ie The Ultimate CAE Writing Guide for C1 Cambridge Writing for C1 KSE Academy® e i] acc Sag ee Luis Porras WadleyWriting Strategy for C1 Advanced The aim of this section is to provide you with the best strategy to approach a regular C1 Advanced writing task. This approach can be divided into the following steps: 1. Analysis 2. Structure 3. Brainstorming 4. First draft 5, Editing 6. Final piece 7. Final check So let us take a sample task to illustrate this process step by step. Your class has had a discussion on whether the education system provides young people with enough support to develop careers which suit their abilities and interests. You have made the notes below. Methods the education system currently uses to help students find suitable careers * providing courses and qualification * work experience programmes * careers advice ‘Some opinions expressed during the discussion: “Most of what we study will never be useful in any future job.” “It’s impossible to know what to study at university without any work experience.” “Most teachers are unable to provide advice because they've only ever worked as teachers.” Write an essay discussing two of the methods in your notes. You should explain which method is most effective, giving reasons to support your answer. You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed in the discussion, but you should use your own words as far as possible. Write your answer in 220 - 260 words in an appropriate styleWriting Strategy for C1 Advanced (cont.) Step 1: Analysis Now that we have the sample task (see the previous page), we need to analyse what the task is about and what it is asking us to do. So we can identify the following elements: + What to write: an essay + What about: methods the education system currently uses to help students find suitable careers + Ideas: 3 (deal with 2 only) + Opinions: 3 (each opinion corresponds to an idea) + How many words: 220- 260 + Style: appropriate style for an essay (formal) Step 2: Structure One of the most important things about any piece of writing is its structure. Thankfully, the writing tasks at C1 Advanced usually provide enough information to get a clear idea of the structure the text should have. By reading the task instructions, we can identify the following structure: + Title: Yes: “Helping students find suitable jobs” + Paragraphs: 4-5 introduction (every writing task needs an introduction) + work experience programmes + careers adviceWriting Strategy for C1 Advanced (cont.) Step 3: Brainstorming Now that we know the structure we are going to follow, we need to brainstorm ideas for each paragraph and make sure that these ideas show a logical progression. At this point, writing proper, full sentences is not necessary, as our aim is simply to get ideas to write about in the following step. Itis advisable, however, to divide these ideas into the paragraphs that our text is going to have. This can be done as follows: Introduction Work experience programmes problem nowadays with education system, high unemployment rate, unhappy youth, solution? students too young --> gap year —> gain experience before college --> make better choice --> know what to expect --> fewer dropouts + unhappy at work Careers advice teachers can’t advise well —> need careers advisor/counsellor --> professional opportunities after degree --> more accurate expectations Conclusion L2 summary + more personal opinion (work experience better than careers advice) At this point, it might also be useful to brainstorm some vocabulary related to the topic of the writing task. Cambridge C1 AdvancedWriting Strategy for C1 Advanced (cont.) Step 4: First Draft Only when we have a clear idea of what we are going to write should we actually start to. do so. This first piece of writing is commonly known as the first draft, which is basically a provisional version of the final result. Helping students find suitable careers Nowadays, there seems to be a big problem with our education system. More and more youngsters are finding themselves stuck in jobs that have little or nothing to do with what | they studied, As a consequence, they feel more frustrated and there is more unemployment, as they tend to quit eventually. But is there a possible solution to this? | believe so. On the one hand, one of the main problems is that students are too young decide what to. study. For this reason, they don't have enough experience to know what they really want or like. If they had more experience, they would make a better choice. There would be fewer college dropouts and fewer people unhappy with their jobs. Therefore, taking a gap year before college and taking a work experience problem is a great idea. On the other hand, one of the most obvious problems is that students don't have enough guidance. Teachers try their best to guide students when choosing a degree to study, but | they don't have the necessary qualifications to do so, so they are not the best people. What students need are professional careers counsellors. They can help students have more acurate expectations about college and their future opportunities. | On the whole, | think that if we take care of these two problems, the education system will become much more effective in helping students find suitable jobs after finishing college. However, | believe that we would benefit most from implementing work experience programs, as your own experience is more valuable than other's professional help. The purpose of writing a draft is no other than to have the base of our final text. So we will now edit it and improve it until we are content with the result. Without editing and mprovements, the result is usually not the best we can achieve. That is the reason why this draft is relatively simple and contains several intentional mistakes.Writing Strategy for C1 Advanced (cont.) Step 5: Editing The editing step consists simply in rereading the task several times to spot mistakes and elements that we can improve. In this case, we can make the following changes and improvements: + Pick better words: + big problem serious problem + more and more> growing number of + Improve structures: + Butis there a possible solution to this? | believe so. > But is there something to be done about this? Experts believe so. + Ifthey had If they were to have + Add connectors: + Therefore, + Inturn, + Correct typos and other mistakes: + problem > programme * acurate > accurate « decide > to decide + Add the “expert element”: + experts believe so + experts claim + recent research points