Functional Writing
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Writing
7
7
Writing
Mario González.
Licenciado en Lengua, Literatura y Lingüística de la Universidad Francisco Marroquín.
Diplomados de enseñanza de idiomas y literatura de habla inglesa en la Universidad de
Cambridge en Inglaterra y Postdam en Alemania
Créditos
Mario González, CEO, Curriculista y Editor de Acción Humana.
Ben Buckwold, CEO de ESL Library
Tanya Truslet, Directora de Desarrollo de Lenguaje de ESL Library
Robyn Shesterniak, Directora Creativa de ESL lIbrary
Eduardo Prauze, Jefe de Ingenieria de ESL Library
Julia González, Diagramadora de Acción Humana.
www.accionhumanaong.site
Email: mario@accionhumanaong.info
Acción Humana ONG
Eje Educativo
Academia de Inglés
Colección Functional English
Libro: Functional English Writing
Este libro es propiedad de Acción Humana
MODELO BASADO EN EL CIRCULO LINGUISTICO DE PRAGA
“Todos los derechos reservados. Prohibida la
reproducción parcial o total de la obra.
Arts. Const. 24, 42 y 63;
Dto. 33-98 22/01/98 y su reforma DT.56-2000
01/11/00”
Writing in English
How to Use
Capital Letters
Lesson Objective
In this lesson, you will learn how to write capital letters.
You will also learn how and when to use capitals.
You’ll also learn about proper nouns. Let’s begin!
Note:
Another word for “capital” letters is “uppercase.”
Small letters are called “lowercase.”
Warm-Up
A. Writing
Find a partner. Writer your
partner’s full name below.
Now write your partner’s
birthdate and birthplace.
Circle the uppercase letters.
1. Did you circle the first letter in your partner’s first name?
2. Did you circle the first letter in your partner’s birth month?
3. Did you circle the first letter of your partner’s birthplace?
My Partner’s Full Name
My Partner’s Birthdate
My Partner’s Birthplace
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How to Use Capital Letters
Writing in English
Warm-Up cont.
B. Vocabulary Preview
Match the words on the left with the correct meanings on the right.
1.
capital
a)
one of 12 periods in a year (e.g., January)
2.
lowercase
b)
not easy
3.
proper noun
c)
an uppercase letter
4.
common noun
d)
a short form where letters represent words (e.g., BTW = by the way)
5.
month
e)
to copy (draw) overtop of a model
6.
trace
f)
small letter(s)
7.
difficult
g)
a general person, place, thing, or idea
8.
acronym
h)
the name of a book, movie, etc.
9.
nationality
i)
the country one is from or belongs to
10.
title
j)
a person, place, or thing with a specific name
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How to Use Capital Letters
Writing in English
Types of Letters
A. Reference
Capital Letters
Big letters are called
capital or uppercase letters.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N
O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Lowercase Letters
Small letters are called
lowercase letters.
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n
o p q r s t u v w x y z
Uses
Use a capital letter at the
beginning of every sentence.
Use a capital letter at the
beginning of a proper noun.
(A proper noun is the name of a
person, place, or thing.)
Use a capital “I” for the first
person singular pronoun.
Use capital letters for first and
important words in titles.
Use a lowercase letter at the
beginning of a common noun
(unless it is the first word in
a sentence).
Use a lowercase letter for
unimportant words in a title
such as articles, prepositions,
and conjunctions (unless it is
the first word in the title).
Examples
• Bunnies are cute.
• United States
• July
• Monday
• George
• I live in New York.
• Yuki and I ate apples.
• Great Expectations
• The Right to Write
• The Shadow of the Wind
• dog
• pizza
• house
• movie
• the
• a
• an
• of
• an
• at
ALL CAPS
Machines read capital letters easily, but most
people don’t! Do not type or print in all capital letters
unless a form asks for ALL CAPS. An exception to this
is envelopes. You should use ALL CAPS to write an
address on an envelope.
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How to Use Capital Letters
Writing in English
Types of Letters cont.
B. Writing Capital Letters
Use the chart below to complete these tasks:
1. Trace the capital letters.
2. Copy the capital letters on the lines.
3. Say the letters out loud with your class.
4. Copy the four most difficult letters on the extra lines.
A B C D E
F G H I J
K L M N O
P Q R S T
U V W X Y
Z
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How to Use Capital Letters
Writing in English
Types of Letters cont.
C. Alphabetizing Capital Letters
Fill in the missing letters.
A C E
F I J
K L M O
Q R T
U V X
Z
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How to Use Capital Letters
Writing in English
Proper Nouns
A. Using Capital Letters
We use a capital letter at the
beginning of a proper noun
anywhere in the sentence.
• New York is a big city.
• I am from New York.
• I live in New York now.
B. Examples
C. Exceptions
Here are some examples of proper nouns.
Proper Nouns
Example(s)
When referring to people by name,
common nouns can become proper nouns.
Here are some examples.
people or pet’s names
company or brand names
Nancy Waters, Spot
Microsoft, Android
# Common Nouns Proper Nouns
1 My mother is kind. Mother is kind.
cities or towns
countries
Ottawa
United States
2 I miss my grandma.
I don’t think
Grandma is
coming today.
nationalities
languages
American
English
3
Is the
president late?
I met
President Obama.
titles
The Wizard of Oz,
Mrs., Princess Diana
names of planets
Saturn
names of bodies of water
the Pacific Ocean
names of mountains
Mount Fuji
days
Monday
months
February
acronyms
BTW (by the way)
holidays
St. Patrick’s Day
religions
Islam
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How to Use Capital Letters
Writing in English
Proper Nouns cont.
D. Practice
Work on your own.
Complete the chart with examples of proper nouns.
Do not use the words from page 5.
# Proper Noun Example
1 person’s name
2 month
3 day
4 language
5 company name
6 religion
7 mountain
8 city
9 nationality
10 planet
E. Pair Work
Work with a partner. Compare the words
you wrote with the words your partner wrote.
Write your partner’s answers in the chart below.
Check your partner’s capitals!
A: What did you write for a person’s name?
B: I wrote Ella. What did you write?
A: I wrote Franco.
# Proper Noun Partner’s Example
1 person’s name
2 month
3 day
4 language
5 company name
6 religion
7 mountain
8 city
9 nationality
10 planet
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How to Use Capital Letters
Writing in English
Titles
A. Using Capital Letters
We use a capital letter at the beginning of a title and for important words in titles.
Important words include:
• nouns and pronouns
• verbs and phrasal verbs
• adjectives and adverbs
B. Examples
Here are some examples of titles. Write some of your
own examples in the empty boxes. Compare with a partner.
# Titles Example My Example
1 movies Planet of the Apes
2 books East of Eden
3 articles How to Teach Math
4 songs Pump Up the Jam
5 albums Like a Prayer
C. Exceptions
Some style guides use different rules for capitalizing titles.
You may see the following:
# Rule Example
1 All caps PLANET OF THE APES
2 Capitals for all first letters Pump Up The Jam
3 Capitalization of infinitives How To Teach a Great Math Class
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How to Use Capital Letters
Writing in English
Common Errors
A. The Pronoun “I”
In English, the pronoun “I” is always capitalized.
• I like coffee.
• My brother and I like to ski.
• Can I buy you a coffee?
Task 1
Use the model sentences to write three new sentences
about yourself. Change the words in italics to other
words. Remember to capitalize the pronoun “I.”
1.
2.
3.
B. English
In English, languages and nationalities are always
capitalized. This is not the case in some other
languages. Many English learners forget to
capitalize the word English.
• English is my first language.
• I know Spanish and English.
• Are you American?
Task 2
Use the model sentences to write three
new sentences. Change the words in
italics to other languages and nationalities.
Remember to capitalize the proper nouns.
1.
2.
3.
C. First Word
In English, the first word in every sentence is always
capitalized. Many new English learners forget this rule.
Task 3
Use the model. Change the words in italics
to your own information. Check your capitals!
• My name is Maurice. I am from the United States.
English is my first language. Do you speak English?
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How to Use Capital Letters
Writing in English
Capitals Checklist
BEFORE YOU SEND OR SUBMIT YOUR WRITING
After you write a note, email, or assignment, check your capitalization.
Did I begin every sentence with a capital?
Did I capitalize the pronoun “I”?
Did I capitalize the word English and other countries, nationalities, and languages?
Did I capitalize all proper nouns (names, places, company names, etc.)?
Did I use lowercase letters at the beginning of common nouns within a sentence?
Did I capitalize my title or other titles correctly?
Did I proofread my work?
Comprehension Check-In
Work with a partner and answer the
following questions based on the lesson so far.
1. What are some categories of proper nouns? Name at least five.
2. What must writers do at the beginning of every sentence?
3. What pronoun always uses a capital?
4. Why is the word mother sometimes capitalized?
5. Why is the word president sometimes capitalized?
6. What did you learn about common nouns?
7. What words are always capitalized in titles?
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How to Use Capital Letters
Writing in English
Review
Review Task 1
WRITE THE ALPHABET
Write the capital letters of the alphabet.
Check that your letters are in alphabetical order.
Review Task 2
MY STORY
Hello! My name is .
1.
2.
am
3.
years old.
My birthday is on .
4.
5.
am from .
6. (country)
y first language is .
7.
8.
I am learning .
9. (language)
I want to visit .
10. (proper noun)
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How to Use Capital Letters
Writing in English
Shared Criteria for Success
Student:
Date Level Assessed By Target Task Skill
Self
Partner
Teacher
Copy Letters
Copy Information
Writing
Criteria Rating Notes
forms capital letters correctly
follows alphabetical order
uses proper capitalization
for the pronoun “I”
uses proper capitalization
for proper nouns
begins sentences with
proper capitalization
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How to Use Capital Letters
Writing in English
Answer Key
LESSON DESCRIPTION:
LEVEL: Beg
In this lesson, students learn some helpful tips for using capital
letters. They learn about proper nouns and practice writing titles.
They also learn how to avoid some common writing errors that
English learners often make.
TAGS:
writing, capitals, letters, uppercase,
lowercase, alphabet, proper nouns, titles
Warm-Up
Proper Nouns
A. WRITING
Give your students some time to complete the task with a partner.
Check that your students are using proper capitalization for these
three types of proper nouns.
Go over the reference page on proper nouns. Then assign the
individual exercise before putting students in pairs to practice.
Titles
B. VOCABULARY PREVIEW
1. c
2. f
3. j
4. g
5. a
6. e
7. b
8. d
9. i
10. h
Extra Review: In pairs, have students fill in their own definitions
on page 15, cut up the strips, and give to their partners to match up.
Types of Letters
A. REFERENCE
Read through the different uses of uppercase letters. Go over when
to use lowercase letters, too. Your students will learn more detailed
information in the next few pages.
B. WRITING CAPITAL LETTERS
If your students need the practice, have them trace and write the
capital letters of the alphabet. Practice reading them out loud.
Have students choose and rewrite the four most difficult letters.
Go over the reference page on capitalization in titles. Then assign
the individual exercise before putting students in pairs to practice.
For very low levels, you can skip this section. Remind your students
that there are many different rules and style guides about this.
You may want to come up with your own guidelines for your class.
Common Errors
Review the common errors and have students complete Tasks 1–3.
Capitals Checklist
Go through the checklist with your students. Then have them look
back at the sentences and examples in Common Errors Tasks 1–3.
Do they need to make any changes?
(continued on the next page...)
C. ALPHABETIZING CAPITAL LETTERS
For more practice, have students fill in the missing letters.
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How to Use Capital Letters
Writing in English
Answer Key cont.
Comprehension Check-In
1. Some categories of proper nouns are people or pet’s names,
company or brand names, cities or towns, countries, etc.
(see page 6).
2. Writers must use a capital letter
at the beginning of every sentence.
3. The pronoun “I” is always capitalized.
4. The word mother is capitalized if it
is used as a name (Where is Mother?).
5. The word president is capitalized when it comes
directly before a name (e.g., President Obama).
6. Common nouns are not capitalized unless they
are at the beginning of a sentence (or in a title).
7. Important words (e.g., nouns, pronouns, verbs,
adverbs, adjectives) are always capitalized in titles.
Review (Assessment Tasks)
For Review Task 1, ask students to write out the alphabet in capital
letters. For Review Task 2, have students complete the guided
writing assignment. A ready-made assessment tool is available for
Tasks 1 and 2 on page 12 (Shared Criteria for Success).
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How to Use Capital Letters
Writing in English
Extra Vocabulary Practice (optional)
Write definitions in your own words. Cut up these vocabulary strips.
Challenge a partner to match the vocabulary to your definition.
capital
lowercase
proper noun
common noun
month
trace
difficult
acronym
nationality
title
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Writing in English
How to Write a
Simple Sentence
Lesson Objective
In this lesson, you will learn about the important parts of a
simple sentence. You will review the main parts of speech and
learn about punctuation marks and capitalization. Let’s begin!
Warm-Up
A. Writing
1. Get a blank piece of paper.
2. Write a list of five people.
4. Now write five short sentences. Use the words from your lists.
5. Share your sentences with a partner.
3. Write a list of five actions.
B. Vocabulary Preview
Match these words to their correct definitions.
1.
punctuation
a)
a word that changes or adds to the meaning of another word or phrase
2.
part of speech
b)
marks in a sentence (e.g., periods, question marks, exclamation marks)
3.
capitalization
c)
a word that describes a noun or pronoun
4.
subject
d)
type of word form in a sentence (e.g., noun, verb, adjective)
5.
verb
e)
a word that describes an action or state
6.
complement
f)
the main person or thing that is doing the action
7.
direct object
g)
the use of a large (capital) letter at the beginning of a word
8.
modifier
h)
information that completes a sentence
9.
adjective
i)
a person or thing that receives the action in a sentence
10.
adverb
j)
a word that describes a verb or other modifier
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1
How to Write a Simple Sentence
Writing in English
Identifying the Subject & Verb
Here is one of the most important things to learn about English:
Every sentence needs a subject and a verb. Let’s practice looking
for these parts in some simple sentences.
A. Verb
Think of the verb as the most important part of a sentence. The verb
identifies the action or state of the main person or thing in the sentence.
A verb can also link a subject to more information about the subject.
Action Verbs
• go
• walk
• sing
• eat
• play
• run
Non-Action Verbs
• be
• keep
• feel
• have
• seem
• look
Task 1
Circle the subject in each sentence. Underline the verb.
1. She called.
2. The sun set.
3. Ralph sang in the choir.
4. Her cell phone died.
5. My sisters live in New York City.
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2
How to Write a Simple Sentence
Writing in English
Identifying the Subject & Verb cont.
B. Subject
The subject is the other essential part of a sentence. The subject is the
person, place, thing, or idea that is or does something in a sentence.
After you find the verb, look for the subject.
Example #1
Mary walked.
Who walked?
Mary (subject)
Mary walked.
subject
verb
verb
Example #2
The dog barked.
Who barked?
The dog (subject)
The dog barked.
subject
verb
verb
More than one person or thing in a sentence can be the subject:
Example #3
The students and their teacher are at the library.
Who are there?
The students and their teacher (subject)
The students and their teacher are at the library.
subject
verb
verb
Task 2
Write three simple sentences that contain a subject and a verb.
1.
2.
3.
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3
How to Write a Simple Sentence
Writing in English
Subject-Verb Agreement
A. Singular & Plural Subjects
In English, the subject and verb must agree in number. This means that
a singular subject takes a singular verb form and a plural subject takes a
plural verb form. Look at the correct sentences. Now look at the incorrect
sentences. What is wrong?
Correct Sentences:
• I am happy.
• The cat eats the mouse.
• The children sing a song.
• Dogs like bones.
Incorrect Sentences:
• I is tired.
• The child eat the pie.
• The mice runs away.
• Dogs and kittens likes sunshine.
to play
to eat
to be
Subject
Verb
Subject
Verb
Subject
Verb
I
play
I
eat
I
am
You
play
You
eat
You
are
He/she/it
plays
He/she/it
eats
He/she/it
is
We
play
We
eat
We
are
They
play
They
eat
They
are
Task 3
Work with a partner. Do the following dialogues have subject-verb
agreement? Correct the mistakes. Then practice the corrected dialogues.
Dialogue 1
A: My name is Jesse.
B: Hi, Jesse. I is Miles.
These are my brothers.
A: Nice to meet you, Miles.
What is your brothers’ names?
Dialogue 2
A: My dogs is hungry.
B: Do your dogs eats spaghetti?
A: No, they eat dog food.
Dialogue 3
A: What do you
does after school?
B: I play soccer after school.
A: My brother play soccer, too.
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4
How to Write a Simple Sentence
Writing in English
Subject-Verb Agreement cont.
B. Tricky Subjects
Sometimes it’s difficult to know if a subject is singular or plural.
Here are a few of the tricky subjects to watch for.
Tricky Subject Notes Examples
Compound
Subjects
Collective
Nouns
Someone /
Anyone /
Everyone /
No One /
Each /
Every
Some subjects refer to more than
one person or thing. When they
are connected with and, they
require a plural verb.
Some subjects refer to a
group (team, family, staff).
A collective noun usually refers
to the group as one unit, so it
takes a singular verb.
These words take singular verbs.
• Ella and Sona are twins.
• Red and orange make yellow.
• My family celebrates
every holiday together.
• My team is the Ravens.
• Someone/Somebody needs to bring food.
• Anyone/Anybody is welcome to come.
• Everyone/Everybody knows
about the meeting.
• No one/Nobody feels tired.
• Each of the guests has a gift.
• Every person gets a turn.
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5
How to Write a Simple Sentence
Writing in English
Identifying the Complement
All sentences include a subject and a predicate. The predicate can be only
a verb, or it can be a verb and a complement. The complement includes
the extra parts that complete a thought in a sentence. Let’s look at
a few simple ways to complete a sentence.
Example #1
A two-word sentence with only a subject and a verb can be a
complete sentence. In this case, the predicate is the verb all by itself.
How did Mark get to school?
Mark walked.
subject +
verb
=
complete thought
Example #2
Many sentences are incomplete with only a subject and a verb.
They need more words to complete the thought.
Where did Mary go?
Mary walked.
subject + verb =
incomplete thought
Walked where?
Mary walked to school.
subject + verb + complement =
complete thought
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6
How to Write a Simple Sentence
Writing in English
Identifying the Complement cont.
A. Object Complements
A direct object is a person or thing that receives the
action of a verb. Direct objects complete the meaning
of sentences that contain an action verb.
Here are some sentences with direct objects.
Answer the question to find the object.
• The mother rocked her baby. Rocked what?
• We bought a new car. Bought what?
• I called my mother. Called who(m)?
Task 4
Circle the object complement (direct object) in each
sentence. Then write a similar sentence of your own.
1. I bought a book.
2. We ate dinner.
3. The girl played the guitar.
4. My mom washed the dishes.
5.
B. Subject Complements
Another way to complete a sentence is with a modifier.
A modifier can complete some information about the
subject with a word or phrase such as an adjective or
an adverb.
• She is nice. What is she like?
• The birds sound lovely. How do they sound?
• I feel really cold. How do you feel?
Task 5
Circle the subject complement (modifier) in each
sentence. Then write a similar sentence of your own.
1. My dog is dirty.
2. You are late.
3. It was fun.
4. I feel terrible.
5.
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7
How to Write a Simple Sentence
Writing in English
Capitalization & Punctuation
In English, every sentence starts with a capital letter. The pronoun “I” is
always written with a capital “I”. Every sentence ends with a punctuation
mark. Let’s look at some different punctuation marks that go at the end
of different types of sentences.
A. Period (.)
Most sentences end with a period.
This punctuation mark is also
called a full stop. When you type,
leave a space after a period. Do
NOT leave a space before a period.
Examples:
• I am tired.
• She left.
• We went to the store.
• My teacher called my mom.
• There is a loaf of
bread on the table.
B. Exclamation Point (!)
Some sentences end with an
exclamation point. This punctuation
mark is also called an exclamation
mark. This mark signals emotion
such as anger, excitement, or fear.
Examples:
• He is late!
• We won!
• They’re here!
• I lost my wallet!
• It’s a girl!
C. Question Mark (?)
Place a question mark at
the end of a sentence that
requires an answer.
Examples:
• Who is the main character?
• Why did he leave?
• Where is the party?
• What’s his name?
Task 6
Rewrite the sentences in your notebook.
Fix the capitalization and punctuation.
1. where are you going
2. get up?
3. my dad likes marshmallows!
4. i will finish my book tomorrow
5. when will i hear from you
6. i came in first place
7. you’re late.
8. it’s already five o’clock
9. are they here yet.
10. help. i lost my dog?
Note:
Do not overuse
exclamation points.
Save this mark for emphasis.
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8
How to Write a Simple Sentence
Writing in English
Reviewing the Main Parts of Speech
Before you move on to writing compound and complex sentences, it is useful
to review the main parts of speech. Review these parts of speech and practice
identifying each in a sentence. Then practice identifying each in your own sentences.
1. Nouns
Notes
Nouns describe people,
places, things, or ideas.
Nouns may be
plural, singular,
or uncountable.
Proper nouns
are capitalized.
Compound nouns have
two or more words.
Examples
• brother
• park
• bicycle
• time
• babies
• car
• water
• Friday
• New York
• February
• Lisa
• high school
• doorknob
• swimming pool
Task 7
Circle the nouns. Then write your own silly sentence.
Use a noun and circle it.
1. I ate seven bananas for lunch.
2. My home is a subway station.
3. I walked to London from Africa.
4.
2. Verbs
Notes
Verbs express actions
or states.
Verbs can be in many
different tenses.
Every sentence
has a verb.
Examples
• go
• walk
• walk
• walked
• am walking
• is
• feel
Task 8
Circle the verbs. Then write your own
serious sentence. Use a verb and circle it.
1. The test is on Monday.
2. Drop your weapons.
3. She slipped on the ice.
4.
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9
How to Write a Simple Sentence
Writing in English
Reviewing the Main Parts of Speech cont.
3. Adjectives
Notes
Adjectives modify nouns
or pronouns.
Adjectives often come
before the words
they modify.
Adjectives often come
after the Be verb.
Examples
• white
• funny
• nice
• big
• a white cat
• a nice man
• The house is big.
Task 9
Circle the adjectives. Then write your own
sad sentence. Use an adjective and circle it.
1. My elderly neighbor died.
2. A terrible storm destroyed the town.
3. The zoo animals are lonely.
4.
4. Adverbs
Notes
Adverbs modify
verbs, adjectives,
and other adverbs.
Examples
• happily
• quickly
• very
• well
Task 10
Circle the adverbs. Then write your own
sentence about sports. Use an adverb and circle it.
1. Did she run quickly?
2. I throw very far.
3. He lightly kicked the ball.
4.
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10
How to Write a Simple Sentence
Writing in English
Reviewing the Main Parts of Speech cont.
5. Pronouns
Notes
Pronouns take the
place of nouns. They
reduce the need to
repeat a noun in
writing and speaking.
There are many types
of pronouns.
Examples
• he
• they
• us
• I
• my
• their
• which
• herself
Task 11
Circle the pronouns. Then write your own
sentence about love. Use a pronoun and circle it.
1. He called me today.
2. I love your mother.
3. Did you kiss her?
4.
6. Conjunctions
Notes
Conjunctions join
words and other parts
of a sentence.
Examples
• and
• or
• because
• therefore
Task 12
Circle the conjunctions. Then write your own
sentence about family. Use a conjunction and circle it.
1. My sister and I are twins.
2. I cried because I was sad.
3. Do you want jam or peanut butter?
4.
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11
How to Write a Simple Sentence
Writing in English
Reviewing the Main Parts of Speech cont.
7. Prepositions
Notes
Prepositions show
relationships between
words and indicate
space or time. They link
nouns to other words.
Examples
• in
• on
• at
• during
Task 13
Circle the prepositions. Then write your own
sentence about food. Use a preposition and circle it.
1. The coffee cup is on the table.
2. We ate at the restaurant.
3. Put the sugar in the bowl.
4.
8. Articles
Notes
Articles are short
words that come
before a noun to show
how many of a noun
there are.
Examples
• a
• an
• the
Task 14
Circle the articles. Then write your own sentence about
clothing or accessories. Use an article and circle it.
1. The child is wearing a pink hat.
2. You will need an umbrella today.
3. The dress is in the laundry. Wear a suit.
4.
Determiners
Articles are sometimes classified as determiners.
Determiners are articles (a, an, the), quantifiers
(all, many, two), demonstratives (this, that), and
more. Some determiners are classified as adjectives
and others as pronouns. Pronouns are sometimes
classified with nouns.
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12
How to Write a Simple Sentence
Writing in English
Comprehension Check-In
Work with a partner and answer the
following questions based on the lesson so far.
1. What does every sentence need?
2. What is the difference between a subject and an object?
3. Name the main parts of speech in English.
4. What goes at the beginning of a written sentence?
5. What goes at the end of a written sentence?
6. Are the subjects anyone, no one, and each singular or plural?
Writing Challenge
Write ten simple sentences about one subject (person, place, or thing).
Keep your sentences short and simple. Use a few modifiers
(adjectives and adverbs) in your sentences.
Review the checklist below and edit your sentences. Show your sentences
to a partner. Can he/she identify the subject and complement in each
sentence? Can he/she identify the different parts of speech?
A Checklist
BEFORE SHARING YOUR SENTENCES
Does each sentence have a subject and a verb?
Do my subjects and verbs agree in number?
Does each sentence start with a capital letter?
Did I add the correct punctuation after every sentence?
Do all of my proper nouns start with a capital letter?
Did I capitalize the pronoun “I”?
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13
How to Write a Simple Sentence
Writing in English
Answer Key
LESSON DESCRIPTION:
LEVEL: Low Int
In this lesson, students learn the basic parts of a simple sentence.
They practice finding the subject and verb. They also review the
main parts of speech in English and practice writing their own
simple sentences.
TIME:
TAGS:
2–3 hours
writing, sentences, parts of speech,
subject, verb, complement
Lesson Objective
Task 2
Review the lesson objective with your students.
Warm-Up
A. WRITING
Give your students some time to write a few simple sentences.
Don’t make any corrections at this time.
Individual answers. Check your students’ work as they write.
For extra practice, teach your students how to diagram a sentence.
A very basic diagram can consist of a horizontal line with two
vertical lines that separate the subject, and verb. Another vertical
line can be used to separate the object. Beginners can draw a
diagonal line above or below the horizontal line to indicate a
modifier. Later they can add other parts of the sentence using
more complex diagrams.
B. VOCABULARY PREVIEW
Print copies of page 17 and cut out the strips, or have
students do the matching exercise provided on page 1.
Subject-Verb Agreement
A. SINGULAR & PLURAL SUBJECTS
1. b 3. g 5. e 7. i
2. d 4. f 6. h 8. a
Identifying the Subject & Verb
Review the basics of identifying the
main subject and verb in a simple sentence.
Task 1
1. She (subject) / called (verb)
2. The sun (subject) / set (verb)
3. Ralph (subject) / sang (verb)
4. Her cell phone (subject) / died (verb)
5. My sisters (subject) / live (verb)
9. c
10. j
Review the importance of subject-verb agreement. Practice
conjugating the Be verb and a few other verbs. Help your learners
see where the form changes. Put students in pairs for Task 3.
Task 3
A: My name is Jesse.
B: Hi, Jesse. I am Miles. These are my brothers.
A: Nice to meet you, Miles. What are your brothers’ names?
A: My dogs are hungry.
B: Do your dogs eat spaghetti?
A: No, they eat dog food.
A: What do you do after school?
B: I play soccer after school.
A: My brother plays soccer, too.
(continued on the next page...)
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14
How to Write a Simple Sentence
Writing in English
Answer Key cont.
Subject-Verb Agreement cont.
B. TRICKY SUBJECTS
You can decide if you want to teach this point at this stage or not.
Your students may not be ready to learn about tricky subjects yet.
On the other hand, your students may be more advanced and
may want to learn about all of the tricky subjects. You may also
want to point out that collective nouns can take a plural verb when
referring to the individuals instead of the group (e.g., The staff get
bonuses at the end of the year.) Visit our blog for tips on subjectverb
agreement.
Identifying the Complement
Help your students understand the basic concept of predicates
and complements, and review a few simple ways to complete
a sentence.
Note: ESL Library has a full lesson on Complete Sentences in our
Grammar Practice Worksheets section: https://esllibrary.com/
courses/88/lessons/1608. Review our related blog post on Look,
Appear, Feel: http://blog.esllibrary.com/2014/06/05/look-appearfeel-adjective-or-adverb/
Capitalization & Punctuation
Review these points with your students and remind them of the
importance of these English writing rules. Some students will think
these are obvious points; however, some of the most common
writing errors are related to simple capitalization and punctuation.
Teach your students that even in informal writing it is necessary
to use proper capitalization (e.g., using a capital letter for the
pronoun “I”).
Task 6
1. Where are you going?
2. Get up!
3. My dad likes marshmallows.
4. I will finish my book tomorrow.
5. When will I hear from you?
6. I came in first place! / I came in first place.
7. You’re late! / You’re late.
8. It’s already five o’clock! / It’s already five o’clock.
9. Are they here yet?
10. Help! I lost my dog! / Help! I lost my dog.
(continued on the next page...)
Task 4
1. a book
2. dinner
3. the guitar
4. the dishes
5. individual answer
Task 5
1. dirty
2. late
3. fun
4. terrible
5. individual answer
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15
How to Write a Simple Sentence
Writing in English
Answer Key cont.
Reviewing the Main Parts of Speech
Comprehension Check-In
Before moving on to compound and complex sentences, review the
main parts of speech with your students, and have them practice
writing their own sentences. ESL Library also has a Grammar
Practice Worksheets lesson that reviews Parts of Speech in detail:
https://esllibrary.com/courses/88/lessons/1605
Task 7 (Nouns)
Task 8 (Verbs)
1. bananas, lunch
1. is
2. home, subway station 2. Drop
3. London, Africa
3. slipped
4. individual answer
4. individual answer
1. Every sentence needs a subject and a verb.
2. The subject is the person or thing that
does the verb, while the object is the
person or thing that receives the verb.
3. noun, verb, adjective, adverb, pronoun,
preposition, conjunction, article
4. A capitalized word goes at the beginning of every sentence.
5. A punctuation mark goes at the end of every sentence.
6. These are singular subjects and take singular verb forms.
Writing Challenge
Task 9 (Adjectives)
1. elderly
2. terrible
3. lonely
4. individual answer
Task 11 (Pronouns)
1. he, me
2. I, your
3. you, her
4. individual answer
Task 10 (Adverbs)
1. quickly
2. very, far
3. lightly
4. individual answer
Task 12 (Conjunctions)
1. and
2. because
3. or
4. individual answer
Give students time to practice what they have learned in this
lesson. Encourage them to keep their sentences short and simple.
Then have students exchange papers and work on identifying the
parts of the sentence that they have learned so far.
A Checklist
Have your beginner-level students keep this checklist close at hand.
They can refer to it whenever they are practicing their writing.
You can also encourage students to use it when they are checking
their partners’ writing. As the teacher, you can use it to help with
marking quizzes or journals for low-level learners.
Task 13 (Prepositions)
1. on
2. at
3. in
4. individual answer
Task 14 (Articles)
1. The, a
2. an
3. The, the, a
4. individual answer
SPELLING NOTES:
This lesson shows the American spelling of the words Neighbor
and Practice. Most other English-speaking countries spell
these words this way: Neighbour and Practise (when used as
a verb; Practice when used as a noun). Make it a challenge for
your students to find these words in the lesson and see if they
know the alternate spellings.
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16
How to Write a Simple Sentence
Writing in English
Extra Vocabulary Practice (optional)
Write definitions in your own words. Cut up these vocabulary strips.
Challenge a partner to match the vocabulary words to your definitions.
punctuation
part of speech
capitalization
subject
verb
complement
direct object
modifier
adjective
adverb
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17
Writing in English
How to Write a Note
Lesson Objective
In this lesson, you will learn some helpful tips for writing short notes.
You’ll get a chance to practice writing a variety of notes, such as invitations
and apologies. You’ll also learn some tips for keeping your notes short
and simple.
Warm-Up
A. Speaking
Imagine that you are in a parking lot. You hit a parked car by accident
with your own car. Discuss these questions with your classmates.
1. Would you write a note to the owner?
2. What information should you include in a note like this?
3. How would you feel if your car was hit in a parking lot and no one
left a note? How would you feel if someone did leave a note?
B. Vocabulary Preview
Note
The word “note” can be a noun
or a verb. It has a few different
meanings. As a noun, it means
a short letter or a musical tone.
As a verb, it means to record
a short point in writing or
in speaking.
Match the words on the left with the correct meanings on the right.
1.
informal
a)
an expression of regret (saying sorry)
2.
apology
b)
casual and friendly
3.
correspondence
c)
the date of a special event from a previous year
4.
free
d)
a French expression used in English, meaning “please reply”
5.
BYOB
e)
as soon as possible
6.
RSVP
f)
available
7.
generosity
g)
bring your own beer/booze/bottle
8.
