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Writting.6 11

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21 views6 pages

Writting.6 11

Uploaded by

Le Nguyen
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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STORY – B2 FIRST FOR SCHOOLS WRITING

Writing Tests for B2

1 Read about the story in Part 2 of the Writing paper.

In Part 2 of the Writing paper, you choose a task from three possible ones. One of the
tasks might be a story. The task will give you the first sentence of the story, and two
ideas that you must include. It will also tell you who the story is for, e.g. a school
magazine or an English-language website for young people.

You should make sure you use the first sentence correctly and include the two ideas
you are given. You should organise your story into paragraphs, and make sure your
story has a clear beginning, middle and end. You should use a range of past tenses,
and a range of words and expressions to show when the different events of the story
happened. You should write 140–190 words.
2 Read the exam task and answer the questions.

1 What should the first sentence of your story be?


2 What two ideas do you need to include?

3 Where will people read your story?


You see this notice on an English-language website for young people.
We are looking for stories for our English-language website for young people.
Your story must begin with this sentence:
Feeling slightly nervous, Emma walked up the steps and onto the plane.
Your story must include:
– bad weather
– a surprise

Write your story.


3 Study the model answer and answer the questions.

1 Does the story start with the first sentence in the task?
2 Does it include the two ideas from the task?
3 Does it have a clear beginning, middle and ending?
4 What past tenses does it use?

5 Does it include descriptions as well as actions?


MODEL ANSWER
1 Feeling slightly nervous, Emma walked up the steps and onto the plane. She 4 ’d
never been to America before, but now 2 she was on her way for a one-month
exchange visit to an American school.
3 As she 4 was waiting for the plane to take off, questions 4 went through her mind.
Would she get on with the other students? Would they accept her? Would it be
difficult? Emma sighed. It was too late to change her mind now!
3 An hour later, Emma was looking out at the 6 clear blue sky as they flew over the
ocean. Then, 5 all of a sudden, the sky darkened. There was a roar of thunder and the
pilot told passengers to put on their seat belts. 5 Two minutes later, the plane was in
the middle of 8 a fierce storm. Lightning flashed, and the plane bumped and shook 6
violently. Terrified, Emma closed her eyes.
After what felt like hours, the plane landed. As she walked out into the terminal
building, Emma saw a big colourful sign: Welcome Emma! 9 What an amazing
surprise! Her host family were there, smiling and waving, and Emma knew
immediately that 7 everything would be fine!
1 starts with the first sentence from the task
2 includes some background to the events
3 is organised into paragraphs
4 uses past simple, past continuous and past perfect verb forms
5 uses a range of time expressions to say when the actions happened and what order
they happened in
6 uses descriptive adjectives and adverbs to make the story interesting
7 includes a clear ending
8 includes the idea of bad weather, specified in the task

9 includes the idea of a surprise, specified in the task


4 Read the tips.
Remember, to get a good mark for your story:
• you must use the first sentence and the two ideas in the input
• your story should be organised into paragraphs, and it should have a clear
beginning, middle and end
• you should use a range of past tenses for the events in the story
• you should use a range of words and expressions to show when the different events
happened
• you should include descriptions as well as actions
• you should use descriptive adjectives and adverbs to make your story interesting

• you should think of an interesting ending.


5 Read two beginnings of students’ stories. Which one is better? Give three
reasons why.

A When Laura sat down on the train, she noticed a bag on the seat opposite her. She
waved goodbye to her mum, and the train started moving. Laura started reading her
book, then the phone in the bag rang.

B When Laura sat down on the train, she noticed a bag on the seat opposite her.
There was no one else in her part of the train, so she guessed someone had probably
left it there by mistake. It was a very modern, fashionable bag, and looked expensive.
Laura opened her book to start reading, when she heard a phone ringing. It wasn’t hers
– it was coming from inside the bag.
6 Choose the best ending for the story in Exercise 5. Why is it better than the
other one?

A Laura stepped down from the train, holding the bag. A woman immediately ran
towards her. ‘I’m Kirsty,’ she said, ‘the owner of the bag. Thank you so much for all
you did for me today!’ Laura handed her the bag. ‘No problem,’ she said, smiling. ‘It
certainly made my journey a lot more interesting!’

B When Laura reached her station, she picked up the bag. She wasn’t sure what to do
with it, so she decided she would take it to the lost property office. Then, all of a
sudden, a woman came running onto the train. ‘That’s my bag!’ she said, and grabbed
it out of Laura’s hands.
7 We often use words and expressions in stories to make it clear when the
different actions happened. Choose the correct option in italics.

1 Sam was watching TV when eventually / suddenly the door burst open.
2 By the time / Until they got home, it was completely dark.
3 While / As soon as the letter arrived, Max picked it up and opened it.
4 No one spoke during / meanwhile the journey.
5 At first / In the end, everything turned out to be OK.

6 Before long / Just then, they were chatting as if they had known each other all their
lives.
8 Study the words and expressions in the Key language box.

KEY LANGUAGE FOR STORIES


Past simple verbs for the main events:
went, found, saw, decided, helped
Past continuous verbs for longer actions or descriptions:
was waiting, were sitting, was raining, was feeling
Past perfect verbs for earlier actions:
had forgotten, hadn’t told her, hadn’t noticed
Time expressions:
after, as soon as, at first, before, by the time, during, eventually, in the end, finally,
gradually, meanwhile, just then, later, suddenly, while, when
Descriptive adjectives for feelings:
determined, enthusiastic, nervous, optimistic, puzzled, relieved
Descriptive adjectives for the weather:
bitter, damp, frosty, mild, misty, stormy
Descriptive adjectives for places:
busy, crowded, peaceful, picturesque, stunning
Descriptive adverbs:
angrily, fiercely, gently, quietly
Adverbs to comment on what happened:
fortunately, luckily, sadly, unfortunately
Direct speech:
‘Hi,’ she said. ‘Where are you going?’ he asked.

‘Go away!’ she shouted.


9 Add the correct punctuation to the direct speech.

1 Will you come with me he asked.


2 Don’t worry he said.
3 Get out she cried.

4 It doesn’t matter she said.


10 Read the exam task and plan your story.

Your teacher has asked you to write a story in English for a school magazine for
teenagers.
Stories wanted
We are looking for stories in English for our new school magazine for teenagers.
Your story must begin with this sentence:
When he saw the postman coming up to his door, Matt ran to open it.
Your story must include:
– a mobile phone
– a new friend

Write your story.


11 Write your story in 140–190 words. Use the checklist below.

………………………….……………………………………….……………
………………………….……………………………………….……………
………………………….……………………………………….……………
………………………….……………………………………….……………
………………………….……………………………………….……………
………………………….……………………………………….……………
………………………….……………………………………….……………

………………………….……………………………………….……………
STORY CHECKLIST
• Have you included the two ideas in the task?
• Have you organised your story into paragraphs?
• Have you given some background to the story?
• Have you finished with a clear ending?
• Have you used a range of different past tenses?
• Have you used time words and expressions to say when the actions happened?
• Have you used descriptive language?

• Have you used between 140 and 190 words?

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