Tips on writing reports and proposals for the CAE (C1) exam.
This article offers valuable guidance on writing reports and proposals for the CAE (C1) exam. Firstly, you will learn about what these writing tasks are and how they are structured. Then you can see some examples and watch some useful videos explaining how to write good, advanced level reports and proposals.
There is also some advice on how you should approach this part of the writing test. This includes some time management tips as wall as advice on better planning and checking to get the top marks! What’s more, we’ve given you some information on how your writing will be assessed. It is really useful to know what the examiner is looking for!
Finally, you’ll find some useful language and expressions to include in your reports and proposals as well as some links to extra C1 level writing practice and exercises.
Good luck!
What are reports and proposals?
Reports and proposals are very similar. The have the same structure and format. The tone is quite similar. The level of formality depends on the reader. They are usually written for a superior (e.g. a boss or college principal) or a peer group (e.g. club members or colleagues). Proposals can sometimes be for a committee or public body.
What is the difference? Reports generally talk about something that has happened in the past while a proposal is about something that will happen in the future.
They both usually contain recommendations. However, proposals need to be more persuasive. Proposals often contain more descriptive language in order to be more persuasive.
Structure of a report and a proposal
- Clearly organised with a title, headings and sub-headings.
- You can use bullet points and numbering.
- State the aim of the report in the introduction and a bit of background information.
- The conclusion should offer a final recommendation.
In the CAE exam you’ll need to write between 220 and 260 words. You have about 45 minutes to plan, write and check your work. Your CAE compositions should be either 4 or 5 paragraphs depending on what fits the task better.
- Introduction – 2/3 sentences (about 30-40 words)
- Body paragraphs – 4/5 sentences (about 60-80 words)
- Conclusion – 3 sentences (about 30-50 words)
What is a report?
The objective of a report is to provide the reader with appropriate information on a particular situation and sometimes enable them to come to a decision regarding a potential change or future action.
Reports contain some ‘factual’ information and make suggestions or recommendations. They normally relate to a past or current situation or issue. Some reports are informative for research and others identify strengths and weaknesses.
- Formal – Reports should be formal but the level of formality depends on the reader.
- Factual and objective – You may need to describe a past experience or a present situation but you need to do this in a fairly neutral way describing facts not feelings.
- Give reasons for your views but remain impersonal.
What is a proposal?
The purpose of a proposal is to help the reader make a decision. They are forward looking and make suggestions, supported by some factual information, in order to persuade the reader of a course of action. They make polite recommendations and use a range of persuasive language.
- Proposals are are formal or semi-formal depending on the context.
- Be personal and enthusiastic but not too informal.
- Appeal to the reader and summarise why they should accept your proposal. Your aim is to persuade the reader to agree to your solutions or plan. You’ll need to use persuasive language.
Examples of the report and proposal writing tasks
The CAE Report
Here are a couple of example report writing tasks for the FCE Exam.
Example Task 1
You have just completed six months in a new job. In preparation for a progress meeting, you have been asked to write a report to your manager.
Your report should explain what you feel you have achieved in the job so far, describe any problems you have had, and suggest any future training that would be suitable.
Example Task 2
An international development agency has been looking into attitudes to aging around the world. The research director has asked you to conduct a survey and write a report.
Your report should discuss how young people where you live feel about older people in the community and the prospect of growing older themselves. You have also been asked to make recommendations about how attitudes could be changed.
Example Task 3
An international magazine is investigating tourism in various areas around the world. You have been asked to write a report for the magazine’s editor, addressing the following questions:
+ How has tourism in your region changed over the last decade?
+ What are the reasons for these changes?
+ What problems exist and can anything be done to solve them?
You have about 40 minutes to plan, write and check your essay.
The CAE Proposal
Here are a couple of example proposal writing tasks for the CAE Exam.
Example Task 1
You study at an international college in your country. Your history teacher is planning a one-day study trip for your class and has asked the students for suggestions.
Write a proposal considering two or three different places for history students to visit in the area and recommend which one of these places would be preferable for a one-day study visit.
Example Task 2
Your college has raised some funds through various events and has now asked students to suggest what the money could be spent on. You decide to write a proposal to the principal.
In your proposal, you should outline how you think the money should be spent, describe how this could be organised and explain what the benefits to the college or the students would be.
Example Task 3
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 modernise it and saying how the building could benefit the local people.
Extra tips
• Make sure you understand who the report or proposal is for and why they need it.
• Remember you will normally have to give some factual information, an evaluation and some suggestions. Make sure these are in clear paragraphs under the appropriate headings.
• Make sure your factual information connects with your recommendations and that the reader can see a clear need for the recommended actions.
• Check that you don’t repeat points.
• Check that your report makes clear recommendations, presenting the expected outcomes/benefits of the recommendations.
Writing a CAE Report
Writing a CAE Proposal
How should you approach the task?
Students have a tendency just to sit down and start writing. This is a big mistake! It is better to use your time wisely and think about the question, your ideas and the language you want to include before you dive in.
