FCE - ARTICLE

Writing Part 240 mins

Writing Part 2 - Article

Writing Part 240 mins

ARTICLE

FCE Articles Articles in First Certificate are usually written for English magazines or newsletters. The main thing is to make your articles interesting to read, and to give your opinions on the topic. THE TASK: You read this announcement in a magazine: what’s the best surprise you’ve ever had? Why was it a surprise? How did you feel when it happened? Send us your answers. We’ll publish the best ones. Write your article in 140-190 words.

Writing Part 240 mins

Five Things You Need to Know about Writing Articles

ARTICLE

In Cambridge First or Cambridge Advanced, you might be asked to write an article. But do you know what makes an article different from other types of writing? 1 The reader is identified An article is like a direct conversation with the reader. The exam question might tell you who your readers are. For example, the students at a school, or the people living in a town or people who are interested in sports. Everything you write must speak to that reader and engage their interest right from the first sentence. 2 It has to get attention If you're anywhere on the internet these days, you'll be bombarded with articles with headlines that pull the reader in. It's called "click baiting" and all the writer is trying to do is make you open the page to read their article. You need to think like a journalist when you're writing your article. Look at the heading and the first line of this article. How did I get your attention?*

Writing Part 240 mins

3 It has to be interestingFor an article to work, it has to be engaging enough to read all the way through. Remember how bored the examiner must be after reading fifty exam papers. Make it easier for them to get a good impression about your writing by entertaining them. Add humour, real life or made up examples, or make up quotes. 4 It has to be easy to read Use subheadings to break up the text and make clear paragraphs. Write in a semi-informal, conversational style. And make sure there is organisation to your ideas. The planning stage is vital for this. Think what your subheadings might be and then write a short introduction that lets the reader know what to expect. Keep in mind that you want the reader to keep reading, so don't tell them exactly what they will read. This is not an essay! In an essay you usually restate the question, explain how you will answer it and maybe say why it's important. In an article, that will kill the reader's interest.

ARTICLE

Writing Part 240 mins

5 Write a good ending In an essay you sum up the points that have gone before and draw a conclusion from that. But in an article, it's better to give the reader something to think about, perhaps by asking them another question or giving them a call to action. Often, the best endings link back to the starting point in some way. Here are two endings I could use for this article: 1) Look at your internet browsing history from the last day. Which articles got your attention? Can you see how they did it? 2) So, now you know how to write an article, why don't you write one giving advice on something you know about?

ARTICLE

Writing Part 240 mins

Common mistakes students make in articles 1) The language is too formal and more suited to essays. Avoid words like: to sum up, some people say, nevertheless, on one hand etc. 2) They don't use quotes or examples 3) They either use not enough, or too many, questions. The questions, called rhetorical questions because they don't require an answer, shouldn't be more than one per paragraph. Good examples are: Have you ever ……..? What do you think about ……..? Are you one of those people who thinks that ……? What would life be like if ……? Will the future bring us ….. ? 4) A title which makes the subject immediately clear. For some reason, people like reading lists! And a direct, rhetorical question in the first paragraph to make readers want to find out the answer.

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Writing Part 240 mins

You see this competition in an international magazine.

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COMPETITION

Imagine you were on a desert island. What would you miss most? Write an article briefly describing an important object, person or place in your life and give reasons for your choice. The best article will be published and the writer will receive £500. Write your article in 140- 190 words in an appropriate style on the separate answer sheet.

Writing Part 240 mins

Sample answer 1:

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Have you ever thought about the most important possessions you can barely live without? Would they be your bare necessities on a desert island? Well, for me it’d definitely be my mobile accompanied by a solar charger and a week supply of my favourite chocolate. Reading books and taking photos are just a few of daily activities I’ll be occupying myself with during the lonely stay on an island, hence the latest smartphone and a solar charger are my top items. An abundance of ‘me-time’ guaranteed on an island, which I’ve lacked for ages, would come handy when devouring Stephen King’s and Jeffrey Archer’s ebooks. Skills I’ve learnt on a survival course will definitely help me get by on an island however as I’m a chocoholic, I’d definitely opt for a week supply of my favourite chocolate bar. Having mastered tricks like catching a fish or igniting a fire without a lighter, which even Bear Grylls will praise me on, can hardly replace heavenly delicious Milka chocolate. I don’t know how you feel about staying on a desert island, but I can guarantee I would be far from bored. Just imagine all those hot sunny days and warm starry nights with my favourite book and mouthing-watering chocolate. (209 words)

Writing Part 240 mins

Sample answer 2:

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Life away from home

How would you feel about living on a desert island? I can’t imagine anything worse. I would miss a lot of things, but most of all I would miss my home.

My home is a small house on the outskirts of a city. It was built about fifty years ago and has a small garden. In the summer our country gets very hot but our house is always cool.

You would probably think our house is nothing special, but I have lived there all my life and all my friends live nearby. It is a happy place, where I feel completely safe. Whenever I go away, I look forward to coming back, lying on my bed, reading a book and listening to my brother and sister arguing downstairs!

I love travelling and meeting new people, but if I were on a desert island I would be away from the place I love most — my home — and I would hate that.

Writing Part 240 mins

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Practise!