FCE Writing Guide 1

Transactional Letter 1
Part 1 of FCE Paper 2 is compulsory. You always write a letter to ask for or give
information of some kind. This letter may be formal or informal. formal letter is a letter
you write to someone you don!t know" or don!t know very well. n informal letter is the kind
of letter you write to friends" members of your family and other people you know well. #ook
at the following phrases and mark them F $formal% or I $informal%.
1. &ear 'ir ( )adam **
2. #ove"
Elena **
+. 'ee you ne,t week- . /an hardly wait- **
0. . look forward to re/eiving your reply. **
1. Yours faithfully"
na 2ar/ia 3errera **
4. . am writing in reply to your letter of 11 )ay. **
5. 2ive my love to your parents. **
6. 'hould you re7uire any further information" do not hesitate to /onta/t us at the above
address. **
8. 9rite ba/k soon and tell me all your news. **
1:. .!m sorry . haven!t written for su/h a long time" but .!ve been really busy.
11. . would be most grateful if you /ould send me any further relevant information. **
;emember- #earning to write correctly and appropriately in English means building up a
sto/k of fixed phrases and expressions" su/h as those above" whi/h you /an adapt to
the spe/ifi/ situation as re7uired. This is mu/h better than trying to translate your .talian
thoughts into English" whi/h is likely to result in strange and unnatural writing.
lways read the instru/tions /arefully and de/ide what kind of letter" formal or informal"
you are supposed to write.
#ook at this task. 9ill your answer be formal or informal<
Some young people you met last summer are planning to visit your country on
holiday and have ased you to suggest some places of interest to see! Write a letter
of reply using the notes "elo#!
$ #hen% $ ho# long% $ come and stay%
=ow look at the plan for the above task and put the points in a logi/al order" by numbering
them 1>5.
pologise for not writing sooner. **
Thank them for their letter. **
sk when they will be /oming. **
Tell them to write again. **
.nvite them to stay for a few days. **
'uggest pla/es to visit and things to do. **
'ay why you haven!t replied sooner. **
Think of ideas? a reason for not replying@ things they might enAoy doing and seeing. .s there
a parti/ularly good time of year to visit these pla/es< 9hat /an your friends do there<
;emember that you will need to divide the letter into /learly marked paragraphs" usually
three or four.
3ere are some phrases you /an use in this letter?
Thank you for your letter.
.t was great to hear from you.
'orry . haven!t written ba/k for so long.
'orry it!s taken me so long to reply.
.!ve been really busy re/ently.
.!ve been working really hard.
.!ve been studying like mad for my final e,ams.
.!m really pleased you!re /oming to .taly.
.t!s great that you!re /oming here soon.
9hen e,a/tly will you be /oming<
&o you know when you!re /oming<
9hen are you going to be here<
9hy don!t you /ome and stay with me for a few days<
.!d love to put you up for a few days.
9ould you like to stay with me for a few days<
You /ould visit #eri/i and Portovenere.
The Cin7ue Terre are well worth a visit.
.!m sure you!d really love the )useo #ia.
You /an swim and sunbathe on the sandy bea/hes.
9e /ould go for walks in the /ountryside together.
9rite ba/k soon and tell me your plans.
9rite and tell me e,a/tly when you are planning to /ome.
=ow write your letter. sk the 'tudy Centre monitor for help if you need it. Try to write
about 11: words.
FCE Writing Guide &
Transactional Letter &
#ook at the following task. re you asked to write a formal or an informal letter<
#ook at the advertisement and the notes you have made below it. Then write a letter of
between 12: and 11: words in an appropriate style asking for more information /overing
the points in your notes. &o not write any addresses.
W'(TE)
(EW *E*+E,S
for water>sports /lub. 9ater>skiing" s/uba diving" Aet ski" windsurfing- You name it B if it!s a
water sport we offer instru/tion and fa/ilities for it. Plenty of opportunities to pra/tise your
/hosen sport with other enthusiasts at Club 7uarius- For your membership appli/ation
form write to?
The 'e/retary
Club 7uarius
PC Do, +12
#ittlehampton
'usse," 'E+ 1FT
> membership fee?
> Annual or monthly payment?
> Use of facilities free to members?
> Sports not mentioned in advertisement?
Follow this pro/edure?
1. #ook at the instru/tions and underline the words and phrases whi/h tell you e,a/tly
what you have to do.
2. Think of four 7uestions you want to ask in your letter.
+. &e/ide what order you want to put them in" and how you will divide the letter into
paragraphs.
0. 9rite your letter. Ese lining #ords" su/h as firstly- also- as #ell as this- finally.
1. Che/k your letter /arefully for any grammar and spelling mistakes.
3ere are some phrases whi/h you may find useful for this kind of letter?
. saw your advertisement in this week!s G&aily PostH.
. am interested in be/oming a member of GClub 7uariusH.
There are a few points whi/h . would be grateful if you /ould /larify.
3ow mu/h does the /lub /ost to Aoin<
Could you give me information regarding membership fees<
.s the membership fee payable monthly or annually<
re members subAe/t to additional /harges<
.s the use of the fa/ilities free to members<
&oes the /lub offer other sports in addition to those mentioned in the advertisement<
. would also be grateful if you /ould tell me more about the kind of sports on offer.
Thank you very mu/h for your help.
. look forward to hearing from you soon.
.o# much should I #rite%
.n Paper 2 of FCE you are always asked to write "et#een 1&/ and 10/ #ords in Part 1
and "et#een 1&/ and 11/ #ords in part 2. You are assessed on the 7uality and also the
7uantity of English you produ/e" so you should try to write around the upper limit $11: or
16: words%. Try not to e,/eed this limit by more than a few words.
=ow write your letter. sk the 'tudy Centre monitor for help if you need it.
FCE Writing Guide 2
'rticle 1
.n Paper 2 Part 2 you may be asked to write an arti/le e,pressing your opinion about
something.
#ook at this 7uestion.
3ou have "een ased to #rite an article for an English language ne#spaper aimed at
parents #ith young children! 3our article should "e a response to the follo#ing
statement4
Foreign languages should be taught at nursery school level.
