B1 Preliminary for Schools

Lesson Plan: Writing

This lesson plan accompanies B1 Preliminary for Schools 1, Test 1, Writing , Parts 1 and 2 (
Questions 1, 2 and 3). Activities for Questions 1, 2 and 3 are included for the teacher to
select the tasks they wish to include in their lesson. Time is allocated for completing the
written tasks but depending on the stage of the students, one or more of the tasks could be
set for homework.

This lesson is suitable for students at the beginning or middle of their B1 Preliminary for
Schools course. Such students probably don’t have experience of tackling such test items
and may need to develop their basic writing, including spelling and punctuation skills.

Lesson Goals

• To familiarise students with some task types in the writing examination at this level
• To consolidate ways of expressing opinions, making suggestions and stating
preferences
• To develop an understanding of register (formal and informal) when writing
• To help students structure a piece of creative writing
• To review some irregular verbs in the simple past and basic connectives for
sequencing

Time Interaction
needed
Warmer - Individual copies of Parts 1 and 2 or show to the class on the 10 mins
IWB

1. Ask students to discuss in pairs or small groups how 5 mins T-S

long they should plan to spend on completing the
writing part of this paper. Also ask them to choose in
what order they would attempt the three questions, if
they were short of time. Elicit their ideas to the whole
class and give them a time recommendation (about 45
mins).

2. Brainstorm with your students sporting activities. Tell 5 mins T-S

them to mention the places in their area, where young

B1 Preliminary for Schools Writing Lesson Plan

© Cambridge University Press and Cambridge Assessment 2019
 people can do these activities. Elicit their ideas to the
whole class. Pair them to discuss if they think it’s
important for young people to do regular exercise and
give their reasons why or why not. Elicit their reasons
to the whole class. Tell them they will come back to this
later in the lesson.
Main activities - Individual copies of Parts 1 and 2 and 35 to 40
Questions 1, 2 and 3 mins

Part 1 (Question 1) 15-20 mins

3. Clarify that this is a common exam type and learners 1 mins T-S
must firstly decide if the language of the email is formal
or informal and that their reply must be in the same
register. Elicit that this is a formal email, because it is
from their teacher.

4. Ask students to individually read the instructions and 5 mins T-S-S

underline the key words. Then pair them to discuss the
following questions before eliciting the answers:
What must you do in this part? (Answer: Say that you think
the talent competition is a good idea and then answer the
teacher’s three questions. Write answers about all three
points:
I think the talent show could be for……
I agree/don’t agree that……
I suggest that the winners should receive….

• How many words? (Answer: 100)

How to start/finish the email? (Answer: Dear Mrs Hallam,
Best wishes X)

5. Give students a time limit (8-10 minutes) and ask them 8 – 10 mins T-S
individually to write an answer to the email. They could
exchange papers when they have finished to check if
they have covered the four points within the word
count.

B1 Preliminary for Schools Writing Lesson Plan

© Cambridge University Press and Cambridge Assessment 2019
 Part 2 Question 2 (25-30 min)

6. Elicit or present some of the features that an article should 10 mins T-S
contain:

• an interesting title to engage readers

• a clear opening paragraph to say what the article is about
• a paragraph containing key information
• a concluding paragraph.

Ask students to quickly write a mind map of sporting activities and

reasons for doing exercise, based on the warmer at the beginning
of the lesson.

7. Elicit expressions students can use to describe the provision for 5 mins S-S
sporting activities in the local area:

• There are very few/a few/no/lots of opportunities to do

sport and exercise.
• There is a……….swimming pool/tennis club/football
pitch/cycle track etc.
• The nearest sport club/running track/park is ……. miles
away.

8. Students work in pairs to compile a list based on the warmer of 5 mins S-S
the reasons for doing/not doing sport or exercise. Elicit their
reasons from the whole class.

• good for health

• keep fit
• lose weight etc.

9. Give students a time limit (10 minutes) and ask them 10 min S-S then T-S
individually to write an article incorporating the ideas from the
mind map and the list.

They could exchange articles when they have finished to check if (5 mins) S-S
they have written an interesting title, included an opening
paragraph followed by a paragraph containing details of local
facilities and good reasons for doing exercise. Peers could also
monitor spelling and punctuation and give feedback.

B1 Preliminary for Schools Writing Lesson Plan

© Cambridge University Press and Cambridge Assessment 2019
 Part 2 Question 3 (25-30mins)

This is an extension activity, if time is available or could replace

Question 2, if preferred.

10. Read through the opening sentence with the class and elicit 5 mins S-S
that the task is to continue the story using it as a starting point.
Ask a series of questions to the whole class to provide a stimulus:
• Who do you think Lois was?
• Why do you think she smiled?
• What do you think the tickets were for?
• Where do you think she went after she left her house?
• Do you think she met anybody?

