B2 WRITING

ESSAY:

- Essays are written in formal style. This means you should use:

You should use: You shouldn’t use:

Passive voice, impersonal Short forms
constructions Colloquial expressions, phrasal
A range of advanced vocabulary verbs, idioms
Formal linking words/phrases Simplistic vocabulary
Inversion, especially in conditionals A series of short sentences
Simple linking words

A successful opinion essay should have:

a) An introductory paragraph in which you state the topic and your

opinion
b) A main body which consists of two or three paragraphs, each
presenting a separate viewpoint supported by reasons. Do not forget to
start each paragraph with a topic sentence which summarises what
the paragraph is about.
c) A conclusion in which you restate your opinion using different words.

Beginning and ending essays:

In the first paragraph you should state the topic and/or your opinion and you
may include one or more of the following techniques:

• Make reference to an unusual or striking idea/scene/situation.

e.g: Imagine millions of people coming home from school or work every
day to sit staring at a wall for four hours.
• Address the reader directly
e.g: You may think this is an exaggeration
and/or ask a rhetorical question.
e.g: Have you ever wondered what would be like without cars?
• Start with a quotation or thought-provoking statement.
e.g: “Television is an invention that permits you to be entertained in
your living room by people you would not have in your home” David
Frost once said.

In the last paragraph, you should state your opinion and/or give a balanced
consideration of the topic, and you may include one or more of the following
techniques:

• Finish with a quotation.

• Ask a rhetorical question
• Give the reader something to consider

1
 e.g: Perphaps then people will rediscover what it is like to actually
communicate with each other.

Useful expressions for giving opinions:

• To my mind/To my way of thinking…

• It is my (firm) belief/ opinion/view/conviction (that)…
• In my opinion (view)…
• I (firmly) believe…
• I am (not) convinced that…
• (I do not ) agree that/ with…
• It strikes me that…
• My opinion is that,
• I (definitely) feel /think that…
• I am inclined to believe that..
• It seems/appears to me that…5
• As far as I am concerned,…

Useful expressions for essays: Problems and solutions:

Steps should be taken So as to Solve

Measures could into account In order to Eradicate
must Del with

Serious attempts to halt/ prevent /solve… must be made.

• One (possible) way to solve /overcome this problem would be…

• Another way to combat /deal with the problem (of) is…
• An alternative way to eradicate this problem would be…
• People should focus their/.. to solve /overcome the problem of…

• Governments should focus their attention to improve the situation of..

We should focus our attention on ways to reduce the impact of… on
society..

• If steps /measures were taken to… the effect /the result would be..
If we happened to find solutions... /were we to discover the
consequence would be… (inversion)
If attempts were made to address the problem, the result would be..
By (+ing) …, we /governments /etc, can ensure that /prevent…
The… /situation could be improved if… /It would b a good idea if…

2
 ESSAY: SAMPLE PAPER

In regard of a recent discussion about the facilities, which are financially

supported by local authorities, I would like to write a few of my personal
thoughts according to the city-dwellers’ opinions collected. Whether we are
talking about sports centres or public gardens, there is no doubt that they are
both a good thing to have in the city and should both be supported somehow.
The only question then is which one of these is more important, what are the
pros and cons of each one?

Obviously, in our times where lots of people spend days sitting in their
office staring at a computer, some sort of physical training is very significant
indeed. It is necessary to keep a balance in our lifestyles. The problem raised
when supporting the sports centres is the number of activities that you can do
at these days. There is almost a countless list of either individual or team sports
that we can think of, and each centre is usually designed for a specific type or
at least a group of sports similar in its nature.

Another reason for not financing sports as much as green parks is their
commercial use. Regarding of the green spaces, the situation is much clearer.
Every city needs gardens where people can sit and chill out, but nobody is
going to pay a tax for just walking around.

These factors lead me to my conclusion that public gardens are

definitely a facility which should be financed from public money, whereas in
the case of sports centres, the situation is questionable. Therefore, I think that
it is too difficult to support them equally and we cannot say which activity might
be better. In short, we had better take care of our public spaces as it is clearly
and indispensable part of our lives.

