Key Points: B1 Preliminary Writing - Email Task - PART 1
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Mandatory Task:
● Writing an email is the only mandatory task in B1 Preliminary writing.
Word Limit:
● Aim for around 100-120 words, slightly exceeding the minimum for safety.
Recipients:
● Typically, emails are addressed to friends, teachers, or familiar individuals.
Content Points:
● Each task provides a context, recipient, and four content points to address.
● Points include expressing opinions, suggesting ideas, apologizing, and
explaining.
Language Skills:
● Understand and use appropriate language for different content points.
● Know how to start and end an email, agree or disagree, give opinions, suggest,
apologize, and explain.
Email Structure:
● Follow a clear layout with a beginning, addressing content points, and an ending.
Style of Language:
● Emails typically range from neutral to informal English, depending on the
recipient.
Task Analysis:
● Spend a few minutes analyzing the task to gather the necessary information.
● Identify the topic, content points, and the recipient to tailor the email
appropriately.
Example Task Analysis:
● Example: Organizing a party at the end of the school year.
● Content points: Express enthusiasm for the party, venue preference (classroom
or park), suggest activities and mention preferred food.
Greeting and Opening Formula:
● Choose an appropriate greeting based on the relationship with the recipient.
● For a teacher, use a more formal greeting, like "Dear Mrs. Lake."
Topic Paragraphs:
● Include one or two sentences for each content point, using specific language.
● Keep paragraphs concise due to the limited word count.
Example Email:
● Example email demonstrates a formal greeting, four concise topic paragraphs, and a
closing formula.
● Use appropriate language for formality while ensuring clarity and brevity.
Closing Formula:
● Conclude the email with a polite sentence and use an appropriate salutation.
● Maintain a balance between formality and friendliness.
Consistent Structure:
● All B1 Preliminary emails follow a consistent structure, making it easier to approach the
task.
● Focus on using the right functional language and appropriate style.
Key Points: Writing an Email in B1 Preliminary PART 2
Time Management:
● In B1 Preliminary, you have 45 minutes to write two texts, including an email.
● Email is the only mandatory task, taking about 20 minutes.
Task Analysis:
● Read the email prompt, typically around 100 words, from a friend or teacher.
● Identify four prompts: Express excitement, choose between activities, decline an activity
with a reason, and ask a question.
Structured Emails:
● B1 Preliminary emails follow a consistent structure: greeting, topic paragraphs, and
closing.
● Start a new paragraph for each topic point.
Greeting and Opening Formula:
● Use a simple greeting (hi/hello) and an opening formula (thanks for your email/nice to
hear from you).
● Address the excitement and set a positive tone.
Expressing Agreement:
● Use specific language like "I'm really excited as well" to express agreement.
● Keep sentences short and to the point.
Expressing Preferences:
● Suggest activities using language like "why don't we" or "I'd rather."
● Provide reasons for preferences and add extra information.
Declining with Reasons:
● Use phrases like "to be honest" and provide reasons using "as" or "since."
● Keep the language clear and concise.
Asking Questions:
● End with a question using phrases like "should I" and provide additional information.
● Make the question relevant to the context.
Closing Formula:
● End with a closing formula like "that's all for now" and express anticipation or excitement.
● Maintain a friendly tone.
Linking Expressions:
● Use linking expressions (however, also) to connect ideas and create a cohesive flow.
● Check for contrasts or connections between paragraphs.
Proofreading:
● Review the email for any spelling or grammar mistakes.
● Ensure clarity and consistency in language use.
Practice and Adapt:
● Practice the process of task analysis, planning, and execution.
● Adapt language and expressions to suit the context and task requirements.
Read Task Carefully:
● Always read the task carefully, underlining key information.
● Structure ideas and language in a plan before writing.
Improve and Refine:
● Continuously look for opportunities to improve language, coherence, and expression.
● Use synonyms and varied language to enhance the overall quality of the email.
Key Points: Writing an Article in PET Exam PART 1
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Article vs. Story:
● Articles are optional in PET exams; you can choose between an article or a story.
● Articles are written for magazines or websites, allowing the use of rich language.
Article Characteristics:
● Written in neutral to informal language.
● Aim to engage the reader from start to finish.
● Answer specific questions or provide information.
Guidelines for Writing a Good Article:
● Answer the task question clearly.
● Stay on the topic; avoid irrelevant details.
● Organize the article into paragraphs.
● Use neutral to informal language.
● Include relevant vocabulary related to the topic.
