing on the same tasks, which their next piece of writing.
you could use as models for future learners. But
remember to remove the learners’ names from
these samples and ask their permission before
sharing them.
Adaptation – Activity 6

If your learners need a confidence boost and you

know you’ve given plenty of positive feedback,
you could reverse the focus of this activity –
instead of categorising your corrections, they
could categorise your praise. This will help them
see which areas they’re really good at.

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Activity 7
Activity 7

Assessment focus: Language.

Aims: For learners to reflect on and expand their range of active vocabulary and grammatical structures.

Steps:
1. Ask learners to keep a diary of what they did the previous day, or the previous week.

2. Encourage them to be creative, adding extra information and recording events in a more exaggerated
fashion, to make their writing more interesting.

3. Ask them to use their diary and turn it into a story called My Week.

4. This activity can be extended by running a class story-writing competition.

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How to assess writing for Writing Assessment subscales for B1 Pr eliminary for Schools

How to assess writing for

B1 Pr eliminary for Schools
Writing for B1 Preliminary for Schools is assessed in terms of Content, Communicative
B1 Pr eliminary for Schools Achievement, Organisation and Language. The detailed band descriptors are as
follows:

The texts and tasks in Cambridge English Qualifications are designed to reflect B1 Content Communicative Organisation Language
real-world communication and to test learners’ true abilities in English, so Achievement
preparing learners for the Writing test shouldn’t be very different from developing 5 All content is Uses the conventions of Text is generally Uses a range of everyday
relevant to the communicative task to well organised vocabulary appropriately, with
and assessing their writing skills in general. But of course, the tasks, timings and the task. hold the target reader’s and coherent, occasional
assessment scales for an exam are very specific and learners should have plenty of Target reader is
attention and communicate using a variety of inappropriate use of less
practice before they take the real exam. straightforward ideas. linking words and common lexis.
fully informed.
cohesive devices.
Uses a range of simple and some
The B1 Preliminary for Schools Writing test has two parts and lasts for 45 minutes in total. complex grammatical forms with
Candidates for this exam have to show that they can write different types of text in a good degree of control.
English. Errors do not
impede communication.
Part 1: Part 2: 4 Performance shares features of Bands 3 and 5.
Writing an email Writing an article or a story 3 Minor Uses the conventions of Text is connected Uses everyday vocabulary


irrelevances the communicative task and coherent, generally appropriately, while
How many tasks are One. The candidate must answer Two. The candidate must choose and/or omissions in generally appropriate using basic linking occasionally overusing certain
there? this task. one task to answer. may be present. ways to communicate words and a lexis.
straightforward ideas. limited number of
Target reader Uses simple grammatical forms
cohesive devices.
is on the with a good degree of control.
How many marks are 20 (maximum) 20 (maximum) whole informed.
While errors are noticeable,
there? meaning can still be determined.
2 Performance shares features of Bands 1 and 3.
What do candidates Write about 100 words. They Write about 100 words. 1 Irrelevances and Produces text that Text is connected Uses basic vocabulary
have to do? must answer the email in the misinterpretation communicates simple ideas using basic, high- reasonably appropriately.
If they choose to write an article,
question and use the notes of task may be in simple ways. frequency linking
they must use the topic provided Uses simple grammatical forms
which are provided. present. words.
in the question. with some degree of control.
Target reader
If they choose to write a story, Errors may impede meaning at
is minimally
times.
they must use the first sentence informed.
provided in the question. 0 Content is totally
irrelevant.
Performance below Band 1.
Target reader is
not informed.

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These subscales and descriptors were designed to be used by Cambridge English when

How to assess writing for

B1 Pr eliminary for Schools
marking Cambridge Exams, so some of the specialist terminology may be unfamiliar to A real example
you. Below, you can see what these descriptors mean in practice. For each subscale,
Look again at the descriptors for each band. You can see that they include similar sentences but with slightly
there’s an explanation of the descriptors, followed by a real example of an exam task, a different words, such as fully informed, on the whole informed, minimally informed and not informed. This
Part 1
candidate’s response and the comments given. should help you to compare the bands easily when you’re looking at a piece of writing and trying to decide
which mark
You must to this
answer give it. For example:
question.
At the end of this section, you can find six sample responses written by real candidates Write your answer in about 100 words on the answer sheet.

in the B1 Preliminary for Schools exam, along with full examiner comments and band
scores. Question 1

Read this email from your English teacher Mrs Lake and the notes you have made.

