Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Formal language is the kind we use when we are being businesslike or when
we are talking to people who we need to respect. We use formal types of language
when we are writing essays, or applying for a job, or talking to our teachers. For
example, you would use either Yours sincerely or Yours faithfully at the end of a
formal letter, and would sign the letter using both your first name and surname.
Informal language is the kind we use when we are talking or writing to our
family or friends. For example, you would use something like From, All the best, or
Lots of love at the end of an informal letter, and would sign the letter using your first
name or a nickname.
Practice
Formal Informal
9
• I am sorry to inform you that...
• Dear Tom,
• phrasal verbs
• Dear Ms Smithers,
• I am very grateful for...
• Best wishes,
• Why don't we...
• Yours faithfully,
• I will not be able to attend
• I'm really sorry I...
the...
• Unfortunately, we will have to
• idioms and slang
postpone...
• contracted verb forms like
• We had a little bit of luck...
we've, I'm, etc.
• Our computers are used for a
• Give my regards to...
variety...
• I look forward to hearing from
• I use my pencil sharper for...
you...
• polite phrases
• Let me know as soon as...
• fewer passive verb forms
• short sentences
B. Look at the following characteristics of letters. Decide whether they are applied to
formal or informal letters or both by ticking the correct column.
10
Formal Informal
uses contractions
uses abbreviations
has paragraphs
is polite
Beginnings
Signalling the end Closings (at the end)
11
When you have finished, decide if each expression comes from a formal or informal letter,
and write F (formal) or I (informal) after each one.
WRITING
FOLDER
12
Formal And Informal Letters
1. Why does Rachel write this letter? What are the three different subjects she
covers?
2. What features of informal style can you find in the letter? Consider the
following: vocabulary, grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, cohesion/
linking words, and tone (what aspects of the writing show that Arantxa is a
friend?)
13
36 Shaston Drive
Shaftesbury
Dorset SH2 3AB
Dear Arantxa,
Thanks very much for lending me your flat while you were away. I hope
you enjoyed your holiday in Morocco as much as I enjoyed my stay in
Victoria. (I’ll tell you all about it when I see you at my party on Nov 5 th – I
do hope you haven’t changed your mind about coming!)
If I’d arrived on the 8th as planned I don’t suppose this tragedy would
have happened, but the thing is, I got caught up in the strike and had to
spend a couple of days at Heathrow. That’s life, I suppose, but I still feel
rather bad about it, both for myself (48 hours at Heathrow is no joke) and
for the fish. Perhaps I should sell my story to the newspaper – “Innocent
Suffer in Heartless Strike!”, “Holiday Chaos Hits Heathrow: Two Die!”
Anyway, thanks again for the loan of the flat. I hope I left everything in
the right place, and enough money by the phone to cover the few local
calls I made – I’m sure you’ll tell me if there are any problems. I’m really
looking forward to seeing you again, so I do hope you can make it to the
party. If not, see you in Bilbao at Christmas.
Love,
Rachel
14
Writing Techniques
1. Techniques
• The house number of a British or American address is written before
the name of the street, but write your own address in the way you
normally do.
• Don’t write the name or address of the person you’re writing to on the
left. This is only done in letters that are formal and impersonal.
• Date. These abbreviations are commonly used for the days and
months: Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun; Jan, Feb, Aug, Sept,
Oct, Nov, Dec.
• Dear is always appropriate – for family, intimate friends and even
enemies. My dear and Dearest are also possible, but very affectionate.
• Most letters start with a reference to the most recent contact you have
had with the other person:
Thanks very much for your letter, which came this morning
It was great to see you again last weekend – and looking so fit and
slim!
Some people’s letters always begin:
Sorry it’s been so long since I last wrote, but … followed by the
excuses for not having written.
• Most letters end with a reference to the next contact with the other
person:
I’m looking forward to seeing you / hearing from you.
Do write again soon.
I do hope to see you again in June, if not before.
• Love is a suitable ending for an intimate friend of either sex.
More affectionate: All my love, Love and Kisses, Lots of love
For a friend or colleague (not intimate): All the best, Best wishes
For a personal letter, but not to a personal friend: Yours, Regards
15
• In informal writing, exclamation marks are much more widely used and
are characteristic of a very chatty, conversational style.
e.g.: How awful!
No wonder she left him!
Dashes are highly charateristic of informal writing
e.g. Her teeth are like stars – they are white and shiny.
2. How to sound informal
Your writing will sound much more formal if you:
1. Remember you are writing to a friend. Imagine a real person.
• Be friendly and jockey.
How’s your diet going?
• Refer to common friends.
Have you heard from Sybilla?
Say hello to Edward for me.
Give my love to the baby.
• Refer to things your friend already knows.
As you know…
Just like you said…
2. Write in “spoken” English.
• Use personal constructions (phrases with / and you).
I know this sounds silly, but…
I hope you don’t mind my saying this, but…
You’ll never guess…
… if you know what I mean.
3. Use informal vocabulary, including phrasal verbs and informal linking
words such as those below.
• Expressing your opinion
To be quite honest To tell you the truth As I see it
To my mind From my point of view In my experience
Frankly Actually I’d say
• Expressing surprise
Believe it or not Funnily enough
To my surprise You’ll never believe this, but
This may surprise you, but Guess what!
16
• Changing the subject
Anyway,… Talking of which,… That reminds me,…
Before I forget…
Incidentally,… By the way,…
• Listing reasons
What’s more
To start with First of all
Plus
And another thing
And besides
TASK POOL
1. Write a letter to a friend you haven't seen or spoken to in a long time. Tell
him / her about what you have been doing and ask them how they are
and what they have been up to recently (draft).
2. Write a letter to a cousin and invite them to your wedding. Give them
some details about your future husband /wife.
3. Write a letter to a friend who has been having some problems. Ask him
/her how she /he is doing and if you can help.
Note: Your writing should include:
• Time: 20 minutes
• Length: 150 words
• Grammar: Pay attention to the use of informal language in your writing.
CHECKLIST
Use the checklist below to edit your draft.
1. Is the layout of the letter appropriate?
________________________________________________________________
2. Is the language used in the letter informal? Can you give specific examples?
________________________________________________________________
3. Are there any grammar mistakes in this letter?
________________________________________________________________
4. Are there any spelling mistakes in the letter?
________________________________________________________________
5. Does the letter convey the writer’s message?
________________________________________________________________
17
Unit 2: Letters to a Pen Friend
Capitalization
Grammar in focus Rules
CAPITALIZATION RULES
We live in an apartment.
Allah
Shiva
18
Mr. and Mrs. John O. Smith
Asian
Sino- Soviet
Moslem
American
English
Arabic
• Names of geographic areas:
the Middle East
the North
the Southwest
19
(But: DO NOT capitalize names of classes without numbers,
except languages: computer science, business administration,
economics, German conversation, English composition.)
Star Wars
NOTE: Capitalize the first word, the last word, and other
important words in titles. Do not capitalize short words such as
articles (a, an, the), prepositions (of, on , for), and conjunctions
(and, but, or). Of course, you must capitalize a short word if it is
the first word in a title.
20
Practice Work with your partner.
1. Write your own examples for capitalization rules.
2. Ask your teacher for help with spelling, or use a
dictionary.
a president _____________________________
_
a language _____________________________
_
a nationality _____________________________
_
a street _____________________________
_
a city or town _____________________________
_
a country ______________________________
a park ______________________________
a building ______________________________
21
Further Practice
1. farnaz is a student from iran. she speaks english, french, and farsi. her
major is chemistry.
2. the three most important holidays in the united states are christmas,
thanksgiving, and easter.
3. president john f. kennedy was born on may 29, 1917 and was
assassinated on november 22, 1963.
5. i am taking four classes this semester: english 40, sociology 32, typing,
and a computer science course.
7. excuse me! can you please tell me where the golden gate bridge is?
9. in the united states, there is no school during the months of june, july, and
august. this is the summer vacation.
10. i read a good book last weekend called the old man and the sea by
earnest hemingway.
22
Letters to a pen friend
WRITING
FOLDER Lead-in
Sample:
Now find out what other members of the class feel about these questions.
ACE
23 Green Street
Newton
PL29JG
23
22nd July
Writing Techniques
1. If you would like to make lots of new friends, first complete the following
coupon:
24
Name (Full name, nick name…):
Age:
Likes:
Hates:
Type of penpal you’d like:
Message:
Others:
3. Read Aliki’s letter again. Look at the way the address and date are written
and how she begins and ends the letter. Then look at the order of the
topics.
Note: You can choose some or all the topics, or anything that might
attract your reader. However, details of information should not be included
right in the first letter of this kind.
TASK POOL
1. Write a letter about yourself to sign up in a Penpal Club.
2. Write a letter about yourself to one of the penpals below:
Age: 16
Likes: Clothes and movies
Hates: Bossy people
Type of penpal you’d like: Boys or girls of any age
Message: Please write soon
25
Name: Dave Fairbrook
Age: 21
Likes: Sporty girls, football, Rock
Hates: Getting up early
Type of penpal you’d like: Girls aged 17 to 20
Message: I can write in English or simple French
Others:
CHECKLIST
Use the checklist below to edit your draft.