Encourage students to share a range of different ideas. 5 mins T-S

Point out that students can make a story more interesting if they
include a ‘turning point’ which could be something very important,
unexpected or surprising.
Ask students to think of examples of turning points in their own
lives. Point out that they also need to write a suitable ending to
their story. This could be happy, sad or again unexpected.

12. Elicit that students must use the past simple to tell the story 5 mins T-S
and that they can make it more interesting, if they use a range of
connectives.
Brainstorm simple time connectives that students could use to
sequence their story:
• First/Firstly
• Next
• Then
• After that
• Finally

You might make brief notes on the board for additional support.

Support activity - Individual copies of Resource 1 10 mins S-S

Use this worksheet to review some common verbs in the past
simple and to provide a few examples of verbs students could use
in their story:

B1 Preliminary for Schools Writing Lesson Plan

© Cambridge University Press and Cambridge Assessment 2019
 Give students 10 minutes to work individually to write a story
incorporating the ideas from the stimulus questions and the
brainstorm on connectives.

They could exchange stories when they have finished to check if

they have written an interesting text in the past simple with
accurate spelling and punctuation.

Support activity - Individual copies of Resource 2 5 mins T-S

Use this worksheet to structure and support students’ feedback to
each other on written work.
Review
Elicit what students have learned in the lesson. Encourage 5 mins S-S and T-S
discussion/comments on how to decide on register and how to
structure writing tasks to make them both clear and interesting
etc.

B1 Preliminary for Schools Writing Lesson Plan

© Cambridge University Press and Cambridge Assessment 2019
Resource 1

Write the past simple of these verbs.

1 meet ____
2 see ____
3 go ____
4 find ____
5 buy ____
6 fly ____
7 get ____
8 do ____
9 say ____
10 tell ____

Key:

1 meet met
2 see saw
3 go went
4 find found
5 buy bought
6 fly flew
7 get got
8 do did
9 say said
10 tell told

B1 Preliminary for Schools Writing Lesson Plan

© Cambridge University Press and Cambridge Assessment 2019
Resource 2

Peer review check list.

When you are reviewing your partner’s written work, use the following points
to guide your analysis:

• Is the word count correct?

• Has your partner FULLY answered the question?
• Has your partner written the correct text type?
(email/article/story)
• Is the text in the correct register?
• Are there any spelling errors or mistakes in punctuation or use of
capital letters?
• Is the vocabulary varied and interesting? (adjectives/adverbs)
• Is the grammar accurate?
• Is there a variety of tenses?
• Does the partner write an appropriate mixture of simple and
compound sentences? (connectives)

B1 Preliminary for Schools Writing Lesson Plan

© Cambridge University Press and Cambridge Assessment 2019
Test 1

WRITING (45 minutes)

Part 1
You must answer this question.
Write your answer in about 100 words on the answer sheet.

Question 1
Read this email from your English teacher Mrs Hallam and the notes you have made.

EMAIL

From: Mrs Hallam

To: All students

Subject: School talent show

Dear Students,

I’m planning to organise a school talent competition. Students

taking part in the competition can sing, dance, play a musical Good idea!
instrument or perform in some other way.

The talent show could be for students of all ages, or just for
students over 15. Which do you think would be better?
Explain
which is
I think that some parents should judge the competition.
better
Do you agree?
Tell Mrs
And finally, what prizes do you think the winners should
Hallam
receive?

Please reply soon.

Beatrice Hallam Suggest …

Write your email to Mrs Hallam using all the notes.

18
 Writing

Part 2
Choose one of these questions.
Write your answer in about 100 words on the answer sheet.

Question 2
You see this announcement on an English-language website.

Articles wanted!

Sport and exercise

Are there enough sports activities for young people to do in your area?
Do you think it’s important for young people to do sport and exercise?

Why?

Write an article answering these questions and we’ll publish the best ones.

Write your article.

Question 3
Your English teacher has asked you to write a story.
Your story must begin with this sentence.

Lois smiled as she put the tickets in her pocket and walked out of
her house.
Write your story.

19
 Test 1 answer key

Writing
Question 1
Sample answer A

Dear Mrs Hallam, I think the talent competicion is a really good idea.

I think it will be better if the show is for boys and girls over fiveteen, because the younger
students won’t do it as well as the older students.

About the judges, I’m agree with your idea but just the parents that their soons and
daughters doesn’t participate should judge, and maybe some teachers can judge too.

I think it will be good to give some tikets to have free food from the cantine of the school
or a week in the school sumer camp it’s an other good option.

That’s all what I have to say about the talent show.

