5.1 Writing Overview (Parts 6–7)

5.1 Writing Overview (Parts 6–7)

Quick Answer: On Cambridge A2 Key, Writing is Parts 6 and 7 of the Reading and Writing paper. The two tasks are worth 15 marks each (30 marks total). Examiners score each task on Content, Organisation, and Language (0–5 each). Write at least 25 words in Part 6 and at least 35 words in Part 7, and leave about 20 minutes of the 60-minute paper for both writing tasks.

Writing is not a separate timed paper. You manage one clock with Reading Parts 1–5. Candidates who treat Writing as “whatever is left at the end” often lose more scale score than candidates who slightly under-polish a reading item and still produce two complete, clear messages. This overview explains where Writing sits, how the 30 marks work, what each part looks like, and how to budget time before you practise Part 6 in depth in 5.2–5.3 (and Part 7 in the next chapter).

Where Writing Sits in the Exam

Cambridge still produces two separate skill scores from this paper: Reading and Writing. A strong reading performance does not automatically raise your Writing scale score. If your goal is a secure overall pass (and a balanced Statement of Results), you need visible, assessable writing on both Part 6 and Part 7.

Why Writing matters more than “two short tasks” suggests

• Equal paper weight with Reading overall: The Reading and Writing paper is half the exam. Inside that paper, Writing’s 30 marks match Reading’s 30 marks at raw-mark level for the two skill streams.
• Four-skill average: Your overall Cambridge English Scale score reflects Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking. A weak Writing skill can pull the average down even if Listening is strong.
• Clear, learnable scoring: Unlike multi-skill conversation, Part 6 and Part 7 are written products you can practise, check against a content-point list, and improve week by week.

The 30 Writing Marks and the Three Criteria

Each writing part is marked out of 15. Examiners use three equally important bands:

Maximum per part = 5 + 5 + 5 = 15.
Maximum for Writing overall in the paper = 15 + 15 = 30.

Content is the first filter

If you write beautiful sentences but ignore a required content point, Content falls. If you address every point but only in two or three words each, Language and Organisation may still be limited—but missing a whole point is often more expensive than a few grammar slips. At A2 Key, task completion beats decoration.

Organisation at elementary level

Organisation does not mean advanced essay structure. It means:

• a clear opening (Hi Sam, / Dear Mrs Brown,)
• one idea after another in a sensible order (often matching the order of the prompts)
• simple connectors: and, but, because, so, then, also, after that
• a closing where the task needs one (See you soon! / Best wishes,)

A note that jumps randomly between “time,” “place,” and “food” without any linking can score lower on Organisation even if all facts appear somewhere.

Language at A2

Language rewards control of A2 grammar and everyday vocabulary: present simple/continuous, past simple, going to / will, can / must / should, common adjectives, and simple compound sentences. You do not need rare words. Repeated basic errors that block understanding hurt more than one ambitious mistake in an otherwise clear email.

How the three criteria interact (study picture)

Imagine two Part 6 answers of similar length:

1. Answer A covers all three prompts, uses Hi / See you soon, links with because and and, and has a few spelling mistakes.
2. Answer B has near-perfect grammar but only answers two of three prompts and has no greeting or close.

Answer A usually outperforms Answer B overall because Content and Organisation still count for two-thirds of the 15 marks. Perfect language cannot fully rescue an incomplete message.

Part 6 vs Part 7 at a Glance

Part 6 is functional writing: you must communicate specific information to a real-world reader. Part 7 is narrative writing: you must show what happens across three scenes. Both need enough words to show clear language; both need full coverage of the visual or written prompts.

Word counts: floors, not ceilings

• Part 6: write at least 25 words. Most strong answers sit around 35–60 words—long enough to answer each point with a full sentence, short enough to finish on time.
• Part 7: write at least 35 words. Strong answers often sit around 45–70 words, with a simple beginning–middle–end.

Going far under the minimum is dangerous for Content and Language evidence. Going far over (for example 120+ words) is not automatically better: you waste time, increase error risk, and may wander off the task. Aim for “complete and clear,” not “as long as possible.”

Count words the simple way examiners expect: I'm is one word; twenty-five is one word if written that way; numbers as digits still count as words in the message flow. In practice, write in full sentences and you will clear 25/35 without counting mid-sentence—then do a quick end check if you are unsure.

The 60-Minute Clock: Protect About 20 Minutes for Writing

The Reading and Writing paper lasts 60 minutes. A practical split used by many successful candidates is:

Why “leave writing to the last five minutes” fails

In five minutes you might produce one incomplete email. That leaves Part 7 empty or as a two-line caption under one picture. Empty or near-empty tasks score very low on Content. Because each part is worth 15 marks, abandoning Part 7 can cost as much as several reading questions—often more, because Writing feeds a whole skill score.

Reading efficiency is a Writing strategy

If Reading Parts 1–5 routinely take you 55 minutes in practice, fix reading speed and decision rules first (see the Reading chapters). Writing strategy cannot create time that reading has already spent. Practise full 60-minute papers so the 40/20 habit becomes automatic.

Digital vs paper practical notes

On paper-based sittings (where still offered for your version of the exam), write clearly; messy letters cost you if the examiner cannot read a key content word. On digital sittings, use the on-screen tools as trained at your centre; still leave time to reread both answers. Format differences do not change the criteria, word minima, or mark totals.

What “Good Enough A2 Writing” Looks Like

You do not need B2 elegance. You need:

1. All required information present (Content).
2. Readable order and simple links (Organisation).
3. Mostly correct everyday English (Language).

Functional targets for Part 6

• Greet the person correctly for the relationship.
• Answer every bullet/question with at least one clear sentence.
• Add a short closing and your name if the task is an email/note to a person.
• Check numbers, days, times, and places—wrong details can make a “covered” point factually fail the reader’s needs.

Narrative targets for Part 7 (preview)

• Mention what happens in each of the three pictures.
• Use past tenses (or a consistent present narrative if that fits your training—past simple is the usual classroom default for finished story sequences).
• Connect scenes with First / Then / After that / Finally or clear time phrases.

Common Whole-Paper Writing Traps

Practice Plan for This Chapter Cluster

1. Learn the mark scheme language (Content / Organisation / Language) so you can self-check every practice answer.
2. Drill Part 6 content-point coverage until missing a bullet feels impossible (Section 5.2).
3. Study strong and weak models and use checklists before free writing (Section 5.3).
4. Later chapter: Part 7 story language, connectors, and the same three criteria applied to narratives.
5. Once a week: full Reading and Writing timed paper with a strict ~20-minute writing block.

Official Mindset for Exam Day

Treat Parts 6 and 7 as two short professional tasks, not as creative essays. The examiner is asking: Did this candidate communicate the required A2-level message clearly? If the answer is yes on both tasks, you have protected a large share of the Writing skill score that feeds your overall result.

The next section zooms into Part 6 only: the guided email/note format, how content points work, register choices, and a step-by-step method you can run in under ten minutes.