The best way to begin answering a 7uestion like this is to make a plan. )ake two /olumns"
one headed FC;" the other 2.='T. Think of arguments for" or in favour of the
statement and write them in the first /olumn. Then think of arguments against and write
them in the se/ond /olumn. Two arguments ea/h" for and against" will be suffi/ient. .f you
/an!t think of any arguments for and against" imagine what people you a/tually know
would think about the 7uestion. 9hat would your mother think< nd your best friend< nd
your grandparents<
Choose one of these two plans. They are "oth good plans.
Plan
.ntrodu/tion? my opinion
Paragraph 1? point for the statement@ argument against this point.
Paragraph 2? point for the statement@ argument against this point
Con/lusion? state my opinion again.
Plan D
.ntrodu/tion? my opinion.
Paragraph 1? arguments in favour of the statement.
Paragraph 2? arguments against the statement.
Con/lusion? state opinion again.
Follow your plan and write the arti/le. 9hen you have finished" read it /arefully and /he/k
for grammar and spelling mistakes.
3ere are some phrases whi/h you may find useful for this kind of arti/le?
These days" many people say that I.
=owadays" we often hear people say that I..
.n the last few years it has be/ome fashionable to say that I.
The 7uestion of whether very young /hildren should be taught a foreign language is one
whi/h is often dis/ussed these days.
There are several arguments whi/h /an be made in favour of the statement.
Cpponents of this view argue that I.
nother argument whi/h is often put forward is that I
.n support of this view it may be said that I..
Cn the other hand" it /an also be argued that I
.n my opinion" I.
.t is often suggested that I.
. agree up to a point that I.
nother argument against tea/hing very young /hildren a foreign language is that I
This is true to a /ertain e,tent" but I.
There is a /ertain amount of truth in this argument" but I
. /annot agree with this viewpoint" sin/e I
.n /on/lusion" . have to say that I
Cn balan/e" therefore" . feel that I.
=ow write your arti/le. sk the 'tudy Centre monitor for help if you need it.
FCE Writing Guide 5
,eport 1
.n Paper 2" Part 2 you may be asked to write a report on a pla/e you have visited and what
it offers a parti/ular group of people.
#ook at the following task?
3ou #or in a language school helping to organise excursions and trips for
students! The school director has ased to prepare a report on a museum in your
area!
Write your report in 1&/$11/ #ords descri"ing the museum and #hat it has to offer
students of English as a foreign language! *ention "oth good and "ad points in
your report!
You should plan your answer /arefully" like this?
Think of good and bad points about the museum" espe/ially in relation to students
of English.
Foin the good and bad points using lining expressions. The most useful are?
despite ( in spite of but
although ( even though Cn the other hand
3owever
Crganise your senten/es into numbered paragraphs" with sub>headings" like this?
1. .ntrodu/tion
2. Pri/e
+. .nterest
0. #anguage
1. Con/lusion
2ive your report a /lear title" like this?
;eport on the 'eals )useum" #a 'peJia
To? '/hool &ire/tor
From? E,/ursions offi/er
Follow your plan and write your report. ;emember to read and /he/k /arefully for
grammar and spelling mistakes.
3ere are some phrases whi/h may help you with this type of report?
. visited the 'eals )useum last week in order to de/ide if it would be an interesting pla/e
for students to visit.
. will /omment on the following? pri/e" interest" language
The entran/e fee to the museum is I
There is a redu/tion for students.
'tudents pay half>pri/e on 9ednesdays.
There are many interesting e,hibits on display.
The Egyptian se/tion was /losed on the day . visited.
. espe/ially liked the I
. found the I. espe/ially interesting.
. think students will appre/iate the I.
)ost students will find the I. of interest.
guidebook in English is available.
The guidebook is rather e,pensive.
.t /ontains some beautiful /olour photographs.
The guides are helpful.
The guides don!t speak English.
There is an audio /ommentary in English.
.t wasn!t working on the day of my visit.
.n my opinion I.
To /on/lude" . think that I.
. am therefore of the opinion that I.
=ow write your report. sk the 'tudy Centre monitor for help if you need it.
FCE Writing Guide 0
Letter of 'pplication
.n Paper 2" Part 2 you may be asked to write a letter of appli/ation.
#ook at the following Aob advertisement?
Trading and Commercial +an
Trainee *anagers
9e will be re/ruiting trainee managers to start work
.n late Fune or early Fuly in our bran/hes all over
Europe. ppli/ants should have a degree in an
appropriate area and a knowledge of English and(or
2erman. pply in writing to?
The 6ersonnel 7fficer
Trading and Commercial +an
125 Collins Street
*anchester
The senten/es in this reply are in the wrong order. Put them in the /orre/t order" by putting
1>4 in the gaps.
&ear 'ir ( )adam"
. /an be /onta/ted by telephone on :12:2 0122+0 in the mornings or at the above
address. **
. have a working knowledge of 2erman and have re/ently passed the Eniversity of
Cambridge First Certifi/ate in English e,amination. **
. look forward to re/eiving your reply. **
. am writing in reply to your advertisement in last Tuesday!s Evening =ews. **
. will also /omplete a degree in Danking and Finan/e in Fune and will be available for work
immediately afterwards. **
. would like to apply for one of the trainee manager positions you advertise. **
Yours faithfully
Fuan de 'ouJa
This type of letter is based on a very small number of fixed- formulaic expressions! .f
you /an reprodu/e these /orre/tly in the e,am you are /ertain to get a very good mark.
#ook at the following task?
3ou see the follo#ing advertisement in the ne#spaper! Write a letter applying for
one of these positions and asing for more details a"out the discounts! )o not #rite
any addresses!
Trainee Travel 'gents
9e are looking for students who are interested in
training to be/ome travel agents. To Aoin our training
s/heme you must have a knowledge of English and
an interest in travelling. These positions are unpaid"
but you will re/eive large dis/ounts on all our organised
tours and holidays.
Write to: )aria 'ampras
&ire/tor
T;KE#9.'E
Kia rdipane
;ome :01::
Enderline the key words in the instru/tions. Think about the form of your letter. 9ill it begin
and end in the same way as the previous letter<
Plan your letter. Follow the order of the previous letter. ;emember to ask for more
information about the dis/ounts. You will also need to give some eviden/e for your
knowledge of English and your interest in travelling. You may also want to ask about the
possibilities of work at the end of the training period.