1. Did you use correct capitalization? ______________________________
2. Is your writing in formal or informal language? _____________________
3. Did you provide enough information about you? ___________________
4. What information did you provide? ______________________________
_________________________________________________________
5. Are you satisfied with your writing? ______________________________
Unit 3: POSTCARDS
1. Definition
2. Advantages and
GRAMMAR IN
FOCUS disadvantages ABBREVIATIONS
3. Usage
4.Common
abbreviation
1. Definition
26
An abbreviation is a short way of writing a word or a phrase that could also
be written out in full.
e.g.: N.Y.C (New York City), St. (street), Ave. (avenue), Dr. (doctor), etc.
- When an abbreviation comes at the end of a sentence, only ONE period
should be used.
e.g. He works for the D.S.S. (the Department of Social Security)
- Postal state abbreviations are written without periods.
e.g. NY 1023
- Abbreviations like St., Ave. and the two-letter postal abbreviations of
state names are normally used with numerals to write specific addresses.
e.g. 12 St. Phetchaburi, Bkk 1056
27
- Some abbreviations are appropriate in college and business writing: a.m,
p.m, Mr., Mrs., Prof., Dr.
e.g. This year, Prof. Jackson is in charge of our Literature class.
4. Common abbreviations
Other abbreviations
Kinds of
Example Equivalent Pronunciation
abbreviation
DIY Do it yourself
BBC British Broadcasting Corporation
DSS Department of social security
Spelled out as a
Set of initials USA The United States of America sequence of
UK The United Kingdom letters of the
alphabet
UN United Nations
ETA Estimated Time of Arrival
VAT Value added tax
28
Ad Advertisement
1. In Dec. 23rd , the stds. Govt. will present a Xmas tree 2 the C of E which was built
in the 17th cent instead of the 2nd vol. of the famous book as they have promised.
2. Between Batterry Pk. & Greenwich Village, most of the sts. in N.Y.C have names
instead of No.
29
3. Several British universities were founded in the Victorian era e.g. the U of
Manchester was established in 1851.
4. The city of Bilbao was founded in ca. 1210
5. Central Africa was explored by Livingstone, Stanley, Brazza, etc.
6. AFAIK, it’s uncommon to ride a bicycle in Bangkok
7. U’v got BF? B4N!
8. FTBOMH, I want 2 express my thx for yr gift!
9. Not c u 4 ages. TOY all time! I LUV U.
10. IMU. We need 2 talk F2F coz IWALU.
30
WRITING Write postcards
FOLDER
Sample postcard Questions for analysis
1. Why does the sender write this
postcard?
2. To whom does the writer send this
postcard?
3. What are the characteristics of
language used in this postcard?
31
Writing techniques
32
Match the postcard a, b, c with the right message
Practice
1, 2, 3
Dear Daddy,
We arrived at Amsterdam 2 days ago. Holland is
terrific and I think I love it. Although Sarah is a bit air-
sick, she finds your advice of us going honey moon in
Amsterdam more than fantastic!
We went to a bookshop yesterday and found out
this lovely postcard. I remember you are seeking
something like this for your collection. We’ll send you
some more right when we see anything interesting.
Take care. We’ll be back at the end of this
month.
With love,
Geoff and Sarah
a
a 1
1
Dear Tom,
I am enjoying my time in China. The
ancient towns here are marvelous and the
food is wonderful.
I have lots to tell you when being back. I
can’t speak Chinese so there are many
funny things happening. If only u were here!
You can help me a lot with your Chinese.
Take care and I’ll write you at the next
stop.
Yours,
My love,
John Thank you for stepping into my
b 2
life and sharing with me the sweet as
well as bitter moments of the days.
Next Monday, it is five years
since our two hearts found each other
and became one. Be sure that I’ll be by
your side, holding your hands in mine
till the last breath of my life.
Love you forever.
Yours xxx xxx
33
2
c TASK POOL
c
Choose one of the following topics:
CHECKLIST
34
1. Are there any grammar mistakes in this postcard?
______________________________________________________________
35
Unit 4: Letters of Invitation
Look at the examples below and complete these explanations with ‘a’,
‘an’ or ‘the’.
- The sandwich wasn’t very good, but ----------------------- when we talk about
the apple was delicious. the same thing again.
The pronunciation of ‘a’ and ‘an’: ‘a’ (pronounced /ə/) is used before
consonant sounds, not just consonant letters; ‘an’ (pronounced /ən/) is used
before vowel sounds, not just words beginning with the vowel letters.
36
Therefore we say:
an umbrella but a uniform
a European but an ear
a hall but an hour
•Classification: We use ‘a’/ ’an’ when we wish to classify people, animals or
things.
e.g.: When we say “A rose is a flower.” We mean that a rose is an
example of a class of items we call flowers.
• Quantity: The most common use of ‘a’/ ’an’ is the sense of ‘only one’ when
we are not specifying any particular person or thing.
e.g.: I’d like an apple. (i.e. only one; it doesn’t matter which)
‘A’/’an’ is also used before a countable noun mentioned for the first time;
the speaker assumes the listener does not know what is referred to.
e.g.: I looked up and saw a plane. (Mentioned for the first time – you
don’t know which plane I mean.)
In short, there is no difference in meaning between ‘a’ and ‘an’. When using
‘a’/ ’an’, we must always remember two basic facts:
1. A/an has an indefinite meaning.
2. A/an can combine only with a singular countable noun.
• The use of ‘the’ for classifying: Some nationality adjectives are used after
the when we wish to refer to ‘the group as a whole’.
e.g.: The British = The British people in general.
37
• The use of ‘the’ for specifying: When we use ‘the’, the listener or reader
can already identify what we are referring to, therefore the shows that the
noun has been specified by the context or grammatically.
Locations which are ‘one of a kind’ always requires the (the earth, the sea,
the sky, etc.)
• The use of ‘the’ in time expression: ‘The’ is used in time sequences (the
beginning, the end), parts of the day (in the morning), with the seasons, in
dates, in fixed time expressions (at the moment)
• The use of ‘the’ with unique items: organizations (the United Nations),
historical events (the French Revolution), ships (the Titanic), political parties
(The Labour Party), official titles (the Queen), public bodies (the Army), the
press (the New Yorker), titles (the Odyssey), beliefs (the angels), climate (the
weather), species (the dinosaurs)
• Others: superlatives (It’s the worst film I’ve ever seen); musical instruments
(the piano); fixed phrases (the sooner the better); fixed expressions (do the
shopping).
In short, when using ‘the’ we must always remember two basic facts:
38
2. ‘The’ can combine with singular countable, plural
countable, and uncountable nouns.
PRACTICE Fill in the blanks with ‘a/an’ or ‘the’.
Sunraycer
39
WRITING Writing Letters of
FOLDER
Invitation
Jane Calder is seventeen. She has a pen-friend in Greece called Katerina. Jane
has just received a letter from Katerina saying she is taking an English course in
England. Read Jane’s reply below and answer the following questions.
1. Is it formal or informal?
2. Did she include her address? What is it?
3. When did Jane write this letter?
4. What is her main purpose when writing this letter? Which phrase introduces that
purpose?
5. What are the contents of each paragraph?
6. What is the ending of this letter?
43 Riverside Avenue
Bedford
CP2 1AP
April17th, 2003
Dear Katerina,
Thanks so much for your letter which arrived yesterday. I’m very happy
to hear that you’re coming to England this summer. You said that your English
course in Cambridge would last a month, so would you like to come and see
us?
We have a spare room, so there’s no problem about putting you up, and
you’re welcome to stay for as long as you like. We are not going away this
summer, so there’s no problem about arranging dates.
Please write soon and tell me if you can come. My best wishes to your
parents. My parents send their kindest regards.
Love,
Jane
40
Writing Techniques
41
Remember that the closing should also be followed by a comma. Lastly,
put or sign your name below the closing.
42
………………..1
…………......…2
………………...3
I have to book the tickets
…………………4 Friday, May 5th
4th April, 2003.
…………………5 Love
…………….6 to you for such a long time. I’ve been so Dear Anne,
busy at the university. But now something has come
up that would give us the chance to meet. The 46 Cranford Str.,
university drama department is organizing a trip to would like to join us
Stratford on ………………7 to see Twelfth Night. I London
know you and Bob ………………8. If I can get two
extra tickets. I’m sorry I haven’t written
Looking forward to hearing
We’re planning to come up by coach on Friday, but NW3 5PQ
my new boyfriend, Trevor, lives in Warwick, and his
I’d like you to meet Trevor
parents have invited me for the weekend. It would be
lovely to see you on Saturday if you are free. ……….9
TASK POOL
43
You are having a dinner party. Write a letter of about 150 words to invite your
friend to your party. Your letter should include:
• an invitation
CHECKLIST
Use the checklist below to edit your draft.
1. How many indefinite articles (a/an) and definite article (the) are there in your
letter?________________________________________________________
2. Did you make any mistake using the indefinite and definite articles in your
letter? If yes, what are they and how can you correct them?
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
3. Does the letter have your address, date of writing and a proper ending?
_____________________________________________________________
4. Does the letter cover the three suggested ideas? If not, which should be
added? _______________________________________________________
44
Unit 5: Letters of Acceptance &
Refusal
Definition
Types of prepositions
Prepositions have many different uses; among those the most popular
ones are in terms of space and time.
