Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Transactional Letter 1
Part 1 of FCE Paper 2 is compulsory. You always write a letter to ask for or give
information of some kind. This letter may be formal or informal. A formal letter is a letter
you write to someone you dont know, or dont know very well. An informal letter is the kind
of letter you write to friends, members of your family and other people you know well. Look
at the following phrases and mark them F (formal) or I (informal).
2. Love,
Elena __
5. Yours faithfully,
Ana Garcia Herrera __
8. Should you require any further information, do not hesitate to contact us at the above
address. __
10. Im sorry I havent written for such a long time, but Ive been really busy.
11. I would be most grateful if you could send me any further relevant information. __
Always read the instructions carefully and decide what kind of letter, formal or informal,
you are supposed to write.
Some young people you met last summer are planning to visit your country on
holiday and have asked you to suggest some places of interest to see. Write a letter
of reply using the notes below.
- when? - how long? - come and stay?
Now look at the plan for the above task and put the points in a logical order, by numbering
them 1-7.
Think of ideas: a reason for not replying; things they might enjoy doing and seeing. Is
there a particularly good time of year to visit these places? What can your friends do
there?
Remember that you will need to divide the letter into clearly marked paragraphs, usually
three or four.
Now write your letter. Ask the Study Centre monitor for help if you need it. Try to write
about 150 words.
FCE Writing Guide 2
Transactional Letter 2
Look at the following task. Are you asked to write a formal or an informal letter?
Look at the advertisement and the notes you have made below it. Then write a letter of
between 120 and 150 words in an appropriate style asking for more information covering
the points in your notes. Do not write any addresses.
WANTED
NEW MEMBERS
for water-sports club. Water-skiing, scuba diving, jet ski, windsurfing! You name it if its a
water sport we offer instruction and facilities for it. Plenty of opportunities to practise your
chosen sport with other enthusiasts at Club Aquarius! For your membership application
form write to:
The Secretary
Club Aquarius
PO Box 312
Littlehampton
Sussex, SU3 5JT
- membership fee?
- Annual or monthly payment?
- Use of facilities free to members?
- Sports not mentioned in advertisement?
1. Look at the instructions and underline the words and phrases which tell you exactly
what you have to do.
3. Decide what order you want to put them in, and how you will divide the letter into
paragraphs.
4. Write your letter. Use linking words, such as firstly, also, as well as this, finally.
5. Check your letter carefully for any grammar and spelling mistakes.
Here are some phrases which you may find useful for this kind of letter:
In Paper 2 of FCE you are always asked to write between 120 and 150 words in Part 1
and between 120 and 180 words in part 2. You are assessed on the quality and also the
quantity of English you produce, so you should try to write around the upper limit (150 or
180 words). Try not to exceed this limit by more than a few words.
Now write your letter. Ask the Study Centre monitor for help if you need it.
FCE Writing Guide 3
Article 1
In Paper 2 Part 2 you may be asked to write an article expressing your opinion about
something.
You have been asked to write an article for an English language newspaper aimed at
parents with young children. Your article should be a response to the following
statement:
The best way to begin answering a question like this is to make a plan. Make two columns,
one headed FOR, the other AGAINST. Think of arguments for, or in favour of the
statement and write them in the first column. Then think of arguments against and write
them in the second column. Two arguments each, for and against, will be sufficient. If you
cant think of any arguments for and against, imagine what people you actually know
would think about the question. What would your mother think? And your best friend? And
your grandparents?
Choose one of these two plans. They are both good plans.
Plan A
Introduction: my opinion
Paragraph 1: point for the statement; argument against this point.
Paragraph 2: point for the statement; argument against this point
Conclusion: state my opinion again.
Plan B
Introduction: my opinion.
Paragraph 1: arguments in favour of the statement.
Paragraph 2: arguments against the statement.
Conclusion: state opinion again.
Follow your plan and write the article. When you have finished, read it carefully and check
for grammar and spelling mistakes.
Here are some phrases which you may find useful for this kind of article:
Now write your article. Ask the Study Centre monitor for help if you need it.
FCE Writing Guide 4
Report 1
In Paper 2, Part 2 you may be asked to write a report on a place you have visited and
what it offers a particular group of people.