The following phrases may help you?
. am very interested in Aoining your training s/heme.
. have loved travelling sin/e . was a small /hild.
. have visited many /ountries in Europe.
. studied English for eight years at s/hool.
. am /urrently attending a /ourse to prepare for the First Certifi/ate e,amination.
Could you please give me some more information about the dis/ounts you offer<
Your advertisement mentions dis/ounts" and . would be grateful if you /ould tell me I
Could you give me some indi/ation about the possibility of finding a Aob on /ompletion of
the /ourse<
=ow write your letter. sk the 'tudy Centre monitor for help if you need it.
FCE Writing Guide 8
'rticle &
#ook at this 7uestion?
' local English language ne#spaper has ased students to #rite articles expressing
their opinion a"out this 9uestion4
Should students do part-time work?
Write your article for the ne#spaper!
.n order to write a good answer to this 7uestion" you need to plan your arti/le /arefully.
First" de/ide what opinion you are going to e,press. Then think of at least three arguments
in support of your opinion. For e,ample?
.mportant and useful to have work e,perien/e
#earn to appre/iate the value of money
Come into /onta/t with other people" not Aust other students
&e/ide in what order you are going to present your ideas. Then write your arti/le. De sure
to divide it into three or four paragraphs.
)ake use of ordering e,pressions like these?
First of all Firstly .n the first pla/e
'e/ondly .n the se/ond pla/e
Finally
=ow write your arti/le. sk the 'tudy Centre monitor for help if you need it.
FCE Writing Guide :
Transactional Letter 2
;emember that Part 1 of Paper 2 is compulsory! There is only one 7uestion. You always
have to write either a formal or an informal letter.
#ook at the 7uestion below.
3ou #ere travelling "y train recently and left something that "elongs to you on the
train! Write a letter to the lost property officer en9uiring a"out the thing you lost!
;se these notes in your letter! )o not #rite any addresses!
> date of journey
> destination and departure time
> description of object
3ow to write a formal letter.
.f you are asked to write to an offi/ial or a /ompany you should =CT use
7uestion tags
/ontra/tions
linkers like well, anyway, by the way
All the best or Love from Alex at the end of your letter
You '3CE#&
begin the letter with either Dear Sir / Madam or Mr / Ms/ Dr + the person!s surname
use formal language" eg I look forward to reeivin! yo"r re#ly
end the letter with $o"rs faithf"lly or $o"rs sinerely
sign your letter with your full name
;emember to plan your letter before you start writing. For the 7uestion above" the plan
should look like this?
e,plain why you are writing
say what you lost and when" des/ribe it
ask how you /an get it ba/k
thank the re/ipient of the letter in advan/e
=ow write your letter. sk the 'tudy Centre monitor for help if you need it.
FCE Writing Guide 1
'rticle 2
.n Paper 2" Part 2 you may have the option of writing an arti/le in whi/h you write about
the advantages and disadvantages of something" the arguments for and against
something" or in whi/h you write your opinion about a subAe/t.
#ook at this 7uestion.
3ou have "een ased to #rite an article for a student ne#spaper on the follo#ing
topic4
.as television improved in your country over the last ten years%
Write your article- saying #hat most people thin and giving your o#n point of vie#!
To answer this 7uestion well" you need to plan your arti/le /arefully" like this?
underline key words in the instru/tions.
Think of arguments for and against.
9rite a plan. good plan for this 7uestion might look like this?
Introduction4 7uestion as a statement@ two points of view
6aragraph 14 des/ribe a situation B more /hannels than before.
6aragraph &4 more /hoi/e@ entertainment mainly
6aragraph 24 not edu/ational@ fewer do/umentaries@ fewer /ultural programmes
Conclusion4 what most people think@ what . think.
Then write your arti/le and /he/k it /arefully.
The following phrases may be useful in writing this type of arti/le?
)any people think that I. . 3owever" there are people who think that I.
few years ago I.. =owadays" on the other hand" I..
.t is therefore /ertainly true that I..
.t is worth remembering however" that I.
Furthermore" it must be admitted that I..
Cn balan/e" therefore . think that I..
=ow write your arti/le. sk the 'tudy Centre monitor for help if you need it.
FCE Writing Guide <
Formal and Informal Letters
3ere are some more e,pressions whi/h you /an use when you are writing a letter. &e/ide
whether they are suitable for use in a formal or an informal letter and mark them F or I.
Initial greetings
.t was great to hear from you. **
. am writing with referen/e to your letter of 21 )ay. **
Thanks for writing to me. **
Congratulations
9ell done- **
. would like to offer /ongratulations on your re/ent promotion. **
Please allow me to /ongratulate you on your re/ent su//ess. **
'dvice = suggestion
9hy not try **
9hat about going **
.t is re/ommended that you /onta/t **
You /ould visit **
. urge you to /onsider the points . have made. **
.f . were you .!d **
Liners
)oreover" **
Then again" **
Furthermore" **
Detter still" **
9hat!s more" **
dditionally" **
Endings
&o drop me a line if you have time. **
. look forward to hearing from you without delay. **
3ope to hear from you soon. **
Leep in tou/h. **
. hope to hear from you at your earliest /onvenien/e. **
=ow look at this e,ample of a Part 1 task.
You have Aust returned from a trip to Florida. You flew there and ba/k with GC/ean irH. You
de/ide to write to the airline to /omplain about your flight and ask for some money ba/k.
;ead the advertisement and the notes you made and then" using the information" write a
letter to the airline. You may add other relevant points of your own.
FL3 7CE'( 'I, T7 FL7,I)'
We offer4
5 flights a day late boarding
#ide- comforta"le seats
friendly- #ell$trained staff quite rude
a good choice of food
>no pro"lems #ith special diets? no vegetarian for me!
the latest in in$flight entertainment movie already been on TV!
9rite your letter in 12:>16: words. &o not in/lude any postal addresses.
