Writing Help

I A letTer (pcge 12)

Layout
Grammar
A Formal Letter (to a [anguage schoot) Informal styte: dropping of the subject in very inforr:.
c.orrespondence (e.g. postcards, emails. very iriformaI L::::.:
) ry( know
Vocabutary
if you got my first message.

Formal style: formal language - teachng stuf (: teachers)

I elclose (= here is ... wjth the letter)
InformaI styte:
. vague language - I'm kind of interested ... / What sott o.f thi::
Greeting are you interested in7
Deor Ms
lu.!n.n,
(when you know the person's name) . cottoquial expressions - our folls (= famity) back in the old
Dear Sir / Madam, (when you don,tknow the person,s name) ceuntry (= our country of origin)
t r.abbrevjatio.ns - inTo (= information), qrandad
I
Paragraph 1: Introduction (= grandfather)
I Linking words
for your letter of ...
Thank you FormaI styte: It is a small schooL. However. we have good
I_am vyliting with reference to your Letter of ... faciLities. In addition. we hove on ,rrdlrnt troching itaff.
I would definitely like to go on the course. Informal style: If's a nice place to visit. But it,s eipeniive.
/
Paragraph 2: Personal information
WelL how qre you? /
99, everyone,s well hre. / Anyway. must I
be going. / She's getting on well, too.
basic information about yourself and your famity: where
you live and who you tive with, schooiv, go'i','v"r,
interests Useful Vocabulary
Paragraph 3: Experience as learner Famity: of the family; reLatives (people in your
you d.on't.Live with, e.g. uncles, aunts, coisins); in_l"ows fomily
.me.nbers
years studied, current levet, exams passed, areas you
have ri a g e ) ; step n ot h e r, ste pfath inrity ty
most problems with
ma e r i'
step b roth e r,' step si ste
Litii
not by birth but because your parent has remaried); ancestor
Formal ending (someone n your family who lived o lonq time aqo')
I Language school: class size (number of studenti i'n a class);
forward to heaing from you soon.
Look
(if you started your letter Dear Ms Dutton)
sjn.cgrely, excursions; general courses, exam courss, business EngLish'
!9urs cours.es;
Yours faithfully, (if you started your [etter Dear
Sir / Madm)
facilities, e.g. Ianguage laboratory, self_access centre
Your signature place where you can study on you, o*n1
La
Free time: stay in; go out,
Print your name clearly.
to q club (a place to donce); .go /
to a gig ioncert, go cLubbing, go

with friends
go shopping; go for iog; ,p ,rri
An InformaI Letter (to a pen friend
/ retative)
Linking
Greeting
lime: When he arrived, there were very
Dear..., / Hi ..., / Hi there! arrived, some peopLe came.
few peopLe. / Met he
/ M1t
Luic:h, we went out.
Paragraphs 7/2/3 Addition: I am ako interested in music. f I om interested in
information about yourself, your famity and your friends music, too. / As well as that there are excursions to London.
There are excursions to London. qs weLL. As weLL
/
/ as orgonising
I ending excursions to London we organise them to Aford and
Thoft aLI for now. / I hope to hear from you soon.
Cmbndie.
In qddition. there are excursions to 7xford nd Cambidge. /
/ i1 o self-accesl centre plus a language laboratory.
1nire
:g?n. / Look forward to heaing oll abut you.
G.et in touch
Wite soon. / Give my regords to ... / pleasi keep n touch.
/ Cortrast: eltloughthe schooL is small, the atriosphere is
fiendly.
AII the best, / Yours, / With love, / Love, / Chers, / The.school is smaLL. Aggeyer, the atmosphere iifrienaly.'
/
Your name ?espite being smaLl, the school has good facilities.
Reas^on: you complete the test, sp:tha.t we can judge your
_Can

Styte
/
Ievel? Bring an umbrelLa in case it raing
Cause:/m late because of the trffic. Becouse of that. I arived/
Requests Late.

