Aptis Writing Component 3 Sept

WRITING COMPONENT

WRITING

INSTRUCTIONS The writing test is built around a series of interrelated activities. Typical activities include joining a club or applying for a visa. There are four parts, which range from very basic form-filling to quite complex e-mail messages. Make sure you fully understand the questions. Plan what you are going to write and then edit your writing before clicking to the next question. The most common mistakes are the following:       

Not answering the questions (going off-topic). Read the question and understand what you are required to do. Writing too much but with poor grammar, spelling and punctuation. Keep to the word count and focus on accuracy. Not using a variety of sentence structures. Not writing in sentences or paragraphs. Not capitalising months, cities, countries and names. Using SMS spelling.

The total time allowed for the writing test is 50 minutes. TEST DESIGN

DESCRIPTION

Part 1

Word-level writing

Complete a form with individual words

Part 2

Short text writing

Form-filling in the form of sentences

Part 3

3 written parts of text, which all require responses

A social network-type interaction with 3 questions

Part 4

Formal and informal text writing

Task 1: Write an informal email to a friend Task 2: Write a formal email

WRITING SET 1 W2

WRITING Part 1 Personal Details Record Form You are applying to pursue your studies at a university. Fill in the following details and submit to your university. Please ensure all information is completed in full. You have 3 minutes to complete this form. Personal Details Title (delete as appropriate): Mr / Mrs / Miss Surname:

First Name:

Maiden Name (if applicable): Date of Birth: Home Address: Street: Postcode:

City:

Home Telephone:

Mobile:

NEXT

W3

WRITING Part 2 You are a new member of the neighbourhood watch. Fill in the form. Write in complete sentences. Your text should be 20 to 30 words in length. You have 7 minutes. Provide the days and times you are available to do your neighbourhood watch and the reasons.

NEXT

W4

WRITING Part 3 You are a new member of a reading club. You are communicating with the librarian in your town library in a chat room. Use complete sentences when you write. Use 30 – 40 words per answer. You have 10 minutes to complete all 3 answers. Librarian : Hello, I see that you are a new member of our reading club. What are your reasons for joining this reading club? (Maximum 40 words, 3 minutes)

POST Librarian : That’s good to hear. What types of books do you like reading and why? (Maximum 40 words, 3 minutes)

POST Librarian : The club is planning to make some books available online based on the types of books our members enjoy reading. What do you think of this idea? (Maximum 40 words, 3 minutes)

POST Part 4 - Task 1 W5

WRITING Last week you received an email from your local council: Dear Residents, To improve the telephone network, we will be installing a new telecommunication tower on Monday next week. It will take approximately 8 hours to install. For this reason, all telephone and internet services will be disrupted from 8.00 a.m. till 5.00 p.m. on Monday. We apologise for this inconvenience, and hope it will bring better service. Thank you. The Local Council.

However, the installation took two days (Monday and Tuesday) and since then, the service has worsened significantly. Write an email to a friend, in 50 words, expressing your feelings about this situation and suggest possible alternatives. You have 10 minutes. (Use friendly, informal English with standard spelling and punctuation.)

NEXT

Part 4 - Task 2 W6

WRITING Also, write an email, in 120 to 150 words, to the council explaining your feelings about the situation and suggest possible alternatives. You have 20 minutes. (Use formal English and remember to use appropriate salutations and closing.)

WRITING SET 2 Part 1 W7

WRITING Fill in the form. You have 3 minutes.

MEMBERSHIP FOR THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE SOCIETY

Full Name:

_____________________________________________________

Date of Birth:

_____________________________________________________

Home Address: _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________

Mobile Number: _____________________________________________________ Course: Semester:

_____________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

Email Address: ______________________________________________________ NEXT

W8

WRITING Part 2 You are the President of the Environmental Club. Fill in the form. Write in complete sentences. Your text should be 20 to 30 words in length. You have 7 minutes.

ENVIRONMENTAL CLUB Please write here about your suggested activities for the Club.

NEXT

W9

WRITING Part 3 You are a new member of the Travel Club. You are communicating in the chat room with the club president. Use complete sentences when you write. Your text should be 30 – 40 words in length. You have 10 minutes to complete all 3 answers. Club President : Hello, I see that you are a new member of our Travel Club. What are your reasons for joining this club? (Maximum 40 words, 3 minutes)

POST Club President: That’s interesting. Can I please know where you would like to travel to and why? (Maximum 40 words, 3 minutes)

POST Club President: The club is preparing a webpage on places our members would like to visit. Can you please give us your views on this idea? (Maximum 40 words, 3 minutes)

POST W10

WRITING Part 4 - Task 1 Last week you received an email from Concorde Condominium Management: Dear Residents, To improve the cleanliness of the condominium premises, a new team of cleaners will carry out general cleaning next Saturday. To enable them to do their work efficiently, we kindly request all residents to park their vehicles outside the premises from 8.00 a.m. till 5.00 p.m. We apologise for the inconvenience caused. We look forward to your kind co-operation for a better and cleaner environment. Thank you. The Concorde Condominium Management.

