PROPOSAL
Advanced
Proposals are action plans for the future.
It may be written for a superior (boss or teacher)
or for a peer group (colleagues or club members)
Make suggestions supported by factual
information.
Persuade the reader that a certain course of action
should be taken.
Clearly organised: use headings.
Adapt the style to the target reader.
General information
Useful Language
The purpose/intention/aim of this proposal is to outline
/ present / discuss / give a brief comment / suggest /
sum up the last... | The aims of this proposal are to...
| This proposal evaluates... | This proposal is
intended to present the... | In this proposal I
describe/evaluate/present/assess
Paragraph 1: Introduction
All things considered, … | We have no hesitation in
recommending… | In the short/long term, we suggest
you should consider... | In my view, in future, we
should... | To improve the situation, we recommend...
| It is recommended that... | It would be advisable
for X to... | I would therefore recommend that/Ving |
It would seem that Ving | In view of this, I (would)
recommend...
Paragraph 4: Conclusion
Background information: According to ... | All those
who were interviewed believe that / are concerned
that... | A cause of dissatisfaction was... | Most
people seem to feel that ... | Several people said /
suggested / thought that... | Comments made at the
end of the questionnaires suggest... | Following a
survey among X... | Concerned members of the local
community were invited to attend... | A number of
concerns with regard to X were expressed by Y ... | It
appears that the majority of … | The only problem is
that … | Most …(students seem) … | Not surprisingly,
… | According to … | Consideration should be given
Paragraph 2
I suggest that the problem of... can be addressed
through... | For the satisfaction of... the ... should be...
| More steps also need to be taken to... | ... might like
to consider the following: | The following are highly
recommended: | They gave/ suggested the following
reasons: | They made the following points | Another
point to consider is that … | Alternatively… |
| Making suggestions and recommendations:
Another option would be to … | I would also suggest
… | I would strongly / highly recommend … | It would
be (highly) advisable to … | If my recommendations
are followed, then … | The best solution / ideas would
seem to be … | It would be prudent / inadvisable /
advisable to ... on the grounds that it / owing to the fact
that / due to the fact that... | It would be mutually
advantageous...
Paragraph 3
Taken and adapted from: Complete Advanced
Sample Layout
Title
Heading 1: Introduction / Aim
Heading 2
Heading 3
Heading 4: Conclusion
Current situation, background information,
idea for proposal.
Recommendations, suggestions, reasons,
course of action
Final recommendations and course of action