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Booklet Seniot III 2022 Complete

This document provides a sample description of a person named Sharon Dunn. The description is organized into paragraphs that each focus on a different aspect of her appearance or personality. The first paragraph describes Dunn's first impression and appearance. The second paragraph discusses her fair and calm personality. The third paragraph describes how Dunn dedicates herself to her job and the children. The last paragraph expresses admiration for Dunn as a role model. Overall, the document demonstrates how to organize a description of a person by focusing each paragraph on a different trait or detail.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)

45 views93 pages

Booklet Seniot III 2022 Complete

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Alejandro

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You are on page 1/ 93

Language I

Intermediate
Miss Ivana Agüero

1
TABLE OF CONTENTS

UNIT 1: DESCRIBING PEOPLE ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3

HOW TO DESCRIBE PHYSICAL APPEARANCE .................................................................................. 7
VOCABULARY BANK …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 9
HOW TO DESCRIBE PERSONALITY AND BEHAVIOUR ………………………………………………………………….. 11
HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR DESCRIPTIVE COMPOSITION USING LINKING WORDS AND STRUCTURES 13
LET’S KEEP ON IMPROVING! MORE LINKING WORDS AND STRUCTURES ..................................... 17
REFERRING TO IMPRESSIONS, OPINIONS AND REACTIONS ............................................................ 20
BEFORE THE WRITING TASK: INTERPRETING THE TOPIC ................................................................. 24
WRITING TASK #1 ............................................................................................................................ 24
UNIT 2: DESCRIBING PLACES ………………………………………………………………………………………………………... 25
WHAT ASPECTS SHOULD YOU CONSIDER WHEN WRITING A DESCRIPTION OF A PLACE? ............. 26
LOCATION VERBS AND PREPOSITIONS ............................................................................................ 28
MAKING YOUR WRITING MORE APPEALING! PARTICIPLES AND RELATIVE CLAUSES ………………….. 31
PARTICIPLE CLAUSES WITH ADVERBIAL MEANING ……………………………………………………………………… 33
EXPRESSING IMPRESSIONS AND REACTIONS ……………………………………………………………………………… 37
USEFUL LANGUAGE: EXPLAINING IMPRESSIONS …………………………………………………………………………. 38
TECHNIQUES TO MAKE YOUR DESCRIPTION MORE VIVID …………………………………………………………… 40
PROJECT # 1 – Pair work ................................................................................................................. 43
Unit 3: Narrative Writing – Main Characteristics ………………………………………………………………………… 45
WHAT IS A NARRATIVE COMPOSITION? ........................................................................................ 46
STEP BY STEP - SETTING THE SCENE ............................................................................................... 48
CHARACTERISATION ....................................................................................................................... 50
HOW TO IMPROVE YOU COMPOSITION - TECHNIQUES FOR BEGINNING AND ENDING A STORY 52
UNIT 4: NARRATIVE WRITING – VOCABULARY AND USE OF TENSES ………………………………………… 54
FEELINGS ....................................................................................................................................... 57
WAYS OF ......................................................................................................................................... 58
VOCABULARY BANK – EXPRESSING FEELINGS ..…………………………………………………………………………… 61
VOCABULARY BANK: WAYS OF ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 71
WRITING TASK # 2 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….................. 76
UNIT 5 - DIARY / JOURNAL ENTRIES ................................................................................................. 77
VOCABULARY BANK FOR SHINE ....................................................................................................... 79
GRAMMAR REVISION ...................................................................................................................... 82
INTEGRATIVE TASK # 1 ..................................................................................................................... 84
UNIT 6 – ANALYSING WRITER’S EFFECT ........................................................................................... 85
UNIT 7 - LETTER WRITING ................................................................................................................ 91
2
UNIT 1

DESCRIBING PEOPLE

WHEN DO YOU USUALLY THINK OF A SITUATION IN WHICH IT WHAT TYPES OF TEXT INCLUDE
DESCRIBE PEOPLE? WOULD BE USEFUL TO DESCRIBE A PERSON. DESCRIPTIONS OF PEOPLE?

How would you describe these people? Do you know anything about them? How can you describe them?
What will the focus be?

Now, look at this picture

3
What do you know about this person? Read the composition below.

TASK: Describe a person you admire and explain why.

When I was only ten years I was told stories by my parents about some important characters of our history. I
remember with particular admiration a French person born in Corsica in 1769 whose name was Napoleon
Bonaparte. All I was told about him keeps coming to my mind… So many remarkable achievements
throughout his life make me look up to him.
Although he was a short man, who may have looked insignificant, he surprisingly managed to
become one of the most powerful leaders in the history of human kind due to his personality. He was
ambitious and determined. He proved to be a resolute commander in the army; and, later on, a strong-willed
leader in France. He became not only an exceptionally powerful conqueror, but also a formidable enemy in
the battlefield.
On account of his influential personality and his outstanding war strategies, he conquered many
territories and waged war against the most powerful countries of Europe in an attempt to expand the French
nation. Showing an indomitable spirit, he crowned himself Emperor of France. I must admit that his
unquenchable thirst for power led him to his own defeat. Nevertheless, his achievements cannot be denied.
Napoleon Bonaparte gave everything to his country. And, even though many people may not agree
with the methods he used, it is a fact that he was successful and that he emerged victorious in situations that
no one else would have overcome. This is what makes me admire him so much.

What is the focus of this description? What organization has the writer given to it?
What information do we get in every paragraph?

1- Read the following composition.

When I began working at Hillcrest Nursery School three years ago, I was introduced to Sharon
Dunn, the school headmistress. We met at her office on my first day and she caught my attention
straightaway.

Her smart appearance and warm, friendly expression made me like her immediately. She is a
small-boned, smiling woman in her early fifties, with twinkling blue eyes and soft, silver curls.
Although she dresses simply, she always manages to look elegant.

She is a very fair-minded person who treats everyone at the school with equal respect.
Despite clasping her hands nervously when she is upset, she is actually very calm, which is shown by
her ability to keep her temper in the most difficult situations. Her quiet voice and gentle, caring
manner make her popular with the children.

Ms Dunn has no children of her own; however, she says that she feels like a mother to all of
the children in her school. In fact, she has no time for family life, since she dedicates her life to her job.
Besides taking care of various administrative tasks every day, she always takes time to talk to the
teachers and parents. In addition, she often holds meetings with the school’s Board of Directors, as
well as with staff and parents.

To my mind, Sharon Dunn is a dedicated professional who is a wonderful role model, not only
for the children but for the teachers, as well. I am so pleased to have met her and to work with her.

Taken from Writing Success Proficiency by Virginia Evans

4
Let’s analyse the structure of this text.

2- What information do you get in every paragraph? Complete the paragraph plan below.1

Introduction

First met Ms. Dunn at Hillcrest Nursery School, headmistress.

Main Body

 Appearance

.......................................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................................
 Personality/Behaviour
.......................................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................................
 Life/lifestyle/beliefs
.......................................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................................

Conclusion

How can we organize the description of a person then?2

When writing a descriptive composition of a person, you must use the following layout:

a) an introduction, which will give brief information about the person. What’s his/her name? What’s your
relationship with him/her? Is he/she famous? Where did you meet him/her? How? If you are writing
about someone you have not met, how did you hear about him/her? Why are you writing about
him/her?
b) a main body. This will vary depending on the reason for writing about the person. The main body may
include aspects such as physical appearance, personality and/or behaviour, manners or mannerism
and/or details of the person’s life and lifestyle: What are his/her hobbies? What interests does he/she
have? What about his/her everyday activities? and
c) a conclusion. Here you may comment on why the person is of interest, express your feelings and/or
opinion concerning that person, or any other statement you may wish to make, together with the
reason for writing about him/her (as stated in the introduction).

1
Adapted from Evans, V. (1998). Successful Writing Proficiency
5
2
Adapted from Evans, V. (1998). Successful Writing Proficiency.

6
Pay attention to the following:

 In cases in which you have to write about someone who has been or is successful/admirable/unusual or
any other characteristic, you will have to explain why this person is successful/admirable/unusual and
refer to situations, manners/mannerisms and attitudes that illustrate such trait of personality.
 Don’t forget that compositions are made up of paragraphs and that each paragraph will deal with a
specific topic which will be introduced by a topic sentence, summarising the paragraph (the controlling
idea). The content of the paragraph will depend on the topic developed, according to the task given.
 For IGCSE First Language English you may be asked to write descriptions of people. Yet, you must bear
in mind that descriptions of a person may be included in other types of texts such as narratives, letters,
assessment reports, or articles, among other types of texts required by this examination.

What aspects should you consider when writing your description of a person?

Depending on the task developed, you will be expected to include different aspects related to the person
chosen. Find below the varying topics for a descriptive composition:

 For physical appearance, you are expected to refer to the person’s height/built, age, facial features,
hair, and clothing. E.g. My neighbour, who is in his fifties, is stocky and short-legged, with a bald head
and sparkling blue eyes. He is usually dressed in sports outfits.
 For personality and behaviour, you are supposed to use adjectives and adverbs. Supporting your
description with examples of manner and mannerism will enrich your piece. E.g. Gina is a rather fickle
teenager, usually bursting out in anger if she doesn’t get her own way.
 For life, lifestyle and beliefs, you must refer to the person’s habits, interests, profession, daily routine,
opinions. E.g. As she is a busy journalist, Martina reads the news early in the morning before leaving
home. She has a mug of white coffee while she browses the most important sites of news reports,
selecting the articles she finds of interest to read completely.
 The use of tenses will depend on the writing task you are given. For instance, if the task reads “Describe
a person who is eccentric,” you will have to write your description using Present tenses. On the other
hand, if the task reads “Describe someone you met in your childhood who played an influential role in
your life,” your description will be written using Past tenses.
 Checking instructions is essential as it will determine time reference for the use of tenses and the
contents and topics to be developed.
 Elaborate vocabulary and a variety of linking words and structures will make your writing more
appealing.

3- Look at the adjective-noun combinations in the text in exercise 1. What other words can you think of
which could be used to describe a person’s physical appearance?

7
HOW TO DESCRIBE PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

As stated above, a description of a person’s appearance could refer to height/built, age, facial
features/expression, hair, clothes.

You may resort to visual details (A brunette, slender lady wearing a stunning gown for the awards
ceremony.) and/or you may refer to the general impression created by the person’s appearance (The
muscular build of the bouncer tends to intimidate potentially troublesome teenagers.)

ACTIVITIES

4- Look at the photographs and choose the most appropriate descriptive words from those suggested. 3

tanned / angelic / gaunt face

thoughtful / furious / innocent expression
beguiling / weak / broad smile
prominent / straight / button nose
flawless / sallow / freckled skin
dishevelled / tousled / curly hair

protruding / sunken / misty eyes average / slight / powerful build

apologetic / sardonic / reassuring smile oval / clean-shaven / haggard face
spiky / bushy / ginger hair flabby / bulging / withered biceps

3
Activity adapted from Successful Writing by Virginia Evans.
8
5- Read the following sentences and underline the phrases that refer to physical appearance. Think of
possible situations in which you could use these sentences.

 He had rather unattractive, stubby fingers.

 The sharp nose and thin lips gave his face a very harsh look.
 He stuck his bulbous red nose back into his pint of beer.
 She dressed up as a clown with a white face and red nose.
 The man had a craggy face with deep-set eyes and bushy brows.
 Her short hair suited her elfin face.
 Naomi stood in front of them, her face flushed, her hair tousled.
 The man was described as short and stocky/thickset and very strong.
 The muscular build of the bouncer tends to intimidate potential troublesome teenagers.
 There was a large ring on each of her stumpy fingers.
 I could see the spindly legs of the lady as she run away from her kidnappers.
 Once the photographer left, she suppressed her mirthless smile.
 She has a dazzling smile, which her fervent admirers love.
 Whenever he wants to show he is being ironic, he forces a humourless laugh.
 He is an elderly man, who usually looks downcast, with lifeless eyes and a melancholy expression.

Examples taken from www.dictionary.cambridge.org and www.ozdic.com

6- Now you must describe someone you know. Check the Vocabulary Bank on pages 9 and 10 – and make
5 sentences using the right collocation to write a proper descriptive paragraph. Be as specific as
possible!

.......................................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................................................

BUILD
ADJ.
average, medium | slight, slim, thin | heavy, muscular, powerful, stocky, strong, thickset |
athletic

PERSONALITY
ADJ.
bright, bubbly, extrovert, jovial, lively, outgoing, sparkling, vibrant, vivacious | attractive,
charismatic, charming, engaging, lovely, magnetic, pleasant, warm | dominant, dynamic,
forceful, formidable, powerful, striking, strong | vulnerable, weak | multiple, split
He developed a split personality after the crash.

Taken from http://ozdic.com/

SYNONYMS Taken from http://www.wordreference.com/ (English synonyms)

To describe people
Sociable: affable, genial, companionable, friendly, amiable, amicable, clubbable, convivial,
easygoing, warm

Outgoing: sociable, civil, kind, friendly, unshrinking, unconstrained, social, approachable,

gregarious
Bereft: bereaved, deprived, cut off, dispossessed, wanting, divested, destitute, stripped,
impoverished, beggared, left unprovided for, naked, left without, robbed, straitened, grief-stricken,
grieving, mourning, lonely, alone, forlorn, poverty-stricken, bankrupt, motherless, fatherless,
orphaned, widowed.
Lonely: forlorn, lonesome, solitary, alone, friendless, companionless, by oneself

These are mere examples of two positive and two negative adjectives. Remember: You can’t use
all these adjectives for all sentences. As you have seen above, collocations are an important
element to consider. You must always check whether the combination of words is appropriate,
which means that the use of dictionaries (not only one) is essential.
11
HOW TO DESCRIBE PERSONALITY AND BEHAVIOUR

 To refer to personality and behaviour, you may use a variety of character words
On certain days, my boss is extremely short-tempered.
She speaks eloquently, leading people to take action.
Charly is so greedy that no one wants to do business with him. He always wants to get advantage.

Or provide examples of manner and mannerisms. This means the gestures people use, the way they
speak/walk, etc

Our Math teacher is really helpful; she keeps explaining how to solve the exercises in different ways so
as to make sure that we understand what we have to do.

 If you decide to include negative qualities, use mild language. Expressions like tend to, seem to, is
rather, can sometimes be will be of help.
Julia is an excellent student, yet she can be rather absent-minded at times.
Malcolm is a gifted kid. The problem is that, when he gets bored, he tends to be rather naughty.

ACTIVITIES
7- Use the words from the box to complete the sentences below.

greedy determined reliable cheerful gregarious mean self-centered

proud stubborn imaginative zealous sympathetic considerate snobbish

a. No matter how many times she will have to sit for that exam, she is ............................ to pass.
b. Nowadays, it’s harder and harder to find people ........................... of others. A few people usually give
up their seat on the bus, allow pregnant women to come first in queues or cross the street and pay
attention not to bother the rest.
c. Peter always asks for champagne at dinner and he won’t drive any other car but a Mercedes. He’s
rather ..........................
d. The manager was too ........................... to accept that his policies weren’t the right ones. He wouldn’t
take any advice from his subordinates and eventually led the company to bankruptcy.
e. My brother is ........................... Our house is usually crowded with his friends and he often organizes
gatherings and parties at weekends.
f. The reason why Andrew dumped his girlfriend was mainly that she was ............................She would
show no interest in his likes and interests, or his family and friends, which made him feel lonely.
g. The company is short of staff since they find it difficult to find ........................... workers. They can’t
count on people’s responsibility. Employees tend to be absent frequently and rarely finish their work
on time.
h. My best friend is a ........................... defender of women’s rights. She considers that women should be
free enough to decide on their bodies and she usually goes on demonstrations.
i. One of the aspects of my grandmother that I admired the most was that she was always
.......................... You would never see her frown, or sulk. She didn’t allow problems to let her down.
j. I believe one of the main characteristics of a distinguished writer must be to be ............................Stories
must be appealing and original, not a bunch of clichés.
k. Napoleon Bonaparte ended up imprisoned and losing everything he had achieved as a result of having
become so ........................... that he couldn’t see his own limitations and risked more than he should.

12
l. Angela is a ........................... flatmate. It’s impossible to share expenses with her. She asks you to pay
the bills and promises to give you her share later, yet you must chase her to make her give you the
money.
m. Psychologists should have a(n) ........................... approach to their patients. They should listen to them
in a kind and understanding way.
n. The boy burst out crying when he lost the match. He was too ........................... to admit defeat.

8- Write a descriptive paragraph about one of the people in the pictures. Do not forget that the paragraph
must be made up of a topic sentence and supporting sentences, including at least five words from the
previous exercises or from the Vocabulary Bank. Do not forget the concluding sentence!

.............................................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................................................

13
HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR DESCRIPTIVE COMPOSITION
USING LINKING WORDS AND STRUCTURES
As previously stated, a variety of linking words and sentences will make your composition more appealing.
Using short sentences or the simple linking words such as “and” will turn your piece into a boring and
repetitive description. Find some handy linking words and structures.4
With
Instead of making two sentences, you can combine ideas using this word.
Lionel Messi is quite short and he has a slight build. = Lionel Messi is quite short, with a slight build.
Scarlett Johansson is an attractive young actress and she has green eyes and varying colour hair. = Scarlett
Johansson is an attractive young actress, with green eyes and varying colour hair.
Relative Clauses
Vin Diesel starred in The Fast and the Furious. He worked as a club bouncer in his teen years. = Vin Diesel,
who starred in The Fast and the Furious, worked as a club bouncer in his teen years.
Javier Milei is a media economist. His tousled hair makes him easily recognizable. = Javier Milei is a media
economist whose tousled hair makes him easily recognizable.
Tony Stark has a narcissistic personality. His personality generally gets him into trouble. = Tony Stark has a
narcissistic personality, which generally gets him into trouble.
There are different structures to express RESULT
 So/such (a)... that
So is followed by an adjective or an adverb.
My aunt was very charming. Because of that, it was a pleasure to spend time with her. = My aunt was
so charming (that) it was a pleasure to spend time with her.
Odin was very short. As a result, he had to ask for help for the top shelves at the supermarket. = Odin
was so short (that) he had to ask for help for the top shelves at the supermarket.
It was hard to understand the presenter because he spoke very quickly. = The presenter spoke so quickly
(that) it was hard to understand what he said.

Such is used with adjective + noun

Manu Ginóbili inspired many basketball followers as he was a very talented player. = Manu Ginóbili was
such a talented player (that) he inspired many basketball followers.

Bear in mind that when the noun is singular, you must use article a/an. However, when the noun is
plural, no article is used. Check below.

They were such committed doctors (that) they compelled the admiration of those who met them.

 Too / Not enough + to

Too: This adverb is combined with an adjective or adverb and it means more than is necessary or good.
It has a negative connotation. You refer to the characteristic of something or someone and the result of
having that characteristic.
They offered the post abroad for graduate teachers aged 25-32 so I was too old to apply for it.
My dog was too aggressive to let him roam around the neighbourhood without a leash and a muzzle.

Not enough means less than is necessary or good. Check the word order here. Enough is placed after
the adjective.

4
Explanation adapted from First Certificate Language Practice by Michael Vince.
14
They offered the post abroad for graduate teachers aged 25-32, which meant I wasn’t young enough to
apply for it.
My dog was not docile enough to let him roam around the neighbourhood without a leash and a
muzzle.
There are different expressions to express ADDITION

 In addition, as well as/besides, moreover, furthermore, not only... but also.

Here, attention should be paid to form. Depending on the expression, grammar and punctuation will vary.
Lionel Messi is short, in addition to having a slight build.
John Dwayne has a muscular build, as well as a tall height.
Manu Ginóbili was not only a passionate, but also a talented basketball player.
If you place not only at the beginning of the sentence, you must use inversion:
Not only was Manu Ginóbili a passionate basketball player, (but) he was also talented.
Certain expressions begin a sentence and are followed by a comma.
Lionel Messi is short. In addition/Moreover/Besides, he has a slight build.
There are different expressions to express CONTRAST
As stated in the previous heading, here, attention should be paid to form. Depending on the expression,
grammar and punctuation will vary.
Clauses of concession introduce an unexpected idea in connection with the statement made. There are
different structures for that. Check below.

 Although, though, even though

Although he is a well-experienced actor, he always gets nervous before every premiere.

Even though my neighbour is in his eighties, he goes for a 30-minute walk every morning.
Though she was furious, she managed to keep her temper so as not to seem rude.
She was furious; she managed to keep her temper, though. (speech)
These expressions are followed by a clause (Subject + conjugated verb)
 In spite of and Despite

In spite of being a well-experienced actor, he always gets nervous before every premiere.
In spite of his wide experience, he always gets nervous before every premiere.
Despite being in his eighties, my neighbour for a 30-minute walk every morning.
Despite the fact that he is in his eighties, my neighbour for a 30-minute walk every morning.
These expressions are followed by a noun / -ing verb / the fact that + clause

 While, whereas
These expressions are used in formal speech and writing, comparing two facts and emphasizing the
difference between them.
While I like going out often, my wife prefers staying at home and watch a movie in bed.
While QHS students sit for IGCSE examinations in year 4, students at other schools have these exams in
year 5 or 6.
In the last World Cup Argentina proved to have a poor national team, whereas the French national
team was outstanding.
Our former History teacher used to give us long explanations, whereas our current one rarely speaks in
class. We must read and answer questionnaires most of the time.

15
 However, nevertheless
These ways of expressing contrast in formal speech or writing. Check position and punctuation.
Martin loves the hectic city life. However, he can also enjoy a quiet routine in the countryside.
Employees are expected to adhere to the terms of the contract. Nevertheless, they are allowed to
formulate proposals to improve their working conditions.

 But, yet
My mother is strict, but/yet she is sympathetic and kind.
Frank is a reserved, taciturn man, but/yet he is very popular at work.
There are different structures to express PURPOSE

 Infinitive of purpose
The students asked for extra practice to revise for the test.
Our Language teacher set us homework to make us revise for the test.
Note that the subject of the main clause and of the purpose clause is the same.
 In order (not) to, so as (not) to
Same as the previous one, yet more formal.

The Head teacher delivered a speech in order to welcome the exchange students.
The librarian penalized students who returned books after the due date, so as to avoid further delays in
returns. (Note the position of not)
I took up yoga classes so as to relax after an exhausting work day.

 So (that)
This expression is usually followed by can, could will or would.

The teacher prepared these exercises so (that) we would learn how to use linking words and phrases.
The librarian penalized students who returned books after the due date so that they would return books
when required next time.
Note that there are two different subjects in the sentence, one for each clause.

 For
This generally refers to objects and it describes how something is used.
A knife is for cutting objects or food. However, at times it is for attacking. (Check the form of the verb)
This switch is for the lights outside. (A noun can follow)

ACTIVITIES.5

9- Underline the most suitable word or phrase in each sentence.

a. The teacher suggested online sites for finding / to find information on the topic.
b. Those Chemistry exercises were too hard to understand / so that we understood them.
c. Furthermore / In addition to being generous, my grandmother is understanding and caring.
d. Although / Despite she isn’t tall enough, she wants to take up basketball.
e. This bag is for carrying / in order to carry the books.
f. The streets of popular holiday resorts tend to be crowded in the summer, whereas / however in the city
they are quiet.
g. The boss was so furious / such a furious that he fired the ones who had made the mistake.
h. Sarah was not qualified enough / too qualified to get the manager position.

5
Activities adapted from First Certificate Language Practice by Michael Vince.
16
i. Despite his great ability to ski / he was excellent at skiing, he fell off and broke a bone.
j. I don’t like him since he is self-centered yet / as well as conceited.

10- Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word
given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word
given.
a. Sam started working out in the gym so as to get a muscular build. To
Sam started working out ................................................................................... a muscular build.
b. Use this cloth to cover the table. For
This cloth .................................................................................. the table.
c. I started watching that series because I wanted to understand what my friends were talking about.
Would
I started watching that series................................................................................... what my friends were
talking about.
d. My brother started working before he finished secondary school because he wanted to earn and save
some money for university. As
My brother started working before he finished secondary school ...................................................
........................................ some money for university.
e. As well as having dark hair, Julia has dark eyes. To
In ................................................................................. , Julia has dark eyes.

11- Rewrite each sentence, beginning as shown. Do not change the meaning.

a) Quilmes won the match, even though they had 10 players in the second half. (despite)
Quilmes won the match ……………………………………………………………………….…………………………………….

b) Whereas my friend finds Math easy, he finds Geography difficult. (yet)

My friend finds ……………………………………………………………………….…………………………………….

c) The train was very slow. I was almost two hours late. (so… that)
The train ……………………………………………………………………….…………………………………….

d) There isn’t enough time, which is why we can’t correct the homework now. (too little)
There is ……………………………………………………………………….…………………………………….

e) She couldn’t hear John talking because of all the noise. (due)
She couldn’t hear ……………………………………………………………………….…………………………………….

f) I opened the window because I wanted to get some fresh air. (order)
I opened the window ……………………………………………………………………….…………………………………….

g) My grandmother has wrinkles. She also has thin grey hair. (as well as)
My grandmother has ……………………………………………………………………….…………………………………….

h) There was a lot of noise. Consequently, I couldn’t get to sleep until 3am. (so much)
There was ……………………………………………………………………….…………………………………….

i) Because he didn’t want to wake her, Steve left the house silently. (that)
The reason why Steve ……………………………………………………………………….…………………………………….

j) I read that book so that I could learn more about the subject. (to)
I read that book ……………………………………………………………………….…………………………………….

17
12- Join the following sentences by using the structures learnt, as in the example, so as to make one
complex sentence.6
e.g. Shakira is a pop singer. She is from Colombia. She is successful and has won multiple awards. She
has been one of the judges in the popular TV show The Voice.
Shakira, who is a Colombian pop singer, is so successful that she has won multiple awards, as well as
being one of the judges in the popular TV show The Voice.
a. Claudio Rissi is a famous Argentinean actor. He’s over 60. His dream had always been to become an
actor. He starred in “El Marginal” and “Un gallo para Esculapio”.
.......................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................
b. Chris Pratt was born in 1979. He was the lead actor in “The Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Jurassic
world” films. Those films were box office successes.
.......................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................
c. Gal Gadot has long dark hair. She has thick eyebrows and dark eyes. She has a round face and fleshy
lips.
.......................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................
d. Bad Bunny is a famous singer. He is from Puerto Rico. He usually shows a shaved head. It has some
patterns at times. He likes wearing sunglasses and outrageous outfits.
.......................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................
e. The bouncer thickset build filled his tight jacket. He had wide shoulders and bulging biceps. These gave
him an intimidating aspect.
.......................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................

LET’S KEEP ON IMPROVING!

 Because of, on account of, due to and owing to.

These expressions are followed by a noun.
All prices have gone up on account of / due to / owing to the rise of the dollar.

6
Activity adapted from Successful Writing Proficiency by Virginia Evans.
18
If we want to use a clause, then we need to add due to the fact that
He is the most reliable employee for our boss due to the fact that / owing to the fact that he is
responsible, honest and hard working.

Showing a result
 Consequently, thus, therefore, a result of... is..., as a result, for this reason, the reason (that/why)...
is...
He is responsible, honest and hard-working, so he is the most reliable employee for our boss.
He is responsible, honest and hard-working; therefore / consequently / thus / for this reason, he is the
most reliable employee for our boss.
He is responsible, honest and hard-working; thus, being the most reliable employee for our boss.
The reason (that/why) he is the most reliable employee for our boss is that he is responsible, honest
and hard working.
A result of his being responsible, honest and hard-working is that he is the most reliable employee for
our boss.

13- All the sentences below use the simple linking words ‘because’. Check the linking words and phrases
above, then rewrite each of the sentences using the word/phrase given.7
e.g. People often find him boastful because he enjoys highlighting his own achievements. A result of
A result of his highlighting his own achievements is that people often find him boastful.

a. I know I can share my secrets with her because she’s discrete and loyal.
Since ....................................................................................................
b. He is an outstanding student because he’s smart and he works extremely hard.
The reason ...................................................................................................................
c. Henry’s classes are absorbing because he is so cultivated and practical in his explanations.
....................................................................................................; as a result, ...................................
................................................................
d. My brother comes across as apathetic because he is a man of few words and people tend to take this
attitude as lack of interest.
....................................................................................................; therefore, ...................................
................................................................
e. I enjoy spending time with him because he is so knowledgeable and you can talk about any topic.
................................................................ due to ................................................................

7
Exercise adapted from Successful Writing by Virginia Evans.
19
14- Read the text below. Underline the linking expressions used and state whether they refer to purpose,
result, contrast, etc. Replace the underlined phrases for another expression. You may need to change
the sentence.

Describe a person whom you associate with a particular place and explain why you make this
connection.

I met a wonderful person at the hotel Naturalia on Ilha Grande, an island located in Brazil.
This young girl’s name is Emilia and I first came to know her three months ago. When we met at
the reception of the place, the first thing that came to my mind was that we should start a
relationship, which was why I approached her and ended up discovering the amazing person she
is. Emilia makes me remember the great time we had together at Ilha Grande; therefore, every
time I think of her, I immediately associate her with this wonderful place.
As regards her personality, Emilia displays distinctive traits worth mentioning. As a result
of being an open-minded person, Emilia is prepared to consider or accept new ideas and
opinions. For instance, she tolerates her eldest brother, who is narrow-minded as well as
stubborn. For this reason, it is clear that she can be patient and merciful with others. She is not
only jovial and charming, but also clubbable. On account of this, Emilia has a lot of friends, who
she loves and appreciate. This strong girl shows a lively and bright personality, which everyone
perceives. Apart from that, she is warm, and trustworthy. She is a person who you can trust and
feel comfortable with.
Emilia makes a favourable impression due to her physical appearance. She has a slim
body and an oval, pallid, freckled face. In addition, she has not only a handsome, well-shaped
mouth, but also wide, green eyes. This teenager has long, thin, black hair, as well as a beatific,
radiant smile.
Since she decided to start playing field hockey, she is very busy. She is an athletic girl that
loves team sports. She likes to be surrounded with friends and comradeship, which proves she’s a
gregarious kind of person. Her dream is to be a professional player in the future. She trains twice
a week with her best friend. They are both inseparable and do everything together.
Emilia and I are still in touch by text messages and the two of us hope we meet again
soon. We both had a wonderful time together at Ilha Grande. I didn't know I could get to know so
much about a person in just five days. I will always associate her with this island owing to the fact
that I first met her there.

20
REFERRING TO IMPRESSIONS, OPINIONS AND REACTIONS

When writing a descriptive piece, a substantial contribution may be to refer to the impact that person
makes on others. Find below some useful expressions.

As far as I am concerned, Martina is an outstanding student.

It seems to me that / To me / To my mind / In my opinion / In my view, Julia is a loyal friend.
The King came across as dictatorial since he didn’t give any explanations to Parliament.
The King struck people / Parliament as dictatorial since he didn’t give any explanations to Parliament.
The King seemed to be / appeared to be / gave the impression of being dictatorial since he didn’t give
any explanations to Parliament.
I consider my History teacher to be knowledgeable and cultivated.
I think of / see / regard my History teacher as being knowledgeable and cultivated.

I think / feel (that) .... It seems to me that... To me/To my mind, ...

As far as I am concerned ... In my opinion/view, ...

Sb seems / appears to be.... Sb strikes people / comes across as (being) ....

Sb gives the impression of being Sb gives the impression that ....

I / people... find / consider sb to be .... I think of/see/regard sb as being

15- Rephrase the following sentences, using the words in brackets.8

e.g. Julian comes across as being insincere, as he tends to flatter everyone. (consider)
People consider Julian to be insincere, as he tends to flatter everyone.

a. People find Sheldon to be stubborn as he always wants to win every argument. (strikes)
The reason why ................................................................................................................................
b. My little brother often gives the impression of being insolent owing to the fact that he looks away when
adults talk to him. (across)
My little brother often ......................................................................................................................
c. We regard our Biology teacher as sympathetic since she’s always willing to listen to our problems and
concerns. (that)
It seems to us .....................................................................................................................................
d. The reason why we consider Frank is a trustworthy employee is that he’s loyal to co-workers and
responsible to his boss. (result)
People consider Frank .......................................................................................................................
e. On account of her highly strong temperament, Sarah strikes people as moody. (due)
People consider Sarah ........................................................................................................................

10
Exercise adapted from Successful Writing by Virginia Evans
21
16- Use the adjectives listed below to complete the following sentences describing character, as in the
example. You may use more than one word in some sentences.9
blunt, cruel, deceitful, obstinate, spiteful, temperamental, moody, shy, stubborn, tactless.

e.g. As a result of her dishonest behaviour no one trusts her.

a. Matilda’s father was a ............................. salesman who took advantage of innocent clients by selling
them ruined second-hand cars which didn’t look so.
b. The reason why Joan doesn’t keep any friends is that she is so ............................. that people don’t know
what attitude to expect from her. She may be cheerful one minute and upset the next one.
c. Ann is terribly ............................. No matter what you explain to her, once she has come up with an idea,
she will try to impose it and won’t change her mind.
d. The man was extremely ............................. with all his relationships. Whenever he felt hurt by anything
they said to him or did to him, he would find the way to take revenge and hurt them back.
e. Angela tends to be rather quiet when you first get to know her as she is .............................
f. Don’t beat about the bush. I need to know the plain truth, so please, be ............................
g. Even though she’s a baby, she can be .............................; every time she doesn’t get her own way, she
bursts out crying and shouting.
h. He was a ............................. father, who hit his children with his belt for no reason.
i. The doctor was ............................. when telling him about the need of a surgery as she didn’t consider
the fact that her patient was upset and scared about his medical condition.
j. It’s difficult to improve the finances of the company. The manager refuses to admit that figures are not
promising, even though the accountant tell him that they must change the marketing strategies. He’s so
............................

17- Read the following descriptions and fill in each blank with a “character” word from the list below. Then
rewrite each description in one sentence. Use as many different linking techniques as possible.10
gregarious, charitable, understanding, perspicacious, easy-going

e.g. Georgina loves spending time with people. He enjoys helping those in need. She is kind-hearted.
In addition to loving spending time with people, Georgina, who is a kind-hearted person, enjoys helping
those in need.

a. Mathew has close friends who love her. He is helps them with their problems, listens to them and
offers wise advice without judging them. He is .............................
.......................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................
b. James doesn’t get stressed. He prefers to keep a relaxed attitude when there are problems so that he
can solve them better. He’s .............................

9
Exercise adapted from Successful Writing by Virginia Evans
10
Exercise adapted from Successful Writing by Virginia Evans
22
.......................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................
c. Mr Underwood is quick in noticing when he has to take action. He understands the way people behave
and what their ambitions are. He is .............................
.......................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................
d. Martin is kind to people. He sees everybody in a benevolent way. He’s .............................
.......................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................
e. Isabella plays a leading role when organizing parties. She loves a lively atmosphere surrounded by
people. She’s .............................
.......................................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................

18- Read the descriptive composition in exercise 14 again and complete the paragraph plan. Then, list
which aspects of a description have been included, and underline the justification/examples given. 11

Introduction:
.............................................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................................................
Paragraph 2:
.............................................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................................................
Paragraph 3:
.............................................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................................................
Conclusion:
.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

10
Exercise adapted from Successful Writing by Virginia Evans
23
Now, read this text and complete the paragraph plan.

Describe a person you know well and say how (s)he has changed since you first met.

My brother Lucca, who is 16, is one of the persons I know the most. As we are brothers, I
have known him since I was born and we were raised together. Nevertheless, we didn't have a
harmonious relationship when we were little. We used to have lots of silly brawls, which doesn’t
happen any longer as time has changed him considerably.
A few years ago, Lucca’s physical appearance underwent a complete transformation. The
reason for this was that in the past he used not to care about his appearance. As a result, he used to
have a heavy, thickset build, which has now turned into a muscular and athletic one. He would show
himself in disheveled clothes, with tousled hair; whereas today he is fond of lovely trendy clothes, as
well as going to the hairdresser every two months so as to keep his fashionable hairdo. Moreover,
his past mocking smile has become reassuring and polite, and his sleepy narrow eyes have turned
into curious wide sharp eyes.
Lucca’s most radical changes could be noted in his personality and manners. Some time ago,
he used to be childish and selfish, he wouldn’t lend me anything, yet he would borrow my things.
However, as he grew up, Lucca evolved and he developed a mature way of being. Even though he
shows himself as a polite and respectful person, he didn’t use to be like that. Lucca’s behaviour was
ruthless as he didn't measure the power of his words, which is usual in kids. I must admit that Lucca
could have always been described as a friendly person; notwithstanding, lately he has been friendlier
than usual, due to the fact that now he is more tolerant. Although he is an extrovert person with a
magnetic and lovely personality, he was completely different in the past. His old striking personality
shook everybody. This might result in people not liking him, which is one of the reasons why I
believe he changed.
In my opinion, people always try to improve themselves, and after a long time Lucca could
be converted into the person he is nowadays. I consider his changes to have been the result of
growing and maturing. I am glad to see his development and even if he had not changed it wouldn’t
matter to me as I feel he has always been an awesome person.

.............................................................................................................................................................................

24
BEFORE THE WRITING TASK:
INTERPRETING THE TOPIC.12

 For the IGCSE First Language English Paper 2 you may be asked to describe a person or people;
however, in other tasks of Papers 1 and 2 the description may be only one part of the composition.
Composition tasks will ask you to describe a person and explain something about them or refer to
something or somewhere in relation to them.
Bear in mind that you should not describe every aspect of appearance, personality, or any other. The
accuracy of your description will lie on the aspects which are most relevant to the particular question.
Have a look at the following tasks:
e.g. Describe a person who has done a great deal for others, and explain how he or she has managed to
achieve so much.
In this case, you are not expected to describe appearance but to describe the person’s character,
achievements and so on.
 Be careful to interpret the instructions carefully. Focus on key words and phrases; for instance, if the
instructions say Describe a famous person, you cannot describe someone who is unknown to the
general public.

 In general, Cambridge examination tasks will also ask you to explain something else in relation to the
person, namely the reasons for you impressions/reactions, for somebody’s success, or you may be
asked to describe a place and a person that lives / works or that you associate with that place.
e.g. Describe a person who has influenced you greatly and explain the reasons for this influence.

It is essential that you state each reason / point of relevance in a separate paragraph with a clear topic
sentence which summarises the main idea of each paragraph, and supports this with examples and/or
justification.

WRITING TASK # 1.13

Read the following composition tasks and choose one. Underline the key words. What information will you
include in each paragraph? How would you adapt the paragraph plan to organise your composition?

1. Describe a person whom you associate with a particular place and explain why you make this
connection.
2. Describe an important person from the past and explain why (s)he is of significant importance.
3. Describe a person from your past you would like to see again, and explain why.
4. Describe a person you dislike, and explain why you feel this way about him/her.
5. Describe a person you know well and say how he/she has changed since you first met him/her.
6. Describe your favourite actor/actress/singer/sportsperson.

12
Adapted from Successful Writing Proficiency by Virginia Evans
13
Taken from Successful Writing Proficiency by Virginia Evans
25
UNIT 2

DESCRIBING PLACES

WHEN DO YOU USUALLY THINK OF A SITUATION IN WHICH IT WHAT TYPES OF TEXT INCLUDE
DESCRIBE PLACES? WOULD BE USEFUL TO DESCRIBE A PLACE. DESCRIPTIONS OF PLACES?

What is your favourite place in the world? Why? How would you describe it? Think about adjectives that
you can use to do so.

26
1. Taking into account the descriptive compositions seen in the previous unit, read the text below and
analyse its structure.14

Describe a large, busy city

Built around a small peninsula in the south east of China, Hong Kong, now one of the most
densely populated places on earth, is a city of extreme contrasts, where East meets West, and the
latest technology is equally as important as ancient customs are.

The streets of Hong Kong are a frenzy of activity and deafening noise. The roads are
congested with vehicles, from sparkling limousines to dusty rickshaws, while countless hordes of
people stream past on the pavements, and in the crowded narrow alleyways, the senses of the
pedestrian are bombarded with a bewildering variety of exotic sights and smells. In contrast, not
far from the chaotic, cramped city centre lie parks with cool streams, shrines and chirping birds.
Meanwhile, tranquil mountains from a breathtaking backdrop to the towering skyscrapers of steel
and concrete packed closely around the harbour, where huge modern ships float alongside little
Chinese junks.

Below the bright neon lights, garishly advertising every brand name conceivable, visitors
will find an endless variety of shops and restaurants competing for space on Hong Kong’s manic
streets. You can buy anything here, ranging from state-of-the-art computer technology to hand-
made silk suits. There are also fish and bird markets all over the city, where heaps of gleaming
silver fish can be found displayed next to brilliantly-coloured squawking parrots. Tourists and
locals alike flock to the Jade Market, hidden on a side street, with its intricately-carved pieces
depicting Chinese icons, Buddhas and dragons made of smooth green stone. For food, Hong Kong
is second to none, as it offers a wide choice of dishes in all sorts of eating establishments. The city’s
nightlife, like its shops and restaurants, caters for all tastes, whether you are searching for the
opportunity to serenade your loved one in a karaoke bar or are simply after a beer and a bit of
dancing.

Perhaps the strangest thing about Honk Kong is the way all of its dramatically contrasting
features co-exist so harmoniously. However, unless you witness it for yourself, you will never know
what a pleasant atmosphere this creates. So for an unforgettable unique experience try Hong
Kong.

a) Is there an introduction, main body and a conclusion as in the descriptive pieces in Unit 1?
b) What can you say about the topic sentences?
c) Design the paragraph plan for this composition.
d) What other types of writing could include a description of a place?

WHAT ASPECTS SHOULD YOU CONSIDER WHEN WRITING A DESCRIPTION OF A PLACE? 15

Depending on the task chosen, different aspects of the place may be developed. Find below the varying
topics for a descriptive composition of a place:
 Factual information. You may refer to age, size, colour, materials, etc (e.g. This cathedral was built on
the site of the original colonial church and not finished until 1827. It’s a significant religious and

14
Text taken from Successful Writing Proficiency by Virginia Evans.
15
Adapted from Successful Writing Proficiency by Virginia Evans.
27
architectural landmark, and carved above its triangular facade and neoclassical columns are bas-reliefs
of Jacob and Joseph16.).
 You may include details relating to the senses (sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste) to suggest mood and
atmosphere (e.g. Voices along the corridors subside into utter silence as visitors come across
Michelangelo’s David, which reveals the stunning nature of such marble sculpture.)
 You may express opinions/impressions of the place or building (e.g. Some tourists feel moved to tears
by such work of art).

Don’t forget!17
 For each aspect of the description there must be a separate paragraph beginning with a clear topic
sentence.
 Descriptive vocabulary (e.g. majestic, sumptuous, superb) must be used.
 Linking words and structures add variety to your writing, turning it more fluent and interesting.
 For tourist brochures or magazine articles, present tenses are generally used.
 For descriptions of a visit to a place/building, past tenses are generally used. In the case of your ideal
city/house, first and second conditionals (will/would) can be used.
 Factual information about a place or building is normally given using Present tenses (e.g. I visited Puerto
Madryn last year. Puerto Madryn is situated in Chubut on the Golfo Nuevo, formed by the Valdés
Peninsula and Punta Ninfas.)

Now read the following composition for analysis

Describe a visit to a famous place and explain why it is so well-known.

Located in the United States of America, New York is one of the most visited cities in the world. A hectic
place, it is full of movement at any time of day all year round. This is the reason why it is called 'the city
that never sleeps'. New York is so well known worldwide as a result of many distinctive characteristics
and the activities that tourists can engage in.
Starting at day time, both locals and tourists can visit the gigantic Central Park, where there are
plenty of modern games for children, surrounded by cute squirrels. Nice and green areas offer visitors
the chance to walk around and make a picnic. They can also see some tributes to famous people who
have a special meaning to the American population. Grown-ups can be delighted by the impressive sights
of historical buildings such as the huge Empire State or the outstanding Rockefeller Center. Each of these
high-rise buildings makes it possible for tourists to contemplate spellbinding views from up high.
Apart from appreciating all the buildings and parks, tourists may tour in outstanding museums,
like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, also known as MET, or the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), which
are the most important ones around the world. These museums have a fine display of the most famous
paintings such as “The Screen” by Edvard Munch, or “The Last Supper” by Leonardo Da Vinci. Some other
modern artists’ works of art, like Picasso or Andy Warhol, are exhibited in these museums.
At sunset, New York turns into the city that never sleeps. Walking along the same street at night
is a totally different perspective and point of view. First of all, theaters turn on their lights and fill the
place with colours that make every person’s outing unique and magical. Time Square is covered by
enormous, electrical, colorful billboards of the most recognized brands in the world. Night becomes
imperceptible all around. However, despite its attractive nature, this place is so noisy and full of light
that it is said to suffer from significant auditory and visual pollution. New York has the oldest and most

16
Taken from https://www.lonelyplanet.com/argentina/buenos-aires/attractions/catedral-metropolitana/a/poi-
sig/394539/363005
17
Adapted from Successful Writing Proficiency by Virginia Evans.
28
important Apple Store all around the world, which is open 24 hours. The Central Park also welcomes
people at night, with its harmonic lights, which make the environment look pacific and romantic, making
it a perfect spot for couples and lovers in search of a passionate place.

All these features make New York City be considered one of the most important cities all over the
world. It offers special moments for every visitor, from a fancy night at the theater to a family day in the
park. Tourists come from every corner of the planet to be delighted by this magnificent spot on the map.

LOCATION VERBS AND PREPOSITIONS 18

When you describe a place, you may need to use these kinds of verbs and prepositions. Have a look at the
sentences from the composition above.
Located in the United States of America, New York is one of the most visited cities in the world.
Starting at day time, both locals and tourists can visit the gigantic Central Park, where there are plenty of
modern games for children, surrounded by cute squirrels.
Nice and green areas offer visitors the chance to walk around and make a picnic.
Apart from appreciating all the buildings and parks, tourists may tour in outstanding museums, like the
Metropolitan Museum of Art, also known as MET, or the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).
It offers special moments for every visitor, from a fancy night at the theater to a family day in the park.
Tourists come from every corner of the planet to be delighted by this magnificent spot on the map.

It can be seen that prepositions are useful to describe the location and/or surroundings of a place.
 Some of them explain position (e.g. Located in the United States of America / surrounded by cute
squirrels);
 Others give some suggestion of movement (e.g. that small road leads up to the city/winds through a
thick forest) and/or action (e.g. the statue towers above/stands at the top of).
 These verbs are naturally used with prepositions and prepositional/adverbial phrases (e.g. leads up to
– winds past – stands at the top of)

Read the text below to see how to use them

Situated on the west side of Las Vegas Strip, between Bellagio and The Mirage, Caesars Palace is an
outstanding hotel in the biggest city of Nevada, in the USA. As you arrive, you are faced by a 14-storey
massive building and, when you step in, you come across statues and fountains scattered around the
interior.
The Forum Shops is set in this imposing building an extension wing of the main hotel and the casino. The
staircase, made of spiral escalators, leads you to the different famous shops located in the mall.
Caesars Palace hosts the Caesars Forum, the original casino, which opened in 1966. Apart from that, it
houses multiple restaurants, sports and entertainment venues.

