Writing Paper Part 1: Exam skills Part 1 consists of © a short report in the form of a memo, an email ora report describing figures and making inferences based (on information from a chart or table. ‘© Length: 120-140 words © Time: maximum 25 minutes © Marks: You are given marks out of 10 for this task. The ‘writing paper carries 30 marks in total You practised similar skills in Unit 10 (page $3) and Unit 11 (page 56). This part of the exam tests your ability to: * describe the facts and figures commonly presented in sraphs, bar charts, pie charts and tables in business contexts ‘© understand information presented in graphic form convey information clearly Line graphs, pie charts and bar charts ‘= Line charts are usually employed to show a trend ‘and describe changes over a period of time. Line charts may contain several lines, in which case ‘you will have to ‘describe the changes * compare or contrast the trends between the things shown by the different lines. = Pie charts show how the whole ofa category is. divided. The complete ‘pie’ represents 100%. For ‘example, a pie chart could be used to show a ‘number of companies’ market share, You may see two pie charts side by side, in which case you will have to: ‘say how much share each division of the chart hhas ofthe total ‘© compare the information given in the two charts. = Bar charts show totals for different categories, but not what would constitute 100%, You may have © describe trends or changes ‘© compare facts and figures ‘say how much each bar represents, Suggested exam technique 1 Read the instrutions carefully and make sure you know whether you should write an email, a memo ora report 2. Study the charts/raphs. Make sure you understand what the charts shows 144 Exam skills and Exam practice 3. Make a brief plan. Infact, ou should be able o describe the information in the order in which it appears on the page. However, your first sentence should be an introductory sentence which says in ‘general what the chart(s} show(s). 4 When you write, use linking phrases such as on che other hand, although, in contrast, consequent, ec. 5 Make sure you include all the important information. 6 When you have finished, check what you have written ‘+ for mistakes in your English ‘+ to make sure you have mentioned everythin ‘+ tomake sure itis written in a clear style which is easy to understand, Exercises 1. Workin pairs. Study these three charts and discuss what each of them shows. Chart 1 Benchmark Hotel: average number of guests per week 10. $< 0 120 100 0 © «o} 20 of ao Chart2 Newmarket taxi services by market share 5 years ago 20% ion Bore tas Boon: 0% Bary ces Biotes a i This cao 2% —— Bh Sore ws Bh sero we Pon, | Bowes a it yeeTNec! witt Mobila ScannerNew Age Leather Goods Ltd ‘Annual sales by division 2 Read this sample report about Chart 1. Complete the report using the words and phrases in the box. ‘abreakdown in contrast in other words Inthelasttwo years in total since then tenyears.ago _ the following eight years ‘The report gives 1 of guest numbers per week atthe Benchmark Hotel over the last ten years. 2 the Benchmark Hotel received an average ‘of 50 business travellers as guests each week, This number rose steadily over 3 to reach 130 per week 10 years ago. 4 slightly, and this year, the average has been 120 guests week. numbers have decreased 5 » ten years ago Benchmark Hotel received on average 100 tourists per week, 6 twice as many tourists as business travellers, This number also rose steadily until six years ago, when it reached 140 guests per week. 7 + the number has declined, and this year the hotel receives just 80 tourists per week, and fewer guests 8 than two years ago, when it received inall 220 guests each week. Read this report based on Chart 2 and put the verbs in brackets into the correct tenses. This eport 1 (summarise) the changes in market share for the principal taxi companies in Newmarket during the last five years. Five years ago, the dominant company 2 (be) Taxi Express, who 3 (have) 40 per cent of the market, whereas this year, they 4 (reduce) to just 20 per cent of the market, and their dominating position 5 (ake) by Singh's Taxis, who 6 (increase) over five years from a 30-per-cent to a 40-per-cent market share r 9 ‘whose market share (10). he other major player is Murray Taxicabs, who five years 1n07 (have) 20 per cent of the market and this ear 8 (raise) their share 10 25 per cent. There (be) a number of other taxi companies (rise) from 10 to 15 per cent 4. Study the two reports again and highlight useful linking phrases, e.g. In contrast 2. useful time phrases, e.g. ver the last five years. 