Cambridge English: Preliminary 

Lesson Plan: Writing 
This lesson plan accompanies Cambridge English: Preliminary 7 Writing Test 4 Parts 1, 2 and 3. 

This lesson is suitable for students at the beginning, middle or towards the end of their Cambridge 
English: Preliminary course.  

This lesson is also suitable for any pre‐intermediate course in order to practice students’ writing 
skills. 

Lesson Goals 
1. To familiarise students with the task types of the PET writing examination
2. To develop a better understanding of grammar transformation exercises
3. To practice the use of some synonyms and antonyms
4. To analyse the communicative effect of sample and student generated writing scripts

Activity (see brackets for resources required)  Time  Interaction 

needed 
Warmer  5‐10 mins 

 Group students to discuss how long they should leave in order to 2 mins  Ss‐Ss  

complete the writing part of this paper, as well as in what order then S‐T 
they would attempt the three parts if they were short of time.
Round‐up by eliciting a few ideas and give them a time
recommendation (about 45 mins).
 Brainstorm with your students some famous cities they would 3 mins  S‐T 
like to visit and write them on the board (i.e. Liverpool, Los then S‐S 
Angeles, Rio, Tokyo, etc.). Tell them to imagine they are going to
one of these cities and ask them to think about their visit in
terms of an adjective to describe it, transport, where to stay and
what they would do there. Pair them to discuss their ideas.

Part 1 
 Focus students’ attention on the example question and the 2 mins  S‐S 
words surrounding the gap in the second sentence. Pair students
to discuss which words have been transformed (i.e. will be my
first) and which words give a clue to the answer (I’ve……to,
before).
 Pair students to look at Q1, elicit the words to be transformed 3 mins  S‐S 
(i.e. is not as….as) and possible words that could fit between 
‘is….crowded, than’ (i.e. more, less). Give them the correct 
answer.

Cambridge English Preliminary 7 Writing Test 4 Lesson Plan 
© Cambridge University Press and UCLES 2017
Main activities (copies of Parts 1 and 2 for individuals, cut up copies of  30‐35 mins 
sample answers on page 152/3 and Resource 1, cut up, for pairs) 

Part 1 
 In their pairs, ask students to identify the words to be 2 mins  S‐S 
transformed in Q2 to Q5 (i.e. suggested, easy, teach, while). then S‐T 
Briefly discuss the role of synonyms and antonyms in this
exercise type.
 Give them a time limit to do Q2 to Q5 before giving them the 5 mins  S then 
answers.  T‐S 

Part 2 
 Ask your students to individually read the instructions and 3 mins  S 
underline the key words. Then pair them to discuss the following then S‐S 
questions before eliciting the answers: then S‐T 
o What must you do in this part? (Answer: Write about all
three points ‐ what was bought, where they were
bought, why they were needed)
o How many words? (Answer: 35‐45)
o How to start/finish the email? (Answer: Dear Alex, Best
wishes X)
o Formal or informal? (Answer: informal)
 Make copies of sample answers A, B and C (pages 152/3), cut 5 mins  S‐S 
away the examiner comments and marks given. Give your then S‐T 
students the three prepared samples. Pair them to discuss if each then T‐S 
of these samples cover the points in the question. Elicit their
ideas, before giving them the answer and mark awarded.
 Pair students to discuss these three points in Part 2 with 3 mins  S‐S 
reference to the clothes they are wearing in class.
 Give students a time limit and ask students to write an answer to  10 mins  S‐T 
Part 2. They could exchange papers when they have finished to then S‐S 
check if they have covered the three bullet points.
 Pair students and hand out a copy of Resource 1 that has been 7 mins  S 
evenly cut up to each pair. Ask them to individually underline the then S‐S 
key words in their slips before giving them a time limit to match then S‐T 
the statements. Give them the answers.

Extension activity (copies of Part 3 Q8 for individuals, cut up copies of  15 mins 
samples answers on pages 157‐159 for groups) 

Part 3, Q8  
 Briefly brainstorm synonyms for ‘unusual’ and ‘request’ (i.e. not 1 min  S‐T 
normal, question, etc.) and elicit what they have to do in Q8. 
 Make copies of pages 157, 158 and 159, cut away the scales, 2 mins  Ss‐Ss 
marks and comments section. Group your students and ask them
to identify the unusual request. Elicit an answer for each sample.
 Still in their groups, ask your students to brainstorm any other 2mins  Ss‐Ss 

Cambridge English Preliminary 7 Writing Test 4 Lesson Plan 
© Cambridge University Press and UCLES 2017
  

ideas that would be appropriate to answer this question.     
 Ask students to individually write an answer in a time limit, then  10mins  S 
group students to tell each other their unusual request  then Ss‐Ss 
 
