Writing Skill Techniques

Cambridge Paper 2 writing tasks are marked on two separate criteria:

1. Communication (Content and Structure)

• Does the response fulfil the task? (right text type, purpose, audience)
• Is it well-organised with clear paragraphing?
• Is the content relevant, developed, and engaging?
• Is the tone appropriate for the audience?

2. Language (Accuracy and Range)

• Accurate grammar (tenses, sentence structure, subject-verb agreement).
• Varied vocabulary (not repeating the same words).
• Range of sentence structures (not all simple sentences).
• Accurate punctuation and spelling.

Key insight: You can have brilliant ideas but poor grammar and cap your mark. Equally, perfect grammar with weak content development also caps your mark. You NEED both.

Examiner priorities (from reports):

• Engagement with the task (does it feel like the right type of writing?)
• Clear purpose throughout (not just the opening paragraph)
• Meaningful paragraphing (not just visual line breaks)

Why planning works: A plan forces you to think before you write. Without it, students run out of ideas mid-task, repeat themselves, or veer off the topic.

The 5-step micro-plan (takes 4–5 minutes):

1. Read the question twice. Circle: text type, audience, purpose, topic, word limit.
2. Brainstorm 5–7 ideas (bullet points, 10 seconds each — not full sentences).
3. Discard the weakest 2 ideas. Keep only the most relevant and developed ones.
4. Order the remaining points into a logical sequence (numbering them works well).
5. Note one or two vocabulary items you want to use — this prevents you forgetting them mid-flow.

Example plan for: "Write an article for your school magazine about the benefits of sport."

• Para 1: Hook (question or striking statistic) + introduce topic
• Para 2: Physical health benefits (specific detail — not just "it's healthy")
• Para 3: Mental health / wellbeing / stress relief
• Para 4: Social benefits — teamwork, friendship, discipline
• Para 5: Conclusion — call to action or reflective close

Total planning time: 4 minutes. Result: a focused, organised, fully developed article.

PURPOSE — what your writing is FOR: The task will tell you whether to inform, persuade, describe, advise, or entertain. Your entire piece must serve that purpose from first word to last.

• Inform: give facts, explain, be clear and accurate.
• Persuade: use evidence, emotional appeal, strong argument, call to action.
• Describe: use sensory detail, figurative language, create vivid images.
• Advise: use second person, modal verbs ('should', 'could'), practical suggestions.
• Entertain: use narrative, humour, engaging voice, suspense.

AUDIENCE — who you are writing FOR:

• Peers / classmates: semi-formal to informal; relatable examples; direct address.
• Adults / teachers: semi-formal to formal; respectful tone; avoid slang.
• General public: accessible language; clear structure; relatable.
• Experts: technical vocabulary acceptable; evidence-focused.

REGISTER — maintaining consistent formality:

Context	Register	Key features
School magazine article	Semi-formal	Engaging but structured, some direct address
Formal report	Formal	No contractions, third person, subheadings
Email to a friend	Informal	Contractions, first person, casual vocabulary
Letter of complaint	Formal	Polite, structured, no slang
Campaign speech	Semi-formal to persuasive	Direct address, rhetorical devices, passionate

Common mistake: Starting an email in formal register and gradually drifting into informal language. Register must be consistent throughout.

The universal structure for Paper 2 writing:

Opening paragraph (Introduction):

• Hook the reader immediately — question, striking statement, anecdote, or surprising fact.
• Introduce the topic and your angle.
• Signal what is to come (without listing everything mechanically).

Weak opening: "In this article I am going to write about the importance of exercise." Strong opening: "Every year, millions of teenagers spend hours in front of screens. Meanwhile, their fitness levels — and mental health — quietly decline. The solution might be simpler than anyone thinks."

Body paragraphs (Development):

• Each paragraph = ONE main idea.
• Begin each with a topic sentence that states the main point.
• Develop with evidence, example, or detail.
• End with a linking sentence that connects to the next paragraph.
• Typical: 3–4 body paragraphs for a Cambridge writing task.

Concluding paragraph:

• Do NOT introduce new information.
• Summarise your key point(s) briefly.
• For persuasive writing: end with a call to action or a powerful rhetorical appeal.
• For informational writing: a forward-looking or reflective close.

TEEL paragraph structure:

• Topic sentence (state the main point of this paragraph)
• Evidence / Example (support the point)
• Explanation (explain how this supports your main idea)
• Link (connect to the next paragraph)

1. Varied sentence structures:

• Simple: "Exercise is important."
• Compound: "Exercise is important, and it can be enjoyable too."
• Complex: "Although many students find it difficult to find time, regular exercise significantly improves concentration."
• Complex-compound: "Although exercise is demanding, students who commit to it regularly report better grades, improved sleep, and stronger friendships."

Aim for a mix of all four across your response.

2. Varied vocabulary:

• Use a thesaurus in preparation (not in the exam!).
• Avoid repeating the same key words. Synonyms: important → vital, crucial, essential, significant, fundamental.
• Avoid generic words: good → beneficial, rewarding, transformative; bad → detrimental, harmful, alarming.

3. Cohesive devices (linking words and phrases): These connect your ideas and show logical thinking:

Function	Examples
Adding	furthermore, in addition, moreover, also
Contrasting	however, on the other hand, despite this, nevertheless
Cause/effect	as a result, consequently, therefore, this leads to
Emphasising	in particular, above all, most importantly
Concluding	in conclusion, ultimately, to summarise

4. Figurative language in descriptive/persuasive writing: A carefully chosen metaphor or simile can transform an ordinary paragraph. But use sparingly — one strong image per paragraph is better than five weak ones.

5. Sentence length variation: Alternate long and short sentences. A short sentence after several long ones creates impact. Like this.

The 5-point editing checklist:

1. Tense consistency. Did you stay in the same tense throughout? Mixing past and present tense mid-paragraph is a common error.

2. Subject-verb agreement. "The group of students are…" → should be "The group is…" (the subject is 'the group', singular).

3. Apostrophes. Possession: student's (one student), students' (many students). Contraction: it's (it is) vs its (belonging to it).

4. Sentence boundaries. Avoid run-on sentences (two sentences joined without punctuation) and fragments (incomplete sentences).

5. Vocabulary repetition. Circle any word used 3+ times and replace at least two instances with a synonym.

What NOT to do:

• Don't cross out a whole paragraph and rewrite it in the margin — the examiner reads both and it creates confusion.
• Don't correct with messy scribbles — use a single neat line through the error.
• Don't change something that was correct — trust your first instinct.

Time management for Paper 2:

• Read and plan: 5 minutes per task.
• Write: remainder minus 3 minutes.
• Edit and check: 3–4 minutes per task.