3 HANDWRITING

HANDWRITING (TOPIC FOR ALL TESTS DATES TILL 30TH APRIL 2022)
I. VOCABULARY
➢ to scribble
➢ a sheet of writing paper
➢ to put pen to paper
➢ longhand
➢ shorthand
➢ to jot down (to write a short note of)
➢ handwriting with pen and paper
➢ to practise penmanship
➢ mastery of penmanship
➢ to foster penmanship
➢ to write in block letters
➢ to master cursive writing
➢ capital letters
➢ uppercase and lowercase letters
II. QUESTION
1. Do you usually write by hand or write using a computer?
Nowadays, how do most people write things?
Do you often write with a pen?
a. IDEAS
how often:
➢ once in a while
➢ not too often
➢ quite often
➢ more often than not
➢ in most cases
➢ for the most part
➢ I do a lot of writing by hand daily
by hand:
➢ to finger write lists and messages on smartphones and tablets

➢ to jot down a shopping list
➢ to write a birthday card
➢ to take a phone message
➢ to fill in some forms
➢ to take lecture notes
➢ to scribble notes
➢ to take notes during a meeting
➢ to take notes to outline my ideas
➢ to make drafts
➢ to doodle
➢ to create mind-maps
➢ to write reminders
➢ to write essays for school
➢ to write in exams
➢ to write down a to-do list
➢ to do homework
➢ to jot down a phone number


using a computer:
➢ I can't remember the last time I had to write anything by hand
➢ most people have turned into typists due to modern technology
➢ to make reports
➢ to make spreadsheets
➢ to write long texts such as articles
➢ to write quick notes as a replacement for sticky notes
➢ to handle business correspondence
➢ to write personal and business email letters
➢ to write notes and store them in the cloud so that they could be easily accessed
➢ sticky notes are not reliable as they always fall off and get lost

b. ANSWER
Do you usually write by hand or write using a computer?
-Well, it's hard to say. On the one hand, I do a lot of writing by hand. For example, I write
down to-do lists in my personal organiser, scribble notes if I recall some important piece of
information or come up with a good idea. I write reminders for my colleagues and family
members. But when it comes to writing long texts such as articles, of course, I never do it
using pen and paper.
Nowadays, how do most people write things?
-I'm convinced that most people have turned into typists due to modern technology. Even
when it comes to writing quick notes, reminders and to-do lists, the majority of people use
their devices as sticky notes always fall off and get lost. At the same time, using an
electronic device, you can store them in the cloud and be sure they will be there unless you
delete them which, thank God, can't happen accidently. Also, you can make them private
and nobody will be able to open them without a password.

2. Do you think handwriting is important nowadays?
Do you think computers might one day replace handwriting?
a. IDEAS
yes:
➢ many people erroneously believe that it’s a thing of the past
➢ an essential skill
➢ an integral part of our daily lives
➢ plays an important role in our daily lives
➢ used to make judgements about people
➢ remains important in education, business and everyday life
➢ when assessment is based on written work
➢ you'll be marked down in exams if your handwriting is illegible
➢ most exams are still handwritten
➢ still an important skill for communication
➢ still a valid form of communication

➢ the best form of notetaking
no:


➢
➢
➢
➢
future:
➢
➢
➢
➢
➢

not as important as it used to be
nowhere near as important as it used to be
to shift from handwriting to using a computer
technology has made the purpose of handwriting redundant
it's hard to say what will happen 20 or 30 years from now.
technology is unlikely to eliminate handwriting
technology will sound the death knell for handwriting
handwriting will soon become a thing of the past
it's highly likely

b. ANSWER
Do you think handwriting is important nowadays?
-Absolutely. It still remains important in education, business and everyday life, despite many
people believe it’s a thing of the past. For example, most exams in my country are still
handwritten and you'll be marked down if your handwriting is illegible. Also, it's by far the