Other uses are included in the following sentences.

The small house, which is located in the centre of town, is packed with antiques.
The narrow country lane winds through the wooded valley.
The steep hillside slopes down to the seashore.
The hotel is set in the towering Welsh mountains.
The river curves around the base of the mountain.
18
Adapted from Successful Writing Proficiency by Virginia Evans.
29
The plains stretch out in every direction.
The cabin is perched precariously on a clifftop.
The suburbs sprawl out into the countryside.
A tiny village nestles at the foot of the high mountain.

2- Read the following description. Fill in the gaps with a suitable preposition or adverb and circle each of
the location verbs.
Standing at the top of the old stone steps, you can see the variety of architectural styles (1) ...........
the houses that line the main street. The steps lead down to a small, open area just (2) ............. the
corner from the main street.

Facing you as you stand (3) ........... the bottom of the steps is a shop, which is (4)............. a four-
storey building that stands on/at the corner of the street.

(5) ........... your right there are a few tables near the pavement (6) ............ a small café which is
housed in a large, imposing building. A small balcony (7) ............ the first floor hangs over the
entrance of the café.

Further (8) ........... the street, on the right hand side is a quaint two-storey building with gable
windows built into the attic. The street disappears (9) ............ the distance as the wooded hillside
rises (10)............ the whole scene.

3- Complete these sentences with at, on or in and the most likely word/phrase.
the pitch parties this booklet the table the main road a dinner Tunisia
this country his pocket the top end your lawn the Opera House

a. I bumped into Tim ................................................... I went to the other evening.

b. The film was shot mainly................................................... in North Africa.
c. He was undoubtedly the best player .................................................. in the first half.
d. Although he has been singing for ages, it will be the first time he has appeared
………………………………………………
e. They live ................................................. , so there’s a lot of traffic going past.
f. It will be the biggest event of its kind ever held ………………………………………………
g. I know that people like to dress up .................................................. , but that is ridiculous.
h. Bill lived .................................................. of my street.
i. The information .................................................. is out of date.
j. Do you know that there’s a rabbit .................................................., and it’s eating your flowers?
k. He put his hand .................................................. and took out some coins.
l. Who’s moved my briefcase? I left it ………………………………………………

4- Complete the sentences with at, in, on. If two answers are possible, write them both.

1 a. He played ……… Wimbledon for the first time this year.

b. Quite by chance, we met ……… the tennis stadium last week.
2 a. He turned up early to make sure he had a ser ……… the plane.
b. I saw Judith this morning, but she was ……… her car so I couldn’t say hello.
3 a. We just got ……… the train and headed for Florence.
b. We were struck ……… the plane for hours in Jakarta.
4 a. We went to wave him off ……… the station.
b. It was raining, so he decided to shelter ……… the station before he walked home.

30
5 a. She worked ……… a restaurant during the evenings to earn some extra money.
b. When she was a student she worked ……… pizza restaurant at weekends.
6 a. She won a gold medal ……… Barcelona in 1992.
b. I lived ……… Stockholm for three years during the 1970s.
7 a. Peter’s doing a Master’s degree ……… Birmingham.
b. They’re ……… Brighton to do an English language course.

5- Complete the sentences with at, in or on.

a. There has been a serious accident ……… the motorway near Swindon.
b. She’s just moved from her flat ……… 38 Azalea Drive.
c. We broke down ……… the Princess Highway between Melbourne and Adelaide.
d. The overnight rise ……… Wall Street was not maintained.
e. Talks are to be held ……… Downing Street, chaired by the Prime Minister.
f. My uncle owns a hardware shop ……… the corner of High Street and Redland Road.
g. I first saw the ring in an antique shop ……… Kensington Road.

6- Complete the sentences with across or over. In some cases, both are possible.

a. They cycled ................ America from the Pacific to the Atlantic.

b. On the other side of the river, ............... the bridge, is the richer side of town.
c. The children next door are a real nuisance. Their football is always coming ................ the fence and
damaging the flowers in my garden.
d. After the children’s party, sweets and cakes were scattered all ................ the kitchen floor.
e. The dog ran away from me and disappeared ................the hill.
f. I saw the children wandering slowly ................ the road.
g. Pedro was so short, he couldn’t see ................the steering wheel.
h. He lives just ................the border, in Switzerland.
i. Martha drew a line ................ the map and said, “I’ll visit all the houses to the north of here.”

7- Underline the correct or most appropriate word(s) in each sentence.

a. The thieves broke the window and climbed across/along/through it.

b. He was the first man to row single-handed across/over/along/through the Atlantic.
c. She only had time to dress and run a comb across/over/along/through her hair.
d. There was so much traffic, I was fortunate to get across/over/along/through the road without being
knocked over.
e. There were sunbeds and sunshades across/over/along/through the entire length of the beach.
f. She made her way up the hill across/over/along/through a narrow path.
g. He leapt across/over/along/through the wall and made his escape.
h. The mist was so thick, it was like walking across/over/along/through a cloud.

8- Correct the prepositions (above, over, below, under) if necessary or put a 


a. She put her hands above her eyes and began to cry.
b. Below the screen is a small microphone that picks up the computer-user’s voice.
c. They left their key below a mat by the front door.

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d. There was a crack in the wall over the window.
e. He pulled his hat above his ears and went out into the cold.
f. She just swept the dust under the carpet.
g. The path runs high over the river and the view is wonderful.
h. She looked out of the window. Twenty feet under her, in the garden, was a fox.
i. He was unhurt apart from a small cut above his eye.

MAKING YOUR WRITING MORE APPEALING!

PARTICIPLES AND RELATIVE CLAUSES

Simple, short sentences with the same subject can be combined in order to write complex sentences. By
joining them with participles (-ed/-ing) or relative pronouns (who / which / whose), you can make your
writing more attractive.

Analyse the following examples:

Llao Llao Hotel is surrounded by López and Tronador Hills. It is also surrounded by the Lake Moreno and
Nahuel Huapi. It is a 5-star hotel with a 15-hectare park.

Llao Llao, (which is) surrounded by López and Tronador Hills as well as by the Lake Moreno and Nahuel
Huapi, is a 5-star hotel with a 15-hectare park.

The ‘Obelisco’ is Buenos Aires’ most famous monument. It towers in front of tourists and locals who drive or
walk along Corrientes Avenue.

The ‘Obelisco’, which towers in front of tourists and locals driving or walking along Corrientes Avenue, is
Buenos Aires’ most famous monument.

The ‘Obelisco’, towering in front of tourists and locals driving or walking along Corrientes Avenue, is Buenos
Aires’ most famous monument.

The participial clause usually opens the sentence.

Surrounded by López and Tronador Hills as well as by the Lake Moreno and Nahuel Huapi, Llao Llao is a 5-
star hotel with a 15-hectare park.

Towering in front of tourists and locals driving or walking along Corrientes Avenue, the ‘Obelisco’ is Buenos
Aires’ most famous monument.

By using participial clauses (–ing, past participle, or being + past participle clause after a noun) we can give
information about someone or something. Relative clauses can be turned into participial clauses.

We stood on the bridge which connects / connecting the two halves of the building.
The weapon (that was) used in the murder has now been found.
The prisoners (who are) being released are all women.

We often use an –ing clauses instead of a defining relative clause with an active verb:
The man (who is) driving the bus is my brother.
The land which stretches / stretching away to the left all belongs to Mrs Thompson.
Police took away Dr. Li and item which belong / belonging to him.

We often use a past participle or being + past participle clause instead of a defining relative clause with a
passive verb:
The book (that was) published last week is his first written for children.

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The boys (who are) being chosen for the team are under 9.

9- Match the sentences in the most likely way, and write them as one sentence using an –ing clause

1. Some wooden beams hold up the roof. a. They waved to us.

2. Some teachers attended the meeting. b. He was dressed in protective clothing.
3. Some people were driving past. c. They decided to go on strike.
4. A man was operation the equipment. d. They are dangerous.
5. A girl is waiting for the bus. e. They have been damaged.
6. Some steps lead down to the river. f. She is Jack’s daughter.

1 + e: The wooden beams holding up the roof have been damaged.

a. The road repairs .........................................................................might delay traffic.

b. The decisions ......................................................................... will affect all of us.
c. The building......................................................................... will have to be demolished.
d. Jack Sullivan ........................................................................ was the man in the 100 metres.
e. The warning ........................................................................ about their behaviour on the pitch was
ignored.
f. All the rings and necklaces ......................................................................... have now been recovered.
g. The instructions ........................................................................ say it should only take a few minutes to
cook.

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PARTICIPLE CLAUSES WITH ADVERBIAL MEANING

We can use an –ing form of a verb or the past participle in a clause which has an adverbial meaning. A
clause like this often gives information about TIME, REASON OR RESULTS.

Opening her eyes, the baby began to cry. (= When she opened her eyes…)
Faced with a bill for $10,000, John has taken an extra job. (=Because he is faced…)

They are often similar to non-defining relative clauses with which, who or that.

Feeling tired, Louise went to bed early. (= Louise, who was feeling tired, went…)
Formed 25 years ago next month, the club is holding a party for past and present members. (= The club,
which was formed 25 years ago next month, is holding…)

The following sentences illustrate other forms of verbs in clauses like this
Being imported, the radios were more expensive.
Having been hunted close to extinction, the rhino is once again common in this area.

In negative forms of sentences like this, not usually comes before the –ing form or past participle.
However, not can follow the –ing form or the past participle, depending on meaning.
Not wanting to wake her, Steve left the house silently. (= He didn’t want to…)
Preferring not to go out that night, I made an excuse. (=I preferred not to…)

The implied subject of a clause like this is usually the same as the subject of the main clause
Arriving at the party, we saw Ruth standing alone. (=When we arrived… we saw…)

Note how the meaning of the sentence changes when two sentences with different subjects are joined with
a participle.
 Tourists walk through the streets.
 Noises and smalls greet them.
 Walking through the streets,  noises and smells greet the tourists.
This means that the noises and smells are walking. Instead, you must keep the same subject for both
clauses, or use time words such as ‘while’.
Walking through the streets, tourists are greeted by noises and smells.
While the tourists walk through the streets, noises and smells greet them.

In general, using an –ing, past participle or being + past participle clause instead of a clause beginning with
a conjunction (when, because, etc) or a non-defining relative clause makes what we say or write more
formal. Clauses like this are used particularly in formal or literary writing.
Some clauses like this are used to give information about TIME
Glancing over his shoulder, he could see the dog chasing him. (= As he glanced…)
Having completed the book, he had a holiday. (= After he had completed the book…)

We use the –ing clause to talk about something that takes place at the same time or very close in time to
the action in the main clause.
Putting on a serious face, she began to tell the story.
We often use an –ing clause in written narrative after quoted speech, when we want to say what someone
was doing while they were talking.
‘Wait a minute,’ said Frank, running through the door.

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If the action described is relatively long compared with the one described in the main clause, we use a
clause beginning having + past participle
Having driven five hours to the meeting, Don learnt that it had been postponed.
Sometimes we can use either an –ing clause or having + past participle clause with similar meanings,
although using a having + past participle clause emphasizes that something is completed before the action
in the main clause begins. Compare
Taking off his shoes, Ray walked into the house.
Having taken off his shoes, Ray walked to the house.

Some clauses like this are used to talk about REASONS and RESULTS. For example
Knowing exactly what I wanted, I didn’t spend much time shopping.
Being slim, he could squeeze through the opening in the fence.
Having been invited to the party, we could hardly refuse to go.

11- Rewrite the sentences beginning with an –ing or past participle clause

a. Marie left work early because she didn’t feel well. Not feeling well, Marie left work early.
b. The manager was impressed by Jo’s work, so he extended her contract for a year.
c. He had acquired the money through hard work, so he was reluctant to give it away.
d. Because he had started the course, Alan was determined to complete it.
e. As we didn’t want to offend him, we said nothing about his paintings.
f. As I haven’t seen all the evidence, I am reluctant to make a judgement.

12- Rewrite the sentences. Put the quoted speech first, and use an –ing clause.

a. As I grabbed Don by the arm, I said, ‘Look, it’s Tim’s car.’ ‘Look, it’s Tim’s car,’ I said, grabbing Don by
the arm.
b. As she pointed to the empty table, Sandra said, ‘It was here a moment ago.’
c. As she turned over in bed, Helen groaned, ‘I’ll get up in an hour or so.’
d. As Mark smiled cheerfully at them, he exclaimed, ‘Well, I’m back.’

13- Complete the sentences with the Having + past participle form of one of these verbs. In which is it also
possible to use an –ing form with a similar meaning?
arrive climb spend take work
a. .................................................... the wrong bus, Tony found himself in an unfamiliar town.
b ..................................................... a tree, Lee was able to see a way out of the forest.
c. .................................................... as a clerk, painted and bus driver, Neil decided to go back into university.
d ..................................................... all morning working in the garden, Betty took a short lunch break.
e. .................................................... early for his appointment, Ron spent some time looking at the
magazines.

14- Match the sentence halves and write new ones beginning with an –ing, having been + past participle or
being + past participle clause.

1. She was a doctor a. She knew how to keep children interested.

2. I didn’t expect anyone to be in the b. I found life in Sicily difficult.
house c. I walked straight in.
3. The room had been painted in dark d. She knew what side effects the medicine could

35
colours have.
4. Dave was unemployed, e. He had time to consider what job he really
5. I don’t speak Italian wanted.
6. Barbara had been a teacher for 14 years f. The room needed some bright lights.

1 + d: Being a doctor, she knew what side-effects the medicine could have.

15- Link the sentences below starting each sentence with the correct form of the word(s) in bold.

a. The castle dominates the skyline. It is built of local stone.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
b. The museum was opened in 1939. It is visited by thousands of people every day.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
c. The temple is surrounded by trees. It is difficult to see from a distance.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
d. Greater London covers 610 square miles. It is the largest city in Britain.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
e. The monument was erected in 1919. It is a memorial to those who died in World War I.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

16- Correct the following sentences as in the example.

Sinking behind the mountain, I watched the sun fill the sky with red. (WRONG)
Sinking behind the mountain, the sun filled the sky with red. (CORRECT)
OR As I watched the sun sinking behind the mountain, it filled the sky with red.

a. Stretching into the distance, we were amazed by the length of the queue.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
b. Squeezing your way onto the packed bus, the other passengers press even closer together to make
room for you.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
c. Shuffling towards the supermarket’s busy tills, heavy baskets hang from the shoppers’ tired arms.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
d. Standing squashed among the screaming fans, the roar of the enormous crowd was deafening.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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 Descriptions of places often include subjects such as a popular restaurant, a busy market, etc. In a
description of this sort, you should describe both the place and the activity. You may describe details
relating to the senses to suggest mood and atmosphere. (The bazaar is a riot of exotic smells, dazzling
colours and a deafening babble of voices.)
 In order to describe a human scene you will need to use a variety of words and phrases relating to
crowds and activity.

17- Read the following descriptions, underline phrases which refer to the senses and identify each sense.
What tenses are used in each description? Why?

A The market buzzes with the sound of B A faint smell of crushed grass wafted up
women’s voices, while the smells of fresh fish from the court as the hot sun beat down on the
vegetables and spices fill the hot, humid air. crowd watching the players. The silence was
Crowds of shoppers jostle each other as they punctuated by the rhythmic sound of the tennis
squeeze past the displays of goods, voices grow ball and the muted gasps of the spectators; then
louder as the people haggle over prices, and the suddenly, the crowd surged to their feet with a
clang of metal bowls and boxes rings through roar.
the market.

18- Identify the sense(s) referred to in each of the phrases below.

hot, golden sand ……………………………..
hum of laughter and voices ……………………………..
clinking glasses ……………………………..
colourful sails ……………………………..
strong odour of fish ……………………………..
mouth-watering plates of food ……………………………..
cries of seagulls ……………………………..
warm sun on white buildings ……………………………..
splash of breaking waves ……………………………..
salty water ……………………………..

19- Now read this description and underline the words given in the previous exercise.
Approaching the central square, you could hear the hum of laughter and voices, along with the clinking
of glasses from the outdoor cafés and restaurants. There was a friendly, relaxed atmosphere as the
tourists enjoyed their midday meal. Busy waiters bustled to and fro carrying mouth-watering plates of
food, against a picturesque background of bright sun shining on the white buildings.

20- Choose words from the previous exercises to describe this picture. Add more of your own.

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EXPRESSING IMPRESSIONS AND REACTIONS

 You can express positive impressions of a place by:

a. Using a variety of adjectives such as:
awe-inspiring, breathtaking, delightful, elaborate, eye-catching, exquisite, majestic, outstanding,
overwhelming, picturesque, quaint, spellbinding, superb, tranquil.
The castle, standing at the top of the mountain overlooking the city, is awe-inspiring.

b. Using a variety of present or past participles from such verbs as:

amaze, astonish, astound, impress, inspire, overwhelm, refresh, stimulate
I was/felt astounded at how beautiful Florida is in winter.
The astonishing image of children pulling rickshaws.

c. Using a variety of nouns in expressions such as}

To my amazement/astonishment/delight/surprise
To my delight, the place had kept its character.

 You can express negative impressions of a place by

a. Using a variety of adjectives such as
barren, bleak, derelict, dilapidated, disreputable, inhospitable, neglected, squalid
The building was in a dilapidated state.

b. Using a variety of present or past participles from such verbs as

depress, disappoint, dismay, terrify, shock
The disappointing view of the unsightly housing.

c. Using a variety of nouns in expressions such as

To my disappointment/surprise/astonishment
To my disappointment, the once-tranquil village had turned into a crowded tourist resort.

21- Choose the most appropriate word from those given in brackets, and put it into the correct form to fill
in the gaps in the following sentences.
Rio is a thrilling place to visit, with its riotous colours and raucous noise
(thrill / relax / refresh)
a. To the .................................... of most visitors, the caves in the area cannot be visited, as they have
been declared unsafe.
(disappoint / delight / impress)
b. Several old, traditional houses have been converted into quaint pensions which tourists find
…………………………………
(horror / delight / depress)
c. Visitors are .................................... during the trip up the steep mountain path, but the view makes it
worthwhile.
(puzzle / terrify / offend)
d. It is ..................................... to see how quickly the area where I grew up is being spoiled.
(shock / excite / inspire)
e. The enormous ancient structures strike people as .................................... , since even using modern
equipment they would be difficult to construct.
(amuse / dismay / amaze)

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22- Read the brief descriptions below, and replace each of the underlined words or phrases with the most
suitable word from the list given.

DESCRIPTION A

The row of (1) empty houses along the bank of a stagnant

canal present a (2) sad picture. When lived in, they were (3)
too small, filthy and in need of paint. Now they are (4) old abandoned, bleak, cramped,
and broken, their windows boarded over and fences sagging. miserable, run-down
The landscape in which they stand is (5) empty and ugly;
behind the canal and ruined houses stretch flat fields with no
trees or grass.

DESCRIPTION B

Visitors to the cathedral are usually (6) surprised at the (7) astonished, enormous,
impressive elegance of its size and proportions. The (8) very exquisite, imposing, tranquil
big stained-glass windows with their (9) wonderful centuries-
old pictures flood the interior with soft light and colour,
creating a (10) peaceful, quiet atmosphere.

23- Now replace each of the ten words you have just used with its synonym from the following list.
astounded, bare, crowded, deserted, depressing, dilapidated, magnificent, massive, serene, superb

USEFUL LANGUAGE: EXPLAINING IMPRESSIONS

There are a number of expressions that you can use to refer to impressions of a place. Have a look at the
following sentences.

Paris makes an immediate / enduring / lasting impressions on all who visit it, since it is such a glamorous
city.
What strikes / impresses / delights visitors about the resort most is its unique surroundings.
The most noticeable / outstanding feature of the place is its golden dome.
A huge statue of a lion is the first thing one notices upon entering the temple.
One cannot help but be impressed / moved / struck by the natural beauty of the region.
Without doubt, the most impressive thing about San Francisco is the Golden Gate Bridge.
The thing which makes the strongest / most enduring impression is the hospitality of the locals.
I was immediately struck by the staggering number of huge skyscrapers.
One particularly marvels / wonders at the variety of attractions offered.
The first thing one notices about the house is its overgrown garden.
The reason that the area is so depressing is that there are so many derelict buildings.

39
The filthy, congested streets confirmed my initial impression that is was an unpleasant city.
Undoubtedly, the thing / feature that will disappoint any visitor is the lack of facilities.

24- Rewrite the sentences using the words in bold without changing the meaning.

a. When visiting Paris, one particularly marvels at the incredible architecture of the Pompidou Centre.
(help)
When visiting Paris, one cannot help but marvel at the incredible architecture of the Pompidou Centre.

b. What impressed me most about the entire building was the lavishly-decorated deception hall.
(strongest)

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
c. The first thing that one notices about the city is that there are so many well-preserved medieval
buildings. (noticeable)

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
d. Undoubtedly the thing that will impress you most about Sydney is the amazing Opera House. (doubt)

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
e. What strikes visitors to Mykonos most is the perfect combination of glamour and tradition.
(immediate)

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

25- Read the extract below and replace the underlined words and phrases with phrases from the following
list.

a. take a particular delight in

b. the thing which makes the strongest impression
c. here one has the leisure to appreciate
d. few visitors can fail to be charmed by
e. to sum up
f. furthermore, one cannot help but wonder at
g. gives the impression of being
h. hustle and bustle
i. combines the spirit of a community with a well-deserved respect for nature
j. paid them the compliment of

40
Describe a place in the countryside and explain why it is worth visiting.

Concerning Littlewood village itself, (1) what you notice is the hospitality of the locals. (2)
Everyone enjoys the welcoming smiles and the genuine interest that the villagers show in anyone
who has (3) bothered visiting their small community. It is as if they (4) really like sharing their
charming village with outsiders.
(5) Also, anyone would like the natural beauty of the region. Sheltered from the outside world
by the hills which surround it, the village (6) seems untouched by the technological age and the
(7) noisy hurry of modern towns. (8) You can enjoy the late afternoon sun glistening on the river
or shining through the autumn leaves, and realize that this is a very special place.
(9) So, Littlewood (10) is a place with nice people and scenery. For anyone who wants to
escape from the pressures of modern life for a while, it is well worth a visit.

TECHNIQUES TO MAKE YOUR DESCRIPTION MORE VIVID

Narrative compositions require vivid descriptions of places. In order to turn such descriptions into vivid
ones you can use the following techniques:
 using your senses to describe the weather, surroundings
 using direct speech
 asking a rhetorical question
 creating mystery, suspense or anticipation
 addressing the reader directly
 describing people’s feelings about or reactions to the place, building or monument
 using a quotation. As Ernest Hemingway once said, “Paris is a movable feast.”

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26- Read the models and give the paragraph plan. Which of the models involves narration? How do these
two models differ (paragraphs, tenses, style)? Where would you find these pieces of writing?

