### C1 Advanced (CAE) Essay: Useful Phrases, Words & Expressions

To start essay: Introduction

It is often said that …
….is a hotly-debated topic that often divides opinion.
….is a topic that is often discussed but rarely solved.
Many people feel that …
We live in an age when many of us are…
More and more families/people are choosing to …
The trend nowadays is towards +ing
Over the past/last ten years or so, …
Recent research indicates that the number of …is increasing.
Statistics indicate that—
Hardly a week goes by without another report of X appearing in the media. This raises the issue of whether
Although most people would generally agree that …………… few

Topic sentences

First Paragraph
…. clearly/undoubtedly has an impact on… Changing topic
It is common knowledge that… plays a crucial role As regards the causes for this, …………..
in… Concerning the causes for this, ………
It is undoubtedly the case that… As for the causes, ………..
There is little doubt that…
… is widely believed to contribute to… Presenting arguments
It is generally considered that… One justification often given for … is that…
Recent research suggests that… Advocates/Proponents would claim that
Studies have shown that… has an ………………
impact/influence on… Those who object to …………….. often argue that
Few people would contest/dispute the fact that… ………
Another objection is that ……
Second Paragraph However, it should not be forgotten that …………..
Another factor to consider is… ……….. are opposed to ……………. on the grounds
On the other hand/In contrast… that ……
It is often claimed that… From the point of view of ……………..
All the evidence suggests that… According to ………………..

Stating your opinion Describing causes

As I see it, One factor which has led to ………… is …………..
It seems to me that ………… I would also say that One of the factors which has brought this about is
…. ………
I am convinced that …………… The problem often stems from ………………..
I am inclined to believe that ……………… The situation has been exacerbated by …………….
There is no doubt in my mind that ……………… ………….. has only made the situation worse.
One of the drawbacks of ……. is ………. One consequence of ……………. is …………….
However, one of the benefits is that …………

Proposing steps and measures To alleviate the situation people should ………..
As regards the most appropriate response to this In addition they ought to ……………
situation, one suggestion would be to ……… This can only be dealt with if …………
The first step to be taken would be to …….. To overcome this problem, …………..
Were the government to ……………, the situation see it, etc.
would doubtless improve. … is the most effective way to… due to the fact
Individuals can do a great deal to ………… that…
The burden of responsiblity lies in the hands of Despite the fact that… undoubtedly plays a role
…….. in… I firmly believe that… is more effective due to
It is vitally important that ……… the fact that… its advantages outnumber/
Legislation should be introduced to control outweigh those
…………….. All in all it seems to me that ………..
It would be a grave error if we …………….. The obvious conclusion to be drawn is that
…………………..
To conclude an essay: Concluding All things considered! ………….
In light of the above, On balance! , tend to believe that …………
Taking all this into consideration/account,… The world would surely be a better place to live in
As far as I am concerned, / in my opinion, / as I if …………..

C2 Proficient (CPE) Essay: Useful Phrases & Expressions

Sentence openers From the ….. point of view….

The first text suggests that….. They are seen as…..
The second text raises the issue of ….. As far as ……are / is concerned……
The writer is of the opinion that….
Additionally, it is argued that….. Raising an argument
The two texts contrast differing views of….. Considering…..
According to the first passage……. On the question of….
Personally, i ……………. No one would dispute…….
The second text put forward……
I believe that……… Giving one side
In conclusion, it is my opinion that…… One argument in favour of this is ….
In support of…..
Linking points and arguments It is true that……
As opposed to
In the sense that….. Giving the other side
For this reason…….. At the same time….
In actual fact…..
Making generalisations On the other hand….
On the whole…. In contrast to….
In general….. Set/ weighed against this is…..
For the most part….
As a rule…… Attitude
It is often that…. Personally…
It is usually the case that….. Unfortunately…
People to regard….. Obviously…
The reality is that….. Evidently…
Presumably…
Being specific Naturally…
With respect to… fortunately..
In the case of…
As regards…
In terms of….
With the exception of…..
C2 Proficient (CPE) Formal Letter: Useful Phrases & Expressions

