DEVI’S

IELTS COACHING CENTRE (ICC) For

ACADEMIC AND GENERAL MODULEOf

International English Language Testing System

A GUIDE FOR ICC CANDIDATES

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Contents

1. Introduction to IELTS *Test Format *Score Interpreter *Test Results *Inclusion of Half band scores *Benefit of Half band scores *content focus

2. Listening section*Test Description*To improve the listening skills*A glance on question types*Accents*Importance of checking written answers*summary of listening strategies

3.Reading Section*Introduction*Question types*An overview of question types*Techniques for reading section*Suggested exam time plan for reading section.*Ideas for developing reading skills.

Introduction to IELTS

The International English language testing system (IELTS) is widely recognized as a reliable means of assessing whether candidates are ready to study or train or work in the medium of English.

The test is owned by the University of Cambridge, The British Council and IDP Australia.

The Test Format

The test consists of four modules. All candidates have to take the same listening and speaking modules.Whereas, there is a choice of modules of reading and writing based on the candidates’ requirement whether they need an Academic or General version. All sections must be formal, communicative and informative in English. One who has to achieve a good band score in these tests, an effective time management is mandatory.Overall, there are two versions of IELTS.

ACADEMIC TRAINING GENERAL TRAINING

*For students whishing to study in a English –speaking university or college

* for work for their professions like Doctors,Nurses,Pharmacists,Dentists and physiotherapists including pursuing research in their own fields in any English speaking nations.

*For getting migration or vocational work permit or training programs not at a degree level

*For admission to secondary school

The IELTS test is taken in this sequence as given below.Listening module comprises of four sections for 40 questions which is lasting for 30 minutes plus 10 minutes is given at the end of the listening test to transfer all the written answers from the question booklet to an answer sheet.

Reading module contains three reading passages for academic as well as general version. It lasts for an hour for both versions.Totally,There are forty questions equivalent to 9 Band.

Writing Module is having two tasks lasting for an hour in which the task 1 requires at least 150 words and have to write within 20 minutes.Whereas,Task 2 is considerably has more score and It needs at least 250 words in formal writing within 40 minutes.

Speaking module will be lasting for 11 to 14 minutes. It consists of three parts. The test requires face to face interview. Candidates are evaluated on their use of spoken English to answer short questions, to speak at a length on a familiar topic, and to interact with the examiner from the extraction of part 2 as well. The overall time consumption for the IELTS is 2 hours and 45 minutes.

Score InterpreterIELTS results are reported on a nine band skill for each of the four skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking) and an overall band.All scores are reported on the Test Report Form (TRF) along with details of the candidates’ nationality, first language and date of birth.The nine bands and the descriptive statements are as follows

Score Description Descriptive details

9 Expert user Has fully operational command of the language: appropriate, accurate and fluent with complete understanding.

8 Very good user Has fully operation command of the language with only occasional unsystematic inaccuracies and inappropriacies.Misunderstanding may occur in unfamiliar situation. Handles complex detailed argumentation well.

7Good User

Has generally effective command of the language despite Some inaccuracies, inappropriacies and misunderstandings in some situations. Generally handles complex language well and understands detailed reasoning.

6 Competent user Has generally effective command of the language despite Some inaccuracies, inappropriacies and misunderstandings. Can use and understand fairly complex language, particularly in familiar situations.

5 Modest UserHas partially command of the language, coping with overall meaning in most situations, though is likely to make many mistakes. Should be able to handle basic communication in own field.

4 Limited userBasic competence is limited to familiar situations. Has a frequent problem in understanding and expression. Is not able to use complex language.

3 Extremely Limited userConveys and understands only general meaning in very familiar situations. Frequent breakdowns in communication occur.

2 Intermittent User No real communication is possible except for the most basic information using isolated words or short formulae in familiar situations and to meet immediate needs. Has great difficulty understanding spoken and written English.

1 Nonuser Essentially has no ability to use the language beyond possibly a few isolated words.

0 Did not attempt the test No assessable information provided

Test Results

The candidates will usually receive their results in about two weeks after taking the tests and the results are valid for two years but different institution may not accept the results as being current if the candidate can not prove ongoing English studies. Check with the institution that they are applying to study at.

