Exercise 1 How to interpret essay titles

The first step in writing any essay is to read and interpret the essay title correctly. Let us look at the
following example:
1. What steps do you think should be taken to reduce pollution?
In this essay question, the word steps is the organising word and the general subject is pollution. You
do not need to describe pollution itself; the title assumes that you already know what pollution is. The
title also indicates that pollution, at the moment, is bad. You could, therefore, use this idea as part of
your introduction:
Pollution is nowadays one of the most serious threats to all living things on the planet. There are,
however, many steps that can be taken to remedy this situation.
The first sentence is a general statement about the general subject. The second sentence is the topic
sentence: it gives the direction of the essay and tells you how to organise it.
Now study the essay titles below and:
(a) find the word(s) in each question which will help you to organise your essay.
(b) decide what the general subject of the essay is.
2. What are the most effective ways to reduce unemployment in Europe?
3. What are the disadvantages of using computers in the workplace?
4. Food additives should be banned. Discuss.
5. What are the main benefits of investing money in space research?
6. The main cause of the destruction of the environment is the burning of fossil fuels. Discuss.
7. Discuss the advantages of sex education in the school curriculum at secondary level.
8. The best solution to urban traffic problems is to ban all cars from city centres. What is your
opinion?
9. Tobacco advertising in the media should be banned. What is your opinion? Give your reasons.

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 Exercise 2 How to link your introduction to your essay title

In the last exercise, you looked at interpreting essay titles and writing a suitable introduction. In other
words, you were looking forward from the essay title to the introduction. As you write, however, you
also need to look back at what you have written, as well as forward. In the introductions below, look
for the organising words and decide what the general subject is. Then write down a possible essay title
for each one.
Example:
To many people, boxing is a cruel sport which ought to be banned. In my opinion, however, it should
not be stopped for many reasons.
If you look at the topic sentence first, you will see that there are several clues to the title. The essay is
about your opinion and the reasons. The general sentence shows you that the general subject is boxing.
Look at the following titles and you will see that the introduction expresses the general subject and the
focus or topic of the title:
- Boxing should be banned. What is your opinion of this statement? Give your reasons.
- What is your opinion of boxing? Give your reasons.
1. Capital punishment is an issue about which people feel very passionately. However, there are many
strong arguments against this issue.
2. Banning smoking in public places is an issue that gives rise to endless controversy. There are,
therefore, many arguments for and against.
3. Road deaths in Europe are still a major problem. This situation could, however, be improved
enormously by adopting a wide-ranging package of measures.
4. Over recent years, poverty has increased in many parts of the world with disastrous consequences.
5. The legalisation of cannabis is a subject that has aroused considerable debate. There are, however,
a number of benefits to be derived from making the drug legal.
6. Recycling waste paper, glass and scrap metal is obviously a sound method for reducing pollution.
Even so, a number of equally important measures exist to tackle the problem.
7. In some cases a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but there are also certain circumstances
where it can be of enormous help.
8. Both public and private means of transport have advantages and disadvantages.
9. Corporal punishment, in one form or another, has been part of the educational system in many
countries for a long time. As far as I am concerned, however, such punishment is unacceptable.
10. Now that oil resources are becoming rapidly depleted, more attention is being focused on
alternative forms of energy.

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 Exercise 3 Language salvage
Now it is time for you to try to write your own introductions, with some help. All the essay questions
below have the same general subject. The focus of each essay, however, is different. In each case,
decide first what the focus is. Then look below. You will see that you have a list of introductions with
another general subject. Find an introduction, or introductions, with a similar focus and adapt the text
to fit the titles.
Example:
1. Do you agree that euthanasia should be made legal? Give your reasons.
You can adapt a (and also c and h) as follows:
Making euthanasia legal is an issue which arouses enormous controversy. However, I [largely]
[dis]agree with such a practice and feel that it should not be legalised.
2. Euthanasia should be made legal. What are the arguments for and against, and what is your
opinion of this statement?
3. Discuss the risks of making euthanasia legal.
4. How far do you agree with the statement that euthanasia should be made legal?
5. Euthanasia should be made legal. Discuss.
6. What are the benefits of making euthanasia legal?
7. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of making euthanasia legal.
8. What are the arguments against making euthanasia legal?
9. What are the arguments for or against making euthanasia legal?
Introductions:
a. Experimenting on animals is an issue which arouses enormous controversy. However, I largely
disagree with such experiments and feel that they should be banned.
b. Experimenting on animals is an issue which arouses enormous controversy. There are, therefore,
many arguments for and against.
c. Experimenting on animals for medical purposes is a controversial issue. However, in my opinion,
such experiments should definitely be banned for many reasons.
d. Experiments on animals have brought mankind not only many advantages, but also some
disadvantages.
e. Although many people are violently opposed to experiments on animals, they have brought many
benefits to mankind.
f. Experimenting on animals is a controversial issue. There are, however, many strong arguments
against such experiments.
g. Experimenting on animals is an issue which arouses enormous controversy. There are, therefore,
many arguments for and against, but, in my opinion, such experiments on animals should definitely be
banned.
h. Experimenting on animals is an issue which arouses enormous controversy among the general
public. As far as I am concerned, however, such experiments are necessary for a number of reasons and
should not be banned.

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 Exercise 4 Controlling your ideas

You have looked at how to interpret essay questions. The next stage is controlling your ideas. When
you read an essay title, you may sometimes have lots of ideas, but you may not know which of them
are relevant.
Look at the following titles:
Why do more and more people want to live in cities? What are the disadvantages of living in cities?
Now look at the map below. It shows the general subject, living in cities, and the focus of each essay
above: reasons and disadvantages. Around the map is a chaotic jumble of ideas. Look at the jumble and
decide which ideas can follow each direction.

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 Exercise 5 How to organise and control your essay
As you develop your essay, you also need to keep your ideas under control. Look at the essay title and
plan below:

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If you examine the above plan carefully, you can see:
(i) the focus word in the title is highlighted. This word shows the specific direction of the essay.
(ii) the focus word in the introduction is highlighted to show the direction of the essay.
(iii) each paragraph begins with a topic sentence. In each of these sentences, there is a focus word
which links the paragraph to the topic sentence in the introduction and shows the direction of the
paragraph. The focus words are also highlighted.
(iv) the synonyms for the word types: sources, form, energy source, example and kinds. These are
interchangeable and help you to avoid repetition of the word type(s).
(v) the underlined phrases which introduce ideas in the paragraph. Students often complain that they
have ideas, but they do not know how to put them down on paper. This inability to introduce ideas is a
central problem in writing and, for the most part, goes unrecognised. Compare this with the difficulties
you have beginning essays, i.e. writing introductions, and putting your ideas on paper.
(vi) you have a basic mechanism to help you control your writing.
Now, it is your turn to make essay plans. Below is a short list of essay questions. Work out the focus
and the general subject of each essay. Then write an introduction with no more than two sentences and
an essay frame for each one as above. Pay careful attention to the way you introduce your ideas in the
plan, and also to the synonyms you use. For the synonyms, you may need to use a thesaurus.
1. Discuss the measures to reduce obesity in rich countries.
2. Euthanasia is immora. Discuss your opinion.
3. Euthanasia is immoral. Discuss.
4. Many people now try to keep fit by jogging or working-out in a gym. What are the dangers of such
exercise?
5. Some people feel that all medical personnel should be tested for HIV. What would the problems of
such a programme be? Give your own opinion.
6. Animal organs should not be used for human transplants. What are the main arguments against
this statement?
7. How can accidents in the home be prevented?
8. War can never be justified. How far do you agree with this statement?
9. Describe your pet hates.

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 Exercise 6 Giving names to sentences
This exercise focuses on the meaning of individual sentences and giving them names. You have, in
effect, been doing this already in this Section so far, perhaps without realising. Sometimes, people have
difficulty when they are reading or writing, because they do not recognise the signs in a text which
pinpoint meaning. The result is that there is too much unknown information to process at one time. If
you learn gradually to recognise text markers, whether they are obvious or hidden, it will improve the
amount of detail you are able to process, and absorb. This, in turn, will influence your writing, as you
learn to manipulate the signposts you need to mark your own writing. Look at the sentences below. In
some cases, the sentences stand on their own and, in others, they have been removed from a larger text.
Give a name to each sentence (e.g. a general statement, a topic sentence, a fact, a suggestion) and give
a reason for your answer. Some sentences have more than one name. Example: Water boils at 100°C.
The sentence is a fact. Note the use of the Present Simple, boils, which is used to express a fact.
1. The sun rises in the East and sets in the West.
2. If only you had come a little bit sooner!
3. My main argument for the ban is that personal stereos are a nuisance to all passengers.
4. The main argument for the ban is that personal stereos are a nuisance to all passengers.
5. Such a policy could, I feel, take quite a few young people off the streets.
6. Such a policy would, I feel, take quite a few young people off the streets.
7. Such a policy will, I feel, take quite a few young people off the streets.
8. These properties could even be renovated by the homeless themselves.
9. The most important advantage is the safety of the food.
10. As a result, Antarctica will be saved for future generations.
11. The law might be difficult to enforce.
12. He might have told you about the proposed changes.
13. He might have told you about the proposed changes!
14. Shaniqua promised to come.
15. For example, now it is possible to keep people alive on machines for a considerable time.

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 Exercise 7 Naming sentences in a paragraph
This exercise looks at the meaning of sentences as they relate to each other in a continuous text. In
other words, you are going to look at coherence in writing a passage.
Read the first two paragraphs of the essay title below. As you read, think about the relationship
between the sentences. Then do the exercise which follows.
What measures do you think should be taken to reduce pollution?
(1) The very survival of all living things on our planet is now under threat from pollution. (2) In my
opinion, however, there are a number of very effective measures that can be taken to remedy the
situation.
(3) The introduction of a carbon tax, i.e. a tax on coal and oil products, such as plastics, petrol and fuel
for domestic and industrial consumption, is, I feel, the most important measure. (4) Such a tax would
have a number of benefits. (5) First of all, the reduction in the consumption of fuel would give us
fresher air to breathe. (6) At the same time, it could raise money far cleaning up the environment and
make the general public more conscious of pollution. (7) Having said that, however, this tax would be
rather unpopular among the general public, as it would reduce their spending power. (8) Moreover,
there would be a strong industrial lobby against it because of the extra costs and, thirdly, the
government would be against it, as it would result in increased inflation. (9) So politicians would not
support such a measure. (10) Nevertheless, I strongly believe that a carbon tax is an essential step in
the fight against pollution.
Below are ten multiple choice questions with four alternatives.
Read the passage again and decide which alternatives best describe the purpose of each sentence and
why the others are not suitable. In some cases, more than one alternative may be correct.
1.
a. introducing the general subject of pollution b. a topic sentence
c. a proposal d. an organising sentence
2.
a. introducing the general subject of pollution b. a topic sentence
c. a proposal d. an organising sentence
3.
a. introducing the topic of the paragraph b. a proposal
c. a tentative proposal d. expanding the word measures in sentence 2
4.
a. a development of the previous sentence b. a conclusion
c. a result d. a recommendation
5.
a. a result b. an explanation of the organising word: benefits
c. an expansion of the previous sentence d. a suggestion
6.
a. a result b. an explanation of the organising word: benefits
c. an expansion of the previous sentence d. a suggestion
7.
a. a reservation b. a suggestion c. a result d. a contrast
8.
a. a conclusion b. a recommendation
c. a cause d. additional reservations and reasons
9.
a. a tentative result b. an example
c. a generalisation d. a conclusion of sentences 7 and 8
10. a. a contrast b. an opinion c. an example d. a conclusion for the whole paragraph

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 Exercise 8 Awareness of coherence in a paragraph
Below is the beginning of an essay. Read the text carefully and, while you are doing so, keep in mind
what you learnt in the previous two exercises. Think specifically about the coherence in the text.
Below, there is a list of words and phrases to describe the purpose or function of each sentence. Study
the list and decide which purpose or function describes each sentence. Note that a sentence may have
more than one function.
Experiments on animals should be banned. What is your opinion?
(1) Experiments on animals may have contributed enormously to the welfare of the human race. (2)
Nevertheless, I personally feel that such experiments are totally unacceptable for many reasons.
(3) By far the most important reason is the suffering that animals have to endure during tests. (4) Every
year, many thousands of innocent creatures are used in laboratory experiments. (5) Cosmetics
companies, for instance, test many of their products on rabbits and dogs to make sure they are safe for
humans. (6) Such testing, however, means that harmless animals have to endure appalling pain and
torture for the vanity of human beings. (7) Surely, the cosmetics industry should use other techniques
now available, like computer models; or, instead, they could develop new methods. (8) The main
counterargument is that a human life is more important than that of an animal. (9) Furthermore, the
countless lives saved by animal experiments cannot be overlooked. (10) Still, in my opinion,
experiments on animals do not justify the suffering caused to innocent creatures.
(11) Another argument against is that animals also have rights.