45
Space: We can consider position in space in relation to:
- a point: at the cinema, at a party, in London
- a line: across/along/on a river.
- a surface: across/off/on a table
- area or volume: in/into/out of/outside/within a room
Time: The prepositions ‘at’, ‘on’, ‘in’ refer not only to space, but also to time.
46
Practice
Complete the note with ‘in’, ‘on’ or ‘at’.
Dear Gordon,
Many thanks for agreeing to stay in the flat while I’m in Wales. I
enclose the key and here’s the list of what’s where that I promised you: If
you lose this key, Mrs Johnson (1)….in…… the flat (2)…………….. the
ground floor has a spare. If she’s away, the landlord lives (3)……………... the
building (4)……………. the end of the street. It’s called Laurel Villa, and he’s
Mr Emerson. They both know you’ll be there while I’m away.
The electricity and gas main switches are (5)…………… the wall (6)……
………. the back of the large cupboard (7)………………. the study. You can
turn the water off by the large tap (8)……………….. the corner of the
bathroom. I hope you won’t need to. I’ve made a list of all the useful phone
numbers I can think of. It’s stuck (9)………………. the kitchen door. I hope
you have a good time.
Much love,
Shirley
47
Writing Letters of
WRITING
Acceptance and Refusal
FOLDER QUESTIONS FOR ANALYSIS
If you can’t, or prefer not to, thank someone in person or over the
phone, for an invitation or offer, then it will be necessary to write a letter, either
accepting or refusing. Such letters are quite simple to write, and can be quite
short, but not too short, or they will seem impolite!
Read the two letters below and answer the following questions.
1. Which reply says ‘Yes’ to the invitation and which one says ‘No’?
2. When will Renata be in Bristol?
A. Renata’s former landlady (in Bristol) has asked Renata to come from Warwick
for the weekend, for a party on Saturday night. This is Renata’s reply:
48
10, Castle Lane
Warwick CV14 3BZ
June 8th
Dear Sybil,
It was very nice to get your invitation to spend the weekend after next with
you. Luckily I’m completely free then, so I’ll say ‘yes’ – and I’ll be arriving in
Bristol at around 9 p.m. on Friday evening. The idea of a party on Saturday
sounds marvelous and I promise to bring you a cake for it – a German
speciality! Well, see you then.
Love,
Renata
Dear Margarita,
Thank you for your invitation to your wedding at the beginning of
December. I was pleased to learn that you and Franz have decided on
‘something’ at last.
Unfortunately, much as I’d like to be at the wedding, especially a Dutch
wedding (!), it simply isn’t possible for me to take that weekend off; I have to
work fairly late on Friday night, and friends are coming down to stay from
Sunday lunchtime so there would be no way in which I could squeeze a
wedding in Holland in between.
So all I can do is to wish you the happiest of days and also of futures.
Love,
Michael
Writing Techniques
1. Accepting invitation:
49
Accepting an invitation is easy. The person who is invited just show
appreciation to the person who has invited them and ask for the details of place
and time. In many informal cases, the invited person can bring something along
such as a plate of cookies or some fruit even though the host might have said
that it was not necessary.
Useful expressions for acceptances are:
“I’d be very pleased/ delighted/ very happy to come to…/ accept your …”
“Your invitation to … is very welcome/ was a lovely surprise…”
“Thank you/Thanks for your … The answer is ‘yes’…”
2. Refusing invitation
When an invitation is refused, a reason should be given. In general, the
sequence is to begin with an apology, then the reason for refusal, and finally
thanks for the invitation.
Useful expressions for refusals are:
Informal: “I’m (very) sorry but I’ll still have to refuse…/I simply can’t make it…
“I’m terribly sorry to have to …”
more formal: “Thank you for your … but unfortunately …”
“It’s not possible for me to …”
“I’m quite unable to …”
Practice
50
Now read this invitation and write Richard’s reply. You will find all the
words in provided below. Did he say ‘Yes’ or ‘No’?
TASK POOL
51
• Friends of your hostess whom you’ve got to know in the last few
weeks have invited you to dinner next Friday evening. Accept or
refuse this invitation.
CHECKLIST
Use the checklist below to edit your draft.
52
Unit 6: Letters of Complaint
GRAMMAR IN Definition
FOCUS & Fragments
Classification
I. Definition
Every sentence must have a subject and a verb and must express a complete
thought. A word group that lacks a subject or a verb and that does not express a
complete thought is a fragment.
E.g: - I saw Ann last week. While walking to class.
- I spent almost two hours on the phone yesterday. Trying to find the
garage to repair my car.
- For example, the increase in the cost of renting an apartment.
- Many people who get married before they are mature enough.
II. Classification
1. DEPENDENT-WORD FRAGMENTS
e.g. Because some students have part-time jobs in addition to going to school.
They have very little free time.
These are some examples of dependent words: after, because, when, so that,
until, even though, since, who, while, how, etc.
a. (In most cases) attaching it to the sentence that comes after it or the
sentence that comes before it. (Use a comma if a dependent-word
group comes at the beginning of a sentence)
53
Incorrect: After I learned the price of new cars. I decided to keep my old Ford. (1)
à Correct: After I learned the price of new cars, I decided to keep my old Ford.
Incorrect: My daughter refused to stop smoking. Unless I quit also. (2)
à Correct: My daughter refused to stop smoking unless I quit also.
(1) à Correct: I learned the price of new cars and decided to keep my old Ford.
2. -ING AND TO FRAGMENTS
-Ing and to fragments often lack a subject and part of the verb.
e.g. : - I plan on working overtime. To get this job finished. Otherwise my
boss may get angry at me. (1)
- I spent almost two hours on the phone yesterday. Trying to find a
garage to repair my car. (2)
We can correct - ing fragments by
a. Attaching the -ing to the sentence that comes before it or the sentence
that comes after it, whichever makes sense.
(2) à Correct: I spent almost two hours on the phone yesterday, trying to find a
garage to repair my car.
Incorrect: Having no money and being lonely in the big city. (3)
(3) à Correct: She had no money and was lonely in the big city.
b. Adding the subject and change the -ing verb part into the correct form of
the verb.
(1) à Correct: I plan on working overtime. I have to get this job finished.
Otherwise, my boss may get angry at me.
(1) à Correct: I plan on working overtime to get this job finished. Otherwise, my
boss may get angry at me.
54
3. MISSING - SUBJECT FRAGMENTS
e.g.: - The truck skidded on the rain-slick highway. But missed a telephone pole
on the side of the road. (1)
- Michelle tried each of the appetizers on the table then found that, when the
dinner arrived, her appetite was gone. (2)
We can correct missing- subject fragments by
(1) à Correct: The truck kidded on the rain-slick highway but missed a
telephone pole on the side of the road.
b. Adding a subject (which can often be a pronoun standing for the subject in
the preceding sentence)
(2) à Correct: Michelle tried each of the appetizers on the table. She then found
that, when the dinner arrived, her appetite was gone.
4. ADDED-DETAIL FRAGMENTS
Added-detail fragments lack a subject and a verb. They often begin with one of
the following words: also, especially, except, for example, including , such as …
Examples:
- The class often starts late. For example, yesterday at quarter after
nine instead of at nine sharp. (1)
- He failed a number of courses before he earned his degree. Among
them, English, Economics and General Biology.(2)
- I love to cook and eat Italian food. Especially spaghetti and pizza.(3)
We can correct added-detail fragments by:
a. Rewriting or changing words as necessary so that it has a subject and a
verb.
(1) à Correct: The class often starts late. For example, yesterday it began at
quarter after nine instead of at nine sharp.
(2) à Correct: Among the courses he failed before he earned his degree were
English, Economics, and General Biology.
b. Attaching the fragment to the complete thought that precedes it.
(3) à Correct: I love to cook and eat Italian food especially spaghetti and pizza.
55
PRACTICE Some of the following are complete sentences. Some are
Correct all the fragments you have found. Then work with your friend(s) to
check the result.
56
Writing Letters of
WRITING
FOLDER Complaint
Have you ever written, or wanted to write, a letter to complain
about:
Writing a letter about these things can be a good way to 'let off steam', but the
main aim is to get some action. What action did you want in the above cases?
Writing such a letter can take careful preparation, drafting and revising.
Discuss the differences between these two letters. Which one is better? Why?
LETTER A
Look at these photos your people developed! How can you expect people
to pay for the service you provide? I know it wasn't my fault - everyone says. I'm
an excellent photographer. I refuse to pay for this rubbish. I won't stop at this,
either. The assistant I spoke to at the counter was very rude as well. You should
train your staff to be more helpful and polite.
K.Bunt
57
K. Bunt
LETTER B
58
Writing techniques
i) Find out, before you write, who you should address your letter to.
ii) Follow the layout and punctuation of formal
letter. (see ………….. ).
iii) Arrange your points in paragraphs. (This may
not be necessary in a very short letter.)
iv) Say clearly what you are complaining about.
v) Give exact details in a clear and ordered way.
vi) Say clearly what action you expect or want.
vii) Be polite, even if you are angry. Don't use
insulting language or make personal attacks.
viii) Be business-like. Don't be chatty unless it is a
short note to someone you know, for
example, a neighbour.
ix) Keep a copy of your letter. It may be
important later to have a record of your
complaint. You cannot have such a record if Writing… is an art!
you complain in person or on the telephone. Complaining is even
. more than an art!
x) Sign off formally. 'Yours faithfully' (Dear
Sir/Madam) or 'Yours sincerely' (Dear Mr./Mrs. + surname) are best.