outWriting Strategy for C1 Advanced (cont.) + Add advanced structures: + Not only are teachers not qualified..., but also.. + Itis believed that... + Adapt to formal language: + Nocontractions. + Less subjective language. + Adjust the number of words | + Other improvements By carrying out this editing process, you will ensure that your writing is not only mistake- free, but also at an appropriate linguistic level to pass the C1 Advanced Writing paper. Taking the time to edit your essay carefully will pay off in the form of a higher grade. So, if you want to ensure that your writing is of the best possible standard, make sure to edit it thoroughly before submission.Writing Strategy for C1 Advanced (cont.) Step 6: Final Piece Below you will find the final piece of writing, ready for submission, after all the planning and editing process. Helping students find suitable careers Nowadays, there seems to be a serious problem with our education system. A growing | number of youngsters are finding themselves stuck in jobs that have little or nothing to do with their degrees. As a consequence, frustration and unemployment are on the rise, as young workers eventually tend to resign. But is there something to be done about this? | Experts believe so. On the one hand, it is believed that when choosing a degree, students are not mature ‘enough. Therefore, they lack the necessary experience to know what they really desire for their future. If they were to have more experience, they would choose more wisely. In turn, | there would be fewer college dropouts and more fulfilled young workers. For this reason, experts claim that embarking on a work experience programme would be truly beneficial. On the other hand, recent research points out that students lack appropriate career | guidance. Not only are teachers not qualified for this task, but also they lack the resources to provide students with guidance. Thus it is of utmost importance to hire professional careers counsellors, who can help students develop more accurate expectations of their careers and professional opportunities. | Imconctuson,| hold the view tha it we tackle these two issues, our education system will become more effective in aiding students to become satisfied workers after finishing their | university studies. However, implementing work experience programmes will bring about greater benefits for youngsters than seeking professional counselling, This is so because | | believe that your own experience is more valuable than someone else's professional opinion.Writing Strategy for C1 Advanced (cont.) Step 7: Final Check In this phase, we should ask ourselves the following questions: Content check 1 Have I covered all the key information required? 0 Have | written only information which is relevant to the task? CO Have I developed the basic points in the task with my own ideas? Communicative achievement check C1 Have | achieved the main purpose(s) of the text (e.g. explaining, persuading, etc)? © Have | used a suitable mix of fact and opinion? C1 Have | used a suitable style and register (formal or informal) for the task? Organisation check © Have | used paragraphs appropriately to organise my ideas? © Have | used titles, headings, openings, closings, etc. appropriately? © Is the connection between my ideas clear and easy for the reader to follow? © Are the ideas balanced appropriately, with suitable attention and space? Language check © Have | used a wide range of vocabulary? Have I avoided repeating the same words and phrases? Have | used a range of simple and more complex grammatical structures? Have | used any common phrases relevant to the specific task or topic? Is my use of grammar accurate? goa0a Is my spelling accurate? If the answers to these questions are positive, then we have probably done a good job. If not, we should go back and revise the text until it meets these requirements. re brands belonging to The Unive WwCandidates’ FAQ How many tasks do we have to write? You will have to write two tasks, as there are two parts. In the first part, you will have to write an essay. In the second part, you will have to choose one task from a choice of three. In Part 2, the following text types can appear: email, letter, report, proposal, or review. What if | write too much (over 260 words) or too little (under 220 words)? Cambridge writing assessors do not count how many words you have written to determine whether to penalise you or not. But you must consider the following: if you have written a lot more words than necessary, you have probably included irrelevant information in the task. In the same way, if you fall very short, you are probably lacking essential information. Those two things would affect your grade negatively. For this reason, | always recommend not obsessing over the number of words and focusing instead on tackling every single point of the task effectively. And, if you still want to set yourself a hard limit, | would limit writing tasks to 10-20 words under or over the recommended limit. That way, you have slightly more freedom to write but are still constrained by a reasonable limit. How long can | spend on each task? Both tasks have the same word limit, are similar in difficulty, and are worth the same number of marks. For this reason, given that you have 1 hour and 30 minutes to do both tasks, | recommend spending up to 45 minutes on the first one, so that you have at least another 45 minutes for the second one. Where do I have to write my answers? If you are taking a computer-based test, you can write your answers on the computer just like the rest of the test. In this case, you are also provided, if you wish, with rough paper to make some notes. Ifyou are doing a paper-based test, you will have to write your answers in the answer booklet, which is provided to you at the beginning of the writing component. Also, if you need more paper, you can request it from the supervisor or invigilator of the exam session. But make sure that at the end of the exam, you turnin all of the papers with your final answers and nothing else.Candidates’ FAQ (cont.) What's the difference between a proposal and a report? In general, proposals and reports are quite similar. The difference is that while a report usually asks the candidate to analyse a situation or experience that has already passed, a proposal tends to focus on something that will happen in the future. However, you may encounter some tasks that may have some features common to both reports and proposals. Don't worry too much about the