First draft requirement: understand the syllabus point

1. Cambridge requirement. Candidates must include the first draft of one of the three assignments submitted. The first draft will not contribute to the final internally assessed mark or to the externally moderated mark for the portfolio.
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.

First draft requirement: a reliable method

1. Decode the task. Identify the required form, purpose, audience and voice. Select material that fulfils all four conditions rather than reproducing a rehearsed piece.
2. Plan a deliberate structure. Give each section a clear function and arrange details for development, contrast, suspense or persuasion. Paragraphing should reveal the logic.
3. Craft language precisely. Select concrete detail, controlled imagery and varied syntax. Vocabulary must fit the voice and meaning instead of sounding forced.
4. Edit systematically. Check overall coherence and task fulfilment first, then paragraph links, sentence control, punctuation and spelling.

First draft requirement: application and improvement

1. Worked thinking. In a descriptive response, organise details through a controlled viewpoint and progression rather than listing everything visible. A change in sound, light or distance can create a purposeful turning point.
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.