ASAP
h)
kindness, a caring nature
9.
condolences
i)
written communication between people
10.
anniversary
j)
thoughts of sadness for another’s loss
Copyright 2019, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. (LOW INT / VERSION 2.1) 1
How to Write a Note
Writing in English
Parts of a Note
Unlike a letter, a note only needs to be a few sentences long. Most notes
have an informal greeting, a body (1–5 sentences), and an informal sign-off.
A. Greeting
Here are some examples of
written greetings found in notes:
Examples:
• Hey, Jane.
• Hi, Ivanka!
• Hello!
• Hi there!
• Dear ,
(more formal)
B. Body
C. Sign-Off
The body (message) can typically fit into
one short paragraph with a single purpose.
Purpose Examples:
• to inform
• to inquire
• to remind
• to thank
• to request
• to congratulate
Message Examples:
• to comfort
• to express love
• to invite
• to apologize
• to keep in touch
• to wish someone well
• Just wanted to let you know…
• Wanted to say a quick thanks for…
• Just a quick note to ask if…
• Just a quick reminder about…
• Don’t forget to…
• Did you hear about…?
• We’re just wondering if you’d be interested in…
• I wanted to tell you that…
• I got your note.
• Would you mind…?
• I’d love to..., but…
• Thanks for the invite.
• Sorry I haven’t been in touch.
• I keep meaning to call.
You can end your note with your first name or even
just your initials. Sometimes a note will close with
a short line before the sender’s name. Place your
name or initials after the closing.
Cheers,
TB
Closing Examples:
• Let us know!
• Hope you’re well.
• Hope to see you next time.
• Cheers,
• Thanks a lot,
• Thanks again!
• See you,
• Call me!
• Talk to you soon,
• Talk soon,
• Miss you!
• You’re the best!
• Later,
• Hugs,
• Keep in touch!
• Love
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How to Write a Note
Writing in English
Length of a Note
Keep your notes as short and simple as possible. Cut out any
unnecessary words and use contractions wherever possible.
Abbreviations and contractions help make a note feel informal.
They also allow the reader to get the message quickly. A note
should fit inside a note card or on a small piece of paper.
A. Abbreviations
Here are some abbreviations
that are commonly used in
English notes:
Abbreviation
ASAP
RSVP
W/O
PS
BTW
BYOB
Meaning
as soon as possible
French phrase meaning “please reply”
without
postscript (an additional note after the sign-off)
by the way
bring your own bottle/booze/beer
B. Text / Chat Message Abbreviations
Instant messaging is even
shorter than a note. This form
of communication uses many
abbreviations. Which ones do
you know? Ask your teacher
for a full list.
# Abbreviation Meaning
1 LOL
2 IDK
3 B/C
4 THX
5 TTYS
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How to Write a Note
Writing in English
Length of a Note cont.
C. Contractions
Informal notes typically use contractions. A contraction is
a short form of two words. What do these contractions mean?
# Contraction Meaning(s)
1 I’m
2 I’ll
3 I’ve
4 she’s
5 we’ll
6 won’t
# Contraction Meaning(s)
8 isn’t
9 haven’t
10 didn’t
11 aren’t
12 can’t
13 you’ve
7 we’d
Task 1
Write a short note to a friend that contains
at least five contractions and two abbreviations.
Hey, !
Common Errors
Be careful not to use a contraction when you mean
a possessive word (or other word). These are some
common errors to watch out for:
• they’re = they are (not their)
• who’s = who is (not whose)
• you’re = you are (not your)
• it’s = it is (not its)
• let’s = let us (not lets, meaning allows)
Cheers,
Copyright 2019, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. (LOW INT / VERSION 2.1) 4
How to Write a Note
Writing in English
Types of Notes
A. Invitation Cards
You can buy pre-made invitations for special occasions
such as birthday parties and weddings. Fill out the
details before giving them to your friends.
You’re Invited!
Event:
Stag & Doe
Date: September 18
Location:
Time:
Bear Club Brewery
8:00 pm – 11:00 pm
RSVP by: September 10
Contact:
anna323@mailme.com
(445) 990-8890
Note:
Include some special notes to your guest(s), such as:
• No gifts, please.
• BYOB
• Please bring an appetizer.
• You are welcome to bring a guest.
• Casual dress
B. Informal Invitations
You can also write informal invitations to
friends, coworkers, and neighbors. You might
do this through text messaging or with a short,
handwritten note.
• Do you want to come over for a coffee?
• Do you want to come over and watch a movie?
• Are you available/free/busy on ?
Task 2
Write an informal invitation to a friend or neighbor.
Ask this person to do something with you on a specific
day. Include a greeting, a message, and a sign-off.
Then share your invitation with a partner, and write
a note back declining your partner’s invitation.
Be sure to say thank you!
You may also need to decline (say no to) an invitation.
You can give an excuse or just say you are unavailable.
• Thanks for the invitation (invite), but...
• I’m so sorry. I’m busy that day.
• I appreciate the offer, but...
• I’m afraid we’re out of town.
• I wish we could come, but...
• We have a prior engagement.
• We’re away that weekend.
• Can I take a rain check?
• Have fun!
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How to Write a Note
Writing in English
Types of Notes cont.
C. Love Notes
A love note is a message of
affection from one person to
another. It can express romantic
love or love between family
members (e.g., mom to child).
Useful Expressions:
• I miss you!
• I love you!
• You are beautiful.
• You’re the best!
• You mean so much to me.
• What would I do without you?
• I can’t wait to see you again.
D. Good-Luck Notes
A good-luck note is a message
of hope for a person who is going
to do or try something difficult
or new, such as take an exam,
run a race, or have an interview.
Useful Expressions:
• Good luck!
• You can do it!
• I’m proud of you.
• Knock ‘em dead.
• Don’t give up.
• Do your best.
• I believe in you!
• Let me/us know how everything goes.
E. Thank-You Notes
You can send a thank-you note to someone
who gave you a gift, sent you flowers,
or did something kind for you.
Useful Expressions:
Task 3
Write a thank-you note to someone in your life
who did something kind for you in the past.
Dear ,
• Thank you for your generosity!
• I appreciate everything you do for me.
• You are so sweet!
• We couldn’t have done it without you.
• I can’t thank you enough.
• You’re the best!
• Your kindness meant so much to me.
Thanks again,
Love
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How to Write a Note
Writing in English
Types of Notes cont.
F. Apologies
A written apology can make everyone feel better
after a conflict. Identify your fault and offer to
make things better.
Useful Expressions:
(Be sure to identify what you did wrong.)
• Oops. Sorry I missed practice!
• Sorry that this is so late.
• I’m so sorry for what I said.
• I’m terribly sorry that I forgot to...
• I shouldn’t have...
• I was wrong.
• You have no idea how sorry I am.
• Please forgive me for my error.
• I truly apologize for my actions.
• I hope you will forgive me.
• I’ll try to do better next time.
• Sorry for the misunderstanding.
Task 4
Complete this apology note for
something you did wrong in the past.
Dear ,
I’m so sorry for
Please forgive me,
G. Condolences
You can also be sorry for someone’s loss or tough
times, even though it is not your fault. If someone
you know lost a loved one, express your condolences
in a note or card.
Task 5
Imagine that a coworker lost a pet.
Write a note expressing your condolences.
Dear ,
Useful Expressions:
• My heart goes out to you and your
family members at this difficult time.
• Please accept my/our condolences.
• Please accept my sincere sympathy.
• Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
• We are praying for your peace and comfort.
• Let me/us know if there is anything I/we can do.
• I am here if you need anything.
Thinking of you,
Copyright 2019, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. (LOW INT / VERSION 2.1) 7
How to Write a Note
Writing in English
Types of Notes cont.
H. Requests
Notes are often used to make a special request.
These types of notes are often sent by email or text.
Useful Expressions:
Task 6
Write a text message asking a classmate to
look after your kids on an upcoming in-service day.
(Write it here or send it by text.)
• I have a big/small favor to ask.
• Could you...?
• Would you mind...?
• Is there any chance you could...?
• I need a hand...
• Could you give me a hand on...(day)?
I. Reminders
Notes are also useful for sharing a quick reminder.
Leave this type of note on a table or desk or
send it as an electronic message.
Useful Expressions:
Task 7
Now write a text message reminding your
classmate that tomorrow is the in-service day and
he/she agreed to look after your kids.
(Write it here or send it by text.)
• Don’t forget to turn off the lights.
• Remember to lock the door.
• We need milk and eggs.
• Walk the dog, please.
• Just a reminder that our meeting is at 4 pm.
• I just wanted to remind you
that Friday is an in-service day.
J. Special Occasions
Use notes for well wishes on
someone’s special occasion, such
as a graduation or anniversary.
You can write the note inside a
card, on a person’s social media
wall, or even in a text.
Useful Expressions:
• Happy birthday, Lucy!
• Happy anniversary, Stan and Leanne!
• Congratulations on your new baby/job/home!
• Enjoy your special day.
• I hope your family spoils you!
• You have a great future ahead of you!
Copyright 2019, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. (LOW INT / VERSION 2.1) 8
How to Write a Note
Writing in English
Notes Checklist
BEFORE LEAVING OR SENDING A NOTE OR MESSAGE
After you write your note,
proofread it. If you made any
mistakes, rewrite it quickly. If you
are happy with your note, mail
it, or leave it on a desk, table, or
other location where a person
is sure to find it. You might also
send your note electronically
(by text message, direct
message, or email).
Did I spell the recipient’s name properly?
Did I print or write clearly?
Does my note have one main purpose?
Did I keep my message as simple as possible?
Did I use abbreviations and contractions?
Do my contractions have the correct meanings?
Did I proofread my note or message?
Did I include a short closing with my name or initials?
Comprehension Check-In
Work with a partner and answer the
following questions based on the lesson so far.
1. What are some reasons for writing a note? Name at least five.
2. Why should you use contractions in an informal note?
3. What three parts do most notes have?
4. What is the difference between you’re and your?
5. If a friend lost a loved one,
write a note expressing your .
6. What type of note do you write to a friend
who is trying something new or difficult?
7. What does “free” often mean in a note?
8. What should you include in a sign-off of a note?
Copyright 2019, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. (LOW INT / VERSION 2.1) 9
How to Write a Note
Writing in English
Sample Notes
Read the following sample notes.
A. From a Student to a Teacher
B. From One Employee to Another
Dear Mr. Cross,
I’m very sorry I wasn’t in class on Friday. I was very sick
and didn’t want to get you or the other students sick.
I know I missed a quiz. Is there
any way I could do a makeup quiz?
I already asked Juan about the other work I missed.
Sorry again for missing class.
Tina
Hi Linda,
I stopped by your desk, but you were at lunch.
Just a reminder that you borrowed my headphones
last week. Could you leave them on my desk for me?
I need them this weekend.
Thanks,
Hal
PS. Nice work on the new brochure!
C. From One Neighbor to Another
D. Left on a Pole
Hey Maxwells,
Did one of you drop a house key? We found a key
on the sidewalk. If it’s yours, we’re home tonight.
Pop over or call us.
Hope you are well!
Cheers,
The Millers
MISSING KITTEN
My kitten ran away last night (June 3).
She is black with white patches under both eyes.
She’s about 8 weeks old.
Please contact Naomi ASAP at
(444) 889-9900 if you have seen her!
Thank you!
PS. Let’s get together soon.
Copyright 2019, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. (LOW INT / VERSION 2.1) 10
How to Write a Note
Writing in English
Sample Notes cont.
E. From One Driver to Another
F. From One Friend to Another
Hello!
I hit your bumper when I pulled out of my parking
spot. I am so sorry. There is a pretty big scratch.
My name is Juanita Leons.
Please call me at 333-448-8907.
I will give you my insurance information.
Hi Alex,
I saw your post about depression. I hope you and your
loved ones are okay. I have some experience with
depression. Message me if you want to talk.
Cheers,
Kendra
Sorry again!
Juanita
G. Passed from One Student to Another
H. Slipped under an Apartment Door
Hi there,
I’m Evan. Sorry to bug you. I don’t know
anyone in this class. I missed class on Tuesday.
Could I borrow your notes?
Evan
Hey,
This is your neighbor from Unit 3. Sorry to bother you.
Would you mind turning your music down? It’s really
loud in my apartment, and my kids can’t get to sleep.
Thanks,
Unit 3
I. Declining an Invitation
Hi Pierre and Marie,
Thanks so much for inviting Luna to Ava’s birthday.
I’m so sorry Luna won’t be able to make it.
We are away that weekend.
Thanks again for the invite. Happy birthday to Ava.
Have fun!
Tia
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How to Write a Note
Writing in English
Review
Task 1
WRITE A NOTE
Handwrite an informal note to a classmate.
Use contractions wherever possible. Use at least one
abbreviation. Leave your note on your partner’s desk.
Task 2
WRITE A REPLY
Respond to your partner’s note. Use contractions
wherever possible. Use at least one abbreviation.
Check your spelling and punctuation. Give the
note to your partner.
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How to Write a Note
Writing in English
Shared Criteria for Success
Student :
Date Level Assessed By Target Task Skill
Self
Partner
Teacher
Write a Note
Respond to a Note
Writing
Criteria Rating Notes
has a short greeting and spells
the recipient’s name properly
is easy to read
has one main purpose
has a short and simple message
(uses contractions)
has an appropriate sign-off
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How to Write a Note
Writing in English
Answer Key
LESSON DESCRIPTION:
LEVEL: Low Int
In this lesson, students learn some helpful tips for writing
informal notes. They get to practice writing a variety of notes,
such as invitations and apologies. They also learn some tips
for keeping their notes short and simple.
TIME:
TAGS:
2–3 hours
writing, notes, letters, informal, invitation, apology,
condolences, abbreviations, contractions
Warm-Up
Length of a Note
A. SPEAKING
Give your students some time to discuss this situation.
You might want to work together to create a note on the board.
Or, see Sample Note E on page 11.
B. VOCABULARY REVIEW
1. b 3. i
5. g 7. h 9. j
2. a 4. f 6. d 8. e 10. c
Extra Review: In pairs, have students fill in their own definitions
on page 16, cut up the strips, and give to their partners to match up.
B. TEXT / CHAT MESSAGE ABBREVIATIONS
1. laughing out loud
2. I don’t know
3. because
4. thanks
5. talk to you soon
Refer to Text Message Abbreviations in our Resources section
for a full list of abbreviations your students should be familiar
with for text messaging: https://esllibrary.com/resources/2360
C. CONTRACTIONS
Parts of a Note
Read through the three parts of a note. Your higher-level learners
may note that the subject (I) may be omitted (e.g., Just wanted to
send a note...). Encourage your students to use the expressions
as a reference.
1. I am
2. I will
3. I have
4. she is / she has
5. we will
6. will not
7. we would / we had
8. is not
9. have not
10. did not
11. are not
12. cannot
13. you have
Common Errors: This may be a good time to review possessive
adjectives. Try Pronouns 1 from our Grammar Practice Worksheets
section: https://esllibrary.com/courses/88/lessons/1624
(continued on the next page...)
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How to Write a Note
Writing in English
Answer Key cont.
Length of a Note cont.
TASK 1
Have students write a short note to a friend that contains
at least five contractions and two abbreviations.
Types of Notes
Go through all the types of notes with your students and give
them time to complete Tasks 2–7. You may want to do some
example notes on the board. Have students compare each
other’s notes. Do they contain all of the necessary parts?
Notes Checklist
Go through the checklist with your students. Then have them
look back at the notes they wrote in Tasks 1–7. Can they make
any improvements? You could challenge them to rewrite their
notes on an additional piece of paper.
Comprehension Check-In
1. Some reasons for writing a note are to inform, to inquire,
to remind, to thank, to request, to congratulate, to comfort,
to express love, to invite, to apologize, to keep in touch,
and to wish someone well.
2. Contractions make a note shorter and more informal.
It makes it easier to read a message quickly.
3. The three parts most notes have are
a greeting, a body (main message), and a sign-off.
4. You’re is a contraction of you are, and your is a possessive
adjective (your jacket, your house). [Try Pronouns 1 from
Grammar Practice Worksheets for a lesson that covers
possessive adjectives: https://esllibrary.com/courses/88/
lessons/1624]
5. condolences/sympathy
6. You write a good-luck note to a friend
who is trying something new or difficult.
7. In a note, “free” often means available.
8. A sign-off can be just a name or initials (if it’s obvious who the
note is from). It can also include one closing line before the
name/initials, such as Cheers, Thanks, Call me!, etc.
Sample Notes
There are a variety of activities that you could do with
these examples. Here are some choices:
1. Have students identify the main purpose of each note.
2. Have students identify the sender and recipient of each note.
3. Have students write a note in a similar style.
4. Have students respond to some of the notes.
You could use these examples, or bring in your own authentic
examples from real life if you have some that you are comfortable
sharing. Some of the activities could also be used for assessment.
Review (Assessment Tasks)
Assign each student a writing partner (or have students write
to you directly). Students can do the first part of this writing task
at home or during class. After students receive a note, they can
write a response.
SPELLING NOTES:
This lesson shows the American spelling of the words Favor,
Neighbor, and Practice. Most other English-speaking countries
spell these words this way: Favour, Neighbour, and Practise (when
used as a verb; Practice when used as a noun). Make it a challenge
for your students to find these words in the lesson and see if they
know the alternate spellings. Also note that the term email can
be spelled e-mail.
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How to Write a Note
Writing in English
Extra Vocabulary Practice (optional)
Write definitions in your own words. Cut up these vocabulary strips.
Challenge a partner to match the vocabulary to your definition.
informal
apology
correspondence
free
BYOB
RSVP
generosity
ASAP
condolences
anniversary
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Writing in English
How to Build
a Paragraph
Lesson Objective
In this lesson, you will learn how to build a paragraph with four basic parts.
You will read an example paragraph and use a template to write your own.
Warm-Up
A. Writing
Make a list of your favorite people, places, and things.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
B. Vocabulary Preview
Match these words to their definitions.
1.
paragraph
a)
the important information in a paragraph
2.
favorite
b)
the sentence that describes a paragraph’s main idea
3.
title
c)
a piece of writing about one subject
4.
topic sentence
d)
the one you like the best
5.
body
e)
the name of a piece
6.
conclusion
f)
a short summary at the end
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How to Build a Paragraph
Writing in English
Example Paragraph
Read the example paragraph:
My Favorite Animal
My favorite animal is a cat. Cats are fun, cuddly
creatures. When they are sleepy, they love to sit on your lap
and purr. When they are playful, they love to chase toy mice.
Cats are easy to take care of because they clean themselves
with their tongues. Cats like people, but they don’t like dogs.
I don’t like dogs either. I have two cats at home, and I love
them very much.
Title
Topic Sentence
My Favorite Animal
My favorite animal is a cat.
1. Cats are fun, cuddly creatures.
2. When they are sleepy, they love to sit on your lap and purr.
Body
3. When they are playful, they love to chase toy mice.
4. Cats are easy to take care of because they clean themselves with their tongues.
5. Cats like people, but they don’t like dogs.
6. I don’t like dogs either.
Conclusion
I have two cats at home, and I love them very much.
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How to Build a Paragraph
Writing in English
Building a Paragraph
A paragraph has four main parts: a title, a topic sentence,
a body, and a conclusion. Let’s build a paragraph!
A. Title
A title tells the reader what
your paragraph is about.
Write your title in short form
(not a complete sentence).
Task 1
Complete this title with a subject (e.g., Animal, Actor, Sport) from your list.
My Favorite
B. Topic Sentence
A topic sentence tells your reader
what your paragraph is about
(in sentence form). Write this
sentence after your title.
Task 2
Complete the sentence with a person, place, or thing.
My favorite is .
C. Body Sentences
The body is the main part of
your paragraph. Every sentence
in the body supports your topic
sentence. These sentences include
examples, explanations, or facts
about your topic.
Task 3
Why is this person, place, or thing your favorite? Give 3–5 reasons.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
D. Conclusion
This is the last sentence of your
paragraph. Sum up your ideas
and facts in one thought.
Task 4
Complete the sentence to create a conclusion.
I love
because
.
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How to Build a Paragraph
Writing in English
Comprehension
Read the example paragraph and answer the questions.
My Favorite Sport
My favorite sport is hockey. Hockey is a fun sport to watch
and play. When I watch hockey, I want to put on my skates. I like
how skates feel on the ice. The position I like to play is forward.
My favorite hockey forward is Alex Ovechkin. Ovechkin scores a
lot of goals. I don’t score a lot of goals, but I still have fun. I spend
my weekends playing and watching hockey because it is my
favorite sport.
1. What is the title?
2. What is the topic sentence?
3. Point out the beginning and end of the body.
4. What is the conclusion?
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How to Build a Paragraph
Writing in English
Writing Challenge
Look at the sentences you wrote on page 3. Copy your title onto
this page. Then rewrite your topic sentence, body, and conclusion
in one paragraph. You can change a few words if you want to.
Read your paragraph out loud and fix any mistakes you spot.
A Checklist
BEFORE YOU HAND IN YOUR PARAGRAPH
Did you include a title?
Did you write a conclusion?
Did you write a topic sentence?
Did you read your paragraph out loud to yourself?
Did you give 3–5 reasons in your body?
Did you fix your mistakes?
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How to Build a Paragraph
Writing in English
Writing Task Assessment
Name:
Description of Task Date Completed Score / Success Level
Writing a paragraph
from a template
Success
Assessment Criteria Yes Almost Not Yet
includes a title
includes a topic sentence
includes 3–5 body sentences
includes a conclusion
shows evidence of proofreading
Teacher Feedback
Resource Used
ESL Library: How to Build a Paragraph
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How to Build a Paragraph
Writing in English
Answer Key
LESSON DESCRIPTION:
LEVEL: Low Int
In this lesson, students learn how to write a basic paragraph
from a template. Students learn about the main components of
a stand-alone paragraph and practice writing one of their own.
TAGS:
writing, paragraph, paragraphs, template,
body, conclusion, topic sentence
Lesson Objective
Comprehension
Review the lesson objective with your students.
Warm-Up
A. WRITING
Give your students some time to brainstorm
a topic idea (a favorite person/place/thing).
B. VOCABULARY PREVIEW
Print copies of page 8 and cut out the strips, or
have students do the matching exercise provided on page 1.
1. c 2. d 3. e 4. b 5. a 6. f
Example Paragraph
Go over the example paragraph with your students.
Review the four main parts: title, topic sentence, body, conclusion.
Check that your students understand what they have learned
so far. Give them time to complete this task on their own.
1. The title is “My Favorite Sport.”
(Point out the capitalization.)
2. The topic sentence is “My favorite sport is hockey.”
3. The beginning of the body is “Hockey is
a fun sport to watch and play.” The end is
“I don’t score a lot of goals, but I still have fun.”
4. The conclusion is “I spend my weekends playing and
watching hockey because it is my favorite sport.”
Writing Challenge
Have students write a complete paragraph by rewriting the
sentences they wrote on page 3. Encourage them to go over
the checklist after they complete their writing.
Writing Task Assessment
Building a Paragraph
Review each part and have students complete Tasks 1–4
using the prompts provided. Answers will vary.
Assess your students on their paragraph or assign them another
related topic to write about (e.g., My Favorite Sport/Activity).
SPELLING NOTE:
This lesson shows the American spelling of the word Favorite.
Most other English-speaking countries spell it this way: Favourite.
Make it a challenge for your students to find this word in the
lesson and see if they know the alternate spelling.
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How to Build a Paragraph
Writing in English
Extra Vocabulary Practice (optional)
Write definitions in your own words. Cut up these vocabulary strips.
Challenge a partner to match the vocabulary to your definition.
paragraph
favorite
title
topic sentence
body
conclusion
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Writing in English
How to Fill Out a Form
Lesson Objective
In this lesson, you will learn tips for filling out forms and applications
in English. You will also learn how to recognize important vocabulary
and abbreviations that you will often see on forms.
Pre-Reading
A. Warm-Up
Discuss the following questions with your classmates.
1. Who often asks people to fill out forms?
Fill Out or Fill In?
2. What types of forms have you filled out?
3. Why is it difficult to fill out forms in English?
4. What personal information do forms typically require?
B. Vocabulary Preview
Match the words on the left with the correct meanings on the right.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
title
spouse
N/A
cross out
waiver
caps
legible
cursive
transit
witness
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)
clear enough to be read easily
to draw a line through
the number code for a specific bank branch
a formal way of addressing a person (e.g., Mrs. or Dr.)
handwriting (opposite of “printing”)
the person one is married to
a person who verifies or is present when you sign a document
short for “not applicable” (does not apply to me or my situation)
an authorized removal of a right or requirement
short for “all capital letters”
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
• Please fill out this form.
• Please fill in this form.
These verbs have the same
meaning, “write.” The
expression “fill out” is more
commonly used for a large
form with many fields, lines,
or spaces for writing. The verb
“fill in” is used when there are
only a few blanks to complete.
Copyright 2019, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. (LOW INT – INT / VERSION 2.1)
1
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Types of Forms
Are you familiar with these types of forms?
# Type of Form Who might ask you to fill it out?
1 application employer, bank manager
2 registration form
3 medical form
4 permission form
5 waiver
6 evaluation form
7 survey
Types of Documentation
Here is a list of ID, contacts, and information that you may need
when filling out forms. Gather all of the names, numbers, and
other information you may need before you go to a place such as
a dentist’s office or motor vehicle office.
• driver’s license
• mailing address
• health card(s) numbers
• social insurance number(s) (if available)
• passport number
• weight and height of you and your family members
• medication information for you and your family members
• family doctor’s name (if available)
• emergency contact information for two people (name, phone numbers, addresses)
• employment history and references (for job application forms)
• dictionary or translator to help you understand forms and instructions
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2
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Writing Tips
1. Read before you write.
Read through the whole form before you start
filling in the blanks. Have a dictionary handy.
Ask questions before you start filling out
details you are unsure about.
2. Print clearly.
Print as carefully as you can. Make sure that
your letters, words, and numbers are legible.
Do NOT use handwriting/cursive.
3. Use blue or black ink.
Use a dark pen that works well. Do NOT
use a pencil. Do NOT use a pen that smudges.
4. Initial changes.
If you make a small mistake, cross it out and fix it.
Initial your changes if it is a legal form.
Questions to Ask
A. Reference
Don’t be shy. If you aren’t sure what
to do or what to fill in, ask someone.
Excuse me, ...
• may I borrow a pen?
• should I write or print?
• should I use all caps?
• where do I write my ?
• what does it mean by ?
• I made a mistake. What should I do?
• I don’t have this information with me.
What should I do?
• do you need my signature?
B. Role-Play
Work with a partner. Take turns pretending to
be a new patient and a clerk at a doctor’s office.
Practice asking and answering the questions
from Part A.
5. Fill out everything.
Make sure to fill out every field. If a field does
not apply to you, write N/A (not applicable). The
instructions may also tell you to leave something
blank if it does not apply. Make sure to sign or
initial in all of the right places.
6. Proofread.
Read over the form, and make sure you didn’t
miss any fields. Make sure names and addresses
are spelled correctly. Double-check that phone
numbers are correct too.
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3
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Common Abbreviations Found on Forms
Forms often use and require the use of abbreviations (shortened words).
Familiarize yourself with common English abbreviations found on forms.
A. US States
Abbr
Full Name
Abbr
Full Name
Abbr
Full Name
AL
Alabama
LA
Louisiana
OH
Ohio
AK
Alaska
ME
Maine
OK
Oklahoma
AZ
Arizona
MD
Maryland
OR
Oregon
AR
Arkansas
MA
Massachusetts
PA
Pennsylvania
CA
California
MI
Michigan
RI
Rhode Island
CO
Colorado
MN
Minnesota
SC
South Carolina
CT
Connecticut
MS
Mississippi
SD
South Dakota
DE
Delaware
MO
Missouri
TN
Tennessee
FL
Florida
MT
Montana
TX
Texas
GA
Georgia
NE
Nebraska
UT
Utah
HI
Hawaii
NV
Nevada
VT
Vermont
ID
Idaho
NH
New Hampshire
VA
Virginia
IL
Illinois
NJ
New Jersey
WA
Washington
IN
Indiana
NM
New Mexico
WV
West Virginia
IA
Iowa
NY
New York
WI
Wisconsin
KS
Kansas
NC
North Carolina
WY
Wyoming
KY
Kentucky
ND
North Dakota
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4
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Common Abbreviations Found on Forms cont.
B. Canadian Provinces & Territories
Abbr
Full Name
Abbr
Full Name
AB
Alberta
NU
Nunavut
BC
British Columbia
ON
Ontario
MB
Manitoba
PE / PEI
Prince Edward Island
NB
New Brunswick
QC
Quebec
NL
Newfoundland & Labrador
SK
Saskatchewan
NT
Northwest Territories
YT
Yukon
NS
Nova Scotia
C. Address
D. Days
Abbr
Full Word
Abbr
Full Name
Ave
avenue
Mon
Monday
Blvd
boulevard
Tue / Tues
Tuesday
Rd
road
Wed / Weds
Wednesday
St
street
Thu / Thurs
Thursday
Apt
apartment
Fri
Friday
Crt
court
Sat
Saturday
Pl
place
Sun
Sunday
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5
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Common Abbreviations Found on Forms cont.
E. Months
F. Time, Measurements,
Directions & Money
Abbr
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Full Word
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Abbr
am
pm
cm
mm
m
km
lb
kg
in / ″
ft / ′
N
S
Full Word
morning
afternoon / night
centimeter
millimeter
meter
kilometer
pound
kilogram
inch
foot
north
south
E
east
W
west
USD
United States dollar(s)
CAD
Canadian dollar(s)
GBP
Great British pound(s)
EUR
euro(s)
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6
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Personal Information
Be prepared to include all of the following personal information
on a variety of forms. Practice filling out the following information.
Ask your teacher about any words you don’t understand.
Not Applicable
If a field doesn’t apply to
you, you can leave it blank or
write N/A (not applicable).
A. Name
Title
Mr. Mrs. Ms. Miss Dr.
Name
First 1
Initial 2 Last 3
Immediate Family 4
Spouse
Children
1. Your First Name can also be called
your Given Name or Legal Name.
2. Initial refers to the initial of your middle
name. The form might ask for your full
middle name instead. If you don’t have
one, leave this space blank.
3. Your Last Name can also be
called your Surname or Family Name.
4. List the names of your immediate
family members (such as your
spouse and children).
B. Address
Address
Note:
# 1 Address 2
City / Town
State
3
Address fields may appear in a different order.
Be careful not to place an address number where
a unit number goes. The address field may also be
called “mailing address.”
Country
ZIP Code
1. # or No. refers to your Apartment Number
or Unit Number (if applicable).
2. Address refers to the number of your house or apartment
building and the name of the road, avenue, place, street, etc.
3. See page 4 for a list of state name abbreviations.
• #22 335 Jones Ave. / 22–335 Jones Ave.
You may also see Address Line 1 and Address Line 2.
In Address Line 1, place your house or building
number followed by your street/road, city/town,
and ZIP code.
• 22 White Lane, Daytona Beach, FL, 32115
If you live in an apartment, Address Line 2
is for your unit or apartment number.
• Unit #210 / Apt. no. 210
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7
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Personal Information cont.
C. Date of Birth / Birthdate
D. Nationality / Birthplace
E. Citizenship
Date of Birth
/ /
mm 1 dd 2 yy 3
Nationality
Nationality
Citizenship
Citizenship
1. This can also be written as MM.
This is the number of the month
you were born in (from 1–12). If
the month number is between 1
and 9, write a 0 in front (e.g., you
would write March as 03.)
2. This can also be written as DD.
This is the day of the month you
were born on. If the day is between
1 and 9, write a 0 in front.
3. This is the year you were born in. If the
label says yy or YY, write the last two
digits of the year (e.g., 1982 becomes
82). If the label says yyyy or YYYY,
write the full year (e.g., 1982).
• Canadian
• American
• Turkish
• Japanese
• etc.
• Canadian
• American
• Turkish
• Japanese
• etc.
F. Contact Information
Contact Information
Home Phone Cell Phone Work Phone
Email Address
Emergency Contact
Note:
When writing any phone
numbers, it is helpful to
include the area code. In
Canada, the format would
be (area code) phone number.
• (204) 555-1234
Name Relation Phone
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8
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Personal Information cont.
G. Credit Card Payment
Credit Card Payment
Card Type: Visa Mastercard AMEX
1. CVV is short for Card Verification Value. It can also be called
a Card Security Code (CSC) or Card Verification Code (CVC).
It is the three- or four-digit code on the back of a credit card.
Card Number
CVV
1
Expiry Month (mm)
Expiry Year (yy)
H. Banking Information
Banking Information
Account Type: Checking Savings
1. A Routing Number (also called an ABA Routing Transit Number
or ABA RTN) is a nine-digit code based on the location where
your account was opened.
Account Number
Routing Number 1
I. Vehicle Information
Vehicle Information
1. The “make” of your car is the company
name, such as Ford or Toyota.
Make
1
Model
2
2. The “model” of your car is the specific
brand, such as Focus or Corolla.
Year
License Plate Number
Driver’s License Number
J. Marital Status
Marital Status
Married Single Divorced Common-Law
1
1. Common-law refers to a couple that lives together in
a marriage-like relationship. For tax and legal purposes,
you will need to check how your state defines
“common-law” and see if it is recognized in your state.
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9
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Personal Information cont.
