English Today

FCE Tips - Part 2: Paper 2- Writing

 

A. What's in the Writing paper?

• Part 1: One compulsory question - a transactional email / letter which could be formal or informal. You read some material and then you write an email / letter using all the notes on the task.
• Part 2: One question from a choice of four, including an article, email (usually informal), essay (opinion composition), report, review and story.
• Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

(Each Part carries 20 marks.)

 

B. Useful Tips for Writing

• Before you start writing, highlight or underline the key words in the task.
• It is important to know what kind of writing you are required to produce, what style you should be using and what layout is appropriate.
• In Part 1 check and double check that you have included all the notes.
• In Part 2 read all the questions carefully before you decide which one to do. Choose to answer the one you feel you are especcially good at.
• Practise writing things in different ways using a range of tenses and vocabulary.
• Last but not least, remember to plan what you write, and read it through afterwards to check that you have not made any mistakes. 

 

SOURCE: The Official Top Tips for FCE - University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations - UCLES 2008

 

 

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IGCSE ESL Past Exam Papers - Reading and Writing - May / June 2011-Answer Key

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IGCSE ESL Past Exam Papers - Reading and Writing - May / June 2011

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The answer key will be posted on Monday, June 7  2012   

IGCSE - Summary Writing

What to Expect

In Exercise 5 of the IGCSE Reading & Writing Paper, you will have to read a text and provide a summary based on specific issues of the text relating to the task.

Example:

Read the following article about the jaguar, and then write a summary about why the jaguar needed help and how the species has been preserved in Belize. Your summary should be about 100 words.

Summarising is an excellent way of making sure that you understand and remember what you have read. The practice of summarising a text from notes you have made is a useful safeguard against the temptation to use the words of the original or lift chunks of language.

A good summary:

• conveys the information in fewer words
• expresses the content in fewer sentences
• omits information of little importance
• leaves out details and examples
• departs from the vocabulary and structure of the original text
• doesn't include your own opinions or feelings

To write a good summary follow these steps:

• Read the task carefully and underline what exactly you are required to summarise.
  

• Scan the text (read it quickly) to get the general meaning and underline or highlight the main points relating to the task.
• Read the text again and make notes of the main points.
• DO NOT look at the original text and write out your summary based on your notes.
• Don't forget to use linking words!!! ( First, secondly, finally, however, moreover, in addition etc)
• Read through your summary making sure you have not copied in extent from the original text or included irrelevant points. You can use words or short phrases from the original text but your summary must be your own writing!
• DO NOT exceed the word limit!

You can summarise ideas in different ways:

1. Through Vocabulary:

We spoke to the man who was wearing a white coat and a stethoscope = We spoke to the doctor

2. Through ellipses:

Sometimes, we can leave out words such as a subject or a verb provided that the meaning is clear.

Baby chickens are very sweet when they hatch = Chicks are sweet when hatched.

3. Through generalisation:

She went to the market and bought apples, bananas and oranges = She bought fruit at the market

4. Through shorter constructions:

Despite the fact that it was raining, I still went out. = Despite the rain, I went out.

5. Through rejection of unimportant details:

A few years ago, you could buy a property for next to nothing. Nowadays, however, many families can't even afford to buy a small flat. = Property is more expensive than it used to be.

NOW YOUR TURN!

Summarise the following passages:

(a) There was a heavy snowstorm and the two men, who were very good mountain climbers, climbed up to the highest peak in order to rescue the men who had been trapped at the top of the mountain and, in so doing, risked their lives.

(Write about 20 words)

(b) Although the town had been warned about the hurricane, the authorities did not have enough time to evacuate the residents from their homes. For this reason, there were more casualties than they  had expected.

(Write about 20 words)

( c ) People should not kill each other because they have to respect the sanctity of life. Neither should they be prejudiced against a person's race or faith. Every individual has a right to free thought.

(Write about 15 words)

Suggested Answers:

(a) The expert mountain climbers risked their lives in the snowstorm to rescue the trapped men at the peak.

(b) Despite the hurricane warning, there was not enough time to evacuate the residents. Therefore, there were more casualties than expected.

( c ) People should respect human life as well as a person's race and religion.

