Report writing: Cambridge IGCSE English as a Second LanguageIt

also focuses on specific phrases and expressions used for reporting

accurately, giving opinions and making recommendations, and also to
put forward your views and arguments too.

Report writing: Cambridge IGCSE English as a

Second Language
/ Report Writing
Cambridge IGCSE ESL English as a Second Language
Report writing
Cambridge IGCSE ESL Examinations
This article focuses on the new topic of formal writing in the revised pattern of examinations starting from
2019 in Cambridge IGCSE English as a Second Language which needs to be answered together with a few
basic rules related to formal register. It then describes various features you should include when you use the
formal register. It also focuses on specific phrases and expressions used for reporting accurately, giving
opinions and making recommendations, and also to put forward your views and arguments too.

Apart from friendly letters or emails, you need to produce either a report, a review or a school magazine article
which you need to be completed in a formal register. You should never forget that your readers or audiences
will be a group of students or your teachers so you have to present the facts and recommendations in a formal
or semi-formal tone depending on the topics.

Formal language structure is the most important part of your writing that you need for making formal writing.
An exam type question usually contains function words, for example, write a report giving suggestions or
recommendations and opinion.

Language Tips
The best way to master the formal language is that learning to use phrases associated with language functions,
for example, it is high time that a government increased the tax.

Some general tips for formal writing

1. When writing formally it is appropriate to include formal tone and register

2. You should not use the words and phrases that belong to the friendly register.

3. No slang words or phrases.

4. No humor because topics are serious of nature or factual.

5. No personal style (should be impersonal)

6. You should always keep your audience in your mind.

 Basic tools for informal writing
Time fixer Phrases
I soon as we reached there…

We arrived at the site…

Once we all arrived

Phrases for introduction

The aim of this report is to highlight what we learned…

The report aims to highlight…

This report aims to investigate …

This report aims to recommend…

The purpose of this report to highlight…

This report aims to present what we learned from the trip…

Phrases for generalisation

A significant number of students…

I love the number of parents…

Almost all students…

A vast majority of students…

A large number of teachers…

Phrases for the positive side

Many students were captivated to see…

It was fascinating to see…

We all got insight into the importance…

We managed to study fascinating facts about…

The vast majority of students were stunned as they discovered …

 Phrases for negative sides
It was appalling to see…

However many people felt that it was

Notwithstanding the boons, it was totally saddening to see that…

A large number of students found that the trip was a bit haphazard…

Opinion phrases
I strongly believe that…

I vehemently believe that …

Phrases for recommendations

I would recommend that…

Perhaps we could also consider asking…

For the reasons, I have mentioned I highly recommend visiting…

I am convinced that they…

In the remaining sections, we examine in detail performing languages which have been traveling to
interactions positive signs recommendations and opinions

 Writing a report

Overview

The purpose of a report is often to present relevant information in an ordered

way and to make carefully considered suggestions based on that information.

Reports are usually a mixture of fact and opinion, reflecting on key facts and
details to offer suggestions to the reader.
 Reports can also be used to offer an objective view of a situation, proposing
alternatives for the reader to consider.

For example, reports in a workplace might include statistics to support

different plans for the future of the business so that people can decide on the
best option.

The audience of a report is often someone in charge, for example a teacher,

or an employer, so the language and tone of a report tends to be more
formal.

Tips for writing a report

Language

 think about the audience that the report is for – are you writing this
report for one reader, or for a group of people such as the organisers
of an event?

 the impression you want your reader to have of you – usually a report
should be impersonal and relatively formal since you are writing to
someone who is in charge. You would not normally use slang or
contractions ( such as don’t or can’t) .It is usually best to avoid
attempts at humour or sarcasm

 the purpose for the report – you may have been asked to make
suggestions or recommendations in your report based on personal
experience, or to offer an overview of a more complex situation. Try to
include a range of topic related vocabulary used appropriately

 how to reassure your reader that your report is going to be useful –

imagine if your report was full of emotive words and personal appeals
based on your own viewpoint, your reader might not be convinced
 that you were offering them an objective and accurate evaluation. For
your report to be effective you will need to sound calm and polite.