K. Medical Information
Age
Medical Information
Gender
1
1. The form may instead ask for your Sex.
It might also ask you to circle an option:
M (male) / F (female).
Allergies
Medications
Medical Conditions
Family Doctor
Health Card Number
L. Employment
Employment Status:
Employment Information
If employed:
Employed full-time
Employed part-time
Contract
Self-Employed
Unemployed
Occupation
Business / Organization
M. Creating a Username & Password (online)
Some online forms will require you to choose a username and password.
Remember what you typed so that you can log in again.
Create an Account
Log In
1. A Username can also be called a User ID.
2. Some websites may add special
Username 1
Username
requirements to passwords to help
make them stronger (e.g., include at
Password
2
Password
least one number and one symbol).
Retype Password
3
3. Some websites may use Confirm
Password instead of Retype Password.
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10
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Speaking Practice
Now that you have filled out all of your personal information on
pages 7–10, practice asking a partner for information out loud. Ask
your partner to spell words and names out for you. Repeat back numbers.
Then sit back to back and imagine you are on the telephone with a clerk.
Useful Phrases
• Can you repeat that, please?
• Can you say that a little louder?
• Did you say or ?
• I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you.
Example Forms
On the next few pages, you will find three sample forms:
• Medical Form
• Permission Form / Waiver
• Job Application
Practice filling out the forms. If you do not wish to add private information
or if information does not apply to you, use fictional information.
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How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Example Forms cont.
A. Medical Form
New Patient Form
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Title: Mr. Mrs. Ms. Miss Dr.
First Name Middle Initial Last Name
Date of Birth (MM/DD/YY) Citizenship Referred By
Mailing Address
Phone Number Alternate Phone Number Email Address
Spouse’s Name
Other Family Members
Employer’s Name
Employer’s Phone Number
EMERGENCY CONTACTS
Name
Relationship to You
Name
Relationship to You
Phone Number
Address
Phone Number
Address
INSURANCE
Do you have medical insurance? Yes No
If yes, please complete the information below.
Primary Insurance Co.
Plan Number
Secondary Insurance Co.
Plan Number
page 1 of 2
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12
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Example Forms cont.
A. Medical Form cont.
MEDICAL HISTORY
Allergies
Medications
Previous Physician’s Name
Smoker: Yes No Prescription Glasses: Yes No
For women only: Are you pregnant? Yes No Are you nursing? Yes No
Do you or have you experienced
any of the following?
Do you currently have any
of the following symptoms?
Are you taking or receiving
any of the following?
shortness of breath
soreness in ear, nose, throat
pain medication
high blood pressure
abnormal bleeding
chemotherapy
heart disease
headache
birth control pills
heart surgery
nausea
depression medication
cancer
vomiting
antibiotics
HIV / AIDS
fever
blood pressure medication
depression
stomach pain
other (please specify):
blood transfusions
soreness in joints
other (please specify):
itchy skin
broken bone
sprain
other (please specify):
AUTHORIZATION
I hereby confirm that the information on
this form is true to the best of my knowledge.
I give permission for Dr. Alexi to keep this form on
file at Glazier Medical Clinic.
Name (please print)
Signature
Date
page 2 of 2
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13
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Example Forms cont.
B. Permission Form / Waiver
Sometimes you have to sign a form that gives you or
others permission to do something. A “waiver” is a
type of permission form in which you give up a right or
requirement. You also promise not to take legal action
against a person or organization in the case of damage
or injury.
To the right are some reasons why you may
need to sign a permission form or waiver.
Read the terms carefully, and add your signature
if you understand and agree with the information.
Reasons for Permission Forms or Waivers
• to give your child permission to go on a trip
• to confirm that an organization is not
responsible for accidents at a special event
• to allow someone to take and use videos
or photographs of you or your child
• to allow your work or your child’s
work to be placed on public display
Waiver
ACTIVITY INFORMATION
Activity: White Water Rafting Organization: Denver Fun in the Sun Location: Denver River
Date of Activity Participant’s Name Participant’s Age
RELEASE OF LIABILITY
I am aware of the risks and dangers associated with this activity. By signing this document,
I waive my right to sue the organization for injury or death related to the participant named above.
Protective Equipment
I have been advised to wear protective equipment
for this activity, including a certified helmet.
Assumption of Risks
I have been advised that this activity carries risks and
hazards. I assume all risks, dangers, and hazards.
Initial
Initial
Signed on at .
(date)
(location)
Signature of Participant (or guardian if under 18 years old)
Signature of Witness
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How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Example Forms cont.
C. Job Application
Employment Application
PERSONAL INFORMATION
First Name Middle Initial Last Name
Street Address City State ZIP Code
Phone Number Alternate Phone Number Email Address
Are you over 18? Yes No Social Security Number
JOB POSITION
Have you ever applied at this company/organization before? Yes No
Position Applying For
I am seeking: Part-time work Full-time work Part-time or full-time work
AVAILABILITY
Anytime
Weekdays Only
Weekends Only
Specific Days (circle any you are available for)
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
Nights
Days
Available Start Date
page 1 of 2
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15
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Example Forms cont.
C. Job Application cont.
WORK EXPERIENCE
Employer
Position
Start Date
End Date
Employer
Position
Start Date
End Date
EDUCATION
School / Institution Number of Years Completed Degree / Diploma / Cert. Earned
School / Institution Number of Years Completed Degree / Diploma / Cert. Earned
REFERENCES
Name Phone Number Professional Personal
Name Phone Number Professional Personal
Name Phone Number Professional Personal
page 2 of 2
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16
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Comprehension Check-In
Work with a partner and answer the following
questions based on the lesson.
1. What should you use to fill out a physical form?
What should you NOT use?
2. Name some documents and information
that you may need to fill out a form.
3. What is a waiver?
4. What are the English abbreviations
for the days of the week?
5. What should you do if you don’t
understand something on a form?
A Checklist
CHECKING YOUR FORMS
Did I answer every question (or write N/A)?
Are my letters and numbers legible?
Did I sign in all the right places?
Did I ask questions if I was unsure about something?
Did I format dates correctly?
Did I use appropriate abbreviations?
Did I proofread the whole form after I completed it?
6. What is the last thing you should
do after you complete a form?
Writing Challenge
CREATE A FORM
Create a form for your classmates to fill out. It can be any type of form
mentioned in this lesson. Make sure there are lots of fields to fill out.
Photocopy your form and hand it out to your classmates.
Collect the forms and go through the checklist.
Did your classmates follow the guidelines from this lesson?
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17
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Answer Key
NOTE:
LESSON DESCRIPTION:
LEVEL: Low Int – Int
You may also want to try our
In this lesson, students practice filling
TAGS:
writing, forms, applications,
Everyday Dialogues lesson on Filling Out
out basic forms, including a medical
fill out forms, job, employment,
an Application: https://esllibrary.com/
registration form, a waiver, and a job
personal information,
courses/76/lessons/1724
application form. They also learn useful
medical, doctor
vocabulary and abbreviations that are
commonly found on English forms.
Pre-Reading
A. WARM-UP
Discuss in small groups or as a class. Answers will vary.
1. doctors, dentists, teachers, lawyers,
government, employers, coaches
2. Answers will vary.
3. Answers will vary.
4. name, date of birth, citizenship, phone number,
address, marital status, job position, etc.
B. VOCABULARY PREVIEW
Print copies of page 20 and cut up the strips,
or have students do the matching exercise on page 1.
1. d
2. f
3. h
4. b
5. i
6. j
7. a
8. e
9. c
10. g
Types of Forms
Discuss each type of form, and make sure students are aware of
each type. Can your students think of any other types of forms?
Answers will vary. Example answers:
1. employer, bank manager, mortgage broker
2. school program, community program,
website, cell phone application
3. doctor, dentist, specialist, insurance company
4. teacher, coach, special event coordinator
5. teacher, coach, special event coordinator
6. presenter, teacher, principal, student
7. organization, establishment, teacher, student, website owner
Types of Documentation
Not having the right information and numbers available can be
frustrating, especially when people take time off work or pay for
parking and public transit. Encourage your students to gather
everything they need in one place for easy access when filling out
forms of any kind. You may want to brainstorm some ways for
students to safely store important and confidential information
in the cloud (e.g., Google Docs).
Writing Tips
Read through these tips with your class or have students take turns
reading the tips out loud. Add any tips that you or others think of.
Questions to Ask
Your students can practice asking these questions as
they work through the fields and forms on the next few
pages. Take note of any common questions you hear,
and have students add these to their list.
(continued on the next page...)
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18
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Answer Key cont.
Common Abbreviations Found on Forms
Review the common abbreviations with your learners.
Add any others that you think of or see on forms. Put students
in pairs and have them quiz each other on abbreviations.
Personal Information
Go through these practice pages (7–10) with
students or allow them to work on their own time.
Help them with any vocabulary they are unsure of.
Speaking Practice
Repeat the Personal Information task orally, so that students can
practice spelling and saying names, words, and numbers out loud
or over the phone. Have students sit back to back to pretend they
are on the telephone. They can ask each other for any information
from pages 7–10. You may wish to let students give false
information if they are not comfortable giving out their real info.
5. If you don’t understand something on a form, ask
someone to help you. Also, bring a dictionary and/or
translator if you know you will be filling out a form.
6. After you fill out a form, read it to yourself and make sure
you didn’t miss any fields. Make sure you spelled names
properly and that letters and numbers are legible.
A Checklist
Review the checklist with students and have them save it to
use as a reference when filling out important forms. They can
also use it to check the work of their peers in step 2 of the
writing challenge below.
Writing Challenge
This writing challenge can be completed individually or in pairs
or small groups. Encourage students to use different types of
forms. Help your students correct mistakes before they print
and photocopy their forms for their peers.
Example Forms
These three forms (medical, permission / waiver, job application)
can be filled out in class or for homework. This section
can also be used for assessment tasks.
Comprehension Check-In
1. You should use a black or blue pen that
doesn’t smudge. You shouldn’t use a pencil.
2. You may need your driver’s license, passport
number, weight, height, phone number, address,
emergency contacts, and or references.
3. A “waiver” is a type of permission form in which you
give up a right or requirement. You also promise not
to take legal action against a person or organization
in the case of damage or injury.
4. The abbreviations for the days of the week are:
Mon, Tue/Tues, Wed/Weds, Thu/Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun.
SPELLING NOTES:
This lesson shows the American spelling of the words License,
Millimeter, Centimeter, Meter, Kilometer, Checking (account),
and Practice. Most other English-speaking countries spell these
words this way: Licence, Millimetre, Centimetre, Metre, Kilometre,
Chequing (account), and Practise (when used as a verb; Practice
when used as a noun). Make it a challenge for your students
to find these words in the lesson and see if they know the
alternate spellings.
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19
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Extra Vocabulary Practice (optional)
Write definitions in your own words. Cut up these vocabulary strips.
Challenge a partner to match the vocabulary words to your definitions.
title
spouse
N/A
cross out
waiver
caps
legible
cursive
transit
witness
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20
Writing in English
How to Use a Comma
Lesson Objective
Commas are small, important punctuation marks that are commonly
misused. In this lesson, you will learn how to use commas correctly.
You’ll also learn some common errors that writers make with commas.
Let’s start by searching for sentences with commas! How many different
types of commas can you find?
Warm-Up
A. Writing
Search for three sentences that have at least one comma each.
Copy the sentences in the space provided. Search in books or
other printed material in your classroom, hallway, or neighborhood.
1.
2.
3.
Compare your commas with the commas your classmates found.
Are they used in the same way or in different ways?
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How to Use a Comma
Writing in English
Warm-Up cont.
B. Vocabulary Preview
Match the words on the left with the correct meanings on the right.
1.
punctuation
a)
necessary, important
2.
series
b)
specifying (one specific thing or person)
3.
conjunction
c)
a mark used to make the written word clear to the reader
4.
essential
d)
part of a sentence that cannot stand alone
5.
coordinate (adjective)
e)
a part of speech used to join two parts of a sentence
6.
restrictive
f)
part of a sentence that can stand alone (has a subject and a verb)
7.
tag question
g)
a question added at the end of a statement for clarification
8.
independent clause
h)
the first line in a letter that addresses the recipient
9.
dependent clause
i)
going together, being equal
10.
salutation
j)
related items that go one after the other
The 3 Main Uses for Commas
Here are three of the main reasons for using a comma:
Use
Example
A To separate items in a series I drive a big, old, pink truck.
B
To join two complete thoughts (with a conjunction)
The sky is blue, but there
is a mean cloud overhead.
C
To set off introductory or non‐essential information
On my way to school,
I bumped into my crazy cousin.
Now let’s look at each type in more detail.
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How to Use a Comma
Writing in English
The 3 Main Uses for Commas cont.
A. To separate items in a series
Use commas to separate a series of items that
are the same part of speech (nouns, verbs, adjectives).
• We had turkey, potatoes,* and peas for dinner.
• My friend jogs, swims, and rides his bike every day.
• We have to buy groceries,
make dinner, and eat a meal.
• She loves her big, bulky, wool sweater.
Task 1
Write three sentences that use commas in a list.
Use adjectives with the correct order in at least
one of your sentences.
1.
2.
*Note:
The comma before the final item (, and)
in a series is called an Oxford comma,
series comma, or serial comma.
Some style guides leave this comma out.
Ask your teacher if he/she wants you to
use a comma before and in a series.
Coordinate Adjectives
Be careful when using coordinate adjectives together.
They need to be placed in a natural order: opinion,
size, age, shape, color, origin, material, purpose.
• They bought a shiny, new, European car.
(opinion, opinion, origin)
• Kelly has your curly, red hair.
(opinion, color)
• He owns two ugly, leather jackets.
(opinion, material)
Your sentence will sound funny to native English
speakers if you don’t use coordinate adjectives in the
correct order before a noun. Try to remember this
memory trick: OSASCOMP.
Non-Coordinate Adjectives
3.
Some adjectives are non‐coordinate adjectives.
Non-coordinate adjectives need to be in a specific
position to make sense. Do not use a comma
between these types of adjectives.
• I have a dark green van.
The shade defines the color and must be
directly in front of it. No comma is used.
• They have a cute black lab.
“Black lab” is short for “black labrador,”
which is a type of dog.
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How to Use a Comma
Writing in English
The 3 Main Uses for Commas cont.
B. To join two complete thoughts
In English, a complete thought is called an independent clause.
You can combine independent clauses by using a comma and
a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so).
Examples
# Independent Clauses Combined Sentence
1 The sky is blue. There is a dark cloud overhead. The sky is blue, but there is a dark cloud overhead.
2 I love red. My front door is red. I love red, so my front door is red.
3 We have a dog. She thinks she’s a cat. We have a dog, but she thinks she’s a cat.
4 It’s a long drive. The radio is broken. It’s a long drive, and the radio is broken.
5 I’m only 22. I own a house. I’m only 22, yet I own a house.
Comma Splices
The comma and conjunction must go together. If you
forget the conjunction, you create a comma splice.
The sky is blue, there is a dark cloud overhead.
The sky is blue, but there is a dark cloud overhead.
Task 2
Are the following examples of comma splices?
Write Y for yes or N for no.
1. She’s 44 years old, but she acts 22.
2. We’ll go out for dinner, we’ll have sushi.
3. I’m so thirsty so I need a glass of water.
Memory Trick
The word fanboys can help you
remember the coordinating conjunctions
(for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so).
4. The market had red,
green and yellow peppers.
5. Before we go out,
let’s turn off the lights.
6. We’re buying a farm,
we’re moving to the country.
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How to Use a Comma
Writing in English
The 3 Main Uses for Commas cont.
C. To set off introductory and non-essential information
A comma is also used to set off introductory and non-essential clauses.
Examples
# Sentence Set-Off Clause
1 When you come to my house, bring a pillow.* introductory
2 The house I grew up in, which is 100 years old, is on the lake.** non-essential
3 After it rained, we had a picnic. introductory
4 Next, add one cup of water. introductory
5 By the time we get there, the kids will be asleep. introductory
6 To keep the place tidy, we created a cleaning schedule. introductory
7 Under the dining room table, you’ll see the box of decorations. introductory
8 My grandmother, who tells bad jokes at the table, loves that show. non-essential
9 Ben Buckwold, the CEO of ESL Library, will be at the conference. non-essential
*Note:
INTRODUCTORY CLAUSES
Notice that the information before the comma is not a
complete thought. It can’t stand alone as a sentence.
**Note:
NON-ESSENTIAL CLAUSES
Notice that the information between the
commas can be removed without affecting
the understanding of the sentence.
• The house I grew up in is on the lake.
Grammar books call this non-essential information
a “non-restrictive clause.” These clauses often begin
with a pronoun such as who, which, or whose.
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How to Use a Comma
Writing in English
The 3 Main Uses for Commas cont.
C. To set off introductory and non-essential information cont.
Exception #1
You do not use a comma if the independent
clause (complete thought) comes first.
We had a picnic, after it rained.
We had a picnic after it rained.
Exception #2
If information is key to identifying which person
or thing you are referring to, do not use commas.
• My grandmother who tells bad
jokes at the table loves that show.
By removing the commas the writer is able to
identify exactly which grandmother she is referring
to. The writer may be specifying that she does not
mean her other grandmother who is always polite
at the table. Grammar books call this essential
information a “restrictive clause.”
Task 3
Add any missing commas to the sentences below.
1. Beside the bed you’ll see a suitcase.
2. To pass the time we played cards and board games.
3. His sister who is much older than we are took many naps.
4. We’ll go to the beach if the sun comes out.
5. If you finish your work by 4:00 pm you can go home early.
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How to Use a Comma
Writing in English
The 3 Main Uses for Commas cont.
D. Review
Identify which purpose from pages 2–6 the commas are used for.
Write the letter (A, B, or C) on the line.
Purposes
A. to separate items in a series
B. to join two complete thoughts with a conjunction
C. to set off information or non-essential information
1. Don’t forget to pick up your brother, phone your aunt, and buy your dad a birthday gift.
2. The children were hungry, so they fell asleep on the couch.
3. In the morning, empty the dishwasher.
4. My sister, whose boyfriend is half her age, is getting married.
5. After you do your homework, take out the trash.
6. I want to call the doctor, but it’s after hours now.
7. The Smiths, who have been our neighbors for eight years, are moving.
8. My math mark, which is higher than I expected, is not high enough for the program.
9. My husband bought a beautiful, antique, leather sofa for our living room.
10. First, stir the egg and the milk together.
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How to Use a Comma
Writing in English
Additional Uses for Commas
A comma is also used for a few other reasons:
Reason
To separate information in dates,
addresses, and large numbers
To indicate a natural pause
To express contrast
To directly address someone
To mark off a direct question
To begin and close a letter
Examples
• I live in Dallas, Texas.
• I was born on September 7, 1979.
• Over 100,000* people were affected.
• You live on the corner, right? (tag question)
• Call me back before next Wednesday, please.
• We went swimming, not skating.
• Butter is required, never margarine.
• Your response is too late, Lesley.
• Mindy, it was great to hear from you.
• Hi, friends!
• She said, “Do it yourself.”
• After the game, Henri said, “I’m through with baseball.”
• Dear Elena,**
• Sincerely, Mom
*Note:
**Note:
Most style guides recommend commas after three
digits, starting from the right (e.g., 2,500, 25,000,
250,000). It is acceptable to eliminate the comma
in four-digit numbers (e.g., 1000 or 1,000).
A colon may also be used after a salutation.
• Dear Elena:
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How to Use a Comma
Writing in English
Additional Uses for Commas cont.
Rule of Thumb
WHEN IN DOUBT, LEAVE IT OUT.
It’s important to learn punctuation rules, but don’t be surprised if you
notice commas missing in print. Commas are slowly disappearing from
informal writing. Many authors and journalists are using fewer commas too.
Task 4
Write five example sentences based on what you learned on page 8.
Present a variety of comma uses.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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How to Use a Comma
Writing in English
Common Comma Errors
English learners aren’t the only ones who make errors with commas.
Native English writers make mistakes with commas too.
You have already learned about the comma splice.
Here are some other common errors to watch out for.
# Common Error Examples (with correction)
1 Using a comma before “that”
The letters on the table, that are ready to send, need stamps.
The letters on the table that are ready to send need stamps.
2
3
4
5
6
Using a comma and conjunction
before a dependent clause
Using a comma between
a compound subject
Using a comma before identifying
something or someone
Using one comma instead of
two for non-essential clauses
Using a comma between
an adverb and an adjective
Let’s drop off the kids, before we go to the movies.
Let’s drop off the kids before we go to the movies.
Angelina, and Maria went shopping at the mall.
Angelina and Maria went shopping at the mall.
I’m reading the book, The Hunger Games for school.
I’m reading the book The Hunger Games for school.
CEO, Ben Buckwold, will be at the conference.
CEO Ben Buckwold will be at the conference.*
My grandparents, whose home is
worth a million dollars won the lottery.
My grandparents, whose home is
worth a million dollars, won the lottery.
We received a really, large bill today.
We received a really large bill today.
*Note:
The person’s name is essential information here.
The sentence would not make sense without the name.
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How to Use a Comma
Writing in English
Common Comma Errors cont.
Task 5
Circle the error(s) in each sentence below and make the necessary corrections.
1. Don’t eat a big snack, before we go out to dinner.
2. The cookies, that are starting to burn, need to come out of the oven.
3. President, Barack Obama, is from Hawaii.
4. Your half cousin, whose first car was a Jaguar just bought a yacht.
5. Juan, and Tomoko went out for lunch.
6. We pick strawberries, whenever my aunt visits.
7. Our friends have some adorable, Siamese, kittens.
8. I bought a very, big, watermelon.
9. Approximately 3,0000 shipments went missing.
10. The day is young, there is still lots to do.
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How to Use a Comma
Writing in English
Editing Challenge
COMMON COMMA ERRORS
Write eight sentences containing common comma errors.
Challenge a partner to spot and correct the errors.
Include some tricky ones.
# Incorrect Correct
1
2
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How to Use a Comma
Writing in English
Comprehension Check-In
Work with a partner and answer the
following questions based on the lesson so far.
1. What are the three main uses of a comma?
2. Which pronouns are often used in non-restrictive clauses?
3. Why should you put a comma after “First” in a set of instructions?
4. Where does the comma(s) belong in this number? 245000000
5. Which part of speech is used with a comma to join two
independent clauses? Give some examples of this part of speech.
6. What type of punctuation goes after a salutation?
A Checklist
CHECKING YOUR COMMA USE
Look at all of the commas in your writing. Are they necessary?
Look at the numbers in your writing. Do they require commas?
Review the introductory phrases in your writing.
Do commas appear after them?
Did you remove any unnecessary commas?
(Check for restrictive clauses and non-coordinate adjectives.)
Writing Challenge
25 COMMAS
In your notebook, write a fictional story using as many commas as
you can. Try to include at least 25 commas. Make sure to use a good
balance of commas, including commas that appear in a series, commas
that require a conjunction to join two complete thoughts, and commas
that set off introductory or non-essential information.
Have a partner check your comma use.
How many commas did you use? Did you use them all correctly?
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How to Use a Comma
Writing in English
Answer Key
NOTE:
LESSON DESCRIPTION:
LEVEL: Int
For other interesting notes on
In this lesson, students learn the three
TIME:
2 hours
punctuation use, visit our blog
and search for “punctuation.”
http://blog.esllibrary.com
main uses of a comma as well as some
additional uses. They also learn some of
the most common errors writers make
with commas. Students practice spotting
TAGS:
writing, punctuation,
comma, commas,
clauses, conjunctions
and correcting errors. Includes a writing
and editing challenge.
Lesson Objective
The 3 Main Uses for Commas
Review the lesson objective with your students,
and make sure they understand what a comma is.
Warm-Up
A. WRITING
Give your students some time to hunt for commas in a certain
location. This could be a school hallway, a library, or even a web
search. Which student came up with the most original examples?
Alternatively, you could send students out on a comma hunt.
How many can they find in their school or neighborhood?
Review the three main uses for commas and have the students
try the tasks. Note that there are many more uses of commas, and
different instructional materials may present up to eight main uses.
A. TO SEPARATE ITEMS IN A SERIES
Task 1
Individual answers.
B. TO JOIN TWO COMPLETE THOUGHTS
Task 2
B. VOCABULARY PREVIEW
Print copies of page 17 and cut out the strips, or have
students do the matching exercise provided on page 2.
1. c 3. e 5. i
7. g
2. j
4. a 6. b 8. f
9. d
10. h
1. N
2. Y
3. N – but requires a comma before so
4. N – a comma before and would be optional
5. N
6. Y
(continued on the next page...)
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How to Use a Comma
Writing in English
Answer Key cont.
The 3 Main Uses for Commas cont.
Common Comma Errors
C. TO SET OFF INTRODUCTORY AND
NON-ESSENTIAL INFORMATION
Task 3
1. Beside the bed, you’ll see a suitcase.
2. To pass the time, we played cards and board games.
3. His sister, who is much older than we are, took many naps.
4. We’ll go to the beach if the sun comes out.
5. If you finish your work by 4:00 pm, you can go home early.
D. REVIEW
1. A
2. B
3. C
4. C
5. C
6. B
7. C
8. C
9. A
10. C
Additional Uses for Commas
Go over some other uses of commas.
Task 4
Individual answers.
Go over some common comma errors.
Task 5
1. Don’t eat a big snack before we go out to dinner.
2. The cookies that are starting to burn
need to come out of the oven.
3. President Barack Obama is from Hawaii.
4. Your half cousin, whose first car
was a Jaguar, just bought a yacht.
5. Juan and Tomoko went out for lunch.
6. We pick strawberries whenever my aunt visits.
7. Our friends have some adorable Siamese kittens.
8. I bought a very big watermelon.
9. Approximately 30,000 shipments went missing.
10. The day is young, and there is still lots to do. /
The day is young; there is still lots to do. /
The day is young. There is still lots to do.
Editing Challenge
Check to make sure students aren’t teaching each other incorrect
usage. You may want to get your students to show you the correct
version of their peer challenge before they challenge a partner to
spot the errors.
(continued on the next page...)
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How to Use a Comma
Writing in English
Answer Key cont.
Comprehension Check-In
1. The three main uses of a comma are to separate items in a
series, to join two complete thoughts (with a conjunction),
and to set off introductory and non-essential information.
2. Pronouns that are often used in non-restrictive
clauses are who, whose, and which.
3. You should put a comma after “First” in a set of
instructions because this is an introductory word.
4. 245,000,000
5. A conjunction is used between two
independent clauses (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so).
6. Acomma or colon goes after a salutation.
Writing Challenge
Why not take this challenge along with your students? Students may
be more likely to share their writing if the teacher participates and
shares. You may want to time this challenge with Punctuation Day
(September 24). Your students may ask you for a topic.
Here’s one: A recipe that went wrong.
SPELLING NOTE:
This lesson shows the American spelling of the words
Neighborhood, Neighbors, and Color. Most other English-speaking
countries spell these words this way: Neighbourhood, Neighbours,
and Colour. Make it a challenge for your students to find these
words in the lesson and see if they know the alternate spellings.
EDITOR’S NOTES:
For more examples and information about
commas used with adjectives in a series, see:
• Adjectives Grammar Lesson
https://esllibrary.com/courses/88/lessons/2093
• Adjective Order and Punctuation
http://blog.esllibrary.com/2013/03/07/adjective-order-andpunctuation/
• How to Write a Descriptive Paragraph
https://esllibrary.com/courses/74/lessons/2116
For more examples of commas used
to join clauses with conjunctions, see:
• Commas in Independent and Dependent Clauses
http://blog.esllibrary.com/2015/01/15/commas-inindependent-dependent-clauses/
For more examples of commas used
with introductory phrases, see:
• Comma Confusion: Greetings, Introductions, and Birthdays
http://blog.esllibrary.com/2016/03/16/comma-confusiongreeting-birthday/
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How to Use a Comma
Writing in English
Extra Vocabulary Practice (optional)
Write definitions in your own words. Cut up these vocabulary strips.
Challenge a partner to match the vocabulary to your definition.
punctuation
series
conjunction
essential
coordinate
restrictive
tag question
independent clause
dependent clause
salutation
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Writing in English
How to Use
an Apostrophe
Lesson Objective
Apostrophes may be small, but they are important punctuation marks.
In this lesson, you will learn how to use an apostrophe correctly. You’ll also
learn some common errors that learners and native speakers make with
apostrophes. Let’s start by going on an apostrophe hunt. How many
apostrophes can you find?
Warm-Up
A. Writing
1. Fill in the blanks below to make a list of words that you find
while looking for apostrophes. Your teacher will give you a
location and a set an amount of time to search. Go!
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
2. Compare your list with your classmates’ lists.
How many words did you find that others didn’t have?
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How to Use an Apostrophe
Writing in English
Warm-Up cont.
B. Vocabulary Preview
Match these words to the correct definitions.
1.
let’s
a)
use one instead of another
2.
possession
b)
the other way around
3.
contraction
c)
short for “let us,” used for making a suggestion
4.
abbreviated
d)
to avoid confusion
5.
vice versa
e)
shortened
6.
substitute
f)
leave out, not use
7.
identical
g)
considered together with the surrounding words
8.
for (the sake of) clarity
h)
the exact same
9.
omit
i)
a shorter version
10.
in context
j)
ownership
The Two Main Uses for Apostrophes
There are two main reasons for using an apostrophe:
To Show Possession
• My mom’s hair is brown.
(The hair belongs to my mom.)
To Form a Contraction
(an abbreviated form of a word, informal)
• I’m on my way home. (I am)
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How to Use an Apostrophe
Writing in English
The Two Main Uses for Apostrophes cont.
A. To Show Possession
Rule
Examples
Singular Noun
Plural Noun
(ending in s)
Plural Noun
(not ending in s)
Add ‘s.
Add an apostrophe after s.
Add ‘s (just as you would
for a singular noun).
• the man’s car
• my dad’s brother
• Lisa’s homework
• Chris’s pen
• the sun’s rays
• Tokyo’s school system
• the dogs’ leashes
(more than one dog)
• the Smiths’ cottage
(members of a family with
the last name “Smith”)
• the teachers’ room
(many teachers share the room)
• men’s clothing
• mice’s cage
• people’s dreams
Task 1
Write five sentences that use apostrophes to show possession of a noun.
Be sure to write sentences for singular nouns as well as plural nouns.
Use examples that end in s and don’t end in s.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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How to Use an Apostrophe
Writing in English
The Two Main Uses for Apostrophes cont.
B. To Form a Contraction
In speaking, we use many contractions to shorten words and sentences.
In informal writing or transcripts/dialogues, you will notice many
contractions. Here are some of the most common contractions in English.
Word(s) Contraction
is ’s
has ’s
are
’re
would ’d
Examples:
• I cannot sleep. I can’t sleep.
• We have come for dinner. We’ve come for dinner.
• It is not time to go yet. It’s not time to go yet. / It isn’t time to go yet.
• Who is coming to the party? Who’s coming to the party?
• I would buy that car if I were you. I’d buy that car if I were you.
had ’d
have
will
not
of
madam
will not
’ve
’ll
n’t
o’
(very informal)
ma’am
won’t
Note #1
The contraction it’s may mean “it has” or “it is.” The contraction ’d
may mean “had” or “would.” Look at the word in context to figure out
which two words are being used.
• It’s dark out. Please come inside. (It is)
• It’s been three hours since they left. (It has)
• I’d like a coffee. (I would)
• I’d better call my mom. (I had)
Note #2
Be careful with the contraction ’s for “is” in front of a noun.
This structure is very informal and can also cause confusion.
• The dog’s home.
For clarity, it’s better to write “The dog is home” so
people know you don’t mean “The home of the dog.”
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How to Use an Apostrophe
Writing in English
The Two Main Uses for Apostrophes cont.
B. To Form a Contraction cont.
Task 2
Form a contraction for each of the following and write an example sentence.
# Words Contraction Sentence
1 who is
2 cannot
3 he would
4 they have
5 we are
6 you had
7 I am
8 should not
9 will not
10 could have
Note:
Remember that contractions are informal. In formal writing,
such as essays or business letters, avoid using too many contractions.
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How to Use an Apostrophe
Writing in English
Common Apostrophe Errors
English learners aren’t the only ones who make errors with apostrophes.
People whose first language is English (teachers and writers included)
also make these mistakes. Many writing errors are made subconsciously.
Writers may know the rule, but they type or write the word as it sounds
without thinking about the apostrophe. Here are some common cases
to watch out for. Careful proofreading can reduce these common errors.
A. It’s Vs. Its
One of the most common apostrophe errors people
make is writing “it’s” instead of “its” (or vice versa).
If you can substitute “it is” or “it has,” use “it’s.”
• It’s a nice day outside. (it is)
• It’s been a nice summer. (it has)
If you can’t, you need the possessive pronoun “its.”
There is no such word as “its’.”
• The dog licked its paws.
Task 3
Complete the following sentences using “its” or “it’s.”
1. I like the color of fur.
2. already six o’clock.
3. Why don’t you check collar?
4. I think going to rain tomorrow.
5. This city is known for tulip festival.
6. got to be here somewhere.
7. quarter to four.
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How to Use an Apostrophe
Writing in English
Common Apostrophe Errors cont.
B. Words Ending in s
Many people accidentally add an apostrophe to
words ending in the letter s when one is not needed.
