WRITING FCE

Essay
The essay should be well organised, with an introduction and an appropriate conclusion
and should be written in an appropriate register and tone.
It is possible to agree or disagree on one topic; however, it is probably easier to have a
discussion comparing advantages and disadvantages, or ideas for and against a topic.
You will have to write between 140-190 words.

TIPS:
 Support your opinions with reasons and examples.
 Think of a third idea of your own in addition to the two given prompts. If any of
the three essay prompts is missed out, then candidate will be penalised.
 Ideas should be well organised and coherent. It is advisable to use up to 5
paragraphs:
o Introduction
o Idea 1 + reason(s)/example(s)
o Idea 2 + reason(s)/example(s)
o Idea 3 + reason(s)/example(s)
o Conclusion (you may include your opinion here)
 Use the task input to help you plan but try to avoid copying phrases from the
input. Use your own words
 INTRODUCTION and CONCLUSION
o In the introduction, state the topic clearly, give a brief outline of the issue,
saying why it is important or why people have different opinions about it.
o Do not express your opinion at the beginning of your essay, give hints of
what your opinion is going to be in the end.
o Do give your opinion in the final paragraph.
 SECOND and THIRD PARAGRAPHS
o Each new paragraph has one main idea, stated in a topic sentence.
o Include relevant details to support the main idea: these might include
examples, rhetorical questions (do no overdo it), controversial or
surprising statements... If you include a drawback, give a possible
solution, too.
 GENERAL
o Use a relatively formal register and an objective tone. Do not be too
emotional.
o Remember to use linking adverbials to organise your ideas and to
make it easy for the reader to follow your argument

Linking words & phrases:

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TO EXPRESS PERSONAL OPINIONS: In my opinion, I believe (that) / I feel (that) / it seems
to me / in my view /as I see it / I think / personally
TO SHOW PURPOSE: to / in order to / so as to / so that
TO LIST IDEAS: Firstly / secondly / finally / In the first place / Lastly
TO CONTRAST IDEAS: However / although / in contrast / whereas / but / nevertheless /
in spite of / despite / On the other hand
TO DESCRIBE A CAUSE: Because / since / as / due to
TO SHOW A SEQUENCE: First of all / then / after that / eventually / in the end / finally
TO ADD INFORMATION: In addition / moreover / what is more / besides / too /
furthermore / and
TO DESCRIBE A CONSEQUENCE: Consequently / as a result / therefore / so / thus / for
this reason / that is why
TO CONCLUDE THE TOPIC: In conclusion / to sum up / in short / all in all
 WRITING FCE

Article
An article is usually written for an English-language magazine or newsletter, and the
reader is assumed to have similar interests to the writer. The main purpose is to inform,
interest and engage the reader, so there should be some opinion or comment.
You will have to write between 140-190 words

TIPS:
 Add a short title to catch the reader's attention. Make sure it is relevant. You can
use the one in the question or invent one of your own.
 Introduce the topic. Although you don't know the readers personally, you can
address them directly and ask them a rhetorical question. It helps to involve
them.
 Divide your report into sections. One or two paragraphs will do.
 Develop the ideas. Remember:
o Use a personal or more neutral style, but not formal (you might use
contractions).
o It is important that you show a range of structures.
o Give examples where appropriate to bring your article to life
o Use humour where appropriate.
 Give a conclusion and summary in the last paragraph.