Inclusion of Half Band scores

The IELTS management team has always reported in whole and half band for the listening and reading module as well as for the overall band score.

Following extensive consultation with receiving organization, the IELST management teams are extending whole and half band score reporting to the writing and speaking modules also as of 1 st July 2007 .

For example, where test taker in writing or speaking might once have received a score of either 6.0 or 7.0, they may now receive the score of 6.0, 6.5 or 7.0.

Benefits of Half Band scores

Organizations that recognize this test will be able to obtain more precise information on the speaking and writing ability of candidates.

For candidates, their report form will give them a much more exact understanding of their language skills. Because all of the parts of the test will be reported in the same way, it will also be easier to understand.

Content Focus

The IELTS test assesses all four skills both functionally and structurally and requires candidates to demonstrate their ability to understand, produce and manipulate discourse. To meet these needs, this course focuses on learning and communication strategies which will assist the students in the development of productive skills of writing and speaking and the receptive skills of reading and listening. These strategies are continually emphasized and developed throughout the course.

LISTENING SECTION

Test Description

In IELTS, the listening comprehension is designed to assess candidate’s ability to understand spoken English. There is pre-recorded tape which lasts for about thirty minutes. There are four sections each of which contains 10 questions and become progressively harder. The answers in the questions come in the same order as the information on the recording.Section 1(3-4 minutes)A gist of conversation occurs between two speakers (dialogue) on an everyday survival social topic.For example, booking a hotel

Section 2(3-4 minutes)A talk is given by one speaker (monologue) on a general topic.For example, Radio talk.

Section 3(3-4minutes)A group discussion among more than two speakers on related to education.

For example, tutorial discussion about a topic.

Section 4(3-4 minutes)A lecture or talk by one speaker on an academic or course study related topic. For example, University lectures.

The whole test outlasts about 30 minutes including instructions given about the test, reading the questions, and listening while writing answers in the question booklet. At the end of the listening test you will be given 10 minutes is to transfer your answers from the question booklet to an answer sheet. All Candidates are allowed to check their answers before and after the section.

TO IMPROVE THE LISTENING SKILLS

The candidates should listen to a gist of English as often possible using various media such as Radio, TV, and other English broadcasting channels like Australia network as well as BBC.

A glance on question typesQuestion type Skills required Test strategies

Multiple choice

*Identify the type of answers expected –What, why, where, when, how, and etc for specific information.

*The wrong answers that you could hear apparently as it is. It may help to find out the correct answers.

*Highlight the signpost words in questions.*Identify the answers that seem unlikely and then find proof before eliminating the wrong answers.

Sentence Completion/summaries/form

sTables/flow charts

*Distinguishing between main ideas and examples.*Identifying the discourse markers and key words or signpost words such as First, next, then.etc.*Identifying headings and main ideas*Guessing the type of words such as a noun, an adverb, an adjective, a number, a verb, and etc.*Note grammatical words like an articles or a preposition.

*Contractions are not used when words limits are given. For example, shouldn’t. don’t*Do not use more than number of words are allotted*Look at given information to identify the type of information needed.*Scan given notes in summaries to frame your own note-making.*Note the position of the gap in the sentences.

Pick from a list*Re-Phrase the options in your own words..

*read the list of options and underline the signpost words*highlight the key words in the main questions

Short answer questions(type 1 and type2)

Type 1-wh?Type 2 –name up to 3 things

*Listening for the specific information.*identifying parts of speech used and required.

*Highlight or underline the key words.*Listen for specific words but also ideas –paraphrase or find similar meaning.*check whether or not questions follow the same format like type 1.

Labeling a Diagram/a map

*Understanding relationships between words (Discourse markers) at a picture or in a diagram.*Sequencing and following chronological order.

*Brainstorm any vocabulary or knowledge of the picture or topic.*Note any title or labels already included *choose an answer from the box or the recording.*keen at a diagram for what it is or about.*Guess what unlabelled parts might be.

