Writing reference What to expect in the exam The Writing paper is Paper 2. It lasts 1 hour and 20 minutes. You do two tasks. © In Part 1, there is one task (an essay) which you must do. © In Part 2, you choose one of three tasks. Part 1: Essays You write an essay. The purpose of an essay is for you to discuss a subject, express your opinion and give reasons for your opinion. You are given an essay title and some notes. ‘+ You must write an essay answering the essay question and using all the notes. The task wil tell you: In your English class, you have been talking about / discussing .. Now your English teacher has asked you to write an essay. The notes outline three areas you must cover. The final note will always be your own idea * Your essay must be between 140 and 190 words. The title will ask you to write one of two types of essay: 1 An essay in which you are asked to discuss a statement and give your opinion, e.g. Private cars should be banned from city centres. Do you agree? 2 An essay in which you are asked to discuss which of two things is better, e.g. Is it better for students to study something they really enjoy when they leave school, or something which will give them a good job? You should: ‘© cover the two points you are given in the notes as well as your own idea in the third point ‘© organise your answer in a logical way using paragraphs and linking sentences and paragraphs appropriately ‘+ express your opinion clearly on the subject of the essay © give reasons and examples to support your ideas ‘* use a style appropriate for the situation (this should be ‘quite formal, as itis an essay for your teacher) * write grammatically correct sentences ‘© use accurate spelling and punctuation. You have 40 minutes to do this part (the Writing paper lasts 1 hour 20 minutes, so if you spend more time on this Part, you will have less time for the other part) You studied and practised writing essays for Part 1 in: Units 1, 5,8, 11 and 14, How to do Part 1 1 Read the instructions, ie. the task (what you have talked about in class, the essay title and the notes) carefully 2 Underline the areas you must deal with in the essay title and in the notes. You'll lose marks if you don't deal with them all 3 Think and decide what your opinion or position is on the subject of the essay and why you have this opinion. 4 Think and make notes about how you can cover the points listed in the notes. 5 Organise your notes into a plan. When writing your plan, decide how many paragraphs you need and what ‘each paragraph will cover. Your plan should include short introductory and concluding paragraphs (see Units 5 and 11). 6 Before writing your essay, check that your plan covers the three areas. 7 Write your essay following your plan. 8 Make sure you express your opinion clearly in your answer and that the arguments you express support your opinion. 9 When you have finished, read your answer carefully. Check you have written between 140 and 190 words and correct any mistakes you find Note: If you write fewer than 140 words, you probably haven't answered the question/task completely and you will lose marks. f you write more than 190 words in the time, you may make too many mistakes and risk being irrelevant. Also, if you write too much, the examiner will stop reading after about 200 words and you will lose marks for an incomplete answer.rite a biel Exercise 1 eee 1 Read this writing task, which asks ragraph where} Roa crete catie, ane ea Ml Abaamn mre nety arp aicaten ener Recccra ese oat © explain the the age of 16, | believe that young people should continue | iiecie whet your peauon oF Breet in education at least till they are 18. opinion is and why. * outline your There are two good reasons for encouraging young people to 3 Think how you can cover notes 1 and positon/ stay at school. Firstly, because jobs are becoming more and 2 to support your position/opinion. meee more specialised and technical, it is almost impossible for 4 Think what your own idea is and how 16-year-olds to find work, Secondly, if they stay at school, you can use this to support your they will receive the'education and training which will Position/opinion. An pee 6 your Create more opportunities for them in the future. teacher has quite | | In your English class, you have been a formal style, On the other hand, many students would like to leave | talking about how long young people | $0 don't use school at 16. This is because they find school difficult or ‘should stay in education. they do not enjoy studying. They would prefer to be working | Now your English teacher has asked and earning money. | you to write an essay. Use linking words | further point is that unmotivated students disrupt lessons, | Write an essay using all the notes ee phrases i ‘and this causes problems for students who do want to study. | and give reasons for your point of follow the ideas” | \ Therefore, after 16 they should only study technical or view. _) practical subjects that interest them. Essay question In conclusion, | believe itis a mistake for people to leave All young people should continue at school too soon, because they will miss opportunities which school or college until at least the may arise in the future. age of 18. Do you agree? - - _ Rictes Exercise 3 Write about: Read this writing task and underline the areas you must deal with. 1. qualifications for jobs 2. students who don’t ike schoo! mn your English class, you have been talking about the