Optional activities (Part 3 Q7 for individuals, pictures of different  15 mins   
dwellings for groups) 
     
Part 3, Q7       
 Brainstorm different types of accommodation on the board (i.e.  4 mins  Ss‐Ss 
high‐rise, houseboat, country house, town house, etc.). Put your     
students into groups of four and give each group a picture of a     
type of accommodation. Write up these questions on the board:      
o What is it like to live there?      
o Where would you like to live?       
o Is it noisy or quiet, Why?      
Ask them to discuss these questions with reference to their     
picture. Regroup your students to retell their group discussion.     
 Ask your students to write an answer to Q7 within a given time  9 mins  S 
limit.     
 After they have finished, ask students to exchange their answers  2 mins  S‐S 
with a partner and decide if their partner has answered the 
questions previously written on the board. 
 
 

Cambridge English Preliminary 7 Writing Test 4 Lesson Plan 
© Cambridge University Press and UCLES 2017 
  

Resource 1 
Cut up the table below, pair your students, distribute the slips of paper evenly and ask them to 
underline the key words. They can then match the statements within a time limit. 

 
I’ve been in town for four days  I arrived here four days ago 
 
 
I’ve never been to New York  This is my first time here 
 
 
I bought my watch online  It was bought on the internet 
 
 
It was so warm in the hotel  It was too hot to sleep at the hotel 
 
 
It was easy to understand  It wasn’t too difficult to work out  
 
 
Would you like some tea?  Do you want a cup of tea? 
 
 
The game was really exciting  It was boring. I fell asleep. 
 
 
The visit to the museum taught me 
I learnt a lot in the museum  
a lot 
 
 
I borrowed some money from a 
Julie lent me some cash 
friend 
 
 
While I was there, I was always  During my stay, I couldn’t find 
hungry  anything to eat I liked 
 
 

Cambridge English Preliminary 7 Writing Test 4 Lesson Plan 
© Cambridge University Press and UCLES 2017 
 Writing

WRITING

Part 1
Questions 1–5
Here are some sentences about a trip to the city of Florence in Italy.
For each question, complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first.
Use no more than three words.
Write only the missing words on your answer sheet.
You may use this page for any rough work.

Example:
0 This will be my first visit to Florence.
I’ve   to Florence before.

Answer: 0 never been

1 Florence is not as crowded in winter as it is in summer.

Florence is   crowded in winter than in summer.

2 John suggested taking a taxi to the hotel.

John said, ‘If I were you,   take a taxi to the hotel.’

3 Florence is a very easy city to walk around.

It is not very   to walk around Florence.

4 A city like Florence can teach you a lot.

You can   a lot in a city like Florence.

5 I will probably visit some museums while I’m in Florence.

I will probably visit some museums   my stay in Florence.

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Test 4

Part 2
Question 6
You have just bought some new clothes.
Write an email to your friend, Alex. In your email, you should

• tell Alex what clothes you have bought

• say where you bought the clothes from
• explain why you needed to buy these clothes.

Write 35–45 words on your answer sheet.

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 Writing

Part 3
Write an answer to one of the questions (7 or 8) in this part.
Write your answer in about 100 words on your answer sheet.
Tick the box (Question 7 or Question 8) on your answer sheet to show which question you have
answered.

Question 7
• This is part of a letter you receive from your English penfriend.

• Now write a letter, answering your penfriend’s questions.

• Write your letter in about 100 words on your answer sheet.

Question 8
• Your English teacher has asked you to write a story.
• This is the title for your story:

An unusual request
• Write your story in about 100 words on your answer sheet.

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 Test 4

Test 4

PAPER 1 READING AND WRITING

READING
Part 1
1 C 2 C 3 A 4 A 5 B
Part 2
6 F 7 C 8 H 9 D 10 B
Part 3
11 B 12 A 13 B 14 B 15 A 16 B 17 B 18 A 19 A 20 A
Part 4
21 C 22 C 23 B 24 A 25 D
Part 5
26 D 27 B 28 B 29 A 30 C 31 D 32 A 33 D 34 C 35 B

WRITING

Part 1
1 less
2 I would/I’d
3 difficult/hard (at all)
4 learn/find out/discover/teach yourself/be taught
5 during
Part 2
Task-specific Mark Scheme
The content elements that need to be covered are:
i information about what new clothes candidate bought
ii reference to where candidate bought clothes
iii reason why candidate needed to buy these clothes.
The following sample answers can be used as a guide when marking.

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Key

SAMPLE A (Test 4, Question 6: Email to a friend)

Hi Alex!

Guess what? I went shopping last weekend! I went with Claire to

Walmart because next Friday I’m having my first job interview. She
help to choose what kind of trousers or skirts I could wear and also
I bought a white blouse.