Question type Skills required Test strategies

Matching*Listening for specific information*Understanding cause and effect.*as you listen, match the option to the questions.

*Firstly have a glance to know about the list of question before listen to*rephrase each of the options in your own words.

Note completion*reading the notes to know about the topic*work out what type of information is needed. For example, An object, a number, etc...

*highlight the key words around each gap to help you listen for the answer.*Note whether there is more than one gap for any of the questions. *Look at the layout of the task, example bullet points or continuous notes.

Classification

*understanding the main questions and numbered statements that follow it*Distinguishing main ideas from examples.

*identify the different characteristics of categories.*use given information, if necessary, to determine the relationship between statement and question.

AccentsThe Candidates will hear male and female voices from different parts of the

English domain in the world. For example U.K, Canada, Australia and or U.S.However,

they will always be clear and easy to perceive.Importance of checking written answers

Spelling should be correct and hand writing must be legible.Both British and American spellings are acceptable.e.g.Programme or program, color or color, but candidates should not use abbreviations at all.

Check the word you have chosen fit grammatically, and should it be singular or plural

If you are asked to write an answer using a certain number of words and or numbers, you will be penalized if you exceed the instruction.For example, If a question specifies an answer using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS and the correct answer is ‘Black leather coat’, the answer ‘coat of black leather’ is incorrect.

In questions, where you are expected to complete a gap, you should only transfer the necessary missing words onto the answer sheet.For example, to complete ‘in the ___ __ ___’, where the correct answer is morning, the answer ‘in the morning’ is incorrect.

All standards alternatives for numbers, dates and currencies are acceptable.

SUMMARY OF LISTENING STRATEGIES

Before you listen:

Check where you have to write your answer, and in what form of answers such as a name, a number, a phrase, circle the right answer...)

Predict the content of what you will hear

Anticipate the words and phrases you are most likely to hear.

‘Translate’ any pictures into words, to anticipate hearing them in the listening passage.

Predict possible answers to the questions, to prepare yourself to hear the answer.

Anticipate synonyms and ideas expressed in different words.

Concentrate!!!

While you listen:

Listen carefully to any taped instructions for each section.

Focus on more than one question at a time.

Do not stop on an answer you do not know: move on.

Listening for the specific information: pin-pointed in your pre-listening preparation.

Don’t worry if you do not understand every word when listening for the overall meaning or gist.

Write an answer for every question: marks are not deducted for wrong answers and sometimes your guesses are accurate: your ears hear more than you think!

Do not accept the first answer that seems correct: Subsequent information may change it.

At the end of each section, check your answers.

At the end of the test, transfer your answers with care to the Listening Answer Sheet.

READING SECTION

Introduction

The reading module is the second test you do on the test day. Candidates will receive a question booklet and an answer sheet. There is no time, unlike in the listening test, at the end to transfer answers so they have to write their answers directly on to the answer sheet during the 60-minute test. The test instructions indicate how much time you should spend on each section of the test.

The test is divided into three sections. There are forty questions based on three reading passages with a total of 2000 to 2750 words. Both the academic and general training reading have the same format.

ACADEMIC READING Texts are taken from magazines, journals, books and newspapers and they have been written for a non-specialist audience.

At least one text contains a detailed logical argument and it may contain non verbal materials such as diagrams, graphs or illustrations. If texts contain technical terms then a simple glossary is provided.

GENERAL TRAINING READINGThe first section, ‘Social survival’, contains texts relevant to basic linguistic survival in English with tasks mainly about retrieving and providing general factual information.

The second section, ‘Training survival’, focuses on the training contexts, for example on the training program itself or on welfare needs. This section involves a text or texts of more complex language with some precise or elaborated expression.The third section, ‘General reading’, involves reading more extended prose with a more complex structure but with the emphasis on descriptive and instructive rather than argumentative texts, in a general contexts relevant to the wide range of candidates involved. QUESTION TYPES1. Multiple choice2. Yes,No,Not given3. True,False,Not given4. Sentence completion with box or not5. Paragraph heading6. Global multiple choice7. Classification8. Short answer questions

9. labeling a diagram10. Summary/Notes completion with box or not11. Matching12. Pick from a list

AN OVERVIEW OF QUESTION TYPES

Type of question Directions used Skills needed Test strategies

Multiple choice

Read the instructions carefully and Check how many letters you need to circle.