Formal style: I wouLd be gratefuL if you could write us a Example: We organise activities such as horse_iding.
Letter.
eou-ld you pLeose teLI us about yoursl
Informal styLe: Con vou do me a fovur? Itd be great if you- Checking
couLd...
Punctuation Style: Have you used formal or informaI styte?
InformaI styte: Have you used formal or informal words and expressions?
r use of contractjons - I'm a cousin of yours. Have you used formal or informal greetings or ndings?
r use of exctamation marks - Get in touch soon!
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2 A Book Review (poge 23)

Layout Linking
Summarising the plot:
Paragraph 1
)ne day, Rolond comes across a mysterious letter.
Give some basic information about the book.
After that. he finds himseLf spied on by a ivaL scholar.
'Possession' by A.S.Byott won the Booker Pize n L990. Since EventuaLly. he reaLises that the spy is in foct hs best fiend.
its first publication in L990, the book has not only won many In the end. they faLL in love with each other.
readers but hos also been filmed staring Gwyneth Paltrow.
Giving examptes:
Paragraph 2 There are some truLy exciting moments, especioLLy when they
Give a brief summary of the ptot. discover the journaL hidden in the dolL's house.
The book contains Victoion texts, such as the poems witten by
Two main characters in the book ore young scholors who are the two poets.
researching lives of two Victorian poets. As they uncover their
Letters, journals and poems, they unexpectedly come ocross o Contrasting:
story of mystery and great passion. Although the book is rather long, the reader finds it gipping from
the first to the Last poge.
Paragraph 3 'Possession' is about a specialist study of literature. However. it is
Give your opinions and present good and bad things about never boing.
the book. Despite being about o specialist study of literature, it is never
boring.
The book is a fascinating love-story which combines two
histoical settings in a very clever way, contemporory and Adding points:
Victoian. However, its complexity may discourage some readers. Apqrt from being o fascnoting novel, the book is full of beautiful
Victorian poems.
Paragraph 4 RoLand and Maud are both scholars interested in the same type of
Conclusions and recommendations. Iiterature. What's more. they are also quite similar as people.
The book is certainLy worth reading. It wiLL appeal both to Concluding:
readers who Like contemporory Literature as well as those who
prefer a good troditionaL Victorian novel.
All in all / All things considered / To sum up. the book is a real
masterpiece.

Styl,e
Most of your review should be written using present tenses:
The novel is set in both the nineteenth ond twentieth century.
)ne day he comes across 0 piece of paper stuck between the pages
of an old book.
Checking
Layout: Have you foltowed the suggestions for paragraphs?
linking: Have you included a variety of linking words?

You shoutd aim for a neutral stvte, not too formal and not too
cot[oquia[:
ALthough the book is rather long, you won't find it lacking n
tension and surpisng turns of action.

UsefuI Vocabulary
The book is set in the 1950s / in the seventeenth century / duing
the Victoion period.
Its main characters ore two young students.
The plot is organised around ane important event: losing ond
recovering a famiLy treasure.
The climax comes when all the people invoLved in the mystery get
together late at night in the cemetery.
The book is written in o compLex / simpLe / modern / traditionaL /
poetic / reoListic style.
1ne of the book's great strenqths is characteisation: heroes and
heroines mly seem larger thon life but they sre abo so deeply
humon.
The book's weakness /
most controversial aspect is its length.
It is wofth reoding.
It can be recommended to people who wont good fun.
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5 A Desciplion of an [venl (poge 6l)

Layout Linking
Summarising the event:
Paragraph 1 Itall stafted with the nationaL anthems of both teams.
Introduce the event. Then the referee bLew his whistle.
When I
was in Spain last summe I decided to go to a footbalL After that. the Spanish team scored the first goal.
match between FC Bqrcelono and Juventus Tuin . It turned out Finolly. the ltalian teom manoged to equalise.
to be one of the highlights of my holiday. In the end. the crowd went home peacefully.

Paragraph 2 Giving examples:

