Paper 1 = the writing paper: Paper 1 is the writing exam. You are given a choice of three tasks and you write just one of them: 250–400 words in a specified text type (a blog, an email, an article, a speech, a set of guidelines…) based on one of the five themes.
At SL it lasts 1 hour 15 minutes and is worth 25% of your final grade. The whole skill is choosing the right task, then writing in the right form and register.
The exam instruction you'll see (Paper 1): 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 250–400 words.”
What you have to do: You're given THREE tasks — read all three, then write just ONE. Each task sets a situation and offers about three text types; pick the one you can handle best and use its conventions (greeting, sign-off, headline…). Stay inside the word count (250–400 words at SL): well under loses content marks, and examiners stop marking once you run far over.
- the task / prompt
- the question you choose and answer
- text type
- the kind of text you must write (blog, email, article, speech…)
- theme
- one of the five course themes the task sits in
- register
- how formal or informal your language is
- conventions
- the expected features of a text type (its layout and signposts)
- audience
- the reader you are writing for
- purpose
- what the text is meant to do (inform, persuade, advise…)
Read all three first: Before you commit, read all three tasks. The best one is not the first you understand — it is the one where you have the most ideas and vocabulary. Spending a minute comparing them saves you from a stuck, half-finished answer later.
The numbers that matter: Memorise the shape of the paper so nothing surprises you on the day. The two facts most students forget under pressure are the word count (250–400) and that you write only one of the three tasks.
| Aspect | Paper 1 (SL) |
|---|---|
| Duration | 1 hour 15 minutes |
| Weighting | 25% of your final grade |
| Tasks | you choose 1 of 3 |
| Length | 250–400 words |
| Based on | one of the five themes |
| What you produce | a text of the named type (blog, email, article, speech, guidelines…) |
Lock in the key facts: 1 h 15 min · 25% · 1 of 3 tasks · 250–400 words. If you remember nothing else about the format, remember these four facts — examiners cap your marks if you write far too little.
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Five moves, in order: Strong candidates all follow the same routine: read everything, choose well, decode the task, plan, then write and check. The first few minutes are about deciding — not rushing into prose you will regret.
From prompt to finished answer — 5 steps
1
Read all three tasks
Don't skim — read each of the three prompts properly so you know your real options before committing.
2
Choose your best fit
Pick the task where you have the most ideas and vocabulary, not just the first one you understand.
3
Identify text type, audience & register
Spot the text type the prompt names, who you are writing for, and whether the register is formal or informal.
4
Plan your structure & key points
Jot a quick outline: the text-type sections plus the two or three points you'll develop. A minute here saves ten later.
5
Write 250–400 words, then check
Write in the right form and register, then leave time to re-read for verbs, agreement and word count.
Read → Choose → Identify → Plan → Write & check
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.
The first five minutes, worked through: Here is the first half of the exam — choosing and decoding a task — on a real-style example. This is the thinking that happens before you write a single sentence of your answer.
Decoding a Paper 1 task
From the prompt to a plan
- Read the prompt: "Your school is starting a recycling campaign. Write a text for the school blog encouraging other students to reduce their waste." Underline the key words before you do anything else.
- Text type = a blog post. The word "blog" in the prompt tells you the form, so you must use a blog's conventions — a catchy title, direct address to the reader, and a sign-off.
- Audience = fellow students at your school. Register = friendly but correct — informal and personal, but still school-appropriate, not slang.
- Theme = Sharing the planet (the environment). Naming the theme helps you reach for the vocabulary you have revised (waste, recycle, the environment, sustainable).
- Three points to develop: (1) why reducing waste matters, (2) two or three easy actions students can take, (3) a call to action. Now you have a plan — start writing.
The first 5 minutes are decoding, not writing: Notice that not one word of the answer has been written yet — and that is correct. The first five minutes are for decoding the prompt and planning. Get the text type, audience, register and three points clear, and the rest almost writes itself.
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Paper 1 is marked /30 on three criteria: Every Paper 1 answer is marked out of 30, split across three criteria. You don't need the exact wording of the markscheme — you need to know what each criterion rewards, so you can aim your answer at it.
A — Language /12
- Use VARIED, task-appropriate vocabulary — idioms and precise topic words reach the top band.
- Mix BASIC and more COMPLEX grammar (not just simple present-tense sentences).
- Accuracy matters, but a few slips that don't block meaning are fine.
B — Message /12
- Cover EVERY part of the prompt — missing a bullet caps your mark.
- DEVELOP each idea with details and examples, not one-line mentions.
- Organise logically so the reader follows you easily.
C — Conceptual /6
- Choose the RIGHT text type for the task.
- Match REGISTER and TONE to the audience and purpose.
- Use that text type's CONVENTIONS — greeting, sign-off, headline, title…
How to score — a quick checklist: Before you hand in any Paper 1 answer, run this list:
1. Did I answer every part of the prompt? (Message)
2. Did I develop each idea with a detail or example? (Message)
3. Did I use varied vocabulary and a mix of simple and complex grammar? (Language)
4. Is it the right text type, with its conventions (title / greeting / sign-off…)? (Conceptual)
5. Does the register and tone fit the audience? (Conceptual)
6. Am I within 250–400 words?
Good moves
- Choose the task you have ideas for.
- Cover every bullet and develop each one.
- Use the text-type conventions.
- Match the register to the audience.
Costly mistakes
- Pick the first task you see, then run dry.
- Miss a bullet (this caps your Message mark).
- Write a generic essay that ignores the text type.
- Use one register / mix tú-style and formal tone.
Match the form to the task: A brilliant essay scores badly if the task asked for a blog. Before you write, name the text type in your head and give it the features the examiner expects — that is how you protect your Criterion C marks.