Skim all the questions and the answers quickly.Scanning for specific (usually factual) information.

Highlight key words.Eliminate unlikely answers.

Short answer questions

Type1.QuestionsType2.Lists

These questions will usually tell you to write your answer NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS. However, This is not always the case, so check the rubric carefully.

Skim all the questions quickly.Scanning for specific information.

Use techniques to find answers to how, what, when, where questions.Highlight signpost words in questions and search for these key words or synonyms in the passage.

Paragraph heading

TYPE 1 questions require you to sum up the meaning of a paragraph in order to match it to a bank of possible headings.TYPE 2 questions require you to sum up the whole text.Roman numerals are often used I,II,III,IV,V etc.

Skimming for general discussion on the text of the passageIdentifying main notion in paragraphs.Locating topic sentences.

Always read headings first and then topic sentences or paragraphs.Do not read whole paragraph.Do not complete in order given.Choose the most obvious answer first.

Matching lists and phrases

Match a list of opinions to sources mentioned in the text. The texts contain a number of different people’s opinions.

Take the names of the sources one by one and find them in the text and underline them.Remember that the text is not likely to use the same words as the questions, so look for synonyms and parallel expressions.

Be aware that the sources may be referred to in more than one place in the text.The opinions in the tasks are not listed in the same order as they appear in the text.Phrases like ‘he said’ or

‘in his opinion’ should help you locate the arguments.

Identifying view points, facts

,opinions

TYPE 1 if they are opinions, whether they are Yes, No or Not given in the text.TYPE 2 if they are facts, whether they are True, False or Not given in the text.The questions will be in the same order in the text.

. Quickly read through all the statements to get an idea about the topic.Read the first statement more carefully. Underline the key words so you understand the main point.Search for the section of the text which deals with the idea or fact.

Once you have found the relevant section, read it carefully. For type 1, if the statement disagrees with the writer’s opinion, then select ‘No’ and the author doesn’t give an opinion, select ‘Not Given’. For type 2,if the statement is the opposite to the information in the text, then select ‘False’ and if there is no mention of it, select ‘Not Given’.

Classifying Classifications are often according to the writer’s opinion or according to a period of time or place.Make sure you know how many classifications there are and what letters you have to use. (E.g. US, J,G & UK)

The questions will not necessarily be in the same order as the text and the wording will probably be different in the text so look for synonyms and parallel expressions

Use a highlighter to identify the character of different categories in the text.Don’t leave any statements without a letter.

Completing sentences,tables,flowCharts/summaries, etc.

TYPE 1. With a selection of possible answers.TYPE 2. Without a choice of possible answers.

Search the place where the information should be in the text and read it carefully.Think about the grammatical ground as well as the vocabulary that should follow immediately from theQuestions.

Contractions are not used when word limits are given (eg.They’ve).Don’t use more than the number of words allotted.Check the question to see if it asks for your own words or words from the text.

TECHNIQUES FOR READING SECTIONPreview (about 2 minutes for each passages)

* Note headings, titles, illustrations, Diagrams and any print in bold type or italics.* Highlight key points of the passage and paragraph by skimming

Instructions and Questions(about 2 minutes)

* Read instructions carefully and ensure that what is required and in what form* Recognize what type of question you have to answer (Multiple choices, gap filling.etc.)* Whether or not the question requires a specific or general answer* What form the answer should take (Number,Date,Reason,etc)

Scanning the Text for the correct answer(about 1 minute for one question)

* Find key words in the question and Search them in the text.* The sentence around these key words is most likely to contain the answers that need.* In case of unsure answer, make a sensible guess in the appropriate form.

Checking the answers (about three minutes)* Check whether or not the instructions are followed exactly.* Check the answers if the time is available for the best result.* Do not leave any unanswered questions as you do not lose marks for it..

