pet writing guide

8/19/2019 PET Writing Guide

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PET

WRITING GUIDE• Structure

• Tips

• Writing useful phrases: letter/email and stor

• Samples ! acti"ities #$ith ans$er %e&

• 'ssessment scale

• Punctuation rules


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PET WRITING TIPS

Part 1

Remember you need to write no more than three words.

Look at the words before and after the gap to help with the meaning.

Look for structures you recognise in the first sentence. Underline them and think

of a different way of writing the same thing.

Be careful with verbs. Make sure that the tense or form you write is correct.

Check your answer has exactly the same meaning as the first sentence. Don't

leave anything out.

Part 2

Read the instructions carefully and underline the most important words. Look at the verbs thank, suggest, tell, offer, invite, etc. Don't just repeat these

verbs in your answer - think about what to write that has the meaning of these

verbs.

Make some notes before you start writing. Decide on the best order. It is

probably the same as the order of the three points in the question.

Remember to include all three parts of the question. Don't put in too many of

your ideas.

Read you answer carefully. Check the number of words and your spelling and

grammar.

Part 3

Remember to choose only one of the questions in this Part. Read them both

carefully and underline the most important words. Decide which one you can

do best, but don't spend too long deciding.

Write suitable sentences to open and close your letter e.g. 'Than you for your

letter', 'How are you?' and 'See you soon', 'Write to me soon'.

Remember you must write about 100 words.

Make sure you have a beginning, middle and in your plan before you start

writing.

Remember to use past tenses when telling a story.

Check your answer carefully for spelling and grammar.

There are usually two or three parts to the question. Answer all of them and

don't write too many of your own ideas.


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Useful Phrases for Informal

Letters/emails

On this page we will look at some useful phrases for informal letters (PET Writing Part3).

Phrases

The words and expressions below are often used by native speakers when writing to

friends and relatives. Using them will help you write in an informal style and will also

help you organise your letter into clear paragraphs.

Starting your letter (Paragraph 1)

Thanks for your letter.

Lovely to hear from you.

How are you?

How are things?

Hope you're well.

Commenting on something (Paragraph 1)

I'm sorry to hear/learn ...

I'm so pleased to hear ...

It's great to hear ...What wonderful news about ...

Moving the topic on (Paragraph 2)

Anyway, the reason I'm writing ...

I thought I'd write to tell/ask you

Anyway, I was wondering ...

Ending your letter (Paragraph 3)

Well, that's all for nowWrite back soon

Looking forward to hearing from you again

All the best

Best wishes

See you soon

Take care

Yours

Love

Lots of love

http://www.flo-joe.co.uk/preliminaryenglish/writing/phrases-for-informal-letters.htm


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General Instructions

- Stay within the word limit.

- Make sure your text fits the title or the sentence you are given. Never change the title or this

sentence in any way.

- Always plan your story carefully before you start writing. First think of as many ideas as possible.

hen think about the beginning! the middle and the end of your story and divide your ideas into

three groups. Finally! write your story by writing one paragraph for each group of notes.

What to Write

"hat should you write about# hat$s up to you. %ou might like to write a true story! something

that happened to you or someone you know& you might like to write a fantasy! like a ghost story&

you might like to write about something exciting! like a rescue. hat$s the fun of story writing' the

fact that you can choose any sub(ect. )ut whatever you choose! recogni*e your limitations. +on$t


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try to summari*e an entire movie you$ve seen. ,n this length of story you only have the space to

write about one incident! one thing that happens. he rest of the story adds detail.

Point of View

A story can be told in either first person! that is! the point of view of the writer! or in third person!

a more ob(ective presentation of the events. ,f you are taking the ambridge First ertificate

exam! usually the exam uestion will determine the point of view. ,f the sentence you are given to

open or close your story is in first person! then write your story in first person& if it is in third

person! then the rest of the story should be as well. ,f you are given a title only! then you have a

choice! but remember' whatever you choose! stay consistent. Always use the same point of view

throughout the story.

Organization

/lan your story carefully. A good story doesn$t (ust take off and go anywhere. "hen you are

writing a story as short as this! good organi*ation is essential. %our story should have about four or

five paragraphs depending on the sub(ect matter! but each paragraph should have its particular

topic and advance the story in a specific way. he organi*ation should be like this'

0. ,ntroduction 1opening2. he introduction informs the reader of the three "s' who! when!

where. "ho is the main character or characters in the story# "hen does the story begin#

"here does the story begin# Sometimes there is a hint of what and why as well. "hat are they

doing when the story begins and why are they doing it# ry to mention something interesting

that will hook the reader into wanting to continue reading.

3. Main part 1development2. his is the part where the action happens. ,n the second and third

paragraph there is usually a buildup to the main event in the fourth and last paragraph in the

main part. 4emember! in each paragraph one specific thing should happen that advances the

story along.

,n this part! it is very important to use a lot of linking words to arrange the different events in

seuence.