Give a brief summary of the event. There were some moving moments, especially when both teams
held a one-minute silence to commemorate the recent deoth of a
It all startedwith a spectacular fiesta four hours before the
coLLeague.
actual motch.
The event wos vety weLI organised. For example. there were
After that, the members of both teams were introduced to the
information booths every fifty metres.
crowd. Barcelona scored first but Juventus eventuaLLy won.
If there were probLems, such as misbehaviour of some fans, police
were very quick to intervene.
Paragraph 3
Focus on one particular aspect of the event.
Contrasting:
What I found really amazing wos the behoviour of the fons. Despite being very crowded, the stsdium wos very weLL organised.
They weren't hostiLe to each other and looked as if they were Although their team was losing, the fans kept encouraging them all
having o greot time together. The match stafted and ended with the time.
fireworks. It was a big display of technicol skil| and artistic
imagination. I particularly Liked the colours. Adding points:
There were fireworks before the match. What's more, there was
Paragraph 4 another fireworks dispLay at the end.
Give a final comment on the event. The atmosphere before the match os well os ofter it was very
AII in all, it was one of the biggest attractions of my Spanish friendly.
hoLidays. I
loved the atmosphere of the place and I think the
Concluding:
organisation wos just perfect.
AII in all, it was a spectacuLar event.
AII thinqs considered. it was a highlight of my holidoy.
Style
Most of your description shoutd be written in a neutral sty[e. Checking
Whot I found reoily omozing was the behaviour of the fans. They Layout: Have you foLLowed the suggestions for paragraphs?
weren't hostile... tinking: Have you incl.uded a varity of tinking words?
Useful vocabulary: Have you included adjectives to describe the
To make your description more vivid and interesting, use event?
adjectives.
It was a big dispLay of techncal skil| and aftistic imagination.
The stodium was fulL of bnght light and the dozzLing colours of
both teams.

UsefuI Vocabulary
Types of evenh cLass / family reunion, concert, exhibition,
fashion show, get-together of old school fiends, match, new house
/
warming porty, opening of an exhibiton shoppng moll, party,
promationoL event, stage perforn o nce, weddi n g

Describing an event: a big ottroction, boring, decoroted with,

/
exciting, foscinating, o highlight, good perfect/ poor
/
organisation, in good bod toste, interesting, sophisticated,
spectacuLar, a stepping stone, traditional, unique, very modern /
high-tech
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7 A Formol lelter (poge 85)

Layout and Style Useful Vocabulary

Reservations:
Your address
and the date
I wouLd like to reserue o place / to make o reservation f
to confirm a reservation f to cancel o reservation f
L7 0rchard Rise, make o group booking
London, NWL2
January 1.5,2002 Price:
Greeting
What is included in the price? /
Do you offer djscounts for

Dear Mrs Smith, (if you know the person's name)

/
groups? Do you give reductions for students? /
Are there any specia[ offers?
Dear Sir Madam, (if you don't know the person's name)
/
Paragraph 1 Accommodation:
Give your reason for writing the tetter. Say where you saw What sort of accommodotion do you provide?
What kind of faciLities has the hotel got?
the advertisement. Give some information about you and
Types of accommodation: cabin, campsite, tent, hotel rooms
other people interested in the hotiday.
( si n g le / d o u b Ie roo m, s uite ), self- cotei n g f Lot
I om witing to ask for more information about the
'Amazonian Adventure' holiday which I saw odvertised in
The Mirror. My sister and I are both university students. We are
Food:
interested in the holiday but I would like some more details. /
What is the locoL food Like? Is the woter dinkable? /
Do you offer full or half boord? /
Divide your queries about the hotiday into two or three Are there any facilities for seLf-catering?
paragraphs, e.g. conditions on hotiday, health and safety,
price. Transport:
Kinds of transport: balloon, boat, cqmel, cqnoe, cruise, excursion,
Paragraph 2 tour, transportfshuttle seruice to and from the oirpoft, trek, trip
I would
FirstLy, to know more obout the sort of conditions
Like
on the hoLiday. you tell me more about the
CouLd Baggage /Luggage:
accommodation provided ... Whqt is the weight Limit? Haw much does excess baggage cost?
Kinds of baggage/tuggage: bockpack, holdall, overnight bag,
Paragraph 3 rucksack, suitcase, pock
SecondLy, I am sLightly woried as I hqve never been on this
sott of holiday before. Could you please send me informotion Ctothes:
about the diseoses ond hesLth risks in the Amazon areo? anorak, diving suit, swinsuit, troiners, walking boots,
I would olso be grateful if you could give me information waterproof jacket
about health qnd accident insurance.
Linking
Paragraph 4
ThirdLy, you say that the price includes everything except
Conditions:
certain extras. Could you possibLy give me details about whot It is not cLeor if/whetfuIyour compzny only arranges flights from
London.
extras there might be?
I wouLd Liketo reserue o room, os long os/ptoyiledlhstit hos a
Formal ending modern shower and toiLet faciLities.
Most formal letters end with this sentence. Learn it! I wouLd prefer not to share a cabin unkss/erceptJf I have to.
I Look forward to heaing from you.
Listing:
Signing off EitsLly,I would Liketo ... / Secondly. couLd you ... /
Yours sincerely, (if your letter starts wilh Deor Mrs Smith) ThirdLy. I wouLd be ... / E_tsW I would like to ...
Yours faithfulty, (if your letter starts with Deor Sir / In sddition to thst. could you ...
Madam) Another query I have is about ...
Sign your name and print it clearly. Something else I wouLd Like to ask about is transpoft from the
R. S. Wilson airpoft.
R.s. wrLS0N (MS)
Checking
Style Styte: Check your letter for styte, e.g. starting, finishing the
letter, potite requests.
Formal written requests for information: Grammar: Check whether a[[ your questions are grammatica[[y
I would be grateful if you could give me more informotion about correct.
the accommodation.
Could you pLease send me informotion obout the accommodation?
Could you possibly telL me whot ...
I wonder whether you couLd possibly send me detoils obout health
insurance.
You mention the need for vaccinations. Does this meon that you
organise them?
Stating preferences:
IwouLd prefer to have a singLe room, if possibLe.
I would aLso Like to stay on for another two days, if that is ot all
possible.
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I A letter of Applicolion (poge g5)

