Writing

Language Skill Training Course Materials
WRITING
OVERVIEW Task 1: Letter Writing (20’)
OF THE Task 2: Essay Writing (40’)
WRITING
TEST
SAMPLE TEST
Task 1:
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task
You live in a room in college which you share with another student.
However, there are many problems with this arrangement and you find it very difficult
to work.
Write a letter to the accommodation officer at the college. In the letter,
 Describe the situation
 Explain your problems and why it is difficult to work
 Say what kind of accommodation you would prefer
Write at least 150 words.
You do not need to write any addresses
Begin your letter as follows:
Dear Sir or madam,
Task 2:
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
In Britain, when someone gets old, they often go to live in a home with other old people
where there are nurses to look after them. Sometimes the government has to pay for this
care.
Who do you think should pay for this care, the government or the family?
Give reasons for your answer an include any relevant examples from your own knowledge
or experience.
Write at least 250 words
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ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
Both tasks 1 and 2 are assessed by 4 criteria:

Give a full developed response
Task achievement
Include/cover all the necessary points
(task 1)
Write at least 150 words for task 1
Answer the question

Give relevant main points which are supported and
Task response (task developed
2) Give a clear position when asked
Provide a conclusion
Write at least 250 words for task 2
Coherence:
Present ideas logically
Use structured paragraphs
Coherence & cohesion Cohesion:
Write so points stick together, make sense, and convey
your message
Use standard expressions & transition words
Use a wide range of vocabulary naturally, correctly, and
fluently
Use correct spelling
Lexical resource
Choose the right words (word choice)
Use the correct form of words, such as verbs, nouns, etc.
(word form)
Use a wide range of grammar structures
Include different kinds of sentences – simple, compound,
Grammar range &
complex
accuracy
Use effective punctuation
Use correct capitalization
WRITING TASK 1 – LETTER
WRITING TIPS
1. Identify the type of letter you are being asked to write. Is it a formal, semi-formal
or informal letter? The entire tone of your letter is based on your answer to this
question. Adjust your style and choice of words according to the type of letter you have
been asked to write.
2. Open and close the letter correctly. Remember that each type of letter requires a
different opening and closing. The chart below will help you remember this:
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Style Characteristics Opening Ending

