Practising FCE writing part 2 articles

Practising for First Writing Part 2 – Articles

Contents

A. TEACHERS’ NOTES ...........................................................................................................2 
A1. 

Lesson Plan ...............................................................................................................2 

A2.   Answer keys...............................................................................................................4 
A3.   Classroom Handout 1 ................................................................................................6 
A4  

Classroom Handout 2 ................................................................................................7 

A5. 

Suggested homework/self-study activities .................................................................8 

B. GUIDANCE FOR FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES ......................................................................9 

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Practising for First Writing Part 2 – Articles
A. TEACHERS’ NOTES

Description
Time required:

50 minutes

Materials
required:



Classroom Handout 1



Classroom Handout 2

Aims:



To focus on the elements that make a good article



To review and complete an open cloze task



To plan and write an article, using a model text

A1.

Lesson Plan

1. Write the following questions on the board:
 Have you read any magazine articles recently?
 What were they about?
 Why did you enjoy reading them?
Learners discuss the questions in pairs. Monitor.
Timing: 5 minutes.
2. Give out A3 Classroom Handout 1.
Allow students a few moments to read through the task and then to discuss the
questions in pairs. Monitor and help as necessary.
Elicit the key features that make a good article. Write up the more interesting
suggestions for titles on the board. (Answers: see A2 Answer Keys.)
Timing: 10 minutes.
3. Ask students to read through the task again and underline the key words and
phrases. Compare with a partner when finished. (Answers: see A2 Answer Keys.)
In pairs or small groups, learners go through the True (T) or False (F) statements. If
the answers are false, they should correct the false ones and say why. Monitor and
help as necessary.
Go through the answers with the whole class. (Answers: see A2 Answer Keys.)
Timing: 10 minutes.
4. Give out A4 Classroom Handout 2.
Explain that you are going to look at an article to consider how effective it is. Ask
learners to read it through first, ignoring the spaces, for a general understanding. Ask:
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Practising for First Writing Part 2 – Articles
 Which part of Portugal appeals most to you?
Encourage learners to give a personal reaction to the text.
Learners now work on their own to complete the spaces in the text. Encourage them
to look at the whole sentence and not just the words before and after the space. They
may also need to look at the previous or next sentence to make their decision
Monitor.
Once finished, learners compare their answers in pairs. Check answers quickly with
the whole class. (Answers: see A2 Answer Keys.)
Timing: 10 minutes
5. In their pairs, learners discuss the questions on A4 Classroom Handout 2 about the
text. Monitor and help learners identify useful vocabulary and expressions they could
use in their own work. (Answers: see A2 Answer Keys.)
Timing: 10 minutes.
6. Learners write their articles for homework. They should allow themselves about 10
minutes for planning, 30 minutes for writing and 5 minutes for checking their work
before handing it in. Encourage them to incorporate the useful and interesting
language they found in the article.
Review the following points:


Always read the task carefully and identify what needs to be included



Make a paragraph plan before you write



Check your work carefully when you have finished, using the checklist in the
suggested homework/self study activities.

Timing: 5 minutes

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Practising for First Writing Part 2 – Articles
A2.

Answer keys

A1

Lesson plan Step 3
Key words:
Holiday destination; details; best time…visit; tourists see…do; article; 120–180 words

A3

Classroom Handout 1

Exercise 1
a) A good article should have:


A title, students could use ‘My Favourite Holiday Destination’ as their title but they
could also think of a more direct and attractive title to interest the reader. Often a
question works well as a title.



An introductory paragraph linked to the title. Students can also use questions in
their article to involve i.e. ‘speak to’ the reader as if they are having a conversation.



One (or two) central paragraph(s) where students can go on to explain their
opinion and experience. In this task they should focus on the two questions, i.e.
the best time, what tourists can do and see there.

 A final paragraph that summarises the main points.
b) You could use: a question; a controversial or funny statement; a powerful description;
speak directly to the reader ‘you’, or about yourself ‘I’; dialogue, etc
d)

Here are some suggestions:


Same place by the pool again this year?



When did you last go on an adventurous holiday?



Why not head for (the name of a country or city)!



Sun, sand and sea!

