FCE Writing P2

FCEWriting Part 2

Types

a report

ESSAY

a review

article

informal email/letter

formal email/letter

WRITING

1hr 20min

Writing Class: Linking Expressions Contrast This exercise will give you the chance to practise some of the common linking words and expressions that are used to express contrast. For example, 'although', 'despite' etc. Go to exercise

TYPES

Addition This exercise looks at words and expressions like 'moreover', 'in addition' etc. Go to exercise

Purpose or reason This exercise will give you practice in expressing purpose or reason with expressions like, 'as a result', 'owing to' etc. Go to exercise

Time This exercise focuses on linking words that express time, such as 'at first', 'eventually' etc. Go to exercise

WRITING

1hr 20min

ESSAYcompulsory

8. FCE Essays You have to write an essay, so this is the first thing you should learn to write. Essays are about giving information and your opinions, comparing and contrasting. Title: Use a title at the top of your essay. The title should be interesting so that someone would want to read the article. Imagine two friends share a link on Facebook. Which are you more likely to click on? 1. Why Pollution is Bad 2. Climate Change is Fake, and Here's Why Most people would click on the second one! You don't have to be so provocative in your essay, but do try to make it interesting.

WRITING

1hr 20min

ESSAYcompulsory

Structure: Use the task as the structure. You could have these paragraphs: Introduction The Transport Pollution Problem Pollution in Rivers and Seas Pollution at Home Conclusion

WRITING

1hr 20min

ESSAYcompulsory

- Try to connect the title you have chosen with the conclusion. If you call your essay 'Climate Change is Fake!' you should end by saying 'and that's why climate change is not real.' - You should write in a balanced way - don't only say that something is good or bad. Example: 'It's clear that pollution from cars is a big problem that should be looked at. The air in some cities is not fit for humans. But the car isn't totally a villain - it's also a symbol of freedom for many people. So we need a solution that lets people drive their cars, but without being too harmful. For example, electric cars let people get to work but are cleaner than diesel engines.' - As a minimum, move from paragraph to paragraph by using phrases like 'firstly, secondly'. But try to learn some more advanced versions, too.

LINKING PHRASES

LINKING PHRASES

WRITING

1hr 20min

ESSAYcompulsory

ENVIRONMENT

ENVIRONMENT

ENVIRONMENT

WRITING

1hr 20min

ESSAYcompulsory

exercise

exercise

WRITING

1hr 20min

ESSAYcompulsory

essay

WRITING

1hr 20min

ARTICLE

FCE Articles Articles in First Certificate are usually written for English magazines or newsletters. The main thing is to make your articles interesting to read, and to give your opinions on the topic. THE TASK: You read this announcement in a magazine: what’s the best surprise you’ve ever had? Why was it a surprise? How did you feel when it happened? Send us your answers. We’ll publish the best ones. Write your article in 140-190 words.

WRITING

1hr 20min

Five Things You Need to Know about Writing Articles

ARTICLE

In Cambridge First or Cambridge Advanced, you might be asked to write an article. But do you know what makes an article different from other types of writing? 1 The reader is identified An article is like a direct conversation with the reader. The exam question might tell you who your readers are. For example, the students at a school, or the people living in a town or people who are interested in sports. Everything you write must speak to that reader and engage their interest right from the first sentence. 2 It has to get attention If you're anywhere on the internet these days, you'll be bombarded with articles with headlines that pull the reader in. It's called "click baiting" and all the writer is trying to do is make you open the page to read their article. You need to think like a journalist when you're writing your article. Look at the heading and the first line of this article. How did I get your attention?*

WRITING

1hr 20min

3 It has to be interestingFor an article to work, it has to be engaging enough to read all the way through. Remember how bored the examiner must be after reading fifty exam papers. Make it easier for them to get a good impression about your writing by entertaining them. Add humour, real life or made up examples, or make up quotes. 4 It has to be easy to read Use subheadings to break up the text and make clear paragraphs. Write in a semi-informal, conversational style. And make sure there is organisation to your ideas. The planning stage is vital for this. Think what your subheadings might be and then write a short introduction that lets the reader know what to expect. Keep in mind that you want the reader to keep reading, so don't tell them exactly what they will read. This is not an essay! In an essay you usually restate the question, explain how you will answer it and maybe say why it's important. In an article, that will kill the reader's interest.