Thanks, Marta

Subscale Mark Commentary

All content is relevant to the task. The target reader is fully informed about all
Content 5
four points in the task.
The email uses an appropriately formal opening, Dear Mrs Hallam, and
continues in a polite tone, I’m agree with your idea but; I think it will be good
Communicative to give; Thanks. The points in the task are developed and the writer provides
5
Achievement information to support their own ideas, because the younger students won’t
do it as well as the older students. The target reader’s attention is held
throughout.
The text is generally well-organised. The paragraphs focus on each aspect
separately and each new idea is introduced appropriately, I think it will be
better if the show is for boys and girls; About the judges; I think it will be
Organisation 4
good to give some tikets, and the email concludes naturally, That’s all what I
have to say about the talent show. There are some examples of linking words
and cohesive devices, because; as well as; About; but; or.
The vocabulary is appropriate for the task, younger; older; daughters;
participate; school sumer camp; option. There are some examples of some
slightly more complex grammar, including conditionals and comparatives,
Language 4
I think it will be better if; won’t do it as well as the. There are some errors
connected with spelling, competicion; fiveteen; soons; tikets; cantine; sumer;
an other, but these do not impede communication. 

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Test 1 answer key

Sample answer B

Hi Mrs Hallam

I think that is a good idea, some students will be superstars for one day.

I think that it will be better if only can participate students over 15 because it will be
more funny for us.

If some parents judge the competition it will be bored, and it will be more funny if some
teachers of our school judge the competition.

The prize it will be some candys for all the performers and only two tickets to go to the
final of the champions in Kiev for the first winner.

Bye see you soon

Amav Montero

Subscale Mark Commentary

All content is relevant to the task. The target reader is fully informed about
Content 5
the four points in the task.
The email is written in a generally appropriate way. The language used is
quite informal for an email to a teacher, but it is used consistently, Hi Mrs
Communicative
3 Hallam; Bye see you soon. The information is given in a very straightforward
Achievement
manner, I think; it will be bored; The prize it will be, and there is not much
development of the points.
The text is simply organised into four paragraphs with each one focusing on
one of the points in the input material. Simple linking words are used within
Organisation 3 sentences, because; if; and, and there is some use of relative pronouns and
different nouns to avoid repetition, that is a good idea; it; the performers…the
first winner.
The vocabulary is suitable for the task, superstars; participate; funny; bored;
teachers; candys; performers; tickets; final of the champions. However,
some of it has been repeated from the input material, students; judge the
competition; prize; winner. The sentences have quite simple construction and
Language 3 there are examples of present and simple future tenses, although there is not
much variety, students will be; will be better; will be more funny; to go to the
final. There is one example of a conditional tense used correctly in the third
paragraph. There some errors with the formation of adjectives, bored, and
some word order confusion, if only can participate, but these do not impede.

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 Test 1 answer key

Question 2
Sample answer A

In my zone there aren’t a lot of areas to do sport without paying. I will like more areas
where you can play with your friends and had a good time doing sport with friends,
family or school partners I think all ages people have to do sport and young people
too. It’s important to do sport regulary if you are young you have to do sport more
than when you are older. Young people have to do more sport to be healthy and grew
up correctly. I will like to have more areas to make sport and saw all ages people there
doing sport. I will like to invite some friends there and make a football match.

Subscale Mark Commentary

All content is relevant to the task.

Content 5
The target reader is fully informed about the questions in the task.
The article is written in an appropriate style. There is some language of
opinion, ‘I think; It’s important to do’, and both positive and negative aspects
are discussed, ‘In my zone there aren’t a lot of areas to do sport without
paying. I will like to see more areas’. The reader’s attention is held due to
Communicative
5 the way the ideas are communicated, using language of persuasion and
Achievement
highlighting the positive outcomes of doing sport, ‘more areas where you
can play with your friends and had a good time doing sport with friends,
family or school partners; Young people have to do more sport to be healthy
and grew up correctly’.
The text is generally well organised overall, despite the use of only one
paragraph. The structure follows the pattern of the input material and
although some of the information is repeated, this emphasises the main idea,
Organisation 4 ‘I will like more areas where you can play with your friends; I will like to have
more areas to make sport and saw all ages people there’. There is some use
of linking words within the sentences, ‘where; and; or; too; if’, but very few
sentences are linked together.
The vocabulary is appropriate for the task, ‘zone; school partners; important;
older; healthy correctly; football match’, but some words are used repeatedly,
‘areas; friends; sport; people’.
The grammatical structures are generally accurately, ‘there aren’t; sport
without paying; have to do sport; It’s important…if you are; more than when
Language 4
you are older’, but there is some repetition of certain phrases, ‘I will like; to
do sport’.
There are a few errors, some repeated, but these do not affect
communication, ‘I will like; had a good time; all ages people; regulary; grew
up; and saw all ages’.

99
Test 1 answer key

Sample answer B

Yes I think there is a lot sport activities for young people and there is a lot of variety,
you can found an esport from karate to football. I think you wouldn’t be worry for this
becaus I am sure that there is one esport that young people like.