Suggested exam timeplan for Reading section

You have 60 minutes to complete the reading section of the IELTS test. you must transfer your answers to the answer Sheet provided WITHIN THAT TIME. . Time Thinks to do

0.00 Begin Passage 1-starts by glancing at the title, diagram, pictures, headings, etc. Then, read the questions and answer as many as possible. 0.15 Guess remainder of questions that relate to passage 1,but put a question mark beside these to remind Yourself later that you have guessed these answers.

0.16 Begin passage 2, Read the questions and answers as many as possible.

0.31 Guess reminders of questions that relate to passage 2 but again, put the question mark beside these to remind yourself later.

0.32 Begin passage 2 –read the questions and answer as many as possible.

0.50 Guess remainder of questions that relate to passage 3.

0.51 Go back to passage 1-try answering the guessed questions.

0.53 Go back to passage 2-try answering the guessed questions.

0.55 Transfer all questions carefully but quickly to the answer sheet.

0.58 Use the remaining time to double-check any answers to the last few questions in Reading passage 3 that you guessed earlier.

Allow 15 minutes each for passages 1 and 2 but give yourself 18 minutes to complete passage 3.

Ideas For Developing Reading Skills:

Read as much English as possible-buy magazines such as ‘National Geographic’, ‘Newsweek’ and “Time”; Work on your reading skills such as ‘guessing the meanings of unknown words’, ‘understanding reference words in texts’ and reading quickly.

Read newspaper articles and practice the following: *dividing the content into facts and opinions *finding the topic sentences of paragraphs *writing summaries *interpreting any diagrams or tables

*thinking of headings you could give to paragraphs *underlining the pronouns and working out what they refer to *underlining unknown words and seeing if you can work out what they mean *reading the first paragraph and seeing if you can predict what will come next Work on expanding your vocabulary.

*Choose 5 new words from the vocabulary sections or articles to learn each day. Write the words on cards and test yourself on the bus or the MTR, on your way to city U.

Use some of the following Websites to know the current issues:

1 .www.ap.com

2. www.reuters.com

3. www.news.com.au

4. www.cnn.com

5. www.bbc.co.uk

WRITING SECTION

Introduction:The writing module takes 60 minutes. There are two tasks in both the academic and general training writing modules. In each module,20 minutes is spent on task 1 which requires candidates to write at least 150 words and 40 minutes for task 2 which requires at least 250 words.

Answers must be given on the answer sheet and must be written in full notes or bullets points in whole or in part are not acceptable as answers. Candidates should note that scripts under the required minimum word limit will be penalized.

ACADEMIC WRITING TASK 1Task 1 is an information transfer task which measures the candidate’s ability to describe information presented as a diagram or a table.

TYPES OF GRAPHS /DIAGRAMS1. Pie chart or pie diagram2. Line graph3. Bar graph or column graph4. Table5. Diagram of how something works6. Diagram of a process

PLANNING STAGE OF TASK 1(spend 2minutes before writing task 1) Follow the notes during the planning stage Time/tense Topic General trend/comment Details ConclusionINTRODUCTORY SENTENCES The examiner expects own words for an introductory sentences. If the candidates copy the title of an illustration or the question word for word, the examiner will regard this as PLAGIARISM and ignore the sentence. This could affect your task 1 band score. The language should be formal and respectful and is unlikely to include many personal pronouns (I, You, and We).It should not include unnecessary words and phrases.1. For example, as you can see from the table……

It can be rewritten as, the table shows……2. Eg, The two pie charts show the proportion of males and females in employment in 6 broad categories.

