My writing
portfolio
Name:
Surname:
2º__
Instituto de Educación Santa
Elena
Teacher: Fernanda Marón
2015
Final entry
November 16, 2015
Name:
Mark:
Free time
My routine
What I wear
A description of myself (Real life SB page 5)
Myself and my family (Real life SB page 9)
A life story (Real life SB page 14)
Write an e-mail to a foreign friend. SB page 27
Future plans and ambitions. SB page 29
Eating habits (SB page 39)
Midterm exercise- What a Uruguayan family eats
What my family do at home (SB page 47)
A postcard and a letter (SB page 59)
Description of a sport (SB page 62)
My sporting hero (SB page 65)
A letter of complaint (SB page 75)
Describing a place (SB page 77)
A review (SB page 88)
Comments
Piece of writing Number 1: My free time
Model
I have got many hobbies. First, I’m really crazy about movies, that’s why I go to the cinema at
least, once a week. I like all kinds of films. It makes me forget real life and imagine I’m someone
else. Indeed, one day, I can be an adventurer, another day a special agent working for the FBI or
even a super hero saving people from bad guys!
I’m also keen on sports. Thus, I practise football twice a week. On the contrary, I hate
basketball. I think that the rules are more stupid than football. Besides, I’m not tall enough to
reach the basket. I never win at that game, which is far from being fun! Winning is better than
losing and so I think that football is better than basketball. There is another sport that I can’t
stand. It’s horse riding because I’m afraid of horses. They must feel it and when I try to get on
a horse, it makes me fall which is not pleasant at all.
However, what I like the most is watching TV. It is more relaxing than running on a football field
but it is also less enthralling!!!
Linking words
TO START
First
ADDITION
Besides
CAUSE
CONSEQUENCE
CONTRAST
that’s why
Thus
On the contrary
However
Vocabulary box
Sports
badminton
baseball
Other activities
Frequency
Go for a walk
Adjectives
amazing
Listen to music
Once
exciting
football
Help at home
Twice
thrilling
golf
Read books
Three times
intense
gymnastics
Do sport
Four times
relaxing
basketball
judo
Visit relatives
confusing
rowing
Hang out with
disappointing
rugby
friends
embarrassing
Go shopping
dangerous
Go to the cinema
boring
karate
running
skiing
swimming
tennis
volleyball
Outline
I have got many hobbies. First,
I’m really crazy about _____________, that’s why I
_______________ at least, ____________a week. I like all kinds of ____________. It makes
me ___________________________.
I’m also keen on ____________. Thus, I ____________
____________ a week. On the
contrary, I hate ____________. I think that ____________. Besides, I’m not _________. I
There is another ______ that I can’t stand. It’s _________ because ________.
However, what I like the most is _____________. It is _________ than ___________ but it
is also less ____________!
Piece of writing 2: My routine
Model:
Hi, my name is Craig and I’m fourteen years old. I am English .I live in a typical English family. I have a father, mother and a big sister called Amanda , who
is seventeen .We all live together in a house ,in a town named Ashford, in the south east of England.
I always wake up at 7 o’clock on weekdays. As soon as my alarm clock rings, I go to the bathroom where I have a shower. We have breakfast at 8 o' clock.
I like to eat a bowl of cereal and toast. I also drink a glass of milk. My mum usually only has toast, a glass of orange juice and a cup of coffee. Dad likes to
have a fried breakfast consisting of baked beans, bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms, two eggs and a sausage .
After breakfast, my sister and I, put on our school uniform. I wear grey trousers, a white shirt and a blue sweatshirt.
We all leave the house by 8.30. Dad goes to work. He works as a bank employee. Mum, my sister and I walk to school. My mum then catches a bus to the
hospital where she works as a nurse.
School starts at 9 o’clock, and I have lessons until quarter past twelve. I usually have a school lunch in the dining hall, but my mum sometimes gives me a
packed lunch which contains things like sandwiches, fruit and a bag of crisps.
After lunch, I love chatting with my friends in the playground until classes start again. My favourite subjects at school are science and history. My favourite
topic in history is learning about the ancient Egyptians. I also enjoy PE (Physical Education) lessons - we play football, netball, cricket and sometimes we
go cross-country running.
My least favourite subject is Maths ,and I must confess I’m not very good at it ! I don’t like French very much , the grammar is too hard for me !
