WRITING EXAM Writing Tasks

Writing Task Short Task (80-100) Long Task (150-250) note postcard email invitation announcement leaflet paragraph personal profile Long Task (150-250) informal letter formal letter essay book/film review

Invitation Useful expressions Beginning an invitation I’m organising... I’d like to invite you to ... We are holding... Information about the event and the occasion A birthday party/ picnic by the river/ exhibition of my photogrphs A party to celebrate/mark (my birthday/ the beginning of holidays) Giving additional information about the party If you want, you can bring a friend You are welcome to... Come with a friend Take your favourite music with you Come on time because Information about the event location and time The party will take place in/at To get there, take the bus and get off at the third stop When you get there, find apartment no.6 Finishing your invitation See you! I hope to see you! Please let me know if you can’t come. Remember! Remember to include all the pieces of information mentioned in the instructions

Example INVITATION Please come to a party You are going to throw a birthday party for a group of friends. Write an invitation in which you will: Mention the occation Give the date and time of the party Tell your friends that they can bring one person with them Explain how to get to the party INVITATION Please come to a party To celebrate my 16th birthday The party will start at 8.p.m. On Saturday, 23rd August. You are welcome to bring a friend. The party will take a place in the Golden Rose pub, at the corner of Raiņa Street and Mātera street. To get there, take bus 112 From the High street And get off at the fofth stop. See you!

Postcard Asking about the person you are writing to Beginning a postcard Dear Susan, Hi Peter, Saying where you are I’m in Rome I’m spending my holiday at the seaside I’ve just arrived at the airport I’m going to stay here for two weeks Saying what you are doing Every day there are many things to do I’m (very) busy every day There are morning/ evening activities We climb mountains/visit places of interest Describing the weather The weather is pretty good/ fine/ awful/ horrible It’s raining/ snowing all the time! It’s sunny/ cold most of time Saying how you are feeling I enjoy it/ I’m having a great time I’m glad/ happy/ disappointed because... It’s my best/worst holiday/ stay abroad ever I’m enjoying/hating every minute of it Asking about the person you are writing to How about your holidays? I hope you’re fine I hope you’re having a great time How’s your summer/ holiday? Finishing a postcard All the best, Best wishes, See you soon, Love,

Remember! Example Use abbreviations (I’m, you’re) Postcards are written in an informal style. Start and finish your postcard using informal phrases.(Hi Peter, Love, ) Example You are attending a summer course at an English school in Dublin. Write a postcard to your Australian friend Peter. In your postcard you should: Explain where you are Describe two typical activities you do every day Write what you like most about the course Dear Peter, I’m here in Dublin on a summer language course. I’m very busy every day. We have four language classes every day. There are also evening activities; for example, Irish dancing. The weather’s rather horrible. It’s raining most of the time. I’m enjoying the course because there are so many people from all over the world! How about your holiday? I hope you’re having a great time, too. Love, Adam

Personal Profile Remember! Remember to include all the pieces of information mentioned in the instructions You can use abbreviations (I’m, you’re)

Leaflet

Messages (emails) and Note Remember! Use abbreviations (I’m, you’re) Postcards are written in an informal style. Start and finish your postcard using informal phrases.(Hi Peter, Love, )

Film review

Informal Letter Useful expressions Opening phrase Introduction Dear Peter, Introduction I hope you’re fine. How are you? /How are you doing? It was good to hear from you/ Thanks for your letter! Giving information I’ m writing to tell you... I wonder if you remember/ have heard As for my latest news, .... Writing about your plans First/ Secondly, we’ re going to... The plans includes.... Making a request I’ m writing to ask you for your help/advice I wonder if I could ask you to/ for... Could you tell me... I’ d be really grateful if you could....

Expressing gratitude Apologising Inviting Closing phrases I’ m writing to thank you for... Thank you so much! It was (so/really) very kind of you to.... Apologising I’ m writing to tell you how sorry I am to.../about... I’ m really sorry that... It will never happen again. Sorry for (any) trouble/ bothering you (again). Inviting I’ m writing to invite you to... I’ m having .... (a party) Would you come to...? I hope you’ ll be able to join us/to make it Closing phrases I must be going now. Bye for now, See you, Love, (With love,) Love from, Have a nice trip, All the best, Best wishes,

Informal Letter

Formal letter

Short Tasks Your personality You want to become a member of a teenagers’ club. Write an e-mail describing yourself in about 80 words: your interests and future plans, why you want to join the club, other information. JOBS Write a paragraph (about 50 words) for a class project describing a job you might choose for your career. SPORT EVENT You are chatting on the Internet about sport events. Write a message describing a sport event at your school. You have to write between 60 and 80 words.

Task 1 (15 points) You should spend about 15 minutes on this task. Your classmate Justin has invited you to his birthday party but you won’t be able to come. Write an e-mail to him (40-60 words). In your e-mail you should: apologise to him; explain why you cannot come; suggest where and when you could meet later. Imagine you have just returned home after visiting a friend in another country. Write a short letter of thanks to your friend’ s family. Mention the things that you enjoyed during your visit. Write about 60-70 words. You do not have to put an address. Problem Page of a youth magazine gives its readers advice on how to solve their problems. Write a short letter (50-60 words) to Mrs Diana Littlebird, editor of the page about your or your friend’ s problem and ask for advice. Write a note of apology (about 40 words) to your english speaking classmate about something that went wrong last week.

Long Tasks A party Write a letter to your English speaking pen-friend (about 120 words) telling them about a disco or a party which you liked the best: what kind of party or disco was it? what happened? what did you do? how did you feel? Task 2 (25 points) GETTING INTO TROUBLE Write a letter (about 150 words) to your English speaking pen-friend describing an event when you got into trouble in your childhood: when, where and what happened; how you felt then; how it ended; how you feel about it now.

Task 2 (25 points) AN IMPORTANT PERSON Describe a person who is important to you. Write: about the person’s appearance and personality, about your relationship with the person, what the person does or is interested in. You have to write between 100 and 120 words. You should spend about 25 minutes on this task. During an international project your teacher has asked you to describe what healthy lifestyle means to you. Write about your eating habits; how active you are; if you have any bad habits.

A School Uniform Some schools in Latvia are thinking about introducing a school uniform for their students. Write a composition giving the positive and negative aspects of having a school uniform. End the composition by giving your opinion on the subject. (write about 150 words) An International Teenagers’ Club wants to find out what young people in Latvia think about growing up. Write a composition of about 150 words to tell them your views. Use these questions to help you: What do you think it means to be « grown up»? How does adult behaviour differ from that of teenagers? Do you think it is a good thing to be grown up or not? Explain why. Do you think you are « grown up»? Explain your answer. Describe your native town or village in about 150 words giving reasons why tourists should visit it. Your teacher sked you to decribe one character from a film you have recentlyseen/ or from a book you have recently read). Describe in about 150 words the character’ s looks, age, personality and relationships with other characters in the film/ book.

You and the time with you was brilliant! You were and are the best! You have been learning English for years. Describe (100-120 words) what you liked and what you did not like about learning the language. Give reasons for your ideas. Dear students! Thank you for the chance and time I have had to work with you! It was really pleasure for me to work with you! You and the time with you was brilliant! You were and are the best! Best wishes, great success in future! Yours Agita Ozolina