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English idioms, proverbs, and expressions are an important part of everyday English. They come up all the time in both written and spoken English. Because idioms don’t always make sense literally, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with the meaning and usage of each idiom. That may seem like a lot…

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Feel confident about passing C1 Advanced (formerly Cambridge English: Advanced and before that, CAE) with our free, expert advice.
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CAE Exam Tips - Get your Certificate in Cambridge C1 Advanced

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CAE Exam Tips helps students pass the Cambridge C1 Advanced English exam with free tips about the speaking, reading, writing, and listening sections.

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Follow me on twitter @RobbioDobbio

This is an updated version of my CAE/CPE report phrase list. Download it below:
Report Phrase Sheet Report

Formal, impersonal, cold and factual.
DO NOT USE:
· Contractions

· Colourful language (gorgeous/stunning/awesome etc.)

· Informal phrasal verbs (meet up/break down/check out etc.)

· "I/we think...." (too personal)

Forms and Conventions:

Title: Report into .......

Paragraph Titles: Introduction, Strengths, Weaknesses, Conclusion.

Fixed introduction: The aim of this report is to evaluate/put forward ideas for/examine etc.
Word limit: CAE: 220-260 CPE: 280-320

Introduction:

The purpose/aim of this report is to....

This report sets out to...

The report will comment on...

Below is an explanation of...

The focus of this report is...

This report will offer an in depth critique of...
Fake survey/questionnaire: It can be a good idea to base the report on a survey/questionnaire.
This report will present the findings of/This report is based on the findings/results of an extensive survey completed by...
Ending Introduction:
1. It will go on to give recommendations regarding...

Expressing general opinions/info:

....is considered/thought/said to be ...

...is highly regarded in (place)...(good reputation)

There is widespread agreement that...

Opinions are divided regarding...

It is common knowledge that...

Recent research indicates that...

Interviewees who had first-hand knowledge of the situation stated...

There is considerable disagreement regarding ...
Survey Results:
Virtually everyone who completed the survey stated that..

Over (60%) of those interviewed stated that...

The vast majority of people interviewed believe that...

A small percentage of those surveyed agree/disagree with...

The (school system) in this country undoubtedly has many strengths such as .... And...

... is particularly effective due to the fact that...

... has achieved impressive results owing to ...

Another clear strong point is...

... is something the country can be proud of due to...

Weaknesses:

Despite the strengths mentioned above, there are also some areas that require attention.

... is failing to live up to expectations because...

Another clear weakness is...

... leaves a lot to be desired

... is not up to the required standard

Advantages/disadvantages:

...'s advantages clearly outweigh its disadvantages.
advantages
benefits/pros/strengths
disadvantages
downsides/weaknesses/drawbacks

Giving Recommendations:

In light of the above, we believe the following measures should be adopted...

My recommendations are as follows:...

Urgent improvement is needed in the field of...

I highly recommend + bring about change in the area of...

To improve the situation, we recommend...

It is recommended that...

Concluding:

-To sum up,...To conclude,...

-I hope that the plan outlined/presented in this

report meets with your approval...

-I hope that the recommendations outlined/

presented in this report will receive your serious

consideration.

Should the recommendations outlined in this report be carried out, I have no doubt that .... Will be a resounding success.

Grammar check list

Have you included?

· An inversion (not only/no sooner/seldom)

· An inverted conditional (Were we to...)

· A participle clause (Being.../Having gone...)

· A double comparative (The more we... the more)

· A cleft sentence (What is most crucial is...)

· Linkers (Nevertheless/despite/due to/consequently)

· Impressive verbs (bring about change/undergo development)

Example Introduction
The aim of this report is to evaluate the current state of..... This report is based on the results of an extensive survey completed by (students at ... school). It will present the results of the survey and go on to give recommendations regarding...

Barcelona based English Teacher, blogger and sometime actor and director. View All Posts

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Follow me on twitter @RobbioDobbio This is an updated version of my CAE/CPE report phrase list. Download it below: Report Phrase Sheet Report Register: Formal, impersonal, cold and factual. DO NOT USE: · Contractions · Colourful language (gorgeous/stunning/awesome etc.) · Informal phrasal verbs (meet up/break down/check out etc.) · "I/we think...."

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Letter of complaint useful phrases

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Exam Preparation Class, Writing Classes
Image credit: Durham Constabulary

Before you use these materials... We've created a new podcast aimed at B2+ level English students and teachers alike. You can listen for free at our SoundCloud page below. You can download teacher's notes to accompany them from our Facebook page or from this blog. All comments and feedback welcome! Give us a like and a share 😉
https://www.facebook.com/2tspodcast/
Letter of complaint phrase sheet
This is a phrase sheet and writing task for CAE/CPE students designed to help them tackle formal letter of complaint tasks. Download the handout below:

CAE/CPE - Letter of Complaint

Task - CPE Testbuilder pg 91

You recently stayed at one of a chain of large hotels and encountered a number of problems during your stay. Write a letter to the company's head office detailing the problems you had, describing what happened when you complained to the hotel staff and suggesting ways the company could improve its service. (CAE 220-260 words - CPE 280-320 words)

Opening

Dear Sir or Madam, / To whom it may concern,

I am writing to express my disappointment with/dissatisfaction with the service I received in...

I would like to lodge a formal complaint against your company for the reasons outlined below:

I feel compelled to write to you in order to describe the

Listing Problems

First of all,

Not only was there a hair in my wife's soup, but the main course also arrived cold.

On top of that...

As if that was not enough...

To top it all off...

The straw that broke the camel's back was...

Complaining Expressions

The standard of the... was not up to scratch.

The... was not up to the expected standard.

The... left a lot to be desired.

The... failed to live up to our expectations.

We were left bitterly disappointed by...

The quality of the customer service we received was woefully inadequate.

The... was an absolute disgrace. (v.strong)

Overall, our visit to your (restaurant) was an unmitigated disaster from start to finish.

Requesting Action

It seems only fair that you should... (offer a full refund)

I would appreciate it if you...

I would be grateful if you...

Should these demands not be met, you will be hearing from my lawyers.

I expect to receive compensation to the tune of (€2000) for the...

Making Recommendations

I strongly recommend that your organisation...

It would be advisable to...

I suggest re-evaluating your procedures regarding...

Sign off

I look forward to receiving your reply.

I expect to receive a prompt reply to this letter.

Yours faithfully,

Barcelona based English Teacher, blogger and sometime actor and director. View All Posts

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CAE/CPE Writing: Formal Letter of Complaint - Task + Phrase Sheet

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Image credit: Durham Constabulary Before you use these materials... We've created a new podcast aimed at B2+ level English students and teachers alike. You can listen for free at our SoundCloud page below. You can download teacher's notes to accompany them from our Facebook page or from this blog.