Content EMAIL

From: Mrs Lake

Band Content What does this mean? Subject: End of year party

Dear Class,
The writer included everything that the task required
them to include. I’d like our class to have a party to celebrate the end of the
All content is relevant to the task. school year.
5 Great! Your learner used all the notes, except
Target reader is fully informed.
Who would read this text? (For example: the readers We could either have a party in the classroom or we could they didn’t fully explain this note. They
of a magazine, or the writer’s English teacher.) go to the park. Which would you prefer to do? wrote ‘I’d like to go to the park’ but did
not give any more information about 

Explain
What sort of activities or games should we do during the
why. The reader is not fully informed
Suggest … party?
but all the other content in their
Would the reader have all the information they need? answer was relevant to the task. This
Minor irrelevances and/or omissions The task always tells the candidate what information
What food do you think we should have at the party?

may be present. Tell Mrs

means they fall between Bands 3 and
to include. Some of these content requirements do
3 Lake Reply soon! 5 on the Content subscale and would
Target reader is on the whole not need much development (for example, say probably be assessed as Band 4 for
informed. what … ) and some parts require more development Anna Lake
this subscale.
(for example, describe … or explain … ).
Write your email to Mrs Lake using all the notes.

The writer clearly didn’t understand something in the

task. (For example: a Part 2 task asked the candidate
to write about what makes them laugh, but instead
Irrelevances and misinterpretation The task requires the candidate to use all the notes in their answer.
they wrote about things they enjoy in general.)
1 of task may be present. 2

The writer included something that wasn’t necessary

Target reader is minimally informed.
or related to the task.

Content is totally irrelevant.

0
Target reader is not informed.

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Communicative Achievement

How to assess writing for

B1 Pr eliminary for Schools
A real example
Band Communicative Achievement What does this mean?
Question 1
Your English teacher has asked you to write a story.
These include genre, format, register and function. For
example, a personal letter should not look like a formal Your story must begin with
Uses the conventions of the report, and an email to a teacher would probably be
‘I couldn’t believe what I saw when I walked into the classroom.’
communicative task to more formal and polite than an email to a close friend!
5 hold the target reader’s Write your story.
attention and communicate
straightforward ideas. This is a good thing! It means the reader is interested, not
distracted, and it’s not difficult for the reader to make The teacher couldn’t believe what she saw when she opened the door of the class room! There was a
sense of the text. Runway, with models, bloggers and every person fashionist in the world. The teacher at the beggining
was mad, but later she started so happy and she fun, like everyone. The runway and party later have
a lot of entertainment, good music, the food was very delicious. I was fun so much, I meet amaizing
Uses the conventions of the people, I dance. It was an incredible day, but I have my punishment with the teacher to the end.
These are usually concrete, limited in subject and are
communicative task in generally
3 communicated with relatively simple style, words
appropriate ways to communicate Comments on Communicative Achievement:
and grammar.
straightforward ideas.
The text uses the conventions of story writing, in generally appropriate ways to communicate
straightforward ideas. There is a simple narrative development (beginning, middle and end), although


the switching from third to first person is a little confusing. The conclusion is also a little unclear.
Produces text that communicates Band: 3
1 These typically require only one or a few words to
simple ideas in simple ways.
communicate. For example, I like pop music or Let’s go
next week.

28 29
 
Choose one of these questions.
Write your answer in about 100 words on the answer sheet.
Organisation

How to assess writing for

B1 Pr eliminary for Schools
A real example
Band Organisation What does this mean? Question 2
Question 2
Yousee
You seethis
thisannouncement
announcement in your
in your school
school English-language
English-language magazine.
magazine.
Not in every way or every case, but most of the time.
Text is generally well organised and Articles wanted!
5 coherent, using a variety of linking
words and cohesive devices. Easy to understand because the ideas and sentences WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
are well connected.
Write an article telling us what you find funny and who you enjoy laughing with.