Useful language:
 HEADING/TITLE: Freezing! (dramatic) / My Lone Walk to the North Pole (a
summary) / What’s the big idea? (a question) / You’re already well equipped
to prevent crime (surprising)
 INVOLVING THE READER: Just imagine... / Have you ever...? / How would you
feel if ...? / Are you one of those people who ...? / If the answer is ..., you
should... /What would live be like if...
 MAKING THE ARTICLE LIVELY AND INTERESTING: I was absolutely terrified
when I realised... / More importantly, it was something I... / Not surprisingly,
it's a good way of raising money. / The tent was worryingly small for three
people! / It was the most amazing experience I have ever had.
 DEVELOPING YOUR POINTS: Let's start with ... / Another advantage of ... /
On top of that,...
 GIVING YOUR OWN OPINION:I think that / In my opinion ... / It seems to me
that ... / If you ask me, ... / To my mind...
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Informal letter/email
An informal letter or email is usually between people who know each other fairly well.
In addition to giving news, they are often used to request information, congratulate
people, give advice and ask questions. Informal letters ask a lot of questions, show
interest and enthusiasm, and imagine a lot of shared information.
In many exam questions, you will be told what to include in your reply. Make sure that
your reply answers any questions that you were asked in the task and takes into account
any additional information that you have been told to mention.

TIPS:
 It is important that you use grammatical expressions appropriate to the level of
the exam. Even if there are no mistakes in your writing, you will not be able to
get a good grade if you use elementary language.
 Use informal language, including phrasal verbs, vocabulary, question tags,
contractions.
 Use simple sentence structure: I’ll be late for the party. It’s because of my French
exam.
 Use connectors appropriate for this type of language:

o To introduce a topic: Well, you'll never guess who I bumped into

yesterday. / I know how much you love tennis, so I've got us some
tickets to Wimbledon. / By the way, did you know that John's got a new
job?
o To go back to a previous topic: Anyway, as I was saying earlier, I really
wasn't very happy there. / Now where was I? Oh yes, I nearly forgot,
Mary asked me tell you about the cinema.
o To introduce surprising or bad news: Actually, he came to the party
after all. / I'm really sorry but I can't make it. / To tell you the truth, I
don't really like sports much.
o To summarise what you've already said: Anyway, we had a really nice
time in the end. / Well, to cut a long story short, we didn't get there on
time.

STRUCTURE:
 Salutation or greeting
 Body
o Opening: acknowledge the letter to which you are replying
 Closing
o Closing statement & signing off
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Useful phrases
SALUTATION OR GREETING: Dear followed by the first name of the person. In
emails, you can also start with Hi (and the person's name). (Don't forget to use only
the first name of the person you are writing to)

OPENING:

 How are you? / How have the family been? / I hope you are well.
 Thank you / Many thanks for your (recent/last) letter / postcard.
 It was good / nice / great to hear from you again.
 I was so surprised to hear that...
 I’m sorry I haven’t written / haven't been in touch for such a long time.
 It’s ages since I’ve heard from you. I hope you're well / you and your family
are well.
 How are things? / How are you? / How’s it going?

OTHER USEFUL PHRASES

 Referring to news
o Great news about … Glad to hear that … Sorry to hear about …
 Giving news
o Listen, did I tell you about …? You’ll never believe what …
o Oh, and another thing … This is just to let you know that …
o I thought you might be interested to hear about / know that …
o By the way, have you heard about / did you know that …?
 Apologies
o I’m writing to apologise for missing your party but I’m afraid I was
with flu.
o I’m really sorry that I forgot to send you a birthday card but I was
busy with my new job.
 Invitations
o I’m / We’re having a party on Friday 19th and I / we hope you’ll be
able to come.
o Would you like to come / go to see ‘Room With a View’ with me at
the weekend?
o I was wondering if you’d like to go to the theatre / come on holiday
with us.
o Could you let me / us know if you can come / you’d like to join us?
o Thank you very much for your invitation. I’d love to come.
o Thank you for asking / inviting me to … but I’m afraid I won’t be able
to …
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 Requests
o I’m writing to ask for your help / you (if you could do me) a favour.
o I wonder if / I was wondering if you could help me / do me a favour.
o I hope you don’t mind me asking but could you (possibly) …?
o I’d be very / really / terribly grateful if you could …
 Thank you / Congratulations / Good Luck
o I’m writing to thank you for your hospitality / the wonderful
present.
o It was so kind of you to invite me to stay with you.
o I really appreciated all your help / advice.
o Congratulations on passing your exams / your excellent exam
results!
o I wish you good luck / Good luck in / with your exams / your driving
test / your interview.
o Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll do well / pass.
o Do be on time, won’t you, and don’t forget to …
 Making suggestions and recommendations
o Why don’t you …? / Maybe you could …? / How about …?
o You can’t leave New York without (...doing sth)
o I’m sure you will enjoy (...doing sth). If you like, we can …
o Do visit ... / Don’t forget to ...
 Closing
o Give a reason why you're ending the letter: Anyway, I must go and
get on with my work! / I guess it's time I got on with that studying
I've been avoiding.
o Send greetings and/or make reference for future contact: Give my
love / regards to... / Say hello to... / Anyway, don't forget to let me
know the dates of the party. / I'll try and phone you at the weekend
to check the times. / We must try and meet up soon. / I can't wait to
hear from you / Look forward to seeing you again / Hope to hear
from you soon / See you soon / Write soon
o Closing statement such as Love, Lots of love, All the best, Take care,
Best wishes, should be written on a new line. If you used a comma
after the opening greeting, use a comma here too.
o Signing off: Your first name then follows on another new line.
 WRITING FCE