There are three door's to this house.
There are three doors to this house.
The dog’s barked at the mailman.
The dogs barked at the mailman.
The weather man say’s it’s going to be cold.
The weather man says it’s going to be cold.
The apple’s are on sale.*
The apples are on sale.
*Note:
This error is sometimes referred to as the
“grocers’ apostrophe.” Watch for incorrect
apostrophes on signs in grocery stores!
Task 4
Circle the error(s) in each sentence below and make the necessary correction.
1. It’s a busy house because there are three cat’s and two dogs.
2. My husband is working day’s, not nights, this week.
3. Jerry’s grandpa fly’s here on Wednesday’s.
4. Are your parent’s vegetarian’s, Anna?
5. Sarah’s frog’s need a bigger aquarium.
6. Adrian’s dad said that the carrot’s are on sale this week.
7. My father’s restaurant has great fish and chip’s.
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How to Use an Apostrophe
Writing in English
Common Apostrophe Errors cont.
C. Who’s Vs. Whose
The word “who’s” is a contraction of “who is.” Many people mix it up
with the pronoun “whose” because of the identical pronunciation.
If you can substitute “who is,” use “who’s” in informal situations.
• Who’s coming to the party? (who is)
If you can’t substitute “who is,” you need the word “whose.”
• Whose shirt is this?
Task 5
Write three sentences using “who’s” and three sentences using “whose.”
Write one sentence using both “who’s” and “whose.”
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
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How to Use an Apostrophe
Writing in English
Common Apostrophe Errors cont.
D. Possession of Nouns Ending in s
To show possession of a plural noun that
ends in s, the apostrophe goes after the s.
• The nurses’ charts got all mixed up.
(two or more nurses)
• The cats’ beds need to be vacuumed.
(two or more cats)
In cases when a plural noun does not end in s,
the apostrophe goes before the s.
• The children’s toys are all over the floor.
• The men’s washroom is on your right.
• The students’ goals were not met.
(two or more students)
• It’s ladies’ night at the nightclub.
(the word “ladies” is already plural)
Task 6
Circle the error(s) in each sentence below and make the necessary correction.
1. We have three cats. The cats litter box is in the basement.
2. All of the teachers went to the restaurant. The teachers bill was over five hundred dollars.
3. It’s lady’s night at the bowling hall.
4. The kids rooms are very messy right now.
5. The boxes labels are mixed up.
6. The last time I saw Dr. Jones, he was at the nurses station.
7. The childrens book section is on the third floor.
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How to Use an Apostrophe
Writing in English
Common Apostrophe Errors cont.
E. You’re Vs. Your
The word “you’re” is a contraction of “you are.” Many people
incorrectly use it for “your” because of the identical pronunciation.
If you can substitute “you are,” use “you’re.”
• You’re coming with us, right? (you are)
If you can’t substitute “you are,” you need the word “your”
(possessive pronoun). “Your” is always followed by a noun.
• Where is your pen?
Task 7
Complete the sentences below using “you’re” or “your.”
1. Where have you put passport?
2. going to the concert, aren’t you?
3. clean laundry is folded in the basket.
4. Why don’t you invite some of friends?
5. Tell boss sick!
6. Where you do you think going?
7. This is not decision.
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How to Use an Apostrophe
Writing in English
Common Apostrophe Errors cont.
F. They’re / Their / There
The word “they’re” is the contraction of
“they are.” Many people incorrectly write “their”
or “there” when they mean “they’re” because of
the identical pronunciation.
Task 8
Circle the error(s) in each sentence below
and make the necessary correction.
1. I have there phone number in my purse.
If you can substitute “they are,” use “they’re.”
• They’re going downtown today. (they are)
To show possession, use “their.”
“Their” is always followed by a noun.
• Their house is for sale!
• I wonder where their car is.
In a short, positive response,
do not respond with a contraction.
• Is there any water in the fridge?
Yes, there is.
Yes, there’s.
No, there is not.
No, there isn’t.
2. There’re a few crackers left in the box.
3. Do you know if their coming for dinner or not?
4. I won’t buy there products anymore.
5. A: Is there an onion in the fridge?
B: Yes, there’s.
6. Have you been swimming in they’re pool yet?
Tip #1
Do not contract any short positive response.
7. Their is a snake in the garden!
Tip #2
There is no such word as “there’re”
(because it would be too difficult to pronounce).
8. A: Is he their?
B: Yes, he’s.
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How to Use an Apostrophe
Writing in English
Common Apostrophe Errors cont.
G. Apostrophes with Pronouns
Apostrophes are NOT used with possessive
adjectives. The words my, your, his, her, its,
our, and their already show possession.
Apostrophes are used with indefinite pronouns.
The words one, anyone, anybody, everyone,
everybody, no one, and nobody can be possessive:
Let’s go to his’ house.
Let’s go to his house.
• Everyone’s dogs were well behaved.
• No one’s homework was checked.
Apostrophes are also NOT used with possessive
pronouns. The words mine, yours, his, hers, ours,
and theirs already show possession.
This book is your’s.
This book is yours.
In sentences with “else,” the ‘s goes after the word “else.”
• Why is everybody else’s phone working?
• I’ll check someone else’s work first.
Task 9
Use an or a to indicate whether
the sentence is correct or incorrect:
# Sentence or ?
1 I introduced Juan to his’ girlfriend.
2 The dog chewed on it’s leash.
3 Is anybody elses screen frozen?
4 Why is nobody’s work completed?
5 Everyones kids got along well together.
6 I think this is your’s water bottle.
7 Is this chair our’s or theirs?
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How to Use an Apostrophe
Writing in English
Common Apostrophe Errors cont.
H. Plural Nouns Ending in ies
People often accidentally write ‘s instead
of ies when spelling a plural noun .
Hint:
He has three company’s.
He has three companies.
We invited a few family’s to join us for dinner.
We invited a few families to join us for dinner.
Write the plural form first before you try to
form the possessive of a tricky word like this:
• the plural of family = families
• the families’ tents got soaked.
Task 10
Write two sentences for each word in the list.
The first sentence should use the word in a plural form.
The second sentence should use the word in a possessive form (plural or singular).
Word List:
• company
• family
• butterfly
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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How to Use an Apostrophe
Writing in English
Reference
A. Apostrophes with Names
Names can be tricky when it comes to apostrophe use.
Review these rules regularly to make sure you know how
and when to use apostrophes with first and last names.
Apostrophes with first names ending in s
When a first name ends in s and you want to show possession, add ’s.
First Name
Chris
Mavis
Example
Where are Chris’s socks?
Mavis’s dream is to become a movie star.
Note:
Some teachers, editors,
and style guides may suggest
omitting the second s.
No apostrophe when referring to two
or more people with the same name
When you want to refer to two or more people with the same name, add s.
• There are two Lisas in my class.
• Are both Alexanders coming to the party?
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How to Use an Apostrophe
Writing in English
Reference cont.
A. Apostrophes with Names cont.
Apostrophes with last names
When a last name doesn’t end in s, but you want to talk about possession
in relation to family members (plural), add an apostrophe after the s.
Last Name
Smith
Wallace
Example
The Smiths’ car was broken into last night.
Are you coming to the Wallaces’ for dinner?
(the Wallaces’ house)
Apostrophes with last names ending in s, ch, or z
Now things get really tricky. First, you must learn the
rule about pluralizing last names that end in s, ch, or z.
Because these words are tricky to pronounce as plurals, an “es” is added
to make them plural. When a last name ends in s, ch, or z (e.g., Jones),
and you want to show plural possession, add es’.
Last Name Plural Plural Possessive
Jones Joneses Joneses’
Sanchez Sanchezes Sanchezes’
Church Churches Churches’
• Did the Joneses’ roof leak?
• Welcome to the Churches’ household.
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How to Use an Apostrophe
Writing in English
Reference cont.
B. Apostrophes with Numbers & Letters
Forming contractions and showing possession are the two main uses
of apostrophes. Apostrophes may also be used with numbers and letters.
Different style guides have different rules about whether or not to
use apostrophes with numbers and letters. The current trend is to omit
apostrophes, but some writers choose to use them for the sake of clarity.
Here are some ways you may see them used.
Examples
Notes
Time
Years
Plural Numbers
Letters
• It’s five o’clock.
• We need one day’s notice.
• She owes me two weeks’ pay.
• I have ten years’ experience.
• We’ll respond in a few days’ time.
• I was born in the 1970s.
• The ’30s were difficult times.
• She was holding four 7’s.
• I have two red 3’s.
• They both have 2’s on
the back of their shirts.
• They walked out in twos and threes.
• You must learn your ABCs.
• He had mainly As on his report card.
• Don’t forget to cross
your t’s and dot your i’s.
The apostrophe goes before the s for a
single reference (one day’s, one week’s),
and after the s for a plural reference
(two weeks’, three years’).
The trend is to eliminate this
unnecessary apostrophe:
1930s, not 1930’s; ’30s, not ’30’s.
Many style guides recommend not
using this apostrophe. Others feel it
is necessary for clarity.
When a plural number is spelled out,
apostrophes aren’t usually used.
The trend is to avoid using apostrophes
with capital letters, though some style
guides suggest including them for clarity.
Most style guides recommend using
apostrophes with lowercase letters for
the sake of clarity.
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How to Use an Apostrophe
Writing in English
Reference cont.
C. Apostrophes with Compound Nouns, Hyphenated Nouns & Two Nouns
Here are a few more tricky rules to remember
when it comes to forming the possessive with nouns:
Hyphenated &
compound nouns
Two nouns with
joint ownership
Two nouns without
joint ownership
Examples
• your sister-in-law’s house
• his ex-wife’s kids
• the Toronto School Board’s rules
• Lisa and John’s house
• the First Lady and President
Obama’s book
• Andy’s and Ella’s outfits were cute.
(they have different outfits)
• President Clinton’s and President
Obama’s wives were in attendance.
Notes
The ’s goes at the end of the
hyphenated or compound noun.
The ’s is only necessary
on the second noun.
—
Review
Identify whether the apostrophe is used to show possession or a contraction.
1. Who’s going to help me?
2. I need Charles’s phone number.
3. It’s on the kitchen counter.
4. The Joneses’ driveway is freshly paved.
5. You’d better ask your father.
6. I’m never going to finish this work.
7. We shouldn’t have bothered you.
8. Why is Lindsay’s husband here?
9. My mom’s coming home soon.
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17
How to Use an Apostrophe
Writing in English
Editing Challenge
COMMON APOSTROPHE ERRORS
Write eight sentences containing common apostrophe errors.
Challenge a partner to spot and correct the errors.
Include some tricky ones with first and last names.
# My Incorrect Sentence My Partner’s Correction
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
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18
How to Use an Apostrophe
Writing in English
Comprehension Check-In
Work with a partner and answer the following
questions based on the lesson so far.
1. What are the two main uses of an apostrophe?
2. What common error do people make with “who’s” and “whose”?
3. What does “its” mean?
4. Why does it make sense to write t’s and i’s instead of ts and is?
5. How do you form the plural of a last name ending in s, ch, or z?
6. In what situation might “Johns” be a plural first name?
7. Why should a restaurant sign say “ladies’ night”
instead of “lady’s night” or “ladies night”?
A Checklist
CHECKING YOUR APOSTROPHE USE
Look at all of the apostrophes in your writing. Are they necessary?
Look at the names in your writing. Do they require apostrophes?
Review the contractions you used in your writing.
Is your writing too informal?
Look at any numbers or dates used in your writing.
Did you use apostrophes correctly?
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19
How to Use an Apostrophe
Writing in English
Writing Challenge
25 APOSTROPHES
Write a fictional story using as many apostrophes as you can. Try to
include at least 25 apostrophes. Make sure to use a good balance of
apostrophes, including apostrophes that show possession and form
contractions and apostrophes for singular and plural nouns and names.
Have a partner check your apostrophe use.
How many apostrophes did you use?
Copyright 2018, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. (INT / VERSION 3.0)
20
How to Use an Apostrophe
Writing in English
Answer Key
NOTE:
LESSON DESCRIPTION:
LEVEL: Int
For other interesting notes on
In this lesson, students learn the two main uses of an apostrophe.
TAGS:
writing, punctuation,
apostrophe use, visit our blog
They also learn some of the most common errors writers make with
apostrophe,
and search for “apostrophe.”
apostrophes. Students learn to spot and correct errors. Includes a
apostrophes
http://blog.esllibrary.com
writing and editing challenge.
Lesson Objective
TASK 2
Review the lesson objective with your students and make sure they
understand what an apostrophe is. Challenge them to say and spell
this tricky word too.
Warm-Up
A. WRITING
Answers will vary for sentences.
1. who’s
5. we’re
2. can’t
6. you’d
3. he’d
7. I’m
4. they’ve
8. shouldn’t
Common Apostrophe Errors
9. won’t
10. could’ve
Give your students some time to hunt for apostrophes in a certain
location. This could be a school hallway, a library, or even a web
search. Which student came up with the most original examples?
Alternatively, you could send students out on an apostrophe hunt.
TASK 3
1. its
2. It’s
3. its
4. it’s
5. its
6. It’s
7. It’s
How many can they find in a store or in their neighborhood?
TASK 4
B. VOCABULARY PREVIEW
Print copies of page 23 and cut out the strips, or
have students do the matching exercise provided on page 2.
1. c
2. j
3. i
4. e
5. b
6. a
7. h
8. d
9. f
10. g
The Two Main Uses for Apostrophes
1. cat’s (cats)
2. day’s (days)
3. fly’s (flies)
Wednesday’s
(Wednesdays)
TASK 5
Answers will vary.
4. parent’s (parents)
vegetarian’s (vegetarians)
5. frog’s (frogs)
6. carrot’s (carrots)
7. chip’s (chips)
Review the two main uses for apostrophes
and have the students try the tasks.
TASK 1
Answers will vary.
TASK 6
1. cats litter box (cats’)
2. teacher’s bill (teachers’)
3. lady’s night (ladies’)
4. kids rooms (kids’)
5. boxes labels (boxes’)
6. nurses station (nurses’)
7. childrens book section
(children’s)
(continued on the next page...)
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21
How to Use an Apostrophe
Writing in English
Answer Key cont.
Common Apostrophe Errors cont.
Comprehension Check-In
TASK 7
1. your 3. Your 5. your, 6. you’re
2. You’re 4. your
you’re 7. your
TASK 8
1. there (their)
5. there’s (there is)
2. There’re (There are) 6. they’re (their)
3. their (they’re)
7. Their (There)
4. there (their)
8. their (there), he’s (he is)
TASK 9
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
TASK 10
companies, families, butterflies
Individual answers for sentences.
Review
1. contraction 4. possession 7. contraction
2. possession 5. contraction 8. possession
3. contraction 6. contraction 9. contraction
1. The two main uses of an apostrophe are to
indicate possession and to form a contraction.
2. People mistakenly write “who’s” when
they are referring to the possessive form.
3. The word “its” is a possessive adjective
meaning that an object belongs to something.
4. It makes sense to write t’s and i’s instead of
ts and is to avoid confusion with the word “is.”
5. You form the plural of a last name
ending in s, ch, or z by adding es.
6. The word “Johns” might be a plural first name if you
are referring to two or more people with that name.
7. A restaurant sign should say “ladies’ night” instead of “lady’s
night” or “ladies night” because the word “ladies” is the plural
form and ladies’ is the possessive form that shows that the
night belongs to the ladies (usually ladies will pay cheaper
prices on such a night).
Writing Challenge
Why not take this challenge with your students? Students may be
more likely to share their writing if the teacher participates and
shares. After students have completed their writing, have them
go through the checklist on page 19.
Editing Challenge
Check to make sure students aren’t teaching each other incorrect
usage. You may want to correct your students’ work before they
challenge a partner to spot the errors.
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22
How to Use an Apostrophe
Writing in English
Extra Vocabulary Practice (optional)
Write definitions in your own words. Cut up these vocabulary strips.
Challenge a partner to match the vocabulary to your definition.
let’s
possession
contraction
abbreviated
vice versa
substitute
identical
for the sake of clarity
omit
in context
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23
Writing in English
How to Write a
Compound Sentence
Lesson Objective
In this lesson, you will learn how to write a compound sentence
using independent clauses and coordinating conjunctions. You
will also learn how to use a semicolon, a colon, and an em dash.
Lastly, you will learn how NOT to use a comma. Let’s begin!
Warm-Up
A. Writing
1. Write a sentence with the word “but.”
2. Write a sentence with the word “so.”
3. Write a sentence with the word “and.”
4. Now read your sentences with a partner.
See if each sentence can easily be split into two sentences.
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How to Write a Compound Sentence
Writing in English
Warm-Up cont.
B. Vocabulary Preview
Match these words to their correct definitions.
1.
compound sentence
a)
a sentence that contains two or more independent clauses
2.
coordinating conjunction
b)
a helping verb that creates tense, mood, or voice (e.g., do, have)
3.
4.
acronym
independent clause
c)
d)
to switch around
an abbreviation from the first letters of
a few words, pronounced as a single word
5.
auxiliary verb
e)
part of a sentence that can exist by itself, has a subject and predicate
6.
reverse
f)
a punctuation mark that looks like this [:]
7.
semicolon
g)
a small joining word that can connect independent clauses
8.
colon
h)
a punctuation mark that looks like this [;]
9.
10.
11.
em dash
comma splice
compound noun
i)
j)
k)
a punctuation mark that looks like this [—]
a noun made of two or more words (e.g., hairstyle, swimming pool)
a writing error made by fusing independent clauses incorrectly
with a comma instead of an acceptable punctuation mark
Three Ways to Write a Compound Sentence
A compound sentence has at least two independent clauses.
An independent clause has a subject and predicate and can stand
on its own. An independent clause is NOT dependent on other parts
of the sentence. There are three ways to write a compound sentence:
with a coordinating conjunction
• I like going to the movies,
and I’m going tonight.
with a semicolon
• I like going to the movies;
I’m going tonight.
with a colon or em dash
• I like going to the movies:
I’m going tonight.
• I like going to the movies—
I’m going tonight.
Let’s look at each way in more detail.
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How to Write a Compound Sentence
Writing in English
Three Ways to Write a Compound Sentence cont.
A. Coordinating Conjunctions
The most common way to write a compound sentence is with a
coordinating conjunction. In a compound sentence, a coordinating
conjunction (or coordinator) connects and comes between
related independent clauses. For example:
I like eggs, but I don’t like milk.
independent clause #1 coordinating
independent clause #2
conjunction
The 7 Coordinating
Conjunctions
There are seven coordinating
conjunctions. They are all
small words.
• for
• and
• nor*
Task 1
• but
• or
• yet
• so
FANBOYS
You can remember all seven
coordinators with the acronym
FANBOYS. You can also
remember that coordinators
are always small words.
A Note about
Punctuation
It is always correct to use a
comma before a coordinating
conjunction to separate two
independent clauses. Some
writers omit the comma when
the sentences are short.
• My dog likes bones but
he likes bananas too.
Circle the coordinating conjunction in each sentence,
and underline the independent clauses.
1. I went to the store, but I forgot to buy bread.
2. The exam may be easy, or it may be quite difficult.
3. I haven’t called her, so I don’t know the answer.
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How to Write a Compound Sentence
Writing in English
Three Ways to Write a Compound Sentence cont.
A. Coordinating Conjunctions cont.
*Nor
The coordinating conjunction nor is a bit tricky.
Let’s take a look at the following example:
I didn’t call your father, nor did I call your mother.
RULE #1
The first clause has to be negative.
• I didn’t call your father.
RULE #2
The auxiliary verb and subject are reversed in the second clause.
• Nor did I call your mother.
Task 2
Rewrite the following as one compound sentence with nor.
1. I haven’t been to Mexico. I haven’t been to Spain.
2. I don’t like spaghetti. I don’t like lasagna.
3. I don’t drink coffee. I don’t drink tea.
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How to Write a Compound Sentence
Writing in English
Three Ways to Write a Compound Sentence cont.
B. Semicolons
Occasionally, a semicolon is used to create a compound sentence.
This is only used if the independent clauses are very short and very
closely related.
• I woke; I wept.
• It was hot; it was humid.
• We live; we die.
As you can see below, all of these sentences can be rewritten as two
sentences or as a single sentence with a coordinating conjunction.
• I woke. I wept. or I woke and I wept.
• It was hot. It was humid. or It was hot and it was humid.
• We live. We die. or We live and we die.
Task 3
Rewrite the following sentences into one compound sentence with a semicolon.
1. He wanted the apartment. I wanted the house.
2. She talked, and we listened.
3. He doesn’t drink wine, but he drinks beer.
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How to Write a Compound Sentence
Writing in English
Three Ways to Write a Compound Sentence cont.
C. Colons or Em Dashes
It is also possible to use a colon (:) or an em dash (—) to form a compound
sentence. An em dash is longer than an en dash (–) and a hyphen (-).
• You have two choices: eat your breakfast or go hungry.
• I’m exhausted—it’s 11:00.
As with other compound sentences, the parts on both sides
of the colon or em dash can be split into complete sentences.
• You have two choices. Eat your breakfast or go hungry.
• I’m exhausted. It’s 11:00.
Task 4
Rewrite the following sentences by writing a single
compound sentence with a colon or an em dash.
1. He quit. It happened on Saturday.
2. There are two options. You can have toast or cereal.
3. I’m angry. The lights were left again.
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How to Write a Compound Sentence
Writing in English
The Comma Splice
A COMMON ERROR
One common writing error is to write a compound sentence without a
coordinating conjunction. You can place a semicolon between two very
short independent clauses, but you cannot place a comma between them.
Examples
I’m old. I’m 99.
I’m old; I’m 99.
I’m old: I’m 99.
I’m old—I’m 99.
I’m old, for I’m 99.
I’m old, I’m 99.*
*Comma Splice
The final example to the left is a comma splice.
You may also hear it being called a run-on sentence or a fused sentence.
In English, you cannot divide independent clauses with a comma.
If you aren’t sure if your sentence contains a comma splice, try this trick.
Exchange your comma for a period and capitalize your second sentence.
Do your two sentences stand alone independently? If yes, your comma is
incorrect. Try one of the fixes above.
Task 5
Correct the comma splice in each sentence. Try to
use a variety of methods to make your corrections.
1. We went to the mall, we bought school clothes.
2. I like peaches, they have to be ripe.
3. Summer is my favorite time of year, I love August.
Note:
You do use a comma to set a dependent
clause off from an independent clause.
• Because he is 99, he is too old to drive.
This is a complex sentence. You’ll learn
about complex sentences in another lesson.
4. My dad is from Spain, my mom is from Africa.
5. The plane left late, we arrived on time.
6. I go to university, it’s my first year.
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How to Write a Compound Sentence
Writing in English
Comprehension Check-In
Work with a partner and answer the following
questions based on the lesson so far.
1. What is an independent clause?
A Checklist
CHECKING YOUR WRITING
Are my independent clauses separated with an
appropriate punctuation mark and/or conjunction?
2. What are the seven coordinating conjunctions?
3. What is this punctuation mark called? [:]
4. Why is it tricky to create a
compound sentence with nor?
5. Why can’t you separate two
independent clauses with a comma?
6. What punctuation marks can
be used to correct a comma splice?
Are there any comma splices in my writing?
Could my semicolon in my compound
sentence be easily replaced with a period?
Are the independent clauses on both sides
of my semicolon closely related and short?
Writing Challenge
COMPOUND NOUN STORY
Just like a compound sentence has two equal parts, a compound noun
has two or more parts. A compound noun is made up of noun + noun
(train station) or adjective + noun (high school). It may combine two or
more words (sister-in-law).
A. Make a List
Work together as a class to make a list of ten compound nouns.
1.
6.
2.
7.
B. Write a Story
Then write individual stories that
contains all ten of these words.
Make sure that your story has at
least five compound sentences.
3.
4.
5.
8.
9.
10.
C. Share Your Story
Share your story with a classmate.
Have your partner circle the
compound nouns and underline
the compound sentences.
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How to Write a Compound Sentence
Writing in English
Answer Key
LESSON DESCRIPTION:
LEVEL: Int
In this lesson, students learn the three main ways to write a
compound sentence. They also learn how to avoid a comma splice.
Includes a story writing challenge using compound nouns.
TIME:
TAGS:
2–3 hours
writing, sentence, sentences, compound,
compound sentence, semicolon, colon, em dash,
comma, comma splice, run-on sentence
Lesson Objective
Task 2
Review the lesson objective with your students.
Pre-Reading
A. WRITING WARM-UP
Give your students some time to hunt for apostrophes in a certain
location. This could be a school hallway, a library, or even a web
search. Which student came up with the most original examples?
Alternatively, you could send students out on an apostrophe hunt.
How many can they find in their school or in a store?
B. VOCABULARY PREVIEW
1. I haven’t been to Mexico, nor have I been to Spain.
2. I don’t like spaghetti, nor do I like lasagna.
3. I don’t drink coffee, nor do I drink tea.
B. SEMICOLONS
Task 3
1. He wanted the apartment; I wanted the house.
2. She talked; we listened.
3. He doesn’t drink wine; he drinks beer.
C. COLONS OR EM DASHES
Task 4
Print copies of page 11 and cut up the strips, or
have students do the matching exercise provided on page 2.
1. a
2. g
3. d
4. e
5. b
6. c
Three Ways to Write
a Compound Sentence
7. h
8. f
9. i
10. k
11. j
1. He quit—it happened on Saturday. /
He quit: it happened on Saturday.
2. There are two options—you can have toast or cereal. /
There are two options: you can have toast or cereal.
3. I’m angry—the lights were left on again. /
I’m angry: the lights were left on again.
(continued on the next page...)
Review the three ways to write a compound sentence in English.
A. COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS
Task 1
1. I went to the store, but I forgot to buy bread.
2. The exam may be easy, or it may be quite difficult.
3. I haven’t called her, so I don’t know the answer.
Copyright 2019, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. (INT / VERSION 2.0) 9
How to Write a Compound Sentence
Writing in English
Answer Key cont.
The Comma Splice
Writing Challenge
Task 5
Review this common writing error with your students.
Answers may vary.
1. We went to the mall, and we bought school clothes.
2. I like peaches, but they have to be ripe.
3. Summer is my favorite time of year. I love August.
4. My dad is from Spain; my mom is from Africa.
5. The plane left late, yet we arrived on time.
6. I go to university—it’s my first year.
Comprehension Check-In
1. An independent clause is a sentence that can
stand alone. It has a subject and a predicate.
2. The seven coordinating conjunctions are
for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so.
3. This punctuation mark [:] is called a colon.
4. It is tricky to create a compound sentence with nor
because the first independent clause has to be negative,
and the second one has the subject and auxiliary verb
reversed. (e.g., I don’t like coffee, nor do I like tea.)
5. You can’t separate two independent clauses with a comma
because this creates a comma splice or fused sentence.
6. A period or semicolon can be used to correct a comma splice.
A colon or em dash may also be used in some cases.
A. MAKE A LIST
Go through the various types of compound nouns with your
students, including open (swimming pool) , closed (hairstyle),
and hyphenated (sister-in-law) compound nouns. Remember
that a compound noun can be two or more words and can be
made with adjective + noun or noun + noun. Choosing one online
dictionary as a main reference for your classroom would be helpful.
B. WRITE A STORY
After students have made a list of words, have each student write
a story containing all ten compound nouns. Their story should
contain at least five compound sentences.
C. SHARE YOUR STORY
Have students share their stories with a classmate.
The classmate should circle the compound nouns
and underline the compound sentences.
SPELLING NOTE:
This lesson shows the American spelling of the word Favorite.
Most other English-speaking countries spell it this way: Favourite.
Make it a challenge for your students to find this word in the
lesson and see if they know the alternate spelling.
A Checklist
Run through the checklist with your students, and encourage
them to use it after they take the writing challenge.
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How to Write a Compound Sentence
Writing in English
Extra Vocabulary Practice (optional)
Write definitions in your own words. Cut up these vocabulary strips.
Challenge a partner to match the vocabulary words to your definitions.
compound sentence
coordinating conjunction
acronym
independent clause
auxiliary verb
reverse
semicolon
colon
em dash
comma splice
compound noun
Copyright 2019, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. (INT / VERSION 2.0) 11
Writing in English
How to Write
a Basic Paragraph
Lesson Objective
In this lesson, you will learn how to write a paragraph. First, you’ll
learn how to hook your reader. Then you’ll review how to form a topic
sentence, supporting sentences, and a concluding sentence. You’ll also
learn how to add transition words to improve the flow. Let’s begin!
Warm-Up
A. Writing
Get a blank piece of paper and
write the current year (or season)
in the center. Now brainstorm for
five minutes about your hopes
and goals for this year or season.
Now discuss these questions with a partner:
1. What hopes and goals do you have for this year/season?
2. How will this year/season be different from the last one?
3. What are the most important words on your page? Circle them.
B. Vocabulary Preview
Match these words to their definitions.
1.
indent
a)
an introductory sentence that describes the main idea
2.
hook
b)
a final sentence or two that summarizes the content
3.
statistic
c)
the form a verb takes (indicates time)
4.
topic sentence
d)
a sentence or two that grabs the reader’s attention
5.
flow
e)
a word that helps connect thoughts and ideas
6.
concluding sentence
f)
to move smoothly from one thing to another
7.
narrative voice
g)
a piece of numerical data
8.
tense
h)
the writer’s perspective
9.
chronological
i)
to leave a space at the beginning of a line of text
10.
transition word
j)
in order of time
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How to Write a Basic Paragraph
Writing in English
Example Paragraph
Read the example paragraph.
My Word of the Year
Approximately 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by
February. This year, I am choosing a Word of the Year instead of
making a New Year’s resolution. My Word of the Year for 2018 is
going to be “health.” There are a few things I am going to do to
take care of my health this year. First, I’m going to get a family
doctor. There is a doctor taking new patients around the corner
from me. Next, I’m going to start flossing. My dentist told me
that flossing is even more important than brushing. Lastly, I’m
going to become a weekday vegetarian. I am going to ask for
a vegetarian cookbook for my birthday. This is going to be my
healthiest year yet! What’s your Word of the Year going to be?
Note:
Some teachers (or style guides)
will ask you to indent the first
line of text. Others will not.
Title
Hook
Transition
Topic Sentence
Organization
My Word of the Year
Approximately 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by February.
This year, I am choosing a Word of the Year instead of making a New Year’s resolution.
My Word of the Year for 2018 is going to be “health.”
There are a few things I am going to do to take care of my health this year.
1. First, I’m going to get a family doctor. There is a
doctor taking new patients around the corner from me.
Body
2. Next, I’m going to start flossing. My dentist told me
that flossing is even more important than brushing.
3. Lastly, I’m going to become a weekday vegetarian.
I am going to ask for a vegetarian cookbook for my birthday.
Concluding
Sentence(s)
This is going to be my healthiest year yet! What’s your Word of the Year going to be?
Copyright 2020, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. (INT / VERSION 2.2) 2
How to Write a Basic Paragraph
Writing in English
Parts of a Paragraph
Let’s review how to write a stand-alone paragraph with four main parts:
a hook, a topic sentence, a body, and a concluding sentence.
A. Hook
A hook encourages your reader
to continue reading. Here are
a few types of hooks:
• a question
• an interesting statement
• a fact or statistic
• a definition
Task 1
Write two example hooks related to the topic “New Year’s resolutions.”
Ex. What happened to last year’s New Year’s resolution?
1.
2.
A hook is usually one or
two sentences. Your hook
leads to your topic sentence.
B. Topic Sentence
A paragraph needs a single focus
(main idea). Use a topic sentence
to describe your main idea. This
sentence comes at the beginning
of your paragraph after your hook.
Task 2
Imagine you are going to pick a Word of the Year/Season and write about
it. Write a topic sentence to show what your paragraph will be about.
Ex. My Word of the Year for 2018 is going to be “health.”
Review
Read the first few sentences from the example
paragraph and discuss the questions with
your class.
1. What type of hook is used? Is it effective?
2. Why is there a sentence between
the hook and the topic sentence?
Example:
Approximately 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail
by February. This year, I am choosing a Word of
the Year instead of a New Year’s resolution. My
Word of the Year is going to be “health.”
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How to Write a Basic Paragraph
Writing in English
Parts of a Paragraph cont.
C. Body
The main part of your paragraph holds your supporting sentences.
This is called the body. The body usually includes about three main points.
It may take 6–8 sentences to write this section. There are three things
to think about: content, organization, and flow.
# Think about... Notes Examples
1 Content
2 Organization
Decide what type of information you want
to include to support your main idea.
Decide what kind of order you
will use. You may want to begin with
a general statement that provides
some direction for your reader.
Use transition words and phrases
to give your reader direction and to
connect your sentences together.
• Facts, evidence, and examples
• A process
• A comparison
• Personal opinions or ideas
• Chronological
(e.g., from past to present)
• Sequential
(e.g., first, next, after that)
• Least to most important reasons
(or vice versa)
• General to specific ideas
(or vice versa)
3 Flow
Sequence
• first
• then
• next
• finally
Add Ideas
• in addition
• furthermore
• moreover
• also
Examples
• for instance
• to illustrate
• for example
• such as
Compare / Contrast
• similarly
• likewise
• on the other hand
• in contrast
• First, I need to
find a new doctor.
