Task 1

Formal greetings (the ‘Dear -------’ part)

In formal letters (letters to people you don’t know, or people in authority) you will usually begin with
‘Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms Smith.’

Formal endings (the ‘goodbye’ part)

In a formal letter, try to finish your letter with two things.

• First, a ‘call to action’ sentence which tells the reader politely what you want them to do. The easiest way to do this is to write
• ‘I look forward to + ing or + noun.’ For example:

1. ‘I look forward to receiving your confirmation/to receiving a refund/to learning of your proposal.’ Or with a noun instead of ‘+ ing’:
2. ‘I look forward to your confirmation/to a refund/to your proposal.’

• Try to use the ‘+ ing’ form if possible, because it will impress the examiner more.

1. ‘I would appreciate your reply with a confirmation/a refund/ a proposal as I have requested.’
2. ‘Please respond as soon as possible, outlining your confirmation/your refund/ your proposal in this matter.’
3. ‘As you will appreciate, this is an urgent matter, and I look forward to your prompt reply.’
4. ‘Thank you for your help, and I await the information requested with interest.’

• After your ‘call to action’ sentence, you only need to write ‘Kind Regards’ and your first name + surname.

Kind Regards,

Mehul Prajapati

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Task 2

Types of essays

1. Opinion essay - To what extent do you agree ? / do you agree ? / do you agree or disagree ? / what is your opinion ? / what do you think ? / what is your view ? / Do the Advantages outweigh Disadvantages ? / Are there more benefits or more drawbacks ? / Is this positive or negative ? / Do you think this is a good thing ?

Use more of this - I believe / I think / In my opinion

2. Discussion essay - Discuss both sides / Discuss both sides and give your opinion

Useful expressions

• On the one hand / On the other hand
• Many argue that
• It is commonly believed that
• Many people believe that
• Some people think that
• It is considered by many that

3. Advantages / Disadvantages essay
4. Solution essay - what problem does this cause ? / what are possible solutions ?
5. Direct questions essay

Essay structure

• Background statement (paraphrase the topic) + Thesis statement (your opinion)

e.g. The most effective method to developing and improving health is considered to be daily exercise. In my opinion, I agree that exercise is the key to health. However, I also believe that diet is important.

• Paragraph 1 (1st opinion / agree / advantages)
• Paragraph 2 (2nd opinion / disagree / dis-advantages)
• Conclusion (In conclusion / To conclude / To sum up, summarise main 1-2 points)

Linking words

• Listing - Firstly / Secondly / Thirdly / Lastly / Finally
• Adding information - In addition / Furthermore / Moreover / Also / As well as / Additinally
• Giving examples - For example / For instance / Such as / Namely / To illustrate / In other words
• Results and Consequences - As a result / Consequently / Therefore / Thus / Hence / So
• Highlighting and Stressing - Particularly / Specifically / Especially / Obviously / Of course / Clearly
• Concessions and Contrasts - However / Nevertheless / Even though / Although / But / Despite / On the other hand / Alternatively
• Reasons and Causes - Because / Due to / Owing to / Sincs / As
• Giving your opinion - I believe / I think / In my opinion / I admit / In my view / I agree / I disagree
• Concluding - In conclusion / To conclude / To sum up

Complex Sentences

• Building wider roads can solve traffic congestion because it allows traffic to move more easily.
• Building wider roads can solve traffic congestion, which is a serious problem in most major cities during rush hour, because it allows traffic to move more easily.

Sample topic

Education

Single gender schools vs Mixed schools

1. Single gender

• Girls can not be easily intimidated by boys
• Girls can develop and progress quicker
• Girls learn faster than boys
• Have an appropriate speed of learning
• Less opportunity to develop early relationships
• Less discipline issues
• Lessons adapted to learner needs

2. Mixed school

• Competition between genders
• Students can be more driven to succeed
• Develop team working skills with opposite gender (mirrors real world)
• Communication and understanding between genders
• Boys and girls have different perspectives
• Learn and benefit from each other

Give examples

• Fast food has a high content of fat and sugar which can lead to serious health issues, such as obesity and cardiac disease, when eaten in quantity.
• Obesity and cardiac disease are typical examples of the health issues that can be faced by people who regularly consume food with a high fat and sugar content.
• An increasing number of people are eating unhealthy food regardless of the health warnings. For example / For instance / To give a clear example / To illustreate, about 70% of people working in UK resort to buying ready made meals for convenience rather than doing home cooking.