See this sample Review from the Cambridge English Proficiency (CPE) Writing paper with feedback from a teacher

Writing Class: Review

Task Type: Review

Question
You are in charge of the publicity at your local arts centre, which is staging a series of cultural events with the following title: "Remembrance of things past". There will be a series of book readings, as well as showings of plays, films and TV programmes from the past whose themes are still relevant today. Your boss has asked you to select a piece of work (from any of the list above) and to write a review that will be given to audience members on the night of the performance. You should include contextual background information as well as an explanation as to why the work is still relevant in today's society:

"Remembrance of things past" - an exhibition of classic works with a contemporary relevance"

Write the review for inclusion in the programme. (around 280 - 320 words)

Makeover: Francoise

Read Francoise's answer to this question below. Try correcting the piece of writing yourself first: use the marking codes to think about what might be wrong (or what's good) about the piece of work. Then when you're ready, click the green buttons in the text for our feedback.

In a moment you are going to watch WW “Tess” a film directed by Roman Polanski and released in 1979. This film is shown as part of our series of cultural events on the theme of "Remembrance of things past". The film T, WW is an adaptation of Thomas Hardy's tragic novel published in 1891 and set in Victorian England. The film features 17 year-old Nastassia Kinsky as the country girl Tess Durbeyfield, Leigh Lawson as her seducer Alec and Peter Firth as her husband Angel Clare.

The story is about Tess, a poor but attractive country girl, sent by her parents to visit her presumed noble relations, Alec d'Urberville and his mother. Alec seduces and rapes Tess. T, O Soon after returning to her parents' house Tess discovers that she is pregnant. Eventually she gives birth to a weak baby who dies shortly afterwards. Later she falls in love with Angel Clare and they marry, but when her husband is informed of her affair with Alec, he rejects her. Facing starvation and homelessness, Tess resumes her relationship with Alec as his mistress but realizes she has made a mistake and murders him. Tess then runs away to find Angel Clare but is captured and hanged for murdering Alec.

Even though the film is set in Victorian Britain, it remains strikingly relevant today as it addresses the long-run WW consequences of sexual abuse for the victims. In the film Tess is angry with her parents for sending her to the d'Urbervilles' manor house without any warning. Two years ago dozens of women accused film producer Harvey Weinstein of rape and sexual abuse . The Weinstein scandal triggered many similar allegations against powerful men throughout the world and led to many women sharing their experiences of sexual assault under the hashtag #MeToo. But even though nowadays social media provideWF an opportunity for victims to report on sexual abuse, there is no denying that sexual abuse can dramatically impact the mental health and destiny of the victims.

Feedback

Content
This is a very full and authentic response. You have provided an interesting contextual background and explained the relevance of the work today.

Communicative Achievement
The review is highly engaging and very persuasive. The review would have a very positive impression on the reader.

Organisation
The review is clearly and logically organised. An excellent introduction, a main body paragraph and an effective conclusion. Discourse markers and other cohesive devices have been used satisfactorily to link ideas, though I think in the second paragraph, one or two shorter sentences could have been joined together.

Language
This is a very good piece of writing in terms of your use of English. Very accurate use of grammar and some well-chosen vocabulary throughout. It is written in an engaging style with good use of present tenses to describe events.

Well done!

Marking Code

/\ Word(s) missing

- Omit word

C Capitalization

Gd Good

O Organisation

P Punctuation

PE Poorly expressed

R Register/Formality

SS Sentence Structure

S Spelling

T Tip

WF Wrong form

WO Word order

WT Wrong tense

WW Wrong word

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