ARTICLE

WRITING

1hr 20min

5 Write a good ending In an essay you sum up the points that have gone before and draw a conclusion from that. But in an article, it's better to give the reader something to think about, perhaps by asking them another question or giving them a call to action. Often, the best endings link back to the starting point in some way. Here are two endings I could use for this article: 1) Look at your internet browsing history from the last day. Which articles got your attention? Can you see how they did it? 2) So, now you know how to write an article, why don't you write one giving advice on something you know about?

ARTICLE

WRITING

1hr 20min

Common mistakes students make in articles 1) The language is too formal and more suited to essays. Avoid words like: to sum up, some people say, nevertheless, on one hand etc. 2) They don't use quotes or examples 3) They either use not enough, or too many, questions. The questions, called rhetorical questions because they don't require an answer, shouldn't be more than one per paragraph. Good examples are: Have you ever ……..? What do you think about ……..? Are you one of those people who thinks that ……? What would life be like if ……? Will the future bring us ….. ? 4) A title which makes the subject immediately clear. For some reason, people like reading lists! And a direct, rhetorical question in the first paragraph to make readers want to find out the answer.

ARTICLE

WRITING

1hr 20min

You see this competition in an international magazine.

ARTICLE

COMPETITION

Imagine you were on a desert island. What would you miss most? Write an article briefly describing an important object, person or place in your life and give reasons for your choice. The best article will be published and the writer will receive £500. Write your article in 140- 190 words in an appropriate style on the separate answer sheet.

WRITING

1hr 20min

Sample answer 1:

ARTICLE

Have you ever thought about the most important possessions you can barely live without? Would they be your bare necessities on a desert island? Well, for me it’d definitely be my mobile accompanied by a solar charger and a week supply of my favourite chocolate. Reading books and taking photos are just a few of daily activities I’ll be occupying myself with during the lonely stay on an island, hence the latest smartphone and a solar charger are my top items. An abundance of ‘me-time’ guaranteed on an island, which I’ve lacked for ages, would come handy when devouring Stephen King’s and Jeffrey Archer’s ebooks. Skills I’ve learnt on a survival course will definitely help me get by on an island however as I’m a chocoholic, I’d definitely opt for a week supply of my favourite chocolate bar. Having mastered tricks like catching a fish or igniting a fire without a lighter, which even Bear Grylls will praise me on, can hardly replace heavenly delicious Milka chocolate. I don’t know how you feel about staying on a desert island, but I can guarantee I would be far from bored. Just imagine all those hot sunny days and warm starry nights with my favourite book and mouthing-watering chocolate. (209 words)

WRITING

1hr 20min

Sample answer 2:

ARTICLE

Life away from home

How would you feel about living on a desert island? I can’t imagine anything worse. I would miss a lot of things, but most of all I would miss my home.

My home is a small house on the outskirts of a city. It was built about fifty years ago and has a small garden. In the summer our country gets very hot but our house is always cool.

You would probably think our house is nothing special, but I have lived there all my life and all my friends live nearby. It is a happy place, where I feel completely safe. Whenever I go away, I look forward to coming back, lying on my bed, reading a book and listening to my brother and sister arguing downstairs!

I love travelling and meeting new people, but if I were on a desert island I would be away from the place I love most — my home — and I would hate that.

WRITING

1hr 20min

ARTICLE

ARTICLE 2

ARTICLE 1

WRITING

1hr 20min

FCE Reports Often, you'll be able to choose to write a report in part 2. The reader will usually be your teacher or a group you belong to. You have to give facts and make recommendations. Example: A group of English students is coming to your college. Your English teacher has asked you to write a report on one local tourist attraction. In your report you should describe the attraction say what you can do there explain why you think students would enjoy visiting it

REPORT

WRITING

1hr 20min

If I were writing that, I'd use this structure: (Title:) Report on Old Trafford Football Stadium Introduction The aim of this report is to describe Old Trafford and to say why it's the best destination for students who visit our college. Old Trafford (a description of the stadium, its history) Activities (what you can do there - the stadium tour, the gift shop, touch the magical grass) Why It's Perfect for Visitors (the tour is given in English so it's good practice, football is universally popular, it's great for taking photos) Conclusion For the reasons I have mentioned, I highly recommend visiting Old Trafford with the visiting students. I'm sure they will all have a great time.