Basic linking words show an explicit connection Do you think it’s good to laugh a lot? Why?
between ideas and sentences. These include for
example, because, finally and so on. The best articles answering these questions will be published next month.

Text is connected and coherent, Write your article.

Linking words are one type of cohesive device, but Write your article.
3 using basic linking words and a
limited number of cohesive devices. cohesive devices include other words and phrases
that connect ideas and words within a text, such as I have got many friends who can make me laugh. I am a big optimist, so I love laugh. I laugh every
pronouns (she, theirs, etc.), substitution (the last one, time when I am at school, at home, in the park, simply everywhere. My dad always makes my laugh,
this, etc.), relative clauses (… which is why …) and so on. because he is very funny adnd his funny stories are the best of the best. If I am alone, I usually watch 
 comedies. But the best comedy serial The Simpsons. The yellow family is the funniest family which I
know. My favourite
Question 3 type of joke is black joke. It is bad, but funny. When I am surfing on the Internet
I’m always searching videos called “Try not to laugh”. I can’t accept it because it is too funny.
Text is connected using basic, High-frequency linking words include and, so, Your English teacher has asked you to write a story.
1
high-frequency linking words. because, first of all and so on.
Your story on
Comments must begin with this sentence.
Organisation:
The text is coherent throughout and connected, using basic linking words, such as so, because, but and
aJo looked
limited numberatof the map
cohesive andsuch
devices, decided to go
as referencing andleft.
pronouns (it, which, who). The candidate
could have improved the organisation of the text by using longer sentences and more linking between
Write yourasstory.
sentences, well as paragraphing.
Band: 3

30 31
3
 
Language

How to assess writing for

B1 Pr eliminary for Schools
A real example
Band Language What does this mean?
Writing
Everyday vocabulary means words or phrases that 1. Read this email from your English teacher, Mrs Rose, and the notes you have made.
Uses a range of everyday are used often in the context mentioned in the task. For
vocabulary appropriately, with example, when talking about a picnic in the park, people
occasional inappropriate use of often mention a blanket and snacks.
Mrs Rose
less common lexis. New film club
Less common lexis is vocabulary which is understandable
I’d like to start an after-school Film Club.
5 Uses a range of simple and some but not often used in this context, such as gourmet food
or seating arrangements. That’s great
complex grammatical forms with We can meet either on Monday or Friday
afternoon. Which one would you prefer?
a good degree of control. Explain
Which types of film would you like to see?
This means the writer seems to be in control of their
grammar – they are not making lucky guesses! They I want to provide some food and drink during Explain
Errors do not impede the films. Is this a good idea? which
communication. can consistently use grammar that is accurate and suits
the context. Please let me know what you think.
Give your
opinion Many thanks!

Vocabulary is appropriate when it fits the context of

the task and the other words around it. For example, if a 
 Uses everyday vocabulary generally
appropriately, while occasionally
candidate writes Big snow makes getting around the city
difficult in an article, the expression getting around the
city is appropriate for the style of an article but big snow
Write your email to Mrs Rose using all the notes.

overusing certain lexis. is not appropriate, because the usual expression is heavy
Hello Mrs Rose
snow.
Oh, new film club is great idea. It sounds really grait.
3 Uses simple grammatical forms with
a good degree of control. Sometimes, candidates repeat the same word or phrase I prefer Friday, because it should be a nice end of the week to watch some films on Monday, you have
a lot because they don’t seem to know other vocabulary
to prepare for the school and watching films, it is for me wasting of time when the school week is
which they could use to express their ideas.
While errors are noticeable, starting. I really like sci-fi, but I don’t mind any different types of films. I will let it up to you which
meaning can still be determined. film will you bring. I don’t think so, that is a good idea, because after we’ll end we must clear a class
Big snow is a good example of an error which does and I think it can take so much time.
not impede communication. The reader can probably
understand what the writer means, but they might be So these are my ansers
distracted for a moment while they think about it. See you soon RICHARD
Uses basic vocabulary reasonably
appropriately.
Comments on Language:
This is the kind of vocabulary you need for basic survival
Uses simple grammatical forms
1 – simple transactions, for example. Everyday vocabulary is generally used appropriately. Simple grammatical forms are used and some
with some degree of control.
sentences show an attempt, not entirely successful, to produce more complex language. The errors
Errors may impede meaning at are noticeable, although these frequently arise as a result of trying to use more ambitious vocabulary
times. and to express more complex ideas and time relationships. Despite the errors, the meaning can still be
determined.
Band: 3

32 33
 
Sample tasks with comments

Sample tasks with comments

Try it yourself!

