FCE

Types of writing:

● Essay (money, technology, friends, hobbies, environment)

● Article (an area of your expertise, a topic in which you are an expert or you know a lot
about it)
● Review (valuation of a film, object, tv-series, tv-show…)
● Report (school trip, touristic trip, exchange)
● Informal email (to a friend)
● Formal email (complaint)
● Informal letter (to a friend/ a relative)
● Formal letter (applying for a job, asking for information)

POSSIBLE TOPICS FOR WRITING, READING, LISTENING AND SPEAKING

● Beauty (importance of the physical appearance)

● Fears
● Relationships
● Different types of love (for an object, a friend, family)
● Traditions
● Cultures (countries)
● Travelling/Tourism
● Famous people
● School/ Highschool
● Sport/ professional goals
● Animals (wild, pets, work, food)/ nature
● Jobs/ careers/ degrees
● Going shopping/ brands/ fashion
● Food/ typical food in other countries/ favourite food
● Coronavirus/ Diseases
● Videogames
● Music/ new music styles

HOW TO WRITE AN ESSAY (​2 ideas + your own opinion) → normally about controversial
issues

1. Purpose of the essay: evaluate a topic, situation or problem

2. Tone and register/language: objective tone and formal register
3. Opinion: only in the last paragraph (conclusion)

** the ideas have to follow a logic order and have to be connected to each other by using the
appropriate connectors

opinion-reason-example
 ● 1st paragraph: introduction of the topic in a general way, in order to continue in the
2nd paragraph
● 2nd paragraph: explain the first idea
● 3rd paragraph: explain the second idea
● 4th paragraph: explain the 4th idea (your own opinion)
● Conclusion: express your opinion as a summary of the previous ideas

EXPRESSIONS TO USE IN AN ESSAY:

● One of the things that…

● In the last few decades,...
● For this reason,...
● First, / Second, /Third,...
● Finally,…
● By doing so,...
● For example,...
● In conclusion,...

HOW TO WRITE AN ARTICLE ​(something you like)

● Title
● Introduction: general presentation of the topic but clarifying what the article is going
to be about
● 2nd paragraph: why I like this topic, reasons why I like it
● 3rd paragraph: why I recommend what I am talking about (website, object, activity…)
● Conclusion: summarize the text and maybe asking an opinion to the reader about the
topic

INFORMAL REGISTER:

● Phrasal verbs: put you up, check out

● Contractions: isn’t, doesn’t, can’t
● Colloquial expressions: one of the cool things/ I totally recommend it…
● Addressing the reader: What about you?
● Exclamations

RHETORICAL QUESTIONS:

● Have you ever…?

● Do you ever wonder…?
● Are you a … like me?
● Are you one of those people who…?
● What would you say if I told you that…?

INTRODUCTION OF NEW IDEAS:

● Firstly
● First
 ● In the first place
● To begin with
● The coolest thing about
● What attracts me most
● One thing to consider is
● Another consideration is
● Secondly
● As for
● As to
● Also
● As regards
● In addition (to that)
● Moreover

CONCLUDE THE ARTICLE:

● In conclusion
● On the whole
● To sum up
● To conclude
● All in all
● … you will not regret it!

HOW TO WRITE A REVIEW

● Very similar to the article

● Write about a film, a tv-serie or show, a book… that I like and enjoy or that I don’t like
● Talk about the plot, characters, actors and actresses… and give a recommendation
to the reader (both positive or negative)
● Use semiformal language
● Emotional beginning/ introduction
● Describe the feelings that the book, film or serie provokes on you

HOW TO WRITE A REPORT

● Inform and recommend

● Functional title
● Paragraphs with titles (subtitles) → Headings that describe what the paragraph is
about in one sentence or word
● Objective and formal language
● Flashy vocabulary
● Introduction: purpose of the report → what are you going to talk about
● Main body: describe situation/ solutions/ present alternatives
● Paraphrasing
● People’s opinion about the situation or event (survey, interviews, polls)