To someone you have not met, whose
Formal Dear Sir / Madam Yours faithfully
name you don't know
To someone you may or may not have Dear Mr Brown,
Semi- formal Yours sincerely
met, whose last name you know & use Dear Ms Stone
To someone you know well, whose first Dear John Best regards
Informal
name you know and use Dear Anita Warm wishes
3. Open a formal and semi-formal letter with a formal sentence. Don't try to be friendly, as
you do not know the person you are writing to. Get right down to business and indicate the
reason you are writing, as shown below:
Dear Sir / Madam, or Dear Mr Jones,
I am writing to inquire about / I am writing in connection with...
4. Open an informal letter with a general, friendly paragraph. With friends whom we know,
we care about the whole person. We have a broader relationship in the context of which this
communication is taking place. So it is best to acknowledge that friendship first, before getting
down to the reason for your letter. In fact, the first paragraph could be purely friendly small
talk, unrelated to the reason for your writing. Look at the example below:
Dear Jane
I hope you and your family are all well. It was such a pleasure to see you again last summer. We
sure had a great time catching up with each other after so many years. You have always been a
cherished friend, no matter how much of a gap there has been since we met.
Anyway, the reason I'm writing is that I have some good news - I am getting married this summer...
5. Identify the main purpose of the letter. Are you asking for help, apologizing, inviting
someone, complaining or thanking someone? Learn appropriate and polite expressions that
will support what you need to say.
6. Learn and use standard written phrases. Students sometimes struggle to finish their
writing in time. This happens when you are trying to write every sentence from scratch. The
fact is, in conventional letter writing in English, we use a number of standard expressions and
phrases and add on to them the specific information we wish to communicate. By learning how
to use these expressions, you will find the letter writing task much easier and will never have
to fight for time.
7. Make sure you write at least 150 words. Practice writing letters till you know what 150
words feels like and looks like. You will lose marks if you write less. You will not lose marks if
you write more; the only restriction on writing more is in terms of time, not the number of
words.
8. Learn the correct spelling of commonly used words. It is surprising how many students
make a mistake when spelling words such as "sincerely", "faithfully", "in connection with" and
so on. You can prevent yourself from losing marks by learning the correct spelling of these
words and expressions which you are highly likely to use on your exam.
9. Stay on topic. In order to complete your letter within 20 minutes or less, practice writing
letters where you stick to the point. Task 1 does require you to make up a bit of a story to
complete your letter, but don't make your story so complicated that you run out of time.
10. Include all three bulleted points. If you exclude even one of the points given to you in the
question prompt, you will lose valuable marks. Practice writing letters that include the three
points and go back and check that you have included them in each practice exercise you do.
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LETTER STRUCTURE
It is very important to have clear the structure of your letter, in other words, you need
to know how to organize your ideas into sections. If you are able to do this, I am sure
this will have a positive impact on the clarity of your writing.
Carrying on with the example, you may organize your letter in 3 sections:
Section I: Letter opening
Section II: Letter body
Section III: Letter closing
Let’s have a look at the following sample answer and see how this candidate has
organized his letter:
Dear John, -include a real name
Section 1
It has been a long time since I visited you in Canada. It is a shame we have not been able
to keep in touch, but I have been busy working on a new project. -Letter opening - as you
are writing to a friend the start can be relaxed and friendly.
Section 2
I am writing to thank you about the present I received from you last Monday. It was a
big surprise, totally unexpected. ¹I really felt like a child in Christmas because I was
really anxious to open the present. I must say that I am grateful because I really needed
this calculator.
Besides, ²it is the last edition of the TI-89 calculators, with 2GB of RAM and USB port it
also has night vision on the screen so I can work late. ³I love my new calculator because
I can use it at work since it has many engineering programs and I can download even
more.
– state the reason of your letter; also expand the three bullet points with your own ideas.
Section 3
I really appreciate this gift. It really suits me. Well, I had better return to work. –letter
closing
Regards, - appropriate closing phrase
Carlos Rossi – sign your letter (160 words)
Comments: this candidate has started with an informal greeting –suitable for a semi-
formal letter. He also has covered and expanded the three bullet points with good and
very well linked ideas. Verb tenses and grammar in general are fine. He also has closed
his letter with a friendly message and an appropriate good-bye phrase. The word count
is perfect (within the advised word count 150-165).
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USEFUL LANGUAGE
Apologizing Expressing concern
Please accept my sincere apologies for… I am writing to express my concern
I am very sorry about… about…
Sorry for… I was very sorry to learn that…
Asking for help I was really sorry to hear that…
I’d be grateful if you could… Giving bad news
I would appreciate it if you could… I regret to advise you that…
Could you please… I regret to inform you that…
Asking for information I am sorry to tell you that…
I am writing to enquire about… Giving good news
I am writing to find out about… I am pleased to advise you that…
I would like to know about… I am delighted to inform you that…
Closing I am happy to tell you that…
I look forward to hearing from you, Giving reasons
I look forward to seeing you, This is due to…
I look forward to meeting you, This is a result of
Complaining … This is because…
I am writing to express my dissatisfaction Making suggestions
with… Perhaps it would be useful to…
I am writing to express my annoyance with… Perhaps it would be possible to…
I’m not happy with… It might be helpful to…
Expressing satisfaction Thanking
I was delighted to learn that… I am extremely grateful for…
I was thrilled to hear that… I really appreciate…
I was very glad to hear that… Thank you for…
EXERCISE 1: Below, you will see eleven common situations that people encounter when
they are writing a formal letter. Choose the sentence or phrase (A, B or C) that would be
most appropriate in each situation.
1. You are writing a letter to the headteacher of a school or college, but you don't know their
name. How do you begin your letter?
A. Dear Headteacher.
B. Dear Sir / Madam.
C. Dear Sir.
2. You have received a letter from the manager of a company which buys computer
components from your company, and you are now replying. What do you say?
A. Thank you for your letter.
B. Thanks a lot for your letter.
C. It was great to hear from you.
3. You recently stayed in a hotel and were very unhappy with the service you received. You
are now writing to the manager. What do you say?
A. I had a horrible time at your hotel recently.
B. I would like to say that I am unhappy with your hotel.
C. I would like to complain about the service I received at your hotel recently.
4. You have sent a letter of application to a college, together with your curriculum vitae which
the college requested. What do you say in the letter to explain that your curriculum vitae has
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been attached?
A. You asked for my curriculum vitae, so here it is.
B. As you can see, I've enclosed my curriculum vitae.
C. As you requested, I enclose my curriculum vitae.
5. You have applied for a job, but you would like the company to send you more
information. What do you say?
A. I would be grateful if you would send me more information.
B. I want you to send me more information.
C. Send me some more information, if you don't mind
6. In a letter you have written to a company, you tell them that you expect them to
reply. What do you say?
A. Write back to me soon, please.
B. Please drop me a line soon.
C. l look forward to hearing from you soon.
7. In a letter you have written, you want the recipient to do something and are
thanking them in advance for their action. What do you say?
A. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
B. Thanks for doing something about it.
C. I am gratified that you will take appropriate action.
8. The company you work for has received an order from another company and you
are writing to them to acknowledge the order and let them know when you can deliver.
What do you say?
A. About the order you sent on 12 January for...
B. I would like to remind you of the order you sent on 12 January for...
C. refer to your order of 12 January.
9. In a letter, you explain that the recipient can contact you if they want more
information. What do you say?
A. Give me a call if you want some more information.
B. If you would like any more information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
C. If you would like any more information, why not get in touch?
10. You began a letter with the recipient's name (e.g., Dear Mr Perrin). How do you end
the letter?
A. Yours faithfully.
B. Yours sincerely.
C. Best wishes.
11. You did not begin the letter with the recipient's name (see number 1 above). How
do you end the letter?
A. Yours faithfully.
B. Yours sincerely.
C. Best wishes.
EXERCISE 2: Read the formal letter below and decide which of the phrases in bold
you think are most appropriate and adjust the letter to make it suitable.
Dear Mr Lawton,
I thought I’d write/I am writing to complain about the state of the yard/condition of
the playground. Over the last two weeks, I have noticed loads of rubbish/a great deal of
litter.
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I reckon/It is my opinion that this litter is a health hazard. For example, yesterday a 4-
year -old boy fell over and cut his hand on a broken bottle. The boy I’m talking about/The
boy in question needed four stitches
Furthermore/On top of this, the litter is an eyesore. Our school has beautiful views of the
river and these are wrecked/spoiled by the litter.
I believe/I reckon that there are a load of things/a number of things that you could do
to fix/rectify this problem. Firstly, it may be possible for you/you could purchase
additional litterbins. This would help stop/prevent people discarding their litter
recklessly/willy-nilly.
What’s more/In addition, I think that our school needs better/more adequate security
to prevent vandals littering.
To finish/In conclusion, I hope you will take my concerns seriously and I look forward to
your reply/you writing back to me.
Yours sincerely/Yours faithfully
James Howard
EXERCISE 3: Try to find the correct phrases in this informal letter. Remember this is for
your friend.
Dear Jennie,
How are you?/I trust this letter finds you well. I’ve been dead busy/extremely busy
since your last letter. You have to work really hard at school to get ready/in preparation
for our SATs.
Despite this, I did manage to play/partake of a game of football last night with my
friends/acquaintances. We won/were victorious! It was boss/outstanding!
Also, my dad got me/purchased for me a new mobile telecommunication device/mobile
phone. It’s an Iphone 13!
Anyway, gotta go/go to cease writing! Speak to you soon. Please write back/please
respond swiftly.
Loads of love/Yours sincerely,
Lilly
If you have finished, use a dictionary to find the meaning of these words:
- victorious
- cease
- respond
- swiftly
- acquaintances
EXERCISE 4: Read the instructions and the model below and insert the following topic
sentences in the appropriate spaces in the letter. Then, complete the paragraph plan
below, identifying the topic of each paragraph
Your economics class at school/college has chosen you to write to local company asking
permission to visit their premises. Write the letter, explaining why your class would like to visit
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the company’s premises, and suggesting how the results of your study might be of benefit to
them.
a. I would like to offer certain suggestions as to how such a visit would be of benefit to
your company.
b. It would likewise be valuable if we could tour the premises to get an overall
impression of the production system.
c. It would be most useful to see how theory we have been taught has been put into
practice in a real-life situation.
d. In addition, I feel that your company might wish to use the vist as an opportunity for
interviewing the students
Dear Mr. Collins,

