Rather is an adverb that we can use to express a specific preference. It goes after the modal verb would and before averb in the base form.
We use would rather with the base form as an alternative to would prefer. Remember that would prefer is followed by a verb in the infinitive form.
Grammar patterns:
would prefer + infinitive
would rather + base form
Examples:
I’d preferto go on vacation in July instead of August
I‘d rathergo on vacation in July than in August.
Would you preferto stay in or to go out tonight?
Would you ratherstay in or go out tonight?
We can use would rather to talk about what we would prefer another person to do. For that case we use the past tense, even though we are talking about a present or future preference.
Grammar pattern:
would rather + someone + simple past
Examples:
I’d rather my students took notes during class.
She‘d rather her boyfriendgave her flowers for her birthday.
I‘d rather my students didn’t use their phones during class.
The students would rather their teacher didn’t give them homework every day.
A report is another piece of formal writing. It is based on facts (you’ll probably have to invent those ‘facts’ for the exam, and that’s okay). By writing a good report in English you will demonstrate that you can organize and communicate factual information using a formal tone. As with other pieces of formal writing (for example, essays, formal emails, articles, etc.), there is a special format used to write reports in English.
Parts of an English report
1. Title
This part will give the reader a general idea of the topic of your report.
Make sure that you follow the capitalization rules for titles. You can find more information about how to write titles in English here.
2. Introduction
In this section, you should state clearly the purpose of your report and what information you are going to include.
Try to paraphrase (use your own words) to write the information given in the instructions.
3. Topic points
In these paragraphs, you will give most of the information and details of your report. It should be factual and clear. It shouldn’t sound like a story or like a novel.
You should write at least 2 topic points. One topic point per paragraph. Each paragraph must contain a topic sentence.
What is a topic sentence?
A topic sentence is a sentence that includes the main point (idea) of a paragraph. It has the information that readers need to understand what is the most important point in the paragraph.
The topic sentences guide readers and protect them from confusion. They usually appear at the beginning of each paragraph.
This is the last part of the report. You need to finish it up by writing your recommendations. You must base your recommendation on the facts that you wrote in the topic paragraphs.
Make sure that your recommendations are well-connected with the topic points that you wrote in the previous paragraphs.
Steps to writing a report
Step 1: Make a plan
Step 2: Write it
Step 3: Check it
Now that you know the parts of a report and the steps to follow, let’s see an article sample for the B2 (FCE) Cambridge writing test.
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Useful language
For the introduction:
This report describes…
This report is based on …
The purpose of this report is to …
For the topic points:
Currently …
To begin with …
It appears that …
It seems that …
Furthermore/ In addition
In general/ Generally speaking
It is generally believed that …
almost always/ nearly always
Most/ The majority of + noun
noun + tend to be + adjective
For your suggestions/ recommendations:
All things considered …
Based on the findings of this report I recommend/ suggest + verb-ing
There is a group of adjectives that can end in –ed or –ing. However, the meaning of the adjective changes depending on the ending. For example, interested/interesting, tired/tiring, confused/confusing, surprised/surprised, etc.
We use the –ed ending to talk about how we feel. Adjectives ending with –ed are used primarily with nouns that are people or animals.
We use the –ing ending to describe a noun or when the noun is the reason of the feeling. Basically, the –ing adjective shows why a person is feeling a certain way. Adjectives ending in –ing are used primarily with nouns that are things.
A short story is a piece of fiction that has a limited number of words and a few characters.
Parts of a short story
Title: It summarizes the whole story, or it is related to the main theme. The theme is the central idea or belief in a short story.
Exposition: It is the beginning of the story where you introduce the main characters. It also serves as the introduction to the next part.
Climax: It is the action part where the main characters try to solve the conflict or problem.
Resolution: In this part, the conflict is solved.
Let’s see a short story sample for the B1 Writing test
Useful vocabulary for a short story
Time expressions:
at that moment
as soon as
_____ minutes later
just in time
then
after that
meanwhile
while
one morning in + month
one afternoon in + month
one evening in + month
Adverbs and adverbials to spice up your story
suddenly
in the end
eventually
unexpectedly
right away
nearly
actually
in fact
apparently
gradually
basically
obviously
anyway
all of a sudden
without warning
Finishing your short story
in the end
eventually
finally
luckily
when it was all over
Verb tenses used for short stories
Short stories usually take place in the past, for that reason the most common narrative tenses you should use for your short story are:
Practice time
Write a short story beginning with one of the sentences below:
Plan the content:
It was midnight when the phone rang.
Alex had been working hard all day and was looking forward to going home.
We had been driving for hours when we saw the sign for a small hotel and decided to stop.
1 Write what happened simply, in about 50 words.
2 Think about how you could improve your story by adding more details. For example, adjectives and adverbs.
3 Think about what tenses you need for each part of the story. For example, how to set the scene, and what significant events happened before the story starts.
Write your story in about 100 – 120 words in the box below.
So your dream is to improve your English. But how many times have you failed?
You have spent a lot of time dreaming, thinking or talking about what you want. But you haven’t taken the necessary steps to achieve it.
It’s not because you are lazy or incapable. It’s because perhaps you are confused or you don’t know where to start. You don’t have a PLAN yet.
English learning plans, can serve as a roadmap or guide to making your dreams a reality.