difference. Instead, focus on answering each point in the right way and in the right format. When writing a letter or an email, do | need to include a postal address, an email address, and/or other sender or recipient details? No, you don't. Writing a postal or email address is not necessary and, if you do write it, you will be wasting time and space. As regards sender or recipient details, it is enough to write the recipient's name at the beginning (if you know it) and sign with your name at the end. Can L use a pencil ina paper-based exam? No, you can't. You must do this part using a pen. For this reason, among others, you must write a draft first, so you can avoid making mistakes and corrections in your final piece. I've made a mistake using a pen. What can | do? Ifyou need to alter what you have written, you should cross out the relevant words. You are not allowed to use any correction fluid (e.g., Tipp-Ex). Crossing out some words and making legible alterations will not have a negative impact on your mark. Can I repeat exact phrases from the instructions in my answers? While you can, and sometimes it will be natural to do so, you should use your own words as far as possible. In Part 4 (essay), can | discuss all three points rather than just two? No, you can't. Ifyou do, you will be penalised for including irrelevant information as you did not follow the instructions of the task, which indicates that you must only focus on two of the points.Candidates’ FAQ (cont.) Are mistakes allowed in the C1 Advanced Writing paper? Mistakes are neither allowed nor forbidden. Cambridge writing examiners will focus on what you can do rather than what you cannot. For this reason, making mistakes does not automatically mean you are bound to fail. However, note that you are doing a C1-level exam, so only minor mistakes with high-level vocabulary or grammar are expected. Therefore, if, for instance, you are unable to use verb tenses correctly, it will affect your score negatively, as it is something expected of lower-level candidates. How do spelling and punctuation affect my grade? Spelling errors and faulty punctuation are not specifically penalised, but you should know that mistakes in these areas can sometimes impede communication and have a negative effect on the target reader's impression. Please double-check your writing to avoid these errors before submitting it. In paper-based exams, do | need to write everything in capital letters? No, you don't. The use of capital letters is compulsory in other parts of the exam, but not in the writing paper. If you do, it will not be a problem, but you will probably be more comfortable using lower-case handwriting, My handwriting is not very good. What should | do? The quality of their handwriting is not assessed in the test. The important thing is that your text is easily legible. If your handwriting is so bad that other people cannot read it, you might have to make an effort to make it better when doing the exam or you can consider doing the exam in its computer-based format Am | allowed to underline the task instructions? Yes, you are. You are encouraged to do so. If you are doing a paper-based exam, simply use your pen to underline whatever you want. If you are doing a computer-based exam, you can select the text you wish to underline, then right-click using your mouse or trackpad and highlight it. In this case, the text will appear in yellow.Candidates’ FAQ (cont.) Can I take some notes with me after the writing exam? No, you can't. You are not allowed to take with you any of the test materials or rough paper used during the exam. The supervisor or invigilator will collect those before you leave the exam room. I would like to revise my writing at home. Can | take a copy with me after the test? No, you can't. Just like you cannot take your notes with you, you are not allowed to take with you any copy or rough paper used during the exam. The supervisor or invigilator will collect those before you leave the exam room. Is American English spelling incorrect? No, not at all. Any standard spelling variety will be considered correct, whether it be in British English or American English. So you can write "realise" or "realize", for instance. However, even though this does not affect your score, you should be consistent with your spelling and stick to one variety as far as possible. Can usea dictionary during the exam? No, you can't. Dictionaries are not allowed in the C1 Advanced examination. In Part 1, do | have to use the opinions provided? As the instructions indicate, you can use them if you wish, which means that it is not compulsory to use those opinions. They are there simply to make sure that candidates can think of some opinions regarding the topic and do not waste time trying to come up with what to write about. But remember that you should use your own words as far as possible, even if you base your essay on the opinions present in the instructions. When writing a review, does everything need to be positive? Not at all. If you have chosen to write a review, the sentiment, as a whole, is likely to be Positive. But it would be also expected to find some negative observations. Can | use bold font, italics or underline when doing a computer-based test? No, you can’t. The text you write is plain text. You can, however, use capital letters for headings if you want them to stand out. 21EssaysESSAYS Writing Part 1: Essays Purpose of an essay An essay is a piece of writing in which you are asked to discuss a topic that might be controversial or relevant in some context. It usually follows a class discussion, seminar, debate, etc. and is typically addressed to a college professor or teacher. Essays are meant to hold the target reader’s attention and communicate complex ideas. Register and style The language of an essay should be formal. You must make sure that you justify all your ideas and that you use an appropriate range of C1-level grammar and vocabulary as well as connectors to link your sentences and paragraphs. Structure An essay should be well organised, with an introduction at the beginning, clear development and an appropriate conclusion at the end. The development or body should consist of two or three main paragraphs, depending on how you decide to structure your ideas. Also, you can choose whether to give it a title or not. This could even be the same question provided in the task. Giving your opinion Typically, in an essay, we tend to express our opinion at the end, although it is acceptable to do so at the