See you soon

Cristina

Examiner Comments

All three parts of the message are clearly communicated.

Mark: 5

SAMPLE B (Test 4, Question 6: Email to a friend)

Dear Alex
Today I’m very happy because I bought some new clothes In
fact I went out and I went to the city center this morning I
bought a shoes that I’ll dress tomorrow, and I bought something
for you What about do you come me so you can take the
surprace?
love Eva

Examiner Comments

Points 1 and 2 are communicated, but point 3 has not been attempted.

Mark: 3

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 Test 4

SAMPLE C (Test 4, Question 6: Email to a friend)

Alex

Hello I am Julieta, can you tell me, yesterday I was see you, and I
could see a T-shirt, and where are you bought the clothes from?
because tomorrow is the birthday of Sergio, I need buy him gif, what
clothes I can buy?

bye Julieta

Examiner Comments

Only the third point has been communicated, although the second point has been attempted.

Mark: 2

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Key

SAMPLE D (Test 4, Question 7: Letter to a friend)

Hi John, I don’t mind crowded place because I like to be in

a crowd. My home is in a quite street near Tooting Broadway
station and even if it is little busy, my street isn’t.
In there live a lot of people but almost of them move by tube
so there isn’t so much trafic on roads. The only problem is
that Clapham is on the way to go home and it is very busy
so, it takes too long to go home from the city center. If I were
able to move I would live in Stockwell because it’s quite near
to the city center.
It is also a good place without too many social problems and
I’d like to live there, it’s confortable for me.
See you soon, Michael

Scales Mark Commentary

All content is relevant to the task and appropriately expanded.

Content 5
The target reader is fully informed.

Communicative The letter holds the reader’s attention throughout, using the appropriate
5
Achievement register and format for the task.

The text is well-organised and coherent, using a reasonable variety of linking

words (because; and; so) and cohesive devices (almost of them; The only
Organisation 5 problem is that; it’s quite near to the city center; I’d like to live there).
Use of paragraphing is appropriate and there is good internal cohesion within
and across long sentences.

A range of everyday and some less common (crowded; social problems)

vocabulary are used appropriately. There are several spelling errors, but they
do not impede communication.
A range of simple grammatical forms is used with reasonable control. There
Language 4 is also some evidence of more complex grammatical forms (e.g. use of the
second conditional at the end of the second paragraph).
Some non-impeding errors of structure and vocabulary are present (My home
is in a quite street; In there live a lot of people; almost of them move by tube;
it’s confortable for me).

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 Test 4

SAMPLE E (Test 4, Question 7: Letter to a friend)

Hi!

In my case, I live in a very quiet street, there is sometimes a little

bit of noise at the weekends, but it’s okay. In my street and around
my place aren’t live too many people so for that reason is quiet.
That thing changes if you go to the city centre all busy, a lot of
people and too much traffic.

Anyway I like to live in places not busy and not loudly. If I had
the option to move I would like to move in a very quiet place in
a mountainous place. For example, the north of Spain will be a
fantastic place for me to live in.

Antonio

Scales Mark Commentary

All content is relevant and expanded appropriately.

Content 5
The target reader is fully informed.

Communicative A consistently appropriate informal register and format are used. The letter
5
Achievement holds the reader’s attention and ideas are communicated effectively.

The text is coherent and generally well-organised, using a reasonable range of

Organisation 4 linking words (but; so; for example) and cohesive devices (there is sometimes
a little bit of noise ... but it’s okay; so for that reason; Anyway).

A range of everyday vocabulary is used appropriately, with limited examples

of more complex lexis (mountainous; the option to move).
Simple grammatical forms are used with reasonable control, although there
are instances of poor control at sentence level (In my street ... aren’t live too
Language 4 many people; if you go to the city centre all busy; for that reason is quiet; I
like to live in places not busy and not loudly). There is some evidence of more
complex grammatical forms (If I had the option to move I would like to move;
The north of Spain will be a fantastic place for me to live in).
Some non-impeding errors are present.

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Key

SAMPLE F (Test 4, Question 7: Letter to a friend)

My name Mazhar I leave in London near Oxford Street this

street so buisy and noisy. I can’t sleep at night I want to chang
my flat to sababce. I work very hard and keep my money to
change I wan to buy detachet house with little, garden that this
house incleud indopool, five bedroons, two tolites, one kichen,
siting-room and one big sport hole. I like do sport every morning.

Scales Mark Commentary

The task is addressed and the target reader is informed, although there is
Content 4
limited expansion.

Straightforward ideas are communicated. Register is appropriate but there

Communicative
3 is no attempt at a letter format. The reader has to work hard to follow the
Achievement
message at times, for example in the third long sentence.

