Match Point

Cambridge English: First (FCE)

Cambridge English: First, also known as First Certificate in English (FCE), is an exam for people who need to prove they can use everyday written and spoken English at an upper-intermediate level for work or study purposes.

What's in the exam?

PaperContent

Marks(% of total)

Purpose

Reading(1 hour)

3 parts/30 questions

20%Shows you can deal confidently with different types of text, such as fiction, newspapers and magazines.

Writing(1 hour 20 minutes)

2 parts 20%Requires you to be able to produce two different pieces of writing, such as letters, reports, reviews and short stories.

Use of English(45 minutes)

4 parts/42 questions

20%Your use of English will be tested by tasks which show how well you can control your grammar and vocabulary.

Listening(about 40 minutes)

4 parts/30 questions

20%Requires you to be able to follow and understand a range of spoken materials, such as news programmes, presentations and everyday conversations.

Speaking(14 minutes per pair of candidates)

4 parts 20%Tests your ability to communicate effectively in face-to-face situations. You will take the Speaking test with one or two other candidates.

How to pass FCE ... WRITING

The writing paper consists of two parts: There is a compulsory question in Part 1and one question from a choice of 5 in Part 2.

Each question carries equal marks.You have 1 hour 20 minutes to complete the task.

The aim of the exam is to establish that you are able to write in different styles and that you understand the concept of “register”.

What is “register”?

Register is the correct style of writing (and speaking) for the situation. You don’t speak to your boss or your bank manager in the same way as you speak to your friend, do you? You use different words for different people: “I apologise” to your boss, and “I’m sorry” to your friend.We do the same thing when we are writing. You write an e-mail to a friend in a very different way to writing a covering letter for a job.So the “register” is the choice of vocabulary plus the style of writing (formal or informal).

When you are writing your letter or report, you should think about the person who is READING it. The exam question will tell you to write to a friend, or to your teacher or for a school magazine (so the readers will be students in this case).The examiner will consider himself as the reader (your friend, your colleague, a magazine reader or the Director who asked for the report.)

So, don’t think, “Oh, I’ve got to write 120 – 180 words for an exam.”Think: “I have to write a 120 – 180 word report for my boss.” Or, “I’m writing a magazine article for teenagers.”

Imagine that the situation is REAL.

Before writing you should brainstorm your ideas & organize your answer. When you are satisfied with your ideas write your answer as clearly as possible. You will get zero points if the examiner can’t read your writing.

The exam

Part 1: This compulsory question asks you to write a letter or an e-mail.

You will be given information (from an advert, a letter, an e-mail, a schedule etc) and other notes which you need to read carefully before you start to answer the question.

Use all the information you are given but do not simply recopy it. Add some ideas of your own.Don’t write any addresses for letters & e-mails.

Formal letter: Do not use contractions. Use a formal register : Dear Mr & Mrs Smith (not “Mister” & “Missus”)I am writing for further information about…I look forward to hearing from you,Yours sincerely,

Informal letter,) for example to a friend: use contractions and a bit of chit-chat to make the letter seem real (Hi, how are you? How’s your family? I haven’t seen them for ages!) but get to the point of the letter quickly.Be natural : Just thought I’d drop you a line to tell you that…/ to ask if you could…../ to see what you think about…./Finish with an expression such as: Hope to hear from you soon/ I’ll be in touch/ Can you let me know as soon as possible? Then: Love, (if you are a girl or VERY good friends) or Best regards, (men)Don’t write “kisses”. If you want to express a kiss, do it like this: Love from Jenny, XXX

E-mails: are semi-formal, somewhere between the two, even if it is about business. Start with Dear --- & finish with Best regards or Kind regards. You can use contractions, but don’t use “text” language. For example, don’t write “C U L8TER” (see you later).Part 2 The options may include: an article, a story, a report, a review, an essay or another letter.

Letter: If you choose this option, read the instructions carefully. It will tell you to write “in the appropriate style”. If the compulsory letter was informal, this one will probably be formal & vice-versa. Make sure you get the style & register right.

Story: You are often given a sentence to start or finish your story. “It was midnight and I was all alone in the house. Suddenly someone knocked loudly on the door.”

Or “Without saying a word, John got up and walked out of the room.”

If you enjoy telling stories, then this is a good choice for you. If you have no imagination and you have never practised writing a story before, choose another option.

You should be able to use the story telling tenses: simple past; past continuous; past perfect; past perfect continuous.

There should also be plenty of descriptive adjectives .Use absolute adjectives where possible. For example, don’t say “big”, say “enormous”; don’t say “dirty” say “absolutely filthy”.You should also use adverbs: suddenly, amazingly, unbelievably…

Essay: This is the classic piece of writing demanded by schools everywhere. It should have an introduction, a clear development or discussion of the subject and a conclusion which gives your opinion. The essay should include your reasons for your opinion and you should give examples which can be from your own experience, from historical or scientific facts, from current affairs etc. Use a formal style, good linking words, make sure there is a logical progression and don’t repeat yourself.

Linking words

Linking words help you to connect ideas and sentences, so that people can follow your ideas.

Giving examples

For exampleFor instanceNamely

The most common way of giving examples is by using for example or for instance.

Namely refers to something by name."There are two problems: namely, the expense and the time."

Adding information

AndIn additionAs well asAlsoTooFurthermoreMoreoverApart fromIn addition toBesides

Ideas are often linked by and. In a list, you put a comma between each item, but not before and.

Summarising

In shortIn briefIn summaryTo summariseTo concludeIn conclusion

We normally use these words at the beginning of the sentence to give a summary of what we have said or written.

