Question 1(b) Model Answer: Report (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE English Language): Revision Note

Question 1(b) is a directed writing task. You will be asked to write a discursive, argumentative or persuasive piece based on two reading texts.

You will be asked to write in a specific form. This will be one of:

• A speech

• A letter

• An article

• A report

The following guide will help you to structure your response in the style of a report.

Addressing the reading assessment objectives

Up to 10 marks are available in this task for your ability to evaluate both the explicit and implied ideas, opinions and attitudes expressed in one or two texts, and assimilate them to write a developed and sophisticated response.

Let’s take a look at how you do this, using the following example:

Question 1(b)

Write a report for the school careers department on the realities of modern workplace cultures.

Use your own words to write your report based on what you have read in both Text A and Text B.

In your report, you should:

• evaluate the different attitudes to teamwork and competition that exist in business today

• explain the challenges young people might face in different kinds of workplaces and suggest how best to deal with them

Write about 250 to 350 words.

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

Your response here has to be based on the ideas, opinions and attitudes contained in the following two texts:

Text A: Teamwork

Wiser employers have always known that the key to a productive business is investing time and effort in understanding what makes people happy at work. Yes, promotion opportunities and bonus pay for individual success are important, but employee happiness is dependent on so much more. Increasingly, workers place greater value on things such as wellbeing and working conditions, where flexible working, collaboration and a great team spirit are essential parts of the company culture.

‘This is the era of the collaborative workplace,’ says Grace Chi, a lecturer in business studies. ‘The best places to work are those where colleagues help each other to complete projects and celebrate others’ success, not try to outdo each other or impress the boss at someone else’s expense.’

‘I love having a workplace that embraces collaboration,’ agrees Ali Perez, whose small family business creates and sells personalised gifts. ‘We respect everyone’s opinion and make decisions together for the good of the company. We include all employees in new projects, whatever their skills or experience. We have opportunities to mentor colleagues who find their work challenging or difficult, developing their expertise by sharing our own. Yes, tasks may take a little longer to complete, but the end result is better when everyone has an equal say and works equally hard.’

Many organisations are shifting to this kind of ‘flatter’, more equal, management structure. The traditional hierarchy – where a worker could expect one manager to be watching over their shoulder and another higher-paid manager watching over the first – may in the future become a thing of the past. In a collaborative model, responsibility lies with the individual worker to play their part – if there are people in the team not contributing, that leaves more work for everyone else and soon enough that person is not going to be popular.

Text B: Competition

Competition such as bonuses, performance management and promotion can motivate employees, making them put in more effort, and building a sense of personal pride in the results. Similarly, employees competing to find new clients or devising a way to bring a new product to market faster can result in a real commercial advantage for organisations. However, pressure to achieve can affect people in different ways, tempting some workers to follow unethical paths, including cheating or stealing someone else’s ideas, with high long-term costs for everyone.

Some kinds of competition create fear and anxiety, because they focus employees on the threat of dismissal, losing income or being publicly humiliated. One manager described a weekly ‘Cash or Cabbages Day’ when, employees who missed their sales targets were given cabbages instead of cash bonuses. Other incentive schemes focus employees on winning a coveted award or public recognition, making them feel excited. Anxiety and excitement are very different emotional responses to competition. More importantly, these emotions make people behave differently. Studies show that when workers feel anxious about employment policies, they are significantly more likely to cut corners or sabotage colleagues, something former salesperson, Jaz Gupta, knows only too well.

‘I’d worked for months to cultivate one prospective client,’ explains Jaz. ‘Everyone knew winning a big order from that client could be a deciding factor in which of us from the international sales team got promoted. Then I discover from a junior colleague that Ravi’s also trying to net this wealthy individual, even though Ravi knew I was already in pursuit! I knew if I ignored the situation, he’d just seal the deal, profiting shamelessly from all my slaving away, and our boss would promote Ravi. But if I’d directly confronted Ravi, it could’ve made me look petty and selfish. At the time, I calculated the best way to fight back was to be just as devious as Ravi.’

This task asks you to evaluate the views given in both texts about teamwork and competition, and give your own views on the subject, based on what you have read. Your response might use the following ideas from these texts:

Text A:

• The shift in work culture:

  • Develop the point that modern, "wiser" employers value happiness and wellbeing over just salary

• The definition of success:

  • Text A mentions helping colleagues and celebrating their success rather than trying to "outdo" them

• Inclusivity and mentoring:

  • The text describes workplaces where everyone (regardless of experience) has a say and mentoring is available

• The "flatter" hierarchy:

  • The text notes that the days of managers "watching over your shoulder" are disappearing

• Accountability:

  • The text warns that non-contributors in a team become unpopular very quickly because they increase the workload for others

Text B:

• Positive motivation:

  • Text B acknowledges that competition can lead to personal pride, harder work, and commercial advantages (like faster products)

