A continuacin os mostramos aquellas partculas, formas gramaticales, verbos, etc.
, que debis introducir en vuestros
escritos:
WOULD. Esta partcula gramatical debera aparecer obligatoriamente en todas vuestras redacciones unas cuantas de veces. Es muy fcil aprender su uso y hace de vuestra redaccin un trabajo ms elaborado. Siempre podis usarla sea cual sea el tema y estilo del escrito, y os sugerimos que lo hagis en forma de recomendacin: I would like to recommend you a restaurant where you will eat the best meat in the city. La recomendacin puede ser para un amigo en un carta/email, para una empresa que te pide opinin sobre un punto en particular, una universidad que quiere introducir el servicio de prstamos de DVDs en su biblioteca (ej.), etc. SEGUNDO Y TERCER CONDICIONAL. Es muy recomendable que al menos uses un condicional (a poder ser el tercero) en tu redaccin, ya que es el nico examen en el que posiblemente puedas demostrar que lo manejas. Adems, es mucho mejor que lo uses en el writing que en el speaking (aunque tambin es aconsejable), por el simple hecho de que aqu sabes que no te vas a confundir porque tienes tiempo y calma para asegurarte de que los has escrito bien, lo contrario a lo que ocurre en el speaking, que no tienes tiempo para reparar en si lo has dicho bien o mal y los nervios pueden jugarte una mala pasada. Puedes usarlos de mil maneras diferentes. PASSIVE. La pasiva es una forma verbal que te sumar puntos si la usas en tu redaccin. No obstante, somos conscientes de que no siempre es sencillo usarla en cualquier tipo de tema, incluso intentar hacerlo podra quedar muy forzado. Sin embargo, si ves laoportunidad de introducirla o si el giro de tema que tienes que hacer es casi imperceptible, te recomendamos que la emplees. CONNECTORS. stos son imprescindibles en todas las redacciones. En primer lugar porque dan cuerpo a la escritura y en segundo lugar porque demuestra que los conoces y los sabes manejar de forma correcta. Cada vez que empieces un nuevo prrafo o quieras mostrar la cara positiva y negativa de un misma aspecto, no olvides recurrir a un conector. Bien es cierto que existen muchsimos conectores, pero ello no debe suponer un problema sino todo lo contrario: una ventaja. Aprndete aquellos que ms fcil te resulten y comienza a usarlos con mucha frecuencia. Los ms conocidos y que ms juego ofrecen en un escrito pueden ser: however, even, even though, on the one hand, on the other hand, on the contrary, as well as, apart from, because of, despite/in spite of, due to, during, in addition, etc. En esta web encontrars conectores y conjunciones clasificadas segn sus caractersticas. NOT ONLY... BUT (ALSO). Esta estructura es algo compleja y demuestra ya un cierto nivel de ingls. Por ello, si la utilizas en tu writing, impresionars al examinador. Recuerda que para escribir correctamente esta estructura debes utilizar la inversin, quedando as: Not only is he a good professional, but also a wonderful role model to be followed by everyone. Siempre puedes introducir esta frase en la redaccin, sea cual sea el tema y el estilo de escritura. PHRASAL VERBS. Tanto en el FCE como el CAE debes introducir varios phrasal verbs en tu redaccin. Para ello te recomendamos que te prepares una lista con los 20 phrasal verbsms comunes y que t consideres que ms verstiles pueden ser (es decir, que puedas usarlos en contextos muy diferentes) y estdiatelos. Una vez que ests en el examen, anota en el papel aquellos que creas que puedes introducir y no te olvides de usarlos. Si ves complicado el usarlos en el tipo de escrito y tema que te ha tocado desarrollar, intenta darle la vuelta a alguno de los prrafos para que algn phrasal verb quede bien al usarlo. No deberas entregar una redaccin sin ningn phrasal verb, te restar puntos. AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, TALKING FROM EXPERIENCE. Estas dos expresiones son muy buenas para expresar tu opinin: implican un buen nivel de ingls y permiten introducir tu opinin sobre cualquier tema. La primera de ellas (as far as I'm concerned) significa "por lo que a mi respecta", mientras que la segunda (talking from experience) significa "desde mi experiencia". No te sientas tentado/a de escribir "talking from my own experience", ya no que es como se dice en ingls (generalmente no suena natural para el nativo). LET ME CONCLUDE BY SAYING. Para cerrar una redaccin de forma espectacular, slo tienes que usar esta sencilla frase de aprender. Con ella empleas la forma gramatical "let me+verb", empleas la preposicin "by" y demuestras que sabes que detrs de ella hay que usar "ing". Puedes usarla siempre, ya sea el escrito formal o semi- formal. Si la redaccin es informal puedes sustituir "conclude" por "finish". Este es un ejemplo de cmo quedara el final de una redaccin usando esta frase: Let me conclude by saying that if you introduce computers in the classes, you will improve the quality of the whole school. El uso adecuado de conectores es muy valorado por los examinadores. Pero, ojo, puede ser una arma de doble filo ya que si estn bien colocados y en armona con el registro de tu texto, mejoran sin duda la cohesin del mismo; sin embargo, pueden comprometer en gran medida la coherencia y cohesin si se incluyen errneamente o hay una sobrecarga de linkers. Quizs por insistir machaconamente en la conveniencia de utilizar connectors, l@s alumn@s se obsesionan tanto que los incluyen s, pero sin orden ni concierto, y el resultado es que a veces hay tal saturacin que en un prrafo se encuentran casi ms conectores que ideas desarrolladas. Por tanto, recuerda que vale ms un texto con ideas que tengan sentido y presentadas con un orden lgico que otro que carezca de sentido por muchas linking words que tenga.