• It is also important
to find a new dentist.
• Similarly, finding a massage
therapist is a necessity for
me this year.
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How to Write a Basic Paragraph
Writing in English
Parts of a Paragraph cont.
C. Body cont.
Task 3
Rewrite your topic sentence:
Now think of three points you want to make in the body of your
paragraph about your Word of the Year. Write them in point form.
1.
2.
3.
Review
Read the supporting details from the example on
the right, and discuss the questions with your class.
1. What type of content
does the writer mainly use?
2. How are the supporting details organized?
3. What transition words are used? Circle them.
Example:
There are a few things I am going to do to take
care of my health this year. First, I’m going to
get a family doctor. There is a doctor taking
new patients around the corner from me.
Next, I’m going to start flossing. My dentist
told me that flossing is even more important
than brushing. Lastly, I’m going to become a
weekday vegetarian. I am going to ask for a
new cookbook for my birthday.
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How to Write a Basic Paragraph
Writing in English
Parts of a Paragraph cont.
D. Concluding Sentence
A strong concluding statement summarizes your main points
and shows the reader that the paragraph has come to an end.
It should feel like an ending.
Task 4
Write your own concluding sentence(s) about your Word of
the Year/Season. Make sure you summarize all of your ideas from
Task 3. Your concluding statement can be one or two sentences.
Ex. This is going to be my healthiest year yet. What is your Word of the Year going to be?
Note:
If you are writing many paragraphs, you will write
a concluding paragraph (called a conclusion) instead of
a concluding sentence or two.
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How to Write a Basic Paragraph
Writing in English
Paragraph Writing Tips
Here are a few more tips for writing a basic paragraph.
1. Choose a Narrative Point of View
A single paragraph should have one main idea and one point of view.
Choose which “person” to write in and use the appropriate pronouns.
Point of View Meaning Example
1st Person
(I/we, me/us, my/our)
2nd Person
(you, your, yours)
3rd Person
(he/she, it, hers/his)
you write directly to your reader
from your own perspective
you write directly to a reader
as you would in a letter
you write from an outsider’s point
of view (not as yourself personally)
My Word of the Year is “time.” I am going
to spend my time wisely this year.
This year, you should choose a Word
of the Year instead of a New Year’s
resolution. You always run out of time,
don’t you? You are not the only one.
An ideal Word of the Year is “time.” Time
is something everyone wants more of.
2. Choose a Verb Tense
A paragraph should also have
one main tense. Choose a
logical tense for your content:
Note:
It is okay to change the point of view or tense for a sentence or two if it
is logical. Look at the last sentence in the example paragraph on page 2.
Why is the new narrative viewpoint logical?
Tense Use Example
Future
Past
Present
to talk about plans or
thoughts about the future
to reflect on something
to give advice
My Word of the Year is going to be “time.”
I am going to spend my time wisely this year.
My Word of the Year for 2017 was “community.”
I made new friends, became familiar with my
neighborhood, and volunteered for a children’s charity.
Everyone wants more time. A great Word of the Year
is “time.” Here are some ways to find more time in
your day. First, track how you spend your time.
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How to Write a Basic Paragraph
Writing in English
Paragraph Writing Tips cont.
3. Proofread your Work
After you write your first draft, put your paragraph away for a day.
Then read it out loud to yourself and fix your mistakes.
Comprehension Check-In
Work with a partner and answer the following
questions based on the lesson so far.
1. What four main parts of a paragraphdid you learn?
2. Why is the first sentence of a paragraph important?
3. What are the three things to think about when writing the body of a paragraph?
4. How can a writer improve the flow of a paragraph?
5. What should a concluding sentence do?
6. What three tips did you learn in this lesson?
A Checklist
BEFORE HANDING IN YOUR PARAGRAPH
Did you indent your first line (if required)?
Did you use transition words and phrases?
Did you add a title (if required)?
Did you use one narrative voice?
Did you hook your reader?
Did you use one main tense?
Does the paragraph have one main focus?
Did you write an effective concluding sentence?
Did you include a topic sentence?
Did you proofread your paragraph?
Did you include supporting details?
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How to Write a Basic Paragraph
Writing in English
Writing Challenge
WORD OF THE YEAR
Use what you’ve learned in this lesson to write
a paragraph about your Word of the Year/Season.
Be sure your paragraph only focuses on one main
idea. Go through the checklist on page 8 before
and after you write your paragraph.
Note:
Your teacher may ask you to indent (leave a small
space) before the first line of your paragraph.
Your teacher may also want to see a title.
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How to Write a Basic Paragraph
Writing in English
Writing Task Assessment
Name:
Description of Task Date Completed Score / Success Level
Writing a stand-alone
paragraph about
familiar information
Success
Assessment Criteria Yes Almost Not Yet
hooks the reader
has a topic sentence
includes 6–8 body sentences that relate to the topic
is well organized
uses transition words and phrases
has a concluding sentence that summarizes main points
shows evidence of proofreading
Teacher Feedback
Resource Used
ESL Library: How to Write a Basic Paragraph
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How to Write a Basic Paragraph
Writing in English
Answer Key
NOTE:
LESSON DESCRIPTION:
LEVEL: Int
For lower-level learners, try ESL Library’s
In this lesson, students learn how to
TAGS:
writing, paragraph, body,
How to Build a Paragraph first. For academic
write a basic stand-alone paragraph.
paragraphs, topic sentence, goal,
purposes (essay writing), try How to Write
They learn about hooks, topic sentences,
new year’s, new year’s resolution
a Body Paragraph after the lesson on How
supporting sentences, transition words,
to Write an Introductory Paragraph.
and concluding sentences.
Lesson Objective
Parts of a Paragraph
Review the lesson objective with your students.
Warm-Up
A. WRITING
Give your students some time to do a bit of writing on
the topic provided (hopes and goals for this year/season).
Remind them that this is freewriting and it can be in point form.
Have students discuss the follow-up questions in pairs.
B. VOCABULARY PREVIEW
Print copies of page 14 and cut out the strips,
or have students do the matching exercise provided on page 1.
A. HOOK
Go over the instructions and give students a bit of time to
complete Task 1. Encourage them to try to use two different
styles from the list provided.
B. TOPIC SENTENCE
Go over the instructions and give students a bit of time to complete
Task 2. It is okay if they decide to simply change the word “Health”
to a word of their choice. If your students are working toward
writing essays, you may want to explain that each body paragraph
will have a topic sentence (usually the first sentence).
Review
1. i
3. g
5. f
7. h
9. j
1. The hook that is used in the example is a statistic.
2. d
4. a
6. b
8. c
10. e
2. The second sentence provides a transition
Example Paragraph
between the hook and the topic sentence.
(continued on the next page...)
Give students some time to go over the example paragraph and its
parts. (You may prefer to go straight to the instruction on pages
3–6 and save the example for a reference page.)
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How to Write a Basic Paragraph
Writing in English
Answer Key cont.
Parts of a Paragraph cont.
Paragraph Writing Tips
C. BODY
Go over this section and give students a bit of time to complete
Task 3. You may want to use this additional resource on Transition
Words & Phrases: https://esllibrary.com/resources/2546. Tell your
students they can take out the chart on page 4 whenever they are
writing paragraphs and essays. If your students are writing essays,
you may want to explain that each body paragraph will have a
single topic beginning with a topic sentence.
Review
1. The writer mainly uses personal ideas with specific examples.
2. The supporting details are organized in sequential order.
Also, a general idea is provided before a specific example.
3. First / Next / Lastly.
D. CONCLUDING SENTENCE
Review the instructions and give students a bit of time to
complete Task 4. If your students are working toward writing
linked paragraphs (essay writing), you may want to explain that
a conclusion will be a full paragraph instead of a sentence or
two (as in a stand-alone paragraph).
1. CHOOSE A NARRATIVE POINT OF VIEW
Review or introduce the basics of first person, second person,
and third person narrative. Encourage your students to choose
one narrative voice and stick with it for a stand-alone paragraph.
You may also want to mention that a stand-alone paragraph is
often a personal response written in first person.
2. CHOOSE A VERB TENSE
Encourage your students to choose one logical verb tense to write
a stand-alone paragraph in. Go over the different examples so that
students can see which verb tense is logical to use with a certain
type of writing or response.
3. PROOFREAD YOUR WORK
Help your students understand the importance of giving a piece
of writing time to breathe. Encourage your students to put their
paragraphs away for a day or so before reading them out loud
and fixing their mistakes. You may also want to incorporate peer
editing and writing correction at this time. Check out our Writing
Correction Key: https://esllibrary.com/resources/2218
Note: In the example paragraph, the final sentence: “What is your
Word of the Year going to be?” switches to second person narrative.
This direct question to the reader is an invitation and stands out
for emphasis.
(continued on the next page...)
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How to Write a Basic Paragraph
Writing in English
Answer Key cont.
Comprehension Check-In
1. This lesson taught about the hook, the topic sentence,
the body, and the concluding sentence.
2. The first sentence of a paragraph is important
because it encourages the reader to keep reading.
3. The three things to think about when writing the body
of a paragraph are content, organization, and flow.
4. A writer can improve the flow of a paragraph
with transition words and phrases.
5. A concluding sentence should summarize
the main points for the reader.
6. The tips that were taught were:
1. use a single narrative voice,
2. use a single and logical tense, and
3. proofread the paragraph after a bit of time has passed.
A Checklist
Go through the checklist with your students.
Writing Challenge
It is always helpful when teachers take part in the writing
assignments. Why not work on your own paragraph as your
students are working on theirs? If you are going to use this
as an assessment task, hand out the assessment tool from
page 10 before your students begin.
SPELLING NOTE:
This lesson shows the American spelling of the words Center and
Neighborhood. Most other English-speaking countries spell these
words this way: Centre and Neighbourhood. Make it a challenge
for your students to find these words in the lesson and see if
they know the alternate spellings.
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How to Write a Basic Paragraph
Writing in English
Extra Vocabulary Practice (optional)
Write definitions in your own words. Cut up these vocabulary strips.
Challenge a partner to match the vocabulary to your definition.
indent
hook
statistic
topic sentence
flow
concluding sentence
narrative voice
tense
chronological
transition word
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Writing in English
How to Fill Out a Form
Lesson Objective
In this lesson, you will learn tips for filling out forms and applications
in English. You will also learn how to recognize important vocabulary
and abbreviations that you will often see on forms.
Pre-Reading
A. Warm-Up
Discuss the following questions with your classmates.
1. Who often asks people to fill out forms?
Fill Out or Fill In?
2. What types of forms have you filled out?
3. Why is it difficult to fill out forms in English?
4. What personal information do forms typically require?
B. Vocabulary Preview
Match the words on the left with the correct meanings on the right.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
title
spouse
N/A
cross out
waiver
caps
legible
cursive
transit
witness
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)
clear enough to be read easily
to draw a line through
the number code for a specific bank branch
a formal way of addressing a person (e.g., Mrs. or Dr.)
handwriting (opposite of “printing”)
the person one is married to
a person who verifies or is present when you sign a document
short for “not applicable” (does not apply to me or my situation)
an authorized removal of a right or requirement
short for “all capital letters”
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
• Please fill out this form.
• Please fill in this form.
These verbs have the same
meaning, “write.” The
expression “fill out” is more
commonly used for a large
form with many fields, lines,
or spaces for writing. The verb
“fill in” is used when there are
only a few blanks to complete.
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1
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Types of Forms
Are you familiar with these types of forms?
# Type of Form Who might ask you to fill it out?
1 application employer, bank manager
2 registration form
3 medical form
4 permission form
5 waiver
6 evaluation form
7 survey
Types of Documentation
Here is a list of ID, contacts, and information that you may need
when filling out forms. Gather all of the names, numbers, and
other information you may need before you go to a place such as
a dentist’s office or motor vehicle office.
• driver’s license
• mailing address
• health card(s) numbers
• social insurance number(s) (if available)
• passport number
• weight and height of you and your family members
• medication information for you and your family members
• family doctor’s name (if available)
• emergency contact information for two people (name, phone numbers, addresses)
• employment history and references (for job application forms)
• dictionary or translator to help you understand forms and instructions
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2
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Writing Tips
1. Read before you write.
Read through the whole form before you start
filling in the blanks. Have a dictionary handy.
Ask questions before you start filling out
details you are unsure about.
2. Print clearly.
Print as carefully as you can. Make sure that
your letters, words, and numbers are legible.
Do NOT use handwriting/cursive.
3. Use blue or black ink.
Use a dark pen that works well. Do NOT
use a pencil. Do NOT use a pen that smudges.
4. Initial changes.
If you make a small mistake, cross it out and fix it.
Initial your changes if it is a legal form.
Questions to Ask
A. Reference
Don’t be shy. If you aren’t sure what
to do or what to fill in, ask someone.
Excuse me, ...
• may I borrow a pen?
• should I write or print?
• should I use all caps?
• where do I write my ?
• what does it mean by ?
• I made a mistake. What should I do?
• I don’t have this information with me.
What should I do?
• do you need my signature?
B. Role-Play
Work with a partner. Take turns pretending to
be a new patient and a clerk at a doctor’s office.
Practice asking and answering the questions
from Part A.
5. Fill out everything.
Make sure to fill out every field. If a field does
not apply to you, write N/A (not applicable). The
instructions may also tell you to leave something
blank if it does not apply. Make sure to sign or
initial in all of the right places.
6. Proofread.
Read over the form, and make sure you didn’t
miss any fields. Make sure names and addresses
are spelled correctly. Double-check that phone
numbers are correct too.
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3
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Common Abbreviations Found on Forms
Forms often use and require the use of abbreviations (shortened words).
Familiarize yourself with common English abbreviations found on forms.
A. US States
Abbr
Full Name
Abbr
Full Name
Abbr
Full Name
AL
Alabama
LA
Louisiana
OH
Ohio
AK
Alaska
ME
Maine
OK
Oklahoma
AZ
Arizona
MD
Maryland
OR
Oregon
AR
Arkansas
MA
Massachusetts
PA
Pennsylvania
CA
California
MI
Michigan
RI
Rhode Island
CO
Colorado
MN
Minnesota
SC
South Carolina
CT
Connecticut
MS
Mississippi
SD
South Dakota
DE
Delaware
MO
Missouri
TN
Tennessee
FL
Florida
MT
Montana
TX
Texas
GA
Georgia
NE
Nebraska
UT
Utah
HI
Hawaii
NV
Nevada
VT
Vermont
ID
Idaho
NH
New Hampshire
VA
Virginia
IL
Illinois
NJ
New Jersey
WA
Washington
IN
Indiana
NM
New Mexico
WV
West Virginia
IA
Iowa
NY
New York
WI
Wisconsin
KS
Kansas
NC
North Carolina
WY
Wyoming
KY
Kentucky
ND
North Dakota
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4
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Common Abbreviations Found on Forms cont.
B. Canadian Provinces & Territories
Abbr
Full Name
Abbr
Full Name
AB
Alberta
NU
Nunavut
BC
British Columbia
ON
Ontario
MB
Manitoba
PE / PEI
Prince Edward Island
NB
New Brunswick
QC
Quebec
NL
Newfoundland & Labrador
SK
Saskatchewan
NT
Northwest Territories
YT
Yukon
NS
Nova Scotia
C. Address
D. Days
Abbr
Full Word
Abbr
Full Name
Ave
avenue
Mon
Monday
Blvd
boulevard
Tue / Tues
Tuesday
Rd
road
Wed / Weds
Wednesday
St
street
Thu / Thurs
Thursday
Apt
apartment
Fri
Friday
Crt
court
Sat
Saturday
Pl
place
Sun
Sunday
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5
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Common Abbreviations Found on Forms cont.
E. Months
F. Time, Measurements,
Directions & Money
Abbr
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Full Word
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Abbr
am
pm
cm
mm
m
km
lb
kg
in / ″
ft / ′
N
S
Full Word
morning
afternoon / night
centimeter
millimeter
meter
kilometer
pound
kilogram
inch
foot
north
south
E
east
W
west
USD
United States dollar(s)
CAD
Canadian dollar(s)
GBP
Great British pound(s)
EUR
euro(s)
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6
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Personal Information
Be prepared to include all of the following personal information
on a variety of forms. Practice filling out the following information.
Ask your teacher about any words you don’t understand.
Not Applicable
If a field doesn’t apply to
you, you can leave it blank or
write N/A (not applicable).
A. Name
Title
Mr. Mrs. Ms. Miss Dr.
Name
First 1
Initial 2 Last 3
Immediate Family 4
Spouse
Children
1. Your First Name can also be called
your Given Name or Legal Name.
2. Initial refers to the initial of your middle
name. The form might ask for your full
middle name instead. If you don’t have
one, leave this space blank.
3. Your Last Name can also be
called your Surname or Family Name.
4. List the names of your immediate
family members (such as your
spouse and children).
B. Address
Address
Note:
# 1 Address 2
City / Town
State
3
Address fields may appear in a different order.
Be careful not to place an address number where
a unit number goes. The address field may also be
called “mailing address.”
Country
ZIP Code
1. # or No. refers to your Apartment Number
or Unit Number (if applicable).
2. Address refers to the number of your house or apartment
building and the name of the road, avenue, place, street, etc.
3. See page 4 for a list of state name abbreviations.
• #22 335 Jones Ave. / 22–335 Jones Ave.
You may also see Address Line 1 and Address Line 2.
In Address Line 1, place your house or building
number followed by your street/road, city/town,
and ZIP code.
• 22 White Lane, Daytona Beach, FL, 32115
If you live in an apartment, Address Line 2
is for your unit or apartment number.
• Unit #210 / Apt. no. 210
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7
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Personal Information cont.
C. Date of Birth / Birthdate
D. Nationality / Birthplace
E. Citizenship
Date of Birth
/ /
mm 1 dd 2 yy 3
Nationality
Nationality
Citizenship
Citizenship
1. This can also be written as MM.
This is the number of the month
you were born in (from 1–12). If
the month number is between 1
and 9, write a 0 in front (e.g., you
would write March as 03.)
2. This can also be written as DD.
This is the day of the month you
were born on. If the day is between
1 and 9, write a 0 in front.
3. This is the year you were born in. If the
label says yy or YY, write the last two
digits of the year (e.g., 1982 becomes
82). If the label says yyyy or YYYY,
write the full year (e.g., 1982).
• Canadian
• American
• Turkish
• Japanese
• etc.
• Canadian
• American
• Turkish
• Japanese
• etc.
F. Contact Information
Contact Information
Home Phone Cell Phone Work Phone
Email Address
Emergency Contact
Note:
When writing any phone
numbers, it is helpful to
include the area code. In
Canada, the format would
be (area code) phone number.
• (204) 555-1234
Name Relation Phone
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8
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Personal Information cont.
G. Credit Card Payment
Credit Card Payment
Card Type: Visa Mastercard AMEX
1. CVV is short for Card Verification Value. It can also be called
a Card Security Code (CSC) or Card Verification Code (CVC).
It is the three- or four-digit code on the back of a credit card.
Card Number
CVV
1
Expiry Month (mm)
Expiry Year (yy)
H. Banking Information
Banking Information
Account Type: Checking Savings
1. A Routing Number (also called an ABA Routing Transit Number
or ABA RTN) is a nine-digit code based on the location where
your account was opened.
Account Number
Routing Number 1
I. Vehicle Information
Vehicle Information
1. The “make” of your car is the company
name, such as Ford or Toyota.
Make
1
Model
2
2. The “model” of your car is the specific
brand, such as Focus or Corolla.
Year
License Plate Number
Driver’s License Number
J. Marital Status
Marital Status
Married Single Divorced Common-Law
1
1. Common-law refers to a couple that lives together in
a marriage-like relationship. For tax and legal purposes,
you will need to check how your state defines
“common-law” and see if it is recognized in your state.
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9
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Personal Information cont.
K. Medical Information
Age
Medical Information
Gender
1
1. The form may instead ask for your Sex.
It might also ask you to circle an option:
M (male) / F (female).
Allergies
Medications
Medical Conditions
Family Doctor
Health Card Number
L. Employment
Employment Status:
Employment Information
If employed:
Employed full-time
Employed part-time
Contract
Self-Employed
Unemployed
Occupation
Business / Organization
M. Creating a Username & Password (online)
Some online forms will require you to choose a username and password.
Remember what you typed so that you can log in again.
Create an Account
Log In
1. A Username can also be called a User ID.
2. Some websites may add special
Username 1
Username
requirements to passwords to help
make them stronger (e.g., include at
Password
2
Password
least one number and one symbol).
Retype Password
3
3. Some websites may use Confirm
Password instead of Retype Password.
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10
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Speaking Practice
Now that you have filled out all of your personal information on
pages 7–10, practice asking a partner for information out loud. Ask
your partner to spell words and names out for you. Repeat back numbers.
Then sit back to back and imagine you are on the telephone with a clerk.
Useful Phrases
• Can you repeat that, please?
• Can you say that a little louder?
• Did you say or ?
• I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you.
Example Forms
On the next few pages, you will find three sample forms:
• Medical Form
• Permission Form / Waiver
• Job Application
Practice filling out the forms. If you do not wish to add private information
or if information does not apply to you, use fictional information.
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11
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Example Forms cont.
A. Medical Form
New Patient Form
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Title: Mr. Mrs. Ms. Miss Dr.
First Name Middle Initial Last Name
Date of Birth (MM/DD/YY) Citizenship Referred By
Mailing Address
Phone Number Alternate Phone Number Email Address
Spouse’s Name
Other Family Members
Employer’s Name
Employer’s Phone Number
EMERGENCY CONTACTS
Name
Relationship to You
Name
Relationship to You
Phone Number
Address
Phone Number
Address
INSURANCE
Do you have medical insurance? Yes No
If yes, please complete the information below.
Primary Insurance Co.
Plan Number
Secondary Insurance Co.
Plan Number
page 1 of 2
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12
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Example Forms cont.
A. Medical Form cont.
MEDICAL HISTORY
Allergies
Medications
Previous Physician’s Name
Smoker: Yes No Prescription Glasses: Yes No
For women only: Are you pregnant? Yes No Are you nursing? Yes No
Do you or have you experienced
any of the following?
Do you currently have any
of the following symptoms?
Are you taking or receiving
any of the following?
shortness of breath
soreness in ear, nose, throat
pain medication
high blood pressure
abnormal bleeding
chemotherapy
heart disease
headache
birth control pills
heart surgery
nausea
depression medication
cancer
vomiting
antibiotics
HIV / AIDS
fever
blood pressure medication
depression
stomach pain
other (please specify):
blood transfusions
soreness in joints
other (please specify):
itchy skin
broken bone
sprain
other (please specify):
AUTHORIZATION
I hereby confirm that the information on
this form is true to the best of my knowledge.
I give permission for Dr. Alexi to keep this form on
file at Glazier Medical Clinic.
Name (please print)
Signature
Date
page 2 of 2
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13
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Example Forms cont.
B. Permission Form / Waiver
Sometimes you have to sign a form that gives you or
others permission to do something. A “waiver” is a
type of permission form in which you give up a right or
requirement. You also promise not to take legal action
against a person or organization in the case of damage
or injury.
To the right are some reasons why you may
need to sign a permission form or waiver.
Read the terms carefully, and add your signature
if you understand and agree with the information.
Reasons for Permission Forms or Waivers
• to give your child permission to go on a trip
• to confirm that an organization is not
responsible for accidents at a special event
• to allow someone to take and use videos
or photographs of you or your child
• to allow your work or your child’s
work to be placed on public display
Waiver
ACTIVITY INFORMATION
Activity: White Water Rafting Organization: Denver Fun in the Sun Location: Denver River
Date of Activity Participant’s Name Participant’s Age
RELEASE OF LIABILITY
I am aware of the risks and dangers associated with this activity. By signing this document,
I waive my right to sue the organization for injury or death related to the participant named above.
Protective Equipment
I have been advised to wear protective equipment
for this activity, including a certified helmet.
Assumption of Risks
I have been advised that this activity carries risks and
hazards. I assume all risks, dangers, and hazards.
Initial
Initial
Signed on at .
(date)
(location)
Signature of Participant (or guardian if under 18 years old)
Signature of Witness
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14
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Example Forms cont.
C. Job Application
Employment Application
PERSONAL INFORMATION
First Name Middle Initial Last Name
Street Address City State ZIP Code
Phone Number Alternate Phone Number Email Address
Are you over 18? Yes No Social Security Number
JOB POSITION
Have you ever applied at this company/organization before? Yes No
Position Applying For
I am seeking: Part-time work Full-time work Part-time or full-time work
AVAILABILITY
Anytime
Weekdays Only
Weekends Only
Specific Days (circle any you are available for)
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
Nights
Days
Available Start Date
page 1 of 2
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15
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Example Forms cont.
C. Job Application cont.
WORK EXPERIENCE
Employer
Position
Start Date
End Date
Employer
Position
Start Date
End Date
EDUCATION
School / Institution Number of Years Completed Degree / Diploma / Cert. Earned
School / Institution Number of Years Completed Degree / Diploma / Cert. Earned
REFERENCES
Name Phone Number Professional Personal
Name Phone Number Professional Personal
Name Phone Number Professional Personal
page 2 of 2
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16
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Comprehension Check-In
Work with a partner and answer the following
questions based on the lesson.
1. What should you use to fill out a physical form?
What should you NOT use?
2. Name some documents and information
that you may need to fill out a form.
3. What is a waiver?
4. What are the English abbreviations
for the days of the week?
5. What should you do if you don’t
understand something on a form?
A Checklist
CHECKING YOUR FORMS
Did I answer every question (or write N/A)?
Are my letters and numbers legible?
Did I sign in all the right places?
Did I ask questions if I was unsure about something?
Did I format dates correctly?
Did I use appropriate abbreviations?
Did I proofread the whole form after I completed it?
6. What is the last thing you should
do after you complete a form?
Writing Challenge
CREATE A FORM
Create a form for your classmates to fill out. It can be any type of form
mentioned in this lesson. Make sure there are lots of fields to fill out.
Photocopy your form and hand it out to your classmates.
Collect the forms and go through the checklist.
Did your classmates follow the guidelines from this lesson?
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17
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Answer Key
NOTE:
LESSON DESCRIPTION:
LEVEL: Low Int – Int
You may also want to try our
In this lesson, students practice filling
TAGS:
writing, forms, applications,
Everyday Dialogues lesson on Filling Out
out basic forms, including a medical
fill out forms, job, employment,
an Application: https://esllibrary.com/
registration form, a waiver, and a job
personal information,
courses/76/lessons/1724
application form. They also learn useful
medical, doctor
vocabulary and abbreviations that are
commonly found on English forms.
Pre-Reading
A. WARM-UP
Discuss in small groups or as a class. Answers will vary.
1. doctors, dentists, teachers, lawyers,
government, employers, coaches
2. Answers will vary.
3. Answers will vary.
4. name, date of birth, citizenship, phone number,
address, marital status, job position, etc.
B. VOCABULARY PREVIEW
Print copies of page 20 and cut up the strips,
or have students do the matching exercise on page 1.
1. d
2. f
3. h
4. b
5. i
6. j
7. a
8. e
9. c
10. g
Types of Forms
Discuss each type of form, and make sure students are aware of
each type. Can your students think of any other types of forms?
Answers will vary. Example answers:
1. employer, bank manager, mortgage broker
2. school program, community program,
website, cell phone application
3. doctor, dentist, specialist, insurance company
4. teacher, coach, special event coordinator
5. teacher, coach, special event coordinator
6. presenter, teacher, principal, student
7. organization, establishment, teacher, student, website owner
Types of Documentation
Not having the right information and numbers available can be
frustrating, especially when people take time off work or pay for
parking and public transit. Encourage your students to gather
everything they need in one place for easy access when filling out
forms of any kind. You may want to brainstorm some ways for
students to safely store important and confidential information
in the cloud (e.g., Google Docs).
Writing Tips
Read through these tips with your class or have students take turns
reading the tips out loud. Add any tips that you or others think of.
Questions to Ask
Your students can practice asking these questions as
they work through the fields and forms on the next few
pages. Take note of any common questions you hear,
and have students add these to their list.
(continued on the next page...)
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18
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Answer Key cont.
Common Abbreviations Found on Forms
Review the common abbreviations with your learners.
Add any others that you think of or see on forms. Put students
in pairs and have them quiz each other on abbreviations.
Personal Information
Go through these practice pages (7–10) with
students or allow them to work on their own time.
Help them with any vocabulary they are unsure of.
Speaking Practice
Repeat the Personal Information task orally, so that students can
practice spelling and saying names, words, and numbers out loud
or over the phone. Have students sit back to back to pretend they
are on the telephone. They can ask each other for any information
from pages 7–10. You may wish to let students give false
information if they are not comfortable giving out their real info.
5. If you don’t understand something on a form, ask
someone to help you. Also, bring a dictionary and/or
translator if you know you will be filling out a form.
6. After you fill out a form, read it to yourself and make sure
you didn’t miss any fields. Make sure you spelled names
properly and that letters and numbers are legible.
A Checklist
Review the checklist with students and have them save it to
use as a reference when filling out important forms. They can
also use it to check the work of their peers in step 2 of the
writing challenge below.
Writing Challenge
This writing challenge can be completed individually or in pairs
or small groups. Encourage students to use different types of
forms. Help your students correct mistakes before they print
and photocopy their forms for their peers.
Example Forms
These three forms (medical, permission / waiver, job application)
can be filled out in class or for homework. This section
can also be used for assessment tasks.
Comprehension Check-In
1. You should use a black or blue pen that
doesn’t smudge. You shouldn’t use a pencil.
2. You may need your driver’s license, passport
number, weight, height, phone number, address,
emergency contacts, and or references.
3. A “waiver” is a type of permission form in which you
give up a right or requirement. You also promise not
to take legal action against a person or organization
in the case of damage or injury.
4. The abbreviations for the days of the week are:
Mon, Tue/Tues, Wed/Weds, Thu/Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun.
SPELLING NOTES:
This lesson shows the American spelling of the words License,
Millimeter, Centimeter, Meter, Kilometer, Checking (account),
and Practice. Most other English-speaking countries spell these
words this way: Licence, Millimetre, Centimetre, Metre, Kilometre,
Chequing (account), and Practise (when used as a verb; Practice
when used as a noun). Make it a challenge for your students
to find these words in the lesson and see if they know the
alternate spellings.
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19
How to Fill Out a Form
Writing in English
Extra Vocabulary Practice (optional)
Write definitions in your own words. Cut up these vocabulary strips.
Challenge a partner to match the vocabulary words to your definitions.
title
spouse
N/A
cross out
waiver
caps
legible
cursive
transit
witness
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20
Writing in English
How to Proofread
Lesson Objective
In this lesson, you will learn some useful tips for peer editing and
proofreading. You’ll also learn to spot some common English errors.
Did you know...
It is difficult to proofread your own writing. You may not notice your
mistakes and typos because your brain tricks you into seeing what you
think you wrote. When you proofread your own work, do it at least a day
after you finish your final copy.
Warm-Up
A. Writing
On the lines below and on the next page or on a blank
piece of paper, freewrite about the difference between
mistakes and errors. Are they the same thing? Are they
different? Don’t just think about mistakes and errors
in terms of English learning. Think about mistakes
and errors in your everyday life. Then discuss these
questions with a partner or your classmates.
1. In your opinion, what is the difference
between a mistake and an error?
2. How can you prevent yourself from
repeating a writing error over and over?
3. Why is it important to make
mistakes and errors in life?
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1
How to Proofread
Writing in English
Warm-Up cont.
A. Writing cont.
B. Vocabulary Preview
Match these words to their correct definitions.
1.
proofread
a)
an incomplete sentence (without an independent clause)
2.
peer edit
b)
to check the writing of a classmate or friend
3.
typo
c)
to read through a final copy and check for mistakes
4.
revision
d)
comments (positive or negative)
5.
feedback
e)
methodically going through a document to check for problems
6.
line editing
f)
a typing mistake, often made subconsciously
7.
draft
g)
the incorrect use of a comma to separate two complete thoughts
8.
sentence fragment
h)
one of two (or more) versions of a document
9.
comma splice
i)
words that sound the same but have different meanings or spellings
10.
homophones
j)
a change made to a draft
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2
How to Proofread
Writing in English
Editing, Peer Editing & Proofreading
READ & PROOFREAD
Professional writers and publishers hire editors to
make sure that an article, book, or other written work
is in good form before it gets to the reader. An editor’s
job is a big one. An editor has to make decisions about
content, structure, length, tone, word choice, and
much more. Professional editors provide feedback
for writers in the early stages, just like your teacher
probably does with you. The goal is to create a piece
of writing that is clear, concise, and readable. This
may take many drafts. Eventually, the editor will read
carefully through the text to offer specific suggestions
at the word and sentence level. This is called
line editing.
Task 1
Write a paragraph that paraphrases the main
differences between professional editing,
peer editing, and proofreading.
Students and amateur writers need editors too. You
may catch mistakes that other writers make, but it’s
difficult to critique and correct your own writing. Peer
editors can be your classmates, your friends, or even
your family members. You can take turns editing each
other’s work. A peer editor can look at a first draft and
offer suggestions about structure, style, and content.
After you make some revisions, they can look more
closely at your individual sentences.
