ecce essay word limit

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Tips on ECCE Writing

This article is one of a series of articles on features of Tower Bridge Books, specifically on preparation for the ECCE .

          Writing comprises two tasks. Task 1 is a letter, and Task 2 is an essay. There is also provided an extract from a magazine or newspaper regarding a certain social issue or problem. Students are invited to read the extract, and produce either a letter (formal or informal) or an essay. Students only have 30 minutes to complete the task.

          In order for students to improve their writing skills, teachers should provide extra material (magazine and newspaper clippings), which students can read in class, underlining key words and expressions. Thus, the latter are enabled to get exposed to authentic language used in real situations. Of course, a discussion can ensue about the topic at hand, whereby students are encouraged to use the topic vocabulary they have come across in the article they have read, and adduce the arguments or examples provided in it. In this way, they are presented with the inner structure of an essay (linking words/phrases and other rhetoric markers).

          To this end, students are assigned to write small paragraphs, expressing their own views on a certain topic. At this stage, they do not have to produce the entire essay. Only two or three paragraphs are enough to get them off the ground. In doing so, with the help of teachers, they can acquaint themselves with the register of formal and informal letters, as well as their layout (ways to start and end a formal/informal letter). Pertaining to the essay, they can become more aware of the opinion type, where they express their own views by using sound argumentation.

          Another activity for students to master different writing genres is by finding sample essays or letters, making puzzles by cutting the paragraphs, and jumbling them up, in order to master the register of these two types. Students can glue them in their notebooks, and keep them as samples.

          This is the rationale behind our book. The level of the vocabulary and expressions found throughout the eight tests is slightly higher than that expected in the exam, with a wide variety of topics covered. Students are exposed to the necessary topic vocabulary and structure of both writing types, so as to tackle the writing section with confidence. Sample Essays and Letters are provided to give more ideas of the layout, vocabulary, and register required to excel in the exam.

            Last but not least, just like all of our books, ECCE has an online version, which helps every student practise their Writing skills at home by saving time in the classroom. Students may either type their essay or letter online, which is excellent practice for those students who would like to improve  computer-based skills, whereby the teacher will be able to correct the essay and/or letter online, and grade it for the student to see online. Sample Essays and Letters are provided here after they have  been written, so that the student may compare his or her own work to a model. It is the perfect way to practise writing and computer skills.

          Success …it’s all about making a difference!

Dimitris Thanasoulas

Ellen Roberts

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The Word Limit in Academic Writing (and How to Stick to It)

3-minute read

• 24th September 2016

Even the phrase “word limit” can cause panic among students . For some it’s the challenge of writing enough, while others find it hard to stick within the limit given. In either case, it can lead to spending more time worrying about the length of your paper than the content!

But why do college papers come with set word limits? And what should you do to ensure you don’t write too much or too little?

Why Have a Word Limit?

There are two main reasons that academic papers usually come with a word limit:

• Fairness It’s impossible to grade two papers of vastly different lengths (e.g., 20,000 compared to 2,000 words) on the same scale. The word limit makes sure that everyone taking the same class knows what is expected of them.
• Communication Skills As well as testing your knowledge, college papers are about communicating clearly and concisely. Setting a word limit forces you to consider what you’re saying more carefully, helping you to develop your writing skills.

Sticking to the word limit is, therefore, part of being a good academic, since being a long way over or under could suggest you’ve misjudged the scope of the essay topic or that you’re having trouble communicating your ideas.

How to Stick to the Word Limit

Although many colleges give you roughly 10% leeway on the word limit, you should aim for your finished paper to be as close to the suggested word count as possible. If you find yourself writing too much, you can reduce the word count by:

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• Editing out repetition, redundant words and padding phrases
• Cutting down long or unnecessary quotations
• Reducing the number of examples or case studies used (if you’ve included several)
• Using the active voice instead of the passive voice

More generally, you should re-read your work and eliminate anything that isn’t directly related to the question you’re answering. As well as helping you stick to the word limit, this will make your work more focused, which could boost your grades.

How to Increase Your Word Count

If you’re struggling to write enough, the temptation might be to add padding phrases like “in my opinion” or long block quotations until you hit the minimum word count. But this will simply detract from the clarity of your writing.

Instead, the answer is usually to go back over your work and look for things that could be improved with a little additional attention. This might involve:

• Addressing anything from your essay question that you’ve overlooked
• Adding illustrative examples to support a point
• Considering different sources and views on the same issue
• Using short quotations as evidence for your arguments

Moreover, whether you’ve written too much or too little, getting someone else to read your work and offer feedback is a fantastic idea (especially if you ask a professional for help). This will help you to identify areas that could be expanded or cut in the next draft, so eventually you should be able to get your essay to the required length.