I am writing on behalf of my economics class at Lawsford Business College, to request that
you be so kind as to permit us to visit your company premises for study purposes. Our class
has been learning about the development of technology in industry, and would greatly
appreciate the chance to visit your premises.
1)……………………………………………………………………………………………… Furthermore, we are keen
to do our study on a successful company like yours, which has an excellent reputation both
financially and in terms of planning for the future.
2)…………………………………………………………………………………………….
We would also like to ask questions about the processes involved and your economic policy,
as well as information on management and staffing structures.
3)……………………………………………………………………………………………… Firstly, allow me to
suggest that the local press could be invited to cover the visit, which would generate very
positive publicity. Then, after the initial visit, it might be useful for each of us to complete and
submit a full profile and analysis of your company. You would be invited to select the best of
these and would be welcome to use any of the recommendations in the chosen profile.
4)……………………………………………………………………………………………… It is highly likely that, by
establishing first-hand contact with young people who will be looking for employment when
they complete their studies, you would save on your advertising for vacancies in the future.
We would be delighted if you would consider the visit outlines in this letter and I would like
to thank you for your time and cooperation in this matter,
Yours sincerely,
Miss E.Ballard
 Introduction -
Reason for writing
 Main body
- ……………………………………………….
………………………………………………
- ……………………………………………….
……………………………………………….
- ……………………………………………….
………………………………………………
- ……………………………………………….
……………………………………………….
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 Conclusion –
- ……………………………………………….
……………………………………………….
SAMPLE QUESTIONS FOR TASK 1
EXERCISE 5: Formal
You are looking for a full-time job. Write a letter to an employment agency. In your letter:
 introduce yourself
 explain what sort of job you would like
 say what experience and skills you have
Begin your letter as follows: Dear Sir/Madam
You should write at least 150 words. You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
EXERCISE 6: Semi-formal
You are going to take a short holiday in Singapore and you want to rent a holiday apartment
while you are there. Write to the tourist information office. In your letter:
 explain what you need
 say when you plan to be there
 ask for information about prices
Begin your letter as follows: Dear Mr/Ms __________
EXERCISE 7: Informal
You stayed at your friend’s house when you attended a conference in Australia. Unfortunately,
you left a large envelope with some important documents in your room. Write a letter to your
friend. In the letter:
 thank your friend for the stay
 describe where you left the envelope
 ask him/her to return it to you by post
Begin your letter as follows: Dear _________
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WRITING TASK 2 – ESSAY
ARGUMENT ESSAY
Definition
The argument essay is a genre of writing that requires the student to investigate a topic, collect,
generate, and evaluate evidence, and establish a position on the topic in a concise manner. Here
is an example:
Write about the following topic:
Modern communications mean that it’s no longer necessary to write letters.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge
or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
Organization of an argument essay