REPORT

WRITING

1hr 20min

Sample 1 REPORT

You must answer this question.

REPORT

Your college has been asked to accept a group of 50 students from another country for two weeks. You have been asked by your principal to find out what the advantages and disadvantages would be of accepting this group. Is it a good idea?

Write your report to the principal in 140- 190 words in an appropriate style on the separate answer sheet.

WRITING

1hr 20min

Report on Proposed Visit by 50 Overseas Students

REPORT

Introduction The purpose of this report is to consider the advantages and disadvantages of accepting a large group of students from overseas for two weeks. I have discussed the issue with all the senior members of college staff.

Advantages All those I interviewed believe that for students this would be an exciting opportunity to explore a foreign culture, both in the classroom and socially. Overall, they thought the visit would be stimulating for the college at a quiet time of the year.

Disadvantages Some members of staff are concerned that: 1 there would be insufficient seating in the library at bus times; 2 the visitors might be more interested in enjoying themselves than studying; 3 the restaurant queue would be very slow at lunchtime.

Conclusion and recommendation Clearly, the group might cause some practical difficulties but on the whole everyone thought that the visit should seen as an opportunity not to be missed.

WRITING

1hr 20min

REPORT

REPORT 1

REPORT 2

WRITING

1hr 20min

FCE Reviews Reviews are quite a good choice for part 2 because you've probaby read thousands of reviews in your own language - reviews of movies, video games, hotels and so on. So you should be quite familiar with the format. The main skills you need are: describing things, explaining, and giving your opinions. IMPORTANT - You are allowed to lie in the exam! I personally hate the movie INTERESTELLAR, but I remember quite a lot about it. If I had the task of reviewing a movie I love, maybe I would chooseINTERESTELLAR. The story is clear in my head, I remember the names of the actors, the director and the theme song... I can pretend to like it if it helps me pass the exam... - Like in the essay task, I encourage my students to use an interesting title. 'Interestellar- travelling has no limits'. - Use the question to help you structure your review.

REVIEW

WRITING

1hr 20min

REVIEW

Planning time! Okay, the first thing to do is to think of a book where the main character surprised me. This is quite an important step, because everything that follows is linked to this decision. Do you think I should spend five seconds on it, or thirty seconds?

WRITING

1hr 20min

So what do I have to include? - write a review of the book - explain what the character did - and why it was surprising - would I recommend it It doesn't make much sense to have points 2 and 3 separate, so for this review I will keep them together in one paragraph. So my outline looks like this: Title Introduction Review Main Character's Surprising Moment Recommendation

REVIEW

WRITING

1hr 20min

You must answer this question.

REVIEW

An international arts website is looking for reviews of novels for a new section called ‘A Reader Writes’. You have decided to write a review of a novel you’ve recently read for this section. Describe the novel and say what you think about it. Would you recommend this novel to other people?

Write your review in 140- 190 words in an appropriate style on the separate answer sheet.

WRITING

1hr 20min

Sample answer:.

I really enjoyed the film version of The Bourne Identity starring Matt Damon, but I thought the original novel by Robert Ludlum was even better. This book is so well-written, I didn’t want to finish it!

REVIEW

The plot is gripping right from the start. When we first meet the lead character, Jason Bourne, he is being rescued from the sea. His identity is a mystery to everyone, including himself! Over the course of the novel we gradually find out who Bourne is, and follow him through a series of exciting adventures.

As well as a highly original plot line, the novel includes a number of fascinating characters, especially the villains! I only have one negative -comment: in my view, the novel is strong on action but weaker on description. However, this is a small criticism of an otherwise excellent book.

I would highly recommend The Bourne Identity to anyone who enjoys action or crime stories. However, if you prefer more descriptive or romantic novels, then you should give it a miss. Personally, I can’t wait to start reading the sequel!

