Session 8 Study Material
Session 8 – Study Material
Writing Communicative Skills
There are 2 tasks in the Writing module. You will get 53 minutes to attempt them. Writing Task 1 consists of 27 minutes, in which, you need to write an e-mail on the given topic, and, Writing Task 2 is of 26 minutes, wherein, you need to write an opinion as a response to the Survey Question. You need to write in-between 150-200 words for each task. There is also a word counter and a timer to help you keep a track of the number of words and the amount of time left.
Features of the test:
Completely a computer based test
Word count feature is available
Timer available on the top of the screen
You also have the spell check opportunity on the test screen for writing only
Types of Tasks
Task 1: Writing an Email
Task 2: Responding to Survey Questions
Task 1: Writing an Email
The email may be formal, semi-formal or informal.
The question tells you exactly what to write about, and you must write something about each
specific point. If you only write about 2 out of 3 points, your maximum score will be 66%!
You may be asked to write an email that:
• complains
• requests
• advises
• shares information
• apologizes
Sample Questions of Each Category
Advice Email
I. A member of your family is thinking about going to an university.
Write an email to your family member explaining why some people go to university, why some prefer universities far from home, and which courses you think would be interesting and/or useful.
II. A family member has recently had a baby and is overwhelmed by parenting.
Write an email encouraging the young couple in their new parental role, explaining why you think that parents are the best teachers, and offering support (suggestions for organizations they could turn to, financial, babysitting, etc.)
Complaint Email
I. You are an international student studying English at a private language school. Your courses were expensive, and you are disappointed with the quality of instruction, materials, and the time keeping of the other students.
In an email to the School Principal, complain about the situation, and suggest how you would like the issue to be resolved.
II. You recently stayed in a hotel where the service was slow and the room was dirty.
Write an email to the hotel manager complaining about the accommodation and
suggesting how the issue might be resolved
Request Email
I. You have registered for a six-month computer training program at Sambro Community College. Therefore, you want to rent a room from the Sambro Housing Agency. Write an email telling them when you need the room, the type of room you would prefer, and the
reason for your request.
II. During your upcoming vacation, you will be visiting a new city. As a result, you want some information about the area. Write an email to the tourist bureau asking them to provide some suggestions for where to go, what to see, and how to get there.
Application Email
You’re looking for a part-time job in an office. In about 150 to 200 words, write an email to the office
manager in which you apply for the position. As you write your email, you should:
• introduce yourself
• explain your experience and special skills
• tell him or her when you think you could start
You’re looking for a full-time job at an IT company / museum / art gallery. In about 150 to 200 words, write an email to the HR Manager in which you apply for the position. In
your email, you should:
• introduce yourself
• explain your experience and special skills
• tell him or her when you think you could start
Task 2 – Respond to the Survey Question
The second CELPIP Writing topic is an essay expressing your opinion about something. In general, this essay often takes the form of a survey response.
When you write your response, you must have a clear structure and a variety of sentence structures. Furthermore, you must include a:
✓ Complete introduction - Specifically, your introduction paraphrases the questions and introduces your main ideas.
✓ Well-developed paragraph for each of your main ideas - Basically, these two paragraphs include a statement, and explanation, and an example.
✓ Conclusion - Generally speaking, this restates your main ideas and answers the question
Sample Questions:
Your opinion about construction
The city administration is considering whether to approve the building of a factory. Since it wants to
know how residents feel, it has sent out a survey to get input on whether people would support or
oppose the factory? Write a response explaining your position.
Your opinion about budget allocation
I. For years, you have volunteered for a local theater group. The organizers have just received a large donation, so they are circulating a survey to find out whether they should spend the group’s money on costumes or on storage.
II. Every year, your company sponsors a float in the local parade. However, this year has been difficult, and it’s wondering just how important this event is to its staff. Your superiors have sent you a survey asking you to tell them whether you think this is a good investment, or not.
Your opinion about facilities
You work in a very big office building that has a cheap, and very popular, restaurant. However, the building manager is thinking of removing the restaurant because he would like to replace it with a childcare facility. Since he doesn’t want his final decision to result in businesses moving
out, he has asked which option you would prefer
Your opinion about working hours
The company you work for would like to ask employees to work on Saturdays for the next two months in order to catch up on its backlog. Therefore, it has circulated a survey asking your opinion about two possible options.
• A: Half the staff would work for four hours every Saturday.
• B: All the staff would work for two hours every Saturday.
Let’s now look at some examples of Emails and Response to the Survey Questions.
Email Sample:
You are a college student. Your school is offering $2,000 to one student: this money will be used to pay
college fees. The school is inviting all students to explain why they should get this award.