Writing plan
Introduction
- General statements: introduce the topic
- Thesis statement: State your clear position agree? disagree? or partially disagree?
Body Paragraph 1
- Your first argument to support your opinion
Body Paragraph 2
- Your second support to your opinion
Body Paragraph 3
- Counterargument, concession and your refutation to the counter-argument
Conclusion
- Restate your personal opinion
- Your final thought about the issue (optional)
Useful expressions and linking words/phrases

 To add more points to the same topic:
In addition to (this), furthermore, moreover, besides, apart from, what is more, as well as, not
to mention (the fact) that, also, not only…but also/as well, both…and, There is another side to
the issue/question/argument of…
 To make contrasting points
On the other hand it may be said/argued/claimed that…

However
Still Others oppose viewpoint
Yet Many people (strongly) disagree…
But claim/feel/believe this argument is
Nonetheless incorrect/misguided
Nevertheless
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Even so
Although, though, even though, while, whilst, whereas, despite/ in spite of (the fact that),
regardless of the fact that
Opponents of ... argue/believe/claim that…
The fact that … contradicts the belief/idea that…
While it is true to say that… , in fact …
While/ Although … , it cannot be denied that …
 To give opinions
To my mind/ To my way of thinking
It is my (firm) belief/opinion/view/conviction that…
In my opinion/view … My opinion is that…
I (firmly) believe … I (definitely) feel/think that…
I am (not) convinced that … I am inclined to believe that…
I (do not) agree that/with … It seems/appears to me that…
It strikes me that … As far as I am concerned, …
>>> Conclusion expressing balanced consideration/ opinion directly
In conclusion, it can/must be said/claimed that…

On balance, it seems/appears that…
All things considered, it would seem that…
Taking everything into it is likely/unlikely/possible/foreseeable that…
account/consideration, it is clear/obvious that…
To conclude, there is no/little doubt that…
To sum up, the best course of action would be to…
All in all achieving a balance between…would be…
Finally/Lastly, it is true to say that…
although it must be said that…
it may be concluded/said that…
All things considered, the obvious conclusion to be drawn is that…

There is no absolute answer to the question of…
In the light of this evidence, it is clear/obvious that…
In it clear/apparent/ from above/foregoing evidence/points/arguments

conclusion, is plain/ obvious/ the
All in all, evident
To sum up,
>>> Conclusions expressing opinion directly
In conclusion, it is my belief/opinion that…