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Starting: · First, … / In the beginning, … / At first, …

Continuing: · Next, … / Then, … / Later, … / After that, … / (Soon) afterwards, … ·

After (+ noun/sentence) , …/

As soon as (+ sentence) , …

/Fro

(tie)

, … / …unti! (+ noun/sentence) After e"er#one had finished eating, $r% &ones offered dessert% / After dessert, the# '!a#ed cards%

As soon as the woan !eft, arr# hurried to the itchen% Fro the oent she saw hi, she new he was going to be her future husband% She waited unti! the afternoon% / She waited unti! e"er#one had !eft%

Making reference to a previous event: · *efore (+ noun / -ing "erb) , … / … before (+ noun / -ing "erb)% *efore 'icing u' the 'hone, he checed who was ca!!ing%

e checed who was ca!!ing before 'icing u' the 'hone% · …, but before (+ sentence)%

Thoas went out, but before he checed if a!! the windows were c!osed%

·nti! then, … / (sentence) before%

nti! then, he had ne"er fe!t so energetic% / e had ne"er fe!t so energetic before%

Talking about a simultaneous action: · $eanwhi!e, %%% / In the eantie, %%% · hi!e (+ sentence -- usua!!# in .ast ontinuous) , %%% hi!e I was waiting for the bus, I saw a an !ea"ing the bui!ding with a suitcase%

Adding something surprising: · Sudden!#, … / A!! of a sudden, …

Sudden!#, his bod# starting swe!!ing% / A!! of a sudden, his bod# started swe!!ing%

· To 0#/his/her /our /their1 sur'rise, … To # sur'rise, the wa!!et was sti!! there when I cae bac%

Finishing: · In the end, … / Fina!!#, … / At !ast, … · 2"er since (tie), … / Since then, … / Fro then on, …

Fro then on, the# decided to use their su'er'owers to fight crie in 3a!encia it#%

5. onclusion 1resolution2. ,n the conclusion there is usually a summing up! or lesson learned!

or the writer$s feelings or impression of the events! if the story is told in the first person.

Verb Tenses

Stories can be fun to write but they are also challenging! and one of the most difficult grammar

aspects is the correct use of verb tenses. Stories should be told mainly in simple past tense! with

occasional use of past progressive or continuous! and past perfect. +on$t mix present and past

tenses! and don$t make the common mistake of using past progressive for simple past. "atch your

tenses6


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PUNCTUATION RULES

1. Use capital letters:a)

At the beginning o e!er" sentence.

b) #or proper no$ns% abbre!iations o proper no$ns% na&es o lang$ages an' nationalities%

'a"s% &onths an' the prono$n (I.

*on+t $se capital letters or other ,or's.

Example:On Monday and Wednesday Juan and I go to our English class at the University of Seville. Our

first exam is going to be in February.

-. Use a perio'$ll stop% /$estion &ar0 or ecla&ation point&ar0 at the en' o e!er"sentence 2onl" one per sentence). *on+t p$t a /$estion &ar0 or ecla&ation point&ar0 at

the beginning o the sentence. *on+t 3oin sentences ,ith co&&as.

Examples:Incorrect: !Where did you go on holiday"###

We $ent to %enya& the $eather $as good& $e $ent on a safari& $e too' (hotogra(hs of the

$ild animals. )It $as very exciting#

Correct: Where did you go on holiday"

We $ent to %enya. *he $eather $as good. We $ent on a safari and too' (hotogra(hs of

the $ild animals. It $as very exciting#

4. *on+t en' a list o ,or's or a sentence ,ith s$spension points.

Examples:Incorrect:I sa$ the +ouvre& the Eiffel *o$er&,ersailles. . . $hen I $as in -aris.

I had dinner $ith my (arents& my grand(arents& my brother . . .

On the flight you can drin' coffee& tea& o'e . . .

Correct:I sa$ the +ouvre& the Eiffel *o$er and ,ersailles $hen I $as in -aris.

I sa$ the +ouvre& the Eiffel *o$er& ,ersailles and other interesting (laces $hen I $as in -aris.

I had dinner $ith my (arents& my grand(arents and my brother.

I had dinner $ith my (arents& my grand(arents and other relatives.

On the flight you can drin' coffee& tea or o'e.

5. *on+t p$t a co&&a ater (so or (b$t in sentences li0e these:

Examples:Incorrect:I $as hungry so& I ate a hamburger.

I $anted a hamburger but& I didn/t have any money.

Correct:I $as hungry& so I ate a hamburger.

I $anted a hamburger& but I didn/t have any money.

6. P$t a co&&a ,hen a) &a0ing lists

ExampleI li'e (laying tennis& listening to music and $atching *,.


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b) To separate a'3ecti!es ,hen there are a n$&ber o a'3ecti!es beore the no$n

Example0e/s an enthusiastic& hard$or'ing student.

7. P$t a co&&a ater (or ea&ple% (ho,e!er% (&oreo!er% (ne!ertheless% (in act% (as ares$lt% (later% (thereore% (all in all% (generall"% (inall"% (in &" opinion% etc. an' ater a

ti&e phrase at the beginning o a sentence. P$t a co&&a ater (Also an' (8esi'es i the"

are at the beginning o a sentence.

Examples:0e $as tired. 0o$ever& he couldn/t slee(.0e li'es lots of s(orts. For exam(le& he (lays football& bas'etball and tennis and goes

s$imming every $ee'.

0e $as hungry. 1lso& he $as very tired.

0e $as hungry. 2esides& he $as very tired.

In 3456& he left school and $ent to university.

9. P$t a co&&a beore an' ater a non'eining relati!e cla$se. *on+t p$t a co&&a beore

'eining cla$ses:

Examples: My friend John& $ho $ent to the same school as me& has 7ust $ritten a bestselling novel 8non

defining90e gave me the letter $hich:that $as in a blue envelo(e 8defining9

;.

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