3
 B2 WRITING

FORMAL LETTER:

A successful letter should consist of:

1. An appropriate greeting: e.g: Dear Ms Crawley,

Dear Mr and Mrs Jones, Dear Sir/Madam, Dear
Tony;
2. A main body in which you develop the subject and
deal with the additional objective (s) of the letter if
necessary.
2.1 An introductory paragraph which clearly
states your reason for writing;
2.2 Your qualifications/studies/skills
2.3 Your professional experience and
questions about the position if any.
3. A conclusion in which you summarise the subject; and
4. Polite sentence “l am looking forward to hearing from you soon”
5. An appropriate ending e.g: Yours faithfully/ Yours sincerely + full
name, Best wishes +first name

You should use: You shouldn’t use:

Passive voice, impersonal Abbreviated forms
constructions Colloquial expressions, phrasal
A range of advanced vocabulary verbs, idioms
Formal linking words/phrases Simplistic vocabulary
Inversion, especially in conditionals A series of short sentences
Complex sentences

1. LETTER OF APPLICATION: USEFUL EXPRESSIONS

Paragraph 1:

I am writing in response to your advertisement in ______________ (name of

publication from task). I am interested in applying for the role of
________________ (name of job)

Paragraph 2:

As you will see from my attached CV, I have spent the last _______ (number)
years at ____________(workplace). During this period I was promoted from
_____________(crap job) to the position of ____________ (great job). I was
responsible for ____________ (verb in gerund) and ____________, as well as
_____________ and _____________. I had the privilege / opportunity to learn /
improve / develop ___________ and ____________.

4
Paragraph 3:

Given the experience I have acquired at __________________ (workplace), I

consider myself well-equipped to respond to the challenge of working in your
_____________. I feel I have the necessary personal qualities to deal with the
demands of the post. For instance, I see myself as a ____________ (adjective)
person who works well under pressure. My experience working with
______________ (people / animal / computers etc.) at ___________________
(workplace) has helped me to be more ____________ (adj) and _______________
(adj).

Paragraph 4:

I would therefore be grateful if you could consider my application. I am

available for interview between the ________ and the ________ of _________. I
look forward to hearing from you.

Taking all this into account, I hope that you will consider my application. I
am available for interview between the ________ and the ________ of _________. I
look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you for taking the time to read my application, I hope you will consider
me for the post. I am available for interview between the ________ and the
________ of _________. I look forward to hearing from you.

Paragraph 5:

Yours faithfully/ Yours sincerely

5
 LETTER OF APPLICATION: SAMPLE PAPER

Dear Mr...../Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to apply for a/the job of ..... which I saw advertised in "The
Guardian" newspaper.

I am 26 years old and at the moment I am studying … at the University of

Murcia. Having studied English for over seven years I am a fluent speaker of
the language. My qualifications also include Proficiency certificates in both
French and German issued by both The French Alliance and the Goethe
Institut. Besides, I also enrolled and ended an MA in Business and Financial
Administration at London University last year.

As far as experience is concerned, I have worked as ............. for ........... I

possess three-year experience in Business Management as well as in Customer
Service. As for my character, I consider myself as a deeply cheerful and patient
person. Regarding my job I am extremely responsible as well as demanding
otherwise I would not be able to give my best.

Finally, I would like to get more information about the job if possible, such as
the work schedule and shifts, how many hours per week I am entitled to work
and the salary.

I do feel I would be suitable for this job because ............ This will contribute to
both broaden my horizons and grow as a person. I would also like the chance
to....

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely/faithfully

Pepita

6
2. LETTER OF COMPLAINT: USEFUL EXPRESSIONS

Paragraph 1:

I am writing to complain about.../to express my concern

about/disappointment with...

I would like to draw your attention to...

Paragraph 2:

Firstly, your article/advertisement states/claims that ______________.

To begin with, according to your.... .

However, this is simply not the case, _______________ (explanation).

Paragraphs 3:

Moreover / Furthermore, the suggestion/statement/claim that

_____________ is simply not true.

I feel I must also disagree with__________________

I should also like to point out that___________________

Paragraph 4:

I would appreciate it / be grateful if you would _______

It seems only fair that you should ____________

I trust / very much hope you will ___________

I look forward to receiving your reply.

Paragraph 5:

Yours faithfully/sincerely

7
 LETTER OF COMPLAINT: SAMPLE PAPER

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing following a recent visit to the Newtown Sports Centre. I would like
to express my disappointment with the service I received. Although the staff
were generally polite and helpful, they seemed to lack basic sports knowledge.
None of them could offer any advice to me on choosing a tennis racket. I suggest
that you send your employees on suitable training courses.