On balance, I (firmly) believe/feel/think that…
All things considered, I am convinced that…
Taking everything into I am inclined to believe that…
account/consideration, I (do not) agree that/with…
To conclude,
To sum up,
All in all
Finally/Lastly,
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Taking everything into account, I therefore conclude/feel/believe that…

For the above-mentioned reasons, therefore, I (firmly) believe that…
EXERCISE 8: Work in pairs to arrange the following sentences into the correct
order. They make up the introduction to an argument essay about the issue of whether
Australia should become a republic.
a. As a result, the issue is a very controversial one and has attracted a lot of debate.
b. It will then put forward a number of reasons why Australia should change to a republican
form of government.
c. The question of whether we maintain the monarchy is not merely a legal detail but is
intrinsically linked to the way we perceive ourselves as a distinct nation of people with its own
identity and culture.
d. Since the time of federation, Australia has been a constitutional monarchy with the Queen of
the United Kingdom as its head of state.
e. This essay will consider some of the arguments for maintaining the monarch as head of state
and will outline some of the problems with this position.
f. However, today many Australians are questioning whether this form of government is still
relevant or appropriate and are suggesting that we move towards the establishment of a
republic.
EXERCISE 9: Work in pairs to arrange the following sentences into the correct
order. They make up the conclusion to another argument essay. The main premise of this
essay is that the government should spend more money on childcare places for the children
of parents who study or work.
a. If we fail to meet our obligations in this area, we will be sacrificing our present and future
well-being merely in order to appease out-dated notions of family life and to achieve short-term
financial savings.
b. In conclusion, it is essential that we support the nation's parents and children by funding
more childcare places.
c. Only in this way can we provide the valuable learning environments that young Australians
need while, at the same time, utilizing the skills of all productive members of our society.
d. The entire national community will then be enriched economically, socially and culturally.
EXERCISE 10: Work individually to add an opposing point of view to each of the
following thesis statements. If necessary, rewrite the part of the sentence that is given to
you. The first one has been done for you as an example.
1. Doctors or family members should never be allowed to “pull the plug.”1
Although some people believe that doctors and family members should never be allowed to
“pull the plug,” I believe that it is sometimes more humane to do so.
2. The sale of CDs with songs containing lyrics that degrade women should be prohibited.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Television is the worst invention of modern times.
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pull the plug: let a person who is in an irreversible coma die by disconnecting him or her from life-sustaining
machines.
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………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. Environmental protection laws go too far.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. The advertising industry performs many public services.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
EXERCISE 11: Work in pairs and think of two or three supporting arguments for
each thesis statement. Notice that two of the thesis statements state only the writer’s point
of view, and two state both sides of the argument. The first one has been done for you as an
example.
1. Censorship of the arts is always wrong.
a. Freedom to express oneself is a fundamental right stated in the U.S. Bill of Rights.
b. Public morality is relative – what is objectionable in some cultures is acceptable
in others.
c. Many masterpieces – books, sculptures, and paintings – would be banned.
2. Violence in video games, movies, and television programs should be censored.
a. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
b. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
c. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Despite the fact that education’s primary responsibility is to train minds, not bodies, I
believe that schools should require students to practice a sport at least one hour a day.
a. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
b. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
c. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. Although some people think that curfew laws will help control teenage gangs, they are
wrong for several reasons.
a. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
b. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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c. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
DISCUSSION ESSAY
Defintion
A discussion essay presents and discusses issues surrounding a particular topic--usually one
that is debatable and open to argument. A good discussion essay must include a thorough
discussion of both sides of the topic. Here is an example
Organization of a discussion essay
Writing plan
Introduction
- Thesis statement: State that there is a conflict of opinions about the issue raised (without
stating your opinion)
Body Paragraph 1
- Arguments for and justifications, examples or reasons
Body Paragraph 2
- Arguments against and justifications, examples or reasons
Conclusion
- Your clear position: which side do you take/ your balanced consideration
- Your final thought about the issue raised in the question
Useful expressions and linking words/phrases

 To express viewpoints/standpoint:
As far as scientific viewpoint is concerned/ As far as I am concerned…
From a scientific standpoint/viewpoint…
As for the scientific aspect…
With regard to scientific matter…
 To list points:
Firstly
First of all
In the first place
To begin/start with
Secondly, thirdly…
Lastly
Finally
Last but not least
 To list advantages:
One/Another/A further/An additional (major) advantage of….is….
The main/greatest/first advantage of…is…
 To list disadvantages:
One/Another/A further/An additional (major) disadvantage/drawback of…is…
The main/greatest/most serious/first disadvantage of…
Another negative aspect of…
 To introduce arguments/points for or against:
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One (very convincing) point/argument in favour of…/against…