=ow think about how you will answer this 7uestion. 9hat kind of letter will it be< 3ow will
you begin and end the letter< 3ow are you going to organise the letter< 3ow many
paragraphs will you write< 9hat kind of linking words will you use<
;emember that you must in/lude all the points in the rubri/" so you must make referen/e
to the late boarding" the rudeness of the staff" the la/k of a vegetarian alternative and the
old film. You may" if you wish" make further points" $you /ould" for e,ample" /omment on
the seats% but remember not to write mu/h more than 16: words.
3ere are some phrases to help you?
. am writing to /omplain about I.
. re/ently flew to Florida with your airline" and unfortunately I.
Your advertisement talks about I. whereas my e,perien/e was that I.
.n your advertisement you say I. . 3owever" in reality" I.
Your advertisement mentions I. . Cn my flight" however" I.
nother /ause for /omplaint was that I..
=ot only that" but I..
ll in all" . am most dissatisfied with the servi/e . re/eived and I.
. hope you will be able to refund at least some of the return fare" as I.
. hope to re/eive an apology in the near future.
=ow write your letter. sk the 'tudy Centre monitor for help if you need it.
FCE Writing Guide 1/
,eport &
.n Part 2 of Paper 2 you may be asked to write a report. This will involve the presentation
of information in a /lear" fa/tual way" using headings" and sometimes with some
suggestions or re/ommendations.
#ook at this task.
3our local museum is 9uite old$fashioned and not many people visit it! 3our local
tourist "oard has ased you to #rite a report on the museum- and give some
recommendations on ho# to improve its image! Write your report!
.n the following report" the paragraphs are in the wrong order and they don!t have a
suitable heading. ;ead through the te,t and de/ide on the right order and then /hoose an
appropriate heading from the list below.
Purpose
D The museum today
C 'uggested improvements
& dditional fa/ilities
E Con/lusion
W')E*7;T. *;SE;*
1. ****************************
The museum mainly /ontains items /onne/ted with the pottery industry and various
inventions /onne/ted with it. Generally" most of the items are displayed in glass /abinets
with e,planations on small bits of /ard. These aren!t very easy to read and some of them
are pla/ed too high for small /hildren. The lighting inside the building is also very poor.
2. ****************************
To sum up" . found that 9ademouth )useum /ould have a bright future if some time was
spent up>dating the displays and opening some new fa/ilities.
+. ****************************
Finally" . spoke to some of the visitors" and one thing that most people mentioned is
having a good gift shop and a /afM in the building. The profits from these would help to pay
for more interesting displays.
0. ****************************
The aim of this report is to give an outline of what /an be seen in this museum and to
suggest ways in whi/h the museum /an /hange its image.
1. ****************************
lthough the museum gives the visitor a good idea of how the pottery industry developed
through the ages in this area" it doesn!t make the subAe/t /ome alive. I #ould recommend
that the museum puts in some working models" or" even better" have people showing you
how the pots were produ/ed.
The /orre/t order for the paragraphs is? **************************************
=ow look at the e,pressions in "old. 9hi/h of the fun/tions below do they illustrate<
1. .ntrodu/ing ****************************************************
2. ;eporting an impression ******************************************
+. 2eneralising ***************************************************
0. )aking a re/ommendation or suggestion *****************************
1. Con/luding ****************************************************
=ow look at this 7uestion.
3ou regularly #rite a column in your college maga@ine on ne# films that are "eing
sho#n in your to#n! 'ttendance at the local cinema is falling- and they have ased
you to #rite a report- "ased on research at your college- on the cinemaAs facilities
and to mae some recommendations on ho# to attract more people to the cinema!
Write your report!
Plan your answer" and then write your report. Ese the stru/ture of the museum report to
help you.
C'E Writing Guide 1
Informal Letter 1
#ook at this task?
Some English friends- 6eter and Sue .all- have #ritten to you for advice! Their &/$
year$old son- Tom- #ants to get a Bo" teaching English in your country! This is part
of a letter you have received from them4
Toms doing a teacher-training course at the moment, as you know,
but he thinks he ought to learn something of the language before he
comes, which seems like a good idea. Hes bought a Teach Yourself
book on the language, but we were wondering if you had any other
suggestions which would help him. ts !uite a while since he studied
a language at school, so hed also be really grateful for some general
tips on learning a language.
Write a letter to Tom giving advice and any helpful suggestions that you can! Write
a"out &0/ #ords!
;ead the 7uestion /arefully and highlight the key points. sk yourself?
9hat!s the purpose of your letter<
9hat two things do you need to give advi/e on<
Think about the content of your letter. Think about these points?
9hat would be the advantages of Tom being able to speak a bit of your language
when he arrives<
Think about the language? is there anything an English speaker would find
parti/ularly diffi/ult or unusual $pronun/iation" grammar" writing system et/%<
)ake a list of all the things Tom /ould do to learn your language" from having
private lessons or buying a /assette /ourse to listening to radio broad/asts. Think
about the pros and /ons in terms of /ost" time and effe/tiveness. &e/ide whi/h
method seems most realisti/. .s there anything you /ould do to help" eg send
magaJines or simple books<
9rite down any general tips on learning a language that you think would be helpful.
Ese your own e,perien/e as far as possible.
)ake a plan for your letter. &e/ide on the main se/tions you want to have and think about
the best way to organise them. Fot down the main points for ea/h se/tion. Think about a
suitable introdu/tion and /on/lusion.
3ere are some points to remember when you are writing an informal letter?
&ear Len" always "se a name
)any thanks for your letter and the photos% &e!in the first sentene with a a#ital

+eginnings
.n an informal letter to a friend it may be appropriate to begin by mentioning a letter whi/h
you have re/ently re/eived" or by making general friendly /omments.
'sef"l lan!"a!e
)any thanks for your letter I
.t was lovely to hear from you.
. was glad to hear that you had a good holiday.
. hope you and the family are well.
Giving advice
'sef"l lan!"a!e
You asked me for advi/e on I.
3ave you thought about I.
.t might be a good idea to I.
Cne thing . would suggest is I.
Endings
.t is usual to end letters whi/h e,pe/t a reply with a senten/e on a separate line. For
e,ample?
#ooking forward to hearing from you ( seeing you.
3ope to hear from you soon ( see you soon.
9rite and tell me how you are getting on.
9rite soon ('ee you soon.
Closing salutation
&est wishes and $o"rs followed by your name on the ne,t line are useful general endings.
