Giã o Trãœnh Writing Level 2 Is Vol 2 [PDF]

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TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC DUY TÂN KHOA TIẾNG ANH BỘ MÔN: ANH VĂN KHÔNG CHUYÊN

GIÁO TRÌNH WRITING LEVEL 2 INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL (Vol. 2) Mã môn học: ENG

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Giảng viên biên soạn: Th.S. Nguyễn Vĩ Thông

LƯU HÀNH NỘI BỘ

Đà Nẵng, năm 2018 WRITING LEVEL 4

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TABLE OF CONTENT Page Chapter 1: Revision: sentence building

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Lesson 1: Revision: simple sentences

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Lesson 2: Revision: compound sentences

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Lesson 3: Revision: complex sentences

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Lesson 4: Sentence building: practice

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Chapter 2: Responding to an email complaining letter

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Lesson 5: An overview of an email complaining letter

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Lesson 6: Useful languages for emails of complaining and explaining

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Lesson 7: Responding to email complaining letters (1)

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Lesson 8: Responding to email complaining letters (2)

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Lesson 9: TOEIC practice – writing response for complaining email letter

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Chapter 3: Writing opinion essays

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Lesson 10: Writing a concluding paragraph (1)

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Lesson 11: Writing a concluding paragraph (2)

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Lesson 12: Writing a simple essay (1)

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Lesson 13: Writing a simple essay (2)

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Lesson 14: Writing a simple essay (3)

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Chapter 1

Revision: Sentence Building 

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Lesson 1 REVISION: SIMPLE SENTENCES A-LANGUAGE FOCUS Basic clause elements 1. SV It is raining. 2. SVA The company is growing steadily. 3. SVO The secretary is checking an email. 4. SVOO The clerk has sent her manager a report. 5. SVC The report looks amazing. 6. SVOC The memo makes employees confused. 7. There + to be + S There will be hundreds of inviters. 8. Expanding patterns (SVOA, SVCA…) She has checked the report carefully. B-LANGUAGE PRACTICE I- Add an objective complement of the type indicated to each of the following sentence. 1. They named our new cat (noun) _______________. 2. The board member considered the company’s new president (adjective) ________________. 3. Unanimously, all of my officemates appointed me (noun) ________________. 4. The writer of the high school appointed me (noun) ________________. 5. The neighborhood parents think my yard (adj) ________________. 6. Our fraternity elected Terry (noun) ________________. 7. The new bedroom curtains make the room (adjective) ________________ and (adjective) ________________. WRITING LEVEL 4

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8. We named the twins (noun) ________________and (noun) ________________. 9. The craftsman made the housing development (noun) ________________. 10. My husband judges me (adjective) ________________. II- Underline and name the sentence elements 1. We have added an extra unit to our department recently. 2. Your channel must change all the programs tomorrow. 3. I   can’t get my hands warm. 4. His wife made him curry for dinner. 5. The present should be wrapped up in colored paper. 6. Thomas grew his hair very long. 7. Honestly, he is becoming a real bore. 8. The news about your illness reached me very late. 9. I haven’t told anyone about my problems yet. 10. She must change her attitude to young people. 11. Some students turned out quite good in the test. 12. She can make you happy in the end. C-PRACTICE IN TOEIC In this part of the test, you will write ONE sentence that is based on a picture. With each picture, you will be given two words or phrases that you must use in your sentence. You can change the forms of the words and you can use the words in any order.

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1. catch / bus _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

2. traffic / busy _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

3. fix / laundry-room _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

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4. hand / car _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

5. lesson / sleepy _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

6. nobody / park _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

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7. discuss / lounge _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

8. work / exhausted _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

9. chefs / carefully _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

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10. ready / guests _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

11. coffee / client _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

12. happily / park _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

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13. porter / luggage _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

14. breakfast / serve _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

15. harvest / farmers _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

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Lesson 2 REVISION: COMPOUND SENTENCES A-LANGUAGE FOCUS  A compound sentence is two or more independent clauses joined together.  There are three ways to join independent clauses to form a compound sentence. 

Coordinators (coordinating conjunction) Independent Clause, + Coordinator + Independent Clause (Coordinator: FAN BOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) E.g. Nuclear accidents can happen, so nuclear power plants must have strict safety controls.



Conjunctive Adverbs Independent clause; Conjunctive Adverb, Independent clause (Conjunctive Adverb: besides, furthermore, moreover, also, however, nevertheless, accordingly, hence…) E.g. Students must take final exams; otherwise, they will receive a grade of incomplete.



Semicolon Independent Clause; + Independent Clause E.g. My older brother studies law; my younger brother studies medicine.

B-LANGUAGE PRACTICE I- Complete the sentences with appropriate coordinators or conjunctive adverbs 1. She did not cheat on the test, _____________ it was not the right thing to do. 2. I think I will buy the red car, _____________ I will lease the blue one. 3. I really want to go to work, _____________ I am too sick to drive. WRITING LEVEL 4

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4. There were white-out conditions in the town; _____________, the roads were impassable. 5. He said he was not there yesterday; _____________, many people saw him there. 6. I am counting my calories, _____________ I really want dessert. 7. He ran out of money, _____________ he had to stop playing poker. 8. He turned in the research paper on Friday; _____________, he would have not passed the class. 9. They got there early, _____________ they got really good seats. 10. There was no ice cream in the freezer, _____________ did they have money to go to the store. II- In the following exercise, turn the sentence pairs into single compound sentences, each with a coordinating conjunction. You can rearrange or add words in the sentence to make it sound better, but only if it's necessary. 1. The black dog has won many prizes. He doesn't know many tricks. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. She saw a cat run in front of her. She fell down while roller-skating. ___________________________________________________________________ 3. There was a meteor shower. The crew did not know how to avoid the meteors. ______________________________________________________________________ 4. I wanted to buy a baby Chihuahua. I started to save my money. ______________________________________________________________________ 5. Gillian did not like to read. She was not very good at it. ______________________________________________________________________ 6. Pam liked Wayne. Leena also liked Wayne. ______________________________________________________________________ WRITING LEVEL 4

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7. The little boy did not like going to school. He went anyway. ______________________________________________________________________ 8. You can cry like a baby. You can clean your room like an adult. ______________________________________________________________________ 9. She didn't want to play with Jill. She didn't want to play with Tim. _____________________________________________________________________ 10. Arleen could not play with that boy. Arleen could not play with that other boy. _____________________________________________________________________ C-PRACTICE IN TOEIC In this part of the test, you will write ONE sentence that is based on a picture. With each picture, you will be given two words or phrases that you must use in your sentence. You can change the forms of the words and you can use the words in any order.

