General Training Writing

Write your own response before opening this example. This is a sample from the book, not a score or assessment of your writing.

Dear Mr and Mrs Collins,

I hope you are both well. I'm writing about the building work at your house, which I know you have been planning for a long time. I'm sure the new extension will look wonderful, but I'm afraid it has been causing me some difficulties over the past few weeks.

The main problem is the noise. The builders often start drilling before 7.30 in the morning, and on several occasions they have worked until after 7 p.m. In addition, their vans are frequently parked across my driveway, which means I sometimes cannot get my car out.

As you may know, I work night shifts at the hospital three times a week, so I need to sleep during the morning. Recently, I have been getting only three or four hours' sleep on those days, and I am finding it hard to concentrate at work. Last Tuesday, I was also late for an appointment because I could not move my car.

I wonder if you could ask the builders not to start before 8.30, at least on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, when I am usually sleeping. It would also help if they could park on the other side of the road.

Many thanks for your understanding.

Best wishes,

Hannah

Commentary

• TA: All three bullet points are covered and developed with specific details (times, days and the effect on the writer's job). The tone is polite and friendly but firm, which suits a letter to neighbours whom the writer knows.
• CC: Each bullet point has its own paragraph, and the letter moves logically from problems to their effects and then to solutions. The opening paragraph prepares the reader for a complaint without sounding aggressive.
• LR: There is a good range of vocabulary for the situation ("extension", "night shifts", "frequently parked across my driveway"), and polite expressions are used appropriately ("I'm afraid", "I wonder if you could").
• GRA: The letter uses a range of structures accurately, including present perfect continuous ("has been causing", "have been getting"), relative clauses ("which means…") and conditionals ("It would also help if…").
• Note: This letter is semi-formal. The writer knows the neighbours, so their names are used and the letter ends with "Best wishes", but the language remains polite because the purpose is to ask them to change something.

Write your own response before opening this example. This is a sample from the book, not a score or assessment of your writing.

Cooking is an essential life skill, yet many young people leave home without being able to prepare a simple meal. While some people believe that schools should teach children to cook, others feel that this is a job for parents. In my view, both have a role to play, but schools are in a better position to make sure that every child learns.

Those who believe that parents should be responsible argue that cooking is best learned at home, through everyday practice. A child who helps to prepare family meals several times a week will gain far more experience than one who attends a cooking lesson once a fortnight. Moreover, school timetables are already crowded, and some people feel that time spent cooking would be better used on academic subjects such as mathematics or science.

On the other hand, there are strong arguments for teaching cooking in schools. Not all parents have the time, skills or money to teach their children to cook. In many families, both parents work long hours and rely on ready meals or takeaways, so their children never see food being prepared from basic ingredients. If cooking is part of the school curriculum, every child has the chance to learn, regardless of their background. School lessons can also teach children about nutrition and food safety in a systematic way, which may help to reduce problems such as childhood obesity.

In my opinion, schools should provide a basic cooking course for all children, because this is the only way to guarantee that everyone gains this important skill. However, these lessons will be most effective if parents also encourage their children to practise at home.

In conclusion, although parents can teach cooking very effectively, schools have an important part to play in ensuring that no child is left without this basic skill.

Commentary

• TR: Both views are discussed in a balanced way, and the writer's own opinion is clear in the introduction, the fourth paragraph and the conclusion. Ideas are supported with relevant explanation and examples.
• CC: The essay follows a clear structure: one view, the other view, the writer's opinion and a conclusion. Linking expressions ("Moreover", "On the other hand", "However", "In conclusion") are accurate and not overused.
• LR: The vocabulary is appropriate and varied, for example "an essential life skill", "crowded timetables", "ready meals or takeaways", "regardless of their background", "in a systematic way".
• GRA: A wide range of structures is used accurately, including concessive clauses ("While some people believe…", "although parents can…"), conditionals ("If cooking is part of…") and comparative structures ("far more experience than…").
• Possible improvements: The fourth paragraph repeats the opinion from the introduction without adding much new support. A brief example of what a school cooking course might include would make it more persuasive.