For questions 1-8, complete the second sentence using one or two words so that it has the same meaning as the first.
1) Come on one of our holidays where you can do your own cooking.
Enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of a camping holiday where you can .......... for yourself.
2) Don't delay! Thousands of competion prizes are up for grabs!
Thousands of prizes are .......... to anyone who enters the competition before the closing date.
3) When my boss spilt coffee down his new suit I just couldn't keep a straight face.
It was difficult not to .......... when my boss spilt coffee down his new suit.
4) Because of falling profits the company may have to lay people off.
The company has reported a sharp decrease in its profits. ............ a number of employees may lose their jobs.
5) The approximate number of club members is 30.
There are .......... 30 club members.
6) The decision is still under consideration.
They haven't made ............ up yet.
7) It is a requirement that all employees of the company undergo a medical examination prior to starting their employment.
You ............ have a check-up before you start work.
8) Reports show that there is still evidence of inequality between men and women in the workplace.
A report says that men and women are not treated ........... at work.
Formal and Informal English
At CPE level it's important you're able to identify when a formal or informal register is required in your writing and to be able to call on appropriate vocabulary and structures for the intended audience. Here are some examples of the difference bewtween formal and informal English:
Sometimes you have a simple choice between two words or phrases, one being more formal than the other. For example, 'do your own cooking' and 'cater for yourself' (Q1). In this case neither is particulalry informal, but 'cater' sets a more formal tone. This is also the case with 'must have' and 'a requirment' (Q7).
Sometimes a phrase is clearly informal, such as 'up for grabs' and would not be suitable for a formal piece of writing. This is often the case with idioms, though don't assume that all idiomatic language is informal.
We tend to use contractions in informal writing in order to create a more chatty tone representaive of spoken English. You should try to avoid contractions in formal writing.
Punctuation can also have a big impact of the level of formality. In particular, the use of exclamation marks is often found in informal text but should not be used in formal writing.