C2 Proficiency essay phrases open cloze
A LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS
Useful language for Cambridge Proficiency Writing Part One Use of English Part Two-style gapfill task.
Lesson Plan Content:
C2 Proficiency essay phrases open cloze
Cambridge Proficiency Writing Part 1/ Use of English Part 2
Fill each gap below with one word (preferably one typically used in Use of English Part 2).
Background to the topic
________ days, there is a trend for more and more people to take part in…
_______________ recent years, the government has tried several times to…
In ________ last few years, easier and cheaper access to the internet has meant that…
In my country many older people ________________ the opinion that...
Perhaps a majority of young people in the world have to deal _________ the issue of…
… has been _____________ very controversial topic recently due to…
Almost all of us will come ___________ a situation in which we have to…
___________ many developing countries…
____________ our hyper-connected and globalised world,…
________ is a common view amongst the baby boomer generation that…
__________ is an assumption in many places that…
_________ is often said that… (but in fact/ in reality/ in actual fact)…
Many (local/ national/ regional) governments ___________ a policy of…
For people growing ______ nowadays…
Recently there has _________ a lot of controversy/ debate/ conflict over…
_________ the election of Trump there has been lots of news coverage on the topic of…
There is also a lot of resistance ____________ this idea (from…)
Mentioning the texts (for the first time)
The two texts give different points of view ____________________ this topic.
The two texts approach the topic ________ slightly different ways.
The two writers have almost opposite points _____ view on the subject.
Explaining the structure/ organisation of your essay
I will describe the opinions in the first text before turning (my attention) ______ the second.
I will look at both of the texts ____________ turn, and then state my own opinions.
I will look at the similarities and differences between the two texts before moving on ________ my own views on this matter.
I will describe the views in the first and second text, then give my own views on them _____________ that order.
Quoting and paraphrasing the texts
_______ author of the first text says/ claims/ states/ suggests/ thinks/ believes that…
________ quote the second text, I believe that…
________ other words, the writer seems to be saying that…
To put that _________ way, his or her conclusion appears to be that…
Comparing and contrasting
There doesn’t seem to be much difference _______ the opinions of the two writers.
The opinions in the two essays don’t have much ________ common.
Both (_______ the) texts are about…
The opinions _____________ the two texts are very/ quite/ fairly similar.
The content of both texts is _____________ the same.
The overall conclusion of the second text is the same __________ that in the first text.
In contrast ________ the first text, the second text says that…
The former says that…, whereas the _______ claims that…
Compared ________ those in the first text, the opinions in the second text are quite strong.
If we compare the advantages listed in the top text _________ those in the bottom one,…
Giving your own opinion
Giving strong opinions
It seems clear to ________ that…
I strongly disagree ________ both writers.
I have ______________ the same opinion as that in the top text.
Giving soft opinions
Although I don’t have __________ personal experience of this, I would say that…
Based just ___________ the evidence given in the texts, I incline towards the view that…
Although it depends (somewhat) _____...., I would say that in the majority of cases….
Supporting your arguments
Looking at both sides
There are both arguments for and _____________ this idea.
There are both pros and _____________ to this course of action.
One selling ________________ of this approach is…
However, there are ____________ drawbacks, such as…
On the ______ hand,…
Looking at it _________ way, though, it could also be said that….
Discussing importance
I think it’s not _________ important (nowadays) because…
It’s ______________ crucial/ essential/ vital (in modern life) due to…
Examples
There are many possibilities, ________________ recycling and reusing.
For _________, NPOs could try to organise…
_____________ good example of this is…
The government has already tried means testing, stricter criteria, and so _____.
Personal experience
I _________ always found that…
In my _________ experience,…
Quoting other sources of information
According ______________ what I learnt at school,…
I ___________ a documentary in which they said…
Logical arguments (cause and effect, etc)
This could lead ________________ both good and bad effects.
This is caused ____________ a combination of different factors, including…
The chief reason ______________ this is economic, namely governments’ lack of money.