It can be changed as; the two pie charts give the proportion of men and women employed in 6 broad areas

ORThe two pie charts show, in 6 categories, the proportion of males and females in

employment.DESCRIBING TRENDS IN GRAPHS

Vocabulary used in Line graph: UPWARD MOVEMENT DOWNWARD MOVEMENT HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT

Rocketed/soared plunged Increases plummeted leveled offUpward trend downward trend remain stableRise decrease remain constantClimb fall remain unchangedGrew up dip even outRose fell back plateauWent up decline

Go up drops off go down

Steep fall Drop

SPEED OF CHANGE SIZE OF CHANGE Rapid rapidly slight slightlyGradual gradually substantial substantiallySlow slowly considerable considerablySteady steadily dramatic dramaticallyQuick quickly exponential exponentiallySharp sharply erratic erratically

LANGUAGE OF COMPARISON1. less/fewer/smaller2. more/greater/larger/higher/bigger3. lowest/longest/largest/highest4. Describing one part of the pie chart E.g., The most popular newspaper is “The Hindu” The second most common newspaper is “The Indian Express”5. Comparing two parts of the pie chart E.g., “The Indian Express” is substantially less popular than “The Hindu” considerably a lot

far much more common somewhat significantly slightly fractionally

ORWhite is about twice as common as red

Three times popular6. Two ways of incorporating data: by using *brackets ( )

*a relative clause (which + appropriate verb: is, makes up, constitutes, and accounts for)

Eg, white, which constitute 3.12%, are considerably less popular than blue (12.72%).

Red, which is 28.05%, is considerably more common than blue, which makes up 12.72%

7. If things are the same, you can say: the same as equal to/with identical to/with

8. You can show how close to being the same things are: X is absolutely the same as Y

just, exactly, precisely almost, nearly, practically more or less about not quite

9. The phrases to show by what degree X is greater than Y. Start from the biggestdifference and work to the smallest. In some cases two phrases may be almost the

same hardly a great deal very much infinitely much slightly a little many times Scarcely a lot not very much far

barely

X is infinitely or barely greater than Y 10. When the graph does not show precise data, use words to express approximation. Just roughly Under nearly Well approximately Just around Over about Well 11. Time periods Examples; for one month For a period of one month Over the next month During the next month

From Jan to Aug ……over the period 1980 to 1989 …….between 1676 and 1680 ……until the mid 1980s ……over the decades ……over a ten year period ……both in 1980 and 1990 ……throughout the period ……over the last 2 decades 12. Expressing Age The 21-30 year-olds By the age of 15 …..after the age of 15 …..at the age of 15 …..when they are under 20 …..aged under 20 CONCLUSION SENTENCES To signal your conclusion you may start using the following terms In summary,

To sum up, In conclusion, To conclude, Thus, Overall, To summaries, Statistical figures prove that,CHECKLIST *Have I answered the question? What are the topic words? What are the task words?*Have I organized my information?*Is my work arranged in paragraphs?*Have I used a variety of sentence types?*Have I written in the correct register?*Is my vocabulary appropriate and interesting?*Is my spelling accurate?

DESCRIBING A PROCESS To describe a process, you need to think about things happening one after another.Phrases to put things in order: first, second, third (and so on) before, prior to at the same time, simultaneously, as, while, during meanwhile then, after, following, subsequently Eventually, finally.

CHECK LIST FOR A DIAGRAM/PROCESS*Verb/noun agreements*Use of the passive (avoid passive when describing a natural process eg, germination of a small plant)*use of devices which indicate cause and effect*use of devices which indicate the sequence of events*correct paragraphing*a concluding paragraph

WHEN PLANNING TASK 1 IT IS IMPORTANT TO: Know exactly what is required to complete the task Brainstorm similar words from the topic so the subjects of your sentences can be written in your own words Determine the time period so that the correct tense is used Develop a general statement that gives an overall impression of the graph Decide which significant details will be discussed to reflect the task requirement Draw a relevant conclusion or summaries what you have written

HOW TASK 1 IS ASSESSED

The examiner reads your answer and awards a band score of between 1 and 9 under three categories 1. Task fulfillment (TF)The examiner determines whether you answered the question or not.2. Coherence and cohesion (CC)The examiner determines whether you have written an essay that is easily understood and is well organized.3. Vocabulary and sentence structure (VSS)The examiner determines whether your vocabulary is appropriate and your sentence structure has variety and accuracy.The band scores are then added together, divided by three to determine your band score for this task.For exampleTF = 5.CC = 5.5VSS = 6.5OVERALL BAND = 5+5.5+6.5=17/3 = 5.5

GENERAL TRAINING WRITING TASK 1INTRODUCTION Task 1 measures the candidate’s ability to respond to a given problem with a letter requesting information or explaining a situation. You are expected to be able to:*engage in personal correspondence*elicit and provide general factual information*express needs, wants, likes and dislikes*express opinions (views, complaints etc) Before writing your answer, spend one or two minutes on the following

1. Identify who you are writing to:* somebody of equal status to yourself, like a friend?

* an older or more important person? * somebody you know only through business? This will determine the tone of the letter.

