Speakout Pre-intermediate

WRITING REFERENCE UNIT 1

Writing about an important year in your life; linking words

When you write about an important year in your life, you use the past simple tense to describe
what happened. Use linkers and, so, but, because to add, contrast, and explain information.

1 Read the text and answer the questions.

1 Why was 2007 important for her?
2 Who did she meet?
3 What activities did she do?
4 Find four examples of the past simple tense.

An important year in my life Title

2007 was an important year for me because I Say which year and why it
started to go to university. I met lots of new people, was important
so it was a very exciting time. I worked hard and I
also acted in the university drama group. I met my Give details and link ideas
future husband that year but we only began going
out later. Meeting Dave was the best thing about Close with the best thing
2007. about the year

2 Translate the underlined linking words in the text into your language.

3 Complete the text with and, so, but or because.

2012 was great because we went to Mallorca. We stayed in a very good hotel 1 _____ we went
to the swimming pool every day. We also hired a car 2 _____ we wanted to explore the villages
near the hotel. The weather was hot in the day 3 ______ in the evening it was cool. My birthday
was on the last day of the holiday, 4 ____ we had a party.

Practice

4 Write a few lines about an important year in your life.

Before you write

Think about:
• Why was the year important?
• What happened?
• Make a list of verbs in the past you can use.

Writing plan
• Write 4 to 5 sentences.
• In sentence 1 say which year was important and why.
• In 3-4 sentences give details of what happened.
• In the last sentence say what was the very best thing about the year.

Check your writing

Have you used the past simple correctly?
Have you used some of the linkers in exercise 3?
Have you checked the text for possible grammar, vocabulary and spelling mistakes?

Speakout Pre-intermediate Writing Reference © Pearson Educación, S.A., 2012 1