Function list
a. a conclusion j. alternative solutions
b. an expansion of the previous sentence k. suggestions
c. supplying background information 1. an opinion
d. giving an example m. an expansion of the word 'reasons'
e. an explanation n. introducing the general subject of the essay
f. an argument against animal experiments o. an argument for animal experiments
g. a topic sentence for the essay p. a contrast
h. an organising sentence q. introducing the focus or topic of a paragraph
i. a concession r. introducing a reason

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 Exercise 9 Organising a paragraph by questions
In this exercise, you are going to look at some of the thought processes involved in writing a text. Read
the instructions below.
Instructions:
1. Imagine that you have to write an essay on the following title:
All blood sports should be banned. Discuss the main arguments for this statement and then give your
own opinion.
2. Imagine that you are writing the introduction and the first argument for the above essay title.
3. Imagine that the questions below are your own.
4. Read the questions one at a time.
5. Match each question with an answer from the jumbled text in the following part.
6. Answer the questions in sequence. Three of the sentences following do not match any of the
questions.
1. The first statement in the essay title above is written in such a way that it will create a discussion,
and is, therefore, controversial. As a starting point, can I write a general statement about blood sports
to include this idea?
2. How many arguments are there supporting a ban on blood sports?
3. What is the main reason for banning blood sports?
4. Can I give some background information about the numbers of helpless creatures killed for
pleasure each year?
5. What do people think about blood sports? Are they barbaric/uncivilised?
6. There must surely be many examples to support this view. Can I give one?
7. Can I explain this example more fully?
8. What does such cruelty do to people in general?
9. Can I draw a personal conclusion from this?
a. There are, however, many arguments for and against banning blood sports.
b. In this instance, an innocent animal is chased by men and women on horses and by a pack of dogs.
When the poor creature is trapped, it is then inhumanely killed and may even be viciously torn to
pieces by the dogs.
c. Consequently, people's tolerance of brutality is increased and other violent activities, including
crime, are encouraged.
d. As far as I am concerned, sports are quite civilised.
e. There are, however, many reasons why blood sports should be made illegal.
f. Every year many thousands of helpless animals and birds are killed in this country, not primarily
for food, but for pleasure.
g. Finally, blood sports cannot really be considered as sport at all and are a waste of time.
h. Fox-hunting is probably the best example of the sheer brutality of such entertainment.
i. For my part, after considering the arguments above, I feel there can be no justification whatsoever
for allowing blood sports to continue.
j. Few issues arouse more bitter controversy than attempts to ban hunting animals for sport.
k. To many people, this practice is barbaric, because innocent animals are tortured and killed for the
amusement and gratification of human beings.
l. The most obvious justification for the ban is that blood sports such as fox-hunting, shooting birds
and, in fact, any form of game-hunting, are uncivilised.
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 Exercise 10 More questions for organising
Look at the text below and the list of jumbled questions which follow. Match each question to a
sentence in the text.
The responsibility for reducing juvenile crime in the UK lies as much with parents and teachers
as with the government. Discuss.
(1) Crime committed by young people in the UK is an ever-increasing problem. (2) Although there is
some suggestion that the government should take the lead in reducing juvenile crime by, say,
introducing more severe forms of punishment, parents and teachers certainly have a greater role to
play in this process. (3) Statistics show that young offenders frequently come from unstable, uncaring
or violent family backgrounds. (4) A comfortable family environment is, therefore, one of the most
important factors in helping to reduce crime committed by the young. (5) It is obviously the parents'
responsibility to teach and bring up their children to follow the law and to behave as respected
members of our society. (6) Of course, not every family can create the ideal surroundings for
educating their children. (7) In that case, teachers could share the burden of teaching young people
how and why they should obey rules. (8) The government, of course, also has a very important part to
play. (9) It is surely the state's role to provide the environment necessary for a stable, caring society.
Questions
a. Is it possible for all families to create an appropriate environment for their children?
b. Has the government any role to play? If so, how great?
c. What are the responsibilities of parents?
d. What is the government's role specifically?
e. What is the rate of juvenile crime in the United Kingdom at the moment?
f. What do the statistics say about juvenile crime in the UK?
g. If this is so, what is the most important factor in helping to reduce juvenile crime?
h. Who else could share the burden if parents cannot do it all themselves?
i. Which of the two groups, parents and teachers or the government, has the greater role to play?

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 Exercise 11 Creating questions for organising a text
The text below is part of an essay written by a student. Read through the passage quickly. Then read it
again, carefully, and decide what questions the writer asked himself to develop the essay. Write your
questions, in full, on a piece of paper.
What would you do to improve the lot of the elderly in this country?
The UK, like other countries in Europe, has an increasingly ageing population, yet it is a pity that the
elderly are not properly looked after or cared for. There are many ways, however, in which the lot of
elderly people in this country can be improved.
The first step that needs to be taken is to improve the living conditions of all old people. According to
statistics, there are over one million dwellings which have been declared unfit for habitation. Out of
these, at least half a million are occupied by the elderly. Special houses should, therefore, be built,
which are cheap, and designed in such a way that they are easily accessible. By this I mean, they ought
to have special provision for those who have joint problems or difficulty in walking. Moreover, all the
basic amenities should be nearby so that the old will not have any trouble purchasing their food and
other articles of daily use. The provision of adequate heating is a further improvement that could be
made. These homes should be provided with proper heating facilities, as the elderly are susceptible to
cold. It is estimated that hundreds of people who are old and frail die of hypothermia in their homes
each winter.
Another area which requires attention is food.

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 Exercise 12 The sequence of tenses
Verbs also reflect and reinforce the relationships between sentences in a text.
In the passage below, choose the correct verb form from the alternatives given to fit the relationship
between the sentences. Decide also why the other alternatives are not suitable.
Relations between different countries are now better than they have been for many years. Even
so, there is a lot of tension in the world. What do you think governments should do to relieve this
tension?

In my opinion, the tension in the world [1 comes/is coming] from ignorance and the lack of contact
between different people and communities. To overcome this situation, there, [2 is/are/would be] much
that the international community can do. First of all, I [3 am thinking/think] governments [4
should/would/might] encourage their people, especially young people, to learn more languages. This
[5 would bring about/might bring about/brings about] closer contact between different cultures and
people. For example, at the moment many countries [6 would give /will give /should give /give]
scholarships to enable people from other countries to study their languages. Most of these scholarships
are for adults, but they [7 would usefully be/could usefully be/are usefully] extended to cover school
children, or rather groups of school children.
Second, there [8 could/would/might] be more informal sporting events. For example, sports
organisations in different countries [9 could/would/might] organise regional and international events
on an amateur basis. Already, we [10 are having/have/do have] the Olympic Games, but, worthy
though they are, they [11 have become/would become/could become] too political or too competitive.
More informal sports meetings, however, in the true spirit of the Olympic Games [12 would go /go]
some way to bringing people from all over the world together.

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 Exercise 13 Making choices
Read the following essay title:
Drug addiction among young people in the UK is daily becoming more and more serious. How, in your
opinion, should the problem be tackled?
Now read through the Maze below. At each number, choose the correct sentence to develop the first
paragraph of the above essay title. The sentences are in the correct order.

1. Drug addiction among the young in the UK is, unfortunately, on the increase.
A B
2. The problem, however, is not insurmountable The problem, in my opinion, comes not just
if it is approached realistically. from the break-up of the family, but from other
sources as well.
3. Peer group pressure is, I feel, one of the most In my opinion, the most effective method to
likely causes of addiction among young people. combat drug addiction among young people is
through health education.
4. Such education can be divided roughly into What often happens here is that youngsters start
two broad categories, namely health education playing around with drugs, because they see
in school and out of school. their friends taking them.
5. At school, children and teenagers can be They do not want to be left out or, as is
shown the dangers of drug addiction in health frequently the case, taking drugs becomes a
education classes. kind of badge of acceptance within a group.
6. Then, if someone does not do what the others The older pupils could do projects on addiction,
in the group are doing, they may be ostracised watch videos on the topic, speak to ex-addicts,
or cut off by their friends. and so on.
7. Education outside the school could take the All one has to do is to look at the prevalence of
form of advertising on television and the radio, smoking among youngsters to realise the extent
as well as in magazines aimed at young people. of the danger from such pressure.
8. The advertisers could use well-known Money is another cause of addiction.
figures that young people admire, and are likely
to listen to, like pop stars and footballers.
9. Nowadays, the younger generation have In this way, drug addiction would then be
more pocket money and are able to earn quite a prevented before it starts.
bit from part-time jobs.
10. Thus, when something novel like drugs
comes their way, they can often afford to try it
out, at least once.

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 Exercise 14 A chaos maze
In Roger's English class recently, he and his fellow students had a lively discussion about whether
intelligence is inherited or not. During the debate, Roger supported the opinion that it is impossible to
separate the inheritance from the environmental factors when discussing intelligence. One student in
the pro-inheritance group raised the point that there are many examples of people who are very gifted
and who rise to the top no matter what happens. This was an argument which Roger's group could not
disagree with. Roger, however, also raised the point that there are many talented people, but, without
the right environment and influences, they are held back. He then observed that intelligent parents tend
to encourage their children and provide an environment favourable to development. He went on to
quote examples of families where the parents are not considered generally to be 'bright', yet their
children are top of the class at school. Conversely, as he also mentioned, there are students who are not
very good academically, but whose parents are both in intellectually demanding professions. At the end
of the lesson, the teacher asked the class to express their views in an essay entitled:
Is intelligence inherited?
Bearing in mind the opinion of Roger's group, choose sentences opposite that would make up the first
paragraph of his essay. You may use only eight of the sentences to reflect the points above. Text
number 14 is the third sentence which Roger wrote.
1. All this leads me to conclude that the 2. Intelligence is very difficult to measure, but,
interplay between environmental and hereditary if we look at the issue carefully, we can identify
factors is crucial in the development of human certain criteria for assessment.
intelligence. 4. Nevertheless, there are countless others who
3. In other words, intelligent parents mean are talented, but without the right environment
intelligent children. and influences they do not realise their full
potential.
6. Further, surely parents who are intelligent
5. For example, most professional families and successful are more likely to try to provide
produce children who are very successful and an environment which nurtures the develop-
follow a professional career. ment of their children.
8. This gives rise to the statement that doctors
7. Looking at the issue from another angle, are born, not made.
there are many intelligent children who do not
have intelligent parents, and vice versa. 10. I accept that there are some people who are
9. Some people rightly feel that intelligence very talented and they succeed no matter what
depends solely on hereditary factors. happens.
11. However, I personally believe that 12. An example of this is families where the
intelligence is based on a mixture of both parents and children are doctors.
hereditary and environmental factors. 14. In fact, these factors are so inextricably
13. The debate about whether intelligence is interlinked that it is impossible to separate
inherited has been raging for quite some time. them.
15. In other words, they believe that people in
certain professions, like musicians, teachers,
doctors, etc., are born, not made.
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 Exercise 15 Sentence relationships - knowledge check 1
As you are writing, it is worth bearing in mind that it helps your readers if they can see clearly the
relationship between your sentences. Quite often you can show this relationship with particular joining
words or phrases. Not only are you then guiding the reader through your thoughts in written form, but
you are also directing yourself.
In this exercise, you are going to test how much you know about some basic connecting devices, or
text markers.
Answer the questions below as far as you can. Do not expect to know all the answers. One aim of this
exercise is to help you check and then organise your knowledge.
Avoid writing in the paper so that you can do the exercise several times, if necessary.
1. To connect sentences, you can use basically two types of connecting words or phrases: adverbs
and conjunctions. In the list below, which words are adverbs and which conjunctions?
while, and, besides, consequently, moreover, although, if, where, when, but, however, though, thus,
what is more
2. What is the difference between an adverb which links sentences and a conjunction?
3. Which of the two sentences below is correct?
(a) The steps that have been taken are admirable, but they may be too late to do any good.
(b) The steps that have been taken are admirable, however they may be too late to do any good,
4. Is the text below correct?
The steps that have been taken are admirable. But they may be too late to do any good.
5. What is the difference between although and but?
6. What is the difference between yet and but?
7. In the list below, which word or phrase is the odd one out?
similarly, furthermore, on the other hand, moreover, in addition, what is more
8. When can you use much as to link sentences together?
9. Which is the odd one out: such as, like, namely, for example?
10. There is a problem in the text below. What is it?
Take rugby, for example, it is also a sport which can cause considerable injury.