WRITING

1hr 20min

REVIEW

REVIEW 1

REVIEW 2

WRITING

1hr 20min

INFORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

INFORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL An informal letter or email is usually between people who know each other fairly well. In addition to giving news, they are often used to request information, congratulate people, give advice and ask questions. There are a lot of similarities between informal letters and conversation. Informal letters ask a lot of questions, show interest and enthusiasm, and imagine a lot of shared information. In many exam questions, you will be told what to include in your reply. Make sure that your reply answers any questions that you were asked in the task and takes into account any additional information that you have been told to mention. It is important that you include these in order to get a good grade.

WRITING

1hr 20min

HOW TO WRITE INFORMAL LETTERS OR EMAILS

INFORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

SALUTATION OR GREETING Start with Dear followed by the first name of the person to whom you are writing. In emails, you can also start with Hi (and the person’s name). Dear Ben, or Hi Ben, (Don’t forget to use only the first name of the person you are writing to and not Dear Mr John, which is never used, or Dear Mr John Brown, which sounds too formal.) Informal letters sometimes have a comma after the person’s name, and the letter starts on the line below. The important thing is to be consistent with the style that you choose to use (so if you use a comma after the person’s name at the start of the letter, use a comma after the closing statement at the end).

WRITING

1hr 20min

HOW TO WRITE INFORMAL LETTERS OR EMAILS

Openings When writing an informal letter, you are usually replying to another letter. You would normally start with a greeting, then acknowledge the letter to which you are replying. It is often a good idea to acknowledge some key information given in the original letter too. You can also make a comment on your own reply. Useful phrases for the opening How are you? / How have the family been? / I hope you are well. Thank you / Many thanks for your (recent/last) letter / postcard. It was good / nice / great to hear from you again. I was so surprised to hear that… I’m sorry I haven’t written / haven’t been in touch for such a long time. It’s ages since I’ve heard from you. I hope you’re well / you and your family are well. How are things? / How are you? / How’s it going?

INFORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

BODY

WRITING

1hr 20min

Other useful phrases Referring to news Great news about … Glad to hear that … Sorry to hear about … Giving news Listen, did I tell you about …? You’ll never believe what … Oh, and another thing … This is just to let you know that … I thought you might be interested to hear about / know that … By the way, have you heard about / did you know that …? Apologies I’m writing to apologise for missing your party but I’m afraid I was with flu. I’m really sorry that I forgot to send you a birthday card but I was busy with my new job.

INFORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

BODY

WRITING

1hr 20min

Invitations I’m / We’re having a party on Friday 19th and I / we hope you’ll be able to come. Would you like to come / go to see ‘Room With a View’ with me at the weekend? I was wondering if you’d like to go to the theatre / come on holiday with us. Could you let me / us know if you can come / you’d like to join us? Thank you very much for your invitation. I’d love to come. Thank you for asking / inviting me to … but I’m afraid I won’t be able to … Requests I’m writing to ask for your help / you (if you could do me) a favour. I wonder if / I was wondering if you could help me / do me a favour. I hope you don’t mind me asking but could you (possibly) …? I’d be very / really / terribly grateful if you could …

INFORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

BODY

WRITING

1hr 20min

Thank you / Congratulations / Good Luck I’m writing to thank you for your hospitality / the wonderful present. It was so kind of you to invite me to stay with you. I really appreciated all your help / advice. Congratulations on passing your exams / your excellent exam results! I wish you good luck / Good luck in / with your exams / your driving test / your interview. Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll do well / pass. Do be on time, won’t you, and don’t forget to … Making suggestions and recommendations Why don’t you …? / Maybe you could …? / How about …? You can’t leave New York without (…doing sth) I’m sure you will enjoy (…doing sth). If you like, we can … Do visit … / Don’t forget to …

INFORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

BODY

WRITING

1hr 20min

The end of your letter is as important as the beginning. There are some standard ways of finishing an informal letter or email. Give a reason why you’re ending the letter: Anyway, I must go and get on with my work! / I guess it’s time I got on with that studying I’ve been avoiding. Send greetings and/or make reference for future contact: Give my love / regards to… / Say hello to… / Anyway, don’t forget to let me know the dates of the party. / I’ll try and phone you at the weekend to check the times. / We must try and meet up soon. / I can’t wait to hear from you / Look forward to seeing you again / Hope to hear from you soon / See you soon / Write soon Closing statement such as Love, Lots of love, All the best, Take care, Best wishes, should be written on a new line. If you used a comma after the opening greeting, use a comma here too. Signing off: Your first name then follows on another new line.

INFORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

CLOSING

WRITING

1hr 20min

Range: It is important that you use grammatical expressions and vocabulary appropriate to the level of the exam. Even if there are no mistakes in your writing, you will not be able to get a good grade if you use only the language and vocabulary that you learnt at elementary level. Even in informal writing, there is a good range of language you can use (conditional sentences, a range of perfect and continuous tenses, indirect questions…) Informal language, including phrasal verbs, informal vocabulary (“I guess you loved the pics“), contractions, question tags. Simpler sentence structure: I’ll be late for the party. It’s because of my French exam.

INFORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

Other things to consider

WRITING

1hr 20min

Connectors: All good writing makes good use of connectors. However, many of the connectors you have learnt for other styles of writing are inappropriate in an informal letter or email. For informal writing, you need to use some of the connectors that are more specific to spoken language. To introduce a topic: Well, you’ll never guess who I bumped into yesterday. / I know how much you love tennis, so I’ve got us some tickets to Wimbledon. / By the way, did you know that John’s got a new job? To go back to a previous topic: Anyway, as I was saying earlier, I really wasn’t very happy there. / Now where was I? Oh yes, I nearly forgot, Mary asked me tell you about the cinema.

INFORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

Other things to consider

WRITING

1hr 20min

INFORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

To introduce surprising or bad news: Actually, he came to the party after all. / I’m really sorry but I can’t make it. / To tell you the truth, I don’t really like sports much. To summarise what you’ve already said: Anyway, we had a really nice time in the end. / Well, to cut a long story short, we didn’t get there on time.

Other things to consider

WRITING

1hr 20min

INFORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

sample You must answer this question. Write your answer in 140- 190 words in an appropriate style on the separate answer sheet. Last week, you organised a surprise birthday party for someone in your family, and your friend from Australia wants to hear about it. Write an email to your friend, describing what kind of party you organised, who you invited and how it went. Write your letter. Do not write any addresses.

Dear John, Thanks for your email- it was great to hear from you. How’s your new job, hope you’re still enjoying it. Apologise for not writing sooner, but I’ve been extremely busy at work for the last few weeks.

WRITING

1hr 20min

INFORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

Do you remember in your email you asked about the party I was organising for my mother’s birthday? Well, it was a fantastic success. I told mother we were taking her out for a quiet meal at a local restaurant, but in fact I’d fired a large room in a hotel and invited all her old friends!

Anyway, I picked mother up and told her I’d changed my mind. We were going to have a meal in a hotel. You should have seen her face when she walked into the room and everyone cheered! She just couldn’t believe it and burst into tears. Then the party got going, and it didn’t finish until four in the morning. We were absolutely exhausted but mother had had wonderful time.

Must dash now, I’ve got to go and prepare a lecture which I ‘m going to be presenting next Monday. Hope to hear from you soon. All the best, Sandra.

WRITING

1hr 20min

INFORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

email 1

email 2

WRITING

1hr 20min

FCE – FORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

INFORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

Formal letters may be written to an individual or to an organisation. The purpose may be, for example, to apply for part-time or vacation work (application letter) to apply for study or scholarship opportunity (application letter) to complain about something (complaint letter) to make suggestions about something to request information (enquiry letter) In many exam questions, you will be told what to include in your reply. Make sure that your reply answers any questions that you were asked in the task and takes into account any additional information that you have been told to mention. It is important that you include these in order to get a good grade.

WRITING

1hr 20min

FCE – FORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

INFORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

GREETING (A) If you know the name of the person you are writing to use the title (Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms) and the surname only. If you are writing to a woman and do not know if she uses Mrs or Miss, you can use Ms, which is for married and single women. Examples: “Dear Mr Simpson,” / “Dear Mrs Flanders,” / “Dear Miss Skinner,” / “Dear Ms Van Houten,” (B) If you do not know the name of the recipient of the letter begin with “Dear Sir,” / “Dear Madam,” (if you know you are writing to a man or a woman) or “Dear Sir or Madam,” (if you do not know the sex of the person you are writing to).