1. feeding time / ground _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

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2. late / arrive _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

3. fix / broken _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

4. try / unable _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

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5. explain / otherwise _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

6. chat / prepare _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

7. effort / win _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

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8. choices / difficult _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

9. morning / water _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

10. tired / water _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

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11. break / enjoy _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

12. over / empty _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

13. hard-working / collect _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

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14. contract / feel _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

15. dance / carnival _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

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Lesson 3 REVISION: COMPLEX SENTENCES A-LANGUAGE FOCUS  Adverbial clauses o Time: when, whenever, as, before, after, as soon as, while, until… -Before we go on vacation, we must make reservations. o Places: where, wherever, everywhere, anywhere… -Wherever there is a beach, sun worshippers will gather. o Manner: as, as if, as though… -The cat made herself at home in the apartment as if she had always lived there. o Condition: if, unless… -Unless you run fast, you will miss the bus. o Reason: because, since, as, now that… -Because he loved her, he didn’t believe she had an affair. o Result: so…that, such…that… o o o

-More orders are coming in so rapidly that she has expanded her production facilities.

Purpose: so that; in order that

-In order that consumers can enjoy perfect fruits and vegetables, farmers also spray their fields.

Contradiction: whereas, while

-While others saw the glass half empty, Barry saw it half full.

Concession: although, even, though…

-There may come a time when I would do this, though I can’t imagine when that would be.

 Relative clauses o Relative pronouns: who, whom, which, that, whose

-Microwave cooking is not popular with most professional chefs, who say that fast cooking does not allow flavors to blend. -I returned the book, the cover of which was torn.

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Relative adverbs: when, where, why

-New York City, where millions of immigrants live, is sometimes called a Melting Pot. -In the 1970's, when many new rights and freedoms had been gained, people began to lead quieter, more private lives.  Noun clauses o Subject of a verb - What these sociologists had observed was a fundamental shift in U.S. marriage. -That he believes his own story is remarkable. WRITING LEVEL 4

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Object of a verb - It is even harder for the average ape to believe that he has descended from man. - But do you know why more Americans are born on Tuesday than any other day of the week? -They haven’t decided whether they should enhance promotion. o Subject Complement - My one regret in life is that I am not someone else. -The problem now is how they can improve their sales. o Object of a preposition - Harry is not the provider of what Margie needs. - Josephine is not responsible for what Alex decided to do. o Adjective complement -The team members are still not sure how they can finish the project on time. -The customer is dissatisfied that the shipment is never punctual. o

B-LANGUAGE PRACTICE I- Combine each of the following sets of simple sentences into one complex sentence. 1. The strike was going to be called off. The leader told me that. ________________________________________________________________ 2. We can succeed only by combined effort. It goes without saying. ________________________________________________________________ 3. He may become a member. I don’t know. ______________________________________________________________ 4. He is not educated. He is well experienced. ________________________________________________________________ 5. I sank into the water. I felt great confusion of thought. I cannot describe it. ________________________________________________________________ 6. I went there. I found the door locked. ________________________________________________________________ 7. There is heavy rainfall here. Grapes will not grow in such places. ________________________________________________________________ 8. It may rain. Then the match will be cancelled. ________________________________________________________________ WRITING LEVEL 4

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9. You finish dressing. I will wait here. ________________________________________________________________ II- Write a dependent clause that turns the simple sentence into a complex sentence 1. ___________________________________, parents recorded the show with their video cameras. 2. ___________________________________, I froze like a statue. 3. ___________________________________, the officer walked into the room and asked, “Who’s in charge here?” 4. Patsy put her face in her hands and started crying _____________________________ . 5. We bought a huge tub of popcorn __________________________________________. 6. ________________________________, the boys began chucking snowballs everywhere. 7. ________________________________, the captain had to wash the deck of the boat. 8. The kids jumped in the air and screamed ____________________________________. 9. Rover did all kinds of tricks ___________________________________. 10. _______________________________, Frank wondered why no one was here. 11. _______________________________, the teacher wrote their homework on the board. 12. ___________________________________, a bear broke into our tent and ate our food. 13. We waited in line for tickets ___________________________________. 14. Julian stuffed a dozen marshmallows into his mouth ___________________________. 15. Everyone stampeded out of the room ___________________________________. C-PRACTICE IN TOEIC In this part of the test, you will write ONE sentence that is based on a picture. With each picture, you will be given two words or phrases that you must use in your sentence. You can change the forms of the words and you can use the words in any order.

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1. samples / observe _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

2. reach / prefer _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

3. traffic jam / hardly _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

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4. gardening / real _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

5. hot / picnic _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

6. present / attentively _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

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7. harvest / empty _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

8. happy / improvement _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

9. achievements / award _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

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10. although / cosmetic surgery _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

11. operation / wash _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

12. drought / chapped _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

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13. rush hour / in which _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

14. topic / cheerfully _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

15. ask / whether _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

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Lesson 4 SENTENCE BUILDING: PRACTICE A-LANGUAGE FOCUS Types of sentences:  Simple sentences  Compound sentences  Complex sentences B-LANGUAGE PRACTICE I- Read the following sentences. Check the box marked “simple” if it is a simple sentence. Check the box marked “compound” if it is a compound sentence. Check the box marked “complex” if it is a complex sentence. 1. We have to go to bed when the clock

❑ Simple ❑ Compound ❑ Complex

chimes ten o’clock. 2. Jennifer liked William’s friend, and she

❑ Simple ❑ Compound ❑ Complex

also liked his cousin. 3. The big brown dog ran after the blue and red ball. 4. James and Eve rode their bicycles after

❑ Simple ❑ Compound ❑ Complex ❑ Simple ❑ Compound ❑ Complex

they ate lunch. 5. The teacher and the principal met in the

❑ Simple ❑ Compound ❑ Complex

hall near the library. 6. Many brave soldiers fought in the war, and they received medals.

❑ Simple ❑ Compound ❑ Complex ❑ Simple ❑ Compound ❑ Complex

7. The drummers played a long time, but the piano players stopped early. WRITING LEVEL 4

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8. Before the queen rode in the parade, she gave a speech.

❑ Simple ❑ Compound ❑ Complex

9. After midnight the ghosts will come out of the haunted attic.

❑ Simple ❑ Compound ❑ Complex

10. She dropped the pan and the plate, but she held on to the spoon.

❑ Simple ❑ Compound ❑ Complex

II- The following sentences are made up of two independent clauses with one or more dependent clauses. You are to identify the clauses telling what kind each is. The choices are independent clause, noun clause, adjective clause or adverb clause.

1. Rulon steered the jeep down the muddy road to the camp site, and then he discovered that it was the wrong road.

2. When Carl came up to bat, the bases were loaded, and there were two outs. 3. I've just learned that our vacation plans must be changed; as a result, we'll leave later in the month.

4. Older television sets had tubes; the newest models, which take less space, are digital televisions.

5. My Uncle Al drove a snow-removal truck, and when there was a big snow storm, he would be called to work at any time.

6. If you are an election judge, you distribute the ballots, and you count them after the polls close.

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7. Many monuments are found around the White House, and foreign leaders who come to Washington often visit them.

8. The doctor told us how we could revive a heart-attack victim, and she demonstrated on a dummy, me.

9. Jeff tried the new dance steps that had been demonstrated, and he mastered them quickly. 10. The bola is a rope which is used to catch animals; it has weights on the end of it. C-PRACTICE IN TOEIC In this part of the test, you will write ONE sentence that is based on a picture. With each picture, you will be given two words or phrases that you must use in your sentence. You can change the forms of the words and you can use the words in any order.