Model A Describe a visit to a famous capital city you particularly enjoyed

I spent last weekend with my friend Leo in the Hungarian capital, Budapest. Leo was anxious for me to
join him for the St. Stephen’s Day celebrations and I was only too glad to oblige.
After arriving at Ferihegy Airport, Leo took me on a whirlwind tour of the city so I could get my
bearings. The sixteen-mile journey from the airport to the city centre took us through Pest, the area
situated to the east of the Danube River. We sped through streets of stunning Baroque architecture and
past museums which I couldn’t wait to visit. After crossing the river, via the Szecheny Chain Bridge, we
entered Buda, which was officially joined together with Pest in 1873 to form the modern-day capital, I
was delighted with the fantastic view of Buda Castle and the Citadel, sat atop the three hills which line
the banks of the river. After I had been introduced to Leo’s family, streets and Gothic architecture, and
visited some museums before we went back home and enjoyed a typical Hungarian meal Leo’s mother
had carefully prepared for us.
The next day, I had the chance to explore Budapest more thoroughly. After a brief visit to the excellent
Museum of Fine Art, I went to see the animals at Budapest Zoo before sampling some more delicious
Hungarian cuisine for lunch at a lovely little restaurant. In the afternoon, I went back to Buda where I was
amazed to discover that the castle houses not only the National Gallery, but also the National Library and
Castle Museum too. That evening, however, was certainly the highlight of my trip. After a short nap, I
returned once more to Buda Castle with Leo, where we watched the extravagant fireworks display held
to celebrate St. Stephen’s Day.
I spent an interesting couple of days in Budapest and managed to soak up a lot of Hungarian culture
and history thanks to Leo and his captivating stories. Although I only spent a short time there, I feel I left
Budapest with a vivid insight into Hungarian life.

Model B Describe a famous capital city

Budapest, the Hungarian capital, is situated on the glorious Danube River in western Hungary. Before
amalgamation in 1873, the site was home to two separate towns, Buda and Pest, located on either side of
the river. The city’s fascinating variety of architectural styles brings its long and turbulent history alive for
the visitor, and because of this it is a fabulous location for a trip into the past.
Once you have arrived in the city centre from nearby Ferihegy Airport, take a tour round the entire city
so you can find your bearings and get a taste of this fantastic city’s atmosphere. Buda, which can be
reached by means of the cheap and efficient underground train or the Szecheny Chain Bridge, is the
oldest part of the city. First settled in the Middle Ages, its cobbled streets and Gothic houses are
dominated by the recently-restored Buda Castle and the Citadel on their imposing hilltop sites. The castle
is definitely worth visiting, as it houses the National Library, the Castle Museum and the National Gallery.
Across the river, in Pest, you will find stunning examples of Baroque architecture and a number of
fascinating museums. Impossible to miss is the Millennium Monument, a striking colonnade displaying
statues of Hungarian kings and leaders, along with a huge statue of the archangel Gabriel surmounting a
188-foot-high central column.
But Budapest is not just a place to look at. There are excellent shopping facilities, a fascinating zoo, and
plenty of theatres and concert halls offering fine performances. You can end your day by having a
delicious meal in one of the many traditional restaurants and, if you are lucky enough to be in Budapest
on St. Stephen’s Day, you can witness the Interpreting the topic
stunning firework display which is held on the Cathedral.
All in all, Budapest is a delightful city which embodies centuries of the Eastern European past. Its
fascination is partly due to the Hungarian’s resourcefulness, a quality necessary to ensure the survival of a
city which has had to be rebuilt so many times. Budapest is well worth a visit at any time of the year.
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 Various compositions tasks ask you to describe a place, building or monument; however, this
description may be only one part of the composition. Composition tasks often ask you to describe a
place, building or monument and to explain why you have chosen it, why it is important, etc.
In order to complete such a composition task successfully, you should interpret the instructions
carefully and choose the aspects which are most relevant to the particular question.
e.g. Describe a place you have recently visited and explain why you would like to visit the place again in
the future.
In answering this question, you should describe the place using a narrative style. Past tenses are
required. You should also give reason why you would like to visit the place again, supporting them with
justifications.
 Certain questions may ask you to compare and contrast two different places, buildings or monuments.
Alternatively, you could be asked to describe the ways in which a place has changed over a period of
time.
e.g. Describe two places you have been to on holiday which were very different from each other. Say
which you liked better, giving reasons for your choice.
This composition task requires a brief description of the two places, then a comparison of them using
suitable linking words and expressions in order to explain the reasons why you liked one more than the
other.
 Remember to start each paragraph with a topic sentence which summarises what the paragraph is
about.

27- Read the model below and give the paragraph plan. Then underline the topic sentences. What tenses
have been used? Why? Finally, highlight adjective-noun combinations.

Describe a town or city you have visited and explain why you found it particularly impressive

Situated on two rivers near the Yorkshire Moors, York is a fascinating and memorable place to
explore. My first visit there was organized while I was in my last year at school. Since it was a history
trip, York seemed to be the best choice as it is such a well-preserved city which has been of historical
importance for nearly two thousand years.
Surrounded by high, medieval stone walls, the old part of the town is like a journey back in time. As
you wander through the maze of busy, narrow streets, you cannot fail to be struck by the quaintness of
the irregular, half-timbered houses. Rising above these and dominating the skyline are breathtaking
examples of medieval Gothic architecture.
Of the many things York has to offer, there are several which stand out in my mind. York Minster, in
particular, with its intricate stonework and stained-glass windows, is an aw-inspiring sight. There are
museums of all kinds, including a railway museum and Jorvik Viking Centre, where visitors can learn
more about the individual periods of the city’s rich history. Finally, the many tea-rooms, coffee-shops
and restaurants, each with its own brand of charm, are ideal places to relax for a while and take in the
atmosphere.
One thing that makes York unique among English towns is the care with which it has been preserved.
There are few cities where such attention has been paid to detail in an attempt to preserve the
authenticity of the many historic buildings. Medieval and Gothic structures have been painstakingly
restored and the present residents seem to share a sense of pride in the splendor of their
surroundings.
York is also notable for the fact that is has managed to incorporate modern life into such a historic
setting. Shops and offices offer a full range of goods and services while still maintaining the charm and
dignity of a bygone age. All the usual twentieth century requirements are catered for in an atmosphere
reminiscent of a time when the pace of life was much slower.
The combination of ancient and modern held such a fascination for me during that first visit that I
have been back many times since, each time discovering something new.

42
PROJECT # 1 – Pair work

Read the following task and choose one of the options to develop. Underline the key words. What
information will you include? Which tenses should you use? How are you going to present the information?

A – Imagine you want to publish a holiday brochure.

1. Describe the centre of your town or city during the Christmas season.
2. Describe a restaurant in your neighbourhood which you would highly recommend, giving reasons why
it is worth going to.
3. Describe a place of historical significance, explaining why it is important.
4. Describe a visit to a famous place and explain why it is so well-known.

Write the text for the point chosen and select images to include. Design your brochure and present the
information as you would like it to be published.

B – Imagine you want to make a contribution in a blog that deals with issues related to your town. Choose
one of the options below.

5. Describe how you think your town will have changed in fifty years’ time, giving reasons why you think
these changes will have occurred.
6. Describe a new shop in your town which you fell will be successful, giving reasons for your opinion.

43
UNIT 3
NARRATIVE WRITING

Fiction writing is something known to all of us. We have read short stories and novels at school or for
pleasure. Narrative writing is one of the options of Question 2 in the IGCSE First Language English Paper 2.
Why do people generally enjoy fiction? What can you say about your own experience?

1- Read the following story:

Mission, incomplete.

It was the coldest winter in the Alps in living memory. It had already been two years since Brody
Johnson had been recruited from high school to join the US army. However, this was the first time his
officials had sent him on a mission with his comrades. This mission consisted of looking for hidden
weapons and machinery for combat to be used by Russia. For a nineteen-year-old boy, an operation of the
sort should mean a great achievement in his career as a soldier.

So there they were, plodding through thick snow with a fierce wind blowing sharply on their faces
as they advanced. As usual, Brody’s shoelaces had got loose so he had to pause for a little while.
Everyone before him stopped too, but he told them not to wait for him as he did not want to hold them
back. Having done up his shoelaces, Brody proceeded to dash after his fellows. The problem was that, all
of a sudden, snow started to come down, accompanied by rocks, at full speed. As soon as Brody saw it
coming, he leapt aside into a wide groove.

After the avalanche stopped, he attempted to clamber out, while pushing rocks and snow.
However, his frantic effort came to nothing, thus leaving him anchored to the bottom of the pit. Motionless,
he shrieked for help until his voice started cracking. “There must be someone out there who can hear me.
This shouldn’t end like this, at least not today, on my first mission ever…My dad would be so disappointed
in me if he was still alive”, he whispered to himself. The young man began to pray to his God, as he asked
Him what he had done to deserve such punishment.

A few hours had passed and Brody was still trapped in the hole. As his heart was sinking into
despair, he managed to hear the voices of people passing by. Taking advantage of the opportunity, he
yelled for help with all his strength until he could be found. He caught a glimpse of three strong Swiss men
who were willing to help. Once out of the groove, the men carried him to their small town at the top of a
mountain, isolated from any kind of communication, being walking and a little plane the only ways of
transport. They left him in a minuscule clinic to recover from the severe injuries caused by the accident.
What he didn’t know was that the damage had been so acute that he had to go through surgery.

Meanwhile, on the military campsite, the rest of the soldiers had come back with the mission
accomplished; yet with one mate missing. They had looked everywhere and still their companion couldn’t
be found. The faces of the soldiers portrayed their feelings perfectly, the atmosphere was filled with
anguish. The commander decided to contact his family to inform them about Brody’s death. There was a
prolonged silence after the call was made. No one knew what to say. However, after mourning a couple of
days, they proceeded to move on and stick to the stipulated plan.

Almost a year had passed in the Alps and Brody was ready to come back home. As his plane
departed, he waved at the helpful men with his heart full of gratitude. Once he arrived at Arkansas’ airport
he headed for one of the only two telephones available. Immediately, he let the officers of the army know
what he had been through, as he believed the army came before everything and everyone. It was then that
he sadly learnt his position had been taken by someone else, since he was presumed dead. He did not
belong to the army any longer. Not only had he been left without his great achievement as a soldier, he
had also been set aside by the institution he admired the most. He hung up and pressed the numbers to
call home....

2- List the events in the text in exercise 1- as they develop in each paragraph.
i) A soldier of the US army is sent on his first mission – to look for Russian weapons in the Alps.
This is a great opportunity for a nineteen-year-old soldier.

44
ii) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
iii) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
iv) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
v) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
vi) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3- How did Brody feel in the story? Find words, phrases or sentences that express how the main character
felt as the events developed.

At the beginning of the story

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

When he gets trapped after the avalanche

When he returns home

4- Now read the following story:

Write a story using the title “The Cancellation”

I woke up to my dog’s barking, and an excruciating, high-pitched noise. I aggressively covered

my ears. As I reached for my phone, placed on my night table, I feared the worst. I had fifteen missed
calls from five different people. Scrolling through my social media, my eyes slowly read a text all in
capital letters. THE WORLD SIMULATION IS BEING CANCELLED TODAY AT 12.
I kept reading the countless posts and complaints. Since my hands started shaking, I couldn’t
continue reading. As I was about to call my mother, my phone turned into a black, empty rectangle.
The proof was as clear as water, right in front of my eyes. I got up, bewildered. I felt a sudden cry and
looked down. My dog had turned into a vibrant green, one-dimensional figure. Trying to reach down
and pet him, the odd figure vanished into nothingness. Suddenly, the rash of emotions that I was
feeling before, also, turned into nothingness. I had given up and accepted the cancellation. I didn’t even
want to say goodbye to my beloved ones, nor to my future.
In a matter of minutes, the objects around my house started vanishing in different ways. Some
exploded and left a poodle of colour, some others shrank, and others flew out of the window. I watched
them fade away, trying to ignore a question that had popped into my head. “What is going to be like?” I
wondered. I felt sorry for my family, who are now probably saying goodbye to each other, while I was in
my house, staring at a dissolving wall, uninterested in looking at their faces one last time. Now, I had
embraced the cancellation. I was ready for it.
I started feeling a tingling sensation in my legs. Then,dizziness. My vision was slightly blurred,
but I was as conscious as ever. A storm of sounds, smells, feelings, colours, shapes. “The cancellation
is about to be completed”, I thought to myself, but with an unfamiliar voice in my head. Floating, my
body started shaking uncontrollably. My legs separated from my body, painless. So did my arms. So
did my head. Then, there was a void. After that, there was a void. Later, there was a void, too. And on
every then, after, and later, there is a void, too.

How do you feel after reading this?

45
WHAT IS A NARRATIVE COMPOSITION?

It is a type of text that tells a story. It consists of a series of events, which can be imaginary (fiction) or
based on your own experience or on real facts (non-fiction), which is presented in a vivid descriptive style.

There are some key elements in a narrative composition

 Plot
 Setting
 Characters
 Point of view
 Theme
 Symbolism
 Conflict

What structure does a narrative composition have?

 An introduction: The setting – time, place, characters. Creating an interesting mood/atmosphere or

a dramatic beginning to get the reader’s attention.
 A main body: The build-up. A series of events develops, giving a vivid description of the people and
or places involved. Tension should be created.
 A conclusion: The outcome of the events as they have developed. Sometimes the end comes in an
unexpected way.

If you are going to write a narrative composition, bear the following points in mind:

 Having a plot in mind is essential. How does your story begin? Who are the characters? Where does the
story take place? You must consider the order of events as you will present them, together with the
end of the story.
 Techniques to enhance your writing must be applied: vivid descriptions, especially to set the scene;
descriptions of feelings and actions to create a specific mood/atmosphere; use of direct speech and a
variety of adjectives and adverbs.
 A proper use of tenses must be made. In general, past continuous is used to set the scene (The
weather was threatening the locals again.); past simple is used for the main events (People fled to their
shelters and secured their most valued belongings); and past perfect describes actions before the main
events (They had already stored food for a week.)
 A coherent sequence of events must be presented. Chronology and coherence are important to make
sure that you use time words such as before, after, while, later, until, etc. This will make the story easy
to follow.

5- Think about the techniques used to enhance a composition. Which ones have been used in the text in
exercise 1? What about The Cancellation? Highlight them as you identify them. Do the same with the
text in exercise 6.

a. Vivid descriptions
b. Descriptions of feelings
c. Descriptions of actions
d. Direct Speech
e. Adjectives
f. Adverbs
46
6- Work on the text below.

Steve sat glaring at the clock on the wall and muttering something to himself. He had been in a muddle
all day at work and was now impatiently repeating his schedule, mumbling every detail of the chores he had to
do after the appointment. His train of thought was interrupted with the slam of the entrance door. He became
aware of how exhausted he was. His head was melting between his hands; the time passed as he waited to be
attended and struggled to keep his eyes open, the headache became so unbearable that all the noise and talking
around him turned into incomprehensible gibberish, and the floor looked like blurry, twinkly little lights before
the room turned dark.

Surrounded by jet black, he stumbled towards the dim light of some street lanterns far away. The
knocking of his shoes against the cobbled street echoed on the traditional ancient buildings. Suddenly, he
perceived from the distance the sound of footsteps that weren´t his own. As the steps became louder, closer,
and faster and nearer; his heart bumped in the same way. He rushed in an attempt to get to the illuminated
street without tumbling. He needed to hurry. The pulse of his heart galloped like a herd of horses. He was a few
meters away when he tripped over a rock, falling on his knees, and scraping the palm of his hands. Once he
looked up, in front of him there was a woman trudging and looking around in concern. She was making sure
that her purse was safe, tight against her chest, when the figure of a man appeared from behind the corner of
the nearest house, interrupting her path. Before she could have any reaction, he took a knife out of his pocket
and stabbed her in the stomach. The dreadful scream penetrated Steven’s ears as the bloody corpse fell to the
ground.

He almost jumped out of his seat when he woke up. His name had just been called out; a woman holding
her bag tightly left the room and the doctor made a gesture to him to get in. By the end of the appointment,
the ophthalmologist gave Steve a sheet of paper which indicated he suffered from night blindness and should
ask for a date downstairs to see another professional soon. However, he hobbled his way home right after he
left, complaining about the sudden pain on his knees.

Once there, he shambled to the kitchen looking for a painkiller. Imbibing two pills at once with some
black coffee directly from the fridge, he turned facing the dreary living room where he had left coats and clothes
thrown away and gave in to the idea that he would pick them up later. Although he tried to dispel the memory
of the moribund eyes stuck in his own, the crime scene he had witnessed in his dream kept replaying in his
mind. The way he retained every detail of it as if it was real was actually surprising... Raindrops started smacking
the window glass when Steve acknowledged that being stuck in his own thoughts, he wouldn´t be able to do
any work anyway, so he grabbed the nearest jacket, his pocket knife and went out with a cigarette between his
fingers.

The fresh humid air hit him in the face as he tried to light the cigarette. The brown-reddish leaves blown
by the wind buried the ground, but his nightmare did not fly away from his mind. He deduced that he would
not be able to free his thoughts until finding a connotation to them, which was the mobile of the crime or
discovering who the murderer was. He remembered how in a blink of an eye, he neatly managed the weapon
and disappeared, leaving the lifeless body behind. It would have been perfect if it wasn’t for two things; the
place was way too illuminated, which wouldn’t have been a problem by itself except for the fact that someone
was there to witness it, himself.

47
He went on wandering as the sun went down, further from the city center, baffled at his own conclusions
about his dream. At some point, he realized he was not alone; he recognized someone’s footsteps about a block
away. Startled, Steve peered around him but was not able to identify anybody in the middle of the night;
therefore he crept forward, to the next corner of the block, nearer to a street lantern and stayed hidden against
a wall of an antique house. The stomps revealed the person’s inevitable clumsiness being in a rush while getting
nearer. Having a hard time to breathe, Steve prowled closer to the source of all that noise with a hand inside his
pocket and squinting, alert for any motion. A blurry figure crossed right in front of him, and immediately after a
sharp cream of a woman broke the silence after Steve had buried the knife deep into her stomach in a rapid
movement. He gaped at the bloody cadaver as it fell on the cobbled street, dropping a bag dyed of scarlet blood
just next to it. Hopefully, he would be able to concentrate in his work now...

STEP BY STEP
SETTING THE SCENE

The following excerpt has been taken from Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. Chapter I

A squat grey building of only thirty-four stories. Over the main entrance the words, CENTRAL
LONDON HATCHERY AND CONDITIONING CENTRE, and, in a shield, the World’s State’s motto,
COMMUNITY, IDENTITY, STABILITY.
The enormous room on the ground floor faced towards the north. Cold for all the summer
beyond the panes, for all the tropical heat of the room itself, a harsh thin light glared through the
windows, hungrily seeking some draped lay figure, some pallid shape of academic goose-flesh, but
finding only the glass and nickel and bleakly shining porcelain of a laboratory. Wintriness
responded to wintriness. The overalls of the workers were white, their hands gloved with a pale
corpse-coloured rubber. The light was frozen, dead, a ghost. Only from the yellow barrels of the
microscopes did it borrow a certain rich and living substance, lying along the polished tubes like
butter, streak after luscious streak in long recession down the work tables.
‘And this,’ said the Director opening the door, ‘is the Fertilizing Room.’

Since this is the introduction of a novel, the setting takes more than one paragraph. However, this is a
useful example to analyse the characteristics of setting.
When writing the introduction of a narrative, the following must be considered: place, time (this may be
the time of the day, a month or year, or a historical period), weather, and/or people (name, appearance,
feelings and thoughts of characters)

7- Check the excerpt and highlight the elements for a proper setting.
8- Now, read the following introductions
a- taken from The Crucible by Arthur Miller – Act I.

A small upper bedroom in the home of Reverend Samuel Parris, Salem, Massachusetts, in the spring of
the year 1692.

There is a narrow window at the left. Through its leaded panes the morning sunlight streams. A candle
still burns near the bed, which is at the right. A chest, a chair, and a small table are the other furnishings.
At the back a door opens on the landing of the stairway to the ground floor. The room gives off an air of
clean sparseness. The roof rafters are exposed, and the wood colors are raw and unmellowed.

As the curtain rises, Reverend Parris is discovered kneeling beside the bed, evidently in prayer. His
daughter, Betty Parris, aged ten, is lying on the bed, inert.

48
b- taken from Crumbles from the Table of Joy de Lynn Nottage

1950. Ermina, Ernestine and Godfrey Crump sit on a bench with their heads slightly bowed. Ernestine is
a slightly plump seventeen year old. She wears her hair pulled tight into tiny mismatched pigtails. Her
diction is crisp from practice and has the gentle inflections learned from her favorite screen actresses.
Godfrey, a lean, handsome thirty-five-year-old man, wears an impeccably pressed suit. His appearance
is always neat and well assembled. Ermina is an attractive, slim fifteen year old; she also wears her hair
in mismatched pigtails.

What is the difference between one and the other?

What do you learn here? What do we include in the first paragraph then?

c- Look at this photograph19

This scene introduces a story. Read the
questions below:

1. When and where is the story set?

2. What is the weather like?
3. Who are the people involved, and how
do they feel?
4. What would you see, hear, smell, if you
were physically present at the scene?
5. How might the story continue?

d- Now read the following paragraph about the photograph to see if your answers coincided with the
real story. Highlight references to the senses and emotions. 1

She suddenly came to a halt. She cast her dark eyes to the charcoal sky; her attention held by a splendid
golden streak, a crack in the grey cloud layer. Meanwhile, the sun similarly to a small lizard, streamed
19
Adapted as
through from Successful
fast as waterWriting Proficiency
does through by Virginia
a cracked Evans.
dam. A young girl who was passing by, kept her
obscure beautiful marbles steady, staring at the sky and contemplating the scary creature that was about49
to emerge.
e- Look at this picture. Consider the questions in exercise 4-
a) When and where is the story set?
b) What is the weather like?
c) Who are the people involved, and how do they feel?
d) What would you see, hear, smell, if you were physically present at the scene?
e) How might the story continue?

f- Having collected the information for this picture, write a paragraph that provides the setting for a
story.

CHARACTERISATION

Physical descriptions are not enough to make up your characters. You also need to refer to certain types of
behaviour, ways of acting and reacting and a specific personality. As seen in Unit 1, when you describe a
person, there are different aspects to take into consideration.
You must know your characters thoroughly, which means that there are experiences and events the person
will have been through that won’t be mentioned in the story but that will influence the characters’
development.
Imagining a character for your story may be a daunting task; yet, you can use some strategies for
inspiration. You may think of a character of a novel, short story or poem that you liked and take some
aspects worthy to your story. But be careful not to make an exact copy as that would be plagiarism!
You may look up pictures of different people, depending on the period in which your story will unfold. Once
you have chosen a name, consider the following items:20
 Physical description (go back to Unit 1)
 Main events of life up to the present
 Personality
 Values and beliefs
 Relationships

20
Taken from Credible characterisation on www.teachit.co.uk 2009
50
g- Look at the following pictures and select one.21

Now, create your character, by completing the items listed in the explanation above.

21
Adapted from Credible characterisation on www.teachit.co.uk 2009
51
HOW TO IMPROVE YOU COMPOSITION
TECHNIQUES FOR BEGINNING AND ENDING A STORY22

Read the following beginnings and endings

The tell-tale heart by Edgar A. Poe

True! – nervous – very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad?
The disease had sharpened my senses – not destroyed – not dulled them. Above all was the sense of
hearing acute. I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth. I heard many things in hell. How, then, am
I mad? Hearken! and observe how healthily – how calmly I can tell you the whole story.

‘Villains!’ I shrieked, ‘dissemble no more! I admit the deed! – tear up the planks! – here, here! – it is the
beating of his hideous heart!’

