Essay And Research Paper

Contractions are regarded as informal and spoken. Therefore  it is advisable not to use contractions in formal writing.   When doing the writing paper in the CAE or CPE exam , it is important to read the task carefully. The kind of text we have to write will determine whether we use a formal or informal style:   Proposals, reports, essays and letters to the editor or letters of complaint are formal documents. It means it is preferable not use contractions in them.   Letters/e-mails to friends and articles for a students´magazine are informal pieces of writing. It is quite safe to use contraction in them.

What pieces of writing to expect in the CAE exam this year? From the official Cambridge web page: "Candidates are expected to write non-specialised text types, with a focus on advising, comparing, evaluating, expressing opinions, hypothesising, justifying and persuading. Candidates need to be prepared to write a variety of text types – they are not told the topics and text types in advance of the exam. Text types will include: an article a contribution to a longer piece an essay information sheets a letter a proposal a report a review a competition entry."

A report is a formal document you write to a figure of authority to describe an experience such as attending a conference or taking part in a project. Therefore it is expected to be a rather formal text, well-organised into sections and with proper language. 1. The organisation of a Report A report should have a title and subtitles (or subheadings) and be divided into clear sections. There is usually an introduction and a conclusion. Click here to see example. 2. Useful language / Phrases to use in a Report. In the introduction - The aim of this report is to... - The purpose of this report is to outline... - This report will also provide some recommendations on... In the conclusion - I strongly recommend...ing - It would be highly advisable to... - I would no doubt suggest...ing - I also believe we should... Click here to see example 3. The use of formal language in a Report Avoid using contractions in reports as they are too informal. Write "I would like to recommend..."

In British English advise (with "s") is the verb; and advice (with "c") is the noun. Let´s check some examples: Advise (verb) - I advise  you not to go to Peru in this time of the year. It´s better to go in January. - She advised me to take the FCE exam in June. Advice (noun/uncountable) - Listen to my advice and go to Peru in January when it´s sunny. - Her advice was to take the FCE exam in June. ..... *Note: Because advice is uncountable, it´s not possible to say advices.  Incorrect: She gave me advices. Correct: She gave me some advice.  

A discursive ( or "for and against" ) essay is different from an opinion essay . In an opinion essay , the writer starts out stating his/her opinion; in a discursive essay , the writer gives a balanced view and in the conclusion can either state his/her opinion or give a summary of both sides of the argument.   Source: "Speak Out" by Eales Frances and Oakes S.

An international current affairs magazine has invited readers to contribute articles entitled ‘ Globalisation- good news or bad ?’ for its next issue. You decide to write an article explaining your personal views on this topic. 280_ 320 words ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Let’s go global I disagree strongly with the idea that globalisation is a threat to traditional symbols, culture and identities. The way I see it, it is a reality which is provoking a sweeping change in our lifestyles. No need to say that the Internet, the social networks, the mobile phone and the free access telephone services like skype have not only great accessibility but truly have brought people from all around the world much closer.  " Personally, I can hardly do without these useful tools of communication.  They enable me to stay in touch with my distant family and also to find and share information with different people who have the same

Perhaps what I find more challenging in the CPE exam is writing an article . There is no magical formula for them, nor fixed phrases that you can memorise in order to use them in the exam (such as "the aim of this report is to..." or "dear Sir or Madam".) It used to terrify me to think I could be asked to write about a topic I know nothing about, or that I could lose 20 minutes looking for interesting title or a good way to start.   So what´s the trick to successfully write an article ? Is there one? Well, I found one, although I´m not sure it will work for everyone. When my mind goes blank in the middle of a writing exam, I always remember what my best friend told me once:   "Si no sabes cómo comenzar, empieza diciendo la verdad". "Just start by telling the truth if you don´t know how to start."     And I always to that.    .......... Read some SAMPLE ARTICLES A nostalgic trip to BA Life and the city                    

One of the books you are advised to read before taking the CPE exam is Sue Monk Kidd's "The secret life of bees" . The book is full of very useful vocabulary . This comes from chapter 1 of the book. BRISTLE ROLLERS PEACH ORCHARD (an area of land devoted to the cultivation of peaches) DUCKTAIL (hairstyle/ wear your hair in a ducktail) SOCK HOP (a dance/ an event in which teenagers gathered in the school to dance in the USA in the 1950s) KNEEL ON GRITS (  a very cruel form of punishment )

Using two-part phrases will help you enhance your writing for an international exam such as CAE, CPE or IELTS. Try using some of these two-part phrases the next time you write a letter/ essay/ article/ story... LEAPS AND BOUNDS                                                          PROS AND CONS ROUGH AND READY                                                         UPS AND DOWNS THROUGH AND THROUGH                                                         GIVE AND TAKE Examples Any skill such as playing the violin improves in leaps and bounds if you practise enough. (article) Even though our relationship had its ups and downs , I was sure that ours was a match made in heaven. (story) It would be infinitely preferable to take into consideration the pros and cons of building a new factory before making a final decision. (formal letter) ............... Students´samples: I’m sick and tired of having to queue every time I go to the bank. There are pros and cons to travelling abroad

WANT TO CHECK YOUR ANSWERS? CLICK HERE

This week´s phrasal verb is " saddle with ."   Definition: To make someone have a job or problem that is difficult or boring and that they do not want.   Examples:   I´ve been saddled with organising the whole party.   Many farms were saddled with debts.   I´ve been saddled with the job of writing a report of the college´s olympic games.

A HEAP OF STRAW                                MOULDY BREAD

To be  grinning like a cheshire cat means to be incredibly happy. The  Cheshire Cat  is a   fictional cat  popularised by  Lewis Carroll  in  Alice's Adventures in Wonderland  and known for its distinctive mischievous grin. Example: "She fancied him. It was as clear as water to us. As he talked to her she couldn´t help grinning like a cheshire cat."

The idiom RED TAPE   refers to excessive rules and regulations, bureaucratic details and delays. Example: I´m glad to announce I´ve made it through the red tape. The embassy has granted me a VISA so I´m going on holidays to Germany. ( = I have finally managed to get a VISA so I can travel.) Visit our Facebook Fan Page for more Idioms.

It´s vitally important to be able to use adverbs in the CAE/ CPE exams. When writing a book or film review , for example, it is fundamental to write descriptively. This will cause a very positive effect on the reader/ examiner Useful phrases poignantly        directed by              (*note: poignant meaning touching or moving) convincingly    directed by skilfully            directed by poignantly        acted by convincingly    acted by skilfully            acted by highly                  praised by overwhelmingly  praised by widely                 praised by harshly                criticised by        (*note: harshly meaning severely ) overwhelmingly  criticised by widely                 criticised by Examples: The 1998 Warner Bros film was skilfully directed by Griffin Dunne. Even though Practical Magic was widely criticised , I still consider it my favourite movie. *For further reference see book SpeakOut by Frances Eales and Steve Oakes. /Pearson. Visit our Facebook Page for

CAMOMILE                                                        DANDELION SUNFLOWER                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               VIOLET WATER LILY Visit the FACEBOOK PAGE for more Vocabulary / Collocations / Idioms / and  Phrasal verbs.