The text is connected using only a very limited range of basic linking
words and cohesive devices (and; this street). There is a lack of control of
Organisation 1
punctuation, for example in the sentence beginning I work very hard, which
causes confusion for the target reader.

Everyday vocabulary is used with frequent errors of spelling, some of which

distract and may impede communication at times (leave in London; buisy;
sababce; tolites; sport hole).
Language 2
Simple grammatical forms, limited to the present tense, are used with some
degree of control.
A number of errors are present, but meaning can largely be determined.

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 Test 4

SAMPLE G (Test 4, Question 8: Story)

AN UNUSUAL REQUEST

I was in my bedroom when I saw something out of the window.

I was sure I saw something black so I went close to the
window just to have a look outside. I didn’t see anything so I
came back to my bed and I started again to read a book.

My mother came into my room just to ask me if I had seen

something arownd the house.

When she left my room I heard a voice from the window asking
me if I wanted a mouse to eat. It was so unusual because the
speaker was a black cat.

Scales Mark Commentary

The story is clearly related to the title.

Content 5
The target reader would be fully informed.

Communicative The story flows well and holds the reader’s attention throughout, using a
5
Achievement consistently appropriate register and format.

The text is well-organised and coherent. There is effective use of linking

words (when; so; because) and cohesive devices (My mother came into my
room just to ask me; When she left my room I heard a voice ... asking me if I
Organisation 5 wanted a mouse to eat. It was so unusual because the speaker was a black
cat).
There is good cohesion within and across sentences and effective use of
paragraphing.

A range of everyday lexis is used appropriately, with some evidence of more

complex vocabulary (something black; have a look outside).
Language 5 Simple and some complex grammatical forms (to ask me if I had seen; I heard
a voice ... asking me if I wanted a mouse to eat) are used with good control.
Errors are minimal and do not impede communication.

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Key

SAMPLE H (Test 4, Question 8: Story)

AN UNUSUAL REQUEST

Yesterday I was walking on the street, as Tom, my best friend,

asked me: “Do you have 100 dollars?” I was really surprised. He never
asked me moneys! “Why do you need them?” I asked. “That’s not
important!” he answered me. I never saw him so serious. Fortunately
I had this moneys, and I gave them to him. As I put them in his
hands, he runned away as fast as he could, but I followed him. He
arrived in a dark street, where a man was waiting for him.
My best friend was taking drugs, and I had to help him.

Scales Mark Commentary

Content 5 The story is clearly linked to the title and the target reader is fully informed.

Communicative The story flows well and holds the reader’s attention right to the end.
5
Achievement Register and format are appropriate.

The text is generally well-organised and coherent, using some linking words
(and; but) and a good range of cohesive devices (I was walking on the street,
as Tom, my best friend, asked me; Fortunately, I had this moneys, and I gave
Organisation 5 them to him; As I put them in his hands, he runned away . . . but I followed
him; a dark street, where a man was waiting).
Although there is limited paragraphing, internal cohesion is good.

A range of everyday vocabulary is used appropriately.

A range of simple grammatical forms are used with a good degree of control.
There is some evidence of more complex structures in the second half of the
Language 4 story (from As I put them in his hands ... )
Some errors are present, mainly with uncountable forms and tenses (He never
asked me moneys!; I never saw him so serious; ‘he runned away) but they do
not impede communication.

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 Test 4

SAMPLE I (Test 4, Question 8: Story)

AN UNUSUAL REQUEST

I’m staing in the park whit Amy, my best friend and we taking
to her boyfriend; often, my friend Amy talk about he. I think
that she loved so mach this boy; but, at the moment he are
studing in England. While I and Amy are walking she say me
to meet her boyfriend Mark when he retourn. I think now that
it is an unusual request.

Scales Mark Commentary

The candidate has made a clear attempt at linking the story to the title, but
the text is not fully developed.
Content 4
The target reader is informed. However, more information is needed to fully
understand the story.

Register and format are appropriate.

Communicative
2 Ideas are communicated, but the target reader has to work hard at times to
Achievement
follow the storyline, due to the number of errors (we taking to her boyfriend).

The text is connected and coherent, using basic linking words (and; often;
Organisation 3 but; when) and some cohesive devices (this boy; at the moment; While I and
Amy are walking; when he retourn).

In general, everyday vocabulary is used appropriately, but there are a number

of distracting spelling errors (staing; whit; taking to her boyfriend; mach).
Simple grammatical forms are used with some degree of control.
Language 2
A number of errors are present, particularly with tenses and verb forms, but
meaning can still be determined (Amy talk about he; she loved so mach this
boy; he are studing in England).

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