You work in a language school helping to organise excursions and trips for
students. The school director has asked to prepare a report on a museum in your
area.
Write your report in 120-180 words describing the museum and what it has to offer
students of English as a foreign language. Mention both good and bad points in
your report.
Think of good and bad points about the museum, especially in relation to students
of English.
Join the good and bad points using linking expressions. The most useful are:
Organise your sentences into numbered paragraphs, with sub-headings, like this:
1. Introduction
2. Price
3. Interest
4. Language
5. Conclusion
Here are some phrases which may help you with this type of report:
I visited the Seals Museum last week in order to decide if it would be an interesting place
for students to visit.
I will comment on the following: price, interest, language
The entrance fee to the museum is
There is a reduction for students.
Students pay half-price on Wednesdays.
There are many interesting exhibits on display.
The Egyptian section was closed on the day I visited.
I especially liked the
I found the . especially interesting.
I think students will appreciate the .
Most students will find the . of interest.
A guidebook in English is available.
The guidebook is rather expensive.
It contains some beautiful colour photographs.
The guides are helpful.
The guides dont speak English.
There is an audio commentary in English.
It wasnt working on the day of my visit.
In my opinion .
To conclude, I think that .
I am therefore of the opinion that .
Now write your report. Ask the Study Centre monitor for help if you need it.
FCE Writing Guide 5
Letter of Application
The sentences in this reply are in the wrong order. Put them in the correct order, by putting
1-6 in the gaps.
I have a working knowledge of German and have recently passed the University of
Cambridge First Certificate in English examination. __
I will also complete a degree in Banking and Finance in June and will be available for work
immediately afterwards. __
I would like to apply for one of the trainee manager positions you advertise. __
Yours faithfully
Juan de Souza
This type of letter is based on a very small number of fixed, formulaic expressions. If
you can reproduce these correctly in the exam you are certain to get a very good mark.
Look at the following task:
You see the following advertisement in the newspaper. Write a letter applying for
one of these positions and asking for more details about the discounts. Do not write
any addresses.
Underline the key words in the instructions. Think about the form of your letter. Will it begin
and end in the same way as the previous letter?
Plan your letter. Follow the order of the previous letter. Remember to ask for more
information about the discounts. You will also need to give some evidence for your
knowledge of English and your interest in travelling. You may also want to ask about the
possibilities of work at the end of the training period.
Now write your letter. Ask the Study Centre monitor for help if you need it.
FCE Writing Guide 6
Article 2
A local English language newspaper has asked students to write articles expressing
their opinion about this question:
In order to write a good answer to this question, you need to plan your article carefully.
First, decide what opinion you are going to express. Then think of at least three arguments
in support of your opinion. For example:
Decide in what order you are going to present your ideas. Then write your article. Be sure
to divide it into three or four paragraphs.
Finally
Now write your article. Ask the Study Centre monitor for help if you need it.
FCE Writing Guide 7
Transactional Letter 3
Remember that Part 1 of Paper 2 is compulsory. There is only one question. You always
have to write either a formal or an informal letter.
You were travelling by train recently and left something that belongs to you on the
train. Write a letter to the lost property officer enquiring about the thing you lost.
Use these notes in your letter. Do not write any addresses.
- date of journey
- destination and departure time
- description of object
If you are asked to write to an official or a company you should NOT use
question tags
contractions
linkers like well, anyway, by the way
All the best or Love from Alex at the end of your letter
You SHOULD
begin the letter with either Dear Sir / Madam or Mr / Ms/ Dr + the persons surname
use formal language, eg I look forward to receiving your reply
end the letter with Yours faithfully or Yours sincerely
sign your letter with your full name
Remember to plan your letter before you start writing. For the question above, the plan
should look like this:
Now write your letter. Ask the Study Centre monitor for help if you need it.
FCE Writing Guide 8
Article 3
In Paper 2, Part 2 you may have the option of writing an article in which you write about
the advantages and disadvantages of something, the arguments for and against
something, or in which you write your opinion about a subject.
You have been asked to write an article for a student newspaper on the following
topic:
Has television improved in your country over the last ten years?
Write your article, saying what most people think and giving your own point of view.
To answer this question well, you need to plan your article carefully, like this:
Many people think that . . However, there are people who think that .
A few years ago .. Nowadays, on the other hand, ..