Beginning
We are writing to inform you that …/ to confirm ../ to request …/ to enquire about …
I recently read/heard about ….. and would like to know….
I am writing to offer suggestions
I am writing to receive further information about
I am writing to enquire about

Referring to the previous contact

Thank you for your letter of March 15.
I am writing in response to…./ In reply to your request…..
Thank you for your letter regarding …
With reference to our conversation yesterday…

Making a request
We would appreciate it if you would …
I would be grateful if you could …
Could you please send me …
In addition, I would like to receive ../ It would be helpful if you could send us …
I would appreciate your immediate attention to this matter.
Please let me know what action you propose to take.
Could you …? Could you tell me something about …?
I would particularly like to know …
I would be interested in having more details about …

Offering help
Would you like me to …?
I would be happy to …/ I am quite willing to …
I would be pleased to …

Giving good news

I am pleased to announce that …
I am delighted to inform you that ..
You will be pleased to learn that …

Giving bad news

I regret to inform you that …/ I’m afraid it would not be possible to …
Unfortunately, iIam unable to/ After careful consideration I have decided (not) to

Complaining
I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with …
I am writing to complain about …

Demanding action
I therefore suggest that I be given a full refund
I would be grateful if my money was refunded
I would be grateful if you could give me a full refund

Making Suggestions
My first suggestion is
First of all I suggest/ I would like to suggest
Another possibility is/ A further possibility is
I further suggest/ I would further suggest/ Secondly

Ending
I look forward to receiving your reply. / I look forward to your reply.
I look to hearing from you.
If you require further information, please do not hesitate to ask
If I can be of further assistance, please do not hesitate to ask
I will willingly provide further information on request
I am at your disposal should you require further information/ need assistance
Please do not hesitate to ask should you require further information

Letter of Application: Useful Phrases & Language

Reasons
I’m writing to apply for the post/position of…..as advertised in……..
I’m writing with reference
I’m writing in response to your advertisement which I saw….
I’m writing in connection with your advertisement

Qualifications /Experience
I gained some experience while …
I am currently working as …
I have been working for … for the last four years.
I worked part-time for three years as …
At the moment| am employed by …
My qualifications include …
I have a diploma in …
I graduated from Barcelona University last year with a degree in …
Please find attached my CV
As you can see from the attached CV …

Personal Qualities
I see myself systematic, meticulous in my approach to work…..
I have a clear insight of………
I value time and not squander……
I tackle a problem…..

Closing remarks
I would appreciate a reply at your earliest convenience
Please contact me with any queries you may have,
I would be glad to attend an interview at any time convenient
I look forward to hearing from you in due course….

Letter of Complaint: Useful Phrases & Language

Opening
Dear Sir or Madam, / To whom it may concern,
I am writing to express my disappointment with/dissatisfaction with the service I received in…
I would like to lodge a formal complaint against your company for the reasons outlined below:
I feel compelled to write to you in order to describe the
Listing Problems
First of all,
Not only was there a hair in my wife’s soup, but the main course also arrived cold.
On top of that…
As if that was not enough…
To top it all off…
My first complaint is
The first problem is
The first thing I would like to draw your attention to is
My first concern is
The straw that broke the camel’s back was…
Complaining Expressions
The standard of the… was not up to scratch.
The… was not up to the expected standard.
The… left a lot to be desired.
The… failed to live up to our expectations.
We were left bitterly disappointed by…
The quality of the customer service we received was woefully inadequate.
The… was an absolute disgrace. (v.strong)
Overall, our visit to your (restaurant) was an unmitigated disaster from start to finish.

Requesting Action
It seems only fair that you should… (offer a full refund)
I would appreciate it if you…
I would be grateful if you…
I suggest that you replace the item
I therefore suggest that I be given a full refund
I would be grateful if my money was refunded
I would be grateful if you could give me a full refund
Should these demands not be met, you will be hearing from my lawyers.
I expect to receive compensation to the tune of (€2000) for the…

Making Recommendations
I strongly recommend that your organisation…
It would be advisable to…
I suggest re-evaluating your procedures regarding…

Sign off
I look forward to receiving your reply.
I look forward to hearing from you
I look forward to receiving a full refund
I look forward to receiving a replacement
I look forward to receiving your explanation
I expect to receive a prompt reply to this letter.
Yours faithfully,