2. Identify the overall subject or subjects of your letter: a complaint praise? a request for information? an expression of needs or wants? an expression of an opinion, likes and dislikes?

3. Identify the main point or points you want to make: think of details to support the main point of the letter

4. Relate the letter to any information given in the writing task: look for clues in the wording of the task.

5. Think of a suitable ending to the letterNow plan the number of paragraphs, by noting the main points. PERSONAL LETTERSGeneral Format: The writer’s address The dateThe salutation: Dear……

A greeting, for example: I hope you are well, and the orientation of the letter, indicating what the letter is about.

The body of the letter, recounting the news.

The end of the letter.

The signature.

A personal letter is a letter to someone you know relatively well. The letter should be informal in tone and register. A letter usually begins with a greeting or salutation, like Dear…., Dearest…, My Darling….. A personal letter often ends with good wishes to the reader, or a polite request.It could end Love, Best wishes, Yours sincerely, Affectionately, Hugs and Kisses, Lots of love, With love…

BUSINESS LETTERS General Format The Writer’s address The dateThe salutation:

The recipient’s name(if known) The recipient’s title or position in the company

The company name The company address

The salutation: Dear………………. The orientation of the letter.

The body of the letter, giving information.

The end of the letter (there should be no new information in the last paragraph)

The closing salutation.

The signature.

The printed name and title of the person who is signing the letter.

NO NEED TO WRITE YOUR OWN ADDRESS

CHECKLIST: * Are the salutations appropriate?

Is the tone of the letter appropriate? How can you tell it’s a letter to a friend/company? Are the subject/verb agreements correct?

SKILLS FOR WRITING SUBJECT OF THE LETTERSSeeking and providing factual information:A good letter seeking information will:* 1st paragraph: say what general information the writer wants* 2nd paragraph: ask for information on specific points* 3rd paragraph: end with some form of summary and a polite request for a swift reply

Expressing needs, wants, likes and dislikes:Vocabulary UsedNeeds: require; must have; needWants: want; wish; wish for; desireLikes/dislikes: hate; appreciate; dislike; value; enjoy; loathe; love; detest; admireTry it: You are going to buy a car. Write two paragraphs.In the first, say what characteristics you need in a car.In the second, say what you want the car to be like.

Expressing opinions and viewsChoose something you feel strongly about, and write a paragraph about it.Say what you feel strongly about.Explain why you hold these views.

Making a complaint:A good letter of complaint will:

Explain what is wrong Give details Ask for help to fix the problem

Or Ask what the person receiving the letter will do to fix the problem.

A LEAD-IN PHRASE IN INTRODUCTION PART* I am writing to you because….. to let you know that…. advise you in reply to your recent letter in which you (told me something) * I am anxious to obtain some information from you about…

* It is with regret that I write to you advising you

* I regret to inform you that (something negative)* I am sorry to let you know* As you are probably already aware, (I am…/ it is…. / something is….)

STOCK PHRASE AT THE END OF LETTER WRITINGI look forward to hearing from youI look forward to your replyI would be grateful if you would attend to this matter as soon as possibleI await your reply in anticipationThank you for your co-operation in this matter.Thank you for your co-operation and I hope to hear from you shortlyPlease do not hesitate to contact me if you have any queries about this matter.I am sorry to have caused you any trouble and I trust that you will understand.

