On this page I have started off with the Essay Writing Booklet for several reasons. My booklets on pronunciation practice, cultural studies for GB and translation will involve considerable copyright negotiations whereas, except for OWL, the Essay Writing Booklet comprises all my own materials. OWL (Online Writing Lab) of Purdue University offers its excellent materials on punctuation and grammar exercises free of copyright restrictions, but even here, I have altered materials to suit a British as well as an American readership.

Practical exercises for students at B2 and CI Levels

My Essay Writing Booklet was aimed at our BA students at Erfurt. It was quite shocking to experience how poor the students’ essay writing skills even at this level proved to be (on average). It was not their fault. They had obviously not been suitably drilled in these skills during their secondary education. Our students also have to pass the European Framework Common Levels at B2 and CI, which are also recognized throughout the TEFL and TESOL world. This booklet could be, of use for any Language School as it is aimed at remedying deficiencies in this area.
The booklet does not aim at covering grammar. This is too broad a subject and there are many excellent grammar books on the market. My translation booklet tackles typical mistakes for B2 and CI students in Germany. The booklet can be divided into five sections: mechanical errors in punctuation; register; practical marking schemes for teachers; examination materials including my B2 and CI marking schemes which have also been adopted by other universities, examination questions with two ‘model’ essays, one for B2 and one for CI and finally, a vocabulary building exercise in literary anyalysis.
As over twenty years of experience have gone into my booklet, I would like some remuneration for my efforts now that I am retired. A sample with the contents and first five pages which deal with the standard five-paragraph essay can be downloaded free of charge.