It is therefore certainly true that ..
It is worth remembering however, that .
Furthermore, it must be admitted that ..
On balance, therefore I think that ..
Now write your article. Ask the Study Centre monitor for help if you need it.
FCE Writing Guide 9
Here are some more expressions which you can use when you are writing a letter. Decide
whether they are suitable for use in a formal or an informal letter and mark them F or I.
Initial greetings
It was great to hear from you. __
I am writing with reference to your letter of 25 May. __
Thanks for writing to me. __
Congratulations
Well done! __
I would like to offer congratulations on your recent promotion. __
Please allow me to congratulate you on your recent success. __
Advice / suggestion
Why not try __
What about going __
It is recommended that you contact __
You could visit __
I urge you to consider the points I have made. __
If I were you Id __
Linkers
Moreover, __
Then again, __
Furthermore, __
Better still, __
Whats more, __
Additionally, __
Endings
Do drop me a line if you have time. __
I look forward to hearing from you without delay. __
Hope to hear from you soon. __
Keep in touch. __
I hope to hear from you at your earliest convenience. __
You have just returned from a trip to Florida. You flew there and back with Ocean Air. You
decide to write to the airline to complain about your flight and ask for some money back.
Read the advertisement and the notes you made and then, using the information, write a
letter to the airline. You may add other relevant points of your own.
FLY OCEAN AIR TO FLORIDA
We offer:
4 flights a day late boarding
wide, comfortable seats
friendly, well-trained staff quite rude
a good choice of food
(no problems with special diets) no vegetarian for me!
the latest in in-flight entertainment movie already been on TV!
Write your letter in 120-180 words. Do not include any postal addresses.
Now think about how you will answer this question. What kind of letter will it be? How will
you begin and end the letter? How are you going to organise the letter? How many
paragraphs will you write? What kind of linking words will you use?
Remember that you must include all the points in the rubric, so you must make reference
to the late boarding, the rudeness of the staff, the lack of a vegetarian alternative and the
old film. You may, if you wish, make further points, (you could, for example, comment on
the seats) but remember not to write much more than 180 words.
Now write your letter. Ask the Study Centre monitor for help if you need it.
FCE Writing Guide 10
Report 2
In Part 2 of Paper 2 you may be asked to write a report. This will involve the presentation
of information in a clear, factual way, using headings, and sometimes with some
suggestions or recommendations.
Your local museum is quite old-fashioned and not many people visit it. Your local
tourist board has asked you to write a report on the museum, and give some
recommendations on how to improve its image. Write your report.
In the following report, the paragraphs are in the wrong order and they dont have a
suitable heading. Read through the text and decide on the right order and then choose an
appropriate heading from the list below.
A Purpose
B The museum today
C Suggested improvements
D Additional facilities
E Conclusion
WADEMOUTH MUSEUM
1. ____________________________
The museum mainly contains items connected with the pottery industry and various
inventions connected with it. Generally, most of the items are displayed in glass cabinets
with explanations on small bits of card. These arent very easy to read and some of them
are placed too high for small children. The lighting inside the building is also very poor.
2. ____________________________
To sum up, I found that Wademouth Museum could have a bright future if some time was
spent up-dating the displays and opening some new facilities.
3. ____________________________
Finally, I spoke to some of the visitors, and one thing that most people mentioned is
having a good gift shop and a caf in the building. The profits from these would help to pay
for more interesting displays.
4. ____________________________
The aim of this report is to give an outline of what can be seen in this museum and to
suggest ways in which the museum can change its image.
5. ____________________________
Although the museum gives the visitor a good idea of how the pottery industry developed
through the ages in this area, it doesnt make the subject come alive. I would recommend
that the museum puts in some working models, or, even better, have people showing you
how the pots were produced.
Now look at the expressions in bold. Which of the functions below do they illustrate?
1. Introducing ____________________________________________________
2. Reporting an impression __________________________________________
3. Generalising ___________________________________________________
4. Making a recommendation or suggestion _____________________________
5. Concluding ____________________________________________________
You regularly write a column in your college magazine on new films that are being
shown in your town. Attendance at the local cinema is falling, and they have asked
you to write a report, based on research at your college, on the cinemas facilities
and to make some recommendations on how to attract more people to the cinema.
