Writing tasks

TASK

An international development agency has been looking into attitudes to aging around the world. The research director has asked you to conduct a survey and write a report. Your report should discuss how young people where you live feel about older people in the community and the prospect of growing older themselves. You have also been asked to make recommendations about how attitudes could be changed.

Write your report in 220-260 words in an appropriate style.

Introduction

The main objectives of this report are to describe how young people in Gava feel about elderly people in their area and aging themselves. I will present results of a survey I conducted with a random selection of 200 young people at a local high school and in the final section I will include recommendations as to how attitudes could be improved.

Attitudes to older people

According to my survey, a significant proportion of young people never or hardly never spend time with someone aged 65. Reasons that respondents gave for this included: they have nothing in common, the elderly don't like teenagers and lack of time. More promisingly, nearly three quarters of those surveyed (74 percent) agreed that they could probably 'learn something' from older people.

Attitudes to aging

Those responding to the survey were almost equally split between preferring to think about it as little as possible and those who never thought about it. For those who did think about it, the prime concerns were loneliness, poor health and boredom.

Recommendations

Clearly more could be done to bridge the gap between young and old in our community. I would make the following recommendations:

• Set up volunteer tutoring opportunities for elderly citizens to help younger people at the high school with academic work or practical skills.
• Invite young people to tutor old people in technology use, e.g. how to text/send emails in return for a donation to be used for social events.

Hopefully, increased contact between the groups will lead to greater understanding and more positive attitudes.

A gig to remember

Without doubt, the British rock band Arctic Monkeys have given this year's best live show. As teenagers a few years ago, they made the fastest selling album ever but seemed shy and awkward on stage. Now they have matured and become an amazing live act.

Since the frontman Alex decided to cut his hair and dress like a skinny rock star of the 1950s, he moves confidently around the stage, waving his arms and encouraging us to shake our hips. The crowd were ecstatic!

The set began with their hit, Do you wanna know. The guitar playing was tight, as always, and the rhythm supported by Matt's powerful drumming. The band were on top form throughout, winning fans with a list that combined older with new hits.

My only reservation is that although the songs have clever lyrics and great melodies and sound fresh every time, some lack the emotional and poetic force of their best.

But this is a minor criticism. Overall, it was a performance to remember and all fans should try and catch them while they're on tour.

TASK

You have seen this announcement in your college English-language magazine.

" Music reviews wanted

Have you been to a great music concert recently?

Write us a review of the concert, telling us about the band or singer and their performance. Say whether you would recommend seeing them perform live.

We will publish the best reviews next month."

Write your review in 140-190 words in an appropriate style.

A REVIEW is usually written for an English-language magazine, newspaper or website. The main purpose is to describe and express a personal opinion about something which the writer has experienced (e.g. a film, a holiday, a product, a website etc.) and to give the reader a clear impression of what the item discussed is like. Description and explanation are key functions for this task, and a review will normally include a recommendation to the reader.

Hints

• Begin by stating the purpose of your report.
• You may use invented statistics to provide a succinct summary of your results.
• 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. (DON'T overdo it, though. If you use them in more than one section, you won't be able to show the full range of structures and vocabulary you know.)
• Divide your report into sections according to the input.
• Develop the ideas in the task input.
• Include a sentence summarising your opinion at the beginning of the final section of your report.
• Use an impersonal, formal style.

A REPORT may be written for a superior (e.g. a boss or college principal) or a peer group (e.g. club members or colleagues). The content of a report is to some extent factual and draws on the prompt material, but there will be scope for candidates to make use of their own ideas and experience.

Candidates will be asked to do more than describe a situation; they may be asked to evaluate to what extent a particular aim has been achieved, or to suggest an alternative course of action.

Too much too young?

Today parents are definitively different from those of yesterday when it comes to educating their offspring. I strongly believe that youngsters are over spoiled and parents too much indulgent.

Young people are obviously more and more influenced by their environment and the media resulting in a more demanding generation of children than in the past. Today watching fussy kids in a shop making scenes is pretty common. They make their parents buy them the latest trendy gadget even if they cost an arm and a leg.

I have witnessed this on several occasions and always wonder why is it that parents accept to give them everything they want. This can be due to the fact that today parents are too busy working away from home, and feel guilty not to be with their kids or not doing enough for them, so they try to compensate their love with presents.

