Important dates

On Wednesday 10 December we will be doing a grammar, vocabulary and listening progress test. The grammar and vocabulary will come from what we have covered in class and for homework, from your classbook and workbook.

On the 15th and the 17th we are going to do your oral presentations.

Classwork/Homework

Today we looked at using adverbs to increase descriptive force when writing or speaking, referring to the workbook homework (page 9). We also looked at some English sayings (classbook page 14) and language we can use to explain meaning (page 15). To consolidate this you should do page 8 in your workbook.

I also asked the class to think of three possible ideas for your first speaking assignment: 'something I feel strongly about'.

Your writing homework

I have read and commented on all of the submitted homework. Please have a look, and ask me about anything you don't understand- but before you just ask me 'which prepositions did I get wrong?' - try to work it out for yourself! You will learn more this way.

I have assessed and given a mark to all of you, but I haven't posted it on the blog. You can ask me to in a comment, email me at driscoll.eli@gmail.com or speak to me about it in class.

Writing a short article: homework for week ending 16/11/2015

In class yesterday we looked at how some short articles were written, and generated some opening sentences based on the headlines on the worksheet. For homework I would like you to post, on this blog, one or more articles based on the headlines on the worksheet, which I will put at the end of this post.

The articles should contain:

• an opening sentence that gives the key information somebody might be interested to know after having read the headline- for example: who? what? where? why?
• 1-3 follow up sentences giving further key information and/or background information about the story
• a quote to finish- something that somebody involved in the incident said about the events

You should write 90-110 words. If you write too much or too little your editor at the newspaper will be angry!

You should think about tenses: the first sentence will probably be either in the present continuous, present perfect or past simple. The rest will depend on your story.

Feel free to use the sentences we wrote in class as a starting point.

Please write a least one story for me to be able to give you a mark. If you write more, I can focus your marks on your best one(s)!

Don't forget to include the headline at the top of the story!

The Headlines:

1. POLICE QUIZ ANIMAL RIGHTS GROUP
2. NUDISTS SEEK MORE SUPPORT
3. MINISTER BACKS CANNABIS PLANS
4. FASCIST PARTY IN POWER BID
5. NEW CALLS TO HALT FUR TRADE
6. POLICE AND DEMONSTRATORS CLASH IN CAPITAL
7. BOXING BAN PLEA
8. GREENPEACE FOIL WHALERS

Follow me on Twitter: driscool@e_d_driscoll for retweets of interesting stuff to read and watch