59
Useful phrases for writing letters of complaint
Beginning:
- I shall have no alternative but to put the matter in the hands of my solicitors
should your cheque not be received by May 1st.
- Unless I hear from you within ten days, I shall have to take legal advice on
the matter.
- If I do not hear from you before 3 May, I shall be obliged to take matters a
step further.
60
Practice
A. Fill the gaps in this letter with words from the list:
Dear Sir/Madam,
Repair to washing machine
On December 2nd your maintenance man called at my home to
(1)______ the washing machine, a Wytaswyt Aquaslosh which I (2)_____
from you on January 7th of this year and which is still under (3)_____.
When your man finished, he (4)_____ me that the machine was now
working.
The following day I tried to use the machine but (5)_____ that it
was still not working properly. Again, it flooded the kitchen. I know little
about these machines, but the problems (6)_____ to be that the rubber
seal around the door needs to be (7)_____.
I should be (8)_____ if you would (9)_____ for a competent
person to call and (10)_____ the necessary repairs. A convenient time
for me would be Thursday or Friday morning, Dec 11 or 12, anytime
between 8 and 12.
Please telephone me immediately if these times are not
(11)_____.
Yours (12)_____,
J. Sonnenberg
J. Sonnenberg
61
B. Expand these notes into full letter of complaint. As you write it out, divide it
into paragraphs.
Dear Sir,
I write/ complain/ recent skiing holiday/ I book/ your company. From the
first day/ go wrong. The hotel I stay/ be very disappointing/ there be no room
service/ nothing seem/ work properly. What be worse be/ the resort be not
suitable/ beginners/ me. On the third day I bring my complaints/ the attention/
your representative/ say he/ look into them. Nothing happen/ the day before I
leave/ I give a special room. I not satisfy/ the holiday/ the service I receive/
your representative. I now write/ ask/ full refund. I look forward/ receive a
cheque for $950/ you.
Yours faithfully,
Norman Bates
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
62
TASK POOL
Choose one of the following situations and write up the draft of the letter in
120-150 words.
2. The library where you and your friends go to borrow books has a number of
problems. Write and complain to those in charge.
CHECKLIST
Use the checklist below to edit your draft.
1. Does the letter contain any fragments? Could you point out and correct
them?
_____________________________________________________________
2. Is the letter persuasive and polite enough?
_____________________________________________________________
3. Did it include a beginning, demand and a threat (optional)?
_____________________________________________________________
63
Unit 7: LETTERS OF REQUEST
AND ENQUIRY
1. What? RUN-ON
GRAMMAR IN
FOCUS 2. When to appear? SENTENCES
3. How to avoid?
A RUN-ON SENTENCE has at least two parts, each of which can stand by
itself; yet have been improperly connected by the inappropriate use of
punctuation and connectors.
E.g. This next chapter has a lot of difficult information in it, you should
start studying right away.
E.g. Mr. Nguyen has sent his four children to ivy-league colleges, however,
he has sacrificed his health working day and night in that dusty bakery.
64
c. When the second of two independent clauses contains a pronoun that
connects it to the first independent clause.
- Carefulness
Practice
Exercise 1: Repair the following run-on sentences by replacing the
comma with an appropriate punctuation
65
Exercise 2: Choose the most suitable option to repair the following
sentences
1. Judy leads a charmed life she never seems to have a serious accident.
A, this sentence is correct C, life; she
B, life, she
2. The airport is about to shut down because of the snow and if the plane
doesn't land soon it will have to go on to Boston.
A, this sentence is correct C, snow; and
B, snow, and D, snow. And
3. The show begins at 7:30 make sure you're there before
7:15.
A, this sentence is correct
B, 7:30, make
C, 7:30. Make
4. Marcellino always knew his way around the woods this is something he
could always depend on.
A, this sentence is correct C, wood, this
B, wood; this
5. Having prepared himself well for the realtor exams and having exhausted
everyone in the family with his requests that someone help him with the
true-and-false drills, Jeffrey, who had never been a particularly good
student in high school, knew he was ready to take on the greatest
challenge of his life.
A, this sentence is correct
B, drills; Jeffrey
C, Jeffrey - who had never been a particularly good student in high
school - knew
66
6. Throughout history money and religion were closely linked there was little
distinction between government and religion.
A, this sentence is correct
B, linked because there was….
C, linked, there was…
7. The head of state and the religious leader were often the same person all
power rested in one ruler.
A, this sentence is correct
B, person, all
C, person; all
8. These powerful leaders decided what objects would serve as money their
backing encouraged public faith in the money.
A, this sentence is correct
B, money. Their
C, money, their
9. Coins were minted of precious metals the religious overtones of money
were then strengthened.
A, this sentence is correct
B, metals, the
C, When coins were minted of precious metals, the . . . .
67
WRITING LETTERS OF
FOLDER REQUEST
AND ENQUIRY
Jenny wants to apply for a course from Camford Polytechnic. Work in group
to help her find out what kind of information she needs. What should she do to
ask for such information?
Study the two following letters:
68
Calle Mallorra 34, Calle Mallorra 34,
OS061 Valencia OS061 Valencia
March 20th 2003 March 20th 2003
Dear Sir:
Dear the Director,
I am writing to you with reference to your
I want to write to you and ask for some
advertisement in the ELT Monthly for one-month
information.
courses in English at the Polytechnic this summer.
I think I need to know about the timetable and
I would be grateful if you would send me further
the fees, how about Business English, the course
information on these courses, indicating the
that I love most, how much time is spent on
timetable and the fees. I am particularly interested
studying it everyday, do you know?
in Business English and would like to know how
Details of accommodation are important, too.
much time is spent on this option everyday.
Are the students lodged at the Polytechnic or with
Could you also give me details of
families outside? Remember to tell me whether
accommodation? Are the students lodged at the
groups of students with the same first language
Polytechnic or with families outside? I would also
are lodged together or whether it is possible to
like to know whether groups of students with the
meet others from different language backgrounds.
same first language are lodged together or whether
Can’t wait for your reply any more!
it is possible to meet others from different language
With love,
backgrounds.
Jenny Thompson
I look forward to hearing from you.
Jenny Thompson
Yours faithfully,
Jenny Thompson
Jenny Thompson
Questions for analysis:
1. If you are the receiver of the letter, which one do you prefer? Why?
2. If you have to write a similar letter, then…
69
Writing techniques
Letter layout
Layout 1
70
Choose either Yours Yours faithfully,
faithfully (Dear Sir/ Madam)
Signature
or Yours sincerely (Dear
Mr./Mrs. + Surname) Name
Layout 2
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 4
Choose either Yours faithfully Yours faithfully,
(Dear Sir/ Madam) or Yours Signature
sincerely (Dear Mr./Mrs. + Name
Surname)
71
Letter language
Things
to
Be organized! List down all the information you want to include
rememb
before you actually begin to write.
er
Be clear! Make out the addresses, the subjects and the aims of
writing the letter.
Be careful! Remember to include any particular questions that you
want to ask because you may not have the chance to ask them
again.
Be neat and tidy! Type out the letter and pay attention to the
standard format and style. If it is necessary to hand-write, write it
as clear and smart as possible in the appropriate style and layout.
72
Practice: Complete Anne Morley’s letter to Jim Courtney, choosing
from the alternatives given in the right-hand column.
18Greville Avenue,
Norwich NR4 3CK
a) Mr. Courtney b) Sir
a) am writing to b) write
Mr. Jim Courtney,
a) for b) in connection with
193 Winsford Road,
a) advertisement b) announcement
London SW19 4WH
a) am b) would be
April 17th, 2003 a) if you would b) that you
Dear (1)______, a) another b) further
I (2) ______ you (3) ______ your (4) ______ for a) in b) on
adventure holidays for young people in the a) Could b) Please
Observer. I (5) ______ grateful (6) ______ send me a) also wish b) would also like
(7) ______ information about them. a) needed b) would need
I am particularly interested (8) ______ your a) do b) make
holidays in Asia. (9) ______ you give me details of a) as b) such as
dates of departure and costs? I (10) ______ some a) hear b) hearing
advice about arrangements I (11) ______ to (12) 15. a) faithfully b) sincerely
______ before joining the group, (13) ______ visas
required for different countries and certificates of
inoculation against diseases.
I look forward to (14) ______ from you.
Yours (15) ______ ,
Anne Morley
TASK POOL
Choose one of the following topics to write a letter of enquiry.
CHECKLIST
1. Is there any spelling mistake in the letter? How many?
____________________________________________________________
2. Are sentences short and grammatically correct? Which one(s) is wrong?
______________________________________________________________
v
3. How many run-on sentences are there in the letter?
______________________________________________________________
4. Has the writer adapted the right format for his/her letter?
______________________________________________________________
5. Does the letter follow the right layout?
______________________________________________________________
6. Is the letter concise? Is there any unnecessary/ irrelevant information
included in the letter?
