Look at this task:

An English friend of yours is working on a series of articles called “Young and Old Around the World” which looks at different towns and cities through the eyes of teenagers and senior citizens. She has written asking for your help and this is an extract from her letter.

What I want is some first-hand information about what it’s like to live in your town from the point of view of the two different age groups. You would need to interview, say, ten people in each category on the main topics of public transport, entertainment, and shopping and write me a brief report. Could you also include a short introduction about your town and give a little summing up at the end?

Write your report in about 250 words.

A report is a formal document prepared by one person or a group of people who have been studying a particular subject. There are two basic kinds of reports:

• The first simply provides information on a topic and gives a brief conclusion or summary at the end. Example: a report on the educational system in a particular country, written to help someone research the subject.
• The second sets out to identify strengths and weaknesses in a particular situation and make recommendations for improvement. Example: a report on the library facilities in a college written at the request of the principal.

Language and register

Reports are the most impersonal kind of writing and it is usually best to avoid expressing personal opinions or feelings, except, perhaps, in the conclusion. Instead of I think that … or I found that … for example, you can use the impersonal “It” construction and a passive, e.g. It seems that … It was found that …

It is also advisable to avoid making very definite statements unless you’re absolutely sure they’re true. Instead of saying It is for example, you can use a modal verb e.g. It could / may / might be or a more tentative expression such as It seems to be or It tends to be.

Layout and organisation

Reports should have a clear factual heading and may also have subheadings which divide the writing into shorter sections. The information should be organised and presented as clearly and logically as possible, with a short introduction explaining the aims of the report and how the information was obtained and a suitable conclusion, summing up the information and making recommendations if necessary.

Useful language

Introduction:

The aim of this report is to …. It is based on …

This report is intended to… It draws on …

This report looks at / describes… It uses …

Reporting an observation:

It seems / appears that ... It was found that ...

The majority / minority of … It was felt that …

Quoting:

According to …

As X said …

In the words of …

Speculating:

It may / could / might (well) be that …

Generalising:

In general, …

On the whole, …

In the main, …

Commenting:

Interestingly, …

Curiously, …

Oddly, …

Strangely, …

Surprisingly, …

Predictably, …

As might be (have been) expected, …

It is interesting that, …

Making a recommendation:

It is recommended that …

(Perhaps) it would be advisable for X to (do) …

(Perhaps) X might /should consider …

Summing up:

To sum up / To summarise, …

On balance, …

In short, …

Study the following example carefully:

Leisure Facilities in Grimthorpe

Introduction

The aim of this report is to describe and assess the leisure facilities available in Grimthorpe. It is based on information made available by the Grimthorpe Tourist Office, and on views expressed by local people who were interviewed.

Sport

Grimthorpe has a wide range of sports facilities, both public and private. There is a large modern leisure centre in the High Street and facilities include a swimming pool, a sports hall for judo, fencing and other activities, and tennis courts. The centre runs courses in all these sports and these tend to be very popular. Membership costs £150 a year, which was felt to be rather expensive, but a special temporary membership is available to visitors. The public swimming pool on the outskirts of the town is older, less attractive and often overcrowded, but entry is only £1.50.

Theatres

There are two theatres in town, the Kings Theatre in Bee Street, which offers mainly “serious” drama and has a good reputation for its productions of Shakespeare, and the Little Theatre in Sea Street which specialises in lighter entertainment and the occasional pop concert. In general, it seems that the Kings Theatre is more popular with the older members of the community while the Little appeals more to people in their teens and twenties.

Museums and Art Galleries

The City Museum has an extensive collection of maps, pottery and other articles connected with Grimthorpe’s history. The attendants are said to be very friendly and helpful, and there is also a small café with reasonably priced home-made snacks. Interestingly, few of the local people interviewed had ever been to the museum but it was recommended highly by several tourists.

Conclusion

Grimthorpe is well provided with leisure facilities for a town of its size and these are well used by the townspeople on the whole. Sport seems to be the most popular leisure activity, while cultural activities like visiting the museum or art gallery appeared to be the least popular among the Grimthorpians who were interviewed. Perhaps the City Council should consider launching a publicity campaign to show how much these facilities have to offer.

Now use these tips to help you write your answer to the task above.

When you write a report here are the top things you need to think about:

• You need to write 4 or 5 paragraphs, including an introduction and recommendation.
• The first paragraph should state the “aim of the report”+ where you got the information
• Use headings to make it easier to read.
• Use points under each heading with “bullet points” or numbers.
• Avoid your personal opinion and “I”, “my”, “We” etc. Use the passive voice.
• Use formal language and generalising functions.
• Sum up the report’s possible recommendations and suggest the best one(s).

Here is a typical task:

Write a report suggesting improvements to classes at Today School.

Look at a student’s answer to the question. Appropriate language is highlighted in red.

Introduction

The aim of this report is to compare different ideas to make classes in Today School more enjoyable for students while learning at the same time. A large number of students were interviewed to find out differing opinions. 

Classroom Activities

Some of the students suggested using more videos and songs during the classes and some even mentioned that parties with alcohol would be a good idea. A few of them gave reasons why they preferred these activities:

• Pop music and films are  interesting and topical
• Alcohol makes people relax and talk more.