SOURCE: Reaching Out by Koula Afrodisi and Anthi Kyriacou - Hillside Press

IGCSE Writing - Informal Email: My Students Said.....

Here's some of my IGCSE students' work on informal emails.

 

 

 

The IGCSE Task:

You've recently moved to a big city in a foreign country. Write an email to a friend telling him / her about some of the problems you've been facing. Write between 150 -  200 words.

 

Dear Maria,

I've recently moved to a new city and I have a lot to tell you. I'm sorry I haven't written for such a long time but I've been really busy trying to get used to the city. I'm sure you can't wait to hear about my life in the city, so here goes!

Firstly, all the buildings here are very tall and the sun is almost hidden and ... you know how much I love sunshine! Secondly, at night, the city gets very noisy and it's hard for me to sleep but I guess I'll get used to it.

Everyone here is very distant and that's not easy to make new friends. Most kids at my new school don't like the fact that I come from a rural area. They're a bit posh! Last but not least, distances here are very long and I sometimes feel I'll get lost. Despite all the difficulties I'm now facing, there are lots of  interesting things to do here.

That's all for now. I'm looking forward to hearing from you soon. Hope all's well with you and yours.

Lots of love,

E

(184 words)

Hi John,

How are you? I'm sorry I haven't written for such a long time, but I've been really busy lately. I've just moved to Miami, Florida, USA. This change of lifestyle is...huge! Last time we talked, you asked me to tell you about my new life in Miami, so here goes!

Well, I've got to say that Miami's wonderful! And it's huge! Now I go to East Miami High School which is really cool! I don't know anyone there and, at the moment, I'm alone at breaks, but I don't worry too much about it! I'm sure I'll make new friends soon.

Anyway, there have been lots of problems. My mum still doesn't know in which building her  new job is. It's hilarious, isn't it? My new neighbours aren't very friendly or helpful and then , the people here have a funny accent!

What's up with you? Write soon and tell me everything! I miss you and the rest of the boys of our gang.

Write back soon!

Yours,

Y

(167 words)

Dear Emily,

I'm sorry I haven't written for such a long time, but I've been really busy since I moved to a foreign country. As you can see, Emily, I recently moved to New York City because my mother was offered a better job there.

It's been a big sacrifice for all of us since we left our small town, Larnaca. It's hard to survive here in New York cause everything is different and new to me. There's too much noise and pollution. The school is huge! What's more, the people aren't very friendly and I don't have a lot of friends to hang out with. I hope things will look up soon.

I really miss the good old times when I used to go out in Larnaca and relax with my friends. I miss you too!!! Things are sort of tough here but I think I'll survive.

That's all for now. Please write back soon. Take care!

Love,

A

(156 words)

 

Dear Peter,

Thank you for your letter. I'm sorry I haven't written for such a long time but I've been really busy with moving to the city. You asked me to tell you all about my news, so here goes.

You see, Peter, I've got a few problems here. Maybe , the worst is that I have difficulty fitting in with my peers. and since I don't know anyone here, things are looking even worse! The other major problem is that there's no natural scenery. It's more like urban blight! I miss the clean air of the country, the calming sound of the sea, and the night sky full of stars! Instead, I have to put up with an unhealthy environment and annoying traffic jams!

I'm open to suggestions. What should I do? Try to adapt to a new lifestyle or ask my parents to return to Cyprus? Can't wait to hear from you.

(152 words)

Love,

A

 

Report Writing

Guided Report Writing

Write a report on Milford Gym suggesting ways of attracting more young people and teenagers to the gym. Write between 150 and 200 words.

 

REPORT ON MILFORD GYM

PLAN

 

PLAN FOR A REPORT	SPECIFIC PLAN
Par.1 – state purpose of report	Describe Milford Gym and suggest ways of attracting young customers
Pars. 2-4 – main body	Facilities Classes Opening times and prices
Par. 5 – recommendations and conclusion	Recommendations / suggestions and conclusion

 

 

Introduction

This report describes Milford Gym and suggests ways of attracting younger customers.

 

Facilities

Milford Gym has one weightlifting and exercise room which contains a wide range of equipment from exercise bikes to rowing machines. There is also a studio for aerobics classes.