Another cause for complaint was that the swimming pool was closed. I
understand that repairs and maintenance need to be carried out. However,
when I called for information the day before my visit, the receptionist did not
mention that the pool was closed. If I had known, I would have visited the
sports centre at another time.

Finally, offering lessons in different sports is a good idea, but in my opinion,

they seem to be very expensive. Considering the membership fee, the prices of
lessons should be lower, and more sports should be offered. I was disappointed
that neither diving nor windsurfing was available.

I hope you will take these points into consideration.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Pepita

8
 B2 WRITING

REVIEWS

A review is a special type of article written for publication in a magazine,

newspaper, etc. giving a brief description and evaluation of a film, book, play,
TV /radio programme, etc. It may be formal or semi-formal in style, depending
on its intended readership, and is usually written using present tenses.

A successful review should consist of:

a) An introduction which mentions the title, the type of

book/play/film/etc, the setting (when/where), the theme, the main
characters, etc,;
b) A main body of two or more paragraphs containing the main points of
the plot (without revealing the ending), and evaluating such features as
the acting, writing style, direction, characters, etc,; and
c) A conclusion which includes an overall assessment of the work and /or
a recommendation, usually with justification.

You may also be asked to give reasons why someone should see the film/ play
or read the book, how it has influenced you, etc. Note that the number and
length of paragraphs varies depending on the topic:

USEFUL LANGUAGE FOR REVIEWS

• To begin reviews:
This well-written/informative/ fascinating /thought-provoking book is…
The film/book/play /etc is set in .../ tells the story of …/is based on…
The film/play stars…/is directed by… is the sequel to…
• To end reviews:
You should definitely see /read… /Don’t miss it/ You might enjoy…
All in all, it is well worth seeing /reading, since…
On the whole, I wouldn’t recommend it, in view of the fact that…
It is a classic of its kind/ it is sure to be a hit/ best-seller…
• To explain the plot:
The plot revolves around…/ involves…/focuses on…/ has an unexpected
twist.
The story begins with… /unfolds /reaches a dramatic climax when…
• Evaluating various features:
The play /film /series has a strong/ star-studded /mediocre cast.
The acting is moving/powerful/excellent/weak /unconvincing.
The plot is:
-Gripping /dramatic/fascinating /suspense-filled /fast-moving.
-Far-fetched /predictable /confusing /dull /unimaginative.
The script /dialogue is touching /hilarious /boring /mundane.
It is beautifully /brilliantly /sensitively /written or directed.

9
 REVIEW: SAMPLE PAPER

The Remains of the Day

The Remains of the Day seems to be a very simple story. An elderly English
butler borrows a car and drives to the coast to meet an old colleague. But is that
all there is to it?

In fact, the story is as complicated as its main character. Mr Stevens is the

perfect butler - obedient, skillful, and reserved. He is also secretly in love with
the housekeeper, Miss Kenton. However, he is so bound by duty that he never
tells her - never even gives her the slightest hint.

The key moment in the book comes when their employer becomes fascinated
by the Nazi ideology and tells Mr Stevens to fire two young Jewish servants.
Miss Kenton cries, while Mr Stevens carries out his task with no emotion. The
writing at this point in the book is sublime - when you know that Stevens is in
love with Kenton, his behaviour is mystifying. Why doesn't he at least tell her
that he agrees with her?

Working out the answer to that question is one of the most rewarding quests
in literature, and that's why I strongly recommend you read this book as soon
as possible.

10
 B2 WRITING

ARTICLE

An article, in general, is a piece of writing for publication in a magazine,

newspaper, brochure, leaflet, etc. It may be formal or informal in style.

A successful article should consist of:

a) An eye-catching title or headline which suggests the topic of the article

that follows:
b) An introduction which clearly outlines the topic (s) to be covered;
c) A main body of several paragraphs in which the subject is developed in
detail; and
d) A conclusion which summarises the topic and/ or offers an opinion,
comments, recommendations, etc.

Points to consider

• However, the most common case is that we must write a text in an informal
or colloquial style. For this reason, our tone must be relaxed, making use
of contractions, phrasal verbs and other colloquial expressions. Besides, it
is recommended to use rhetorical questions and exclamation marks to
engage the reader. You should also address the reader directly in the second
person (you, your) and can make jokes if you think they are appropriate.
• Use suitable, descriptive, narrative or argumentative techniques and
expressions which are consistent with the purpose of the article. Appropriate
use of linking words /expressions and a wide range of vocabulary will make
your writing more interesting.
• Select and organise the ideas and information you will present in each
paragraph carefully and begin each paragraph with a clear topic sentence.