However, the general cleaning took two days (Saturday and Sunday), and due to this delay your car was badly damaged by vandals. Write an email to a friend, in 50 words, expressing your feelings about this situation and suggest possible alternatives. You have 10 minutes. Use friendly, informal English with standard spelling and punctuation.

NEXT

W11

WRITING Part 4 - Task 2 Also write an email, in 120 to 150 words, to the council explaining your feelings about the situation and suggest possible alternatives. You have 20 minutes. Use formal English and remember to appropriate salutations and closing.

WRITING SET 3 W12

WRITING Part 1 You are planning a trip to Bali through a travel agent. Fill in the form. You have 3 minutes.

Full Name: Home Address:

House No. & Street: City/Town: Postcode:

State:

First Language: 1.

2.

3.

Interests (List 3):

NEXT

Part 2 You are a new member of a fitness club. Fill in the form. Write in complete sentences. Your text should be 20 to 30 words in length. You have 7 minutes.

W13

WRITING

FITNESS CLUB Write reasons why you are interested in the fitness club.

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Part 3 You have contacted a friend from another campus in your chat room. Your friend wants to know what your life is like in your new campus. Talk to him/her using sentences. Your text should be 30 – 40 words in length. You have 10 minutes to complete all 3 answers. W14

WRITING Friend : Hello. How have you been? How is life in your new campus? What problems do you have? (Maximum 40 words, 3 minutes)

POST Friend : How do you handle your problems? (Maximum 40 words, 3 minutes)

POST Friend : I am planning to set up a WhatsApp group with our friends so that we can share ideas. What do you think are the pros and cons of setting up our WhatsApp group? (Maximum 40 words, 3 minutes)

POST Part 4 - Task 1 You are a member of your Teacher Support Organisation (TS0). You received the following email: Dear TSO member, W15

WRITING

We wish to refer to our meeting last month where we decided to carry out some social activities. Due to financial constraints of our organisation, we have to postpone our activities. We hope to resume our activities when our financial situation improves. Thank you. Head of TSO

Write an email to another TSO member, in 50 words, expressing your feelings about this situation and suggest possible alternatives. You have 10 minutes. Use friendly, informal English with standard spelling and punctuation.

NEXT

W16

WRITING Part 4 - Task 2 Also write an email, in 120 to 150 words, to the Head of TSO explaining your feelings about the situation and suggest possible alternatives. You have 20 minutes. Use formal English and remember to use appropriate salutations and closing.

WRITING SET 4 W17

WRITING Part 1 Personal Details Record Form You are applying to be a member of a computer club. Fill in the following registration form. Please ensure all information is completed in full. You have 3 minutes to complete this form. Personal Details Full Name: Date of Birth (dd/mm/yy): Home Address: Street: Postcode:

City:

Home Telephone:

Mobile:

Email Address: What software programmes are you familiar with?

1. 2. 3.

How much time do you spend in a day surfing the internet?

NEXT

Part 2 You are a new member of a computer club. Fill in the form. Write in complete sentences. Your W18

WRITING text should be 20 to 30 words in length. You have 7 minutes.

COMPUTER CLUB

Please tell us about the days and times you can come for the computer lessons and the programmes you would like to learn.

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Part 3 You are a member of a computer club. You are talking to Patricia in the club chat room. Talk to Patricia using complete sentences. Your text should be 30 – 40 words in length. You have 10 minutes to complete all 3 answers. W19

WRITING Patricia : Hello, I hear you are a new member of our computer club. I became a member after I read their advertisement in a brochure. I would like to know why you joined the computer club? (Maximum 40 words, 3 minutes) You:

POST Patricia : How do you feel about the computer club? (Maximum 40 words, 3 minutes) You:

POST Patricia: What do you think about the training provided in the computer club? (Maximum 40 words, 3 minutes) You:

POST

W20

WRITING Part 4 - Task 1 You are a member of a computer club. On your last visit to the club you saw the notice below: NOTICE Dear Members, Please be informed that from next month the membership fees of the computer club will go up by 30%. Also note that we are starting renovation of the computer lab. As such, computer lessons for the next month will be held in the old computer lab next to the store, every Monday from 7.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. Thank you. Management

Write an email to a friend. Write your feelings about the notice and suggest possible alternatives. Write about 50 words. You have 10 minutes. Use friendly, informal English with standard spelling and punctuation.

NEXT Part 4 - Task 2 W21

WRITING Now, write an email to the management, explaining your feelings about the notice and suggest possible alternatives. Write 120 to 150 words. You have 20 minutes. Use formal English and remember to use appropriate salutations and closing.