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Make sure your writing is the best it can be with our expert English proofreading and editing.

Vocabulary in Chunks

Get inspired | watch | listen | learn, tag: ecce writing, do you need ideas for your essays.

Need more ideas, click on each topic  below :

•   Relocating business outside cities.
• Benefits of open plan offices .
• Employment competition essay ideas?
• Should libraries invest in technology or books?
• Is history a waste of time?
• Housing and Trees in Urban Areas.
• International Aid
• Ideas about Salaries
• The function of Schools
• Female staff in senior positions
• Littering in Cities
• Reasons for banning mobile phones in public places
• Tourism and the local community
• Solving Traffic and Pollution Problems
• Handwriting skills for children
• Fast food restaurants
• Should leaders only be younger people
• Public Services Vs Art

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Essay writing skills – giving examples.

Learn how to add examples in your essay using academic vocabulary for IELTS writing task 2. Learn a range of linking words and how examples should be written in an essay.

Vocabulary Chunks for Essay writing

Common collocations for essays :

• It builds/ sustains/ maintains (relationships)
• It liberates/empowers (women)
• It hinders/impedes (progress)
• It hampers/obstructs (development)
• It limits/restricts (freedom)
• It reduces (habitat loss)
• It accelerates/reverses (global warming).
• It minimizes/eliminates/eradicates (human error)
• It eases (tension),
• It stifles (creativity).
• It ensures (equal opportunities).
• It maintains (harmony).
• It encourages/promotes (diversity)
• It stimulates (growth/the economy)
• It generates (income)
• It facilitates (learning).
• It triggers (unrest/a recession).
• It sours (relations between countries)
• It strengthened (food production)
• It raises incomes (yes it was plural where I saw it! Normally it’s uncountable/singular)
• It perpetuates the myth/stereotypes
• It prolongs the agony.
• It delays the inevitable/ the onset of Alzheimer’s
• It provokes a response.
• It instills values in children
• (School uniforms) instill discipline, a sense of self-worth, and equality ….but the evidence that they help foster equality is not so clear-cut.
• To address/alleviate poverty
• To ensure sufficient food for all

Source :  Read MORE 

Giving reasons

• One reason for this is that
• This can be explained by…
• This can be attributed to the fact that…

Giving further reasons

• Not only ……., but…
• A further reason is…
• It should also be stated that…

Citing general opinions

• It has been claimed that…
• It is widely believed that…
• There is a widespread belief that…

Refuting opinions

• I would dispute this, however.
• However, this is not necessarily the case.
• There are some faults with this reasoning, however.

Hedging strategies

• It could be argued that…
• One explanation might be that…
• This suggests that…

Strengthening an argument

• There can be no doubt that…
• Therefore, we can say beyond any doubt that…
• These are just some of the reasons why…

Concluding and summarising

• To sum up, … / In summary, … / In short, …
• Overall, … / On the whole, …
• To return to my original idea,…

Writing Essays

sources :  Cork English  /  British Council Learn English Teens

Read more HERE

Find lots of IELTS Academic Writing tips HERE 

The revised ECCE exam * as of May 2021

May 2021 ECCE Test Specifications The following table provides detailed information about the ECCE revisions. Refer to the notes column to see the specific changes or an indication that there is no change to that part of the exam. The updated exams will remain at the same proficiency level, and the overall level of difficulty and standards will not change. The revised exams will be offered for the first time in May 2021. Until then, the tests will remain exactly the same.

Visit our ECCE section for more tips HERE

source :  michiganassesment.org

The revised ECCE exam – as of May 2021

The revised ECCE and ECPE sample tests are full-length samples that include a test booklet with the listening and reading sections of each test, separate files with writing and speaking prompts for each test, audio files for the listening sections, and a sample answer sheet. Additionally, there are sample responses with commentary for the speaking and writing sections of both tests.

Download all the files   HERE

English Proficiency Essays (ECPE – LRN CPE) – useful phrases

First watch the videos on Essay Writing Tips HERE

USEFUL PHRASES FOR WRITING PROFICIENCY ESSAYS

Introducing the phenomenon to be discussed

More and more families are choosing to have only one child. The trend nowadays is towards having smaller families. Over the past ten years or so the media have frequently carried reports of …………… Recent research indicates that the number of teenagers who smoke is increasing. Hardly a week goes by without another report of …………….. appearing in the media. This raises the issue of whether …………….. Although most people would generally agree that …………… few would deny that …………….

Stating your opinion As I see it, It seems to me that ………… I would also say that …. I am convinced that …………… I am inclined to believe that ……………… There is no doubt in my mind that ……………… One of the drawbacks of ……. is ………. However, one of the benefits is that …………

Changing topic As regards the causes for this, ………….. Concerning the causes for this, ……… As for the causes, ………..

