Как написать report на английском образец

Общая структура доклада

Доклад состоит из трёх частей: вступление, основная часть и заключение. Основная часть делится, в свою очередь, еще на несколько частей (как правило, 2–3). При этом и сам доклад, и все его части должны иметь заголовки. Также можно включить дату, расположив её под заголовком доклада. Например:

Примечания: вместо слова ‘purpose’ можно писать ‘introduction’. Вместо слова ‘conclusion’ можно писать ‘recommendation’, если вы пишете доклад-рекомендацию. На олимпиадах писать дату обычно не требуется. Можно переходить ко вступлению сразу после строки, на которой написана тема. Также не обязательно писать в теме слово Subject. Можно просто написать саму тему.

Вступление

Основная часть

Заключение

Стиль

Пример работы в формате report

Напишем ответ на такое задание:

The linguistic analysis of the dialogues from 12 Disney movies appearing over the period 1937–2013 has revealed certain alterations in the nature of the compliments paid to female characters. This report aims at outlining the discovered changes and explaining the reasons behind them.

Теперь напишем об изменениях. Для этого будем действовать по схеме обобщения и детализации. Как написано у нас в плане, в классических мультфильмах большинство комплиментов относится ко внешности. Примером служит Sleeping Beauty. Так и пишем:

In classic Disney animated films female characters receive several times the amount of praise for their appearance as for their skills and abilities. For instance, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty have respectively 83% and 58% compliments related to the way they look.

Проделываем аналогичную операцию со следующим периодом. Сначала обобщенно говорим о тенденции, потом даём пример:

The same trend generally remains during the renaissance Disney period, although it must be noted that it is then that a character appears (namely Pocahontas, 1995), who is given credit for her skills rather than attractiveness.

С последним периодом поступаем точно так же.

In most recent films the role of beauty-related compliments is noticeably lower — 20% on average, while showing respect for competence has risen in frequency, making up almost half of the total compliments in every film since 2009.

Differing compliment patterns might have been caused by the changing perception of women’s role in society. When a woman was primarily regarded as wife and mother, her value was mostly based on appearance. A shift towards engagement in activities other than household and motherhood was, in its turn, naturally followed by the increase in ability-related compliments.

To conclude, the quality of the compliments given to female characters in Disney movies has significantly altered, reflecting the ways the societal values have transformed over the past 76 years.

Наш report готов. Не забываем писать заголовки к каждому абзацу, а также к самому докладу.

Subject: Changing Compliments Patterns in Disney Movies

Purpose

The linguistic analysis of the dialogues from 12 Disney movies appearing over the period 1937–2013 has revealed certain alterations in the nature of the compliments paid to female characters. This report aims at outlining the discovered changes and explaining the reasons behind them.

Changes

In classic Disney animated films female characters receive several times the amount of praise for their appearance as for their skills and abilities. For instance, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty have respectively 83% and 58% compliments related to the way they look. The same trend generally remains during the renaissance Disney period, although it must be noted that it is then that a character appears (namely Pocahontas, 1995), who is given credit for her skills rather than attractiveness. In most recent films the role of beauty-related compliments is noticeably lower — 20% on average, while showing respect for competence has risen in frequency, making up almost half of the total compliments in every film since 2009.

Reasons

Differing compliment patterns might have been caused by the changing perception of women’s role in society. When a woman was primarily regarded as wife and mother, her value was mostly based on appearance. A shift towards engagement in activities other than household and motherhood was, in its turn, naturally followed by the increase in ability-related compliments.

Conclusion

To conclude, the quality of the compliments given to female characters in Disney movies has significantly altered, reflecting the ways the societal values have transformed over the past 76 years.

Подводные камни

Очень распространённая ошибка при написании доклада — несоответствие стиля. Использование личных местоимений (I think, I consider), сокращений (it’s, hasn’t), слишком простых предложений и разговорной лексики пагубно отражается на качестве доклада и на количестве получаемых за него баллов.

С помощью доклада мы описываем, анализируем, критикуем исследование или просто какие-то данные. Умение грамотно оформить информацию в таком формате очень ценно по двум причинам:

• написание доклада на английском часто включается в программу международных экзаменов;
• в англоязычном мире доклады – неотъемлемая часть не только научной, но и деловой жизни.

