Replying to an Exchange Student: Three Rules and a Word Limit
Your school will host a welcome picnic for exchange students next Saturday. Alex, an exchange student from Australia, will arrive on October 2 and stay for one year. The picnic is at the school ground from 11:00 to 13:00; students will sit on the grass and share finger food. You receive this email from Alex: 'Hi! I'm Alex. I'll join your school next month. I have two questions. First, what is your favorite school event? Second, what should I bring to the welcome picnic on Saturday? Please write back soon.' Your teacher gives these rules: write 35–50 words; answer both questions; ask Alex one question; use 'because' once; do not copy Alex's sentences. You have 10 minutes in class to draft the reply, and the teacher will check it for content as well as grammar.
1. Write a reply of 35–50 words that answers both of Alex's questions, asks one question, and uses 'because' once.
Read the worked answer
Model reply: 'Hi Alex, my favorite event is the school festival because we make a class cafe. It is in October. For the picnic, bring a water bottle and a cap. What food do you like? See you soon!' This is 37 words. It answers question 1 (favorite event = school festival) and question 2 (bring a water bottle and a cap). It asks one question (What food do you like?) and uses 'because' once. It is inside 35–50 words. The question is natural and gives Alex a reason to reply.
2. A classmate writes: 'My favorite event is the festival. Bring water. What food do you like?' Identify two rule problems and revise it.
Read the worked answer
Problems: (1) it does not use 'because,' and (2) it is far below 35 words (13 words). It also answers 'what to bring' only minimally. A revision: 'Hi Alex, my favorite event is the school festival because we make a class cafe. For the picnic, bring a water bottle and a cap. What food do you like? See you soon!' This keeps the classmate's idea but adds a reason, a greeting and closing, and enough detail to reach the word limit. The revision still asks one question.
3. Why is it risky to copy Alex's sentence 'What is your favorite school event?' into your reply?
Read the worked answer
Copying turns your answer into a repeated question, so you may fail to answer the question and fail to ask a new one. The task asks you to reply, not echo. Also, copied sentences use words without showing you can select and adapt language, which is what the writing task tests. A safer reply states your event directly ('My favorite event is...') and then asks a different question, such as about food or music.