______________________________________________________________
7. If you are the receiver, do you want to reply to such a letter? Why?
______________________________________________________________
Grammar in &
focus Different types PUNCTUATION
of punctuation
ENGLISH PUNCTUATION
mark uncertainty in a
sentence that is a “She jumped in?”
statement. he wondered.
! or extraordinary
exclamation
statement.
mark/point "Help!" she cried.
- expresses a strong
emotion. "I'm drowning!"
- separates 3 or more
I speak English,
items in a list
French and Thai.
- separates parts of a
compound He frowned, but she
footnotes. Bacon
David has had plenty of
- connects clauses (it
experience as a pipe
is used before a
fitter; however, he
conjunctive
; hasn’t
semi-colon adverbs).
done much welding.
PRACTICE
1. Add or delete punctuations where necessary in the following sentences. If
a sentence is correct, write “correct” after it.
a. This summer we hiked in the White Mountains and canoed the Sacra River into
Maine
b. The man at the next table complained loudly and the waiter stomped off in disgust.
c. My brother George worked as a congressional aide last summer.
d. Love is blind; envy has its eye wide open.
e. He received two A’s, three B’s, and a C.
f. Fire and Ice is one of Robert Frost’s most famous poems.
g. Bill Cosby said I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to
please everyone
h. Writing consists of three stages pre-writing while-writing and post-writing.
i. Cancer – a disease that strikes without regard to age, race, or religion and
causes dread in the most stalwart person, had struck my family.
j. Three fourths of the House voted for the amendment.
A. The sentences in the following passage all lack end punctuation. In the
space provided, write the correct mark of end punctuation for each
sentence. Study the example below first.
When I was eight years old, my family and I moved into an apartment where no
pets were allowed_____ (1) My parents knew that my sister and I were
disappointed, but what choice did they have _____ (2) After a few weeks, my
father discovered that the people next door had a cat and that the people upstairs
had a poodle _____(4) Then he found out that the lady who lived on the top floor
had a rabbit, a Gila monster, and a monkey_____(5) What a zoo _____ (6) We
finally ended up getting a parakeet _____(7) After all, we reasoned, if all these
people could conceal pets in their apartments, why couldn’t we _____ (8)
B. Rewrite the following text. First, decide which parts to put in direct speech, then
add all the necessary punctuation, not forgetting speech marks.
An embarrassing incident
One summer job I had as a student was in a rather exclusive restaurant in
Glasgow on this particular day we were expecting forty members of a football
club for lunch I had to peel the potatoes I thought I was managing quite well with
my small knife until the owner appeared are those all the potatoes youve peeled
she complained why didnt you use the potato peeler i had no idea what a potato
peeler was so she led me into a small room behind the main kitchen and showed
me a small machine which looked rather like the rubbish bins some people have
in their bathrooms you put the potatoes in close the lid press the button thats all
she explained as if to a small child ten minutes later she came back I really think
its quicker to do them by hand i said what do you mean she asked well they arent
ready yet you can imagine how i felt when she lifted the lid and took out the
potatoes the size of peas the potato peeler was not automatic.
1. CV - Overview
A CV (curriculum vitae) is a short written description of a person’s education
and past employment, used especially when he/she is looking for a job or a new
job. A CV is like an advertisement for yourself. If it fails to interest the reader, you
will not have further opportunities to convince the company to consider you for
employment.
2. Main sections of a CV
Note: You can add other sections as required or change the ordering of later
sections to suit your skills and abilities.
Profile/Summary
This should be a short summary of your experience, skills and abilities, and
be contained in four to six lines of text.
• List 3 to 6 achievements which you feel will be in line with your next
position.
• Do not list achievements which are not in line with what you want to do
next.
• Start with the strongest point in your favour and then work backwards from
there.
Education/Qualifications
• Give the years you attended and the degree you received and your major field of
study.
• Show the specific courses you took which you think will be helpful in the
work you are applying for beneath your university listing.
• Mention special skills such as: language ability, writing ability, artistic ability,
or research in a specific field.
Experience
• Start with the strongest point in your favour and then work backwards when
you are describing your experience for each position.
• Include: - Dates of emloyment
- Firm’s name and address
Personal Details
• Include date of birth, marital status (you may leave this out if you want to), and driving
licence.
Interests
Referees
Work history
Education
Skills
4. SAMPLE CV
Sample 1
Sample 2
B. Application letter (Cover letter)
Questions for analysis: Read the sample of application letter below and
answer the following questions:
1. What are the main parts of an application letter and what are the purpose
of them?
Post of November 11, 1997. The letter of application follow the next page.
Writing techniques
1. Organization
• The opening paragraph: Tells specifically which job interests you (get the
job title exactly). If the job opening was advertised, mention where you saw
it.
2. Useful phrases
Salutation
I wish to apply for the post of… which was advertised in today’s Daily
Telegraph.
At present, I am employed as a… by the local Tourist Office, a position I have held for three
years.
In the course of my present job, I have been responsible for the planning and
organization of…
I attended the Lycée Paul Bert, where I obtained practical training in all aspects of the catering
trade.
I also have some knowledge of accountancy, having kept the books for my father’s
business…
I will be glad to supply you with any further information you may need.
Complementary close
Sincerely yours,
Yours sincerely,
Task pool
Look at the following job advertisements. Choose one that interests you most and
write a CV and a letter of application (cover letter) applying for the position.
CHECKLIST
Use the checklist below to edit your draft.
For CV:
2. Is the language used in the CV appropriate? Can you give specific examples?
________________________________________________________________
3. Are there any grammar mistakes in this CV?
________________________________________________________________
4. Are there any spelling mistakes in the CV?
________________________________________________________________
5. Is the CV persuasive enough for the position?
________________________________________________________________
For letters of application:
Synonyms are words that have different pronunciations and spelling but similar
meanings. They belong to the same part of speech.
Example: to die (v) – to pass away (v) – to kick the bucket (v)
Synonyms are often used in writing to reduce repetition. However, when using
synonyms, the formality of the words needs to be considered. In the above
example:
To die – neutral
Misuse of informal synonyms in formal contexts may cause serious offence to the
readers.
Antonyms are words that have opposite meanings. They belong to the same part
of speech.
old – young
to give – to take
war – peace
Some antonyms are formed by derivation, i.e. they come from the same roots but
their affixes change their meanings.
like – dislike
useful – useless
NEPAL
We spent our first day in Kathmandu and took a sightseeing tour around
this (dull / fascinating) city. The Nepalese people are very (friendly / cold) and
there is almost no crime here. But don’t expect a(n) (exciting / quiet) night life,
because 99 per cent of the population are in bed by 10 pm, and there are no
nightclubs.
We needed our sleep, however, because by seven o’clock the next morning
we were already travelling to the River Trisuli. Here we began a (normal /
dramatic) journey by boat through the Trisuli rapids. It was heart-stopping – the
most (exciting / boring) experience of my whole life. For mile after mile the white
water threw our (big / small) boat from side to side. Then suddenly we arrived in
the (rough / calm) water of a beautiful lake.
WRITING
Describing a place
FOLDER
WARM-UP
Look at this list of places. How many can you find in your hometown? Compare
with a partner.
…. church …. temple
…. cinema …. museum
…. market …. supermarket
…. school …. cathedral
…. bank …. park
…. café …. hospital
…. hotel …. theatre
BRAINSTORMING
Interview your friend about his or her hometown. Ask the underlined questions
below. Listen carefully to the answers.
4. Describe the weather and climate. How many seasons are there? What is
the weather and temperature in each season? Does it rain or snow? How
much? What is the best time of year?
6. What are the common occupations? What do most people do for a living?
What are the principal industries and products?
8. Is your hometown a good place to visit? Why or why not? What should a
tourist see there? What is your hometown famous for?
9. What do you like about your hometown? What do you dislike about it?
Does it have any problems? If so, what are they?
Read this description of a small town in Brittany, and answer the following
questions.
Writing techniques
or
which …
who ….
where…
when….
why….
e.g.: There are two small hotels where you can eat traditional French food quite
cheaply.
1………………………………………………………………
…..............................................…………………………………………………………
………………………….....
2………………………………………………………………
…..............................................…………………………………………………………
………………………….....
3………………………………………………………………
…..............................................…………………………………………………………
………………………….....
4………………………………………………………………
…..............................................…………………………………………………………
………………………….....
5………………………………………………………………
…..............................................…………………………………………………………
………………………….....
Exchange your work and check with a partner for any grammar or spelling error.
Revising: My City
Stanley wrote the first draft of a composition called “My City”. He read it several
times. He wasn’t sure about it, so he wrote another draft. Read his drafts, and
answer the questions.
Draft A
My City
My City
task pool
Describe your hometown.
Note:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
5. Did you use interesting adjectives with their synonyms and/or antonyms?
_____________________________________________________________
Unit 10: DESCRIBING A PERSON
Grammar in RELATIVE
focus Rules CLAUSES
I. RELATIVE CLAUSES
There are various ways of supplying more information about a noun in English.
Frequently we use adjectives (e.g.: a helpful teacher) and often other nouns (e.g.:
a university teacher). Relative clauses are another very common way of
supplying more specific information about a noun referring to a person, thing or
group. Relative clauses are most commonly positioned immediately after the
noun that they refer to, and often begin with who, that, which, where, when, or
why.