This could result __________ a complete disaster.
This could have a massive effect ______ government debt.
This policy could also affect __________ working class.
A major consequence ________ this could be…
This is due _____________ many things, especially…
Summarising
______ summarise (what I have written above/ the main arguments in both texts),…
The main points of both texts can perhaps _______ summarised as….
Conclusion
Although _________ are also arguments for/ against (such as…), I am convinced that…
In spite __________ the disadvantages explained in the previous paragraph,…
… in the majority ____________ cases…
… ______________ modern society…
… for ________________ younger generation…
… the _______________ important factor for most people is…
… ________________ far the biggest effect comes from…
… is only relevant __________ a small minority of people, therefore…
… we ____________ safely ignore…, so…
____ that reason,…
… I believe I am justified ______________ saying that…
… I (_____________ forced to) conclude that…
… we have ________________ choice but to conclude that…
… I (reluctantly) ______________ to the conclusion that…
… the advantages (of…) (_____________) outweigh the disadvantages.
… there are (far) more pros ______________ cons (for…/ to…)
Adding one more point / Leading on from your summary or conclusion
Because ________ this, I believe that the government should/ has no choice but to…
In the future, hopefully this will ____________ dealt with by…
We can all ______________ our part in helping with this by…
Mixed answers
Use the mixed answers below to help with the gapfill task above. Some can be used more than once, and some gaps above can take more than one word below.
a absolutely
across against
almost also
am another
any are
as be
been between
by can
come cons
easily exactly
example far
for have
in including
instance it
latter limited
little me
most much
nearly no
of
on
one
other
own
personal
play
point
saw
since
so
than
the
there
these
to
up
watched
with
Check your answers as a class or below.
Suggested answers
Many answers not below are also possible, so please check if you wrote anything different.
Background to the topic
___These_____ days, there is a trend for more and more people to take part in…
____In___________ recent years, the government has tried several times to…
In ____the____ last few years, easier and cheaper access to the internet has meant that…
In my country many older people _____are___________ the opinion that...
Perhaps a majority of young people in the world have to deal ____with___ the issue of…
… has been _______a______ very controversial topic recently due to…
Almost all of us will come _____across______ a situation in which we have to…
____In_______ many developing countries…
______In______ our hyper-connected and globalised world,…
____There____ is a common view amongst the baby boomer generation that…
____There______ is an assumption in many places that…
_____It____ is often said that… (but in fact/ in reality/ in actual fact)…
Many (local/ national/ regional) governments _____have______ a policy of…
For people growing __up____ nowadays…
Recently there has ____been_____ a lot of controversy/ debate/ conflict over…
___Since__ the election of Trump there has been lots of news coverage on the topic of…
There is also a lot of resistance ______to______ this idea (from…)
Mentioning the texts (for the first time)
The two texts give different points of view _________on___________ this topic.
The two texts approach the topic ____in____ slightly different ways.
The two writers have almost opposite points __of___ view on the subject.
Explaining the structure/ organisation of your essay
I will describe the opinions in the first text before turning (my attention) __to__ the second.
I will look at both of the texts _______in_____ turn, and then state my own opinions.
I will look at the similarities and differences between the two texts before moving on ___to_____ my own views on this matter.
I will describe the views in the first and second text, then give my own views on them _____in________ that order.
Quoting and paraphrasing the texts
_____The__ author of the first text says/ claims/ states/ suggests/ thinks/ believes that…
____To____ quote the second text, I believe that…
_____In___ other words, the writer seems to be saying that…
To put that __another_______ way, his or her conclusion appears to be that…
Comparing and contrasting
There doesn’t seem to be much difference ___between__ the opinions of the two writers.
The opinions in the two essays don’t have much __in______ common.
Both (___of____ the) texts are about…
The opinions _______in______ the two texts are very/ quite/ fairly similar.
The content of both texts is ___almost/ nearly__________ the same.