Mum picks us up from school at quarter past one. We sometimes go down town to the shops , but most days we go back home. As soon as I get home, I
take off my uniform and get changed into casual clothes. In the evenings, I usually do my homework before watching TV. My mum often helps me with the
homework.
Dad usually gets home at about 6 o'clock. We eat together at about half past six. My favourite meal is a fish finger with peas and chips. I also like pizza,
which we have very often.
After dinner , I usually read for an hour before sleeping. I never go to bed late during the week because I have to get up for school the next day.
Paragraph 1
name, age, where you live and with
whom
Paragraph 6
after lunch
Paragraph 2
morning routine before
breakfast
Paragraph 7
end of school day
Paragraph 3
morning routine after
breakfast
Paragraph 8
dinner and favourite
foods
Paragraph 4
leaving home
Paragraph 5
start of the school day, lunch
favourite school subjects
Paragraph 9
after dinner
Think of what you usually do every day and write about it.
Verbs you can use:
do your homework
go to school
get to school
make a sandwich
Linking words you can use:
First,
Next,
go to bed
have lunch
finish school
have tea
After that,
wake up
leave home
start school
get dressed
Then,
have dinner
have breakfast
clean your teeth
have a shower
watch TV
get up
get home from school
meet my friends after school
log on Facebook
surf the net
Finally,
Remember to say the time in English!
PAST
6:00
six o'clock.
6:05
five past six
6:10
ten past six
6:15
quarter past six
6:20
twenty past six
6:25
twenty-five past six
6:30
half past six
TO
6:35
6:40
6:45
6:50
6:55
twenty-five to seven
twenty to seven
quarter to seven
ten to seven
five to seven
Outline
Hi, my name is ______name______ and I’m __age____ years old. I am_____nationality__________. I live
in____city________. I have _____family_________. We all live together in____a house/flat__________in a city
called___Montevideo________, in the ___south/north/west/east___________of____Uruguay _______.
I always wake up at____time___on weekdays. As soon as my alarm clock rings, I ___verb____. I have breakfast
at___time___. I like to eat__food_____. I also drink_____drink_______.
After breakfast, I______verb______.
Then, I leave home at_____time_______.
School starts at_____time___, and I have lessons until____time____. My favourite school subjects are____________. I
also enjoy__________. My least favourite subject is__________.
I usually have lunch___place and time_____.
After lunch, I_____verb______. I go home_____means of transport_______ at____time___. After I get home,
I___verb_______. In the evenings, I_______verb____.
Next, I have dinner at__time___. My favourite meal is____dish________. I also like_____food___.
After dinner, I______verb________. Finally, I go to bed at__time_________.
Piece of writing 3:What I usually wear
Model
It all depends on what I am doing and what season of the year it is.
When I go to school I often wear a grey track suit and Nike shoes. Sometimes I wear
T-shirts and jeans. In the winter I wear a jacket. I never wear a hat or gloves even
when it is very cold. When I am at home I change into shorts and put on an old T-shirt.
I rarely wear shoes at home- only socks. I don’t like baggy or tight pants .
They both look stupid. When I go to a party or I visit my grandparents I wear my best
T-shirt and sweatshirt. My favorite is a black hoodie with an eagle on the back.
When I play football I wear my team’s uniform. In the winter I usually wear a hoodie.
Generally I wear sport or casual clothes, but I like to wear really cool ones.
Outline
It all depends on what I am doing and what season of the year it is.
When I go to school I often wear________________________. Sometimes I
wear_________________.
When I am at home I change into____________ and put on __________.
When I go to a party or I visit my ____________ I wear_______________. When I
play______________________I usually wear____________.
In the winter I wear_____________. I___wear ___when it is very cold.
In the summer I like wearing______________ as well as__________________. However, I
never wear___________.
My favourite piece of clothing is a________________.
I rarely wear________________. I don’t like___________. They look_______________.
Vocabulary
Clothes and accesories
beltbootsdressearringshathoodiejacketjeanspiercingscarfshirtshoesskirt-
Adjectives for clothes
sweatertrainerstrousersT-shirttop
tracksuit
sweatshirt
tie
socks
leggings
tights
baseball cap
shorts
+
beautiful
elegant
fancy
fine
lovely
nice
pretty
fashionable
trendy
comfortable
smart
ill-fitting
old-fashioned
strange
revealing
tight
baggy
short-sleeved
long-sleeved
sleeveless
hooded
zip-up
V-necked
Piece of Writing 4: A Description of myself (Real life SB, page 5)