Task Analysis:
Analyze the task by answering three questions:
● What is the topic?
● What do I have to include?
● Who is the audience? Who is going to read my article?
Language Style for Informal English:
● Use contractions (e.g., I'm, you're).
● Include two or three phrasal verbs. Examiners look for them
● Consider adding colloquial expressions normally used but avoid slang.
Structuring the Article:
● Title: Keep it simple but consider making it interesting.
● Topic Paragraphs: Answer specific questions from the task, use examples, and
stay on topic.
● Final Sentence: Summarize or add a touch of humor to engage the reader.
Title Examples:
● Consider simplicity or add interest, e.g., "My Favorite Films," "How to Choose the
Perfect Movie," or "Are Cinemas Still Relevant?"
Topic Paragraphs Example:
● Use paragraphs to address specific questions from the task.
● Include relevant details, examples, and linking words for coherence.
Final Sentence:
● Summarize the article or add a humorous or surprising element.
● Directly engage the reader for added interest.
Practice Makes Perfect:
● Regular practice will make article writing easier.
● Apply the provided guidelines and advice to enhance your writing skills.
Key Points: Writing a Good Article Part 2
Title Importance:
● Every excellent article starts with a good title.
● Titles don't have to be super interesting; simplicity is acceptable.
● A title should give a brief idea of the article's content.
Title Examples:
● Three examples are provided, showcasing different techniques.
● Straightforward, how-to approach, and question-based titles.
Topic Paragraphs Significance:
● Topic paragraphs answer specific questions from the task.
● Longest paragraphs containing essential information.
● Stay on topic, and avoid irrelevant details.
Structuring Topic Paragraphs:
● An example demonstrates answering task questions about film preferences.
● Incorporate examples and relevant details.
● Connect ideas using interesting grammar and vocabulary.
Practice for Improvement:
● Initially overwhelming, but practice makes it easier over time.
● Regular practice leads to writing effective topic paragraphs.
Final Sentence Importance:
● Conclude the article with a nice final sentence.
● The final sentence doesn't have to be special; it can summarize or add humor.
● Directly addressing the reader makes the article more engaging.
Reader Engagement:
● Making the article interesting increases the chances of higher marks.
● Engaging the reader through humor or surprise is encouraged.
Summary of Article Structure:
● Every good article includes a title, topic paragraphs, and a concluding sentence.
● Following this structure enhances the overall quality of the article.
Key Points: Writing a Story in B1 Preliminary
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Task Options:
● A story is optional in B1 Preliminary; choice between a story or an article.
● The only mandatory task is an email.
● Recommended word count: around 100-120 words.
Task Details:
● Receive a starting sentence for the story; in this case, "As the plane flew lower,
Lou saw the golden beaches of the island below."
● Emphasis on correct structure, verb forms, time expressions, adjectives, and
adverbs.
Task Analysis:
● Analyze the given sentence to identify the topic, details to include, and the
intended audience.
● The topic in the example task is something like a holiday, and Lou seems to be
the main character.
Story Structure:
● Follow a consistent structure: Beginning, Main Part, and Ending.
● Keep the beginning concise; use it to create an atmosphere and interest.
Beginning of the Story:
● Incorporate the given sentence and add one more to form the beginning.
● Utilize past continuous for scene-setting.
● Include adjectives, adverbs, and direct speech for reader engagement.
Main Part of the Story:
● Logical order of events is crucial.
● Use contrast, time expressions, and varied past verb forms.
● Add descriptive language like adjectives and adverbs.
Ending of the Story:
● Every story must have a conclusion.
● Can be a happy, sad, or surprising ending, but ensure it concludes.
● Keep the ending concise; don't introduce new characters or elements.
Language Enhancement:
● Use a more informal style in storytelling.
● Include interesting language elements like adjectives, adverbs, direct speech,
and contrast.
Practice and Implementation:
● Practice incorporating good language elements to enhance storytelling.
● Experiment with different techniques and observe improvements in your stories.
As the plane flew lower, Lou saw the golden beaches of the island below.
The sun was shining brightly and he said to the woman next to him, “I’m so
excited about my holidays!”
As soon as Lou got off the plane he left the airport and took a taxi to the city
centre because he really wanted to swim in the clear water and sunbathe on the
beautiful beach he had seen earlier.
However, when he arrived at the beach he saw that the weather was changing
and five minutes later it was raining heavily. Lou ran into a bar and was surprised
because someone shouted, “Hi, it’s you again!”
There was the woman from the plane! They started to talk and became very
good friends.