IGCSEEnglish Language A: Paper 1: Non-fiction Texts and Transactional WritingEdexcelRevision NotesPaper 1: Non-fictionPaper 1: Section B WritingLetter Model Answer

Letter Model Answer (Edexcel IGCSE English Language A)

Revision Note

Deb Orrock

Expertise

English

Remember, in Section B you will be given a choice of two questions, and each question will give you the option of writing in one of the following forms (genres):

  • A letter

  • A leaflet

  • A review

  • A speech

  • A guide

  • An article

You only complete one task from the choice of two. Remember to put a cross in the box to indicate whether you have chosen Question 6 or Question 7 in your answer booklet. You won’t know which genre will come up in the exam, so it’s a great idea to be prepared for all six types.

The following guide will demonstrate how to answer a Section B task in the format of a letter. The task itself is taken from a past exam paper. It includes:

  • Question breakdown

  • Planning your response

  • Letter model answer with annotations

Question breakdown

The first thing you should do is to read the task carefully and identify the format, audience and purpose of the task. This is sometimes referred to as a GAP analysis or the “3 Ws”:

G

A

P

Genre (format)

Audience

Purpose

What am I writing?

Who am I writing for?

Why am I writing?

For example:

An example of a letter task with a what who and why analysis
Section B letter example

For this task, the focus is on communicating ideas about what items could be displayed in the new exhibition. However, which museum you choose and what ideas you put forward are up to you. You could even choose to be writing from the “future”, looking back on the 21st century. Remember, more focused responses gain higher marks. The response should be set out as a formal letter, using organisational features, but you do not have to include postal addresses. There should be clear organisation and structure with an introduction, development of points and a conclusion.

Planning your response

You should spend 5 minutes writing a brief plan before you start writing your response. 

For example:

A mindmap showing a plan for a letter called "Life in the 21st Century"
Letter plan

Letter model answer with annotations

Remember, this task is worth 45 marks. Your answer might not always satisfy every one of the assessment criteria for a particular level, but examiners apply a best-fit approach to determine the mark which corresponds most closely to the overall quality of the response.

To get the highest mark, you are aiming to meet the Level 5 marking criteria:

AO5

23-27 marks

  • Communication is perceptive, mature and sophisticated

  • The response is sharply focused on the purpose of the task and the expectations/requirements of the intended reader

  • There is sophisticated use of form, tone and register

AO6

16-18 marks

  • The response manipulates complex ideas, using a range of structural and grammatical features to support overall coherence and cohesion

  • The response uses extensive vocabulary strategically, with only occasional spelling errors which do not detract from overall meaning

  • The response is punctuated with accuracy to aid emphasis and meaning, using a range of sentence structures accurately and selectively to achieve particular effects

The following model answer is an example of a top-mark response to the above task:

9th April


Dear Sir/Madam, [Marking comment]


In a recent mail-out you sent information about an upcoming exhibition entitled “Life in the Twenty-First Century” and invited suggestions and contributions from previous visitors about possible items for inclusion in this display. [Marking comment]As a keen supporter of the museum, I welcome the opportunity to put forward some suggestions and why I think these items should be included in the new exhibition. [Marking comment]


Firstly, [Marking comment]I believe the exhibition should focus on major world events from the 21st century, but from the point of view of people in the UK. While the devastating attacks on the World Trade Centre in 2001 affected mainly US citizens, there were UK citizens also both directly and indirectly affected. There were nearly 70 British victims of the attacks, as well as some survivors who now live back in the UK, and it is important for their voices to be heard. One suggestion would be for a series of recordings by people associated with the event, alongside visual images. [Marking comment] This would provide a unique British perspective on the event and how it affected people on both sides of the Atlantic. The exhibit could also feature examples of how life has changed following the attacks, such as increased security on flights and not being able to take more than 100ml of liquid on board aircraft.


Arguably the biggest global event of the 21st century has been the Coronavirus pandemic, affecting all corners of the world. The exhibition could explore the impact of the pandemic and lockdown on British citizens, again making use of multimedia to show clips from the Government briefings, including Professor Chris Whitty’s now infamous “Next slide please” phrase. Items such as lateral flow tests, masks and PPE equipment could contrast with the human impact of lockdown, and evidence from the UK Covid-19 Inquiry. Examples of artwork and photographs taken by ordinary people would also contribute to an overall picture of life during this extraordinary period. [Marking comment]

Another interesting addition to the exhibition would be to demonstrate just how quickly technology has changed since the beginning of the 21st century. Smartphones, smartwatches, tablets and the latest VR equipment could be displayed chronologically, along with now obsolete items, highlighting the rapid scale of development in this area. Innovations in medical technology, such as artificial limbs and robotics, could also show the pace of change, with maybe some indication of where this technology is going in the next few years. Young people are especially interested in the latest technology and what might be coming up next, so this would help encourage more people to attend. [Marking comment] This part of the exhibition could also be used to showcase new British technology and innovation, and this area could also be a more light-hearted addition, comparing commonplace technology at the start of the 21st century to now. Landlines anyone? [Marking comment]


Finally, as life in the 21st century is extremely varied, I believe it would be useful to maintain a focus or common thread throughout whatever is exhibited, which is why I’ve suggested a UK perspective. I hope my suggestions about world events may be of interest to you, but just as interesting would be a showcase of everyday life and how this has changed in a relatively short amount of time. Whatever you decide, I look forward to visiting. [Marking comment]

Yours faithfully,

K.Brown [Marking comment]

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    Deb Orrock

    Author: Deb Orrock

    Deb is a graduate of Lancaster University and The University of Wolverhampton. After some time travelling and a successful career in the travel industry, she re-trained in education, specialising in literacy. She has over 16 years’ experience of working in education, teaching English Literature, English Language, Functional Skills English, ESOL and on Access to HE courses. She has also held curriculum and quality manager roles, and worked with organisations on embedding literacy and numeracy into vocational curriculums. She most recently managed a post-16 English curriculum as well as writing educational content and resources.