5 Write your own report about Chart 9. Use the reports In Exercises 2 and 3 as models. Totry areal exam task, see below. Writing Paper Part 1: Exam practice Question 1 The bar chart below shows a company’s gross income from domestic sales, gross income from export sales and fixed costs, Using the information from the chart, write a short report comparing the two sets of income and fixed costs ‘Write 120-140 words in the space provided. mons Fo 2} 6 0 a ° vert" Your2 "Years Yond cress income tom domestic sles Bl G10 income tom sxpot sites CO recat Nec! Witt Raarkd bch dard fasWriting Paper Part2: Exam skills In Part 2, you are given a choice of: * proposal + report, or + alter. + Length: 200-250 words '* Time: 45 minutes (if you have spent 25 minutes on Part 1) + Marks: You ae given marks out of 20 fortis part. The ‘writing paper caries a total of 30 marks You practised writing: + aproposalin Unit? (page 39) © areport in Unit 11 (page 57) and in Unit 19 (page 93) '* aletter in Unit 15 (page 75) and Unit 23 (page 111). ‘Ths part ofthe exam tests: + your ability to doa longer writing task, including planning and organising your writing in a logical and coherent manner + whether you can use the correct format and appropriate register forthe type of task (corespondence, report or proposal) and the type of reader. + your range of grammar and vocabulary * Ifyou decide to write a report, you will probably have to describe and summarise information. * Ifyou decide to write a proposal, you may have to describe, summarise, recommend a course of action and persuade the reader * Ifyou write a letter, you may have to carry outa variety of functions such as complaining, informing, enquiring, apologising, et. Exam skills and Exam practice ‘the questions whi fom a two-day training gon by your company hhas asked you to useful the course hos following informatio syerrailcl with Bledel Scanner1 Who will ead this report: only the human resources manager or other people as well? 2 What register would be most appropriate in ths case: formal, neutral or colloquial? 3. Before you start writing, what details will you have to invent? 4 What would be suitable section headings for your report? 2 Work alone and write a brief plan for this report. When you have finished, share your ideas with a partner. Add any of your partner's ideas which you think are useful to your own plan. ‘you need. 3 This answerto the question contains a wrong word in most lines. However, some lines are correct. Read the report and correct, the mistakes by crossing ‘out the wrong word and writing the correct word. Ifaline is correct, write correct. Totry areal exam task, go to page 148. seanned vobile Scanner, Report on time-management course Introduction ‘tke a junior sales manager, was sent on atime management course atthe local Chamber of Commerce by my department two week's ago. ‘The course ‘The course consisted ina series of workshops and practical exercises designed to improving the trainees time management skills. During the course, we analysed how we spend our time before lar techniques for reducing the amount of time \which is wasted. This should result in us being more efficient and also reduce \workctelate stress. We were also showing how to employ our time better when ‘no working as way of improving our work-life balance. “The course had benefited me by allowing me to spend my working time more profitably and consequently more enjoyable as Ihave learnt techniques which reduce time-related pressures. Benefits for the company {Apart ofthe obvious advantages for the company in having a more efficient ‘worker, one of the conditions for me going on the course were to cascade my learing experience to my colleagues. This should result in clear benefits forthe ‘whole department. Conclusion and recommendations [think short courses ike tis are some realy useful break from work routine. They allow you to think of how you work while tthe same time giving you the chance twexchange experiences with employees from other companies. To obtain ‘maximum benef from them, trainees shouldbe ready for atk about their ‘experiences and mistakes, and be prepared to try new working techniques. 1 Ag. WIth iWriting Paper Part 2: Exam practice ‘Write an answer to one of the questions 2-4 in this part. Write your answer in 200-250 words. Question 2 4 * Your company recently made changes to its deivery systems. Your manager has asked youto waite a report the success of these changes. ‘White @ report, including the folowing information — what changes were made to the delivery systems — how the success of the changes was monitored — whether the changes have led to a more effective delivery system or not. Question 3 '* Your department has been trying to improve the effectiveness of the presentations given by staff. You have asked to arrange training sessions with an external consultant for some of the staff in the department. © Write a letter to the consultant, including the following information: — the problems staff have with giving presentations — Which grade of staff you propose to put fonward forthe training and why — what type of traning the staf require Question 4 © Your company is considering developing a new product. You have been asked to write a proposal to your manager assessing the desirabilty of developing this product. ‘© Write your proposal to your manager: = commenting on which markets the new product would appeal to and why — explaining the problems likely to be encountered ~ suggesting how these problems could be resolved. ‘Sample answers are given on page 169. Scanned with Mobile Scanner