Now, you’ll find six sample answers from real B1 Preliminary for Schools candidates, including the ones we
looked at above. These include the band scores and full comments. Together, these will help you understand Part 1
what to expect from learners with stronger, weaker and average abilities.
But first, why not try marking these samples yourself using the Writing Assessment Scales? It’s a good idea to
practise, because using these scales when marking your own learners’ writing will help you to: Task – email
• analyse their strengths and weaknesses when they practise writing
Writing
• form an impression of how ready they are to take the Writing part of the B1 Preliminary for Schools exam.
Write your answer in about 100 words in an appropriate style on the opposite page
You’ll find a blank, photocopiable teacher assessment template at the end of this guide which you can
print and use for assessing any of the samples below. You should also refer to the detailed B1 Preliminary for
Schools band descriptors on page 25. 1. Read this email from your English teacher, Mrs Rose, and the notes you have made.

Mrs Rose
New film club 
 I’d like to start an after-school Film Club.
That’s great
We can meet either on Monday or Friday
afternoon. Which one would you prefer?
Explain
Which types of film would you like to see?
Explain
I want to provide some food and drink which
during the films. Is this a good idea?
Give your
opinion Please let me know what you think.

Many thanks!

Write your email to Mrs Rose using all the notes.

34 35
 

Sample tasks with comments

Top tips Task: Part 1 – email

Before you read the comments,

try making your own Sample answer 1 Subscale Mark Commentary
assessment using the subscales.
Then, compare your assessment Good afternoon Mrs Rose All content is relevant to the task.
with the band scores and real
comments. I just got your email and I think it’s really great idea The target reader is fully informed about all the points in the task and
becase I think lots of people like watching films. there is a direct and clear response to each one in turn.
The candidate covers the first point, I think it’s really great idea, and
I personally would prefer Mondays because on Fridays Content 5 clearly says which day they would prefer and explains why. The candidate
I often have other plans with my family explains which types of films they would like to see, and gives an opinion
about providing food and drink during the films.
I would really love to see some detective or some This script therefore obtains a 5 for content as the content points are
action films but I relly do’t mind watching something addressed and appropriately developed.
different.
The conventions of an email are used, with opening and closing
I think it’s good idea to have some food or drink salutations appropriate for the candidate’s context, and there is also a
during the film because lots of people are used to reference to the
Communicative input email at the beginning: I just got your email. The register is consistent
it because in cinemas they always eat something so i 5 and appropriate. 

Achievement
think it would The email holds the reader’s attention throughout, and communicates
be great straightforward ideas in direct response to the input email. Points are
expressed and explained very clearly.
Have a nice day
The email is well organised and always coherent, with a clearly
demarcated short paragraph for each point.
Organisation 4 There is some use of referencing as a cohesive device: lots of people
are used to it; so i think it would be great, and the text flows naturally,
although there is over-reliance on some linking words, such as because.

A range of everyday vocabulary appropriate for the topic is used:

detective or some action films; I personally would prefer; other plans with
my family.
There is a good degree of control of language: but I relly do’t mind
Language 4 watching something different; lots of people are used to it; in cinemas they
always eat something. There are very few errors and none which impede
communication.
The candidate could improve their language mark by evidencing more use
of complex grammatical forms, and more variety in sentence structure.

