Writing is cool.

It helps you think about what you want to say, and makes you really articulate those ideas out – I’ve always enjoyed it, the way that it forced me to think: What is the best way to order my thoughts?

How do I get what I want to say out?

The answer invariably begins with this:

I must know what I want to say – I must understand what I want to get across; but at the same time, it is through the process of writing that I think my thoughts out.

It then surfaces to me as it always has:

Writing is thinking. 

Not all writing is thinking, it’s true – but writing is a very specific form of thinking – a process of looking at the words that you see and repeatedly clarifying them into a cohesive whole.

The reason I emphasize this is that all too often, students think that writing is a magical skill – the words appear out of nowhere as if transported from a magical box; that what comes out of their pens or their keyboards must be perfect and completely formed; that is an understandable mentality, but it is also often a dangerous one; if you think that perfection is what is needed from the very beginning, you are not likely to start, and in not starting, you won’t get better.

Take this essay, for example – it didn’t come about because of something magical that happened on the page; I didn’t transport it out of my grey matter onto the page just because it all already happened to be there – rather, every word and every sentence came about because I was looking at what I had already said, thinking about what would be logical, and then from there, brick by thought-brick, constructing everything that would eventually come to pass, rearranging, finding out what works.

Why does this sentence go well with that sentence?

What does putting this word in front do?

If I use this word and not that word, how does that change the meaning of what I’m getting across?

These are small things that teachers can teach you in part, but that you also need to figure out on your own.

Maybe I’m wrong – Maybe it depends on the teacher?

Sure, that’s possible – but even if it is, you may have to ask yourself:

Can you afford to spend all your time with a great teacher, whether monetarily or time-wise?

If you can, consider hiring me and we’ll go a part of the way together (email at victortanws@gmail.com!) – but the broader point is this:

There are plenty of intangible and small things that life’s challenges present to you that you won’t be able to figure out unless you let your mind operate on a document, unless you allow yourself to choose what you’ll articulate, bring across, and eventually ship as a story.

Writing is thinking, and it’s watching your brain formulate, mold, recreate, and complete – it doesn’t come out perfect, but nothing does, not even this piece; when you lean into that imperfection and embrace that we’re here to try and in so doing get better through our experiments, some which will fail and if we’re lucky, some that will succeed, it is there that you’ll find yourself getting better, one step at a time. 

“Wow! Grammar! Something that I haven’t heard about for a long, long time.”

I can imagine that playing through your head time and time again as you show up for your First Language English class, probably you would continue for weeks on end. Before you know it, and contrary to popular belief, you’ll be at the end, and you’ll have never touched a lick of grammar.

What a weird thing to happen given just how important grammar is – but you certainly won’t need to understand grammar formally in the 0500 curriculum, although you’ll definitely be expected to know how to use it correctly.

As you probably know, grammar refers to the rules that guide what is correct usage of the English language.

Your tenses, past, present, and future. Your keeping consistency, your using the rules at the right time in the right place to convey exactly the kind of meaning that you want. It is like the air we breathe – necessary for a smooth daily existence, forgotten when it’s there, but when it’s gone, everybody notices as they swim from the deep waters to the itch separating them from the air to breathe it all in.

And so it is with grammar—so important, yet so easily forgotten.

Unfortunately, if you are hoping to learn about grammar in the course of your daily first language English life, bad luck because you’re not going to. After all, in first language English, people pretty much assume that you just know everything. You’re a first language speaker, unfortunately. In many cases, though, that’s an assumption that’s not actually true unless you’re telling me that you know every single grammatical rule out there.

The good news is twofold:

Firstly, you don’t need to memorize every single grammatical rule in order to function, and in fact, most speakers or users of the language don’t.

What’s a lot more natural is that we just make use of the language the way experience teaches us.

The second thing is that there’s no real test of grammar—at least, in an explicit sense— with grammar drills or anything like that. The bad news is if you’re not one of those people who has that sort of explicit knowledge, then chances are you’re just going to pass through the entire course not learning clearly or intuitively about those rules; Thrown into the deep end, it’s your job just to function and level up. You have no idea how many people go through this.

