Addition In Addition Similarly Likewise as well as Besides furthermore Also moreover And then too Not only but

even

Sequence Firstly/Initially Secondly/Begin with then Next/Earlier/Later After this/that Following this/that

Consequence As a result Thus so Therefore Consequently It follows that Thereby Eventually Then in that case Admittedly

Contrast However On the other hand despite In spite of Though Although But On the contrary Otherwise Yet/Instead of Rather Whereas Nevertheless Even Though Compared with In contrast Alternatively

Formal Inform me Cancel Contact Obtain Apologise Postpone Request Compensate Establish Discover Handle Investigate Tolerate Increase Children Many / Much Many / Much

Informal Let me know Drop Get in touch Get Say sorry Delay Ask for Make up Set up Find out Deal with Check up on Put up Go up Kids A lot of Heaps of

AGREEMENT: also, plus, in addition, further, furthermore, moreover, additionally, to add to that, next, in accordance with, accordingly, in agreement, finally, for instance, for example, in exemplification, exemplifying that, in fact, factually speaking, in terms of, and so forth, looking at the nexus between, in coordination with, along those lines, collectively speaking, generally speaking, indeed, undoubtedly, obviously, to be sure. CONTRAST: however, contrastingly, in contrast, on the contrary, on the other hand, To put it into perspective, from a different angle, nonetheless, nevertheless, but, yet, a catch to this is, sadly enough, as a hindrance, looking at the holdups, oddly enough, instead, in direct opposition, still, and rather. RESULT: as a result, as a consequence, consequently, thus, therefore, hence, thereby, resulting in, ultimately, in the end, finally, in the overall analysis, in hindsight, in retrospect, retrospectively, vicariously, the long term effect, as a short term result, significantly, as a major effect, effectively, heretofore, hereafter, thereafter, in short, generally, over all, concluding.

General Training Writing Task 1 You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. Write a letter to a teacher asking for a reference letter for a job and explain: - Why you have chosen him to write the reference letter - What kind of job you are applying for - Why you think you are suitable for this job You should write at least 150 words. Model Answer Dear Mr. Moloisa, As you are aware, this month marks my foray into the working world, having graduated my studies with you at Watsons Photographer College. I am writing to you to request your aid in my transition from student to an employed professional. As your top scholar last year, I am sure you will be happy to hear my chosen career path is photography. Thanks to your gruelling courses, I feel I am completely prepared to take on a professional challenge and am excited to tell you I have been offered to attend the initial employment screening at National Geographic Magazine. As part of this process, I am required to submit a reference letter written by a third party of notable acclaim among the global photography community. Of course, I was hoping I could ask you to be this person. I would be very grateful for any kind words you could compose on my behalf to help make this opportunity at National Geographic Magazine possible for me. Thanking you in advance, Ryan

Write a letter to the manager of your local bus service. They have recently made some changes to the bus services which created inconveniences for you. In your letter, explain: -what are the changes -what are the problems you are facing -what part of the service would you like to change

You should write at least 150 words.

Model Answer Dear Sir/Madam, I am a regular patron of your transit service and am writing in response to a recent change you made to the transit schedule. You see, I am one of many commuters who transfer at Glasgow Central station from bus 22D to bus 33A during my commute home. Prior to your schedule changes, I had more than enough time to do this. However, according to the new schedule the 22D gets to Glasgow Central at 17:44, which is 4 minutes after the 33A departs. As the 33A runs on the hour, the next available departure is not until 16:40. As you can imagine, this has caused a lot of grief for my fellow travellers and I as we are required to wait almost an hour simply because the routes no longer line up correctly. I would be most grateful if the Glasgow Transit Company could look into this matter and consider reinstating the former schedule to allow these routes to match up more precisely. Sincerely, Ryan

You have read an article in a newspaper about someone you know. Write a letter to the editor as follows: - describe the article, - explain what details were wrong in the article and what the correct ones are, - suggest what he/she should do about the article. You should write at least 150 words. Model Answer To the editor of the Vancouver Political Observer, I am writing to you regarding an article you published yesterday on the Editorial page of your Local News section. Your portrayal of my friend, political activist Stanley Jackson, is completely inaccurate. In the article, you accuse Stanley of being a politician with little

regard for the environment. Having known Stanley for twenty years, I can tell you that Mr. Jackson cares highly for nature. In fact, only two weeks ago he sponsored the establishment of a tree farm and will be the guest of honour when it opens. You may also be surprised to learn that Mr. Jacksons home has been completely outfitted with solar panels, making him among the first people in our township to operate entirely off of green energy.

