Model Answer: Article (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 an article.

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:

• The internet is blamed for everything without reason
• Loneliness, low self-confidence and social isolation are linked to social media, but it is not really known in what way
• The internet can make people less lonely, not more
• People can build meaningful connections over the internet
• Social media can help people find friends and develop a social life
• You can be yourself on the internet as well as in person — our online and real-life personas are being merged
• Online friendships can be made across vast distances
• Talking and friendships online can be just as rich and as valid as in-person ones
• Befriending apps are now increasingly available
• Some people will find it easier to make friends online

Text B:

• Research shows how important real friendship is to people
• We are genetically wired to make a small number of close friends even in larger social groups
• Even though we now have the internet to help us maintain friendships across expanding distances, we don’t actually have more friends with social media
• The nature of friendship is changing
• Shared experience in real life is essential for strong friendships
• Deeper connections take more effort than being online

Assignment 1 article model answer

Worked Example Question

Write a magazine article for young people about modern friendship.

Base your article on what you have read in both texts.

[30]

Answer

[30]

Commentary

• The heading uses alliteration to catch the reader’s attention
• The introduction uses persuasive devices and demonstrates an understanding of the task
• The answer demonstrates awareness of the intended audience, which is sustained throughout
• Style, tone and voice are appropriate and consistent, using ideas contained in Text A and Text B
• Any specific references to ideas or opinions in the text are put in the candidate’s own words
• The use of a personal anecdote is appropriate for an article
• A personal point of view is sustained throughout
• Spelling, grammar and punctuation are accurate throughout