Outside Class

The majority of students mentioned that homework should be reduced drastically whereas others expressed a preference for doing excursions in English, giving the following reasons:

• Too much homework makes students stressed.
• Excursions are a fun way of putting into practice what is learnt.

Recommendations

Some of the ideas have benefits; however, suggestions to allow alcohol and reduce homework should be immediately discarded. On the other hand, it is felt the majority of students would take advantage of more pop videos and excursions and so these suggestions are recommendable.

Other useful language for a report:

• This report is intended to …
• Many of those interviewed stated that …
• Others pointed out that …
• Several people thought that ...

• Whilst, …
• Another option that was mentioned was …
• Both/All the ideas seemed interesting but ...
• Taking all the points into consideration …
• On balance then, I feel that …
• Without a doubt the first option was …

How to write a report for New FCE exam

How to write a report for the New FCE exam? Here’s a sample topic that has been divided into paragraphs and each of the sections explained.

Part 2

You must answer this question.

Your college has been asked to accept a group of 50 students from another country for two weeks. You have been asked by your principal to find out what the advantages and disadvantages would be of accepting this group.  Is it a good idea?

Write your report to the principal in 140- 190 words in an appropriate style on the separate answer sheet.

Sample answer:

Report on Proposed Visit by 50 Overseas Students

Introduction

The purpose of this report is to consider the advantages and disadvantages of accepting a large group of students from overseas for two weeks. I have discussed the issue with all the senior members of college staff.  

You start with Paragraph 1- Introduction

In the introduction you:

- use headings – this makes it easier to find the main info

- state the aim of the report and where you got/ collected the information

- don’t begin with Dear Sir/ Madam – it’s not a letter

Phrases you can use in the introduction:

* This report is intended to show / discuss / outline …

* The aim / purpose of this report is to …

* In this report I will

REMEMBER: It’s a formal piece of writing that means:  use a formal, neutral style: no contractions, no colloquial language, no direct questions, no informal punctuation such as exclamation marks.

Advantages

All those I interviewed believe that for students this would be an exciting opportunity to explore a foreign culture, both in the classroom and socially. Overall, they thought the visit would be stimulating for the college at a quiet time of the year.

 In the 2nd Paragraph you:

- balance the positive and negative points fairly

- you can use numbering or bullet points to highlight main points

- use a range of specific vocabulary or set phrases e.g. Some thought this was …../ other students said they preferred…

- don’t use a lot of adjectives and dramatic language. A report gives factual information

Phrases you can use to in the 2nd and 3rd paragraph:

Suggesting additional ideas

Another option would be to …

I would also suggest …

Another point to consider is hat …

Alternatively…. Moreover. / Furthermore.

Apart from this / In addition to this

Making recommendations

I would strongly / highly recommend …

My first / second recommendation would be to ..

It would be (highly) advisable to …

If my recommendations are followed, then …

The best solution / ideas would seem to be …

Listing ideas

I would suggest the following: … might like to consider the following:

The following are highly recommended: 1….. OR 2. ……….

They gave/ suggested the following reasons:

They made the following points: 1….2…

Reporting findings 

It appears that the majority of …

The only problem is that … .

Most … (students seem) … .

Not surprisingly, …

According to …

Disadvantages

Some members of staff are concerned that:

1 there would be insufficient seating in the library at bus times;

2 the visitors might be more interested in enjoying themselves than studying;

3 the restaurant queue would be very slow at lunchtime.

In the 3rd Paragraph you:

- balance the positive and negative points fairly

- you can use numbering or bullet points to highlight main points

- use a range of specific vocabulary or set phrases e.g. Some thought this was …../ other students said they preferred…

Conclusion and recommendation

Clearly, the group might cause some practical difficulties but on the whole everyone thought that the visit should be seen as an opportunity not to be missed.

In the last paragraph you:

- give the recommendations

- generalise

- express opinions impersonally

Phrases you can use to end the letter

Concluding and making recommendations

All things considered, …

We have no hesitation in recommending… .

Over to you:

A group of students from Australia are going to visit your town or city next month as part of an exchange visit. Their teacher has asked you to write a report about shopping in your town / city, including the following information:

• local specialities which the students could buy as souvenirs

• the best places for teenagers to go shopping

• cheap cafes or restaurants where the students could eat.

Write your report in 140- 190 words in an appropriate style on the separate answer sheet.

Here’s the next task you can do:

Your teacher wants to recommend a television programme for students who are learning your language.

Write a report on a television programme which you know well, saying why you think it would be helpful and interesting for foreign learners.

Write your report in 140- 190 words in an appropriate style on the separate answer sheet.

Points to remember:

Organise your ideas into a clear report: either rely on paragraphing or use subheadings (or both).

Briefly introduce the programme, include its title and say what it is about.

Mention a few things about the programme that supports your recommendation from the foreign learner’s point of view.

Checklist

When writing the answer to any task, check that you have paid attention to the following points. Make sure you:

- think about who your reader is and what they want to know

- begin with an introduction explaining the purpose of the report

- address all of the points in the instructions

- organise your ideas clearly, with headings if appropriate

- include a personal recommendation if you are asked for one.

- use a variety of formal expressions and structures

- use the correct number of words

- check your work for accuracy