PREPARATION 1 – Writing

Understanding the task

In the MSU-CELC Test of English Writing Ability you are required to write a composition based on one of two given
topics. You have to write as much as you can, as well as you can, within 35 minutes.

Understanding the Test of English Writing Ability

a Most topics in the Test of English Writing Ability will require you to do one of the following things.
However, more often than not, you will be asked to give an opinion.

A. Give an opinion on a given situation C. Provide suggestions / solutions for a given problem / situation
B. Respond to a hypothetical situation D. Give a description of someone / something

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NOTE: Some topics may require you to do more than one of these, e.g. give an opinion and provide suggestions.

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b Look at the following Writing Topics and match them with the task types above.

Describe your neighborhood to a friend who is coming to live there. What do you think
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your friend should know about the local shops, parks and any other important facilities?

Imagine you just told your friend that you don’t really like one of the people in your class.
2 Your friend has now gone and told that person what you said. How would you handle the
situation?
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Some people feel that if you have a well-paid job, it doesn’t really matter if you enjoy it.
3 Others feel that having a job you enjoy is much more important than how much you earn.
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Which side of the argument do you agree with?

4 Children are put under a lot of pressure at school to do well in exams, which can have a
negative impact on their health. What can be done to avoid this unnecessary pressure?
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1 Understanding what is required

GIVING AN OPINION ON A GIVEN SITUATION
In the examination, you may be asked to state and support your opinion on a given situation.

a Look at this exam task and the model composition that follows.

When we meet someone for the first time, we

usually form an impression of them based on how
they look. Does a person’s appearance truly reflect
who they are? Be sure to support your answer with
examples, reasons and explanations.

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 Preparation 1 – Writing

b Fill in the correct word to complete the model composition.

actions l appearance l decision l friendship l impression l outside

Model Composition
It is a well-known fact that most people will judge us by our (1) ............................. when they
Introduction first meet us, so perhaps it is important that we dress in a way that reflects who we are.
(Paragraph 1) However, I personally feel that it is our words and (2) ............................. that define who we
really are, not the clothes that we wear or how attractive we are.

To begin with, just because someone looks nice on the (3) ............................. doesn’t
necessarily mean they are also nice on the inside. For instance, when I first started high
school, I remember looking around on my first day and deciding there and then who my

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friends would be. However, as the weeks and months passed, I realized how ridiculous that
was. Those nicely dressed people, in their designer clothes turned out to be shallow, selfish
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(Paragraph 2 & people who were only interested in how they looked.
Paragraph 3)
This has led to me judging people by how they make me feel when I first get introduced

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to them. Do they make me feel at ease? Do they give me the (4) .............................
that they think I am a nice person? Those that do this are the people who I strike up a
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(5) ............................. with. They are the kind of people whose actions show their character,
whose kind words make you feel better about yourself.

In conclusion, I believe that we should not look at a person and make an instant
Conclusion (6) ............................. about what they are like. We should take the time to talk to them and
(Paragraph 4) get to know them a little before we judge them. Only in this way can we get a true picture of
the people we meet.
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2 Understanding the model composition

1 Which of the following does the writer do?
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1 Give an opinion in the introduction

2 Restate their opinion in the conclusion
3 Use the same words from the task in the introduction
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4 Give an example
5 Explain how they judge a person
6 Describe a person they judged wrongly

2 Find words / phrases in the model composition that mean:

1 show (introduction) ..................................
2 describe (introduction) ..................................
3 immediately (paragraph 2) ..................................
4 silly (paragraph 2) ..................................
5 relaxed (paragraph 3) ..................................
6 start (paragraph 3) ..................................
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