A “SIGN OFF” WORD/ PHRASEFORMAL – SEMI-FORMAL Yours sincerely, -use for business/information letters Yours faithfully, -some people distinguish between “…sincerely” and “…faithfully” by using “…sincerely” for persons when the name is not known. Regards - “Regards” is less formal, but very commonly used for business INFORMAL Yours truly, (use for personal letters to friends in business) Best wishes (use for personal letters to friends) Love (or “lots of love”) (use for family or close friends – usually to the Opposite sex if a friend) LAYOUT OF THE LETTER

WRITING TASK 2

INTRODUCTION TO ACADEMIC WRITING TASK 2:It assesses candidates’ ability to discuss an issue. In task 2 candidates should be able to *present the solution to a problem*present and justify an opinion *compare and contrast evidence, opinions and implications*evaluate and challenge ideas, evidence.

These tasks are often combined for instance, compare and contrast in order to justify an opinion.

Typically the instruction will probably be: ‘present a written argument or case to an educated reader with no specialist knowledge of the following topic’. It implies that the audience is educated, but has no specialist knowledge .So the writing should be clear and avoid jargon or technical terms and it should be self explanatory.Moreover, the writing should be formal and impersonal.The instructions may conclude: ‘you should use your own ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with examples and relevant evidence’. These ideas should be presented formally.

INTRODUCTION TO GENERAL TRAINING WRITING TASK 2In this task, A slightly more personal response is acceptable than in academic writing Task 2 and candidates should be able to *provide general factual information*outline a problem and present a solution*present and possibly justify an opinions, assessment or hypothesis.*present and possibly evaluate and challenge ideas, evidence and argument.

These tasks are often combined, for instance provide general factual information in order to justify an opinion.

In task 2 the instruction will probably be: ‘As part of a class assignment you have to write about the following topic’For instance, in the topic area travel you might be asked to write about the ways people travel (road, rail, air, sea) about problem with local transport, about travel in the future, etc.The audience will be a teacher and other people in a class.The writing should be formal and well reasoned, with supporting evidence for any statement made. It should be clear, should avoid jargon or technical terms, and it should be self explanatory.

FORMAL WRITING SKILLSWriting task 2 for both the academic and general training modules assesses your ability to discuss an issue. The candidates should write an essay which is well organized, with beginning, middle and end.Before writing the answer, it is important to spend five minutes planning. There are steps that you should go through.*Read the questions and the instructions carefully*Analyze the topic and the focus*Decide what you think about the question*brainstorm ideas to be used in your answer*Fit these ideas into an essay plan divided into paragraphs*Begin writing your introduction.

When writing essays, you should follow a four stage procedure.The procedure is

1. Analysing the task (understanding the question, brainstorming)2. Preparing a plan3. Writing4. proof-reading and checking

STRUCTURE OF AN ESSAY:

Introduction (about 40 words)

General statement about topicWriter’s position (Optional)What the writer is going to say

Body (about 180 words)First point in first paragraphTopic sentence +SupportSecond point in second paragraphTopic sentence +Support

Conclusion (about 30 words)Summary Conclusion Recommendation (Optional: if asked for advice, suggestion)

Introduction

The introduction gives a general statement about the topic May state the writer’s position if the writer is only taking one side in the discussion Gives an indication of what the writer plans to say.The writer’s position is important in essays where an opinion is sought or a suggestion is asked for.Candidates should read the question carefully and use it to start the essay,but they should not simply copy the question.Look at the example of how the information in a question can be used to start the essay.Example:Many businesses find it very difficult to assign enough time and resource to research and development. What could a government do to encourage more company spending in this area?

Topic Resources and research and development

Task wordsGovernment does to encourage company spending.

The writer’s position:The writer will make suggestions.

General statementResearch and development is expensive: company tries to avoid spending on it.

What the writer plans to say:Governments could: offer tax advantages and research grants to companies. These incentives would help to increase employment and creativity.

The introduction will thus read:Research and development is very expensive, so company often try to avoid spending in this area.Governement could encourage work in research and development by offering tax advantages and research grants to companies. These incentives would help to increase employment and creativity.

Different approaches in an essay*Provide general factual information*Outline problems and give a solution *give and justify an opinion *agree/disagree with an argument*compare and contrast evidence and ideas.

1.Opinions and Suggestion