Exercise 2
1. T
2. T
3. F (This would be relevant to formal letters.)
4. F (Your writing for Part 2 should be between 120-180 words.)
5. T
6. F (You must use a pen in the writing paper.)
7. T
8. T
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Practising for First Writing Part 2 – Articles

9. F (Your writing will be assessed on accuracy, including grammar, spelling and
punctuation.)
10. F (This would be relevant to reports.)
A4

Classroom Handout 2
Exercise 1
1)

for

7)

which

2)

its

8)

who

3)

more

9)

the

4)

are

10) around

5)

of

11) up

6)

if

12) be

Exercise 2
1. four
2. present tense
3. learners’ own answers
4. learners’ own answers

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Practising for First Writing Part 2 – Articles
A3.

Classroom Handout 1

In Part 2 of the First Writing test, you may be asked to write an article. Look at the following
Part 2 question.
You have seen this announcement in an international magazine.
My Favourite Holiday Destination
Tell us about a holiday destination you know well, giving details of the following:


What is the best time to visit?



What can tourists see and do there?

Write us an article answering these questions. We will publish the most interesting
articles next month.
Write your article in 120–180 words.

1. Answer the following questions in pairs.
a) What should a good article have?
b) How can you interest the reader at the beginning of an article?
c) Discuss your ideas about what to include in the article.
d) Think of two or three interesting titles for your article and share your ideas with the

rest of the class.
2. Read the following statements and in groups decide if they are true (T) or false (F) and
correct the false ones.
1. This article should be based on your experiences and include some description.
2. You must answer both parts of the question. If you do not do this, you will lose marks.
3. You should begin with Dear Sir or Madam.
4. You have to write about 100 words.
5. You should write your article in a neutral style as it is for an international magazine.
6. You can write your article in pencil.
7. You should make a plan before writing, and try to connect your ideas clearly.
8. You must remember to use paragraphs and make sure the language is suitable for
your target audience.
9. You don’t need to worry about spelling and grammar mistakes when you write.
10. You can use subheadings and numbered points.

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Practising for First Writing Part 2 – Articles
A4

Classroom Handout 2
1) For questions 1–12, read the text below and think of a word which best fits each
space. Use only one word in each space. There is an example at the beginning (0).

Holidays in Portugal - the best time
Once the summer crowds (0) have gone, the weather on a Portugal holiday remains warm,
and you can still enjoy all that this wonderful country has to offer. With year round gorgeous
weather, it’s ideal (1)
a romantic getaway or a family vacation.
If you have an adventurous spirit, you may want to consider Portugal’s Centro region. With
ancient towns, beautiful forests, snow-capped mountains and Roman ruins, Centro
(2)
has everything for the (3)
active holidaymaker. Whether trekking, bird-watching or
your thing, you’ll love this part (5)
Portugal.
paragliding (4)
But (6)
cities are more your thing – head for Lisbon or Porto. Whether you want
shopping and nightlife or culture and history, the Portuguese capital is a romantic location
(7)
offers everything you could want from a city break. If you’re wondering where to stay
in Lisbon, this city has a huge range – from upmarket hotels to small guesthouses.
People (8)
visit Porto, the country’s second city, are charmed by the faded elegance
of its buildings, and its steep streets. A hire car in Porto is (9)
most flexible and costthe city and surrounding Norte region. Why not pick
effective way to get (10)
(11)
your hire car in Porto Airport so you have wheels when you arrive? You’ll find
clear on what vehicle you
driving in Portugal straightforward. Just remember to (12)
want – before you book.
2) Use the text on Portugal above as a model answer and discuss the following

questions.
1. How many paragraphs are there?
2. What tense is used throughout the article?
3. Find some interesting vocabulary in the article. If necessary, check its meaning in a
dictionary.
4. Are there any other expressions which you could use in your own article?

3) Write your article, using three or four paragraphs. Remember to read through the task
again carefully and include all the information needed.

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Practising for First Writing Part 2 – Articles
A5.

Suggested homework/self-study activities



Instead of collecting in learners’ articles for marking, ask them to check each other’s
articles and make some comments/suggestions. They could use the checklist (below)
to help them evaluate the article.



Learners study the feedback from their peers and consider any errors in their writing.
This is a good learning skills activity as learners learn to evaluate each other and to
accept feedback from their peers.