Useful expressions for giving opinions:

• Rhetorical questions:
• Have you ever…?

• Do you ever wonder…?

• What do you think about…?
• Are you a… like me?
• Are you one of those people who…?
• What would you say if I told you that…?
• Introducing new ideas:
• Firstly,

• First,
• In the first place,

11
 • To begin with,
• The coolest thing about
• What attracts me most
• One thing to consider is
• Another consideration is
• Secondly,
• As for
• As to
• Also,
• As regards
• In addition,
• In addition to that,
• Moreover,
• Concluding the article:
• In conclusion,

• On the whole,
• To sum up,
• To conclude,
• All in all,
• … you will not regret it!

12
 ARTICLE: SAMPLE PAPER

TV: Is it a good thing?

Television is one of the most important inventions of the century. Almost

everyone owns a TV set at home today. Be it either educational or
entertainment, life would be so boring without one nowadays.

First of all, thanks to television we have the latest information at our

fingertips. We are constantly informed of what is happening around the world
without leaving home. Furthermore, television has made learning at home
possible. In fact, some TV stations do dedicate their programmes to specific
interests.

A further advantage is that old people living alone find television very good
company. It helps them forget their loneliness.

On the other hand, too much television can create problems in the family. If
it is not the constant argument of which channel to watch, it is the isolation of
family members. A person watching television doesn't feel like talking or being
disturbed as they are so absorbed in what they are watching. Hence, the term
'couch potato'. Too much television implies a lack of outdoor activities and we
find that there are fewer and fewer people taking exercises.

Television, nevertheless, remains one of the most interesting inventions.

Carefully controlled viewing makes it an indispensable instrument in our daily
lives; otherwise, it can turn into an addiction with harmful consequences.

13
 B2 WRITING

REPORT

A report is usually written for a superior (e.g. a teacher) 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.

Things to include:

▪ Begin by stating the purpose of your report.

▪ You may invent where you got the information.
▪ Use a clear layout with:
▪ Headings. They will make it clear that your report is not an
essay or review.
▪ Lists of numbered points or bullets where appropriate.
▪ Divide your report into sections according to the input.
▪ Develop the ideas in the task input. Focus on a maximum of two
points.
▪ Give a clear summary of the situation and make a comment/suggestion
only in the last paragraph.
▪ Use an impersonal, semi-formal style.

Useful language for a report

Paragraph 1: Stating the purpose of the report

The main aim/objective/purpose of this report is to ...

Paragraph 1: Describing how you got the information

▪ To prepare for this report, I conducted interviews with... / I visited three

of the most popular... / I discussed the issue with...

Paragraphs 2 and 3: Reporting your results

▪ According to ...
▪ All those who were interviewed believe that/are concerned that... / It is
thought that... / It was commented upon by a number of people we
talked to that...
▪ A cause of dissatisfaction was...

Presenting a list

▪ The arguments against ... are the following:

14
 1. 1 ...
2. 2 ...
▪ The following were the main reasons given for supporting ...: firstly, ...,
secondly, ...
▪ Points mentioned in favour of/against ... were:
1. 1 ...
2. 2 ...
▪ There are several ways in which ... might be ...:
1. 1 ...
2. 2 ...

Making recommendations (Last paragraph)

▪ Taking all the factors mentioned into account...

▪ I would therefore recommend ....
▪ Clearly, more could be done to .... I would make the following
recommendations:
▪ 1 ...
▪ 2 ...
▪ 3 ...

15
 REPORT: SAMPLE PAPER

Tedious as it may seem, this report is intended to collect the necessary

information available on the net in order to inform about the real situation our
Region is going through nowadays. The report will be carried out by the
Marine Biology Department of the University of Murcia and the results will be
released on Campus Magazine. Now the main key points are going to be
accounted for:

WATER POLLUTION

To start with, water pollution is considered one of the most worrying problems
in the Region since, the scarcely of water is commonly known in this part of
the country. What is affected the most in the last years is the local sea called
Mar Menor. As a consequence, many species have already disappeared and the
resources we basked in are no longer available. Happen this situation to
continue, the human being would have to take serious measures into account.

