Cambridge IGCSE ESL

IGCSE ESL Writing Formats

Five formats, one paper. The rubric names the format, the purpose and the audience, and getting those three right is worth more than any phrase you have memorised.

Exercise 5 is always an informal email. Exercise 6 is formal or semi-formal, and may be an article, a report, an essay or a review. Each format has a shape an examiner expects to see, and the shape takes about thirty seconds to plan once you know it.

The five formats compared

All five are written in 120-160 words and marked out of 6 for content and 9 for language.
Format	Register	Shape the reader expects	Gives itself away by
Informal email	Friendly, contracted forms, direct questions	Greeting, reason for writing, two developed points, sign-off	Asking the reader a question back
Article	Semi-formal, lively, addressed to readers	Title, hook, two developed points, closing thought	A title and a direct appeal to the reader
Report	Formal, neutral, factual	Title, purpose, findings under headings, recommendation	Sub-headings and a recommendation at the end
Review	Semi-formal, personal but reasoned	What it is, what was good, what was less good, recommendation	A clear verdict, not just description
Essay	Formal, balanced	Introduction, argument for, argument against, conclusion	Discourse markers and a stated opinion at the end

Format by format

The informal email (Exercise 5)

Written to a friend or a relative. The examiner is looking for natural warmth, not slang. Contractions are correct here; so are direct questions and short exclamations.

Open with a greeting and a line of contact: Hi Sara, thanks for your message - sorry it has taken me so long to reply.
Say why you are writing before you say anything else.
Develop two prompts fully rather than four thinly.
Close by turning back to the reader: Let me know what you think. Write soon!

The article

Written for a school magazine, a website or a newsletter. It has readers, and it should sound aware of them.

Give it a title. An article without a title looks like an essay and loses the format mark.
Open with a hook - a question, a surprising fact, or a short scene.
Address the reader at least once: You have probably noticed this yourself.
Finish with a thought rather than a summary.

The report

Written for someone with authority to act - a head teacher, a manager, a committee. Its job is to inform and then to recommend.

Give it a title, then state its purpose in the first line: This report examines...
Use two or three short sub-headings. They are the clearest signal of the format.
Keep the tone neutral. A report describes; it does not complain.
End with a recommendation, clearly labelled.

The review

Written about something you experienced - a film, a book, a restaurant, an event - for readers deciding whether to try it themselves.

Name the thing and the occasion in the first sentence.
Balance it: something that worked and something that did not. A review that only praises reads as an advertisement.
Justify each judgement with one specific detail.
End with a recommendation and who it suits.

The essay

Written to discuss a statement or a question, usually for a teacher. It is the most formal of the five.

Introduce the issue in one sentence without repeating the question word for word.
One paragraph for each side, each with a reason and an example.
Use linking words to show the turn: However, On the other hand, Nevertheless.
State your own view in the conclusion, and only there.

Original RCF model openings

Informal email - opening

Question: A friend has asked what your new school is like. Write an email of 120-160 words. (Original RCF practice task, in the style of Exercise 5.)

Hi Nadia,

Thanks for your message! Sorry I have taken a week to reply - the first days at a new school are busier than I expected.

You asked what it is like here. Honestly, the building took some getting used to...

Why this answer works

The greeting and the apology establish an informal register immediately.
You asked what it is like here answers the prompt directly instead of drifting.
The contracted forms and the exclamation mark are appropriate here and would be wrong in Exercise 6.

Report - opening

Question: Your head teacher has asked for a report on the school library. Write 120-160 words. (Original RCF practice task, in the style of Exercise 6.)

Report on the school library

This report examines how the library is currently used and recommends two improvements.

Current use

The library is busiest between four and five o'clock, when almost every seat is taken...

Why this answer works

The title and the opening sentence name the format and the purpose in the first eleven words.
The sub-heading is the single clearest signal that this is a report and not an essay.
The tone is neutral: it describes the pressure on seats rather than complaining about it.

Practice: five original RCF tasks

Each is written in the style of the examination by RCF English. They are not Cambridge questions. Write 120-160 words for each and check against the model answers.

Informal email. A cousin is visiting your town next month and has asked what to bring and what to see. Write an email replying.
Article. Your school magazine is running a series called One change I would make. Write an article about one change you would make to the school day.
Report. Students have complained that the canteen queue is too slow. Write a report for the head teacher describing the problem and recommending two changes.
Review. Write a review of a film or a book you finished recently for the school website, saying who would enjoy it and who would not.
Essay. Every student should learn to cook before leaving school. Write an essay discussing this statement and giving your own opinion.

Questions about IGCSE ESL writing

What writing formats come up in IGCSE English as a Second Language?

Exercise 5 is an informal email. Exercise 6 is a formal or semi-formal response, which the Cambridge syllabus describes as an article, a report, an essay or a review. The rubric on the paper tells you which one is required, together with the purpose and audience.

How do I know whether to write formally or informally?

The audience in the rubric decides it. A friend, a cousin or a classmate means informal. A head teacher, a manager, an organiser, a magazine's readers or an examiner means formal or semi-formal. If the rubric names a format such as report or essay, that is formal regardless of who reads it.

Should I use sub-headings in a report?

Yes. Two or three short sub-headings are the clearest way to show that you have understood the format, and they help you organise the content marks. Do not use them in an essay or an email.

Do I need a title for an article?

Yes. An article without a title reads as an essay, and format is part of the content mark. One short title line is enough, and it counts towards your word total.