People who are taking first language English, when really given their foundational skills, they should actually be doing second language. Never actually speaking English at home, only here to take it up because they need it for university.

Well, nowhere is the situation as dark or sad as you might imagine, because you’d be surprised what human beings can learn when under pressure.

But trust me, I’ve seen so many people just come and go, passing by, never really learning the rules, even though they would have made life so much easier for them.

That’s why right here we have The Complete Grammar Guide For IGCSE English, a small refresher for you to learn grammar in case you want to refresh your understanding of the foundational rules and how all of them work together with one another.

Real talk though – it’s probably going to be hard to pick up grammatical rules all along. In any case, that isn’t what first language English is about: This class is after all more about appreciating the different ways to use language, the different kinds of meanings that are produced.

You can approach to some extent without memorizing grammatical rules, although to some extent, of course, the rules themselves are what define meaning, so there is a challenge then in understanding enough grammar and appreciating language well enough that somehow or another your understanding of the rules informs your ability to create, understand, and appreciate meaning.

While at the same time you don’t get too caught up with memorizing things. It’s up to you to discover that balance.

If you pick up the complete IGCSE grammar guide, I hope you’ll think of this as you reflect along the way. Thank you for your support, and look forward to seeing you in the next ones!

Welcome back, friends!

January’s two thirds over (can you believe it???), and I’m starting to notice how much of our language is built around control—or the illusion of it. We “seize the day,” “take charge,” “make things happen.” English loves this fantasy of agency, as if willpower alone could bend reality. But then there are those other phrases, the ones we whisper when things go sideways: “it is what it is,” “que sera sera,” “nothing we could do.” It’s fascinating how quickly we code-switch between these two registers—the language of control and the language of surrender—depending on whether we’re winning or losing. And maybe that’s what makes storytelling so powerful: it forces us to confront the space between what we can change and what we cannot, between action and acceptance. The best stories live in that tension, where characters push against unstoppable forces not because they’ll win, but because not pushing would cost them something essential about who they are.

This week’s essay prompt: “Write a story which includes the words, ‘… it could not be stopped … ‘”; it is question 4 in the May 2025 Paper 2 series from Variant 1 – we’ll end with Q1 Variant 1 next week before heading in to Variant 2 thereafter!

Here’s what makes this prompt brutally effective: those four words force you to write about powerlessness—but they don’t tell you what cannot be stopped, who tries to stop it, or why it matters. The prompt is a constraint that creates immediate dramatic tension, but the real test is whether you can build a story where the unstoppable thing isn’t just plot machinery—it’s thematically essential. Many students will reach for the obvious: a natural disaster, a speeding vehicle, an illness. But the strongest responses understand that “it could not be stopped” is only interesting when someone desperately needs it to stop. The emotional stakes determine everything. What’s being threatened? Who’s trying to intervene? What does their failure (or partial success) reveal about human agency and limitation? This is where narrative writing becomes sophisticated: when you use external, physical momentum to explore internal, moral questions. Can you make us feel the gut-punch of pulling an emergency lever that does nothing? Can you show us a character learning, in real-time, that acceptance and action aren’t opposites—they’re sometimes the same desperate thing?

As always, the essay will be marked according to the IGCSE First Language English marking criteria available in the rubrics, and you will understand clearly what works and what doesn’t, and why. As always, so you can understand the logic of why what works works and get inspiration for your own writing.

You’ll find the essay here!

Write a story which includes the words, ‘… it could not be stopped … ’.

The full essay is available for our premium members. If you haven’t signed up already, then make sure to sign up over here!

Thank you all, and look forward to seeing you in the next one!

