Write a source-based directed response
Turn linked source information into a clear argumentative or discursive response of about 250–350 Chinese characters.
Section CONTENT-MODERN · Modern fiction and non-fiction genres
Exam scope and assessment notes
This is an original online starter guide, not the complete approximately 130 guided learning hours, full-length timed papers, a Cambridge mark scheme, or an official grade. The short Chinese examples and all Chinese-language instruction need review by a qualified first-language Chinese teacher before publication. StudyForA self-checks cannot judge character formation, idiom, register or literary interpretation to Cambridge standards. Classical Chinese practice here teaches an approach but does not provide a complete, teacher-checked collection of Ming-dynasty texts.
Before you begin
Work on paper. Try each question before revealing help, and explain why your method works.
Quick readiness check
Which study action is best supported by this lesson?
What you will learn
- Communicate a relevant response using source ideas.
- Synthesize and sequence details in your own words.
- Match tone and form to the task while maintaining accurate Chinese characters and punctuation.
The Paper 1 task
The directed-writing question is compulsory and worth 25 marks. It uses two thematically linked modern non-fiction passages, with up to 600 Chinese characters combined. Responses are about 250–350 characters, use candidates' own words and should not import outside ideas.
Up to 15 marks are for content and up to 10 for quality of writing. The task also assesses R4 and R5 alongside W1–W5.
Build a response from a plan
Write a brief position or framing statement that answers the prompt. Group evidence from both passages into two or three points, then develop each point and keep the intended reader in mind.
Original examples are short skill demonstrations, not full character-count models or Cambridge responses. Do not use online character prediction or grammar correction as a substitute for learning to edit unaided.
Sources for this lesson
Pause and explain
What is the purpose of the directed-writing plan before drafting?
Worked example
Prompt: Write for a school newsletter about whether a shared garden is worthwhile. Source A gives learning benefits; Source B gives a maintenance concern. Plan the response.
Show the worked solution
- Answer the prompt with a clear, appropriately qualified position.
- Use one relevant point from each source.
- Explain how a practical condition could address the concern without adding unsupported facts.
Answer Possible plan: support a small trial because it offers practical learning; acknowledge that watering and care require organisation; propose evaluating whether a rota is manageable. This plan uses source points and labels the proposal as a response, not as a source fact.
Try a topic test
Choose Easy, Normal or Difficult. Save your answers and open worked review after finishing.
Test this topic →From guided practice to a new situation
Write your answer and reasoning first. Use a hint only if you are stuck. The model solution is for self-checking; your written work is not automatically marked.
Two sources say a school display shares student work and that clear labels help visitors understand it. The task asks how the display can inform families. Give a two-point plan.
Give me a hint
Use both details and link them to the audience.
Compare my reasoning
- Select the work-sharing point.
- Select the label point.
- Connect both to families' understanding.
Plan: the display lets families see students' work; clear labels explain what each project shows. This connects both source details to informing visitors.
Look for these in your work
- Uses both sources
- Links each point to the prompt
- Keeps the audience in view
A directed-writing draft says, «The new room will definitely improve every student's results.» Neither source discusses grades. Explain why the claim is unsuitable and revise it.
Give me a hint
Check the evidence and scope of the claim.
Compare my reasoning
- Identify the claim that goes beyond the sources.
- Replace certainty with a source-supported point.
- Keep the statement relevant to the prompt.
The sources do not measure grades, so the sentence is unsupported. A revision could say the room provides a quieter place to study, if that detail appears in one of the passages.
Look for these in your work
- Identifies unsupported content
- Uses a conditional source-linked revision
- Avoids claiming an unmeasured result
The audience is a youth group deciding whether to try a monthly community clean-up. One source describes local litter; the other says volunteers value meeting neighbours. Outline an appropriately balanced response in three steps.
Give me a hint
State the issue, connect both sources, then qualify the recommendation.
Compare my reasoning
- Use the litter detail to establish relevance.
- Use the social benefit without exaggerating it.
- Offer a trial or question as a qualified next step.
Possible outline: identify the litter concern; explain that volunteers also value meeting neighbours; recommend considering a one-month trial while checking access and participation. This uses the supplied ideas without claiming the clean-up will solve all litter.
Look for these in your work
- Uses both source points
- Balances benefit and scope
- Produces a clear sequence
Common mistakes
- Adding outside reasons to a source-based task
- Copying passages without integrating their ideas
- Ignoring the audience or the character range
What can you explain now?
What is the purpose of the directed-writing plan before drafting?
Compare with the explanation
Select and sequence source-supported points for the stated audience
Planning keeps the answer relevant and prevents unsupported additions.
After trying it yourself, choose your next review. This is your self-assessment.
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Make it stick
Explain one decision that helps you communicate a relevant response using source ideas.
If you needed the solution, close it and solve the problem again from a blank page. A correct answer is stronger when you can explain the reason for each step.