Writing Task - LEAFLETS AND INFORMATION SHEETS

These can be both FORMAL and INFORMAL; it depends on the target reader.

• Like ARTICLES you need a HEADING;
• Like REPORTS/PROPOSALS they need to be divided into SECTIONS with
subheadings.

FORMAL

The focus is on providing factual information and therefore, you need to use
tactful/diplomatic language:
e.g. INFO SHEET announcing major changes within your company over the
coming year:
Use language which reassures the public that very little inconvenience will be
caused.

INFORMAL

The focus is on being informative but more light-hearted/persuasive language is
required:

e.g. LEAFLET: “Write a leaflet encouraging young people to attend a
cultural/sporting event that you have helped to organise”.

Both leaflets and information sheets must include:

• A title which attracts the attention of the reader and states the content;
• An introduction which makes the reader want to continue reading;
• A main body divided into headed sections focusing on relevant information
   in the rubric;
• A brief conclusion where main points are summarised.

LAYOUT is important! Remember:

• Clear headings;
• Make sure writing is well spaced out on page;
• Use bullet points

Writing Task - ESSAY

Layout:


4 paragraphs:

1) Include statement declared in the task.
2) Give 2/3 reasons “for” the statement.
3) Give 2/3 reasons “against” the statement.
4) Conclude by summing up and giving your opinion.

Style:


Formal, so:

• No contractions, phrasal verbs, idioms;
• Avoid using the first person singular as far as possible;
• Use passive voice as much as possible;
• Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence;
• Justify your ideas with examples;
• Do not include any new ideas in the conclusion.

Useful expressions to introduce arguments/points:


Generally speaking/ There is no doubt that…/There are many advantages to +
“ing”/It is a well-known fact that…/It is thought/believed/claimed that…/One
point of view is…/For one thing,/Another argument is…/Far from + “ing”/ There
are those/people who believe that…/ On the one hand…/On the other hand,/In
contrast with/Contrary to the above ideas,/On the contrary,/ /Others feel/argue
that.
Discourse markers: All types:- concession, cause, result, time, reason,
contrast, emphasis, summing up, etc.
Firstly,/secondly,/In addition,(to this,)/Furthermore,/Moreover,/What is more,/
However,/ Therefore, /In spite of + “ing”/ Despite + “ing”/Nonetheless,/
Although/Since/As/Because/Owing to/Due to/No matter how/what…/All the
while/In the meantime,/nevertheless,/Regardless of…/As a matter of fact,/As a
consequence,/All in all,/ On the whole,/Another point worth mentioning
is…/Taking everything into account,/My belief is that../The way I see it is… .

Writing Task - BOOK ENTRY

Introduction

What you write for a book entry is very similar to an article so:

• There should be a title
• It should include section headings
• The language should be quite formal as book entries are usually written for
serious publications
• The subject – whether person or place – should be made clear in the first
section
• The opening section should be as interesting as possible to make the reader
want to carry on reading
• It is important that what you write is as realistic as possible and therefore
should look like an authentic text

Writing style


Book entries will include a combination of :
Descriptive: e.g. describe a person/place etc
Discursive: e.g. give and support your opinion, analyse a situation, give
explanations
Narrative: e.g. narrate an event or a discovery

Writing Task - ARTICLE

What is an article?

An article :

•  is a piece of writing usually intended for publication in a newspaper, magazine or journal

•  is written for a wide audience, so it is essential to attract and retain the readers’ attention

•  may include amusing stories, reported speech and descriptions

•  can be formal or informal, depending on the target audience

•  should be written in an interesting or entertaining manner

•  should give opinions and thoughts, as well as facts

•  is in a less formal style than a report

An article can :

•  describe an experience, event, person or place

•  present an opinion or balanced argument

•  compare and contrast 

•  provide information

•  offer suggestions

•  offer advice

A realistic article should consist of:

1.  an eye-catching  title  which attracts the readers’ attention and suggests the theme of the

article.  (Think about why you read a magazine or newspaper article  recently - what made

you read it?)  Articles can also have subheadings before each paragraph.

2.  an  introduction  which clearly defines the topic to be covered and keeps the reader’s

attention.

3.  the main body of two to five paragraphs in which the topic is further developed in detail.

4.  the conclusion - summarising the topic or a final opinion, recommendation or comment.

REMEMBER

Before you begin writing it is important to consider:

•  where is the article going to appear - in a newspaper or magazine?

•  who  are the intended readers - a specific group such as students or teenagers, or adults in

general?

•  what is the aim of the article - to advise, suggest, inform, compare and contrast, describe, etc.?

DO NOT use over-personal or over-emotional language or simplistic vocabulary.  

DO NOT talk about yourself.  You are writing for the general public, not a close circle of friends.

Your opinions are only interesting to other people if you can make them amusing, justify them or

explain them.