beginning as well. Common topics Some common topics to write essays about are the environment, health and fitness, work and employment, friendships and family, money, celebrities, etc. 23ESSAYS Sample Essay 1 Instructions Your class has watched a debate between local politicians about how to attract more tourists to your town. You have made the notes below. Ways to increase tourism in our town: * build a shopping centre «improve roads and motorways © open art galleries Some opinions expressed during the debate: “A mall is a great way to attract visitors from the area and it will help to reduce local unemployment.” “By improving local roads and motorways, it will be easier to reach our town, so more people will want to come.” “Art galleries can attract many tourists if they feature pieces by renowned artists.” Write an essay discussing two of the ways to increase local tourism which you have in your notes. You should explain which method is better to attract tourists, giving reasons to support your answer. You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed in the debate, but you should use your own words as far as possible. Do you need someone to mark your essay? Check out KSE Academy's writing assessment ser: phone or visit https://kdp.kseacademy.com/wr’t ~ coupon AMZWC1 fora great discount as a thank «2. ~ QR code on the left with your re information. Use the 3 this book, 24} ESSAYS. Sample Essay 1 Answer How to increase tourism in our town For the last decade, our beautiful town has suffered a sharp decline in outside visitors, which is worrying politicians and other local authorities. For this | reason, new ideas are being put forward to boost tourism locally in the next few years. Some of these include building a shopping centre and opening art galleries. The main argument in favour of building a mall on the outskirts is that these facilities attract people who live in towns and cities around our own Furthermore, these visitors will come here to spend money in our stores, helping to grow the local economy. However, some argue that since this mall would be located in the suburbs, not the city centre, most visitors might never step inside the city at all, failing to grow local tourism whatsoever. The other proposal to promote local tourism -opening art galleries is regarded by most as a risky choice. Art galleries, some believe, typically fail to attract large numbers of people, which is what most politicians desire. While there might be some truth in that statement, this type of museum would be located in the city centre, thus making it likely for tourists to spend time and money in our beloved city. If | had to choose one of these two options to make our city more appealing to tourists, | would say that investing in art galleries seems like a safer solution in the long run. Art galleries would attract a fair number of tourists every year who would likely spend a few days in our city. Therefore, in the ong term, this would help our town more efficiently than building a mall.ESSAYS. Sample Essay 2 Instructions Your class has watched a documentary on the current popularity of working from home. You have made the notes below. Points discussed in the documentary © family time © financial costs * environmental considerations Some opinions expressed during the documentary: “Working from home makes it easier to spend time with your family.” “Companies reduce costs as they can manage without physical premises.” “By having workers stay at home, we are reducing pollution caused by cars and public transport.” Write an essay discussing two of the points in your notes. You should explain which point is the most important to consider as a company in favour of working from home, giving reasons to support your answer. You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed in the documentary, but you should use your own words as far as possible. Do you need someone to mark your essay? Check out KSE Academy's writing assessment se phone or visit https://kdp.kseacademy.com/vr Coupon AMZWCI for a great discount as a thank yo. *= code on the left with your information. Use the his book, 26ESSAYS Sample Essay 2 Answer Reasons to implement telecommuting as a company Telecommuting, or WFH (working from home), as it is more commonly referred to nowadays, seems to be here to stay. The advance of new technologies and other important factors are tipping the scales in favour of a home office -when the job allows it, that is. But what is the one definite aspect companies cannot overlook when considering this work model? Let us take a look at a couple of them. Firstly, for companies that really care about their employees’ well-being, family time is a crucial component. If workers do not have to spend several hours commuting to work every day, they will have a healthier work-life balance and increased quality time with their loved ones. This, in the long run, will contribute towards greater employee satisfaction and productivity. Furthermore, from a purely financial approach, maintaining an office to harbour a company’s workforce typically results in dear recurring costs, which can bring a company down by eating at its profits. Therefore, even though businesses are obliged to cover employees’ costs when working from home, these pale by comparison, amounting to almost half, if we look at the latest research. Asa business owner, | understand the importance of maintaining a company’s finances in the black. Therefore, | would not hesitate to say that cutting financial costs is the main factor companies need to look forward to when considering adopting a working-from-home model for their employees.ESSAYS Sample Essay 3 Instructions Your class has had a discussion on the importance of suitable role models in children’s upbringing. You have made the notes below. Factors that influence children’s upbringing | * parents’ behaviour at home * teachers at school * TV characters and celebrities Some opinions expressed during the discussion: “Children spend most of their time with their parents, so their behaviour is extremely influential.” “Nowadays, schools are places to acquire knowledge and to develop values.” “Children look up to celebrities and, therefore, they imitate what they see on TV.” Write an essay discussing two of the factors which influence children’s upbringing in your notes. You should explain which factor is most influential in children’s upbringing and education, giving reasons to support your answer. You may, if you wish, make use of the opinions expressed in