Dicho esto, en este listado tienes algunas sugerencias de connectors, linkers ylinking words ( Fuente: Bons tips ):
1. CONSTRUIR LA REDACCIN
a) Introduccin
b) Primer prrafo
At first sight A primera vista First of all Antes que nada In the first place En primer lugar To start with Para empezar
c) Segundo prrafo
In the second place, En segundo lugar, Second, Segundo, Secondly, En segundo lugar, Third, Tercero, Thirdly, En tercer lugar,
d) Conclusin
Finally, Por ltimo, In conclusion, Para concluir, Lastly, Por ltimo,
2. AADIR INFORMACIN
and eventually, y finalmente, apart from + noun aparte de + sustantivo besides , adems, "encima". Ojo al utilizar besides como adverbio. Haz clic aqu para verlo. in addition to + noun adems de + sustantivo in addition, adems, moreover, adems, furthermore asimismo also tambin on top of that, adems, what's more, adems; lo que es ms, another point is that habra que aadir que
3. EXPRESAR SIMILARIDAD
Similarly, Igualmente, de forma similar, Likewise, Asimismo, del mismo modo, In the same way, Del mismo modo, In the same manner, De la misma manera,
In a similar way, De forma similar,
4. ESTABLECER UN CONTRASTE
however, sin embargo instead of en vez de neverthelesss, no obstante on the contrary, por el contrario whereas / while mientras though / although aunque On the one hand, On the other hand, Por una parte, Por otra parte, Conversely A la inversa, por el contrario
5. EXPLICAR CAUSAS
because of + noun A causa de + sustantivo due to + noun Debido a + sustantivo due to the fact that + sentence Debido a que + oracin for this/that reason Por esta/esa razn on account of + noun A causa de + sustantivo 6. EXPLICAR RESULTADOS
as a result Como resultado, en consecuencia consequently En consecuencia therefore Por lo tanto
7. EXPRESAR ALGO DE OTRA MANERA
in other words, en otras palabras, in short, en resumen, that is (to say), es decir,
8. EXPRESAR HECHOS
actually En realidad as a matter of fact De hecho in fact De hecho really En realidad
9. EXPRESAR UNA OPININ PERSONAL
as far as Im concerned por lo que a m respecta from my point of view desde mi punto de vista I agree / disagree estoy de acuerdo / no estoy de acuerdo in my opinion en mi opinin in my view en mi opinin I think (that) Creo que it is true that es verdad que personally personalmente to be honest, para ser honesto to tell the truth, a decir verdad
10. MODIFICAR LO QUE SE EST DICIENDO
above all sobre todo at least al menos basically bsicamente, fundamentalmente especially especialmente essentially esencialmente, bsicamente in general en general By and large, Por lo general, Generally speaking, En general, in particular en particular more or less ms o menos on the whole en general to a certain extent hasta cierto punto
11. PONER EJEMPLOS
,and so on. etctera and so on and so forth etctera, y as sucesivamente for example, por ejemplo, for instance, por ejemplo, such as tal(es) como
12. RESUMIR LO QUE SE HA DICHO
All in all, En conjunto, resumiendo In brief, En resumen In conclusion, Para concluir In short, En resumen On the whole, En general To sum up, Para resumir
13. SECUENCIAR LA NARRACIN
after that despus de eso all of a sudden de repente, finally finalmente first of all en primer lugar in the end al final in the meantime, mientras tanto meanwhile mientras tanto next luego suddenly de repente, then entonces, despus while mientras
Haz clic aqu para ver ms. Recomiendo este vdeo-tutorial sobre cmo utilizar los elementos cohesivos en un escrito (aqu los denomina "transition words and phrases").
Linking expressions exercises
> Aunque se den traducciones aproximadas de los conectores al espaol, muchas veces se nos escapan matices que es conveniente conocer para poder utilizar estos elementos cohesivos de manera precisa. En esta web podrs encontrar un valioso material que te guiar en este propsito. Adems trata otros aspectos importantes de la expresin escrita, tales como el estilo, la puntuacin y la gramtica. Est genial, no te lo puedes perder!
ESSAY clear introduction, outline the situation as it is / had been recently. Rhetorical question to lead into the main body. Clear paragraphs, each covering a particular point in your argument or aspect of the subject. Identify whether the task demands balanced or one-sided approach. If one-sided mention the alternatives briefly in the conclusion. Support your ideas with brief examples. Use connectors to link your sentences and ideas. Conclusion should 'echo' the introductory paragraph.