Plan your answer, and then write your report. Use the structure of the museum report to
help you.
CAE Writing Guide 1
Informal Letter 1
Some English friends, Peter and Sue Hall, have written to you for advice. Their 20-
year-old son, Tom, wants to get a job teaching English in your country. This is part
of a letter you have received from them:
Toms doing a teacher-training course at the moment, as you know, but he thinks he ought to learn
something of the language before he comes, which seems like a good idea. Hes bought a Teach
Yourself book on the language, but we were wondering if you had any other suggestions which
would help him. Its quite a while since he studied a language at school, so hed also be really
grateful for some general tips on learning a language.
Write a letter to Tom giving advice and any helpful suggestions that you can. Write
about 250 words.
Read the question carefully and highlight the key points. Ask yourself:
Think about the content of your letter. Think about these points:
What would be the advantages of Tom being able to speak a bit of your language
when he arrives?
Think about the language: is there anything an English speaker would find
particularly difficult or unusual (pronunciation, grammar, writing system etc)?
Make a list of all the things Tom could do to learn your language, from having
private lessons or buying a cassette course to listening to radio broadcasts. Think
about the pros and cons in terms of cost, time and effectiveness. Decide which
method seems most realistic. Is there anything you could do to help, eg send
magazines or simple books?
Write down any general tips on learning a language that you think would be helpful.
Use your own experience as far as possible.
Make a plan for your letter. Decide on the main sections you want to have and think about
the best way to organise them. Jot down the main points for each section. Think about a
suitable introduction and conclusion.
Here are some points to remember when you are writing an informal letter:
Dear Ken, always use a name
Many thanks for your letter and the photos. Begin the first sentence with a capital
Beginnings
Useful language
Many thanks for your letter
It was lovely to hear from you.
I was glad to hear that you had a good holiday.
I hope you and the family are well.
Giving advice
Useful language
You asked me for advice on .
Have you thought about .
It might be a good idea to .
One thing I would suggest is .
Endings
It is usual to end letters which expect a reply with a sentence on a separate line. For
example:
Closing salutation
Best wishes and Yours followed by your name on the next line are useful general endings.
For close friends you can end with Love
Now write your letter to Tom. Ask the Study Centre monitor for help if you need it.
CAE Writing Guide 2
Formal Letter 1
You are attending a course in London. Last week, because the trains were delayed by bad
weather, you were late for college every day. On the worst day, the train was 1 hour 20
minutes late and you missed two classes.
This is an extract from an information leaflet you have picked up at the station.
We hope you have a pleasant journey with Capital Rail, but if you have any comments or
complaints about our services, please write to the Customer Care Manager at the address
below.
What we promise to do when things go wrong:
If you are delayed for more than one hour you may claim rail vouchers to the
value of 50% of the journey made.
Write a letter to the Customer Care Manager at Capital Rail complaining about the poor
service you have experienced and asking for compensation. Use your own words as far as
possible. Write about 250 words. You do not need to include addresses.
Read the instructions carefully and highlight the key points. Ask yourself:
Content
Organisation
Decide how you will organise these points into about four paragraphs. What kind of things
can you say in each paragraph?
This is how we organise a formal letter, although in the CAE exam it is not necessary to
write addresses.
22 York Street
Bridewell
BR8 450
Dear Sir,
I am interested in applying for a place on a computer course at your college and I would be
grateful if you could send me full details of the courses you offer and the fees, together with an
application form.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully
S. M. Gilchrist
S. M. Gilchrist (Ms)
Letter of complaint
Useful language
I am writing to complain about
to express my concern about the fact that
to express my annoyance at .
I must insist that you .
I must urge you to .
I feel I am entitled to a refund.
I feel I am entitled to some compensation for the inconvenience I have suffered.
I hope you will consider the points I have raised very carefully.
I shall expect a written apology at your earliest convenience.
Endings
It is usual to end letters which expect a reply with a sentence on a separate line. The most
common ending is:
I look forward to hearing from you.
You are working as an assistant in the offices of an English company. You are
finishing some work after your colleagues have left when the phone rings for you.
As a result of the call, you need to take the following day off work.
Write two notes explaining the situation, one to your boss, and one to a colleague
and friend, with whom you had a lunch date. Write 60-80 words in each note.
