Etiqueta: B2 FCE writing

Cómo escribir una crítica en inglés

como escribo una revista en inglés

Adrian

Review Subject : Favourite TV show.
Audience : general public
Register : relaxed semi formal
Vocabulary : television, humour, horror etc., feelings, adjectives, nouns, fixed phrases.
Key Points: this changes depending on the Review Subject. For example there is no point talking about the score (music) in my example using The Simpsons.

Paragraph 1 – Grab the reader’s attention and introduce the Subject. Use a rhetorical question to engage your audience.

Have you ever sat at work counting the minutes until you can go home to watch your favourite TV show? This is my Tuesday and Thursday ritual, a quick goodbye to work colleagues followed by a mad dash home and thirty minutes of top notch entertainment and escapism. So what is it that has me flouting (Google it) the speeding laws? Quite possibly the funniest programme on TV right now – the Simpsons.

Paragraph 2
A review always contains some factual information or background. It shows you know your subject.

Created by Matt Groenig the Simpsons offers up a feast of slapstick comedy as it portrays the ups and downs of a typical dysfunctional American family. What makes this zany American sitcom different is the fact that it’s an animation – yes, a cartoon.

paragraph 3 – give more detail about one or two characters and highlight the script or acting etc.

The superbly crafted script is packed with one liners and and squeezes every single last drop of comedy gold from each word. The matriarch Marge steals the show….

paragraph 4 – Opinion
Say you like it and why others should see it.

I can’t praise this show highly enough – it truly is a «must see» for anyone who enjoys superb comedy.

Remember
• Vocabulary is your best friend.
• Use nouns and fixed phrases, also compound nouns/adjectives, example : overnight success, page-turner.
•Use simple structures but make them complex using vocabulary, adverbs, adjectives etc.

It takes time to write well in another language. Some people find it hard to write well in their native language.

Escritura formal en inglés – B2, C1 y C2

Writing formal English made easy.

Adrian

Tips for writing a semi formal or formal Report in English

Articles

The most common mistake non-native speakers make when writing is with articles, and specifically the definitive article, the. Typical mistakes are with abstract nouns, for example…

The education is important. Incorrect
Education is an abstract, uncountable noun.

Education is important. Correct

Here’s a tip.
If you write a noun that finishes with…
• tion – ex. separation
• ment – ex. excitement
• ness – ex. happiness
• ism – ex. communism
• ality – ex. formality
• ity – ex. stupidity
• ogy – ex. technology

Think carefully – they are abstract!

You can use the with an abstract noun if you add a countable or more specific noun.

Example
The education system. Correct

Converting active to passive

Another simple trick is to convert active informal sentences into passive formal structures or using more formal word forms.

You told me.
I was informed

I asked for.
I requested

He gave me.
I was given

Everyone agreed.
It was the general consensus

We decided.
It was agreed.

How to transform a paragraph’s register

Transforming a basic informal paragraph into a formal paragraph is also very easy. Below is an example from a Report.

Informal
I gave students a questionnaire which they completed. I asked for their opinions and feedback on the situation at school. They responded,
• lack of space
• old software


Formal
Students were given (passive) a questionnaire to complete (infinitive of purpose). Questions were designed (passive) to solicit (infinitive of purpose / no pronouns) opinions and feedback on the current situation (colocation) at school. Responses (direct subject) were as follows: (fixed phrase/correct punctuation)
• lack of space ✓
• outdated software (word choice).

Creating a professional bullet list

Creating a bullet or numbered list
There are some simple rules about bullet and numbered lists.

You should not write a sentence after a bullet or numbered list, use between 1 – 5 words only.

The first word form in your list must be consistent, but depends on the preceding sentence and word form that introduces the list, depending on the verb pattern normally used.

Examples
Students reported : (articles)
– a lack of space
– an inability to focus
– a clumsy login procedure

Students suggested: (present participle)
– recycling more paper
– saving water
– reducing heating times

Students considered the following as important: (abstract nouns)
– Freedom to experiment
– Enforcement of school policies
– Reciprocation of shared resources

Students expressed a desire to: (infinitive)
– Share resources
– Exchange information
– Practice more speaking

Adverbios Inglés – B2 C1

adverbios en Inglés para B2 y C1

Adrian

In my opinion adverbs are equally as important as the verbs they describe.

A verb contains no information other than if it’s a fact about an action/state or the action/state in progress.

Only an adverb can give the details needed for how that action or state is done. Without them the language is boring, sterile.

Adverbs fall into 3 main categories.
Frequency
To tell us how often the action is performed or state is reached.
Used in all tenses.
example
She always feels sick when we travel by car.

Intensity
To tell us about the action/state’s strength, depth, impact and importance
Used in all tenses
example
He walked slowly to the door.

Narrative
To tell us emotional, metaphorical information about the action/state.
Used in all tenses
example
He walked painfully to the car.

Mixed adverbs add more impact and information.
example
He walked slowly, painfully towards the door.

Order
This is very complex and I would recommend that you put the adverb after the verb. There are some intensifying adverbs that must go before the verb, for example hardly.

There are many verbs that cannot go before the verb but this is because of the nature of the verb and usage.
example
The bell rang loudly. Yes
The bell loudly rang. Grammatically Yes. Usage No.

Some adverbs can be put both before and after the verb but there is a shift of emphasis.
example
They quickly kissed. = the time before they kissed was very short.
They kissed quickly. = the kiss was very short.

Adverbs that are also adjectives.
A good example of this is hard/hardly.

Hard as an adjective describes difficulty.
example
The exam was hard.

Hard as an adverb is an intensifier.
example
He studied hard for the exam.

Hardly is an intensifying adverb meaning very little.
example
He hardly studied for his exam.

Irregular adverbs
Most adverbs are formed by adding the suffix ly to an adjective but not all.

For example – good/well

Adverbs + Adjectives
We tend to use intensifiers a lot with adjectives. They always go before the adjective.
example
She is suitably skilled for the job.

The only problem is understanding that you cannot use all intensifying adverbs with every adjective. Because of this we have extreme adjectives and extreme intensifiers.

0-90% intensity
A little, Quite, Fairly, Rather, Very, Incredibly

90-100% intensity
Completely, Totally, Absolutely

These adverbs must then be used with the correct adjective depending on the adjectives own intensity.

For example – with heat
0-90%
warm, hot
It was a rather hot day90-100%
boiling, roasting, sweltering, scorching
It was scorching weather.

Really
Really is an exception and can be used to intensify all adjectives.

Some adverbs can be tricky to use because their function changes depending on context and even intonation.
For example.
A bit
Positive – quantifier
example
A bit of milk. = some milk

Positive – intensifier
example
A bit special. = very special

Negative – intensifier
example
A bit expensive. = very expensive.

Intonation/emphasis
I’d rather you pay it personally. = emphasis on you making payment.
I’d rather you pay it personally. = emphasis on my opinion.