A proposal may be written for a peer group (such as colleagues or club members), or for a supervisor (such as a boss or a college principal). Students are expected to make one or more suggestions, supported by factual information and evaluation, in order to persuade the reader of a course of action. Students should work on functional language for evaluating and for making suggestions, and will need to be able to use a range of persuasive language.
In our example task you have to write to the town council, which means that it’s a pretty official proposal. For this reason, formal English is the way to go. In formal English – and for the purpose of doing the CAE exam – there are a couple of rules that you should follow: no contractions (I’m, don’t, etc.), no colloquial expressions (Hey, what’s up?, I liked it heaps., etc.), and no slang or phrasal verbs that convey informality (I’m bursting vs. I have had enough to eat; carry on vs. continue). Keep in mind the questions to be answered
- Why should the building be preserved?
- What could be done to modernise it?
- How could the building benefit the local people?
Add to this a title/introduction and a conclusion / final sentence:
- Title/introduction
- Why should the building be preserved?
- What could be done to modernise it?
- How could the building benefit the local people?
- Conclusion / final sentence
In proposals we also give each section a heading, which makes it very similar to a report. The big difference is, however, that a report makes recommendations based on past events while a proposal talks about something that hasn’t happened yet.
A proposal is a rather factual and informative piece of writing.Therefore, your introduction should get straight to the point. Say what the proposal’s purpose is and what you are going to include. It is also important to note that you should never just copy the words from the task, but paraphrase them and use your own words instead.
Some useful language for an introduction includes (but is not limited to) the following phrases:
- The purpose/aim of this proposal is to …
- The proposal is intended to show/discuss/suggest/outline …
- In this proposal I will …
Example:
Proposal to modernise the old brewery
Introduction
This proposal is intended to outline why the old brewery on ABC Street should not be demolished and is worth protecting, how it could be turned into a valuable asset for the town and in what ways it could be of use for the residents of the town.
In your topic paragraphs you deal with the three different main points from the task. As mentioned above, you are not required to make this sound sensational, but rather informational and factual. At the same time, however, you’re trying to convince the local council to consider your proposal so you need to use language to make suggestions and to be persuasive. As we said earlier, your paragraphs should get headings so it becomes evident very easily what you are talking about in each section.
The brewery as an opportunity
The old brewery building with its central location and unique architecture is still a focal point of the town centre for many people. While it has not been in use for some years, everyone has fond memories of the annual summer celebration. Therefore, it would be very sad to simply demolish the building when there is an opportunity just waiting to be taken.
How to modernise it
It is clear that the modernisation of a building this old can be a challenge as everything from the ground up needs renovating. However, some of our local architects would be willing to work together and develop a design that takes into account the financial constraints of the public budget as well as environmental factors.
I strongly recommend turning the brewery into a co-working space so the rent will offset some of the costs and give our town a modern touch on a historic site.
It benefits everyone in town
If the council decides to follow my suggestions, there will be great benefits for everybody involved. The town would create another source of income, the space would attract creative professionals and not only would it benefit them, but local residents would also be able to keep their beloved brewery in the town centre.
In my opinion, the brewery should be modernised and turned into a co-working space, and I strongly urge the council to consider this proposal.
Nothing fancy, just straight to the point giving your opinion and pushing the issue again.
No comments:
Post a Comment