TASK SHEET:
Factual description: my family
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1. Work with a partner. Show them your family tree and describe the different parts of
your family. Say where they live, how close you are to them, how often you see them,
what they do, what they’re like.
2. Read this text
My Family
I live in Walsall with my parents, Gordon and Sheila Hill. They are both teachers here in Walsall. My
grandmother is a retired infants school teacher (everyone in my family is a teacher!), and she lives three
miles away in Bloxwich. She’s my mother’s mother. My grandfather died when I was four, so she lives
alone. We see her very often, though, as she comes to tea every Thursday, and to lunch every Sunday.
She’s my favourite family member after my parents. My great aunt and uncle also live in Bloxwich. We
don’t see them very often. Aunty Norah is my grandmother’s sister-in-law. She’s married to Uncle Cyril.
I like him a lot – he’s very funny. Their son Jeremy lives not far away in Pelsall with his wife Sybil and
their son Matthew – he’s only 5. We don’t see them very often – just sometimes at Christmas or other
family parties, but I like them, too. Jeremy isn’t a teacher – he’s an architect.
My mother’s younger sister Janet lives in Weybridge in Surrey, where she is a junior school teacher.
She only comes home during the school holidays, which is a pity, because she’s good fun. She isn’t
married. There are some cousins of my grandmother’s in Altrincham, but we only see them for
weddings and funerals. And that’s all there is of my mother’s side of the family.
My father’s family live in Buckinghamshire, around Newport Pagnell, and the area that is now called
Milton Keynes. We are very close to my father’s older brother George and his family, my Aunty Mary
and cousin Elizabeth.
3. How is the writing organized? Make notes below:
Paragraph 1:
first
second
third
fourth
talks about the writer’s parents
Paragraph 2:
first
second
Paragraph 3:
first
second
What links the content of each paragraph?
4. The writer gives basic facts about his family, but he keeps the reader’s interest by adding extra
information. Find examples of this.
5. Now write a first draft of the description of your family in the same way. Remember to organize your
paragraphs carefully from most important to least important information. And don’t forget to add
some extra information to keep readers interested. Use a separate piece of paper.
6. When you have finished, exchange writing with a partner, and check the organization of the
writing – can you follow it easily? If not, tell your partner. Also, if you notice any language problems
(e.g. spelling mistakes, wrong tenses) put a pencil line underneath the words.
7. Now rewrite your description, taking into account anything your partner has said, and any
additional things you have thought of. Use a separate piece of paper.
http://education.hill.continuumbooks.com © David A. Hill (2010)
Resources for Teaching English 14–16. London: Continuum.