Planning – 10 minutes
Writing – 20-25 minutes
Checking – 10 minutes
When you see a task and you get ready to analyze it, always remember to look for these specific points:
- What is the situation and your connection to the task?
- What are you going to write about? (topic)
- What exactly do you have to include in your report?
- What are the key words in the task and how can you paraphrase them?
- Who is going to read your report? and why? – What do they need to know? What do you think their objective is?
- Brainstorm relevant vocabulary
- What advanced sentences and structures can you include.
- List the main idea and extended point
- Think about linking structures and organisation of your ideas
- Does your plan answer the question fully
- Think about the structure of the composition type and the tone/formality required.
- Cross check to your plan regularly.
- Make sure your sentences aren’t too long. Counting the number of sentences in each paragraph is a quick way of checking.
Introduction – 2/3 sentences
Main paragraphs – 3/4 sentences
Conclusion – 2/3 sentences - Reread each paragraph when you have finished to check for repeated vocabulary, simple errors or spelling.
It is a good idea to go over your previous compositions and look at your teachers comments. Make yourself a personalized list of 5 errors you commonly make and look for these.
Typical errors include – mixing tenses, spelling, punctuation, plural & uncountable nouns, omitted or duplicated subjects, articles.
Check that you haven’t repeated any words.
Look out for simple words. Can you think of more advanced or specific vocabulary to use?
How is your writing assessed?
The examiner will look at four criteria to evaluate your work:
This focuses on how well you have completed the task and if you have answered the question appropriately.
They consider how appropriate the writing is for the task and whether you have used formal or informal style for the essay.
- Is the style suitably neutral, non-personal or formal?
- Are the point justified with a clear reason or explanation?
They look at the way you put together the piece of writing, your flow and the development of your ideas and if it it clearly structured.
- Is the report organised into clear paragraphs with headings and sub-headings?
- Is the order logical?
- Is the punctuation correct?
- Have you used linking structures correctly?
This evaluates the vocabulary and grammar you have used. This includes demonstrating the range of language that you know, as well as how accurate it is.
- Did you use a good range of vocabulary related to the topic?
- Is there any repetition?
- Have you used the grammatical structures and language accurately?
- Have you tried to include some more complex language?
To fully understand how CAE writing is evaluated click this link
Useful language and phrases for an essay
Language for a report and a proposal.
You need to demonstrate to the examiner that you are able to use advanced level language effectively in writing. Some examples of appropriate structures and grammar to include in your reports and proposals are;
- intensive adjectives
- emphatic structures such as inversion and cleft sentences
- passive voice
- reported structures
- linkers to give reasons, show contrast, summarise and sequence
- 3rd or mixed conditionals
Below are some expressions which you may find useful to include.
The Introduction:
State the purpose of the report/proposal
- The principal aims of this report/proposal are to …
- This report provides a description of …
- This report is intended to …
- This proposal will address…
- The purpose of this report/proposal is to examine / evaluate / explain / describe / analyse / present / outline…
- In addition this report/proposal covers…..
- The findings of the research are outlined below.
Give some background information/preparation/data collection
- In order to prepare for/create this report, …… were asked to complete a questionnaire.
- As requested I have ….. This involved visiting ……. /looking at ……./investigating …..
- A survey of local residents was conducted/carried out.
- ….. were invited to attend a focus group.
- To fully understand the situation, the issue was discussed with…
The Main Paragraphs:
Development of ideas
- The first observation to make concerns…
- Adding points – Furthermore,… / Moreover,…/ What is more,….
Reporting on data collection and your results
- The (vast) majority of people felt that …
- A minority suggested that …
- Several people seem to feel that…
- It has to been stressed that…
- According to (the majority of respondents)…
- It was commented upon by a number of people we talked to that…
- A major cause of dissatisfaction was…
Giving a balance of opinions
- Unfortunately, the majority …
- While many felt …, there were several …
- That is not to suggest that …
- All those who were interviewed believe …
Extra Practice
Introducing a bulleted/numbered list
- The main reasons for this are: …
- … for the following reasons: …
- The key strengths mentioned were: …
- The main problems given were:
- Points mentioned in favour of/against … were:
- Some of the key opinions / problems mentioned were:
Other useful phrases
- Work on the building needs to be done because …
- The future of the programme looks bleak/remains uncertain/is promising.
- This seems unlikely in the near/foreseeable future.
The Final Paragraph:
Concluding and summing up
- Taking all the factors mentioned into account
- In light of of the results of the survey it would appear that the most viable option/action/solution is…
- Provided that these recommendations are taken into consideration,…
Making recommendations
- I would strongly recommend …
- It may be advisable to …
- If these changes are implemented, …
- These measures should be implemented with immediate effect.
- In the light of the results of the survey I would advise against…
- The best solution would be to…
- In order to improve …… it is necessary to…..
- It would be wise to consider….
- A combination of ….. and ….. would drastically improve…
Persuasive language for a proposal
- I would strongly advise….. to…..
- I urge you to consider the…… seriously.
- By far the most, best etc