Who is used to refer to people, which is used to refer to things, and that is used
to refer to people or things.
Note: Relative clauses can also be used after some pronouns. They are quite
common after indefinite pronouns such as something, someone, anything,
anyone, everything and everyone.
Everyone who has worked with her will miss her very much.
Relative clauses are also sometimes used after words like some, many, much,
all, or those which can function as pronouns.
Like many who were taking the exam, I felt very nervous.
When can be used as a relative adverb in a relative clause after the word ‘time’
or other nouns which denote periods of time such as year, day, summer, etc.
Where can be used as a relative adverb in a relative clause after the word ‘place’
or other nouns which denote places such as house, street, room, etc.
Note: Place names (e.g.: proper nouns such as Manchester) are never followed
by the relative adverb where.
Where can also be used after some specific nouns such as situation, point
and stage.
Note: The relative pronoun whose can sometimes be used to refer to countries,
organizations or other nouns which imply a group of people.
Register note
In formal English in particular, relative adverbs when and where are sometimes
replaced by a preposition + which.
The relative pronoun that or the zero relative pronoun can also be used after
reason instead of why.
I could see two girls standing on the platform. The girl who was
carrying a small child got onto the train. (defining relative clause)
I could see two girls standing on the platform. One of the girls, who
was carrying a small child, got onto the train. (non-defining relative
clause)
Sometimes non-defining relative clauses are used to make a comment about the
whole situation described in a main clause, rather than someone or something
mentioned within it.
The participle relative clause underlined in the example has the same meaning
as a defining relative clause with the relative pronoun who.
-ing participle clauses also often show what someone or something is, or was,
doing at a particular time.
Participle relative clauses with an –ed (past participle) form are also used like
defining relative clauses to identify a particular person or thing. They have a
passive meaning.
Practice
3. There is a 10% discount for guests /hu:z/ reservations are made on the
Internet.
7. The hotel manager, /hu:z/ not here today, is the person you need to talk to.
4. The teachers at this school who arrive late for class will be suspended.
Now rewrite the words from the first column on a blank piece of paper. Work
with a partner.
Show the words to your partner, but not the sentences. Can he/she guess
why these things are important?
Describing a person
WRITING
Think of someone in your family. Write three sentences
FOLDER about him/her. Read your sentences aloud to the rest of the
class. Which relative did you choose? Why did you choose
that person? Did you write about their character, appearance or both?
Sample: Read the description of Aunt Emily and answer the questions followed:
My Aunt Emily
Of all my relatives, I like my aunt Emily the best. She’s my mother’s youngest
sister. She has never married, and she lives alone in a small village near Bath.
She is in her late fifties, but she’s still quite young in spirit. She has a fair
complexion, thick brown hair which she wears in a bun, and dark brown eyes,
She has a kind face, and when you meet her, the first thing you notice is her
lovely warm smile. Her face is a little wrinkled now, but I think she is still rather
attractive. She is the sort of person you can always go to if you have a problem.
She likes reading and gardening, and she goes for long walks over the hills
with her dog, Buster. She’s a very active person. Either she’s making something,
or mending something, or doing something to help others. She does the
shopping for some of the old people in the village. She is extremely generous,
but not very tolerant with people who don’t agree with her. I hope that I am as
happy and contented as she is when I’m her age.
Writing techniques
A. Describing appearance
1. Using adverbs in person description
1.1. Find the following words in the text: quite, a little, rather, very, extremely.
How do they change the meaning of the adjectives which follow them?
1.2. Put the adverbs in order from the weakest to the strongest:
Example: She is 97 years old: She’s extremely old OR she is very elderly.
1. She’s the most beautiful woman in the world.
2. He is an Olympic weightlifter.
3. She will only eat one piece of fruit a day, and nothing else.
4. Since I stopped cycling to work, I’ve put on a bit of weight.
5. Frank is the best-looking man in the world.
Absolutely only goes with one adjective from exercises 1 and 2. Which adjective? Why?
The sentence “She is not tolerant” is a nice way of saying she is “intolerant”.
Sometimes, we try to be polite by not using a negative adjective. We can say not
very + the opposite adjective.
3.1. Match the adjectives below to the word which means the opposite:
tall ugly
weak mean
young small
fat short
beautiful thin
generous old
big strong
3.2. Match the adjectives in A below to the adjectives in B.
A
overweight middle-aged muscular well-built
B
short tall strong thin
3.3. Which of the words in list A can be used to describe the people below?
a. a man:
______________________________________________________
b. a woman:
______________________________________________________
e. a bodybuilder:
______________________________________________________
f. a supermodel:
______________________________________________________
g. you:
______________________________________________________
3.4. Match the parts of the face with the list of adjectives that can be used to
describe them:
B. Describing characteristics
1. Which words have similar meanings and which words have opposite
meanings?
shy thoughtless honest
bad-tempered mean sociable
friendly affectionate patient
out-going good-tempered generous
fun thoughtful nice
selfish easygoing caring
childish mature kind
Similar Meanings Opposite Meanings
___________________ ___________________
___________________ ___________________
___________________ ___________________
___________________ ___________________
___________________ ___________________
___________________ ___________________
2. Which of the words above would you use to describe the people below?
Sometimes there is more than one possible answer.
1. She gives a lot of money to charity, and she likes to share everything she has
with other people.
caring friendly
patient
mature
honest sociable
selfish
1. You have to be patient and caring, good-tempered most of the time, and
kind and friendly. It’s hard work. Sometimes ill people are very impatient.
2. You need to be patient and honest with people, and you shouldn’t be
unfriendly. But you also have to be very hard on people who are breaking the law.
3. You have to be very out-going and friendly. You have to be good at talking,
too. You should also be honest, especially when describing your product.
4. You have to be patient and good at your job. But, it doesn’t really matter if
you are shy, selfish or thoughtless – just don’t break the machine!
task pool
1. Write a description of a member of your family.
2. Describe your idol.
3. Write a description of your future partner.
Note:
CHECKLIST
Use the checklist below to edit your first draft.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
6. Do you think the person in your description mkes a good impression on the
readers?
________________________________________________________________
UNIT 11: DESCRIBING A BOOK, PLAY
OR FILM
Grammar in Adjectives
focus Definitions
&
Usage
ORDER OF ADJECTIVES
When several adjectives come before a noun, they usually have to be put in a
particular order. For instance, we say a fat old lady, not an old fat lady; a small
shiny black leather handbag, not a leather black shiny small handbag.
Unfortunately, the rules for adjective order are very complicated, and different
grammars disagree about the details. Here are some of the most important rules
suggested by Michael Swan (Practical English Usage):
2. Other adjectives
Other adjectives usually go before words of colour, origin, material and
purpose. It is impossible to give exact rules, but adjectives of size, length and
height often come first.
The round glass table (Not: the glass round table)
a big, modern brick house (Not: a modern, big brick house)
a tall, ancient oak-tree
a long, fat snake
5. Commas
Before nouns, we generally use commas between adjectives (especially in
longer sequences) which give similar kinds of information, for example in physical
descriptions.
WRITING
Describing a book,
FOLDER
play or film
Lead-in
1. What is your favourite book, play or film?
2. What kind is the book, play or film?
3. What is it about?
Model: This week, Susan is previewing forthcoming radio/TV programmes for the
entertainments section of her paper.
Writing techniques
A. Ask your partner about a book, play or film he/she has enjoyed recently.
Find out:
TASK POOL
1. Write a report on a film or play you have seen recently in about 200 words.
Use the plan below as a guide and think about the tenses you will need to
use in each paragraph before you begin.
Paragraph one:
General introduction: When did you see the film/play? Where? Who
with? Why did you choose that particular film/play? What type of film/play is it?
Paragraph two:
Where is the film/play set? What is it about? Who are the main characters
and what happens to them?
Paragraph three:
Conclusion: What was your opinion of the film/play? Why? Was it well
acted/directed? Would you recommend it to others?
2. Write a report on a book you have read recently. Collect the reports together
and use them as a guide to the class library or as advice on further reading.
CHECKLIST
Use the checklist below to edit your first draft.
1. Are there any grammar and spelling mistakes in your writing?
_____________________________________________________________
2. Did you use correct order of adjectives in your description?
_____________________________________________________________
3. Is the writing descriptive enough? (Regarding the writing techniques)
_____________________________________________________________
4. Would you recommend that other people should see or watch the
film/book/play?
_____________________________________________________________
Definition
Grammar in &
focus Usage inversion
What is inversion?
Inversion is the reversal of the normal order of the subject and the verb in a
sentence.
Subject Verb
à Is Tom’s father an engineer?
Verb Subject
In this unit, we only focus on the use of inversion after negative or semi-negative
words or phrases, after prepositional phrases or adverbs of time and place, in
conditional sentences, and after Only
- Hardly had I got onto the motorway when I saw two police cars following me.
- Not a single word had she written since the exam had started.
- Little do they know how lucky they are to live in such a wonderful house.
Note: The inversion happens only in the first part of the sentence. For example:
Wrong: No sooner had he opened the letter than did the phone ring.
Right: No sooner had he opened the letter than the phone rang.
Wrong: Not only did we lose our money, but were we also badly treated.
Right: Not only did we lose our money, but we were also badly treated.
