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SELECTIVITAT WRITING GUIDE

Step 1 : Brainstorm for ideas x x x x

Write down all the ideas you can think of Don´t worry about whether the idea is relevant Don´t worry about grammar or spelling You can write in your own language

Step 2: Organise your ideas x x x

Decide which ideas to keep and cross out the others Group similar ideas together Organise the groups according to a writing plan

Step 3: Focus on language x

Think of words and expressions you will need in your work

Step 4: Write a first draft x x x x x

Write your first draft on the computer or by hand. If you are writing by hand , use a pencil. Leave wide margins for notes. Leave space between lines for additions and corrections Write quickly. Don´t worry about neatness or accuracy If you can´t think of a word in English, write it in your own language. Look up the word in a dictionary later. If you can´t spell a word, write it any way you can. Then check the word in a dictionary or use a spellcheck when you have finished.

Step 5: Check your work x

Use the Writer Checklist on this page to improve your work.

Step 6: Write a final draft x x x

If you are writing by hand: copy your corrected work neatly onto a clean sheet of paper Use a pen and leave a margin on the left-hand side Make sure your paragraphs are clearly indicated

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Institució La Miranda | The Writing process by Fina Melgar

2010-11

SELECTIVITAT WRITING GUIDE

NOTE …………………………………………………………………………………… You can indicate the beginning of a paragraph by: 1. Indenting (moving the first word of the paragraph to the right) 2. Skipping a line before beginning a new paragraph. Each paragraph begins at the left-hand margin. Both styles are correct, but be consistent in your writing. The indented style is preferred for informal letters.

WRITER´S CHECKLIST ORGANIZATION □ □ □ □ □

I organized my work according to a plan Each paragraph has one topic My paragraphs are clearly indicated My ideas are in al logical order I used suitable connectors to link my ideas

CONTENT □ □ □ □ □ □ □

My work is interesting and original I began with a suitable opening sentence I presented my ideas clearly I included only relevant ideas I supported my ideas with details and examples (opinion, for and against essay) I ended with a suitable closing sentences I used connectors to link my ideas

LANGUAGE

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□ □ □ □ □ □

My grammar is correct My spelling is correct My word order is correct My punctuation is correct I used capital letter correctly I used adjectives and adverbs correctly

Institució La Miranda | The Writing process by Fina Melgar

2010-11

SELECTIVITAT WRITING GUIDE STEPS OF THE WRITING PROCESS (PDRPP)

Prewrite Collect information and begin organizing ideas using prewriting strategies such as: -brainstorming (either individually or with a group) -notetaking -outlining -webbing Draft Write a first draft and get feedback either from peersinawriter’s response group or from teacher. At this stage feedback should focus on: -clear purpose -sense of audience -organized and well-developed ideas Revise Usefeedbackto“re-visit”thefirstdraft,clearingup any ambiguities and developing ideas. Proofread Edit writing, correcting errors in spelling, grammar, etc. Publish Turn in final draft of writing for assessment.

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Institució La Miranda | The Writing process by Fina Melgar

2010-11

SELECTIVITAT WRITING GUIDE CONNECTORS Connectors are linking words which join ideas and show how those ideas are related to one another. They also help us to organize our writing and make it easy for the reader to follow. Study the chart of connectors and phrases below.

Purpose Adding points To express a contrast To describe a cause or reason To describe a result To show purpose To describe similarity To express personal opinions To introduce facts To make general statements To list points To introduce opposing points To show sequence To show time To conclude

Examples And /in addition/furthermore/moreover/what´s more/besides/ also/too/as well as/ But/ however/nevertheless/yet/still/although/ even if/ even though/ in spite of/ despite Because (of)/since/ due to/ as / as a result of/one/another reason for…is… So/ therefore/consequently/thus/ as a result/ as a consequence/ for this reason/ that is why In order to/so as to/so that/to Similarly/likewise/in the same way In my opinion/ I (strongly) believe (that)/ I think/feel(that)/ in my view/ it seems to me (that) personally/ as I see it In fact/ as a matter of fact/actually/ the truth is (that) In general/generally/ as a rule/ on the whole