What I would like to see is a reprint of your article with all inaccuracies corrected. Further, out of decency, I think the least you could do is publish a public apology to Mr. Jackson for defaming him this way. Expecting prompt action, Ryan

Write a letter to a friend expressing your interest to seek employment in a different country. Your letter should include: - Why you want to work in a different country - What type of work you will be looking for - Questions you have about working in a different country that your friend may be able to answer You should write at least 150 words. Model Answer Dear Praveen, I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to let you know that I have decided to follow in your footsteps and seek employment abroad. Like you, Im very curious about the world and want to use my career as a tool to help open up some opportunities for travel. You will be happy to hear that I finally finished my Political Science degree. If possible, I want to use this educational base to find work in an embassy somewhere. However, I am still unsure exactly which country I would like to venture to. I was hoping your experience working in Germany, France and Russia could help guide me to a suitable place. If you dont mind my asking, which of those three countries would you most recommend living in? Do you think the fact that I only speak English will prove a problem? As you can probably guess, I am beside myself with excitement at the prospect of having a totally new living experience. Thus, I am really looking forward to reading your reply.

Until then, Ryan

Write a letter to a manufacturer to ask them to arrange production of a new item for you. Please say - What item do you need? - Why do you need it? You should write at least 150 words. Model Answer To the engineering team at Quanta Manufacturing, I am writing to you to request the production of a new bicycle chain that fits our Go Cycle model. Allow me to go into a bit of detail regarding the situation on our side. Basically, we here are Sports World have received numerous customer complaints that the chains on our Go Cycles snap too quickly. As you can imagine, this has done little to support our brand positioning as a supplier of quality mountaineering goods. After testing the chains, we realized that their defectiveness is due to their being made of subpar steel. Thus from this day forward, we would like you to manufacture Go Cycle chains using the highest grade of steel available to you. We realize this will affect the price and accept any new quotation you provide within reason. Thank you for your understanding. Your professional partner, Ryan Head of Purchasing Sports World You are preparing an event in the countryside. Write a letter to your friend and ask for help with the arrangements. In your letter include: - what the event is - why the event is being held - what arrangements have already been made - how your friend can help

You should write at least 150 words. Model Answer Dear Patrick, I hope you and your wife have been enjoying you summer holiday. My wife and I have started pulling together plans for this years company barbecue. I am writing to share some details regarding the event and ask whether you would be able to help with a few of the remaining tasks.

As you know, the barbecue has become a highly anticipated annual tradition for everyone at our company. This year, the meet up is going to be held in Paxton Park, behind the church on Gladsdale Avenue and Riverside Street. My wife has reserved a rented canopy in case of rain and we are planning on getting the Texan restaurant Bubbas to cater food and drinks. However, we feel a little strapped for time considering we still have a handful of errands to finish before the big day. Thus, I was hoping you could find time to complete and distribute the invitations. I think any basic invitation template on your computer should suit. I can email you the guest list this evening. Please let me know as soon as you can whether this would be possible or not. Many thanks, Ryan

Write a letter to your professor outlining why you are not satisfied with their course. In your letter: - write the reasons why you are not satisfied with the course - request to change your course - indicate what course you want to take instead You should write at least 150 words. Model Answer Dear Sir, I am one of your 101 Introduction to Economics students here at Homer University. I am writing to you to request that I be allowed to skip this entry course and study at the 201 Economic Theory level.