Presenting arguments One justification often given for ……….. is that…………….. Advocates/Proponents would claim that ……………… Those who object to …………….. often argue that ………………. Another objection is that …… However, it should not be forgotten that ………….. ……….. are opposed to ……………. on the grounds that …………….. From the point of view of …………….. According to ………………..

Describing causes One factor which has led to ………… is ………….. One of the factors which has brought this about is ……… The problem often stems from ……………….. The situation has been exacerbated by ……………. ………….. has only made the situation worse. One consequence of ……………. is …………….

Proposing steps and measures As regards the most appropriate response to this situation, one suggestion would be to ……… The first step to be taken would be to …….. To alleviate the situation people should ……….. In addition they ought to …………… To begin to tackle this situation society/individuals/the government need/s to ………. ………….. would certainly ameliorate the situation. This can only be dealt with if ………… To overcome this problem, ………….. Were the government to ……………, the situation would doubtless improve. Individuals can do a great deal to ………… The burden of responsiblity lies in the hands of …….. It is vitally important that ……… Legislation should be introduced to control …………….. It would be a grave error if we ……………..

Concluding All in all it seems to me that ……….. The obvious conclusion to be drawn is that ………………….. All things considered, …………. On balance, I tend to believe that ………… The world would surely be a better place to live in if ………….. If people stopped ….ing, we would have/ we could look forward to a …………… The prospects for the future will be bleak/grim unless ……………….

Source :  Fullspate

Do you know how to structure an essay.

Some useful videos with study notes and activity sheets  to help students with essay writing :

Writing Task Response

Essay topics are of general interest and relate to current issues in society. You can expect to be asked about: The Media Education Environment Health Communication Technology Society   READ MORE

DOWNLOAD Study Notes for this lesson

DOWNLOAD Activity Sheet for this lesson 

How to organise your ideas in a paragraph

In this episode we will learn about Coherence – the logical organisation of ideas through paragraphing and sequencing; and Cohesion – the organisation of language, or how sentences are connected and related. These are criteria used to assess Writing Tasks. READ MORE

DOWNLOAD Study Notes for this lesson DOWNLOAD Activity Sheet for this lesson

Question Tasks and Topics in Writing

In this episode we will learn about question topics, which can be any topic of general interest and question tasks, which determine the style of essay you need to write.

What are the questions likely to be about? Media, censorship, privacy or the influence of advertising. Education, testing, computers or public and private education. Environment, eco-tourism, global warming or pollution. Health, obesity, alternative medicine, exercise or diet. Communication, the internet or mobile phones. Society, youth issues, juvenile delinquency or ageing populations.   READ MORE

DOWNLOAD Activity Sheet for this lesson

sources :  Cork English  /  British Council Learn English Teens

Find lots of IELTS Academic Writing tips HERE 

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The Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English (ECPE) is a standardized, 4-skill English test at the high-advanced level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR C2). It is a secure exam developed by Michigan Language Assessment and administered by authorized test centers worldwide.

The Certificate of Proficiency (ECPE) constitutes an official certification of knowledge of the English language at the C2 level, as outlined by the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). It is awarded by Michigan Language Assessment, a joint venture between Cambridge Assessment English and the University of Michigan. The University of Michigan is one of the leading U.S. Universities in the field of linguistic research and has lengthy experience in establishing and developing a broad range of English language examinations. The ECPE is recognized in several countries as official proof of advanced proficiency in the English language and can be used for academic and professional purposes. An ECPE certificate is valid for life. The ECPE is officially recognized in Greece by the state (Supreme Council for Civil Personnel Selection) and the private sector as a C2 level certification of English language competence.

In 1957, the Michigan Language Assessment designated the Hellenic American Union as the official representative in Greece for the Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English (ECPE). Since then, the Hellenic American Union has been administering the examination not only in Greece but also in many other countries.

From a choice of two options—an article/proposal or an essay— test takers write one response considering and presenting multiple points of view. For the article/ proposal, a situation and a purpose for writing is briefly described, followed by instructions on what to write. For the essay, a topic is briefly set up, followed by instructions on what to write. Three sources in the form of simple charts, graphs, figures, and quotations are provided, at least one of which should be incorporated into the test taker’s response.

Writing section duration : 45 minutes

Required task : 1

This section is scored at the University of Michigan.

LISTENING (50 items)

Part 1 (20 items) : Each item consists of a short recorded conversation followed by a question. The question is printed in the booklet. There are four answer options for each item. 

Part 1 is heard once .