For /lose friends you /an end with Love
3ope to hear from you soon
Dest wishes
2ianni
=ow write your letter to Tom. sk the 'tudy Centre monitor for help if you need it.
C'E Writing Guide &
Formal Letter 1
#ook at this task.
You are attending a /ourse in #ondon. #ast week" be/ause the trains were delayed by bad
weather" you were late for /ollege every day. Cn the worst day" the train was 1 hour 2:
minutes late and you missed two /lasses.
This is an e,tra/t from an information leaflet you have pi/ked up at the station.
We hope you have a pleasant Bourney #ith Capital ,ail- "ut if you have any comments or
complaints a"out our services- please #rite to the Customer Care *anager at the address
"elo#!
What #e promise to do #hen things go #rong4
If you are delayed for more than one hour you may claim rail vouchers to the
value of 0/C of the Bourney made!
9rite a letter to the Customer Care )anager at Capital ;ail /omplaining about the poor
servi/e you have e,perien/ed and asking for /ompensation. Ese your own words as far as
possible. 9rite about 21: words. You do not need to in/lude addresses.
;ead the instru/tions /arefully and highlight the key points. sk yourself?
9hat is the purpose of your letter<
9hat do you want it to a/hieve<
Content
Your letter should in/lude the following points.
9hy you are writing
9hi/h of your Aourneys were delayed
3ow long the delays were
9hat happened as a result of the travel delays
9hat /ompensation you re7uire
7rganisation
&e/ide how you will organise these points into about four paragraphs. 9hat kind of things
/an you say in ea/h paragraph<
Style and register
Thinking about what you want the letter to a/hieve" /onsider these 7uestions?
'hould the letter be formal or informal<
9hat tone is appropriate" eg angry" humorous" sar/asti/" /ool and fa/tual<
Layout of a formal letter
This is how we organise a formal letter" although in the CE e,am it is not ne/essary to
write addresses.
"" York #treet
$ridewell
$%& '()
The *rincipal "'
+o,ember "))-
.lifton .ollege
.lifton
./( "%0
1ear #ir,
am interested in applying for a place on a computer course at
your college and would be grateful if you could send me full details
of the courses you o2er and the fees, together with an application
form.
look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully
#. 3. 4ilchrist
'. ). 2il/hrist $)s%
Letter of complaint
.n the first paragraph e,plain the reason for writing.
.n the second paragraph e,plain e,a/tly what the problem is. 2ive all the ne/essary
details about where and when it happened and who was involved. 2ive other relevant
information in further paragraphs if ne/essary.
.n the final paragraph e,plain what a/tion you want to be taken.
'sef"l lan!"a!e
. am writing to /omplain about I
to e,press my /on/ern about the fa/t that I
to e,press my annoyan/e at I.
. must insist that you I.
. must urge you to I.
. feel . am entitled to a refund.
. feel . am entitled to some /ompensation for the in/onvenien/e . have suffered.
. hope you will /onsider the points . have raised very /arefully.
. shall e,pe/t a written apology at your earliest /onvenien/e.
Endings
.t is usual to end letters whi/h e,pe/t a reply with a senten/e on a separate line. The most
/ommon ending is?
I loo for#ard to hearing from you!
C'E Writing Guide 2
6ersonal (otes and *essages
#ook at this task.
3ou are #oring as an assistant in the offices of an English company! 3ou are
finishing some #or after your colleagues have left #hen the phone rings for you!
's a result of the call- you need to tae the follo#ing day off #or!
Write t#o notes explaining the situation- one to your "oss- and one to a colleague
and friend- #ith #hom you had a lunch date! Write 8/$1/ #ords in each note!
task like this will be more realisti/ and more su//essful if you de/ide on some /on/rete
details before you start. .f you /an use true fa/ts" it!s very easy" but if you /an!t" invent
some interesting and believable ones-
&e/ide on answers to the 7uestions below.
3our #or4 9hat kind of work do you do for the /ompany< 3ow long have you been with
the /ompany< 3ow will you be able to make up for the time you will miss<
The phone call4 9ho was it from< 9hat was the message< 9hy is it important< 9hy was
there su/h short noti/e<
3our "oss4 )ale ( female< 3ow well do you get on with him ( her< 3ow are they likely to
rea/t to your being away<
3our colleague4 )ale ( female< 3ow long have you known him ( her< 3ave you had lun/h
together before<
The lunch4 9here were you going to go< 9ill there be any problem about /an/elling<
9hen /ould you have lun/h instead<
=otes and messages are usually even more informal than informal letters" although the
e,a/t degree of formality will depend on the spe/ifi/ relationship. &e/ide whi/h phrases
from the list below would be more appropriate in the note to your boss $+% and whi/h in
the note to your /olleague $C%
. re/eived a telephone /all ** out of the blue **
rang me ** su/h short noti/e **
.!ll gladly make up the time ** .!m really sorry **
.n the /ir/umstan/es ** . apologise for any in/onvenien/e **
'ome other time< **
There are no fi,ed rules about the layout of notes and messages. #ook at these e,amples
and the /omments whi/h follow.
5ri
.hris,
6ust to let you know that managed to get " tickets for the 5laming
/ips concert at the
0nsemble Theatre on Tues. t starts at 7.8), so shall we meet outside
the theatre at about 7.9(:
;e could ha,e a bite to eat afterwards if you like.
#ee you soon
<.
Hastings 7=99
1ear .lare,
> !uick note to thank you for helping me with the ?ob application. Your
ad,ice was much
appreciated. ,e sent it o2 now, so lets hope get an inter,iew.
#aw 5rank yesterday. ll pass on the news when see you.
>ll the best,
>llison
The day" date or time is normally somewhere at the top.
You /an begin with Dear (, with a first name or Aust an initial" depending on
your relationship.
.nformal language is often appropriate.
You need not always write in full senten/es
Finish with your name or initial.
+eginning a note
=o spe/ial introdu/tory phrases are ne/essary but notes often begin with e,pressions like?
Fust $a note% to let you know ( tell you ( /he/k that I.
7ui/k note to ask ( see if I.
thank you for ( apologise for ( about
'pologising
'orry . /ouldn!t ( wasn!t able to ( forgot to I.