The final editing stage is called “proofreading.”
A proofreader’s job is to look at the polished work
and spot typos or other errors that the writer or
editor may have missed or introduced while making
revisions. A proofreader may even find mistakes that
the editor missed. Before you pass your polished copy
to a proofreader, it’s a good idea to proofread your
own work. Try to leave at least a day between finishing
your final draft and proofreading it. You will be more
likely to see your own mistakes with fresh eyes.
Keep a record of mistakes that you make often.
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3
How to Proofread
Writing in English
Common Writing Errors & Mistakes
Here are some common writing errors to watch out for
when you are peer editing at the word and sentence level.
A. Sentence Fragments
A sentence fragment is an
incomplete sentence that does
not contain an independent clause.
An independent clause must have
a subject and a verb. It also must
be able to stand on its own.
Task 2
Can you correct these sentence fragments?
Rewrite the sentences in your notebook.
1. In Canada, where thousands of lakes.
2. Some of the students working through the night.
3. Even though we got the car fixed before our trip.
4. Leaving the country when she had the flu.
5. Which is why we called the police.
B. Apostrophe Errors
Watch out for the tricky
apostrophe! Writers often omit
an apostrophe where one is
needed, or they add one when
one is not needed. It may even be
a good idea to investigate each
apostrophe in a piece of writing
to see if it was used properly.
Task 3
Can you correct these common apostrophe errors?
Rewrite the sentences in your notebook.
1. The cat ate it’s food quickly.
2. Its going to be a busy work week.
3. My sister fly’s here on Wednesday.
4. My parent’s aren’t coming to the concert.
5. Her fathers friend didn’t enjoy the party.
C. Subject-Verb Agreement
In English, the subject in a
sentence must agree with the
verb. A singular subject (boy) takes
a singular verb (eats). E.g., The boy
eats pizza. This is simple when a
singular subject is right beside the
verb. It gets a little trickier when
compound subjects are used or
when phrases appear in between
subjects and verbs.
Task 4
Can you correct these common agreement errors?
Rewrite the sentences in your notebook.
1. Neither George nor Lisa are home.
2. The referee and the players is waiting for the rain to stop.
3. He and his sister is at the front desk.
4. Nobody are going to work today because it’s a holiday.
5. There is bananas in the fridge.
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4
How to Proofread
Writing in English
Common Writing Errors & Mistakes cont.
D. Comma Splices (Run-On Sentences)
A comma can’t be used to separate two complete
thoughts. There are three ways to fix a comma splice:
• Add a conjunction
such as “and” or “although.”
• Turn one sentence into two
with a period.
• Use a semicolon
to separate the two complete thoughts.
When using a semicolon, the sentences
should be closely related and very short.
Task 5
Rewrite these sentences without comma splices.
1. It was a delicious dinner, we had steak and salad.
2. The scenery is gorgeous, there are lakes,
mountains, and forests to explore.
3. It was a cold night, we almost froze.
4. The project is due on Monday,
you should start working on it.
E. Formatting
Spelling:
One piece of writing should use a single spelling
convention, such as American English or British English.
Spacing:
Spacing after headings and paragraphs should be
consistent. A space should not be placed before a
comma or period. This is a very common error that
English learners make.
Font:
Task 6
Circle the incorrect spacing in the paragraph below.
While we’ ve come to rely on honeybees for our food
supply , these pollinators have been dropping like flies
since the late 1990 s. The mysterious phenomenon of the
disappearing honeybee is known
as Colony Collapse Disorder ( CCD). Even though bee
colonies can be replaced by commercial beekeepers , it is
a very expensive procedure . When colonies are lost year
after year , beekeepers are unable to
keep up
with the demand.
The same size and style of font should be used
throughout a paper. The use of quotes, italics, and
bold text should be used consistently. Try following
a style guide, such as the MLA.
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How to Proofread
Writing in English
Common Writing Errors & Mistakes cont.
F. Formality & Tone
The tone of the writing should
be consistent. If an essay is
written from the third-person
perspective, it should remain
in that voice throughout. If a
document is written in a formal
tone, it should not break away
with a personal anecdote from
a first-person perspective.
Task 7
Which sentence does not belong in the paragraph below?
Bee experts don’t know exactly what is causing the rapid decline
of honeybees, but most agree that chemicals are largely to blame.
The use of pesticides has increased dramatically in recent years.
I never use pesticides in my garden! Climate change is another
suspect. Extreme weather such as drought can make it difficult
for bees to do their job.
G. Capitalization
Incorrect capitalization is one
of the most common mistakes
English learners make in their
writing. Here are four things
to remember:
• The first word in a sentence
must be capitalized.
• The pronoun “I” must
always be capitalized.
Task 8
Circle all of the words that should be capitalized in the text below.
Circle any of the words that are incorrectly capitalized as well.
1. my Dog leah likes eating lucky charms cereal.
2. When i am 18, I am going to visit italy and australia.
3. The Sunset looked so nice on tuesday. Did You see it?
4. Next Year i am going to learn french.
5. When i finished reading the harry potter books, I cried.
• Proper nouns must be
capitalized. This includes
languages and nationalities
like “English” and “American.”
• Important words in a
heading or title should
also be capitalized.
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6
How to Proofread
Writing in English
What to Look For as a Proofreader
A. Typos
A typo is a mistake you make while typing. Typos can be difficult for the
writer to catch because a writer’s mind thinks the words have been typed
correctly. When you are proofreading someone else’s work, watch out for
unnecessary apostrophes (your/you’re), missing apostrophes, missing
words, and repeated words.
B. Spelling Mistakes
Do your classmates use digital spell-checkers? A spell-checker is handy,
but it won’t catch every mistake (e.g., desert /dessert). Homophones
such as “it’s” and “its” are very problematic for writers! You may know the
difference between these similarly spelled words, but you may still type
them incorrectly.
If you’re checking work that is written with a pen and paper, make
sure to keep a dictionary handy. Look up any word that seems wrong,
especially if it has double letters.
C. Formatting Problems
Tip:
READING OUT LOUD
The next time you read through
your own writing or a peer’s
writing, read it out loud to
yourself. You are more likely
to catch mistakes and errors
if you read it out loud than
if you read it silently. Tiny
missing words like “a” or “the”
will stand out when you hear it
spoken. This is also a great way
to catch any mistakes that you
have inadvertently introduced
during the proofreading
stage. Proofreading in a quiet
place with no distractions is
important. Try recording your
voice as you read it out loud
and listening to it after. Does
anything sound unnatural?
As a proofreader, it’s your job to look for formatting inconsistencies and
problems, including improper spacing and capitalization. A space should
never go before a punctuation mark. Paragraphs should be spaced out
properly. Proper nouns and headings should use capitalization correctly.
Task 9
Survey your classmates to find
out which words they have trouble
spelling. Make a class list called
“Our Commonly Misspelled Words”
and post it in your classroom.
Our Commonly Misspelled Words
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
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7
How to Proofread
Writing in English
Writing Correction Key
Use these symbols to make corrections while peer editing.
Symbol Meaning Use
SP Spelling Spelling mistake
WC Word Choice The word doesn’t make sense in the context
WF Wrong Form E.g., using a gerund instead of an infinitive, or an adjective instead of a noun
VT Verb Tense The wrong verb tense is used
/ Deletion Unnecessary, extra word
^ Addition Another word or phrase is needed (e.g., sentence fragment)
P Punctuation Wrong punctuation is used, or more punctuation is needed (e.g., comma splice)
C Case Capital or lowercase letters have been used incorrectly
T Tone E.g., a sentence or example is too informal
F Format There are formatting issues, such as incorrect spacing or lack of italics
Example Correction:
C WF P VT WC SP
P
i wanted going to the a party but I don’t go although I had papper to write
^
Corrected Sentence:
I wanted to go to the party, but I didn’t go because I had a paper to write.
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8
How to Proofread
Writing in English
Comprehension Check-In
Work with a partner and answer the following
questions based on the lesson so far.
1. What is the difference between an editor and a proofreader?
2. Why is it important to get someone to proofread your final copy?
3. How can you fix a comma splice?
4. What error do many writers make when it
comes to leaving spaces around punctuation?
5. What should a proofreader do when
reading the final copy of a written work?
6. Why does this lesson mention the word “dessert”?
Writing Challenge
PROOFREAD EACH
OTHER’S PARAGRAPHS
Find a partner and exchange the
text that you wrote in Task 1 on
page 3. Use the symbols in the
Writing Correction Key on page 8
to proofread each other’s writing.
You could also choose a different
piece of writing for this activity.
A Checklist
BEFORE YOU HAND THE FINAL COPY BACK TO THE WRITER
Did you run the document through a spell-check program?
Did you check all apostrophes?
Did you check for proper spacing around punctuation marks?
Is the tone consistent?
Did you read the text out loud in a quiet place?
Did you check the capitalization?
Keep in mind that if you are
working with another English
learner, some of his or her
editing suggestions may not be
correct. Work together to polish
the text. You can also ask your
teacher for help.
Is the font consistent in the headings and titles?
Does every sentence have an independent clause?
Are commas used properly?
Does the writer’s name appear on the document?
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9
How to Proofread
Writing in English
Answer Key
LESSON DESCRIPTION:
In this lesson, students learn about the role of an editor and
proofreader. This lesson focuses on spotting and correcting
common writing mistakes and errors.
LEVEL: Int – Adv
LEVEL: 2–3 hours
TAGS: writing, proofreading, editing, common errors, formatting
Lesson Objective
Review the lesson objective with your students.
Ask them why they think it’s difficult to edit their own writing.
Warm-Up
A. WRITING
Print copies of page 12 and cut up the strips, or have
students do the matching exercise provided on page 2.
1. c 3. f 5. d 7. h 9. g
2. b 4. j
6. e 8. a 10. i
Editing, Peer Editing & Proofreading
Give your students time to read and paraphrase the paragraphs.
The text that they write will be used for a proofreading task at the
end of this lesson.
Common Writing Errors & Mistakes
A. SENTENCE FRAGMENTS
Task 2
Answers will vary.
1. In Canada, there are thousands of lakes.
2. Some of the students worked through the night.
3. We got the car fixed before our trip, though.
4. She left the country even though she had the flu.
5. That is why we called the police.
B. APOSTROPHE ERRORS
Task 3
1. The cat ate its food quickly.
2. It’s going to be a busy work week.
3. My sister flies here on Wednesday.
4. My parents aren’t coming to the concert.
5. Her father’s friend didn’t enjoy the party.
C. SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
Task 4
1. Neither George nor Lisa is home.
2. The referee and the players are waiting for the rain to stop.
3. He and his sister are at the front desk.
4. Nobody is going to work today because it’s a holiday.
5. There are bananas in the fridge.
Try our Subject-Verb agreement lessons in our Grammar Practice
Worksheets section: https://esllibrary.com/courses/88/lessons
D. COMMA SPLICES (RUN-ON SENTENCES)
Task 5
Answers will vary.
1. It was a delicious dinner. We had steak and salad.
2. The scenery is gorgeous.
There are lakes, mountains, and forests to explore.
3. It was a cold night; we almost froze.
4. The project is due on Monday, so you should start working on it.
(continued on the next page...)
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10
How to Proofread
Writing in English
Answer Key cont.
Common Writing Errors & Mistakes cont.
Writing Correction Key
E. FORMATTING
Task 6
While we’ ve come to rely on honeybees for our food
supply , these pollinators have been dropping like flies
since the late 1990 s. The mysterious phenomenon of the
disappearing honeybee is known
as Colony Collapse Disorder ( CCD). Even though bee
colonies can be replaced by commercial beekeepers , it is
a very expensive procedure . When colonies are lost year
after year , beekeepers are unable to
keep up
with the demand.
F. FORMALITY & TONE
Task 7
I never use pesticides in my garden!
G. CAPITALIZATION
Task 8
1. my Dog leah likes eating lucky charms cereal.
2. When i am 18, I am going to visit italy and australia.
3. The Sunset looked so nice on tuesday. Did You see it?
4. Next Year i am going to learn french.
5. When i finished reading the harry potter books, I cried.
What to Look for as a Proofreader
Task 9
Answers will vary.
Your students may want to keep this handy at all times.
Feel free to add / change any symbols to meet your needs.
Comprehension Check-In
1. An editor looks at many drafts and helps with general
and specific problems, while a proofreader checks the
final copy for typos and other last-minute mistakes
that may have been introduced or missed.
2. It’s important to get someone else to proofread your
final copy because it’s difficult to catch your own mistakes.
3. A comma splice can be fixed with
a period, a semicolon, or a conjunction.
4. Many writers place spaces before commas
or other punctuation marks instead of after.
5. A proofreader should read the
final copy out loud in a quiet space.
6. This lesson mentions the word “dessert”
because it is similar to the word “desert” and
can’t be caught by a digital spell-checker.
Writing Challenge
Your students may find it frustrating to be corrected by peers
who are not at the same learning level. Try to partner learners up
appropriately. Remind your learners that they can also learn from
each other’s correction mistakes.
Also keep in mind that some students may feel embarrassed when
showing their writing to their peers. Remind them of what you may
have discussed in the Warm-Up—making mistakes is often the best
and fastest way to learn.
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11
How to Proofread
Writing in English
Extra Vocabulary Practice (optional)
Write definitions in your own words. Then cut up these vocabulary strips.
Challenge a partner to match the vocabulary words to your definitions.
proofread
peer edit
typo
revisions
feedback
line editing
draft
sentence fragment
comma splice
homophones
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12
Writing in English
How to Write a
Business Letter
Lesson Objective
In this lesson, you will learn some helpful tips for writing business letters.
You’ll learn how to open and close a formal letter and how to format
addresses. You will also learn some useful expressions to include in
a variety of types of business letters.
Did you know...
The suffix “-ness” turns adjectives into nouns. The word “business” is one of
the most commonly misspelled words. Think of the adjective “busy” when
you are spelling “business.” Remember that the “y” changes to “i” before
“-ness”—just like happy becomes happiness.
Warm-Up
A. Writing
Choose one of the following three topics. Write a letter to a manager
of a business. Write for five minutes in your notebook or on the back
of your paper, or on your electronic device or computer. Do not
correct your writing. Just write!
Topics:
1. A complaint about poor service
2. A question about a product
3. A concern about an employee
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1
How to Write a Business Letter
Writing in English
Warm-Up cont.
B. Vocabulary Preview
Match these words to their definitions.
1.
on behalf of
a)
to make someone aware of, to bring focus to something
2.
recipient
b)
to review or check three times
3.
letterhead
c)
the part of a letter where you address the recipient (e.g., Dear Sir,)
4.
triple-check
d)
stationery with a business name and address printed on it
5.
salutation
e)
as a representative of a group
6.
colleague
f)
relevant, something that applies or is important
7.
applicable
g)
an investigation into a matter, a question
8.
inquiry
h)
the person who receives something
9.
resignation
i)
a formal notification of quitting a job by choice
10.
draw one’s attention to
j)
a person you work with professionally
Components of a Business Letter
A. Sender’s Information
Are you using letterhead? Letterhead is stationery with your business
name and address already printed on it. If you aren’t using letterhead,
type your company name and address in the top left corner of your paper.
Example
Stand-Up Desks, Inc.
22 Wakefield Dr.
Rochester, NY 95402-4560
Task 1
Look up a local business and write the address on the lines below.
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2
How to Write a Business Letter
Writing in English
Components of a Business Letter cont.
B. Date
After the sender’s information, leave a space.
Then write the date using one of the formats below.
In the US, the order of the date is: month/day/year.
Task 2
Practice writing some dates:
1. Write today’s date.
Date Formats:
• March 4, 2019
• March 4th, 2019
• Mar 4, 2019
• Monday, March 4, 2019
2. Write the date of your next birthday.
3. Write the date six months from today.
C. Recipient’s Information
After the date, leave another
space. Now add your recipient’s
name, title, and address.
Triple‐check that you spelled
the name of the company and
recipient exactly as it should be.
Example
Mrs. Alley Freeman
Director of Sales
Furniture Forever
3 Main St.
Rochester, NY 14605
D. Salutation
Leave a space after your recipient’s address. Then add your salutation.
Make sure that you spell the recipient’s name correctly. Punctuation after
Mr., Ms., or Mrs. is common, but it is also possible without (Mr or Mrs). Use
a comma (,) or colon (:) after the salutation.
Business Formal
• Dear Mr Miller,
• Dear Ms. Hampton,
• Dear Mrs. Wu:
• Dear Sir,
• Dear Madam,
• To Whom It May Concern:
• Dear Frederick Carlyle,
Business Casual
(between colleagues)
• Good morning,
• Good afternoon,
• Hello,
• Hi Erica,
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3
How to Write a Business Letter
Writing in English
Components of a Business Letter cont.
E. Body
Leave a space after your salutation
and then start the body of your
letter. A business letter should
be separated into paragraphs.
Each paragraph should be about
a single subject. One or two
paragraphs may be enough. Use
plain text (without indentation).
It is common to leave a space
between paragraphs.
Tips
Start with a friendly greeting. Introduce yourself (if it’s the first time
you’ve contacted this person). Be cordial (polite) even if it is a letter
of complaint.
[space]
Identify your reason for the letter.
Use more than one paragraph if necessary.
[space]
Provide any special information. Identify any attachments if it’s
an email. If applicable, state exactly what you want or need from
the recipient.
F. Closing
Leave a space after the final body paragraph. Then write a closing phrase
(this is optional). Leave another space and write a closing word(s), followed
by a comma. On the next line, add your name and title. Add a phone
number if you want to be contacted by phone. Sign your name by hand
if it’s a printed letter. Print your name and title beneath your signature.
Closing Phrases (optional)
• I look forward to your reply.
• I apologize for the inconvenience.
• I look forward to meeting you.
• Should you need further
assistance, please
don’t hesitate to ask.
• Thank you for your
immediate attention.
Closing words
• Sincerely,
• Respectfully,
• Best,
• Best regards,
• Best wishes,
• Warm regards,
• Thank you,
• Sincerely,
Example
I look forward to your reply.
Sincerely,
Helen Hayes, Administrator
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4
How to Write a Business Letter
Writing in English
Types of Business Letters
Work with a partner. Review some different types of business letters.
Which letters have you written or received in the past? Which types
of letters are you most likely to write? Can you think of any other
types of business letters?
1. Inquiry
In this type of letter, you ask
a question about a product,
service, or policy.
2. Resignation
In this type of letter, you notify
a supervisor or manager that you
are planning on leaving/quitting
your job. You may or may not
state a reason.
3. Cover
This type of letter comes before
a resume when you are applying
for a job. It is a short letter of
introduction that doubles as
a thank you note.
4. Reference
This is a letter that you write for
someone else. You may provide a
personal or a business reference.
In this letter, you state how long
you have known the person
and why you recommend him
or her, usually for a new job or
position. You may include the
person’s strengths.
5. Thank You
There are a variety of reasons why
you might need to send a thank
you letter in a business situation.
You may want to thank a company
for good service, or you may
want to show appreciation for
a colleague who has worked with
you on a project.
6. Complaint
In this type of letter, you state
concerns or disappointment
about goods, services, or
business‐related issues. It is
important to remain polite. Do
not use ALL CAPS or inappropriate
language. Don’t send a letter of
complaint while you are angry.
Reread your letter and decide at
a later time if you should send it
or not.
7. Request
There are a variety of things you
may need to make a request for in
business, including internally (e.g.,
a deadline extension, a reference
letter) or externally (e.g., a contact
name, a replacement part).
8. Confirmation
or Follow-Up
This is a letter to confirm that
something has been received.
Occasionally email or packages
go missing or end up in a
spam mailbox. Don’t follow
up too quickly.
9. Sales or Marketing
Businesses send many letters to
potential customers or clients to
introduce new products or make
special announcements. These
are often written by a president or
CEO of a company.
10. Notification
In this type of letter, a company,
organization, or individual may
provide information about a
person’s account, membership,
or job position. Notifications may
be about updates or changes.
They may contain good or bad
news for the recipient.
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5
How to Write a Business Letter
Writing in English
Useful Phrases
Which type of business letter might contain these phrases?
Would you find the phrase in an opening line, a middle paragraph,
or a closing line? Discuss these questions with a partner and
keep this list handy while you’re writing.
• I’m writing to inquire about...
• I’m writing in reference to...
• I’m writing to express my dissatisfaction with...
• I’m interested in learning more about...
• I would be grateful if you could send some information.
• I regret to inform you...
• I am pleased to inform you...
• Should you require further assistance, please contact our office.
• I should also remind you...
• To learn more about our products and services, please visit our website.
• Enclosed, please find the information you requested.
• If we can be of further assistance, please don’t hesitate to ask.
• I am writing to confirm that...
• I am writing to congratulate you...
• I am writing in reference to my former colleague, Liz Reece.
• Please accept our sincere apology.
• We deeply regret this error.
• Thank you for your assistance.
• I would like to draw your attention to...
• I would be grateful if...
Trim the Fat
Remember, the word “business”
comes from “busy.” Business
people don’t have time to
read long-winded letters.
Your writing must be clear
and concise. Trim anything
that is unnecessary and avoid
wordy sentences. Avoid using
emoticons, emoji, pictures,
abbreviations, or any fancy
fonts in a business letter.
• I trust that you will look into this matter.
• I appreciate the time you took to...
• Please respond at your earliest convenience.
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6
How to Write a Business Letter
Writing in English
Sample Business Letters
A. Business Letter
Read the sample letter of
complaint. Discuss the letter
with a partner. What important
features does this letter include?
Discuss the formatting,
organization, and content
of this letter.
Morris Photography
8908 Water St., Ste. 2
Chicago, IL 60005-1234
March 4, 2019
Mr. Carlson Louis
Fine Photo Prints
34 Harbor St.
Chicago, IL 60001-6789
Dear Mr. Louis,
I am a long-term customer of Fine Photo Prints. While I’ve always
appreciated your company’s excellent service and products, I’m
writing to express dissatisfaction about a recent order.
First, the cost of printing has increased significantly since my
last order. I didn’t expect to pay $100 more than usual, and as a
result, I have not charged my clients enough to cover my costs.
Second, my prints weren’t of the usual quality. Several images
had black streaks in the middle. The envelope was also wet when
it arrived in my mailbox.
As a long-term customer, I would appreciate a refund or a reprint
(free of charge). The original invoice and order # is attached. If
you have any further questions, you can reach me by phone or
email. Please respond at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely,
Ella Morris, Morris Photography
(m. 220-779-2000)
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7
How to Write a Business Letter
Writing in English
Sample Business Letters cont.
B. Response
Read the sample response.
Discuss the letter with a
partner. What important
features does this letter
include? How does it differ
from the first letter?
Fine Photo Prints
34 Harbor St.
Chicago, IL 60001-6789
March 9, 2019
Ella Morris
Morris Photography
8908 Water St., Ste. 2
Chicago, IL 60005-1234
Dear Ms. Morris,
Thank you for your letter regarding your recent order of
Fine Photo Prints. We appreciate your business, and we
want to make this right for you.
Please find the reprint that you requested enclosed, as
well as a 50% off coupon for your next order. I apologize
for this inconvenience and hope that you will continue
using Fine Photo Prints for your business needs in the future.
If you have any further concerns, please do not hesitate
to contact me.
Sincerely,
Carlson Louis, Owner
Fine Photo Prints
m. 228-990-8765
e. carlson@fpprints.com
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8
How to Write a Business Letter
Writing in English
Business Envelopes
A. Formatting Tips
Here are some tips for formatting mailing addresses properly in North America:
• Use a plain font.
• Avoid any punctuation (periods, commas).
• Type the addresses or use address labels if possible.
• All caps is the preferred format in the US
and Canada, but it is not a requirement.
• Spell the recipient’s name/company correctly.
• Include a return address (top left corner or back
of envelope) in case the mail is undeliverable.
• Include directional words, such as EAST or WEST.
• Place a unit number (suite or apartment)
after the street address. Don’t use a # symbol
to indicate an apartment or suite.
• A PO Box (used instead of a street address)
goes on the line before the state/province.
• For a US address, include a numerical
ZIP+4 code with a hyphen (60001-6789).
• For a Canadian address, include a
postal code (V3M 3T9). Don’t use a hyphen.
• If sending internationally, place the country name
on the last line of the mailing address (JAPAN).
B. Sample Envelope
ELLA MORRIS
8908 WATER ST STE 2
CHICAGO IL 60005-1234
STAMP
CARLSON LOUIS
FINE PHOTO PRINTS
34 HARBOR ST
CHICAGO IL 60001-6789
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9
How to Write a Business Letter
Writing in English
Business Letter Checklist
BEFORE SENDING YOUR LETTER
After you write your letter,
proofread it. If it is an email,
don’t send it right away. Leave
it in your drafts folder and come
back a little later to open it again.
Fix any mistakes you see. Check
your spelling! If you are happy
with your letter, hit “Send” or
“Print.” If you’re mailing the letter
through a postal service, be sure
to use correct formatting on
the envelope.
Did I type the recipient’s name and address correctly?
Did I include a proper salutation?
Did I write politely even if it is a complaint or concern?
Did I trim any unnecessary words or lines?
Did I close the letter appropriately with my needs clearly stated?
Did I include contact information for a reply?
Did I proofread my letter?
Did I wait a day before sending a letter of complaint?
Did I format the envelope properly?
Comprehension Check-In
Work with a partner and answer the
following questions based on the lesson so far.
1. What is letterhead?
2. What is the correct order for writing the date in the US?
3. How many types of business letters can you name?
4. What is a cover letter?
5. What is a reference letter?
6. What should NOT be used in a business letter?
7. Which punctuation mark is used after a
closing word(s), such as “Warm regards”?
8. How are zip codes and postal codes formatted differently?
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10
How to Write a Business Letter
Writing in English
Pair Activity
A. Write a Business Letter
Write a letter of complaint to a
manager of a company that you
recently made a purchase from.
Express your dissatisfaction with
the product in a polite way. Include
the sender, recipient, subject,
salutation, body, and closing.
Be sure to use useful expressions
from this lesson. Use this space
for your rough draft.
Proofread your letter later
today or tomorrow. Refer to the
checklist! (You could also type
your letter on a computer and
print it.) Then write or type an
envelope with a fictional address
and exchange your letter with
your partner.
B. Write a Reply
Respond to your partner’s letter.
Use this space for your rough draft.
Be sure to use useful expressions
from this lesson. Write or type an
envelope using the return address
from the envelope you received
from your partner. Give your letter
of response to your partner.
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11
How to Write a Business Letter
Writing in English
Answer Key
LESSON DESCRIPTION:
LEVEL: Int
In this lesson, students learn tips and techniques for writing
business letters in English. They review the main components of
a business letter, and they also learn how to format a letter and
envelope properly. Useful expressions are included.
TIME:
TAGS:
1.5–2 hours
writing, business, complaint, feedback, date,
concern, email, titles, address, envelope
Warm-Up
Useful Phrases
A. WRITING
Give your students some time to do
a bit of writing on the topics provided.
B. VOCABULARY PREVIEW
1. e 3. d 5. c 7. f 9. i
2. h 4. b 6. j
8. g 10. a
Extra Review: In pairs, have students fill in their own definitions
on page 14, cut up the strips, and give to their partner to match up.
Components of a Business Letter
Parts A–F can be read together as a class, or you can have students
read these sections in pairs or small groups. Allow students time to
complete the tasks.
Types of Business Letters
Give students time to read about the different types of business
letters. Ask which type they think they are most likely to write.
Have they written any of these letters in the past? Which ones are
the most difficult to write?
You can have your students organize the useful phrases into a chart
form. Which type of business letter might each phrase go with?
Answers will vary. Many of the phrases could appear in multiple
types of letters.
Sample Business Letters
Put students in pairs or small groups and have them read and
discuss the two examples. There are a few ways in which the two
letters differ, and answers may vary. One is a complaint, and the
other is a response/apology. One states a problem; one offers a
solution. The second letter is also different in that it contains a
closing phrase (“If you have any further concerns, please do not
hesitate to contact me.”).
Business Envelopes
Optional. Does your computer lab have a program for typing
envelopes? Have students practice typing envelopes and labels
using the proper format.
(continued on the next page...)
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12
How to Write a Business Letter
Writing in English
Answer Key cont.
Business Letter Checklist
Review the checklist with your students and advise them
to keep it handy when they are writing business letters.
Comprehension Check-In
SPELLING NOTE:
This lesson shows the American spelling of the word Practice.
Most other English-speaking countries spell it this way: Practise
(when used as a verb; Practice when used as a noun). Make it a
challenge for your students to find this word in the lesson and
see if they know the alternate spelling.
1. Letterhead is special stationery that a company uses.
It has the address of the company printed on it (usually
in the top left corner). Teach your students a trick for
spelling “stationery” (the word that refers to paper products
has an “e” for envelope) vs. “stationary” (staying in one place).
2. The correct order for writing the
date in the US is month / day / year.
3. The ten types of business letters named in this lesson are:
inquiry, resignation, cover, reference, thank you, complaint,
request, confirmation or follow-up, sales or marketing, and
notification.
4. A cover letter is a short letter of
introduction that goes before a resume.
5. A reference letter is a letter that you write on
behalf of a person who is applying for a job. It may
be a personal reference or a business reference.
6. Emoticons, emoji, abbreviations, and fancy fonts or
images should not be included in a business letter.
7. A comma is used after a closing word(s),
such as “Warm regards.”
8. Zip codes are written as five digits with a hyphen followed by
four more digits. A postal code is written with a combination of
letter/number/letter followed by a space and number/letter/
number. No hyphen should be used with a postal code.
Pair Activity
If you have computers in the school, or if your students have
computers at home, they can type these letters on a computer.
If not, have them do this activity by hand.
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13
How to Write a Business Letter
Writing in English
Extra Vocabulary Practice (optional)
Write definitions in your own words. Cut up these vocabulary strips.
Challenge a partner to match the vocabulary to your definition.
on behalf of
recipient
letterhead
triple-check
salutation
colleague
applicable
inquiry
resignation
draw one’s attention to
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14
Writing in English
How to Brainstorm
Lesson Objective
In this lesson, you will learn some useful pre-writing skills for generating
ideas and narrowing down a topic. You’ll practice brainstorming in a
variety of ways.
Did you know...
Brainstorming individually is often more effective than brainstorming in
a group. When brainstorming in a group, some of your best ideas may
be lost while you’re waiting for your turn to speak. You may also hold
back your best or most creative ideas because you fear what others
may think of them.
Warm-Up
A. Writing
Get a blank piece of paper and divide it into two columns. At the top of
one column, write “Topics I’m Interested In.” At the top of the other column,
write “Topics I’m NOT Interested In.” When your teacher says “Go!,” write
as many words or phrases in each column as you can. Don’t think. Just
write! Then discuss these questions with a partner or your classmates.
1. How many topics did you write in each column?
2. Are there any similarities between your and your partner’s/classmates’
lists of topics that you’re interested in? Are there similarities between
your lists of topics that you’re not interested in?
3. What topics do teachers typically ask you to write about? Which ones
interest you? Which ones bore you? Share these with your teacher!
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How to Brainstorm
Writing in English
Warm-Up cont.
B. Vocabulary Preview
Match these words to their definitions.
1.
brainstorm
a)
a closely related group
2.
freewrite
b)
to write without a format and without thinking too hard
3.
mind map
c)
to come up with, to make
4.
random
d)
a way of organizing ideas into thought bubbles
5.
generate
e)
to find and focus on the most important details or ideas
6.
cluster
f)
not organized or planned
7.
Venn diagram
g)
wide, not detailed
8.
rolestorm
h)
to think of a lot of ideas related to a topic or problem
9.
broad
i)
to think of ideas from another person’s perspective
10.
narrow down
j)
a graph of intersecting circles, used to compare two or three ideas
Brainstorming Techniques
A. Freewriting
When you freewrite, you write for “quantity,” not “quality.” When you
start, you may have a broad topic in mind, such as “Cities I Might Write
About.” You may also have something more specific in mind, such as
“Things to Do in New York City.”
As you freewrite, remember that you are the only reader at this stage of
writing. This pre-writing stage is for generating as many ideas as you can.
Task 1
Get a blank piece of paper.
Freewrite for five minutes about a city that you know a lot about.
Ready, set, write!
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How to Brainstorm
Writing in English
Brainstorming Techniques cont.
B. Mind Maps (Webbing)
A mind map or web is the most common form of brainstorming.
A mind map has a large circle in the center for the main idea, topic,
or problem. As random ideas and examples come to mind, you draw
branches (lines) and smaller circles or bubbles to place your thoughts.
Your random thoughts can be organized into clusters of related ideas.
Task 2
Get a blank piece of paper.
Create a mind map called
“Reasons To Visit ”
(the city you chose in Part A).
Example:
REASONS TO VISIT NEW YORK CITY
musicals Times Square
comedy
Entertainment
plays
street musicians
Broadway
food festivals
pizza
cheesecake
Food Mexican
Italian
5th Avenue
toy stores
Shopping
REASONS TO VISIT
NEW YORK CITY
hotels
train stations
Architecture
clothes
souvenirs
mansions
statues
towers
hockey
Sports
baseball
basketball
football
tours
History
Wall Street
museums Ground Zero
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How to Brainstorm
Writing in English
Brainstorming Techniques cont.