36 37
 

Sample tasks with comments

Task – email

Sample answer 2 Subscale Mark Commentary

Hey! Thats great! All content is relevant to the task and each point is addressed and
developed.
I’m doesn’t prefer Monday afternoon is doesn’t possible to me, because I have Content 5
tennis classes after school, and next. I am going with Laura houses, and Friday is The target reader is fully informed in terms of content, and there is
information to develop the three main content points.
perfect. For me, I don’t have nothing, do you like this day?
My favorite types of the films is comedi and romantic film, and in the film club was There is an attempt to use the conventions of the communicative task,
although this is sometimes inappropriate, for example in the closing
another, and you like, we can see, I don’t have any prolem to the film. salutations.
Communicative
Yes, is a very good idea, I am buying some pop corn and a botle water or and sweets Achievement
2 The target reader has to make an effort to follow the ideas in places, but
overall the points and message are communicated: My favorite types of
I don’t know, were you buy in the films is comedi and romantic film; Yes is a very good idea, I am buying
Kises some pop corn … and sweets …

WRite me soon and see you soon The email is organised overall in that it covers each point in turn,
sometimes using paragraphing to separate the points. 

Clara!
The text is connected using basic linking words: because; and; and next.
However, the organisation of sentences and use of punctuation, relying
Organisation 2
heavily on commas, results in a style more suitable for informal, spoken
language rather than that of an organised written communication: …
because I have tennis classes after school, and next. I am going with Laura
houses, and Friday is perfect. For me, I don’t have nothing, do you like this
day?

Basic vocabulary is used reasonably appropriately: tennis classes,

romantic film, sweets.
There is some degree of control of language at times: I have tennis classes
after school, and next. I am going …; Friday is perfect. For me; do you like
Language 1 this day?
However, the numerous errors and lack of control impede meaning at
times: I’m doesn’t prefer Monday afternoon is doesn’t possible to me; …
and in the film club was another, and you like, we can see, I don’t have any
prolem to the film; … or and sweets I don’t know, were you buy in.

38 39
 

Sample tasks with comments

Task – email

Sample answer 3 Subscale Mark Commentary

Hello Mrs Rose All content is relevant to the task. The candidate addresses the first three
notes in the input email (Oh, new film club is great idea. It sounds really
Oh, new film club is great idea. It sounds really grait.
grait; I prefer Friday … starting; I really like sci-fi … bring). The final point
I prefer Friday, because it should be a nice end of the week to watch some films on Content 5 is also addressed; the reader may have to refer to the original email to
check what is being referred to, but this is acceptable.
Monday, you have to prepare for the school and watching films, it is for me wasting
The target reader is fully informed in terms of content, and there is
of time when the school week is starting. I really like sci-fi, but I don’t mind any information to develop the points.
different types of films. I will let it up to you which film will you bring. I don’t think
so, that is a good idea, because after we’ll end we must clear a class and I think it The text uses the conventions of an email communication, although it lacks
any kind of closing salutation or sign-off suitable for the target reader (a
can take so much time. teacher).
So these are my ansers Communicative Straightforward ideas are expressed about the club, which day to hold it
3
Achievement on, which type of films to show and whether to provide food and drink or
See you soon RICHARD not.
The tone and register are appropriate throughout and the opening 
 salutation may well be suitable in this candidate’s context.

The script is connected and coherent. Basic linking words, such as because,
Organisation 3 but and and are used, together with a limited number of cohesive devices,
mainly in the form of referencing (it, that).

Everyday vocabulary is generally used appropriately, for example a nice

end of the week; to prepare for the school; sci-fi; so much time.
Simple grammatical forms are used and some sentences show an attempt,
not entirely successful, to produce more complex language, e.g. … because
Language 3 after we’ll end we must clear a class and I think it can take so much time.
The errors are noticeable, although these frequently arise as a result of
trying to use more ambitious vocabulary (let it up to you; clear a class) and
to express more complex ideas and time relationships. Despite the errors,
the meaning can still be determined.

40 41
 
Part 2

Part 2 one of these questions.

Sample tasks with comments

Choose
Write your answer in about 100 words on the answer sheet.
Task – article

Question 2
Question 2
Subscale Mark Commentary
You
Yousee
seethis announcement
this in your
announcement schoolschool
in your English-language magazine.magazine.
English-language
All content is relevant to the task and the candidate has addressed all the
questions in the input announcement.
Articles wanted!
Content 5 The target reader is fully informed, and there is development of the points,
WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH? in particular of who you enjoy laughing with and the last two questions in
the input announcement.