To begin/ start with / in the first place / first of all / for one thing/ firstly, secondly, thirdly/finally/ lastly On the one hand/ on the other hand/in contrast/ contrary to/ it can also be argued that/ but there are people who say/think (that) First/at first/ in the beginning/before/ next/then/soon/meanwhile/later/after that/ afterwards/ at last/ eventually/ finally/ in the end/ during/ when When/while/before/ after/ until/ as soon as/ by the time In conclusion/ to sum up/ in short/ all in all

Linking words 4

Linking words help you to connect ideas and sentences, so that people can follow what you say. Here is a list of linkers:

Institució La Miranda | The Writing process by Fina Melgar

2010-11

SELECTIVITAT WRITING GUIDE

2010-11

 Giving examples .......................................................................................................... ..................... For example For instance Namely The most common way of giving examples is by using for example or for instance. Namely refers to something by name. “There are two problems: namely, the expense and the time.”  Adding information .......................................................................................................... ................ And In addition As well as Also Too Furthermore Moreover Apart from In addition to Besides Ideas are often linked by and. In a list, you put a comma between each item, but not before and. "We discussed training, education and the budget." Also is used to add an extra idea or emphasis. "We also spoke about marketing." You can use also with not only to give emphasis. 5

"We are concerned not only by the costs, but also by the competition."

Institució La Miranda | The Writing process by Fina Melgar

SELECTIVITAT WRITING GUIDE

2010-11

We don't usually start a sentence with also. If you want to start a sentence with a phrase that means also, you can use In addition, or In addition to this… As well as can be used at the beginning or the middle of a sentence. "As well as the costs, we are concerned by the competition." "We are interested in costs as well as the competition." Too goes either at the end of the sentence, or after the subject and means as well. "They were concerned too." "I, too, was concerned." Apart from and besides are often used to mean as well as, or in addition to. "Apart from Rover, we are the largest sports car manufacturer." "Besides Rover, we are the largest sports car manufacturer." Moreover and furthermore add extra information to the point you are making. "Marketing plans give us an idea of the potential market. Moreover, they tell us about the competition."  Summarising .......................................................................................................... .....................

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In short In brief In summary To summarise In a nutshell To conclude In conclusion We normally use these words at the beginning of the sentence to give a summary of what we have said or written. Institució La Miranda | The Writing process by Fina Melgar

SELECTIVITAT WRITING GUIDE

2010-11

 Sequencing ideas .......................................................................................................... ................

The former, … the latter Firstly, secondly, finally The first point is Lastly The following The former and the latter are useful when you want to refer to one of two points. "Marketing and finance are both covered in the course. The former is studied in the first term and the latter is studied in the final term." Firstly, … secondly, … finally (or lastly) are useful ways to list ideas. It's rare to use "fourthly", or "fifthly". Instead, try the first point, the second point, the third point and so on. The following is a good way of starting a list. "The following people have been chosen to go on the training course: N Peters, C Jones and A Owen."  Giving a reason .......................................................................................................... .....................

Due to / due to the fact that Owing to / owing to the fact that Because Because of Since As Due to and owing to must be followed by a noun. 7

"Due to the rise in oil prices, the inflation rate rose by 1.25%." "Owing to the demand, we are unable to supply all items within 2 weeks."

Institució La Miranda | The Writing process by Fina Melgar

SELECTIVITAT WRITING GUIDE

2010-11

If you want to follow these words with a clause (a subject, verb and object), you must follow the words with the fact that. "Due to the fact that oil prices have risen, the inflation rate has gone up by 1%25." "Owing to the fact that the workers have gone on strike, the company has been unable to fulfil all its orders." Because / because of Because of is followed by a noun. "Because of bad weather, the football match was postponed." Because can be used at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence. For example, "Because it was raining, the match was postponed." "We believe in incentive schemes, because we want our employees to be more productive." Since / as Since and as mean because. "Since the company is expanding, we need to hire more staff." "As the company is expanding, we need to hire more staff."