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 Exercise 16 Sentence relationships - knowledge check 2
This exercise is also a test of your knowledge of basic text markers, which help to lead both you and
the reader through your writing.
Answer the questions below as far as you can. Again, do not expect to know all the answers; the
exercise is to help you check and organise your knowledge.
Avoid writing in the paper so that you can do the exercise several times, if necessary.
1. It's not easy to deal with a situation like this. It's a bit much, though, to put all this pressure on your
friends.
Is the word though in the second sentence an adverb or a conjunction?
2. Explain the connection between the three sentences below. The third sentence is also unfinished; fill
the gap with one word.
A man appeared round the corner and walked briskly along the street. The man stopped suddenly and
was about to enter a shop._____door was open, and so ...
3. The text below is not well connected. Where does the problem lie and can you correct it?
Another reason why is that alcohol advertisements are responsible for a large number of health
problems. In fact, alcohol advertisements cause millions of deaths in any one year.
4. Use the texts below to explain the difference between in the end and finally.
(a) At first, she was useless at driving, but, in the end, she became a very good driver.
(b) First, he bought all the decorating equipment he needed. Next, he washed down the walls and,
then, he painted them. Finally, he cleared up the mess.
(c) First, read all the questions very carefully. Second, check how many questions you have to answer;
and, finally, write only the number of words required.
5. What do the following words and phrases have in common?
so /therefore /as a result/as a consequence/accordingly /consequently /now /then/because of this / that /
thus /hence / for this /that reason
6. Look at the sentences below. In which sentence is the use of otherwise correct?
(a) This matter needs to be examined carefully; otherwise, there will be problems in the future.
(b) This matter needs to be examined carefully, otherwise there will be problems in the future.
7. What is the difference between despite and in spite of and although? Join the two sentences below to
show the difference.
He played a major role in the peace process. His achievement went unrecognised.
8. There are a lot of measures can be introduced to remedy the situation. What is wrong with this
sentence?
9. What is the difference between first and at first?
10. In the extract below, the word Another tells you that this is the second subject under discussion.
Which noun or nouns can you put in the space below?
Another delicate________needs to be considered here: at what age children should be given
information about sex. To many people, giving such information at an early age is much too
dangerous.

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 Exercise 17 Some areas of confusion

From the last two exercises, you have probably realised that you do, in fact, know most connecting
words and phrases. However, you may have discovered that there is often some vital information,
about even very common connecting devices, of which you are not aware. So, when it comes to putting
these linking words into a text, you may find it difficult to use them correctly.
This exercise looks at a few areas where students are sometimes confused. In each pair of sentences
below, one sentence is correct and the other is wrong. Decide which answer is correct and why.

la. The government tightened the laws on lb. So that the media could be brought under
censorship, because the media could be brought stricter control, the government tightened the
under stricter control. laws on censorship.
2a. The arguments for restrictions on gun 2b. The arguments for restrictions on gun
ownership are, as we have seen, overwhelming. ownership are, as we have seen, overwhelming,
Therefore, the law should be changed. therefore, the law should be changed.
3a. Although you have been expressly forbidden 3b. Although you have been expressly forbidden
to leave before 3 pm, yet you continue to do so. to leave before 3 pm, but you continue to do so.
4a. Planting trees in cities will make the 4b. Planting trees in cities will make the
environment more pleasant to live in. Beside, it environment more pleasant to live in. Besides, it
will make the air cleaner as well. will make the air cleaner as well.
5a. Many improvements have been made to the 5b. Many improvements have been made to the
infrastructure. Even so, more has yet to be done. infrastructure, even so more has yet to be done.
6a. Jane and Diva got up early so they would be 6b. Jane and Diva got up early, so they would be
able to catch the first train. able to catch the first train.
7a. Although the talks on nuclear disarmament 7b. Because the talks on nuclear disarmament
were successful, we can now look forward to a were successful, we can now look forward to a
more relaxed world. more relaxed world.
8a. Much as I sympathise with this position, I 8b. Even I sympathise with this position, I
cannot accept that euthanasia is really the answer. cannot accept that euthanasia is really the
9a. There are four main skills in language answer.
learning, like speaking, listening, reading and 9b. There are four main skills in language
writing. learning, namely: speaking, listening, reading
10a. Some people, namely and writing.
Aristotle, Leonardo da Vinci and Einstein, have 10b. Some people, like Aristotle, Leonardo da
contributed much to the development of mankind. Vinci and Einstein, have contributed much to the
11a. He had driven all night, so he was tired. development of mankind.
11b. He had driven .all night, therefore he was
tired.

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 Exercise 18 Split texts
Now you are going to look at connections in another way. Match the text on the left with a suitable
clause or sentence on the right.

As you do the exercise, think about the relationship between the two parts of the text.
1. Despite the fact that he arrived in this country a. that thousands of people fled from the area.
as a penniless refugee,
2. The outbreak of the disease caused such a b. that he won the Nobel Prize for Physics.
panic, c. Nevertheless, I cannot bear him personally.
3. Now that more and more people have access
to the Internet, d. he was finally arrested and sent to prison.
4. The roads were jammed, e. they will be able to find their way here quite
5. Being a competent linguist, easily.
6. There is no doubt that the law needs to be f. she is able to understand the problems that her
changed students face.
7. I admire him as a politician. g. so that people with physical disabilities can
have greater access to all public buildings.
8. It was such a brilliant development, h. the number of injuries would have been
dramatically reduced.
9. On account of his violent behaviour towards i. yet the ambulance managed to reach the scene
his wife and children, of the accident.
10. Had the wearing of safety belts been j. he has managed to overcome all his difficulties.
compulsory on coaches as well as in cars,
11. In the end, he bought the building, k. the amount of information moving around the
globe is phenomenal.
12. Something needs to be done about water 1. otherwise, there may well be wars in the near
conservation in many parts of the world; future.
13. Provided they follow the instructions, m. even though it was practically falling down.

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 Exercise 19 Lost connecting words and phrases

In the sentences below, the connecting words and phrases are missing. Read through the exercise first
and see if you can identify where you need to add an appropriate connector. The punctuation will help
you to decide what you need and where. Note that you can only use connectors which the punctuation
allows. Sometimes, you may be able to use more than one item to connect the sentences.
Use only words and phrases from the list below the exercise. If, however, you feel confident enough,
try to do the exercise without using the list.
Example:
In sentence 1, you have to put a connecting word at the beginning of the sentence, because he has a
small letter. You can use When, Once or As soon as.
1. he had found the key, he was able to get out.
2. action had been taken sooner, this tragedy would not have occurred.
3. the exams are over, I can relax.
4. There are many things you can do to get exercise, walking, swimming, cycling, tennis and so on.
5. a referee sees that a boxer is hurt, he should stop the fight.
6. television has had a detrimental'2' effect on society, it has brought many benefits.
7. There are many steps can be taken to make public transport safer.
8. the law on gun ownership in the UK should be more strictly controlled is now being seriously
considered.
9. the leak is mended, the structure of the house will be severely damaged.
10. They ate their meal quickly and left the restaurant the owner could close early.
11. Maureen teaches botany Violet teaches history.
12. the number of car accidents is decreasing in the UK, in other countries, it is increasing.
13. The plane was delayed; the hotel was a mess and it rained most of the time; the holiday was a
disaster.
14. the violence occurred rarely. Then over the years it became worse.
Item bank
if/unless/when/if only/like/so that/and/whether/that/at first/whereas/but/although/however/all in all/
now that/since/which/as soon as/once

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 Exercise 20 Sentence relationships in a text

This exercise will help you focus on marking the relationships between sentences in a text. Obviously,
highlighting such connections is much more complex than just joining a few sentences or clauses
together.
First of all, read the introduction and the first paragraph of the essay below. As you are reading, try to
feel where there is a need for connecting devices to mark the sentence relationships in the passage.
Then, use the guidelines which follow the text and write out the passage, connecting the sentences
where possible.
Avoid marking the paper.
What are the arguments for and against private vehicles? What is your opinion in this matter?
(1) Private vehicles play a key role in our lives. (2) They provide independent transport, freedom and
many jobs. (3) They cause pollution, traffic jams, noise and death.
(4) Private transport, especially the car, gives us freedom to move. (5) We no longer need to organise
our lives around bus or train timetables. (6) Many people think that their cars are indispensable
machines. (7) They cannot live without them. (8) People who live in rural areas need private vehicles
to go to towns for shopping, socialising, taking children to schools, etc. (9) Without a car, their lives
would be very difficult. (10) They would be forced to rely on infrequent public transport, if it existed at
all. (11) Many families who live in the country have one or more cars. (12) They would be cut off from
the rest of the world. (13) For many people a car is a necessity.
Guidelines for sentence relationships
Sentences 1 and 2. You can join these sentences together; the second sentence states the reasons why
such vehicles play an important role.
Sentence 3 shows the opposite side of the picture, so insert an adverb that brings out the contrast. Be
careful with the punctuation! You will find in the Key that the author has added another phrase,
because he finds that the contrast is not strong enough, and because there is a problem with the rhythm
of the sentence. Can you add something yourself to the sentence?
Sentence 4 is the first argument of your essay. Add a word or phrase to indicate this.
Sentence 5 is a consequence of Sentence 4. Use a conjunction to join them together.
Sentence 6 is an extension of the previous one. It states another true fact about private vehicles. Can
you add a phrase to help show this?
Sentence 7 is a result of Sentence 6.
Sentence 8 is an example of the previous sentence.
You can join Sentences 9 and 10 with a simple conjunction that indicates the two are of ; the same
value.
Sentence 11 is a consequence.
Can you think of an adverb to join Sentence 12 to the previous one? Use a word that means or else. Be
careful with the punctuation.
Sentence 13 is a conclusion.

21
 Exercise 21 Text with gaps

You are now going to connect the sentences in a text by inserting suitable words and phrases, but, this
time, you will have no help.
A. Look at the items in the following list:
1. Further 8. To put it another way
2. and consequently AIDS 9. Thirdly
3. Take the threat of AIDS, for example 10. Admittedly
4. In my opinion 11. whether sex education should be introduced
5. especially young girls 12. Even so, I strongly believe that it needs
6. First of all, I believe 13. What is more
7. To me, however
Now read the passage below and write the numbers of the items from the list in the appropriate blanks.
You may use each item once only.
B. What is the title of the essay?
The issue of____(a)____in all schools at secondary level has been an on-going debate for quite some
time.____(b)____, such education is a necessary part of the curriculum at this level. ____(c)____pupils
need be given lessons on sex education, just like any other field of study. ____(d)____, they should not
be protected from this subject, as it is one of the most important matters in our everyday
life.____(e)____. Sex education would go a long way in preventing the spread of the HIV
virus,____(f)____, among the younger generation. ____(g)____, there may be some reticence, and
even antagonism, among certain groups of people, as to the way and the degree this subject is
presented.____(h)____to be part of the curriculum. ____(i)____, we have to remember what other
hazards ignorance about sex may bring for pupils, at secondary school, ____(j)____. ____(k)____, it is
better to know everything about this 'taboo' subject than to seek knowledge when it is too late, for
example in the case of unwanted pregnancies. ____(l)____, we all know that young people are
especially vulnerable to stress as regards sex. Proper education would, I feel, help to prevent frustration
in certain circumstances. ____(m)____, it may also stop young people from seeking 'nonscientific'
ways of solving their problems, and halt the development of superstition.
As we can see, there are many arguments to support giving lessons in sex education at secondary
school.