best form of notetaking. Most of us take phone messages, jot down notes in meetings,
create drafts of important documents solely by hand.
Do you think computers might one day replace handwriting?
-It's highly likely that technology will sound the death knell for handwriting. Nowadays
handwriting is being used at schools, but more and more schools are integrating computers
into classroom. Secondly, many people claim that handwriting is the best form of notetaking,
but having reliable voice recognition systems which everybody is getting used to, I strongly
doubt somebody will bother even to type notes, let alone write them down using pen and
paper.
3. Is your handwriting easy to read for other people ?
a. IDEAS
yes:
➢ my handwriting is legible
➢ my writing is neat and clear enough to read
➢ my handwriting can be easily read without discernible effort and without having to
guess whether a particular letter is an 'a' or an 'o'
➢ I write neatly when I write slowly
no:
➢ everyone says my handwriting is illegible
➢ everyone says my writing looks like chicken scratch
➢ my handwriting is like chicken scratch
➢ my handwriting is difficult to decipher
➢ I have really messy handwriting that is nearly impossible to read
➢ when I have to write fast, my handwriting becomes illegible
➢ when I’m in a hurry and have to write fast, my super neat handwriting turns into
chicken scrawl
➢ the only person who can read my handwriting is me
➢ my handwriting is so bad that even I can't read it after a while

b. ANSWER
Is your handwriting easy to read for other people?
-Well, in my opinion, my handwriting is legible, at least it's clear enough to read, but many
people say it isn't. When I studied at school, my teachers would say something like 'Your
handwriting is impossible to decipher' or 'Your handwriting looks like chicken scratch. Now
my colleagues say that the notes I leave to them are either illegible or they have to put effort
in order to guess whether a particular letter is an 'a' or an 'o'. But when I write very slowly, I
write neatly.
4. What impression does a person’s handwriting have on other people?
Can we tell someone's personality from their handwriting?
a. IDEAS
➢ a rich source of analysis
➢ handwriting can help to determine what a person is like
➢ handwriting can say a lot about someone's personality
➢ handwriting can help you figure out what a person is like before meeting them
➢ kinds of writing:
➢ legible or illegible
➢ illegible handwriting means a person who is difficult to understand
➢ neat writing means a person likes order
➢ sloppy writing means a person may try to hide something
➢ high pressure of the strokes means a person is energetic
➢ light pressure of the stroke is a sign of introversion
➢ a left slant means a person hides emotions
➢ a right slant means a person is assertive and tries to get it right all the time
➢ upward writing shows optimism and a positive attitude to life
➢ downward writing is a sign of fatigue
➢ large letters mean a person is extroverted and generous
➢ large letters mean a person likes to be noticed
➢ small letters may mean a person who is either shy or has a low self-esteem
➢ small letters mean a person is introverted or thrifty

➢ rounded letters mean a person is logical
➢ large gaps between words mean a person appreciates freedom
➢ spiky letters mean a person thinks and acts fast
b. ANSWERS
-I think handwriting can be a rich source for analysis. Even if you are not a specialist, you
can determine what a person is like by looking at their handwriting. For instance, illegible
handwriting means a person who is difficult to understand, while neat writing is sure to
signify order. The most obvious characteristic is the size of the letters. Large letters may
mean someone is generous, whereas small letters mean a person is introverted or thrifty.
5. When do children begin to write in your country?
How did you learn to write?
How can children today improve their handwriting?
a. IDEAS


age:
at the age of X
➢ my first attempts at writing were in my preschool years
➢ I must have been 5 or 6
➢ It was not until I went to school that I mastered penmanship
➢ I could write long before I went to school
➢ by the time I went to school, I could write in block letters
how learnt:
➢ was taught to grip a pen
➢ was taught to hold a pen properly
➢ was first taught to write in block letters, then advanced to cursive writing
➢ started off with block letters
➢ the next stage was to master cursive writing
➢ learnt to write capital letters, then lowercase ones
➢ watched my mom write down letters and tried to copy them

➢ mom wrote down my name using spots and faint lines so that I could retrace over the
word
➢ used toy bricks to shape letters
➢ liked to write in the sand and salt
➢ wrote letters in the air
➢ was forced to trace letters over and over again
➢ drew letters with finger-paints
➢ if it hadn't been for my mom, the process would definitely have been boring
how improve:
➢ to trace letters over and over again
➢ through lots of practice
6. Did you like writing things when you were a child?
a. IDEAS
yes:
➢ I really enjoyed it
➢ I tried to get down to writing whenever I had a spare moment
➢ it was a real adventure for me
➢ it was such fun for me
➢ it calmed me down and helped me relax
➢ the words practically flew from my pencil
no:
➢
➢
➢
➢
➢
➢
➢
➢

I didn't really enjoy it
I didn't feel comfortable with it
I was quite reluctant to it
I was too immature to manage the writing process
I was too worried about making mistakes
I had real difficulties that led to tears and tantrums
it was hard for me to form letters with a pen
it was a struggle for me