The Verb Requirement: In role-play tasks, every response must contain a conjugated verb to be considered a complete thought, even if the sentence is not extensively developed.
Prompt Adherence: Students must address each specific prompt (e.g., frequency of shopping, recent purchases) to ensure they meet the assessment criteria.
Interrogative Skills: Role-plays often require the student to ask a question. Mastering question words (e.g., 'How much?', 'Where?') is essential for this interaction.
Bullet Point Coverage: Writing tasks are typically guided by bullet points. Missing a single point can significantly reduce the score, so each must be addressed with at least one detail.
Tense Variation: Shopping prompts often span different time frames, requiring the use of past tenses for recent purchases, present tenses for opinions, and future tenses for planned shopping.
Word Count Management: Aiming for a specific word count (e.g., 90 words) ensures the response is sufficiently developed without becoming repetitive or losing focus.
Opinion Justification: Simply stating 'I like shopping' is often insufficient; providing a reason (e.g., 'because it is fun') demonstrates higher-level linguistic ability.
Keyword Matching: Avoid the trap of choosing an answer just because you heard a familiar word; ensure the word's context matches the question's requirements.
Time Frame Errors: A common mistake is using the present tense to describe a past purchase. Always check the prompt's temporal requirement before writing or speaking.