1. nothing / tray _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

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2. wedding ceremony / beach _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

3. although / complete _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

4. seem / understand _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

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5. special / water _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

6. desert / trees _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

7. rain / work _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

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8. abate / fall down _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

9. helmet / so that _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

10. traffic / again _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

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11. shout / as if _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

12. cool / hot _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

13. widely / masks _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

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14. allow / still _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

15. angry / care _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________

_____________________________________________

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Chapter 2: RESPONDING TO AN EMAIL COMPLAINING LETTER 

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Lesson 5 AN OVERVIEW OF AN EMAIL COMPLAINING LETTER I. ABOUT THE TOEIC WRITING TEST Generally, The TOEIC® test was developed to measure the ability to listen and read in English, using a variety of contexts from real-world settings. Recently, ETS added the TOEIC Speaking and Writing tests to the TOEIC product line in order to directly assess the ability to speak and write in English in a workplace setting. This addition was in response to multinational corporations’ need for employees with high-level speaking and writing skills. In contrast to the paper-and-pencil TOEIC Listening and Reading test, multiple-choice tests requiring test takers to select correct answers, the computer-delivered TOEIC Speaking and Writing tests’ measures require test takers to produce responses that are then scored subjectively by highly trained human raters. The new measures thus complement the TOEIC Listening and Reading test. Together, the four components of the TOEIC test battery now provide measurement of all four Englishlanguage communication skills. The new tests were developed to align as closely as possible with theories of communicative competence. To accomplish this, an evidence-centered design (ECD) approach was used. In short, ECD methodology entails • Looking at the population for which the test is intended and the uses to which the test will be put • Articulating the desired claims to be made about test takers based on their performance on the assessment • Identifying test-taker behaviors that would allow these claims to be made • Creating (and evaluating) tasks to elicit these behaviors, thus providing evidence to support the claims Specifically, for the writing measure, the three hierarchical claims are that test takers can: 1.Produce multi-paragraph length text to express complex ideas, using, as appropriate, reasons, evidence and extended explanations 2.Produce multi-sentence length text to convey straightforward information, questions, instructions, narratives and so on 3.Produce well-formed sentences (including ones with subordination) Writing is assessed by three different task types, with responses evaluated according to the following criteria: grammar, relevance of the response to the stimulus, quality and variety of sentences, vocabulary, organization, and the extent to which the examinee’s opinion is supported by reasons and examples.

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Scores are reported on a scale of 0 to 200. For writing, nine proficiency levels are reported. Examinee performance at the highest level (Level 9, the TOEIC writing score of 200) is described as follows: Typically, test takers at Level 9 can communicate straightforward information effectively and use reasons, examples or explanations to support an opinion. When giving straightforward information, asking questions, giving instructions or making requests, their writing is clear, coherent and effective. When using reasons, examples or explanations to support an opinion, their writing is well-organized and well-developed. The use of English is natural, with a variety of sentence structures and appropriate word choices, and is grammatically accurate. At the next to lowest level (Level 2, TOEIC writing score of 40), examinee performance is described as follows: Typically, test takers at Level 2 have only very limited ability to express an opinion and give straightforward information. At Level 2, test takers cannot give straightforward information. Typical weaknesses at this level include: • not including any of the important information • missing or obscure connections between ideas • frequent grammatical mistakes or incorrect word choices When attempting to explain an opinion, test takers at this level show one or more of the following serious flaws: • serious disorganization or underdevelopment of ideas • little or no detail, or irrelevant specifics • serious and frequent grammatical mistakes or incorrect word choices At Level 2, test takers are unable to produce grammatically correct sentences. II. AN EMAIL COMPLAINING LETTER Email letters of complaint usually include the following stages: 1. Background 2. Problem - cause and effect 3. Solution 4. Warning (optional) 5. Closing   (1) Background This section describes the situation; e.g.  I am writing to inform you that the goods we ordered from your company have not been supplied correctly.  I attended your exhibition Sound Systems 2015 at the Fortune Hotel (2225 January) and found it informative and interesting. Unfortunately, my enjoyment of the event was spoiled by a number of organizational problems. WRITING LEVEL 4

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



I am a shareholder of Sunshine Bank and I am very concerned regarding recent newspaper reports on the financial situation of the bank. Your company is listed as the auditor in the latest annual report of the bank, so I am writing to you to ask for an explanation of the following issues. I am writing to inform you of my dissatisfaction with the food and drinks at the 'European Restaurant' on 18 January this year.

(2) Problem   * Cause: 

  

On 14 July 2015 we placed an order with your firm for 12,000 ultra super long-life batteries. The consignment arrived yesterday but contained only 1,200 batteries. Firstly, I had difficulty in registering to attend the event. You set up an online registration facility, but I found the facility totally unworkable. You sent us an invoice for $10,532, but did not deduct our usual 10% discount. We have found 16 spelling errors and 2 mislabeled diagrams in the sample book. 

* Effect: 

  

This error put our firm in a difficult position, as we had to make some emergency purchases to fulfill our commitments to all our customers. This caused us considerable inconvenience. Even after spending several wasted hours trying to register in this way, the computer would not accept my application. I am therefore returning the invoice to you for correction. This large number of errors is unacceptable to our customers, and we are therefore unable to sell these books.

(3) Solution I am writing to ask you to please make up the shortfall immediately and to ensure that such errors do not happen again.  Could I please ask you to look into these matters.  Please send us a corrected invoice for $9,479  I enclose a copy of the book with the errors highlighted. Please re-print the book and send it to us by next Friday.   (4) Warning (optional)  Otherwise, we may have to look elsewhere for our supplies.  I'm afraid that if these conditions are not met, we may be forced to take legal action. 

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

If the outstanding fees are not paid by Thursday, 30 July 2015, you will incur a 10% late payment fee.   



I look forward to receiving your explanation of these matters. I look forward to receiving your payment. I look forward to hearing from you shortly.

(5) Closing  

  Notes: 1. Politeness The tone of complaint letters should not be aggressive or insulting, as this would annoy the reader and not encourage them to solve the problem. In addition, questions such as 'Why can't you get this right?' should not be included. 2. Content o The content should contain enough details so that the receiver does not have to write back requesting more. o Legal action is not normally threatened in the first letter of complaint, unless the situation is very serious. Sample complaint email letter   Fortune Goods 317 Orchard Road Singapore 21 July 2015  Attn: Mr David Choi  Sales Manager  Everlong Batteries 171 Choi Hung Road  Hung Hom Hong Kong Dear Mr Choi Re. Order No. 768197

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I am writing to inform you that the goods we ordered from your company have not been supplied correctly. On 14 July 2015 we placed an order with your firm for 12,000 ultra super long-life batteries. The consignment arrived yesterday but contained only 1,200 batteries. This error put our firm in a difficult position, as we had to make some emergency purchases to fulfill our commitments to all our customers. This caused us considerable inconvenience. I am writing to ask you to please make up the shortfall immediately and to ensure that such errors do not happen again. Otherwise, we may have to look elsewhere for our supplies. I look forward to hearing from you by return. Yours sincerely      J. Wong J. Wong  Purchasing Officer  

