Scoring the writing test

Grammatical Range and Lexical Range &

Task Achievement Appropriacy Coherence Cohesion
Accuracy Accuracy
Task achieved at a high level
Intention: Entirely clear Structure:
Cohesive devices: Grammatical Structures: Complex
Instructions: Completely Style & Format: Ideas sequenced logically
A wide range of cohesive Spelling: Very good
followed Appropriate to genre, no and accurately Wide range of lexis to complete
devices used naturally, Word order: Correct
Effect: A positive effect on irrelevant information the task, some original lexical
efficiently and appropriately Punctuation: Used properly
the target reader Purpose: solutions
5 to link words, clauses, throughout
Outcome: Sure to achieve a Register: Clear
sentences and paragraphs Errors: Very few, none
successful outcome Good awareness of Lexis used appropriately with
of them impedes
Content: All relevant details register and formality level Information: isolated misuse
Writing - MARKING SCHEMES

Reference: meaning,
included appropriate to genre Well organised into a
Skilled use message
Some original ideas coherent text
or presentation
4
Grammatical Structures: Simple
but mostly correct, some attempts
Task achieved, some gaps Structure: at complex structures with some
Style & Format:
Intention: Clear in most areas Some confusion in logical Cohesive devices: mistakes that do not impede
Usually appropriate to
Instructions: All important ones and accurate sequencing Adequate amount of comprehension
genre with little or no Sufficient range of lexis to
followed devices used to link words, Spelling: Some mistakes
irrelevant information complete the task
Effect: A generally positive Purpose: clauses, sentences mostly that do not
3 effect on the reader Mostly clear appropriately impede
Register: Lexis used mostly appropriately
Outcome: Likely to achieve a comprehension
Limited exponents but with occasional misuse
successful outcome Information: Reference: Word order: Mostly correct
awareness of register is
Content: Many relevant Adequately organised into Limited use Punctuation: Mostly effective
shown
details included a mostly coherent text Errors: Some, but do
not significantly
impede meaning
2
Task unachieved Structure:
Intention: Very unclear Style & Format: Muddled Grammatical Structures: Very
Cohesive devices: Poor range of lexis to complete
Instructions: Many not followed Inappropriate to genre, or simple with frequent and serious
Minimal the task
Effect: Negative minimal evidence Purpose: mistakes
1 Outcome: Will not achieve a Unclear Spelling: Very poor
Reference: Lexis used inappropriately in
successful outcome Register: Word order: Often wrong
Simple / none most cases
Content: Omission, Minimal Information: Punctuation: Often wrong
irrelevance Very confused
Task unattempted / partially No meaning or the
Not enough language to No effective use of cohesive Little or no evidence of grammatical
attempted meaning conveyed is No relevant lexis organised into
0 make an assessment, or devices and reference, or knowledge of simple structures, or
Not enough language to make an irrelevant, or under 20 sentences, or under 20 words
under 20 words. under 20 words under 20 words
assessment, or under 20 words words
Page 1
Page 2 Writing-MARKINGCRITERIA&MODELANSWERS

Model Answers
Task One:
(225 words)
Dear Sir / Madam,
I have recently written a book and I am hoping that your company will be
interested in publishing it.
The book is mainly autobiographical and deals with my own experience of
growing up in Meckhem in the 1970s. I attempt to paint in the book, not only a
picture of my own life, but also something of the life and atmosphere of the town
at that time.
By the 1970s Meckhem (pop 47 000) was in industrial decline. The railway had
lost jobs after the motorway arrived, and the steelworks had closed leading to
high levels of unemployment. The college of engineering had become the single
largest employer and drew students to the town. Many were attracted, in part,
by the picturesque Grenberg Mountain and the River Lass.
I believe my book will have widespread interest. First, of course, it will be of
interest to the people of Meckhem. Middle aged and older inhabitants will be
able to recall many of the incidents and places which I describe in the book.
Younger people in the town will be able to learn about their municipal past and
the world their parents grew up in.
For all these reasons, I believe that my book will be a commercial success and I
very much hope you will want to publish it.
Yours faithfully,
Chris Reninson