In the minds of ESL exam candidates, e ssay writing is one of the most daunting tasks they are required to complete, regardless of the level of the exam, the administering body or the ease with which they themselves use the language. The same applies to students who are asked to write an essay by their teachers at school. In the previous sample essays posted on the blog, the main point I stress is the need to become acquainted with this form of writing (as opposed to writing a letter, review or report, for instance), to get a feel of what authorial voice is and how to organize and progressively express the arguments you wish to make in a coherent manner. Unfortunately, the best way to prepare for exam writing or learn how to write good essays for school is to read as many essays from as many sources as possible, then write as
Continuing the series of sample writing tasks for English language examinations at B1 or B2 level, let's turn to informal or friendly letters and emails. There are a number of informal letters that candidates are expected to know how to write, each of which focuses on a specific goal. The most common types of friendly letters or emails are: asking for information / news giving information /news asking for advice giving advice invitations accepting / refusing an invitation letters of apology congratulating someone thanking someone Many more kinds of letters/emails exist (job applications or letters of complaint), but they wouldn't fall under the category of informal writing. In this post, the writing task requires candidates to draft a letter to a friend that gives him or her advice on a particular issue.