Learners should hand in their articles only after they have been evaluated. Some
learners may wish to write an improved version in response to the evaluation, which
they can give in later to the teacher.

Checklist
1.

Has the writer tried to interest the reader at the beginning?

2.

Is the article organised into logical paragraphs?

3.

Has the writer used an appropriate style? (In this case neutral, as it is for an
international magazine.)

4.

Has the writer answered both parts of the question?

5.

Has the writer used appropriate linking words or phrases?

6.

Has the writer written the right number of words? (Remember Part 1 is 120–150
words and Part 2 is 120–180 words.)

7.

Has the writer shown some range of language and used the present tense?

8.

Are there any serious mistakes?

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Practising for First Writing Part 2 – Articles
B. GUIDANCE FOR FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES
1. This lesson begins by encouraging learners to think about their own experiences of
reading articles and the discussion questions on A3 Classroom Handout 1 should
stimulate plenty of ideas on what makes a good article.
If you have an interactive whiteboard or overhead projector, show the discussion

questions and the answers (on A2 Answer Keys) to the whole class This is useful
because:


It makes it easier for learners to focus on the task in hand



Learners think about the topic before they write



They brainstorm ideas and approaches



Learners discuss the topic with their classmates, sharing ideas and clarifying
their own thoughts

2. In Exercise 2 on A3 Classroom Handout 1, learners have to discuss True or False
statements. This is very important, because:


it helps learners to focus on the process of writing an article



it encourages them to think about what is required for the specific task i.e. the
two questions which need to be addressed



it focuses learners attention on the right style of language to use.



it encourages learners to make a plan before they write anything.

It is easy to create a similar exercise. Some of the statements are general and can be
applied to all the written tasks, e.g. numbers 6, 7, 8 and 9.
3. The text on A4 Classroom Handout 2 is based on a text taken from a website. It is
similar to the kind of task set in First Use of English Part 2, and so provides further
exam practice.
When selecting a text, it is important to think about the following:


Keep the text short. You can find suitable articles from websites and adapt the
text to suit your needs



You can also use authentic texts from a range of other sources e.g.
newspapers, magazines, etc.



If you think the language is difficult, you could change a high level word with an
easier synonym

To create a similar exercise:



find a suitable text (see above)



make sure you only blank out words which have enough clues in the text to allow
students to work out the missing word in each gap

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Practising for First Writing Part 2 – Articles


don’t blank out too many words in the same section of text: make sure the gaps
are evenly spread



try to include a good mix of grammar and vocabulary, e.g. prepositions, articles,
pronouns, phrasal verbs, etc.

4. In A2 Lesson Plan Step 6, we asked learners to write the article for homework.


If you have a longer lesson, you might like to treat this section as an informal
workshop session, brainstorming ideas for expansion, encouraging them to
review their writing, replacing frequently used words with a wider range, etc



Alternatively, get your students to write the article in class as a timed task, so that
they get a feel for the exam.

5. Remind learners that planning a written task before writing is vital as it helps them to
avoid making mistakes. Planning is useful, because:


Learners are less likely to include unnecessary or irrelevant information or miss
out information altogether.



It helps them to connect their ideas logically and use clear paragraphs



It provides ‘thinking time’ as they start to access useful words and phrases they
can use in their text



It encourages learners to think about the style most suited to the situation and
target reader.

6. When marking learners’ work, try to vary your approach and to focus on different
aspects of the writing. For example, if you’ve been focusing on range of vocabulary in
class, make this the main focus of your marking. If you’ve been focusing on using an
appropriate style, comment mainly on this. This helps by giving relevant feedback to
learners and encourages them to think beyond grammar. Here are some other ideas
for marking:


Use a green or blue pen (red can be discouraging)



Either write the correct answers in the margin or use a correction code (see
below)



Write nothing and go through it with the individual learners



Get learners to mark each other’s work using a checklist



Use errors from a number of different learners’ writing and devise a quiz, or get
the learners to do it themselves.

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Practising for First Writing Part 2 – Articles

Correction code
Gr = grammar
Ww = Wrong word
Wo = Word order
Vt = Verb tense
Vf = Verb form
Sp = Spelling
P = Punctuation
? = Meaning or handwriting not clear
^ = Missing word

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