the discussion, but you should use your own words as far as possible. Do you need someone to mark your essay? Check out KSE Academy's writing assessment ser: phone or visit https://kdp.kseacademy.com/w! ‘coupon AMZWCI for a great discount as a thank code on the left with your ‘information. Use the this book,| ESSAYS Sample Essay 3 Answer The importance of role models in children’s upbringing If there is something about children’s education that we can all agree on is that suitable role models during their childhood are the cornerstone of their behaviour. Though it may not be as straightforward as “monkey see, monkey do”, boys and girls learn primarily by observing and repeating, especially at a very young age. For this reason, one wonders about the role models children are exposed to nowadays and their real influence. On the one hand, we encounter day-to-day mentors, so to speak, that is, parents. Not only do children look up to these grown-ups whom they see and interact with every single day, but also they regard them as authority figures. This means that parents have both a passive and active role in children’s upbringing. On the other hand, we find role models on TV, whether they be cartoon characters or, more likely, real-life celebrities. If our child is in awe of a sportsperson, for instance, their deeds and achievements can have a tremendous impact upon our young ones, albeit not always a positive one. From my point of view, as a father of two, | must say that it scares me how influential celebrities can be in children’s life, especially in this era dominated by online influencers and wannabes. However, | still believe that the example we, parents, set at home is more significant and will have more long-lasting | effects.ESSAYS. Useful Expressions for Essays Sample1 a sharp decline For this reason, ‘are being put forward boost tourism The main argument in favour of Furthermore, However, some argue that failing to grow local tourism whatsoever is regarded by most as some believe While there might be thus making it beloved city If! had to choose... would say that inthe long run in the long term Sample2 18 itis more commonly referred to be here to stay tipping the scales in favour of let us take a look Firstly, a crucial component commuting workife balance quality time in the long run contribute towards Furthermore, ca purely financial approach harbour a company’s workforce dear recurring costs bring a company down mbridge C1 Advaced and CAF are brands belon + eating its profits + obliged to cover employees' costs + pale by comparison + amountto + inthe black I would not hesitate + cutting financial costs Sample 3 + the cornerstone of their behaviour + monkey-see, monkey do + one wonders about + Onthe one hand, /On the other hand, + sotospeak + Notonly do children look up to. + children's upbringing + whether it be + inawe ofa sportsperson + deeds and achievements + havea tremendous impact upon + albeit not always + From my point of view + inthis era dominated by influencers and wannabes more long-lasting effectsESSAYS: Useful Expressions for Essays Other useful expressions Talking about facts and trends + Itisoften said that... + Itis common knowledge that ... plays a crucial role in + Itis undoubtedly the case that... + Theres little doubt that. + ...1swidely believed to contribute to + Itis generally considered that. Recent research indicates that the number of... is increasing. . i a topic that is often discussed but rarely solved. + Recent research suggests that... + Studies have shown that ... has an impact/influence on... «Statistics show that + The trend nowadays is towards ... + Overthe past/last ten years or so, ... + Hardly a week goes by without another report of ... appearing in the media. + ...1sahotly-debated topic that often divides opinion. + This raises the issue of whether . +... clearly/undoubtedly has an impact on + Itiscommon knowledge that... plays a crucial role in + Few people would contest/dispute the fact that + Many people feel that... + Although most people would generally agree that... few + More and more people are choosing to... + Welive in an age when many of us are + Opponents ofthis idea claim/maintain that . + Those who disagree/ are against these ideas may say/ assert that . + Some people may disagree with this idea, + Some people may say that ..., however, .. + Another factor to considers... + On the other hand/In contrast + Itis often claimed that . + Allthe evidence suggests that. 31ESSAYS Useful Expressions for Essays Stating your opinion Other Wit+verb + Asiseeit, ... + I think/consider/find/feel/believe that... + Thewaylseeit, ... + | suppose/presume/assume that + Asfaras|’m concerned, ... + Iwould say that... + Asforme,... + Thave the feeling that. + Astome,... + Thave no doubt that... + Personally speaking, + [hold the opinion/view that... + Speaking from experience, | would say that... + I take the view that . + There is no doubt in my mind that... * lamunder the impression + Lam ofthe opinion that + lamsure/certain that. + [would also say that... + lamconvinced that... + lam inclined to believe that . + Itgoes without saying that . + Itseems to me that... Arguments and causes + One justification often given for... is that... + Advocates/Proponents would claim that.... + Those who objectto ... offen argue that . + Another objection is that... + However, it should not be forgotten that.... + ...are opposed to ... on the grounds that {tis my impression that... + From the point of view of... + According to... In/érom/To my... . + Inmyopinion, . + One ofthe factors which has led to. is + Inmyview, .. + One factor which has brought this about is... + Inmyeyes,... + Theproblem often stems from From my point of view, ... + Thesituation has been exacerbated by .. + Frommy viewpoint, . +... hasonly made the situation worse. + Tomymind,... + One consequence o + Tobe honest, + Myopinion / view /belief impression is that ... + Myown feeling on the subject is that + Mypersonal view is that...