ARTICLE
Notice what kind of article you have to write (for a newspaper / magazine / etc.) and who your readers will be then choose correct register and layout, keep it consistent throughout the article. Use descriptive verbs, adjectives and adverbs to make events more interesting, use rhetorical questions to enhance reader's interest.. Introduction should have impact on readers. Use direct speech only where appropriate Conclude article forcefully and leave readers with sth to think about.
FORMAL LETTER
Think about the purpose of your letter and who your readers will be. Letter to a newspaper will aim to give and opinion and make a point about some matter, a letter of complaint will give details about an event or situation that has not lived up to your expectations. Refer to the situation or event in an unemotional, reasonable way. Make sure you support your arguments or point of view. Organise the letter carefully, (1 ? your reason for writing, 2 ? detailing your concerns or views, 3 ? supply further information, 4 ? concluding remarks / suggestions / requests. Only include details which are strictly relevant.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Dear Sirs,
I am writing with reference to the article on... published in one of your latest issues. I have just read an article published in... I am writing to express my disappointment with the content of the article, concerning..., published in... I have read the article commenting on the debt problem of developing countries and would like now to share my views with other readers. I wish to protest about the article which makes totally false claims.
I hope you will not take amiss what I am going to say.
To begin with... Furthermore... Moreover... What we also need to consider is... A good example of this would be... This is due to / This can be attributed to... There's another factor as well... Apart from this / that...
I am looking forward to seeing my letter published in one of the next issues of your newspaper.
LETTER OF COMPLAINT I am writing to complain about...
To add insult to injury... Moreover... What is more... Not only ... but also ...
I must insist on a full refund plus compensation or I will have no choice but to take further legal action. Please investigate the above matter as a matter of urgency and... I am very unhappy about this. I would like you to arrange a full refund to me.
FCE. Speaking. Comparing photos (2)
Tal y como promet la semana pasada aqu estoy nuevamente para hablar del "speaking" del First Certificate. En este post tratar la segunda parte del "speaking" que consiste en comparar dos fotos. La primera parte de este tema esta aqu.
Segunda parte del speaking
En qu consiste
El examinador, en esta segunda parte, dar a uno de vosotros dos fotografas para que hablis sobre ellas comparndolas. El examinador har al otro candidato (el que NO tiene las fotos) una pregunta sobre las fotos. Luego, el examinador dar dos fotos diferentes al segundo candidato para que las compare tambin y al finalizar, har una pregunta al primer candidato.
Cunto dura
Aproximadamente un minuto cada candidato.
Estrategia a seguir
Para superar esta parte del examen, debers:
Escuchar bien las instrucciones del examinador antes de ponerte hablar. Intentar hablar alto, claro y de manera natural. Aunque yo recomiende aprenderse oraciones de memoria para no equivocarse, no se trata de que repitas una letana que suene a "discurso aprendido." Nunca contestes solo con "s" o "no" e intenta aadir algn tipo de opinin personal.
Sigue estos pasos:
1.Repasa los comparativos
Ya que lo que vas a hacer es comparar dos fotos, debes saber bien cmo hacer los comparativos en ingls.
Repasa aqu los comparativos. Repasa aqu el comparativo as-as (tanto como).
2. Repasa los conectores
Es importante hablar con coherencia y cierta fluidez. Para lograrlo debers aprender a unir una frase con otra, y la forma de unirlas es con los conjunciones (connectors).
Practica aqu.
Aqu tienes las traducciones de los conectores al espaol.
3. Aprende a detectar las similitudes y diferencias de las fotos
Cuando compares las dos fotos, busca estos contrastes (s, este es el truco para aprobar, si consigues decir estas comparaciones con cierta fluidez y precisin):
- Diferencias y similitudes en la actividad que las personas realizan en las fotos. Nota: Esta es la comparacin ms importante porque suele haber bastante contraste entre las actividades que realizan las personas en cada una de las fotos.
Ejemplos:
In the first photo they are playing, and in the second photo they are watching TV. En la primera foto estn jugando y, en la segunda, miran la televisin.
The woman is singing and the man is dancing. La mujer est cantando y el hombre bailando. They're all taking a big risk. Todos se estn arriesgando mucho. One is taking a big risk - he is going to jump from a cliff- and the other one is just swimming. Uno se est arriesgando mucho, va a saltar desde un acantilado, y el otro slo est nadando.
- Diferencias y similitudes en la edad de las personas
Ejemplos:
The woman is much younger than the man. La mujer es mucho ms joven que el hombre. They are both about the same age. Ambos tienen aproximadamente la misma edad. Everybody is very young. Todo el mundo es muy joven. They are all teenagers. Todos son adolecentes
- Diferencias y similitudes en el nmero de personas y cosas que hay en las fotos.
Ejemplos: There are fewer people in the second photo. Hay menos gente en la segunda foto. In the first photo there are more people than in the second photo. En la primera foto hay mucha ms gente que en la segunda foto.
