The
Michigan ECCE exam requires candidates to write either a letter or an essay.
This must be completed in 30 minutes and needs to be approximately one page
long. The candidates can write in ink or in pencil.
The topic
is given in the form of a prompt (announcement, extract from a newspaper or
magazine). The letter or essay is to be discursive in one of three types:
opinion, for and against (or advantages / disadvantages) or solution to a
problem. The style is usually formal or semi-formal but it may also be
informal.
opinion
Plan for
Essay
Paragraph 1
Clear, general statement related to the subject. The writer’s own personal
opinion.
Paragraph 2
The writer supports his / her opinion with reasons and / or
examples.
Paragraph 3 The opposite viewpoint together
with its weaknesses
Paragraph 4 Summary of the writer’s opinion.
Paragraph 4 Summary of the writer’s opinion.
Phrases to
use
A) Formal
Paragraph 1
It is often suggested / said / argued /
claimed that… Some / Many / A great number of people agree with this / believe
this is true. Others / Other people disagree / have the opposite viewpoint. I
(definitely) feel / believe that… In my opinion / view… I strongly disagree
that…
Paragraph 2
First of
all, / Firstly, / In the first place, First and foremost,… This is because /
due to the fact that… Secondly,… A good reason for this is… A further reason is
that…
Furthermore,… For example… In addition,… This can be shown… Finally, / Lastly,…
Paragraph 3
On the other hand, / However, / many others /
other people claim / believe / argue that… Moreover, it is said that… Nevertheless,… Although this may be true / I
agree with this to a certain extent,… Last but not least, although / while /
whereas some people consider…, it cannot be denied that…
Paragraph 4
In conclusion,
/ To sum up, / All in all, / On the whole, it can be seen that… I myself
believe / am convinced that…
B) Informal
Paragraph 1
Lots of people / Many people say / believe /
think that Others don’t agree / have a different opinion / see it in a
different light. If you ask me, I think that It’s all a question of what we
should do about
Paragraph 2
One reason
why I believe that is What’s more, Not only that, There’s another reason too.
A last
point is Last but not least,
Paragraph 3
As for those who think that … Others, though,
think that… I agree up to a point, but…
Paragraph 4
To round off what I said, … Let’s put it this
way. There’s … What it all boils down to is that …
Example
Rubric
Read the magazine article below, which
appeared in “Parents and Teens” magazine.
Statistics
show that the number of teenagers at Senior High School who are working in
part-time jobs is on the increase. This is viewed in a negative light by
schools because the teachers claim that the students should be spending as much
time as possible on schoolwork with a view to going to university. Other
people, however, think that it is useful for teenagers to get a taste of
working life because it helps them to grow up faster.
What is
your opinion? Should teenagers be allowed to have a part-time job while they
are still at school or is it spoiling their chances of acquiring a university
degree and a bright future?
Model Essay
Nowadays,
more and more teenage school-goers are doing part-time jobs. Opinions on this
are divided but I strongly believe that the positive effects outweigh the
disadvantages. Firstly, by working, adolescents learn new skills that are not
taught in school. Secondly, they gain experience and self-assurance, both of
which will help them when they go out into the world to earn their own living.
They also learn to appreciate the value of money and become more independent,
due to the fact that they do not need to ask their parents for pocket money.
Finally, they become responsible, which causes them to mature more quickly and
have a better understanding of the adult world. On the other hand, many people
regard teenage jobs as unnecessary and even detrimental. They believe that the
students should focus on their school work and that they will be too tired to
fulfill their potential if they spend part of their day at work. However,
parents and teachers can help by encouraging and supporting the teen-workers to
give them a sense of achievement and the satisfaction that their efforts are
being acknowledged. All in all, I’m convinced that part-time work for teenagers
can only be viewed as positive, provided they can combine their working life
and their school work satisfactorily.
for and against
Plan for
Essay
Paragraph 1
Clear, general statement related to the subject
with both viewpoints mentioned
Paragraph 2
Points agreeing with the subject (for) with
justifications, reasons and / or
examples.
Paragraph 3
Points
disagreeing with the subject (against) with
justifications, reasons and / or examples
Paragraph 4
Summary of
both viewpoints, for and against. Comment on the issue Writer’s opinion
(optional)
Phrases to
use
A) Formal
Paragraph 1
Nowadays, / It is a generally accepted fact that… / It is often said
that… / There is… However, while there are reasons why this is a good idea,
there are also some disadvantages to be considered.
Paragraph 2
As regards the advantages of…, first of all, / first and foremost, …
This is because / owing to the fact that… Secondly,… For example,… A third
reason is that… because… Lastly, … This can be seen from…
Paragraph 3
On the other hand, / In contrast, / However,…
Firstly,… This is shown by… Furthermore,… such as / like… In addition, we
mustn’t forget that… Finally,…
Paragraph 4
In conclusion, / To sum up, / All in all, /
Generally speaking,… / As far as I am concerned,…
B) Informal
Paragraph 1
Lots of people / Many people say / believe / think that… Even so, there
are some disadvantages, too.
Paragraph 2
On the upside, If we look at the good side,
Paragraph 3
As for the
downside / disadvantages, That’s because…
Also, …
Lastly, we mustn’t forget that …
Paragraph 4
On the whole, / Basically, we can say that…
It’s generally true then that… We can safely say then that… but… As for me, I
think…
Example
Rubric
Read the newspaper article and then do the
task below.