You see, last year I transferred to Homer from Klassen University. Unfortunately, despite having studied an economics course at Klassen (which covered all topics present in your course), I was not allowed to apply this credit to my studies here at Homer. Having now studied with you these past two weeks, it has become blatantly apparent that I am not going to be learning anything new at the 101 level. Thus, I would be most grateful if you would consider looking at my case and high academic performance at Klassen. I am sure that following this you will feel confident in graduating me to the 201 level. Please kindly let me know if we can meet sometime next week to further discuss this matter. Awaiting your reply, Ryan

You successfully passed a job interview. You are expected to start on November 15, but you will not be available on that date. Task: Write a letter to your new boss, explaining your situation, expressing your concern and suggesting solution. Dear Sir/Madam, I am Leonardo Gomes and I have recently passed a job interview for the Software Engineer position at the Software Infrastructure group. I was expected to start on November 15, as agreed, and am writing because unfortunately I will not be able to present myself on that date. During the interview I estimated fifteen days as the amount of time needed for me to finish my activities at my current job and start at your company, but due to fact that I got sick for the last whole week and was not able to work, I could not finish my tasks and will need another week to do so. If necessary, I can give you a copy of a letter from my doctor informing that I had to stay at home and under medical care during that week. I really apologize for the inconvenience and expect it not to affect our relationship. Should I present any other form of proof or talk to someone else at the company, please let me know. Faithfully yours, Leonardo

This is how they grade your essay: you receive points for Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy. Looks heavy? Never mind, here comes the simple English version: Task Response means that your essay shows that you understood and covered the topic from all its sides, aspects, etc. Lets take this topic for example Internet: connecting or isolating people?. Those who chose to write about how Internet connects people loose marks, those who chose to write about how Internet isolates people loose marks, those who compare and contrast both sides of the Internet and give arguments for and against gain marks. Coherence and Cohesion means how well you connected the paragraphs and sentences inside each paragraph. You see, all of your paragraphs need to be logically connected. For example, if paragraph 1 explains the advantages of the Internet, and paragraph 2 explains its disadvantages, then paragraph 1 should have last sentence saying something like this: In spite of Internet being such a help in communication, its drawbacks cannot be overlooked. This sentence creates the connection between 1st and 2nd paragraphs. If it wasnt there, examiner could think that you jumped from advantages to disadvantages without a reason. The same rule applies to sentences inside the paragraph. Every sentence should lead to the next one. Because of this, As this shows, As can clearly be seen from this example, It is clear that Thus, the idea that To illustrate this, After analysing both points of view, To provide a summary, Without a doubt, this causes Lexical Resource means vocabulary and different types of sentences, simple and complex. You should be able to use words and their synonyms. Grammatical Range and Accuracy means spelling and grammar of sentences. You should be able to spell the words correctly, do not forget articles a and the, punctuations is also important, etc you get the picture, dont you? One more important thing to know: the four criteria are equally weighted. It means that if you forgot about Coherence and Cohesion in your essay, you will lose 1/4 of your essay points.

Introduction paragraph A background sentence giving some background information on the essay topic. A more detailed sentence linking the background sentence to the thesis. A thesis that presents your point of view on your given topic. An outline sentence declaring the 2 points you are going to use to support your thesis. Supporting paragraph 1 A topic sentence illustrating the first point you will be presenting to support your thesis (this point taken from your outline sentence). A sentence showing a real-life example of this topic in action. A discussion sentence that shows how your example links or proves your topic sentence. A conclusion sentence that links this entire paragraph back to your thesis. Supporting paragraph 2 A topic sentence illustrating the second point you will be presenting to support your thesis (this point taken from your outline sentence). A sentence showing a real-life example of this topic in action. A discussion sentence that shows how your example links or proves your topic sentence. A conclusion sentence that links this entire paragraph back to your thesis. Conclusion paragraph A summary sentence that briefly states the 2 points you discussed in your supporting paragraphs. A restatement of your thesis using different words. A prediction or recommendation based on the topic you have been given.

