City & Guilds IESOL

Sample Writing Tasks at A1 Preliminary level

 Introduction
The aim of this booklet is to familiarize teachers who prepare candidates for the City and Guilds ESOL
examinations with tasks, performance samples, assessment criteria and benchmark performance samples.
The tasks and performance samples in the current material represent level A1 according to the Common
European Framework of Reference. The CEFR levels and descriptors are embedded in every stage of the
production and delivery of the International ESOL and Spoken ESOL tests and are also incorporated in the
marking procedures.
The material includes sample tasks from former live tests and authentic performance samples produced by
ESOL candidates. An attempt has been made to select samples which represent a wide variety of performance
levels within the given CEFR level. All samples have been double marked to ensure that the evaluation criteria
are rigorously followed and marking is consistent, accurate and reliable.

Marking the writing tasks

The current guide includes only the open writing tasks which are evaluated with the help of task-specific mark
schemes.
Each level has a task-specific mark scheme with descriptors for Task fulfilment, Grammar, Vocabulary and
Structure. The Task fulfilment mark reflects how far the candidate has achieved the task, the Grammar mark
measures the range, appropriacy and accuracy of grammar, the Vocabulary mark assesses the range,
accuracy and appropriacy of vocabulary as well as spelling accuracy. The Structure mark reflects how
coherently ideas are linked in the text and how accurate the punctuation is.
There are four levels of performance with a corresponding mark in each of the above criteria: First Class Pass,
Pass, Narrow Fail and Fail. The total marks awarded for the task are the sum of the marks awarded to each
criterion.
The writing tasks are marked by trained markers who use the task-specific mark scheme for the evaluation of
the tasks. The mark-schemes are regularly updated and markers are trained regularly to ensure that they are
marking to standard.

Grading the Writing section

If a task has not been attempted, a zero mark should be awarded for that task.
Once each Writing task has been marked, an overall mark is awarded for the Writing section. This overall mark
is translated into one of the following grades:
Fail, Narrow Fail, Pass or First Class Pass

Maximum marks for each writing task

Part 1 completing a form Maximum mark: 12
Part 2 identifying correct punctuation Maximum mark: 5
Part 3 writing to produce four sentences on specified topic Maximum mark: 12
Part 4 writing to produce a simple text for a specified reader. Maximum mark: 12

Grade table for Writing section for A1

Grade Total marks: 34

FCP 28-34

PASS 17-27

NF 15-16

F 0-14
 Spelling and capitalisation
American spelling is accepted if used consistently. Inappropriate use of capital letters is generally not penalised
unless spelling is the focus of the task.

Over and under length answers

The Task Fulfilment criterion with seriously under length answers will probably attract a score of 1 or 0 as there
will most likely be no or little expansion of the topic.
Answers which are seriously over length are awarded one mark less for the Task fulfilment criterion than would
otherwise have been awarded.

Writing - Tasks
Preliminary Level – (A1)

Skills and focus Format

Writing 1: complete a form with personal details Complete the form

Writing 2: Identify correct punctuation Circle the letter of the correct option

Writing 3: simple sentences to communicate ideas or Write four sentences

basic information

Writing 4: short simple text for an intended audience Write 20 – 30 words

Parts 1 and 2 are marked in accordance with paper-specific mark schemes.

Writing – Marking
CEFR Overall Written Can write simple isolated phrases and sentences.
Production descriptor
A1

CEFR descriptors related to assessment criteria

Task Fulfilment Grammar Vocabulary Structure

Can write simple Shows only limited Has a very basic Can link words
phrases and control of a few repertoire of words or groups of
sentences about simple grammatical and simple phrases words with very
themselves and structures and related to personal basic linear
imaginary people, sentence patterns in details and connectors like
A1
where they live and a memorised particular concrete ‘and’ and ‘then’.
what they do. repertoire. Errors situations.
may cause
misunderstandings.
Marking Writing Part 3
Writing to produce four sentences on specified topic: 20-40 words.

Public Version Mark scheme A1 - Part 3

Task
Grammar Vocabulary Structure
Fulfilment
Overall text
Few serious organisation
3 Four sentences
errors of completely
on topic AND all Mostly
First Class vocabulary usage appropriate for task.
complete accurate
Pass (appropriacy and Attempts at textual
sentences.
spelling). cohesion and
accurate punctuation.
Text written in
Four sentences Some serious
Some serious complete sentences,
2 on topic AND at errors of
errors, though organised
least three vocabulary usage
Pass meaning still appropriately for the
complete though meaning is
clear. text form and mostly
sentences. still clear.
accurate punctuation.
Many serious
Only three
Many serious errors of
1 sentences on A series of phrases,
errors, some vocabulary usage
topic OR only not sentences. Poor
Narrow Fail difficult to resulting in text
two complete punctuation.
follow. being sometimes
sentences.
difficult to follow.
Less than three Little language
sentences on present or usage
0 topic OR less so poor as to
Little language No clear system
Fail than two make the text
complete almost impossible
sentences. to follow.
Marking Writing Part 4
Writing to produce a simple text for a specified reader: 20-40 words.

