In this article, we will provide you with sample questions, model answers, general tips, and strategies to prepare for APTIS writing part 3.
In this article we will provide you with sample questions, model answers, general tips and strategies to prepare for APTIS writing part 3.
This article will:
- Briefly explain the nature of the test
- Look at example questions
- Discuss the writing skills required
- Discuss common problems
- Give you tips and advice
- Provide your with strategies to use preparing for your exam and on exam day
What Is APTIS Part 3 Writing?
Part 3 APTIS writing consists of three pieces of writing each 30-40 words long. These are responses to questions and continue the theme of parts 1 and 2. They are answers to questions on a social network site or platform. You have ten minutes to answer the questions.
In this section, you are assessed to B1 level and the areas you are assessed in are- task fulfillment/topic relevance/punctuation/grammatical range and accuracy/vocabulary range and accuracy/cohesion.
Task Fulfilment
This not only means answering the question fully but also answering in a way that you will achieve the result you want.
Topic Relevance
That you answer the question without moving from the topic or using language that is not necessary.
Punctuation
Using capitals correctly. Good use of commas. Full-stops at the end of sentences, correct use of question marks.
Grammatical range and accuracy
Your grammar should be correct and use tenses and structures relevant to the question. Verbs and nouns should agree, e.g. He has two brothers. Good use of countable and uncountable nouns, articles, and determiners also improves accuracy.
Vocabulary range and accuracy
Using the appropriate vocabulary to explain what you want to explain. With the right level of formality to get the result you want (task fulfillment).
Cohesion
The answer in this section should be 30 to 40 words. Therefore, your response to the question will be around three or four sentences. For your answer to be cohesive you will only have to use linking words, pronouns, and other referencing words like these/those/that/this.
For further details please visit the British Council website here.
APTIS Writing Part 3: Sample Question #1
Part 3: You are a member of a travel club. You are talking to other members in a chat room. Talk to them using sentences. You have 10 minutes in total. Answer all three questions.
Sam: Hi, welcome to the club. Can you remember the first time you went on a journey by yourself? What was it like??
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Jose: What are the most interesting places to visit in your country?
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Fernanda: What is the most exciting journey you have been on?
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If you would like to access more simulated APTIS writing tests then please visit our exam library here.
How to answer the question?
The thing about the first question is that it is difficult to answer it successfully with ‘No’. Therefore, you will need to talk about the journey. The way to help do this is to ask yourself ‘What happened?’ and to explain what it was like- you can ask yourself ‘How did I feel?’
The question is about the past and so you need past tenses. It is a story and so you should try to use a least one of the following- past continuous, past perfect and past perfect continuous with the past simple.
With a story you should use sequencing words- first/second/then/finally. You may want to give explanations or results- because/so/so that/as a result. To talk about how you felt you could use adjectives that describe feelings or adverbs like- unfortunately, luckily, thankfully.
The second question is easier. You only need the present simple unless you explain the history of these places. With a question like this, students often give a list of places. This won’t get you any marks.
You should say where and to achieve task fulfillment you need to say why unless you’re over your word-limit. The example of question 2 below asks for your opinion and so you need to use expressions for opinions.
The third question is similar to the first. You need to explain what the journey was and why it was exciting. Again, it is a story in the past and you could use one of the following- past continuous, past perfect and past perfect continuous with the past simple.
APTIS Writing Part 3: Example Answer To Sample Question #1
Part 3: You are a member of a travel club. You are talking to other members in a chat room. Talk to them using sentences. You have 10 minutes in total. Answer all three questions.
Sam: Hi, welcome to the club. Can you remember the first time you went on a journey by yourself? What was it like??
My earliest travel memory was actually a bike ride. It was the school holidays and had got a new bike, so I decided to cycle off to see my grandparents. I felt very independent although I was a little scared. Getting there was a great relief.
Jose: What are the most interesting places to visit in your country?
In my opinion, the most interesting place to visit is the south-west coast. It is very varied but most of it is beautiful owing to its beaches, cliffs, and coves. The West Coast of Scotland is pretty stunning too.