- If I had gone to the post office, I would have bought some stamps. => Had I
gone to the post office, I would have bought some stamps.
- If it had not been for your help, I wouldn’t have succeeded. => Had it not
been for your help, I wouldn’t have succeeded.
- If you should meet her, please ask her to call me at once. => Should you
meet her, please ask her to call me at once.
- only + other prepositional phrases beginning only by..., only in.... only
with.... etc.
1 The telephone started ringing just after he had left the office.
No sooner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .
2 It is unusual for the island to be visited by tourists.
Seldom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .
3 Judith started asking me questions as soon as I had stepped through the
door.
Hardly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .
4 Passengers are not permitted to open the doors themselves in any
circumstances.
Under no . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .
5 He never broke the rules he set for himself.
At no time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .
6 You can only pass the exams with strong determination.
Only by. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .
7 If an emergency should arise, call 113.
Should . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .
8 The only representative of the Indian’s handicraft remains on the island.
On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .
WRITING Descriptive
FOLDER Narrative
• INTRODUCTION
You may never have to write descriptions which are complete in
themselves, but you may need to include descriptions in other pieces of writing,
for example, in a personal letter, in a story, in a report, etc.
If you tell a story and give some descriptions in it, you are writing a
descriptive narrative composition. There are different kinds of descriptive
narrative compositions: writing a biography, describing changes in places or in a
person’s life, reporting events, incidents, or experiences, etc.
In this unit, we will learn how to write one kind of descriptive narrative
writing, i.e. reporting experiences, in which you will tell a story with a part
describing a human scene.
You can see that a composition like 'A Day at the Seaside' is not pure
description, but contains a narrative structure. Read the composition below, and
answer these questions:
- As the writing is narrative, and often it is about a single event, past tenses are
naturally used. Linking words are also used in this kind of writing, particularly
the following sorts: time links, causal links, contrast links.
- As part of the writing is descriptive, you usually try to give your readers an
xact and detailed impression of something in your experience. Therefore, the
larger and more precise your vocabulary, the better your writing will be.
Moreover, you should use lots of adjectives and adverbs in your description to
make it lively and interesting. Also, make sure you use them in the correct
order.
TASK POOL
Choose one of the following topics:
1. Write about a day you spent either (a) at the seaside (b) in the country or (c)
in the mountains, either in summer or winter in about 300 words.
2. Write about a day trip you made to a famous place in about 300 words.
3. Write about a picnic with friends in the country in about 300 words.
CHECKLIST
Checklist: Use the checklist below to edit your first draft.
1. Are there any spelling and grammar mistakes in your description? If yes, how
many?
________________________________________________________
2. Did you write sentences with inverted structures in this writing? If yes, which
ones? If no, can you rewrite some sentences using inversion?
____________________________________________________________
_
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
4. Did you use any linking words? Did you use them correctly?
_____________________________________________________________
5. Did you use many adjectives, adverbs to describe the scenes? Are they in
the right order? Do you want to add any of them now?
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Unit 13: STORYTELLING (PART 1)
Definition nominalisation
Grammar in focus Effects
NOMINALISATION
FOLDER prompts…
The Walk
One day a little girl wanted to go for a walk with her doll, so she made a
sandwich and took an apple and some fruit juices. She put them in her bag and put on
her pink hat. Then she put her doll in the stroller and went outside. Soon, a big wind
came and blew her hat into a tree. A nice little sparrow saw the wind blow the hat
into the tree, and he wanted to help the little girl. So, he took the hat in his beak
and gave it back to the girl. The small girl was very happy. She gave the bird some
pieces from her sandwich. Now the sparrow was happy, too.
Writing techniques
Think about your story. What is it about? Who is in it? What happens? Jot
down a few ideas for your story quickly, but don't write the story just yet. This part
of writing is called planning.
2. Characters
People are the most important part of any story. The people in stories are
called the characters. Who is in your story? What do they look like? What are
they doing? What do they say? If you yourself are a character in the story, let
readers know it, too. Try to create NAMES for your characters.
3. Location/ Setting
Where are we? The place where the story happens is called the setting. Are
we in the street or in a forest? Is it night and dark, or is it day and sunny? If you
tell readers about the places and things, they can see them as clearly as you do.
What happens? The things that happen in a story are called the plot. How
does your story begin? What happens next? How does it end? Take care to think
this out; otherwise things could happen in the wrong order. You have to be at a
place before you can go away from it.
Ask your friends and family to read your story. They will tell you if you have
missed anything out and help you with your story.
7. Check it over
The last thing to do is called editing. Change any parts of the story that are
not quite right. Check your spelling. Then write out your finished story in your best
writing.
practice
Menu” by filling in the blanks with as many red flags as you can think
• characters’ name.
• a problem, actions and events.
• an ending
3. Did you create names to all characters? Were the names able to reflect their
characteristics?
_____________________________________________________________
4. Did you include all prompts from the pictures in your story?
_____________________________________________________________
Grammar in
focus
Conjunctions
Components
&
Types
Different kinds of conjunctions are used to connect different words and groups of
words.
If you want to connect two or more words or word groups of the same kind, you
use a coordinating conjunction.
Coordinating conjunctions
without or so
The dog was large yet friendly. (The conjunction yet connects two adjectives
large, friendly.)
Billy came to stay without a towel and without pyjamas. (The conjunction and
joins two phrases, without a towel, without pyjamas.)
The dog looked friendly but he was in fact very savage. (Note the contrasting
ideas friendly, savage.)
CONJUNCTIONS IN PAIRS
Some conjunctions pair up with other words to make the links between ideas.
They form correlative conjunctions.
not … but as … as
either … or
whenever as even if
Because joins the less important part it feared being shot to the main part the
rabbit moved quickly.
The animals were exhausted when they returned from the walk.
You can read more about subordinating conjunctions in the section on clauses.
CONNECTING SENTENCES TOGETHER
We can use another kind of structural word to join sentences together. These
words are often called sentence connectors.
now thus
However connects the two sentences The rabbit moved quickly and It was shot by
the hunter.
The two parts of the new sentence are divided by a semicolon. The sentence
connector is nearly always followed by a comma. You can read more about this in
the section on punctuation.
PRACTICE
Sentence 1: Neither Tom nor Mary likes talking about politics. (Example)
Sentence 2: ………………………………………………………………………
…..
Sentence 3: ………………………………………………………………………
…..
Sentence 4: ………………………………………………………………………
…..
Sentence 5: ………………………………………………………………………
…..
Sentence 6: ………………………………………………………………………
…..
Sentence 7: ………………………………………………………………………
…..
Sentence 8: ………………………………………………………………………
…..
Sentence 9: ………………………………………………………………………
…..
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. You do not finish your homework. I will not let you watch TV.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. He did not attend the class. He did not do the home assignment. He failed the
exam.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. He did not attend the class. He did not do the home assignment. He passed
the exam.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. She bought a lot of items. They are books, shoes, hats, clothes, and some
cookies.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8. He walked silently downstairs. He did not want to wake his wife and the baby
up.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. Her legs were broken. She managed to get to the hospital.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10. I will lend you the car. You have to drive it carefully.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WRITING
Story telling
FOLDER
Writing Techniques
Have you got a plot or storyline? You can create your own story or get
the ideas from other books that you have read and other people. The
question is ‘Have you got any interesting ideas?’
Task pool
In about 200 words, choose one of the following topics to write a story.
c. A nightmare.
CHECKLIST
1. Did you use conjunctions correctly? If not, are there any parts in which
conjunctions should be fixed?______________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Parallelism in
writing parallelism
&
Grammar in
Notes on
focus
creating strong
parallelism.
(a) In order to be classified as great, a baseball player must hit with power,
fielding well is necessary, to be a fast runner, and throwing with strength and
precision.
In contrast, sentence (b) is a good example of parallelism:
(b) In order to be classified as great, a baseball player must hit with power, field
well, run fast and throw with strength and precision.
Parallelism:
1. When two or more words are linked by a conjunction (and, but, or, nor),
they should have the same grammatical form.
• Faulty parallelism:
She enjoys watching basketball and to play football.
gerund infinitive
Parallelism:
noun noun
Parallelism:
• Faulty parallelism:
He is working and goes to college.
V-ing V-s
V-s V-s
• Faulty parallelism:
Beth types slowly but she is accurate.
adv clause
adv adv
• Faulty parallelism:
Oranges are cheap, nutritious, and taste good.
Parallelism:
2. When you list a series of things or actions, you should use parallel
structures.
• Faulty parallelism:
The book contained stories, poetic, and plays
Parallelism: He unlocked the door, took off his jacket, and sat down.
PRACTICE
Exercise 1
1. Eggs are very versatile: they can be boiled, fried, and poached.
2. More than 300 actors, dancers, and playwrights attended the opening
ceremony.
3. On Sunday, Davis washes his car, plays tennis, and will watch television.
4. The holiday resort was beautiful but there were too many people.
5. For most people, travelling is expensive and tiring.
6. Her work includes reading, writing, and she answers the phone.
7. Let’s go to the museum first and then have some lunch.
8. When we saw them, he was wearing shorts and she wore an evening dress.
9. When they went to France, Louise travelled by train and John bicycled through the
country.
10. I asked her for the test booklet, the tape, and for the teacher to give me a
pencil.