В этой статье речь пойдет о том, чем доклад отличается от эссе (essay), а также из каких частей он состоит.

Peculiarities of report. Особенности доклада на английском

1. Темы для докладов. Если в основе эссе лежат общие теоретические вопросы, то такой вид письменной работы, как доклад, является описанием проведенных экспериментов, опросов, иногда сравнением разных вариантов какой-либо ситуации. Примеры тем для докладов:
   • Two alternative plans for improving the sports centre. – Предложите два альтернативных плана по развитию спортивного центра.
   • A study you conducted to compare male and female attitudes to eating. – Ваше исследование на тему «Мужское и женское отношение к процессу приема пищи».
   • An overview of recent research on the human genome. – Обзор последних исследований человеческого генома.
2. Что писать в докладе? Вся информация в докладе должна основываться только на описании и анализе реальных событий. Доклады могут предполагать рекомендации на будущее и прогнозы, однако и те, и другие должны иметь какую-то основу. Доклад – это только фактические данные, а не сочинение на вольную тему.
3. Структура доклада. Доклад должен быть четко структурирован: разделен на определенные части, каждая из которых имеет подзаголовок. В учебных заведениях и крупных компаниях готовят доклады с маркированными списками, таблицами, иллюстрациями, диаграммами. Все это только приветствуется и может быть свободно использовано в докладах.
4. Форма презентации. Если эссе – это сугубо письменная работа, которая не требует обязательной устной презентации, то доклады часто представляются аудитории устно.
5. Обращение к читателю. Доклад может быть написан как от первого, так и от третьего лица, это зависит от контекста и целевой аудитории. Обычно его пишут от третьего лица, чтобы создать впечатление независимости результатов от личных предпочтений автора. Отдавайте предпочтение простой грамматике, которая при этом помогает выразить объективное мнение: пассивный залог, безличные конструкции и т. д.
6. Простота и лаконичность. При написании доклада на английском языке необходимо помнить, что вся информация должна быть изложена просто и четко. Убедитесь, что вы знаете точное значение каждого слова. Не вносите в доклад информацию, без которой можно обойтись. Употребляйте распространенные слова и словосочетания. Следите за размером предложений: они не должны быть слишком сложными, с огромным количеством речевых оборотов и объяснений. Обязательно используйте в докладе слова-связки (linking words).

Слово	Перевод
Как дополнить информацию
Again	Кроме того, к тому же
Besides	Кроме того, более того
Moreover	Кроме того, сверх того
Together with	Вместе с тем, наряду с
And	И, а
Likewise	Также, подобно
As well	Также, тоже
Furthermore	Кроме того, к тому же
Additionally	В дополнение к этому
Along with	Наряду с, вместе с
Also	При этом, также
For example	Например
Equally	Равно как, наравне с
Further	Также, к тому же
Как подвести итог
In short	Одним словом
Finally	В заключение
In summary	Подводя итог
In conclusion	В завершении
Consequently	Вследствие этого
Due to	В связи с
All in all	В конечном итоге
As a result	В результате
Accordingly	Согласно
To sum up	Подводя итог
Thus	Таким образом
Therefore	Поэтому
Как противопоставить две идеи, показать разницу
But	Но
Otherwise	Иным образом
Even though	Несмотря на то что
Conversely	В противоположность этому
Even so	Все же
Yet	В то же время
However	Однако, тем не менее
On the other hand	С другой стороны
As opposed to	В отличие от, в противоположность
In the meantime	В то же время, при этом
On the contrary	Иначе, в противоположность
Nevertheless	Тем не менее
Still	Все же
Как выделить идею
Again	Все же
Indeed	Действительно
To repeat	Повторю, что
Truly	На самом деле
In fact	В действительности
To emphasize	Чтобы подчеркнуть
For this reason	По этой причине
With this in mind	Помня об этом

• Более подробный и полный список вы найдете в статье «Слова-связки в английском языке».

