Communicative Achievement

The Communicative Achievement criterion evaluates how effectively the student communicates their message to the intended reader. It focuses on tone, register, and whether the writing fulfils its purpose.

What It Measures

• Is the tone appropriate for the task type and audience?
• Does the student use the correct register (formal, informal, neutral)?
• Does the writing fulfil its communicative purpose — does it inform, persuade, describe, or narrate as required?
• Would the target reader be fully informed or engaged?

What a High Score Looks Like

A student scoring well on Communicative Achievement will:

• Use an appropriate tone throughout (e.g. formal for a report, informal for a friendly email)
• Engage the reader effectively
• Fulfil the purpose of the task — for example, a review that genuinely recommends or discourages
• Show awareness of who the reader is

Common Areas for Improvement

• Wrong register — using informal language in a formal letter, or overly formal tone in a friendly email
• Inconsistent tone — switching between formal and informal within the same piece
• Flat or generic writing — the text doesn’t engage the reader or feel purposeful
• Purpose not achieved — a persuasive essay that doesn’t actually persuade, or a review that doesn’t evaluate

Tips for Students

• Before writing, identify who your reader is and what tone they expect
• For formal tasks (reports, proposals, formal letters), avoid slang and contractions
• For informal tasks (friendly emails, stories), write naturally but stay on task
• Ask yourself: “Would the reader get what they need from this?”