Writing Paper Part 2. Task Type: Article

Question
You have recently read an article from a youth magazine on the problem of inactivity in young people. The magazine has invited its readers to respond to the topic by writing a short article of their own, which answers the following questions:

You should focus on young people in your country (or a country that you know well).

Write the article for the readers of the magazine. (around 300 - 350 words)

What you need to include to pass
Click here for our checklist first to understand what the examiner is looking for in a good answer.

Ideas for writing
Ask yourself the following questions to help you get started:

• Make a list of reasons why young people are less active than previous generations:
  - indoor activities more popular (e.g. computer games, TV etc.)
  - parents don't encourage children to do enough exercise
  - media encourages an unhealthy lifestyle
  
• What solutions are there to the problem? Are they realistic or not?
  Example:
  Parents need to supervise children more - but impractical if they are out at work
  Work through your list and decide which suggestions you really want to include. Choose between three and four.
  
• You are writing an article rather than a report or discursive essay. What does this imply about the style and tone of your writing? (Answer: you can afford to experiment with different levels of formality or use direct questions to engage the reader)
  Example:
  What are we going to do about our kids today?
  
• How are you going to conclude your article - on an optimistic or pessimistic note?

Drafting and proofreading your work
You should look at your first draft of the task and decide:

• Have you answered the question fully?
• Is the layout and organisation appropriate?
• Is the language accurate with a good range of structures?
• Is the style appropriate and consistent for your article?
• Will it be genuinely informative for the reader as well as being interesting to read?