Writing with technical accuracy on Unit 1 (AO4), using a range of sentence structures with accurate spelling and punctuation, and proofreading to secure the accuracy marks that apply to every writing task.

What this dot point is asking

AO4 assesses technical accuracy: a range of sentence structures used for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate punctuation and spelling. It applies to every writing task in the course, both the Unit 1 transactional piece and the Unit 4 personal or creative piece, so it is the most consistently rewarded writing skill there is. Crucially, these marks are often lost not to poor writing but to carelessness: a strong piece riddled with comma splices, missing apostrophes and uncorrected spelling slips throws away marks it had already earned. This dot point is about the accuracy and sentence variety AO4 wants and the proofreading habit that secures them.

A range of sentence structures

Variety is the first thing AO4 names.

Variety is not decoration; it controls pace and emphasis. A short simple sentence after several longer ones lands hard. A complex sentence lets you show the relationship between ideas. Writing that uses only one sentence type, all short and choppy, or all long and tangled, cannot reach the top of the AO4 band even if it is error-free, because range is part of the criterion.

Accurate punctuation and spelling

Accuracy is the core of AO4.

The most common faults are predictable: comma splices (joining two sentences with only a comma), missing or misplaced apostrophes (its versus it's, the dogs versus the dog's), inconsistent tense, and spelling slips in longer words. Knowing your own habitual errors means you can hunt for them specifically when you check. A useful rule on vocabulary is to reach for ambitious words only when you can spell them, because a misspelled long word costs more than a plain word loses.

Proofreading to secure the marks

Checking is where lost marks are recovered.

Proofreading works best when it is targeted. Rather than a vague reread, look specifically for your known weaknesses and for the usual culprits: any comma joining two complete sentences, every apostrophe, the spelling of each longer word. Correcting even a handful of errors can move you up a band, and because AO4 applies to every writing task, the habit pays off twice, in Unit 1 and again in Unit 4.

Try this

Q1. What is a comma splice, and how do you fix it? [2 marks]

• Cue. A comma splice joins two complete sentences with only a comma; fix it with a full stop, a semicolon, or a conjunction such as "and" or "because".

Q2. Why does AO4 matter on every writing task? [2 marks]

• Cue. AO4 (technical accuracy and sentence variety) is assessed on every writing task in Units 1 and 4, so accuracy and proofreading protect marks throughout the course.