. $would like to% apologise for missing the meeting.
Ending a note
=o spe/ial fi,ed phrases are needed but notes and messages may end with e,pressions
like?
'ee you soon
'peak to you soon
ll the best
=ow write the two notes for the task above. sk the 'tudy Centre monitor for help if you
need it.
C'E Writing Guide 5
Leaflet
#ook at this task.
3ou #or in a fitness centre! The centre #ould lie to encourage more "usiness
people to use its facilities after #or! There are many companies in your to#n #hich
have English$speaing employees and you have "een ased to prepare the text for a
leaflet aimed at them!
3ou should4
1! introduce the fitness centre and its facilities!
&! emphasise the "enefits of regular exercise!
2! give "rief general advice on #ays of avoiding stress in daily life!
Write the text for the leaflet using a"out &0/ #ords!
First" you will need to think about the /ontent of your leaflet.
> make a list of possible e,er/ise and other fa/ilities $su/h as a shop" /afM et/%
> make notes about the benefits of regular e,er/ise $and the dangers of ina/tivity%
> think about what to in/lude in the Ggeneral advi/eH se/tion.
Layout and organisation
.nformation sheets" leaflets and bro/hures are intended to inform" persuade or #arn! The
two main aims are therefore to /at/h the reader!s attention and to present the message as
/learly as possible. To do this" layout and organisation need to be as effe/tive as possible.
'hort paragraphs with /lear headings are mu/h easier to read and absorb than long
blo/ks of te,t" for e,ample. The best approa/h is to imagine yourself as the reader and to
ask what you would want to know" and in what order you would find it easiest to absorb the
information. Consider these points?
*ain heading4
> .s this as dire/t and eye>/at/hing as possible<
> &oes it give the reader a /lear idea of what the subAe/t is<
> &oes it make the reader want to read on<
Su"headings4
> re these short and /lear< sking a 7uestion in your heading may be more
interesting than stating a fa/t.
Text4
> .s the information broken up into short" easy>to>read se/tions<
> .s the order logi/al<
Disual help4
Can you help the reader" for e,ample?
by indenting small sub>se/tions so that
they stand out as small blo/ks whi/h
are /learly separate from the main te,t<
> by putting important points on separate lines< Cr
4. by numbering your points< Cr
by putting GbulletsH in front of main points< Cr
by using different #TY/0# and si@es of writing< Cr
by underlining or putting bo,es round important words.
You won!t be marked on your design skills" of /ourse" but you may make a good
impression on the e,aminer-
#ook at this e,ample of a leaflet whi/h gives information about looking after your heart.
3ere we have reprodu/ed only the text of the leaflet" as this is all that you are re7uired to
produ/e in the e,am. real>life leaflet would of /ourse /ontain visuals as well.
Loo 'fter 3our .eart
'imple 2uide To Feeling Fitter
#ooking Detter
nd #iving #onger
Why do I need to loo after my heart%
Dy looking after your heart you /an feel fitter and look
better B and you!ll be prote/ting yourself against heart disease too.
England is one of the worst /ountries in the world for heart disease.
.t /auses one in three of all deaths among 11>40 year olds.
What causes heart disease%
Your heart needs a supply of o,ygen that /omes from the blood
in its arteries. Cver a number of years these arteries /an get /logged up
and the supply of blood to the heart /an stop. This /auses a heart atta/k.
IAm fit and healthy! Why should I #orry%
3eart atta/ks usually happen to people in middle age" but the damage
to your arteries /an start long before that" without you realising it.
.t /an even start to develop in /hildhood.
'o it!s important to look after your heart now" whatever your age.
IsnAt a heart attac a 9uic #ay to go%
=ot always. 3eart disease /an /ause years of pain" dis/omfort and worry.
.o# can I avoid getting heart disease%
There are no guarantees" but the best way to avoid heart disease is?
)onAt smoe
Eat healthily
Tae regular exercise
Go easy on alcohol
'void stress if you can
.f you have heart disease in you family you may have a greater risk of
getting it yourself so it!s espe/ially important to follow this advi/e.
=ow use these tips to help you write your answer to the task about the fitness /entre. sk
the 'tudy Centre monitor if you need additional help.
C'E Writing Guide 0
,evie#
#ook at this task.
3ou have "een ased to #rite a short film revie# for a school =college maga@ine!
Choose any film #hich you thin might "e of interest to your fello# students! The
film can "e in any language and it can "e of any type4 comedy- thriller- science
fiction- romance- historical drama etc!
3our "rief is to include a clear description of the story=contents- to comment on
#hat you thin the most successful and least successful features are- and to give
an overall recommendation! Write a"out &0/ #ords!
First" /hoose a film to review. .t doesn!t have to be a new film" though it is helpful if you
have seen it re/ently" and you don!t have to have enAoyed it. 'ometimes it!s easier to
pinpoint what you don!t like about something than what you like- Think about what you
liked or didn!t like about the film.
The purpose of a review is firstly to give fa/tual information about the subAe/t" and
se/ondly to give an opinion about it whi/h will help the reader to de/ide whether to buy
the book" see the play or film or visit the e,hibition.
;eviews normally /ontain three main ingredients? overvie#" pros and cons" and verdict"
whi/h are des/ribed more fully below. review may not always fall into three neat
se/tions" however. The writer may de/ide to des/ribe an aspe/t of the subAe/t and
/omment immediately on strengths and weaknesses" for e,ample" before going on to
des/ribe another aspe/t of the subAe/t.
7vervie# E a description of the su"Bect
+oo E non$fiction4
9hat is it about< 9ho is it for< 3ow te/hni/al is it< 3ow is it organised< 9hat topi/s are
/overed< 9hat spe/ial features are there< 3ow mu/h does it /ost< et/.
+oo E fiction
9hat kind of book is it< $thriller" histori/al novel" s/ien/e fi/tion et/%< .s it different in any
way from other books of this type< 9hat!s the story< et/ $You /an give an outline but don!t
give the ending away-%
6lay = film = TD programme
9hat is it about< .s there anything spe/ial ( unusual about the produ/tion< 6lay = film?