advantages and disadvantages of travelling abroad on holiday. Now your English teacher has asked you to write an essay. Exercise 2 Weite an essay using all the notes and give reasons for Read the essay in the next column and RUN REMEE VES complete this plan for it. Essay question Para. 1: Introduction: the situation now + |s it better to visit places in your own country or a foreign Para. 2: Why stay at school: ‘country when you go on holiday? st re08001 one Notes 2nd reason Write about: Para. 3: Why leave school: 1 which is more interesting I 800 ne 2. which is cheaper ul reason 3. snes (your own idea) Para. 4: My own idea: + solutions —_ ‘Write your essay. Para. 5: My opinion + reason(s) —_Exercise 4 You don't have Read this essay. It shows a different way of organising an _—_ to choose one ‘essay from the sample answer in Exercise 2. How is this eae casey oxporiaed caren? » Ass istes ‘There are strong arguments in favour of both staying in your | |*“ventages ‘own country and travelling abroad. | personally think that People should do both. There are several reasons for staying in your own country Ithelps the reader Firstly, | think it's important to know, enjoy and feel Hyon hess a proud of your county and there is usually fat whichis | o"tsentence fascinating about its history and culture, which is important | Beginning of the to learn and experience. Secondly, you may be able to paragraph stating ‘save money by finding cheaper accommodation. Finally, the topic. because you speak the language, you will avoid many of the = problems you might have when travelling abroad. On the other hand, when you go abroad, you can learn from the way other people live. Also, if you choose the right destination, it may be just as cheap as travelling in your ‘own country, especially if you use youth hostels. Finally, \\| [Use a variety it gives you an opportunity to learn and practise other of gemmedcsl structures,eg. | conditionals and relative clauses, languages, which is good for your education. For these reasons, | think that people should travel abroad from time to time, but also spend time visiting their own ‘country to appreciate what is good and interesting in both. Introducing a personal opinion © In my opinion, .. [eT think * Heel * Ibelieve ‘© From my point of view, . Introducing other people's opinions (often ones you don't agree with) * Some people think/say . ‘Many people argue that «© Itis sometimes/often argued/suggested/said that . Putting your ideas in order |* There are two good reasons for | + On the other hand, there are a number of reasons against .. © Firstly... / Secondly ../ Finally. © Also ... / Furthermore ... / What is more .. Giving reasons for your point of view ©... because / since * Because of this, .. © For this reason, © That is why © One of the main reasons is that ... © Consequently, ... which means that Introducing your conclusion * In conclusion, * To conclude, / sum up, / summarise, Ways of expressing contrasts + However, '* Onthe one hand, ... On the other hand, 1B pege 182 Language reference: Linking words for contrasttn Part 2, you must choose from one of three writing tasks ‘+ The tasks you choose from will be three of these four possiblities: an article, an email/ letter, a report or a review. Itis important to know how to write all of these possibilities so you can make the best choice in the exam. * You must answer the task with your own ideas. In most tasks, there are two things you must deal with * You must write between 140 and 190 words. This part tests your ability to ** deal with the type of task you have chosen * use an appropriate style for the task you have chosen * organise and structure your writing | * express opinions, describe, explain, make recommendations, make suggestions, etc * use an appropriate range of vocabulary and grammatical structures. How to do Part 2 1 Quickly read the questions and choose the task you thik you can do best 2 Read the task you choose carefully and undedne: © who willread what you write | © the points you must deal with * anything else you think is important. 3 Decide if ou need a formal or informal style 4 Think of ideas you can use to deal with the question and note them down while you're thinking 5. Decide which ideas are the most useful and write a plan. When writing your plan, decide how many paragraphs you need and what to say in each paragraph. 6 Think of useful vocabulary you can include in your answer and note it down in your plan. 7 Write your answer following your plan. 8 When you have finished, read your answer carefully. Check you have written between 140 and 190 words and correct any mistakes you find. Emails and letters You studied and practised writing an email/letter in Units 6 and 12. Exercise 1 Read the writing task below and underline: 1 who the reader(s) will be 2 what points you must deal with 3 anything else you think is important. You have received this letter from an English friend, Pat. Read this part ofthe letter. ‘Tm doing a project on family life in different countries ‘and | wonder if you could tell me a bit about family life in your country. like to know what a typical family in your Country is like and how family life is changing. Write your letter. Exercise 2 Read Teresa's answer below. 1 What details does she give of a typical family in Spain? 