Report structure. Структура доклада на английском языке

Секрет успешного написания хорошего доклада – работа по плану. Report имеет свою стандартную структуру, которую нужно взять за основу. Итак, в любом докладе должно быть 5 элементов:

1. Introduction (вступление). В этой секции нужно кратко описать предмет доклада, привести причины, почему вы занимаетесь именно этим вопросом, и сделать небольшой обзор других исследований по теме. Вступление – это презентация цели и предмета. Скажите читателю, что ему ожидать от работы. Здесь должно быть короткое, но меткое summary (резюме, краткое изложение основных идей), которое подогреет интерес читателя и заставит его сконцентрироваться на основном. В начале доклада можно воспользоваться такими фразами:
• The aim/purpose of this report is to examine/evaluate/describe/outline the positive and negative features of two different phenomena… – Цель этого доклада – изучить/оценить/описать/выделить положительные и отрицательные черты двух разных явлений…
• This report aims to provide an overall view of the situation below. – Цель этого доклада – дать полное представление о ситуации.
• It will also include/consider/suggest/recommend… – Он также будет включать/рассматривать/предлагать/рекомендовать…
• The report is based on a survey conducted among college students. – Этот доклад основан на опросе, проведенном среди студентов колледжа.
• It is generally accepted that… – Общепринято, что…
2. Methods (методы исследования). Дайте ответы на такие вопросы: «Как проводилось исследование?», «Какие инструменты и приемы были использованы?».
3. Results (результаты). Здесь необходимо описать, что вы обнаружили в результате исследования, и написать, насколько результаты точны и с чем это связано.
4. Discussion (обсуждение) – обсуждение основных моментов, комментарии об эффективности исследования. Язык должен быть также сдержанным и убедительным. Полезные фразы:
   • The vast majority of… – Подавляющее большинство…
   • This is probably due to the fact that… – Вероятно, это происходит потому, что…
   • One measure which may improve the situation would be to introduce… – Одной из мер, которые могут улучшить ситуацию, станет внедрение…
   • I would recommend that the company (college) should…(do…) – Я рекомендую компании (колледжу)… (сделать…)
5. Conclusions (выводы). Последняя часть – подведение итогов и предложения для последующих исследований, касающихся темы доклада. Подвести итоги можно такими словами:
   • In the light of the results of the survey, I strongly advise… – Ввиду результатов опроса я настоятельно советую…
   • It appears that… – Оказалось, что…
   • In conclusion / On balance / To sum up… – В заключение / В итоге…

В полноценном докладе также должен быть список использованной литературы. Могут присутствовать и другие части, это зависит от предмета и цели доклада. Соответственно, если мы имеем дело с кратким докладом, например, на международном экзамене, необходимо продемонстрировать не столько знание выбранной темы, сколько в целом понимание того, что такое доклад и из каких частей он состоит. Так, описанные выше части доклада на экзамене немного упрощаются, и выглядят так:

• Introduction – вступление.
• Reasons why you are writing (write about facts) – причины, побудившие вас писать об этом (сообщите факты).
• Suggestions to solve a problem (a kind of discussion) – предложения и способы решения проблемы (аналог обсуждения).
• Conclusion – выводы.

Чтобы еще лучше понимать, как писать доклад на английском, можете посмотреть это короткое, но познавательное видео:

Доклад на английском языке отличается от других видов письменных работ. Возьмите на вооружение те основы и советы, которые вы нашли в этой статье, и у вас обязательно получится написать хороший доклад! А также не забудьте скачать список слов, которые пригодятся вам при написании доклада.

↓ Скачать список слов по теме «Как написать доклад на английском языке» (*.pdf, 199 Кб)

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B2 First (FCE) Report: Structure

B2 First (FCE) Report: Writing Guide

B2 First (FCE) Report: Example Answers

B2 First (FCE) Report: Writing Topics

B2 First (FCE) Report: Tips

B2 First (FCE) Report: Grading

B2 First (FCE) Report: Useful Language & Phrases

Many people believe that reports are boring and dry, but reports give you a great opportunity to score really high marks easily!

If you are not a creative person
(and that’s okay) then a report is a great choice for you in part two of the B2 First writing exam.

What is a report?

A report is a formal piece of writing similar in tone to an essay. You always write reports in B2 First (FCE) to a superior, this could be a teacher a director or anyone who you should be respectful.