9here is it on< re there any well>known a/tors< 9ho is the dire/tor< TD programme4
9hi/h /hannel< .s it part of a series< 9ho is the produ/er<
6ros and cons E detailed comments on the successful and unsuccessful features of
the su"Bect!
Your /omments will probably in/lude both o"Bective views $the photographs in a book
were poor 7uality or the /ostumes didn!t fit the a/tors properly" for e,ample% and
su"Bective views $based on personal feelings% B the story wasn!t interesting or the film
was too violent. )ake sure" however" that you give reasons for your /omments.
You may have strong positive or negative feelings about the subAe/t of the review and this
is no bad thing. strong opinion" /learly argued" is often more interesting to read than a
/arefully balan/ed assessment. Even so" try not to be /ompletely one>sided.
Derdict E summing$up and recommendation
The last paragraph should sum up your feelings and make it /lear to the reader whether
you re/ommend the subAe/t without any reservations" re/ommend it with one or two
reservations" or don!t re/ommend it at all. .n real life" readers often look at the last
paragraph of a review first to see what the general verdi/t is. )ake sure your review gives
a /lear verdi/t.
E,ample of a film review.
Cra@y 6lum"er E 6la@a Cinema
.f you have seen the advan/e publi/ity" you might imagine that this was a funny film. 9rong. .t!s a film whi/h
tries very hard to be funny and fails /onsistently. The story /on/erns a plumber who isn!t very good at his Aob.
9hen his /ustomers desert" and he /an!t pay his bills" he de/ides to turn to /rime. 3e tries a little shoplifting
$he isn!t very good at it" of /ourse% but then he gets involved in bigger things.
9ayne 2ibson" who plays the hero" has one or two good lines but most of the time he!s struggling
with a terrible s/ript. There are a few good moments B the /ar /hase se7uen/e is memorable B but the
storyline is very slight and the dire/tor seems to have run out of ideas very 7ui/kly. s the film progresses"
the level of violen/e in/reases. &espite the publi/ity" this is not a film for young /hildren.
great deal of money went into the making of )ra*y +l"mber but in the end spe/ta/ular effe/ts are
no substitute for real humour.
;seful language
7vervie#
The book ( film ( programme /on/erns I a study of
deals with I a survey of
shows I a history of
des/ribes I
tells the story of I
.t /ontains a /hapter on
.t in/ludes a se/tion on
6ros and cons
really e,traordinary 7uite interesting really boring
fas/inating amusing unimaginative
absolutely amaJing fairly entertaining /ompletely humourless
beautiful e,/iting hopeless
stunning informative amateurish
superb attra/tive over the top
brilliant su//essful predi/table
Derdict
ll in all .n the last analysis .n /on/lusion To sum up Cn balan/e
=ow use these tips to write your answer to the task. sk the 'tudy Centre monitor for
additional help if you need it.
C'E Writing Guide 8
'rticle
#ook at this task.
3ou have a friend #ho #ors for an organisation that arranges study exchanges for school
and college students! The organisation produces a regular maga@ine- #hich features
articles a"out exchange countries- experiences people have had a"road- etc! .ere is part of
a letter from your friend!
theres been a big increase in the number of people applying for study exchanges to your
country nearly double last years figures! in fact. "lmost all will be staying with local
families and! as itll be the first time most of them have been to your country! we thought we
ought to put an introduction to the basic customs in the next edition of our maga#ine. So $
was wondering youve guessed it% if you could possibly write a short article on the
topic. &ou could explain any special habits to do with greeting! eating! being a good guest!
etc! and also include any points about family or social life which you think they should be
aware of. $ know youd do a brilliant job and $d be really grateful.
'ope to hear from you soon
Write your article in approximately &0/ #ords!
n arti/le is a pie/e of writing on a parti/ular subAe/t whi/h is written for publi/ation in a
newspaper" magaJine or newsletter.
'pproach
wide range of approa/hes is possible" depending on the subAe/t matter. light>hearted
or humorous topi/ might be given a fairly personal treatment" for e,ample" while a more
serious topi/ would be treated in a more neutral" analyti/ way.
.eadings
rti/les should have a heading whi/h makes the subAe/t matter /lear but whi/h also
/at/hes the reader!s eye and makes him or her want to read. =ewspapers and magaJines
often use dramati/ statements or word play in headings for this reason" and sometimes
add a sub>heading whi/h gives more information.
Layout and organisation
s with any other kind of /omposition" it!s important to have an interesting introdu/tion and
a suitable /on/lusion to Ground offH the pie/e" and to organise the information into
paragraphs whi/h help the reader to follow the argument or understand the different
aspe/ts of the subAe/t. .n addition" arti/les often in/lude an outline of the story or the topi/
near the beginning so that the reader begins with a general pi/ture and then reads on to
find out more information.
Your CE /oursebook will /ertainly /ontain many e,amples of different types of arti/les"
taken from English>language newspapers and magaJines. #ook at ea/h one /arefully to
see how the writer uses organisation and style to /reate interest.
=ow look at the e,ample below?
Screaming Tyres
+y Tracy Cole
3ave you ever wondered what it would be like to sit behind the wheel of a ra/ing /ar< re you
looking for a really imaginative birthday present for a /ar>mad friend or relation< .f the answer to
either of these 7uestions is GyesH" then you may be interested to hear about a /ourse . took at
'toke #odge ;a/ing '/hool re/ently.
)y day as a ra/ing driver was the first priJe in a newspaper /ompetition . had entered" and
. must say that it was the most e,/iting priJe .!ve ever won. The day began with theoreti/al
instru/tion /overing all aspe/ts of safety. This was followed by pra/ti/al tuition in a high>
performan/e saloon /ar. 9ith no traffi/ to worry about" . was able to pra/tise /ontrolling the /ar on
bends and prepare myself for the ultimate e,perien/e B the /han/e to drive a single>seater ra/ing
/ar.
nd finally" with /rash helmet on and full harness seat belts se/ured" . was able to rev up
the engine and edge my way out onto the /ir/uit. 'i, breathtaking laps later" my dream had
be/ome reality.