- Diferencias y similitudes en el aspecto fsico de las personas y cosas.
Ejemplos: The woman's clothes are much darker than the man's. La ropa de la mujer es mucho ms oscura que la del hombre. The boy's eyes are blue and the girl's are brown. Los ojos del nio son azules y los de la nia son marrones. They are both very tall. Ambos son muy altos. They are all wearing a jacket. Todos llevan chaqueta.
- Diferencias y similitudes en el aspecto emocional de las personas. Ejemplos: They are both crying. Ambos lloran. The people in the first photo seem to be very happy and the in the second photo they seem to be worried. La gente de la primera foto parece estar muy contenta y en la segunda foto parecen estar preocupados. The woman is very confident while the man is scared. La mujer est muy segura de si misma y el hombre est asustado.
4. Compara, constrasta, especula, incluye tus opiniones personales al final y corrige lo que has dicho
Expresiones tiles para comparar.
In the first photo/picture there is a man wearing a tie. En la primera foto hay un hombre que lleva corbata. In the second photo the man is wearing a bathing suit. En la segunda foto el hombre lleva un baador. The first picture shows a nice house in the mountains. En la primera foto se puede ver una bonita casa en la montaa. And, the second picture shows a house on the beach. Y, en la segunda foto, se puede ver una casa en la playa.
In the background there is a gate. En el fondo (detrs) hay una puerta. In the front there is a girl jumping. Delante hay una nia saltando. On the side there are people sitting on a bench. Al lado hay gente sentada en un banco.
Expresiones tiles para contrastar.
On the one hand, the first group of people are supposed to be working in an office, but on the other hand, they are watching television. Por un lado, se supone que el primer grupo de gente est trabajando en una oficina pero, por el contrario, est mirando la televisin.
Nota importante. "On the one hand and on the other hand" se utiliza para constrastar situaciones DIFERENTES o CONTRADICTORIAS. No sirve para comparar situaciones semejantes.
Otro ejemplo:
On the one hand, the man wants to jump, but on the other hand he is very scared. Por un lado el hombre quiere saltar, pero por otro lado, est muy asustando.
In contrast, the second house is much bigger than the first house.
Expresiones tiles para especular.
Perhaps they want to get married, but they can't. Quizs quieren casarse, pero no pueden.
I think the first person is in a hurry and wants to get home early, and the second person is very tired. Creo que la primera persona tiene prisa y quiere llegar a casa pronto, y la segunda persona est muy cansada.
It seems like they don't know too much about the job they are doing because everything they have done so far is wrong. Parece como si no supieran mucho acerca del trabajo que hacen porque todo lo que han hecho hasta ahora est mal.
Maybe the man has still too much work to do and that's the reason why he looks so tired. Quizs el hombre todava tiene mucho trabajo por hacer y por eso parece tan cansado.
Expresiones tiles para dar tus propias opiniones.
Personally, I would never do that. Yo mismo nunca hara eso. I would like to go on a holiday to a place like that. Me gustara ir de vacaciones a un lugar as. In my opinion it isn't a good idea to start doing that without rehearsing.En mi opinin no es buena idea empezar a hacer eso sin ensayar.
Expresiones tiles para utilizar si te equivocas y quieres corregir lo que has dicho
Sorry, I didn't mean that, I meant that. Perdn, no quera decir eso, quera decir que... Let me rephrase my idea. Djeme expresar mi idea de otra manera. I take that back, what I really wanted to say. Retiro lo que he dicho, lo quera decir en realidad...
5.Practica las preguntas y respuestas en grupo
Si no realizas este ejercicio con un profesor que te prepare, es recomendable prcticar este tipo de preguntas con otros estudiantes, a ser posible tres. Uno debe coger el papel de examinador y los otros dos de candidatos. Se debern seguir las mismas instrucciones del examen y luego cambiar de papel.
6. Utiliza estos ejemplos para practicar
Both photos show teenagers playing, but in a very different way. In the first picture we can see a group of teenagers who are doing sports outside. Comparando las actividades que hacen ambos grupos. En ambas fotos se ven adolescentes jugando, pero de maneras muy diferentes. En la primera foto podemos ver a un grupo de adolescentes que hacen deporte al aire libre.
It's a very sunny day and they seem to be enjoying themselves.Describiendo el lugar donde est el primer grupo y especulando sobre el estado de nimo del primer grupo. Es un da muy soleado y parece que lo estn pasando bien (que estn disfrutando).
In the second picture, we can see two teenagers playing a videogame, they are inside and they seem to be very concentrated on what they are doing. Describiendo lo que hace el segundo grupo, dnde y especulando sobre su aspecto fsico. En la segunda foto, podemos ver a dos adolescentes jugando un vdeojuego, estn dentro de casa y parecen muy concentrados en lo que estn haciendo.