Fernanda: What is the most exciting journey you have been on?
I’d say that the biggest thrill I got was when I went to New York for the first time. I had never flown at that point and so that was special, but it didn’t beat the excitement of seeing the New York Skyline and the bustling, crazy streets. They were real after seeing them in so many movies.
APTIS Writing Part 3: Sample Question #2
Part 3: You are a member of a salsa club. You are talking to other members in a chat room. Talk to them using sentences. You have 10 minutes in total. Answer all three questions.
James: Hi, welcome to the club. Can you remember the first time you danced? How did you feel?
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Marina: What are the most interesting places to visit near where you live?
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Miguel: What is the worst journey you have been on?
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APTIS Writing Part 3: Sample Question #3
Part 3: You are a member of a debating society. You are talking to other members in a chat room. Talk to them using sentences. You have 10 minutes in total. Answer all three questions.
Samantha: What kind of books do you like to read?
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Joe: Who is your favourite writer?
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Ferdinand: What websites do you use?
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APTIS Writing Part 3: Sample Question #4
Part 3: You are a member of a rowing club. You are talking to other members in a chat room. Talk to them using sentences. You have 10 minutes in total. Answer all three questions.
Sally: How do you keep fit?
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John: Where did you go on holiday last year?
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Mandy: What is the weather like where you are?
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APTIS Writing Part 3: Sample Question #5
Part 3: You are a member of a gardening group. You are talking to other members in a chat room. Talk to them using sentences. You have 10 minutes in total. Answer all three questions.
Susanna: What kind of garden do you have?
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Julia: How difficult to grow fruit in your country?
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Fred: When do you like to go out?
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APTIS Writing Part 3: Sample Question #6
Part 3: You are a member of a cookery group. You are talking to other members in a chat room. Talk to them using sentences. You have 10 minutes in total. Answer all three questions.
Sara: What things do you like to cook?
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Jim: What food do you like most?
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Moses: Do you usually go clothes shopping in stores or online?
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APTIS Writing Part 3: Sample Question #7
Part 3: You are a member of a language club. You are talking to other members in a chat room. Talk to them using sentences. You have 10 minutes in total. Answer all three questions.
Michael: What languages do you speak?
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Joseph: Have you ever lived in another country? How was it?
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Molly: What is the best time to visit your country?
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APTIS Writing Part 3: Sample Question #8
Part 3: You are a member of a music club. You are talking to other members in a chat room. Talk to them using sentences. You have 10 minutes in total. Answer all three questions.
Maria: Who is your favourite singer?
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Jack: Do you play a musical instrument? If not, what would you like to play?
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Farook: From which decade is your favourite music?
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APTIS Writing Part 3: Sample Question #9
Part 3: You are a member of a running club. You are talking to other members in a chat room. Talk to them using sentences. You have 10 minutes in total. Answer all three questions.
Mohammad: Where do you go running?
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Jenny: Do you do any other sport??
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Fiona: What do you like watching on tv?
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APTIS Writing Part 3: Sample Question #10
Part 3: You are a member of a golf society. You are talking to other members in a chat room. Talk to them using sentences. You have 10 minutes in total. Answer all three questions.
Simon: Can you describe your best friend?
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Marco: How do you travel to work or school?
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Lucas: What do you normally do at weekends?
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APTIS Writing Part 3: Sample Question #11
Part 3: You are a member of a bird-watching group. You are talking to other members in a chat room. Talk to them using sentences. You have 10 minutes in total. Answer all three questions.
George: Do you live in the town or the country?
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Martino: What are the most popular places to visit in your country?
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Frank: What do you do when you are stressed?
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Hopefully, you had a chance to practice on the above sample questions. Now we will provide example answers for APTIS writing test part 3.
APTIS Writing Part 3: Sample Question #2
Part 3: You are a member of a salsa club. You are talking to other members in a chat room. Talk to them using sentences. You have 10 minutes in total. Answer all three questions.
