ESL/EFL exams may contain writing tasks that require students to write a review of a film or book.  This is an example of a film review intended to give candidates and teachers a springboard for vocabulary exercises and discussions about the organization of reviews.  The topic dealt with in this post is the following: 

My two previous posts explained how to deal with two distinct types of oral examination questions as part of English-language certification qualifications. The first post gave some tips how to describe a person, place, object or activity while the second how to narrate past experiences or any kind of situations one may have had to deal with.     Though these types of questions are typically part of the English oral examination for the Michigan State University (MSU) certificate at C2 level, this as well as the two previous posts can be used to train candidates of other English-language examinations, be they B1, B2, C1 or C2-level exams. Based on experience, I have seen that helping a candidate develop fluency requires building up their ability to narrate and describe, so whether they are sitting the IELTS or CPE, the ECPE or LRN, LRN, TOEFL, BULATS, TIE, ECCE, FCE and so many others that are out there on the market, knowing how to describe and narrate is a must.   T...

In my last post , I talked about how to deal with oral exam questions that asked candidates of English-certification exams -- such as the the Michigan State University (MSU) exam -- to describe someone or something. The post and questions that accompanied it were meant to help C2-level candidates, but the same questions could easily be used to get B2-level exam takers to speak more. This post now deals with narrations, that is, questions which require candidates to speak about a past experience, a situation they had to endure or they enjoyed. As I said in my last post, the questions that follow can be used by students and teachers alike as discussion starters, so even if you are not planning to sit an exam, you might find this article useful in terms of improving your English. Prepare vocabulary associated with the topic, or think about using linking words to sequence your ideas. These are just two of the "activities" teachers can promote as they discuss these questi...

The English oral examination for the Michigan State University (MSU) certificate at C2 level is a straight-forward affair if you know ahead of time what it is examiners might ask. This applies to all Speaking components of English-language certificate exams which means that the more varied the types of questions a candidate has knowledge of in advance, the more likely he or she is to stumble upon a similar question on the actual day of the test. Thinking about what answers could be given ahead of time and jotting down some ideas in note form lets candidates worry about finding the right words to use during the exam instead of searching for things to say, arguments to give, examples to support an opinion which they might even not have at that particular moment. This post therefore is not only geared towards those taking the MSU exam, but for candidates preparing for the IELTS, CPE, ECPE, ESB, LRN, TOEFL, PTE, BULATS, TIE, and similar tests whose list will doubtless increase with...

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...

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, 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 this blog.  If you are not taking an exam but need ideas on whether the internet is dumbing students down or enriching their learning experience, then read on and note down what you deem useful. If you intend on using this essay as part of an assignment, remember to paraphrase so as not to plagiarize.

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, 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 this blog.  If you are not taking an exam but need ideas on teacher responsibilities (academic or social), then read on and note down what you deem useful. If you intend on using this essay as part of an assignment, remember to paraphrase so as not to plagiarize. The following topic was taken from a Michigan State University English Language Examinations publication ( Go For MSU - CELP (C2) , Super Course System). As you will notice, the topic is similar to what candidates would expect in any other C2 level examination in that examiners want to see a well-organized, coherent and cohesive discussion of the issue with argume...

Studyi ng Engl ish g rammar is seldom exciting. Nevertheless, it is something that s tudents who are preparing to sit an Engl ish examination at B2 level need to do as the exam (be it the ECCE, MSU-CELP, L RN, ESB, or FCE F i rst for Schools) is likely to include a separate section entirely devoted to it. Regardless of the test's format, proper use of the English language in writing and speaking is required for a candidate to achieve a passing score , so careful and organized study of grammar is needed, no matter what.  Which is why the following list was drawn up for both teachers and students. If a B2 exam candidate is able to outline the rules that apply to each and every element on this list, then passing the exam should not be an issue. The reason for this is because they will be able to a) recognize the grammatical construct examined in a particular question of the exam (for instance, in the multiple choice questions of the grammar section of the ECCE or M...

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, make sure you read my blog post What do I do with the sample writing found on this blog? to get the most out of the sample essays provided by yours truly.  If you are not taking an exam but need ideas on the topic of attending an immersion school, then read on and note down what you deem useful. Don't forget: paraphrase to avoid plagiarism! The following topic was taken from a Michigan State University English Language Examinations publication ( Go For MSU - CELP (C2) , Super Course System). As you will notice, the topic is similar to what candidates would 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, explanations and examples. 

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, make sure you read my blog post What do I do with the sample writing found on this blog? to get the most out of the sample essays provided by yours truly.  The following topic was taken from a Michigan State University English Language Examinations publication ( Go For MSU - CELP (C2) , Super Course System). As you will notice, the topic is similar to what candidates would expect in any other C2 level examination in that examiners expect a well-organized, coherent and cohesive discussion of the issue with arguments, explanations and examples.  If you are not taking an exam but need ideas on the topic of eating disorders and unhealthy eating habits, then read on and note down what you deem useful. Don't forget: paraphrase to avoid plagiarism!