Layout UsefuI Vocabulary

Qualifications and work experience:
Greeting I am o professionol...(teache)
Dear Ms Smith, (i you know the person's name) I graduated from...
/
Dear Sir Madam, (if you dont know the person's name) I ottended / took part in training courses specialised in... (first
aid)
Paragraph I I pafticipoted in... (relief missions)
Give reasons for your writing. Say where you saw an
advertisement. 0ffers of help:
Due to my medicaL qualifications, I could...
I am writing in connection with the advertisement in today's I think I might be useful in / for...
I am a professionaL nurse snd I would like ta join the
'Gozette'. I would be happy t0...
compoign to save children in poor counties of Africa.
Additionat information:
Paragraph 2
Give some information about you.
I /
enclose my CV references from my previous employers.
I wouLd be hoppy to attend an interview ot your earliest
I am a professianaL nurse. I graduated from the lvledical College convenience.
two years ago. During my studies, I took part in o number of
ventures which aimed to help the people in the counties of the Linking
Third World. Since I left the ColLege, I have porticipated in three
specialist troining courses. I work in the State Hospital in my Giving reason:
home town; howeve I could eosily toke a two-month leave to Due to my medical qualifications, I csn toke core of the sick and
join your campaign. the wounded.
I took o course in therapy; as o result, I can also work as a
Paragraph 3 therapist.
Suggest how you could help.
Contrasting:
Due to my medical qualificotions, I could deal with alL kinds of Despite being rother young, I hove monaged to develop some
physicaL problems the chiLdren might be suffeing from. In p rofessi o n al expeftise.
addition, I could act os a theropist and help them with mentol
I
trauma. Aport from that, I om sure would cope with other Adding;
difficuLt situotions, such ss taking care of the elderly and In addition, I couLd act as a theropist.
homeLess.
Apaft from that, I am sure I would cope with other difficult
situotions.
Paragraph 4
Ask for more information.
Checking
I would be grateful if you could inform me when you wilL be
announcing the results of the applicotions. I would also be Layout: Have you fottowed the layout for paragraphs?
interested to know the planned departure date. Style: Check your letter for style, e.g. starting, finishing the
letter; using formaI words and expressions.
Formal ending
I am looking forward to heoring fron you.

ng
Yours sincereLy, (if your letter starts with Dear lvls Smith)
Yours faithfully, (if your letter starts wilh Dear Sir / Modam)

Style
Formal written statements of interest:
I om witing in connection with...
I om witing in response to / with regard to...
I would like to express my interest in...
I would like to appLy for the post / position of...
Formal written requests:
IwouLd be gratefuL if you could...
IwouLd like to know more about...
Iwonder if you couLd...
Could you pLease send me...

e_
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9 A Disrursive Esscy (21 (poge 109)