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PRACTICE Exercise 1: Point out the 5 parts of the following complaint email letter 56 Disgruntled Street Somewhere Unhappy 1AM MAD   Customer Service Manager That Awful Company Somewhere Awful UR BAD June 15, 2008  Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing today to complain of the poor service I received from your company on June 12, 2008. I was visited by a representative of That Awful Company, Mr. Madman, at my home on that day. Mr. Madman was one hour late for his appointment and offered nothing by way of apology when he arrived at noon. Your representative did not remove his muddy shoes upon entering my house, and consequently left a trail of dirt in the hallway. Mr. Madman then proceeded to present a range of products to me that I had specifically told his assistant by telephone I was not interested in. I repeatedly tried to ask your representative about the products that were of interest to me, but he refused to deal with my questions. We ended our meeting after 25 minutes without either of us having accomplished anything. I am most annoyed that I wasted a morning (and half a day's vacation) waiting for Mr. Madman to show up. My impression of That Awful Company has been tarnished, and I am now concerned about how my existing business is being managed by your firm. Furthermore, Mr. Madman's inability to remove his muddy shoes has meant that I have had to engage the services, and incur the expense, of a professional carpet cleaner. I trust this is not the way That Awful Company wishes to conduct business with valued customers—I have been with you since the company was founded and have never encountered such treatment before. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss matters further and to learn of how you propose to prevent a similar situation from recurring. I look forward to hearing from you. Yours faithfully,   V. Angry  

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Exercise 2: Point out the language mistakes in the following complaint email and suggest solutions Dear Sir or Madam,  I am writing to complain about the quality of service in your restaurant beginning from the welcoming and continuing with the food quality. Well, frankly speaking, I'll never ever again visit your place, and will definitlely not recommend it to my friends and acquintances.  First of all, when we have just came in nobody from the staff came to us. Then, we were waiting for about 15 minutes for menu and waitress, who came to us as if we had offended her. Having accepted the menu we decided what we were going to order, and again the same story happened. Where is our "well-wishing" and "fast" waitress. So, as you have already understood, we waited for her. Finally, she took our order, and to our question about how soon we are gonna to have it, she indifferently said that she didn't know as she weren't going to cook it. I hope you understand how rude was it. For quite a long time we were looking forward for our dish, but imagine our dissapointment when the main course happened to be cold. That was more than enough. So I have asked for a manager, but he was out that day, so we had to complained to the head waiter, but he asked me to put into writing. To make matters worse, waitress has brought us wrong receipt, it was the last straw. I feel that a refund of at least all the sum of the real receipt would be fair enough. I look forward to receiving a satisfactory reply within a week. Yours sincerely, S.

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Lesson 6: USEFUL LANGUAGES FOR EMAILS OF COMPLAINING AND EXPLAINING I. USEFUL LANGUAGES FOR A TYPICAL EMAIL LETTER Greetings: • Dear Sir • Dear Madam • Dear Sir/Madam • Dear Mr Brown • Dear Ms Jones etc. Reason for writing: • I am writing in response to your article/advertisement/letter • I am writing with regard to your article/advertisement/letter • I am writing regarding your article/advertisement/letter Ending the letter: • I look forward to receiving your reply • I look forward to your reply • I look to hearing from you • I am, yours faithfully (if you don't know the name of the person you are writing to) • I am, yours sincerely (if you know the name of the person you are writing to) • Yours faithfully • Yours sincerely II. WRITING FORMAL LETTERS OF COMPLAINT Reason for writing: • I am writing in order to complain about • I am writing to complain about Introducing the complaint: • Firstly • In the first place • First of all • My first complaint is • The first problem is • The first thing I would like to draw your attention to is • My first concern is Introducing further complaints: WRITING LEVEL 4

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• Secondly • In the second place • Not only .......but also • In addition • In addition to this • Added to this • .......was also unacceptable Demanding action: • I suggest that you replace the item • I therefore suggest that I be given a full refund • I would be grateful if my money was refunded • I would be grateful if you could give me a full refund Ending the letter: • I look forward to hearing from you • I look forward to receiving a full refund • I look forward to receiving a replacement • I look forward to receiving your explanation * Making a complaint: I am writing to complain about … You said … but in fact what happened … We were supposed to stay with British families whereas we actually stayed in a guest house III. WRITING TO EXPLAINING A PROBLEM AND MAKE SUGGESTIONS Reason for writing: • I am writing to explain … • I am writing to arrange • I am writing to offer suggestions for …. • I am writing make arrangements for…. Making apology I regret to …. I am (very) sorry about … I would like to apologize for … Making first suggestion: • My first suggestion is • First of all I suggest • I would like to suggest Making further suggestions: WRITING LEVEL 4

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• Another possibility is • A further possibility is • I further suggest • I would further suggest • Secondly Offering a choice: • Would you therefore mind choosing between ....? • Either......or • You might choose either ....... or IV. ABBREVIATIONS USED IN LETTER WRITING:  asap: as soon as possible btw: by the way bfn: bye for now brb: be right back iow: in other words cc = carbon copy (when you send a copy of a letter to more than one person, you use this abbreviation to let them know) enc. = enclosure (when you include other papers with your letter) pp = per procuration (A Latin phrase meaning that you are signing the letter on somebody else’s behalf; if they are not there to sign it themselves, etc) ps = postscript (when you want to add something after you’ve finished and signed it) RSVP (French: répondez s’il vous plait) = please reply

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PRACTICE Exercise 1: Complete the complaints with words and phrases from the box Apology

complain

items

sorry to say

Store clerk

unhelpful

yourself

regular customer

speak to the manager

To: [email protected] From: [email protected] Subject: Bad service Dear Sir or Madam: I wish to (1) …………………. about the behavior of the (2) …………………. in your store Marina Square shopping mall. I wanted to buy some software yesterday, November 16. I am (3) ………………….that the young man in your store was very (4) ………………….and could not give me any information about the (5) …………………. I was interested in. I asked to (6) …………………., but I was told he was not in the store. I have been a (7) ………………….at your store for many years, so I was surprised at the bad behavior of the store clerk. Do you not train (8) ………………….? I expect an (9) …………………., and I won’t enter your store again until I receive one. Sincerely, Frank D. Miles. Exercise 2: Read the reply. The sentences are in the wrong order. Put them in the correct order and edit them into a good email.  We are very sorry that you were not happy with the service in our store.  In the meantime, please accept this $10 voucher, which you can use at any of our stores anytime during the next sic months.  Dear Mr. Miles:  All of our sales clerks are trained both in IT and in customer service.  Sincerely,  Thank you for your email dated November 17 complaining about the unhelpful store clerk in our store in the Marina Store shopping mall.  However, we have asked the store manager to deal with the problem, and he will be in touch with you in the next few days.  We apologize once again and hope you will continue to be a valued customer.  Shuna Hsu Customer Service Manager

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 The complete email letter:

