Question 1 · Productive Writing
30 marksYour school administration has recently decided to reintroduce single-use plastic water bottles in the school cafeteria, citing convenience and budget constraints. Many students believe this is a step backward for the school's environmental sustainability goals. Write a text in which you argue against this decision and propose practical, eco-friendly alternatives that the school can adopt. Choose the most appropriate text type from the three options provided: [1] Blog post, [2] Formal letter to the school principal, or [3] Speech to the student council. Write 250 to 400 words.
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Worked solution
A successful response must choose one of the three text types (Formal letter, Blog post, or Speech) and maintain its register and conventions consistently. For a Formal Letter: The register should be formal and persuasive. Conventions include clear sender and recipient placeholders, a formal salutation, structured paragraphs arguing against plastic and proposing alternatives, and a formal sign-off. For a Blog Post: The register should be engaging and interactive. Conventions include a catchy title, date, author name, and a call to action. For a Speech: The register should be rhetorical and engaging. Conventions include direct address to the audience, a clear opening and closing, and persuasive language. Content in all options must argue against the plastic bottle decision and propose realistic, eco-friendly alternatives (such as water refill stations, reusable bottles, or awareness campaigns).
Marking scheme
The writing task is assessed out of 30 marks based on three criteria. Criterion A: Language (12 marks) evaluates the vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure. Excellent command with complex structures earns 9-12 marks. Criterion B: Message (12 marks) evaluates the depth, coherence, and development of arguments. Fully developed arguments with clear solutions earn 9-12 marks. Criterion C: Conceptual Understanding (6 marks) evaluates the choice of text type, register, and tone relative to the audience. Perfect adherence to conventions and appropriate tone earns 5-6 marks.