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I’ve recently started teaching CPE again so I decided to make a phrase sheet for my students to help them tackle part 1 of the writing paper, the formal essay. Download it below:

CPE Writing Part 1 Phrase Sheet

Summarising Texts

• The first text/passage/extract outlines the benefits/drawbacks of…
• The second text argues/claims that…
• The first text advocates… +…ing (supports)
• The second text puts forward the idea that…
• It then goes on to espouse the viewpoint that… (say)
• The text sheds light on the issue/topic of…
• The text brings the topic of… to light.
• The writer of the first text is a firm believer in…
• The writer/author of the second text is highly critical of…
• Both writers seem to agree that…, where their ideas deviate however is on the topic of…
• The second text makes bold statements in support of…
• Not only does the first text state that…, but it also claims that…
• In addition to the aforementioned point, it also claims that…

Critical Examination

• One thing the writer fails to mention is…
• A glaring omission from the first text is…
• While the writer makes some valid arguments in favour of…, she ignores the fact that…
• One area which the writer seems to have overlooked is…
• While I am generally in agreement with the majority of the first writer’s points the obvious hole in their argument is…
• Were I to pick holes in the writer’s arguments, I would start by pointing out that…
• I feel it must also be pointed out that…
• When it comes to the topic of…, the text seems to be lacking somewhat
• One major weakness in the writer’s argument is that…
• The text neglects to mention that fact that…
• The writer seems to have gone overboard in their praise/criticism of…

Expressing Opinion

• I am of the opinion that…
• In my humble opinion…
• My thoughts on the matter are that…
• As far as I am concerned,
• As far as my opinions on the matter are concerned,…
• My initial reaction to the opinions outlined in the text was…
• I am a firm believer in…
• On the whole, I tend to agree with… due to the fact that…