MARKING CAMBRIDGE
WRITING EXAMS
(WOULD I BE PENALISED FOR WRITING IN CAPITALS??) (WHAT ABOUT EXCESSIVE
PUNCTUATION???) (ND IN AN EMAIL???)
PET (B1)
PART 2





Postcard/Note/Email
5 marks
35-45 words
If cover all points and is
easy to understand it’s 5
marks even if there are
some minor
spelling/grammar
mistakes.
Middle Marker: all content
points attempted but
requires some effort by
reader or 1 content point
is missing but the others
are clearly understood
PART 3


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Letter / Story
15 marks
Real examiners will mark
it out of 20 (4 categories as
with FCE) and then
weight it to 15 marks.
To prepare students,
teachers are advised to
mark it out of 5 bands
using the band descriptors
and use the 3 marks
within each band for
wiggle room.)
Simpler Option

An English friend of yours called James gave a party yesterday, which you enjoyed. Write a card to send to
James. In your card, you should:

thank him for the party

say what you liked best

suggest when you could both meet again.

Write 35-45 words on your answer sheet.
19 out of 20 weights to 14 out of 15 (multiply the score that’s out of
20 by 0.75) 
20 out of 20 weights to 15 out of 15 (multiply the score that’s out of
20 by 0.75) 
13 out of 20 weights to 10 out of 15 (multiply the score that’s out of
20 by 0.75) 
9 out of 20 weights to 7 out of 15 (multiply the score that’s out of 20
by 0.75) 
The simpler marking option

I felt nervous when the phone rang.
TRAINING THROUGH
MARKING
Reading and Writing carry same weight so point
this out if you think the writing was rushed.
 Part 3 of Writing is worth 60% of the writing
marks.
 Although points are not penalised directly for bad
spelling and punctuation, this is an opportunity
for teaching.
 Too short is penalised. Too long isn’t but always
has an effect so draw a line. Don’t encourage
counting words but get students used to correct
length.

COMMON CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
Be more ambitious! Try to use a range of tenses
and vocabulary.
 You repeated the word ‘think’ 5 times. What
others ways could you have said it?
 This is a letter. Start and end it as a letter.
 We don’t say “kisses” in English. Instead say: See
you soon, Love, Best Wishes
 You didn’t refer to point 2. You must answer all
the content points in the question.
 Choose a name – not Dear Friend….
 “Furthermore” is too formal: try using “On top of
that…”
 “It was great to hear from you”

FCE (B2)
1 HOUR 20 MINS
PART 1
 Letter/Email
PART 2
with
notes
 120-150 words
 50% of marks
 Mark out of 20 (4
criteria)
 Choice
of
Article/Essay/
Letter/Report/
Review/Story
 120-180 words
 50% of marks
 Mark out of 20 (4
criteria)
ASSESSMENT SCALES
GLOSSARY
Marking Scheme for FCE
Simpler Version
ARTICLE
REVIEW
TRAINING THROUGH MARKING
What is the overall impression?
 How did they use the ‘suggestion/question’
opportunity to show off?
 Point out if they ‘lift’ from the input text.
 Does it look like a letter?
 Give credit if they attempt ambitous language.

FINAL COMMENT
If you are brought a paper to mark, have a quick check if some
parts are worth more points than others. For example, in FCE
Use of English, each question in part 4 is worth 2 points.
35 The two boys were sitting by themselves in the classroom
OWN
The two boys were sitting…………. in the classroom.
(all) on I their OWN