Cambridge English: Advanced

Writing Task (go to Checklist)

Writing Paper Part 2. Task Type: Review

Question
You have seen the following announcement in your local arts magazine:

Write the review. (Around 220-260 words).

What you need to do to pass
Read our checklist first to understand what the examiner is looking for in a good answer.

Ideas for writing
Ask yourself the following questions to help you get started:

• Are you going to write about a concert, a stage play or an exhibition? Write down the full title if you can and make a note of the people involved in the performance and where it took place.
• Make a list of the reasons why you have nominated the performance. (This will form the main part of your review.)
• Are there any negative points? (Although the review should be mainly about the positive aspects you can acknowledge any criticisms, as long as the overall impression remains positive.)
  e.g. "Although the performance was a little long at three hours, the audience remained captivated the whole time..."
• Did other people enjoy it as much as you? What was the atmosphere like at the performance? Think of some good adjectives to describe what it was like being there.
  e.g. an electric atmosphere, the audience was totally involved.
• Conclude your review with a summing-up of the performance that will be memorable to the reader:
  E.g. "I believe that .... will come to be seen as one of the best plays of the year, if not the decade."

Drafting and proofreading your work

You should look at your first draft of the task and decide:

• Have you included all the essential information about the performance?
• Is the layout and organisation appropriate?
• Is the language accurate with a good range of structures?
• Is the style appropriate and consistent?
• Will it have a positive effect on the reader?

If the answer is 'no' to any of these questions then you will need to do some more drafting!