A report

• analyses a present situation and often has recommendations
• is divided into sections and contains factual information 
• is written in a formal style
• uses headings for each section

Check our Writing Guide in this article below to see how to write an FCE report.

B2 First (FCE) Report: Structure

B2 First (FCE) Report: Writing Guide

We will use the example FCE report topic below:

Write your report to the manager of the club (between 140-190 words).

Step 1: Find – key points, topic and target reader

You need to start writing your report by finding the key points/information, the subject and the person to whom you are writing

Topic: Active Leisure Club wants to improve their facilities

Main key points:

1. describe the best aspects of the club
2. describe the worst aspects of the club
3. suggest new facilities

Target reader: manager of the centre:

As soon as we’ve analyzed the task and extracted all the information that we need we can start building the report structure and writing it.

Step 2: Title

Although the title is not obligatory, it is certainly an attractive addition and could be something like:

• Report on …….  + Topic
• Topic + : a report

If you remember in the previous step (Step 1) we found the topic.

Topic: Active Leisure Club wants to improve their facilities

Let’s use it now:

 Title: Report on Active Leisure Club facilities
Title: Active Leisure Club facilities: a report

Step 3: Introduction

A good and equivalent introduction should contain two things:

Firstly, you have to state the purpose of the report as clearly as possible – this gives the reader a clear idea of what to expect and sets the tone for the rest of the report.

The purpose of the report is nothing more than three points you found (in step 1)

1. describe the best aspects of the club
2. describe the worst aspects of the club
3. suggest new facilities

Let’s use them now:

The purpose of this report is to outline the best (point 1) and worst parts (point 2) of our club, as well as to recommend improvements to the facilities. (point 3)

Finally, you mention how you collected the data for your report this is not something that you have to do but it can help your report stand out a little bit.

The purpose of this report is to outline the best and worst parts of our club, as well as to recommend improvements to the facilities. The data for the report was collected based on the opinions of club members (source)

Complete and finished introduction with title:

Step 4: The body paragraphs (main content) 

When we have a ready title and introduction to our report, we can move on to writing the proper content.

In the main content, you should answer the main key points that you discovered in the task (see step 1) under suitable subheadings, and each is placed in a separate section/paragraph.

Main key points  (see step 1):

1. describe the best aspects of the club
2. describe the worst aspects of the club
3. suggest new facilities

See the example main content below, with additional annotations you may find useful:

                   – formal/indirect language – official

                   – transitional words, expressions and conjunctions, which link the sentences and make the text more fluid

Step 5: Conclusion

After writing the entire content, we only have a summary where we can also include our suggestions or recommendations – to do this we can use some specific language that is there to persuade the manager of the centre to take up our idea and implement it.

Suggestions & conclusions – add a heading 
In the final analysis, the best solutions seem to be to improve the quality of the menu and the service at the café as well as the maintenance schedule and number of staff at the gymnasium. If manager is decided to follow recommendations, the experience of members would improved
               – persuasive language (recommendations)

               – suggestions

Submit your B2 First (FCE) Report

Within 72 hours your B2 First (FCE) report will be reviewed and graded.

See more

See full report…

To sum up….

 A report is a formal paper, it has to be concise, well-organized, which makes it recommended to use bullet points and headings so that the reader can quickly find the information they are looking for in your text.

The language of a report is expected to be formal and objective. For this reason, you should avoid including yourself or your views in most of your sentences.

B2 First (FCE) Report: Example Answers

B2 First (FCE) Report: Writing Topics

FCE, CAE, CPE

Practice, Write & Improve

Get your writing checked, track your progress online.
Sample papers, online practice tests & tips.

B2 First (FCE) Report: Tips

• Begin by stating the purpose of your report.
• You may use invented statistics to provide a succinct summary of your results.
• Use headings. They will make it clear that your report is not an essay or review.
• Use lists of numbered points or bullets where appropriate.
• Divide your report into sections according to the input.
•  Develop the ideas in the task input.
• Include a sentence summarising your opinion at the beginning of the final section of your report.
• Use an impersonal, formal style.

B2 First (FCE) Report: Grading

B2 First (FCE) Report: Useful Language & Phrases

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.

