‘O’ LEVEL GUIDELINES:
COMPOSITION PAPER
OVERALL:
From an analysis of Examiners’ Reports, it can be seen that they are looking for:
· neat, accurate handwriting.
· appropriate paragraphing.
· clarity of communication.
Examiners have expressed concern over:
· lengthy Part 1 answers which leave insufficient time to complete Part 2.
· illegible handwriting.
· the lack of capital letters.
· punctuation errors, especially punctuation of direct speech.
· the inclusion of learned, rehearsed phrases used out of context.
Examiners have observed that:
‘candidates writing from personal experiences or conviction always produce the most lively and original responses’,
and that
‘uncertain candidates should choose a narrative topic or one from which they can write from personal experience’.
PART 1
Assessment Objectives:
To test the candidates ability to:
· produce a piece of continuous prose in accurate Standard English.
· respond relevantly to a task chosen from a number of alternatives.
Examiners will reward:
· sentences of various lengths and types which use a variety of sentence structures as an aid to meaning.
· a wide variety of vocabulary used with precision.
· paragraphs which demonstrate internal unity and are appropriately linked.
· accurate spelling.
· writing which responds with relevance and precision to the chosen topic.
· writing which engages and sustains the interest of the reader.
These objectives are met by using the grade descriptors contained in the ‘Marking Criteria’ section of this disc.
From an analysis of Examiners’ Reports, it can be seen that they are looking for:
· thoughtful, confident well-structured essays.
· enjoyment in, and enthusiasm for, writing on the chosen subject.
· consistent tense usage and verb formation.
Examiners have expressed concern over:
· limited or inaccurate use of complex grammatical structures.
· the management of tenses by weaker candidates.
· the selection of topics for which candidates had insufficient material.
· the use of non-standard English e.g. email/text message abbreviations.
· the use of obviously prepared essays.
PART 2
Assessment Objectives:
To test the candidates ability to:
· write a letter, report, speech, or newspaper/magazine article which communicates information clearly, accurately and economically.
· carry out the instructions in the question regarding the particular information required.
· write in accurate standard English using a style and tone appropriate to the task.
Examiners have expressed concern over:
· inappropriate levels of formality.
Examiners advise that:
· an audience needs to be addressed.
· a purpose needs to be served.
· specific information needs to be conveyed.
· candidates are expected to adopt a style and tone appropriate to the task.
· candidates should construct the event described clearly in their minds before beginning to write.
Examinations O Level Guidelines Composition