Writing skills
Practice Flashcards
the plan
Track your progress — Sign up free to save your progress and get smart review reminders based on spaced repetition.
All Flashcards in Topic 4.2
Below are all 70 flashcards for this topic. Sign up free to track your progress and get personalized review schedules.
4.2.114 cards
the plan
your quick outline jotted down before you write
the prompt / task
the question that tells you what to write and for whom
a key idea
one of the points you develop in your answer
the hook
an opening line that grabs the reader's attention
the sign-off
the closing line (Take care, Best wishes, Yours faithfully…)
a connector
a linking word that joins ideas (however, therefore, what's more…)
to develop an idea
to expand a point with detail and examples
What five things does a good plan contain?
Text type, 3–4 key ideas (one per bullet), a hook, a sign-off and useful vocab/connectors.
How long should you spend planning Paper 1?
About two minutes before you start writing.
What are the four planning moves?
Decode → Brainstorm → Order → Note vocab.
Which criterion does a clear plan help most, and why?
Criterion B (Message) — it gives an organised answer that covers every bullet and develops each idea.
Why give every prompt bullet its own point?
Missing a bullet caps Criterion B, however good your English — one point per bullet keeps the prompt fully covered.
Should you write your plan in full sentences?
No — note form, five short lines; the plan is scaffolding for you, not text for the examiner.
Name the three Paper 1 SL criteria and their marks.
A Language /12, B Message /12, C Conceptual understanding /6 = /30.
4.2.214 cards
text type
the form you are told to write — a blog, an email, an article, a speech…
conventions
the features that mark out a text type (a headline, a greeting, a sign-off…)
register
how formal or informal your language is, set by the text type and the reader
What conventions does a blog need?
A catchy title, direct address to the reader and a sign-off; semi-formal register.
What conventions does a formal letter need?
A formal greeting (Dear Sir/Madam), clear paragraphs and a formal sign-off (Yours faithfully); formal register.
What conventions does an article need?
A headline, subheadings, an opening hook and a conclusion; semi-formal register.
What conventions does a speech need?
A greeting to the audience, rhetorical questions and a call to action; register depends on the audience.
personal text types
private/informal forms: an email to a friend, a blog, a diary entry
professional text types
formal forms: a formal letter, a report, a proposal
mass-media text types
forms for a wide audience: an article, a review, an interview, a speech, a leaflet
What are the four moves for the text type?
Find the named form → Recall its conventions → pick the Register → Frame the opening & closing.
Why not write a generic essay in Paper 1?
The task names a specific form; a generic essay misses its conventions and loses Criterion C.
Where do you find the text type in a prompt?
It's almost always printed in the prompt — blog, email, article, speech — so underline it first.
Which criterion does the right text type protect?
Criterion C (Conceptual understanding) — the conventions and register of the named form.
4.2.314 cards
register
how formal or informal the language is
audience / reader
the person you write to — the one who sets the register
informal register
relaxed, friendly English for friends and peers ("Hi", contractions)
formal register
polite, careful English for officials, teachers and companies ("Dear…", no slang)
greeting
how a text opens ("Hi Sam" informal vs "Dear Mr Patel" formal)
sign-off
how a text closes ("See you soon" informal vs "Yours faithfully" formal)
What markers signal the informal register?
"Hi…", contractions (I'm, can't) and a warm sign-off like "See you soon".
What markers signal the formal register?
"Dear Sir or Madam", no contractions or slang, and "Yours faithfully" / "Yours sincerely".
Which register do you use for a company or a teacher?
The formal register.
What are the four moves for register?
Identify the reader → Choose formal or informal → Match greeting/sign-off/words → Keep it consistent.
Which markers move together when you switch register?
The greeting, the request/word choices, the thanks and the sign-off — change all four or none.
What's the most common register mistake?
Mixing formal and informal in the same answer — usually hidden in contractions, slang and the sign-off.
Which criterion does a consistent register protect?
Criterion C (Conceptual understanding) — register matched to the reader and held throughout.
How do you catch register drift before finishing?
Re-read for contractions, slang and a clashing sign-off, checking each against your chosen register.
4.2.414 cards
connector (linker)
a linking word or phrase that joins ideas (moreover, however, because)
cohesion
how smoothly ideas link together and flow across a text
moreover / in addition / also
connectors of ADDITION — adding an idea in the same direction
however / although / on the other hand
connectors of CONTRAST — setting one idea against another
because / since / as
connectors of CAUSE — giving the reason for something
therefore / so / as a result
connectors of CONSEQUENCE — showing the result of something
first / then / finally
connectors of SEQUENCE — ordering ideas or events
for example / for instance / such as
connectors that give EXAMPLES — illustrating a point
What are the four steps to build a cohesive paragraph?
Topic sentence → Develop with a connector → Add an example → Conclude or transition.
Why use a range of different connectors?
Repeating "and" or one linker caps Criterion A; variety shows range of language.
How do connectors help your IB criteria?
They lift Criterion A (range/accuracy of language) and help Criterion B (organised, clear ideas).
Why is "Because…" as a standalone sentence an error, and what fixes it?
It leaves a fragment; open a result sentence with "Therefore,…" and keep "because" inside a sentence.
Which connector opens a sentence to show a RESULT/consequence?
"Therefore,…" (also "As a result,…" or "So…").
Name the three Paper 1 criteria and their marks.
A Language /12, B Message /12, C Conceptual understanding /6 — total /30.
4.2.514 cards
register
how formal or informal your language is; match it to the reader and never mix levels
word count / length
the word range the task asks for; too short caps Criterion B
verb tense
present, past or future; keep it correct and consistent for the task
text type
blog, email, article, speech…; you must use its conventions
to develop an idea
to expand a point with a reason and an example, not just name it
subject–verb agreement
the verb must match its subject (he goes, they go)
bullet point (prompt point)
each instruction in the task; you must answer every one
Which criterion does mixing/wrong register hit?
Criterion C (conventions and register).
Which criterion does an answer that is too short hit?
Criterion B (message) — you don't reach or develop the ideas.
Which criterion do verb-tense and agreement slips hit?
Criterion A (language).
What are the five steps of the final-check routine?
Bullets → Length → Register → Conventions → Verbs.
How long should you reserve for the final check?
About five minutes at the end of the exam.
What's the fix for ignoring the text type?
Use its conventions — title/headline, greeting, sign-off, paragraphs.
What's the fix for listing ideas without developing them?
Develop 2–3 ideas with a reason and an example each.
Topic 4.2 study notes
Full notes & explanations for Writing skills
English B exam skills
Paper structures, command terms & tips
Want smart review reminders?
Sign up free to track your progress. Our spaced repetition algorithm will tell you exactly which cards to review and when.
Start Free