| ESSAYS Useful Expressions for Essays Concluding + Inlight of the above, | would say that... + Taking allthis into consideration/account, ... + Allinall, itseems to me that All things considered, + Asfarasiamconcerneg, ... . is the most effective way to ... due to the fact that .. + Despite the fact that... undoubtedly plays a role in ... firmly believe that... is more effective due to the fact that its advantages outweigh its drawbacks. + The obvious conclusion to be drawn is that + Onbalance, | tend to believe that... + The world would surely be a better place to live in if. + ifthad to choose which ... is the best/most efficient for/most beneficial to..., !would have to pickEmails & LettersEMAILS & LETTERS Writing Part 2: Emails & Letters Purpose of a letter or email Given that an email/letter is written in response to a situation outlined in the task, the purpose of the letter or email will depend on each specific task. Some tasks ask you to provide your friend with some important information, while others will ask you to apply fora job, complain about something or request information. Register Letters/emails in the C1 Advanced Writing paper require a response which is appropriate for the specified target reader. Candidates can expect to be asked to write to, for example, the editor of a newspaper or magazine, to the director of a company, to a school or college principal, or to a friend, relative or colleague. Therefore, the language depends entirely on the type of task, but in general, you should use an informal style only if you are writing to a friend or close relative. Otherwise, you should stick to more formal language, which happens in letters of inquiry, application or complaint, for instance. Structure All letters or emails should have a similar, conventional structure. You need an opening salutation and closing formula; an introductory and closing paragraph; and the main body consisting of as many paragraphs as ideas you are asked to discuss. Common topics Many letters or emails to friends and relatives include giving advice on a certain subject like visiting your town or keeping fit, or maybe some tips on how to deal with a personal problem. As for formal letters and emails, they usually ask you to apply for a job or a volunteering programme or to complain about something or ask for information. Sometimes these topics may appear in combination ands belong ot associa 35EMAILS & LETTERS | Sample Informal Email 1 Instructions You have received an email from an English-speaking friend: “As you know, I'll be attending a language course in your town next month! Lessons are in the mornings, so I'm free in the afternoons and weekends. What's the best way to spend my free time there? Perhaps you can | suggest a few indoor as well as outdoor activities? Remember that I'm not much of a sports fan!” | Write your email in 220 - 260 words in an appropriate style. Do not include any subject or email addresses. Do you need someone to mark your informal email or letter? QR code on the left with your ore information. Use the this book. Check out KSE Academy's writing assessment ser phone or visit https://kdp.kseacademy.com/writ ‘coupon AMZIVCI for a great discount as a thank vEMAILS & LETTERS Sample Informal Email 1 Answer Hi Mike! How's it going, mate? Things are just swell over here: the weather's great and IU be off work soon for a couple of weeks. So it’s absolutely fantastic that you're doing that course you told me about here in Granada. Here's a couple of things to keep you busy in your spare time, which, BTW, you've got tons of, haven't you? If the weather's not that great when you're here — though | doubt it! -, you might want to make the most of the cafés and tea rooms in Granada. Tea rooms are a great part of social life here and you can find a bunch of them around Elvira Street. They all serve super tasty Muslim-style tea and some even have stand-up performances on weekends. Make sure you check’em out, will you? However, the weather's most definitely going to be great at some point during your stay - remember, this is Andalusia! — so walking up and down the city is the best way to get to know it. Besides, walking will help you get rid of those extra kilos you put on over Xmas, haha! Just pick a few spots you'd like to visit and check them out with your classmates after your lessons. IMO, you can't miss the Alhambra, the greatest ancient Muslim palace in the world; or St Nicholas Viewpoint. They're simply two of the best things you'll come across in Granada. Seriously! Anyways, bro, I'd better get going. I've got tons of things to do before my holidays. Let me know if there's anything else I can give you a hand with. Take care! PaulEMAILS & LETTERS | Sample Informal Email 2 Instructions friend of yours is now interested in studying English abroad too, so he has sent you an email asking about your experience with that school. Reply to your friend, providing information and advice. In your email, you should explain why the language school is good, tell him what you did during your stay abroad and tell him about something he should consider before going there. You recently spent a month learning English abroad in a language school. A | | Write your answer in 220 - 260 words in an appropriate style. Do not include any subject or email addresses. Do you need someone to mark your informal email or letter? se QR code on the left with your information. Use the this book, Check out KSE Academy's writing assessment serv phone or visit https://kdp.kseacademy.com/v coupon AMZWC! for a great discount as a thank mii nee r f kEMAILS & LETTERS Sample Informal Email 2 Answer Hey Alex! How's it going, man? | hope you and your family are all good! It's great to hear you're thinking about studying abroad as well. You won't regret it! Let me tell you a bit about my experience so you can make up your mind The language school is just fantastic! The facilities are amazing and they have everything really well thought out for international students. It offers plenty of places for socialising as well as for studying, obviously! So you won't even have to spend any time hitting the books at home. And the teachers really know their stuff! As for my stay abroad, | don't have words to describe how wonderful the experience has been. I've met loads of interesting people from all over the world! We spent most of our time partying -of course!