Skip to main content

Hot Off The Press

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:  

Sample Friendly Letter/Email (Giving Advice) - Improving Eating Habits & Getting Fit

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.

Here's the rubric: 

 

Your English pen friend has written you a letter asking for your advice on how to improve his/her eating habits and get fit. Write a letter offering advice.

 

For B1/B2 level, you're not expected to write a lengthy piece, so some quick advice will do. 

Remember, your first paragraph should state the reason you're writing, your main body paragraphs should give your advice and any details related to each, while the concluding paragraph should wrap up the letter and say what you would like your friend to do.

As you read the sample below, underline keys words and phrases that generally can be used in informal letters giving advice, learn these phrases and insert them in any other similar questions.


If you haven't done so already, read the following post to be sure you make the most of these sample writing tasks.


Dear Craig,

   I’ve just read your letter and am really sorry to hear how you're finding it difficult to stay fit. You might be trying to lose weight and feel as if you're not making any progress -- that must be really difficult for you. But I’m really glad you reached out to me for advice. You know, sometimes the way out of a problem is right in front of our eyes but we can’t seem to see it. So, here are a couple of things you can do to help you get fit and improve your eating habits.

   First of all, you need to get into shape through plenty of exercise. Join a gym to burn extra calories, tone your muscles and make yourself feel better. It's been said that about 15 minutes of exercise releases these hormones that create a feeling of well-being, like a natural high, so the more you exercise on a regular basis, the better you'll feel, meaning you'll continue to exercise. Also, try walking more or getting out and about by bike instead of taking the bus or having your parents drive you around to where you need to get to.

   Now, changing your eating habits is going to be tough, but you can do it. Get rid of potato chips and candy you've got stashed away in the house. Don't order junk food but start eating a balanced diet instead. I know it's hard when you go out with friends on Fridays to stay away from fast food diners, but even if you decide to go to one, reach for a salad rather than burgers and fries. Prepare your own lunch from home rather than buy stuff from the school canteen that are packed with fattening ingredients.

   I know it's going to be hard, but when you start seeing results, I'm sure you'll be encouraged enough to keep going. Don't give up, and make sure you write back and let me know how it goes.

Best of luck,

Kyle



For more sample letters, essays, stories, etc., click on the image below.

 




Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Writing Letters of Complaint - Useful Phrases

Whether it's to complain about something you bought or a service you found was unsatisfactory, as part of your job or because you are preparing to take an exam in English at B2 or C2 level, it is a fact that you should know the basics about writing or even orally expressing your dissatisfaction.  The following post should help you organize your letter or email (even an oral statement, if necessary) as well as give you some useful phrases you can use.
Read more

Virginia Woolf - The Legacy (Overview)

When a wife dies and leaves her husband her diary, all is possible. In Gil bert Clandon's case, the legacy his wife leaves him is much more than he could ever have imagined.  Virgi nia Woolf signs an exceptional short story which questions the foundations of marriage, people's need for communication by any means possible a nd their inclusion in a mutually beneficial partnership . When one reneges on that contract, the other will seek new outlets to grow , as p ersonal d evelopment in any marriage is inevitable. If that development is undertaken without any consideration for one's spouse, then problems will unavoidably ensue.
Read more

Tobias Wolff - Powder (Overview)

"Powder" is a short story intended to quickly state the obvious - a father's bond to his son is always a difficult thing to forge when parents aren't on good terms with each other. The level of difficulty in achieving this increases as fathers aren't used to explicitly explaining to their sons that they are trying to forge a stronger bond at a particular moment in time to begin with. Accordingly, the complications the father in this particular story is required to overcome are not only the time constraints the mother has placed on the trip as a whole or the mistrust towards her husband she has allowed her son to bear witness to which the father feels he must compensate for, but also the disparity in character traits that father and son exhibit. Having read the story for the first time, students predominantly respond to the query "What was the story about?" either with "I didn't get it. Some father and son skiing" or "S
Read more

Nadine Gordimer - An Intruder (Overview)

The short story An Intruder was incorporated in Nadine Gordimer's short story collection Livingston's Companions, published in 1970. As such, it must be read and viewed through the prism of her somewhat earlier works which dealt with South African society's inequality and the problems arising from the diseased status quo of the times. An Intruder focuses on relationships between characters and how perceptions of a situation differ in the eyes of each individual based on a combination of nature and nurture, or at the very least that is what Gordimer would have the reader gauge. What made James Seago what he is? Why is Mrs Clegg, Marie's mother, such a typical depthless wishful socialite with an exaggerated respect for higher social status? Couldn't Marie judge the merit of the man who treats her like a child or is she turning a blind eye to his behavior because it suits her? Whatever the answers to these questions, the one certainty we have is that the noti
Read more

C2 Sample Essay 8 (Parenting)

Writing at C2 level (Proficient User) on English language examinations is the same no matter the awarding body when it comes to writing essays. If you are a candidate giving an exam in English (IELTS, CPE, ECPE, CELP, LRN, ESB, TOEFL), make sure you read my earlier post What do I do with the sample writing found on this blog? to get the most out of the sample essays provided on Argute Legacy .     The topic of this essay is to discuss what the responsibilities of parenting are. If you are not taking an exam but need to discuss this topic, then read on and note down what you deem useful. If you intend to use this essay as part of an assignment, remember to paraphrase so as not to plagiarize. The topic is similar to what candidates expect in any other C2-level examination in that examiners want to see a well-organized, coherent and cohesive discussion of the issue with arguments and examples written in approximately half an hour. Whether or not you agree with the
Read more