FCE & CAE- Writing Cohesion and avoiding repetition http://www.dcielts.com/ielts-writing/coh http://www.d cielts.com/ielts-writing/cohesion-an esion-and-avoidin d-avoiding-repetition/ g-repetition/
This lesson shows you different ways you can improve the cohesion of your writing and avoiding repetition – killing two birds with one stone. These are extremely important skills to master and the good news is that much of the language you need here is simple language. Simple is very oft en best.
See how it works This paragraph is a model of how you should write your sentences and paragraphs so that they are cohesive and avoid repetition. As you read it, you should see there are different ways I link my m y sentences together. Most of techniques have something in common in that I use a word in every sentence that links back to something that has come earlier. What this means is that the readers finds it easier to follow my argument, because as they read they can make the connections between my sentences. This is cohesion. You might also notice that I tend not to repeat words very often, but that I do choose words with a similar meaning which is also something you should aim to do. There areseveral different ways I achieve this. Perhaps the most important one is by the use of pronouns which are among the most common words in English. Although you should also not forget about using synonyms and different word forms – two more advanced language skills. skills.
Think about pronouns Pronouns are words such as:
he/she/it this/that/these/those one both The way these words work is that they refer r efer back to something already mentioned and replace that word. So used well, they help you avoid repeating words a nd link your writing.
Former/latter/respectively/such These words work in much the same way and are typical of more academic writing. You should note:
former and latter are used with the such is typically used with a word following it: e.g. “such a case”
There and then Another way you can use use this type of linking language language is when you you are writing about times and places. The key words here are “there” and “then”, though you can also use “at that time” and “in that country”
Synonyms This is a key technique. The idea is that you don’t repeat re peat the word, you use another similar word or phrase. Very often, you will need to use phrases and not individual words to do this well.
Change of word form Sometimes it is often enough to change the form of the word from a verb to a noun or a noun to an adjective. By doing this, you are showing how you can use language flexibly. You should note that when you are learning words, you should learn the different forms of the words (see my academic word list exercises for more on this).
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FCE & CAE WRITING FORMAL & INFORMAL ENGLISH
http://www.engvid.com/english-resource/formal-informal-english/
Formal English: We use it when writing essays for school, cover letters to apply for jobs, or
emails and letters at work. fri ends, children, and relatives. Informal English: We use it with friends, The following list will help you to recognize the informal and formal ways of saying the same thing. The list is divided di vided into sections of: verbs, transitions, emphasis words, abbreviations, and slang. Verbs – Informal & Formal Informal
Formal
say sorry
apologize, apologise
go up
increase
go down
decrease
set up
establish
look at
examine
blow up
explode
find out
discover
bring about
cause
put off
postpone, delay
rack up
accumulate
make up
fabricate
Informal
Formal
stand for
represent
find out
discover, ascertain
leave out
omit
point out
indicate
go against
oppose
get in touch with
contact
It’s about
It concerns, It’s in regards to
need to
required
think about
consider
get
obtain
put up
tolerate
deal with
handle
seem
appear
show
demonstrate, illustrate, portray
start
commence
keep
retain
free
release
get on someone’s nerves
bother
Informal
Formal
ring up
call
show up
arrive
let
permit
fill in
substitute, inform
block
undermine
give the go ahead, greenlight
authorize, authorise
Transitions – Informal & Formal Informal
Formal
Anyways
Nevertheless
Plus/Also
Moreover/ Furthermore
But
However
So
Therefore/Thus
Also
In addition, Additionally
ASAP
as soon as possible/at your earliest convenience
Okay, OK
acceptable
In the meantime
In the interim
I think
In my opinion,
Informal
Formal
In the end,
Finally
To sum up
In conclusion,
In a nutshell/Basically
To summarize,
Anyway,
Notwithstanding
All right
Acceptable
Well,
To top it all off,
On top of it all,
In order to
Emphasis Words – Informal & Formal Informal
Formal
lots of/ a lot of
much, many
tons of, heaps of
large quantities of, a number of
totally
completely, strongly
really, very
definitely
Letter Expressions – Informal & Formal
Informal
Formal
Hi Robert,
Dear Sir or Madam
Just wanted to let you know…
I am writing to inform you…
Love,
Yours sincerely, Yours faithfully,
Cheers,
Yours Truly, Best regards, kind regards
Hope to hear from you soon
I look forward to hearing from you
You can call me if you need anything
Please do not hesitate to contact me
Abbreviations – Informal & Formal Informal
Formal
ASAP
as soon as possible
T.V.