General Training Writing Task 2 You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Some people believe that universities are producing more graduates than needed, and that less emphasis should be placed on university education. Others are of a different opinion. Discuss both views and include your own opinion. You should write at least 250 words. Model Answer As the world develops, the opportunity to achieve a tertiary education is becoming more widespread. This has led many to question whether larger numbers of university graduates is a positive trend. However, others counter than university does more than simply provide employment opportunities. Both of these arguments will be analysed before a reasoned conclusion is reached. On the one hand, many feel the rising number of university graduates today causes more harm than good. For example, graduates from Canadian universities have to wait for employment simply because there are no working opportunities for them to engage in. Despite this, Canadian labour-related job openings are booming. This example shows a disparity that is common in many parts of the world and makes clear that achieving a higher education can actually be the precursor to unemployment. Thus, it is understandable why many support the argument that less emphasis should be put on garnering a university education. However, in contrast to this stance, there are those who believe higher education provides more to people than simply job related skill sets. For instance, the analytical skills honed by university graduates in the United States give them a heightened perception and deeper understanding of the world. Although this benefit does little by way of professional development, it gives people the chance to develop and challenge themselves personally. This makes it is clear why many do not agree with reducing the enthusiasm for higher education. After analysing these stances on university, it is felt the argument to lessen educational emphasis holds little water. It is hoped the world continues to push its young people towards the challenges offered through higher learning.

In the past lecturers could teach a certain number of students in one lecture hall. With the development of new technology its hard to justify the reason to participate in the lecture physically and not via the Internet. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? What is your personal opinion?

You should write at least 250 words. Model Answer Traditionally, lectures were given in large rooms to accommodate equally large audiences. With the advent of modern technology, this arrangement is being challenged by the option for students to attend class online. However, it is felt traditional lecture hall talks are beneficial to students and will never completely be replaced by the Internet. This will be shown by looking at how both the theatrical nature and possibility for face-to-face debate during an in-person lesson cater to the learning experience of an individual in a way that technology simply cannot. Firstly, lectures provide students with an element of theatre, which can be positive for their education. For example, while studying at university in Canada, I was once involved in a course that was televised in my city. During the first semester, I engaged in the classes solely by watching this broadcast from home and found myself to become quite lethargic and unenthusiastic regarding the content. However, during the second semester I was informed that as a registered student I could attend the classroom sessions of the same course and discovered this change revitalized my interest in the topics being discussed. As my experience shows, being present for a lecture physically can have positive effects on students. In addition to this, classroom lectures allow students to strengthen their wit and abilities as orators and this is not possible on the Internet. For example, although university classes usually have an online forum to provide a context for debate, this medium does not completely replicate the challenge faced when presenting and defending ideas in front of a live audience. Thus, the idea that traditional lecture-styled learning is less effective for students than more modern methods can be debunked. After analysing how traditional in-class lessons benefit the academic process, it is felt that this style of learning will never be replaced entirely by technology.

Many people believe that teachers should teach students how to judge right from wrong and how to behave, while others think they should just teach academic subjects. What is your opinion? You should write at least 250 words. Model Answer Teaching is the art of transferring information from one human being to another. A good teacher is someone who can make this process happens smoothly. It is argued that instructors should make efforts to teach not only academic subjects but also those pertaining to basic ethics and proper behaviour. To prove this, the

heightened abilities of a teacher to instill ideas and the community-related benefits of morality-based lessons will be analyzed. Firstly, teachers are trained to communicate ideas effectively and applying these skills to the areas of morality and behaviour is a positive thing. For example, Canadian Catholic schools engage students in lessons that challenge them to clearly distinguish moral choices from immoral ones. As these sorts of lessons are typically part of a spiritual studies program, they are not found in Canadian public schools. Interestingly, Canadian public schools have much higher incidences of youth hostility and drug use and much lower high school graduation rates. Thus, when Canadian Catholic schools are compared to their public counterparts, the effects of the moral and behavioural lessons teachers impart to their students can be clearly seen as beneficial. In addition to this, standardised classes instructing young people how to behave can help to preserve the values of a community from one generation to the next. Take China as an example. The Chinese education system to this day includes the teachings of Confucius, which stress the honouring of ones parents. As anyone who has been to China can attest, young people tend to obey the will of their parents regardless of its nature. Thus, the teachings of behaviour by classroom instructors are effective in ensuring the values of a community are upheld from one generation to another. After looking at how the teaching of behaviour and morality can be efficiently accomplished by teachers and further how these teachings help prevent the erosion of societal values, it is concluded that teachers should instruct students how to judge right from wrong and how to behave. It is hoped global lessons on morality grow increasingly similar in nature in the years to come.