 Giving a result .......................................................................................................... .........................

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Therefore So Consequently This means that As a result Therefore, so, consequently and as a result are all used in a similar way.

Institució La Miranda | The Writing process by Fina Melgar

SELECTIVITAT WRITING GUIDE

2010-11

"The company are expanding. Therefore / So / Consequently / As a result, they are taking on extra staff." So is more informal.  Contrasting ideas .......................................................................................................... .....................

But However Although / even though Despite / despite the fact that In spite of / in spite of the fact that Nevertheless Nonetheless While Whereas Unlike In theory… in practice… On the one hand,... on the other hand.... But is more informal than however. It is not normally used at the beginning of a sentence. "He works hard, but he doesn't earn much." "He works hard. However, he doesn't earn much." Although, despite and in spite of introduce an idea of contrast. With these words, you must have two halves of a sentence. "Although it was cold, she went out in shorts." "In spite of the cold, she went out in shorts." Despite and in spite of are used in the same way as due to and owing to. They must be followed by a noun. If you want to follow them with a noun and a verb, you must use the fact that. 9

"Despite the fact that the company was doing badly, they took on extra employees." Nevertheless and nonetheless mean in spite of that or anyway. Institució La Miranda | The Writing process by Fina Melgar

SELECTIVITAT WRITING GUIDE "The sea was cold, but he went swimming nevertheless." (In spite of the fact that it was cold.) "The company is doing well. Nonetheless, they aren't going to expand this year." While, whereas and unlike are used to show how two things are different from each other. "While my sister has blue eyes, mine are brown." "Taxes have gone up, whereas social security contributions have gone down." "Unlike in the UK, the USA has cheap petrol." In theory… in practice… show an unexpected result. "In theory, teachers should prepare for lessons, but in practice, they often don't have enough time."

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Institució La Miranda | The Writing process by Fina Melgar

2010-11

SELECTIVITAT WRITING GUIDE WRITING A PARAGRAPH A paragraph consists of several sentences about a certain topic. It has the following parts: 1. a TOPIC SENTENCE which gives the main idea of the paragraph 2. SUPPORTING SENTENCES which add reasons, details and examples 3. a CONCLUDING sentence which leads on to the next paragraph or summarises the main idea The parts of a paragraph should flow logically. The paragraph must be easy to understand. You can accomplish this by: 1. using pronouns to refer back to the nouns in the text 2. using connectors to show the connections between ideas

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Institució La Miranda | The Writing process by Fina Melgar

2010-11

SELECTIVITAT WRITING GUIDE

2010-11

SELECTIVITAT FORMATS A FOR AND AGAINST ESSAY It is usually about a controversial issue. It presents both sides of the issue and then concludes by supporting one of the sides. Look at the topic below. Then study the plan and read the model. Topic: Write a for and against essay on a topic connected to home schooling Plan:

YES or NO to HOME SCHOOLING In recent years, an increasing number of parents around the world have chosen to take their children out of the school system and educate them at home. The question is whether this is good for everyone. On the one hand, home schooling means that parents are able to cater to their children´s individual needs. For instance, parents can encourage their children to explore their own interests. In addition, parents can include important subjects that are often neglected in normal schools, such as art and music. Moreover, parents can protect their children from bullying and teasing. On the other hand, children who are home schooled often have fewer opportunities to participate in team sports and in other extra-curricular activities. Furthermore, since home-schooled children are exposed to fewer kids, they may not learn social skills that are necessary if they want to live peaceably with others. Despite the numerous benefits of home schooling. I believe most children should go to school. The lack of opportunities for social interaction may prove to be problematic in later life.

