CPE Writing Preparation

Essay: summarising texts

• The first text/passage/extract outlines the benefits/drawbacks of…

• The second text argues/claims that…

• The first text advocates… +…ing (supports)

• The second text puts forward the idea that…

• It then goes on to espouse the viewpoint that… (say)

• The text sheds light on the issue/topic of…

• The text brings the topic of… to light.

• The writer of the first text is a firm believer in…

• The writer/author of the second text is highly critical of…

• Both writers seem to agree that…, where their ideas deviate however is on the topic of…

• The second text makes bold statements in support of…

• Not only does the first text state that…, but it also claims that…

• In addition to the aforementioned point, it also claims that…

essay: critical examination

• One thing the writer fails to mention is...

• A glaring omission from the first text is...

• One aspect the text/author/passage ignores is that...

• While the writer makes some valid arguments in favour of..., she ignores the fact that...

• One area which the writer seems to have overlooked is...

• While I am generally in agreement with the majority of the first writer’s points the obvious

hole in their argument is...

• Were I to pick holes in the writer’s arguments, I would start by pointing out that...

• I feel it must also be pointed out that...

• When it comes to the topic of..., the text seems to be lacking somewhat.

• One major weakness in the writer’s argument is that...

• The text neglects to mention that fact that...

• The writer seems to have gone overboard in their praise/criticism of...

• This will resonate with many people, because...

• Though this is often the case, it is by no means universal.

• Though the writer makes some valid points, he fails to mention that...

• This is a fairly limited view of the matter, as...

• This is a fairly accurate description of the issue, though I would add that....

• This may be the case in most Western societies/among some social groups/for some

privileged individuals/ but it is by no means a universal truth

essay: expressing opinion

 I am of the opinion that…

 In my humble opinion…

 My thoughts on the matter are that…

 As far as I am concerned,

 As far as my opinions on the matter are concerned,…

 My initial reaction to the opinions outlined in the text was…

 I am a firm believer in…

 On the whole, I tend to agree with… due to the fact that…

emphasising

• I would like to stress that the research is still at an early stage.

• It should be noted that there are a number of alternative methods available.

• It is worth bearing in mind that 90% of the scientists researching herbicides in the US are employed by chemical companies.

cause

-lead to: The research could lead to a cure for many serious illnesses.

-result in: The fire resulted in damage to their property.

-be responsible for: He was responsible for the accident.

-bring about: The war brought about enormous social change.

-give rise to: Poor performance in exams can give rise to depression and even thoughts of suicide.

-trigger: to make something suddenly start to happen, especially a bad situation such as a crisis or a

war, or a medical condition: Certain foods can trigger allergies.

-contribute to: Passive smoking could contribute to the development of respiratory diseases among

nonsmokers.

-factor: Cost is often the deciding factor when choosing any product.

describing causes

One factor which has led to ............ is ..............

One of the factors which has brought this about is .........

The problem often stems from ....................

The situation has been exacerbated by ................

.............. has only made the situation worse.

One consequence of ................ is ................

conclusion

All in all it seems to me that ...........

The obvious conclusion to be drawn is that .......................

All things considered, .............

On balance, I tend to believe that ............

The world would surely be a better place to live in if ..............

If people stopped ....ing, we would have/ we could look forward to a ...............

The prospects for the future will be bleak/grim unless ...................

Ending conclusion

• The world would surely be a better place to live in if ..............

• If people stopped ....ing, we would have/ we could look forward to a ...............

• The prospects for the future will be bleak/grim unless ...................

Letter of complaint: opening

Dear Sir or Madam, / To whom it may concern,

• I am writing to express my disappointment with/dissatisfaction with the service I received in…

• I would like to lodge a formal complaint against your company for the reasons outlined below:

• I feel compelled to write to you in order to describe the

letter of complaint: listing problems

 First of all,

 Not only was there a hair in my wife’s soup, but the main course also arrived cold.

 On top of that…

 As if that was not enough…

 To top it all off…

 The straw that broke the camel’s back was…

complaining expressions

 The standard of the… was not up to scratch.

 The… was not up to the expected standard.

 The… left a lot to be desired.

 The… failed to live up to our expectations.

 We were left bitterly disappointed by…

 The quality of the customer service we received was woefully inadequate.

 The… was an absolute disgrace. (v.strong)

 Overall, our visit to your (restaurant) was an unmitigated disaster from start to finish.

requesting action

 It seems only fair that you should… (offer a full refund)

 I would appreciate it if you…

 I would be grateful if you…

 Should these demands not be met, you will be hearing from my lawyers.