AIR POLLUTION

Another key point to bear in mind is air pollution. The more polluted the air
becomes, the quicker this subject should be shorted out since the release of
such air pollutants in heavy concentrations such as smog or fumes are getting
settled over the city. Lots of dirty wastes are produced by people on daily
basis especially in the big cities polluting the whole atmospheric air to a great
extent.

CONCLUSION

In essence, pollution is continuously damaging the whole ecological system

and affecting the lives of both plants and animals. It has reached the critical
stage and affecting the whole atmosphere by allowing more harmful radiations
from the sun to the earth. Henceforth, some measures ought to be adopted
by local councils so as to prevent such a harmful carbon footprint.

16
 B2 WRITING

INFORMAL LETTER OR EMAIL

An informal letter or email is usually between people who know each other fairly
well. In addition to giving news, they are often used to request information,
congratulate people, give advice and ask questions. There are a lot of similarities
between informal letters and conversation. Informal letters ask a lot of
questions, show interest and enthusiasm, and imagine a lot of shared
information.

Useful Expressions:

▪ How are you? / How have the family been? / I hope you are well.
▪ Thank you / Many thanks for your (recent/last) letter / postcard.
▪ It was good / nice / great to hear from you again.
▪ I was so surprised to hear that...
▪ I’m sorry I haven’t written / haven't been in touch for such a long time.
▪ It’s ages since I’ve heard from you. I hope you're well / you and your
family are well.
▪ How are things? / How are you? / How’s it going?

Referring to news

▪ Great news about … Glad to hear that … Sorry to hear about …

Giving news

▪ Listen, did I tell you about …? You’ll never believe what …

▪ Oh, and another thing … This is just to let you know that …
▪ I thought you might be interested to hear about / know that …
▪ By the way, have you heard about / did you know that …?

Apologies

▪ I’m writing to apologise for missing your party but I’m afraid I was with
flu.
▪ I’m really sorry that I forgot to send you a birthday card but I was busy
with my new job.

Invitations

▪ I’m / We’re having a party on Friday 19th and I / we hope you’ll be able
to come/would you like to come?

17
 ▪ I was wondering if…
▪ Could you let me / us know if you can come / you’d like to join us?
▪ Thank you very much for your invitation. I’d love to come.
▪ Thank you for asking / inviting me to … but I’m afraid I won’t be able to
…

Requests

▪ I’m writing to ask for your help / you (if you could do me) a favour.
▪ I wonder if / I was wondering if you could help me / do me a favour.
▪ I hope you don’t mind me asking but could you (possibly) …?
▪ I’d be very / really / terribly grateful if you could …

Thank you / Congratulations / Good Luck

▪ I’m writing to thank you for your hospitality / the wonderful present.
▪ I really appreciated all your help / advice.

▪ Congratulations on passing your exams / your excellent exam results!

▪ I wish you good luck / with your exams / your driving test / your
interview.

▪ Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll do well / pass.

▪ Do be on time, won’t you, and don’t forget to …

Making suggestions and recommendations

▪ Why don’t you …? / Maybe you could …? / How about …?

▪ You can’t leave New York without (...doing sth)
▪ I’m sure you will enjoy (...doing sth). If you like, we can …
▪ Do visit ... / Don’t forget to ...

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.
▪ 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.
18
 EMAIL: SAMPLE PAPER

Hello Simon,

How are things going? I’ve just read your letter, what a surprise! I couldn’t
believe you would write me so soon! Thanks for writing anyway, I know I’m
always in your mind!

I'm glad you're interested in my country. As your friend said, I'd like us to email
each other to help me improve your English.

Let me start by telling you a bit about myself and my family. My name's Pepita
and I live in Murcia, which is about 3 hours from the capital by car. I used to
work for a medical company but now I'm learning to be a salesperson. In the
future I want a job where I can travel for my work. I've already been to a few
places in Europe but I've never been to an English-speaking country.

I live at home with my parents, which is convenient, as I don't have to do much

housework and my meals are cooked for myself. My younger brother is studying
at university. Although he is four years younger than me, we get on quite well.
We both enjoy snowboarding and music.

What about you? Have you ever been to Spain? It would be great if you could
come over one day and we could fix up a meeting. Why don't you let me know
your plans?

Anyway, I must go and get on with my work! Looking forward to hearing from
you soon.

Best wishes,

Pepita

19