Plan the two Paper 1 writing responses
Prepare an informal 120–160-word email and a 120–160-word formal or semi-formal response.
Section Paper 1 · Reading and Writing · six exercises
Exam scope and assessment notes
This is an original starter sequence, not a complete 130-guided-hour course or a timed specimen paper. Browser speech synthesis is supplemental practice, not Cambridge audio; an Afrikaans voice may be unavailable or use unsuitable pronunciation, accent or pacing. No speaking component is assessed in 0548. Writing examples are self-review models, not Cambridge marks or grades. A qualified Afrikaans teacher should review the original language before this is described as publication-ready.
Before you begin
Work on paper. Try each question before revealing help, and explain why your method works.
Quick readiness check
What are the two written formats required by Paper 1?
What you will learn
- Address the prompts and develop the content.
- Choose a consistent audience and format.
- Review content and language separately.
Use the rubric as a checklist
Both writing exercises use a short stimulus and printed prompts. Exercise 5 is an informal email; Exercise 6 is a formal/semi-formal article, report, essay or review.
Each response is 120–160 words. Marks are split between content (6) and language (9), including range, accuracy and organisation.
Write one short note for each requested point before drafting. Keep the first response friendly and the second appropriate to its intended reader.
Self-review honestly
Check that every prompt point is addressed, then review sentence clarity, tense, connector use and format.
A self-check can show omissions; it cannot reproduce Cambridge marking. A teacher should review the extended Afrikaans response.
Sources for this lesson
Pause and explain
What does the Paper 1 writing rubric specify?
Worked example
Your friend asks what you enjoyed at a community festival. Your teacher asks for a report recommending one improvement. Why should the two responses sound different?
Show the worked solution
- Identify the relationship with each reader.
- Choose the required format.
- Connect tone with purpose.
Answer The email to a friend can use a personal, informal voice. The report to a teacher should be more formal, factual and organised around the recommendation.
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.
Write a three-point plan for an informal email about a school trip: destination, activity and favourite moment.
Give me a hint
Use one bullet for each requested point.
Compare my reasoning
- Name the destination.
- Add one activity.
- Choose a favourite moment and a reason.
Plan: we went to the nature reserve; we walked beside the river; my favourite moment was seeing birds because it was the first time I had seen them nearby. In the final email, use an informal opening and about 120–160 words.
Look for these in your work
- Includes all three points
- Adds a relevant reason
- Fits the informal audience
Plan a formal article about reducing food waste at school. Include one current problem, one proposal and one expected benefit.
Give me a hint
Use a clear title and develop the proposal for the school audience.
Compare my reasoning
- State the problem.
- Explain one workable action.
- Link it to a likely benefit.
A suitable plan says uneaten food is discarded, proposes a share table or better meal planning, and explains how this may reduce waste. Verify school rules before presenting the proposal as feasible.
Look for these in your work
- Uses a relevant problem
- Explains an action
- Qualifies the expected benefit
You have written 170 words for an informal email. The content is complete but two ideas repeat. How can you revise it?
Give me a hint
Remove repetition before cutting a required prompt point.
Compare my reasoning
- Compare the email with the prompt.
- Combine repeated details.
- Check the revised length and friendly tone.
Combine the repeated ideas into one clear sentence, preserve every requested point, and recount. Aim for 120–160 words while keeping the informal voice.
Look for these in your work
- Keeps all required content
- Reduces repetition
- Checks length and tone
Common mistakes
- Using the same greeting and voice for both responses
- Missing a prompt point while polishing vocabulary
- Writing outside the stated length without checking
What can you explain now?
What does the Paper 1 writing rubric specify?
Compare with the explanation
The purpose, format and audience for each task
Those cues guide both content selection and language style.
After trying it yourself, choose your next review. This is your self-assessment.
Your review choice appears on Today. Sign in to sync it across devices.
Make it stick
Explain one decision that helped you answer: address the prompts and develop the content.
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.