James: Hi, welcome to the club. Can you remember the first time you danced? How did you feel?
I think that my first dance was when I was young. Although I can’t be sure, I think it was at my sister’s tenth birthday. I remember feeling fantastic because I loved the music playing. The thing is though that when I finished everyone was looking and I felt extremely embarrassed.
Marina: What are the most interesting places to visit near where you live?
I only live a few hundred meters from the sea and the beach, therefore the probably the best places to go to near where I live. The sea is usually quite calm, and the beach is pebbly. This is good as it means you don’t get covered in sand but it’s hard on your feet.
Miguel: What is the worst journey you have been on?
I can’t think of one particular journey, but I hated the one I had to work about two years ago was a nightmare. It was by train and the carriage was always crowded and hot. In the summer you couldn’t breathe and then at the end of it I had to do an awful job.
APTIS Writing Part 3: Sample Question #3
Part 3: You are a member of a debating society. You are talking to other members in a chat room. Talk to them using sentences. You have 10 minutes in total. Answer all three questions.
Samantha: What kind of books do you like to read?
I used to read a lot of novels, mainly historical fiction. Now, I tend to read non-fiction. I like biographies of famous people from history, especially ancient history and I enjoy books that cover military events and campaigns.
Joe: Who is your favourite writer?
I don’t one writer that I read a lot but since school, I have always enjoyed Thomas Hardy. I suppose the reason for this is that he writes about the area that I am from, although his novels are set in Victorian times.
Ferdinand: What websites do you use?
Apart from social media websites like Facebook and Instagram, I use the BBC website quite a bit for news, weather, and articles on the sport. Wikipedia is especially useful too, especially for checking information or for following a topic or person.
APTIS Writing Part 3: Sample Question #4
Part 3: You are a member of a rowing club. You are talking to other members in a chat room. Talk to them using sentences. You have 10 minutes in total. Answer all three questions.
Sally: How do you keep fit?
When I’m not rowing, I go to the gym and work out there. I usually do a mixture of weights and the cardiovascular exercise and I’ve gotten into HIIT. That’s is where you exercise as hard as you can for thirty seconds and then have thirty seconds of light training before you repeat.
John: Where did you go on holiday last year?
I went to Spain and traveled around some of the major cities in the east and south. Mostly I spent a day or two in the city and then had a couple of days sitting on the beach, it works wall in Spain because many of the big centers are close to the coast, apart from Madrid.
Mandy: What is the weather like where you are?
This time of the year it’s rather changeable. One day the sun is shining the next it’s raining and windy. Actually, that can happen in just a few hours some days. Generally, though it is not cold, it can sometimes be cloudy which is boring more than anything.
APTIS Writing Part 3: Sample Question #5
Part 3: You are a member of a gardening group. You are talking to other members in a chat room. Talk to them using sentences. You have 10 minutes in total. Answer all three questions.
Susanna: What kind of garden do you have?
I have a big garden which I have divided into sections. There is a fruit and vegetable garden where I grow stuff to eat. Then I have an orchard with fruit trees and in that, I have some seats to sit on. Finally, I have a patch where I grow flowers for decoration.
Julia: How difficult to grow fruit in your country?
If you grow the right fruit it is extremely easy, especially in the south where the weather is warmer, you can even grow grapes there. The best fruit to grow in the UK is probably apples. They like the climate and are easy to grow.
Fred: When do you like to go out?
I like going out on Friday evenings the best. I used to go out on Saturday as well, but I prefer to stay at home now. I guess I like Fridays because it reminds me of when I used to go out with my colleagues after work and had the whole weekend in front of me.
APTIS Writing Part 4: Sample Question #6
Part 3: You are a member of a cookery group. You are talking to other members in a chat room. Talk to them using sentences. You have 10 minutes in total. Answer all three questions.
Sara: What things do you like to cook?