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 Exercise 22 Text with no gaps

From Exercises 15 to 21, you have been concentrating on connecting words and phrases which
contribute to the texture of what you write. This exercise attempts to focus your attention more on this
quality to help you improve your writing. Below are the introduction and first two paragraphs of an
essay on Knowledge is power. Discuss. The text is grammatically correct, but it is not well connected.
Put the numbers which relate to the words and phrases below into the most appropriate place in the
text, as in the two examples. The punctuation will help you to complete the exercise.

1. Work is another obvious area where knowledge 9. so that

bestows power. 10. A very good example is the field of
2. In a similar way, politics.
3. For example, 11. At the interview itself,
4. In fact, in all areas of life, 12. , for instance,
5. Looking at the matter from another angle, 13. are then more likely to
6. above 14. With this power,
7. When the successful candidate finally 15. This
starts working, 16. such as
8. , thus, 17. , among other things,

Few people would deny the validity of the ___ 6 ____ saying, the power of knowledge exerts a
considerable force.
As some politicians have access to many sources of information, they possess a formidable'3' weapon:
power, they are able to control the lives of the general public, when politicians want public support for
a particular cause, all they have to do is put forward the positive aspects of their proposals and hide the
negative. The public, ignorant of the whole picture, lend their support to the politicians' cause, other
politicians are also controlled, the general public and other politicians, through lack of knowledge, are
at the mercy of the politician who possesses knowledge, and power.
When someone applies for a job____12____the success of the application depends on the knowledge
of the person who applies, knowledge involves skills, knowing how best to complete the application
form; using the correct language; or how to write the accompanying letter, the success of the
application will depend on the applicant's display of knowledge about the post applied for. success or
failure will largely be dependent on his/her accumulation of knowledge, he/she can deal effectively
with others and not be manipulated by them, too much.
Read the text to yourself and try to put in the words and phrases above automatically. Repeat the
exercise several times so that you can learn to feel where there is a gap in the text.

23
 Exercise 23 Reference with synonyms

The use of synonyms to link sentences also improves the quality and texture of a passage. When you
are writing, synonyms help you summarise part of the previous text, and, thus, link sentences together.
Furthermore, they help you to avoid repetition and stop you from relying over much on adverbs and
conjunctions to make connections.
Below is a list of such words that are often used to help link sentences. Put the words into the
appropriate spaces below. Note that in some cases it is possible to use more than one word. You may
also be able to think of other words from outside the list.
Solution/entertainment/problem/proposal/policy/group/violence/measure/move/idea/situation/ploy/ame
nities /recommendation /fact /suggestion/crime/damage
Try not to write the answers in your paper. When you have checked your answers with your teachers,
repeat the exercise over a period of time until the words come automatically.
1. Old people should be given a higher pension during winter months. This seems to be the best
possible________to the problem.
2. Millions of people are dying each year because of a lack of basic medicine; a_______ that surely
cannot be ignored.
3. Many inner cities have been disfigured by insensitive office developments, but the ________, I
feel, is not irreparable.
4. Safety belts should be made compulsory on all coaches. If this________were adopted, it would
certainly help reduce injuries in road accidents.
5. More swimming pools, leisure centres and sports clubs are being built all over the country. Even
so, there are still not enough________like this to satisfy demand.
6. Scenes of murder and physical assault are now commonplace on TV. Such_______, unfortunately,
has a negative effect on the minds of young people.
7. The Department of Transport has decided to introduce a green tax on fuel. There are, of course,
many people who would object to the introduction of this________.
8. Making petty criminals wear electronic tags has been a failure in the United States. Surprisingly,
the________is being considered by the Home Office in the UK.
9. Young people nowadays have many forms of technology to amuse them. Teachers often
disapprove of such________, as it tends to make students lazy and unable to think for themselves.
10. Society often fails to meet the needs of physically handicapped people. Yet they are
a________that obviously deserves more help.
11. The government introduced the new rule while everyone's attention was engaged elsewhere. It
was quite a clever________.

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 Exercise 24 More reference with synonyms

This exercise gives you further practice with synonyms. Read the sentences below and think of a
suitable word for each of the blanks. Note that in some cases it is possible to use more than one word.
Only this time, try to do the exercise without any help, if you can.
As you read, try to predict which words will be translated into a synonym in the next part of the text.
Then as you choose each synonym, think about the text which it looks back to. Let us take an example
from the previous exercise:
6. (a) Scenes of murder and physical assault are now commonplace on TV.
(b) Such entertainment/violence, unfortunately, has a negative effect on the minds of young
people.
In (a), the underlined text looks forward to both the synonyms in (b). The synonyms, in turn, look back
to the text underlined in (a).
If you cannot find a word which fits, then select one from the list at the end of the page.
1. Animals are kept in appalling conditions during transport from one country to another. Surely,
......... of this kind cannot be tolerated in a civilised society.
2. Violent attacks by young people are increasing alarmingly, but little is being done to address the
......... .
3. Poverty and ill-health are inextricably bound together, yet the ......... between them does not appear
to be recognised by those in power.
4. In 1945, there were 100,000 vegetarians in the United Kingdom and now there are 3 million. With
2,000 people changing to a meat-free diet each week, it is a ......... that is set to continue.
5. Euthanasia may have to be considered as a possible solution to overpopulation in the future; at the
moment, fortunately, it is not a serious..........
6. One way to solve the problem would be to legalise the use of cannabis and other soft drugs.
This......... could, of course, prove to be rather risky.
7. He said that I should have taken up the job. If I had followed his........., though, I would have been
completely worn out by now.
8. Through the media, people are now being encouraged to recycle different materials like bottles,
paper, plastic bags, etc. Such......... doesn't always work.
9. The Project can only go ahead, if 75% of the funding is found from the private sector. In the
present climate, such a.........will be difficult to fulfil.
10. If speed limits on motorways were reduced, the number of car accidents would fall dramatically.
This is obviously a highly desirable..........
11. The world is in imminent danger of being destroyed by the greenhouse effect. Yet little is being
done to counter this..........
12. With the rising costs of medicine, the question of whether to allocate scarce resources to the
elderly or the young is a......... many hospitals now face.
Below is a list of words you can use to help link the sentences on the previous page.
disaster, outcome, dilemma, craze, action, advice, issue, danger, relationship, encouragement,
problem, cruelty, threat, trend, link, step, condition, situation, connection, practices, option, policy,
predicament, treatment, catastrophe, requirement.
25
 Exercise 25 Words and phrases that are not exactly correct

When you are writing, it is difficult to think about the grammar and spelling as well as the different
connecting devices, all at the same time. However, if you can learn to control the reference and
connections in your writing, it gives you greater freedom, and more time, to concentrate on the content
and the ideas.
In this exercise, you are going to look at a mixture of connections. Some words or phrases are almost
correct; some are completely wrong; and yet others are repetitions. Read the text below once and then
read it again, replacing, where possible, the underlined words with suitable words/phrases. Try not to
mark the text so that you can repeat the exercise.
Why are people turning more and more to alternative medicine?
Alternative, or non-orthodox, medicine is now attracting an ever-increasing number of people. There
are, (1) however, many (2) causes behind this (3) custom.
The most important argument is the public's increased awareness "of their (4) condition. (5) The public
are no longer willing to bear the mildest of pain, (6) as headaches, or (7) bear even minor illnesses like
flu. (8) On the other hand, (9) the public spare no effort looking for help by any means available. As
orthodox medicine often does not work or needs time to work, (10) they do not hesitate to seek help
from an acupuncturist or osteopath in the hope of better relief. (11) And in chronic situations, (12)
namely arthritis, headaches or backache, where (13) orthodox medicine can often do little, some forms
of (14) unorthodox medicine are favoured by an increasing number of people.
(15) Other important reason is that (16) in contrary to orthodox medicine, non-orthodox forms of
treatment do not usually involve much intervention. (17) They also fear being admitted to hospital for
any length of time, taking drugs or chemicals, which may do harm. Above all, they (18) fear operations
of any kind. (19) In addition, when something simple promises relief, they naturally (20) switch to it.

26
 Exercise 26 The definite article as a connecting word
You have looked at joining sentences together by various means. It is now time to focus on another
linking device, the definite article. In the exercise below, explain the use of the articles, the/a/an, and
the lack of articles, as far as you can. Then check your answer with your teacher. You may need to do
the exercise several times.
1. A man was walking slowly along a dark street of low cottages. The street was narrow and
unwelcoming. As he glanced into the alleys between some of the cottages, the man looked quite
scared.
2. The advice you gave me was unsound.
3. The blind may benefit from new developments in technology.
4. The walk to Studland along the beach from the ferry takes just over an hour.
5. I usually hear from him twice a year.
6. We were sitting in an old cafe. The sun was shining in a blue sky, but it was bitterly cold. The room
was very cosy and the hot chocolate was warm and rich.
7. Islands are romantic places and the Seychelles are no exception.
8. The most important bee in a hive is the queen.
9. In the following exercise fill the blanks with a suitable word.
10. I was set upon from behind. The attack lasted only about five minutes, but, believe me, it seemed
like a very long time.
Exercise 27 The articles: fill the gaps
Now you have a chance to use the information you learnt in the previous exercise to complete a series
of texts. For each blank in the texts below, decide whether you should add either a/an/the, or leave the
space empty. Remember to ask yourself the questions you learnt in the previous exercise. Again try not
to mark the text so that you can repeat the exercise.
__1___advice is often difficult to accept from ___2___ friends, but ___3___ advice Samir gave me
was surprisingly helpful. The next time I need ___4___ help 1 shall know where to go.
__5___old people always think that ___6___young lack___7___discipline; maybe it's because
___8___ young people are free from ___9___ shackles that hindered ___10___previous generations.
_11___first time she saw him she was only thirteen. His curly auburn hair and sailor's uniform were
what did it.___12___year later she was out delivering___13___ milk on her bicycle, when she saw him
for ___14___ second time. He was also on _15___bike. If you are going in___16___opposite
directions, ___17___bicycles are not very convenient for starting___18___love affair!
19 whales are in 20 danger of becoming extinct.__21___rubbish left by___22___climbers
on___23___Himalayas is building up.
Sarah and Matty were___24___great friends. Whenever Sarah went out to see her at __25___big
house, Matty would always make her tea in___26___large kitchen. Then, if Lady Margaret were not
around, they would slide down ___27___ banisters
on ___28___ staircase in ___29___front entrance hall. How difficult it is, when you are young, to
resist___30___banisters, especially if they look dangerous!
On___31___arrival at___32___airport,___33___first thing he did was phone home. __34___Giant's
Causeway is one of___35___most beautiful places in___36___Europe.
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 Exercise 28 Reference awareness and connections in a text

Below is part of an article for a school magazine on: Life in 100 years' time; a personal view. Read the
text through carefully; you will see that the passage is not very well connected.
Just as it would have been difficult to predict, a hundred years ago, life in this century, so now it is not
easy to say what life is going to be like in 100 years' time.
First of all, I must say that I think life will be very different in many ways by the year 2096. People
will be living on other planets, perhaps even on planets outside the solar system. Obviously, therefore,
travelling will be incredibly sophisticated and people will be able to travel vast distances in space;
perhaps, even in a matter of seconds.
Secondly, communication is also bound to be so sophisticated, that people will be able to communicate
by telepathy. Another possibility is that people may be able to communicate visually with each other
wherever they are. For example, people will be able to send holographic messages to each other; these
holographic messages will be able to be stored for play back later, just as answering machines do
today.
Thirdly, a planet is certain to be free from disease and, as a consequence, we will have a longer
lifespan. Many people may fear the introduction of euthanasia as the earth becomes more crowded, but,
if it is introduced, I believe that it will be only a temporary measure, as more and more men and
women will be needed to colonise other worlds.
Now try to improve the article by completing the following exercise:
1. The writer has repeated certain words and phrases. Use the synonyms below, in the order they occur
in the list, to improve the text.
(a) the major events that have taken place; (b) our lives; (c) worlds; (d) cover; (e) highly developed; (f)
we; (g) everyone; (h) human beings; (i) one another; (j) images
For example, (c) worlds = planets in Paragraph 2.
2. Are the words and phrases below necessary in the text?
First of all, in many ways, Secondly, Thirdly, For example, as a consequence
3. The writer couldn't decide whether to add , therefore, to the beginning of the second sentence in the
fourth paragraph. In your opinion, is it necessary?
4. In one place in the fourth paragraph, the indefinite article a is used instead of the. Why is it wrong?
5. Note also that the writer has repeated the structure will be able to four times. What other alternatives
can you use in the third paragraph?
6. Which other two structures does the writer use to avoid the repetition of the construction will be?