As you know, the Cambridge IGCSE First Language English 0500 wants you to develop an awareness and familiarity with different types of texts throughout the entire duration of the course. As it turns out, there are a few official ones that you have to be aware of. With that in mind, according to the official Cambridge syllabus, students must be able to write in the following text types:

1. Letter
2. Report
3. Article
4. Journal
5. Speech
6. Interview
7. Summary (specific to Paper 1 only)

These appear in two key places in the exam:

Paper 1, Question 3 (Extended Response):

• Letter, Report, Journal, Speech, Interview, or Article
• 250-350 words
• Based on Text C

Paper 2, Section A (Directed Writing):

• Speech, Letter, or Article
• 250-350 words
• Discursive/argumentative/persuasive writing

Coursework Assignment 1:

• “Any appropriate form” which can include: Letter, Article, Speech, or any text type suitable for discussing/arguing/persuading

Now let me break down each text type comprehensively.

For each of the text types, I will provide you with a format that you can use. The content structure, highlight the language features that should be present in your text, and also highlight a few common exam scenarios which you may encounter. Ready? Let’s go!

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1. LETTER

Types:

• Formal Letter (to authorities, officials, newspapers, companies)
• Semi-formal Letter (to teachers, coaches, community leaders)
• Informal Letter (to friends, family – rarely tested in IGCSE)

Purpose:

• To communicate a message to a specific person or organization
• To request, complain, inform, persuade, or apply

Key Features:

Formal Letter Format:

Your address (sender's address)

[Leave a line]

Date
[Leave a line]
Recipient's name and title
Recipient's address

[Leave a line]

Dear Sir/Madam, OR Dear Mr/Ms [Surname],

[Leave a line]

CONTENT IN PARAGRAPHS

[Leave a line]

Yours faithfully, (if you used Sir/Madam)
OR
Yours sincerely, (if you used their name)

[Leave a line]
Your signature
Your name (printed)

Content Structure:

• Opening paragraph: State purpose clearly and immediately
• Middle paragraphs: Develop your points with specific details (one point per paragraph)
• Closing paragraph: State desired outcome or call to action
• Sign off appropriately

Language Features:

• Formal tone: No contractions, slang, or colloquialisms
• Polite but assertive language: “I would appreciate,” “I am writing to express,” “I strongly believe”
• Clear, organized paragraphs
• Appropriate register for audience

Common Exam Scenarios:

• Letter to newspaper editor arguing a position
• Letter to local council about a community issue
• Letter responding to an article writer
• Letter of complaint or request

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2. REPORT

Purpose:

• To present findings, observations, or information in an organized, objective manner
• To inform decision-makers
• To provide analysis and recommendations

Key Features:

Format:

TITLE: Report on [Topic]
OR
[Company/Organization Name] - Report

Prepared by: [Your name/position]
Date: [Date]
For: [Recipient/audience]

Introduction/Purpose
[What this report is about and why it was commissioned]

Findings/Main Body
[Organized sections with subheadings if appropriate]
- Finding 1
- Finding 2
- Finding 3

Conclusion
[Summary of key points]

Recommendations
[Specific suggestions for action]

Language Features:

• Objective, impersonal tone: Use third person or passive voice
• Formal language: No personal opinions stated as such
• Clear organization: Use headings and subheadings
• Factual presentation: Based on observations or data
• Professional vocabulary: “It was observed that,” “The findings indicate,” “It is recommended that”

Content Structure:

• Introduction: Outline purpose and scope
• Main body: Present findings systematically (can use bullet points sparingly)
• Conclusion: Summarize key observations
• Recommendations: Suggest practical actions (optional but often expected)

Common Exam Scenarios:

• Report on working conditions
• Report on facilities or services
• Report on an event or experience
• Report to management/authorities

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3. ARTICLE

Types:

• Magazine Article (feature pieces, opinion pieces)
• Newspaper Article (news reports, editorials, opinion pieces)
• Online Article (blog-style pieces)

Purpose:

• To inform, entertain, persuade, or provoke thought
• To engage a wide audience on a topic of interest

Key Features:

Format:

HEADLINE
[Catchy, attention-grabbing, possibly using puns or alliteration]

Subheading (optional)
[Expands on headline, provides context]

By [Your name] (optional)

INTRODUCTION PARAGRAPH
[Hook the reader immediately]

