Question 1(b): How to Write an Article (Cambridge International IGCSE English Language)

Paper 2: Question 1(b): how to write an article

Question 1(b): how to write an article

For Question 1(b), you will be asked to write in one of four possible formats (genres):

• Speech
• Letter
• Article
• Report

Up to 10 marks are available for reading skills, and up to 25 marks are available for writing skills.

The following guide will detail how to structure your response in the style of an article.

Key features of an article

The language and tone of your article will be determined by the task and subject, but the following are the basic features of an article which you could include in your response:

Because an article is intended for publication, it is important to use Standard English and to vary your sentence and paragraph lengths to keep your audience engaged.

The heading, strapline and opening paragraph of an article can employ lots of persuasive devices to hook your reader and introduce your point of view. For example:

Exam Hint Rhetorical questions are commonly used as headings, but they can be too simplistic or too general, so consider how you can make your headline sophisticated and specific. Choosing a simple statement can be very effective, using a play on words taken from the article topic.

Article structure

The ideas and opinions you put forward in your article will be based on what you have read in the text(s). However, your opinion can either be in favour of something, or against it, as long as you are able to sustain a convincing argument and a consistent point of view.

• Your article should be structured into four or five paragraphs:

  • Remember, each paragraph does not have to be the same length
  • Better answers vary the lengths of their paragraphs for effect
  • Develop separate ideas or points in each paragraph
  • But avoid repeating the same idea throughout your article

Remember that to produce an effective response, you should aim to develop your points carefully in each paragraph, using language features and techniques to highlight ideas and emphasise your points.

Exam Hint While writing in the correct form as instructed is important in this question, you only need to adhere to the basic conventions of an article. Drawing columns or spending too much time thinking up the perfect headline wastes valuable time and will not improve your mark.

Remember, it is more important that you adapt your style, language and tone to suit the intended audience and purpose, and that you construct a well-structured and coherent piece of writing, than waste time on the layout of your response.

For more guidance, please see our article model answer.