Ebook Cae Writing PDF
Ebook Cae Writing PDF
Ebook Cae Writing PDF
Index
Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 4
Who is this book for? ..................................................................................................................... 4
What’s in the CAE writing exam? ................................................................................................... 4
❖ Part 1 (Compulsory question) ............................................................................................ 5
❖ Part 2 (Writing based on situations) .................................................................................. 5
How is the exam assessed? ............................................................................................................ 5
Five essentials for good answers ................................................................................................... 5
Part 1: Writing essays..................................................................................................................... 6
Introduction and tips (Writing essays) ....................................................................................... 6
Useful phrases (Writing essays) ................................................................................................. 6
Sample questions (Writing essays) ............................................................................................ 7
Part 2.1: Writing formal letters or emails ...................................................................................... 9
Introduction (Writing formal letters or emails) ......................................................................... 9
Useful phrases (Writing formal letters or emails) ..................................................................... 9
a) Writing formal letters generally: ....................................................................................... 9
b) Writing formal letters to complain .................................................................................... 9
c) Writing formal letters to make suggestions..................................................................... 10
d) Writing formal letters to request information ................................................................ 11
e) Writing formal letters to give information ...................................................................... 11
Sample questions (Writing formal letters and emails) ............................................................ 13
Part 2.2: Writing informal letters or emails ................................................................................. 14
Introduction (Writing informal letters or emails) .................................................................... 14
Useful phrases (Writing informal letters or emails) ................................................................ 14
a) Informal Letters - Greetings: ............................................................................................ 14
b) Informal Letters - Introductory paragraph: ..................................................................... 14
c) An informal letter referring to good news: ...................................................................... 14
d) An informal letter referring to bad news: ....................................................................... 14
e) Informal Letters - Introducing points ............................................................................... 14
f) Ending an informal letter or email: .................................................................................. 15
Sample Questions (Writing Informal Letters and emails)........................................................ 15
Part 2.3: Writing a Proposal ......................................................................................................... 16
Introduction and tips (Writing proposals) ............................................................................... 16
Useful phrases (Writing proposals) .......................................................................................... 16
a) Rhetorical phrases: ...................................................................................................... 16
Introduction
It is also for teachers. Use it exactly as you like. Forward it to students. Print it out. Use it in
class. It’s completely up to you.
P.S. You can find other free materials to help you prepare for the C1 Certificate in Advanced
English (CAE) at the following website brays.es
To buy a Complete CAE Online Course with 100 – 150 hours of Listening, Reading, and Use of
English practise (including over 50 Exam Practice Papers) click here. Simply practise and take
the mock exams until you are sure of exam success.
Summary
Number of parts: 2
Number of questions: Part 1: one compulsory question - Part 2: one question from a choice of
three
What is in Part 1? You have to read a text and then write an essay based on the points
included in the text. You will be asked to explain which point is more important for you and
propose arguments.
What's in Part 2? You write a text from a choice of text types – article, email/letter, report or
review. To guide your writing, you’ll be given information about context, topic, purpose and
target reader.
What do I have to practice? Writing different types of text that could be included in the exam.
How many questions are there? One task to be selected from a choice of three.
It is essential to plan your writing. This should take at least 10 minutes to plan for each
question.
Expressing Contrast:
• nevertheless
• even so
• even though
• however
• in spite of
• despite
• but
• although
Expressing results:
• because of this
• therefore
• thus
• as a result
• for this reason
• consequently
Giving examples:
• such as
• like
• for example
• for instance
2. Your class has listened to a radio discussion programme about facilities which should receive
money from local authorities. You have made the notes below:
Write an essay for your tutor discussing two of the facilities in your notes. You should explain
which facility it is more important for your local authorities to give money to, giving reasons in
support of your answer.
3. You have read an online article about changes in the types of subject taught at secondary
schools. The article says that some traditional subjects may no longer be taught at school. Four
of the subjects discussed are mentioned below, along with some of the readers’ comments.