For those not lu/ky enough to win a day at the ra/ing s/hool" the /ost of the introdu/tory
/ourse is N12:" whi/h in/ludes all e7uipment and also an impressive /ertifi/ate to hang on the wall.
nyone who /an drive a /ar /an enAoy the e,perien/e" regardless of age. The oldest parti/ipant so
far has been 61" and . understand that he has booked a se/ond /ourse-
=ote in parti/ular the following points?
heading B short" dramati/
Cpening B /at/hes the reader!s attention by asking a 7uestion
'eparate paragraphs for different aspe/ts of the subAe/t
Ending B rounds the arti/le off suitably with a Aoke.
=ow" plan your answer the task above" like this?
> Think of a title" perhaps one with a tou/h of humour.
> )ake a list of the topi/s suggested in the 7uestion and Aot down any ideas you have
for ea/h one. .magine yourself as a visitor to your /ountry and your family. 9hat
would seem strange< 9hat mistakes might you make<
> &e/ide on the best order for the topi/s.
> )ake your arti/le readable. ;emember your readers! ages. 3ow /an you get their
attention to begin with< 3ow /an you keep them reading< 9hat would be a good
ending<
=ow use the tips above to help you write your arti/le. sk the 'tudy Centre monitor if you
need additional help.
C'E Writing Guide :
Information ,eport
#ook at this task?
'n English friend of yours is #oring on a series of articles called F3oung and 7ld 'round
the WorldG #hich loos at different to#ns and cities through the eyes of teenagers and
senior citi@ens! She has #ritten asing for your help and this is an extract from her letter!
(hat $ want is some first-hand information about what its like to live in your town from the
point of view of the two different age groups. &ou would need to interview! say! ten people
in each category on the main topics of public transport! entertainment! and shopping and
write me a brief report. )ould you also include a short introduction about your town and
give a little summing up at the end?
Write your report in a"out &0/ #ords!
report is a formal do/ument prepared by one person or a group of people who have
been studying a parti/ular subAe/t. There are two basi/ kinds of reports?
The first simply provides information on a topi/ and gives a brief /on/lusion or
summary at the end. E,ample? a report on the edu/ational system in a parti/ular
/ountry" written to help someone resear/h the subAe/t.
The se/ond sets out to identify strengths and weaknesses in a parti/ular situation
and make re/ommendations for improvement. E,ample? a report on the library
fa/ilities in a /ollege written at the re7uest of the prin/ipal.
Language and register
;eports are the most impersonal kind of writing and it is usually best to avoid e,pressing
personal opinions or feelings" e,/ept" perhaps" in the /on/lusion. .nstead of I think that (
or I fo"nd thatI for e,ample" you /an use the impersonal G.tH /onstru/tion and a passive"
eg It seems that( It was fo"nd that (
.t is also advisable to avoid making very definite statements unless you!re absolutely sure
they!re true. .nstead of saying It is for e,ample" you /an use a modal verb eg It
o"ld/may/mi!ht be or a more tentative e,pression su/h as It seems to be or It tends to
be%
Layout and organisation
;eports should have a /lear fa/tual heading and may also have su"headings whi/h
divide the writing into shorter se/tions. The information should be organised and presented
as /learly and logi/ally as possible" with a short introduction e,plaining the aims of the
report and how the information was obtained and a suitable conclusion" summing up the
information and making re/ommendations if ne/essary.
;seful language
Introduction4 The aim of this report is to.. .t is based onI
This report is intended to.. .t draws on
This report looks at ( des/ribes.. .t uses..
,eporting an
o"servation? .t seems(appears that.. .t was found that..
The maAority ( minority of I .t was felt that ..
Huoting4 //ording to I s O saidI .n the words of I
Speculating4 .t may ( /ould ( might $well% be that ..
Generalising4 .n general Cn the whole .n the main
Commenting4 .nterestingly Curiously Cddly 'trangely
'urprisingly Predi/tably
s might be $have been% e,pe/ted .t is interesting that
*aing a recommendation4 .t is re/ommended that ..
$Perhaps% it would be advisable for O to $do%
$Perhaps% O might (should /onsider
Summing up4 To sum up ( To summariseCn balan/e .n short
'tudy the following e,ample /arefully?
Leisure Facilities in Grimthorpe
Introduction
The aim of this report is to des/ribe and assess the leisure fa/ilities available in 2rimthorpe. .t is
based on information made available by the 2rimthorpe Tourist Cffi/e" and on views e,pressed by
lo/al people who were interviewed.
Sport
2rimthorpe has a wide range of sports fa/ilities" both publi/ and private. There is a large modern
leisure /entre in the 3igh 'treet and fa/ilities in/lude a swimming pool" a sports hall for Audo"
fen/ing and other a/tivities" and tennis /ourts. The /entre runs /ourses in all these sports and
these tend to be very popular. )embership /osts N11: a year" whi/h was felt to be rather
e,pensive" but a spe/ial temporary membership is available to visitors. The publi/ swimming pool
on the outskirts of the town is older" less attra/tive and often over/rowded" but entry is only N1.1:.
Theatres
There are two theatres in town" the Lings Theatre in Dee 'treet" whi/h offers mainly GseriousH
drama and has a good reputation for its produ/tions of 'hakespeare" and the #ittle Theatre in 'ea
'treet whi/h spe/ialises in lighter entertainment and the o//asional pop /on/ert. .n general" it
seems that the Lings Theatre is more popular with the older members of the /ommunity while the
#ittle appeals more to people in their teens and twenties.
*useums and 'rt Galleries
The City )useum has an e,tensive /olle/tion of maps" pottery and other arti/les /onne/ted with
2rimthorpe!s history. The attendants are said to be very friendly and helpful" and there is also a
small /afM with reasonably pri/ed home>made sna/ks. .nterestingly" few of the lo/al people
interviewed had ever been to the museum but it was re/ommended highly by several tourists.
Conclusion
2rimthorpe is well provided with leisure fa/ilities for a town of its siJe and these are well used by
the townspeople on the whole. 'port seems to be the most popular leisure a/tivity" while /ultural
a/tivities like visiting the museum or art gallery appeared to be the least popular among the
2rimthorpians who were interviewed. Perhaps the City Coun/il should /onsider laun/hing a
publi/ity /ampaign to show how mu/h these fa/ilities have to offer.
=ow use these tips to help you write your answer to the task above.