Exercise 2
1. It is important that your writing is legible, and that you should write with
correct grammar and punctuation.
2. After skiing all day, all I wanted was a good meal, a hot shower and to sleep.
3. Before handing in your essay, check your verbs for tense and agree.
4. Mother Teresa helped sick lepers, abandoned children, and people who were
disabled.
5. With television, at any moment, we can watch performers singing, dancing, or act on
the screen.
6. A travel agent uses a computer to check flight availability and gives prices.
7. The first thing I do when I return to my hometown is to stop by the coffee
shop to have coffee and chatting.
8. Today’s students are more worried and seriously about their studies than students
in the past.
9. Satellites in space beam radio, television, and by telephone signals
worldwide.
10. Medical technology has led to great advances in the diagnosis and curing of
many illnesses.
Now find out what other members of the class feel about these questions.
Now read the argumentative essay below. Look at the first sentence of each
paragraph. Notice how the first sentence summarises the content of each
paragraph. Which paragraph in the model does the following:
Statistics show beyond doubt that cigarette smoking can damage the health, yet
a surprisingly large number of people continue to smoke in spite of all warnings. By
doing so they are not just shortening their own lives, they are also affecting the
health of those who are around them. It is time that non–smokers fought back!
Smokers may protest that they should be free to do as they like. They say that
we already have no smoking areas in public places, and that this should be enough.
To my mind, however, non-smokers should also be free - free to go anywhere they
choose without risking their heath.
Smoking is harmful not just to smokers but to non-smokers too. If some people
are foolish enough to continue this dangerous habit, it seems to me that they should
at least be prevented from doing so in public.
Writing techniques
A. Giving opinions
STATING AN OPINION
AGREEING DISAGREEING
B. Listing points
TASK POOL
Choose one of the following activities for your writing.
Activity 1
Study the language shown above. We often use this when speaking and writing
about our opinions. Choose one of the following topics and discuss it in groups.
Remember to note down good reasons for your opinions.
Activity 2
The language shown below can also be used when writing about our opinions.
Write one sentence on the topic you have just discussed, stating your opinion
and the reason for it.
Activity 3
In 20 minutes, write a paragraph of about 150 words giving your opinions on the
topic you have just discussed in the previous parts.
CHECKLIST
Use the checklist below to edit your first draft.
1. Are there any spelling and grammar mistakes in your writing? If yes, how many?
_____________________________________________________________
2. Did you write sentences with parallel structures in this writing? If yes, which
ones? If no, can you rewrite some sentences using parallel structures?
______________________________________________________________
3. How many sentences with faulty parallelism are there in the writing? If yes,
how can you correct them?
_____________________________________________________________
4. Did you use language of giving opinions?
_____________________________________________________________
5. Did you use any listing points? Did you use them correctly?
_____________________________________________________________
Grammar in
focus Conditionals
Rules
CONDITIONALS
NOTE: We can use modals to express the degree of certainty of the result:
• If you drop that glass, it might break.
• I may finish that letter if I have time.
In these sentences, the time is now or any time, and the situation is unreal.
They are not based on fact, and they refer to an unlikely or hypothetical condition
and its probable result. The use of the past tense after 'if' indicates unreality.
E.g. - If the weather wasn't so bad, we would go to the park (...but it is bad, so
we can't go)
- If I was the Queen of England, I would give everyone £100. (...but I'm
not, so I won't)
E.g.
a. If I was a plant, I would love the rain.
b. If you really loved me, you would buy me a diamond ring.
c. If I knew where she lived, I would go and see her.
NOTE: It is correct and very common, to say "If I were" instead of "If I was".
3. Conditional sentence type 3
Form
In these sentences, the time is past, and the situation is contrary to reality. The
facts they are based on are the opposite of what is expressed.
NOTE:
- Both would and had can be contracted to 'd, which can be confusing. However,
would is never used in the IF-clause.
It is possible for the two parts of a conditional sentence to refer to different times,
and the resulting sentence is a "mixed conditional" sentence. There are two types
of mixed conditional sentence:
Form
Function
In these sentences, the time is past in the 'if' clause, and present in the main
clause. They refer to an unreal past condition and its probable result in the
present. They express a situation which is contrary to reality both in the past and
in the present:
'If I had worked harder at school' is contrary to past fact - I didn't work hard at
school, and 'I would have a better job now' is contrary to present fact - I haven't
got a good job.
E.g.
• I would be a millionaire now if I had taken that job.
• If you'd caught that plane you'd be dead now.
• If you hadn't spent all your money on CDs, you wouldn't be broke.
Form
If + simple past Perfect conditional
If I wasn't afraid of spiders I would have picked it up.
If we didn't trust him we would have sacked him months ago.
Function
In these sentences the time in the If-clause is now or always, and the time in the
main clause is before now. They refer to an unreal present situation and its
probable (but unreal) past result:
• 'If we didn't trust him' is contrary to present reality - we do trust him, and
'we would have sacked him' is contrary to past reality - we haven't
sacked him.
E.g.
d. If the elephant wasn't in love with the mouse, she'd have trodden on
him by now.
Form
NOTE: The order of the clauses is not fixed - the 'if' clause can be first or
second:
• Ice melts if you heat it.
Function
In these sentences, the time is now or always and the situation is real and
possible. They are used to make statements about the real world, and often
refer to general truths, such as scientific facts.
E.g.
a. If you freeze water, it becomes a solid.
b. Plants die if they don't get enough water.
c. If my husband has a cold, I usually catch it.
d. If public transport is efficient, people stop using their cars.
e. If you mix red and blue, you get purple.
This structure is often used to give instructions, using the imperative in the main
clause:
• If Bill phones, tell him to meet me at the cinema.
• Ask Pete if you're not sure what to do.
Practice
Complete each sentence below by giving the correct form of the verb in
parentheses.
1. If the city ________ (expand) the parking lot space downtown, we would not
have to park so far away from the movie theatre.
5. Maya ________ (not pass) her driving test unless she calms down.
6. If it ________ (be) winter, all these trees would be covered in snow.
9. We ________(lie) on the beach in Mexico right now if we had been able to get
our visas on time.
10. I ________ (try) to find more opportunities to write in English if I were you.
WRITING
For and against
FOLDER
1. Where did you grow up – in a village, a town, in a city? Do you live in the same
place now?
2. Where would you prefer to live – in the city or the country? Why?
3. With a partner, think of as many points as you can for and against living in the city.
Model: Read the text below and see how many of the points you thought of are
mentioned. Then answer the following questions.
1. Scan the text again. Where do you think it comes from – a letter, a report, a
magazine, a newspaper? Why?
2. What is the writer trying to do – inform, entertain, complain, persuade, give
facts? Is the format and language of the text appropriate for this? Why(not)?
3. Does the writer give an equal balance of points for and against the topic?
4. There are four paragraphs in the text. What is the topic of each of the paragraphs?
Writing techniques
In a paragraph, we use words or phrases like these to list fresh points in an argument.
1.2. Look at the paragraph below. Some sentences list fresh points in the argument
some develop the point just made. Underline those that list fresh points.
1.3. Now write the paragraph again, using the words above, where appropriate,
to link the ideas together.
2. Contrasting
We use the words below to contrast points in an argument.
3. Planning
For Against
…………………........................................... …………………………………………………
………………………………………………… …………………………………………………
………………………………………………… …………………………………………………
………………………………………………… …………………………………………………
………………………………………………… …………………………………………………
………………………………………………… …………………………………………………
task pool
1. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using the Internet.
Note:
CHECKLIST
Use the checklist below to edit your first draft.
1. Are there any grammar mistakes in your writing?
________________________________________________________________
2. Are there any spelling mistakes in your writing?
________________________________________________________________
3. Did you plan your writing before putting your pen down onto the paper?
________________________________________________________________
4. Did you separate paragraphs that elaborate different points?
________________________________________________________________
5. Did you use linking words and phrases properly and effectively?
________________________________________________________________
6. Did you balance the points for and against “keeping animals in zoos”?
________________________________________________________________
References
Brown, K. & Hood, S. (1989). Writing matters. Cambridge:Cambridge University
Press (CUP).
Cory, H. (1999). Advanced writing with English in Use. Oxford: Oxford University
Press.
Folse, K. S. et.al (2002). Greats Sentences for Great Paragraphs. America:
Houghton Mifflin Company.
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At four o’clock At
12:00 noon
R.S.V.P. is the abbreviation of the French phrase “Respondez, s’il vous plait”, which
means “Please answer”.
53 Murray Avenue
Birmingham
B14 8KH
27 Hillside Close,
Bournemouth,
Dorset BA12 3BO
May 24th , 2005
Dear Maggie,
It was very kind of your parents to invite John and me to your
wedding. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to come and I have written
to them, expressing our regret, but I feel that I have to write to you
personally to say how sorry we are that we can’t make it.
The trouble is that the last two weeks in June are the only ones
when John and I can both get away from work together. So we booked
our holiday to the Greek Islands as soon as we realized this, and there’s
no way we can change it.
It’s such a pity because I was looking forward very much to
seeing you married. Naturally, we’ll be thinking of you on the day.
Have a marvelous time. We wish you all the best for the future, we’re
sure that you’ll be happy. Frank is such a wonderful man!
John sends his love. Our kindest regards to Frank.