A further common criticism of…/It could be argued that…
It is often claimed/suggested
widely argued/maintain that …
generally felt/believed/held
claim/suggest/argue/feel that…
maintain/believe/point out/agree/hold that…
Some/many/most advocate (+ing/noun)/support the view that…
people/experts/scientists/skeptics/critics oppose the view that…
are in favour of/against…
are of the opinion that…
are convinced that…
are opposed to…
EXERCISE 12: Read the following topic

Present a written argument or case to an educated reader with no specialist knowledge of the
following topic:
“Discuss the view that advertising promote excessive consumerism.”
You should write at least 250 words.
Use your own ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with examples and
relevant evidence.
Write the main body for this essay. You may consider using the following writing plan:
Main body
1st benefit of advertising: provide the country with taxes and jobs.
Examples:………………………………………………..
2nd benefit of advertising: raise money for many events.
Examples:……………………………………………….
1st drawback of advertising: make people dissatisfied with what they have
Examples:………………………………………………
2nd drawback of advertising: creates materialism, causes people to place too much
important on material goods
Examples:……………………………………………..
EXERCISE 13: Complete these following sentences without changing the meaning
of the sentence before:
1. It is widely maintained that recycling some products reduces the amount of damage we do
to the environment.
Most people advocate
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. Some people still oppose the view that mother can be career women too.
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Some people feel

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. One argument against nuclear testing is that it has long‐lasting effects on surrounding
earth.
Skeptics point out that
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. It is generally held that harsher punishments for criminals would result in a decrease in the
crime rate.
Many people support
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. Critics often argue that the use of computer is reducing levels of literacy.
A further common
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
EXERCISE 14: Complete the following sentences using the words in the box
maintained drawback advocate
aspect further view
1. Some people support the ____________ that the wealthier countries of the world should
support the less developed countries.
2. One major ____________ of using public transport is that it can get very crowded during busy
periods.
3. Environmentalists ____________ banning the use of cars in the city centre.
4. Another negative ____________ of keeping pets is that veterinary bills can be extremely
expensive.
5. It is widely ____________ that nuclear weapons should be banned worldwide to eliminate the
threat of nuclear war.
6. A ____________ advantage of owning a mobile phone is that one can contact others from
almost anywhere.
EXERCISE 15: Complete the essay with suitable connectors
Some people think that children should be educated at school; others argue that
they would better be educated at home by their own parents. Discuss these views.
In many countries, parents are now choosing to educate their children at home. Others, (1)
………………………………, hold that the school environment is irreplaceable in providing children
with both academic and social skills needed for their development. Each of these views, (2)
………………………………, has its own merit.
16
(3) ………………………………, there are plausible arguments in favour of home education. (4)
……………………………….., parents may be able to provide a more practical education for their
children than schools can, and a more relaxing atmosphere for study. (5) ……………………………,
parents are in a better position to keep watch over them at home. (6) …………………………….,
parents know what is the best for their children.
(7) ………………………………., there are many arguments in support of sending children to school
rather than educating them at home. Children are isolated at home, at school, they will become
sociable, and accustomed to meeting people independently. (8) ………………………………, school
can provide trained teachers and good educational facilities. (9) …………………………………,
parents are too emotionally “close” to their children to make very good teachers.
(10) ………………………………, I am convinced that education at school is advantageous over

education at home. There are special cases, especially for disabled children in which home
education is the only option; (11) …………………………………, for the vast majority of children
greater benefits are gained by going to school.
OTHER TYPES
Other types may include cause-effect-solution or advantage-disadvantage essays.

Organization
Writing plan
Introduction
- Thesis statement: State the main ideas to be developed in the body
Body Paragraph 1
- Develop the first main idea
Body Paragraph 2
- Develop the second main idea
Body Paragraph 3
- Develop the third main idea
Conclusion
- Your personal idea about the issue
- Write your final thought, give suggestions (optional)
Useful expressions
 To express cause:
Since/because/as
In view of/because of/owing to/due to (the fact that…)
The reason that…
Why…
Now that…
 To express effect:
17
Thus/therefore/so
As a result/consequence
Consequently
The result of…would be
…would result in…
 To express purpose:
So that…
So as to…
In order (not) to…
With the purpose of/intention of (+ ing)
 To express possibility/probability:
It can/could/may/might…
It is possible/probable/(un)likely/foreseeable/certain that…
It is (un)likely to/bound to/certain to/possible/probable…
The likelihood/possibility/probability of ( -ing/noun) is…
 To express problems and solutions
Steps should so as to solve/overcome/combat…