television
photo
photograph
cell
cell phone
net
Internet
Slang – Informal & Formal Informal
Formal
Informal
Formal
kids
children
bad
negative
good
positive
really big
considerable
right
correct
wrong
incorrect
smart
intelligent
cheap
inexpensive
loaded
rich
PUNCTUATION RULES 1. Use capital letters: a) At the beginning of every sentence. b) For proper nouns, abbreviations of proper nouns, names of languages and nationalities, days, months and the pronoun “I”. Don’t use capital letters for other words.
Example: On Monday and Wednesday Juan and I go to our English class at the University of Seville. Our first exam is going to be in February. 2. Use a period/full stop, question mark or exclamation point/mark at the end of every sentence (only one per sentence). Don’t put a question mark or exclamation point/mark at the beginning of the sentence. Don’t join sentences sentences with commas.
Examples: Incorrect: - ¿Where did you go on holiday?!!! - We went to Kenya, the weather weather was good, we went on a safari, we took photographs of the wild animals. ¡It was very exciting!
Correct: - Where did you go on holiday? - We went to Kenya. Kenya. The weather was good. We went on a safari and took photographs of the wild animals. It was very exciting! exciting! 3. Don’t end a list of words or a sentence with suspension points.
Examples: Incorrect: I saw the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower,Versailles. Tower,Versailles. . . when I was in Paris. I had dinner with my parents, my grandparents, my brother . . . On the flight you can drink coffee, tea, Coke . . .
Correct: I saw the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and Versailles Versailles when I was in Paris. I saw the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, Versailles and other interesting places places when I was in Paris. I had dinner with my parents, my grandparents and my brother. I had dinner with my parents, my grandparents and other relatives. On the flight you can drink coffee, tea or Coke. 4. Don’t put a comma after “so” or “but” in sentences like these:
Examples: Incorrect: I was hungry so, I ate a hamb hamburger. urger. I wanted a hamburger but, I didn’t have any money.
Correct: I was hungry, so I ate a hamburger. I wanted a hamburger, but I didn’t have any money. 5. Put a comma when a) making lists
Example I like playing tennis, listening to music and watching TV.
b) To separate adjectives when there are a number of adjectives before the noun
Example He’s an enthusiastic, hard-working student. 6. Put a comma after “for example”, “however”, “moreover”, “nevertheless”, “in fact”, “as a result”, “later”, “therefore”, “all in all”, “generally”, “finally”, “in my opinion”, etc. and after a time phrase at the beginning of a sentence. Put a comma after “Also” and “Besides” if they are at the beginning of a sentence.
Examples: He was tired. However, he couldn’t sleep. He likes lots of sports. For example, he plays plays football, basketball and tennis and goes swimming swimm ing every week. He was was hungry. Also, he was very tired. He was was hungry. Besides, he was very tired. In 2014, he left school and went to university. 7. Put a comma before and after a non-defining relative clause. Don’t put a comma before defining clauses:
Examples: My friend John, who went went to the same same school school as me, has just written written a best-selling best-selling novel novel (nondefining) He gave me the letter which/that was in a blue envelope (defining) 8. When you put the subordinator at the beginning beginning of a clause to introduce the main clause, you need to put a comma between the two two clauses. When you put a subordinator between two clauses to connect them, you should not use any punctuation
Examples: Before he turned on the TV, he did his homework. He did his homework before he turned on the TV. When everyone in a family helps with the housework, they have a better relationship. They have a better relationships when everyone in a family helps with the housework. Sources: - http://institucional.us.es/aiidi/ Área de inglés (IDI) - Compiled by author