Parenthesis by Julian Barnes

Let me tell you something about her. It’s that middle stretch of the night, when the curtains leak no light,
the only street-noise is the grizzle of a returning Romeo, and the birds haven’t begun their routine yet
cheering business. She’s lying on her side, turned away from me. I can’t see her in the dark, but from the
hushed swell of her breathing I could draw you the map of her body. When she’s happy she can sleep for
hours in the same position. I’ve watched over her in all those sewery parts of the night, and can testify
that she doesn’t move. It could be just down to good digestion and calm dreams, of course; but I take it as
a sign of happiness.

But that’s still to come. Perhaps it will never come. In the night the world can be defied. Yes, that’s right, it
can be done, we can face history down. Excited, I stir and kick. She shifts and gives a subterranean, a
subaqueous sigh. Don’t wake her. It seems a grand truth now, though in the morning it may not seem
worth disturbing her for. She gives a gentler, lesser sigh. I sense the map of her body beside me in the
dark. I turn on my side, make a parallel zigzag, and wait for sleep.

What strategies has each author used?

You can start your story by:

a) describing the weather, place, people, etc. using the senses,
b) using direct speech,
c) asking a rhetorical question,
d) creating mystery or suspense,
e) referring to feelings or moods,
f) addressing the reader directly.

You can end your story by:

a) using direct speech,
b) referring to feelings or moods,
c) describing people’s reactions to the events developed in the main body,
d) creating mystery or suspense,
e) asking a rhetorical question.

22
Taken from Successful Writing Proficiency by Virginia Evans

52
Having chosen the strategies to write the beginning and ending of the story means that you have already
decided on the plot. Once a basic story outline is ready, you can give shape to the introduction; and,
ultimately, to the ending.

It is quite common for students to get carried away by events, thus tackling the task unsuccessfully. This
means that the first step for writing narratives is to consider the task carefully. Your story must be
appropriate to the task.

Besides, the choice of vocabulary and respect for word limit are to be taken into account. The task you will
be engaged in needs to be developed properly, using the right vocabulary and within the word limit
established.

SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT # 1

Choose the beginning of a novel or short story you like. Copy the text and analyse the strategies that were
used for the introduction. What aspects have been covered?

53
UNIT 4
NARRATIVE WRITING
VOCABULARY AND USE OF TENSES

The next morning, the old man suddenly appeared next to me. He was so angry. “What have you done?!”
he shouted. I felt guilty, as there was not only sofa stuff left all over the floor, but also a broken vase
around me. He walked back and forth, thinking about what he should do with me. I was afraid in a corner,
afraid of losing my home. After some minutes of dead silence, he shouted at me, pointing out the front
door. I walked slowly until I reached the porch, and then he strongly closed the door behind me. I was
afraid. I didn’t want to return to the streets, to look for something to eat in the trash every day, and to run
away from the wicked animals. Therefore, I stayed next to the door, waiting for him to forgive me.

Read the following excerpt taken from a composition written by a 15-year-old student.

Writing in plain English will render your story unappealing. Although it is impossible to learn ALL the
vocabulary needed for narrative writing in a few months, you can start making a list of words that may be
of help in your stories. An appropriate use of vocabulary will enhance your composition. Check synonyms
and collocations in dictionaries. You can use www.wordreference.com and www.ozdic.com for this.

The next morning, the old man suddenly appeared next to me. He was livid. “What have you done?!” he
groaned. I felt guilty, as there was not only sofa stuff scattered all over the floor, but also a fragmented
vase around me. He paced back and forth, considering what he should do with me. I was petrified in a
corner, scared about losing my home. After some minutes of dead silence, he yelled at me, pointing out
the front door. I walked slowly until I reached the porch, and then he slammed the door behind me. I was
terrified. I didn’t want to return to the streets, to search for something to eat in the trash every day, and to
escape from the wicked animals. Therefore, I stayed next to the door, waiting for him to forgive me.

Below, you will find an improved version of the paragraph read above.

Now, read this paragraph and replace the words in bold with the words from the box

Annie, Kate´s aunt, was a few blocks away from her 1. small house. She 2. looked sorrowfully through the
misted car windows, to figure out what was the horrifying, dark cloud that was surrounding the house.
When she arrived, she immediately 3. walked to the wooden, ancient door. She 4. went in, not only
annoyed, but also concerned, 5. closing the door behind her. Every artificial object was 6. floating all
around the house, crashing and breaking on the walls. The 7. bad house was a mess. She 8. ran upstairs
covering herself with her arms, as the paintings of the wall fell on her back. Annie 9. looked desperately
throughout the rooms of the second floor, searching for Kate. She was in her wardrobe, waiting for her
aunt. She then appeared as a heroine, and took her out of the 10. big furniture. They fought back together
the evil monster that was trying to take revenge of the Wain family.

slamming – levitating – raced – glanced – peered – tiny – huge – stormed – rushed – dismal

There are words to describe feelings such as happiness, sadness, anger, fear, surprise, and excitement.
These may be nouns (bliss, despondency, thrill), adjectives (delighted, dejected, bemused), adverbs
(mournfully, blissfully, astonishingly) or expressions (hit the roof, give somebody the creeps, be in a
muddle).
Verbs are also useful to convey a specific idea of how an action is carried out. When you are walking, you
can walk in a hurry. In such case, you may rush, dash or sprint. If you choose to express what someone said,
you can use yell, whisper or stutter. Each of these words means something different. Let’s work on
vocabulary a little!

54
h- Read the following excerpt from Matilda – “The Ghost” by Roadl Dahl and highlight the words or
phrases that you think describe the characters’ feelings.

When Mr Wormwood arrived back from the garage that evening his face was as dark as a thunder-cloud
and somebody was clearly for the high-jump pretty soon. His wife recognized the signs immediately and
made herself scarce. He then strode into the living-room. Matilda happened to be curled up in an
armchair in the corner, totally absorbed in a book. Mr Wormwood switched on the television. The screen
lit up. The programme blared. Mr Wormwood glared at Matilda. She hadn’t moved. She had somehow
trained herself by now to block her ears to the ghastly sound of the dreaded box. She kept right on
reading, and for some reason this infuriated the father. Perhaps his anger was intensified because he
saw her getting pleasure from something that was beyond his reach.

p.32

What does the expression “his face was as dark as a thunder-cloud” mean? How did Mr Wormwood feel?
Why did Mr Wormwood stride into the living-room? Find the definition of this word Vocabulary Bank
section.
Was Matilda comfortable in the chair? How do you know?
If the programme blared was the TV volume loud or low?
How did Mr Wormwood feel about Matilda if he glared at her?

The mother grabbed a poker from the fireplace. The father took a golf-club that was standing in the
corner. The brother seized a table-lamp, ripping the plug out of its socket. Matilda took the knife she had
been eating with, and all four of them crept towards the dining-room door, the father keeping well behind
the others.

p.40

Based on the verbs used in this excerpt, who was ready to attack?
How did they walk towards the dining-room? Find the definition of this verb in the Vocabulary Bank
section.

This shows how important vocabulary is when writing a narrative. The way in which you combine words
and phrases will reveal a lot about your characters. Although you may refer to their feelings straightaway,
you may also use expressions such as the one above: His wife recognized the signs immediately and made
herself scarce. The woman disappeared to avoid her husband’s temper. “Show, don’t tell” is a strategy
when writing. Have a look at the following example.23
e.g. Sarah strode briskly to the window, then stood with legs apart and her hands on her hips, listening
intently, her head cocked to one side. This means that Sarah was impatient and had an aggressive attitude.

Now, state how the characters felt in each sentence.24

1. Daphne sprawled on the sofa, noisily leafing through the glossy pages of her magazine as she
chewed gum and slurped soft drink.
2. His brows knitted, Alex stared blankly at the computer screen, scratching the back of his head and
drumming his fingers on the table, and then he sighed deeply and reluctantly reached for the
phone.
3. The children stopped abruptly and gazed at the shop window with wide, unblinking eyes, nudging
each other and pointing at the dazzling piles of toys.

23
Taken from Successful Writing Proficiency by Virginia Evans. Unit 5. Exercise 21
24
Taken from Successful Writing Proficiency by Virginia Evans. Unit 5. Exercise 21
55
i- Make sentences for the following pictures as if you were writing a story to show how the
characters felt. Provide a context for the situation (what happened before or what is happening).
Use verbs and expressions as done in exercise 12. You will find some useful vocabulary in the box
below.

stare – gaze – reluctant – yell – in a temper – hands – roar – fly off the handle – refuse – sulk

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……………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………

FEELINGS

Check on the Vocabulary Bank, pages 61 to 70 and put the following words under the right column:
dejected – euphoria – livid – bewildered – puzzled – grief – mystified – infuriating – bemused – ecstatic

HAPPINESS SADNESS ANGER CONFUSION

What type of words are they: adjectives or nouns? Classify them and make sentences for the pictures
below:

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WAYS OF LOOKING

Check on the Vocabulary Bank, pages 73 and 74, and explain what the people are doing in each picture.
Invent a situation for each picture and include a verb for LOOKING.

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PAST TENSES

You usually tell stories in the past. This is why it is so important to know how to use tenses well. Let’s revise
the uses of each past

Past simple
It is used to describe actions that started and finished in the past, or to describe states or feelings. Don’t
forget that there are regular and irregular verbs!
e.g. The girl shut her eyes and yelled at her boss.
The boy sulked throughout dinner time.
He didn’t like the menu.
She was hopeless at meeting her date.
You can use frequency adverbs (always, sometimes, never, etc)

Habits in the past – would and used to

Some actions which were carried out in a regular verb but are no longer done in the present are expressed
this way.
e.g. Every summer, we would stroll along the shore, sharing experiences we had been through along the
year.
I used to believe the house was haunted.
Before getting divorced, the couple would argue every day at any time.

Past continuous
This is usually used to set the scene and provide the reader with a context. It describes an action in
progress. Sometimes, there are simultaneous actions, or one action happening that is interrupted by
another one.
e.g. Both brother and sister were sitting on the floor, reluctant to talk to each other.
The girl was sitting still, staring at her cell phone, while she expected a reasonable reply.
As I was leaving my house, I bumped into an old school friend.

Past perfect simple and continuous

This is used to describe actions which happened before other actions in the past. It is usually called ‘the
past before the past’ as it refers to situations or actions that happened earlier.
e.g. She had been waiting for an hour by then and she was hopeless about meeting her date.
The boy had broken his sister’s favourite doll and she had flown off the handle, pushing him heavily.
He had been pressing her with deadlines and insisting that she was unfit for the job.

Future in the past – would and was/were going to

Would replaces will in the past
e.g. She wouldn’t put up with his abuse any longer.
His parents told him he wouldn’t have any other option.
They would be sitting there until the apologised to each other.

Was/were going to is used to refer to actions that were about to happen but didn’t, after all.
e.g. She was going to tell them the truth; however, she thought it was not the right time yet.
When I saw him, he claimed “I was going to phone you, but then my daughter asked me for
something to eat, I got distracted and I forgot. Sorry.”
The road was going to be repaired but with the change of government, the project was dropped.

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j- Read the following excerpts taken from students’ stories and complete them with the right past
tense.

It was a grey cool day in June, and the clock 1. (strike) 5:00. Sam called his
parents to visit them and, as nobody 2. _ (return) the call, he automatically 3.
(drive) to their house. When he arrived there, neither of them appeared to be at
home. Seeing that there was no response, Sam started to worry so he 4. (decide)
to enter his parents´ house without asking them for permission.
Cautiously, he opened the door. Sam felt that his entire world was demolished. He saw his parents
sprawled on the floor; both 5. _ (be) shot.
Sam was terrified, really desperate. Fortunately, he worked as a detective, so he 6.
(had) the necessary tools to deal with that unexpected occurrence.
After that, Sam began to compile information and hints in order to discover who the murderer was. While
he 7. (study) the scene of crime, he realised that the lock 8.
(not be) forced, neither the windows. He 9. _ (believe) that the crime was not
improvised: it 10. (be) planned beforehand.

As he opened his eyes, Constantino Lorezzi 1. (find) _ himself tied up to a

tree in the middle of a frozen woods, deep inside the astonishing snowing mountains. He didn't know
how he 2. (get) there, yet he remembered that before he 3.
(pass) out, he 4. (have) a warm cup of coffee at the hotel bar with Ranieri, his
childhood friend and business partner. They 5. _ (talk) about the huge fortune they
were going to hide in Swiss banks so the Interpol couldn't even track down where all the money they 6.
(steal) was, when suddenly a van stopped by the hotel and six men stepped out
and 7. _ (rush) towards their position. Ranieri 8. (look)
surprisingly nervous while Lorezzi was calm. Lorezzi would never have imagined what 9.
(happen) next. Abruptly, those six men 10. (pull) out guns
and forced the business partners violently to get inside the van. Once there, they were both drugged and
they finally dozed off.

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VOCABULARY BANK – EXPRESSING FEELINGS25

HAPPY

feeling extremely happy

 Be on top of the world: to feel extremely happy and confident because you are very successful or
because something very good has happened to you. Everything’s going well for him now and he’s on
top of the world. / Since the baby came Anna’s been on top of the world.
 Blissfully happy: extremely happy, for example because you are in love, or something very good has
happened to you. They met, fell in love and got married, and they are blissfully happy. / She would lie on
the beach for hours, blissfully happy.
 Radiant: radiant smile / face etc = looking extremely happy. She announced, with a radiant smile, that
she was going to have a baby.
 Ecstatic: extremely happy and excited about something. When the show finished the audience was
ecstatic. / The two young girls were ecstatic in Disney World.

Words for describing someone who is happy most of the time

 Cheerful: usually behaving in a way that shows you are happy, by smiling, laughing, talking in a happy
way, etc. She seemed a typical farmer’s wife, cheerful and energetic. / Thomas was cheerful and good-
natured, and we soon became good friends.
 Contented: happy and satisfied with your life. He becomes more contented as he gets older and more
secure. / She is now able to lead a balanced and contented life.
 Jolly: usually behaving in a happy, friendly way, making jokes. My uncle was a jolly man with a loud
laugh. / Sue was always jolly and helpful.

Feeling pleased and happy about something good that has happened

 Pleased: pleased to see / hear etc I was very pleased to hear that you’re well again. | pleased about
Mrs. Shaw seems very pleased about the arrangement. | pleased (that) Julia was pleased that her
friends had come.
 Glad: happy about something that has happened, especially because a situation has improved. She was
glad that the birthday party was a success. / I’m glad that you got the job. | glad to do sth After all this
time Rob was glad to be going home. | glad to hear / see / learn etc Vivian was glad to learn they’d
reached home safely.

Very happy about something good that has happened

 Delighted: His parents were absolutely delighted about the baby. / At last the band appeared on stage,
and the crowd was delighted. | delighted by Andrew was delighted and surprised by the interest Angela
took in his work. | delighted to hear / see / learn etc We were all delighted to hear you were getting
married.
 Thrilled: very happy and excited about something that has happened. Julie looked thrilled when she
heard that she was going to Paris for a week. | thrilled to do sth He was thrilled to be invited. | thrilled
with Pete is thrilled with his new computer – it was a wonderful present | thrilled at / by He was thrilled
at the arrival of his son Julian | thrilled to bits / pieces (= very thrilled) We were thrilled to bits when
our daughter appeared on TV.
 Be over the moon: an informal expression meaning to be very happy about something good that has
happened, especially something that makes you proud of yourself. He was over the moon when he
scored the winning goal. / When she discovered she’d got the job she was over the moon.
 Overjoyed: very happy about something, especially a piece of good news. She was overjoyed to get a
letter from her son. | Naturally I was overjoyed when I was offered that part in the play.

25
From Longman Language Activator
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 Elated: very happy and excited for a short time, especially because you have achieved something that is
important to you. Jeremy felt elated by this sudden and unexpected success. / When I told her the news
I thought she’d be elated, but she just went very quiet. | Elated by the election victory, the crowd waved
banners and chanted.

HAPPINESS

 Contentment: a quietly happy and satisfied feeling. Nothing could disturb our feeling of peace and
contentment. | The simple routines of life brought him great contentment.
 Joy: a word used especially in literature meaning a great feeling of happiness, often about something
good that has happened. The birth of their baby daughter brought them great joy. | The child laughed
with joy at the sight of the puppies playing. | fill sb with joy The prospect of seeing his brother again
filled him with joy.
 Delight: great happiness and excitement, especially about something good that has happened. Her face
showed great delight when they arrived at the beach | delight at Paul’s delight at being asked to play
the piano for us was clear. | to my / his / their etc To Helen’s great delight, she was presented with the
prize for Best Actress. | with delight Robin laughed with delight as the birthday cake was carried in.
 Bliss: a feeling of very deep happiness and extreme pleasure. A feeling of bliss came over him as he fell
asleep. | She closed her eyes in bliss as the beautiful music played. | sheer / pure bliss Lying in the
warm sun, listening to the sea – it was sheer bliss.
 Euphoria: an extremely strong feeling of happiness and excitement that lasts a short time. The euphoria
of the first goal soon vanished when their opponents scored. | Once the euphoria of the first few weeks
has worn off, the new government has to get down to work.
 Elation: a strong feeling of happiness, excitement and pride. As he spoke you could hear the elation in
his voice. | The troops sense of elation at the victory was not to last.

SAD

Feeling sad for a long time because you are unhappy with your life

 Depressed: feeling very unhappy for a long time, so that you have no physical energy and no hope for
the future. My sister’s been feeling really depressed since she lost her job. / I need something to occupy
my mind. I get depressed if I have nothing to do. | depressed about She quarreled with her boyfriend
and was depressed about it for weeks afterwards.
 Low/down: informal words meaning unhappy and without much hope for the future, especially
because something bad has happened to you. John’s pretty low at the moment – his business is losing
money. / He’s been feeling down since he failed his driving test for the fifth time.
 Be down in the dumps: an informal expression meaning to feel unhappy and without much interest in
life, but usually not in a very serious or permanent way. Mom’s kind of down in the dumps at the
moment – why don’t you buy her something to cheer her up?/ Whenever you are feeling down in the
dumps, you should come over and have a chat.
 Despondent: unhappy and without much hope of success, especially because you have already
experienced disappointment. The interview had gone badly and Kathryn looked despondent as she
came away. / No wonder the fans were growing despondent. The team had already lost eight out of
nine games.

Words for describing someone who looks sad or unhappy

 Dejected: someone who shows by the expression on their face and by their lack of energy that they are
very unhappy, especially when they are disappointed about something. He looked utterly dejected
when she told him he’d failed again. / Out of the stadium came a crowd of dejected-looking supporters.
/ I was so dejected that I just wanted to stay in bed all day.

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 Downcast: sad and disappointed, in a way that is noticeable from the expression on your face and your
behaviour. He seems very downcast at the moment. He misses Jenny terribly | Martha had been really
looking forward to the trip and was quite downcast when it was cancelled.
 Wistful: someone who looks wistful has a sad and thoughtful expression on their face, especially
because they are thinking about the past and wishing things were different now. She looked at them
with a wistful smile. “I wish I could go with you.” | Simon’s face grew wistful as he recalled the happy
days of his youth.
 Glum: someone who is glum shows by the expression on their face that they are very unhappy and do
not have much hope for the future. I had to go and cheer her up – she looked so glum.| The doctor
looked glum. “Bad news, I’m afraid.” | Why the glum face? Things can’t be that bad.

Extremely sad, especially because someone you love has died or left you

 Broken-hearted / heartbroken: extremely sad because you have been deeply upset by something that
has happened. When her parents separated she was heartbroken. | Brokenhearted fans camped outside
the star’s house when he announced the end of his career.
 Inconsolable: so sad that it is impossible for anyone to comfort you, especially because you have been
deeply upset by the death of someone you love. After the death of her baby she was inconsolable. |
Poor Doris was inconsolable. How could her husband walk out on her like that?
 Desolate: extremely sad especially because you are alone and lonely. She walked slowly across the
courtyard, a lonely and desolate figure. | He was really desolate when his wife died.

To feel sad because someone has died, and to show this in the way you behave publicly, the clothes you
wear, etc.

 Grieve: to feel extremely sad because someone that you love has died. It’s no use grieving. It won’t
bring him back. Grieve for Millet continued to grieve for his wife many years after her death. | grieve
sb’s death / loss People must be allowed to grieve the loss of a relative for as long as they need to.
 Be in mourning: to show sadness and respect for someone who has died, by the way you behave
publicly, the clothes you wear, etc. The family was in mourning and refused to see anyone. | The Queen
appeared, dressed from head to toe in black in mourning for her husband.
 Mourn: to show how sad you are that someone you love has died. All the neighbours and relations who
had come to mourn stood around the coffin. | They mourned for their dead children, killed during the
war. | mourn sb’s death / loss His family were weeping and mourning their son’s death.

Words for describing someone who often feels or looks sad

 Gloomy: someone who is gloomy feels and looks unhappy because they think there is nothing to be
happy about. The doctor was a tall, gloomy Scotsman, who had a depressing effect on his patients. |
When I saw their gloomy faces, I knew that something was wrong.
 Miserable: someone who is miserable always seems unhappy and makes other people feel unhappy.
What do you mean you’re not coming to the Christmas party! Don’t be so miserable! | She’s a miserable
person to have around the office – she never smiles or says hello to anyone.
 Morose: someone who is morose behaves in an unhappy, bad-tempered way, and does not speak much
to other people. He was such a morose child but he’s grown into a very pleasant young man. | Since the
accident she has been morose and moody.
 Misery: an informal British word: if you call someone a misery, you mean that they are always
complaining and they never enjoy anything. Stop grumbling, you old misery! | Don’t invite her to the
party. She’s such a misery!

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Words for describing something such as a story, film, tune or piece of news that makes you feel sad

 Depressing: making you feel sad and unhappy about life, especially so that you feel less hopeful about
the future. I admire Kafka as a writer, but I find his novels terribly depressing | It was a very depressing
movie about life after a nuclear war.
 Heartbreaking / heart-rending: (for an event, story or piece of news) making you feel extremely sad or
bitterly disappointed. It’s heartbreaking to see children dying just for lack of clean drinking water. | The
decision to kill the infected animals was a heart-rending one for the farmers.
 Plaintive: (sound) sounding like the voice of someone who is sad or crying for help. I could hear
someone playing a plaintive tune on the guitar. | the plaintive cry of a seagull.
 Mournful: (sound or voice) sounding as if coming from someone who is very sad. I could hear the slow,
mournful music of the bagpipes. | His voice sounded so mournful and so miserable that tears came into
her eyes.