I've often found that students aren't taught how to write about literary texts. They attend a Literature course either in school or university, but their work is devoid of that little extra something that would make it commendable.  The reason for this is because either they haven't been told what work of this nature requires or because they haven't paid close attention to what their teachers or professors have expressly stated they base marks on.  Whatever the case may be, the following pointers should prove useful. If you're a student, make a checklist of the notes hereinafter and check them off when you reread your finished assignment. If you're a teacher, you can make a handout and go over the points in class at the beginning of the academic year.  Knowing what is expected of you will make your writing more to the point, show your knowledge of

Essay writing at B2 level is no different from B2 letter writing in that candidates are still expected to write formally, give good, clear arguments and develop their ideas using a variety of grammatical structures and vocabulary expected at this level. To see what the different types of essays are and how they may be structured, read B2 Writing: The Basics.  The sample essay that follows answers the following question: A healthy diet plays a large role in a person's emotional health. Discuss, giving examples to support any information. Remember the reason why these sample essays have been uploaded and how to make the best of them by reading  "What do I do with the sample writing found on this blog?".

Please read "What do I do with the sample writing found on this blog?" before reading this blog entry.  The following letter is an example of how examination candidates could tackle the subject of limiting students' summer break. The sample has been modeled on the University of Michigan Examination for the Certificate of Competency in English (ECCE) Task 1 question of the Writing section available on page 206 of the Hellenic American Union's ECCE Practice Examinations book (Book 1).

To get the most out of these sample essays and letters, please read "What do I do with the sample writing found on this blog?" before reading this blog entry.   The following letter is an example of how examination candidates could tackle the subject of recommending one of their pe e rs . The sample has been modeled on the University of Michigan Examination for the Certificate of Competency in English (ECCE) Task 1 question of the Writing section available on page 182 of the Hellenic American Union's ECCE Practice Examinations book (Book 1). Task 1 of the rubric asks candidates to write a recommendation letter. If you haven't already done so, read this post B2 Writing: The Basics to see what these letters are and how they can be organized. Based on an announcement that appeared in Greenpark High School's newsletter, the Board Members of the school are looking for a student to represent both school and country at the International Student's...

To get the most out of these sample essays and letters, please read "What do I do with the sample writing found on this blog?" before reading this blog entry. The following letter is an example of how examination candidates could tackle the subject of limiting internet access . The sample has been modeled on the University of Michigan Examination for the Certificate of Competency in English (ECCE) Task 1 question of the Writing section available on page 134 of the Hellenic American Union's ECCE Practice Examinations book (Book 1).   Based on the rubric, the newspaper The City Times reports that a public school official (Mr. Harding) has announced that access to certain kinds of websites that are inappropriate for children will be denied to students on all computers in schools after internet blocking devices will be installed. Although it is expected that some students will complain about this restriction, many more will see the benefit. Candidates a...

This blog contains a number of sample pieces of writing for a variety of exams because throughout the years, I've seen that the writing section of English language assessment examinations is most likely the area candidates, regardless of age, find the most daunting. Let's be honest -- many students hate writing assignments given as homework, so writing under exam conditions with the image of a scrupulous marker hovering in their mind is not what I'd call their cup of tea. Hence the sample essays, letters, reports, proposals and the like that have been uploaded. Exam candidates need to read something someone else has written to get ideas, and not just get back a marked assignment of their own with a few comments interspersed here and there among the monstrous red ink corrections.

When you read Paley's "Mother" for the first time, you think, "Okay, so why would anyone give this to students to read when there's so much more that can be squeezed out of other short pieces of writing?" Why not give them Lawrence or Joyce to help analyze 159 facets of human relationships? Slap them with some Chopin or Woolf, both of whom produced slightly longer short stories through which you'd be able to demonstrate how a short story works and get a nice discussion going about relationships to boot. Meanwhile, after reading "Mother" for the first time, the main aspect that stays with readers is an overwhelming sensation of nostalgia and sadness bordering on melancholy. Whyever would any author write something this condensed to simply express despondency over a deceased parent? Can this story be that over-simplified? And then you re-read Paley's piece (because you have to give students some information on it so they don...

To get the most out of these sample essays and letters, please read "What do I do with the sample writing found on this blog?" before reading this blog entry. The following letter is an example of how examination candidates could tackle the subject of planning a fund raiser. The sample has been modeled on the University of Michigan Examination for the Certificate of Competency in English (ECCE) Task 1 question of the Writing section available on page 110 of the Hellenic American Union's ECCE Practice Examinations book (Book 1).   The rubric has informed candidates the one of the poorest countries in Africa, Mozambique, has been devastated by floods, with hundreds dead and thousands homeless and starving. The newspaper The City Times has set up a relief fund welcoming donations of money, food, clothes and medicine. Candidates are to write a letter explaining how their school or workplace is planning to raise money for the newspaper's flood relief f...

If you haven't already done so, before you read this sample essay please read What do I do with the sample writing found on this blog? Sample C2 level Essay The following is a sample essay based on the Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English (ECPE) writing section. The question can be found on page 152 of the ECPE Book 1 Practice Examinations textbook published by the Hellenic American Union. While technology has brought us many great advances, some people claim that it has made us less human. In your opinion, has the increased use of technology made people less able to interact?

If you haven't already done so, before you read this sample essay please read What do I do with the sample writing found on this blog? Sample C2 level Essay The following is a sample essay based on the Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English (ECPE) writing section. The question can be found on page 152 of the ECPE Book 1 Practice Examinations textbook published by the Hellenic American Union.   National examinations at the end of high school force students to study very hard, but are they actually learning or just memorizing? Give your opinion about this practice and its outcome.