 

Classes

Aerobics classes are held every day. However, few people under the age of 25 attend these classes.

 

Opening Times and Prices

The gym is open 7 days a week from 7am-9pm. Membership is reasonably priced and costs £20 per month. However, subscriptions are for a minimum period of 6 months and must be paid in advance. Most young people are not able to afford this.

 

Recommendations

First of all, I suggest playing pop music in the weightlifting and exercise room so that young people can be encouraged to use this area. In addition, I recommend introducing some new classes, for example jazz or hip-hop dancing. It would also be a good idea to offer one-month subscriptions, which young people would be able to afford. If these changes are made, I am sure that there will be an increase in younger customers at the gym.

 

(188 words)

IGCSE Reading - Exam Practice - Exercise 5: Answer Key

Reading Comprehension Reference

A.Reading Comprehension

1. True
2. False
3. True
4. True
5. True
6. False
7. True
8. True
9. False

B. Summary

The aim of the project is to encourage young children to take up cricket. The best approach to teaching cricket to young children is to get the children's concentration, keep everyone active and involved as well as let all the children have some time to hit the ball. At William Davies school, the project links with the interest children's families, who are largely Asian, already have in cricket. It is also popular because it introduces children to the ideas of team work, fair play, and the mental attitudes required to learn a game successfully. (96 words)

Source: Success International by Marian Barry

IGCSE Reading - Exam Practice - Exercise 5

Photo Credit

A. Reading Comprehension

Read this article on kwik cricket and answer the questions which follow it.

Cricket is not the easiest sport to introduce to youngsters. The traditional game demands time and patience and a high level of skill, something that small children do not always possess. They like action and non-stop involvement compressed into short periods of the primary school day.

The London Schools' Cricket Project has met these difficulties head-on. Desperately keen that more youngsters should be introduced to the sport, it sends coaches to hundreds of primary schools to give concentrated instruction and supervision of Kwik cricket.

The William Davies School in Forest Gate, East London did not have the most cheerful of January afternoons last week to introduce youngsters to England's traditional summer game. The sun may have been shining but a sharp wind cut across the playground. With 30 pupils eager to exercise, it did not seem a suitable day for refining individual technique.

Yet, what was remarkable was the amount of individual tuition that was possible by one coach, while still keeping the interest of the rest of the class. During bowling practice, the youngsters would deliver their balls and then run across the tarmac to swap places with their partners.  In this way, not only did they keep warm, but they also got more exercise.

Vic Griffith, the coach said: "I always try to get their attention, to get them to focus on me and, while they are in the cold, to get them in move up and down. They should have as much enjoyment and exercise as possible.

At this co-educational school, he is preaching, if not always to the converted, at least to the interested. 95% of the 250 pupils come from the ethnic minorities, particularly the Indian sub-continent.

Gill Gordon, the head teacher said: "They know far more about cricketers than footballers and their fathers will often play cricket with them on the park. They support England against Australia or the West Indies, but when England are playing India or Pakistan, they sometimes don't know where they are."

She has always welcomed the Project's suggestion to send in a coach for five sessions a year.

"Cricket teaches teamwork and the discipline of learning a game, with its rules and need for fairness,"

The project has a budget of about £100,000 for this year to help pay for two full-time and ten part-time coaches to tour the London schools. This total includes £5,000 from Tesco - the supermarket chain - plus a further £5,000 from the government and funds from charitable and cricket trusts and donations from the schools.

Oliver McClintock, the debuty coordinator of the Project, says: "We are not only creating the players of the future. We are also creating the parents and paying public of the future."

This hour-long session ended with 25 minutes of Kwik cricket, which allows everyone to have a go either hitting Griffith's deliveries across the playground to everyone's delight or missing the ball."

One pupil, Bilal Hassan, 9, said: " I like whacking the ball a long way." He was bowled by one ball that may have turned on the tarmac. "The ball went wonky", he said.

(a) Are the following statements true or false?