Yes, I think the esport is very important to children because they are exhausted of
exams and doing sport is a realy good form to relax and enjoy your free time.

Please reply soon

Adriana De Lima

Subscale Mark Commentary

All content is relevant to the task. The target reader is fully informed about
Content 5
each of the questions in the task.
The article is written in a generally appropriate way, personal opinions are
expressed and the benefits of sport are explained, I think there is; I am sure
Communicative
4 that; I think the esport is…and doing sport is… The ending, Please reply
Achievement
soon, would be more suitable for a letter, but this does not have too much of
a negative impact. Straightforward ideas are communicated.
The text is connected and coherent. Paragraphs are used to focus on
each aspect of the task and there is some use of linking words to organise
the ideas within the sentences, and; from karate to football; becaus. The
Organisation 3 
questions from the input material are referred to and answered directly with
the same language, Yes I think there is a lot; Yes, I think the esport, which is
fine, but a little repetitive.
The text is quite short, only 83 words, which limits the amount of language
which is used and which can be assessed. However, the vocabulary which
has been used is suitable for the task, variety; karate; football; exhausted;
exams; relax; enjoy your free time. Simple grammatical forms, mainly present
Language 3 
tenses, have been used, there is a lot of variety; I am sure that there is;
esport is very important to children; they are exhausted; doing sport is a
realy good form to relax and enjoy. There are some errors, is a lot of sport
activities; you wouldn’t be worry, but these do not impede communication.

100
 Test 1 answer key

Question 3
Sample answer A

Lois smiled as she put the tickets in her pocket and walked out of her house. These
tickets were givven to her by her husband James as a present for her birthday. He’d put
his work off and took some days-off. They were flying to Norway where their friends’d
lived. They hadn’t told their friends about this trip, so it was a present for them all.
When they arrived, their friends were sleeping. They’d bought some fruit, milk and
chocolate bars before they came to their friends’ house. Their friends were glad to see
them again. For a week they were skating, going skiing and spending time together. Then
they congratulated Lois and gave her presents: a toy, a pen and a new phone. They all
had a great time.

Subscale Mark Commentary

All content is relevant to the task. The target reader is fully informed as the
Content 5
story follows on logically from the prompt. 
The story has a clear sequence of events and includes some background
information to put the action into context, These tickets were givven to her…
Communicative
5 as a present for her birthday; They hadn’t told their friends about this trip.
Achievement
New characters are introduced and the story comes to a fitting conclusion in
the end, They all had a great time.
The story is generally well-organised and there is some good use of
linking words and cohesive devices to link the sequence of events across
Organisation 4
sentences, These tickets; where; this trip, so it was; When they arrived;
before they came; For a week they were.
The vocabulary is appropriate for the task and provides more detail for the
reader, present; birthday; days-off; Norway; trip; fruit, milk and chocolate
bars; skating, going skiing; congratulated. The grammar is used with a good
degree of control, particularly the narrative tenses, which show the order of
Language 5
events, They hadn’t told their friends about this trip, so it was; When they
arrived, their friends were sleeping; They’d bought some fruit…before they
came; spending time together. Then they congratulated. Errors are minor,
givven; put his work off; friends’d. 

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Test 1 answer key

Sample answer B

Lois smiled as she put the tickets in her pocket and walked out of her house. It was the
ticket to the cinema. It was a new film about supermans. All of her friends saw this film
two days ago. So in school they were discussing it all the time. Lois decided to watch
this film with her best friend Jo. The cinema was so far from her house so she decided
to go by bus. One hour later she saw Jo near the cinema. They smiled to each other and
went into the cinema. There were a lot of people. They all were so excited. But at this
moment Lois checked her ticket in her pocket. It wasn’t here.

Subscale Mark Commentary

All content is relevant to the task. The target reader is fully informed as the
Content 5
story follows on logically from the prompt sentence. 
The story communicates straightforward ideas in an appropriate way. New
Communicative characters are introduced, and there is a clear sequence of events including
4
Achievement a beginning, a middle and an end. The story is written in the 3rd person and
the action involves her and her thoughts throughout,
The story is connected and coherent, and there is some use of narrative
tenses and time phrases to connect the sequence of events, two days ago;
One hour later; at this moment. However, many of the sentences are quite
Organisation 3 short and there is very little use of cohesive devices or linking words to link
the ideas across sentences and this makes the story less cohesive overall,
It was the ticket to the cinema. It was a new film about supermans. All of her
friends saw this film two days ago.
There is a range of vocabulary used appropriately, discussing; decided; best
friend; cinema; smiled; excited; checked. Although the sentences are quite
simple, the grammatical structures used are generally accurate, showing
Language 4
some good control with past tense agreement, It was the ticket; saw this film;
they were discussing it; decided to watch; she saw Jo; There were a lot of
people. There are very few errors, It wasn’t here.

102