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5.2.3 Question 1(b) directed writing task

Question 1(b) directed writing task: understand the syllabus point

  1. Cambridge requirement. In Question 1(b) candidates use, develop and evaluate the information in the text(s) to create a discursive / argumentative / persuasive speech, letter, article or report.
  2. What successful performance shows. The learner applies the requirement accurately and purposefully in an unfamiliar context. Quality depends on relevant choices, developed support and clear control, not on a memorised label.
Key Idea
  • Turn the syllabus wording into an action you can demonstrate under timed conditions.

Question 1(b) directed writing task: a reliable method

  1. Prepare a flexible line of thought. Choose a focused topic, gather reliable supporting material and anticipate several directions the conversation could take. Prepare ideas rather than a memorised script.
  2. Shape the talk for listeners. Use a clear opening, purposeful sequence and concise ending. Examples and signposts should help the listener follow the argument.
  3. Control delivery. Speak audibly, vary pace and emphasis, and use vocabulary suited to the topic. Notes should prompt rather than replace genuine communication.
  4. Sustain interaction. Listen to the entire question, answer directly, justify viewpoints and extend the exchange with relevant detail. Ask for clarification if necessary.

Question 1(b) directed writing task: application and improvement

  1. Worked thinking. If a follow-up question challenges the talk's main claim, acknowledge the concern, answer it with a relevant example and explain whether the challenge changes or qualifies your position.
  2. Diagnose the weakness. Name the precise problem, such as copied wording, unsupported inference, feature spotting, weak organisation or inaccurate expression, then revise that feature and compare the result.
Exam technique
  • For Cambridge IGCSE First Language English 0500/0990, follow the paper and option entered by your centre. Read command words, source boundaries and word guidance carefully, and reserve time to check accuracy and task fulfilment.
Common Mistake
  • Do not force a generic paragraph structure onto every task. Use the structure that makes the required thinking clearest.
Self review
  • Can I explain question 1(b) directed writing task in my own words?
  • Can I apply the four-step method to an unfamiliar task?
  • Have I used precise evidence or deliberate crafted choices?
  • Can I identify and correct one likely weakness?
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In Question 1(b), you use, develop and evaluate information from the source text or texts. You transform that information into a discursive, argumentative or persuasive speech, letter, article or report.

A strong response does more than repeat the source. It selects relevant ideas, develops them with explanation or examples, evaluates their significance and shapes them for the intended audience and purpose.

Under timed conditions, turn the syllabus wording into actions: select, develop, evaluate and communicate. Use these four actions to guide your planning and writing.

Questions

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60 exam-style questions

Practice questions

Question 1

35 marks

Before we write it again

Text A: Keep the earlier attempt — an original student opinion

When our teacher asked us to rewrite an essay, I wanted a clean page. The first version contained sentences I would never choose now, and the comments seemed to cover more space than my argument. Then she asked us to compare one paragraph with something we had written six months earlier. I had remembered the old piece as better than it was. Seeing the two together made improvement visible in a way that a new score had not.

We should keep a small selection of earlier work and read it before beginning a substantial rewrite. A collection of polished final versions tells a misleading story about learning. It conceals the false starts, the examples that did not fit and the moment when a writer finally understood the question. Those are not embarrassing leftovers. They can show what changed and which change was worth making.

Looking back can also prevent us repeating an old difficulty without noticing. If every new essay is treated as an unrelated event, a teacher may write the same useful advice several times. A student who compares two introductions might recognise a habit that remains hidden inside the details of separate topics. That recognition gives the next attempt a particular aim instead of the vague instruction to do better.

I do not want a room full of folders nobody opens. Choose a few pieces, explain what they show and give students time to use them. The collection should belong to the learner, not become another display designed to prove that teaching has taken place. Its value is the conversation between attempts, not the weight of paper kept on a shelf. A brief note explaining why a piece was selected would help a future reader see the purpose of keeping it.

Text B: A fresh start can be useful — an original response from a writing tutor

Earlier work can reveal progress, but it can also hold a writer in the shape of an earlier answer. When students rewrite with the old paragraph directly beside them, they often replace a few words and preserve the same weak structure. The draft becomes a path which is difficult to leave. Sometimes I ask them to explain the argument aloud, put the original away and begin again from what they now understand.

There is another risk in compulsory collections. A student may see old work as evidence of failure rather than development, particularly if every piece is kept with its mark prominently attached. One learner enjoys seeing a sequence of drafts; another finds the growing file discouraging. We should not assume that the same ritual creates the same useful reflection for everyone.

Selection matters. An old piece written with extensive help may not be a fair comparison with a later timed response. Different questions also make different demands. If we claim improvement solely because a mark has risen, we may overlook those conditions. A thoughtful comparison asks what the writer can now do, not simply which number is larger or which page contains fewer corrections.

I would offer several ways to review. Students could identify one recurring difficulty, compare a short passage, or explain a change without retaining every full draft. They should be allowed to put an earlier version aside once it has served its purpose. Looking back is a tool, not a duty to remain surrounded by every mistake. The goal is a stronger next piece, which may require both remembering earlier choices and escaping them.

Your English class is discussing whether students should review earlier work before rewriting. Write a speech to your classmates giving your views and recommending a useful approach.

Use your own words and base your response on both sources. In your response:

  • evaluate what reviewing earlier work can reveal and what it may prevent
  • recommend how students should use or set aside earlier drafts when rewriting

Write about 250 to 350 words. Up to 10 marks are available for reading and up to 25 marks for writing.

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What does Question 1(b) require candidates to create from the source text(s)?

5.2.3 Question 1(b) directed writing task Revision Guide

  1. IGCSE
  2. /English Language
  3. /5.2.3 Question 1(b) directed writing task

Revision notes for CIE IGCSE English Language 5.2.3 Question 1(b) directed writing task: explanations and worked examples.

Revision guides