WRITING

1hr 20min

FCE – FORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

INFORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

BODY [2.1] Opening The first paragraph states the reason(s) for writing and, if needed, what you are responding to (an advert, a prospectus…). In addition, an opening paragraph is needed to make reference to previous correspondence. Useful phrases for the opening I would like to apply for one of the scholarships I saw advertised in your prospectus. (applying for a scholarship) I am looking for an outdoor work during the summer holidays and I would like to apply for the position of hotel lifguard assistant which I say advertised in my university’s student newspaper. (applying for a job) I have seen your advertisement for the post / vacancy / job of… advertised in the local newspaper on 16 June. I am writing because I would like to apply for the job. (applying for a job) I am the secretary of my college Science Club. I saw your advertisement for the exhibition “The Next 100 Years” and I am interested in organising a group visit. I was wondering if I could ask you some questions about it. (requesting information) I am writing (in order) to complain about the advertisement for your new game. Having just played the game, I realise that the advertisement is misleading. (complaint letter) I am writing with regard to … I am writing with reference to… I am writing in response to… Thank you for /your letter of 9 May… /for your letter regarding… In reply tor your letter of 8 May, …

WRITING

1hr 20min

FCE – FORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

INFORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

BODY [2.1] Opening The first paragraph states the reason(s) for writing and, if needed, what you are responding to (an advert, a prospectus…). In addition, an opening paragraph is needed to make reference to previous correspondence. Useful phrases for the opening I would like to apply for one of the scholarships I saw advertised in your prospectus. (applying for a scholarship) I am looking for an outdoor work during the summer holidays and I would like to apply for the position of hotel lifguard assistant which I say advertised in my university’s student newspaper. (applying for a job)

WRITING

1hr 20min

FCE – FORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

BODY [2.1] Opening I am the secretary of my college Science Club. I saw your advertisement for the exhibition “The Next 100 Years” and I am interested in organising a group visit. I was wondering if I could ask you some questions about it. (requesting information) I am writing (in order) to complain about the advertisement for your new game. Having just played the game, I realise that the advertisement is misleading. (complaint letter) I am writing with regard to … I am writing with reference to… I am writing in response to… Thank you for /your letter of 9 May… /for your letter regarding… In reply tor your letter of 8 May, …

INFORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

WRITING

1hr 20min

BODY [2.2] Main content The rest of the body will be organized in paragraphs: that will make reading easier and the effect on the target reader will be better. For example, an application letter may have this layout and paragraphing: Salutation or greeting #1 Opening (first paragraph) #2 About you (age, where you live, education-training and/or work experience relevant to the job, languages …) #3 Reasons for applying (why you are suitable for the job) #4 Conclusion (availability for interview, further questions, … – if necessary) Closing Final salutation Name and surname

INFORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

WRITING

1hr 20min

BODY Other useful phrases Asking politely Could you tell me… ? I would be grateful if you could … I would be interested in having more details about… I would like to know if/when/when/… I would like information on… Do you know if…? Complaining I would like to complain about + noun or -ing … is not what I expected / was expecting I am not satisfied with… I would be grateful if my money was refunded / if you could give me a refund

INFORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

WRITING

1hr 20min

[3] CLOSING The end of your letter is as important as the beginning. You usually state what you would like the recipient to do, make a reference to a future event, offer to help… I look forward to hearing from you soon / I look forward to receiving your reply I look forward to receiving a full refund (in a complaint letter) I would like to know what you are going to do about this situation (in a complaint letter) I would like to thank you in advance for this information (in a enquiry letter -requesting information) If you require/Should you need further information, please do not hesitate to contact me/feel free to contact me.

INFORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

WRITING

1hr 20min

[4] FINAL SALUTATION Depending on how you started your letter, you will end your letter with (A) Yours sincerely, (B) Yours faithfully, [5] Sign your name and then print your name clearly underneath on another new line Moe Szyslak Moe Szyslak

INFORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

WRITING

1hr 20min

LETTER OF APPLICATION – USEFUL PHRASES Dear …… I am writing to apply for a/the job of ….. which I saw advertised in “The Guardian” newspaper. I am 26 years old and at the moment I am studying … at …. Having studied English for over seven years I am a fluent speaker of the language. My qualifications also include Proficiency certificates in both French and German. As far as experience is concerned, I have worked as …………. for ……….. As for my character, people tell me I am …………… I feel I would be suitable for this job because ………… . This will give me the opportunity to ….. . I would also like the chance to…. I look forward to hearing from you. Yours … name

INFORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

WRITING

1hr 20min

Other things to consider... Range: It is important that you use grammatical expressions and vocabulary appropriate to the level of the exam. Even if there are no mistakes in your writing, you will not be able to get a good grade if you use only the language and vocabulary that you learnt at elementary level. Formal language Use full verb forms and not contractions (do not instead of don’t, would like instead of ‘d like…) Formal vocabulary, usually not using phrasal verbs. More complex sentence structure. Connectors: All good writing makes good use of connectors. You need to use some of the connectors that are more specific to formal language.

INFORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

WRITING

1hr 20min

INFORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

WRITING

1hr 20min

INFORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

Dear Sir/ Madam

My name is Emily and I am a secretary of the Middlesex Science Club. Reading your advert in the newspaper caused a heated discussion amongst club’s members hence we wish to visit and learn more about exhibits. Nevertheless, prior to our tour I was hoping you could answer few questions please. Firstly, we are a group of fifty passionate scientists, and so we are uncertain whether the museum is capable to accommodate such a vast number of visitors. Do you think you could confirm if it essential to book a timeslot and also how far in advance shall we do that? In addition, we are planning to spend a relaxing afternoon while enjoying our lunch, therefore I would be grateful if you could advise whether there is a snack bar or a picnic space available in a close proximity of the museum. Last but not least, we wish to take some photos and maybe record a video to post it on our Facebook page. Could you please let me know whether there are any restrictions in terms of the use of electronic devices such as mobiles with flash? Thank you in advance for all your help. I look forward to receiving your reply. Yours faithfully, Emily Kruszewska

WRITING

1hr 20min

FORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

email 2

email 1

WRITING

1hr 20min

FORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

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Phrasal Verbs

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Phrasal Verbs

A Phrasal Verb is an idiomatic combination of two (sometimes three) parts: a verb and an adverba verb and a preposition a verb and an adverb and a preposition.

My car broke down on the motorway. (verb + adverb) Please, look after the children. (verb + preposition) I can't put up with him, he is always complaining. (verb + adverb + preposition)

Many of them are formed from a small number of common verbs (such as get, ask, go, take, come, put and look) and adverbs and prepositions (for example, away, out, for, on, off, up and in). If the second part is a preposition, sometimes they are also called Prepositional Verbs.

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STRUCTURE OF PHRASAL VERBS a verb + adverb throw away a verb + adverb + preposition put up with STRUCTURE OF PREPOSITIONAL VERBS a verb + preposition look after, look at, wait for, think about, talk about, complain about

Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs sometimes have meanings that can be easily guessed (for example, sit down or walk along). But in many cases their meanings cannot be guessed from the different parts which make the phrasal verb: for example, put off means to postpone and has no obvious connection with the idea of "putting" and "off".

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When I set off for work this morning, my car broke down, so I ended up taking the bus. As soon as I got off, I bumped into an old schoolmate, Mark. While we were talking, he brought up something I had already found out from some mutual friends- that he had come into some money and had set up his own business. He told me that there was a lot to sort out, and offered to take me on, but I turned him down straight away. When I clocked in, my boss had a go at me, telling me off in front of everyone. When I got over the initial shock, I told her I’d make up for being late, but it turned out that she had blown up over a deal that had fallen through, after a client of mine had pulled out of a contract. She told me that I wouldn’t get away with it, that I’d let everybody down, and just went on and on…. Eventually, I ran out of patience and answered back– I said I was not going to put up with it anymore, and if she wanted to lay me off, she should go ahead. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I stormed out, phoned Mark’s secretary, who put me through to him. I told Mark I’d like to take him up on his offer. So, in the end, everything has worked out perfectly!

An Imperfectly Perfect Day

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