I think I prefer cooking Italian food because even though it is fairly simple, it is still very tasty. Many Italian dishes use just a few things, but the results are delicious. There is also a wide range of regional styles and ingredients, so there is plenty of variety.
Jim: What food do you like most?
I like the meal that we have at lunchtime on Sunday. It is a tradition in many households to have a big family meal at around 2.00 pm. It’s almost always roast meat with vegetables and a sauce called gravy. I remember my grandmother cooking it and it was lovely.
Moses: Do you usually go clothes shopping in stores or online?
Mostly online. When I went shopping, I never used to spend too much time doing it. I usually just went into the shop and straight back out again. Personally, I find shopping online so much easier despite not being able to look at stuff close up.
APTIS Writing Part 3: Sample Question #7
Part 3: You are a member of a language club. You are talking to other members in a chat room. Talk to them using sentences. You have 10 minutes in total. Answer all three questions.
Michael: What languages do you speak?
My mother tongue is English and because I lived in Spain for a few years, I can also speak a little Spanish, although I don’t speak it as well as should. I studied French at school but didn’t learn much, which was a pity, because languages are so useful in your life.
Joseph: Have you ever lived in another country? How was it?
I have lived in Spain and Australia, both times because of my job. I found both countries a great experience despite being hugely different. The most obvious thing is that in Australia people speak English, so that was easy. However, the culture in Spain was more interesting because it was so different.
Molly: What is the best time to visit your country?
We have four distinct seasons and so anytime is good, except maybe January and February. The time I particularly enjoy is June when the days are exceedingly long and you can wake up at four in the morning when it’s light and go to bed at ten, just as it’s getting dark.
APTIS Writing Part 3: Sample Question #8
Part 3: You are a member of a music club. You are talking to other members in a chat room. Talk to them using sentences. You have 10 minutes in total. Answer all three questions.
Maria: Who is your favourite singer?
I have a few singers that I love to listen to but, if you are talking about a great voice, then, without a doubt, it’s Frank Sinatra. No one can deliver a song like him. When he sings an upbeat song, you can’t help smiling and when he sings a sad song, it almost breaks your heart.
Jack: Do you play a musical instrument? If not, what would you like to play?
I play the guitar and I am okay but what I’d really like to play is the piano. I think it’s a very versatile instrument and you can play most styles of music on it. You can accompany yourself while you sing, or you can play instrumental music on it.
Farook: From which decade is your favourite music?
It’s difficult to choose one decade because each one has its good and bad music. For instance, many music lovers say the 1960s were the best decade but there was some terrible music around at that time too. For me, it’s impossible to say.
APTIS Writing Part 3: Sample Question #9
Part 3: You are a member of a running club. You are talking to other members in a chat room. Talk to them using sentences. You have 10 minutes in total. Answer all three questions.
Mohammad: Where do you go running?
I prefer to go running in the countryside, although I sometimes find this difficult if I don’t have much time. If this is the case, I’ll run in the street and by the sea near my house. I’m not so keen on this though because I always have to stop for traffic and pedestrians.
Jenny: Do you do any other sport??
I am a big fan of cricket. I used to play a lot when I was younger, and I always watched it when I could. If you’ve never seen the game, it can be confusing. What’s more, there are moments when the ball is not moving and people ask, ‘What’s happening!’
Fiona: What do you like watching on tv?
Films and dramas, but factual programmes too. I enjoy shows where someone has changed their lifestyle, maybe gone to another country, and it follows the person through their new projects and what they are doing. I guess I’m simply curious.
APTIS Writing Part 3: Sample Question #10
Part 3: You are a member of a golf society. You are talking to other members in a chat room. Talk to them using sentences. You have 10 minutes in total. Answer all three questions.
Simon: Can you describe your best friend?
My best friend is tall, definitely well above average. He used to have long dark hair but unfortunately, most of this has fallen out now and he’s fairly bald. This makes his ears stick out, so that doesn’t help him. Personality-wise he’s exceedingly kind and funny and I guess that’s what’s important.
Marco: How do you travel to work or school?
