Professional Documents
Culture Documents
WRITING TASKS
ELPR101 UPDATED AUGUST 2021
UNIVERSITY OF JEDDAH
ENGLISH LANGUAGE INSTITUTE
______________________________________________________
University of Jeddah
English Language Institute
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Copyright 2021
All rights reserved. No part of this booklet may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or
transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise, without the prior permission in writing of the copyright owner and the administration of
English Language Institute at University of Jeddah.
Acknowledgement
Prepared by:
Abdiyah Al-Joharji
Peer-reviewed by:
Ayesha Asif
Keltouma Abounajib
Rajaa Berrada
Reem Ater
Zeba Zaidi
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PORTFOLIO
WRITING TASKS
ELPR101
TABLE OF CONTENTS
3
4. FINAL DRAFT
5. GRADING
IV. Appendix
1. GRADING
2. CORRECTION CODES
3. PORTFOLIO WRITING TASK RUBRIC
4. KEY TERMINOLOGY
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I. INTRODUCTION TO WRITING
Writing Basics
________________________________________
1 Capitalization
A. Every letter in the English alphabet has lower-case letters and capital letters. For example,
A and B are capital letters while a and b are lower-case letters.
4. Use a capital letter with names of countries, cities, languages, nationalities, and
religions.
- My place of birth is Houston, Texas. So, I’m American.
- Mohammad Ali, the American boxer, was Muslim.
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________________________________________________________________________
4. my son has classes on mondays and wednesdays, so he is free most of the week.
________________________________________________________________________
5. i travelled around india last year. it was very interesting and i learned a lot about their
culture.
________________________________________________________________________
6. her sister and i are childhood friends. we used to live in the same neighborhood as kids.
________________________________________________________________________
B. A phrase is an incomplete idea made of two or more words. It does NOT have a verb. For
example, “in the park”, “at school”, “all the time”, “when I am sleepy” ...
C. Decide if the following statements are phrases (P) or sentences (S). Then, turn the phrases
into full sentences:
1. Susan is in the mall right now (___)__________________________________________.
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8. My reliable friend (___) ___________________________________________________.
D. Put the following words in the correct order and use them in a full sentence.
1. book - flight
________________________________________________________________________
2. hobby - fun
________________________________________________________________________
3. go - every summer
________________________________________________________________________
4. eats - always
________________________________________________________________________
5. musical instrument - easy
________________________________________________________________________
6. night - jogging – every
________________________________________________________________________
3 Punctuation Marks
A. Punctuation marks are symbols we use to make the sentence structure clear and easy to
understand. For example, a period/full stop (.), a comma (,), a question mark (?), an
exclamation mark (!), etc.
B. Each punctuation mark has its own use and meaning. Some of the common
punctuation marks are:
Punctuation
Use Example
Mark
Period or Full stop At the end of a complete Taif is a beautiful city.
. sentence The city center is crowded.
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I love seafood, but I hate lobster.
In compound sentences We went to the mall yesterday, and
we had a great time.
Question mark How are you?
At the end of a question
? Why did you go there?
Exclamation Mark At the end of a The food in Bali was amazing!
! surprising/exciting sentence I was so scared!
C. Put the correct punctuation mark to the following sentences (more than one punctuation
mark is possible for some statements):
1. I love talking with my friends on social media
________________________________________________________________________
2. Fourth the job is very challenging for some people
________________________________________________________________________
3. We need eggs squash and sweet potatoes
________________________________________________________________________
4. Did you see her latest selfie
________________________________________________________________________
5. My best friend is a musician and she works with a band
________________________________________________________________________
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4 A Paragraph
A. A paragraph is made-up of a group of sentences about one topic. It has an introduction with
a topic sentence, a body with main ideas and supporting details and a conclusion.
1. Topic sentence
A topic sentence is part of the introduction. It is the main idea of your paragraph. An introduction
usually starts with a general statement about the topic, and then a more specific topic sentence. For
example:
My Favorite City
Saudi Arabia has many amazing cities. Jeddah city is my favorite.
Introduction
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My Favorite City`
Saudi Arabia has many amazing cities. Jeddah city is my favorite. There are
many activities you can do in Jeddah. You can go shopping in many of the big malls
in the city like Red Sea Mall and Arab Mall.
My Favorite City`
Saudi Arabia has many amazing cities. Jeddah city is my favorite. There are
many activities you can do in Jeddah. You can go shopping in many of the big malls
in the city like Red Sea Mall and Arab Mall. You can also visit a lot of interesting
places such as the beach and Al Hamra seafront. There are bikes you can rent there!