Write an article telling us what you find funny and who you enjoy laughing with.
The candidate uses the conventions of the communicative task of an
Do you think it’s good to laugh a lot? Why? article successfully, such as the opening question echoed from the
input announcement, to obtain the reader’s interest and attention;
The best articles answering these questions will be published next month. an appropriate informal register and engaging style, which holds the
Communicative reader’s attention throughout; and a clear and motivating concluding
5
Achievement paragraph.
Write yourarticle.
Writeyour article. Straightforward ideas are communicated in an entertaining way: I can
start laughing simply from watching my cat trying to catch a laser dot on 
 Sample answer 4
the wall, or a fly. And I laugh even more with my friends.

The article is generally well organised and coherent, using linking words
What makes me laugh? Pretty much everthing. I can start laughing simply from Organisation 4 and some cohesive devices: I can start laughing … And I laugh even more;
It is practically the only way; And it makes you look happy.
watching my cat trying to catch a laser dot on the wall, or a fly. And I laugh even
Question 3
more with my friends and family. It is practically the only way we are spending The candidate uses a range of vocabulary appropriately: Pretty much;
with English
Your ourselfsteacher
ourselves. We are
has asked youmaking
to writejokes, laughing at something or telling funny
a story. It is practically the only way; making jokes; telling funny stories; it makes
everyday stress easier to handle or it simply wears off … happy, optimistic
stories about our trips, days at school or our pets. and ready for a challenge.
Your story must begin with this sentence.
I think it is important to laugh a lot, because it makes everyday stress easier to Language 4 Simple grammatical forms are used with a good degree of control, for
Jo looked
handle at thewears
or it simply mapoff!andAnd
decided
it makesto
yougolook
left.
happy, optimistic and ready for example, I can start laughing simply from watching my cat trying to catch a
laser dot on the wall. However, the language is less accurate in the second
a challenge. part of the first paragraph and present continuous is used incorrectly:
Write your story.
… the only way we are spending with ourselfs (candidate corrects to
ourselves).

42 43
 

Sample tasks with comments

Task – article

Sample answer 5 Subscale Mark Commentary

I have got many friends who can make me laugh. I am a big optimist, so I love laugh. The target reader is on the whole informed, and knows what the
I laugh every time when I am at school, at home, in the park, simply everywhere. My candidate finds funny (Dad’s jokes, The Simpsons, black jokes and the
dad always makes my laugh, because he is very funny adnd his funny stories are the videos Try not to laugh) and who they enjoy laughing with (friends, Dad).
Content 3 There is considerable development of these ideas.
best of the best. If I am alone, I usually watch comedies. But the best comedy serial
There is no reference however to Do you think it is a good idea to laugh or
The Simpsons. The yellow family is the funniest family which I know. My favourite not? and consequently the Why/Why not? questions in the prompt, which
type of joke is black joke.It is bad, but funny. When I am surfing on the Internet I’m are completely omitted.
always searching videos called “Try not to laugh”. I can’t accept it because it is too
The text uses an appropriate register and tone for an article, although
funny. there is very little idea of a target audience, or attempt to address
Communicative readers and hold their attention.
3
Achievement The text communicates straightforward ideas in response to the input
prompt questions, e.g. I laugh every time when I am at school, at home, in
the park, simply everywhere, and But the best comedy serial The Simpsons.



The text is coherent throughout and connected, using basic linking words,
such as so, because, but and a limited number of cohesive devices, such as
referencing and pronouns (it, which, who).
Organisation 3
The candidate could have improved the organisation of the text by
using longer sentences and more linking between sentences, as well as
paragraphing.

There is some ambition of range, in both vocabulary (optimist, comedies,

surfing on the Internet, searching) and structure (If I am alone, I usually
watch comedies. The yellow family is the funniest family which I know).
Language 4 which is largely successful.
Overall, the text shows a good degree of control of language, with minimal
and non-impeding errors, except for the use of accept which is distracting.