I remember the time when I was young, I contented myself with just my colour pencils, drawing, playing with my dolls or outside with some friends. But luckily my family was always there to play with me. I have them, and it was more important than any material thing.

Another reason why I think parents spoil their children is because they want to give them a good quality of life. They have good intentions, I mean, wishing the best for their children is legitimate, but giving them all for free certainly doesn´t teach them to be responsible in life nor to work hard to achieve their goals, nor to be thankful for what they receive. These spoilt children probably even ignore that in the world there are many poor children who have no toys to play with.

The way I see it parents should teach their children real values like hard-work and solidarity from a young age, rather than spoiling them with too many, many time useless, material things.

A CONTRIBUTION TO A LONGER PIECE is written for someone who is in the process of collecting information for use in a larger document (e.g. a book, a guidebook or a piece of research). The main purpose is to supply information and opinion. The choice of register is likely to be influenced by the purpose of the longer document, as indicated in the task instructions. A contribution should be clearly organised and may also include headings. As the style of the contributions to longer pieces will be defined by the larger document to which they make a contribution, students need practice in identifying what this document is (given in the question) and deciding what an appropriate style may be, e.g. a guidebook may require a factual, neutral style, whereas a piece for a book may demand a more discursive style.

Greatest sportsperson competition

Zinedine Zidane is a former French footballer who is considered one of the greatest players of all times. He made a name for himself at national and international level for his outstanding performance in the game and also for the several championships he won throughout his career. He also helped France classify to the World Cup finale in 2006, in which they were the winners. It goes without saying that this icononic player really deserves to be the candidate for a nomination in your television series.

But how did Zinedine Zidane become such an amazing player? To answer this we need to go back to his early age. He discovered football in his home town. He used to play football with his friends in the streets, where he developed some unrivalled techniques and a perfect control of the ball. Endowed with an unique ability, he evolved as a professional player and won several titles such as the Juventus of Turin and the Real Madrid ones, which led him to be voted several times as the best international football player in 1998, 2000 and 2003, as well as to win a golden ball in 2006.

I believe that what sets Zinedine apart from any the other player is his perseverance and charming personality, but above all his strength to face adversity with composure. So friendly and sociable is he that he became the favorite player of the French in 2006 who nicknamed him « Zizou ».

At the age of 35 he was at the height of his career and, came the time for him to leave the football pitch. Since 2013 he has held the position of an assistant coach for the Real Madrid team club. If there is one thing for sure is that Zizou is now a legend and he undoubtedly deserves a place among your top ten greatest sportspeople.

Task: You are asked by the Principal of a college in Australia where you are studying to write a proposal for how to improve the college’s website. The suggestions given include the classrooms, library, language laboratory, canteen and sports field, and you are asked to choose two of these in order to give an idea of the variety of the facilities which the college offers.

Task: " You are a student at an international college. Your tutor has asked you to write an article for the college website on ways students can improve language skills outside the classroom. In your article, you should suggest ways in which students can make contact with English-language speakers. You should also assess whether the most effective way of improving language skills is to make friends with speakers of the language"

France - The country´s top public holidays

France has numerous public holidays in each season. There is always something to celebrate all year round. Here there is a list of the most important ones. Be warned that all banks and most businesses are closed on days marked with *.

Autumn

Autumns are mild in France. It is a pretty good season for a walk in our beautiful forests. November is marked by 2 public holidays which are certainly the most important ones:

· All Saints Day ( 01/11)*

· Remembrance Day of the 1st World War ( 11/11) *

Winter

When the temperatures and the leaves begin to fall, the French are busy preparing Christmas and New Year’s Eve, like in many other countries. Winter is definitively the best season to go skiing in the French mountains.

· Christmas Day ( 25 /12)

· New year’s Eve ( 01/01) *

Spring

Spring becomes milder and there are many more public holidays during this season.

Do not miss :

· Easter ( the first Monday of April)

· Ascension Day ( 39 days after Easter Day)

· Pentecost ( 50 days after Easter)

· Labor Day ( 01/05) *

· Veterans Day ( 08/05) *

Summer

Summer is undoubtedly the favourite season for the French.