Music ‘Most students who are interested in music take lessons out of school.’
Geography ‘Why do we need to know the names of rivers and mountains around the world?’
History ‘It’s all about the past. At schools, we need to be focussing on the future.’
Write an essay discussing TWO of the subjects mentioned above. You should explain why you
think these subjects should continue to be taught at secondary schools, giving reasons to
support your answer. Write your answer in 220-260 words in an appropriate style
4. Our class has watched a round-table discussion about what young people can learn from
older generations. You have made the notes below:
Write an essay discussing two of the areas in your notes. You should explain in which area
young people could gain most from older generations, giving reasons in support of 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.
4. Your class has attended a panel discussion on what methods governments should use to
discourage the use of private cars in the centre of the city. You have made the notes below.
Methods governments coud use to discourage the use of private cars in the city centre
• investment
• education ✔
• taxes ✔
Write an essay for your tutor, discussing two of the methods in your notes. You should explain
which method you think is more important for governments to consider, giving reasons to
support your opinion.
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 essay in 220-260 words in an appropriate style.
Greetings:
• Dear Sir
• Dear Madam
• Dear Sir/Madam
• Dear Mr Brown
• Dear Ms Jones etc.
• Firstly
• In the first place
• First of all
• My first complaint is
• The first problem is
• The first thing I would like to draw your attention to is
• My first concern is
• Secondly
• In the second place•
• Not only …….but also
• In addition
• In addition to this
• Added to this
• …….was also unacceptable
Demanding action:
• I am writing to suggest
• I am writing to arrange
• I am writing to offer suggestions
• I am writing make arrangements
• My first suggestion is
• First of all I suggest
• I would like to suggest
• Another possibility is
• A further possibility is
• I further suggest
Offering a choice:
2. A colleage of yours, Alice Watson, has applied for a jobin the public relations department of
a large charity. Poverty Action. You have been asked to write a letter providing a character
reference for her. Indicate how long and what capacity you have worked with her, and how
her personal characteristics would make her suited for her job. Here is part of the letter you
received from Poverty Action:
“The job of Public Relations Co-ordinator consists mainly of supervising PR work, and entails
travelling around the country and working with various people in our large organization. The
successful applicant will need good managerial skills and be committed to the philosophy of
our charity”
3. On a recent holiday you lost a valuable item. Fortunately you have travel insurance to cover
the cost of anything lost.
Your letter should explain what your company dies, what kind of work-experience placements
are available, and how students would benefit from the experience.
Now write your letter. You do not need to include any postal addresses
“My job is great, and next month I get to travel on business. Guess what – I’m actually coming
to your town for a week!
I’ll be free some evenings and one weekend. I want to make the most of this opportunity, so
I’d like your advice please: where to go, what to do, and why?
Cheers
Chris”
Write your letter in reply. You do not need to include postal addresses
3. Read part of an email from a friend who is planning to come and live in your country.
Of course, I'd really need to learn the language. I know you've been learning English for years,
so you've had loads of experience. Are there any tricks of the trade that might help me pick up
your language a bit more quickly?
Reply to the email message offering your friend some advice. Write your email in 220-260
words in an appropriate style.
a) Rhetorical phrases:
• Have you ever ……..?
• What do you think about ……..?
• Are you one of those people who thinks that ……?
• Are you one of those people who …....?
• What would life be like if ……?
• Will the future bring us ….. ?
2. Your college currently doesn't provide enough support for students planning to
spend time studying in another country. You see this notice in the library.
The college is planning to introduce a special course for students planning to spend
time studying in another country. The college principal invites students to send a
proposal outlining any problems students may face whe studying abroad and
suggesting ways in which the course could address these problems. A decision can
then be made about what to include on the course.
Write your proposal in 220-260 words in an appropriate style.
3. You go to a university that has a high amount of international students and you have
realised that the website is not up to scratch. Write a proposal for the University Dean
about how it could be improved.