Conclusion example:

All of this leads me to the conclusion…

All this point make me want to…

Writing Task - INFORMAL LETTER

Dear ..

Hi/Hello ...

Beginning

Great/Lovely to hear from you (after so long)

Thanks (a lot) for the letter / It was great to get your letter

Sorry to hear about your

Sorry for not writing for so long/I haven’t written/I haven’t been in touch for so long

Persuading

You’d get so much out of it

It’d be a wonderful/marvellous opportunity for you to..

Just think of (all the people you’d meet)

Just imagine how it would (improve your cv), not to mention (the money you could earn)

Advising

Whatever you do, make sure you..

It’s (not) worth/There’s no/little point + gerund

I’d/I wouldn’t…if I were you.

You’d be much better off + gerund

Ending

I must go now

Phone me as soon as possible.

Write back soon and let me know how it goes

(I’m) Looking forward to hearing from you

Please reply quickly

I’ll finish now as I’m running out of space

Bye for now

I’d better get going

Can’t wait to see you again

(Give my) love/regards to

Signing off

Friends: All the best/Best wishes/Bye for now

Relatives: Lots of love/All my love/Love

When possible, use:

-         contractions

-         the present continuous instead of the present simple ('I’m looking forward to hearing from you' instead of 'I look forward...')

-         the present simple instead of the conditional ('I want to visit your farm' instead of 'I would like to visit your farm')

-         colloquial expressions ('I’m most interested' instead of 'I am really interested')

-         direct sentences ('I think it's a good idea' instead of 'It would be a good idea')

-         phrasal verbs

Writing Task - FORMAL LETTER

Dear Sir/Madam (In case you don’t know the name → Yours Faithfully)

Dear Mr X (→Yours Sincerely)

Reason for writing (Who I am (not the name!), What I want, When and Where it happened)

I am writing with regard/reference to (the article which appeared when/where) to express my concern about/disappointment with/dissatisfation with/disapproval of/apologies for (motivation)

Body (2/3 paragraphs – Points from input material)

• Firstly/To begin with/Moreover
• In fact/Furthermore/In addition/Finally
• (I feel) I must also (dis)agree with
• I would like to/ I want to  point out that
• According to your (article)/ Your (article) states that.. However/which is completely wrong

Action Step/Desired outcome

• I trust/very much hope you will (print this letter in the next issue of your newspaper)
• I would appreciate it/be grateful if you would
• It seems only fair that you should
• I look forward to receiving/seeing
• In light of the above (I feel I am entitled to a full refund and a formal apology)

Ending

Yours faithfully/Yours Sincerely

Firma

(Ruolo/Carica)

Linking Words:

	Formal	Less formal
Addition	furthermore, in addition to, in the same way as, moreover, similarly	also, and, as well as, besides, just as
Opposition	although, however, nevertheless, nonetheless, whereas	but, or, so, on the other hand
Reference	in all cases, in general, in many cases, in most cases, in some cases, regarding, with reference to	since, so
Cause and effect (result)	accordingly, consequently, on the whole, therefore, thus, unfortunately	anyway, at any rate, because, because of
Listing	firstly, finally, in the first place, secondly, lastly, next	after, and, and then, before, first, last, second, soon, then

Writing Task - REPORT

Title or:

To:

From:

Subject:

Date:

Reason of writing (Introduction)

• The aim/objective/purpose of this report is to compare/examine/evaluate/describe/outline (some suggestions)/analyse (some suggestions)/expose/present/give information on/regarding the/recommend/consider/suggest
• This report aims to... etc.
• Nouns: information (remember: not informations), ideas, suggestions, situations, conditions, comments
• in order to improve/decide
• In case of suvey/discussion: It is based on a survey conducted among/It is the result of a discussion which took place among

Body (2 paragraphs maximum)

• Headings from the task
• It should be considered, it is worth considering
• The first observation to make is (concerns)
• First of all/Firstly
• Secondly/ Furthermore/Moreover
• Lastly/Finally
• In fact
• According to (the majority of respondents)
• However, although, alternatively
• In spite of (the fact [that])/Despite (the fact [that]) + Noun, Pronoun or ...ing
• Predicting the future: The outlook for ... is (far from [+ing]) bright/optimistic/depressing/daunting
• The future looks bleak/remains uncertain/is promising
• This seems unlikely in the near/foreseable future
• It has been stressed that

Making/giving recommendations

• I would strongly recommend that ... should + bare infinitive
• In the light of the results of the survey I would advise against...
• I feel it would be to our advantage if...
• The best solution is/would be to...
• This will have an impact on + noun

Conclusion(s)

• As long as/provided that these recommendations are taken into consideration
• In conclusion...
• The reseach shows/demonstrates
• From the research/the evidence we conclude that