5.2 Part 6 Guided Writing Task

5.2 Part 6 Guided Writing Task

Quick Answer: In Writing Part 6, you write a short email or note that answers a small set of given content points (usually three prompts or questions). You must cover all points, use a suitable informal or semi-formal tone for the reader, and write at least 25 words. Examiners score Content, Organisation, and Language (0–5 each) for a maximum of 15 marks.

Part 6 looks simple—and it is simple if you treat it as a checklist task, not as free creative writing. The input already tells you who you write to and what you must say. Your job is to turn those prompts into a complete, friendly, readable message in a few minutes.

What the Task Looks Like

A typical Part 6 page includes:

1. A short situation (who is writing, why, and to whom).
2. An instruction such as Write an email to your friend Sam or Write a note to your English teacher.
3. Content points—often shown as bullet points, questions, or notes you “must include.”
4. A reminder of the word minimum (at least 25 words).

Example situation (original practice style)

You are going to a new sports club this Saturday. Write an email to your friend Alex.
In your email, you should:

• say what sport you will do
• say what time you will meet
• ask Alex to bring something
  Write 25 words or more.

That is the whole puzzle: three content obligations plus a real reader (Alex) and a real purpose (arranging Saturday).

Content Points: The Heart of the Mark

Content asks whether the message does the job for the reader. At A2 Key, that almost always means:

• every listed point is answered
• the answers are relevant to the situation
• the reader could act on the message (know when, where, what, how, or why)

Usually three points

Most published-style tasks use three clear points. Treat “usually three” as your default exam expectation: if you see three bullets, you need three answers. If a rare task shows two or four, cover all of them—never invent a private rule that “three is enough” when four are printed.

What “addressing a point” means

One clear clause or sentence per content point is the safe minimum. Two short sentences for a complex point (for example time + place) is fine.

Hidden detail inside a point

Some points contain two mini-jobs: say when and where you want to meet. If you give only the day and forget the place, Content may be only partly achieved for that bullet. Underline every information word in the prompt: when, where, why, who, how long, how much, what to bring.

Email vs Note

Both forms are short functional messages. Differences are mostly layout and formula phrases—not essay length.

In the exam, follow the instruction word: if it says email, use email-style greeting and close; if it says note, a compact note format is fine. Do not write a formal business letter with addresses and “Yours faithfully” unless the situation truly demands high formality—and A2 Key Part 6 almost never does.

Register: Informal vs Semi-Formal

Register means how friendly or careful your language is. Match the recipient, not your mood.

Informal (friends, classmates, family-age peers)

• Greetings: Hi Sam, / Hello Alex,
• Language: contractions (I'm, can't), simple exclamations (Great!), direct questions (Do you want to come?)
• Closings: See you soon! / Bye for now, / Love, (with family/close friends if natural)

Semi-formal (teacher, club leader, neighbour you do not know well, host family adult)

• Greetings: Dear Mr Brown, / Dear Mrs Costa, / Hello Ms Ahmed,
• Language: polite requests (Could you…? / Please…), fewer slangy phrases, still simple A2 grammar
• Closings: Best wishes, / Kind regards, / Thank you, + full name if appropriate

Register mistakes that cost Organisation/Language impression

You can still be polite and simple with friends; you do not need slang. You should be warm and clear with teachers; you do not need advanced formal vocabulary.

A Reliable 8–10 Minute Method

Step 1 — Read the whole input (about 1 minute)

Identify:

• Who you are in the situation
• Who the reader is
• Why you are writing
• The exact content points

Circle the reader’s name. Wrong name in the greeting is a careless error that hurts the professional impression of the message.

Step 2 — Turn points into a micro-plan (about 1 minute)

On scrap paper or in your head, list three short answers:

1. Sport → swimming
2. Time → 10:30
3. Bring → a towel

If the prompt is a question (What time…?), your plan is still the answer, not a copy of the question.

Step 3 — Write the message (about 5–6 minutes)

Structure template (email to a friend):

Hi [Name],

[Opening line linked to the situation.]
[Sentence for content point 1.]
[Sentence for content point 2.]
[Sentence for content point 3 / question to them.]

[Short close],
[Your name]

Worked example (sports club task):

Hi Alex,

I'm going to the new sports club on Saturday. I will do swimming there.
Let's meet at 10.30 at the entrance. Can you bring a towel for me, please?

See you soon,
Mila

Word count: clearly above 25. All three points covered. Informal register matches a friend. Simple Organisation: greeting → points in order → close.

Step 4 — Check with a content tick list (about 1–2 minutes)

Ask:

1. Did I answer point 1?
2. Point 2?
3. Point 3?
4. Is the tone right for the reader?
5. Do I have a greeting and a close?
6. Are times, days, and names correct?
7. Does it feel longer than 25 words?
8. Any easy grammar fixes (he go → he goes)?

If you discover a missing point, add one sentence immediately. That single sentence often saves more Content marks than rewriting a nicer adjective.

Language Toolkit for Part 6

You do not need a huge vocabulary. You need flexible function phrases.

Giving information

• I'm going to… / I will… / I want to…
• It's on Saturday at 4 p.m.
• The class is in Room 12.
• My favourite is…

Explaining why

• because…
• so…
• That's why…

Inviting / suggesting

• Would you like to…?
• Do you want to…?
• Let's…
• How about…?

Requesting

• Can you…, please?
• Could you…?
• Please bring / send / tell me…

Apologising / thanking

• I'm sorry I can't…
• Thank you for…
• Thanks a lot!

Asking a content-point question back

Many tasks include ask X about… as one bullet. That bullet is not optional. Write a real question:

• What time does the film start?
• Do you want pizza or pasta?
• Can you come with me?

A statement that never asks fails that content point.

Grammar Priorities (High Value at A2)

Focus control on forms that appear constantly in messages:

One well-formed sentence per idea beats a long broken sentence with three clauses you cannot control.

Timing Inside the Writing Block

If you reserved about 20 minutes for both writing parts, give Part 6 roughly 8–10 minutes:

If Part 6 is finished early, move to Part 7. Do not decorate Part 6 with extra off-topic stories; extra length without new required content rarely helps and can introduce errors.

Partial Credit Thinking When Time Is Almost Gone

If you have only three minutes left for Part 6:

1. Write the greeting.
2. Write three short sentences, one per point—even if ugly.
3. Add Thanks, + name.

Three complete content sentences almost always beat one beautiful paragraph that answers a single point.

What Part 6 Is Not

• Not a long essay with introduction–body–conclusion academic style
• Not a place to show every idiom you know
• Not optional “if I finish Reading”
• Not only spelling practice—meaning for the reader comes first

Bridge to Models

Knowing the method is half the skill. The next section gives original model emails and notes, weak contrasts, openings/closings banks, and content-point checklists you can reuse on every practice task until coverage becomes automatic.