BODY PARAGRAPHS
[Develop your points with evidence, examples, anecdotes]

CONCLUSION
[Strong ending - call to action, provocative question, or memorable statement]

Language Features:

• Engaging, lively style: Can be more creative than reports
• Direct address to reader: “Have you ever wondered…”, “We all know that…”
• Varied sentence structures: Short sentences for impact, longer for development
• Rhetorical devices: Questions, repetition, rule of three
• Personal voice: Can use “I” and express opinions clearly
• Varied vocabulary: Mixture of formal and informal depending on audience

Content Structure:

• Headline: Make it grab attention
• Opening: Hook reader with interesting fact, question, or anecdote
• Development: Build argument or present information engagingly
• Conclusion: Leave reader thinking or call them to action

Common Exam Scenarios:

• Article arguing for/against a position
• Article discussing a topical issue
• Feature article on an experience or topic
• Opinion piece for a magazine

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4. JOURNAL/DIARY

Purpose:

• To record personal thoughts, feelings, and experiences
• To reflect on events from a personal perspective
• To explore emotions and reactions

Key Features:

Format:

Date: [Day, Date, Month, Year]
OR
Dear Diary,

[PERSONAL REFLECTIONS AND NARRATIVE]

[No sign-off necessary, or simple:]
[Your name/initials]

Language Features:

• First person narrative: Extensive use of “I”
• Personal, reflective tone: Honest, introspective
• Informal register: Can use contractions, colloquial language
• Present or past tense: Depending on when writing occurs
• Emotional expression: Share feelings openly
• Conversational style: Like talking to yourself or a trusted confidant

Content Structure:

• Opening: Set scene/context (“Today was…,” “I can’t believe…”)
• Development: Narrate events and express feelings about them
• Reflection: Analyze what happened, what it means, how you feel
• Conclusion: Look forward or sum up emotional state

Common Exam Scenarios:

• Diary entry after a significant experience
• Journal reflecting on events described in text
• Multiple entries showing progression of thought/feeling
• Personal response to a situation

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5. SPEECH

Purpose:

• To persuade, inform, entertain, or inspire an audience
• To present arguments or ideas orally (though written on paper)
• To create connection with listeners

Key Features:

Format:

[Optional greeting/opening]
"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen," / "Thank you for coming today,"

[MAIN CONTENT - written as if spoken]

[Optional closing]
"Thank you for your attention." / "I hope you'll join me..."

Language Features:

• Direct address: “You might think,” “We all know,” “Ask yourselves”
• Rhetorical devices:
  • Rhetorical questions
  • Rule of three (lists of three)
  • Repetition for emphasis
  • Anaphora (repeated sentence openings)
  • Emotive language
• Conversational connectives: “Now,” “So,” “But here’s the thing”
• Inclusive language: “We,” “us,” “our”
• Varied pace: Short, punchy sentences mixed with longer development
• Signposting: “Firstly,” “Furthermore,” “In conclusion”

Content Structure:

• Opening: Grab attention, establish credibility, state purpose
• Development: Present arguments with evidence and examples
• Address counter-arguments: Show you’ve considered other views
• Conclusion: Summarize key points, powerful ending, call to action

Common Exam Scenarios:

• Speech to school assembly
• Speech to local council
• Debate speech arguing a position
• Campaign speech
• Speech responding to an article

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6. INTERVIEW

Purpose:

• To present information through question-and-answer format
• To reveal character, opinions, or experiences
• To make information accessible and engaging

Key Features:

Format:

[Optional Introduction]
"Today we speak with [Name] about [Topic]..."

Q: [Question from interviewer]
A: [Answer from interviewee]

Q: [Question]
A: [Answer]

[Continue...]

[Optional Conclusion]
"Thank you for your time..."