Organisation

 Identify and group the key information, facts and details your report
needs to include before you start writing – the structure of a report is
usually in three parts. For example:

6. An overview – briefly introduce the topic of the report and the key
areas you will consider. Your reader should be able to understand what
you will be writing about and why by just reading this section.

7. A middle – develop and support the relevant facts and opinions about
the topic that you or others have noticed.

8. An end – offer a brief summary of your suggestions, recommendations

or solutions. Here you might like to include any new points you think
should be considered in the future.

 Organise different aspects of the report into paragraphs as

appropriate – this will help you to explain, develop and support your
points.

 Help your reader to locate the information they need more easily – a
report should be well-organised and clear. Reports often use headings
to show the reader what information can be found in each section.
Sometimes bullet points might also be used to highlight key
information to the reader. Do not overdo these, but a precise, short,
bulleted list can help to draw your reader’s attention to the key points
you are making.

 Connect the points you are making logically – for example, where you
are offering suggestions based on points you made earlier you might
use a linking word or phrase such as ‘in conclusion’, ‘as a consequence’
or ‘finally’.
 iGCSE Revision site
 Home
 Extended
 Core
Report Structure for
A report usually tells the reader about an event that has success
taken place. The writer may analyse or observe these Introduction: Be clear
events/situations. Reports are always written for a about the Main Event
particular audience. They -who
are clear and objective (unbiased), reporting the facts. -what
-when
Success Criteria: -where

- Make points clear in separate paragraphs with topic Example:

sentences (use subheadings if you want) 'On 16th June 2012,
Eastbury
- Use time connectives (Earlier, Later that day, Comprehensive School
Afterwards). Reports of an event would give information was inspected by the
about what happened in chronological (time) order. i.e. local council (Barking
FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END & Dagenham). The
focus was on Maths and
-Stay objective - this isn't descriptive writing - its a clear English departments;
presentation of information. You may come to a conclusion both were graded as
but there should be no exaggeration or emotive language. making good progress.
The visit was a response
-Formal and Standard English to the dramatic rise in
GCSE passes from
-Facts and Statistics grades A*-C.'

-Variety of sentence lengths and punctuation Paragraphs 2-4:

Report
Grade A -details of what
-Your text is well ordered with a strong sense of beginning happened
and end -facts and statistics
-Your report sounds convincing and real with an excellent -Use topic
sense of audience sentences/sub-headings
Grade C
-You cover the main points of the topic in paragraphs Include :
-You provide some sense of audience and appropriate style -Eye witness/member of
and language public quote
Model Example
Accommodation Inspected: Hotel Expedia (Gatwick, Example:
London) One staff member
 commented that students
Inspection dates: February 18th-21st 2012 were 'a delight to teach',
with the staffroom
Inspector: Stuart Giles atmosphere described
as 'hugely supportive' by
Hotel Expedia is a 3* Hotel situated close to Gatwick another.
Airport. Its client base is overwhelmingly formed of
tourists or business travellers, who select the hotel due to Ending:
the convenience of its proximity to the airport; this -Finish with some points
indicated by the well-known budget label in the hotel name. for improvement or your
In recent months, serious concerns have been raised in the suggested action for any
online community as to the quality of service offered by the similar events.
hotel. -This might be things
that went well, or
A thorough and lengthy inspection of the hotel and its recommendations to
facilities corroborates such negative and worrying reports. I prevent further problems
would strongly recommend an immediate closure of the
establishment - at the present time accommodation at the Overall, the school
hotel can be considered (at best) unsatisfactory, with shows itself to be
manifold instances of the flouting of basic health and safety making steps towards
standards meaning that currently the hotel poses an urgent clear improvements.
and real danger to its guests and staff. I would recommend that
Eastbury seek to share
The Hotel good teaching and
learning practice with
-Accounts and General Management other schools in the
borough.
At present, the hotel is running without any central
database or electronic for its bookings or guests. A sporadic
and haphazard ‘paper system’ is in use. This frequently
leads to guests being mistakenly charged the incorrect
amount, or rooms being double booked. Moreover, the
communication between Management and other
departments working in the hotel, is extremely poor,
leading to dangerous health and safety issues (see section
below) being left unaddressed or unattended to.