When we want to either recommend a specific person or course of action for a B2 or C2-level English examination we have to be clear that we don't confuse these types of letters or emails with the typical, business recommendation letters prospective employers or administration offices at universities might require candidates to give. At the exam you are about to sit, you will probably be required to play the part of someone who has been asked to a)  nominate a peer for a position at school or at a club, or put someone's name forward for an award that is to be given or b) suggest, among many other things, the best place to go on holiday or some activities that should held during a specific event which is set to take place, how to spend money at one's disposal, and so on. The following post should help you organize such a letter or email (even an oral statement, if necessary) as well as give you some useful phrases you should keep in mind when writing your...

The following sample letter has been written so that exam candidates for a B2 level English examination (FCE now called First for Schools, ECCE, IELTS - 5.5 / 6.0, MSU-CELC, ESB, LRN) can get some ideas about how to organize and argue their writing.  First take a look at how to use the sample essays and letters that appear on this blog by reading the following post: What do I do with the sample writing found on this blog? Remember: such topics can also be used to start class discussions, so teachers might also want to read on to get ideas about a class activity they could set up to improve students' oral skills.

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...

This overview gives you the basics to letter and essay writing primarily required for the Examination for the Certificate in Competency in English (ECCE) awarded by the University of Michigan but can, nonetheless, be used for writing at B2 level for other ESL assessments as well. This b log post is a starting point to help teach candidates the tricks to passing a test at B2 level and a springboard for writing tasks at subsequent levels (C1 and C2).  In any case, some of the pointers mentioned herein are so crucial to writing in an academic environ ment that if you grasp them , then you can transfer them onto any type of writing you may be asked to produce , no matter the level or context. The first main area to cover has to do with general pointers: L earn to use set phrases from sample essays provided in self-study textbooks or found here (look under the B2 or ECCE labels or follow the link from the key words category under ' letter ', ' essay ' or ...