To: …………………………………………………………………..….. From: …………………………………………………………………… Subject: …………………………………………………………………

Dear…………………, ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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Lesson 7: RESPONDING TO EMAIL COMPLAINING LETTERS (1)

Dealing with Complaints | Acknowledging receipt of a complaint letter | |

Rejecting a Complaint

|

Accepting a Complaint

|

| Apology for the error or fault |

|

A short explanatio n of the fault WRITING LEVEL 4

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Rejecting responsibility for the problem leading to the complaint

Accepting the Complaint  

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Regret at dissatisfactio n

| |

|

Investigation 

Reasons for the rejection  

to be made

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|

| |

| |

|

Proposal to settle the difficulty | |

| An offer to take goods back, make a replacement, give a discount etc.  

|

If a third party (another person or organisation) is to blame, direct the complainer to that party |

|

A concluding paragraph aiming at retaining the goodwill of the customer Useful Expressions Acknowledging receipt of a complaint letter o Thank you for your letter of … regarding / concerning / in connection with … o I refer to your letter of … about / relating to … Apology for the error or fault o We must apologise for … o We sincerely apologise for … o Please accept our apologies for … o I would like to apologise for the error made by our company in (verb+ing) WRITING LEVEL 4

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Accepting the Complaint o We agree that the usual high standards of our products / services were not met in this instance. A short explanation of the fault o Introductory phrase  As a result of our investigation, we found that... (Not: After our investigation...) o Causes  The error was caused by … / was due to …  Apparently, the problem was the result of … / resulted from …  The cause of / reason for the mistake was … o Effects  As a result …  This led to …  Consequently … o Solutions  We have modified / changed our ...  We have implemented a system to...  To prevent re-occurrences we have set up a verification procedure. o Assurances  We assure you that this will not happen again.   Investigation to be made o We are currently investigating the cause of ... o We will investigate the cause of... Proposal to settle the difficulty o As a gesture of our regret, we are prepared to …/ we are willing to …/ we would like to … o To show goodwill, we will … An offer to take goods back, make a replacement, give a discount etc. o We have dispatched the new items by express courier. They should arrive by Monday, 27 July 2015. o To show our goodwill, we would like to offer you a 5% discount on your next order with us. Regret at dissatisfaction o While we can understand your frustration, ... o We understand how disappointing it can be when your expectations are not met. Rejecting responsibility for the problem leading to the complaint WRITING LEVEL 4

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I regret to inform you that … o I am afraid that … o Unfortunately, I must point out that … Reasons for the rejection o This is because the guarantee period has expired. o This is due to the fact that the guarantee period has expired. If a third party (another person or organisation) is to blame, direct the complainer to that party o We therefore suggest that you contact... A concluding paragraph aiming at retaining the goodwill of the customer o We look forward to receiving your further orders, and assure you that they will be filled correctly / promptly. o

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PRACTICE Exercise 1: Match the items in the boxes on the left with the items on the right: Top of Form

Functions to match

Phrases to move  

1

Apology for the error or fault

This was caused by an unexpected malfunction.

2

Accepting a Complaint

We assure you that this will not happen again.

3

Acknowledging receipt of a complaint letter

This is because the item was on sale, and therefore refunds and returns are not permitted.

4

Explanation of the fault

We understand how disappointing it can be when your expectations are not met.

5

Assurance

I regret to inform you that we cannot take responsibility for this occurence.

6

Replacement of goods

We look forward to your continued custom, and to serving you again.

7

Regret at dissatisfaction

We agree that the usual high standards of our products were not met in this instance.

8

Rejecting responsibility

I would like to apologise for the error made by our company.

9

Reasons for the rejection

We have dispatched the new items.

10 A concluding sentence aiming at retaining the goodwill

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Thank you for your letter of 3 February.

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Exercise 2: Read the following email letters and analyze them in terms of the diagram above

Everlong Batteries 171 Choi Hung Road Hung Hon, Hong Kong Tel/Fax 2235 2449 24 Jul 2015  Mr J Wong Purchasing Officer Fortune Goods 317 Orchard Road Singapore Dear Mr Wong Order No. 2639/L Please accept our apologies for the error made by our company in filling your order no. 2639/L dated Tuesday, 21 July 2015. You ordered 12,000 size Ultra super-long-life premium batteries, but our dispatch office sent 1,200. This was due to a typing error. The balance of 10,800 batteries was dispatched by express courier to your store this morning and will arrive by Monday, 3 August 2015. Since we value your business, we would like to offer you a 10% discount off your next order with us. We look forward to receiving your further orders and assure you that they will be filled correctly. Yours sincerely    David Choi David Choi Distributions Manager

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Lesson 8: RESPONDING TO EMAIL COMPLAINING LETTERS (2) I. BUSINESS EMAIL PRINCIPLES – EMAIL ETIQUETTE Four things to make sure when following email etiquette: (1) Appropriate format (Organization) (2) Appropriate language (Vocabulary and phrases) - Polite and (semi) formal - Accurate and word choice (3) Appropriate sentence structures (Variety and quality) - Complete, grammatical sentences II. WRITING RESPONSE TO COMPLAINTS Complaints may be received in person, by telephone, by email or by letter. Some principles that should be borne in mind when responding to complaints, however they were made: 1. Check whether your college or department has a policy for dealing with complaints – it might specify who should respond and/or a response time. 2. Check any departmental policy or standards relevant to the complaint (such as service level agreements) – sometimes complaints are not based on reasonable expectations. 3. It is essential to respond to all complaints with sympathy and understanding, regardless of the appropriateness of the complaint or the decision about remedial action. Remember that the person who has made the complaint is another human being who deserves respect. Focus on issues and solutions, not personalities or emotions. 4. Always demonstrate a willingness to understand a customer's feelings and situation, whether or not you actually agree with their stand-point. This will go a long way towards soothing anger and disappointment, even if you are unable to provide a response which fully meets their expectations or their initial demands. a. Use phrases like, "I understand that must be very upsetting for you," rather than "Yes, I agree, you've been badly treated." Remember that you can understand without necessarily agreeing with the point b. Try to make contact by phone, even if you are sending a written response – this is often more reliable and effective when trying to diffuse conflict and rebuild trust. 5. Before sending your response a. check again that it reflects relevant policy (see 1 and 2) b. read it back to yourself and ask "What would I think if I received this? How would I feel?" If your answers are less than positive you should re-write the letter WRITING LEVEL 4

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6. Finally, remember that positive things can arise from complaints: a. when a complaint is dealt with properly, it often makes the person who complained a much stronger ally than they were before the incident that gave rise to the complaint b. a complaint often identifies a weakness in procedure and thus offers an opportunity to improve See overleaf for a simple template for a response to a complaint. It should be used as a guide and altered to suit the situation. Template response Name and address Date Reference Dear......... I am writing with reference to (situation or complaint) of (date). First of all, I apologise for the inconvenience/distress/problems created by our error/failure. We take great care to ensure that important matters such as this are properly managed/processed/implemented, although due to (give reason – but be careful as to how much detail you provide - generally you need only give a broad outline of the reason), so on this occasion an acceptable standard has clearly not been met/we have clearly not succeeded in meeting your expectations. In light of this, we have decided to/that (solution or offer). We hope this will be acceptable to you. I will call you soon to check that this meets with your approval/Please contact me should you have any further cause for concern. Yours sincerely,