• a description of what you are studying at college
• why you are interested in your studies
• a statement of how well you are doing at college
• your future plans
Dear Mr. Robinson,
Having been accepted to MET for the 2020 fall term to pursue an Advanced Diploma in Computer
Information Systems, I am writing to express my desire to participate in the Tuition Award Program. For
as long as I can remember, I have had a strong passion for technology and computers, and I believe that
technology can make education more accessible to the poor and needy.
During my two years at MET Boston, I have maintained a GPA above 3.85, excelled in all classes, and
made it on the dean’s list. In addition to that, I am a member of Giving Back, a volunteer tutor team
working with underprivileged school-going children in the community. The students connect to the
volunteer tutors using an application that I developed.
Servant leadership is the philosophy that I would intend to follow while chasing my dream as a
computer programmer. I want society to benefit from my education and MET Boston to gain prestige as
an institution supporting innovation for the greater good. This award will allow me to achieve these
aims and put more time, effort and resources into creating more beneficial tools for the community.
Thank you so much for your time and consideration.
Yours sincerely
Swetha Vasu
Feedback on the above Task 1
The tentative Score is 9 for the above sample and the reasons are given below.
Preposition: “…and made it on the dean’s list.” (and made it onto the dean’s list)
Second conditional: “This award will allow me to achieve…” (This award would allow me to achieve) The
final decision hasn’t been made yet.
Response to Survey Question:
Your company wants to allow some employees to work from home. Not everyone can have this choice because some jobs must be done at the office. The company wants to know if this is fair by surveying your opinion about working from home. Choose the option that you prefer. Why do you prefer your choice? Explain the reasons for your choice. Write about 150-200 words. Option A: A work-from-home choice is fair. Option B: A work-from-home choice is not fair. |
In recent years, more and more companies are shifting towards the work-from-home model, and some people think it is unfair because not all employees can choose that option. However, I firmly believe that the company’s decision to allow some employees to work remotely is reasonable because of increased employee productivity, reduced employee turnover, and lowered operational costs.
Essentially, the work-from-home model would benefit the business financially as it reduces the operational cost to a great extent by eliminating the need for expensive office space proportional to the number of employees. For example, a company with 300 employees operating in San Francisco could save millions of dollars in lease and parking if they shift to a remote working model.
Another reason is, the flexibility that the work-from-anywhere model offers the employees in terms of transportation, comfort, and timing is endless and it directly translates to happiness and productivity. A recent survey by Harvard Business School shows that remote working employees are 1.4% more productive than their in-office counterparts.
In conclusion, I would consider the company’s decision to allow some employees to work from home as fair, primarily because of its economic benefits to the company, but also the flexibility it would provide to the staff.
Feedback on the above Task 2
The tentative Score is 9 for the above sample and the reasons are given below incomplete
Conditional: “…San Francisco could save millions of dollars in lease and parking if they shift to a remote working model…” (San Francisco could save millions of dollars in lease and parking if they shifted to a remote working model) The second conditional combines the past in the condition with would/should/could in the result.
no comma: “…Another reason is, the flexibility…” (Another reason is the flexibility)
missing comma: “…endless and it directly translates…” (endless, and it directly translates) – coordinating
conjunction + subject
CELPIP Writing Score
The details of the writing section:
✓ The time for the writing test is 53-60 minutes.
✓ The questions are divided into two parts. These are as follows:
I. Writing an email.
II. Responding to survey questions.
The CELPIP levels considering the answers into 4 categories that consist of different factors. To clarify further, these are given in the table below:
Categories | Factors determining scores |
Content or Coherence | Number of Ideas Quality of Ideas Organization of Ideas Examples and Supporting details |
Vocabulary | Word Choice Appropriate use of phrases Precision and Accuracy |
Readability | Format and Paragraphing Connectors and Transition words use Spelling and Punctuations Grammar and sentence structure |
Task Fulfillment | Relevance Completeness Tone Word count |
The four category ratings from one rater are combined into one score for that task. Two raters rate each task, and all four task scores are combined into one overall score for your Writing skills. Each task is worth 50% of your Writing score.
Suggested Points to Attempt Writing
It’s Your Time to Understand the Question
The Complete Question Statement Including The Supporting Points At Least Thrice In Order To Not Just Get The General Gist But Completely Empathize With The Situation Of The Writer For A More Relevant
Answer!
You Can Also Make A Proper Schedule Of The Time Division Which Includes A Certain Time Frame For The Reading And Understanding The Question, Planning The Answer, Typing The Answer, And Proofreading
Identify the Keywords in the Question and Other Directives
Now while one reads the questions, that too not just once but twice or thrice, there are certain target words that one must focus on. These are words which give the directions for the following;
What happened / is to happen?
Why did it happen / will it happen?
How it happened / will happen?