Layout For example. nany cimes are committed by people leaving pison.
)ther people feel that there would be many disadvantaqes to giving
1 Introduction harder sentences, becouse there would be less chance of integroting
Introduce the topic. Give some background about the prisoners i nto society aftervvards.
situation in your country/area. Then mention the possibte Reseorch hos shown thot ...
reasons for the situation. Describing statistics and figures: t Lexjcon 9. page L55
Cime is one of the most important issues ...
In the last few yeors, cime has been going up/down.
The most common crimes are ...
Useful Vocabutary
The most worrying trend is the increase in ... Crime and punishment (also see Lexicon 9. page 155):
1ne of the reosons for this is possibly the fact that crimes: burgLary - burgLa drug deoling - drug deale mugging
unemployment has isen ... - mugge, murder - murderen rape - rapist, shopLiftng - shopLifter;
Another reason is that ... to commit a crime, to be arrested, to be sentenced, to be given a
soft/hard sentence, to be Locked up, to be let off with a fine, to be
Note that if you are 'for/ something, put the arguments
Let out of prison, to deter young people, to take into account the
'against' first.
wishes of the victims, to restore (bing back) capital punishment,
If you are 'against' something, put the arguments 'for" to commit judicial murder
first. judicial system
the [aw: the courts, the judges, the / the legal
2 A tist of arguments 'for' system, the Law, judiciol mistakes
Express the attitudes and reasons to support this point of
view. Provide examples and facts where possibte. Linking
(see Styl.e betow)
/
Cause Result:
3 A tist of arguments 'againsf The consumpton of drugs has gone up. Consequently. there has
Express the attitudes and reasons to support this point of been an increase in violent cine.
view. Provide examples and facts where possible. The anount of violent crime hqs gone up due to on increase in
see Style below) consumption of drugs.
The number of cases of vioLent cime has increased as a resuLt of
4 Conclusion the rising consumption of drugs.
Finatl.y, give your own personal opinion about the topic. The consumption of drugs has isen. Because of this. there has
In my opinion, ... / AU things considered, I beLieve that ... been on increase in vioLent cime.
Because of the ise in consumption of drugs, there has been an
increose in vioLent cime.
Styl.e The increase in violent cime is just_beeouse_of the ising
consumption of drugs.
In a discursive essay it is important to list the points of view of So much money has been spent on pisons that they are now like
both sides of an argument as objective[y as possible. 0nty in Iuxury hotek.
the conclusion can you express your own point of view. Notice Reason:
the use of report structures (e.9. feel thof). passives and formal We need to reform prisoners so that they can go back into society.
linkers (e.9. moreover, furthermore) in the sentences below. We need to reform prisoners in order to help them go back nto
[isting arguments: society.
Many peopLe feeL that harder sentences shouLd be brought back.
The Ameican system of'three stikes and you're out' has
/
as like:
It was a very interesting afticle as it was about the arrest of a
supporters in Bitain. group of drug deaLers. (as = because)
Moreover, some peopLe say that conditions in pisons ore too soft. My father works as a pison fficer. (works as rs) :
There are arguments for the restoration of the death penaLty. CapitaL punishment is Like any other kind of murder. (Like = similar
The wishes of victims'famiLy and fiends possibLv need to be to)
taken into account. Becquse of his record he wos treated as a dangerous criminal. (as =
There are arguments against harder sentences ond capital in the same way as)
punishment.
It is due to social problems, like poverty and unemployment. (like =
0ne of the arquments agoinst Longer pison sentence is that the example)
pisons are akeody fuLI.
for
It is due to sociol problems such as poverty ond unemployment.
)ther peopLe disaaree ond think that pisons shouLd reform (such as = for example)
offenders. It is not 0s elsy as people fhrnk. (comparison)
It is strongLy felt by many people that captol punishment is the
equivalent of judicioL murder.
jthers point to the possibility of judiciol errors ond the isks of Checking
executing innocent people.
Layout: How we[[ does your essay f[ow? Use the paragraph
Furthermore, the death penalty s seen as savage and an offront
diagram above to check the structure of your argument.
to human dignity. Linking: Have you used ['inking expressions? Can you add any
Giving reasons, examples and facts: [inking words to join sentences or [ink ideas?
Some people think that one of the benefiE of horder sentences
Styte: Check the style of the essay. Make sure you have only put
wouLd be to keep more dangerous ciminak off the street.
personaI opinions in your conclusion.
Another advantage wouLd be to give peopLe a greater feeling of
Grammar and spetling: Check your essay for mjstakes of
personsl secuity.
grammar. vocabulary and spelting.
Ths would be the best way of reducing cime caused by a smaLl
group of professional ciminols.