In the first picture, all the girls are wearing sport clothes and in the second picture both young men are wearing a pair of jeans an a shirt.Comparando la ropa que llevan ambos grupos. En la primera foto, todas las chicas llevan ropa para hacer deporte y en la segunda foto los chcios llevan vaqueros y una camisa.
Personally, I like what the girls are doing much more, they are outside, doing sports, meeting other girls the same age and talking to them. Besides they seem to be enjoying the fresh air and the sunny day, while in the second picture both boys are sitting and seem to be a bit stressed. I'm sure they are enjoying themselves, but it doesn't show on their faces. Dando mi opinin personal. Personalmente, me gusta mucho ms lo que estn haciendo las chicas, estn fuera, haciendo deporte, encontrndose con otras chicas de su misma edad y charlando. Adems, parecen estar disfrutando del aire fresco y el da soleado, mientras en la segunda foto, ambos chicos estn sentados y parecen estar algo estresados.
The photos show the contrasts between how young people spend their free time in our modern society. In my opinion, the situation in the second picture is becoming more and more common. I think there should be a balance between the two. You can spend time playing videogames, but it's also important to spend your free time outside doing sports. Dando mi opinin personal y una conclusin. En las fotos se pueden ver los contrastes entre cmo la gente joven pasa su tiempo libre en nuestra moderna sociedad. En mi opinin, la situacin de la segunda foto est siendo cada vez ms frecuente. Creo que debera haber un equilibrio entre las dos. Puedes pasar tu tiempo jugando a vdeojuegos, pero tambin es importante pasar tu tiempo libre fuera haciendo deportes.
Ejemplos de preguntas y respuestas que realizar el examinador al segundo candidato.
-Do you usually play videogames? Juegas con vdeojuegos?
Posibles respuestas: - Yes, I do. I play videogames at weekends, usually when I want to disconnect from my studies. I sometimes invite a friend to come over and we play together. I enjoy playing videogames a lot. S. Juego a los vdeojuegos los fines de semana, generalmente cuando quiero desconectar de mis estudios. A veces invito a un amigo a mi casa y jugamos juntos.
- No, I don't. I don't like video videogames. I'd much rather spend my free time with my friends doing sports or going out to a have a drink, or dancing. No. No me gustan los vdeojuegos. Prefiero pasar mi tiempo libre con mis amigos haciendo deportes, yendo a tomar una copa o bailando.
- Do you do any sports? Haces algn deporte?
Posibles respuestas:
- Yes, I play football. I usually play on weekends with my friends. S, juego al ftbol. Generalmente juego los fines de semana con mis amigos. - No, I don't. I'm not vey sporty, I like much more reading and painting. When I was a child, my mother took me and my brother swimming, but I stopped going to the swimming pool when I started secondary school.No. No soy muy deportista, me gusta mucho ms leer y pintar.Cuando era nio, mi madre me llevaba a nadar con mi hermano, pero dej de ir a nadar cuando empec a ir al instituto.
Essay (FCE) An essay can have many purposes, but the basic structure is the same no matter what. You may be writing an essay to argue for a particular point of view or to explain the steps necessary to complete a task. Either way, your essay will have the same basic format. If you follow a few simple steps, you will find that the essay almost writes itself. You will be responsible only for supplying ideas, which are the important part of the essay anyway. Divide it into clear paragraphs Introduction. General facts about the topic (1 paragraph) Body. Main ideas giving details or examples (2 or more paragraphs) Conclusion. A conclusion about what you have been writing (1 paragraph)
Present your ideas clearly. Use connectors* to link your ideas * Make sure you know how to use connectors appropriately (register, punctuation...). If you have any doubts, you should use a good dictionary to check. To express personal opinions: In my opinion, I believe (that) / I feel (that) / it seems to me / in my view /as I see it / I think / personally To show purpose: to / in order to / so as to / so that To list ideas: Firstly / secondly / finally / In the first place / Lastly To contrast ideas: However / although / in contrast / whereas / but / nevertheless / in spite of / despite To describe a cause: Because / since / as / due to To show a sequence: First of all / then / after that / eventually / in the end / finally To add information: In addition / moreover / what is more / besides / too / furthermore / and To describe a consequence: Consequently / as a result / therefore / so / thus / for this reason / that is why To conclude the topic: In conclusion / to sum up / in short / all in all
Kinds of essay A 'for and against' composition Introduction #1 - Present the topic in an impersonal way. Body. Give advantages and disadvantages (or points in favour or against) in different paragraphs with examples to support your ideas. #2 - Ideas 'for' and examples: "On the one hand..." #3 - Ideas 'against' and examples]: On the other hand..." Conclusion: Summarize the main idea or present a conclusion. You can give your personal opinion #4 - Summarize: In conclusion, I think... All in all...