Sequencing ideas

The former, … the latterFirstly, secondly, finallyThe first point isLastlyThe following

The former and the latter are useful when you want to refer to one of two points."Marketing and finance are both covered in the course. The former is studied in the first term and the latter is studied in the final term."Firstly, … secondly, … finally (or lastly) are useful ways to list ideas.It's rare to use "fourthly", or "fifthly". Instead, try the first point, the second point, the third point and so on.The following is a good way of starting a list.

Giving a reason

Due to / due to the fact thatOwing to / owing to the fact thatBecauseBecause ofSinceAs

Due to and owing to must be followed by a noun.

Giving a result

ThereforeSoConsequentlyThis means thatAs a result

Therefore, so, consequently and as a result are all used in a similar way.

Contrasting ideas

ButHoweverAlthough / even thoughDespite / despite the fact thatIn spite of / in spite of the fact thatNeverthelessNonethelessWhileWhereasUnlikeIn theory… in practice…But is more informal than however. It is not normally used at the beginning of a sentence.

Article: If you enjoy reading magazines & newspapers and you have noticed the journalistic style of writing, then this could be a good choice, but it is quite difficult to do well. Magazine articles use journalistic headlines and sub-headings. They often use rhetorical questions. You must get the reader’s full attention and give some opinion or comment.

Review: This is to describe and give a personal opinion of a book, a film, a restaurant, a holiday, a website… Use your own experience and conclude with your recommendation. Keep the register formal or semi formal.

Report: This option usually demands factual information which you should present in a clear, logical way. Use subheadings, don’t use contractions and make sure you control your tenses. Is the report about something which happened in the past or which is going to happen at some future date? You can invent some data or statistics to make the report seem real (eg: the vast majority of students (85%) were in favour of ….). Your personal recommendation can be given throughout the report or in conclusion at the end of the report.

One more thing:

We do not want to see “indeed” used four

times in 180 words and we don’t want to see more than

two exclamation marks in your text either.

Part I A letter or email

You saw this job advertisement in a magazine called “Jobs A broad“ Read the advertisement and the notes you have made. Then write an email application for the job, using all your notes. Write 120-150 words.

We are looking for Sports and Activities Organisers for our Summer Camp for teenagers in Scotland.

Email us and tell us why you want the job and could bring to it.

It doesn’t matter where you come from as long as you have agood command of English.

Accomodation will be provided

To: INFO@CAMP.UK.CO.UKFrom: JOANNA MURDOCH

Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to apply for the post of Sports and Activities organiser, as advertised in Jobs Abroad magazine.

I would very much welcome the opportunity to spend the summer working at Camp UK in Scotland as | enjoy working with teenagers, and would also like to get to know more about life and customs in the UK. Moreover, | am a keen sportsperson and enjoy horse- riding, tennis and volleyball.

I have a good command of English, having studied it at school for eight years, and I have also spent a month at a summer school in lreland.

I would be grateful if you could tell me what type of accommodation you provide and what it costs. Could you also let me know when you will be holding the interviews?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully Joanna Murdoch

I

•If you begin the letter or email with Dear Sir or Madam, finish with Yours faithfully. If you begin with Dear (Mr Smfth), finish with Yours sincerely.

•Start by saying why you are writing.

•Divide the letter into three or four short paragraphs, each with its own topic.

•If you expect a reply to your letter write I look forward to hearing from you.' after the final paragraph.

•Use linking words to join ideas and sentences.

•Refer to the input information but do not copy out large parts of it.

•Use a style appropriate to the situation, and maintain the same style throughout the letter or email.

Giving a reason for writing

I’m writing to apply for…….

I’m writing to enquire about….

I’m writing to complain about….

I’m writing to response to……..

Applying for a job

I have considerable experience of……

I consider myself to be……………

I would welcome the opportunity to….

Requesting information

I’d be greatful if you could me………..

Could you please let me know…….

Complaining

I wish to complain in the strongest possible terms about…………..

I’m not satisfied with……………….

Part 2 A letter

You have received a letter from a friend in an English-speaking country, telling you what they did in the summer holidays. Write a letter back telling them what you did in the holidays. Write 120-180 words.

Invent a name for the personyou are writing to.

Mention the correspondencethat you have received. Thankthe person for it or react to it insome way.

Use informal language,contractions, some shortSentences phrasal verbs and(one or two) exclamationmarks.

Divide the letter into three orfour short paragraphs, eachwith its own topic.

Finish the letter with aninformal phrase such asLove, Lots of love, Take careor All the best.

Dear Sally

Thanks for your letter. It sounds like you had a greatsummer. I really enjoyed the holidays too, but theyweren't long enough!

As soon as school broke up I went off to Spain with myparents. We stayed in a lovely little village on the northcoast and spent loads of time on the beach or walking inthe mountains.

When I came back I spent three works working in acafe. At first I was in the kitchen, washing up - I hatedthat. But after a while the boss let me take orders andserve customers. That was much more fun, and I gotsome good tips too. In the final week of the holiday Iwent and stayed with my cousins. We just lazed aroundand spent most of the time watching DVDs' Then it wasback to school.

Anyway I'd better stop here as I've got quite a lot ofhomework to get through before tomorrow'

How's school going? Write again soon with more news'

Love Laura

Starting the letter Thanks very much for your letter. It was good to hear from you.

How have you been?

How are things with you and your family?

I'm sorry I haven’t written for ages.

Finishing the letter

Anyway, that’s all for now.

I’d better to stop here. I have got to…..

Write again soon

I look forward to seeing you again soon.

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