Reading and Writing Portfolio 10
Reading a short website article;
Giving an opinion
1 Read the short article. What is it asking?
This week’s question
In Britain, over half of adults,
or about 26 million people,
bought something on the
internet during the last year. Experts
predict that next year over 30
million of us will buy
something online. In not much more than ten years, the
internet has completely changed the way we shop. Or has it?
Do you regularly buy things online? Or do you prefer to going
into shops and meeting real people?
Leave your comments below.
2 Are these sentences for (positive about) or against
(negative about) shopping on the internet? Write
F (for) or A (against).
1 You don’t have to leave your house.
2 It’s difficult to send things back when you’ve
bought them online.
3 Shops are always busy and full or people.
4 Things usually cost less online.
5 It’s more interesting to go shopping in shops than
online.
6 It’s isn’t always safe to use credit cards online.
7 It’s easier to find reviews about things on the
internet.
8 You have to be at home when things arrive.
9 It saves energy because people don’t need to drive
to shops.
10 The internet is always open.
11 You can’t see things clearly on the internet.
12 You don’t always get what you ordered.
3 Read the comments quickly. Are the people generally for
or against shopping on the internet?
1 Alf 4 Harry
2 Lily 5 Daniel
3 Grace 6 Chloe
82
comments on an article
Writing connecting words (3); giving
your opinion
Review connecting words; used to; agreeing
and disagreeing
Alf 21st April, 6.32 am
Maybe I’m just too old but I hate it. I actually like going to
shops. I meet friends, we look at things together, have lunch and
lots more. It’s just not as much fun to get things in the post.
Lily 21st April, 8.32 am
There are so many reasons why I love shopping on the internet. The
main benefit is it’s a lot a cheaper! For example, a book in a shop
might cost about £10, but on the internet I usually pay about half
that price.
Grace 21st April, 9.47 am
I’m 73 and I only started using the internet last year. The worst thing
about shopping online is the stories you hear from people about
stolen credit-card information. I was a bit worried at first about that.
However, I’ve bought lots of things and had no problems at all. My
life is a lot easier, especially as I can’t drive as well as I used to.
Harry 21st April, 10.59 am
My brother buys everything on the internet. For instance, recently
he bought a £15,000 car on eBay! If you ask me, he’s mad! I had
a terrible experience last year. Someone got my credit-card
information last year from a website and bought thousands of pounds
worth of stuff. I got all the money back but it took ages.
Daniel 21st April, 12.12 pm
The best thing about shopping online is that I don’t have to go out
to the shops. In my opinion, that’s brilliant. They’re
always too crowded. Shopping online saves so much time! And
trouble!
Chloe 21st April, 12.48 pm
The problem is when something stops working. You have to send it
back to the website and that’s a problem. I’ve usually thrown away
the box so I have to find a new one, go to a post office, queue up
... To me, that’s just too much work!
Therefore, I generally only buy things from websites that also have a
shop. Then you can usually take it back easily.
 HELP WITH WRITING
Introducing reasons; connecting Evie 21st April, 12.56 pm
words (3)
I buy almost everything online. 1 The main benefit /The worst thing is that I can do this in the middle
4 Look at the underlined phrases in of the night if I want to. I only go to shops when I have to – for some milk or bread, for instance. 2If you
the comments on page 82. ask me /Therefore, that’s perfect!
Are they introducing positive
reasons or negative reasons for Olivia 21st April, 1.34 pm
shopping online? The 3best /worst thing about shopping on the internet is that sometimes you’re not sure what you’re
Introducing positive reasons buying. You can only see a picture of things and 4for instance /therefore you’re always taking a chance
on the quality.
1 The main benefit ...
Charlie 21st April, 2.17 pm
2
I used to love it. The 5problem /best thing was that everything used to come when I was out. I often
Introducing negative reasons had to wait at home all day for something to arrive. The internet is fantastic for many things.
6
3 However /So, if you’re not at home all day, shopping is best done in shops!
4 Jack 21st April, 4.17 pm
5 Look at the connecting words in I don’t understand people who think shopping online is a bad idea. 7To me /If you ask, it’s the best
bold in the comments. Write them thing about the internet. And it’s a lot more environmentally friendly too. Of course, they have to
in the correct place in the table. deliver things 8so /but we used to drive to a shopping centre, so in the end, it’s easier.
contrast 1 but Will 21st April, 6.38 pm
2 Shopping online means I don’t have to listen to sales assistants! They think they know everything. 9In my
results 3 opinion /For example they usually know nothing! Online, I can read lots of reviews from real people
4
and make my own decisions.
giving 5 Amelia 21st April, 8.17 pm
examples
6 I’ve given up shopping online. I often used to get the wrong things. 10For example /However, when I
giving 7 If you ask me ordered food, there were often things missing or I received a ‘similar’ product. Once they didn’t have
opinions
8 any chickens, 11so /the best thing was they sent me a huge turkey!
9
7 a A website is asking for opinions on different topics. Choose two of these topics.
6 a Read some more comments Write reasons for and against the topic.
about shopping online. Match 1 Big shopping centres are better than streets of shops.
reasons 7–12 in 2 to the people. 2 Everyone should have a credit card.
Evie 3 Children should save some of their pocket money every week.
4 Children should have lessons about spending and saving money at school.
Olivia

Charlie for against

Jack

Will
Amelia
b Write a paragraph of comment for or against two of the topics.
b Read the comments again and
choose the correct words/phrases.
● Use your notes from 7a.
● Use phrases from 5 to introduce your reasons.
● Use words/phrases from the comments in 6 to connect sentences.
● Read and check for mistakes.
● Give your comments to your teacher in your next class.

Tick the things you can do in English in the

Reading and Writing Progress Portfolio, p88.

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