How To Write An Article? - C2 Proficient (CPE)
How To Write An Article? - C2 Proficient (CPE)
How To Write An Article? - C2 Proficient (CPE)
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C2 Proficient (CPE)
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An article is written on a particular theme in a style which makes it suitable for publication in an English-language newspaper,
magazine or newsletter.
The purpose of an article is to convey information; it may contain some description and/or narrative, and you should bear in
mind the need to engage the interest of their readers.
In some cases, a personal angle will be appropriate and a catchy title will attract the reader’s attention.
However, there are many di erent types of articles, and You should check carefully to see what kind of publication You are
being asked to write for. An article in an academic publication will have a very di erent style and choice of language from one
in an international magazine.
Having a good grasp on who will be reading your article can help you orient the information and the tone so that it’s as useful
as possible.
An attractive title
Drawing the attention of readers and indicating the article’s theme.
An introduction
Clarifying the theme and attracting the reader’s attention.
Conclusion
Either a summary of the theme or a final opinion, recommendation or comment.
The CPE article may be formal, semi-formal or informal, depending on the target group. Use a descriptive vocabulary and
language relevant to the article.
Combining words and expressions with a variety of vocabulary will only improve your work and make it more interesting.
It should be a concise summary of the information presented in the article. Shortly speaking, the main topic of the article
should be concluded in the title.
For example, if you are writing a description of a place, using adjectives can enhance the attractiveness of the place, before
the reader begins reading the article, e.g.
“The Tranquility and Peace of an Island that Time Forgot”.
If the task involves proposing a solution to a problem or your opinion, and so on, you can address your audience directly, e.g.
“What You Need to Do to Be Successful”, or use a question such as “Is Learning English Really Necessary Today?”.
The title should not be too long and ideally reflect the style of the article – both formal or informal.
To provide consistency in one paragraph, it is essential to group sentences according to the main idea.
Therefore, it is required to start either by setting a theme or a topic sentence that sums up the main idea of the whole
paragraph. Such a sentence usually appears at the beginning of the paragraph.
Sample topics:
“There are many reasons why pollution in ABC Town is the worst in the world.”
“To be an e ective CEO requires certain characteristics.”
” Fortune hunters encounter many di culties when exploring a shipwreck.”
Occasionally there is no topic sentence, merely the topic or main idea. However, to help the reader quickly understand the
topic of the whole paragraph and to minimize the chance of completely missing the theme, we recommend placing the Topic
Sentence at the beginning of the article.
Article subject:
An international travel magazine is running a series of articles on alternatives to travelling by plane. The magazine has
invited readers to send in articles briefly describing a memorable long-distance train or bus journey they have made. The
article should explain the advantages of travelling a long distance by train or bus and consider whether in general
travelling to your destination more slowly may result in a more satisfying travel experience.
Long-distance Travel
With the rapid pace in which technology has been developing over the last decades, air travel has become more and
more a ordable to the hoi polloi. This is particularly true since the spread of the ‘no-frills’ airlines which have taken over
Europe by storm. Air travel o ers relatively cheap and fast journey to its passengers, which explains its recent rise. But are
these journeys pleasant ones? Recent opinion polls show they are not. People are unhappy about the weight and size
limits on luggage, numerous changes, stress related to queues to check-in, security and then to the gate . … The largest
ache for air passengers, however, seems to be the lack of human interaction amid the ‘de-humanising feel’ of the airports.
I recently had an opportunity – and a pleasure – to travel by train to a family wedding in Germany. Despite the fact the
journey took 6 hours longer than it would by plane, it was a truly enjoyable experience. The rail track passed through
beautiful, green mountain valleys, o ering amazing views of numerous castles perched on the mountain sides and the
views of medieval towns. I have also met a few very nice local people who entertained me during the journey with
interesting and funny stories of their family weddings.