Part 2 (18 items) : It consists of three short talks -each of which delivered by a single speaker- followed by six questions each. The questions are printed in the booklet. Test takers are given preparation time before they hear each talk. There are four answer options for each item. Test takers can take notes in the test booklet

Part 2 is heard once .

Part 3 (12 items) : It consists of two recorded radio program segments followed by six comprehension questions each. The questions are printed in the booklet. Test takers are given preparation time before they hear each talk.There are three answer options for each item. Test takers can take notes in the test booklet.

Part 3 is heard twice .

Listening section duration : 50 min.

READING (70 items)

Grammar (16 items): Each item consists of a sentence with a deletion followed by choices of words or phrases to complete it. There are four answer options for each item. Only one choice is grammatically correct.

Cloze (20 items): Two passages with ten deletions each are followed by choices of words or phrases to complete the text. There are four answer options for each item. Test takers must choose the option that best fills each blank in terms of grammar and meaning.

Vocabulary (16 items): Each item consists of a sentence with a deletion followed by choices of words or phrases to complete it. There are four answer options for each item. Only one word has the correct meaning in that context.

Reading (18 items): Each set consists of a reading passage followed by six comprehension questions. There are four answer options for each item. 

Reading section (GCVR) duration: 55 min.

The ECPE Speaking Section lets test takers demonstrate their ability to perform various tasks during its five stages. In the first stages (1-3), test takers using informal register, ask and answer questions, orally explain and paraphrase from written sources provided, make recommendations, negotiate a decision and reach a consensus. Later on, in the final stages (4-5), they switch into more formal register, present a position or decision and justify it. The five stages of the proficiency test build on each other. As the test progresses, the linguistic and interactional demands become increasingly more challenging.

• 25-35 minutes (2 examiners – 2 test takers)
• 35-45 minutes (2 examiners – 3 test takers)

The three first parts (Writing, Listening, and GCVR) comprise the written section of the examination and they are all administered on the same day. The fourth part, the Speaking Test, is administered before or after or even at the same day of the written examination.

Register online for your exams through ORFEAS, our online registration system. Find an examination center close to home from a choice of 100 locations throughout Greece and abroad, and complete your application online with your debit, pre-paid or credit card.

You will receive all the details for your upcoming exam via email in a single document that you can save, print and take with you on the day of your test. You will also be sent updates on the status of your application and useful support materials. Expect invitations to webinars for tips and strategies that will help you prepare effectively for the exam.

The ORFEAS registration system does away with print application forms and visits to the bank. Start and complete your registration online in a few simple steps. Use your home computer, tablet or smartphone to apply for your exam.

Assessment principles of the ECPE:

• All ECPE section scores are reported in the following five band scores and corresponding scaled numeric scores:

• Candidates whose average score for all four sections is equal to 650 or higher are awarded an ECPE certificate.
• Candidates whose score in all four sections is equal to 840 or higher are awarded an ECPE certificate with Honors.
• Candidates whose average score for all four sections is below 650 are not awarded an ECPE certificate.
• Candidates who have been absent from one or more sections are not awarded an ECPE certificate. Any passing score they may have received for whichever section they were not absent from does not affect the final result.
• The University of Michigan allows candidates with disabilities to request special examination accommodations or modifications.
• ECPE Speaking Rating Scale
• ECPE Writing Rating Scale           

How can I apply?

Use this link to enter the ORFEAS online registration system. From there, follow the steps as suggested. Choose your exam, date and venue and then provide your personal details. In the last step you will be asked to pay with your card of choice. All the information you will need for the day of the exam will arrive in your inbox via email and SMS.

• Nonstandard Test Accommodations

What if I have a question about the procedure?

If you have any questions about the procedure, even as you complete the steps in the process, contact us on 2103680000 for assistance. We have staff available from 9 am - 7 pm on weekdays to help you complete the registration process and answer your questions.

Can I see the status of my registration after I have applied?

Once you complete your registration you will be sent updates on the status of your application. For example, any changes to the date of the examination, if these occur, will be communicated to you via email, SMS or telephone by our support team.

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Find useful information for your exams or existing certifications, tips and advice, free preparation material and more.

Exam Books:

Practice Tests for the ECPE, Book 1 (Revised 2021 Format)

Practice Tests for the ECPE, Book 2 (Revised 2021 Format)

Practice Tests for the ECPE, Book 3 (Revised 2021 Format)

The New Build Up Your Vocabulary and Reading Skills for the ECPE (Revised 2021 Format)

The ECPE Listening Test Skills Builder

Announcements, december 2023 ecce and ecpe certificates, may 2024 ecce & ecpe applications deadline extension, december 2023 ecpe results, how can we help.

Send us your message or call us at +30 2103680000.

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