Where do you live?

Who do you live with?

Which school do you attend?

Do you have extra-curricular activities? (guitar lessons, sports club)

What are your interests?

What do you do in your free time?

Do you have lots of friends? What are their names?
Useful vocabulary
Free time
Play video games, log on Facebook, surf the net, read books, go
out with friends, listen to music, go shopping, play sports, go to
the cinema, ride my bike, go skateboarding
Where you live
Big, small, spacious, comfortable, average
House, flat
Afternoon
Have private lessons, attend football practice, have a dance
activities
rehearsal, go to drama/Portuguese/English lessons
Family
Younger/older brother(s)/sister(s), parents, mother, father,
grandfather, grandmother , grandparents, aunt(s), uncle(s),
cousin(s)
Number of friends Only one, a few, a lot
Adjectives for
Amazing, close, dear, extraordinary, marvelous, trustworthy,
friends
unconditional, wonderful
Outline
Hello! My name is________ and I live in a __________
______________
in__________ with my__________________.
I am a second –grade student at Santa Elena. I have lessons in the morning and
in the afternoon I___________________________.
I like________________( add -ing). In my free time I enjoy___________( add -ing).
I have ________
is/are______.
___________ friend/friends. His/Her/Their
name /names
Piece of writing 5: A paragraph about myself and my family. (Real life SB, page 9)

Are you an only child or have you got older or younger brothers and sisters?

Do you get on well with your brothers and sisters?

How many aunts, uncles and cousins have you got?

Are your great-grandparents still alive? And your grandparents? How old are they?

Do most of your relatives near you? How often do you see them?

Which relations do you like best? Are there any people in your family you don’t get on ?

Is anyone in your family doing anything interesting at the moment? What?
Useful vocabulary and phrases
Parents
sisters, brothers
My parents
aunts, uncles
I haven’t got any

cousins
My mother is an only child.


Grandparents
My aunt…. and

My grandparents on
are called
brothers or sisters.
She hasn’t got any brothers
my uncle… have
my mother’s side
______ and
I’m an only child.
or sisters.
got
are called___ and
_____.
I have got a sister.



My father is an only child.

a son called…
Her name is…
He hasn’t got any brothers

a daughter
I have got a brother.
or sisters.

___.
I have got a brother

a sister. Her name is…
a son. Their
and a sister. Their

a brother. His name is…
names are…
names are…

a brother and a sister.

Their names are…

I have got… sisters.

are called___ and
My mother has got
Their names are…

my father’s side
a daughter and

I have got… brothers.

My grandparents on
called…
His name is…

____.

… sons. Their
names are…
… brothers. Their names

are….
… daughters.
Their names
Their names are….

… sisters. Their names are…
I have got … brothers

My father has got
are…
and …. sisters. Their

a sister. Her name is…
daughters.
names are…

a brother. His name is…
Their names

a brother and a sister.
are…

… sons and …
Their names are…

… brothers. Their names

… is my cousin.
are….

…. are my

… sisters. Their names are…

… is my uncle. His wife is….
cousins.
She is my aunt.
… is my aunt. Her husband

is… . He is my uncle.
My parents
I have got one sister. Her
My mother has got a brother.
My uncle Luis and my
My grandparents on my
are called
name is Patricia.
His name is Luis. His wife is
aunt Nancy have got a
mother’s side are called
Nancy. Nancy is my aunt.
daughter. Her name is
Luis and Noelia.
Stephanie. Stephanie
My grandparents on my
is my cousin.
father’s side are called
Ruben and
Teresa.
Elias and Yanda.
I get on well with him/her because he/she is…
I don’t get on with him/her because he/she is…
I like…. a lot because he/she is….
personality +
affectionate
fearless
calm
friendly
charming
creative
generous helpful
determined
honest
kind
enthusiastic
patient
polite
reliable
personality -
aggressive
mean
Most of my relatives
arrogant
naughty
boring
selfish
careless
dishonest
stubborn
live/don’t live near me. I usually see them

once

a week

twice

a month

three times

a year.

