IGCSEEnglish LanguageCambridge (CIE)Revision NotesPaper 2: WritingSection A: Directed WritingQuestion 1(b): How to Write a Report

Syllabus Edition

First teaching 2025

First exams 2027

Question 1(b): How to Write a Report (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE English Language): Revision Note

Exam code: 0500 & 0990

Deb Orrock

Written by: Deb Orrock

Reviewed by: Nick Redgrove

Updated on

For Question 1(b), you will be asked to write in one of four possible formats (genres):

  • Speech

  • Letter

  • Article

  • Report

Up to 10 marks are available for reading skills, and up to 25 marks are available for writing skills.

The following guide will detail how to structure your response in the style of a report.

Key features of a report

A report is a fact-based piece of writing designed to present information and make evaluative judgements. The purpose is to convey information, analyse a situation and make recommendations in a clear, objective manner.

Report

In a report you should:

  • Use a clear, functional title

  • Use subheadings to organise your writing:

    • Aim for 2–3 clear subheadings between your introduction and conclusion

  • Include a brief introduction stating the purpose of the report

  • Include a final section that summarises the findings or offers specific advice based on the texts

  • Use a formal tone and professional language:

    • Do not use slang or contractions (e.g., “don’t”)

  • Be evaluative but detached:

    • While you must express an opinion, it should sound like a weighed judgement rather than a personal rant

  • Group together information from the texts under your subheadings

Examiner Tips and Tricks

The primary purpose of a report in this task is to take scattered facts, ideas and opinions from the source texts and organise them logically. While a report is factual, its purpose in the exam is not just to list facts; you must use, develop and evaluate the situation.

This means you are often writing to help someone make a decision or understand a problem. You must therefore weigh the pros and cons found in the text.

Report structure

The information and opinions you put forward in your report will be based on what you have read in the text(s), but you are expected to group related points together under appropriate subheadings. This demonstrates that you are able to organise and structure facts, ideas and opinions for deliberate effect.

Title

  • Keep it functional and precise

  • For example: 

    • “Report on workplace attitudes and challenges for new employees”

Introduction

  • State clearly what the report is about and who it is for

  • For example:

    • “The purpose of this report is to outline the varying attitudes towards teamwork and competition in modern business and to identify challenges new employees may face.”

Subheading 1

  • Address the first bullet point of the question

Subheading 2

  • Address the second bullet point of the question

Subheading 3

  • Include recommendations/suggested solutions

Conclusion

  • Write a brief summary sentence

For a full report model answer, see Question 1(b) Model Answer: Report.

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Author
Reviewer
Deb Orrock

Author: Deb Orrock

Expertise: English Content Creator

Deb is a graduate of Lancaster University and The University of Wolverhampton. After some time travelling and a successful career in the travel industry, she re-trained in education, specialising in literacy. She has over 16 years’ experience of working in education, teaching English Literature, English Language, Functional Skills English, ESOL and on Access to HE courses. She has also held curriculum and quality manager roles, and worked with organisations on embedding literacy and numeracy into vocational curriculums. She most recently managed a post-16 English curriculum as well as writing educational content and resources.

Nick Redgrove

Reviewer: Nick Redgrove

Expertise: English Content Creator

Nick is a graduate of the University of Cambridge and King’s College London. He started his career in journalism and publishing, working as an editor on a political magazine and a number of books, before training as an English teacher. After nearly 10 years working in London schools, where he held leadership positions in English departments and within a Sixth Form, he moved on to become an examiner and education consultant. With more than a decade of experience as a tutor, Nick specialises in English, but has also taught Politics, Classical Civilisation and Religious Studies.