A task like this will be more realistic and more successful if you decide on some concrete
details before you start. If you can use true facts, its very easy, but if you cant, invent
some interesting and believable ones!
Notes and messages are usually even more informal than informal letters, although the
exact degree of formality will depend on the specific relationship. Decide which phrases
from the list below would be more appropriate in the note to your boss (B) and which in
the note to your colleague (C)
Fri
Chris,
Just to let you know that I managed to get 2 tickets for the Flaming Lips concert at the
Ensemble Theatre on Tues. It starts at 7.30, so shall we meet outside the theatre at about
7.15?
We could have a bite to eat afterwards if you like.
See you soon
K.
Hastings 7/11
Dear Clare,
A quick note to thank you for helping me with the job application. Your advice was much
appreciated. Ive sent it off now, so lets hope I get an interview.
Saw Frank yesterday. Ill pass on the news when I see you.
All the best,
Allison
Beginning a note
No special introductory phrases are necessary but notes often begin with expressions like:
Apologising
No special fixed phrases are needed but notes and messages may end with expressions
like:
Now write the two notes for the task above. Ask the Study Centre monitor for help if you
need it.
Leaflet
You work in a fitness centre. The centre would like to encourage more business
people to use its facilities after work. There are many companies in your town which
have English-speaking employees and you have been asked to prepare the text for a
leaflet aimed at them.
You should:
Write the text for the leaflet using about 250 words.
First, you will need to think about the content of your leaflet.
- make a list of possible exercise and other facilities (such as a shop, caf etc)
- make notes about the benefits of regular exercise (and the dangers of inactivity)
- think about what to include in the general advice section.
Subheadings:
- Are these short and clear? Asking a question in your heading may be more
interesting than stating a fact.
Text:
- Is the information broken up into short, easy-to-read sections?
- Is the order logical?
Visual help:
Can you help the reader, for example:
by indenting small sub-sections so that
they stand out as small blocks which
are clearly separate from the main text?
- by putting important points on separate lines? Or
6. by numbering your points? Or
by putting bullets in front of main points? Or
by using different STYLES and sizes of writing? Or
by underlining or putting boxes round important words.
You wont be marked on your design skills, of course, but you may make a good
impression on the examiner!
Look at this example of a leaflet which gives information about looking after your heart.
Here we have reproduced only the text of the leaflet, as this is all that you are required to
produce in the exam. A real-life leaflet would of course contain visuals as well.
Now use these tips to help you write your answer to the task about the fitness centre. Ask
the Study Centre monitor if you need additional help.
Review
You have been asked to write a short film review for a school /college magazine.
Choose any film which you think might be of interest to your fellow students. The
film can be in any language and it can be of any type: comedy, thriller, science
fiction, romance, historical drama etc.
Your brief is to include a clear description of the story/contents, to comment on
what you think the most successful and least successful features are, and to give
an overall recommendation. Write about 250 words.
First, choose a film to review. It doesnt have to be a new film, though it is helpful if you
have seen it recently, and you dont have to have enjoyed it. Sometimes its easier to
pinpoint what you dont like about something than what you like! Think about what you
liked or didnt like about the film.
The purpose of a review is firstly to give factual information about the subject, and
secondly to give an opinion about it which will help the reader to decide whether to buy
the book, see the play or film or visit the exhibition.
Reviews normally contain three main ingredients: overview, pros and cons, and verdict,
which are described more fully below. A review may not always fall into three neat
sections, however. The writer may decide to describe an aspect of the subject and
comment immediately on strengths and weaknesses, for example, before going on to
describe another aspect of the subject.
Book non-fiction:
What is it about? Who is it for? How technical is it? How is it organised? What topics are
covered? What special features are there? How much does it cost? etc.
Book fiction
What kind of book is it? (thriller, historical novel, science fiction etc)? Is it different in any
way from other books of this type? Whats the story? etc (You can give an outline but dont
give the ending away!)
Pros and cons detailed comments on the successful and unsuccessful features of
the subject.
Your comments will probably include both objective views (the photographs in a book
were poor quality or the costumes didnt fit the actors properly, for example) and
subjective views (based on personal feelings) the story wasnt interesting or the film
was too violent. Make sure, however, that you give reasons for your comments.
