What Paper 1 is: Paper 1 is the writing exam. Here's the shape of it — and what it looks like on the page.
The shape of Paper 1
Task
Read all three tasks, then write just one.
Choose your task
Text type
Each task offers three types — pick one (blog, email, article, speech…).
Choose your form
Your answer
words at HL, on one of the five themes.
1 h 30 min · 30 marks (25%)
The instruction you'll see on the paper: At the top of the English Paper 1 you'll see an instruction like:
“Complete one task. Use an appropriate text type from the options below the task you choose. Write 450–600 words.”
How a task looks on the paper: Here is an original example, laid out the way the real paper does it — a short task, then the three text types you choose between. You pick the one you can handle best.
Example task (as on the paper): Your school is going to close the canteen an hour earlier. Write a text to give your opinion and suggest an alternative.
| Choose ONE text type | (what it is) |
|---|---|
| An email | to the head teacher |
| A blog post | for the school website |
| A letter to the editor | of a local newspaper |
Read all three tasks first: Before you commit, read all three tasks. The best one isn't the first you understand — it's the one you have the most ideas and vocabulary for. A minute spent comparing them saves a stuck, half-finished answer later.
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Reading it is one thing — hearing it is another
You're reading the free notes. Aimnova Pro unlocks the full study experience — and you can try it with your first topic free to keep:
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- Practice questionsAnswer exam-style questions and get instant AI marking.
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- Personalised study planA daily plan built around your exam date and weak areas.
Five moves, in order: Strong candidates all follow the same routine: read everything, choose well, work out your reader and tone, plan, then write and check. The first few minutes are for deciding — not for rushing into prose you'll regret.
From the three tasks to a finished answer — 5 steps
Read all three tasks
Don't skim — read each of the three tasks properly so you know your real options before committing.
Choose the task AND the text type
Pick the task and the text type (from the three options) that you have the most ideas and vocabulary for.
Work out the reader and the tone
Decide who you're writing for and whether the tone (formal or friendly) fits that reader.
Plan the parts + your main points
Jot the text type's parts (opening, body, closing) plus the 2–3 main points you'll develop. A minute here saves ten later.
Write 450–600 words, then check
Write in the right form and tone, then leave time to re-read for verbs, spelling and length.
Read → Choose → Reader & tone → Plan → Write & check
| Aspect | Paper 1 (HL) |
|---|---|
| Duration | 1 h 30 min |
| Weight | 25% of the final grade |
| Marks | 30 |
| Tasks | choose 1 of 3 |
| Length | 450–600 words |
| Based on | one of the five themes |
| You write | a text in the type you choose (blog, email, article, speech…) |
Decide before you write: The candidates who run out of ideas are usually the ones who started writing on step 1. Spend the first few minutes on steps 1–4 — choosing and planning — and the writing comes far more easily.
Practice with real exam questions
Answer exam-style questions and get AI feedback that shows you exactly what examiners want to see in a full-marks response.
Choosing and planning, worked through: Here's the first few minutes of the exam — choosing a task and planning it — on an original example. Not one word of the answer is written yet, and that's correct.
Example task (as on the paper): Your town has fewer and fewer green spaces. Write a text to persuade local people to protect the parks that remain.
| Choose ONE text type | (what it is) |
|---|---|
| An opinion column | for a magazine |
| An email | to the town council |
| A speech | to give at a community meeting |
How you'd think it through:
- Which task and why: I'd take this one — I have lots of vocabulary about the environment and the town, so I can reach 450–600 words easily.
- Text type I pick: an opinion column, because it lets me argue a clear point of view.
- Audience: local people (and the local council).
- Tone: semi-formal — persuasive and respectful, not slang.
- Theme: Sharing the planet (the environment).
- Two or three ideas to develop: (1) why the parks matter for health and community life; (2) what is being lost as green spaces shrink; (3) a concrete proposal — a clean-up day or council investment.
The first minutes are planning, not writing: Get the text type, audience, tone, theme and three points clear first, and the text almost writes itself. Choosing and planning is where the marks are won.