Words for describing a place or situation in which it is difficult to feel happy or hopeful

 Dismal: The prison cells were dark dismal places | It was dismal living in France for a year, with all my
friends still in England. | dismally The sound echoed dismally through the empty streets.
 Dreary: (place, activity, or time) making you feel unhappy and bored. This room is so dreary. You really
ought to brighten it up a little. | One dreary winter’s day I suddenly decided to leave and go and live in
Jamaica.
 Bleak: (place or situation) with nothing to make you feel cheerful, especially because it is cold and
unattractive. The wild landscape was bleak and bare. | The high-rise office towers stood bleak and
isolated on the outskirts of London.
 Cheerless: (place or kind of weather) cheerless, cold and dull, so that it is impossible to feel happy or
comfortable. They were damp, cheerless rooms, with little furniture. | The weather was grey and
cheerless with very low clouds and the prospect of snow.

a sad feeling

 Misery: great unhappiness, caused especially by living or working in very bad conditions. The freezing
cold weather increased the misery of the retreating army. | She didn’t seem to be affected by the misery
of having to work in such terrible conditions.
 Sorrow: the feeling of being very sad, especially because someone has died or because terrible things
have happened to you. She was full of sorrow at the loss of her child. | He came to express his sorrow
and to offer his help in organizing the funeral.
 Grief: great sadness that you feel when someone you love has died. The entire family was overwhelmed
with grief at the death of their father. | They say he has been shattered by grief and refuses to leave the
side of her coffin.
 Gloom: the feeling of being very unhappy because of something that has happened, especially so that
you feel that there is no hope for the future. When news of the defeat was announced, an awful gloom
descended over everyone. | There was a note of gloom and pessimism in the air.
 Depression: extreme happiness and worry, which causes loss of energy and interest in life, and
sometimes becomes a mental illness. He suffered periods of deep depression, when his mood became
suicidal. | Perfectly stable people are often plunged into depression by divorce, unemployment, or
failure in their work.
 Despondency: a feeling of being very unhappy because you have no hope for the future, especially after
you have experienced disappointment. The doctor could offer them no comfort, and they walked away
from the hospital with a feeling of despondency. | As the war continued and more and more men died,
there was a growing despondency.
 Heartache: a feeling of great unhappiness and anxiety, often continuing over a long period and usually
caused by personal or family problems. Being unpopular at school can cause real heartache to children
of any age. | If she had simply called them on the phone, her parents would have been spared the
heartache they’ve been going through.

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CONFUSED

Worried and uncertain

 Confused: worried and uncertain, for example about what something means or what is the right thing
to do, especially because there are several possible meanings or several things that could be done etc. I
felt very confused because I didn’t know whether he wanted to see me or not. | Sorry, I’m a bit confused
– do you mean you want us to keep the vacancy open for you or not? | Many young people are confused
about what career to choose – there are so many possibilities | Jamie was staring at the map with a
confused expression, trying to work out where they were.
 Bewildered: very confused, and often having a surprised expression on your face, because you do not
know why something is happening, or because things are happening very quickly. “What’s happening?”
asked the bewildered young man, as he opened the door to four policemen. | Customers stood,
bewildered, as the bank robber made off with a stash of money. | My grandmother was bewildered
by/at the sudden and rapid change from poverty to wealth.
 Be in a muddle: an informal British expression meaning to be confused, especially because you are
trying to do something complicated or because you have a lot of things to do. I wonder if you could help
Emma sort out the papers – she’s in a bit of a muddle. | There were four phone calls at once and the
secretary was in a muddle about who wanted to talk to whom. | It’s best to paint the background first
and then the pattern. That way you don’t get into a muddle.
 Mixed-up: confused, especially over a long period of time and unable to decide what to do, especially
because of personal or emotional problems. I’m so mixed-up. I met this terrific guy six months ago and
now I’ve found he’s married. What should I do? | I have worked in the company for 7 years and I love
the place. Last week, I received an offer from another firm and the salary is higher. I wouldn’t like to
leave because I’m at ease at present and I know the job but money is important, too. I’ve been quite
mixed-up these days.
 Bemused: confused, surprised, and slightly annoyed by what has happened, or by what someone has
said. When she told him to leave, he just sat there with a bemused expression on his face. | The girl
appeared bemused, even upset. “What are you talking about?” | Bemused by the sudden change in
events, the authorities were slow to respond.

Confused because something is very difficult to understand

 Puzzled: confused about something, especially because you have no experience of it and cannot
understand it. The waiter looked puzzled and explained that he wasn’t familiar with Western-style
cooking. | Doctors were puzzled at/by the unusual marks on the child’s face. | We were both puzzled
at/by the appearance of a horse in the street. | puzzled look / expression etc He admitted, with a
puzzled frown, that he didn’t understand a word of the speech.
 Baffled: confused about something that you have tried very hard to understand, but have not been able
to. “I still can’t get the right answer,” said Dane, looking baffled. | Detectives admit they are baffled as
to the identity of the killer. | For years scientists have been baffled by the strange circles that have
appeared on cornfields.
 Perplexed: a formal word meaning confused and worried by an event or situation that you do not
understand. Jim obeyed his boss’s strange instructions, but remained perplexed and a little anxious. |
perplexed expression / face / smile etc Stephen shrugged his shoulders. A perplexed expression passed
over his face. | Julie, perplexed by her boyfriend’s sudden outburst, kept out of his way.
 Mystified: completely confused about something because it is difficult or impossible to understand. I
am mystified by your son’s behaviour. | Most Americans are totally mystified by the English game of
cricket.

Words for describing a statement, situation etc that makes you feel confused

 Puzzling
 Bewildering

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 Baffling

COMFORT / MAKE SOMEBODY FEEL BETTER

Comfort someone

 Comfort: to make someone feel better, for example by talking to them or putting your arms around
them. He tried to comfort her by telling her that everything would be alright soon. | As a priest I often
have to comfort those whose loved ones have just died. | The two sisters hugged each other, sharing
their grief and comforting one another.
 Console: to comfort someone when they feel unhappy or disappointed, especially by saying something
that makes them realize the situation is not so bad. Susanna did her best to console her daughter by
promising to buy her another doll. | William consoled himself with the thought that at least no one else
had been involved in the accident.
 Reassure: to make someone feel less worried or frightened about a situation, for example by being
friendly to them or by telling them there is nothing to worry about. The company is trying to reassure
investors about the safety of the money they have invested. | My smile seemed to reassure the waiter,
and the embarrassment vanished from his face.
 Soothe: to make someone feel more calm and relaxed when they are upset, anxious or nervous. When
the baby cried his mother soothed him by stroking his hot little head.

A feeling of greater calmness, cheerfulness, or hope when you have been worried or unhappy

 Relief: When the plane finally landed, we all felt a tremendous sense of relief. | It was a great relief to
know that the children had got home safely. | That’s a relief! What a relief! “It’s only a greetings
telegram.” “Phew! That’s a relief. For a moment I thought it was bad news.” | to sb’s relief To my relief,
I passed the Maths tests. | heave / breathe a sigh of relief One of the guards stopped close to where
they were hiding, then walked away. They breathed a huge sigh of relief.
 Consolation: a thought or fact that makes you feel less disappointed or sad, for example when someone
has died or when you have just heard some disappointing news. It was some consolation to know that
he could take the exam again. | I really miss my dog. My one consolation is that its suffering was not
prolonged.
 Solace: a word used especially in literature meaning a pleasant feeling of comfort and calmness that
you get from a kind person, a peaceful place etc when you are very sad or worried. Carmen turned to
her husband for solace. | find solace Howard found solace in the beauty and tranquility of the
mountains. | Religious faith brings solace to many people when they need it most.

COMFORTABLE

Words for describing chairs, places, clothes, etc that make you feel comfortable

 Comfy: an informal word (piece of furniture or clothing) comfortable and making you feel relaxed.
Grandpa likes to sit in the comfy chair beside the fire. | These old shoes are so comfy. I don’t want to get
rid of them.
 Cosy: (room, chair, or situation) very pleasant and making you feel warm, relaxed, and comfortable. The
fire had been lit and the room looked bright and cosy. | I wish I was at home in a nice cosy bed. | There
was a cosy atmosphere in the bar.
 Snug: (room or space) small, warm and comfortable, and making you feel happy and protected from
the cold outside. After the long walk in the snow, I yearned for a snug room. | A cat will always find the
snuggest sleeping place in the house.

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EXCITED

 Excited: happy and full of energy because something good has happened to you or something good is
about to happen. The children were all very excited about their presents, and couldn’t wait to open
them. | You must be feeling really excited about getting married. | We were too excited at the prospect
of Friday’s party to think much about our schoolwork.
 Exhilarated: feeling very excited and full of energy because you are experiencing something that you
have never experienced before, especially something dangerous or unusual. The first time I flew a plane
alone, I felt both exhilarated and scared. | She stayed awake all night, exhilarated by her victory.
 Thrilled: very excited and pleased, for example because you have been told some good news, or
because you are doing or about to do something that you really want to do. I felt thrilled to be back in
Africa again. | Everyone’s thrilled at/by/with the news.

FEAR

Words meaning frightened

 Frightened: feeling nervous and afraid because you think that something very unpleasant is going to
happen to you. Don’t be frightened, it’s only thunder. | A fire broke out at the school but teachers were
able to lead the frightened children to safety. | Alice kept quite still, frightened that the dog might bite
her.
 Scared: frightened, especially because you are in a dangerous situation. The first time I went on a
motorcycle I was really scared. | She stood in the doorway, scared and trembling, hiding from the man
who had followed her.
 Terrified: extremely frightened of something dangerous or unpleasant. We ran out of the house, too
terrified to look back. | We were terrified that the Security Police would find out where we had hidden
the film.
 Petrified: extremely frightened, especially so frightened that you cannot move. He had the gun pointed
at my head. I was absolutely petrified. | She just stood there, petrified at the thought of the crowds
waiting outside.
 Scared stiff / scared out of your wits / scared to death: informal expressions meaning extremely
frightened. You must have been scared stiff when you saw the car coming straight towards you. | Helen
had to go for an interview with the school Principal – she was scared stiff. | I knew a man was following
me, and I was scared out of my wits. | Some of the prisoners were only 16 or 17 – they looked, tired
bewildered and scared to death.
 Panic-stricken: so frightened that you cannot think clearly or behave sensibly, especially when
something has suddenly happened. A few seconds after the explosion the street was full of panic-
stricken people, rushing in all directions. | In a panic-stricken attempt to free herself from Annie’s grip,
she snatched the scissors off the table.

To be suddenly frightened by something that happens

 Get a fright: I got a fright when I realized how close we were to the cliff edge. | Give her a hot sweet
drink – she’s had a fright. | She got the fright of her life when Danny ran in with his head bleeding.
 Panic: to suddenly become so frightened that you cannot think clearly, especially if this makes you do
something dangerous or stupid. When the parachute didn’t open I just panicked. | The soldiers panicked
and opened fire on the raiders. | When a plane gets into difficulty it is essential that the pilot does not
panic.
 Go as white as a sheet: to suddenly feel very frightened, with the result that you face becomes very
pale. She went as white as a sheet when the nurse came in with a hypodermic needle. | You’re as white
as a sheet. What’s happened?

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 Nearly jump out of your skin: to make a sudden movement because you are frightened or surprised by
something that happens very suddenly. When he shouted at her she nearly jumped out of her skin. | I
nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw the bull coming towards me.

Words for describing something that makes you feel frightened.

 Frightening: Nuclear war is a frightening prospect. | For one frightening moment Hal thought the truck
was going to hit him. | It can be frightening to leave home and move to a new city. | It was very
frightening to have so little control over my life.
 Scary: frightening, for example, because something is strange or difficult to understand. I don’t know
how he found out where I lived. It’s really scary. | The Atlantic can be ferocious and being at sea can be
lonely and scary. | We stayed up late telling scary ghost stories.
 Terrifying: extremely frightening. His victim fought back tears as she described her terrifying ordeal. |
The first time I went hang-gliding it was terrifying, but now I love it. | There are few things more
terrifying than being trapped in a burning building.
 Hair-raising: (an experience) frightening because it is dangerous. After various hair-raising adventures in
Afghanistan, Newcombe settled in Northern India. | We ended up making a hair-raising 200-kilometre
night drive to the Guatemalan border.
 Spine-chilling: something such as a story, film, or statement that is spine-chilling is frightening because
it clearly describes or shows frightening events. The collection includes a spine-chilling ghost story by
Edgar Allan Poe. | The only journalist to witness the rebellion gave a spine-chilling account of atrocities
carried out by both sides.
 Spooky/creepy: (place/story) frightening, especially because it is dark, strange etc. This wood is really
spooky in the dark. | The house looked OK from the outside but inside it was all dark and creepy. | Will
you shut up about ghosts! You always scare me with that spooky talk!
 Chilling: a fact, statement or experience that is chilling is frightening because it is extremely cruel,
violent, dangerous etc. The lawyer gave a chilling demonstration of how the accused used a towel to
suffocate his victim. | The captain’s message ended with the chilling words, “Mission completed. All
prisoners disposed of.” | I realised, with chilling clarity, that if the fire spread to the storage tanks, we
would all be killed.

To make someone feel frightened

 Terrify: to make someone extremely frightened. The teacher terrified her so much that she hated going
to school. | Helen suffers from agoraphobia and the idea of leaving the house terrifies her. | It terrified
her to think that in six-month time she would have to stand up in front of a class and teach them
something.
 Scare: to make someone feel frightened, especially by making them think something very unpleasant
might happen. He was driving fast just to scare us. | We’re not really going to get into trouble – I think
the police are trying to scare us. | It scared him to think that his mother might never recover. | She
scared the hell out of me when she said she had to go into hospital.
 Give sb a fright: to make someone suddenly frightened so that they make a sudden movement or their
heart starts beating quickly. You really gave me a fright when you crept up behind me like that. | I
accidentally touched a live wire in the motor and even though it didn’t hurt me it gave me a hell of a
fright.
 Startle: to frighten someone by suddenly appearing, moving, making a sound etc. Oh! You startled me. I
didn’t see you there. | The noise startled him and he dropped his glass on the floor. | Any unexpected
movements can startle an animal, so it must be approached slowly and steadily.
 Give sb the creeps: if a person or a place gives you the creeps, they make you feel slightly frightened
and nervous. This house gives me the creeps – it’s so dark and quiet. | Sue hates being left alone in the
office with Graham – he gives her the creeps.

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 Make sb’s hair stand on end: to make somebody very frightened. When you hear some of the things
that happened in the prison camps – it’s enough to make your hair stand on end. | Wait until I tell you
about the murder – it’ll make your hair stand on end.
 Alarm: to make people feel very worried about a possible danger. We don’t wish to alarm people
unnecessarily but it would be wise to avoid drinking the tap water here.
 Rattle: if a situation rattles you it causes you to feel worried although you are trying to remain
confident or brave. She refuses to let personal attacks rattle her. | John Major was rattled by industry’s
latest attack on his economic policies.
 Daunt: if a difficult or dangerous situation daunts you, it makes you lose your courage or confidence so
that you feel that you will not be able to deal with it successfully. She knew she had only a one in three
chance of surviving the operation, but the risk did not daunt her. | Far from being daunted by the
dangers ahead, Maria actually seemed to enjoy to the challenge.

ANGRY

Feeling angry

 Annoyed: a little angry. The policeman got very annoyed and asked to see my ID card. | John’s annoyed
with his sister because she forgot his birthday. | Charlotte was very annoyed at finding me asleep
instead of working.
 Cross: a word used especially by children or to children meaning a little angry. I’ve broken the window.
Do you think Dad’ll be cross? | Miss Ellis gets cross with anyone who comes to school scruffily dressed.
 be in a temper: to be very angry for a short time, especially when other people think you have no real
reason to be. Jess was in a temper this morning so I left the house as early as possible. | She ran off to
bed in a very bad temper.
 Be worked up: an informal expression meaning to be angry or upset, especially when there is no good
reason to be. He got very worked up after you stormed out of the meeting. | Why are you so worked
up? I didn’t break your glass deliberately. | She’s all worked up about someone stealing her purse from
the car.

Feeling extremely angry

 Furious: She was furious with him for doing a deal with a rival company. | Every evening their father
came home furious at something his boss had done.
 Irate: very angry because someone has done something to offend you or upset you. After the
programme the radio station received hundreds of phone calls from irate listeners. | For most of the day
he had been listening to irate complaints from the company’s clients.
 Livid: so angry that it is difficult for you to think clearly or speak properly. “Was she angry when you
arrived so late?” “Angry? She was livid!” | I knew I shouldn’t have started the argument but I was
absolutely livid.
 Seething: extremely angry but unable or unwilling to show it. Tim looked at his ruined car, seething with
anger. | Betty went to bed, still seething after being humiliated in front of so many people.

To become angry:

 Get angry/mad: Everyone gets angry from time to time.| Mike gets very angry when he loses at tennis. |
Calm down – there’s no need to get mad!
 Lose your temper: to suddenly become angry, especially after you have been trying not to. “I’ve been
waiting for hours,” said Helen, trying not to lose her temper. | It’s understandable, but not helpful, to
lose your temper with very small children.
 Fly off the handle: to unexpectedly become very angry, especially about something other people do not
think is important or serious. You have to be very careful what you say to him – he often flies off the
handle for no reason.
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 Blow your top / hit the roof / go crazy / go nuts / have a fit: to suddenly become angry. I don’t know
what made him so angry but he really blew his top. | You can’t tell Dad we’ve crashed his car – he’ll hit
the roof. | Betty would go crazy if she found out you’ve been seeing him. | Lenny went nuts when his
new bike was stolen. | When Tommy saw the mess his friends had left, he had a fit.
 Go berserk: to suddenly become extremely angry and often violent. If his wife ever finds out about this,
she’ll go berserk. | All I said was that I was going out and he just went berserk.

To make somebody angry

 Infuriate: to make someone very angry especially by doing something that they cannot control or
change. Her stubborn refusal to answer any questions infuriated the police. | Infuriated by the
President’s speech, Clare got up and left the conference hall.
 Anger: a formal word meaning to make someone angry. The police’s insensitive handling of the affair
has angered local residents. | This article will anger most people who read it.
 Enrage: to make someone extremely angry so that they cannot think clearly or make sensible decisions.
Adam’s willingness to agree to everything enraged her even more. | He was so enraged by the murder
of his brother he decided to find the killer himself.
 Make your blood boil: to make you extremely angry, especially because you think it is wrong or unfair.
It makes my blood boil the way they experiment on innocent animals.
 Make you sick: to make you very angry, especially because it is something that you strongly disapprove
of. Any form of racism makes me sick. | Look at the way people just throw litter down in the street – it
makes you sick, doesn’t it?
 Rile: to make someone angry, by saying or doing something you know will annoy or upset them, for
example because it goes against their beliefs or principles. The Governor’s speech attacking working
mothers is certain to rile feminists. | What really riles me is that he didn’t bother to come and tell me
himself, he just left a note.

Words for describing something that makes you angry

 Infuriating: making you feel very angry and impatient. Her attitude towards the other people in her
office is infuriating. | David has an infuriating habit of tapping his pencil on his teeth.
 Maddening: making you feel very angry, and there is nothing you can do to stop it. He always has a
maddening expression of superiority on his face.
 Galling: (fact or situation) making you feel angry because it is unfair or disappointing. The fact that they
had been so confident before the game made defeat all the more galling. | It was especially galling to
know what they guy who got promoted wasn’t even properly qualified.

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VOCABULARY BANK: WAYS OF

SHOUTING

To say something very loudly.

 Yell: to shout very loudly, for example because you are very angry or excited, or because you want to
get someone’s attention. Don’t yell. I heard you the first time. / yell sth We just had time to yell a few
orders to the staff before the bomb exploded. / “Get out of here!” he yelled. / yell at sb The children
were yelling at each other across the street.
 Raise your voice: to speak more loudly than usual because you are angry about something. I had never
heard my father raise his voice in his life. Evidently, he was furious. /There’s no need to raise your voice
– I’m sure we can discuss this in a civilized manner. / raise your voice at/to sb Don’t you raise your voice
to me young lady – you should have more respect for your teachers.
 Call out: to shout loudly because you want to get someone’s attention, to let someone know where you
are, etc. A voice called out for help from somewhere in the distance. / “Is there anybody there?” he
called out, but there was no reply. / call out sth She called out his name but he didn’t look back.
 Bawl: to shout very loudly and rudely in order to make sure that people hear what you are saying. Bawl
sth The captain bawled an order and people started running around. / bawl at sb That couple next door
are always shouting and bawling at each other.
 Bellow: to shout in a very loud deep voice, especially if you want a lot of people to hear you. He had to
bellow loudly to get them to come and help him. / bellow sth One of the guards bellowed something
obscene in our direction.
 Rant and rave: to keep shouting and complaining for a long time about something that has made you
angry or upset, often in a way that other people find annoying. It’s no good ranting and raving- you
should make an official complaint. / There was an old man on TV ranting and raving about racial
inequality.

To call out loudly, for example, because you are excited, angry or in pain

 Shout out: The pain made him shout out. /During the night she shouted out several times.
 Cry out: to make a sudden loud noise, for example when you are suddenly hurt or afraid. He cried out in
pain as they bandaged the wound. / She cried out when the men jumped on her from behind.
 Scream: to make a very loud, high, continuous noise, especially because you are very afraid. When the
lights suddenly went out, people started screaming. / He started to tickle the child, making her scream
with laughter.
 Roar: to make a very loud, deep, continuous noise, for example because you are very excited or in a lot
of pain. As the snake bit him O’Brien roared with alarm and pain. / When the team came onto the field
the crowd roared and clapped wildly.
 Yell / let out a yell: to make an extremely loud noise, for example because you are very afraid or
excited, or because you want to get someone’s attention. I heard someone yelling and went to see what
was happening. /When she saw the spider she let out a yell that made it run away.
 Groan: to shout or cry in a deep voice, especially because you are in pain or because you are
disappointed. Steve was clutching his stomach and groaning with pain. / Mitch groaned under the
weight of the cupboard. / The spectators groaned when Henden dropped the ball.

WALKING

To walk quietly with light steps

 Pad: to walk quietly and steadily, without shoes or with soft shoes, or on a soft surface. Pad along /
down / in etc: Nurse Garcia padded ahead of the visitors down the long corridor. / The cat came
padding softly across the kitchen floor and jumped into my lap.

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 Creep: to walk quietly, slowly, and carefully, especially so that no one notices you. Creep in / through /
across etc: Sara crept carefully down the stairs in the middle of the night and left the house. / Someone
crept into the cloakroom and went through all our coats and bags.
 Tiptoe: to walk on the front part of your feet but not on your heels, because you want to avoid making
any noise. Tiptoe past / through / around etc. They tiptoed from room to room, afraid to speak above a
whisper. / Bobby tiptoed past his daughter’s bedroom so as not to wake her.
 Sneak: to walk quietly, trying to hide from someone, especially because you are doing something wrong
and do not want to be caught. Sneak in: The thieves sneaked in when the guard had his back turned. /
Molly snuck in through the back yard so her parents wouldn’t wake up and how late it was. | sneak off:
We tried to sneak off from work early.

To walk slowly because you are tired and have been walking for a long time:

 Trudge: to walk slowly, with heavy steps because you are tired and have been walking for a long time.
Trudge through / back / along etc Mother walked the four miles to the nearest store, trudging back
home with her bags of groceries. / Trudging through the sand was exhausting.
 Plod: to walk slowly and steadily with heavy steps, for example because the ground is difficult to walk
on, or because you are carrying something heavy. Plod along / through / up etc: The travelers plodded
through the deep snow at the side of the railroad. / The donkey was plodding slowly along under its
heavy load.
 Traipse: to walk a long way, especially when you are looking for something or visiting different places,
so that you become tired. Traipse around / about / in and out etc We traipsed around every store in
town, trying to find the right color paint. / After traipsing about in the fog they found the grave sure
enough.

To walk slowly and with difficulty, for example because of illness, pain or old age:

 Hobble: in an unsteady way because it is painful for you to walk. My knee was stiff and painful, and I
could only hobble.
 Limp: putting more weight on one leg because the other is too painful or has been injured. Doris limped
painfully over to a chair and sat down / Even though the accident was two years ago, I still limp. / The
man walked with a slight limp.
 Shuffle: slowly and noisily, without lifting your feet off the ground properly, especially because of old
age or because you are wearing loose shoes. Supporting herself on Ali’s arm, the old woman shuffled
towards the door. / I heard Bob shuffling around the kitchen in his slippers.
 Shamble: Slowly and rather awkwardly, bending forwards in a tired and lazy way. Looking tired and fat,
Parker shambled onto the stage and started playing. / The last of the soldiers came shambling back
through the forest.

