City of London School for Girls (CLSG) is one of the most prestigious and academic schools in the country. Securing a place is incredibly challenging, and the Stage 2 English exam is a major part of the assessment. What makes the CLSG exam stand out is its unique and demanding format: it’s the only 11+ exam that requires students to complete two compulsory writing tasks in a short space of time.

Many parents and tutors are unaware of this dual-task challenge, and they prepare their children for a standard creative writing test. This is a huge mistake. At 11 Plus Essay, we have delved deep into the CLSG exam format to give you the specific preparation your daughter needs.

The CLSG Stage 2 English Exam: The Two-Task Challenge

The Stage 2 English paper is 40 minutes long and is divided into two distinct writing tasks, each worth 20 marks:

Task 1: Creative Writing (20 minutes)

• This is usually a story continuation or a perspective shift task, based on a short reading passage.
• It tests your daughter’s ability to read with understanding, adopt a specific voice or style, and write creatively under pressure.

Task 2: Discursive or Opinion Writing (20 minutes)

• This is a non-fiction task that asks for your daughter’s opinion on a specific topic. For example, “All children should do chores. Do you agree?”
• It tests her ability to structure an argument, provide reasons and examples, and write persuasively.

Expert Tip: The biggest challenge of the CLSG exam is the need to switch from creative, imaginative thinking to logical, structured thinking in a matter of seconds. This requires specific practice.

How to Prepare for the Two-Task Challenge

1. Master the Creative Task

• Practice Story Continuation: Read short extracts from different books and practice writing the next paragraph. Focus on matching the tone and style.
• Practice Perspective Shifts: Take a scene from a book and rewrite it from a different character’s point of view. How would the story change?

2. Master the Discursive Task

• Learn the PEE Structure: For every point you make, you need to use this method to get maximum marks – we teach this in full detail in our City of London Girls’ School 11+ Writing Course.
• Build a Bank of Examples: Encourage your daughter to read the news (The Week Junior is great for this), watch documentaries, and think about her own experiences. This will give her a bank of examples to use in her essays.
• Argue Both Sides: For any topic, practice arguing both for and against it. This will help her develop a more balanced and sophisticated argument.

3. The 5-12-3 Method for Each Task

With only 20 minutes per task, time management is critical. We recommend the 5-12-3 method for each task:

• Five minutes to plan: Create a quick mind map for the creative task and a PEE structure for the discursive task.
• 12 minutes to write: This is a short amount of time, so a good plan is essential.
• Three minutes to check: Quickly read through to catch any errors and upgrade any simple words.

Don’t let the unique format of the CLSG exam catch your daughter by surprise. Give her the expert preparation she needs to excel at both tasks.

Learn more about the City of London School for Girls 11+ Writing Course here.