Measures must be taken in order to deal with/eradicate…
could
Serious attempts to halt/prevent/solve…must be made.
One (possible) solve/overcome this problem would

Another way to combat/deal the problem be…
An alternative with (of)… is…
eradicate
People to solve/overcome the problem of…

Government should focus their/our attention on to improve the situation of…
We ways to reduce the impact of…on society.
If steps/measures were taken to…

If…happened/were to happen, the effect/result/consequence would be…
If attempts were made to address the
problem
By ( + ing) …, we/government/etc., can ensure that/prevent…

The … situation could be improved if…/It would be a good idea if…
The effect/consequence of (+ noun/ - would be…

outcome/result ing) might
EXERCISE 16: Write an essay for this topic. You may use the following writing
plan:
Present a written argument or case to an educated reader with no specialist
knowledge of the following topic:
18
“Smoking is on the increase among young people. Discuss the problem and suggest what
might be done about it?”
relevant evidence.
 Introduction
- State the problem: increasing numbers of youngsters who smoke.
- The causes of the problem: exposure of youth to cigarettes, lack of knowledge, and the
availability of cigarettes, etc.
 Body Paragraph 1
- 1st suggestion: Limit exposure of youth to cigarettes
- Actions to take:
+ Ban cigarettes advertisements
+ Prohibit smoking images on T.V
- Results: …………………………………………………
- 2nd suggestion: Increase knowledge on bad effect of smoking
- Actions to take:
+ Introducing a “negative image” advertising campaign
+ Teach children about bad effects of smoking at school
- Results: …………………………………………………
- 3rd suggestion: Limit the availability of cigarettes
- Actions to take:
+ Heavier taxes on cigarettes
+ Ban on the sale of cigarettes to under-eighteens
- Results: …………………………………………………….
 Conclusion
- Summarize/restate your opinion
EXERCISE 17: Look at each of the following sentences, identify the problem and
say what solution is suggested. Then, using expressions from part C, write sentences
explaining possible results, as in the example.
E.g. One way to deal with pollution in cities is to promote the use of public transport.
PROBLEM SOLUTION
→ The result of this would be fewer cars polluting the atmosphere.

1. One way to combat famine would be to provide affected countries with financial aid.
...................................................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................................................
..
2. An effective method of combating the spread of disease in poverty – stricken areas of the
world might be to send doctors from developed countries.
...................................................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................................................
..
19
3. One way to prevent illnesses such as heart disease is to ensure you take regular exercise and
follow a healthy diet.
...................................................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................................................
..
4. It could help the world’s rain forests if we used more recycled paper.
...................................................................................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................................................................................
..
SAMPLE ANSWERS FOR TASK 2