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PRACTICE Exercise 1: Read the following email of complaint, make some corrections to make it more formal and identify the problem To : Jim Hudson, Northeastern Airlines From: Jane Stewart Subject: Complaints Hello. I would like to explain what I experienced and felt uncomfortable in your airplane. First, I asked a cabin attendant for cold water but she gave me really hot water, which almost burnt me. Second, another attendant spilt orange juice on me but she never apologised at all! I understand they are too busy to concentrate on everything on board but I was really disappointed with this. I need a cleaning coupon for my clothes and proper apologies from the attendants. I look forward to your reply. Regards, Jane Stewart

Exercise 2: Respond to the email above as if you are Jim Huston, the service customer manager of this airline company. In your email, acknowledge the problems, make ONE explanation and suggest ONE solution.

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 Your response email letter: To: …………………………………………………………………..….. From: …………………………………………………………………… Subject: …………………………………………………………………

Dear…………………, ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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Lesson 9: TOEIC PRACTICE – WRITING RESPONSE TO COMPLAINING EMAIL LETTER For this task type, there are 2 questions. You need to write a response to an e-mail that you will read for each question. What your response needs to include is in the directions so make sure you also read the directions carefully. Your reply will be scored on the quality and variety of your sentences, vocabulary, and organization. You have 20 minutes in total to complete this part of the writing section; you're given 10 minutes to read and reply to each e-mail. Note that once you go onto question 7, you will not be able to return to question 6. The test will look as follows: Question 6-7: Respond to the written request - TOEIC Writing Directions: In this part of the test, you will show how well you can write a response to an email. Your response will be scored on ·         The quality and variety of your sentences ·         Vocabulary, and ·         Organization You will have 10 minutes to answer each email.

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PRACTICE: Exercise 1: You would read the following e-mail: To: Manager Customer Services Air blue airlines Head office San Francisco Subject: complaint about flight crew Date: 16 February 2015 Dear Sir, I am very sorry to inform you that but I am here to make a formal complaint about your flight crew of the flight AN456 from London to New York. I took this flight last week and during this flight, the flight crew was very rude and unpleasant to the passengers and I am not the only one who felt disrespected by them but I am pretty sure you will receive number of complaints from other passengers of the same flight. There were two flight attendants with names Amber and Ashley and they were ruder to me as compared to other staff members. I am writing this formal complaint letter to you so that you can take notice of this problem and make sure that the flight crew is reprimanded appropriately so that they don’t behave like that again. I have provided my contact details with this letter so that if you want to talk to me or discuss the matter directly, we can talk on phone or meet in person. Regards, Robert Anderson

Directions: Respond to the e-mail as if you are the Manager of Customer Services. Provide at least TWO explanation about the condition of the flight and give ONE offer to customer.  

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 Your response email letter: To: …………………………………………………………………..….. From: …………………………………………………………………… Subject: …………………………………………………………………

Dear…………………, ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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Chapter 3 WRITING OPINION ESSAYS 

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Lesson 10: WRITING A CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH (1) A.

FOCUS

The final paragraph in an essay is the conclusion, which tells the reader that you have completed an essay. First, you write a summary of the main points discussed in the body of the essay or rewrite the thesis statement in different words. Then you add your final comments on the subject. Take this opportunity to make a strong, effective message that the reader will remember. The concluding paragraph consists of: 1. A summary of the main points, or a restatement of your thesis in different words. 2. Your final comment on the subject, based on the information you have provided. Be sure to introduce the concluding paragraph with a conclusion transition signals. Transition signals:  In conclusion,  In summary,  In short,  In a word,  In brief,  To sum up,  On the whole,  Altogether,  In all, 

Model of a concluding paragraph

Essay question:Different types of industries require different types of personal qualities in workers. What do you think are the necessary qualities for people working in a bank? Give specific reasons and examples to support your opinion. Thesis statement:I think accuracy and trustworthiness are the two necessary qualities for people working in a bank. Main point 1:Accuracy is what bankers need, without a doubt, when we think about their work dealing with money. Main point 2:Trustworthiness is probably one of the most important characteristics in the banking field. Sample concluding paragraph: WRITING LEVEL 4

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In conclusion, possessing the ability to handle their work and building a certain level of trust are the traits that workers, especially in the banking field, have to demonstrate to be good at their jobs. Thus, I strongly believe these two valuable qualities should be considered more important than others. B. PRACTICE TASK 1 Which three paragraphs are introductory paragraphs (write IP) and which three are concludingparagraphs (write CP)? Match the concluding paragraphs to the introductory paragraphs.

 Many people love eating out in restaurants. However, as well as lots of advantages, there are several disadvantages to eating out. I will start by exploring the advantages.  In conclusion, eating together, at home or out in restaurants, is one of the most important things we can do as a family. This has always been the case in the past in our culture, and it should be in the future too.  So you can see there are many reasons to visit this restaurant. Food, price, location – there is not a single disadvantage with going there. Try it for yourself!

 There are many restaurants in my city which I visit with my family and friends. However, my favourite restaurant is the local one, at the end of our street, near my home.  To sum up, I agree that eating out can lead to eating too much fast food. However, in general there are more advantages than disadvantages to going to restaurants. Just be careful what  Eating together is a very important part of our culture. Families need to spend lots of time together to be happy and close, and eating together is a good way to do this. In this essay I

TASK 2 Choosing correct concluding paragraphs Read the outline and each concluding paragraph, decide if the concluding paragraph given matches the outline or not. Check (√) the correct concluding paragraphs. Outline Thesis statement: The time for the legalization of marijuana has come. Main point 1:Tobacco and alcohol are more harmful than marijuana - Finding on marijuana, tobacco and alcohol: Main point 2: Marijuana offers medical benefits - relieves symptoms of many diseases WRITING LEVEL 4

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- no physical addiction Main point 3: Economic benefits of legalizing marijuana - cutting law enforcement costs saves money - taxing marijuana sales ______ Concluding paragraph 1 In short, as a society, we can’t continue to label substances legal or illegal based on arbitrary reasons. If drugs more harmful than marijuana are legal, marijuana too should be legalized. ______ Concluding paragraph 2 To sum up,given that marijuana is less harmful than alcohol or tobacco, given its medical benefits, and given the economic benefits its legalization would bring, marijuana should not be illegal any longer. If we continued to label marijuana illegal, we would actually be supporting a system of arbitrary laws and denying all citizens the benefits this drug could bring. Think of it, can we as a society afford to do this? ______ Concluding paragraph 3 In conclusion, marijuana should not be illegal because it is less harmful than other legal drugs, has medical benefits, and legalizing it would even bring economic benefits. Besides, legalizing marijuana will ensure that children won’t have access to it. Who can argue against such benefits? ______ Concluding paragraph 4 In short, though marijuana is less harmful than other legal drugs, has obvious medicinal benefits, and legalizing it would bring economic benefits, we must not legalize it without first carefully considering the societal impact its legalization would have. ______ Concluding paragraph 5 In brief, as we have seen, there really is no direct connection between the legal status of a drug and its harmfulness. Some harmful drugs are legal, while marijuana which is less harmful is illegal. Given this fact, along with all the evidence of marijuana’s medical benefits of its legalization, we must conclude that it is in society’s best interest to legalize marijuana.