The Express
Technology
– Good or Bad? A recent survey has shown that in spite of the tremendous
benefits that technology has brought to our lives, many people are alarmed
about the equally enormous drawbacks. There is no doubt that technology has
made our lives easier but on the other hand, we’re also feeling the harmful
effects of its rapid development.
The
newspaper is asking the readers to write an article on “The Advantages and
Disadvantages of Technology”. Write the article giving your opinion with
examples.
Model Essay
It is
generally accepted that technology has improved our lives in many ways.
However, it has also created problems. As regards the advantages of technology,
first of all, it has provided us with instant communication. Secondly,
computers can store thousands of files, which are available at the click of a
button. Another advantage is our easy access to all kinds of information and
services, including online shopping. Finally, robots are used for dangerous
missions, from bomb disposal to the exploration of planets. Thus, they not only
help to save human lives, but also to unravel the mysteries of the universe.
Other mechanisms perform intricate operations skillfully without the
intervention of the surgeon. In contrast, technology is not without drawbacks.
Firstly, the processing of products and air travel damage the environment. In
addition, nuclear weapons can cause irreparable damage. Furthermore, everyday
use of technology has caused us to become isolated, as we often communicate by
means of the Internet or text messages. Last but not least, robots have taken
over many jobs, leaving people unemployed and dissatisfied with their lives. To
sum up, technology benefits mankind, but also presents problems. However, its
progress is unlikely to be halted and in my opinion, we should enjoy its
advantages and try as far as possible to limit its damaging effects on the
Earth and its inhabitants.
solution to a Problem
Plan for Essay
Paragraph 1
Clear,
general statement regarding the problem(s)
Paragraph 2
The causes
of the problem(s)
Paragraphs 3 and 4
Suggestions
Possible consequences Paragraph 5 Brief summary with or without the writer’s
opinion.
Phrases to
use
A) Formal
Paragraph 1
It has
recently been suggested / announced that… / Following a report by…, / We have
recently been informed that… I am / Many people are concerned about…
Paragraph 2
This has come about / been caused by… Although
this is clearly a serious / an extremely serious situation, there are ways to
overcome the problem.
Paragraph 3
First and foremost, the authorities / the
government / parents / the citizens of our town / we / we ourselves should take
steps to… In this way… It would / might also be a good idea to… in order to… A
further suggestion is to…
Paragraph 4
Another way
to solve the problem of… is by… As a
result, the… would… An alternative solution might be to… The effect of this
would be… Finally, you / we might also consider… (letter)
Paragraph 5
As can be
seen, / As we can see, there are ways to improve the situation… If these measures / steps are taken, the
problem(s) will probably / is / are likely to be resolved. I hope you will
consider my suggestions. (letter)
Informal
Paragraph 1
Did
you know that…? I’ve just heard that…
Paragraph 2
This has
happened because… It’s serious but there are ways to solve it.
Paragraphs
3 and 4
It might be
a good idea to… Another thing might be to…
I don’t
know why they don’t… Why has nobody thought of…?
Paragraph 5
So, there are ways, after all, to… So, there’s
no excuse for… All told, …
Letter to a newspaper
Example
rubric
Read the
newspaper article below. Then write a letter to the editor of the newspaper
giving your opinion and suggesting ways in which to solve the problem.
The Globe
The number of car accidents recorded over the summer period (June through
August) of this year have mainly been shown to involve young drivers aged 18 to
20. The accidents have been attributed to speeding, careless driving and lack
of experience. Therefore, the government has called upon the local authorities
to find ways to inform youngsters of the hazards of driving irresponsibly.
Model Essay
Dear
Editor, I read the report in your
newspaper, “The Globe”, concerning the high accident rate among young drivers
aged 18-20. I am writing to give my opinion about why this happens and offer
some suggestions to combat the problem.
Apparently, the causes of the accidents are excessive speed and
carelessness, which can be put down to inexperience and ignorance of the
terrible consequences. Another cause is the fact that young people love
excitement and like to impress their peers, which can lead to reckless
driving. One solution would be to inform
the students at school through talks and videos showing interviews with
accident victims. This would make the youngsters more aware of the dangers of
driving irresponsibly. Furthermore, a
30-minute lesson each week on general road safety and what to avoid when
driving would be both interesting and useful for the students, possibly saving
lives or injuries in the future. Another
suggestion might be to make the punishments for dangerous driving more severe.
For example, a much heavier fine and the confiscation of the driver’s license
for at least a year would be effective deterrents. If these measures were taken, I believe that
the accident rate among young drivers would be greatly reduced.
Yours
sincerely, Pat Harwood
letters
For
letters, paragraph one must contain a reason for writing and the last paragraph
must address the recipient with reference to effects, consequences or action to
be take in the future. e.g. Let me know what happens (informal) I hope these
suggestions will be considered. (formal)
The
following greetings and endings must be used:
Informal
Dear Mary,
Yours, John
Semi-formal
Dear Mr / Mrs / Miss / Ms Smith, Yours
sincerely, / Yours truly, John Brown
Formal
Dear Sir /
Madam / Sir or Madam, Yours faithfully, John Brown
Phrases to use Informal Letters –
suggestions
Paragraph 1: I was sorry to hear that ... /
Perhaps I can be of some help Paragraph 2:
You say that ... / It seems that / as if ...
Paragraphs 3 & 4: Why don’t you
...? / How about ...? / Have you thought about ...? / You could also ... That’d
mean that ... / If I were you, I’d ... because ...
Paragraph 5: I hope I’ve helped. Let me know
what you decide.
Ending