28
 Exercise 29 Awareness of old/new information in a sentence: 1

This exercise helps make you aware of the organisation of the information in a sentence.
Below is part of an article entitled Violence in our Society. The sentences of the first paragraph are
divided into two parts. The part on the left is in the correct order, but the part on the right is jumbled.
Match the two sections and you will have a complete paragraph. As you do the exercise, think about
the balance of the information in each sentence.

1. One of the most pressing problems a. is the inability of society to tackle the root of the
problem, namely poverty.
2. This increase can be attributed b. operate in isolation.
3. Lack of discipline in the home and at c. to many different causes depending on one's
school particular viewpoint.
d. is often quoted as a reason for the disintegration of
4. The break-up of marriages and the our society.
increase in one-parent families e. are also blamed for the increasing violence in our
5. But without doubt the primary cause lives.
6. Poverty is often the source of a host of f. like the lack of opportunity, squalor and
other contributory factors, unemployment, to name but a few.
7. However, rarely does one of the above g. facing our society today is the increasing incidence
causes of violence.

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 Exercise 30 Awareness of old/new information in a sentence: 2

This exercise helps you to focus on the organisation of the information in a sentence from a different
angle. Below is part of an essay: Inequalities in health care cannot be avoided. Discuss. The sentences
of the second paragraph are divided into two. The parts indicated by letters, which contain the text
references, are jumbled, but those indicated by numbers, containing the ideas, are in the correct order.
Match the two sections of each sentence and you will have a complete paragraph.
Read through the part of the text below carefully. Use the connecting words and phrases, the grammar
and the sequence of information, to help you find your way through the text.
As you do the exercise, think about the relationship between the two parts of each sentence and how
they connect.
Introduction
Not all people in the world enjoy equal standards of health care, simply because everyone in the world
has equal access to such care.
Second paragraph
a. This treatment is available, because there are
b. In the latter, however, there are
c. First of all, the rich can afford to go to
d. What is more, those living in
e. Second, for people living in big cities it is
f. Thus, for poor people living in remote areas
g. Poor patients, on the other hand, have to go to
1. a private hospital where they are able to have better investigations and treatment without delay.
2. a government hospital where they may encounter many difficulties, including long waiting lists for
treatment, or even a lack of basic supplies like bandages.
3. easier to find modern treatment.
4. many highly equipped hospitals available in large cities compared with small towns.
5. often no hospitals at all and public transport is non-existent.
6. large urban areas have access to more specialists in different fields with modern technology like CT
scans, dialysis machines, etc.
7. access to health care is not easily available.

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 Exercise 31 Contradictions

As we have seen, it is difficult to think about the content, as well as the grammar and the connections,
when we write. It is not surprising, therefore, that we sometimes contradict ourselves in minor detail.
Read through the text below quickly. Then read it again carefully and find the contradictions. Note that
the first fact in the text is always true. One of the contradictions is marked for you.
Kimberley was born in 1953 and brought up in Hackney, north London, the only girl in a family of
four boys. She had a happy childhood with parents who were very caring and easy-going. Being rather
well-off, the family lived a totally carefree life in a large, rambling house.
Kimberley was quite an ordinary child, rather dull, in fact, with no real interest in any school activity.
She was very mischievous and always getting into trouble. Her behaviour caused her parents no end of
anguish, as her other brothers and sister were doing extremely well. At school, insects, drawing and, of
course, boys were her main obsessions.
Then, in 1972, at the age of sixteen, Kimberley began to blossom. The plain girl turned into a very
handsome young woman, but still very much a loner. She wasn't exactly elegant, as, coming from a
poor background, she could not afford to buy many expensive clothes.
She had always been a model pupil of average intelligence, but now she began to shine in the class,
especially in languages. In her first attempt at her A-Levels, she did rather well, much to everyone's
surprise.
Kim, as she was known to her many friends, couldn't decide whether to stay in south London, where
she was born, or go to Exeter. She went to the latter, where she studied French and Italian. She lasted
only two years, as she hated the student life in London. As part of her course, she spent a year abroad:
six months in Mos-cow and six in Athens. When she came back to England, she found it very difficult
to settle down. Being decisive, at first, she didn't know what to do, but gradually Kimberley found her
feet.
She started an acting career, which took off rather quickly. After a considerable time, she had a lucky
break in a comedy called Right Monkey, about a family who bring up a baby chimpanzee. The film was
a huge success. She is now also a big hit in a romantic comedy, called Hello and Bye.

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 Exercise 32 Formal letter checklist Part 1

This exercise checks how much you know about formal letters. Read the statements below and decide
whether they are true or false.
1. You can put your name above your address in the top right-hand corner.
2. You must never leave out punctuation in your address.
3. The date should always be immediately below your address.
4. You can abbreviate the date as follows: 22.8.96.
5. Quoting the reference of the person you are writing to is essential.
6. It is always necessary to put the name and the address of the addressee on the left, starting below
your own address.
7. You must always give the position of the person you are writing to after his/her name in the address,
e.g.:
Mr Singh The Manager
8. If you do not know the addressee personally, but you know his/her name, you should still use Dear
Sir/Madam, to begin your letter.
9. All formal letters should begin with a heading on the line below Dear.............,
10. You must always indent the beginning of each paragraph as follows:
Dear Sir/Madam,
I should like to apply...
11. You should start a formal letter by stating why you are writing, e.g.:
I am writing to complain about/apply for ...
I should/ would like to apply for the job ...
Thank you for your letter dated ...
I refer to your letter of ...

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 Exercise 33 Formal letter checklist Part 2
This is another exercise to check how much you know about formal letters. Read the statements below
and decide whether they are true or false.
1. In the following sentence, you can use would instead of should:
I should be grateful if you could send me a copy of the report.
2. When you are applying for a job, it is better to include a summary of your curriculum vitae in the
letter.
3. You cannot use contractions (e.g. don't/I'm/can't).
4. Hope to hear from you soon is a good way to end a formal letter.
5. Yours faithfully, is used in all formal letters.
6. You should always say Thank you/Thanking you in advance at the end of formal letters.
7. It is better to print your name after your signature at the end of the letter.
8. You should avoid colloquial expressions, e.g. phrasal verbs, get, etc.
9. You do not need to write numbers in words.
10. When you use abbreviations in a formal letter, you should write the words in full with the
abbreviation in brackets afterwards, e.g. the United Kingdom (UK). When you want to use the
phrase/name again in the text, you can use the abbreviation on its own.
11. Formal letters should be fairly neat and tidy.
12. You must always use unlined paper.

33
 Exercise 34 Formal letter analysis
In the letter below, there are a number of problems, which relate to style and layout. Edit the letter
using the true/false checklists in Exercises 32 and 33.
27 Silver Street
London,
SE16 1CH
12/7/96.
Dear Sir
I'm a social worker living in London. Normally, I don't write to papers, but I feel I must do so
on this occasion.
I must say that I don't agree with the writer's point of view. She has said that, with the use of fetal
material for transplants, we are actively encouraging more abortions. A recent study, though, shows
that about 175,000 abortions are carried out legally every year in the UK, which means that tissue from
175,000 fetal brains is available for transplantation. Do we then really need more abortions?
By carrying out these operations, we are helping loads of patients suffering from Parkinson's disease.
(There are about 110,000 patients suffering from this condition in the UK.) Thus, we can help a large
number of people lead better and purposeful lives. Secondly, after the operation the patient has to take
fewer drugs. Both these factors would reduce the load on the NHS as millions of pounds are spent on
the rehabilitation of patients suffering from Parkinson's disease.
Finally, by stopping these operations we are actually trying to halt medical research and
progress. How then can we hope to keep up with other developed nations where scientific progress is
advancing at an incredible pace?
Hope I can get this letter published in your paper.
Yours sincerely,

Exercise 35 Sequence of tenses in a text

The text below is part of a letter to a newspaper, stating how the writer thinks the incidence of rape can
be reduced.
In the text, there is a problem with most of the verb forms. Look carefully at the relationships between
the sentences. Then decide what the correct verb form is. In some instances, there may be more than
one correct alternative. Before you do the exercise, you may like to repeat Exercise 12 in Section 1.
Dear Sir/Madam,
[1. I'm write] to express my concern about the increasing number of rape attacks against women in our
society and to put forward some proposals about how the incidence of rape [2. would be] reduced.
I [3. am suggesting] that the government [4. would increase] the penalties for rapists and that there
[5. would be] no parole once a sentence [6. passed]. This [7. shows] the public that the state [8. may
be] serious about [9. tackle] the problem of sexual assault on women. At the same time, while in
prison, sex offenders, as [10. has recently recommended], [11. undergo] long-term counselling to help
them [12. fighting] the problem themselves. If such counselling [13. is continuing] after the release of
sex offenders, then I [14. am strongly believing] that this [15. can be] one of the most effective ways
[16. reduce] the number of sexual assaults on women.
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 Exercise 36 Reading for writing
One way of improving your writing is to learn to absorb the organisation of a text as you read. Many of
the exercises you have done up to now have, in fact, been teaching you how to do just this.
The aim of this exercise is specifically to make you read a text actively and to revise some points you
have already looked at.
Read through the questions below and read the text after that. Then answer the questions and check
your answer with your teacher.
1. In line 1, is it possible to start the letter I write instead of I am writing?
2. Why is it not possible to replace the first sentence with the following: I read an article in your
newspaper on AIDS on 15 August.?
3. Which of the following words could replace the word opinion in line 1: views/concern/belief/fears?
4. In lines 2-3, can you write the date as follows: 15/8/96?
5. In lines 4-5, the clause As a doctor who has spent six months in research on AIDS could be left out
without affecting the text in any way. Do you agree with this statement? Read the introduction, if
necessary several times, with and without the phrase.
6. Do you think the writer should start the second paragraph with a phrase like: First of all, Firstly,
First? Give reasons for your answer.
7. You can replace This in line 7 with It. Is this true? Give your reasons. Can you think of any other
way to connect the two sentences?
8. In line 7, is the word order how would he explain correct? Give a reason for your answer.
9. In line 9, what other words can you think of to replace Moreover? Is it possible to omit Moreover
here? Give a reason.
10. What other words/phrases can replace the word Therefore in line 12? Also, is the word Therefore
really necessary here?
11. Is it possible to rewrite the opening sentence of the fourth paragraph as follows: The writer also
suggests that resources ...? If so, which of the two do you think is better?
12. Connect the two sentences of the fourth paragraph in a different way. Which do you prefer, this
new version or the writer's?