What are the end result / solution / conclusion?
There could be several other important questions answered by these keywords which sometimes are neglected due to carelessness of the test takers.
Prepare A Rough Sketch Of Points
Once you understand the question thoroughly, and identify the keywords in the same, then the next thing you need to do is plan your answer. This doesn’t mean that you need to write the complete sentences.
Keep in mind this is just the rough sketch of points you made and thus you need not worry about the grammatical errors and spellings. Your priority will be proper brain storming.
The proper sequencing of the generated points
It is natural that we may go off track while preparing points and the actual points what the question demands are missed. Hence sequencing the points you have thought of is seriously important. This will help you framing the sentences properly using appropriate connecting words and right choice of words suitable for the context.
It is important to arrange the ideas in a proper sequence and bring out the best possible way to convey the message.
Divide the ideas into paragraphs
The sequential arrangement of ideas will allow you plug in your ideas in paragraphing in an orderly manner. For instance; number of ideas will be given in the paragraphs accordingly whether two ideas in a single paragraph or one idea in an individual paragraph and divide them accordingly. Ensure that you have the purpose of the email in the first paragraph in one or two sentences. Then your ideas distributed in next 2 or 3 paragraphs with explanations and justification with examples. And at the end write the closing statements along with reiteration of the context in the last paragraph.
Use – sentences, linkers (including subordinating and transition words)
Whether you use an active sentence or a passive one that purely depends on the tone of the text you will use in the sentences. OR all sentences you frame turn out to be conditional like using when, once, until and more. Make sure that there is sufficient variation and incorporating clarity in which type you wanted.
The importance of Punctuation
The appropriate use of punctuation that suits formal and informal writing is really worth and that will fetch great marks.
Appropriate Lexis and formal phrases
It is important to use precise vocabulary and lexis. It is important that the words used are simple or technical in nature to comprehend the text with correct meaning of the context. Remember CELPIP is a formal test, hence use of words should be chosen to make it the best.
Proof read you response critically
In order to earn best scores proof read thoroughly before moving to the next task. While this check for grammatical mistakes, spelling mistakes, use of words and punctuations. One more important point is that time may become your enemy, so keep a watch on the time and complete them in advance and be ready for the next task.
Sample Email for you to refer
You purchased a 2-year membership to a fitness center next to your neighborhood based on an advertisement. After a period of time, you discovered that the services described on the advertisement are not found in the center. You tried to talk to the manager, but he did nothing to help.
Write an email to the owner of the fitness center in about 150-200 words. Your email should do the following things:
• Describe the services that are only in the advertisement and not in the center.
• Complain about the way the manager dealt with the situation.
• Describe what should be done to resolve this problem.
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am mainly writing to complain about your unsatisfactory services. Based on the advertisement, I have recently purchased a two year membership to fitness center. To my surprise, the advertised services compared to the ones offered are completely a different story.
First, the sophisticated equipment that you described is nowhere to be found. Instead, we exercise using old ones, sometimes rusty. Second, showers are not sufficient to cover the growing number of registered members of the center. Most of us waste hours waiting for his or her turn to take a simple shower. To top it all, fitness advisors your advertisement promised do not seem to be qualified, granted we were able to consult one. We simply have to manage things for ourselves.
In an attempt to resolve matters with your manager in a friendly way, the latter gave no attention to me, denied all the issues, and practically mocked me. Hence, I would be grateful to you if you could refund my money, or better yet, resolve the aforementioned problems and satisfy the needs of your fellow members.
Yours faithfully,
Alan Smith
How to write emails in English
Writing emails in English isn't easy especially for non-native English speakers, but it is an essential skill that can benefit you both personally and professionally.
So, how to write emails in English? First of all, you need to learn many rules and conventions of email English. You must familiarize yourself with the English email format including English email greetings and closing phrases. When you know how to start and end an email in English, you must have the common email phrases English in your back pocket and understand the English email etiquette in order to always come off as polite and professional. To get your started we will unbundle the English email format covering email greetings, body, email closing phrases and signature.
English email format
English language email format closely follows that of a formal letter. Typically an English language email has five elements:
1. Subject Line
2. Formal or informal greeting
3. Body copy
4. Closing phrase
5. Signature
Email etiquette for introducing people to each other
Whenever you introduce two people over email, make sure to ask the permission of both before doing it. This approach is known as a double opt-in intro. Asking for both parties' permission is common sense. Still, people cut corners all too often by not asking permission from one or both of the people they are introducing.
Why double opt-in intro is the way to go, you might ask? First of all, not asking for permission is lazy as it'll take only take you minutes. Secondly, you can't be sure whether the intro is valuable to both parties or if it's a productive use of time for your connection to expand their network. Last but not least, you'll make people feel obligated to spend their precious time on something they don't necessarily want to be involved with. You see, they have to answer, even if it's just to decline in order save your face and not appear rude.