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Lesson 11: WRITING A CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH (2) A. FOCUS The final paragraph in an essay is the conclusion, which tells the reader that you have completed an essay. First, you write a summary of the main points discussed in the body of the essay or rewrite the thesis statement in different words. Then you add your final comments on the subject. Take this opportunity to make a strong, effective message that the reader will remember. The concluding paragraph consists of: 3. A summary of the main points, or a restatement of your thesis in different words. 4. You final comment on the subject, based on the information you have provided. Be sure to introduce the concluding paragraph with a conclusion transition signals. B. PRACTICE Write concluding paragraphs for the following thesis statements and main points. 1.

Thesis statement: I would rather be a worker who starts the day’s work earlier than later because it gives me more free time and is good for my health. Main point 1:Getting up early in the morning offers employees more free time Main point 2: Working in the morning helps workers (to) stay healthy.

2.

Thesis statement:I think education is the most important factor for anyone to succeed in their new field. Main point 1:Education opens up a whole lot of opportunities to prospective career changers. Main point 2:Sometimes education is not just to improve one’s personal intellectual level, it also provides the grounds for creating invaluable relationships.

3.

Thesis statement:I believe that indirect communication has more advantages than direct communication. Main point 1:By using indirect communication, people can easily keep in touch. Main point 2:Throughindirect communication, people can get a chance to think of what they want to say before they begin instead of regretting saying something they shouldn’t.

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Lesson 12: WRITING A SIMPLE ESSAY (1) FOCUS:

DRAFTING AN ESSAY

Language building: Language to express opinions and organize your work A. Match opinion expressions 1-8 to descriptions a-c. Expressing opinions 1. I (strongly/firmly) believe ________ 2. In my opinion ________ 3. I'm totally opposed to ________ 4. It's a difficult choice, but I think I would prefer to ________ 5. I'm completely in favor of ________ 6. If I had to choose, I would pick/say ________ 7. I really don't agree with ________ 8. I would prefer to ________ a. b. c.

Positive opinion (strong) Positive position (neutral or weak) Negative opinion (strong)

B. Answer questions 1-3 giving your opinion in ONE sentence. Use the phrases in A to help you. Compare ideas with your partner. 1. Would you rather work in a quiet town or a big city? _______________________________________________________________ 2. Which is the best way to travel to another country, by air or over land? _____________________________________________________________ 3. Do you agree or disagree that health care should be free for the whole population? _____________________________________________________________ C. Read the question and the essay below. Label paragraphs A-E with the following headings. Second reason Conclusion Introduction Third reason First reason

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D. Read the essay again and choose the correct phrase from the chart below to complete gaps 1-9. More than one phrase may be suitable. Phrases for organizing ideas First ideas Adding to reasons first of all Moreover the first (dis)advantage also what's more Second ideas To introduce contrasts another (dis)advantage on the other hand (at the start of a sentence another point only) in addition although whereas however Final ideas To conclude a final (dis)advantage in conclusion a final point Would you prefer to work longer hours on a daily basis and, as a result, have most vacation time? Give your opinion and explain why. A ________________________ There ane a number of advantages and disadvantages to working longer hours and having more days off in compensation. In my opinion, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. B ________________________ (1) ________________, I believe having an extra day of leisure time would make people more relaxed. This would obviously be beneficial to people's general health. (2) _________________being more relaxed would also benefit employers, as their workers would probably concentrate better during their work time and have fewer days off sick. C ________________________ (3) ________________ advantage is that if more people had an extra day off during the week, shopping malls and supermarkets would be less crowded on weekends. (4) ________________ people would be able to use sports facilities and leisure services at offpeak times. D ________________________ (5) ________________, at least for me, is that two extra hours added on to the day wouldn't WRITING LEVEL 4

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seem like a huge addition, (6) ________________ a whole day off is an added bonus. (7) ________________, I can understand that the longer day may not be suitable for people with families or for people who have a long commute to work. E _______________________ (8) ________________, (9) ________________ working hours may not suit everyone, for me the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks and I would definitely favor this system. F. Add the extra words and phrases 1-6 to the correct place in the chart in E. 1. but 4. all in all 2. finally 5. secondly 3. most importanyly 6. too Follow up: With your partner make more sentences using the contrast words, e.g. I love living in the city. However, it is rather noisy.

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Lesson 13: WRITING A SIMPLE ESSAY (2) A.

FOCUS:

DRAFTING AN ESSAY

Language building: Creating a draft A. Read Opinion question 1 below and underline the key words. Then summarize the test question. Compare summaries with your partner. Opinion question 1 Recently in your town, construction of a new factory that would employ thousands of workers has been halted because it would endanger the wild animals living in the area. Do you agree or disagree with this decision? Give reasons or examples to support your opinion. B.

Answer the question you wrote in A with a complete sentence. Use the phrases from Language building A (Lesson 12). This is your thesis statement (statement of your opinion), which you should include in the introduction of your essay. Example I strongly agree that they should stop the construction of the new factory. C. Read Opinion question 2 below and complete the same tasks, listed 1-4. Opinion question 2 Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?The most important factor you should consider when choosing a job is the salary.Give reasons or examples to support your opinion. 1. Read the question and underline the key words. 2. Make a sentence that summarizes the question and the task. 3. Write a suitable thesis. 4. Compare answers with a partner. D. Read notes 1-6 giving reasons agreeing and disagreeing with the decision in Opinion question 1 in A. Which ideas do you agree with? Reasons for agreeing 1. It is wrong to endanger animals just to make money. 2. The factory could be built in another place. 3. It is important not to build in rural areas if possible. Reasons for disagreeing 4. The factory will be good for the economy. 5. Many jobs might be lost. 6. Land is there to be used in whatever way necessary. E.

Brainstorm three reasons either agreeing or disagreeing based on your thesis for Opinion

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question 2 in C. F.

Read the outline below for agreeing with the decision in Opinion question 1. Look carefully at how the notes from D have been developed. I strongly agree that they should stop construction of the new factory. First of all, Although the factory will be good for the economy, it is wrong to endanger the animals just because of this. I don’t want to kill something to get money. Next, It’s true that many possible jobs might be lost. However, The factory could be built in another place. There is free space on the west side of town that is almost as good. Finally, It’s important not to build in rural areas if possible. Although cities may be crowded and people don’t want to live too close to a factory, there are usually old, unused places in cities where the factory could be located.

G.

Write an outline similar to the one in F, based on your thesis and reasons for Opinion question 2 in C and E. Follow up: Explain your outline to your partner and compare your reasons.

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sion in

B.