C. Lists
Making a bulleted list is another
form of brainstorming.
You may decide to use one or
more columns. After you make
your list(s), you can place details
and examples in parentheses
beside some of the items.
Example:
HOW TO VISIT NYC ON A BUDGET
• Broadway shows (last-minute tickets, search for discount
codes online, go solo, try Off-Broadway shows at small theaters)
• Transportation (walk instead of taking taxis,
plan ahead to avoid extra subway fares, Staten Island Ferry)
• Hotel (find off-season deals, book early, travel Sundays and Mondays)
• Food (ask locals where to eat, buy snacks at a grocery store
and eat one only meal out a day, find coupons, eat NYC pizza)
• Attractions (libraries, museums, Central Park, window-shopping)
Task 3
Brainstorm a bulleted list based on your own travel topic,
such as “How to Visit London with a Child.”
Topic:
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How to Brainstorm
Writing in English
Brainstorming Techniques cont.
D. Venn Diagram
Venn diagrams are useful for comparing two things or ideas. You can use
these types of diagrams to prepare for a comparative essay or to help you
choose between two topics. Here is an example of a Venn diagram.
Task 4
Create your own Venn diagram
using the city you chose in Task 1.
You can compare your city to
another city, or choose any other
related topic for comparison.
New Year’s fun
Christmas shows
decorated
crowded
shopping
expensive
restaurants
walkable
Central Park
smell of garbage
outdoor festivals
windy
cold
beautiful
shows
hot
more crime
humid
Winter in NYC
Summer in NYC
E. Rolestorming
A fun way to generate unique ideas is to imagine yourself as someone
else. What ideas would a famous celebrity generate on the topic of
New York City? What would a homeless person write about?
Task 5
Find a partner and choose a travel topic together. Then choose
two different people (celebrity, classmate, teacher, family member)
to rolestorm ideas. Sit back-to-back as you brainstorm for five minutes.
Then share your results. Pretend you are the other person as you
share your ideas. To the right are some topics to choose from.
If you prefer, you can also choose your own!
Topics:
• Traveling with Kids
• Honeymoons
• Adventure Travel
• Flying Vs. Driving
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How to Brainstorm
Writing in English
Narrowing Down a Topic
Now that you’ve explored five ways to generate ideas, it’s time to
narrow down a topic for a writing assignment. Here are three different
methods for choosing your best ideas from your brainstorming work.
A. Turn Your Ideas into Questions
As you look at your ideas, put yourself in your
readers’ shoes. What would they want to know?
Here are some examples of questions based on
the sample Venn diagram.
Examples:
1. What’s your preferred method of transportation?
2. What type of weather do you prefer?
3. Why do you want to travel to New York City?
4. What does your perfect day in New York New York
City look like?
5. If you could only do one thing
in New York City, what would you do?
6. What types of experiences can ruin a trip?
7. How much time and money are you
planning on spending in New York City?
8. Will you be returning to New York City anytime soon?
9. What advice would you give a friend who was
trying to decide when to visit New York City?
10. What do you NOT want to do in New York City?
Task 6
Look at your freewriting from page 2. Write at least
ten questions related to your ideas. Now choose the
most interesting question. Can you base a writing
assignment on this question?
B. Find Your Weak Ideas
After you brainstorm about a topic, look through
your ideas to find weak or uninteresting points. Put
yourself in your readers’ shoes again. What seems
uninteresting or obvious? Cross out anything that
doesn’t jump out at you. (Don’t use a black marker in
case you change your mind!)
Task 7
Look back at your mind map from Task 2. Cross off
any ideas and details that you don’t think are your
best ones. Try to leave yourself with at least three
main points and a few great examples. Do you think
you could write a good paragraph or essay with
these points?
C. Isolate Your Best Ideas
If you spent enough time brainstorming, you
probably came up with some really interesting
ideas. Which ones are the best? Which ones
would your reader want to know more about?
Task 8
Look through the ideas on your mind map again. Find
the ideas that jump out at you. These ideas should
make you want to write more! Which ideas have the
most details? Which ones interest you? Which ones
can you think of specific examples for? Circle them,
highlight them, or underline them. Use a different
color pen to draw attention to the best ideas.
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How to Brainstorm
Writing in English
Give Your Brain a Break
Brainstorming is hard work. Before you move on to the next pre-writing
stage (writing an outline), you should take a little break from your writing.
If possible, come back to your writing the next day. Even though
you are giving your brain a break, you may want to have a notebook
handy! Don’t be surprised if ideas start to come to you when you’re in
the shower or before you get out of bed in the morning. Capture the
best ideas before they escape.
Comprehension Check-In
Work with a partner and answer the following
questions based on the lesson so far.
1. What are five types of brainstorming that you can use?
2. Why is it effective to brainstorm as an individual rather than as a group?
3. What step should you take after generating a lot of ideas for a writing piece?
4. What type of writing would work well with Venn diagrams?
5. What is the main goal of freewriting?
6. Why would rolestorming provide different ideas than freewriting?
7. Why does this lesson mention taking a shower?
Writing Challenge
A NEW WAY OF BRAINSTORMING
Work with a partner or small group to create your own brainstorming
technique! After you come up with an idea, challenge another pair or
group to try your brainstorming method.
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How to Brainstorm
Writing in English
Answer Key
LESSON DESCRIPTION:
LEVEL: Int
In this lesson, students will learn some fun pre-writing
techniques for generating ideas for writing assignments.
TAGS:
writing, brainstorming, pre-writing
Lesson Objective
Brainstorming Techniques
Review the lesson objective with your students.
Ask them what they think brainstorming is.
Ask them why they think “storm” is used in this word.
Give your students time to try each brainstorming technique.
They will need a few blank pieces of paper to complete the tasks.
If they don’t like the suggested travel topics, use different ones!
Warm-Up
Narrowing Down a Topic
A. WRITING
Ask your students to do the warm-up on a blank piece of paper.
Place students in pairs to discuss the post-task questions (or
discuss as a class).
B. VOCABULARY PREVIEW
Print copies of page 10 and cut out the strips, or
have students do the matching exercise provided on page 2.
1. h 3. d 5. c 7. j
9. g
2. b 4. f 6. a 8. i
10. e
Now that your students have learned a few different ways of
brainstorming, they need to be able to sift through all of their
ideas. Which ones are too weak? Which ones are the best? (The
next writing stage will be writing an outline. Try our lesson plan!)
Give Your Brain a Break
If you want a fun way to take a brain break before the
comprehension check-in, have your students take out a blank
sheet of paper and draw what a “brainstorm” (storm in the brain)
would look like. Have them close their eyes while they draw.
After they open their eyes, they can compare their drawings.
(continued on the next page...)
Copyright 2019, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. (INT / VERSION 3.0) 8
How to Brainstorm
Writing in English
Answer Key cont.
Comprehension Check-In
1. The five types of brainstorming used in this lesson are
freewriting, lists, mind maps, Venn Diagrams, and rolestorming.
2. It is effective to brainstorm as an individual rather than as a group
because you don’t have to wait to share your idea. You also don’t
have to censor your ideas or worry about what others may think.
3. After generating a lot of ideas for a writing piece, the next step
is choosing the best ones and eliminating the weakest ones.
4. A comparative writing piece would work well with Venn diagrams.
5. The main goal of freewriting is to write as much as
you can and not worry about the quality of the writing.
6. Rolestorming would provide different ideas than freewriting
because you try to get into another person’s mind.
7. This lesson mentions taking a shower because
people tend to have a lot of ideas in the shower!
Writing Challenge
Optional. If you have time to do this activity, it is a fun way to end
the lesson! What kinds of brainstorming tasks can your students
come up with and challenge each other to try?
SPELLING NOTE:
This lesson shows the American spelling of the words Theaters,
Traveling, Color, and Practice. Most other English-speaking
countries spell these words this way: Theatres, Travelling, Colour,
and Practise (when used as a verb; Practice when used as a noun).
Make it a challenge for your students to find these words in the
lesson and see if they know the alternate spellings.
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How to Brainstorm
Writing in English
Extra Vocabulary Practice (optional)
Write definitions in your own words. Cut up these vocabulary strips.
Challenge a partner to match the vocabulary to your definition.
brainstorm
freewrite
mind map
random
generate
cluster
Venn diagram
rolestorm
broad
narrow down
Copyright 2019, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. (INT / VERSION 3.0) 10
Writing in English
How to Write
a Summary
Lesson Objective
In this lesson, you will practice using your own words to explain the
main idea of something you have learned. This is called summarizing.
We summarize for a variety of reasons in both speaking and writing.
In this lesson, we will focus on writing summaries of texts.
Warm-Up
A. Writing
Find an article or blog post (no more than three
paragraphs) and try to find the main idea. Highlight
the three most important details in the text. Discuss
the following questions with a partner.
1. What type of work did you choose?
2. What was the piece mainly about?
3. What were the three most
important details in this piece?
B. Vocabulary Preview
Match up as many words and meanings as you can.
Check this exercise again after seeing the words in context in this lesson.
1.
summarize
a)
necessary, essential
2.
paraphrase
b)
shortened
3.
attributive tag
c)
to the point, brief
4.
relevant
d)
to shorten someone’s work into the main idea and important details
5.
sparingly
e)
to reword in one’s own words (crediting the original source)
6.
condensed
f)
to mark up or add notes to a document
7.
objective
g)
without one’s own personal ideas
8.
concise
h)
in a limited way
9.
proofread
i)
to do a final check for mistakes in a text
10.
annotate
j)
a phrase that indicates who the original author is
Copyright 2019, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. (INT – HIGH INT / VERSION 2.0) 1
How to Write a Summary
Writing in English
Introduction to Summarizing
A. What Is a Summary?
A summary is a condensed overview of the main idea(s) and essential
details of a longer work (e.g., an article or story). A summary should be
objective and concise. It should be able to stand alone as its own work.
The target audience is a reader who is not familiar with the original work.
B. What a Summary Is NOT
When you summarize, you use your own words but NOT your
own opinions, ideas, or interpretations. You use attributive tags
(e.g., the author suggests...) to show that the ideas are not your own.
A summary is NOT an outline. An outline is a summary in point form.
You can write an outline first. Then you can use your notes to write a
summary in paragraph form. A summary may be one paragraph or
a few, depending on the length of the original work.
A summary does NOT include specific details
such as dates, times, and statistics.
Parts of Speech
summary (n):
a short description in one’s own
words about the main idea and
essential parts of a longer piece
summarize (v):
to shorten a longer piece
using in one’s own words
Rule of Thumb
Use direct quotes sparingly in a
summary. Only quote directly
from the source if you cannot
paraphrase an idea in your own
words. If you must use exact
wording within your summary,
use quotation marks around it
and credit the source.
Task 1
Look at the text on this page of the lesson. Identify
the title. Circle the main idea. Place a star beside three
relevant points that relate to the main idea. Place an X
beside information that is irrelevant or unnecessary to
the general idea of this page.
Task 2
Choose a topic from ESL Library’s Historic Events
section. Ask your teacher to provide you with
the reading (page 2) from the topic you choose.
You will use this reading at a later time.
https://esllibrary.com/courses/98/lessons
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How to Write a Summary
Writing in English
3 Reasons for Summarizing
There are many different reasons your teacher, employer, or friend may
ask you to summarize something. Here are few of the main reasons why
it’s important to learn this skill.
# Reason Explanation
1 to demonstrate comprehension
2 to find the important parts
3 to report to others
If you can write a summary, you know what a text is about. In an
academic setting, it is important for your instructor to know that
you understand the main idea of the content.
An important reading skill is being able to easily find the most
important parts and to ignore the parts that aren’t essential.
Summary writing requires you to practice and demonstrate this
real-life skill.
In the real world, you often need to summarize content to help
others learn what they have missed. In a work setting, your
colleagues may be unable to attend a presentation or read a
report. In an academic setting, you may need to summarize a
lecture that a friend missed.
Task 3
1. Read the article from the Historic Events topic you chose in Task 2.
Write five Wh- Questions that relate to the main idea.
2. Write three details from the Historic Events article
that are irrelevant to a summary on this topic.
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How to Write a Summary
Writing in English
Formatting a Summary
A summary is formatted in paragraph form. One paragraph is long enough
to summarize a short article, story, or film.* A summary is usually written
in the present tense. It follows the traditional format of a paragraph.
It should include:
*Note:
Your teacher may have different
expectations for the length of
your summary.
1. an introductory (topic) sentence (includes the title and author)
that briefly tells the reader what the piece is about
2. three to five supporting sentences that relate to the central idea
(about one sentence per section of original text, in logical order)
3. attributive tags to show that thoughts are not the writer’s own
(avoid direct quotes if possible)
4. a concluding sentence that rephrases the main idea
Task 4
Read the example summary
to the right and annotate it.
1. Circle the
introductory sentence.
2. Place a star above the title
of the original source.
3. Place two stars above
the author’s name.
4. Cross out the sentence that
introduces the summary
writer’s own opinion.
5. Draw a squiggly line under
the concluding statement.
Example Summary
In “Research Writing with Digital Tools,” ESL Library’s guest blogger
Shelly Terrell offers teachers tips and resources for helping English
language learners improve academic writing skills through technology.
Terrell claims that ELLs need extra help learning how to organize and
present their thoughts in writing. She offers four main suggestions to
teachers. First, she provides resources that help students improve on
process writing, such as ReadWriteThink and Creately. Next, she covers
the importance of developing research skills. Terrell recommends
several social bookmarking tools, including Pinterest. Terrell also
emphasizes the importance of learning how to cite sources. She
mentions academic style guides and identifies apps that make citing
easy, including Easy Bib. Citation generators should not be used
unless ELLs already know how to cite sources. Lastly, Terrell notes that
feedback requires a “safe environment.” She suggests using tools such
as audio and video feedback. In summary, Shelly Terrell shares several
tips and tools to help ELLs with their research and academic writing.
“Research Writing with Digital Tools”
http://blog.esllibrary.com/2015/03/25/digital-tools/
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How to Write a Summary
Writing in English
Writing a Summary
A STEP-BASED APPROACH
When summarizing in writing, use paragraph form. You can summarize
a short article in a single paragraph. It may take a few paragraphs to
summarize a longer work, such as a novel.
Follow these steps to create a summary of a short text, such as an article.
1. Read the article once.
2. Reread the article armed with a pen and a blank piece of paper.
3. As you reread, write down the title and author of the original work.
4. Find the main idea. (Why was this text written?) Circle it.
5. Divide the article into its main sections. Draw boxes around them.
6. Place a star beside one important detail in each box.
7. Read the starred parts over to yourself.
8. Put the original article away.
9. Write the main idea in point form on your paper.
10. Write points for each important detail (look at the article if necessary).
11. Get a new piece of blank paper. Use your notes to write a paragraph
that summarizes the article.
12. Read the original work again.
13. Reread your summary and add any key parts you missed.
14. Omit any parts in your summary that are not central to the main idea.
Make sure you haven’t introduced your own personal opinions.
15. Make a final copy of your summary. (Proofread it the next day.)
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How to Write a Summary
Writing in English
Reference
SENTENCE STARTERS FOR SUMMARIZING
How you word your summary is important. You need to be concise and
objective. Here are some useful words and phrases to use in your summary.
Keep this page handy when you move on to the Writing Challenge.
Use
Useful Words & Phrases
Introductory
Sentence
• In “ ,” covers/writes about/discusses .
(title) (author)
(main idea / theme)
• As explains in “ ,”...
(author)
(title)
• , in “ ,” focuses on...
(Author) (title)
Main Idea
• The piece covers...
• “ ” is a story about...
(Title)
• The article/piece is mainly about...
• The main point the author makes is...
Relevant Details
• As notes/tells us, ...
(author)
• The article/piece/text says that...
• According to , ...
(author)
• A report about claims that...
(topic)
• argues that...
(Author)
Summing Up
• In short, ...
• To summarize, ...
• In summary, ...
• In brief, ...
• To conclude, ...
• As mentioned, ...
Attributive Tags
THE AUTHOR / NAME / HE / SHE...
• believes
• claims
• demonstrates
• suggests
• emphasizes
• insists
• informs
• maintains
• notes
• observes
• reminds
• reports
• says
• states
• explains
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How to Write a Summary
Writing in English
Comprehension Check-In
Work with a partner and answer the
following questions based on the lesson so far.
1. What is this lesson mainly about?
2. What part of speech is the word “summary”?
3. How is summarizing used in the real world?
4. What can writers use to avoid introducing their own opinions in a summary?
5. How should a summary be formatted?
6. What should writers do after they write their first draft of a summary?
Writing Challenge
SUMMARIZING
1. Choose a news article or informational text to work with.
2. Follow the steps on page 5.
3. Go through the checklist below.
4. Submit your summary to your teacher.
A Checklist
SUMMARIZING
Did I read the original text carefully?
Did I take notes as I read the second time?
Did I note the title and author in my topic sentence?
Did I identify the main idea of the text?
Did I find three or more relevant details
that relate to the main idea?
Did I use attributive tags?
Did I avoid introducing my own opinion?
Did I omit details that were too specific
(e.g., facts, stats)?
Did I include a concluding statement?
Copyright 2019, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. (INT – HIGH INT / VERSION 2.0) 7
How to Write a Summary
Writing in English
Writing Task Assessment
Name:
Description of Task
Skills
Date
Completed
Score /
Success
Level
Writing a summary
of a one-page text
Reading, Writing
Success
Assessment Criteria Yes Almost Not Yet
understands what a summary is and is NOT
locates basic information from a text
begins summary with a topic sentence (includes title and source)
summarizes the main idea
includes relevant details in the summary
ends the summary with a concluding statement
shows evidence of planning and proofreading
Teacher Feedback
Resource Used
ESL Library: How to Write a Summary
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How to Write a Summary
Writing in English
Answer Key
NOTE:
LESSON DESCRIPTION:
LEVEL: Int – High Int
We recommend using this lesson in
conjunction with ESL Library’s related
lessons, especially How to Write a
Paragraph: https://esllibrary.com/
courses/74/lessons/2563 and How to
Paraphrase: https://esllibrary.com/
In this lesson, students learn how to write
an objective summary of a written work.
Students view examples of a summary
and try a step-by-step approach.
TIME:
TAGS:
2+ hours
writing, academic language,
summarizing, summary,
reporting, writing practice,
reproducing information
courses/74/lessons/2465/
Lesson Objective
Introduction to Summarizing
Review the lesson objective with your students.
Warm-Up
A. WRITING
Give your students some time to find a short article to work
with (or assign this for homework before beginning this lesson).
Place the students in pairs for the discussion questions.
B. VOCABULARY PREVIEW
Have students complete the matching exercise,
and/or print copies of page 12 and cut up the strips.
1. d 3. j
5. h 7. g 9. i
2. e 4. a 6. b 8. c 10. f
Go over the information and confirm that your students
understand what a summary is and what a summary is NOT.
Give students time to complete Tasks 1–2.
TASK 1
Answers to the questions may vary.
Title: Introduction to Summarizing
Main idea: A summary is a condensed overview of
the main idea(s) and essential details of a longer work.
3 points: A summary should be objective and concise, in one’s own
words, and in paragraph form. (Answers will vary)
Irrelevant info: Rule of Thumb and Definition Boxes, Task 1 and 2
TASK 2
Have your students each choose a topic from the Historic Events
section of ESL Library: https://esllibrary.com/courses/98/lessons
Or, if your class is already working with specific texts, any one-page
text can be used. Make sure that each student has a text to work
with before moving on to page 3.
(continued on the next page...)
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How to Write a Summary
Writing in English
Answer Key cont.
3 Reasons for Summarizing
Go over the information and confirm that your students
understand why summarizing is an important skill to learn.
TASK 3
Wh- Questions can help students find relevant information in
a text. For question 1, have students review their Historic Event
reading and write five comprehension questions about it using
Wh- Questions. Then for question 2, have students practice
isolating details that are too specific to include in a summary.
Formatting a Summary
a “safe environment.” She suggests using tools such as audio and
video feedback. In summary, Shelly Terrell shares several tips and
tools to help ELLs with their research and academic writing.
Writing a Summary
Go over the step-based approach to summary writing. After you do
this, you may want to check comprehension by having students put
this list away. Ask questions such as, “Which comes first, reading
the article in full or searching for the main idea?” or “Which comes
first, making point-form notes or writing a paragraph?”
Reference
Go over the notes and have students read the example summary
that goes with Task 4. (It has one extra sentence in it that does
not belong in a summary.)
TASK 4
Make sure that your students annotate
the summary with the following:
In “Research Writing with Digital Tools,” ESL Library’s guest blogger
Shelly Terrell offers teachers tips and resources for helping
English language learners improve academic writing skills through
technology. Terrell claims that ELLs need extra help learning how
to organize and present their thoughts in writing. She offers four
main suggestions to teachers. First, she provides resources that
help students improve on process writing, such as ReadWriteThink
and Creately. Next, she covers the importance of developing
research skills. Terrell recommends several social bookmarking
tools, including Pinterest. Terrell also emphasizes the importance
of learning how to cite sources. She mentions academic style
guides and identifies apps that make citing easy, including Easy Bib.
Citation generators should not be used unless ELLs already know
how to cite sources. Lastly, Terrell notes that feedback requires
Encourage your students to keep this page handy for essays or
writing responses that require them to summarize. They may
also want to review this list before taking a test or exam so that
some of the phrases and words are fresh in their minds for the
writing component.
Comprehension Check-In
1. This lesson is mainly about how to
write a short summary of a written text.
2. The word “summary” is a noun.
3. Summarizing is used to fill others in on what they may have
missed. It is also used to shorten a longer piece for others.
4. Using attributive tags is a good way to avoid
introducing one’s own opinion in a summary.
5. A summary should be written in paragraph form. It should
start with an introductory sentence that identifies the original
source for the reader. The paragraph should describe the main
idea and most important parts of the original text using one’s
own words. A summary ends with a concluding statement.
6. After writing a first draft, writers should go over the original
text again to see if they missed anything important. They
should also omit any of their own opinions or ideas.
(continued on the next page...)
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How to Write a Summary
Writing in English
Answer Key cont.
Writing Challenge
Your students will now choose another text to work with, such as a
news report. They will use the step-by-step approach from page 5
to write a summary for submission. Encourage them to use the
checklist afterward. If you are using this task for assessment, share
the Assessment Tool from page 8, so that students understand
what they will be assessed on.
A Checklist
You may want to go through the checklist with your students
before they begin writing. Remind them to use it before they
submit their summary.
SPELLING NOTE:
This lesson shows the American spelling of the word Practice.
Most other English-speaking countries spell it this way: Practise
(when used as a verb; Practice when used as a noun). Make it
a challenge for your students to find this word in the lesson
and see if they know the alternate spelling.
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How to Write a Summary
Writing in English
Extra Vocabulary Practice (optional)
Write definitions in your own words. Cut up these vocabulary strips.
Challenge a partner to match the vocabulary to your definition.
summarize
paraphrase
attributive tag
relevant
sparingly
condensed
objective
concise
proofread
annotate
Copyright 2019, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. (INT – HIGH INT / VERSION 2.0) 12
Writing in English
How to Proofread
Lesson Objective
In this lesson, you will learn some useful tips for peer editing and
proofreading. You’ll also learn to spot some common English errors.
Did you know...
It is difficult to proofread your own writing. You may not notice your
mistakes and typos because your brain tricks you into seeing what you
think you wrote. When you proofread your own work, do it at least a day
after you finish your final copy.
Warm-Up
A. Writing
On the lines below and on the next page or on a blank
piece of paper, freewrite about the difference between
mistakes and errors. Are they the same thing? Are they
different? Don’t just think about mistakes and errors
in terms of English learning. Think about mistakes
and errors in your everyday life. Then discuss these
questions with a partner or your classmates.
1. In your opinion, what is the difference
between a mistake and an error?
2. How can you prevent yourself from
repeating a writing error over and over?
3. Why is it important to make
mistakes and errors in life?
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1
How to Proofread
Writing in English
Warm-Up cont.
A. Writing cont.
B. Vocabulary Preview
Match these words to their correct definitions.
1.
proofread
a)
an incomplete sentence (without an independent clause)
2.
peer edit
b)
to check the writing of a classmate or friend
3.
typo
c)
to read through a final copy and check for mistakes
4.
revision
d)
comments (positive or negative)
5.
feedback
e)
methodically going through a document to check for problems
6.
line editing
f)
a typing mistake, often made subconsciously
7.
draft
g)
the incorrect use of a comma to separate two complete thoughts
8.
sentence fragment
h)
one of two (or more) versions of a document
9.
comma splice
i)
words that sound the same but have different meanings or spellings
10.
homophones
j)
a change made to a draft
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2
How to Proofread
Writing in English
Editing, Peer Editing & Proofreading
READ & PROOFREAD
Professional writers and publishers hire editors to
make sure that an article, book, or other written work
is in good form before it gets to the reader. An editor’s
job is a big one. An editor has to make decisions about
content, structure, length, tone, word choice, and
much more. Professional editors provide feedback
for writers in the early stages, just like your teacher
probably does with you. The goal is to create a piece
of writing that is clear, concise, and readable. This
may take many drafts. Eventually, the editor will read
carefully through the text to offer specific suggestions
at the word and sentence level. This is called
line editing.
Task 1
Write a paragraph that paraphrases the main
differences between professional editing,
peer editing, and proofreading.
Students and amateur writers need editors too. You
may catch mistakes that other writers make, but it’s
difficult to critique and correct your own writing. Peer
editors can be your classmates, your friends, or even
your family members. You can take turns editing each
other’s work. A peer editor can look at a first draft and
offer suggestions about structure, style, and content.
After you make some revisions, they can look more
closely at your individual sentences.
The final editing stage is called “proofreading.”
A proofreader’s job is to look at the polished work
and spot typos or other errors that the writer or
editor may have missed or introduced while making
revisions. A proofreader may even find mistakes that
the editor missed. Before you pass your polished copy
to a proofreader, it’s a good idea to proofread your
own work. Try to leave at least a day between finishing
your final draft and proofreading it. You will be more
likely to see your own mistakes with fresh eyes.
Keep a record of mistakes that you make often.
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3
How to Proofread
Writing in English
Common Writing Errors & Mistakes
Here are some common writing errors to watch out for
when you are peer editing at the word and sentence level.
A. Sentence Fragments
A sentence fragment is an
incomplete sentence that does
not contain an independent clause.
An independent clause must have
a subject and a verb. It also must
be able to stand on its own.
Task 2
Can you correct these sentence fragments?
Rewrite the sentences in your notebook.
1. In Canada, where thousands of lakes.
2. Some of the students working through the night.
3. Even though we got the car fixed before our trip.
4. Leaving the country when she had the flu.
5. Which is why we called the police.
B. Apostrophe Errors
Watch out for the tricky
apostrophe! Writers often omit
an apostrophe where one is
needed, or they add one when
one is not needed. It may even be
a good idea to investigate each
apostrophe in a piece of writing
to see if it was used properly.
Task 3
Can you correct these common apostrophe errors?
Rewrite the sentences in your notebook.
1. The cat ate it’s food quickly.
2. Its going to be a busy work week.
3. My sister fly’s here on Wednesday.
4. My parent’s aren’t coming to the concert.
5. Her fathers friend didn’t enjoy the party.
C. Subject-Verb Agreement
In English, the subject in a
sentence must agree with the
verb. A singular subject (boy) takes
a singular verb (eats). E.g., The boy
eats pizza. This is simple when a
singular subject is right beside the
verb. It gets a little trickier when
compound subjects are used or
when phrases appear in between
subjects and verbs.
Task 4
Can you correct these common agreement errors?
Rewrite the sentences in your notebook.
1. Neither George nor Lisa are home.
2. The referee and the players is waiting for the rain to stop.
3. He and his sister is at the front desk.
4. Nobody are going to work today because it’s a holiday.
5. There is bananas in the fridge.
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4
How to Proofread
Writing in English
Common Writing Errors & Mistakes cont.
D. Comma Splices (Run-On Sentences)
A comma can’t be used to separate two complete
thoughts. There are three ways to fix a comma splice:
• Add a conjunction
such as “and” or “although.”
• Turn one sentence into two
with a period.
• Use a semicolon
to separate the two complete thoughts.
When using a semicolon, the sentences
should be closely related and very short.
Task 5
Rewrite these sentences without comma splices.
1. It was a delicious dinner, we had steak and salad.
2. The scenery is gorgeous, there are lakes,
mountains, and forests to explore.
3. It was a cold night, we almost froze.
4. The project is due on Monday,
you should start working on it.
E. Formatting
Spelling:
One piece of writing should use a single spelling
convention, such as American English or British English.
Spacing:
Spacing after headings and paragraphs should be
consistent. A space should not be placed before a
comma or period. This is a very common error that
English learners make.
Font:
Task 6
Circle the incorrect spacing in the paragraph below.
While we’ ve come to rely on honeybees for our food
supply , these pollinators have been dropping like flies
since the late 1990 s. The mysterious phenomenon of the
disappearing honeybee is known
as Colony Collapse Disorder ( CCD). Even though bee
colonies can be replaced by commercial beekeepers , it is
a very expensive procedure . When colonies are lost year
after year , beekeepers are unable to
keep up
with the demand.
The same size and style of font should be used
throughout a paper. The use of quotes, italics, and
bold text should be used consistently. Try following
a style guide, such as the MLA.
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How to Proofread
Writing in English
Common Writing Errors & Mistakes cont.
F. Formality & Tone
The tone of the writing should
be consistent. If an essay is
written from the third-person
perspective, it should remain
in that voice throughout. If a
document is written in a formal
tone, it should not break away
with a personal anecdote from
a first-person perspective.
Task 7
Which sentence does not belong in the paragraph below?
Bee experts don’t know exactly what is causing the rapid decline
of honeybees, but most agree that chemicals are largely to blame.
The use of pesticides has increased dramatically in recent years.
I never use pesticides in my garden! Climate change is another
suspect. Extreme weather such as drought can make it difficult
for bees to do their job.
G. Capitalization
Incorrect capitalization is one
of the most common mistakes
English learners make in their
writing. Here are four things
to remember:
• The first word in a sentence
must be capitalized.
• The pronoun “I” must
always be capitalized.
Task 8
Circle all of the words that should be capitalized in the text below.
Circle any of the words that are incorrectly capitalized as well.
1. my Dog leah likes eating lucky charms cereal.
2. When i am 18, I am going to visit italy and australia.
3. The Sunset looked so nice on tuesday. Did You see it?
4. Next Year i am going to learn french.
5. When i finished reading the harry potter books, I cried.
• Proper nouns must be
capitalized. This includes
languages and nationalities
like “English” and “American.”
• Important words in a
heading or title should
also be capitalized.
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6
How to Proofread
Writing in English
What to Look For as a Proofreader
A. Typos
A typo is a mistake you make while typing. Typos can be difficult for the
writer to catch because a writer’s mind thinks the words have been typed
correctly. When you are proofreading someone else’s work, watch out for
unnecessary apostrophes (your/you’re), missing apostrophes, missing
words, and repeated words.
B. Spelling Mistakes
Do your classmates use digital spell-checkers? A spell-checker is handy,
but it won’t catch every mistake (e.g., desert /dessert). Homophones
such as “it’s” and “its” are very problematic for writers! You may know the
difference between these similarly spelled words, but you may still type
them incorrectly.
If you’re checking work that is written with a pen and paper, make
sure to keep a dictionary handy. Look up any word that seems wrong,
especially if it has double letters.
C. Formatting Problems
Tip:
READING OUT LOUD
The next time you read through
your own writing or a peer’s
writing, read it out loud to
yourself. You are more likely
to catch mistakes and errors
if you read it out loud than
if you read it silently. Tiny
missing words like “a” or “the”
will stand out when you hear it
spoken. This is also a great way
to catch any mistakes that you
have inadvertently introduced
during the proofreading
stage. Proofreading in a quiet
place with no distractions is
important. Try recording your
voice as you read it out loud
and listening to it after. Does
anything sound unnatural?
As a proofreader, it’s your job to look for formatting inconsistencies and
problems, including improper spacing and capitalization. A space should
never go before a punctuation mark. Paragraphs should be spaced out
properly. Proper nouns and headings should use capitalization correctly.
Task 9
Survey your classmates to find
out which words they have trouble
spelling. Make a class list called
“Our Commonly Misspelled Words”
and post it in your classroom.
Our Commonly Misspelled Words
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
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How to Proofread
Writing in English
Writing Correction Key
Use these symbols to make corrections while peer editing.
Symbol Meaning Use
SP Spelling Spelling mistake
WC Word Choice The word doesn’t make sense in the context
WF Wrong Form E.g., using a gerund instead of an infinitive, or an adjective instead of a noun
VT Verb Tense The wrong verb tense is used
/ Deletion Unnecessary, extra word
^ Addition Another word or phrase is needed (e.g., sentence fragment)
P Punctuation Wrong punctuation is used, or more punctuation is needed (e.g., comma splice)
C Case Capital or lowercase letters have been used incorrectly
T Tone E.g., a sentence or example is too informal
F Format There are formatting issues, such as incorrect spacing or lack of italics
Example Correction:
C WF P VT WC SP
P
i wanted going to the a party but I don’t go although I had papper to write
^
Corrected Sentence:
I wanted to go to the party, but I didn’t go because I had a paper to write.
