Reports are where students lose format marks fastest: no headings, opinions mixed into findings, no recommendations. This free pack gives you two report tasks in exam layout, a template that always works, the marking grids explained, and a model report annotated section by section.
Free to download, print and share for personal or classroom use. Answers included.
What’s in this worksheet
- Know-the-format box for this text type
- Task 1 in Pearson exam layout (Information box, bullet points, word count, marks)
- Task 2 in Highfield exam layout (notes stimulus)
- Planning grid and lined answer space for both tasks
- Plain-English version of the official marking grids
- Indicative content list for Task 1
- 288-word model answer with examiner notes
Common mistakes on this topic
From our tutors’ marking and the most recent examiner reports – check your work against these:
- Writing the report as a letter or an article – no headings, no To/From/Date. Format marks gone.
- Findings that are really opinions (‘the gym is awful in the evenings’). A finding needs a number, a date or a quote.
- Recommendations that are vague (‘improve the gym’) or missing altogether.
- First person and emotive language (‘I was shocked to see…’). Reports are neutral.
How to use it
- Read the ‘Know the format’ box, then do Task 1 under exam conditions – 5 minutes planning, the rest writing, timed as the task box says.
- Mark yourself against the grid and the indicative content list. Be honest about which band each strand lands in.
- Read the model answer and its notes, then rewrite your weakest paragraph. Do Task 2 a few days later without looking at the model.
Related free resources
- Article – Exam-Style Writing Tasks (Functional Skills Level 2)
- Review – Exam-Style Writing Tasks (Functional Skills Level 2)
- Plan a Functional Skills Writing Task in 5 Minutes – Free Planning Sheet
- All free Functional Skills English Level 2 resources
Frequently asked questions
What is the format of a report for Functional Skills Level 2?
Title; To, From and Date; Introduction (why and how); Findings under subheadings; Conclusion; numbered Recommendations. Use the same structure for every report task and the format marks take care of themselves.
Should a report be written in the first person?
No – keep it impersonal: ‘It was found that…’, ‘Staff reported…’. The one place you may use a personal touch is the From line. Opinions belong in the recommendations, phrased as actions.
How many recommendations should a report have?
Three or four, numbered, each specific enough to act on – who does what, by when. ‘Fix the equipment’ is weak; ‘Repair the two treadmills within 14 days’ is a recommendation.
Want a tutor to mark your work? Not sure where you stand? Take the free 15-minute mini mock test. Ready to get qualified? Our live 10-week Functional Skills Level 2 English course runs in small groups with a mock exam included, and the 5-day revision course is there if your exam is close.