IHWO Activity Pack - Level C2

Writing 7

‘I can write clear, well-structured complex letters in an appropriate style, for example an application
or request, an offer to authorities, superiors or commercial clients.’

Dear Director
Aim: To consolidate learners’ knowledge of letter formats in order to have a positive effect on the
target reader.

Topic: Requesting a post-proficiency course

Time: 25 mins

Concept: At this level, learners should have had lots of practice of writing letters and will know many
useful phrases and conventions. However, they may still struggle to impress the target
reader because of poor structuring. This activity focuses on building and using a simple
framework to avoid organisational difficulties. The fact that the learners’ letters will reach a
real reader (the director of the school) should also encourage clarity. Learners can use what
they learn from this task to build frameworks for other pieces of writing.

Suggested Procedure:

1 Learners who are about to complete a C2 level course of study may feel that they are finishing
English. Introduce the idea that this isn’t actually possible and that keeping up their contact with English
will be essential to maintaining their C2 status. Ask pairs to discuss what will be the best ways of
maintaining their abilities.

2 In feedback, see if the idea of a post-proficiency course is mentioned. If not, you can bring it up as a
possibility and tell learners that their task is to write a letter to the director of the school requesting that a
post-proficiency course be included in next year’s timetable.

3 Ask learners to make a list of the elements that have made up their course in this and previous
years. Then they can discuss which aspects would be necessary or desirable in a post-proficiency
course and if there are any additional ideas that could enrich their learning. For example, some learners
might be interested in developing their knowledge of literature written in English.

4 Give learners a maximum of five minutes to come up with a brief plan for their letter, deciding how
many paragraphs to include and roughly what they will say in each. This can be done in pairs or
individually.

5 Next give the learners the letter framework cut up into strips. Tell them that each strip represents a
paragraph and that they must put the paragraphs into a logical order. Feedback on the answers and find
out if learners’ original plans are similar to this one. Elicit that the size of the text represents the
rough proportions of the letter. So, to open a letter will take decidedly fewer words and less space than
the detailing of the request.

6 Based on their ideas from step 1 and the letter framework, learners write their letter of request.

Extension: Learners use the framework for a letter of request and make a similar one based on
making an offer to authorities, superiors or commercial clients as detailed in the can
do statement. Learners can choose whichever situation might be most useful for
them.

© International House World Organisation C2 Activity Pack

IHWO Activity Pack - Level C2

Writing 7

‘I can write clear, well-structured complex letters in an appropriate style, for example an application
or request, an offer to authorities, superiors or commercial clients.’

Open the letter.

State your reason for writing.

Give details of the request.

Give reasons for the request and

mention positive consequences of it.

Suggest possible negative

consequences if request is not met.

Cite support of your request from another

source.

Reiterate your request.

Close the letter.

Sign off.

© International House World Organisation C2 Activity Pack