Formal letter/email
Formal letters may be written to an individual or to an organisation. The purpose may
be, for example:

 to apply for part-time or vacation work (application letter)

 to apply for study or scholarship opportunity (application letter)
 to complain about something (complaint letter)
 to make suggestions about something
 to request information (enquiry letter)

HOW TO WRITE FORMAL LETTERS

1. Salutation or Greeting

-If you know the name of the person you are writing to
use the title (Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms) and the surname only.

-If you don’t know the name of the recipient of the letter
begin with "Dear Sir," / "Dear Madam," (if you know you
are writing to a man or a woman) or "Dear Sir or Madam,"
(if you do not know the sex of the person).

2. Body

2.1 Opening

The first paragraph states the reason(s) for writing and, if

needed, what you are responding to (an advert, a
prospectus...).

2.2, 2. . Main content

The rest of the body will be organized in paragraphs: that

will make reading easier and the effect on the target
reader will be better.

3. Closing

The end of your letter is as important as the beginning. You usually state what you would like the
recipient to do, make a reference to a future event, offer to help...

4. Final salutation

Depending on how you started your letter (See "Salutation or Greeting" above), you will end your letter
with
Useful phrases:
- Yours sincerely, (if you know the name of the person you’re writing to)
- Yours faithfully, (if you don’t know the name of the person you’re writing to)

5. Sign your name and then print your name clearly underneath on another new line
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REASON FOR WRITING

 I am writing to …
 I am writing with regard to …
 I am writing on behalf of …

ASKING QUESTIONS

 I would be grateful if …
 I wonder if you could …
 Could you …? Could you tell me something about …?
 I would particularly like to know …
 I would be interested in having more details about …

REFERRING TO THEIR LETTER

 As you stated in your letter, …

 Regarding … Concerning … With regard to …

COMPLAINING

 I am writing to complain about …

 You said … but in fact what happened …
 We were supposed to stay with British families whereas we actually stayed in a
guest house.
 ... is not what I expected / was expecting
 I am not satisfied with...
 I would be grateful if my money was refunded / if you could give me a refund

ASKING POLITELY

 Could you tell me... ?

 I would be grateful if you could ...
 I would be interested in having more details about...
 I would like to know if/when/when/...
 I would like information on...
 Do you know if...?

CLOSING

 If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
 I look forward to hearing from you.
 Please contact me if you have any further questions.
 WRITING FCE

Report
A REPORT is usually written for a superior (e.g. a teacher) or a peer group (e.g. members
of an English club). Candidates are expected to give some factual information and make
suggestions or recommendations. A report should be clearly organised and may include
headings.

TIPS
 Begin by stating the purpose of your report.
 You may invent where you got the information.
 Use a clear layout with:
o Headings. They will make it clear that your report is not an essay or
review.
o 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. Focus on a maximum of two points.
 Give a clear summary of the situation and make a comment/suggestion only
in the last paragraph.
 Use an impersonal, semi-formal style.