Introduction (the goal of the report)

The aim of this report is to
As requested, I am writing this report to
This report aims to outline/assess
The purpose behind this report is to

Development

The first observation to make concerns…
It has to been stressed that…
According to (the majority of respondents)…
In spite of (the fact that)…
Despite (the fact that)…
The outlook for …… is (far from) bright/optimistic/depressing/daunting
The future looks bleak/remains uncertain/is promising
This seems unlikely in the near/foreseeable future

Recommendations

I suggest/recommend
I would like to suggest/recommend
I therefore suggest
I advise you (not) to
I believe it would be beneficial
It would be advisable to
You may wish/want to consider
If you wish to…, you should
If we wish to…, we ought to

Conclusion

Provided that these recommendations are taken into consideration,…
In conclusion,…
From the research one can conclude that…

Would you pass B2 First (FCE)?

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Пример

Report — Model question 1

TASK

Your English teacher has asked you to write a report on where people can eat out in your area. You should include the views of visitors and local people, comment on any recent trends and dissatisfaction and make a recommendation.

Write your report in 140-190 words in an appropriate style.

The main aim/objective/purpose of this report is to present information about local eating places, visitors’ comments, trends and recommendations to improve this facility. To prepare for this report, I visited three of the most popular restaurants and asked people’s opinion of the service.

Eating places

There are a number of modern restaurants in the area which serve fresh meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner in town. Some of them present special menu, which includes a great variety of sea food, meat, pottery and other products. The restaurants are popular among the people of different age groups, except little children.

Trends

It was reported that in recent years most of the restaurants had extended their hours, with most open until midnight.

Concerns

According to the people’s opinion, there are several concerns which should be taken into consideration. Firstly, prices are too high compared to the other nearby restaurants. Consequently, there are no many visitors and production is decreasing. Secondly, almost all the meal, presented in the menu, contains spicy ingredients which is not desirable for children. As a result, people are not able to go out with their families.

Recommendations

Taking all the factors mentioned into account, I would recommend the following steps to progress the state:

1. Reduction of the prices.

By reducing the prices, the restaurants are expected to have more clients; correspondingly, production will be accelerated at the expense of increasing visitors.

2. Menu for youngsters.

Making special menu for children would also benefit to attract more clients and advance the situation.

If these recommendations are implemented the current undesirable issue is bound to be improved.

Words: 190

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Если эссе — обязательный вариант первой части CAE Writing, то во второй можно сделать выбор из трех. В идеале нужно знать требования к четырем заявленным в CAE текстам: report, proposal, review и letter. Но достаточно выбрать два-три и работать над ними вместо гонки за всеми зайцами.
Все критерии Cambridge официально поместил в шкалу оценивания и показал, как анализируют работы письменные экзаменаторы.

Из «Cambridge English Advanced. Handbook for Teachers» от 2016 года

Самостоятельно пробираться по этим терминам и описаниям — тот ещё квест. Такая таблица в чистом виде больше парализует, чем сдвинет с места. Поэтому своим студентам я выдаю базовые моменты, от которых мы отталкиваемся, чтобы написать самый первый текст:

• Объем — 220-260 слов.
• Время на экзамене  — 45 минут на один текст. Но в начале подготовки можно посидеть и подольше.
• Всего можно получить 20 баллов по пять баллов максимум на каждый критерий —
  – Content, верно выполненное задание,
  – Communicative Achievement, уместность информации и нужный жанр,
  – Organization, логика и связность текста,
  – Language, разнообразие слов и грамматики, их верное применение;
• Примеры на нужный и/или возможный сейчас балл;
• Структура каждого текста;
• Минимальный список клишированных фраз.

Тaк называемые samples на 17-20 баллов создают прекрасный ориентир на высший Pass A именно за письмо, когда за эссе и вторую часть выходит 34-40 баллов. Но у меня был случай, когда мы со студенткой добирали баллы на Pass за счет Speaking и довольствовались средним результатом 12-14 баллов за каждый письменный текст. Вдруг у вас тоже такой случай. Поэтому я публикую здесь самые разные примеры.

