Writing task
Imagine that the British Library is planning to get rid of its entire collection, aside from one book. Write a speech to the library board explaining which book they ought to keep, why it matters, and persuading them with rhetorical strategies.
Time: 45 minutes (as indicated for this published task).
Marks: 50.
Practise this exact question with personalised feedback on your writing.
Understand the task
The One Book the British Library Must Save is a persuasive speech task that tests audience awareness, rhetorical techniques, argument. Name a specific book and justify its cultural or intellectual importance; acknowledge rival choices.
- audience awareness
- rhetorical techniques
- argument
- fluent expression
Requirements to keep in mind
Recommended writing time: approximately 45 minutes (as indicated in the paper/section); Writing marks: 50 (30 content and 20 spelling, punctuation and grammar) (subject to separately awarded SPaG marks); Published task/option: 2 (where the source offers alternatives, pupils answer the paper's specified number, not all)
Plan your response
- Name a specific book and justify its cultural or intellectual importance; acknowledge rival choices.
- Plan a clear beginning, development and ending within the time available.
- Use precise vocabulary and vary sentence lengths where appropriate.
- Proofread spelling, punctuation and paragraphing before finishing.
Check your response against the task requirements. Leave time to review sentence clarity, punctuation and spelling.
Short atoply teaching example
Written by atoply, not an official school answer or mark scheme. This short illustration shows selected techniques. It does not set a target length or expected mark for the timed task.
Reveal example and teaching notes
Members of the board, if we must preserve only one book, I ask you to save a collection of Shakespeare's plays. A single story gives us one world; these plays offer many, from the laughter of mistaken identities to the terror of ambition. They show language at its most inventive and human behaviour at its most recognisable. I know that other books speak for other cultures and centuries, and the loss would be heartbreaking. But this choice preserves a library within a book: tragedies, comedies, histories and voices that future generations can question, perform and reinvent.
Learn from the example
- The response presents a position for an audience, giving the speech a purpose. Notice how reasons or examples support that appeal.
- Read a draft aloud to check that the argument is clear to a listener. A full speech needs developed supporting points as well as an effective opening.