four times
grumpy
irresponsible
Outline
Part 1
My parents…
I have…
My mother has…
My father has….
My uncle has…
My aunt has….
My grandparents on my mother’s side are called____________
and________. My grandparents on my father’s side are called______ and
_______.
Part 2
I get on well with__________ because______________.
I don’t get on with______ because__________.
I like___ a lot because_________.
Most of my relatives__________ near me. I usually see them_________.
Piece of writing 6: A life story
Write the life story of one of these people:

A typical Joe Average from your town

A relative or a friend with an interesting life story

Yourself!
Verbs- Life events (past)
get a degree
(got a degree)
get a job (got a job)
get engaged (got engaged)
(got married)
start school (started school)
leave school (left school)
have an argument (had an argument) pass his/her/my exams (passed exams)
fall in love (fell in love)
rent a flat (rented a flat)
move house(moved house)
be born (was born)
break up (broke up)
become(became)
grow up(grew up)
get married
Phrases- narrating past events
After a few days/months/years
When he/she was fourteen/fifteen/sixteen (age)
In 1985/1994/2003 (year)
After that,
Then,
Next,
A few days/months/years later
After a couple of days/months/years
Finally
Example
Elías Marón was born in 1918 in Montevideo, in Uruguay . When he was
eighteen, he finished school and started working in his parents’ tailor store.
Then, he fell in love with my grandmother. A few years later, he got married.
Next, he had a son called Ruben.
Finally, he died in 1962.
Outline
________________was born in ________________in________________. When he/she
was_____, he/she________________. Then, he/she ________________.
A few ________________ later, he/she ________________. Next,
he/she________________.
Finally, ________________.
Piece of writing 7. Write an e-mail to a foreign friend. SB page 27




Ask how he/she is
Apologize for not emailing before
Ask about his/her news
Give news about your friends and family.
Reasons for not writing
sooner
Feelings about your
friend’s news
Reacting to your
friend’s news
Your news
Your friend’s relatives
I was very busy with school.
I went to______________.
I had the flu and had to stay in bed all week.
Surprised, astonished, sad, heartbroken, delighted, pleased, happy, glad, overjoyed
You made a great decision.
You were very lucky.
I’m very proud of you.
It was a bad idea.
You should…
I passed my _____ exam.
I won__________.
I got very good marks in my latest_____test.
They chose me to represent my__________in________.
My_________________ is pregnant.
I’m going to travel to__________.
Parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents, cousins
Outline
Dear Lucia,
Thank you for your letter. Sorry I didn’t write to you sooner, but I was very busy with
school.
I was delighted to read that you have a new baby brother.
I thought you were very lucky.
I don’t have a brother, but I wish I had one!
Anyway, you’ll be pleased to hear that I’m going to travel to London.
Well, I must end now. Say hello to your parents and write again soon.
Best,
Cesar
Outline
Dear_____________,
Thank you for your letter. Sorry I didn’t write to you sooner, but _______________.
I was _________________to read that you__________________.
I thought_____________.
Anyway, you’ll be pleased to hear that _____________.
Well, I must end now. Say hello to your ______________ and write again soon.
Best,
_________________.
Piece of writing 8. Future plans and ambitions. SB page 29







