WHAT EXACTLY IS A PROPOSAL?
Proposals are an option for CAE, though not for CPE. A proposal starts by describing the situation in a business, school, club, or other organisation you might be part of. For example, you might have to talk about the computer room in your college or the state of the canteen in your office. Sounds like a report, doesn't it? Well so far it's pretty similar.
The difference between a report and a proposal is that in the latter we have to give recommendations on improving the situation.
You have to persuade whoever is reading the proposal to make the changes you deem best.
So:
- *describe a situation
- *say how you think it could be better
- *try to convince someone you are right
WHO'S GOING TO READ IT?
As you'd expect, sometimes the proposals in CAE are set in the business world, and sometimes in the academic world. In these cases you'll be writing in quite a formal style. Another common scenario is that you're in a club and want to propose some changes - if you're writing to the other members of the club you can be a bit less formal but you should still be polite.
ARE THERE ANY SPECIAL RULES?
You should use headings, and have an intro and conclusion. You CAN use bullet points, but it is always a sign of good style to write in full sentences. It's a writing test, not a content test. Bullet points can help people scan for content and ideas fast and efficiently, but they are often used by writers who are too lazy/scared to write complete sentences. Use them with care!
Oh, and it's not a letter, so don't start with 'Dear Sir or Madam.'
Sample Proposal:
CAE Task:
There are plans to demolish an old and unused building in the town where you are a student. You feel that the building should be saved. You decide to write a proposal for the town council explaining why you think the building should be preserved, suggesting what could be done to modernise it and saying how the building could benefit the local people.
Write your proposal.
Proposal to Repurpose Ducie Central
In this proposal I aim to persuade the Council that Ducie Central is a landmark building, that its demolition is not in the public interest, and that the building could still have a bright future.
WHY DUCIE CENTRAL SHOULD BE PRESERVED
Ducie Central was the first adult education centre in the city, and it stood as a point of pride for hundreds of years before falling into neglect. Even today in its shabby, vandalised state, it is warmly regarded - many older people took classes there, and even some teenagers can remember the annual fun fair that was held on the grounds.
But the building is more than memories - it's a place where education used to happen, and where it can happen again.
HOW IT CAN BE MODERNISED
Ducie is old and would cost a fortune to heat. There is no doubt it would be expensive to insulate, install triple-glazed windows, and set up solar panels on the roofs. However, local architects and the Engineering College are willing to work on my proposed redevelopment for free.
I recommend that one section be converted into office space - that would help offset the cost of the project.
REDEVELOPMENT WOULD BENEFIT EVERYONE
It is not hard to see who would benefit from demolition - property developers who would buy the land cheaply and throw up some copy/paste housing. Modernising the building and re-opening the college would benefit not only the people who would study there but also the whole community. It would be a focal point and we could hold the fun fair like in the past.
CONCLUSION
I believe that modernising the building is the best choice and strongly urge you to consider it.
(284 words)