Sample 1:
Present a written argument or case to an educated reader with no specialist knowledge
of the following topic:
Some people believe that employers should not care about the way their
employees dress, because what matter is the quality of their work. To what
extent do you agree or disagree?
Use your own ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with
examples and relevant evidence.
There is an idea that employers should pay attention to the quality of employees instead of their
dressing style. I completely agree with this idea because what staff members perform has more
significant effects on the development of a company than what they wear.
Firstly, some companies make rules of employees’ uniforms, so people are forced to wear the
same dress code when they are working. This is a way to emphasize the staff as a whole in order
to align people’s behaviour. However, this method would strict the staff’s creativity. People
decide what to wear is an expression of their opinion and habit, so the strict dress codes
sometimes are completely unnecessary in the technology or creative sectors. Some technology
giants, like Microsoft and Google, are famous for their relaxed working environment that they
create. They encourage their staff to wear freely in order to create a friendly and open culture
for people. During this working atmosphere, it is more likely to be inspired to creative and
unique opinions.
Secondly, I would argue that producing work of outstanding quality is at heart rather than
professional uniforms. A person wearing smart, formal attire does not mean he or she is
professional. In addition, with the development of the Internet, there is an increasing number
of distance works or jobs, and many people choose to work at home. Some people who work as
online teachers, for example, can wear casually as they like. Students focus on their teaching
skills and methods instead of what they wear.
In conclusion, I definitely agree with the idea that employers should have an open mind to the
dressing style of their employees and try to improve the work quality of their staff.
Sample 2:
20
Present a written argument or case to an educated reader with no specialist knowledge of the
following topic:
Some people think that zoos are all cruel and should be closed down. Others however
believe that zoos can be useful in protecting wild animals. Discuss both opinions and
give your own opinion.
relevant evidence.
While some people believe that zoos play an important role in protecting wild animals, others
feel that keeping animals locked up in such places is cruel and unnecessary. Personally, I agree
with the idea that animals should not be kept in zoos and that zoos should be shut down.
On the one hand, many people feel that zoos are useful in some regards. Firstly, zoos can help
to preserve endangered animals by keeping them safe from poachers and other threats, such
as habitat destruction and the spread of urbanisation. Some zoos also run breeding programs
in order to try and increase the numbers of some endangered species to avoid them becoming
extinct. Secondly, by keeping animals in zoos, people can learn and understand more about
them and this can help to raise awareness amongst the public in order to help preserve certain
species.
However, while the abovementioned ideas may be true to a certain extent, I believe that zoos
are unnecessary for the following reasons. To begin with, zoos can only hold small numbers of
animals and therefore cannot protect the large majority of species from being hunted or their
habitats from being destroyed. I believe it is the responsibility of each government to create
and fund conservation programs that help to stop the destruction of the habitats of endangered
species so that animals can live in their natural state rather than be locked up in cages for their
entire life. Furthermore, in many zoos, animals are being mistreated as they are often provided
with insufficient food and medical care, which has so far caused many animals in zoos to die
because of starvation and diseases.
In conclusion, though some zoos may have some positive impacts on the conservation of some
certain animal species, overall, I think they are cruel places and do more harm than good.
Sample 3:
Present a written argument or case to an educated reader with no specialist knowledge of
the following topic:
In the developed world, average life expectancy is increasing. What problems will this cause
for individuals and society? Suggest some measures that could be taken to reduce the impact
of ageing populations
relevant evidence.
It is true that people in industrialised nations can expect to live longer than ever before.
Although there will undoubtedly be some negative consequences of this trend, societies can
take steps to mitigate these potential problems.
As people live longer and the populations of developed countries grow older, several related
problems can be anticipated. The main issue is that there will obviously be more people of
retirement age who will be eligible to receive a pension. The proportion of younger, working
adults will be smaller, and governments will therefore receive less money in taxes in relation
21
to the size of the population. In other words, an ageing population will mean a greater tax
burden for working adults. Further pressures will include a rise in the demand for healthcare,
and the fact young adults will increasingly have to look after their elderly relatives.
There are several actions that governments could take to solve the problems described above.
Firstly, a simple solution would be to increase the retirement age for working adults, perhaps
from 65 to 70. Nowadays, people of this age tend to be healthy enough to continue a productive
working life. A second measure would be for governments to encourage immigration in order
to increase the number of working adults who pay taxes. Finally, money from national budgets
will need to be taken from other areas and spent on vital healthcare, accommodation and
transport facilities for the rising numbers of older citizens.
In conclusion, various measures can be taken to tackle the problems that are certain to arise as
the populations of countries grow older.
22

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Language Skill Training Course Materials

Both tasks 1 and 2 are assessed by 4 criteria:

Answer the question

WRITING TASK 1 – LETTER

Style Characteristics Opening Ending

Dear John, -include a real name

Dear Mr. Collins,

WRITING TASK 2 – ESSAY

Organization of an argument essay

Useful expressions and linking words/phrases

 To make contrasting points

On the other hand it may be said/argued/claimed that…

In conclusion, it can/must be said/claimed that…

All things considered, the obvious conclusion to be drawn is that…

In it clear/apparent/ from above/foregoing evidence/points/arguments

>>> Conclusions expressing opinion directly

In conclusion, it is my belief/opinion that…

Taking everything into account, I therefore conclude/feel/believe that…

Useful expressions and linking words/phrases

One (very convincing) point/argument in favour of…/against…

EXERCISE 12: Read the following topic

Some people feel

EXERCISE 15: Complete the essay with suitable connectors

(10) ………………………………, I am convinced that education at school is advantageous over

Other types may include cause-effect-solution or advantage-disadvantage essays.

Steps should so as to solve/overcome/combat…

Serious attempts to halt/prevent/solve…must be made.

One (possible) solve/overcome this problem would

People to solve/overcome the problem of…

If steps/measures were taken to…

By ( + ing) …, we/government/etc., can ensure that/prevent…

The effect/consequence of (+ noun/ - would be…

→ The result of this would be fewer cars polluting the atmosphere.

SAMPLE ANSWERS FOR TASK 2

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