FCE Writing Critique and Correction

Details

Name: (Magda)

Writing Task: (Informal Letter)

Submitted: (24/12/09)

Marked: (27/12/09)

Instructions

Your submitted piece of writing appears on Page 3, with mistakes indicated using the
codes below. We suggest you:

read our general feedback of your writing on Page 2.

read through your work on Page 3 and try to correct the mistakes using the marking
codes below.

when you have corrected as much as you can turn to page 4 and compare your
corrections with our own.

finally read our summary on page 4

Marking Codes

/\ Word or words missing

? Dont understand - Omit word

C Capitalization error

Gd Good use of English

O Organisation lapse
P Punctuation

PE Poorly expressed/unclear

S Spelling

VF Verb form

WF Wrong form

WO Word order

WT Wrong tense

WW Wrong word
Copyright Flo-Joe 2010 1
Writing Task

Writing Paper: Part 2

Task type: Informal letter

Question

You have received the following letter from your English-speaking friend.

...We're doing a project this month at school on eating habits and customs around the
world. Will you be able to help me by telling me what the traditional meals are in
your country, what people typically eat and at what time of day?

Thanks very much!

Love Alison

Write a letter to your friend giving her the information she needs (around 120-180
words).

General Feedback (according to FCE marking criteria)

Content

+ All main points in the task were covered and dealt with logically.

Organisation and Cohesion

+ The letter is generally well organised into paragraphs although -- you should void using
short single sentences as a paragraph.

Range and Accuracy

+ There were several examples of good use of grammatical structures such as tenses
and sufficient vocabulary to answer the question fully.

Register and Format

+ The letter was written in an appropriately informal style, and the start and end of the
letter created a very friendly tone.

Target Reader

+ Your friend would be fully informed of the information she needs.

Copyright Flo-Joe 2010 2
Feedback: Indicated Mistakes

Dear Alison

I was very happy to hear from you. I will be glad to help you with your project, and I
hope that I can give you some details you could use. (Gd)

Mostly (WW) the (-) Polish people have breakfast before 7 am - some slices of bread
and butter, cheese, tomato, or cucumber and ham. They drink cofee (S) with milk or
tea.

We usually don't eat (WO) until we return home after work - i.e. about 4 pm. Then we
eat (/\) main meal of the day which usually consists of: (P) soup for the first course
and (/\) piece of meat, potatoes and salad for the second.

(O) Sometimes we have some sweets for dessert.

Between 7 and 8 pm most Polish families have their supper (P) which resebles (S)
breakfast but it is more heavy (WW) (which isn't very healthy).

Good luck with your project! (Gd)

Love

Magda

Copyright Flo-Joe 2010 3

Feedback: Corrected Task

Dear Sir or Madam

Dear Alison

I was very happy to hear from you. I will be glad to help you with your project, and I
hope that I can give you some details you could use.

(Most of the time/In most cases/Generally) Polish people have breakfast before 7
am - some slices of bread and butter, cheese, tomato, or cucumber and ham. They
drink (coffee) with milk or tea.

(We dont usually eat) until we return home after work - i.e. about 4 pm. Then we
eat (the) main meal of the day which usually consists of (no colon) soup for the first
course and (a) piece of meat, potatoes and salad for the second. Sometimes we have
some sweets for dessert.

Between 7 and 8 pm most Polish families have their supper(,) which (resembles)
breakfast but it is (richer/more rich) (which isn't very healthy).

Good luck with your project! (Gd)

Love

Magda

Feedback: Summary

This work IS of a standard we would expect from a student preparing for the FCE
exam. To maximize your chances of getting a good grade you should work on the
following areas:

You must check your use of articles.

You should make a note of your spelling.

You could revise word order when using adverbs like sometimes, usually etc.

Copyright Flo-Joe 2010 4