2 How is family life changing? Dear Pat, ‘Thanks for your letter asking for information about family ite in ‘Spain. Families in Spain are stil very close, and family members ‘ake a lot of trouble to spend time together and help each other. | Wiite Families often get together at weekends, and young people I noturel ‘normally live with their parents unti they are 25 or 30. People tend introduction to get married in their 30s, which means that they tart tohave and Children quite late. As a result, families usually have just one or two | conclusion. children, However, famiy eis changing, One of the main reasons is that ‘most women now work. As a consequence, men have to take ‘more responsibilty in the horne. ‘Another change is that, because both partners work, people are ‘cher, 80 more and more familes are now moving out ofthe cies to larger houses in the suburbs. {hope thal answers your questions, Please write tome ityou need | However, ‘ny more information. ilove o 8ee your finished project and read} consequence wat you say about tami ite in other countries too Use linking words and phrases, eg. Asa result,Starting and finishing emails and letters You know the person well start with | Dear/Hello/Hi + name: Dear Barbara, HiMagds, Hello Francesco finish with | Best wishes, /All the best, | Best wishes, /Love, / With love, You don't know the person well Dear + first name | Dear Barbara (if you would use their first name when you speak to them) start with Dear + surname: | Dear Mr Hatton (if you don't feel __| comfortable using their fst name) finish with | Best wishes, /Kind regards, Starting the first paragraph of a letter or email © Thanks for your email ‘© Thank you for your letter about ‘+ am writing to request information about / complain about / apologise for / explain, etc. Referring to something in a letter or email which you're replying to * Your short film sounds an excellent idea and ‘As for the audience, With reference to the audience, ‘You mentioned/asked about the audience in your letter and Making suggestions How about + verb + -ing How about holding the meeting on the Sth? What about + verb + -ing: What about having a meal in a restaurant afterwards? Itmight also be a good idea to It might also be a good idea to vist the museum. Can I suggest that ..?: Can I suggest that you give your talk on Sth May? suggest + verb + -ing: | suggest holding the meeting on 4th November. ‘Asking for information * Could you tell me | would / I'd like to know if | would / I like information on Do you know if/whether/when/what, etc Dear Mr Hatton, (if you know the person’s name) Dear Sir or Madam, if you don't know the person's name) Yours sincerely, or Yours, (if you know the person's name) | Yours faithfully, (if you don't know the person's name) ‘Complaining I'm not very happy about + noun/verb + -ing: I'm not very happy about the price. I'm not very happy about paying so much ‘© I would like to complain about + noun/verb + -ing: I would like to complain about traffic noise in our street I would like to complain about children playing football in our street. ‘+ am writing to complain about + noun/verb + -ing am writing to complain about the service | received at your hotel recently. ‘Apologising +" Sorry about + noun / verb + ~ing (informal: Sorry about being late for the concert last Saturday. * would like to apologise for + noun / verb + -ing: I would like to apologise for arriving late for the concert on Saturday [inviting | |» How about ...2: How about coming windsurfing with me next weekend? '* Would you like to ...2: Would you like to travel together? |* 1 would like to invite you to ... + noun/infinitive: | would like to invite you to visit our town next summer. aa nen Gi * You should © Hl were you, I would / I'd * Itwould be a good idea to + infinitiveports ‘Report on free-time facilities in my area Notice the oyout Hou studied and practised writing Tateotectianl ue renee fies title feports in Units 3 and 9. ‘Ths atts Of SUEDE Wfotitine, whet * is divided into People do in my area in their free time, what — each section has sections facilities exist for them and how these could aheading. this task and answer the questions be made bette —— a Free-time activities Bastien Anes ‘Your teacher has asked you to My town, Beauvoir, is quite small, so it does Purpose of the write a report on things for young | not have a cinema or theatre and there is report at the People to do in their free time inthe | only one club for young people. As a result, begieatiy, area where you live. In your report, young people have to take the train or bus to — you should mention what free-time Nantes, which is about 30 kilometres away if} ~ Avoid repeating facilities there are and recommend they want these things. On the other hand, it _exactly the words peroernents is situated by the sea, so many young people he question, Write your report. spend their free time on the beach or doing Seenemant water sports. eee 1 Doyou think you should use a formal Other facilities how these could” ‘or informal style for this report? Beauvoir has a sports centre with tennis be made better. 2 Read Christine's report on the right. courts, a football pitch and a swimming pool. eects. 