Useful language
Stating the purpose of the report (paragraph 1)

 The main aim/objective/purpose of this report is to ...

Describing how you got the information (paragraph 1)

 To prepare for this report, I conducted interviews with... / I visited three of the
most popular... / I discussed the issue with...

Reporting your results (paragraphs 2, 3, ...)

 According to ...
 All those who were interviewed believe that/are concerned that... / It is thought
that... / It was commented upon by a number of people we talked to that...
 A cause of dissatisfaction was...

Presenting a list
 WRITING FCE

 The arguments against ... are the following:

o 1 ...
o 2 ...
 The following were the main reasons given for supporting ...: firstly, ..., secondly,
...
 Points mentioned in favour of/against ... were:
o 1 ...
o 2 ...
 There are several ways in which ... might be ... :
o 1 ...
o 2 ...

Making recommendations (Last paragraph)

 Taking all the factors mentioned into account...

 I would therefore recommend ....
 Clearly, more could be done to .... I would make the following recommendations:
o 1 ...
o 2 ...
o 3 ...
 WRITING FCE

Review
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.

TIPS
 It is a good idea to give your review an interesting title.
 In the first paragraph, say what you are reviewing and try to get the reader's
interest.
 Give your opinion of what you are reviewing linked to the question in the second
paragraph. Remember a review is not just a list of facts.
 Give more details of what your are reviewing in one or two more paragraphs,
but only focus on those you've been asked to develop.
 Summarise your view, using different words from the introduction, and include
a recommendation.
 Remember.
o Use a personal or more neutral style, according to the target reader.
o It is important that you show a range of structures in the language of
opinion, description and recommendation.
o Add vivid language to add interest.

Useful language
What I liked

 What I liked most was …..

 The thing I liked most was ….
 I was pleasantly surprised by …..
 ….. would appeal to …..
 If you get a chance to ….

What I disliked

 What I disliked most was …..

 I was disappointed by/with ……
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Reviews of books

 main character
 is set in
 Fiction: science fiction / thriller / fantasy / mystery / historical / romance ...
 Non-fiction: cook book / travel book / textbook / manual / coffee-table book ...
 atmosphere / plot
 author
 written by
 chapter
 factual
 unbelievable
 bestseller
 ending

Reviews of concerts

 artist / band / musician / (bass/lead/rhythm) guitarist / (backing/lead) singer /

drummer / soloist / trio / orchestra
 auditorium / hall / venue / lyrics / (catchy) tune / score / gig

Reviews of exhibitions

 painting / sculpture / handicrafts

 gallery / catalogue / display

Reviews of films

 lead role
 star role
 star
 star actor/actress
 starring
 secondary role
 He plays a …….
 written by ….
 cast / director / producer
 is set in …..
 based on a true story …..
 believable
 true to life
 not very believable
 far-fetched
 (As for fiction books +): animation / adaptation / comedy
 Costumes / design / photography / script / special effects / soundtrack
 ending
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Reviews of TV programmes

 Chat shows / current affairs programme / debate / documentary / series / soap

opera/ sitcom (situation comedy)
 Host / presenter

Reviews of hotels, restaurants, etc

 location
 service
 setting
 attractive / disappointing setting
 owned by
 run by
 head chef (restaurant)
 waiters (restaurant)
 staff …….
 staff at reception …….(hotel)
 hotel facilities ….
 reasonable prices …..
 good/excellent/poor value for money …..
 (a bit/somehow) expensive
 overpriced
 not worth the money
 always fully booked
 book in advance

Criticism

 The script seemed rather conventional/predictable to me.

 The plot struck me as completely bizarre/absurd/incomprehensible
 The characters are appealing and true to life
 The dancers were quite brilliant/amateurish

Recommendations

 Judging from this CD / show ...

 Overall, if you like ..., you'll love / you should ...
 Although some of ... he/she/it's still a great...
 You really must/should buy/see/read/visit ...
 I would definitely recommend seeing/visiting/reading/having a look at ...