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Showing posts from December, 2021

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ECPE Writing - Sample Article (Fake news)

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:  

Short Story Sample - The Haunted House

  This is a sample short story based on a typical B2-level English exam (e.g. First for Schools or the former FCE exam, ESB or LRN) which requires candidates to write a narrative of approximately 200 words.    It is, naturally, appropriate for creative writing assignments as well -- especially early October, with Halloween right round the corner -- that should give students and teachers alike the opportunity to get ideas. Ideally, it should be used to show students and ESL / EFL exam candidates what is expected of them when they encounter this type of question, even though it is rather lengthier than required.    As you read, note the various elements a short story should have: dialogue, use of adjectives and adverbs to create atmosphere, use of the senses, organization of paragraphs, conflicts that heighten the action, narrator, and the like.    For further information, read my post Writing Stories: Where to Start . It should help you tackle a story from the ground up and make you awa

Writing Stories: Where to start

Writing stories for fun, for school or for English as a foreign language (EFL) exams.   Stories, or narratives, are a part of several English language examinations such as Cambridge's First for Schools (formerly known as the First Certificate in English or FCE for short), the Learning Resource Network's LRN and the English Speaking Board's ESB.  Apart from exams though, many students are asked to write a short story as a school assignment and find themselves in a bind.  Add to this crowd those who enjoy writing or want to put pen to paper in the hopes of entering a competition or becoming the next book-to-film adaptation tycoons, but don't know where the launchpad is. Well, this post hopes to get the creative juices flowing.