Write your proposal in 220-260 words in an appropriate style.
• Put Subject: on the next line. Choose a heading that describes clearly what the report
is about.
• You do not need to put the date but you can if you want to.
• Use formal language.
• Do not use contractions.
• Try to make recommendations in the final paragraph.
• REVISE your report to correct mistakes.
a) Introductory Information:
• To:
• From:
• Subject:
• Date:
b) Headings - to include:
• Introduction:
• Subject of each paragraph:
• Conclusion or recommendation(s):
c) Introductory Paragraph
• As requested I have …..
• This involved visiting …….
• This involved looking at …….
• This involved investigating …..
• My findings are outlined below.
• My findings are presented below.
• I outline my findings below.
e) Recommending:
• I would like to suggest ……
• I would like to recommend ……
• I therefore suggest ……
• I therefore recommend ……
• I therefore suggest that we do not ……
• I therefore recommend that we do not ……
• I therefore do not suggest ……
• I therefore do not recommend ……
• I therefore recommend ……
• I believe we should recommend ……
• I believe we should not recommend ……
• You may wish to consider ……
+ How has tourism in your region changed over the last decade?
+ What are the reasons for these changes?
+ What problems exist and can anything be donde to solve them?
2. 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.
3. Your local authority is conducting a survey into language learning habits of the people
between 16-45 in the area. They have asked for a report on the types of methods used in state
run schools and language centres. They have asked for some suggestions on how to imporve
their facilities, teaching methods and resources.
a) What I liked
• What I liked most was …..
b) What I disliked
• What I disliked most was …..
• I was disappointed by ……
• I was disappointed with …..
• I was very disappointed by …..
• I was very disappointed with ….
c) Reviews of books:
• main character
• is set in
• comedy
• science fiction
• thriller
• romance
• comedy:
• author
• written by
• chapter
• factual
• fiction
• unbelievable
• bestseller
• chapter
• ending
• Reviews of films, tv programmes, plays:
• lead role
• star role
• star
• star actor
• star actress
• starring
• secondary role
• He plays a …….
• She plays a …….
• written by ….
• is set in …..
• based on a true story ….
• believable
• true to life
REVIEWS WANTED
Send us a review of a book or a film focusses on somebody who has made an important
contribution to society.
Did you learn anything new about the person’s life from the book or film? Did the book or film
help you understand why this person made their important contribution?
Have you read a book or seen a film that has a central character whose life is affected by an
event or decision they make early in the story
What did you learn about the person’s character? Did the book or flim help you to understand
how the person was affected by this event or decision?
Send us your review for our next issue
Further examples from Flo-Joe, for all writing types, can be found on this page. A great site
with authentic answers + marking with codes included.
Exam English is another very good site with CAE Writing Samples and advice.
Finally
We at Brays hope that the information you have read helps you master the English language.
The fact that you have read this far should prove useful. But, obviously, the more you write,
the better you become, especially if you have a good teacher to guide you.
To get the best from what you have read you need now to go to the next important stage:
• Select a question!
• Answer it
• Ask a tutor to guide you through the correction
• Repeat the process
The more practice and guidance you have, the better you will become.
If you don’t have someone with a sufficiently high level to guide you then contact us here. If
you live in Santander or Getafe we have small classes specialising in correction of writings and
spoken English (with free online courses for CAE)
Online tutoring
If you unable to attend one of our academies Sarah Bray provides very thorough online
tutorials, with a free online course, via Skype. Sarah is a Management graduate from Warwick
University with a Masters from Cranfield. She also has an ‘A’ grade Cambridge CELTA
certificate and is a very highly rated expert in the English teaching field. This link will take you
to her Linked In profile. She can be contacted by phone (00 34) 916 823977
Online Course
If you intend taking the CAE exam you can find an excellent online course, with 100-150 hours
of practice covering all sections of the exam, and including over 50 exam papers, on this page.
This course is completely free for students of Brays.