Temperatures are hot and you can bath in our various beaches. The 14th of July is marked by the Bastille Day and fireworks are let off in every town. On the 15th of August we celebrate the Assumption.

So whenever you choose to come to France, you’ll be able to join the French having fun during these public holidays.

AN ESSAY is usually written for a teacher and may be written as a follow-up to a class activity. It should be well organised, with an introduction, clear development and an appropriate conclusion. The main purpose of the task is the development of an argument and/or discussion of issues surrounding a certain topic. Candidates will usually be expected to give reasons for their opinions. Essays need to present an argument and give reasons for this.You need to give opinions and to agree or disagree in a formal or neutral register. You should be advised that you are free to agree or disagree with the statement in the task, or discuss both sides. Effective planning and paragraphing is important in essay writing, as is the correct use of appropriate linking words and phrases. You also need practice in writing appropriate opening and concluding paragraphs.

WRITING TASKS!

AN ARTICLE is usually written for an English-language magazine or newspaper, and the reader is assumed to have similar interests to the writer. The main purpose is to interest and engage the reader, so there should be some opinion or comment. A successful article interests and engages the reader. Descriptions, examples and anecdotes are often appropriate, and effective answers will be lively and include some colourful use of language. A personal angle usually works well, and a catchy title will attract attention. The use of direct and indirect questions also adds colour. Looking at examples from

English-language magazines may help.

A fun way to learn English (give your article a title)

(State your main idea in the first paragraph)

In today's intercultural society, no one can deny the importance of learning a second language, especially English. In our college we believe that major action should be taken to guarantee that all of us, the students, are given the chance to practice this ability to communicate with for people from all over the world. This task will require working with a holistic approach and will imply the participation of a very committed group of people willing to help each other. So are you ready? (use a question to motivate readers)

(organise your text into paragraphs)

Our first idea is to use the Internet. For young people surfing the net is as easy as pie and we all have access to it. We suggest getting in touch with other students from around the world. Some highly recommendable sites include a wide range of social networks as Facebook and Twitter. It is also a good idea to encourage students to chat via Skype with people from English speaking countries.

A second idea is to organise reading or conversation clubs, which can have monthly gatherings in different spots in the city. Needless to say this will be a very effective way to learn while making friends and having a blast. There are several attractive places in town such as parks, art galleries, cafés, and social artistic venues where students and professionals can give a boost to their social and language skills.

A final idea is for the college to create a web page. With the support of this effective tool, our students can have blogs with a variety of engaging tasks and games. We can have fun getting familiar with collocations and structures that can be shared as part of an exercise on our creative website. It will definitely be highly engaging for students regardless of their backgrounds and specializations, they will find an enjoyable site where they can put language into practice, as they will be well-connected and comfortable with the cutting-edge technology.

Dear Sir

I am writing to you regarding a job advertisement I saw on my college bulletin board two days ago. I am really interested in applying for the position of children carer in your summer camp in the United States.

I am the right person to do the job as I have been working at public and private schools with kids and teenagers of different ages and backgrounds for over 20 years. I have got broad experience in this field. I consider myself a well-trained and highly-qualified childminder and I assure you that I am capable of working with big groups of children.

In addition to this, I am a talented artist. I can teach the children to play the guitar and the violin as well as to make handicraft. It is important for young people to develop their creativity and find their natural talents.

I hope you will give my application serious consideration as consider myself a strong candidate. I have a great sense of responsibility and genuinly care about children. I also have a lot of pacience.

I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

Yours faithfully

E.O

TASK

Your local tourist office has asked you to contribute to an information sheet for visitors to your country. The purpose of this information sheet is to inform visitors about the main public holidays that occur throughout the year.

What do you think the original task was?

TASK:

You have recently had a class debate in which students discussed whether knowledge or social connections were more useful in achieving success. Your teacher has asked you to write an essay giving your opinion on the following statement:

« It’s not what you know, but who you know that counts »

A COMPETITION ENTRY is written for a judge or panel of judges. Candidates will usually be expected to nominate somebody for something or propose themselves for selection for something (e.g. a grant to study). A competition entry will include some degree of persuasion and give reason(s) why the candidate’s choice is best. Competition entries need to catch the attention of the reader and to try to persuade the reader that the entry is the best. Students should be taught the language of persuasion and how to finish an entry with a strong final paragraph.