An opinion composition Introduction: #1 - Present the topic and your opinion. Body.: Give reasons for your opinions. Different ideas in different paragraphs. #2 - "First, It seems to me" #3 - "In addition, " #4 - "Last but no least.." Conclusion. Summarize the main ideas. It can be similar to the introduction but presented in some other words. #5 - "In short", "I believe"
Sample essays Writing Part 2 :: Model question After a class discussion on different kinds of relationships, your teacher has asked you to write a composition, giving your opinions on the following statement: "Living alone is more enjoyable than living with someone else" Write your essay in 120-180 words in an appropriate style. :: Model answer Nowadays more people are deciding to live by themselves. Some people claim this is more enjoyable, whereas others disagree. The main advantage of living alone is that there is nobody to tell you what to do, so you can live your life your own way. What is more, you can organise or decorate your house as you want. There is no one else to disagree with. On the other hand it can be quite lonely for some people. Secondly, it is more expensive because you have to pay all the rent and bills yourself, so you have less money to enjoy yourself. Last but not least, it can be hard to find a nice flat for one person so you might not be able to live in the best area. To sum up, there are strong arguments on both sides. In conclusion I believe that living alone is better for older people who have more money and like privacy, but not for young people, who need to share the costs. (170 words)
Writing Part 2 :: Model question You have had a class discussion on things you can do to protect the environment. Your teacher has asked you to write an essay giving your opinion on the following statement: "The environment we live in will change dramatically in the next 50 years" Write your essay in 120-180 words in an appropriate style. :: Model answer Scientists have given many warnings about the effects of human activity on the environment and I believe that unless we take drastic action, it is very likely that there will be dramatic changes in the environment over the next 50 years. I think there will be three major changes. Firstly, as a result of air pollution, global temperature will rise and this will lead to drier, hotter summers and warmer winters. A further consequence may be more frequent natural disasters such as floods and hurricanes. The second change will be a rise in sea levels. This will mean that people living near the coast will lose their homes and have to move to new areas. Finally, we are destroying so many natural habitats such as rainforests that many species of animals and plants will become extinct. Consequently, the world will lose a lot of its diversity. I believe that unless we take urgent action to prevent these things from happening, the future for the environment will be disastrous and future generations will criticise us for the damage we have done. (180 words)
Informal Letter (FCE) 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. There will also often be additional notes which serve as prompts for your reply. Make sure that your reply answers any questions that you were asked in the original letter or email 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. How to write informal letters or emails 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). Body 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... Im sorry I havent written / haven't been in touch for such a long time. Its ages since Ive heard from you. I hope you're well / you and your family are well. How are things? / How are you? / Hows it going? 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 ? Youll 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 Im writing to apologise for missing your party but Im afraid I was with flu. Im really sorry that I forgot to send you a birthday card but I was busy with my new job. Invitations Im / Were having a party on Friday 19th and I / we hope youll 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 youd like to go to the theatre / come on holiday with us. Could you let me / us know if you can come / youd like to join us? Thank you very much for your invitation. Id love to come. Thank you for asking / inviting me to but Im afraid I wont be able to Requests Im 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 dont mind me asking but could you (possibly) ? Id be very / really / terribly grateful if you could Thank you / Congratulations / Good Luck Im 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. Dont worry, Im sure youll do well / pass. Do be on time, wont you, and dont forget to Making suggestions and recommendations Why dont you ? / Maybe you could ? / How about ? You cant leave New York without (...doing sth) Im sure you will enjoy (...doing sth). If you like, we can Do visit ... / Dont forget to ... Closing 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.
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. 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: Ill be late for the party. Its because of my French exam. 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. 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.
Sample letters and/or emails Writing Part 2 :: Model question You have been given the email address of an English-speaking person who is looking for a contact in your country. Write an email about you and your family, and suggest meeting at some time in the future. Write your email in 120-180 words in an appropriate style.
:: Model answer Dear Ana, I hear youre looking for a pen friend and so am I! Let me tell you a little bit about myself and my family. My names Ivan and I live in Prague. I used to work for a chemical company but now Im learning to be a salesman. In the future I want a job where I can travel for my work. Ive already been to a few places in Europe, but Ive never been to your country. I live at home with my parents, which is comfortable as I dont have to do much housework. My younger brother is studying at university. Although he is four years younger than me we get on quite well. We both enjoy snow-boarding and music. What about you? Do you ever get the chance to travel? It would be great to meet you one day. Why dont you come to Prague next summer? Next time I write Ill send a photo. Best wishes, Ivan (+/- 170 words)
Writing Part 1 :: Model question You are studying in the UK, and have recently received an email from an English friend, Peter, who is thinking of going on a two-day organised tour of a historic town near you. Read Peter's email and the notes you have made. Then write an email to Peter, using all your notes (in red). I'm thinking of going on that two-day tour of Loxford that you went on last year. Would you recommend it? Was it well organised? "Yes, say why" The advertisement says that Loxford was originally a Roman town and that the town's museum is well worth visiting. Do you agree or do you think I might find it a bit boring? "Yes, give details" What about the hotel where you stayed? Did you like it? It's a modern 3-star hotel, so it should be okay. "modern, but..." The evening lecture about Loxford's history sounds interesting. Was there a lecture at the hotel when you went on the tour last year? "Yes, give details" Reply soon. Peter Write your email in 120-150 words in an appropriate style.