- and sightseeing, so | feel like | know the country much better now. I'm dying to go back, to be honest. If you're thinking about going there too, I'd advise you to do so in the summer, as | did. That way you'll enjoy awesome weather conditions and there will be a lot more foreigners you can mingle with. You don't want to be spending your time with other Spaniards, do you? Remember you're there to improve your English! Listen, mate, you should totally go. I'm sure you'll have a blast. If you have any other questions, give me a quick call and we'll chat for a bit, alright? Anyways, let me know what you decide, will you? Take care, CarlosEMAILS & LETTERS Sample Informal Email 3 Instructions You have received a letter from a friend asking for advice: “As you know, | recently graduated from college and now have to decide what to do next. My parents have offered me a job in the family business, which is going quite well, to be honest. However, I'm not sure if I'm ready to start working just yet. Instead, | was thinking that it would be good for my career to study for a Master's degree. That could help me get a better job later on, don’t you think? | don't know what to do and | don’t want to disappoint my family! What would you do if you were me?” Write your letter in reply in 220 - 260 words in an appropriate style. Do not include postal addresses. Do you need someone to mark your informal email or letter? QR code on the left with your ‘ore information. Use the this book. Check out KSE Academy's writing assessment s phone or visit https://kdp.kseacademy.com/vri ‘coupon AMZWCI for a great discount as a thank 0. IF are branesbe 40EMAILS & LETTERS Sample Informal Email 3 Answer Hi Tom, Thank you so much for your letter! It's not every day that I receive some snail mail! | hope all is well with you and your family, despite this dilemma you're facing. It sounds like you're in a bit of a pickle and you're simply trying to make the | right decision for your future, which might be slightly different from what is expected of you, so to speak. | completely understand where you are coming from, as I've sometimes found myself in a similar tight spot. First, let me tell you that | think it is admirable that you are considering furthering your education with a Master's degree. | am certain this will help you land a better job down the road. However, | also understand that you are afraid of disappointing your family by rejecting their generous job offer and, if I'm being honest, | kind of understand your family's standpoint as well. | feel that the most appropriate course of action in this situation is to talk to your family about your plans and make them see things from your perspective. Explain to them why you want to get a Master's degree and how it will benefit your career in the tong run. They may be more understanding than you give them credit for and, who knows, they might even be willing to help support you financially while you pursue your studies. | sincerely hope this advice was helpful, Tom. Wishing you all the best in whatever decision you make! Love, RobertoEMAILS & LETTERS Useful Expressions for Informal Emails Sample 1 + How'sitgoing, mate? + Things are just swell + Ill be off work + keep you busy in your spare time - Bm, + you might want to make the most of + abunchofthem + stand-up performances + make sure you check'em out, will you? + mostdefinitely + atsome point during your stay + getrid of those extra kilos + IMO + you'll come across + Id better get going + tons ofthings to do give you a hand with Sample 2 + How'sitgoing, man? + It'sgreat to hear + Youwon't regret it! + you can make up your mind + they have everything really well thought out «hitting the books really know their stuff + asformystay abroad + I don't have the words to + loads of interesting people + 'mdying to. go back + I'dadvise you to do so + youcan mingle with + you don't want to be spending + listen, mate, you should totally go + you'll havea blast vanced and CAE are brands belonging + give mea quick call and we'll chat for a bit + [etme know what you decide, will you? Sample 3 + itsnotevery day that + snail mail + this dilemma you're facing + inabitofa pickle + sotospeak + understand where you are coming from + asimilar tight spot + itisadmirable that + furthering your education + Lam certain + landa betterjob down the road + if'mbeing honest + your family’s standpoint + the most appropriate course of action benefit your careerin the long run + yougive them credit for + support you financially to pursue your studies + wishing you all the best Sith KSF AcademEMAILS & LETTERS Useful Expressions for Informal Emails More useful expressions Greetings + DearMike, + Hello Mike, + HiMike! Introductory paragraph + How’sitgoing, mate? + Howare you doing, bro? + How are things on your end? How are things going over there? + It’s great to hear from you after so long! + Long time, no see! + Sorry! haven't written for yonks/ages, but + I'mreally sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you. Reacting to good news + I'msoglad to hear that + I'mtruly happy that + Great news about your + It'sso.awesome/great that + I'mover the moon about your news! + Mate, Ican't believe that..... That's fantastic, isn't it? Reacting to bad news + 'mextremely/so sorry to hear about/that ... + Ican'ttell you how sadam that... + mextremely sorry to hear about . It’s just awful to hear that .. Jam torn to read your news. + F'msorry to hear such terrible news. I'm very sorry - that must be awful/frustrating/scary/difficult ifthere’s anything | can do, just let me know. J really don’t know what to say, | can’t believe it. I'm very sorry. 43EMAILS & LETTERS Useful Expressions for Informal Emails Introducing paragraphs & ideas + Oh, bythe way, + Oh,lalmost forgot, + Hey, did you hear about..? + One more thing, + Astor + Bythe way, tell me about Ending the informal email or letter + Well, !gotta dash/go now. + Anyway, Ishould get going. + ve got to leave you now, my friend. + Id better get going, mate. + Well, it’s time togo + Make sure you write back soon. + Don’t forget to drop mea line soon. + Lookafter yourself + Take care of yourselé + [hope to hear from you soon. + 'mllooking forward to hearing from you soon. + Ok,catch you later. + Ok, well, see you soon. Closing formulas + Allmylove, + Love, Lots of love, + Allthe best, + Take care, + Best wishes, + Best, + Regards, + Kind regards,EMAILS & LETTERS Sample Application Letter Instructions You have seen the following advertisement in a local newspaper: “JOIN OUR MARKETING AGENCY TODAY Are you interested in marketing and need some work experience to advance your career? We are launching our new work experience programme and are looking for ten interns to join us for the next three months. You will learn the ins and outs of working in a prestigious marketing agency and you will have a chance of getting hired if you prove yourself useful. If you think you would be a suitable candidate, send us your letter of application and let us know why you think you should be picked for one of the ten vacancies.” Write your letter of application. Do not include postal addresses. Write your answer in 220 - 260 words in an appropriate style. Do you need someone to mark your formal email or letter? Check out KSE Academy's writing assessment service. 