University of Guadalajara

Center for Economic and Administrative Sciences

The Program of Learning Foreign Languages

Writing, how should that be done?

Writing practice section

Level 1

A guide for basic and mid-intermediate English language learners

on how to write successful pieces of writing.

Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico. February 2016

Created and designed by Diana Carrillo.

 Content

Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………3

Writing practice section

Level 1- Task 1 Sentences with a subject and a verb…..…………………..…………………………………..7

Level 1-Task 2 Sentences that include subject pronouns……….………………………………………….8

Level 1-Task 3 Sentences that include object pronouns…………………………………………………….8

Level 1-Task 4 Sentences that include possessive pronouns…………………………………….….....9

Level 1-Task 5 Sentences that include one or more adjectives……………………………………..…10

Level 1-Task 6 A short paragraph of a topic of your interest…………..………………………….……10

Level 1-Task 7 A short paragraph about your family members……………………………………..…11

Project Level 1; A letter to the principal of your campus ……………………….……….……….……..12

Checking the writing activity, Level 1…………….……………………………………………....………………13

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 Introduction

The main objective of this guide is to present information that helps you to become
a successful writer in English. First, we will introduce and practice some basic writing
structures and later we will continue with more complex activities in order to domain the
writing process. Writing tasks included in this guide will invite you to write imaginative and
discursive writing pieces. This means that sometimes we will ask you to express your
creativity for example by writing a short story and some other times we will ask you to write
a formal letter in which for example you will express a complain to a company.

This guide is divided in two different sections; the first section is called ‘Writing practice
section’ in this you will find tasks and their corresponding instructions to complete a writing
activity. The level of difficulty of the task will increase gradually. The second section is called
‘Writing composition section’ this will help you in case you need some extra help and
practice in order to successfully complete the tasks in the writing practice section. The
activities in the writing practice section that you will complete will be all those that include
the level you are studying at the moment (L1= level 1, L2= level 2, L3= level 3, or L4= level
4). However, you are very welcome to answer all activities you are interested in.

After answering the exercises and or tasks, you can check your answers in the ‘Answer Key
of writing practice section’ and/or the ‘Answer Key of writing composition section’. It is
important to mention that only the tasks that need to be corrected from the writing practice
section have an answer key, the rest is not included because they are exercises that every
student will answer in his/her own way.

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Answering correctly this section of the manual
will help you to avoid this…

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Level 1 Writing practice tasks

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 Writing practice section
L1 – T1
(Level 1 – Task 1)

Write fifteen sentences underlying the subject and circling the verb in each of the
sentences you write. The complexity of the sentences should go from less to more.
Example: 1. Monica ate an entire chocolate bar by herself.
15. My job requires me to travel all over South America all year long.
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

If you need some extra help to complete this task please check the information on page 9
of the writing composition section.

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L1 – T2 Write five sentences that include subject pronouns.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

L1-T3 Write five sentences that include any object pronouns.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

If you need some extra help to complete these tasks please check the information on pages
16 of the writing composition section.

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L1- T4 Write five sentences that include any possessive pronouns

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

7.

8.

9.

10.

If you need some extra help to complete these tasks please check the information on pages
58 of the writing composition section.

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L1-T5 Write five sentences that include one or more adjectives.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

L1 – T6 Write a short paragraph of any topic of your interest in the one you include at
least 5 different verbs. Pay attention to subject and verb agreement. Word count
(minimum 50 words)

If you need some extra help to complete these tasks please check the information on
pages 59 to 67 of the writing composition section.

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L1 – T7 Write a short paragraph about your family members. Pay attention to the correct
use of punctuation

If you need some extra help to complete this tasks please check the information on pages
63 to 67 of the writing composition section.

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Project Level 1; Write a letter to the principal of your campus in which you propose a
candidate to win the prize; ‘Teacher of the year’. Remember to justify your commentaries
(You must write approximately 50 words)
Name: __________________

Schedule: _______________

Score: __________________

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 Checking the writing activity

Student’s Teacher Grading

Level 1
self-evaluation agrees

Have I …? Yes No Yes No

1. Read the information about plagiarism at: 1 point

http://www.plagiarism.org/plagiarism-101/what-is-
plagiarism/
2. Checked that my writing does not have spelling mistakes 1 point

3. Checked if my writing responds to the task presented 1 point

using the indicated word count
4. Verified that I used a variety of vocabulary and 1 point
connectors
5. Used punctuation correctly and had left double space 1 point
between lines
6. Checked that my writing is clear and well organized 1 point
(includes topic sentence and supporting ideas)
7. Given my writing an appropriate presentation 1 point
(remember that this writing is part of your evaluation
and is always nice to read something that is well
presented).
8. Included and used correctly the following grammar: 2 points
a) Simple past yes/no and Wh-questions, statements,
and short answers with regular and irregular verbs;
past of be.
b) There is/there are; one, any, and some; prepositions
of place; quantifiers; questions: how many and how
much; count and noncount nouns
c) Present perfect yes/no and Wh-questions,
statements, and short answers with regular and
irregular past participles; already and yet; for and
since.
9. Proofread my complete writing 1 point

Total

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 Feedback format
The main purpose of the next feedback format is to know your opinion after reading and doing the suggested
activities in this manual and its different sections. Feel free to answer either in Spanish or English.

Check the column that reflects your answer to the following statement

Strongly Disagree Neither Agree Strongly

disagree agree nor agree
disagree

1. The content of the manual

includes the information I need
to become a better writer.
2. The writing practice section
helped me to improve my
writing.
3. The writing composition section
helped me to improve my
writing.
4. Instructions in the writing
practice and composition
sections were clear.
5. The number of writing tasks
done before the writing project
were enough.
6. Explanations in the writing
composition section were clear.
7. I liked the format of the manual.

8. I want to continue improving my

writing skills through this kind of
material.
Is there anything else you would like to express? Please write your commentary below.

Thank you very for answering this survey.

Diana Carrillo
dianis459@hotmail.com
Give this survey to your teacher or send it to the email mentioned above, thanks.
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