TASK

As we regularly do, we’re asking you, the readers, to add your contribution on the subject of one of our feature articles. So tell us what you think.

Are young people given too much too soon in their lives? We don’t just mean famous youngsters, we mean youngsters in general. Are they spoilt? Do their parents indulge them too much? Is it better for them to go without certain things so that they learn the value of having to struggle to get what they want? Are they given the impression that life is easy because it is too easy for them? Or is it the opposite in a lot of cases? Is life too much of a struggle for too many youngsters?

Maybe you have personal experience you’d like to share with the readers. We’ll print some of your articles in future editions.

Here is an example of how to write a proposal. Pay attention to the layout (title,

subheadings) and the neutral style, appropriate for this type of writing.

Suggestions for the new College Website

Introduction

The purpose of this proposal is to suggest which two of the college’s many facilities should

feature on the updated website, and to give reasons for my choice.

The language laboratory

Our college prides itself on its international atmosphere, and in order to maintain and

develop this aspect of its appeal, I think we should give prominence to the support given to

students whose first language is not English. Our language laboratory provides a firstclass

resource for students wishing to improve their listening comprehension and spoken

fluency, and I know from my own experience that many students have found this an

invaluable resource.

The Sports Field

One major factor students take into account when choosing an institution is the

opportunities for recreation that it offers. For this reason I think that we should give space

on the website to promoting our sports field, where students can relax and enjoy

themselves after time spent in the library or classroom. This facility also provides

opportunities for students from different courses to meet and socialize.

Conclusion

Although it is not easy to single out just two facilities among the many on offer, I think that

the two I have selected, the language laboratory and the sports field, give the clearest idea

of the range of services the college offers to its students.

A LETTER is written in response to the situation outlined in the question. Letters in the CPE Writing paper will require a response which is consistently appropriate for the specified target reader, and candidates can expect to be asked to write letters to, for example, the editor of a newspaper or magazine, to the director of an international company, to a school or college principal, or to a friend. Letters may include a narrative element which details personal experience, e.g. to a newspaper or magazine; other letters may be more concerned with giving factual information. Letter types may also include letters of application. Candidates may also be asked to write a reference for a friend. This can be framed within a letter format but may also be written as a statement. Candidates can choose to frame their responses as emails, but letter writing conventions such as an opening salutation, clear paragraphing and closing phrasing are always important.

AN INFORMATION SHEET is written for an audience who needs information, instruction or help in some area. Candidates will be expected to produce clear factual information and/or advice on a topic. An information sheet should be clearly organised and may also include headings.A successful information sheet gets the relevant points across clearly and succinctly. It is important that the purpose of the leaflet is made clear and the information is clearly organised.

TASK:

We are planning a series of TV programmes about the 10 greatest sportmen and women of all time. Which sportperson would you nominate to be included in the series?

Write to us describing this person’s achievements and explaining why you feel he or she should be included.

F.A.Q: What´s the difference between an article and an essay?

CPE1: "An article is a piece of writing where a topic, either serious or light-hearted, is tackled from a personal point of view, including personal experience or arguments. Its purpose is generally to both inform and entertain. On the other hand, an essay is a piece of writing tending towards the academic: the topic in discussion is of a more serious nature and the writer is expected to provide an idea plus the arguments that discuss it. In doing so, they will have to refer to specific points about the issue in question and will generally have to use more precise language."

CPE2: "Article, informative, based on facts. Essay, develops an argument, involves opinions (so does a for an against article, oops!)."

CPE3: "As far as I´m concerned essays are more academic, you need to analyse both sides of the topic, and provide arguments to back you up, whereas articles are somehow more flexible and can have a more neutral tone."

Round 2! High five!

A PROPOSAL is written for a superior (e.g. a boss or college principal) or a peer group (e.g club members or colleagues). Candidates will be expected to make one or more suggestions, supported by some factual information, in order to persuade the reader of a course of action. A

proposal should be clearly organised and may include headings. Proposals are often structured in a similar way to reports and should be clearly organised under headings. Students should be taught how to make polite recommendations and suggestions and how to use a range of persuasive language.