CAE ESSAY

- is usually written for an academic tutor and may be written as a follow-up to a class activity, such
as attending a seminar or watching a documentary. The main purpose of the task is to underline
relevant/noticeable/prominent/salient issues on the stated topic, and to support an argument with
secondary/subsidiary/lesser/minor points and reasons. An essay should be well organised, with an
introduction, clear development and an appropriate conclusion. It should hold the target reader’s
attention and communicate complex ideas using an appropriate range of vocabulary and structures.
PURPOSE OF A CAE ESSAY
- to present an argument and give reasons for this.
- to give opinions and to agree or disagree in a formal or neutral register.
- feel free to agree or disagree with the opinions given in the task, or discuss both sides.
STRUCTURE OF A CAE ESSAY
 4 or 5 PARAGRAPHS, with introduction and conclusion.

1. The first paragraph should be a general introduction of two or three sentences.

There are 3 easy-to-learn introduction types:
- A question
- A quotation
- A surprising fact

2. In the middle paragraphs develop your arguments. (a negative argument/paragraph

and a positive argument).
- Use a variety of conversational/discursive words and phrases Use formal
language. Don’t use contractions (we’re, I’ve etc.)
- State and describe the status quo, identify the problem/the flaw in the given
situation. Explain what is wrong and why (give reasons to support your
argument. Give examples where possible); when you give an example, analyse
it and conclude about it.

3. The final paragraph is the best place to express your opinion clearly. It is a
conclusion of two o three sentences.
Effective planning and paragraphing is important in essay writing, as is the appropriate use of
linking words and phrases. Students also need practice in writing appropriate opening and
concluding paragraphs.

Try something like this:

1. ANSWER THE QUESTION.

2. PLAN your essay.
3. REVISE your essay to correct mistakes.
TIME MANAGEMENT

 Planning – 5-10 minutes (Where can I use a passive form? Where can I use an inversion?
What CAE-level vocabulary do I know about this topic, and where can I use it? How do I
link from one paragraph to the next?)

 Writing – 25-30 minutes

 Checking - 10 minutes

Organising a text, using linking words, and getting all the content points is a great start, but
for a high grade you'll need to use advanced vocabulary and more difficult sentence
structures.

In the planning stage of the exam think about which high-level words you know for that topic
and think in which paragraph you can use them. For example, if the topic is about transport
you might use phrases like 'mass transit system', 'to commute', 'congestion,' and 'pressed for
time'.

 write an academic text in neutral/formal style, and be persuasive while having a

good structure, using linking phrases etc.
 Keep the reader in mind. Make sure you follow their instructions and that they can
understand what your points are.
 You don’t need to include a title. It’s okay if you do.
 You have more access to a wider range of language if you have a negative point and
a positive point.
 Your essay doesn’t have to be factually accurate! Lie/make things up if it helps your
essay!
 Keep the reader interested by using great vocabulary and introducing surprises.
 Learn how to check your work to spot simple mistakes and places where you could
improve the language you’ve used.

Relative clauses

You need to learn the difference between defining and non-defining relative clauses. Your
non-defining clauses need commas, while your defining clauses shouldn't have commas.

I had lunch with my grandfather, who is 90 years old. (The second half of the sentence tells
you more about my grandfather. It's bonus information, so there has to be a comma.)

I had lunch with my friend who lives in Prague. (I am very cool and popular - I have lots of
friends. If I say 'I had lunch with my friend' you don't know which friend I mean. So the 'who
lives in Prague' clause gives you essential information. Therefore, no comma!)

Note that non-defining pronouns cannot be changed to 'that', so you should never write a
comma followed by 'that'. (This is especially a problem for German speakers because in
German you HAVE to use a comma before 'that'.)
Gerund vs infinitive

Gerund means the -ing form of a verb. This is a tricky part of grammar because there are no
rules and you have to learn every verb one by one. English! Argh! Anyway, make sure you
know these structures:

I used to live in China (= I lived in China).I'm used to hearing German (= hearing German is
normal for me).

I look forward to meeting you.

I stopped smoking (= I quit).I stopped to smoke (= I stopped what I was doing because I
wanted to have a cigarette).

I recommend buying new computer equipment. (Suggest and advise are also followed by
gerunds.) I recommend you buy new computer equipment.

Conditional Clauses – type 2, 3

Inversions- to emphasize facts, ideas, feelings

Mastering the tenses (use of Perfect tenses)

Alternate active and passive voice

Use of general and specific questions

Alternate if –clauses and inversions in the same complex sentence, use of imperatives

TIP

- instead of writing like this:

A lot of politicians say they will improve bus and train services. Having trains is good for people who
have to go to work. It means they don't have to take the car to work. It is probably faster. If everyone
takes a train to work there won't be any traffic jams.

You can produce this:

Why do progressive politicians pledge to provide mass transit systems in their cities? The answer is
clear:  Not only do pressed-for-time commuters benefit, but there is also  less pollution. Let
congestion  be a thing of the past; let flowers bloom next to every tram stop.

In those three sentences there is one question; one colon; one semi-colon; one 'not only but also';
one imperative. Not bad, right? You can write like this if you practice and if you're not afraid to
make some mistakes along the way.
 Useful phrases (Writing essays)
Stating facts

Formal: It is certainly true that…; It is certainly the case that…; Undoubtedly…; Undeniably…;
Unquestionably…Neutral: Without a doubt…; Clearly…Informal: Obviously…; Of course…; It goes
without saying that…

Making general points

Formal: As a general rule…; For the most part…Neutral: Generally…; In general…; In most cases…; On
the whole…Informal: Generally speaking…

Introducing supporting facts

Formal: Recent research has shown…; There is evidence to suggest…Neutral: The latest figures
suggest that…

Suggesting causes

Formal: This could be a result of…; This may be attributable to…Neutral: This could be because…; This
could/may/might be due to…Informal: Perhaps this is because…

Making additional points

Formal: It is also the case that…; In addition…; Furthermore…; More importantly…; More
significantly…Neutral: It is also true that…; What is more…Informal: Another reason for this
could/may/might be…; Besides…; Also…; On top of this…; Another thing…

Stating results

Formal: Thus…; Consequently…; This has the effect of…Neutral: Therefore…; As a result…; For this
reason…Informal: So…

Presenting alternative views

Formal: Nevertheless…; Nonetheless…; It can be argued that…Neutral: Even so…; However…; On the
other hand…; Despite this…

Suggesting something is not true

Formal: It is not necessarily the case that…Neutral: It is not necessarily true that…; Not everyone
agrees that…; It seems unlikely that…Informal: It is not very likely that…

Contradicting a statement

Neutral: In actual fact…; In reality…

Writing about the present

Formal: Currently…Neutral: Nowadays…; These days…; Recently…; In recent years…Informal: Today…

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1wiqmSghmuXPurjlFuhgroPXii2IhQ6A2WiXzToShhhU/edit#
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