You may have strong positive or negative feelings about the subject of the review and this
is no bad thing. A strong opinion, clearly argued, is often more interesting to read than a
carefully balanced assessment. Even so, try not to be completely one-sided.
If you have seen the advance publicity, you might imagine that this was a funny film. Wrong. Its a film which
tries very hard to be funny and fails consistently. The story concerns a plumber who isnt very good at his job.
When his customers desert, and he cant pay his bills, he decides to turn to crime. He tries a little shoplifting
(he isnt very good at it, of course) but then he gets involved in bigger things.
Wayne Gibson, who plays the hero, has one or two good lines but most of the time hes struggling
with a terrible script. There are a few good moments the car chase sequence is memorable but the
storyline is very slight and the director seems to have run out of ideas very quickly. As the film progresses,
the level of violence increases. Despite the publicity, this is not a film for young children.
A great deal of money went into the making of Crazy Plumber but in the end spectacular effects are
no substitute for real humour.
Useful language
Overview
Verdict
Now use these tips to write your answer to the task. Ask the Study Centre monitor for
additional help if you need it.
CAE Writing Guide 6
Article
theres been a big increase in the number of people applying for study exchanges to your
country nearly double last years figures, in fact. Almost all will be staying with local
families and, as itll be the first time most of them have been to your country, we thought we
ought to put an introduction to the basic customs in the next edition of our magazine. So I
was wondering youve guessed it! if you could possibly write a short article on the
topic. You could explain any special habits to do with greeting, eating, being a good guest,
etc, and also include any points about family or social life which you think they should be
aware of. I know youd do a brilliant job and Id be really grateful.
Hope to hear from you soon
Approach
A wide range of approaches is possible, depending on the subject matter. A light-hearted
or humorous topic might be given a fairly personal treatment, for example, while a more
serious topic would be treated in a more neutral, analytic way.
Headings
Articles should have a heading which makes the subject matter clear but which also
catches the readers eye and makes him or her want to read. Newspapers and magazines
often use dramatic statements or word play in headings for this reason, and sometimes
add a sub-heading which gives more information.
Your CAE coursebook will certainly contain many examples of different types of articles,
taken from English-language newspapers and magazines. Look at each one carefully to
see how the writer uses organisation and style to create interest.
Screaming Tyres
By Tracy Cole
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sit behind the wheel of a racing car? Are you
looking for a really imaginative birthday present for a car-mad friend or relation? If the answer to
either of these questions is yes, then you may be interested to hear about a course I took at
Stoke Lodge Racing School recently.
My day as a racing driver was the first prize in a newspaper competition I had entered, and
I must say that it was the most exciting prize Ive ever won. The day began with theoretical
instruction covering all aspects of safety. This was followed by practical tuition in a high-
performance saloon car. With no traffic to worry about, I was able to practise controlling the car on
bends and prepare myself for the ultimate experience the chance to drive a single-seater racing
car.
And finally, with crash helmet on and full harness seat belts secured, I was able to rev up
the engine and edge my way out onto the circuit. Six breathtaking laps later, my dream had
become reality.
For those not lucky enough to win a day at the racing school, the cost of the introductory
course is 120, which includes all equipment and also an impressive certificate to hang on the
wall. Anyone who can drive a car can enjoy the experience, regardless of age. The oldest
participant so far has been 85, and I understand that he has booked a second course!
Now use the tips above to help you write your article. Ask the Study Centre monitor if you
need additional help.
Information Report
What I want is some first-hand information about what its like to live in your town from the
point of view of the two different age groups. You would need to interview, say, ten people
in each category on the main topics of public transport, entertainment, and shopping and
write me a brief report. Could you also include a short introduction about your town and
give a little summing up at the end?
The first simply provides information on a topic and gives a brief conclusion or
summary at the end. Example: a report on the educational system in a particular
country, written to help someone research the subject.
The second sets out to identify strengths and weaknesses in a particular situation
and make recommendations for improvement. Example: a report on the library
facilities in a college written at the request of the principal.
Useful language
Introduction: The aim of this report is to.. It is based on
This report is intended to.. It draws on
This report looks at / describes.. It uses..
Reporting an
observation: It seems/appears that.. It was found that..
The majority / minority of It was felt that ..
Now use these tips to help you write your answer to the task above.