5s * Is the style formal or informal? There are also a number of cafés where young * Does it answer the question people normally go to meet each other and completely? spend their free time. Give reasons ‘Recommendations foryour I recommend thatt the town couneil should recommendations. Set up a youth club where young people could —— meet, do other activities and also see films. ‘This would encourage young people to stay in the town at weekends and improve their social iffe Starting a report ‘The aim of this report is + infinitive: The aim of this report is to outline * The purpose of this report is + infinitive: The purpose of this report is to describe Making recommendations and suggestions * Irecommend that: | recommend that the town council should set up a youth ub * (would) recommend + verb + -ing: I would recommend setting up a youth club * suggest + verb + -ing: I suggest buying more equipment for the sports centre. * I suggest that ... : | suggest that the council should provide cheap transport for young people and students. * Itwould be a good ides (for somebody) + infinitive: It would be a good idea the council te provide cheep transport for young people and students.Exercise 1 Read the writing task below. 1 Underline the points you must deal with, 2 Underline anything else you think is important. 3 Who will the reader(s) be, and where will your answer appear? ‘You see this announcement in ‘your school's English-language ‘magazine. Have you seen a film or read a book recently that you think everyone would enjoy? We want to know about it! Write a review of the film or book saying what it's about and why we would all enjoy it. ‘Write your review. Exercise 2 Read Franz’s review below. Which paragraphs say 1 what the book is about? 2 why we would all enjoy it? “The Time Traveler’s Wife’ by Audrey Niffenegger This is an original and moving love story told from the point of view of the ovo main characters, Henry and Clare. Henry is a librarian who has a genetic problem which causes him to move backwards and forwards in time. Without warning, he disappears leaving everything behind and arrives at another time in his life. He can't control when or where he’s going. When he travels, he often meets the same c different times in her life Eventually they fall in love even though sometimes when they meet he is much older than her and at other times they are the same age. I think everyone will enjoy this unusual it combines a little science ficti erful ron Henry's problem causes situations which are funny, sometimes frightening, usually awkward and often very strange. The novel is fascinating because it makes you think about the nature of time. At the same time, you see how the characters and their relationships change during their lives but how their love grows stronger. ‘© some of the story ‘© what makes the book/ film different Use plenty of adjectives to describe: ‘© the book/film ‘© how you feel about it Ways of praising * I think everyone will enjoy this... (book/ film/restaurant, etc.) because .. The .. (book/ film/restaurant, etc) is fascinating/wonderful/ marvellous because © This... (book/film/ restaurant, etc, is really worth (reading/seeing/ visiting, etc.) becauseL Writing reference Exercise 2 Read Luis's article below and match the notes for his plan (ad) with the paragraph numbers. NYou studied and practised writing latticles in Units 2. 7 and 13. ad this writing task ] 2 How we became friends - same table at school, playground, visit each You see the following cg other's houses ‘announcement on your b My first impressions of Thea — contrast with other kids ‘noticeboard. © When | met Thea - on school bus iy Best Friend 4d Why so special - share secrets, help each other, spend time together, it together Tell us about your best friend See for the college newspaper. We ‘An article should is want to know: havesstie | An inseparable friend + how you met this person —____/ Thea has been my best friend from that day when, *+ why he or she is so special to ¥ aged seven, | climbed onto the school bus to go to you: Notice the my new primary school. We will publish the most adverbs. You wil Rrstie Gichstineteue get higher marks if), | I wandered nervously down the bus, which was full | Yougse ange ot | of noisy kids shouting and laughing excitedly, and ) |veesbuter: “J \ found a place beside a quiet gr wich fir heb ondl he —~ friendly green eyes. ‘We were both very si, so we didn't talk much to each other on the way to school, although we smiled Instead ofusing | _atveach other cimicly And when we went into class Write your article, Match the beginnings (1-9) and endings (a-i) of these sentences to make advice about how to write nce, eee ee sree? we naturally sat down together at the same table. efore writing, identi again, use 2 Youcanidentythereaderby Stents | Gradually we got to row eachother we played ¥ with similar ___ together in the playground, we visited each other's Be Decide what style meanings, eg. shy | houses and our parents soon became firm friends as 4 Write things you think yourreaders —""timidiy well. 5 Before writing the article, 6 In your plan, decide what you will We still share each other's secrets and we have put complete confidence in each other: When either of 7 Make sure that the plan us has a problem, the other is always ready to help. 8 Write the article following ‘We have so much in common that we spend most of 9 While you are writing, think about our free time +. We've even been on hol iu 7 ther times. A ind we still share the same 2 answers the question Good to have 3 cr rca eremes And we 5 b in each paragraph. pee joke at the table at school ten years later ¢ make a plan, d looking at the type of newspaper ‘or magazine you are writing for. ¢ is suitable for your readers. the effect on your readers. {g who will read the article hy will find interesting i your plan.