Page 73 - Traveller_2nd_Pre-Interm_SB_SE

. WRITING
AN ACCOUNT OF A TRUE EVENT
A. Discuss.
• Have you ever done anything very embarrassing? What
was it?

B. Read the account and answer the questions.
1. When and where did the event take place?
2. How did the writer feel during and at the end of
his experience?
3. What is the purpose of each paragraph?
4. Why does the writer use Direct Speech?
5. Which tenses does the writer use?
6. Which linking words does the writer use and why? A DAY I’LL NEVER FORGET

Probably the most embarrassing thing I’ve ever done was two years ago. I was travelling by train,
going from Paris to London with some friends from university.
There were many people on the train, so I had to wait for almost half an hour to get some coffee.
As soon as I sat down with my coffee, I realised I needed to use the bathroom. So, I said to my friends
‘Nobody touch my coffee’ and left. However, on my way back to my seat, I saw one of my friends
sipping my coffee. I was furious! ‘Hey, that’s mine!’ I shouted and grabbed the cup, which wasn’t a
good idea because I spilt the coffee all over him and even on a few other passengers. But the worst
thing was that the person with the coffee wasn’t my friend. It just looked like him from behind.
My friends, who were further up the train, were laughing their heads off. I immediately apologised
to the people but they were still pretty angry with me. I wanted the ground to swallow me up. I’ll never
forget that day. © MM Publications

C. Join the pairs of sentences using the linking WRITING TASK
words/phrases in the box. More than one answer D. Think about a funny, embarrassing or annoying
may be correct. experience that you have had and write about it.
Your account should be between 100-120 words.
as soon as when before as
because while but so

1. I realised that Melissa was angry. I stopped
laughing. When writing an account of a true event:
 use the first person (I, We).
 divide your account into paragraphs.
2. Eric was running up the stairs. He fell and  try to make your writing flow by:
broke his leg. • writing the events in chronological order. Use Past
tenses (Past Simple and Past Progressive).
• using linking words/phrases expressing time (when,
3. Brenda took a taxi to work. She was late. while, as, as soon as, before, after, during, until,
in the end, etc.), contrast (but, however), cause
(because) or result (so, as a result).
4. They left the room. The baby started crying.  try to make it interesting to the reader by using:
• a variety of adjectives (surprised, furious, etc.).
• adverbs / adverbial phrases (suddenly, fortunately,
5. I start work at 9.00. I always get up at 8.00. to my surprise, etc.).
• idioms (I nearly jumped out of my skin! etc.).
• direct speech, questions and exclamations.
6. We had dinner. Then we went out. • a variety of structures (Comparisons, Relative
Clauses, Passive Voice, etc.).

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