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Writing Paper Part 2. Task Type: Review

Question

You have seen the following message on the college noticeboard:

Is there a book you would recommend to those looking for a scary read? Write a reviewdescribing some of the scary moments. Tell us what makes these events so frightening

and whether the story has a moral message. We'll publish the best ones in our monthly

magazine.

Write areviewof a book of your choice for the college magazine (around 140-190 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:

First, introduce the book:

"... is a science-fiction/crime/detective thriller with plenty of scary moments..."

"I enjoy a book with terrifying moments, and this has plenty of them."

Now begin to note down some of the frightening events in the book. Don't worry if you have lots - you

can choose the most frightening ones later.

For each of the above events try to explain why it is so frightening:

Write down some synonyms for 'frightening' so you can vary your vocabulary in your composition:

e.g. scary, distressing, alarming, terrifying, shocking, horrifying, chilling

Remember that the task is a review, so what is the best style to use?

Think of a good way to round off your review.

"This book will make you ....."

or

"This book lingers in the mind long after you've finished it, making you wonder 'what if...?'."

Drafting and proofreading your work

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

Have you answered the question?

Is the review organised in a clear and logical way?

Is the language accurate with a good range of structures?

Is the style OK?

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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!

Writing Paper Part 2. Task Type: Review

Content

Should include full details of the work being reviewed (must include the title). Should

include at least two aspects of the book that the candidate found frightening and

whether or not there is a moral message to the story.

Communicative achievement

Semi-formal/informal register. Would be informed and would have enough information

to decide whether or not to read the book themselves.

OrganisationShould be divided into three or four paragraphs. Should mention early on in the review

what book is being written about. It's important not to reveal the book's ending.

Language

Language of description, summary and opinion ('In my view....'; 'The book's greatest

moment is....'). Present tenses should be used to narrate events. Should not contain

major errors that lead to misunderstandings or that irritate the reader.