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8
How to Proofread
Writing in English
Comprehension Check-In
Work with a partner and answer the following
questions based on the lesson so far.
1. What is the difference between an editor and a proofreader?
2. Why is it important to get someone to proofread your final copy?
3. How can you fix a comma splice?
4. What error do many writers make when it
comes to leaving spaces around punctuation?
5. What should a proofreader do when
reading the final copy of a written work?
6. Why does this lesson mention the word “dessert”?
Writing Challenge
PROOFREAD EACH
OTHER’S PARAGRAPHS
Find a partner and exchange the
text that you wrote in Task 1 on
page 3. Use the symbols in the
Writing Correction Key on page 8
to proofread each other’s writing.
You could also choose a different
piece of writing for this activity.
A Checklist
BEFORE YOU HAND THE FINAL COPY BACK TO THE WRITER
Did you run the document through a spell-check program?
Did you check all apostrophes?
Did you check for proper spacing around punctuation marks?
Is the tone consistent?
Did you read the text out loud in a quiet place?
Did you check the capitalization?
Keep in mind that if you are
working with another English
learner, some of his or her
editing suggestions may not be
correct. Work together to polish
the text. You can also ask your
teacher for help.
Is the font consistent in the headings and titles?
Does every sentence have an independent clause?
Are commas used properly?
Does the writer’s name appear on the document?
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9
How to Proofread
Writing in English
Answer Key
LESSON DESCRIPTION:
In this lesson, students learn about the role of an editor and
proofreader. This lesson focuses on spotting and correcting
common writing mistakes and errors.
LEVEL: Int – Adv
LEVEL: 2–3 hours
TAGS: writing, proofreading, editing, common errors, formatting
Lesson Objective
Review the lesson objective with your students.
Ask them why they think it’s difficult to edit their own writing.
Warm-Up
A. WRITING
Print copies of page 12 and cut up the strips, or have
students do the matching exercise provided on page 2.
1. c 3. f 5. d 7. h 9. g
2. b 4. j
6. e 8. a 10. i
Editing, Peer Editing & Proofreading
Give your students time to read and paraphrase the paragraphs.
The text that they write will be used for a proofreading task at the
end of this lesson.
Common Writing Errors & Mistakes
A. SENTENCE FRAGMENTS
Task 2
Answers will vary.
1. In Canada, there are thousands of lakes.
2. Some of the students worked through the night.
3. We got the car fixed before our trip, though.
4. She left the country even though she had the flu.
5. That is why we called the police.
B. APOSTROPHE ERRORS
Task 3
1. The cat ate its food quickly.
2. It’s going to be a busy work week.
3. My sister flies here on Wednesday.
4. My parents aren’t coming to the concert.
5. Her father’s friend didn’t enjoy the party.
C. SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
Task 4
1. Neither George nor Lisa is home.
2. The referee and the players are waiting for the rain to stop.
3. He and his sister are at the front desk.
4. Nobody is going to work today because it’s a holiday.
5. There are bananas in the fridge.
Try our Subject-Verb agreement lessons in our Grammar Practice
Worksheets section: https://esllibrary.com/courses/88/lessons
D. COMMA SPLICES (RUN-ON SENTENCES)
Task 5
Answers will vary.
1. It was a delicious dinner. We had steak and salad.
2. The scenery is gorgeous.
There are lakes, mountains, and forests to explore.
3. It was a cold night; we almost froze.
4. The project is due on Monday, so you should start working on it.
(continued on the next page...)
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10
How to Proofread
Writing in English
Answer Key cont.
Common Writing Errors & Mistakes cont.
Writing Correction Key
E. FORMATTING
Task 6
While we’ ve come to rely on honeybees for our food
supply , these pollinators have been dropping like flies
since the late 1990 s. The mysterious phenomenon of the
disappearing honeybee is known
as Colony Collapse Disorder ( CCD). Even though bee
colonies can be replaced by commercial beekeepers , it is
a very expensive procedure . When colonies are lost year
after year , beekeepers are unable to
keep up
with the demand.
F. FORMALITY & TONE
Task 7
I never use pesticides in my garden!
G. CAPITALIZATION
Task 8
1. my Dog leah likes eating lucky charms cereal.
2. When i am 18, I am going to visit italy and australia.
3. The Sunset looked so nice on tuesday. Did You see it?
4. Next Year i am going to learn french.
5. When i finished reading the harry potter books, I cried.
What to Look for as a Proofreader
Task 9
Answers will vary.
Your students may want to keep this handy at all times.
Feel free to add / change any symbols to meet your needs.
Comprehension Check-In
1. An editor looks at many drafts and helps with general
and specific problems, while a proofreader checks the
final copy for typos and other last-minute mistakes
that may have been introduced or missed.
2. It’s important to get someone else to proofread your
final copy because it’s difficult to catch your own mistakes.
3. A comma splice can be fixed with
a period, a semicolon, or a conjunction.
4. Many writers place spaces before commas
or other punctuation marks instead of after.
5. A proofreader should read the
final copy out loud in a quiet space.
6. This lesson mentions the word “dessert”
because it is similar to the word “desert” and
can’t be caught by a digital spell-checker.
Writing Challenge
Your students may find it frustrating to be corrected by peers
who are not at the same learning level. Try to partner learners up
appropriately. Remind your learners that they can also learn from
each other’s correction mistakes.
Also keep in mind that some students may feel embarrassed when
showing their writing to their peers. Remind them of what you may
have discussed in the Warm-Up—making mistakes is often the best
and fastest way to learn.
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11
How to Proofread
Writing in English
Extra Vocabulary Practice (optional)
Write definitions in your own words. Then cut up these vocabulary strips.
Challenge a partner to match the vocabulary words to your definitions.
proofread
peer edit
typo
revisions
feedback
line editing
draft
sentence fragment
comma splice
homophones
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12
Writing in English
How to Compare
& Contrast
Lesson Objective
In this lesson, you will practice comparing (expressing similarities)
and contrasting (expressing differences) in written English.
Let’s start with a brainstorming activity.
Warm-Up
A. Brainstorming
1. Think of two people (friends, family members, celebrities) who have
some similarities (e.g., gender and age) and some differences
(e.g., personality and nationality).
2. Label the Venn diagram on page 2 by placing one name in each circle.
3. Take notes in point form to describe character traits of the two people
you chose. If both people share a characteristic, put it in the middle
where the circles overlap.
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1
How to Compare & Contrast
Writing in English
Warm-Up cont.
A. Brainstorming cont.
Venn Diagram
Different
Similar
Different
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2
How to Compare & Contrast
Writing in English
Warm-Up cont.
B. Discussion
Discuss these questions with a partner.
1. Who did you choose to write about, and why?
2. In what ways are these people similar?
3. In what ways are these people different?
4. How are your two people different from the two
people your partner chose? Are there any similarities?
C. Vocabulary Preview
Match these words to their correct definitions.
1.
overlap
a)
to share the same space at some point
2.
point form
b)
a connection that both things or people share
3.
relevant
c)
a change from one thing to another
4.
strike a balance
d)
a short written format, not full sentences
5.
transition
e)
to find a way to show or represent both sides
6.
resemble
f)
to not be nearly as good or high in quality as something else
7.
whereas
g)
to look similar to
8.
scrutiny
h)
in contrast (a conjunction)
9.
pale in comparison
i)
important, mattering to someone
10.
correlation
j)
a careful or detailed investigation
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3
How to Compare & Contrast
Writing in English
Comparing & Contrasting in English
You will compare and contrast when you:
• write a compare-contrast essay
• respond to a compare-contrast text
• review products
• review books and movies
• compare theories or ideas
• describe personal experiences
• describe characteristics
• explain pros and cons
There are two main reasons for comparing
and contrasting in written English.
Did You Know?
The expression there is no comparison means
that it’s not worth comparing two things. In other
words, A is so much better than B that B is not
worth mentioning.
A: How was the cruise?
Was it better than your last trip?
B: There is no comparison.
We will never use any other cruise line.
A. To Describe or Define
Comparing and contrasting can be used to describe certain qualities of
two people, places, or things. For example, in a literary essay you may
compare and contrast two characters. When deciding what to compare,
think about the following questions.
• What’s interesting?
• What’s relevant?
Task 1
Imagine that you are going to compare two characters from your favorite movie.
Think of three points about them to compare and contrast.
1.
2.
3.
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4
How to Compare & Contrast
Writing in English
Comparing & Contrasting in English cont.
B. To Evaluate
Comparing and contrasting helps you make a choice or decision between
two different options. For example, you could compare and contrast a
book and movie to decide which one was better. You could also compare
and contrast two vacation destinations to decide on a better option.
Task 2
Think of two vacation spots that you could evaluate. What aspects would
you compare and contrast in order to decide which place is the best
destination? Make sure that your points are interesting and relevant.
My Vacation Choices
1.
2.
Points to Compare
1.
2.
3.
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5
How to Compare & Contrast
Writing in English
Compare & Contrast Thesis
A. Writing a Thesis Statement
In every essay, it is important to include a thesis statement in your
introduction. Your thesis tells your reader your basic argument. In a
compare-contrast essay, writing a thesis statement is quite simple.
You can use one of the methods below.
Make sure that your choice is obvious in your thesis.
Later you will learn about evaluating the similarities and differences.
Methods
1. strike a balance between the similarities and differences
2. focus mainly on the similarities
3. focus mainly on the differences
Example Thesis
The plot differences in The Hunger Games book and movie are minor;
however, it is the different points of view that really set the book and
movie apart.
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6
How to Compare & Contrast
Writing in English
Compare & Contrast Thesis cont.
B. Compare-Contrast Adjectives
Here are some adjectives used for describing differences and similarities.
Major
• pronounced
• striking
• clear
• notable
• evident
• significant
Minor
• subtle
• insignificant
• minimal
• not obvious
Task 3
Fill in the blanks to create thesis statements for
compare-contrast essays. Use the topics you wrote
about in Task 1 and 2 or choose other possible topics.
1. The similarities between and are .
(adjective)
2. The differences between and are .
(adjective)
3. and have many similarities, but
.
4. and have a few differences; however,
.
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7
How to Compare & Contrast
Writing in English
Compare & Contrast Patterns
There are a few different patterns
you can choose from when writing
compare and contrast essays. It is
a good idea to choose one before
starting an outline and writing
an introduction.
Example
Imagine that you are going to write an essay comparing New York
City and Los Angeles. You are going to evaluate these cities to decide
which is a better destination for a honeymoon. Here are three
possible ways to organize this compare-contrast essay.
A. Block Pattern A
COMPARE THEN CONTRAST
Start with all of the similarities
of New York and L.A. These
go in paragraph 2 (after
your introduction).
Write all of the differences
between New York and L.A.
These go in paragraph 3.
Decide which is the
best destination for the
newlyweds and explain why.
This is your final paragraph.
B. Block Pattern B
COMPARE & CONTRAST
IN CONCLUSION
Describe New York as a travel
destination in paragraph 2.
Describe L.A. as a travel
destination in paragraph 3.
Compare and contrast New York
and L.A. in paragraph 4 and decide
the best destination
for the newlyweds.
C. Point-By-Point Pattern
COMPARE & CONTRAST
BY ITEM
In this type of essay, you compare
and contrast one point at a time.
For example, compare and
contrast weather for both
places in paragraph 2.
Compare and contrast
cost in paragraph 3.
Compare and contrast sites
to see in paragraph 4.
Identify the best destination
based on a summary of these
items in paragraph 5.
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How to Compare & Contrast
Writing in English
Compare & Contrast Patterns cont.
Task 4
In the introduction of a compare and contrast essay, identify your
organizational pattern for your reader. This is a road map statement.
You will not write, I’m going to write an essay in block pattern style A.
What could you write?
Write a road map sentence to go with patterns B and C on the
previous page. Road map A has been completed for you as a model.
Note:
Your road map statement
may or may not be combined
with your thesis. In your
introduction, you must tell
the reader your main point(s)
and include a brief road map
so that your teacher knows
what to expect.
Road Map Sentences
A. By examining all of the similarities of New York and L.A., and then reviewing the differences,
it will be possible to see why honeymooning in the east is a better option for newlyweds.
B.
C.
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9
How to Compare & Contrast
Writing in English
Showing Relationships
You probably already know a few different transition words to use for
comparing and contrasting. Here is a reference page with examples to
help you add variety to your writing. Look at the examples to see how
these words and phrases are used in different sentence positions.
A. Words & Phrases for Comparing B. Words & Phrases for Contrasting
• just as
• likewise
• also
• similarly
• x resembles y in that
• x is similar
to y because
Examples
• just like
• in a related way
• by the same token
• in a similar fashion
• at the same rate
• in the same
manner/way
1. Just as Wendy fell in love unexpectedly, her sister
found the man of her dreams in a surprising way.
2. The Beatles are popular in Japan in the
same way as they are in the UK and America.
3. The book has a sad ending. Likewise,
people were sobbing at the end of the movie.
4. My mother wanted what was best for me.
Similarly, my father always made sure
I went to the best schools.
5. Australia resembles New Zealand in
that they both have tropical coastlines.
• unlike
• but
• in a different way
• in contrast
• whereas
• while
• as opposed to
• no relation between
• there’s no comparison
• in comparison
Examples
1. However, Toronto can be
very smoggy in the summertime.
2. On the contrary, the book
went into too much detail.
• differ from
• more than
• less than
• on the contrary
• however
• although
• despite
• conversely
• nevertheless
3. The preschool offers free lunches. In comparison,
the early years center offers an affordable meal plan.
4. Unlike the outdoor rink, the
indoor rink gets cleared every hour.
5. Everything is within walking distance here, whereas
we had to take public transit at our old place.
Task 5
Read through the examples in Parts A and B. Circle all of the
words and phrases that are used for comparing and contrasting.
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10
How to Compare & Contrast
Writing in English
Evaluating & Concluding
The most important thing about a compare‐contrast essay is that
you make meaningful (not obvious) comparisons. In your concluding
paragraph, you summarize and evaluate these comparisons for
your reader.
Note:
Be careful not to
overuse transition words.
This can be tricky in a
compare-contrast essay.
A. Words & Phrases for Evaluating
• set side by side, X and Y are
• in comparison with X, Y is
• Z distinguishes X from Y
• there appears to be a close relation between X and Y
• after careful scrutiny, X and Y are
• after this examination, X and Y prove to be
• neither X nor Y
• both X and Y
• X and Y are equal in terms of
• X pales in comparison to Y
• X and Y have Z in common
• on the one hand / on the other hand
• one clear difference between X and Y is
• there is no correlation between X and Y
Task 6
Have another look at the
Venn diagram you made in the
Writing Warm-Up on page 2.
You brainstormed the similarities
and differences about two
people. Now think about this
essay question: Who would make
a better leader for your country?
Review the notes you made from
your Venn diagram. Add some
more notes based on the essay
question above.
Who would make a better leader for
your country? (i.e., Mom or Dad?
Tom Cruise or Matt Damon? You
or your teacher?) Use some of the
transitional words and phrases
from above and imagine that the
first few paragraphs of an essay
have already been written. Now
write an evaluation paragraph
based on your notes.
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11
How to Compare & Contrast
Writing in English
Compare & Contrast Model Text
Task 7
Read the model text. Identify the thesis and road map statement,
and underline the words and expressions used to compare,
contrast, and evaluate.
APPLES TO ORANGES
They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away.
What about an orange? Both apples and oranges
have nutritional benefits, but only one comes out
on top. By comparing and contrasting the vitamins,
minerals, and sugar content in these two fruits, it is
possible to determine which one should be consumed
on a daily basis.
Most people know that oranges are a great source
of Vitamin C. Vitamin C is important for our immune
systems. A single orange has 110% of your required
daily intake. That’s about eight times more Vitamin
C than a medium-sized apple. But Vitamin C isn’t
the only vitamin we need. Both apples and oranges
contain Vitamin B-6. This vitamin is important for
brain development. Oranges offer slightly more
B-6 than apples.
Apples and oranges also contain important minerals.
They both contain about the same amount of
potassium. This is necessary for maintaining blood
pressure. Calcium is another important mineral.
A single orange contains about 6% of the calcium you
need in a day, whereas apples contain almost none.
Apples, on the other hand, are high in quercetin. This
is a cancer-fighting antioxidant that oranges lack.
Apples and oranges both contain natural sugars.
A medium-sized orange has about 12 grams of
sugar, while an apple has about 19 grams. On the
other hand, more people drink orange juice than eat
oranges. Drinking juice doesn’t require the effort of
peeling. Orange juice, like apple juice, is very high
in sugar. It takes two–four oranges to make a single
cup of orange juice. Unlike apple juice, many people
consume orange juice every day. Juice that is high in
sugar can cause people to gain weight.
Apples are a healthy snack and are easy to grab on the
go. Oranges, though they require peeling, are also very
good for you. Side by side, in fact, oranges offer more
nutritional benefits than apples. If you eat an orange
a day, you’ll get 100% of your required Vitamin C as
well as other important minerals. Choosing orange
juice out of convenience, however, is not a wise choice.
Stick with an orange a day to keep the doctor away.
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12
How to Compare & Contrast
Writing in English
Comprehension Check-In
Work with a partner and answer the
following questions based on the lesson so far.
1. Why is a Venn diagram useful
for a compare-contrast essay?
2. What are the two main reasons for
comparing and contrasting in written English?
3. What does there is no comparison mean?
5. What are three different ways of
organizing compare and contrast essays?
6. What is a road map statement?
7. What does a writer do in the conclusion
of a compare and contrast essay?
4. What do the words conversely, nevertheless,
and however have in common?
Writing Challenge
Choose a topic for a compare and contrast essay.
After you choose two people, places, or things, make
sure to come up with a narrowed-down thesis with
a road map for your reader. Brainstorm, outline,
and write a first draft of a compare-contrast essay.
Review the model essay on page 12 for guidance.
Suggested Topics:
• Two languages
• Two parents
• A book and a movie
• Two friends
• Two vacation destinations
Example Thesis and Road Map:
English and French are both difficult languages to
learn. By analyzing the similarities and differences
between these two languages, we can determine
why English is the more difficult second language
for a Spanish native speaker.
A Checklist
AFTER WRITING YOUR ESSAY
Did I brainstorm the similarities and differences?
Did I come up with an
interesting (not obvious) topic?
Did I include a thesis and
road map in my introduction?
Did I choose a pattern for organizing my essay?
Did I use transitional words and
phrases for comparing and contrasting?
Did I strike a balance between
differences and similarities?
Did I provide an evaluation?
Share your first draft with a partner.
Give each other suggestions for revisions
based on the checklist. Then write a second
draft and show it to your teacher.
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13
How to Compare & Contrast
Writing in English
Answer Key
NOTE:
LESSON DESCRIPTION:
LEVEL: Int – Adv
We recommend using ESL Library’s Essay
In this lesson, students learn tips
TIME:
2–3 hours
Series with or before this lesson. You’ll find
detailed instructions on brainstorming,
outlining, and writing introductions, body
paragraphs, and conclusions. This is a
for comparing and contrasting in
written English. Students view a model
text and practice writing their own
comparison paragraphs.
TAGS:
writing, compare-contrast,
compare, contrast,
paragraph, essay
suggestion, not a prerequisite.
Lesson Objective
Comparing & Contrasting in English
Review the lesson objective with your students.
Warm-Up
A. BRAINSTORMING
Give your students some time to create a Venn diagram. You
may want to put an example on the board. Students will use this
diagram in a related exercise (Evaluating and Concluding – Task 6).
B. DISCUSSION
Discuss the follow-up questions in pairs or as a class.
Review the two main reasons for comparing and contrasting
in written English. Have students complete Tasks 1 and 2.
Compare & Contrast Thesis
Help your students complete the thesis statements in Task 3.
If your students need more help writing a thesis, you may
want to review our lesson on How to Write an Introductory
Paragraph: https://esllibrary.com/courses/74/lessons/1830
(continued on the next page...)
C. VOCABULARY PREVIEW
1. a
3. i
5. c
7. h
9. f
2. d
4. e
6. g
8. j
10. b
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14
How to Compare & Contrast
Writing in English
Answer Key cont.
Compare & Contrast Patterns
Review the different options for organizing a compare
and contrast essay. In Task 4, your students practice writing
road map statements. If you haven’t already used our
How to Write an Introductory Paragraph lesson, you
may want to review it and try it with your students:
https://esllibrary.com/courses/74/lessons/1830
Showing Relationships
Your students can keep this reference page handy when they write
compare and contrast paragraphs or essays. Add any other words
and expressions that you want your students to use. In Task 5,
they circle all of the transition words in the examples:
A. just as, in the same way as, likewise, similarly, x resembles y in that
B. however, on the contrary, in comparison, unlike, whereas
Evaluating & Concluding
In Task 6, give students time to work on their own
draft of a paragraph that evaluates and concludes.
Apples and oranges also contain important minerals. They both
contain about the same amount of potassium. This is necessary for
maintaining blood pressure. Calcium is another important mineral.
A single orange contains about 6% of the calcium you need in a day,
whereas apples contain almost none. Apples, on the other hand,
are high in quercetin. This is a cancer-fighting antioxidant that
oranges lack.
Apples and oranges both contain natural sugars. A medium-sized
orange has about 12 grams of sugar, while an apple has about 19
grams. On the other hand, more people drink orange juice than
eat oranges. Drinking juice doesn’t require the effort of peeling.
Orange juice, like apple juice, is very high in sugar. It takes two–four
oranges to make a single cup of orange juice. Unlike apple juice,
many people consume orange juice every day. Juice that is high in
sugar can cause people to gain weight.
Apples are a healthy snack and are easy to grab on the go. Oranges,
though they require peeling, are also very good for you. Side by
side, in fact, oranges offer more nutritional benefits than apples. If
you eat an orange a day, you’ll get 100% of your required Vitamin C
as well as other important minerals. Choosing orange juice out of
convenience, however, is not a wise choice. Stick with an orange a
day to keep the doctor away.
Compare & Contrast Model Text
(continued on the next page...)
Task 7:
They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away. What about an
orange? [Both apples and oranges have nutritional benefits,
but only one comes out on top.] (thesis) [By comparing and
contrasting the vitamins, minerals, and sugar content in these
two fruits, it is possible to determine which one should be
consumed on a daily basis.] (road map)
Most people know that oranges are a great source of Vitamin C.
Vitamin C is important for our immune systems. A single orange
has 110% of your required daily intake. That’s about eight times
more Vitamin C than a medium-sized apple. But Vitamin C isn’t the
only vitamin we need. Both apples and oranges contain Vitamin
B-6. This vitamin is important for brain development. Oranges offer
slightly more B-6 than apples.
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15
How to Compare & Contrast
Writing in English
Answer Key cont.
Comprehension Check-In
1. A Venn diagram is useful for a compare-contrast
essay because it allows the writer to note the
differences and similarities of two people , places, or things.
2. The two main reasons for comparing and contrasting in
written English are to define/describe and to evaluate.
3. The expression there is no comparison
means one thing is far better than the other.
4. The words conversely, nevertheless, and
however are all transitional words for contrasting.
5. 1 – First compare, then contrast.
2 – Describe one thing, then the other.
Then compare and contrast the two.
3 – Compare and contrast by item.
6. A road map statement tells the reader
how the writing will be organized.
7. In the conclusion, a writer evaluates the two
things that have been compared and contrasted
in order to make a decision or share an opinion.
SPELLING NOTE:
This lesson shows the American spelling of the words Favorite,
Center, and Practice. Most other English-speaking countries spell
these words this way: Favourite, Centre, and Practise (when used
as a verb, Practice when used as a noun). Make it a challenge for
your students to find these words in the lesson and see if they
know the alternate spellings.
Writing Challenge
Some basic topics are provided; however, you may want to allow
your students to choose their own topics. Remind your students
that they still need to come up with a thesis after they decide on
two people, places, or things to compare and contrast. An example
thesis is provided. You may want to find other model texts to share.
A Checklist
Encourage your students to use the checklist before passing their
first draft on to a peer editor. You can also use this checklist when
you evaluate your students’ second or final drafts.
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16
How to Compare & Contrast
Writing in English
Extra Vocabulary Practice (optional)
Write definitions in your own words. Cut up these vocabulary strips.
Challenge a partner to match the vocabulary to your definition.
overlap
point form
relevant
strike a balance
transition
resemble
whereas
scrutiny
pale in comparison
correlation
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17
Writing in English
How to
Write an Email
Lesson Objective
In this lesson, you will learn some helpful tips about emailing.
You’ll get a chance to practice writing an English email on paper before
you send one. You’ll also learn how to format an English email correctly!
Did you know...
• The word “email” is short for “electronic mail.”
• About 90% of email is spam or promotional mail.
• The @ sign is called the “at symbol.”
Warm-Up
A. Writing
Choose one of the following three topics. Write for five minutes on the
lines below and on the next page, in your notebook, on the back of your
paper, or on your electronic device or computer. Do not correct your writing.
Just write!
1. What reasons do people have for emailing?
2. How important is spelling, punctuation, and formatting when it comes to email?
3. What are some differences between an informal email and a formal email?
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1
How to Write an Email
Writing in English
Warm-Up cont.
A. Writing cont.
B. Vocabulary Preview
Match these words to their correct definitions.
1.
recipient
a)
the person who receives the item (letter)
2.
postmaster
b)
the greeting
3.
salutation
c)
the main part of a written work
4.
body
d)
the person in charge of delivering the mail
5.
sign off
e)
to write the end of a letter
6.
indentation
f)
a few spaces before a new paragraph
7.
signature
g)
a preset name and text/graphics at the end of an email
8.
filter
h)
a clue that something is wrong
9.
red flag
i)
to sort
10.
spam
j)
aka “junk mail,” sent out to a mass audience
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2
How to Write an Email
Writing in English
Introduction to Emailing
A. Email Addresses
You are the sender. If you are using email for business or other formal
purposes, your email address should look professional. The address
should have all or part of your name in it so that people know it
is legitimate.
The person you are sending the email to is called the recipient. Make sure
that the recipient’s name is spelled correctly when you type it. If the email
address has a typo or no longer exists, you may get an email back from
the postmaster that looks like this:
“Delivery has failed to this recipient.
The email address you entered could not be
found. Please check the recipient’s email
address and resend the message.”
If you are writing an email to more than one person, you can use the
Cc field (carbon copy). The Bcc (blind carbon copy) is useful if you don’t
want to share people’s email addresses. The Bcc recipient will not see the
other recipients’ names or addresses.
Task 1
Try to spot a problem with the recipient’s email address in each example.
Write the problem in the blank provided.
1. daavidjones@mailuni.com
2. teachergeorge@school.cim
3. 123karatekicks.com
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3
How to Write an Email
Writing in English
Introduction to Emailing cont.
B. Subjects
With email, it is important to compose a subject that will make the
recipient want to open the email. You don’t need to write a full sentence.
A good subject is short and easily searchable. In other words, if the
recipient wants to find it later, he or she can search for a key word,
such as “birthday.”
Task 2
Write three example “subjects” in the blanks provided.
1. (formal business)
2. (message to family)
3. (informal invitation)
C. Greetings
Be sure to address the recipient properly in your
greeting (also called a “salutation”). Double-check
that you have spelled the recipient’s name correctly.
A period after “Mr,” “Ms,” or “Mrs” is not necessary,
but is possible. Use a comma (,) or colon (:) after
the salutation. Start the body of your email on the
next line.
Formal
• Dear Mr Williams,
• Dear Ms Gomez,
• Dear Mrs. Harrington:
• Dear Sir,
• Dear Madam,
• To Whom It May Concern:
• Attn: Principal Smith
• Attn: Housing Manager
Informal
• Hi Adam,
• Hi guys,
• Hello ladies,
• Hi all,
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4
How to Write an Email
Writing in English
Introduction to Emailing cont.
D. The Body
An email should be separated into
paragraphs, just like any piece of
writing. One or two paragraphs
may be enough. Email should not
be too long. Use plain text (without
indentation). It’s best to keep
formatting “plain” because it may
not carry over to your recipient.
1. Introduce yourself (if it’s the first time you’ve contacted this person).
[space]
2. Identify your reason for the email.
[space]
3. Provide any special information. Identify any attachments.
[space]
E. Closing Remarks & Signing Off
Include a thank-you message
if applicable. Then, on the next
line, add your name. (Include your
title if it is business related.)
You may want to set an auto
“signature” to appear on every
email. This could include links to
your website address or social
media accounts. It may include
a logo. This can be done in your
email provider’s settings.
Formal
• Sincerely,
• Respectfully,
• Best,
• Best Regards,
• Warm Regards,
• Thank you,
• Sincerely,
Marko Rose, Executive Director
Informal
• Cheers,
• See you,
• Talk soon,
• Later,
• Cheers,
Lucy
Task 3
What will you include in your auto signature?
Create a unique auto signature for yourself:
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5
How to Write an Email
Writing in English
Replying to Email
A. Introduction
Try to reply to email promptly. If possible, reply the same day or within
a few days of receiving a message. Click “Reply” to send an email in
a “thread.” This allows the sender and recipient to read the history of
messages at any time. If the subject changes, but you want to write
to the same recipient, create a new email with a new subject. Click
“Forward” to share an email that you received with another recipient.
B. Discussion
How can the “Forward” option create problems for both formal and
informal recipients and senders? Why should it be used sparingly?*
*Note:
to use something sparingly:
to only use something once in a while or in small quantities, to not overuse
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6
How to Write an Email
Writing in English
Safety Tips
A. Subjects
Some email comes from people you know or have contacted. Some email
is promotional. Some email is spam. Email can contain viruses that destroy
your computer. How do you know if an email is safe to open or not? The
subject line can help you filter your messages. Here are some red flags:
• subjects ALL IN CAPS
• subjects with the word FREE
• subjects with a % number
Task 4
Which of the following subjects are probably
legitimate? (“Looks legit.” Write L on the line.)
Which are likely spam? (“Looks spammy.” Write S on the line.)
Tip:
Never open attachments from
senders that you don’t trust.
1. FREE tickets. CLICK HERE.
2. Pst. This offer is exclusive for you.
3. Tim and Elaine’s wedding
4. Graduation details for Jan. 22
5. We are awaiting your RSVP. Only 5 days left!
6. 50% of the spots are full! Earn 2X the points.
B. Passwords
When you sign up for an email account, choose a password that isn’t easy
to guess. Don’t share your password with anyone. Don’t use the same
password for your email as you do for a bank account or other private
account. A good password uses a variety of letters and numbers.
Task 5
Write an example of a weak password and a strong password.
Weak Password:
Strong Password:
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7
How to Write an Email
Writing in English
Email Checklist
BEFORE HITTING SEND
After you write your email,
proofread it. If it’s a formal email,
don’t send it right away. Leave it
in your drafts folder, and come
back a little later to open it again.
Fix any mistakes you see. Check
your spelling! If you are happy
with your email, hit “Send”!
Did I type the recipient’s email address correctly?
Did I include a suitable subject?
Did I add additional recipients correctly?
Did I include a greeting?
Did I include a body?
Did I close the email appropriately?
Is the email written in an appropriate tone (formal or informal)?
Did I attach a document or image that I said would be attached?
Did I proofread my email before hitting “Send”?
Comprehension Check-In
Work with a partner and answer the
following questions based on the lesson so far.
1. What is the word “email” short for?
2. What word is used to describe the person who receives an email message?
3. What does a subject field not need in an email message?
4. Provide three examples of an email salutation.
5. What is an auto signature?
6. What do you call an email before it is sent?
7. What does “Bcc” stand for, and what is the purpose of it?
8. What should a person do after composing a formal email (before hitting “Send”)?
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8
How to Write an Email
Writing in English
Sample Emails
A. Formal (Business)
Read the sample formal email. Discuss the message
with a partner. What important features does this
post include? Discuss the formatting, organization,
and content.
B. Informal (Social)
Read the sample informal email. Discuss the message
with a partner. What important features does this
post include? How does it differ from the first email?
Sender: Eazy Peasy Print
Subject: Quote for Calendars
Recipients: Aaron Hampton
Dear Mr Hampton,
Hello. I am Warren Bean, a sales
representative for Eazy Peasy Print.
Thank you for your interest in our services.
The cost of printing for your staff calendars
will be approximately $235.00. I have
included a breakdown of the fees in the
attached document. Please let me know if
you are interested in filling this order. We
can ship the calendars to you by the end of
next week.
If you have any further questions,
don’t hesitate to ask. You can reach
me by phone or email.
Sender: Olivia Ng
Subject: Book Club This Week
Recipients: Melanie Myers, Winnie and Fam,
Dionnes, Franz VanHooft
Hey everyone,
Just a reminder that book club is at my house
tonight. The book is Falling Down Easily by
Lucie McQueen. I hope you all loved it as
much as I did.
Here is my address: 22 Greene Lane.
There is parking on the street. Come
anytime after 8 pm.
See you tonight,
Liv
PS. Bring questions!
Sincerely,
Warren Bean, Eazy Peasy Sales Rep.
(224) 778-9999
Attachment: Quote #445 Staff Calendars
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9
How to Write an Email
Writing in English
Pair Activity
A. Write an Email
Handwrite an i