:: Model answer Hi Peter, Thanks for your email. I'm glad you're thinking of visiting Loxford. It's a really beautiful town. The tour I went on last year was very well-organised. A coach took us to all the main sights. I particularly remember Loxford Museum. It was really interesting because it showed what life was like in Loxford Castle in the past. The hote where we stayed was quite nice. We ate all our meals there. Although it was modern, it wasn't very clean and my room didn't have a television. After dinner, there was a lecture at the hotel by a local historian. His name was Dr Rawlings. It wasn't really a lecture at all, it was so relaxed and informal. I think you should go on the tour, Peter. I enjoyed it and I'm sure you would as well. Tell me how you get on! Lots of Love, Maria (+/- 150 words)
Writing Part 1 :: Model question (exam question not available) Write your email in 120-150 words in an appropriate style.
:: Model answer Dear John, Thanks for your email. I'm glad to hear that everything is going well. Sorry I'm a bit late replying, but I've been really busy studying for my exams. Thank you so much for inviting me to stay a bit longer. I'd love to spend some more time with you. My classes at university finish on 5th July. Is it OK if I come on Monday 15th July and leave on Friday 26th? If these dates sound good, let me know and I'll book the flight. I need to ask you a few questions about your sister's wedding. What kind of clothes should I bring? I've never been to a wedding abroad before. Also, my family really wants to get a small gift for Jane. What do you think about some beach towels? They could use them on their honeymoon. Finally, you asked me what I'd like to do when I get there. Well, I guess the first few days we'll be busy getting ready for the wedding. After that, though, there are one or two things I'd like to do. You know I'm a huge fan of modern art. Do you think we could go to the Tate Gallery one day? Of course, a day sightseeing in London would be great, too. Other than that, I'll leave it up to you. Anyway, I hope to hear from you soon. Take care, Mara (>200 words. A bit too long for the FCE)
Report (FCE) A report is usually written for a superior (e.g. a teacher, your employer...) or a peer group (e.g. members of an English club). Candidates are expected to give some factual information and make suggestions or recommendations. A report should be clearly organised and may include headings and/or bullets. Before writing You have to make your writing plan! Spend around 5 minutes to make your plan: introduction(what is the purpose of the report?), main body (which things have I been asked to deal with?) and conclusion/recommendation (summarising the maing ideas and recommendation(s)) Title Choose a fact so that the person who reads it will get the information about the report. Introduction State what the purpose of the report is. (The aim/objective of this report is to...) Do say how you collected the information (if necessary) Main body Do use headings because this makes it easier for the reader to find the main information. Do include two or three points under each heading. Make sure all your points fit with the headings. Do use a range of specific vocabulary or set phrases (e.g. some thought this was a good idea /other students said they preferred) Dont use lots of adjectives and dramatic language as you do in a story. A report gives factual information. Dont include irrelevant details or description. Conclusion/Recommendation(s) Do use formal language Do express opinions in an impersonal way. Dont express recommendations or opinions until the conclusion.
Useful words and phrases Introduction The aim/purpose of this report is to consider/suggest/... This report is intended to... I summarise below / Below is a summary of the most important relevant points as well as some recommendations. Reporting results Most people seem to feel that... Several people said/told me/suggested/thought that Making recommendations I would therefore recommend that we expand the library/installing a new coffee machine... It would seem that banning mobile phones is the best idea. Having considered the options, I would like to suggest/recommend I therefore suggest/recommend You may wish to consider
Sample reports Writing Part 2 :: Model question 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 oud what the advantages and disadvantages would be of accepting this group. Is it a good idea? Write your report to the principal. (Write your answer in 120-180 words in an appropriate style.)
:: Model answer Report on Proposed Visit by 50 Overseas Students 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 busy 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 be seen as an opportunity not to be missed. (162 words) :: Model question Students in your college have just returned from a ski trip abroad. There were a number of problems about the location and the organisation. You were on the organising committee and the Principal has asked you to hightlight the problems and make recommendations for next year. Write your report in 120-180 words in an appropriate style.