Mostly by bus. When I work normal hours, I like to leave earlier than normal so that the buses aren’t too crowded when I get on, otherwise traveling can be uncomfortable. It means I arrive at work early too but that gives me time to get ready, so I don’t mind.
Lucas: What do you normally do at weekends?
I tend to have the same routine, which may seem a bit boring, nonetheless, I like it. On Friday’s I usually go to a bar or restaurant and then on Saturday go shopping in the morning and watch some sport. Then on Sundays relax, cook some food, and watch tv.
APTIS Writing Part 3: Sample Question #11
Part 3: You are a member of a bird-watching group. You are talking to other members in a chat room. Talk to them using sentences. You have 10 minutes in total. Answer all three questions.
George: Do you live in the town or the country?
I live in the town, although I am planning to move to the country very soon. The place I live in is very convenient for shops, bars, and restaurants and it’s easy for public transport. I want to move to the country though as I’d like a quieter and more space.
Martino: What are the most popular places to visit in your country?
The biggest attractions are the main cities and the historical sites and monuments in them. London has to be most people’s first stop, and everyone wants to visit Big Ben. The national parks are extremely popular too and if you have transport, you should try to visit one of those.
Frank: What do you do when you are stressed?
Firstly, I try to get away from or stop whatever it is that is stressing me. If I can’t do that, then I tell myself that there is nothing I can do to change the situation and that stress won’t help me at all. Often people become stressed without noticing it. Consequently, recognizing when you’re stressed is important.
Top 10 Tips For The APTIS Writing Test
Tip 1: Use the right register.
This is the level of formality, friendliness, politeness you use when you write. Knowing and being able to use the correct register when you write (and speak) shows that you can use English well. Using the correct register is more likely to get you the solution you want and so, it is also important for task achievement.
Tip 2: Know the correct spelling.
English spelling is difficult but when you learn the standard phrases, you can also learn the spelling. This will make spelling easier. We will look at other difficult words that occur often later. UK English and USA English sometimes have different spellings. It is not important which one you use but you should be consistent in every question.
Tip 3: Improve your typing speed.
Unless you opt paper-based version, APTIS writing test is computer-based. So the faster you type the better. Just make sure your typing speed isn’t too slow.
Tip 4: Know the word count.
You lose marks if you write too little and waste time if you write too much (it isn’t counted). Therefore, you should know how many words should write and how long you have for each question. Then you can practice them at home. Remember that formal sentences are generally longer than informal sentences.
Tip 5: Read model answers.
Doing this will give you a good idea of what to expect. Think about the things the examiners are looking for and look at how accurate the grammar is. Ask yourself ‘is it cohesive and clear?’ ‘Is the vocabulary wide-ranging or repetitious?’ and ‘is it well planned?’.
Tip 6: Get used to the timings
Make sure that you know how long you have for each part and don’t go over that time. Practice ant home with a timer will stop you from getting any horrible surprises. If you know an APTIS examiner or trainer speak to them and ask them what you need to do to improve.
Tip 7: Check your work
It is easy to lose points for making silly mistakes. Check what you have written. Look at spelling and punctuation. For grammar check- prepositions/dependant prepositions/verb-noun agreement/countable and uncountable/tenses. Remember you had flagged in option. You can always come back to a question where you had a doubt.
Tip 8: Finish in time
You don’t get any marks for blank spaces, so always write something. Even if you think it’s bad, and you might be surprised, it is better than nothing.
Tip 9: Stay on topic
This is again about answering the question and affects task achievement. If you are asked for an opinion you should give one. If you have to say, for example, why you are applying to join a club. Then you should write about clubs in general.
Tip 10: Practice makes perfect!
Doing practice tests will help you build your concentration levels and your instinct. More than that, practice will improve your English and help you with the timings you need to complete the test with the best result. If you would like to increase your APTIS score by practicing more APTIS tests then please check the exam library in our website here. There you will find the largest simulated APTIS test database. Totally free with no registration (we won't even ask for your email).