HOW TO WRITE AN INFORMAL/FORMAL EMAIL

 ● Importance of language (formal or informal) and structure (the same in every kind of
email)
1. Greeting
2. Opening paragraph
3. Paragraph(s) with the main ideas
4. A conclusion paragraph
5. Goodbye/ Farewell
6. Signing
***importance of connectors (both formal or informal, depending on the type of email)
● If you know the reader of the email (a friend, a relative…), you have to use a more
colloquial and informal language
● If you don’t know the person or he/she is in a higher position (boss, teacher…), you
must use a more formal register (avoiding contractions)

HOW TO WRITE AN INFORMAL/FORMAL LETTER

Formal letter:

● Dear Mr/Ms (surname) // Dear Sir/Madam

● Introduction: state purpose
● Main body: answer questions
● Conclusion: summary
● Final remarks: Contact/ Availability/ Wish for future (Yours sincerely + your name)
● NO CONTRACTIONS
● FORMAL EXPRESSIONS
● LATINISMS

Informal Letter:

● Hello (+ name)
● Introduction: Acknowledgements/ Reaction
● Main Body: Answer questions
● Conclusion: Summary
● Final remarks: Wishes (Bye/ see you/ lots of love + name) or (Yours faithfully + your
name)
● USE OF CONTRACTIONS
● INFORMAL EXPRESSIONS
● PHRASAL VERBS
● EXCLAMATIONS

LISTS OF CONNECTORS TO USE IN BOTH SPEAKING AND WRITING

SOME PHRASAL VERBS :
Vocabulary: Adverbs
https://englishstudyhere.com/grammar/adverbs-of-manner-list/

https://eslgrammar.org/adverbs/

https://test-english.com/explanation/b1-2/position-adverbs-adverb-phrases/

Speaking Part 2: ​Compare and contrast photographs and answer the question!

Use a variety of connectors (linking words) and complex grammar

·​ (passive) This photo was taken/These photos were taken… It is said that…
​

·​ ​(relative clauses) There is a person who is… /There are some people who
are….

·​ (modals) This is a beautiful image, it may/might/could be…

​

·​ (conditionals) If I were the person in the picture, I would/could…

​

·​ (wish/if only) The activity in the picture looks fun, if only/ I wish I could…
​

Expressing similarities and differences:

“one similarity is that ….”; “in this picture there’s… whereas in the other there’s…”
 Similarities Contrast

In the same way On the other hand

Similarly By contrast

Likewise On the contrary

also However

While

whereas

Speaking Part 3​: ​Collaborative Task

Discuss fully the prompts given, then the examiner will ask you to reach a decision
by agreeing or disagreeing with each other.

You don’t have to reach a decision

Make positive contributions to move the discussion forward

Ask for clarification if you don’t understand something: “Could you repeat that
please?”/ “Could you say that again?” / I am not sure what you mean.”/ “Can you
explain that?” / “I don’t understand.”

Apply functional language

“Shall we start with this one?”; “What do you think?”; “What’s your opinion on that?”;
“Shall we move on to…?”

Take turns

You start.

I’ll go first.

Shall I go first?

Do you want to begin?

Make your turn longer by giving examples

What I mean is ...

So, in other words ...

For example ...

Such as ...

Avoid silence and get time to think

So ...

Erm ...

Well ...

Let me think ...

https://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/exams/speaking-exams

Some expressions you can use to agree and disagree. You will need to use these
expressions in a ​discussion​ activity.

Agreeing

That’s right!

Absolutely!

Exactly!

Me too!

Yes, I agree!

I totally agree!

I couldn’t agree more!

I see exactly what you mean!

You're right. That's a good point.

Disagreeing

I don’t agree!

I totally disagree!
 Absolutely not!

That’s not right!

I’m not sure about that.

Partly agreeing

I agree up to a point, but ...

I see your point, but ...

That’s partly true, but ...

I'm not so sure about that.

It is always a good idea to justify your opinions. Don’t just say ‘I agree’, but say ‘I agree
because I think that ... (explain your reason).’