5 phone or visit https://kdp.kseacademy.com/writing-c coupon AMZWCI fora great discount as a thank you QR code on the left with your mare information. Use the ‘sing this book. 46EMAILS & LETTERS Sample Application Letter Answer To whom it may concern | am tremendously excited to apply to join the work experience programme at such a prestigious marketing agency, | truly believe that my expertise in search engine optimization coupled with my passion for marketing makes me one of the most suitable candidates for the position. | have been employed as an SEO Specialist for the past year, during which I have assisted numerous small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in improving their ontine visibility and organic traffic. My deep understanding of how search engines function and my ability to optimize websites are only matched by my commitment to always keep up-to-date with the latest changes in such a volatile industry. In addition to my technical skills, | am also a passionate creative thinker who is always coming up with novel approaches to market products and services. Therefore, | am confident that | can bring substantial value to your team and contribute to your success. | am confident that I can be a valuable asset and contribute to the success of your agency. Moreover, | am eager to learn and grow in this field, and | strongly believe that working with you would be an excellent opportunity to do so. | would be grateful if you could give me the opportunity to join your programme and learn from some of the most talented marketers in the industry. Thank you in advance for your time. | ook forward to hearing from you soon Yours faithfully, James McGrantEMAILS & LETTERS | Sample Letter of Compl. Instructions A local newspaper has recently published an article which claims that Latin is a dead language and that, at present, it is useless to people's education. You have read the article and disagree with most of it. Write a letter to the newspaper editor and explain your reasons for disagreeing with the article and give your opinion on the value of Latin in people's education today. Write a complaint letter to the editor. Do not include postal addresses. Write your answer in 220 — 260 words in an appropriate style. | ae a Do you need someone to mark your formal email or letter? Check out KSE Academy's writing assessment ser ne QR code on the left with your phone or visit https://kdp.kseacademy.com/writ more information. Use the ‘coupon AMZWVCI for a great discount as a thank yo! sing this book, 48EMAILS & LETTERS Sample Letter of Complaint Answer Dear Editor, | | recently came across an article in your newspaper that claimed Latin is a dead language and completely useless to our society. | am afraid | strongly disagree with most of the assertions made in the piece, which is the reason for my writing to you today. Firstly, Latin, as you must be aware, is the foundation of many modern languages, some of which are among the most widely spoken across the globe (e.g. Spanish). Furthermore, according to the latest studies on the subject, it is estimated that 60% of English words have Latin roots. Hence, having some knowledge of Latin provides us with a deeper understanding of the most popular language in the world: Secondly, even if Latin is not spoken at present, it is still used in many fields, such as medicine, math, law, and the Catholic Church, which is such a prominent figure in our culture. Additionally, many classical works of literature, such as Horace's poetry, were originally written in Latin. Do you honestly believe that none of the essence of such works has been lost in translation? Since | do not, | consider Latin essential for grasping the essence of classical Roman literature. Finally, you should know that | am a regular reader of your newspaper and admire it very much, which is why I care so much about its content. Hopefully, you will consider my opinion on this matter and publish a rectification article. | look forward to hearing from you. Yours faithfully, Maurice Wadley |EMAILS & LETTERS. | Sample Email to the Author Instructions | You read the following extract in an online article on an English-language website: “Seeing children playing outside with their friends is becoming increasingly rare these days. The popularity of the Internet and mobile devices is having a negative impact on the health, fitness, and social skills of our children.” You decide to write an email to the author of the article, whose name is Jane McAvoy, explaining what you think about the points raised in the article and giving reasons for your opinions. | Write your answer in 220 — 260 words in an appropriate style. | Do you need someone to mark your formal email or letter? Check out KSE Academy's writing assessment se’ 2 QR code on the left with your phone or visit https://kdp.kseacademy.com/wr coupon AMZWC1 for a great discount as a than! 50EMAILS & LETTERS Sample Letter to the Author Answer Dear Ms McAvoy, I have recently come across your article about children and how the Internet is affecting them and, while | am in agreement with most of your views, there are certain aspects that | feel you did not portray accurately or explored insightfully. As you say, it is becoming increasingly rare to see children outdoors with their peers. But is this solely the Internet's fault? | seriously doubt it. In my view, parents are to blame for this as their busy schedules and long working hours to make ends meet make it virtually impossible for them to accompany their children while they spend some time outside with their friends, As regards how the Internet is affecting our younglings, it might be true that itis harming their health and social skills. However, it is also opening up a whole world of possibilities for them, including a host of ways to keep fit and socialise from the comfort of their home. Is this ideal? We might agree it is not, but the world is changing and so are the ways we can take care of ourselves, both physically and socially. My point is that the Internet is nothing other than a new tool in our society and it is up to us how our children make use of it. Unless we are mindful, it may pose a threat to our children's well-being. Otherwise, it can help them have the fulfilled life we no doubt wish for them, | hope you have the chance to read my email and get back to me with your thoughts. Yours sincerely, Rhonda Jones