35
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to express my opinion about an article on Acquired Immunodefi-
ciency Syndrome (AIDS), which appeared in your newspaper on 15th August
1996. I fear that there is a danger of your readers being misled by the remarks
made by the writer. As a doctor who has spent six months in research on AIDS,
I would like to clarify a few points for your readers.
The writer stated that AIDS is a plague sent to those who have an immoral life.
This is nonsense. I would like to ask the author how would he explain, from his
extremely narrow point of view, the transmission of the Human Immunodefi--
ciency Virus (HIV) to haemophilia patients. Moreover, what about the
outbreak of HIV infection in neonatal wards in some parts of the world?
A quick look at the latest information on AIDS would reveal that it is spreading
throughout the world among different nations. Therefore, it is a threat to all
human beings, regardless of their lifestyle.
After his initial statement, the writer goes on to suggest that resources should
not be allocated for research programmes on AIDS. This means a complete and
utter surrender to a very threatening, but controllable and preventable situation.
The article must also have been a great shock to the victims of AIDS. We
should bear in mind that people who have this disease need sympathy, support,
counselling and help, rather than isolation, accusation and public humiliation.
I do hope the writer will, in future, consider the ethical and human costs of
what he writes.
Yours faithfully,

Georgina Moore.

36
 Exercise 37 Formal and informal awareness
The first stage of deciding whether a word or phrase is formal or informal is being aware that there is a
difference between the two of them. This exercise will help you to recognise formal/informal language.
Read through the sentences below and you will see that they are all informal. Try to make them formal
and then compare your answer with the suggested versions from your teacher.
Example:
Why don't they invest more money in the education system?
This is informal.
Formal:
I suggest that more money (should) be invested in the education system.
1. Thanks for your letter, which I got yesterday.
2. If I were you, I'd make a wider selection of food available.
3. Just a brief note to say how badly a member of your staff treated me.
4. You switched my flight time without telling me!
5. Just a few words to say what I think about that article which appeared in your paper the other day. It
was on sport for the young.
6. Anyway, drop me a line when you have the chance.
7. What he said was just a load of rubbish.
8. There are tons of things that we can do to solve the problem.
9. And what is worse is that you find dog dirt all over the area where children are playing.
10. The thing that really got me was the writer's ignorance of this matter.
11. I reckon that the writer has got it all wrong.
12. Firstly, you never clean the canteen floor.
13. Please reply soon.
14. Yours,
15. I'd like to get an application form from you for the clerical assistant job.

37
 Exercise 38 Translation from informal to formal
You are now going to see whether you can distinguish between formal and informal language in a text.
Below is a formal letter to a bank manager complaining about a cheque that was not honoured by the
bank. The grammar, spelling, etc. are correct, but some of the words and phrases are not suitable for a
formal letter. First of all, read through the text and make a list of the words and phrases which you
think are too informal. Then try to find formal items to replace them without any help. If necessary,
however, you may choose from words and phrases from the list at the bottom of the page. Some of the
informal examples have been marked for you.
Hello Mr Underall,
Just a few lines to say that 9. you bounced a cheque, which was presented for payment on 25/1/96, in
spite of the fact that my account 17. had money in it at the time of presentation. I would also like to
make a complaint about the subsequent service I got from 1. one of your chaps.
I would call your attention to the fact that a banker's draft for £150 was paid into my account at your
branch by my elder daughter, Rebecca Merstone, on 20/1/96, five days before the said cheque was
presented and refused. The following day my younger daughter, Rosie, also paid £100 in cash into my
account. There were, then, enough funds in my account at the time of presentation and the cheque
should have been cleared.
And I'd like to point out that I got in touch with you by phone and the chap I spoke to was really rude.
Not being used to such behaviour, I was, as you can imagine, left speechless.
Please inform me what compensation you propose to offer me for my inconvenience in this matter and
what you are going to do re the rudeness of the cashier.
Look forward to hearing from you when you've got the time.
Best wishes,
Caroline Grinaide
Ms Caroline Grinaide.
1. a member of your staff 11. I look forward to hearing from you
2. I should be grateful if you could 12. failed to honour
3. at your earliest convenience 13. telephone
4. 20 January 1996 14. 25 January 1996
5. contacted my branch 15. what action you propose to take
6. I am writing to lodge a complaint about the fact 16. sufficient
7. therefore 17. was in credit
8. the gentleman 18. Yours sincerely,
9. the bank 19. very
0. I should also like 20. received
21. Dear

38
 Exercise 39 Dressing up an informal letter
Another aspect of editing a text is to improve on a draft, which requires both patience and practice.
Below is the beginning of an informal letter. The text is correct, but it could be improved. Read the text
and then insert some, or all, of the words and phrases below to dress up the passage. You do not have
to use all of the items; how far you improve the text is for you to decide. Then ask your teacher to help
check the words and phrases you have used.
Please note that, in some cases, you may have to change the punctuation.
1. then 9. which wasn't exactly easy.
2. The first thing ... do was ... 10. a bit
3. and so I went along with them. 11. It's quite handy for the shops and
4. very pleasant studio 12. in one piece
5. and have been settling in gradually since then. 13. where
6. loads of 14. Now that I've got my own place
7. really 15. first
8. I must admit 16. a few lines
Dear Pierrick,
Just to let you know I got here and to give you my new address.
I arrived in London about a month ago. I had to find a place to live. When I got here, Mohammed put
me up for a couple of nights and then I found this flat in West London through an agency. There's a
tube station not too far away. You should come over here for a few weeks at the end of term.
Meeting people in London is quite difficult. In the beginning, I felt homesick, but one evening I went to
the Student Union. I got talking to some other students. They invited me to a party, which they were
going to gatecrash. It was fantastic. I met other people, some of whom I've met several times since.

39
 Exercise 40 Formal to informal translation
This exercise helps you focus on the difference between formal and informal language. Below is an
informal letter to a friend. The grammar, spelling, etc. are correct, but some of the words or phrases are
not suitable for a friendly letter. First, see if you recognise the language which is too formal. Then try
to make the letter more informal by replacing the formal words and phrases with the informal items
below. Two examples have been done for you.
1. Give my regards to 9. decided 16. getting me down
2. great 10. hope to hear from you soon 17. we can meet up
3. things 11. has not been sorted out 18. Anyway
4. Why don't you 12. walk 19. Love
5. nice 13. get through to 20. write
6. really 14. sorted out 21. Many thanks
7. got 15. getting 22. loads of
8. hear
Dear Sarah,
I am writing to thank you for your letter, which I received a couple of days ago, and for
the message on my answering machine. It was 5. such a pleasant experience to hear from you. I've
tried innumerable times to make contact with you on the phone, but I kept obtaining your answering
machine. So I resolved to put pen to paper instead.
It's really wonderful of you to have arranged the holiday to Venice so efficiently. These days I
don't seem to be able to get my act together; nor do I have the time or energy to do anything. I must
say that chasing all this paper around at work is depressing me.
Well, I'm sorry to be informed that your noise problem has not come to a satisfactory
conclusion yet. It's truly selfish and inconsiderate of people to play music at full blast, especially when
all you hear is that deep thud. I would suggest you blast them with some opera in the middle of the
night
On a happier note, a meeting between us can be arranged before we go to Venice. If it's nice,
we could finish that promenade along the river and then we could have a late afternoon tea.
Finally, I look forward to hearing from you soon and hope 3. your life and environment are a
bit quieter. I would be grateful if you could convey my regards to Hugh.
Yours faithfully,
Rodney

40
 EXERCISE 41 A writing drill
Students often learn words and phrases in isolation. Then when it comes to writing a text, the words
and phrases do not fit in properly, or more often than not they do not come to mind easily. In this
exercise, you are asked to think of a word to fill each blank in an informal letter. Read the text through
once. Then read the letter again and think of a suitable word for each gap. Write the words on a
separate sheet of paper.
Check your answer with your teacher. Repeat the exercise until you are able to read and fill the blanks
fluently. Please note that you are not expected to be able to fill all the blanks at the first attempt. With
repetition, however, you should be able to fill most of them automatically.
Dear Doug,
____1________2____your letter,___3________4________5____yesterday. ___6____was
really nice to ____7________8________9____. I must say, ___10____, that I was____11____
____12____ surprised to learn that you were back ____13____ cigarettes again.
I know you're under pressure because of your exams, ____14___ it doesn't mean that you
should give____15____now.____16________17________18____, I can't believe cigarettes are
helping you. Do you remember____19___I said before about all the illnesses you can____20____by
smoking,____21____lung cancer, heart disease and so on? By smoking, in other____22____, you're
putting your own life____23____risk. ___24____, what about Caroline and the____25____? Aren't
they now at greater risk due to your selfishness? ____26________27________28____ you, I'd start
giving up: ____29____. I know it isn't easy, because I've been____30____it all myself.
____31____don't____32____start by____33____up gradually?____34____ ___35____, for
instance, give up the most important cigarettes of the day,____36____: the first one in the morning;
____37____ after meals; and ____38____ while you're; drinking. ___39___you can cut___40___at the
rate of one a day. In this way, you won't feel the withdrawal symptoms quite so badly. I suppose there's
also the possibility of giving up in one____41____. You remember Mary, don't you?____42____, she
____43____in smoking after she started wheezing all the time. Now she's taken ___44____jogging.
You____45________46____to try the same.
____47____, hope you don't mind me ranting on like this. And____48____ you___49____my
advice.____50____me a line when you've got the time. My regards to Joan and the kids. And good
luck in the exams!
Best wishes,

41
 EXERCISE 42 Recognising spelling mistakes
Once we have written something, it is difficult to recognise spelling mistakes. There are many reasons
for this: we are not careful enough when we write; we check too quickly; we recognise the overall
shape of the word, but we do not check the detail within the word.
One way of looking at spelling is to consider each word as a picture. Like a person, if you see people
often enough in different clothes and in different contexts, you can recognise them easily. We all come
across people whom we do not recognise outside the context we usually see them in! With words, it is
not much different. You have to be able to recognise words in books, in newspapers, in your own
handwriting, in advertisements, on computer screens and so on. All these different word shapes and
sizes can cause problems. Compare the way you write and print a word with a printed word from a
book. They will all be different.
Further, some of our word pictures may be wrong, so that we are not able to see that there is a mistake
in the spelling of a word. You should not, therefore, be surprised that errors occur in your writing,
especially as it develops.
As you study language, you can consciously alter the pictures you have of words. One method is by
learning to recognise that something is wrong.
In each line below, there is at least one spelling mistake. Read the list carefully. Find the spelling
mistakes and write the corrections on a piece of paper.
1. paragraph account apply finaly preferred definitely
2. programme execises support enviroment postpone relief
3. stubborn listning stopping vegtables aditional suddenly
4. yesteday allowed expensive temporary althought because
5. passage beleif tummy careful arrival begining guaranteed
6. intresting travelled imediately tomorrow especially
7. imagine ansering correspond advertisment punishment
8. straight restuarant discusing delightful buisnessman
9. admited disapointed tunnel threatening langauge nonsense
10. cancellation examination proffesion afected occasional
11. maintenence skilled suprise colours aproval attractive
12. fortunatly puting permenant important general

42
 Exercise 43 Recognising the correct word picture

Spelling is also about recognising that the picture of a word that you have in your head is the same as
the one you see on the written page. In this exercise, you are going to pick out the correct word picture
from a series of words. In each list below, there is ONE word which is spelt correctly. Read each list
carefully and decide which word is correct.
Do not mark the paper so that you can do the exercise again.
1. realy fulfil acknowlege availible esential finaly
2, benifit beautifull government independant breif studing
3. dissaray dissagree disaprove disappear embarass iritate
4. feild beleive receive plaed polution preceed practiced
5. successful wonderfull powerfull preffer greif dificulty
6. precede writen inteligent separately proceedure
7. occurred originaly posession fascilitate atempt behavour
8. diffrent refering difficult carefuly gaurantee
9. acommodation phisical arrange simlar preferrable posess
10. equiped responsable necessary ocasional appearence
11. knowledge benifited licenced acheive desparate