Jobs
verbs
Languages
Reasons for
studying a
language
Other abilities
Where to live
Are you planning to go to university? What would you like to study?
What kind of job would you like to have?
Would you like to learn other foreign languages in the future?
Would you like to learn any other skills?
Are you planning to travel before you settle down? Where would you like to go?
Would you like to stay in Montevideo or live somewhere else?
Would you like to live in a house or a flat?
Accountant, actor, actress, architect, chemist, cook, dentist, doctor, engineer,
lawyer, nurse, pilot, journalist, scientist, translator, writer, teacher, hairdresser,
photographer, musician, singer, football player, athlete, fashion designer,
programmer, TV host
Help people
Work in a __________
Discover___________
Improve___________
Invent______________
Develop______
Organize___
Write___
French, Italian, Portuguese, German , Chinese, Japanese
It would help me with my job
It would be useful in my trips around the world
It is my grandparents’ mother tongue.
To play the guitar/the piano/the drums
To sew/to knit
First aid
Sing, dance
House, flat
Outline
When I grow up, I would like to_____________ and study at_____________. After that, I wish
to become a_____________ and_____________.
As for foreign languages, I think I am going to learn_____________ because_____________.
Besides, I suppose I am going to learn_____________ as well.
Before I settle down, I would like to_____________ and visit_____________. Finally, I would
love to live in a _____________ in_____________.
Outline
When I grow up, I would like to______study law_______ and study
at___University__________. After that, I wish to become a____lawyer_________
and____help people_________.
As for foreign languages, I think I am going to learn____French_________ because_____I like
France________. Besides, I suppose I am going to learn_____to play the guitar________ as
well.
Before I settle down, I would like to____travel around the world_________ and
visit____Paris_________. Finally, I would love to live in a ____house_________ in_____Parque
Batlle________.
Piece of writing 9. Eating habits.SB page 39
PARAGRAPH ONE
What is your name?
How old are you?
How important is
your diet for you how
does it affect your
activities?
PARAGRAPH TWO
Which foods are your
favourites and why?
Which foods don’t
you like?
Do you drink a lot of
water or fizzy drinks?
adjectives to describe food
PARAGRAPH THREE PARAGRAPH FOUR
Are there any dishes
Do you think you
you only have at the
have a healthy diet?
weekend or on
What can you do to
special occasions?
have a healthier diet?
Can you describe
some of them?
(+)delicious, great, superb, tasty, wonderful
(-)bad, unhealthy, fatty, fried, disgusting
synonyms for important
relevant
significant
meaningful
reasons for a healthy diet
it helps me with my sports performance.
it helps me do better with my studies.
I feel sick when I have junk food all the time.
how often you have water and
I have plenty of water every day.
fizzy drinks
I don’t have much water.
I am addicted to fizzy drinks, I have … every single day.
I hardly ever have fizzy drinks because….
reasons why your diet is healthy
I have a wide range of fruit and vegetables.
I tend to avoid foods that have lots of salt and sugar.
I don’t have fast food very often.
reasons why your diet isn’t
I have junk food every day.
healthy
For dessert I always have something sweet, but I never have fruits.
My name is FERNANDA and I’m 31 years old. My diet is MEANINGFUL for me
because I FEEL SICK WHEN I HAVE JUNK FOOD ALL THE TIME.
My favourite food is GREEN APPLES because THEY’RE DELICIOUS AND
HEALTHY. However, I don’t like OLIVES as THEY ARE DISGUSTING. When it
comes to water and fizzy drinks, I must admit I HAVE PLENTY OF WATER
EVERY DAY.
AT THE WEEKEND I usually have SCHITZEL. It is TASTY.
To sum up, I think I have a HEALTHY diet because I DON’T HAVE FAST FOOD
VERY OFTEN.
Outline
My name is_______________ and I’m ___________years old. My diet is_____________
for me because it_____________________.
My favourite food is_________________ because it’s__________________. However, I
don’t like_________ as it is__________________. When it comes to water and fizzy
drinks, I must admit I_____________________.
_______________________I usually have___________________. It
is_______________________.
To sum up, I think I have a _________________diet because______________.
Piece of writing 10.
What does a Uruguayan family eat? Write an article explaining what we usually
have for breakfast, lunch, tea , dinner and snacks.
(You can also mention what we eat at the weekend and on special occasions)
A typical Uruguayan family usually has ________________________________________________ for
breakfast.
They also drink________________________.
Sometimes, people have snacks before lunch, at school or at work. They
often have_________________________.
When it’s lunchtime, Uruguayans always have ____________.
At around ______________, we have tea. It’s usually________________________.
Finally, dinner usually consists of___________________________.
At the weekend we like eating different things, such as______________ and
____________________.
Apart from that, on special occasions such as _____________ and ____________ we
sometimes have______________________.
Piece of writing 11.What my family do at home. Page 47
PARAGRAPH ONE