Thanks to excellent views and the people I travelled with, the journey felt unbelievably short. There are many advantages
of travelling long distances by train, most of which overweight the largest disadvantage to some – namely the length of
the journey. First of all – one is able to meet interesting people and engage in long conversations – a train journey seems
to be a more welcoming environment for social interaction than a quick flight is. Secondly, whilst passing through the
towns and villages rather than flying over them one is able to better experience the culture. There are also practical
advantages – like the lack of strict luggage restrictions, less queues and the ability to open the window to get some fresh
air. There are also less problems with the leg
space and a possibility to stretch them by strolling to the restaurant carriage or up and down the train. (This paragraph
could have been divided into two for greater clarity)
To conclude, train travel could lead to a better travel experience comparing to the aircraft, under the condition that the
passenger is open to experiencing the journey and is able to sacrifice a bit more time travelling.
Article subject:
(Same as above) An international travel magazine is running a series of articles on alternatives to travelling by plane. The
magazine has invited readers to send in articles briefly describing a memorable long-distance train or bus journey they
have made. The article should explain the advantages of travelling a long distance by train or bus and consider whether
in general travelling to your destination more slowly may result in a more satisfying travel experience.
Long-distance Travel
The Scottish writer, Robert Louis Stevenson, used to say that he travelled ‘not to go anywhere but to go.’ In other words,
he loved travelling for its own sake. Although I enjoy being at a new destination, I agree that the journey there can be the
most exciting and rewarding part of any holiday.
Some years ago I studied Russian at university and used to travel frequently to Russia. I usually went by train, by far the
cheapest way to get there then. This involved a three-day train journey across the Channel and then over the North
European Plain through Belgium, Germany, Poland and Byelorus to Moscow. The train from Ostend was a Russian one and
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once on board you felt as if you were already in Russia, especially as you poured yourself a glass of tea from the samovar
at the end of each carriage and made yourself comfortable for the two nights you’d spend in your sleeping compartment.
I loved the sense of gradually making my way into a di erent world. Towns and villages became less frequent and fields
turned into forests as we chugged eastwards. The children who waved at the train as it passed began to have high Slav
cheekbones. Travelling slowly gives you time to savour the gradual changes, to think about where you’re going or where
you’ve just been, to adapt to a new way of being. This opportunity to reflect is immensely enriching.
These days it’s cheaper to hop on a plane than a train and you can now get to Russia in three hours instead of three days.
Lunch in London and dinner in Moscow has become possible thanks to the jet engine. In many ways the journey could be
seen as easier now. But in my opinion, travelling by rail is still much more satisfying, providing a real sense of distance –
both geographical and social – between di erent countries.
(The text is organised very well and is coherent throughout, using a good range of cohesive devices and
organisational patterns with flexibility. A wide range of vocabulary including less common lexis is used e ectively, precisely
and with style. Well done!)
We will finish it with some useful vocabulary mostly used to organize information. Although it is taking a shortcut, if you learn
several expressions for each paragraph in each type of text that could be on your exam, you will certainly be able to create a
very consistent and well-organized text.
Agreeing partially
Qualifying Statements
Purpose
Therefore…
With this object in view/mind…
To this end…
For this purpose….
Beyond…
Nearby…
On the opposite side…
Adjacent to…
Over head…
To/on the right…
In the centre…
Over to the left/right….
In the same area….
In the neighbouring town….
You must use a wide range of vocabulary, including less You must demonstrate complete command of the
common lexis, with fluency, precision, sophistication and conventions of the communicative task.
style.
Communicate complex ideas in an e ective and
Use of grammar must be sophisticated, fully controlled convincing way, holding the target reader’s attention with
and completely natural. ease, fulfilling all communicative purposes
Organization Content
Your text must be organised impressively and Every sentence in the text should refer to the topic of the
coherently using a wide range of cohesive devices and assignment, and all the tasks specified in it should be
organisational patterns with complete flexibility. fulfilled.