1. Recent news.
Write to tell your tutor about your recent news and plans for the near future. Look at this example first. In your writing try to use the words, phrases or forms in red.
Well, I've been working less lately. It's great because now I have time to go to the pool and swim every day. I usually go by metro. But the metro station is being renovated at the moment. It's to be finished next month. In the meantime, I walk to the pool. This summer I'm going up the coast for a month to stay with some friends who are renting a flat there. I hope the weather is nice. I expect we will spend most of the day out, at the beach, going for walks and of course eating delicious food. I also hope to do some reading. Normally I'm too busy.
Write between 100 and 120 words.
Post your sentences in the Upper Intermediate Forum. Read and comment on what other students write.
2. Changes in the neighbourhood.
Read the second part of the email from READING.
… Will continue this letter this afternoon, when I have some more time to sit and write.
There have been a lot of changes in the neighbourhood recently. They've done a lot of work on the beachfront and made a path right along the top of the beach. I walk along there to the shop every morning to buy the paper. The shop seems to change owners every six months and doesn't have much in the way of food any more. So we do most of our shopping at the big supermarket at Kipparing now.
What else? Oh yes. The house next door has been sold. The new owners want to extend it at the back. Builders to start next month, so there will be more chaos here for a while. Quite a nice couple have moved in on the other side of us. They've got a young daughter and a big dog called Tia. It likes sticking its nose through the fence to say hello.
Give my love to Anita and Bruce.
Love
Mother
4. Write.
Choose ONE of the alternatives below.
Alternative 1 – Describing change
Imagine
you are writing to a member of your family who is living
in another country now. Tell him/her about things that have
changed or will change in the future in your neighbourhood,
town or city. Use Mother's letter as a guide.
Your letter should be between 150-200 words. Check spelling, grammar and organisation carefully before posting it in the Forum.
Alternative 2 – Changes in the company
Read this letter to an ex-colleague. How many changes are mentioned in the letter? How many predictions and plans are mentioned? Note down your answers and then compare them with the correct answers below.
Thanks for the update. I'm glad to hear you are settling in. Not much to report from here, except that Alexander has moved into your old office. It was a bit awkward, because Jane really needs a bigger space, but in the end he got priority. She was annoyed, but Don says he will try and find a solution for her.
Meanwhile, the owners have put the rent up – again! Don is trying to negotiate some kind of deal, but they are being difficult. So unless something changes, Don thinks we will need to move somewhere cheaper. It doesn't make sense to be paying so much rent. In fact I'm going to start looking next week. I'm seeing two places in Concord Grove round the corner.
Also Don has hired a new guy to look after the Web page – you know that Gavin is leaving us next month. So we'll see how that works out.
Anyway, I'd better stop. I can hear Don coming this way! ;-)
We'll be in touch,
Mo
Now compare your answers with the correct answers.
There are three changes: Alex has moved into Tim's old office, the owners have put the rent up, Don has hired someone to look after the Web page.
There is one prediction: Don thinks they will have to move to a cheaper office.
There are three plans: Mo is going to look for a new office, he is seeing two places next week, Gavin is leaving the company next month.
Write a similar letter to an imaginary ex-colleague with news from your place of work. Include changes and plans for the future.
Write between 150 and 180 words. Check spelling, grammar and organisation carefully before posting it in the Forum.
1. Post your tasks in the Upper Intermediate Forum..
2. Go to the Upper Intermediate Forum. Read and comment on what other students write.
5. Write and reply.
About where you live.
1. Answer the following questions. Post your answers in the Upper Intermediate Forum.
Where do you live?
What type of building do you live in? Is this a typical type of building in your city or country?
Do you like living there? Why? Why not?
For example:
I live in a suburb of Auckland, in a place called Glen Eden. It’s a one-story house with three bedrooms, surrounded by big trees and a little garden. The kitchen, dining and living area is all one big room at the front of the house. The best thing is the terrace. In summer, we open all the doors and we eat our meals out there. This is a typical New Zealand house, made of wood with a corrugated iron roof. I like living there, because it’s very quiet. All you can hear is the wind and the birds. But it’s far from the centre, and there is no public transport. So you really need a car. The big advantage is that it’s near the beach.
2. Go to the Upper Intermediate Forum and read some of the other students’ descriptions. Choose one. Click on "Write a reply" and leave a comment. Would/wouldn’t you like to live there? Why? For example:
I think your house sounds very nice, because it’s quiet and it’s near the beach. But I don’t think I’d like to live there because you need a car. I’d prefer to live in the city centre.