• The dangers of anxiety:

  • The text explains that fear-based management (e.g., "Cash or Cabbages") leads to anxiety, which causes workers to "cut corners" or sabotage others

• Unethical behaviour:

  • The text highlights risks like cheating or stealing ideas to get ahead

• Dealing with "rivals":

  • The anecdote about Jaz and Ravi shows a colleague trying to steal a client and the dilemma of how to react (ignore it vs. confront it)

• The response to sabotage:

  • Jaz decides to be "just as devious" to fight back

Planning your response

Before you write your response, you should spend five minutes planning your written response. In your plan:

• Decide on your “voice” and point of view:

  • Write a statement that summarises your point of view, based on your reading

• Note down which points you can develop that support your point of view

• Decide whether you are going to make a counter-argument, and note down which points you can develop to support this

• Return to your main argument, ensuring that you have included ideas and opinions from both texts (if more than one)

• Note down the points you can make to address the second bullet point in the task

• Note down how you are going to start and finish your response, ensuring that it establishes the correct style and tone

Question 1(b) report model answer

The following model answer demonstrates a top-mark response to the above task:

Question 1(b)

Write a report for the school careers department on the realities of modern workplace cultures.

Use your own words to write your report based on what you have read in both Text A and Text B.

In your report, you should:

• evaluate the different attitudes to teamwork and competition that exist in business today

• explain the challenges young people might face in different kinds of workplaces and suggest how best to deal with them

Write about 250 to 350 words.

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

[35]

Answer

Report on workplace cultures and guidance for new employees

The purpose of this report is to evaluate the differing attitudes towards teamwork and competition in the modern workplace, and to offer recommendations.

Attitudes to teamwork and competition

Workplaces generally fall into two distinct categories: collaborative or competitive. Evidence suggests that “wiser employers” and modern businesses increasingly favour a more collaborative model. In these environments, the focus is on employee wellbeing and flexible working. Success is shared, and colleagues are encouraged to “help each other” rather than work in competition with each other. This often involves a “flatter” management structure rather than emphasis on top-down management.

However, other organisations view competition as necessary in order to get a “commercial advantage”. In these settings, employees are motivated by “bonuses”, “promotion” and public recognition. While this can be motivating, it is often accompanied by high-pressure tactics such as performance management processes that may result in fear and anxiety regarding job security.

Challenges

Young people entering these environments face distinct challenges. In highly competitive environments, the pressure to succeed can tempt people to cut corners or even sabotage colleagues. New starters may find themselves targeted by others attempting to steal their ideas or clients in order to get a promotion.

Anxiety and pressure can be overwhelming for young or inexperienced staff. In addition, in traditional workplaces, junior staff may feel that they are not heard or their opinions are undervalued.

Recommendations

• Employees should work with integrity, and this should be encouraged by employers. While it may be tempting to adopt unethical tactics, this creates a toxic cycle

• Young people should seek out organisations that offer mentoring schemes. Working alongside experienced colleagues is a safer way to develop skills than struggling alone under pressure

• Junior staff should look for companies with inclusive cultures where decision making is shared and everyone’s opinions are respected

In conclusion, while competitive environments offer financial incentives, they carry significant risks of stress and conflict. It is recommended that young people prioritise workplaces that value collaboration and mentorship to ensure a sustainable and positive start to their careers.

[35]

Commentary

• This response uses a functional title and clear subheadings to organise the facts, ideas and opinions logically

• The tone is objective and formal, which fits the form of a report

• The report combines details from both Text A and Text B to create a cohesive overview

• It develops the ideas from the texts into actionable advice

How Question 1(b) is marked

This question is marked out of a total of 35 marks:

• Reading = 10 marks

• Writing = 25 marks

What examiners look for

Reading

• Integration:

  • You must weave ideas from both texts together seamlessly

  • The mark scheme rewards candidates who “integrate ideas from the text(s) to give a convincing response”, rather than dealing with Text A and Text B separately

• Development:

  • You should not just list facts

  • You must analyse, evaluate and develop the ideas

  • This means taking a point from the text and explaining its consequences or applying it to your argument

• Range:

  • You need to use a wide range of ideas from the texts

  • If you just list points one by one, you will likely be capped at Level 3

  • If you copy whole phrases or sentences, you will drop to Level 2 or lower

Writing

• Structure:

  • Examiners are looking for a carefully structured response that guides the reader

  • Answers that simply rely on the sequence of the original text generally score lower

• Style and register:

  • You must use a highly effective style and a register that is perfectly suited to the audience

  • Writing that is awkward or has an inconsistent style scores lower

• Accuracy:

  • Spelling, punctuation and grammar must be almost always accurate

  • Frequent errors will drop you to a Level 3 or below

Unlike the 2026 syllabus, exams from 2027 will place a significantly heavier emphasis on your writing skills compared to your reading skills for this specific question.