How many people live in your house? Which domestic tasks they do? Which domestic
tasks don’t they do?
PARAGRAPH TWO

What about you? What do you do to help at home? Do you think you could help more?
How?
Useful phrases

_________people live in my house.

I live in a small/big
house/flat in ______(neighbourhood) with my _________ (family members)
My __________does nothing because she/he
is ________years old, she’s/he’s too little.
doesn’t want to.
she’s/he’s too lazy.
she’s/ he’s useless- she doesn’t know to do anything.
I do nothing at home. However, if my mother feels ill , I will_____________________________ to help. I don’t know how to
____________________________________, so I would ask my ________ or another relative to do it for us.
I think I could help more if I learnt how to ____________________, it seems easy. I’m not sure
about ______________, it looks too difficult.
during the week/on weekdays
at the weekend
We don’t __________ because we have it done by a ____________
Vocabulary



















make breakfast
do the cooking
do the most housework
make phone calls
do the hovering
make the beds
do the washing-up
do the ironing
make sandwiches
make a mess
do nothing
fold clothes
hang clothes on a clothesline
buy groceries
tidy my/his/her/their room/rooms
sweep the floor
fix everything around our home
cut the grass
maid
Piece of writing 12. A postcard and a letter
Postcard
Hi everyone!
Having a great time- I love San Francisco.
I went to the Golden Bridge and I saw sea lions
in Pier 39. I had a lovely meal in the afternoon it was__excellent!
I am going sighseeing to Muir Woods tomorrow.
Hope all is well with you!
Love,
Fernanda
Hi everyone!
Having a ___(1)_______ time- I love_(2)___.
I went__(3)_____ and I saw__(4)___. I had a
(5)____ meal in the__(6)____- it was__(7)___!
I am __(8)____ __(9)____.
Hope all is well with you!
Love,
____(10)___
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
good/great
place
touristic attraction
touristic attraction
delicious, lovely, tasty, superb
morning/afternoon/evening
excellent, amazing, wonderful
going shopping, going clubbing, going to
have dinner, going sightseeing
9. tonight, tomorrow, next week
10. your name
Letter
Dear Natalia,
How are you? I hope you are OK and that you’re feeling
better after your accident.
Sorry I didn’t write before but I travelled to the USA.
I am going to move to a new house and I’m sure it will be
incredible.
There are many things to do before that, but I really like
the neighbourhood.
Last week I saw my old classmate Leticia. It was
delightful.
She studied French and is now working at Alliance
Française!
Well, I think that’s everything. Write soon and tell me
your news!
All the best,
Fernanda
Dear__(1)____,
How are you? I hope you are___(2)____ and
that___(3)_____.
Sorry I didn’t write before but____(4)_____.
I am_(5)___ and I’m sure it will be___(6)__.
_____(7)___________.
Last__(8)_____ I had/saw/went_______(9)____. It
was____(10)______.
_________(11)______________________.
Well, I think that’s everything. Write soon and tell me your
news!
All the best,
_____(12)______
1. the person you’re writing to
2. well, fine, OK
3. you’re doing well at school/ you’re having fun
in your trip to…/ you’re feeling better after…
4. I was studying for…/ I was very busy with…./ I
travelled to….
5. Going to travel to…./ going to play… in…/going
to a …. Concert/going to move to a new house
6. Awesome, fascinating, incredible, unbelievable
7. Some other comments about the experience
8. Week,weekend, month
9. Another experience you had
10. Lovely, splendid, brilliant
delightful, lots of fun, great
11.other comments
12.Your name
For more information about letters see: workbook page 62
Piece of writing 13. Description of a sport. SB Page 62.
PARAGRAPH ONE

What’s the name of the sport?

When was it created?

Is it part of the Olympic games?

How would you describe the sport? (using an adjective)

Is it a popular sport?
PARAGRAPH TWO

Do you need special equipment or clothes?

Where can you practice it? Indoors or outdoors?

Is it an individual or team sport? If it’s a team sport, how many players
are there on a team?