44 45
 

Sample tasks with comments

Task – story

Question 1 Subscale Mark Commentary

Your English teacher has asked you to write a story.
All content is relevant to the task.
Your story must begin with
The story clearly and naturally follows on from the prompt sentence in the
‘I couldn’t believe what I saw when I walked into the classroom.’ Content 5
task: There was a Runway with … world.
The target reader is fully informed about the events in the story.
Write your story.
The text uses the conventions of story writing, in generally appropriate
ways to communicate straightforward ideas. There is a simple narrative
development (beginning, middle and end), although the switching from
Communicative third to first person is a little confusing: The teacher couldn’t believe; The
Sample answer 6 3 teacher at the beggining was mad, but later she started so happy and
Achievement
she fun, like everyone … I was fun so much, I meet amaizing people, I dance.
The teacher couldn’t believe what she saw when she opened the door of the class The conclusion is also a little unclear: … but I have my punishment with the
room! There was a Runway, with models, bloggers and every person fashionist in the teacher to the end.
world. The teacher at the beggining was mad, but later she started so happy and 

The story is connected and coherent, using basic linking words and a
she fun, like everyone. The runway and party later have a lot of entertainment, Organisation 3 limited number of cohesive devices: There was … and…; The teacher … but
good music, the food was very delicious. I was fun so much, I meet amaizing people, later she …; It was an incredible day, but …
I dance. It was an incredible day, but I have my punishment with the teacher to the
Everyday vocabulary is generally used appropriately, (models, bloggers;
end. mad; entertainment; delicious; an incredible day; punishment. Runway,
presumably for catwalk, is confusing, but it is a specialised term for the
level, and clear from context and the use of models and fashionist.
Simple grammatical forms are used with reasonable control: It was an
incredible day; The teacher at the beggining was mad, but later she
Language 3 started so happy and she fun, like everyone.
Errors are noticeable, but meaning can still be determined: she started
so happy; she fun; … later have a lot of entertainment; I was fun so much; I
meet amaizing people; to the end.
In particular, there is inconsistent use of the simple past tense, and the
candidate could have easily improved their writing by checking this, by
carefully reading through the script before the end of the exam.

46 47
 
Extra resources Blank template to help teachers to assess learners’ writing using the Writing

Extra resources
Assessment Scale
A4 and US letter versions of this form are attached to this PDF, for you to print.
Lesson plans and resources for teachers
• Free resources for preparing learners for Cambridge English Qualifications B1 Pr eliminary for Schools Writing paper – teacher assessment

Webinar recordings about teaching writing and giving feedback Task:

• Developing and assessing Writing skills for A2 Key and B1 Preliminary
Candidate:
• Preparing your learners online for Writing papers in Cambridge English Qualifications
Has the candidate answered the task? Have they done what they were asked to do? (Or have they
• Different ways to give useful feedback on writing Content missed anything from the question which they should have included? Have they written something
irrelevant?)
• B1 Preliminary and B1 Preliminary for Schools – revision and teaching ideas
Comments:
Write & Improve
Band:
• For learners
• For teachers
Write & Improve uses technology developed at the University of Cambridge to mark Communicative Is the writing appropriate for the task? Has the candidate used a style which is appropriate for the
specific communicative context? (Or have they written in a way that is not suitable – for example, using a
English writing accurately in seconds. Learners submit their work and Write & Improve Achievement very formal style in an email to a friend or ending an article with ‘Love’?)

 will give it a mark and show them the parts of their text that may need improvement.
Test and train
Comments:

Band:
Available across all digital devices Test & Train delivers unique, easy-to-use practice
through short, sharp workouts to maximise performance on exam day.
Is the writing put together well? Is it logical and ordered?
cambridge.org/testandtrain
Organisation (Or is it difficult for the reader to follow? Does it use elements of organisation which are not appropriate
for the genre, like beginning an email with a title or starting every sentence in an article on a new line
Learn more about research into second language learning instead of using paragraphs?)

Cambridge University Press & Assessment has published over 20 free and easy-to-read Comments:

research papers bout second language learning and teaching. Some papers which are
Band:
especially relevant to this guide are:
• Developing young writers in ELT
• Giving feedback to language learners Language
Is there a good range of vocabulary and grammar? Are these used accurately? (Or are there mistakes?
Do these cause any confusion for the reader?)
• Specific Learning Difficulties in ELT
Comments:
• Motivational aspects of using near peers as role models
Band:

48 49
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