Model Answer: Letter (Cambridge International IGCSE English Language)

Assignment 1 requires you to select and evaluate facts, opinions and arguments from a text or texts.

You are also required to write in a highly effective and technically accurate style, adapting your form and language to suit your audience and purpose.

The following guide will demonstrate how to approach this task in the format of a letter.

While the task itself is taken from a past exam paper, it is important to note that in your coursework portfolio you are not permitted to use texts or tasks from exam papers. However, we have included this example in order to demonstrate the skills required in order to achieve a top-mark piece of work.

Addressing the reading assessment objectives

Up to 15 marks are available in this task for your ability to evaluate both the explicit and implied ideas, opinions and attitudes expressed in one or two texts, and assimilate them to write a developed and sophisticated response.

Let’s take a look at how you do this, using the following two texts:

To begin with, you should read the texts and highlight the ideas and opinions that could inform your writing. Your response might use the following ideas from these texts:

Text A:

• “Pre-teens” pick up a new language quickly
• New languages can change young people’s personalities
• Picking up on nuance and being able to express humour in a new language is hard
• Arguably, true bilingualism is not possible
• Accents are always obvious
• Attitudes to bilingualism have changed with research
• Bilingualism can help with empathy and help people to see different perspectives
• There is some evidence that bilingualism could protect against dementia and makes our minds more flexible
• But it can make people less articulate/developed in both languages
• Bilingualism can be very enriching and help you to become more eloquent

Text B:

• Gaining a second language is not always a choice
• It can make you a more interesting person
• Bilingual people are rarely equally proficient in both languages and it is easy to make mistakes
• Languages can be lost without effort
• Being able to speak an extra language can make you more employable
• It is not always possible to be fluent in more than one context
• Retaining your first language helps you keep your link to your culture
• Switching from one language to another can lead to personality changes

Assignment 1 letter model answer

Worked Example Question

A relative is considering moving to another country where they and their teenage children will have to learn another language.

Write a letter to your relative giving your views about whether or not this is a good idea, based on what you have read.

[30]

Answer

[30]

Commentary

• The greeting and tone are appropriate for a letter to a relative
• The introduction demonstrates an understanding of the purpose of the task
• The second paragraph develops ideas and opinions mainly from Text A, and establishes a point of view
• Although the letter is informal, the vocabulary is sophisticated
• The third paragraph acknowledges a counter-argument, using ideas from both texts
• The fourth paragraph returns to the main argument, using ideas mainly from Text B
• Punctuation is used deliberately to emphasise the more friendly tone
• Persuasive devices are used to add weight to the argument
• Style and tone are maintained throughout, with an appropriate sign off
• Spelling, grammar and punctuation are accurate throughout