My Favorite City`
Saudi Arabia has many amazing cities. Jeddah city is my favorite. There are
many activities you can do in Jeddah. You can go shopping in many of the big malls
in the city like Red Sea Mall and Arab Mall. You can also visit a lot of interesting
places such as the beach and Al Hamra seafront. There are bikes you can rent there!
Another thing Jeddah has is the amazing food. There are a lot of great restaurants.
You can try Saudi, American, Chinese, Italian, Indian restaurants and so many more.
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3. Conclusion
The conclusion is the final sentence that connects your supporting details to your topic
sentence. It restates the main idea of the paragraph using different words.
My Favorite City`
Saudi Arabia has many amazing cities. Jeddah city is my favorite. There are
many activities you can do in Jeddah. You can go shopping in many of the big malls
in the city like Red Sea Mall and Arab Mall. You can also visit a lot of interesting
places such as the beach and Al Hamra seafront. There are bikes you can rent there!
Another thing Jeddah has is the amazing food. There are a lot of great restaurants.
You can try Saudi, American, Chinese, Italian, Indian restaurants and so many more.
This is why I love living in Jeddah. It really is my favorite city.
Conclusion
C. Important notes:
1. Do not use bullet points in your paragraph.
2. Do not number your sentences.
3. Insert a 5-space indentation at the beginning of your paragraph.
4. Meet the required word-limit by adding supporting details such as examples, reasons,
explanations, etc.
5. Pay attention to capitalization and punctuation.
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II. WRITING TASK 1
Opinion Paragraph – 125 Words
1 Task
¨ Definition: An opinion paragraph is written to make the writer's beliefs about the topic
clear and back them up with solid reasoning.
¨ In this task, you will write a 125-word opinion paragraph about living an active lifestyle.
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Teacher’s note:
Ensure student engagement in
2 Examining Sample completing all sections of the task.
A. Read the sample.
Breakfast
Eating healthy meals is important. However, breakfast is still one of the most
important meals of the day. I think a good, healthy breakfast is important for many
reasons. First, a good breakfast provides the nutrients that people need to start their
day off with energy. It gives you the energy you need to get things done and helps
you focus on work or at school. Second, eating a healthy breakfast everyday
improves your mental abilities. For example, many studies have linked eating
breakfast to good health, including better memory and concentration. Third, I
believe that breakfast also prevent us from many health problems such as diabetes,
heart disease, and being overweight. This is why doctors advise us to make time
for breakfast every day to prevent us from long-term illnesses. Finally, I think
breakfast also helps you get some vitamins and nutrients from healthy foods like
dairy, grains, and fruits. So, if you don’t eat breakfast, you might not be getting all
of the nutrients your body needs. As a result, you will feel weak, tired, and would
get sick easily. Therefore, I strongly feel that a healthy breakfast every morning
helps you become active, energized, and healthy which, in my opinion, is the key
to live a longer, happier and healthier life.
B. Read the paragraph again and do the following:
1. Underline the introduction.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4. How many reasons does the writer talk about in order to support their opinion?
________________________________________________________________________
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5. Match the reason with the suitable supporting details:
6. Think of two more reasons that can also support the writer’s opinion.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
8. Which tenses are used in the paragraph? When are they used? Circle examples from the
paragraph.
is
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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3 First Draft
A. Pre-writing the First Draft:
¨ Ask yourself these questions and answer them to collect ideas to write
your paragraph.
Brainstorming • In your opinion, is living an active lifestyle good or bad?
• Why do you think so?
• What are the advantages / disadvantages of active lifestyle?
Title: _______________________
1. Introduction:
• General sentence:
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
• Topic sentence:
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
2. Body:
• Reason 1:
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
• Reason 2:
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
• Reason 3:
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
3. Conclusion:
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
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o Began with a topic sentence, then a body paragraph, and ended with a conclusion.
o Used descriptive language to explain your opinion to the reader.
o Gave the necessary details (main ideas and supporting sentences) to support your
topic sentence: your opinion about living an active lifestyle.
o Used expressions for giving opinions such as “In my opinion, I think, I feel that, I
believe, etc.”
o Used appropriate connectives such as (first, also, however, on the other hand, in
other words, in addition, for example, etc.)
o Used correct punctuation and word order in writing the sentences.
o Read your paragraph to make sure there are no spelling or grammatical mistakes.