Language Features:

• Two distinct voices:
  • Interviewer: Professional, probing questions
  • Interviewee: Personal responses, revealing information
• Question variety:
  • Open questions (“Tell me about…”)
  • Probing questions (“Why did you…?”)
  • Follow-up questions (“You mentioned… can you explain?”)
• Natural conversational flow
• Mix of formal and informal depending on context
• Reveal information gradually

Content Structure:

• Introduction: Set context, introduce interviewee
• Opening question: Ease in, establish rapport
• Development: Deeper, more probing questions
• Key questions: Address main points from source text
• Closing: Wrap up, thank interviewee

Common Exam Scenarios:

• Interview with person from the text
• Interview with expert on topic
• Interview revealing character’s thoughts/motivations
• Interview exploring different perspectives

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7. SUMMARY (Paper 1 Only)

Purpose:

• To condense key information from a text
• To demonstrate understanding of explicit and implicit content
• To present information concisely in own words

Key Features:

Format:

[Continuous prose paragraph(s)]
[No introduction or conclusion]
[Approximately 120 words for Paper 1]

Language Features:

• Own words: No lifting from text
• Third person: Objective presentation
• Present tense: Usually (unless text is clearly past)
• Concise expression: Every word counts
• No personal opinion: Stick to text content
• Selective detail: Only relevant points

Content Structure:

• Open with context: Brief statement of what’s being summarized (use question wording)
• Present points: One after another, no unnecessary elaboration
• No introduction: Get straight to first point
• No conclusion: Stop when points are covered

Critical Rules:

• Do not copy phrases from text
• Do not add your own opinions
• Do not include examples unless specifically asked
• Do not exceed word limit significantly
• Do cover all bullet points if given
• Do use connecting words for flow

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Where Each Text Type Appears:

Paper 1, Question 3:

You’ll be given ONE of these six options:

• Letter
• Report
• Journal
• Speech
• Interview
• Article

You must respond in the specified format (250-350 words)

Paper 2, Section A (Directed Writing):

You’ll write ONE of these three:

• Speech
• Letter
• Article

Purpose: Discursive, argumentative, or persuasive (250-350 words)

Coursework Assignment 1:

“Any appropriate form” – typically:

• Letter (most common)
• Article
• Speech
• Report (less common but acceptable)

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Key Principles Across All Text Types:

1. Audience Awareness:
   • Who are you writing for? You should have a sense of who the audience is and what you must do when you are speaking to each audience.
   • Formal or informal? Depending on the social situation and the types of people that you’re speaking to, you may need to vary your language. If you’re speaking at a conference, clearly your language should be formal; if you are writing to elementary school children, you can not be using Ph.D.-level language.
   • What do they know already? Think about this as you write.
2. Purpose Clarity:
   • What are you trying to achieve?
   • Inform? Persuade? Entertain? Reflect?
3. Register Appropriateness:
   • Match tone to text type and audience
   • Consistent throughout
4. Structural Coherence:
   • Clear beginning, middle, end
   • Logical progression of ideas
   • Appropriate linking between points
5. Content Relevance:
   • Stay focused on the task
   • Use material from source text appropriately
   • Develop ideas fully

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Common Mistakes to Avoid:

❌ Mixing formats (starting as letter, ending as article)
❌ Ignoring conventions (no address on letter, no headline on article)
❌ Wrong register (too informal for report, too formal for journal)
❌ Lifting text (especially in summaries)
❌ Irrelevant content (straying from the text/task)
❌ No clear audience (writing to nobody in particular)
❌ Inconsistent voice (switching between perspectives)

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Final Thoughts:

The text types aren’t just about format – they’re about understanding how purpose, audience, and form interact. A letter arguing against a policy will look different from a speech arguing the same point, even though both are persuasive. The letter is targeted to a specific recipient with formal conventions; the speech addresses a crowd with rhetorical flourishes.

Practice each text type until the conventions become automatic. Then you can focus on what really matters: the quality of your ideas, the sophistication of your expression, and the effectiveness of your communication.

The examiners aren’t just checking if you put “Dear Sir/Madam” at the top – they’re assessing whether you can adapt your writing to different contexts, audiences, and purposes. That’s what W4 (use register appropriate to context) is all about.