 I expect to receive compensation to the tune of (€2000) for the…

letter of complaint: making recommendations

 I strongly recommend that your organisation…

 It would be advisable to…

 I suggest re-evaluating your procedures regarding…

letter (of complaint): sign off

 I look forward to receiving your reply / I expect to receive a prompt reply to this letter.

 Yours faithfully,

essay: general introduction

• Hardly a week goes by without another report of ................. appearing in the media.

• Over the past ten years or so the media have frequently carried reports of ...............

• The trend nowadays is towards (gerund)

• This issue strikes a chord with the vast majority of the general public.

essay: question

• How has the public’s opinion on this issue shifted over the last few years?

• This raises the issue of (whether / what / how)......

• What impact, if any, have these shifts/changes/developments had on the general public’s

psyche?

• How are we to gauge the effect of such shifts/changes/developments?

Copnditionals with inversions of “if”

"Were the government to ......... , we would .............."

"Had television not been invented, economic growth would have been slower."

"Had the police implemented the law more strictly, fewer people would now be disabled."

cleft sentences

"What ecologists object to is ............"

"What many people would like to see is ......................"

"It is the ................. that I object to."

inversions

"Not only are landfill sites unsightly, but they are also a source of pollution"

"Rarely do we see our political leaders riding bikes."

passives

"It is often forgotten that ..................."

"............. is considered to be ............."

"...... has been attributed to ......."

".......has been linked with ........"

"The conclusion to be drawn is that ............."

The advanced use of ‘so’

“This is so grave an issue that ......”

Vocabulary restaurant review

Hearty meal

Wholesome food

Piping-hot

Succulent/juicy (meat)

Creamy

With a kick (spicy)

Crunchy/crispy

Well-seasoned

Packed with flavour

A steaming plate of..

Hungry/starving/ravenous/famished

Bustling eatery(restaurant)

Lively atmosphere

Service with a smile

A plate piled high

with..

Mouth-watering

To die for

Heavenly

To lick your lips

in anticipation

Roast

Pan-fried

Grilled

Steamed

Freshly-baked

lines for reviews

Were I to sum up … in one word, it would be…

… left a lot to be desired (wasn’t good enough)

…more than lives up to the hype (is as good as everyone

says it is)

… is by far and away the best … you’re likely to … this year

… really raises the bar (sets a higher standard)

… sets the benchmark for other (others will be judges

against how good it is)

… ticks all the right boxes

… holds up well in comparison with …

…comes off badly in comparison with …

Adding

• Besides

• Moreover

• In addition

• Additionally

• Above all

• Not only, but also

• Furthermore

• Likewise

conceding

• however

• even though

• although

• on the other hand

• then again

• Nevertheless

result

• therefore

• thus

• consequently

• so

Inversion

Not only can we reduce our carbon footprint by taking public transport, but also by eating less meat. Rarely have I encountered such a compelling argument. Seldom does one witness such dedication.

Cleft Sentences

It is education that needs more investment.

What is most striking is the rapid pace of technological change.

Passive Voice

It is widely believed that the earth is getting warmer. Measures have been taken to address this issue.

Conditional Inversion

Were the government to implement stricter regulations, pollution levels would decrease. Had the police acted sooner, the outcome might have been different.

Participle and Gerund Phrases (sentence starters)

Having considered all the evidence, it is clear that further research is required. Given the circumstances, a different approach might have been more effective.

Compound and Complex Sentences

While some argue that technology isolates individuals, others maintain that it fosters global connections. Although the proposal has merit, it is not without its drawbacks.

Relative Clauses

The author, whose perspective is both insightful and balanced, highlights the need for reform. The solution that has been suggested may not be feasible in practice.

Idiomatic Phrase – "In a nutshell"

In a nutshell, the evidence suggests that...

Idiomatic Phrase – "It stands to reason"

It stands to reason that further investment is required.

Idiomatic Phrase – "For all its benefits"

For all its benefits, the policy has notable shortcomings.

Idiomatic Phrase – "In the long run"

In the long run, such measures may prove unsustainable.

Idiomatic Phrase – "Not as black and white"

The issue at hand is not as black and white as it may seem.

Idiomatic Phrase – "Tip of the iceberg"

This is merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the challenges faced.

Idiomatic Phrase – "Stand up to scrutiny"

The proposal, while appealing on the face of it, may not stand up to scrutiny.

Useful Openers and Connectors

There is no denying that... It could be argued that... What is more, recent studies have shown that... Nevertheless, one must not overlook the fact that... On balance, it appears that...