1. Traditional cricket is an ideal game for young children.

2. Secondary schools have been involved in the Project.

3. The coach tries to keep children as active as possible.

4. The William Davies School is a multi-cultural school for boys and girls.

5. The parents have encouraged their children's interest in cricket.

6. The head teacher is disappointed with the benefits the children get from the game.

7.  A number of organisations have contributed money to the Project.

8. The Project hopes to make an impact on cricket in the future.

9. Not all the children get a chance to hit the ball during the session.

 

(b) Read the article again and write a summary describing the aim of the project, the best approach for teaching cricket to young children, and the reasons why the William Davies School supports the project. Your summary should not be longer than 100 words. Use your own words as far as possible.

Source: Success International by Marian Barry

IGCSE Reading & Writing - Exercise 5 - Summary Writing

What to Expect

In Exercise 5 of the IGCSE Reading & Writing Papers, you will have to read a text and provide a summary based on specific issues of the text relating to the task.

Example:

Read the following article about the jaguar, and then write a summary about why the jaguar needed help and how the species has been preserved in Belize. Your summary should be about 100 words.

Summarising is an excellent way of making sure that you understand and remember what you have read. The practice of summarising a text from notes you have made is a useful safeguard against the temptation to use the words of the original or lift chunks of language.

A good summary:

• conveys the information in fewer words
• expresses the content in fewer sentences
• omits information of little importance
• leaves out details and examples
• departs from the vocabulary and structure of the original text
• doesn't include your own opinions or feelings

To write a good summary follow these steps:

• Scan the text (read it quickly) to get the general meaning and underline or highlight the main points relating to the task.
• Read the text again and make notes of the main points.
• DO NOT look at the original text and write out your summary based on your notes.
• Don't forget to use linking words!!! ( First, secondly, finally, however, moreover, in addition etc)
• Read through your summary making sure you have not copied in extent from the original text or included irrelevant points. You can use words or short phrases from the original text but your summary must be your own writing!
• DO NOT exceed the word limit!

.

 

 

Blogging as a Way to Improve your Writing

Photo Credit: Everything TypePad

Whether we like it or not, most ESL exams include a Writing test which usually counts for 60%. In the old G.C.E O Level paper of English as a second language, this percentage went up to 70%. Twenty years ago, I used to encourage my students to have native speakers of their age as penfriends since practising writing regularly can help you greatly get through ESL exams with flying colours. But considering the rapid growth of technology, blogging in English is a great way to improve your writing skills before you know it. When I first suggested this to some of my online students, I received some interesting feedback and a variety of reactions. Here are a few:

I feel too embarrassed to blog in English. I make a lot of mistakes and native speakers will laugh at me.

It takes me hours to work out a sentence correctly and besides, after school ,I want to relax on the computer and do things like playing games or chatting with my friends in my language. Not write a composition again!!!

I know that a lot of people read blogs but ...if I blog in English native speakers will make fun of me!

Blogging in English sounds interesting but what if I make lots of mistakes?

First things first! No one will laugh at you!! And you are wrong if you believe that native speakers  never make mistakes! On the contrary, many of them will appreciate your effort to blog in English and you may end up with lots of native readers.

Here are a few reasons why blogging in English can help you greatly to improve your writing:

1. It's the best exam practice in writing because you can create a blog about your favourite hobby, your favourite singer, your favourite sport etc or simply keep a kind of diary. Together with your text, you can also post your favourite photos or videos as well as interact with other readers who share the same interests as you do. So blogging in English will soon be a pleasure - not a tedious English Composition task!

2. One of the greatest problems most of you have when it comes to writing is that you tend to think in your own language and then ...translate into English. This is invariably  a disaster. By blogging in English regularly - let's say 2-3 times a week - you will eventually be trained to think in English. First of all because blogging in English will involve you reading English blogs on the topics you also like. So, the more you read, the better you write.

3. If you want this activity to be effective for you, don't copy and paste other people's writing or else you may be in trouble. Copying and pasting other people's writing and presenting it as your own is called plagiarism - in simple terms it's not very different from stealing things from other people's property! So you may be accused of copyright infringement. Besides, this will certainly not help you improve your own writing skills. You are allowed, however, to quote other people's writing which you happen to like but make sure you post a link to their blog or web page. Most importantly, concentrate on your own writing.

4. Blogging in English for pleasure is the key to gradually developing great writing skills. And don't forget to use your grammar and spellcheck of your Word processor.