PRACTICE For Opinion question 3, draft an outline by completing steps 1-4. After each step, compare answers with your partner. 1. Analyze the question and pick out the key points. Rephrase these points into a single sentence. 2. Write a thesis statement that answers the question. 3. Brainstorm reasons supporting your opinion. 4. Drop any weak points, and organize the rest into the order you think is best. Add as many reasons/examples as you can and add appropriate connecting words. Opinion question 3 Some people enjoy jobs that include traveling a lot and meeting new people. Others like to work in a fixed location with the same group of coworkers. What is your preference? Explain why.

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Lesson 14: WRITING A SIMPLE ESSAY (3) FOCUS: COMPLETING AN ESSAY Language building:Language for giving reasons and examples A. Match beginnings 1-5 to the endings a-e. Note the common phrases for introducing examples in bold. 1. There are several disadvantages to working in a big city. Some examples include … _______ 2. Spending money on research can have a great impact. One clear exampleof this is ... _______ 3. I think the most important factor is practical experience. By this I mean… _______ 4. We could save money by reducing costs. For example, ... _______ 5. One example of the problems we faced was high material costs. Another example was ..._______ a. b. c. d. e. B

Zentex's development of the first biochip in 2004. a lack of understanding of the market. we could stop giving free samples to all visitors. expensive housing, heavy traffic, and a stressful lifestyle. actual time spent working in the field.

Look at each of the sentences in A and match the phrase in boldto the definition of how it is used below. The first one is done for you. a. Used for providing a single and easily understood example. 2 b. Used to provide a second example of something. ______ c. Used to clarify an example you have given. ______ d. Used as a simple and common way to introduce an example. ______ e. Used to introduce a list of example points to support your idea. _____

C.

Use common phrases from A to write examples for the statements in 1-3. 1. Many countries in the world make cars. ________________________________________________________ 2. People in my country get to work in many different ways. ________________________________________________________ 3. After work, people like to relax. ________________________________________________________ GRAMMAR NOTE Conditional sentences consist of two clauses. Generally, one clause uses if (or unless) and WRITING LEVEL 4

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shows the situation or condition. The second clause shows the result. An opinion essay may include a present condition, e.g. If it rains, …Since you will probably be giving ideas about possible present or future results, you will generally use will or modal verb plus the infinitive, e.g. ... I will/may/could get wet. Note that the order of the clauses can be switched, e.g. I may get wet if it rains. D. Complete conditional sentences 1-6 with the words and phrases a-f. 1. The __________ will melt if we don’t do something to stop _________. 2. If you study the _________ in school, you can get the _________. 3. If employees are forced to do ________, they will often do a _________. 4. You should look for a ________ if you really don’t like the _________. 5. If we reduce __________, we might be able to attract _________. 6. Unless we change _________, our _________will stay very high. a. b. c. d. e. d. E.

prices/more customers right subjects/job you want suppliers/costs ice caps/global warming different job /working conditions things they don't like/poor job

Complete sentences 1-3. 1. Unless I finish my work_______________________________________. 2. If you are always polite to your coworkers, __________________________________________________________. 3. If you don't get enough sleep,__________________________________. Follow up: Compare answers with your partner and see if you agree with his or her ideas.Lesson 15 WRITING A SIMPLE ESSAY (4)

A. FOCUS: COMPLETING AN ESSAY Language building:Completing and editing A. Read the Opinion essay title in 1. Then choose the more general introductory sentence to start your essay, a or b. This would appearjust before the thesis statement, which states your opinion. Compare answers with a partner. Say why the other sentence is not appropriate. Repeat for questions 2 and 3. 1. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Consulting with a group of people is the best way to make an important decision. a. _____ Making an important decision is not an easy thing to do, and there are different ways to do it. b. _____ If you want to make an important decision, you should definitely always do it by WRITING LEVEL 4

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yourself. (Thesis statement) Many people believe that getting the opinion of other people is the best way to make an important decision; however, I disagree with this approach. 2.

When traveling medium distances, some people prefer to fly.Others prefer to take express trains. Which do you prefer? a. _____ Trains and airplanes have both advantages and disadvantages. b. _____ I don't really like flying because it is very expensive and I often get airsick. (Thesis statement) Although some people prefer to fly, I prefer to take the train. 3. a. b.

B.

What would you consider the best type of job? _____ I really don't like my current job much and would like to find a newone soon. _____ Choosing the best type of job involves considering many factors. (Thesis statement) I think the best type of job for me would be one that involves both sales andtravel. In Lesson 13, you looked at an example draft of the following essay question. Now write an introductory sentence following the examples in A above.

1.

Recently in your town, construction of a new factory that would employ thousands of workers has been halted because it would endanger animals living in the area. ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ (Thesis statement) I strongly agree that they should stop construction of the new factory C. Now we will look at ways of expanding the draft you looked at in Lesson 11. Study the Grammar note below GRAMMAR NOTE Use conjunctions to join shorter sentences into longer, better-formed sentences. If the two sentences are of equal importance, use coordinating conjunctions(and, but, or, so, not yet, for):e.g.I work hard, but I never work on weekends.If one idea is more important than another, join them using subordinating conjunctions(although, because, unless): e.g.I left my job because the pay was too low. D.

Now use conjunctions to link the ideas together as shown in the Grammar note. Read the example question 1 then complete 2 and 3 in the same way. Compare answers with your partner after you have completed each one.

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1. (Draft) First of all, Although a factory will be good for the economy wrong to endanger animals building a factory in the area proposed - many animals would lose their home (Expanded sentences) First of all, although the factory may be very good for the economy, I think it is wrong to endanger animals. If we build the factory, many animals would lose their home. I definitely don't think we should risk killing animals in order to make money. 2. (Draft) Next It's true that many possible jobs might be lost. However, factory could be built in another place free space on the west side is almost as good ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ 3. (Draft) Finally, Important not to build in rural areas if possible Although cities crowded - usually places (old, unused) where the factory could be located ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ E. Read the example introductions and conclusions. In what way does the conclusion relate back to the introduction? Introductory paragraph Making an important decision is not an easy thing to do and there are different ways to do it. Some people believe that getting the opinion of other people is the best way to make an important decision; however, I disagree with this approach. Concluding paragraph In conclusion, although some people believe it is best to make important decisions by WRITING LEVEL 4

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talking with other people, I think that important decisions are best made by a single knowledgeable person. F.

Write a concluding paragraph to complete the opinion essay about building the factory or saving the animals. _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ Follow up: When you have finished, compare paragraphs with your partner.

B.

PRACTICE Complete steps 1-4 to write a complete essay using the outline you drafted for Opinion question 3 in Unit 13. After each step, compare answers with your partner. 1. Expand your introduction. 2. Expand the body, joining simple sentences into more complex ones, and supporting your ideas with reasons and examples. 3. Write a conclusion that reflects your introduction and summarizes the points you made (using different words). 4. Use the last few minutes to edit your work and look for obvious errors. Opinion question 3 Some people enjoy jobs that include traveling a lot and meeting new people. Others like to work in a fixed location with the same group of coworkers. What is your preference? Explain why.

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