An English learning plan can help you if:
You are confused
You feel that your learning progress is out of control
You feel your learning progress is stagnant
You struggle making the right decisions
You feel lost and lack direction
You have tried many things and nothing has helped
You are tired and want to give up
What is an English learning planing?
An English learning plan is both a roadmap and a reminder of your goals. It helps you realize your dreams and the things that you need to do to make them true.
An English learning plan can help you to become aware of your strengths and your weaknesses.
Your English learning plan doesn’t need to be super detailed. It should be flexible so you can adapt it according to the circumstances.
Don’t forget that LIFE IS UNPREDICTABLE. Things happen. Your plan needs to leave room for unexpected changes and crises.
Making English learning plans can help you achieve your goals easier than if you are confused and have no idea what to do.
5 benefits of having an English learning plan
1 An English learning plan helps you make your dreams a reality
An English learning plan gives you the confidence to take action and be proactive.
2 An English learning plan helps you prioritize
Making an English learning plan helps you identify what you want and focus on things that move you in the right direction
3 An English learning plan helps you make better decisions
When you know your goals it is easier to make the right decisions that help you accomplish your goals
4 An English learning plan keeps you motivated
When you write down your goals it’s easier to stay focused and motivated.
5 An English learning plan makes you recognize your strengths and weaknesses
An English learning plan is a tool that makes you think critically and reflect on your learning needs. It helps you identify the skills that you master and the skills you need to improve to achieve your goals.
How to make an English learning plan: step by step
1. The most important thing to making any plan is, to BE HONEST with yourself.
2. Take a moment to reflect on your habits, your learning story, your circumstances, your strengths, and your weaknesses.
3. No one but you can identify the things that are easy for you and the things that are challenging for you.
4. You are the only one that can identify the things/ habits/ beliefs that are preventing you from moving forward.
5. Finally, remember that becoming fluent in English is a goal that will require that you spend a lot of time and resources. If you are not willing to pay the price then it will always be a DREAM.
6. If you are not willing to organize your life, give up unhealthy habits or if you can’t change your lifestyle to accommodate time to practice, then it’s going to be very difficult to improve your English.
Now it’s time to make your own learning plan
Below you can see a template that will help you reflect and create your own English learning plan.
for the B1 Cambridge test (PET) or the General Training IELTS test
Formal emails are the ones that people write to people they don’t know well. The language used in this type of emails is more formal and polite.
informal email
formal email
friends family members people we know well
people we don’t know bosses or managers doctors, teachers and professors
Formal emails have a standard format, so they must include the following parts:
Greetings
We say hi to the other person. Depending on the kind of relationship we have with the person we are writing to, we can use the following greetings:
Dear Mr./Mrs./ Ms. + Last name,
For example: Dear Mr. Smith,
Dear Sir/ Madam,
If you don’t know the name and last name of the recipient
To whom it may concern
This is a more generic formulaic expression.
2. Introduction
In this part we must indicate briefly and clearly the reason for writing. It should be consistent with the subject of the email. We can use the following introductory phrases:
I’m writing with regards to … (email subject)
I’m writing to … (ask, inform, request, send, confirm, etc)
I’m writing in reference to … (email subject, e.g. a job post, an advertisement, a website, etc)
3. Body
There are no formulaic expressions or conventional formulas for the body of the text because the information that we share in the body of the email varies according to what you need to communicate.
There is one general rule for this part: it should be divided into short paragraphs.
4. Closing paragraph
There are various ways to end your email. The most common formulaic expressions are the following:
I look forward to hearing from you soon / at your earliest convenient time.
Thank you in advance.
Thank you for your attention.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
For further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
5. Goodbye
Here you can find a list with the most common phrases to end a formal email:
Sincerely,
Kind regards,
Best regards,
Yours faithfully, (only if you began your email with ‘Dear Sir/Madam’)
Yours sincerely, (only if began your email with ‘Dear Mr./Mrs./ Ms. + Last name)
Regards,
6. Signature
We write our full name (name + last name)
Now that you know which parts should be included in a formal email, let’s see an example:
Ana has read an ad about some English courses in a school website.
She is 23 years old. She has graduated from college.
She wants to take an IELTS course in July.
She needs to get information about dates and prices.
She wants to stay with a host family.
She wants a room for her and her friend.
Language School
Come and study English at our school! Summer and winter intensive courses Highly experienced teachers One month courses for all levels Reasonable prices Accommodation with host families
Pro tips for writing formal emails
Use the standard format that English speakers use to write formal emails.
Use formulaic expressions.
DO NOT use contractions (I’m, I’ve, I’d, don’t, can’t, won’t, etc.).
Use formal words and indirect questions (e.g. I was wondering if …/ I would be grateful if you …)
Don’t forget to START your email by saying why are you writing or what you are
Time to practice
The best way to improve your writing is to practice. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Remember that practice makes progress.
Write an email to get more information about the following course:
Computer courses in Canada One -or two-week courses in different parts of Canada (Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, and Halifax) Professional instructors Morning and afternoon classes All levels, beginners to advanced Small groups or private lessons
For more information email Robert Anderson at info@academy.com
Don’t forget to explain why you are writing and give some personal information
Ask your questions, and ask them to send you information
Grammar Practice
Speaking Practice
Let’s sing!
Pro tips for writing reports
Speaking practice
Time to practice
Teacher Julieta 