E. Teacher’s Feedback:
1. Your instructor will use correction codes for different mistakes. Please refer to P. 25.
2. Your instructor will give you feedback on your work according to the rubric. Please
refer to P. 26.
4 Final Draft
Once you receive your corrected First Draft, start working on writing the Final Draft in the Final
Draft Pack using the correction code. Remember to check your instructor's feedback and correct all
the mistakes based on the correction codes from your instructor.
5 Grading
Your instructor will grade your work according to the grading procedure. Please refer to P. 24.
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III. WRITING TASK 2
Formal Email – 150 Words
1 Task
¨ Definition: A Formal email is written to someone you don’t know well or to someone
who’s in authority like your professor, a public official, or a company. It follows a
certain form, and the writer must use formal language in it.
¨ In this task, you will write a 150-word formal inquiry email to an airlines company
requesting information about your future flight with them.
Important Note:
Refer to Unit 9: Page 112-113 for practice on requesting information (formal email)
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Teacher’s note:
2 Examining Sample Ensure student engagement in
completing all sections of the task.
A. Read the sample.
cityhotel@outlook.com
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to request more information about my room reservation made on the 12th of August. My booking number is
DE145623.
My father, who will be staying in the room with me, is on a wheelchair. Your website mentions that the hotel has an
elevator, so I’m not concerned about that. However, I would be grateful if you could provide me with more information
about the hotel’s parking space and entrance, and whether they are wheelchair friendly. My second question is about the
restroom in the room. Is it big enough to accommodate a wheelchair comfortably?
Best regards,
Lina Juwad
________________________________________________________________________
3. What greeting did the sender use at the beginning of her email?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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b. Complaint email (showing dissatisfaction with service/quality..)
c. Service request email (asking for a service/help..)
6. The email answers many questions. Find the answers for the following:
Question Answer
What is her reservation number?
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
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3 First Draft
A. Pre-writing the First Draft:
¨ Ask yourself these questions and answer them to collect ideas to write
your email.
• What airlines company?
Brainstorming • Where / When will the flight be? Who will you be there with, if any?
• What information do you need from the airlines company?
• Why do you need it? Why is it important to know?
To: ____________________________
Subject: _______________________
1. Greeting:
____________________________
2. Introduction:
____________________________________________________________________________
3. Body (inquiries/questions/requests/details):
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
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____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Conclusion:
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Email ending:
____________________________
____________________________
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C. Writing the First Draft:
Use the outline you created to write your First Draft in the First Draft Pack.
E. Teacher’s Feedback:
1. Your instructor will use correction codes for different mistakes. Please refer to P.
25.
2. Your instructor will give you feedback on your work according to the rubric. Please
refer to P. 26.
4 Final Draft
Once you receive your corrected First Draft, start working on writing the Final Draft in the Final
Draft Pack using the correction code. Remember to check your instructor's feedback and correct all
the mistakes based on the correction codes from your instructor.
5 Grading
Your instructor will grade your work according to the grading procedure. Please refer to P. 24.
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IV. Appendix
1 Grading
A. The completion of the Booklet activities, First Drafts, and Final Drafts is important because
it affects the final mark.
C. If you complete the Booklet activities and the First Draft but do not submit the Final Draft,
you can earn a total of 5 marks (2 for the Booklet and 3 for the First Draft).
D. If you provide a valid excuse for absence from the First Draft session, your instructor will
schedule a make-up session during the office hours for you to write the First Draft.
E. In case you produce a completely different Final Draft than the one you submitted as the First
Draft upon which your instructor gave you a feedback, then you will get a zero for the
complete Writing Task.
X Done Done Final Draft graded out of 10, then 2 marks deducted
Done X Done Final Draft graded out of 10, then 3 marks deducted
Final Draft graded out of 10, then 5 marks deducted
X X Done
(2 for the Booklet activities and 3 for the First Draft)
5 marks earned
Done Done X
(2 for the Booklet activities and 3 for the First Draft)
Done but is
Done Done different than ZERO
First Draft
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2 Correction Codes
SP spelling mistake She has got brawn hair and black eyes.
correction: brown
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3 Portfolio Writing Task Rubric
Grammatical
Score Task Achievement range Lexical Resources Organization Mechanics
and accuracy
IMPORTANT NOTE:
❏ 3 marks are deducted if the student fails to submit the first writing draft.
❏ 2 marks are deducted if the student fails to complete the Writing Booklet activities.
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4 Key Terminology
The word limit is the number of words you must use. Not using the
word limit
required number of words would result in losing points.
Best of luck!
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