APTIS Writing exam:Analysis, Guidance & Practice

Task 1: 3 marks – 3 mins

1a) Complete a simple form with your personal details.

You want to join a library. Fill in the form. You have 3 minutes.

APTIS LIBRARY
Full name:
Date of birth:
(Day) Month (Write in full) Year
City/ Town/ Village:
Interests (list 3):

Checklist for Task 1

- Use capital letters where approximate

- Write using full words
- Provide the correction information
- Use (V) + ing when describing interests (e.g: fishing, reading novels,etc.)
- Check your spelling carefully when you finish
Task 2: 5 marks – 7 minutes
2a) Read the answer below and compare it with the checklist underneath. How
many marks out of 5 do you think the writer will get?

You are a new member of a library. Fill in the form. Write in sentences. Use 20 – 30
words. You have 7 minutes.
APTIS LIBRARY
Please tell us about what you like to read and when you would like to use the library.

I like to read novels, history books and biographies mainly, but I also enjoy reading
magazines. I’d like to use the library in the evenings and on Saturday mornings.
Checklist for Task 2:
 - Use full sentences with capital letters, full stops and other approximate
punctuation.
- Answer both parts of the question.
- Stay within the word count (20 – 30 words).
- Check for any grammar errors.
- Check your spelling carefully when you finish.
Task 3: 7 marks – 10 minutes
3a) Read the task below and discuss these questions. Guess if you’re not sure:
How many answers will you have to write?
Do you have 10 minutes per answer or 10 minutes for all your answers?
Will the computer respond to your answers?

You are a new member of a library. You are talking to M. in the online library
chat room. Talk to M. using sentences.
Use 30 to 40 words per answer. You have 10 minutes.
Hi! I’ve just joined the library. I joined because I wanted to get some
recommendations of good books to read. Why did you join?

I joined because my sister was a member and she was always showing mereally
interesting books. I thought the membership fee would be expensive, so I
wasreally surprised when she said it was free!

That’s interesting. What are the best things about being a member?

The books are obviously the most important thing, but it’s also nice beingable to
consult the librarians when you’re there. They can really help you to find
something that you’ll enjoy reading.

I know what you mean. What do you think about the new reading café they’ve just
opened?

I’ve only been once, but it’s really nice. You can take library books in thereand see
if you enjoy them before taking them out. My only criticism is the music they play-
it can be quite distracting!
 3b) Here are 7 sentences from an example answer. Working in pairs, try to put them in
the right boxes in the right order. Then check that each answer is the right length:
1. They can really help you to find something that you’ll enjoy reading.
2. I’ve only been once, but it’s really nice.
3. I joined because my sister was a member and she was always showing me really
interesting books.
4. You can take the library books in there and see if you enjoy them before taking
them out.
5. My only criticism is the music they play – it can be quite distracting!
6. The books are obviously the most important thing, but it’s also nice being to
consult the librarians when you’re there.
7. I thought the membership fee would be expensive, so I was really surprised
when she said it was free!

Checklist for Task 3

- Give yourself about 3 minutes for each reply and keep an eye on the time
- Reply fully to each piece of input
- Check each of your replies for errors of grammar and spelling before you post
them
- Include a nice range of vocabulary, but don’t go off topic
- Use a few conjunctions to link your ideas together (but, so, although,etc.)
- Keep your replies informal (contractions are OK), but punctuate fully and don’t
use “text slang” (CUl8er,etc.)
Task 4: 9 marks – 30 minutes

4a) Read the exam task and the example answer. How many marks do you think it would
be got?
You are a member of a library. You have just received from the following email from
them.
Dear Library Members,
Due to high membership, two new rules will be introduced from today:
 Members are only allowed to take out 2 books at a time, instead of 4 books
previously allowed
 All members will be charged $5 per day for books that are overdue, increased
from $1
We hope you understand these changes are in the interest of all members. Please feel
free to email us about this: library@aptis_library.com

Write an email to a friend. Write your feelings about the new rules and suggest
possible alternatives. Write about 50 words. You have 10 minutes.

Subject: Library blues!

Hi Susan,
I’m really brassed off about the new library rules. 2 books aren’t enough for fast
readers like me, and the $5 overdue fees are ridiculous!
Why don’t we charge us to be members? That would keep membership numbers
down, wouldn’t it? Not only that, it’d give them money to buy more books!
Cheers,
Ali

Also write an email to the library, explaining your feelings about the new rules
and suggesting possible alternatives. Write 120 – 150 words. You have 20
minutes.

Subject: New Library Regulations

Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with the new library regulations. While I
understand that your library has limited financial resources, the changes you have
introduced are, I feel, unwarranted.
Firstly, two books are not sufficient for fast readers like myself. I will now need to
make two visits to the library per week, instead of one.
Secondly, the $5 per day overdue penalty seems extremely harsh, and represents a
large increase on the previous penalty.
May I suggest an alternative solution to your problem? If I were to charge a small
membership fee, this would reduce the number of members while also providing a
modest income to purchase more books. I would imagine a fee as small as $20 per
annum would suffice.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Yours faithfully,
Ali Mohammed