EXERCISE 44 Recognising words with a different appearance

In this exercise, you are again going to look for words which have been correctly spelt. To see if you
can recognise words with a different appearance, the typeface in the lists below has been changed.
In some of the lists, all of the words are correct and in others only one or two are correct. Read each list
carefully and decide which words are spelt correctly.
Do not mark the book so that you can do the exercise again.
1. irresponsible aprove dillema committee aeroplain
2. desperate separate phenomenon intention occurence
3. delinquant appointment ordinry develope correspondance
4. independence technique vehicle possibility thorough
5. computer temperature envlromental erradicate alochol
6. dictionery therfore thier permission enginering
7. teatotaller independent professor tastefull
8. conscientious management envelope February
9. frightening application detention fascilitles
10. liesure perceive offensive neighborhood envelop
11. intrested unfortunatly apolegetic directory
12. occasion embarrassment casaltles deforestration
13. miscelaneous aproach mischievous secretary

43
 EXERCISE 45 Editing sentences with different mistakes
When you write, you have to think about many things, not just spelling. You need to be aware of the
correct word to use, the correct conjunction, the correct adverb, the correct punctuation, the
organisation and so on. In other words, your attention is being sent in different directions at the same
time. As your ability to control your writing develops (see Sections 1 and 2), you may find that some
organisational mistakes disappear. This is partly because certain mechanisms have become reflex
actions; you do not have to think about them all the time! You can then direct your attention to other
types of inaccuracies.
In this exercise, you have to find and correct mistakes in sentences. This time the errors are not just to
do with spelling. Read each sentence carefully to find the mistake and write the correction on a piece
of paper.
Do not mark this paper so that you can do the exercise again.
1. All primary schools should be provided computer suites.
2. Last year the matter has been debated in parliament.
3. There are many people would agree with this statement.
4. Except from buses and trains, there are other forms of public transport that could be used.
5. Young people still seem to have enormous problems in finding work.
6. Many people are very interesting in politics.
7. In recent years, juvenile crime is a serious threat to the fabric'1' of society.
8. The accomodation on offer is usually of poor quality and very expensive.
9. One way to reduce the increasing population is to introduce licenses to have children.
10. Thanks you for your letter, which I got yesterday.
11. Urban areas are not enough big to hold all the people who migrate to them.
12. Criticism is levelled against modern architecture many times before.
13. Fines should be imposed on those break the law.
14. More money needs to be spent for a cure for cancer.
15. It should be also made clear that being punctual is necessary.

44
 Exercise 46 Speed editing
In this exercise, there is a mistake in most of the sentences; five sentences are, in fact, correct. As with
spelling, you need to learn to recognise what is wrong and what is correct. Now, you should try to
increase your speed. Read each sentence as quickly as you can to find the mistake and write the
correction on a piece of paper. As you do the exercise, time yourself. If you repeat the exercise, try to
do it more quickly.
1. In my opinion, news on television about violence need to be censored, as it encourages violence.
2. The affects of technology on our lives are endless.
3. After the matter will be considered fully, the law will be changed.
4. There is a little doubt as to the truth of this statement. Nobody would argue against it.
5. I cannot say that I agree to the opinion expressed in the article.
6. Though generally very confident, there are certain areas where he is quite shy.
7. This can not be done as easily as people think.
8. The matter almost was overlooked.
9. Although the proposal has been put forward before, but it should be examined again.
10. Although the cost involved, new trees must be planted.
11. If many people do not have enough money to buy food and clothes, surely some-thing has gone
wrong.
12. Many people find spiders rather frightening.
13. Nobody as yet has found an answer for this problem.
14. The patient lay in a comma for several days.
15. Within the next decade, biotechnology may transform our lives.
16. A big number of people were involved in the accident.
17. They finally managed in finding a solution to the problem.
18. Even there is plenty of scope for development.
19. It is very essential to examine the situation carefully.
20. This is no different from the other one.

45
 EXERCISE 47 A teacher's revenge!

In this exercise, you need to be a little bit more active in your recognition and correction of mistakes,
as you will find out when you check with your teacher. Below you have 25 sentences; altogether, they
are roughly the same length as an essay of 250-260 words. Three of the sentences have no mistakes
and you may also find that some have more than one. Time yourself and see if you can find the
mistakes in less than five minutes. Leave the exercise for a few days and try it again.
1. Fossil remains of dinosaurs are found recently.
2. The government must tighten the law in this respect.
3. Nowadays, especially young people, everyone should practise safe sex.
4. He arised the matter at the meeting before last.
5. I wonder how can the writer explain this statement.
6. Success only can be acheived by hard work.
7. I suggest you to try working a bit harder.
8. Instead, the money should be spent on improving school buildings and to help old people.
9. If people are careful when they drive, there will be fewer accidents.
10. This is a delicate matter that has raised considerable controversy.
11. Smoking is very harmfull to our health.
12. Less people would mean less problems.
13. Should education be free for all?
14. Passing exams often depends of luck.
15. We pick knowledge throughout life.
16. The idea is certainly sound and, in my opinion, it should not be introduced.
17. He bought the stationary he needed and then rushed home to right the letter.
18. The goverment are surely responsible in this case.
19. Had they acted sooner, then the collapse of the housing market would not happen.
20. He appears to be very experienced with dealing with people.
21. We are all sensible to criticism at times.
22. I've kept a dairy since I was in primary school.
23. He had to pay a £50 fee when he was caught parking in a restricted area.
24. I often loose my way around here.
25. Recent staistics have shown that the distance between the rich and the poor is increasing.

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 EXERCISE 48 Correcting a text

Correcting a sentence, or a series of sentences, is very different from finding mistakes in a continuous
piece of writing. In a sentence, you are working within very specific limits, i.e. between two full stops.
A text like the one below, however, is larger and more complex. As the language in any one sentence is
subject to many influences, your mind, therefore, needs to be touching different points at any one time,
like a spider.
In the text below, on the importance of computers nowadays, there are some errors. As you read the
passage, think about the mistakes, which are numbered. Then use the notes below the text to help you
correct the passage.

Nowadays 1. the computers are being used in so many areas of our lives, 2. as education, leisure, work,
etc., that you can hardly go 3. nowhere or do anything 4. without come in contact with one in some
form or other. 5. Take schools for example even at primary level, children are learning more and more
through the use of computers. So much 6., in fact, that some people even believe that one day, in the
none too distant future, 7. computer will replace the teacher in the classroom. 8. Many, if not most,
homes are now 9. equiped with home computers, so many children spend a lot of their time 10.
surround by machines. 11. Parents increasingly find that they are now part of a new group of illiterates
- the computer illiterate. As such 12. parents are in danger not only of being unable to help their
children with their homework, but also 13. to be left behind in the work field. 14. A knowledge of how
to use computers is a necessity for 15. everyone in the modern world.

1. Which is correct: the computers/the computer/computers?

2. education ... etc. are examples of the areas of our lives? Can as introduce examples here?
3. Look at the pattern in the rest of the sentence carefully: ...do anything.
4. without is a preposition. Is the verb which follows in the correct form?
5. There are two main verbs in this sentence. Correct the punctuation.
6. A word is missing here. It refers to the previous sentence.
7. Is the word computer correct here? Look also at 1 above as well.
8. You need to add a word or a phrase here to help the reader. You want to show him/her that this
sentence is another example to support your argument. You need, therefore, to qualify the sentence by
using a word that means plus.
9. Is the spelling correct here?
10. Is the form of this verb correct?
11. You need to show the relationship between this sentence and the previous one. What is the
purpose of this sentence?
12. Repetition?
13. Is the verb in the right form?
14. Add a word or phrase to show the relationship between this sentence and the previous text.
15. Should this be everyone or every one?

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 EXERCISE 49 Correcting and improving a text

In the passage below, the writer has made some mistakes and there are also some changes he would
like to make. Read the text carefully. Then look at the guidelines below the text.
The Temple to the Winds
How well remember the very first time I saw it. To a child's eyes, the distance was great and it was
merely a blob on a cliff top, far away and out of reach, but somehow the blob did not look right. I
couldn't say why and it perturbed me that I couldn't work it out. I didn't think to ask what it was: so
mysterious it was, that I probably thought they wouldn't know anyway.
The image has huanted me ever since.
It was to be many years later when I had left home, had been to an other continent even, that I returned
back. It was on a summer's, wet, cold day with .the wind lashing in from the north. We approached it
from the main road, walking towards the cliff top and the sea. I was apprehensive and excited:
apprehensive, because it will prove to be such a disappointment, and excited by the thought that it
might not be so. And there it was, precariously on the cliff edge. 14. Incongruous in the Celtic
landscape, the round classical building stood proud and solid against the temper of the North Sea.
We entered; and it was more than I had imagined. Opposite the door, to which we had climbed stone
steps, was a tall narrow window facing straight out into the sea. There was another opening to the east,
and then I turned and looked west.
In spite of the rain, the golden strand curved round, followed by the railway line, which passed directly
beneath the Temple to the Winds. The mountains, slopping up from the beach, looked different from
this viewpoint; and the hills of Donegal were lost to the rain. I moved to the window and looked into
the distance that still seemed so great. For a time I waited, but I could not see the little boy, so full of
dreams, who was beckoned upon the winds.
Use the guidelines below to help you edit the passage. Note that the guidelines are in the order that you
should make the improvements to the text. As an example, number 14. has been done for you.
Try not to mark the text so that you can repeat the exercise.
1. In the first line, there is a word missing.
2. Replace this word with the word just.
3. Annoyed might be better at one point in the text.
4. These two words are the wrong way round.
5. Two letters in this word are the wrong way round.
6. These two words should be one word.
7. This word is not needed. It is in the third paragraph.
8. These three words are in the wrong order.
9. Add the following phrase in the correct place: through soggy ground.
10. The word will is wrong here. What should you use?
11. This word has a p missing.
12. This word has an extra letter s.
13. Put the word perched into a suitable place in the text.
14. Add the word Incongruous to a suitable place in the text.
15. Add the phrase a short flight of to a suitable place in the text.
16. This word should be two words.
17. This word has one p too many.
18. Replace this word with the word peered.
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 EXERCISE 50 Learning to see mistakes in a text

In this exercise, you are going to look at correcting a text in a different way. The passage below is
correct. Read the passage several times, and then look another text.
You may want to leave a gap of several days between reading the two texts.
Through the distant haze of childhood, my school holidays with Auntie Maureen and Auntie Vi stand
out clearly in my mind. Even now as an adult, my occasional visits to: Farkleberry Rise never fail to
cheer me up.
Auntie Maureen is a favourite of mine. She is tall and slender and wears her hair in a tight bun. Her
faint moustache still amuses me; at first, it made her appear rather fierce i and strict to my sister and
myself.
She is, in fact, rather an exciting character. To us children, she was always such fun to be with and
constantly trying to keep us entertained; whether it was playing games on the wide lawn, or launching
bomb attacks on the Wendy house in the wilderness at the bottom of the orchard. Auntie Vi, on the
other hand, a rather jolly and quite erudite character, always seemed to be working furiously in some
far off corner of the Rise, and hanging out of windows shouting encouragement at our goings-on in the
garden. Much later, we found that she was, in fact, shouting at us to shut up.
Auntie Maureen was, and still is, something of a legend in the local area, famous for her amateur
dramatics, homemade jam and hedges. On one memorable occasion, she put on rather a spectacular
display for us. She was up a ladder cutting the hedge at the back of the Rise. We had been acting
Breeze in the Birches, a play Auntie Maureen had written for us, when we rushed round the corner of
the house to find dear Auntie Maureen in mid-air, legs and arms akimbo like a great star.
We thought she had got bored cutting the hedge and had decided to join in our fun. We roared with
laughter, as Auntie Maureen disappeared over the top of the hedge with what sounded like great
squeals of delight. Never have I laughed so much in all my life!
Auntie Maureen then spent three days in bed, barely able to move.

