The empty field in the form
Original opinion extract, written for practice.
Our application form is wonderfully complete. Nobody can submit it while a box remains empty, which saves the office from chasing information afterwards. A colleague pointed out that the question about a previous employer does not apply to first-time applicants. They can type something. The system accepts at least three characters, and there is room for a full answer if they are sufficiently determined. I have suggested adding a note explaining this. Redesigning the form would take time which could be spent processing applications. The important thing is that everyone follows the same procedure. If a few people find an irrelevant question confusing, perhaps the form is performing a useful early test of their ability to solve problems without asking us to change anything.
Use your own words to evaluate the writer’s attitude to requiring every form field to be completed. Give details from the extract to justify your answer.
100 exam-style questions on CIE IGCSE English Language 5.2 Section A Directed Writing (40 marks), covering 5.2.1 Question structure and stimulus texts, 5.2.2 Question 1(a) analysis and evaluation of the text(s), and 5.2.3 Question 1(b) directed writing task. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.