Reducing global environmental damage should be handled by governments rather than individuals. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer and provide relevant examples from your own experience. You should write at least 250 words. Model Answer The rate at which the Earth is being damaged through human activity is alarming. As awareness of this disturbing situation grows, actions are increasingly being taken to meet the challenge. Although world governments play key roles in the question of environmental health, it is strongly disagreed that their environmental efforts negate those of individuals. I will use both a personal experience I have had as well as non-government inspired initiatives undertaken in my country to illustrate this position. Firstly, the sizeable contribution an individual can make in the worlds attempt to cleanse itself should not be underestimated. I feel the changes I have made to

my own lifestyle act as a good example here. Four years ago, I made a conscious effort to start taking the subway to work instead of driving after realizing I had been burning an entire tank of gas every week. The effect of this small change over the course of four years became magnified when I realized I had refrained from burning more than two hundred full car tanks of gas! Thus, although there are many things that governments can do to help fight environmental damage, the individual still plays a huge role. In addition to this, much non-government related entities have also been making inroads in the battle for a cleaner world. For example, at many of the universities in Canada, there are student groups that work to raise awareness of the lifestyle changes people can make to better help the environment. These independent groups help put a face to a message and really push people to alter themselves for the benefit of the natural world. As this makes clear, projects aimed at preserving the Earth do not have to be government-run to make a difference. As my experiences show, the worlds governments should not solely handle the issue of global environmental damage. It is hoped that the future sees more people contribute to this cause in any way they can. In most parts of the world people are living longer. What are the possible causes of this situation? Is this a negative or positive development? You should write at least 250 words. Model Answer Longevity in the world over has been increasing for a variety of reasons. Babies born today enjoy much longer life spans than those of their parents. It is argued that this increase is a positive phenomenon and that the main causes of it are both the deepening of medical understanding and the sharing of such information between people via tools like the Internet. These causes will be examined in detail to prove their value in the lengthening of worldwide life spans. Firstly, medical advancements over the last century have allowed people to postpone death. Among the more significant discoveries that made this possible is the development of antibiotics. Antibiotics, now available to most people the world over, dramatically lower incidences of infection and have thus greatly curbed the number of people the world over who die due to diseases once thought incurable. Thus, advancements in science can be seen as one of the more major contributors to the extending of worldwide life spans. Secondly, the Internet and the information shared across it has made the debunking of ineffective medical practices much easier. For example, medical folklore in countries like Ghana and rural China dictate new mothers avoid washing themselves for a month after giving birth. Before tools like the Internet, ridiculous and unsanitary practices such as this were widely believed to be in the best interests of the mothers health. Today, few people in either country would

argue in favour of this postnatal tradition. Thus, the Internet has allowed people to share life-promoting information the world over. In conclusion, human life is precious and the global extending of life spans should be seen as positive. It is hoped medical discoveries continue to increase in number and that access to the Internet continues to grow, allowing longevity to be a pleasure enjoyed everywhere.