Public Version Mark scheme A1 - Part 4

Task Fulfilment Grammar Vocabulary Structure

Overall text
organisation
3 Few serious errors
On topic. Effort to completely
Mostly of vocabulary
First Class develop topic appropriate for task.
accurate usage (appropriacy
Pass beyond rubric. Attempts at textual
and spelling).
cohesion and
accurate punctuation.
Some Text written in
Some serious
serious complete sentences,
2 On topic – errors of
errors, organised
mentions two vocabulary usage
Pass though appropriately for the
relevant points. though meaning is
meaning still text form and mostly
still clear.
clear. accurate punctuation.
Many Many serious
serious errors of
1 On topic A series of phrases,
errors, vocabulary usage
mentions one not sentences. Poor
Narrow Fail sometimes resulting in text
relevant point. punctuation.
difficult to being sometimes
follow. difficult to follow.
Little language
present or usage
0 Little so poor as to make
Off topic No clear system.
Fail language the text almost
impossible to
follow.
Sample answers and scores with examiner’s comments
A1 Preliminary Writing Part 3

Write four sentences about your best friend. Write between 20 and 40 words.

Sample answer 1

My best friend’s name is Nick. He leoves next to my house. We have the same hobbies: gardening, going to
the sea-side, playing tennis. He is good at playing guitar.

Score

Task Fulfilment Grammar Vocabulary Structure Total

3 3 3 3 12

Examiner’s comments

A good attempt that meets the formal requirements on the number of sentences and words.
Grammar structures are used accurately. The piece demonstrates an appropriate range of
vocabulary with one major spelling mistake of the word “live” misspelt as “leove”. Although the listing
of activities in the third sentence could be improved with the connective “and” before the final
element, there is reasonable cohesion within and between the sentences.

Sample answer 2

My best friend is Frank. He is a very lind person. He likes to fly, and practice sport, every week.

Score

Task Fulfilment Grammar Vocabulary Structure Total

1 3 2 2 8

Examiner’s comments

Fails to fully meet the formal requirements of the task writing only three sentences instead of four -
thus producing the minimum number of words required. Beyond that the text is clear and coherent.
Grammar structures are at the appropriate level and precisely used. There is a reasonable range of
vocabulary produced with one single misspelling („lind” instead of „kind”), probably due to
carelessness. The sentences are complete, the last even compound with two minor mistakes in
punctuation (two commas in the last sentence).
Sample answer 3

My best friend is John, he is tnee and thin and he is a policeman. He likes his one has gun. We dugs go out
together in the eving.

Score

Task Fulfilment Grammar Vocabulary Structure Total

1 1 1 1 4

Examiner’s comments

A very poor attempt. The text consists of 3 sentences instead of 4, of which only the first sentence
conveys actual message. Due to the impeding errors in grammar (third person “–s” after a plural
pronoun), vocabulary (“dug go out”), spelling (“tnee”), as well as the random combination of words in
the second sentence, the rest of the text is either very difficult to follow or incomprehensible.
Sample answers and scores with examiner’s comments
A1 Preliminary Writing Part 4

You are writing to a friend. Tell him/her about your new job. Describe where you work.
Write between 15 and 25 words.

Sample answer 1

Dear Nick,

I am writing to tell you about my new job. I work as a waiter to a moder bar in the centre of the city. I
like this job because I can speak to lot of people.
Love
Raffael.

Score

Task Fulfilment Grammar Vocabulary Structure Total

3 3 3 3 12

Examiner’s comments

It goes beyond the word limit to an extent for which the candidate could be penalized. On the whole it
demonstrates mastery of English above the level expected both in vocabulary and coherence.
Grammar usage is accurate; there is only one careless misspelling of the word “modern” and one
mistake in punctuation (full stop after the name in the closing).

Sample answer 2

Dear friend,
Now, I have a new job. I work in a school, it is has many students. My work is to computers repair.

Score

Task Fulfilment Grammar Vocabulary Structure Total

2 2 2 2 8

Examiner’s comments

A fair attempt written on the topic though it does not go beyond the rubric. The first two sentences
are accurately formed and clear. The third sentence has a serious error in word order, although the
reader will still get the meaning. It demonstrates the vocabulary range expected.
Sample answer 3

Dear Nicola,
how are you? I am fine. I have a new job since last month. I am an office worker in a high school.

Score

Task Fulfilment Grammar Vocabulary Structure Total

1 2 2 2 7

Examiner’s comments

Although the length of the answer is just acceptable, the task/letter is incomplete. There are
noticeable errors in the script (lack of capital letter after the opening greeting and wrong tense used
with ‘since’), even if they do not impede communication.