C2 Proficient (CPE) Article: Useful Phrases & Expressions

Agreeing partially
This is partly true… Up to a point …
To (an) (certain) / (some) extent… While it can not be denied that …
In some cases … While it is true that…
Qualifying Statements
There is a tendency to… Purpose
A large number of the times… Therefore…
Usually, they are inclined to… With this object in view/mind…
Generally speaking… To this end…
Sometimes/Usually/Often/Generally… For this purpose….
Things appear to be…
In a large number of cases… Place and Location
In some instances… Beyond…
Nearby…
Summary / Repetition / Exemplification On the opposite side…
In brief… Adjacent to…
On the whole… Over head…
Overall… To/on the right…
In short… In the centre…
In other words… Over to the left/right….
To be sure… In the same area….
For instance… In the neighbouring town….
In fact…
In any event…

C2 Proficient (CPE) Report: Useful Phrases & Expressions

Introduction:
The purpose/aim of this report is to….
This report sets out to…
The report will comment on…
Below is an explanation of…
The focus of this report is…
This report will offer an in-depth critique of…

Comparing and Contrasting

There is a world of difference between… and…
… and… are fundamentally similar
… and… bear little resemblance to each other
There is a clear distinction between… and…
…compares favourably with…
… and… are polar opposites
There is a yawning gap between… and…
There is a subtle difference between… and…
There is a growing disparity between rich and poor.
… is strikingly different to…

Giving Recommendations:
In light of the above, we believe the following
measures should be adopted…
In the short/long term, we suggest you should consider…
My recommendations are as follows:…
In my view, in future, we should…
To improve the situation, we recommend…
It is recommended that…
C2 Proficient (CPE) Review: Useful phrases & Expressions

Book reviews:
a page-turner / a white-knuckle ride / a tearjerker / a laugh
a minute / I couldn’t put it down.

Vocab to describe specific parts:

a slow start / a gentle introduction /gripping climax / nail-
biting conclusion/cliff-hanger ending/ a shocking twist in the tail

Setting:
The book is set in …… (place/time)
The action takes place in ……. (place/time)
the present day (now)
an alternate reality where vampires/wizards walk the earth
a sleepy village in the USA
the bustling city of New York

Plot:
The plot centres around / focuses on (the adventures/lives of ……)
The plot follows the adventures of ……(character name)

Characters:
Villain / hero / heroine / anti-hero / main character / protagonist
The characters are believable / well-crafted / a bit 2 dimensional.

Film/TV reviews:
An all-star cast A blockbuster (big commercial film eg Superman)
heavily influenced by the films of… … sets off an amazing chain of events
glowing reviews Gripping film (exciting)
startling originality The director/author evoked a magical
suspense builds up atmosphere
a polished performance … awakened my interest in…
a bold experiment Hold my attention
an accomplished actor Capture the audience’s imagination.
an unmitigated disaster (bad film) Spectacular set-pieces (main action scenes)
a dazzling display of his/her talents … is cast in the role of…
made a lasting impression on me. … is miscast in the role of…
Brought a tear to my eye …gives a(n) (un)convincing performance as…
Like watching paint dry (boring) The film is let down by a clichéd script.
I was on the edge of my seat (exciting)

Restaurant review:
Hearty meal Creamy
Wholesome food With a kick (spicy)
Piping-hot Crunchy/crispy
Succulent/juicy (meat) Well-seasoned
Packed with flavour Bustling eatery(restaurant)
A steaming plate of… Lively atmosphere
Hungry/starving/ravenous/famished Service with a smile

C2 Proficient (CPE) Informal Letter: Useful Phrases & Expressions

Greetings Set phrases for opening Set phrases for closing Endings
paragraphs paragraphs
Dear Tom Just thought I’d drop you a line Well, I think that’s about it Yours
Dearest Jane I hope you are fine Well, that’s all for now Love
Hi/hello, Karen! What have you been up to? Well, I’d better finish off here All my love
I haven’t heard from you for ages I must go now Best wishes
It was nice to hear from you Write soon All the best
Thank you for your letter Waiting for your letter Lots of kisses
I look forward to hearing from
Sorry I haven’t written for so long Take care
you

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