:: Model answer College Ski Trip Background The aim of this report is to highlight the problems that ocurred during the half-term ski trip. As preparation, questionnaires were sent out to all participants. Location Students say that the advanced slopes were excellent but: There was only artificial snow lower down. There were not enough beginners' slopes. Organisation The following points were mentioned: Only one-hour ski-lessons were included in the price - not the two-hour lessons they were promised. There were not enough beds in the cabins and some students had to sleep on the floor. Some group leaders were more interested in skiing than looking after the students. Recommendations Three recommendations were suggested: 1. Change to a location with beginners' slopes and go earlier in the year. 2. Make sure all details are clear in the contract. 3. Produce a handbook for group leaders, listing their duties. All things considered, lessons need to be learnt for future ski-trips. (158 words)
Article (FCE) An article is usually written for an English-language magazine or newsletter, and the reader is assumed to have similar interests to the writer. The main purpose is to interest and engage the reader, so there should be some opinion or comment. Depending on who the target reader is your article may be neutral or more informal. Give your article a title Think of an interesting eye-catching title -don't just copy the words from the question. (You may refer to the title later on in your article -that will show that your text is coherent). 'My Lone Walk to the North Pole' or 'Freezing!' (an article about an adventure trip) 'Not without my mobile phone' or 'My mobile, my precious!' (an article about the importance of mobile phones) Introduction The first paragraph should make the reader want to continue reading so, to make them interested. Also, you may try to link it to your title. You can: Ask a rhetorical question. "Have you ever wondered what your life would be like without a mobile phone?", "Did you know that...?", "What would you do if ...?" Show a strong opinion. "If you think that learning a second language is unimportant, don't bother reading this and turn on the tv.", "You think you're safe at home but burglars don't think so." Use informal language. "Once Carnival starts, the whole town goes crazy!" Body One or two more paragraphs to develop your main points, making sure you help the reader follow the argument. You may give examples where appropriate or use humour. Conclusion Give a conclusion and summary in the last paragraph. As this is the part of your article that readers will probably remember more clearly, focus on it and avoid one-sentence conclusions. You may finish showing strong opinion again or express your feelings.
Useful words and phrases Rhetorical phrases: Have you ever ..? What do you think about ..? Are you one of those people who thinks that ? Are you one of those people who ....? What would life be like if ? Will the future bring us .. ? Introducing your first point: Firstly In the first place First of all The first thing to consider is One thing to consider is To begin with Introducing more points: Secondly Another consideration Yet another consideration Another thing to consider is Added to that Apart from that In addition to this Introducing your final points: In conclusion To conclude To sum up So Introducing your opinion: I think In my opinion Personally I believe that In my view If you ask me To my mind My personal opinion is
Sample articles Writing Part 2 :: Model question You see the following notice on your college noticeboard. See your name in print! The editors of the college magazine would like contributions to the magazine on the following subject. Where do you prefer to see films: in the cinema or at home on TV or DVD? The writer of the best article wil receive ten tickets to the local cinema. Write your article in 120-180 words in an appropriate style.
:: Model answer The best place to see films In the past, before television was invented, people used to go to the cinema once or twice a week. They loved going because they could escape into a different world with exciting stories. Also they could see wonderful actors and strange places which they could never visit. Although films are no longer something new, going to the cinema is still a magical experience. It is just not he same watching films on television. In the cinema, you are surrounded by the rest of the audience. You sit in front of a large screen and share the feelings of fear, sadness or happiness with many other people. On the other hand, it is certainly cheaper to watch films on television. It has the added advantage that you can talk and discuss the film with your family while it is happening. However, it is not as exciting as going out and doing something especial. Without doubt, the fims I remember and enjoyed the most are the ones I watched in the cinema. So, despite the cost, I prefer seeing films in the cinema.
:: Model question You see this competition in an international magazine. Competition Imagine you were on a desert island. What would you miss most? Write an article briefy 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 120-180 words in an appropriate style.
:: Model answer Life away from home How would you feel about living on a desert island? 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 beautiful 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. (164 words)
DOs and DONTs DOs: Before you start writing... read others. Make use of every text that you find interesting, note out words and expressions that you like or find useful. Even if you know them. Words and expressions have a mysterious tendency to slip your mind the moment you need them most. Sometimes it is good to copy the whole sentence in which an expression you know from different context appears. Have a list of your favourite expressions - the ones you are entirely sure of as far as their correctness is concerned, and which you will always remember. It is better to put down something less lofty but correct than wrestle under time pressure with your own memory, wondering how this 'stupid thing went'. Always keep in mind who your target reader is. Even if you know that your 'letter to a friend' will be read by an examiner... write to a friend. If you have problems with determining the potential addressee of your writing, assume that he or she is an educated person in his/her thirties. But usually it is indicated in the task. Make your writing interesting. Put yourself in the reader's shoes. Would you fancy reading boring stuff? Use linking words to form paragraphs and join your ideas in a logical way. They make reading easier, which counts a lot if your piece is longer. Be careful with pronouns. They are tiny and look innocent, but can cause a lot of commotion. DO write! As much and as often as you can. Make yourself mock tests - with time restrictions and word limits. Do not worry if you forget some words and get stuck - better now (when you still have the chance to look these words up in a dictionary), than during the exam. DONTs: Do not panic! Do not forget that you are writing, not speaking. What would go in a friendly chat, will not work with writing. Do not forget that you write to communicate something, not to practice caligraphy. If certain fragments of your essay do not convey any relevant message, cut them out. Unnecessary wordiness shows that you have problems with controlling your language. Do not ask your reader to read your mind. You are the one who knows. If you do not mention something in your essay, it is not there. Avoid line-lifting. It means that you should not repeat the sentences used to set the task. Do not write very long sentences, unless you are perfectly sure how to punctuate them. Do not try to impress your reader with vocabulary. Do not use words you don't know. Do not scribble! If your reader struggles to decipher your handwriting, do not expect him or her to focus on the content.