Philo and Sophia walk through the two Writing parts hidden inside the Reading and Writing paper.
Part of the Reading and Writing paper: 60 minutes totalParts 6–7: Writing (30 of the paper's 60 marks)Reading is covered in our separate Reading guide
Philo
Sophia, our Reading guide for A2 Key only ever mentioned Parts 6 and 7 in passing. What actually happens there?
Sophia
That's where Writing lives at this level, Philo. There's no separate Writing paper at A2 Key — it shares its 60 minutes with Reading, sitting at the very end as Parts 6 and 7. Nothing complicated: a short message, and a short story from three pictures.
Philo
No essay yet, then.
Sophia
Not yet — that begins at B2 First. Here, it's really about writing a small number of clear, correct sentences. Let's look at both parts.
Part 6Write a short email or note of 25 words or more, using three given points
Part 7Write a short story of 35 words or more based on three pictures
6 A Short Message
A short situation is described — for example, writing to a friend about a weekend plan — along with three points that must be included in the message. The task is to write an email or note of 25 words or more that covers all three points clearly.
Example task
You are going to a friend's party. Write an email to your friend. Say: thank you for the invitation, what you will bring, and what time you will arrive.
Tip: All three points must appear for full marks — a beautifully written message that misses one of the three points cannot score at the very top. Ticking the points off before writing is the safest habit to build.
7 A Picture Story
Three pictures are shown in sequence, telling a simple story without words. The task is to write a short story of 35 words or more describing what happens across all three pictures, in order.
Strategy: Simple linking words — "first," "then," "after that," "finally" — turn three separate picture descriptions into one connected story, which is exactly what this part is looking for.
How Writing Is Scored
Each part is marked out of 15, using three subscales: Content (are the required points covered, and does the writing make sense), Organisation (does it read smoothly, with simple linking words), and Language (is the grammar and vocabulary accurate for this level). Together, Parts 6 and 7 make up 30 of the Reading and Writing paper's 60 marks — exactly half.
15Part 6
15Part 7
Tip for grown-ups helping at home: At this level, a short, entirely correct answer scores better than a longer, ambitious one with mistakes. Encourage simple sentences that are certainly right over complex ones that might be wrong.