To walk in an unsteady way:

 Stagger: to walk with your body moving from side to side and almost falling, especially because you are
injured very tired or drunk. I was hit on the head and just managed to stagger out of the room. / My
father was staggering under the weight of the huge parcel.
 Stumble: to walk, often hitting things with your feet and almost falling, especially because it is dark, the
ground is uneven, or because you are tired or drunk. The room was dark and Stan nearly fell over a
chair as he stumbled to the phone. / After the explosion, the soldier stumbled across the debris in order
to save his life.
 Lurch: to move forward from side to side with sudden, irregular movements. Paul lurched sideways two
steps as the boat rolled suddenly. / Harriet lurched towards the bathroom, clutching her stomach in
pain.

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To walk around a place without any particular aim

 Roam: to walk around freely and with no particular aim. Tourists love roaming about the old town. /
Great herds of wild deer roamed freely over the fields. / You shouldn’t let your children roam the streets.
 Wander: to walk around with no particular aim or direction, especially in a place you do not know or
when you are lost. Tim spent most of his free time wandering about in the woods. / For an hour and a
half we wandered around the old city, totally lost. / Tom wandered restlessly through the house, hoping
that Mr. and Mrs. Nolan would be back soon.
 Prowl: to quietly walk around an area or building trying not to be seen or heard, especially in order to
steal something or attack someone. The babysitter said she could hear someone prowling around in the
garden. / Several wolves prowled round the camp, but were kept at bay by the fire. / Police have warned
the public that the killer may still be prowling the streets.

To walk very quickly

 Stride: to walk quickly, taking large steps, especially because you feel confident, angry or determined,
or because you are in a hurry. The interviewer strode confidently towards me and shook my hand. /
After the argument with the receptionist, I saw Max striding angrily away. / After being named as the
winner, Leonardo Di Caprio strode to the stage.
 March: with firm steps, especially because you feel angry or determined. Sheila marched straight into
the office to demand an apology. / “I’ll never forgive you for this.” Marge said, marching off.
 Pace: to walk backwards and forwards within a small area, especially because you are nervous, bored or
angry. Pace back and forth / up and down. Sarah paced back and forth along the corridor, waiting for
the doctor to come back. / A lion paced up and down the cage, growling. / After sitting for my Maths
exam in February, I paced up and down the corridor waiting for the result.

To walk slowly in a relaxed way

 Stroll: to walk for pleasure in a slow and relaxed way. I strolled along the beach with the sun on my face.
/ The young couple strolled through the park, arm in arm. / In the evening, Madrid fills with people
strolling unhurriedly from bar to bar.
 Saunter: in a slow and lazy way, often with a confident or proud expression on your face that other
people find annoying. “Shouldn’t you be in class?” Mr. Harris asked the girls who were sauntering down
the corridor. / I sauntered into the garden where some friends were chatting near the barbeque. / As
usual, he sauntered into class twenty minutes late.

LOOKING

To look hard at something that you find difficult to see

 Squint: to look hard at something that you find difficult to see, and make your eyes narrower to try and
see better. Squint at: She squinted at the paper but it was impossible to read what was written there. |
Squint through / over etc Squinting through the frosted glass window, I could just make out my sister’s
car in the distance.
 Peer: to look with difficulty at someone or something especially because you cannot see very well or
there is not enough light.

To look at someone or something for a long time

 Stare: to deliberately look at someone or something for a long time without moving your eyes, for
example, because you are angry, shocked or very interested. Stare at Don’t stare at people, it’s very
rude. / As the fire destroyed the house we just stood and stared in disbelief. | Stare through / into etc
Every night it’s the same, staring up at the ceiling, unable to sleep.
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 Gaze: to look at something or someone for a long time, for example because they are beautiful or
interesting, especially without realizing that you are doing it. Gaze at They lay down and gazed at the
clouds passing overhead. / Tina gazed steadily at the singer, unable to believe she was so close to him. |
Gaze into / through / out etc She sat and gazed into the distance, lost in thought.
 Gape: to look at someone or something for a long time, especially with your mouth open, because you
are very surprised or shocked. Gape at She stood there, gaping at me, too shocked to speak. / Jimmy
gaped, open-mouthed, trying to take in what they had told him. | Gape in amazement / horror etc I
could only gape in astonishment as he picked up the gun and pointed at me.

To look at someone angrily

 Glare: to look angrily at someone for a long time without moving your eyes. Glare at: She didn’t say
anything, but just sat there glaring at me. / She sat down and glared fiercely, knowing that the witness
had beaten her.| Glared round / about etc As soon as he heard this, Barry glared fiercely in our
direction.
 Look daggers at: to look at someone very angrily, as if you would like to hurt them. When I asked him
what he’s done with the money he just looked daggers at me and refused to speak. / She sat there
fuming with rage, looking daggers at Danny across the room.
 Scowl: to look at someone in an angry way, or make an angry, unhappy expression with you face. Julie
scowled and told them to get out. / “What do you want?” said the old man, scowling. / Jem scowled at
me furiously as I left the room, his whole body trembling with rage.

To look at someone or something quickly

 Glance: to look at someone or something quickly, especially by raising your eyes and then lowering
them again. During the meal he kept glancing at the door, obviously expecting someone to walk in. | I
saw them glance at each other as if they knew something I didn’t.
 Shoot / cast / throw a glance. Angela shot a quick glance over her shoulder to see who was following
her. | She cast a glance around the room, taking in her new surroundings.
 Peep / have a peep: to look quickly at someone or something, especially secretly through a small space
or opening. The house seemed empty but I peeped in through the window to see if anyone was there. |
Close your eyes, I have a surprise for you. No peeping!
 Peek / have a peek: to look quickly at someone or something, especially something that you are not
supposed to see. While her mother was out of the room the little girl peeked into the box. | He was
desperate to know what was happening and every so often would have a peek through the keyhole.

SPEAKING

To speak unclearly:

 Mumble: to speak unclearly in a quiet voice, without opening your mouth wide enough. Don’t mumble,
I can’t understand what you’re saying. / He always mumbles when he’s embarrassed.
 Slur: to speak unclearly, without separating your words or sounds correctly. After just a couple of drinks,
she starts to slur. / slur your words When he is tired, he tends to slur his words.

To have a problem speaking because you cannot say words or sounds correctly

 Stammer/stutter: to have difficulty speaking because you cannot stop yourself from repeating the
sound at the beginning of some words. At school they used to laugh at him because he stammered. /
“My n-n-name is D-david,” he stuttered.
 Lisp: to speak unclearly because you have difficulty pronouncing ‘s’ sounds. As a child she used to lisp
but she has no problem speaking now. / “What time ith it?” he lisped.

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SAYING

To say something quietly, especially so that it is difficult for other people to hear you

 Murmur: to say something very quietly so that only one person or a few people can hear. “I love you,
Matthew,” murmured Fiona as their lips met. / The child was murmuring something in his sleep.
 Mutter: to say something quietly, especially when you are annoyed about something. “Why do I have to
do all the work?” she muttered irritably. / Mr Clarke looked at the leaking pipe and went off, muttering
something about coming back later to fix it.
 Whisper: to say something very quietly, using your breath rather than your voice. “Don’t wake the
baby,” whispered John. / The child was whispering something in her mother’s ear so that no one else
could hear.

HOLDING

Put your hands or fingers around something and hold it

 Grasp: to take hold of something tightly. He grasped my hand and shook it warmly. / Kay grasped him
by the wrist. / We both grasped the rope and tried to get the sails under control.
 Clutch: to hold something especially because you are frightened, or in pain or because you do not want
to lose something. She stood there, the flowers still clutched in her hand. / She climbed into the car,
clutching her hat so the wind didn’t blow it off.
 Grip: to hold something tightly, by pressing your fingers very hard against it. David suddenly gripped my
arm and pulled me away from the road. / His knuckles whitened as he gripped the microphone.

To hold something tightly

 Hold on: to put your hand around something and hold it tightly, in order to stop yourself from falling or
from losing what you are holding. Mother’s not strong. She can’t walk without holding on to someone’s
arm. / She ran into the church, one hand raised to hold on to her veil.
 Hang on: to keep on holding something in a determined way in order to stop yourself from falling or
from losing what you are holding. Hang on to your bag – this mall is full of pickpockets. / Babies have a
reflex response that leads them to hang on to whatever they find in their hands.
 Cling to: to hold on to something very tightly especially because you are so worried that you are about
to fall or lose what you are holding. The baby monkey clings to its mother’s back until it can climb by
itself. / The bus was so packed when it left Tangiers that people were actually sitting on the roof and
clinging to the sides.
 Clasp: to hold something tightly, closing your fingers around it. The child gurgled with delight when she
at last clasped her mother’s watch. / She clasped the necklace tightly and refused to hand it over.

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WRITING TASK # 2

Choose one of the points below and write a narrative composition (about 300 words).

1. ‘I will never forgive you!’ Write a story which includes these words.
2. Write a story which begins “Angela (or any other name) was relaxing on her/his comfy couch without
knowing what was about to happen.”
3. Write a story entitled ‘An Unforgettable Holiday’.
4. Write a story which begins “Steve (or any other name) sat glaring at the clock on the wall and muttering
something to himself/herself.”
5. Write a story which ends with the words, ‘We felt we had come home.’

In your composition you must include, at least:

 3 (three) ways of walking
 3 (three) ways of saying/shouting
 3 (three) ways of looking
 Vocabulary taken from the vocabulary bank to describe feelings – at least 5 (five) – and to describe
places – at least 3 (three)
 Participle clauses
 Relative clauses
You are not allowed to use because, very, good, bad, nice, sad or happy.

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UNIT 5
DIARY / JOURNAL ENTRIES

1. Read the following diary entry taken from a past paper of the IGCSE First Language English.26 Answer
the questions below.

Mia hated being ordinary and dreamed of being a pop star. She reached the live final of TV show, ‘The
Talent’. This is her diary entry for the day after the final.

I am mortified. Yesterday was the worst day of my life. The final was to be broadcast to millions across
the whole country. Just three contestants were left: the so-called ‘Glamorous Granny’ who sang those
classic tunes that nobody cares about, the irritatingly chirpy boy band, and me. I hated the way they all
laughed and chatted to the lowly technicians and I was sick of their smiling faces on every magazine
cover. They were no-hopers compared to me; I would win because I was the most talented. All the
newspapers admitted that I had the best voice and I was feeling confident. The other contestants were
so annoying that I couldn’t help getting snappy at them. I suppose I did criticise their song choices and I
laughed at that girl’s emerald sequinned dress – but it looked ridiculous on her. And the technicians were
so boring that it’s no wonder I ignored all their pointless instructions.

The presenters of the show kept saying, ‘Be nice the way up; you never know who you’ll meet on the
way down.’ But why listen to them? I couldn’t help being late for rehearsals and the reporters who
constantly hung around the contestants were irritating. Why would I bother talking to them? I don’t know
why they published that silly piece about me the night before the final. ‘Diva Mia: the awful truth about a
monster in the making’. What was that all about?

An hour before the final, I preened in front of the mirror as the stylist, Boone, sprinkled glitter over my
shoulders. Iridescent shimmers caught the light as he fluttered about before declaring that my eyes were
sparkling jewels. I admired my luminous form practising a few elegant dance moves, as Boone muttered
something about my ‘sheer ambition’. I would dazzle on stage tonight, a true star. Like a comet blazing a
trail, nothing could stop me now.

As my turn on stage drew closer, I tried to ignore the murmurs of the backstage staff about my ‘constant
complaining’ – and the way everyone seemed to be reading that silly front page article about me. I knew
I could be the winner and if the other contestants were complaining about me, then it was out of
bitterness and envy – just because I had shouted at the hairdresser for being late, and pushed that little
boy out of my way because he insisted on an autograph. It was an accident and even his mother had to
agree with me. I’m not perfect. I loved my life as a singer and I wanted fame so much, I could almost
taste it. If someone has a talent then it’s a crime to waste it. Anyway, these people were in the past and
now was my time to shine. Ignoring the scowls on the faces of the backstage workers, I gave a brave
smile to the presenters and waited for the signal to go on stage.

I stepped into a cauldron of noise. Hissing and booing, thousands of jeering voices filled the theatre. I
struggled to catch my breath as my suddenly fragile voice was drowned by the audience’s derision. I
blinked away my scalding tears and tried again to sing the first notes. Even the band had stepped away
from me, and I stood alone against the waves of anger from the audience. They hated me!

Throwing down my microphone, I fled the stage into the comforting gloom of the theatre wings. Fake
smiles on their faces, the presenters insisted on a comment with their cameraman looming menacingly,
ready to record every moment of my collapse. My tears would be plastered all over the newspapers
tomorrow morning. I would be shamed in front of the whole country. I pushed everyone away and ran
down the maze of corridors, searching for the exit.

Finally, I pushed hard against a door and found myself standing in a gloomy alley behind the theatre. I’d
been a puppet for the media. Was this the price of fame?

26
UCLES 2017 Cambridge IGCSE First Language English 0500/23/INSERT/O/N/2017
77
a. What do we learn about Mia in paragraph 1?
b. What were Mia’s feelings towards the other people? Was she pleasant to them? Find
words/expressions which show that.
c. Why is Mia writing this text? What happened to her? Did she enjoy being part of the event?
d. What do we learn about Mia as a whole? Think about her personality traits. Use adjectives learnt in
the previous units. What does the rhetorical question “Was this the price of fame?” show about her
attitude? Was she aware of her attitudes?
e. What tenses have been used? Why?
f. What is a diary entry? Now list the characteristics of diary entries.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
VOCABULARY WORK
2. Find synonyms for the following adjectives:
a. Mortified: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
b. Annoying: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
c. Confident: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Why have the following words been used? How could you rephrase these ideas?
a. “I would dazzle on stage tonight, a true star.”
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
b. “As my turn on stage drew closer, I tried to ignore the murmur of the backstage staff about my
‘constant complaining’ (…).

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
c. “Ignoring the scowls on the faces of the backstage workers, I gave a brave smile to the presenters
and waited for the signal to go on stage.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
d. “Hissing and booing, thousands of jeering voices filled the theatre.”
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
e. “I admired my luminous form practising a few elegant dance moves, as Boone muttered something
about my ‘sheer ambition’.”

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
f. “Throwing down my microphone, I fled the stage into the comforting gloom of the theatre wings.”
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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4. What do the following words mean? Try to figure them out from context. After that, look them up in
the dictionary and check whether you were right.

a. Glitter ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
b. Shimmer ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
c. Sparkling ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
d. Derision ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
e. Looming ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

VOCABULARY BANK FOR SHINE

(taken from Longman Activator Dictionary)
To give off bright light
 Glow: to shine with a warm, soft light. The pine walls of the kitchen were glowing in the warm light
from the stove. | The full moon glowed above them through the mist. | A bobbing cigarette glowed
as the guard trudged up the hill.
 Gleam: to shine brightly, especially by throwing back light off a very smooth surface. The Rolls
Royce parked outside was gleaming in the sun. | Small puddles gleamed in the lamplight. |
Whenever the captain smiles, his gold tooth gleams.
 Blaze: to give off an extremely bright light. An enemy searchlight blazed overhead and temporarily
blinded the pilot. | The windows of the cathedral blazed with colour light.

To shine with small bright points of light

 Sparkle: if something such as a jewel, water, or ice sparkles, it shines with many small, bright points
of light, especially under the light. The storm had passed, and moonlight made the raindrops
sparkle. | She wore a diamond necklace, which sparkled in the light of the fire.
 Twinkle: if something such as light or a star twinkles, it shines in the dark or under the light with
small points of light. Through the trees the lights of the town twinkled brightly. | We went for a
walk in the moonlight with the stars twinkling high above us.
 Glitter: if something such as a jewel, a star, or ice glitters, it shines attractively, especially under the
light, with very bright, small points of light. The frost glittered on the ground. | Jewels glittered in
the dimness of the cave.
 Shimmer: to shine with a soft light that seems to move very slightly and very quickly up and down
or from side to side. The blue sky seemed to shimmer in the heat. | When he moved, his silk shirt
shimmered.
 Glisten: if something glistens, it shines because it is wet or oily and throws back the light from its
surface, especially in an attractive way. The grey roofs glistened after the rain. | Her face was
glistening with sweat.

To shine with an unsteady light that keeps going on and off

 Flicker: to shine with an unsteady light that keeps going on and off very quickly, especially because
it is about to stop shining or is moving around. Light from the television flickers on the living room
wall. | The candles were flickering in the draughty bedroom.
 Blink: if a light on a machine blinks, it goes on and off, especially in order to make you notice
something. The message light on my answering machine was blinking.

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5. Read the following journal entry taken from a past paper of the IGCSE First Language English27. Answer
the questions.

The archaelogist Howard Carter discovered in 1922 the buried tombs of the pharaohs in the Valley of the
Kings of Luxor, Egypt. This is a journal entry he might have made before he began his last excursion.

I remained convinced that there is a great secret to be found in the depths of the Valley. Somewhere
there, I know, is a perfect, untouched tomb just waiting for a truly determined man to unearth it. It will be
my greatest achievement, but the preparations it has required have been extensive and daunting.

First I had to secure financial backing. Archaeological expeditions require considerable amounts of
money because it can take years before anything of value is found. Everything involved in a dig is
expensive, partly because everything takes so much time, and because this one in particular is on a
grand scale. I am fortunate in having the moral and financial support of my friend and benefactor, Lord
Carnavorn. I promised him that something magnificent would be found, if only we had sufficient time to
do the job properly.

Once I knew that the money was available, I applied for a permit from the Egyptian authorities. Getting
permission for anything is slow everywhere. The process can only be speeded up in the time-honoured
way: this was achieved by visiting the office of the Director of Antiquities every day, leaving him small –
or not so small – gifts. In this way, a permit was finally procured. Even in Egypt the climate varies with
the season, and back-breaking work may be undertaken only in the cool season from October to April,
so that is when I concluded our labours must commence.

Meanwhile, a team had to be assembled consisting of a foreman – with whom I can communicate – and
several dozen selected workmen he must keep in order, ensuring that they turn up regularly for a day’s
hard work shifting sand. Equally important are the guards I have employed, because what we hope to
find will be of incalculable value and very desirable to modern-day grave robbers, descendants of those
who despoiled the Valley’s tombs thousands of years ago.

Because we intend to work in the Valley for long periods, subsistence supplies needed to be procured,
packed and then shipped down the River Nile to Luxor where our camp was to be. We have laid in stores
of not only food and drink for a hundred men labouring in the sweltering desert sun, but of a variety of
tools and receptacles for their digging. The large clay jars for drinking water are heavy, so a drove of
hardy donkeys have had to be procured. For myself I have also provided writing materials, cameras and
film, protective clothing, a collection of reference books so that I can understand what it is that I have
found, and a vital large-scale map of the area, divided by gridlines so that areas which have been
investigated and yielded nothing may be struck off. Candles are an important part of my equipment,
together with electric torches, to enable me to see into any spaces when they are first uncovered.

Before this, I had to visit the Valley myself again with my foreman, to determine the best site for the
camp. I had immersed myself in the lives of the ancient Egyptian workmen to ascertain the likeliest
places for tombs. We travelled deep into the gorge, looking for a place sheltered from the sun and large
enough for our tents and our workshop, but also secret enough not to be seen by a passing camel train.
No one must know that I am excavating here, or rival might appear. Tents were then assembled securely
with sand storms in mind.

Finally, I engaged the services of two antiquities scholars of international renown and swore them to
secrecy. They will, in due course, be the means of broadcasting to the world my amazing discoveries,
and at the same time they will be able to vouch for their authenticity.

Now that all my preparations are made and everything is in place, I am ready for the challenge of a
lifetime!

27
UCLES 2015 Cambridge First Language English 0500/22/F/M/15
80
a. What kind of language is used in this text? Why?
b. What is Howard Carter expecting to do in his expedition?
c. What preparation did Howard Carter carry out before embarking on his excavation?
d. What tenses have been used? Why?

6. What do the following words mean?

a. Daunting: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
b. Magnificent: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
c. Despoiled: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
d. Sheltered: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
e. Vouch for: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
7. What other things can be:
a. Daunting? ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
b. Magnificent? ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
c. Despoiled? ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
8. Make sentences using the words in exercise 7.

GRAMMAR REVISION
PRESENT PERFECT
9. Read these sentences taken from the passage.
 (…) but the preparations it has required have been extensive and daunting.
 Equally important are the guards I have employed (…).
 We have laid in stores of not only food and drink for a hundred men labouring in the sweltering
desert sun (…)
 The large clay jars for drinking water are heavy, so a drove of hardy donkeys have had to be
procured.
 For myself I have also provided writing materials, cameras and film, protective clothing, a collection
of reference books so that I can understand what it is that I have found, and a vital large-scale map
of the area, divided by gridlines so that areas which have been investigated and yielded nothing
may be struck off.

Why has this tense been used? When do we use the present perfect?

REMEMBER
The present perfect is used to express
 Actions in the past which are relevant to the present. BE CAREFUL: time expressions are not used!
 Actions / states that started in the past and continue up to the present.

PRESENT PERFECT OF PAST SIMPLE?

10. Put the verbs in the right tense. State the use of each tense.
a. My grandmother .................................. in Quilmes since she was born. (live)
b. We .................................. (live) in Hawaii from 2001 to 2006.
c. I don’t like spiders. When I was a child, a black spider .................................. (bite) me and I
……………………………… (be) scared of them since then.
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d. This is a wonderful building. I ................................. (visit) it many times in my life.
e. We .................................. (visit) our uncle last week.
f. My sister ……………………………… (go) to Foo Fighters’ concert when they .................................. (come)
to Argentina.
g. I ……………………………… (start) having tennis lessons when I .................................. (be) 7 years old and I
……………………………… (not stop) since then.
h. The government.................................. (implement) a new system of taxes.
i. I ..................................(not finish) this book yet. It’s complicated and it needs concentration to
understand the plot.
j. …………… you ............... (see) my glasses? I can’t find them anywhere.

REVISION OF TENSES
11. This excerpt has been taken from a past paper.28 Read the text and put the verbs in the right tense.
The car a) ............................... (bring) the big city mayor – a fine limousine borrowed for the occasion – b)
…………………………… (stop) at the entrance to the village. Its occupant c) ............................ (get) out, amid the
clamour of applause, flashing of lenses and clash of the band, into a confused mass of policemen,
journalists, inquisitive spectators, infinite numbers of cousins, shepherds, women, and in fact the whole
4,000 inhabitants of the islands who d) .................................. (wait) for him. The village boys crowded round.
Pushing and yelling to each other, they shouted, ‘Let’s touch the car; then we e) ………………………………
(become) rich and famous too!’
The car (f) …………… only just …………………… (arrive) and g) ………… already .................. (become) a relic, a thing
holy and miraculous, which if merely touched promised pathways to paradise. Immediately his press officer
h) ............................... (announce) it, the mayor’s visit was, for islanders, a fabulous adventure, a
mythological occurrence. I don’t know how conscious he was of this, or the real reasons for his journey – an
affectionate curiosity to become acquainted with his own native place and pay homage to the memory of
his parents, a quest for popularity, a wish to do something that i) .................................. (please) his electors,
or some combination of these things? If he j) .................................. (be) born in a large town, his journey
would be no more than ordinary political news. Instead, the whole tale unfolded under full media glare.

