WRITING TASKS Checklist B2 / C1 (FCE / CAE)

WRITING TASKS:
PART 1: Compulsory (= you have to do it) (Tarea obligatoria)
>Essay (redaccion / ensayo)

PART 2: Optional (= you have a choice) (Tarea a escoger)
>Letters / Emails (carta / correo electronico)
>Review (reseña, critica)
>Article (articulo de informacion general)
>Report (informe)
>Proposal (proposicion) (C1 only)  

EXAM CRITERIA:
CONTENT (C) (Contenido): What you say, relevant
COMMUNICATIVE ACHIEVEMENT (CA) (Comunicacion): How? Expression, style, target reader
ORGANISATION (O) (Organizacion): Structure / paragraphs, use of connectors / Linkers
LANGUAGE (L) (Uso de lenguaje): Gammar (complex sentences), Vocabulary (variety, collocations)

GENERAL - FOR ALL WRITING TASKS:
>Answer correctly (>Content)
>Complex structures (>Language) - Modals, passives, relative clauses, conditionals, reported speech
>Connectors / Linkers / Cohesive Devices (>Organisation)
>Contractions - for informal, not for formal writing
>Examples to support your answer
>Explanations
>Plan, Rough draft (>Organisation)
>Register, Style (>Communicative Achievement) - Formal / Informal / Neutral
>Spelling and Punctuation (>Language)
>Structure (Introduction, Conclusion, Middle Paragraphs)
>Target reader (>Communicative Achievement) - consider who do you write to
>Time Limit
1h:20min (FCE), 1h:30min (CAE)
>Variety - Vocabulary
>Vocabulary - Collocations
>Word limit (All tasks for the same level) 
Cambridge
140-190 (FCE)
220-260 (CAE)
Trinity
150-180 (ISE II)
200-230 (ISE III) 

ESSAYS:
>Argument - For & against, Pros & cons, advantages & disadvantages, positives & negatives (Present & discuss).
>Be relevant (>Content)
>Opinions
>Style (formal / neutral)

LETTERS / EMAILS:
>Beginnings & endings
>Openings & closings

WHAT YOU WILL USE LETTERS FOR:
>Responding to a previous letter
>Making suggestions
>Asking for information
>Complaining
>Apologising
>Inviting
>Giving or asking for information or advice
>Applying for a job vacancy

WHO DO YOU WRITE TO ?

Informal: friend, classmate, college

Formal: school or college principal, magazine editor, prospective employer.

  

STRUCTURE

FORMAL (GENERAL) BEGINNINGS:
Dear Mr…
Dear Sir or Madam
To whom it may concern

FORMAL (GENERAL) ENDINGS:
Yours sincerely
Yours faithfully (if you don’t know the person’s name)

INFORMAL BEGINNINGS:
Dear (+ first name)
Hello (+ first name)
Hi (+ first name)

INFORMAL ENDINGS:

Best wishes
Regards
Kind regards

Family member or people close to you:

See you soon
Bye for now
Love
With love
Lots of love

REVIEWS:
>What are you reviewing (>Content) - Explain
>Basic facts / Factual Information (>Content) 
>Be descriptive (>Language)
>Opinions (>Language) - Positive / negative. Enjoyed?
>Feelings (>Language)
>Recommendations & suggestions
>Books or Films (>Content) -What type? Characters, basic storyline, what makes it different?

YOU CAN WRITE A REVIEW ON:

Book
Film
Play (theatre)
Art exhibition
museum
fashion show
Concert/shows/performances
Holiday/hotel
Website
TV programme/series
Product / consumer goods
Restaurant
Computer /video game
article (magazine, newspaper)
music CD
biography
sports event
cultural event
apps/blogs
convention
zoo
Painting / drawing

ARTICLES:
>Fully inform reader (>Content)
>Interesting to read (>Communicative Achievement)
>Eye-catching Title (>Organisation) - Attract reader, Link to introduction
>Descriptive Language (>Language) - Synonyms, Adverbs
>Give opinions & comments
>Examples
>Personal angle - Anecdotes.

REPORTS:
>Facts / Factual information (>Content)
>Examples
>Title (>Organisation) - Not essential but advisable
>Headings  with paragraphs(>Organisation)
>Opinions, descriptions, Explanations
>Recommendations / Suggestions
>Use of Impersonal "it" with passive (>Communicative Achievement / Language)

REPORTS / PROPOSALS:
Reports = To report on what has happened, past events
Proposal = To persuade a course of action. To suggest something for the future.

STRUCTURE MODELS (By Paragraph):

ESSAY FOR B2 / FCE

Parag.1 = General Introduction - Present your main ideas or arguments 

Parag.2 = Argument for point 1 - Given to you in Exam question

Parag.3 = Argument for point 2 - Given to you in Exam question

Parag.4 = Argument for point 3 - Provide your own idea

Parag.5 = Conclusion à minimum of two sentences. Summarise overall argument

ESSAY FOR C1 / CAE

Parag.1 = Introduction

Parag.2 = Discussion point 1

Parag.3 = Discussion point 2

Parag.4 = Conclusion - Explain more important point.

REVIEW

Title – Give your review a title

Parag.1 = General Introduction - Introduce basic facts about item under review 

Parag.2 = Description point 1 
Parag.3 = Description point 2 

Parag.4 = Description point 3 

Parag.5 = Conclusion - minimum of two sentences. Summarise overall opinion.

ARTICLE

Title = catchy to grab reader’s attention
Parag.1 = Introduction =  catchy
Parag.2 = Discussion point 1
Parag.3 = Discussion point 2
Parag.4 = Conclusion - giving your opinions, comments and examples. 
Sometimes it is good to use humour at the end.

GENERAL QUESTIONS

[ES = Essay, A = Article, RV = Review, L = Letter, EM = Email, RP = Report, P = Proposal]

Which writing task…(may be more than one answer)

1. Uses opening & closing formulae?
2. Uses a range of vocabulary and grammatical structures?
3. Gives or mentions a reason for writing?
4. Requires the use of cohesive devices?
5. Requires you to think about the target reader?
6. Makes recommendations or suggestions?
7. Uses a variety of descriptive language and opinions?
8. Should have an eye-catching title and be interesting to read?
9. Includes headings and/or bullet points?
10. Does not need to be formal?
11. Needs accurate punctuation, spelling and grammar?
12. Requires you to be persuasive?
13. Should be organised in paragraphs?
14. May follow up a speaking task such as a discussion on topic issues?
15. Should be planned before writing using a paragraph plan?