The costs of international travel are decreasing and tourism is growing. What are the advantages and disadvantages of increasing tourism activity in different countries? You should write at least 250 words. Model Answer Tourism is often touted as an industry that will never shrink in size. In other words, as the world develops, more and more people will be able to travel. Although many may see this as a positive phenomenon, it is not a trend without drawbacks. Both the advantages and disadvantages of this topic will be analyzed before a reasoned conclusion is reached. On the one hand, the reduction in travel fare and the increasing of global tourism can be seen as a positive event as it promotes intercultural understanding and global harmony. For example, many Middle Eastern states have opened their doors and embraced tourism over the last twenty years and this has helped shed prejudiced views internationally that all Middle Eastern countries are dangerous. This development clearly shows the benefits of an increasing international tourism industry. In addition to this, tourism creates new opportunities for trade. For example, many Chinese tourists are bringing back products from foreign countries that are currently unavailable in China. These new trade ties are great for the health of the entire global economy and can be seen as yet another positive ramification resulting from increased tourism. On the other hand, the international tourism industry does pose some disadvantages. For one, money travelling into countries through tourism can lead to the establishment of some morally questionable activity. To name a few, tourist hotspots in developing countries are often rife with theft problems, maimed beggars and prostitution. The inflaming of these issues as a result of increased tourism is an obvious disadvantage to the growing global travel industry. Following this analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of tourism and the falling travel prices that are making it more possible, it is felt tourism has more benefits than drawbacks. It is hoped the growth in global intercultural understanding continues uninterrupted as tourism increases.

Popular events like the football World Cup and other international sporting occasions are essential in easing international tensions and releasing patriotic emotions in a safe way. Every four years, the whole world stops to watch international sporting events such as the Olympics and the Football World Cup in which athletes show their best performance to make their country proud of them. These sporting occasions have proved to be helpful in easing international tensions in difficult times when powerful leaders were trying to control the worlds economy and other governments were fighting over land. The Olympic Games are one of the best examples which prove how sporting events can bring nations together, at least temporarily. From ancient History, when Greeks and Romans would interrupt battles to participate in the games, to the more recent international disputes, when athletes from Palestine and Israel would forget their differences, compete pacifically and even embrace each other after an event. Moreover, these popular events have called the worlds attention to the terrible consequences of wars; thus some leaders have tried to accept agreements to end their dispute and live peacefully. Similarly, international sporting events show benefits in some developing countries which live in a daily internal civil war. For example, Brazil has a high rate of unemployment, lack of education, hunger, crime, poverty and corruption which leads to an immense embarrassment of being Brazilian and a low selfesteem. However, when the Football World Cup starts, the Brazilian squad, which is considered the best team in the world, provokes an amazing feeling of pride in their country. Most people seem to forget all their problems and even the criminal activity decreases. They paint roads with the national colours, use wear the Brazilian team shirt and buy national flags. Moreover, the competition brings families and neighbours together and even rival gangs watch the games and celebrate peacefully. In conclusion, popular sporting events play an important role in decreasing international tensions and liberating patriotic feelings as History has shown.

Several languages die every year. Many people feel this is a positive trend and that a world with fewer languages promotes harmony and understanding between people. Analyze both sides of this argument and provide your opinion. You should write at least 250 words. Model Answer Many languages around the world die every year, often replaced with more widely spoken dialects. Opinions as to whether this is a positive or negative

trend are mixed. On one hand, people feel sharing a common language may help to encourage economic development in the world. However on the other hand, many feel the losing of languages is a negative trend that makes it increasingly difficult to trace humanitys heritage. Both of these accounts will be examined before a conclusion is reached. As many attest, the global adoption of a single language can do a lot in promoting economic development. For example, all export companies in China hire English speaking people to help them communicate with foreign buyers. The growth in trade that comes as a result of this effort to speak the worlds language does a lot to create jobs and industries around the world. Thus it can be understood why many people support this point of view. However, other people would argue that the rapid reduction of the worlds languages is making it increasingly hard to trace where and how people evolved. For example, during colonial times many lesser spoken African languages were replaced with English, French and Dutch. This phenomenon has understandably caused major problems for modern day historians, as these old and forgotten languages render many of the recovered historical records and artefacts indecipherable. After analyzing both sides of this argument, it is felt that more good comes from the global adoption of a single language than the preservation and practice of older languages. Thus, it is hope the world continues to move towards a single, standardized linguistic system.