PASSIVE VOICE
12. These sentences have been taken from the passage. Why has this form been used?
a. The process can only be speeded up in the time-honoured way: this was achieved by visiting the
office of the Director of Antiquities every day, leaving him small – or not so small – gifts.
b. In this way, a permit was finally procured.
c. (…) Back-breaking work may be undertaken only in the cool season from October to April (…)
d. Meanwhile, a team had to be assembled (…)
e. (…) areas which have been investigated and yielded nothing may be struck off.
f. Tents were then assembled securely with sand storms in mind.
g. Now that all my preparations are made and everything is in place, I am ready for the challenge of a
lifetime!

We use passive voice when it is not important to know who does the action. We focus on the action itself.
Sometimes, the agent is obvious so it is not necessary to state that.
Passive voice is characteristic of impersonal, academic or formal English.

28
UCLES 2017 Cambridge First Language English 0500/22/INSERT/F/M/17
82
You can use passive voice in any tense. Remember that you must conjugate the verb TO BE.

13. Have a look at the sentences in exercise 11 and state the tense.
14. Put the following verbs in passive voice in the right tense.
a. A new supermarket.................................. (open) in the area. The neighbours will now have a place
nearby for supplies.
b. New technologies ..................................(use) at present, which improve medical treatments.
c. The cathedral .................................. (visit) by thousands of tourists every day.
d. This method …………… never .................................. (use) before.
e. Some scientists believe that trips to space .................................. (be) available in a hundred years.
f. During the war, many doctors and nurses .................................. (need) in the area.
g. The house......................................................(paint) before it was sold.
h. This magazine ................................. (not publish) any longer.
i. The car .............................................(service) at the moment. That’s why I’m getting around by bus.
j. New railroads .................................. (build) in Argentina in the XIX century.

INTEGRATIVE TASK # 1
Read the following passage, taken from a Cambridge First Language English past paper.

Passage A: The last Zookeeper29

This story is set more than one hundred years in the future. It describes a boy and his father on one of their
regular visits to a zoo. The father remembers visiting the zoo 50 years earlier when he was a boy and the
zoo was busier. The zookeeper has worked there since the day the zoo first opened.

The boy stared at the zookeeper hobbling along. Occasionally, this aged man would stumble, emit a pained
grunt, then continue. The dented metal feed-bucket in his fist swung ponderously, banging against his knee.
The bones in his hand, the gnarled knuckles, ropy tendons and veins stood out from the effort of carrying the
heavy weight. The tissue-thin skin, mottled with age, was inhabited by ghosts of forgotten injuries, secret
stories of wounds the boy would never know. The boy wondered what it would feel like to hold that hand, to
touch the baggy covering and feel it slide over the brittle bones beneath the fingers, the time- withered muscle.

His eyes slipped to his own hand, a smaller replica of his father’s – both puffy with flesh, skin devoid of
blemishes. Beneath their perfected surfaces, bright red serum circulated, delivering rich nourishment with
exquisite precision and dependability. Unlike the old man’s, their palms were dry, cool despite the humidity
of the day.

The zookeeper paused outside the cage and jangled his key ring, repeating the movement until the wisp of
a shape, a lighter shadow, suggested the presence of some hulking wild beast inside. Glass- grey eyes
glistened, briefly catching sunlight and seeming to peer out almost intelligently. The key turned in the lock.
The old man tugged the door open. The boy had witnessed the same wordless dialogue every day for the
past three years; he knew it all by heart.

The animal still did not emerge. It never did at this point.

The acrid tang of the lab-grown meat in the bucket stung the boy’s nose: the flesh had begun to spoil
immediately after it was removed from its sterile bath. The zookeeper extracted a pale slab of ‘meat’. It hit the
cement outside the cage with an unquestionably organic sound, attracting frenzied swarms of flies. The boy
could see and hear them buzzing, hovering. Even technological advances of recent decades had not

83
succeeded in eradicating these pests. Minds, augmented by artificial intelligence, could still not calculate a
solution to this problem. ‘Some species follow no mathematical formula,’ his father commented.

Most did, the boy was told. Humans, for example, were very mathematical in their behaviour. There were
exceptions – occasionally individuals still defied being reduced to basic principles and programs.

The old man extracted a filthy handkerchief from his overalls and dabbed his forehead. Even as he did so,
new beads of sweat erupted.

‘Jumbe?’ The man’s frail voice trembled and cracked. He waited. ‘Jumbe, come out and eat.’ The boy could
almost feel the keeper hoping ... but the shape behind the cage door still didn’t move.

At last the old man sighed. His shoulders fell. His back stooped more. He reached over and swiped at the
metal plate beside the gate. There was a soft whirr, almost too quiet to hear. Finally, with a tired groan, the
animal shuffled out.

The boy came daily to witness this feeding. Somehow, he always expected the outcome to be different.
‘Why does he bother?’ he asked his father every visit. ‘Why?’
‘Old habits are hard to break,’ his father told him again.

The boy felt something like disappointment, but accepted the usual answer. He supposed understanding
would come, once final electrical connections had been made and his father had fully imparted knowledge
into him.

The ancient beast’s pelt, bleached bone-white by unrelenting sun, was badly tattered. Bare spots betrayed
where fur rubbed painfully against metal. The animal turned, exposing old tears in its side. Through these
raggedly sutured gaps, the boy could see underlying musculature, atrophied meat and churning gears. He
wondered how many times the zookeeper had repaired the damage.

‘I don’t know,’ the father answered automatically. ‘That information isn’t available.’
The boy was tempted to question the old man, but the father gave the boy’s hand a warning squeeze. The
boy read again the faded plaque displayed outside the cage:
African Lion
Extinct.
This male, the last known individual of its kind, died of wasting disease in 2039.
It was reanimated at the Institute for the Preservation of Wholly-biological Artefacts and added to the
zoo’s collection.
It is the only remaining fully functioning cybernetised African lion on public display.

His father moved. ‘Come on – the monkey’s next.’

The boy didn’t care about the monkey whose cage was before the only empty one, near the zoo’s exit. This
zookeeper captivated him. In the whole entire menagerie, this ancient man’s dedication to a world long- since
dead remained an unsolved equation in the boy’s siliconised brain.

WRITTEN TASK
Imagine you are the zookeeper. Later that day you write in your journal reflecting on your feelings
about life now and how things have changed.

Write your journal.

In your journal, you should:
• describe what you have to do each day, why you do it and how that makes you feel
• explain what you have noticed about the boy and his father and your feelings about each of them
• consider how things have changed for you and the world around you since you first started
working at the zoo and suggest what you think the future may hold for you.

Base your journal on what you have read in Passage A, but be careful to use your own words. Address
each of the three bullet points. Begin your journal, ‘Today was …’ Write about 250 to 350 words.
84
UNIT 6
ANALYSING WRITER’S EFFECT
IGCSE FIRST LANGUAGE ENGLISH– PAPER 1

A writer selects words and shapes them in the same way that an artist mixes particular hues of paint and
applies them to a canvas using brush strokes.

Words can be used to:

Reinforce Characters / relationships
Modify Settings
Contrast Themes
Contradict Atmosphere / tone

In this part of the exam you will have to select words / phrases from two named paragraphs in a ‘literary’
extract and explain the meaning and effect of those language choices and why the writer might have
chosen to use them.
To successfully analyse your text you should use:

THE ONION MODEL

Words carry a literal meaning
Words often also carry shades of meaning and are relational
Words may be modified by their context
Words may carry sensory associations
Words may carry emotional associations

WRITER’S EFFECT (UPON THE READER)

Why do writers use some techniques? These are GENERAL IDEAS and you will ALWAYS NEED TO ADAPT
THEM to the texts under analysis.

Adjectives
These are words that describe nouns e.g. ‘harsh’, ‘excruciating, ‘noble’. Writers use them to create a
specific picture in the reader's mind.
Why has the writer used these adjectives? What picture does it create?

Adverbs
These are words that describe verbs. e.g. ‘carefully’, ‘quietly’, ‘quickly’. They can be used to add more detail
to an action so that the reader can picture what is going on and how.
Why has the writer added detail to this action? What picture does it create?

Alliteration
It is the repetition of a sound at the beginning of words, e.g. ‘Cruel Catherine…’ It is used to stress certain
words or phrases or to make a point to the reader.
Why has the writer stressed these words? What point are they trying to make?

Colour
Colour creates images in the reader's mind and can affect atmosphere through connections the reader

85
makes with that colour e.g. red associates with ‘danger’ ‘anger’ or ‘love.’
What image has been created with the use of colour? How has it affected the atmosphere?

Contrasts
They are strong differences between two things. A writer might write a paragraph about a beautiful place
and follow it with a paragraph describing a run-down place to show the differences between the ways in
which two groups of people live.
Why has the writer chosen to show these two things? What difference is being highlighted and why?

Exclamations
They show anger, shock, horror, surprise and joy, e.g. ‘I won!’ They are used to portray emotion and show
how a character reacts or is feeling.
Why has the writer chosen to put the exclamation there? What emotion or reaction are they portraying?
Why?

Humour
This is used to make a character or situation appear in a funny way; it can be used to mock the character or
the place; or it could show that a character is humorous.
Why has the writer made this situation or character humorous? How does it affect the mood?

Imagery
(including similes, metaphors, colour and use of the 5 senses- sight, sound, touch, taste and smell)
The words allow the reader to create an image in their mind and involve the reader in the moment being
described.
What image has been created? What is the effect of involving the reader in the moment?

Juxtaposition
It is the positioning of two words, phrases or ideas next to, or near, each other. This highlights a contrast
between two words, phrases or ideas, e.g. ‘The two friends were known as clever Carole and stupid
Steven.’
Why has the writer chosen to position these two things together? What contrast is being highlighted and
why?

Metaphor
This is an image created by referring to something as something else, e.g. ‘storm of controversy.’ This
shows meaning by directly comparing something to something else.
Why is the word being compared to something else? What element of the thing that it is being compared to
is being highlighted in the word.

Negative diction
It refers to words that are negative, e.g. ‘cruel’, ‘evil’, ‘dark’. This gives a negative tone and can
portray negative feelings towards a character or situation.
Why has the writer created negative tone? What effect do these negative feelings have on the
representation of the character or the atmosphere?

Onomatopoeia
These are words that sound like what they describe, e.g. ‘The clash of the symbols startled John.’ The
reader can almost hear the sound for themselves.
Why does the writer want the reader to hear the sound? What is the effect on the atmosphere?

Personification
It is when the writer makes an object/ animal sound like a person, giving it human characteristics, e.g. ‘the

86
fingers of the tree grabbed at my hair as I passed.’
Why has the object/ animal been given human characteristics? How does it affect the mood?

Positive diction
These are words that are positive, e.g. ‘happy’, ‘joyous’ They give a positive tone or portray positive feelings
towards a character or situation.
Why has the writer created a positive tone? What effect do these positive feelings have on the
representation of the character or the atmosphere?

Sentence Length
They are short sentences, just a few words long, without detail. ‘I wondered if he knew what he was doing
to me. It hurt. A lot.’ Short sentences affect the speed the piece is read and grabs attention.
Why has the writer used a short sentence? How does it affect the speed and tension?

Simile
It is a comparison between two things that includes the words ‘as’ or ‘like’, e.g. ‘Her voice cut through him
like a knife.’ This shows meaning by comparing something to something else.
Why has the word been compared to something else? What element of the thing that it is being compared
to has been highlighted in the word.

Verbs
Action words such as ‘scrambled’, ‘sprinted’, ‘leaped’. The writer uses these to add action to the writing.
Why has the writer used these verbs? What mood has been created?

USEFUL LINGUISTIC EXPRESSIONS TO INCLUDE IN YOUR ANALYSIS

● This WORD/PHRASE/VERB/ADJECTIVE, etc. shows/implies/suggests/proposes...
● The use of (insert writing technique such as simile here) emphasises/ suggests...
● The word ‘responsibility’ suggests...
● This word could also show...
● The writer’s intentions in creating this character/relationship/setting/atmosphere might be...
● The writer’s use of ... is effective because ...
● This word/section is particularly vivid/powerful as it gives the effect of ...
● The use of ... helps to/emphasizes ...
● This technique reinforces ...
● The word/phrase ... implies/suggests ...
● This gives the impression that ...
● The reference to ... could indicate ...
● This hints /indicates that ...
● This can be interpreted in more than one way ...
● By using this word, the writer is showing/making a point/reinforcing/ emphasizing the idea that…

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ACTIVITIES

1- Having read Passage A: The last zookeeper from UCLES 2019 0500/22/INSERT/M/J/19 (pages 84, 85)

Re-read the descriptions of:

(a) the zookeeper in paragraph 1, beginning ‘The boy stared ...’ Pay attention to the highlighted
words/phrases:

The boy stared at the zookeeper hobbling along. Occasionally, this aged man would stumble, emit a pained
grunt, then continue. The dented metal feed-bucket in his fist swung ponderously, banging against his
knee. The bones in his hand, the gnarled knuckles, ropy tendons and veins stood out from the effort of
carrying the heavy weight. The tissue-thin skin, mottled with age, was inhabited by ghosts of forgotten
injuries, secret stories of wounds the boy would never know. The boy wondered what it would feel like to
hold that hand, to touch the baggy covering and feel it slide over the brittle bones beneath the fingers, the
time-withered muscle.

(b) the animal in paragraph 14, beginning ‘The ancient ...’ Pay attention to the highlighted
words/phrases:

These are powerful words or phrases from each paragraph. They include imagery. If you had to explain
how each word or phrase is used effectively in the context in about 200 to 300 words, you could write as
follows:

(a) In this paragraph, we can perceive the physical signs of extreme aging and the biological deterioration
of the zookeeper. The boy observes the man as if he were an animal from the zoo, another species to
pay attention to. By using the word hobbling, the writer refers to the way in which the man walks. He is
limping painfully, which shows that his movements are restricted as a result of old age. He struggles in
his steps. Besides, the use of emit a pained grunt helps to convey the idea that work is difficult and
painful for the man. A grunt is a sound more typical of an animal; and, in this situation, it comes as
involuntary sound given the hard nature of what he is doing. Lastly, the image baggy covering shows
that the skin is too big to fit. It suggests the idea that the skin is seen as an outer layer, something that
can be taken off. In this context, the boy may believe that the covering may be concealing something
he cannot fully understand.
(b) This paragraph conveys the idea that the animal in question is a curiosity from a bygone age, describing
the effects of time and technology on an animal long since dead. Actually, the identity of the animal is
not revealed. Given the description of the animal, a comparison could be made between this specimen
and the zookeeper. The use of bleached bone-white by unrelenting sun suggests that colour has been
removed over time by unforgiving sun. The expression indicates that vitality and life have been lost.
There is something unnatural in the appearance of the animal. The phrase atrophied meat conveys the
idea of meat that is wasted, withered and shrivelled, marking a stark contrast with the lab-grown meat.
As a final remark, underlying musculature emphasises the existence of a system of muscles beneath the
skin of a body, reminiscent of a medical specimen.

88
2- Read Passage A: Canal Holiday from UCLES 2015 0500/22/INSERT/M/J/15 and work on the following
activity.
Zelda and her husband, Bob, begin a week’s holiday on a narrowboat.

All I want from a holiday is a 5-star hotel, glitzy shops and top-class entertainment. When Bob
announced a surprise ‘treat’ – a week on a canal boat in the country – I was taken aback. He declared
that peace and quiet would do us good: I didn’t think so.

We must have been the last people to take over a boat that Saturday. It took an age to decant
everything from the car into this tube with windows. The boatyard owner said it was both cosy and
luxurious. What nonsense! I need more than a shower and a microwave to feel pampered. Bob insisted
that canalboating was a popular pastime; some famous acting couple owned a boat they kept on this
canal. More fool them. As I tried in vain to get a phone signal, I could hear the man telling Bob about
‘watering up’ and ‘approaching locks with care’ and ‘thrusting the tiller’ a particular way when reversing.

All this took too long. Bob kept plying the owner with questions. The old chap bemoaned various 21st
century changes: the old canal maintenance yard next door was no longer used for repairs to lockgates,
instead housing some fancy artists’ studios; the town which gave its name to the canal allowed modern
music at its annual festival. Yawn. The light was fading, but there was no way I would spend our first
night in that smelly boatyard next to a diesel pump. I told Bob we must leave.

There was now a nasty breeze. ‘Isn’t it bracing!’ Bob declared as he neatly avoided colliding with a
passing canoeist. Then my darling enthusiastically pointed out a graceful spire a couple of fields away,
evidently of a church designed by a famous 19th century architect. Never mind the 19th century; I was
longing for a decent supper, but the engine had to be kept on tick-over as fishermen sat along the
towpath with fishing rods nearly touching the opposite bank. These were only lifted as our prow came
level with them. Bob kept giving matey greetings, unaffected by their blank stares.

Thank goodness we came upon a village after two hours. Earlier Bob had told me of a restaurant in the
area with a fine reputation. The village inn was certainly not in that league, though Bob did rave about
his fish and chips. When we stumbled out afterwards, I nearly tripped over. I just don’t understand how
country people manage without street lighting. While Bob was fiddling in the dark trying to find the key,
a man came past with several big dogs, none on leads. Now I have dirty paw marks all over my white
trousers.

No sooner were we inside than there was this hammering on the roof, like machine gun fire. It was rain.
Then the wind rose, shrieking through the trees. The boat pitched at its mooring and I feared the ropes
would not hold. I made Bob go out and check the knots. Branches of trees on the opposite bank were
bent double, their leaves snatched from them and tossed into the air as if by a manic juggler. The canal
was an angry agitation.

Having only managed a few hours’ sleep, I was roused early by a crowing cockerel. I opened the
curtains to a transformation. The sun seemed to be smiling on the oak trees wearing their spring foliage
like new coats, and feathery clouds were dabbed across the pale blue sky. A little distance off a heron
stood motionless in the shallows with an air of grey, religious solemnity. Droplets of water hung from
flower stems like tiny translucent pearls. Suddenly, the heron’s head shot downward and he speared a
fish which wriggled in his beak. Attractive as it was, I would have appreciated the sight more had I
enjoyed eight hours’ sleep.

Later as we were unravelling knots in the mooring ropes, our ears were assailed by a cacophony of
sounds. Round a corner came an unruly bunch of teenagers bearing clipboards, pushing and shoving
each other, and once even me, apparently conducting a survey for geography. So much for Bob’s peace
and quiet.
89
After several unsuccessful attempts, we manoeuvred away from the bank and headed further up the
canal. I stayed inside, but heard Bob exchanging pleasantries with passers-by. When we stopped for
coffee, he told me excitedly of a bird-watcher who claimed to have just spotted a lesser-ring-
neckedgreen-headed-flycatcher, or some such thing. ‘Maybe we’ll see one!’ he enthused. ‘Let’s hope
not,’ I thought. ‘And this is only day two.’

Re-read the descriptions of:

(a) the storm and its effects in paragraph 6, beginning ‘No sooner were we inside…’;
(b) what Zelda enjoys about the morning in paragraph 7, beginning ‘Having only managed…’.
Select three powerful words or phrases from each paragraph. Your choices should include imagery.
Explain how each word or phrase selected is used effectively in the context.
Write about 200 to 300 words.

WRITING A LETTER

Imagine you are Zelda’s husband, Bob. Write a letter to your brother who lives abroad, telling him about
your vacation.
In your letter you should comment on:
• your expectations of the trip
• your feelings about Zelda’s behaviour on the first two days of the holiday
• what happened during the rest of the trip.

Base your letter on what you have read in Passage A, but be careful to use your own words. Address each
of the three bullet points. Begin letter: ‘Dear Brian, We’ve just come back from a trip I arranged for Zelda as
a surprise…’
Write about 250 to 350 words.

90
UNIT 7
LETTER WRITING

IN WHAT SITUATION WOULD YOU WRITE A LETTER? CONSIDER ITS PURPOSE.

Read the following letter

Dear Ms Sanderling,
I heard your interview with Dr Schinkl today and I felt I had to respond. In the first place, I would like
to congratulate you since you have made an incredible and definitely interesting interview to Dr.Schinkl.
There I heard many positive and negative comments on this type of medicine, called homeopathy, and I
have my own opinion of the different thoughts I heard. I would like to share them with you.
During the interview, I heard a lot of favorable statements. One of them was that homeopathy cures
people of conditions that conventional doctors consider incurable. This evidence proves that, nowadays,
many people’s state of health which is delicate can recover through homeopathy. It is a gentler science
and this system has benefited people centuries before modern medicine. In my opinion, this is very
important, due to the fact that, if this method would not have existed in the past many people would
have died. In addition, conventional doctors consider some people cured even if their drugs are
addictive or cause damage in the long term. These points demonstrate that homeopathy can be more
effective, less painful or harmful and it can make people recover from illnesses that traditional doctors
have declared incurable. Having analysed this, it may be stated that Homeopathy could be a viable
option for certain patients.
Nevertheless, it may not be accessible for everybody. As you suggested on the radio programme, the
prices of homeopathic medicine are very high, although only tiny quantities of substances are used. This
aspect shifts the balance against this type of medicine, since someone with low resources who wants to
be treated through homeopathy will find it difficult to afford it. Also, research suggests that
homeopathic medicine does not cure any actual disease and only has psychological effects on patients,
which is great for some people but for others that need not only psychological changes but physical or
social ones, it is not. This argument shows that many people doubt about the real potential cure of
Homeopathy on patients with certain pathological conditions. Besides, modern medicine can cure most
illnesses and it is advancing, which means that homeopathy may be less effective than today's medicine
and it is quite expensive. Actually, some conventional doctors say that Homeopathy is increasing in
popularity only because sick people are desperate and willing to try anything. I believe this attitude is
decidedly risky, considering that patients are trying something that they are not sure about.
Despite the line of arguments against Homeopathy, I have a favorable thought about this alternative
medicine, for the reason that it has been studied for many years, it has better results to cure people's
illnesses and, although it is expensive, most cases have been successful and they had excellent results. It
has also saved many lives that even conventional doctors thought they could not.
To conclude, I want to congratulate you, because you have done an excellent job on the interview
and it was really interesting and helpful for many people. I hope you are satisfied with your work and I
wish to hear from you soon.

Yours sincerely,
Malek Anastasio.

Why has this letter been written? Where do you find that information?
Who has this letter been written to? What is the style chosen?
What does the writer do throughout the main body? How do you know?

91
CHARACTERISTICS OF LETTERS

There are a number of reasons why letters can be written. According to the purpose of the letter, the type
will vary. You may write a letter to inform, advice, complain, invite, request, give news, and other purposes.
Depending on whom you are writing to, the letter may be formal or informal. All letters must have:
 A greeting (appropriate to the style)
 An introduction, which states the reason for writing
 A main body, developing the points to be considered
 A conclusion, in which you round up the contents developed and reinforce the reason for writing.
 An ending (appropriate to the style)

Pay attention to the different linguistic aspects of each style!

Formal letters
 Begin with Dear Mr/Ms/Mrs + Surname; Dear Sir / Madam
 Use complex sentences and formal language
 Make impersonal statements and use passive voice
 Do not use short forms or abbreviations
 End with Yours sincerely / Yours faithfully + Full name
Informal letters
 Begin with Dear + First name; Dear Dad, Mum
 Use short, simple sentences
 Use colloquial English and idioms
 Abbreviate or make short forms
 End with Yours / Love / Best / Best wishes / Best regards + First name

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