The overall conclusion of the second text is the same _____as_____ that in the first text.
In contrast ___to_____ the first text, the second text says that…
The former says that…, whereas the __latter_____ claims that…
Compared ___to___ those in the first text, the opinions in the second text are quite strong.
If we compare the advantages listed in the top text ____to___ those in the bottom one,…
Giving your own opinion
Giving strong opinions
It seems clear to ___me_____ that…
I strongly disagree ____with____ both writers.
I have _____exactly/ almost_________ the same opinion as that in the top text.
Giving soft opinions
Although I don’t have ___any/ much_____ personal experience of this, I would say that…
Based just ____on_____ the evidence given in the texts, I incline towards the view that…
Although it depends (somewhat) __on___...., I would say that in the majority of cases….
Supporting your arguments
Looking at both sides
There are both arguments for and ___against________ this idea.
There are both pros and ___cons__________ to this course of action.
One selling _______point_________ of this approach is…
However, there are _____also_______ drawbacks, such as…
On the __other____ hand,…
Looking at it ___another_____ way, though, it could also be said that….
Discussing importance
I think it’s not ___so/ as______ important (nowadays) because…
It’s ______absolutely________ crucial/ essential/ vital (in modern life) due to…
Examples
There are many possibilities, _____including___________ recycling and reusing.
For _____example/ instance____, NPOs could try to organise…
______A/ One_______ good example of this is…
The government has already tried means testing, stricter criteria, and so __on___.
Personal experience
I ___have______ always found that…
In my ___own/ personal/ limited______ experience,…
Quoting other sources of information
According _______to_______ what I learnt at school,…
I _____saw/ watched______ a documentary in which they said…
Logical arguments (cause and effect, etc)
This could lead ______to__________ both good and bad effects.
This is caused _______by_____ a combination of different factors, including…
The chief reason ______for______ this is economic, namely governments’ lack of money.
This could result _____in_____ a complete disaster.
This could have a massive effect _on_____ government debt.
This policy could also affect _____the_____ working class.
A major consequence _____of___ this could be…
This is due ______to_______ many things, especially…
Summarising
__To___ summarise (what I have written above/ the main arguments in both texts),…
The main points of both texts can perhaps ___be____ summarised as….
Conclusion
Although ___there____ are also arguments for/ against (such as…), I am convinced that…
In spite ___of_______ the disadvantages explained in the previous paragraph,…
… in the majority _____of_______ cases…
… ______In________ modern society…
… for _____the___________ younger generation…
… the ______most_________ important factor for most people is…
… _______by_________ far the biggest effect comes from…
… is only relevant _____to_____ a small minority of people, therefore…
… we ______can______ safely ignore…, so…
__For__ that reason,…
… I believe I am justified _____in_________ saying that…
… I (___am__________ forced to) conclude that…
… we have ______no/ little__________ choice but to conclude that…
… I (reluctantly) _____come_________ to the conclusion that…
… the advantages (of…) (______far/ easily_______) outweigh the disadvantages.
… there are (far) more pros ______than________ cons (for…/ to…)
Adding one more point / Leading on from your summary or conclusion
Because ____of____ this, I believe that the government should/ has no choice but to…
In the future, hopefully this will _____be_______ dealt with by…
We can all ______play________ our part in helping with this by…
Brainstorming stage
Without looking above, fill the gaps below with suitable phrases for Writing Part One. Many phrases not above are also possible.
Background to the topic
Mentioning the texts (for the first time)
Explaining the structure/ organisation of your essay
Quoting and paraphrasing the texts
Comparing and contrasting
Giving your own opinion
Giving strong opinions
Giving soft opinions
Supporting your arguments
Looking at both sides
Discussing importance
Examples
Personal experience
Quoting other sources of information
Logical arguments (cause and effect, etc)
Summarising
Conclusion
Adding one more point / Leading on from your summary or conclusion
Look above for ideas, brainstorm more, then compare your extra ideas as a class.
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