Useful connectors: 12

On the one hand, on the other hand, It is true that, Firsly, Secondly, Thirdly, For example, For instance, such as, Furthermore, However, Nevertheless, Due to, As a result, I believe that, In my opinion, In my view, The question is whether, In addition, Consequently, In conclusion, To sum up… Institució La Miranda | The Writing process by Fina Melgar

SELECTIVITAT WRITING GUIDE

2010-11

AN OPINION ESSAY An opinion essay states an opinion and tries to convince the reader that this opinion is correct. Look at the topic below. Then study the plan and read the model Topic: Write an opinion essay on a topic connected to teen drivers Plan:

ADULT SUPERVISION FOR TEEN DRIVERS- Good or Bad? It is well known that teen drivers are often involved in fatal driving accidents. In order to help deal with this issue, some governments around the world have proposed that new teen drivers should bee required to drive with adult supervision for a period of time. While this suggestion may sound like a good way to save lives, in my opinion, it will not solve the problem. First of all, a person´s age doesn´t determine their level of responsibility or their driving ability. It´s a fact that many accidents have involved experienced adult drivers. Secondly, I believe that the more time a driver spends on the road, the better his or her driving ability will be. By preventing new drivers from driving without adult supervision, new drivers will inevitably gain less driving experience since they will only be able to drive when an adult supervisor is free to accompany them. In short, forcing young drivers to drive with adult supervision will not reduce the number of teen fatalities. It is only by educating teenagers and adults about the importance of safe driving that we can hope to make a difference.

Useful connectors:

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Many people think that…, In my opinion, however,…, I disagree, In my view,… I believe that ..., However,… Despite this, …, First of all, …, Secondly,…In addition,…, Therefore,… As a result…, It is clear that… In short,…To sum up,… In conclusion,…

Institució La Miranda | The Writing process by Fina Melgar

SELECTIVITAT WRITING GUIDE

2010-11

A NARRATIVE A narrative is a story about a series of events and the people involved in them. Look at the topic below. Then study the plan and read the model. Topic: Write a story about a misunderstanding you once had Plan:

JUMPING TO THE WRONG CONCLUSION Last Saturday I visited my grandmother, who lives on the other side of London. I had not seen her for ages and I was looking forward to eating a piece of her delicious cake. It was a cold day, so I dressed warmly in a hat and scarf. I got onto the train and looked for a place to sit. I walked up and down the aisles for some time until I found an empty seat next to an elderly man who was reading a newspaper. Relieved, I sat down and took out my book. As soon as I had begun reading, I felt that the man was watching me. I felt very uncomfortable. I wanted to move but there were no empty seats. Finally, the train pulled into Kings Cross station. I rushed off the train, eager to escape the stare of the old man. I left the station and began walking towards my grandmother´s house. After a few moments, I had a strange feeling that someone was following me. I turned round. To my surprise, the elderly man who had sat next to me on the train was running towards me. I started to run. I could hear the man coming up behind me. In a minute he would catch up with me… “Wait!” he shouted. I stopped. The man stretched out his hand and I could see that he was holding something. “Your hat”, he said. “You left it on the train”. At that moment I realized that I had jumped to the wrong conclusion. 14

Institució La Miranda | The Writing process by Fina Melgar

SELECTIVITAT WRITING GUIDE

Useful connectors: Time expressions- Last weekend/ summer/year,…, Two years ago,…., It was a cold/hot/ stormy day…, It all began when…, One afternoon… Fortunately, / Unfortunately, / Luckily, … To my surprise,…, I felt…, The funny thing is that… Before I knew it… Connectors of sequence- At first, before, after that, next, later, when, then, until, as soon as, soon, suddenly, while, during, eventually, in the end, meanwhile.

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Institució La Miranda | The Writing process by Fina Melgar

2010-11

SELECTIVITAT WRITING GUIDE A SUMMARY A summary provides the reader with the main points of an article in as few words as possible. A summary usually does not include the writer´s opinion and it is written in his or her words where possible. Look at the topic below. Then read the original article and the model summary. Topic: Write a summary of the article, using 50-70 words. Plan:

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