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The passage in the exercise is repeated below, but it now has 25 mistakes. At the end of each
paragraph, the number of mistakes is indicated in brackets. Now look for the mistakes in the text
below. Try not to refer to the original text.
Through the distance haze of childhood, my shool holidays with Auntie Maureen and Auntie Vi stand
out clearly in my mind. Even now as an adult, my ocasional visits to Farkleberry Rise never fails to
cheer me up. [3]
Auntie Maureen is a favourite of mine. She is high and slender and carries her hair in a tight bun. Her
faint moustache still amuses me; first, it made her appear rather feirce and strict to my sister and
myself. [4]
She is, in fact, rather an excited character. To us children, she was always such fun to be with and
constantly trying to keep us entertained; it was playing games on the wide lawn or lunching bomb
attacks on the Wendy house in the wilderness at the bottom of the orchard. Auntie Vi, on other hand, a
rather jolly and quiet erudite character, always seemed to be working furiously in some far of corner of
the Rise, and hanging windows shouting encouragement at our goings-on in garden. Much later, we
found that she was, in fact, shouting at us to shut. [9]
Auntie Maureen was, and still is, some thing of a legend in the local area, famous for her amateur
dramatics, homemade jam and hedges. On one memorable occasion, she put on rather a spectaclar
display for us. She was up a ladder cutting the hedge at the back of the Rise. We acted Breeze in the
Birches, a play Auntie Maureen had written for us, when we rushed round the corner of the house to
find dear Auntie Maureen in mid-air, legs and arms akimbo like a great star. [4]
We were thinking she had got bored to cut the hedge and had decided to join in our fun. We roared
with laughter, as Auntie Maureen disappeared over the top of the hedge with what sounded like great
squeals of delight. Never I have laughed so much in all my life! [3]
Auntie Maureen was then spending three days in the bed, barely able to move. [2]

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 Exercise 51 Finding irrelevant information

You are now going to look at another aspect of editing a text: finding and removing irrelevant
information from a passage. We all find it difficult to concentrate as we write. Even when we have
worked out the focus of an essay, there is always the temptation to add extra, and usually irrelevant,
details. This is partly because it is not easy to keep within the limits we have created for ourselves.
Sometimes, it also happens because we do not know how to relate additional facts to the text we are
writing. Sorting out relevant information from the almost relevant is also a problem.
Below is a passage with ten irrelevant sentences or clauses. Read the text and decide which parts are
irrelevant.
Example: The first sentence in paragraph 1 is irrelevant, but why?
What are the main arguments for or against banning genetic engineering?

Genetics is a subject which is rather complicated for the public. As the science of genetic engineering
advances, science fiction is being turned into reality and it is, in my opinion, a great improvement.
Such developments, however, are totally unacceptable to a large proportion of the general public.
Many people object to the use of genetic engineering in food production, and are also worried about
the safety of beef products. In research centres throughout the world, experiments are being carried out
to produce genetically engineered plants that can resist pests or produce a higher yield or last longer.
Genetic engineering will lead to a healthier diet for all of mankind and, consequently, an even better
standard of living. For example, tomato products are already being sold which do not rot; so-called
'Frankenstein' tomatoes. The main concern of many people is that these changes are unsafe.
Safety is also a primary concern of many people in other areas of life, e.g. the side-effects of
medicines. They fear that such alterations will, in turn, ultimately lead to changes in the environment
and food chain, which scientists have not thought of. Scientists are responsible for many disasters:
there are countless stories about waste being spilled into rivers and the sea. Similarly, many people are
anxious that certain altered micro-organisms, which are dangerous, might accidentally escape into the
environment with catastrophic'3' consequences. Can scientists confirm categorically that the
modifications they have made to the structure of plants and animals will not affect the health of both
humans and animals, since innocent creatures need protection against experiments?
Another major argument against is that the morality of using genetic engineering is questionable.
Recently, the general public were very shocked and disturbed to see on TV and in many newspapers
the sight of a mouse, which had been genetically engineered to have no immune system. What
disturbed most people was the sight of a human ear growing under the skin of the mouse's back. Such
bizarre images should not be shown on TV, as it upsets many people. The ear was developed for
cosmetic reasons, e.g. to help deformed children. While everyone would agree with the aim of helping
people with physical deformities, few people could not but be appalled at the immoral use of helpless
animals in this way. Many animal lovers, myself included, feel that they must make a stand for the
rights of animals.
These are but a few examples of the main arguments against the practice of genetic engineering. There
are, of course, many arguments in favour, for example a better quality of food.
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 Exercise 52 Another maze

When you write, you are constantly making choices about your knowledge of the grammar in a
language, about the content and about the connections. You have to be very alert! In this exercise, you
are going to create a text by making choices from different alternatives.
Below is a passage on the measures to reduce traffic congestion in cities in the UK. The introduction
is:
As the roads in the UK, especially in urban areas, become more congested, attention is being focused
on ways to deal with the problem. The best way, in my opinion, is to increase investment in public
transport.
Now continue the paragraph. In 1 below, two of the alternatives are wrong and one is correct. Choose
the correct answer. Move on to number 2 and do the same. In each case, think of a reason, or reasons,
for your choice, and why the other two alternatives are unsuitable.

A B C
1. Such investment would lead Increased investment in public Investment leads to a more
to a more efficient public transport would lead to a more efficient system.
transport infrastructure. efficient public transport
infrastructure.
2. It, in turn, would lead to a More people would then use More people would then use
greater use of public transport, public transport and there public transport, provided
provided would be fewer accidents,
3. more buses and trains are provided more buses were provided and
made available and it is more buses and trains were they were cheaper.
cheaper. made available and the fares Fewer vehicles would mean
4. This would have the kept low. fewer accidents on the roads.
beneficial effect of reducing It would reduce the number of
the number of private vehicles vehicles on the roads. As there would be fewer
on the roads. vehicles,
5. There will be fewer There would be fewer vehicles, and less congestion.
vehicles,
and the roads would be less The cars will, as a result, be
6. the roads would be less congested. less congested.
congested. Motorists would, therefore, be
7. The traffic would move able to move around much
more freely. more easily.

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 Exercise 53 Punctuation names

This exercise will help you test your knowledge of the names of the different punctuation marks. Try
not to mark the text, as then you will be able to repeat the exercise several times. Name all the
punctuation marks in each of the sentences below.
1. Mrs Jackson couldn't find the letter immediately, but after a few days it turned up.
2. Is it so difficult to give a straight answer?
3. The dog had been very badly treated; its back was covered in sores.
4. 'Why didn't they bring this law in sooner?' she asked.
5. That was rather a half-baked idea.
6. What a wonderful fireplace!
7. Frederick Bartlett (1913-1947) is one of the world's great undiscovered poets.
8. It's James's book.
9. He gave me a really nice present - a beautiful handmade bowl.
10. The market was full of such exotic fruit, like: guavas, mangoes, starfruit and kumquats.
11. You can use several punctuation marks in a list: commas/semicolons/oblique strokes.

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 Exercise 54 Questions about punctuation

It is quite difficult to learn rules in any list; and the rules of punctuation are no exception. In this
exercise, you can test how much you know.
Try not to mark the text, as then you will be able to repeat the exercise several times.
1. What is wrong with the punctuation in this sentence:
Many people will now want to know why the taxpayer's money is being wasted in this way?
2. How does the punctuation change the meaning in the sentences below?
(a) Your nephew, who bought the painting, came in the shop again yesterday.
(b) Your nephew who bought the painting came in the shop again yesterday.
3. Is the punctuation in both sentences below correct?
(a) Mr James, who bought the painting, came in the shop again yesterday.
(b) Mr James who bought the painting came in the shop again yesterday.
4. Are all the commas in the sentences below necessary? If so, what is their effect on the meaning of
the sentences?
(a) Two factory managers, Mr Jones and Mrs Blair, spoke very eloquently'1' at the meeting.
(b) Two factory managers, Mr Jones and Mrs Blair spoke very eloquently at the meeting.
(c) He got up early, so he would be able to finish his essay.
(d) Mr Cook, the chair, of the Committee, spoke, at length'2', about the matter, however.
(e) The man, wearing a red jumper, is the leader of the gang.
(f) He bought a house, a garage, a cat and a garden.
(g) Tell me immediately, if you need me for anything,
(h) If you need me for anything, tell me immediately.
5. What is the difference between a colon and a semicolon? Use the following sentences to work out
the answer:
(a) You need three documents, namely: your passport, your driving license and a bank statement.
(b) I have a piece of advice for you: listen carefully to what he tells you.
(c) The film was so boring; people just seemed to sit around and talk.
(d) The government can do one of three things: raise taxes; increase borrowing; or just do nothing
and let things take their course.
6. Which of the two following sentences has the correct punctuation?
(a) 'Why is it's tail so long?' the little boy asked.
(b) It's getting rather late and we'd better get home.
7. Can you use a dash in formal writing?
8. When do you use a hyphen?
9. When you use words and phrases like moreover/similarly/however at the beginning of a sentence,
or in the middle, should you use commas to separate them from the rest of the text?
10. You can use brackets to indicate parenthesis. What other punctuation marks can you use?
11. Change the meaning of this sentence by adding two commas:
The planes made from a new kind of alloy were returned to the factory.

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 Exercise 55 Missing punctuation
Now it is time to use the information from the previous exercises on punctuation. In each sentence
below, there is one punctuation mark missing. Read the sentences carefully and decide where the
missing punctuation is. Then write your corrections on a separate piece of paper. Check your answer
with your teacher.
1. I wonder what I can do to help you in this matter
2. What a brilliant idea Ive just had!
3. Mr Jones telephoned early and left you the following message please ring after 4 pm today.
4. It's correct, isn't it
5. He wanted to get home early because it was snowing rather heavily that evening.
6. There are many ways of going about this for example, you could arrange it through a travel agent
or the airline could do it for you.
7. Should you wish to have further information, I shall be glad to supply the same
8. Could you type this up for me, please
9. Three linguists, Professor Jones Professor Harvey and Dr Boyd, turned up at the seminar.
10. Yours is much bigger but its bonnet is a bit small.

Exercise 56 Punctuation correction

Some of the sentences below have the correct punctuation, some have too much, and some do not have
enough. Read the sentences carefully and decide which sentences contain the wrong punctuation. Then
write your corrections on a separate piece of paper.
Check your answer with your teacher.
1. There was a long, dark, winding, road leading up to the house.
2. Ms Bartlett rising to address the Horticultural Society tripped and fell.
3. Moreover the medicine should have been banned immediately.
4. Its body was long and thin, and covered in tiny spikes
5. He couldn't remember when to use 'Your's faithfully,' and 'Your's sincerely,'.
6. On the surface, it sounds like a good idea, but dig a bit deeper and the problems start to appear.
7. People, like scientists and inventors often appear eccentric to the rest of us.
8. The group of children who were given lots of help by their parents progressed much more quickly.
9. 'Dont ever do that again, he shouted.
10. Fewer and fewer people came to the library. Therefore, it was decided that it should be closed.
11. In reality, its not that easy to deal with.
12. Who's fault is it?
13. We had a pleasant end of term party.
14. Michel said the teacher is a very fast reader.

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 Exercise 57 Capital letters

Another aspect of writing, which you normally find under punctuation, is the use of capital letters.
In this exercise, you are going to complete the rules for yourself. On the left, you have examples of the
use of capital letters. Match them with the rules of use in the right-hand column.

1. John, Mohamed, Nicky (a) the names of rivers

2. September, March (b) titles with names
3. Freetown, New York (c) the names of countries
4. German, Indian (d) the names of people
5. Tuesday, Friday (e) many abbreviations
6. the Thames, the Amazon (f) adjectives of nationality
7. A friend told me. (g) days of the week
8. Pakistan, France (h) nouns as part of the names of places
9. Easter, Diwali, Ramadan (i) the titles of books, plays, etc.
10. the Renaissance (j) the first word in a sentence
11. The Tempest (k) the names of festivals
12. Mrs Stuart, Professor West (1) periods of history
13. the City of London (m) months of the year
14. NB, MP, BBC (n) the names of cities
15. the Himalayas, the Alps (o) the names of mountains

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