What do you need to have or have to be good at this sport?
Words to describe sports
Challenging, dangerous, enjoyable, exciting, frightening
Healthy, relaxing, risky, thrilling, tiring, unsafe
Equipment
Racket, ball, net, helmet, goal, bat, glove, skis,
googles, suit, saddle, weights, shoes
Places to practice a sport
Field, court, rink, course, table, pool, track, ring
How to improve your
Have a healthy diet
performance
Practice every day
This sport is called_______skating_________________. It was created
in______1742________. It is part of the Winter Olympic games. I think it’s a
thrilling sport, and very popular.
To practice____skating_________ you need________figure skates_____________. In
order to practice it, you have to go to an ice rink.
It can be an individual
sport and a team sport. If you want to be a good at this sport, you
must______have a healthy diet and practice every day__________.
Outline
This sport is called________________________. It was created in______________. It is/isn’t part of the
Olympic games. I think it’s a/an ______sport, and not very/very popular.
To play/practice_____________ you need_____________________. In order to practice it, you have to go to
a/an____________/outdoors. It’s an individual sport/ a team sport. (There are___players in
each team). If you want to be a good at this sport, you must________________.
Piece of writing 14. My sporting hero
PARAGRAPH ONE

Full name and sport he/she plays/played

Awards
PARAGRAPH TWO

When and where he/she was born.

How he/she started his/her career
PARAGRAPH THREE

Why you admire him/her
Steffi Graf is a former tennis player. She won a gold medal in 1988.
She was born on June 14, 1969 in Germany. When he/she was five years old,
she started playing tennis tournaments. That’s how her career began.
I think Steffi is fascinating because she’s the only tennis player that won the
Australian Open, the French Open, the Wimbledon Championships, the US Open
and an Olympic medal in the same year, in 1988.
Outline
_____________(name)____ is a _____(nationality)___________
______(job)__________________. He/She won ____(award)__________in
_________(year)__________.
He/She was born
on________(date)______________in_______(country)_________________. When
he/she was________________years old, he/she
started____________________________. That’s how his/her career began.
I think ________(name)_____________ is
fascinating/incredible/awesome/marvelous/wonderful
because_________________________.
Piece of writing 15. A letter of complaint.
Your address
City and Postcode
Date
Sales Manager
Name of the store
Address of the store
City and Post code
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to make a complaint about a ___________(product) that I bought from __________
(store) on _________(date).
There is/are_________ (number) problem/problems with the __________(product).
Firstly,_______________. (Secondly,_____. Thirdly, ___________. Finally, _________. ) I took the
____(product) back to the store, but the manager/shop assistant told me I had to contact you
directly.
I am enclosing a copy of the receipt. Could you please send me a new____________(product) or give
me a refund as soon as possible?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully,
(signature)
(your name)
2355 Roxlo Street
Montevideo 11800
Sales Manager
The Electronic World,
1543 Yi Street,
Montevideo 11693
10 June 2015
Dear Sir or Madam,
I´m writing to make a complaint about a Samsung laptop that I bought from your store on June 7.
There are three problems with the laptop. Firstly, sometimes the volume doesn´t work. Secondly, a
few letters in the keyboard are missing. Finally, the screen is broken in the left corner and it is
difficult to read some things. I took the laptop to the store but the shop assistant told me I had to
contact you directly.
Could you please send me a new laptop or give me a refund as soon as possible?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully,
Fernanda Marón
Piece of writing 16. Describing a place.
Describe:

What the place looked like

Why and when you went there

What you did there

How you felt when you were there.
We always used to go to________________ when I was________________ and
every_____________ we used to go to the same______________. It
was____________. Every day we used to____________. It was a
________________place, with______________,______ and____________.
_________________ we used to spend hours______________. It’s one of my
favourite places in the world. I loved it!
My family and I used to go to Santa Teresa when I was a child and every summer we used
to go to the same beach . It was perfect. Everyday we used to walk lots of kilometers in the
sand. It was a peaceful place, with small hotels and restaurants. In the evening, we used to
spend hours talking, playing cards, listening to music and eating. It’s one of my favourite
places in the world. I loved it!
Vocabulary
Place
Great
Ideal
Perfect
Beautiful Peaceful
Quiet
Charming
Crowded
Exciting
Fantastic
Fascinating
Lively Picturesque
Places to stay
Cottage
hostel
hotel
house Flat
Bed and breakfast
friend’s
house
Seasons
Summer
Autumn
Winter
spring
Holidays
summer holidays
Easter holidays
spring break
Things
mountain hill
ocean
river lake beach
island
Activities
cooking
playing football
playing basketball
taking photos drawing
watching TV
playing videogames
painting
reading
listening to music
riding my bike going shopping
playing the guitar
going to the beach sunbathing
Piece of writing 17. Writing a review
Parents need to know that Paddington is based on the classic children's book by Michael Bond, A Bear
Called Paddington. After an earthquake destroys Paddington's home and kills his uncle, the orphan bear (voiced
by Ben Whishaw) stows away alone on a ship with only his red hat, beat-up suitcase, and jars of marmalade with
him in the hopes that someone will help him once he gets to London. The idea of him taking the journey on his own
might worry some children, but he's quickly taken in by the Brown family. Paddington gets into some dangerous
mischief -- which might delight some kids and scare/upset others -- including flooding a bathroom, chasing a
pickpocket, fleeing a fire, and eventually being kidnapped by a cruel, cold taxidermist (Nicole Kidman), who wields
a dart gun and sharp implements. The Browns' aunt helps rescue Paddington by doing shots of whisky with a
security guard until they're both drunk, and there's a gross-out scene in which Paddington cleans out his ears.
Expect some flirting, a passionate kiss between the Browns, and language along the lines of "good lord" and "shut
your pie hole." But Paddington is very sweet, polite, and good intentioned, and the Brown family is adorably
imperfect. Paddington is charming in many ways and touching in others.
We are nowadays surrounded by violence and sex on the media. Fortunately, there are some films and TV shows
that convey a positive message and allow us to look on the bright side of life.
One such film is the highly acclaimed Forrest Gump, starring Academy Award winner Tom Hanks. It is about a
mentally disabled boy called Forrest, played by Hanks, who has to face many difficulties in life, from bullying and
being a soldier in the Vietnam War to the death of his wife. His mother makes sure he grows up to be an optimistic
and determined man, no matter what others think of him. He also has a girlfriend, childhood sweetheart Jenny, with
whom he has a child, also named Forest. When Jenny dies, he is forced to raise his son alone, but you can tell that
after all he went through, he will definitely live up to the challenge.
I was about 10 years old when I first saw this movie, and it strikes me how clearly I remember the characters and
the dialogues, some of which are forever memorable. For instance, Forrest’s mum’s phrase, ‘Life is like a box of
chocolates. You never know what you are going to get’ often comes to my mind. I am aware that life can take an
unexpected turn and one needs to be open to new challenges, and those words remind me of that. Every time I
have to start teaching a new group of students, I think of this phrase and see them as chocolates in a box, for me
to unwrap, discover and bring out the best of. As a result, my attitude towards the class is very energetic and
allows me to work in a very confident way.
All In all, Forrest Gump is a wonderful film, which makes you wonder whether you are complaining too much about
your difficulties. It also depicts the unpredictability of life, and shows that being open minded and strong-willed will
in fact open a lot of doors for you.

Paragraph 1: title, what it’s about, who it was written or directed by, where it’s set
 The film/book tells the story of ...
 The film/story is set in...
 The book/novel was written by ...
 The film is directed by ...
 It is a comedy/horror film/love story.

Paragraph 2: your opinion of the book, film, characters, story and your favourite characters








The story concerns/is about/begins ..
The plot is (rather) thrilling, amusing,entertaining,exciting
The plot has an unexpected twist.
The cast is excellent,remarkable,memorable,appealing,fascinating,funny
The script is well-written/ exciting.
It is beautifully/poorly/badly written.
It has a tragic/dramatic end.
Paragraph 3: other information, if you recommend it
 Don't miss it. It is well worth seeing.
 I would recommend it because ..
 I highly/thoroughly recommend it.
 It's bound to be a box-office hit.
 It is a highly entertaining read.