Мне нравятся подробные задания в CAE Writing. Если к ним присмотреться, выделить ключевые слова в предложениях, то проблем с начальными идеями для текста быть не должно. Остается только их развить по правилам жанра, которые я здесь привожу вместе с образцами. К сожалению, я не могу по пунктам расписать языковые и логические требования к письменной работе на Pass, Pass B или Pass A. Предпочитаю делать подробные рекомендации, отталкиваясь от самого первого текста студента.

• Report — это текст, в котором нужно оценить событие в прошлом.
• Кто читает — начальник, официальное лицо или коллега.
• Стиль — нейтральный или официальный.
• Используйте заголовки. Вы можете встретить примеры без них. Но ими удобно разделять идеи, которые вы возьмете из самого задания. К тому же, текст не будет выглядеть как эссе.
  – Introduction остается неизменным — The purpose/ objective of this report is to…,
  – Следующие два-три заголовка зависят от ключевых слов.
  – Обязательный заголовок Suggestions/ Recommendations идет в конце, когда в задании есть просьба о пожелании на будущее. Бывает, что нужно просто объяснить причину, почему проект или идея должны и дальше существовать, предложений никаких не надо. Тогда такой заголовок не нужен.

Пример на 16 баллов из 20. Ключевые слова выделены.
You have just finished a three-week study and work programme in an English-speaking country. You have studied English in the mornings and worked for a local company in the afternoons. The programme organizer has asked you to write a report about your experience. In your report, you should evaluate the programme, explaining which part of the program was more useful, and suggest changes you would recommend for next year’s programme.

16 баллов: Content 5, Communicative Achievement 4, Organisation 4, Language 3

Proposal

• Proposal тестирует способность убедить что-то менять или не менять в будущем, в перспективе. Во всем остальном он похож на report.
• Кто читает — начальник, официальное лицо или коллега.
• Стиль — нейтральный или официальный.
• Нужны заголовки, иначе вы рискуете сорваться в официальное письмо. Они такие же, как и в report.

Пример ниже на 12 баллов. Адрес писать не нужно, как в примере. Так proposal становится похож на formal letter.
There are plans to demolish an old and unused building in the town where you are a student. You feel that the building should be saved. You decide to write a proposal for the town council explaining why you think the building should be preserved, suggesting what could be done to modernize it and saying how the building could benefit the local people.

12 баллов: Content 5, Communicative Achievement 2, Organisation 3, Language 2

Review

• Review — впечатления о фильме, книге, приложении, сайте, пьесе или концерте и рекомендация, стоит ли все это внимания, времени и денег.
• Кто читает — аудитория журнала или сайта, такие же пользователи, как и вы.
• Стиль — больше нейтральный, можно где-то взять чуть неформально и эмоционально.
• В образце параграфов нет. Но лучше с ними.
  – Introduction. Общие впечатления.
  – Содержание/цель сайта, приложения, книги, фильма.
  – Впечатления.
  – Рекомендация. Почему, стоит или не стоит обратить внимание на предмет разговора.

Пример на 14 баллов.
You see the following announcement on a website, «Great Lives»:

Reviews wanted.

Send us a review of a book or a film that focuses on somebody who has made an important contribution to society. Did you learn anything new about the person’s life the book or film? Did the book or film help you understand why this person made their important contribution?

14 баллов: Content 5, Communicative Achievement 3, Organisation 3, Language 3

Letter/ email

Письма бывают самые разные. В результате, приходится готовить много видов с разными целями, а не один, как в предыдущих заданиях. Книга «Successful Writing. Proficiency» by Virginia Evans дает исчерпывающие материалы. Вот основные виды писем в CAE, которые стоит из нее взять:

• a letter of request,
• a letter giving information,
• a letter of advice,
• a letter making suggestions or recommendations,
• a letter to the authorities or editor.

Здесь пример письма другу на 17 баллов. Задача — посоветовать.
My new job is great, and next month I get to travel on business. Guess what — I’m actually coming to your town for a week!
I’ll be free some evenings and one weekend. I want to make the most of this opportunity, so I’d like your advice please: where to go, what to do, and why?
Cheers,
Chris  

17 баллов: Content 5, Communicative Achievement 4, Organisation 4, Language 4

Фото — Cambridge English: Advanced. Handbook for Teachers и Pixabay.

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