UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL EXAMINATIONS
General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Paper 1 Writing
Evaluation Prompts
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Composition Prompts
Students should be advised to write between 550 and 500 words.
1
Describe your favourite time of the year and explain what makes it special. (Students should
describe the characteristics of the time and not tell a story.)
2
Describe the sights, sounds and activities at the end of a busy day at school. (Students describe
the people and atmosphere and not just what everyone is doing.)
3
Describe how you are like and unlike one other member of your family. (Students describe
themselves and not just telling stories.)
4
Should all school pupils be taught to cook? Give reasons and examples to support your view.
5
Town or village life? Where would you prefer to live? Give reasons and examples to support
your view.
6
‘Many films are a bad influence on young people.’ What is your view?
7
Write a story which includes the words: ‘It was lucky that I ran as quickly as I did’.
8
Write a story which includes the sentence: ‘I could not believe how much the place had changed
since last year.’
9
Write a story which includes the sentence: ‘Although I knew what I wanted to say, at the important
moment I could not open my mouth.’
10
Dancing.
11
Trophies.
12
Good friends.
13 Write a story about an occasion when someone witnessed a very poor musical performance.
Students should include full details of what is poor about the performance to show that it is an
important part of your story.)
14 Write a story in which two different shops play an important part. (Students should include full
details of their importance in order to show how they are central to your story.)
15 Write about an occasion when you worried about a mistake you made but everything turned out
well.
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16
Describe two locations, one in the countryside and one in a town or city, which are special to
you. (Students describe the contrasting scenes rather than what they do there.)
17
Describe some of the different members of the crowd present at an entertainment
event. (Students describe the people and not telling the story of the event.)
18 Describe two interesting and different buildings in your neighbourhood. Students should
describe their appearance and atmosphere and not just tell stories about what happens in them
.
19 Is it better to have younger brothers and sisters or older ones? Give reasons and examples to
support your view.
20 ‘Young people should obey their elders without question.’ What is your view?
21 ‘Being very popular brings as many disadvantages as advantages.’ What is your opinion?
22
Write a story which starts or ends with the sentence: ‘When I entered the room I expected the
teacher to be very angry.’
23 Write a story which includes the sentence: ‘You want me to lead the group but I don’t think I have
the right qualities.’
24 Write a story which includes the sentence: ‘The job was extremely hard and the weather made it
more difficult.’
25 Promises.
26 Medicines.
27 Travel.
28 Write a story about a bus ride that had an unexpected ending.
29 Write a story in which someone behaves completely out of character. (Students should
include details of the person’s usual character before the incident which leads to unusual
behaviour.)
30 Write about an occasion when a group of neighbours turned against a local official.
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31
Describe a time when you prefer to be alone and a time when you like to be part of a crowd.
(Remember that you are describing the atmosphere and your feelings, not telling a story.)
32
What are the advantages and disadvantages of attending either a small school with few students
or a large school with many students?
33
Write a story which includes the sentence: ‘As we entered the building, the other people smiled as
if they knew something we did not.’
34
Bullies.
35
Write a story about someone who returned to a village or town after a long time away. (You should
include full details of why the person went away to show that it is an important part of your story.)
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