ANSWER KEY: WRITING Part 1 W22

WRITING 

Uses capital letters for proper nouns



No spelling errors



Answers all questions accurately



Fills in all information correctly

Part 2 The weighting for this task is even, so the maximum mark available is 5. 5

Likely to be above A2 level

4 (A2.2)

Clearly defined sentences, all on-topic. Mostly accurate grammar with few serious errors of vocabulary usage (appropriateness and spelling). The text organization is completely appropriate. Attempts at textual cohesion and accurate punctuation.

3 (A2.1)

There are some serious issues with grammar and vocabulary usage. However, the meaning is still clear. Text is written in complete sentences, organized appropriately for the text form and mostly accurate punctuation.

2 (A1.2)

Numerous serious errors of grammar and vocabulary usage, which make the text sometimes difficult to follow. A series of phrases, not sentences. Poor punctuation.

1 (A1.1)

There is too little language or the usage is so poor that the text is almost impossible to follow. There is no clear structure.

0

Little or no meaningful language or the work is off-topic.

   

Keeps to the word count (20-30 words). Clear sentences. Answers are on-topic. Replies fully to the input. Accurate grammar, spelling and punctuation. It is acceptable to have grammar and spelling errors and still score 5/5 if the errors are not serious (i.e. the writing can be understood and the errors are not basic)

Part 3 5

Likely to be above the B1 level

4 (B1.2)

Replies fully to each piece of input. The grammar is appropriate to be one and W23

WRITING is mostly accurate, while there is a good range of vocabulary on general topics. Some errors, but these do not impede communication. Cohesive and coherent text using an appropriate range of linguistic devices. Few, if any, punctuation or spelling errors. 3 (B1.1)

Replies well to at least two of the input text. An adequate range of grammar used with no major errors which impact on understanding. There is good control of elementary vocabulary, though evidence of some major errors when expressing unfamiliar or complex topics. Cohesive and coherent text using an adequate range of linguistic devices. Spelling and/or punctuation errors do not impede communication.

2 (A2.2)

Replies to at least two of the input text. Many errors, which make the text sometimes difficult to follow. Narrow lexical repertoire with frequent errors making the message difficult to follow. Some effort to use connecting devices though not always consistent. Errors, including punctuation and spelling, make the text difficult to follow.

1 (A2.1)

Does not reply to more than one input. There is little language with such poor control as to make the text almost impossible to follow without considerable effort. Very basic everyday vocabulary. Lacks cohesion and/or uses linguistic devices inappropriately. Spelling and punctuation errors make the text almost impossible to follow.

0

Little or no meaningful language or the work is off-topic.



Keeps to the word count (30-40 words for each answer).



Replies fully to each piece of input.



Sentences follow on from one another in a coherent manner.



Uses a range of grammar and vocabulary.



Accurate grammar, spelling and punctuation. It is acceptable to have errors but the writing must be understood.

Part 4 5

Likely to be above the B2 level

4 (B2.2)

Task fulfilled in terms of appropriateness of register (i.e. two distinct registers used in the different messages written). Evidence of a clear, assured and W24

WRITING precise use of a broad range of grammatical forms. A good command of a broad lexicon. Good use of idiomatic expression and no impeding errors of grammar or lexis. Few if any errors of cohesion or coherence. 3 (B2.1)

Task partially fulfilled in terms of appropriateness of register (i.e. fully appropriate register used in one of the two different messages written). An adequate range of grammatical forms used, with no impeding errors. A good range of lexis with a high level of accuracy. Errors do not affect the message. Cohesive and coherent text using an adequate range of linguistic devices. Spelling and/or punctuation errors evident but these do not affect the message.

2 (B1.2)

Task not fulfilled in terms of appropriateness of register (i.e. appropriate register not used in either of the two different messages written). A relatively narrow range of grammatical forms used, with some impeding errors. The lexical range is adequate for the description of situation relating to him/herself. Some errors which tend to make understanding difficult. Attempts to use linguistic devices are not always consistent. Errors, including punctuation and spelling, can make understanding difficult.

1 (B1.1)

Task not fulfilled in terms of appropriateness of register (i.e. more evidence of awareness of register). A limited range of grammatical forms and vocabulary used and not always with sufficient accuracy. Errors may make the text difficult to follow. Lack systematic cohesion and/or uses linguistic devices inappropriately. Spelling and punctuation errors can make understanding difficult.

0

Clearly below B level or work is off-topic.



Understand the difference in writing to a friend as opposed to writing to an authority. The first text is casual and the second text is formal.



Answers the input in a coherent manner. The text makes sense.



Writing is clear, assured and precise using a range of cohesive devices to make the writing flow.



Grammar and vocabulary is broad and accurate.

W25