As easy as 1, 2, 3

WRITING
1a Listen to the head teacher of St. Anne’s secondary school introducing a meeting. What is the
meeting about?
46
1฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ 2฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀฀ 3฀ ฀ ฀ ฀

1b Listen to the rest of the meeting. Match the speakers (1-3) to the ideas (a-c).

47

1฀฀ ฀ ฀ 2฀฀ ฀ ฀ 3฀฀ ฀ ฀

฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀

a฀ ฀ b฀ ฀ c฀฀ ฀ ฀

2 Match the beginnings of the phrases the speakers use (1-8) to the endings (a-h).

Recommending and suggesting

1฀฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀
a฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀
2฀฀ ฀ ฀ ฀฀ ฀ ฀
b฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀
3฀฀฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀
c฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀
4฀ ฀฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀
d฀ ฀
Persuading e฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀
5฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ f฀ ฀
6฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ g฀
7฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ h฀ ฀ ฀ ฀
8฀฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀
฀ ฀ ฀ ฀

3a Match the examples for the use of propose, recommend and suggest (1-3) to the structures (a-c).

1฀ ฀ ฀ ฀that she takes฀ ฀ ฀ a฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀

2฀ ฀ ฀(her) taking฀ ฀ ฀ b฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀
3฀ ฀ ฀she take฀ ฀ ฀ c฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀
Propose, recommend, suggest ฀

3b Write the sentences in three different ways using the prompts.

1฀ ฀ ฀ ฀฀ ฀฀ ฀฀ ฀฀ ฀ ฀
2฀ ฀ ฀ ฀฀ ฀฀ ฀฀
3฀ ฀ ฀฀ ฀฀ ฀฀ ฀฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀
4฀ ฀ ฀ ฀฀ ฀฀ ฀฀ ฀ ฀฀ ฀
5฀ ฀ ฀฀ ฀฀ ฀ ฀฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀

4a Read Bev James’ proposal for the nurture unit. It is divided into five sections. Which section ... ?

1฀ ฀ ฀
2฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀
3฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀
4฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀
5฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀

THAT’S ENGLISH!
 UNIT 5

How to write a proposal

Proposal for a nurture

unit at St. Anne’s School
Executive summary: This document
concerns the proposal to invest £180,000
in setting up a nurture unit at St Anne’s.
Statement of need: St Anne’s is a day school
for children age 11–18 in Manchester. The
catchment area has high unemployment,
crime and drug abuse and many children
suffer from emotional and behavioural
problems, which have a negative effect on
their learning.
Project description: We propose to convert the caretaker’s house into a nurture unit. Students
assigned to this unit will follow a special curriculum learning life skills as well as numeracy and
literacy. The long-term aim is to integrate them back into a normal classroom.
Budget analysis: The estimated cost of renovating and equipping the property is £50,000, with
additional running costs for the building of £2,500 p.a. The new teaching assistants’ salary would
be £46,000.The cost of staffing the unit outside normal school hours is an additional £20,000 p.a.
Conclusion: This unit would help care for vulnerable children and enable them to access education.
It would also relieve teachers of the responsibility of dealing with violent and disturbed children,
thereby improving the whole school as an effective learning environment.

4b Look at the expressions in blue in the proposal.

Budget analysis:
Match the definitions to the correct expression.
Redecoration and refurbishment:
1฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ 30 new laptops: £10,000
2฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ A new computer science lab: £100,000
3฀฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ Insurance and maintenance: £30,00
฀ ฀ IT equipment:
4฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ Repaint and redecorate classrooms: £80,000
5฀฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀per annum฀ ฀ New canteen furniture and equipment: £40,000
per year Plants and benches for student garden: £10,000
6฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ Conclusion:฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀
1฀ ฀2฀
5a Listen again to Taslim (IT equipment) and
Stuart’s (redecoration) suggestions. Choose one
48 and make notes in the executive summary. Add 5b Write your proposal. Use your notes from
your own ideas too. activity 5a. Remember to include the following:
฀฀ ฀ ฀
Executive summary
฀฀฀ ฀ ฀
Statement of need:฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀
฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀฀฀ ฀ ฀ ฀
1฀ ฀2฀ ฀฀฀ ฀
฀฀ ฀ ฀
Project description:฀ ฀ ฀ ฀
฀฀฀ ฀

THAT’S ENGLISH!
Writing Reference Unit 5

Writing a proposal
A proposal is a text that is written to persuade a reader to follow a course of action. You
need to divide the proposal into clear sections. Your conclusion must be a suggestion based
on the factual information you have given.

PROPOSAL FOR BUILDING A COMMUNITY GARDEN

Executive summary: The aim of this proposal is to suggest the Explain the purpose of
creation of a community garden in our town. the proposal.

Statement of need: There is an abandoned plot of land in the

town centre, which is currently full of drug dealers, petty criminals
and rubbish. We suggest that this area should be transformed Give reasons why the
into a space where our citizens can meet, cooperate and learn by project is needed.
growing their own organic food. The garden would also become a
place in which to explore, relax and enjoy nature.

Project description: We propose that the Council should buy the

abandoned plot and transform it into a communal garden. A fence
should be put in place and the soil fertility should be improved Give details about
what the project will
to make it suitable for planting. We also suggest building raised involve.
beds for plants, laying pathways, adding benches and installing
a decorative fountain.

Budget analysis: The estimated price of the plot is £300,000.

The construction work would cost £40,000 and the benches and Describe how much
fountain would be an additional £25,000, making a total cost of the project will cost.
£365,000.

Conclusion: The garden will offer our citizens the unique

opportunity to connect with nature, grow their own food and at Summarise the
the same time build a stronger community. Crime and littering benefits of the
will be reduced as the garden will provide the neighbourhood project.
with a pleasant meeting place.

Writing tips:
➜ Divide up the sections under clear headings: executive summary,
statement of need, project description, budget analysis and conclusion.

➜ Be specific: explain the reasons for the project, the steps to be taken and
the benefits in detail.

➜ Write a strong conclusion by mentioning all the future benefits of the

project.

142 THAT’S ENGLISH!

Grammar Reference Unit 5

3 BOTH, ALL, NONE, NEITHER, EITHER

Both, all and none are plural when used as pronouns.
The teacher asked two students for the answer but both were wrong.
There were a few restaurants in the area but all were closed.
They offer rooms to let but none are available.

Both (of the) is always followed by a plural noun.

Both (of the) answers were right.

All (of) can be followed by singular or plural.

All (of) the money is in the bank now.
All (of) the contestants have won a prize.

None of can also be followed by a singular or plural noun. When it’s followed by a plural
noun, the verb can be singular or plural.
None of that money was ours.
None of the students is / are ready to take the test yet.

Neither (nor) and either (or) are generally used with verbs in the singular.
Neither John nor his partner wants to continue with the project.
I have talked to both of them but neither thinks the idea will work.
If either you or your daughter needs to talk to me, I’ll be in my office.

4 REVISION OF SUGGESTING AND RECOMMENDING

These verbs can be used with the following structures without a change in meaning.
propose / recommend / suggest
The guide proposed spending some time at Stonehenge.
+ -ing I recommend starting the day early.
He suggested visiting the new factory.
They proposed that we had a new meeting the following day.
The boss recommended that we checked every single piece of
+ (that) + subject + verb
information twice.
She suggested that we increased the budget for next year.
He proposed (that) we (should) spend more money on R&D.
+ (that) + subject + (should) +
His doctor recommended (that) he (should) take up yoga.
infinitive
My daughter’s teacher has suggested (that) she (should) read more.

THAT’S ENGLISH! 131