This is the fifth sample article candidates of the ECPE examination (Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English of the University of Michigan) My first post to deal with articles , explains what needs to be present in this type of piece of writing. As stated, examiners are looking for articles that elaborate on ideas and have solid arguments; are well organized; make use of a wide lexical and grammatical range; have an original ring to them (in other words, readers are able to distinguish the author's unique "voice"). Before reading, take a look at the following post if you haven't already done so. It will help you focus on the vital aspects you need to be aware of while reading the article and what you should make sure to use when you write your own. The question appeared in Practice Tests for the ECPE Book 1 (revised 2021 version) and is accompanied by the following three writing prompts:
The first post in this series of "Words to use instead of ..." dealt with the overly used word "nice" (read about it here).
Today, I'll tackle that bane of every ESL teacher's existence, that word they often hear when helping students work on their oral exams or read when correcting essays, the one every student so easily lets slip out when they can't think of what else to say: important.
It's always "this must be done because it's very important" or "saving the planet is extremely important" or "graduating from a good university is very important these days."
Examiners might be lenient the first time they hear this word, but imagine hearing it 5 times in answers to 6 questions asked? To put it more mathematically, in a 10 to 12-minute examination where an exam candidate uses the word in five out of six responses, the examiner hears the same word once roughly every two to two and a half minutes. Though it's perfectly natural to hear pronouns, demonstratives and articles repeated, adjectives, verbs and nouns must be varied if you're aiming for a high score.
So what can be done to remedy the situation? Here are a few words which can replace the adjective 'important', depending on the context of course.
I'm not giving substitutes for the word in the sense of "renowned" or "distinguished" (as in "the important diplomat").
Teachers can print and hand out the list to students or candidates themselves can add translations into their own language and learn a few each day.
For more vocabulary-related posts, click on the image:
Looking for tips how to deal with the Speaking segment of your English-language examination? Click on the image below.
Today, I'll tackle that bane of every ESL teacher's existence, that word they often hear when helping students work on their oral exams or read when correcting essays, the one every student so easily lets slip out when they can't think of what else to say: important.
It's always "this must be done because it's very important" or "saving the planet is extremely important" or "graduating from a good university is very important these days."
Examiners might be lenient the first time they hear this word, but imagine hearing it 5 times in answers to 6 questions asked? To put it more mathematically, in a 10 to 12-minute examination where an exam candidate uses the word in five out of six responses, the examiner hears the same word once roughly every two to two and a half minutes. Though it's perfectly natural to hear pronouns, demonstratives and articles repeated, adjectives, verbs and nouns must be varied if you're aiming for a high score.
So what can be done to remedy the situation? Here are a few words which can replace the adjective 'important', depending on the context of course.
I'm not giving substitutes for the word in the sense of "renowned" or "distinguished" (as in "the important diplomat").
Teachers can print and hand out the list to students or candidates themselves can add translations into their own language and learn a few each day.
consequential
|
earth-shattering
|
meaningful
|
vital
|
substantial
|
major
|
seminal
|
momentous
|
monumental
|
sincere
|
eventful
|
impressive
|
grave
|
strategic
|
weighty
|
valuable
|
historic
|
central
|
worthy
|
crucial
|
worthwhile
|
serious
|
critical
|
imperative
|
key
|
significant
|
decisive
|
necessary
|
exceptional
|
pivotal
|
far-reaching
|
urgent
|
essential
|
paramount
|
determining
|
exigent
|
pressing
|
major
|
principal
|
of concern
|
For more vocabulary-related posts, click on the image:
Looking for tips how to deal with the Speaking segment of your English-language examination? Click on the image below.