If you recognize yourself from above, don't worry. Next, you'll learn the ins-and-outs for making double opt-in introductions.
✌If someone asks you for an introduction you don’t feel comfortable doing, don’t feel bad about saying no and pass the opportunity politely.
How to ask permission for the introduction
Before making the introduction, start by getting permission from the person your connection has asked to meet. Write them a professional email that reflects the nature of your relationships. In the email, provide context for the possible introduction by telling them why they should meet the person who asked for the introduction.
Sample Email
Hi Jane, Hope you had a great weekend! Would you be interested to meet Kyle? We worked together at Google and he has recently co-founded a personal CRM product called Grava. They’ve made impressive progress with the product, grown their waitlist to 10,000+ people, and are starting to raise a Pre-Seed round. He’s the best product leader I know, and I really think that you’d be excited about his vision for the company.
Something more about him is that he is a great individual and amazing listener who always listens before speaking. I have known him since sometime and great visionary skills, his analysis about anything whether about work or personal relationships wonderful. He always believes in getting and giving opportunity. He is interested in photography like you to do have, it would be a great opportunity to get connected with him. Let me know if you'd like to meet him and I'll introduce you in a new email. Regards, Jamie
161 words
Step-by-step instructions on writing an introduction email
Introducing someone you know to another person in your network is not exactly rocket science. However, if you receive a lot of intros to your inbox, you've likely encountered the wide variety of shapes and forms they tend to take. No matter if you are a beginner or someone who connects people on an everyday basis, you can't go wrong with these step-by-step instructions.
1. Keep the subject line short and informative
In the subject line, indicate the intent of your email. The best way to do it is to start with "Introduction:" or "Intro:". It's self-explanatory and catches the eye quickly.
Next, include the first names of people you are introducing. Add "<>", "/", "x" or similar between the names.
The last names are not crucial except in case they both go by the same first name. Your connections can always double-check each other's last names from the recipient fields. Often it's a good idea to include also the names of their companies. For example, when you are introducing a start-up founder to a potential investor. This type of subject line is sure to ring a bell and provides context from the get-go.
2. Start with a greeting
As with any email, you should start with a greeting. You should address the person to whom your connection wanted to reach out through you.
3. Add an opening sentence
"I hope this email finds you well!" is probably the most used opening sentence of any professional email globally. However, many find it overused, impersonal, or inconsiderate. Even if you could get away with the cliché, consider more personal ways to break the ice or ditch the opening sentence altogether.
Email Opening Lines
Formal
Allow Me to Introduce Myself
Good afternoon
Good morning
How are you?
Hope this email finds you well
I hope you enjoyed your weekend
I hope you’re doing well
I hope you’re having a great week
I hope you’re having a wonderful day
It’s great to hear from you
I’m eager to get your advice on…
I’m reaching out about…
Thank you for your help
Thank you for the update
Thanks for getting in touch
Thanks for the quick response
Following Up on Something
As promised, I’m…
As we discussed on our call…
Can you provide me with an update on…
I’m checking in on…
I’m getting back to you about…
To follow up on our meeting…
Get (Appropriately) Personal
Congratulations on [recent accomplishment]
How did [recent project] turn out?
I hope you enjoyed your [event or vacation]
I loved Your recent [photo/article/social media post]
I was just laughing the other day about [inside joke]
I was just thinking about you and [shared memory]
It was great to see you at [event]
This [article/video/GIF] made me think of you
[Mutual Contact] recommended I get in touch with you
It’s important to keep in mind that not all of these opening lines will be appropriate for every email you send. An important client or your boss, for example, will probably require something from the “formal” category. But, a close colleague or long-time friend? Well, he or she might get a kick out of a funny greeting that strays from the tried and true standards.
4. Introduce both parties
Now that the formalities are out of the way, provide the people you are connecting information about each other. Start by introducing the one who asked for the introduction. Provide at least their name, how you know them, and their current role. You can also add a few nice words about them or point out something they have in common. If you are proactively making this connection happen, start by introducing the less senior person.
5. Tell them why you are introducing them
Your next task is to explain why the person wanted to be connected to the other.
6. Excuse yourself from the thread
Next, your goal is to remove yourself from the equation. Tell the people you are familiarizing with each other what you hope they'll do next and shift the responsibility to take action to them.
7. End with a closing that sounds like you There are as many ways to end an email as there are people on the planet. For a professional email, sign-offs such as "Regards" and "Best" can be considered best practices. Still, you should take into account the state of your relationships with the recipients – you don't want to come off as overly formal or too casual. Whatever you do, sound like yourself, don't overcomplicate things.