Unit 1. Lifestyles — Teacher’s Copy

Teacher’s notes — Unit 1: Descriptive writing (Lifestyles)

Text type. Descriptive paragraph about a free-time activity.

Key teaching points

Students must not copy the question as their topic sentence. Model how to rephrase it.
Insist on specific adjectives. Reject “nice” and “good” and ask “but what does it feel like?”
The concluding sentence should express how the activity makes the student feel — not just repeat the topic.
Part A item 1 is the only sentence that needs a contrast linker — use it to teach However.

Common student error. Beginning the paragraph with “In my free time I enjoy…” and then repeating that phrase in the concluding sentence. Push them towards a more evaluative close.

Understand

About this text type

What is descriptive writing?

A descriptive paragraph paints a picture with words. You describe a person, place, activity or lifestyle so that the reader can clearly imagine what you are writing about.

Purpose. to help the reader picture and understand what you are describing.

Key features

Use specific adjectives to describe exactly what things look or feel like — not just “nice” or “good”.
Use the present simple with frequency adverbs (always, usually, often) to describe habits and routines.
Include at least one concrete example to make your description real and believable.
End with a personal comment — how the activity or lifestyle makes you feel.

Remember — your paragraph has three parts

Topic sentence. Introduce your topic in your own words. Do not copy the question.
Body sentences. Give 3–4 descriptive details. Use linking words and at least one example.
Concluding sentence. Give a personal comment on how the topic makes you feel. Use Overall, / To sum up,

Study

Grammar & vocabulary

Vocabulary bank

Word / phrase	Meaning	Example sentence
activity	something you do for enjoyment or exercise	Cycling is my favourite outdoor activity.
free time	time when you are not studying or working	In my free time, I enjoy reading novels.
hobby	something you enjoy doing regularly	Her hobby is photography — she takes photos everywhere.
relaxing	helping you to rest and feel calm	I find swimming very relaxing after a stressful week.
outdoor	happening or done outside, in the open air	She prefers outdoor activities like hiking and cycling.
improve	to get better at something	Playing chess regularly can improve your thinking skills.
spend time	to use time doing a particular activity	I love spending time with friends at the weekend.
habit	something you do regularly, often without thinking	Going for a morning walk is a very healthy habit.

Grammar Present simple + frequency adverbs

Structure	Example
always / usually	I always go for a walk before breakfast.
often / sometimes	She often reads a book in the evenings.
rarely / never	He rarely stays at home at the weekend.
enjoy / love / like + -ing	I enjoy cooking healthy meals for my family.

Useful linking words Notice the example sentences — they show you exactly how to use each word.

Linking word	When to use it	Example sentence
First, / First of all	To begin your description	First of all, I usually go cycling at weekends.
Also, / In addition	To add another detail	I also enjoy hiking in the mountains near my city.
For example, / For instance	To give a specific example	For example, last month I discovered a beautiful new route.
However	To add a contrast	However, I find it difficult to go out when it rains.
To sum up	To end with a personal comment	To sum up, cycling keeps me healthy and very happy.

Extra practice · Part A Choose the correct linking word.

1I love spending time outdoors in summer. ?, in winter I prefer to stay at home and read books.

However — The second sentence says the opposite of the first — summer outdoors, winter indoors. You need a contrast linker.

2I enjoy many different outdoor activities. ?, last weekend I went hiking in the mountains with my friends.

For example — The second sentence is one specific case of the general idea before it — not a new idea.

3Cycling keeps me fit and healthy. ?, it gives me the chance to explore new places at the weekend.

In addition — Both sentences are positive. The second one adds another advantage, so nothing is being contrasted.

4?, I think having a hobby is very important for your health and happiness.

To sum up — “I think … is very important” is a final personal comment, so this sentence closes the paragraph.

Part B Complete these sentences with your own ideas.

1In addition, … add a detail

Model. In addition, I also enjoy hiking in the mountains with friends at the weekend.

2For example, … give one specific case

Model. For example, last month I discovered a beautiful new cycling route near the coast.

Analyse

Sample paragraph

Read the paragraph, then use the panel beside it to see how it is built. Click any row to light up that sentence.

A Love of Cycling

One activity I really enjoy in my free time is cycling. First, I usually go cycling at the weekends with my friends along the coastal road near our city, which is very beautiful and peaceful. Cycling is also very good for my health — for example, it helps me stay fit and reduces my stress after a busy week at university. In addition, I love cycling because it gives me a chance to discover new places. Last month, I found a small village that I had never visited before, and we had lunch at a lovely café there. However, I do find it difficult to stay motivated when the weather is cold or rainy, so in winter I prefer to exercise indoors. Overall, cycling is more than just a hobby for me — it keeps me healthy, happy, and connected to the world around me.

Topic sentenceBody sentencesConcluding sentence

Discussion Talk to your partner.

What specific words make this paragraph descriptive? Find three examples.
Which sentence is the topic sentence? Why is it a good topic sentence?
What linking words does the writer use? Could you replace any of them with different ones?

Specific words. beautiful and peaceful, coastal road, a small village, a lovely café, healthy, happy, connected — push students past “nice” and “good” towards words that name what is actually seen or felt.
Topic sentence. “One activity I really enjoy in my free time is cycling.” It names the activity in the writer’s own words and does not copy the question wording.
Linking words. First / also / for example / In addition / However / Overall. Workable swaps: First of all, For instance, Furthermore, On the other hand, To sum up. Note that However cannot be swapped for an addition linker — the meaning changes.

Practise

Controlled exercises

Exercise 1 Put the sentences in the correct order (1–5) to make a good paragraph. Use the arrows to move a sentence up or down.

?AFor example, I feel much calmer and happier after I finish playing.
?BIn conclusion, playing the guitar is one of my favourite ways to spend my free time.
?COne activity I enjoy in my free time is playing the guitar.
?DIt also helps me relax after a long and difficult day at university.
?EFirst of all, I practise for about an hour every evening after dinner.

C → E → D → A → B
Topic sentence: C · Concluding sentence: B

Exercise 2 Complete each sentence with the correct word from the box. Use each word once.

outdoorhobbyimprovespendrelaxing

1My favourite is photography — I take pictures of nature and city life.

hobby — Something you enjoy doing regularly. It follows My favourite, so you need a noun.

2I usually my weekends walking in the park or cycling with friends.

spend — A verb that goes with time: you … your weekends doing something.

3I find painting very because it helps me forget about stress and deadlines.

relaxing — After very you need an adjective. It means “helping you rest and feel calm”.

4Playing sport regularly can both your physical health and your mood.

improve — After can you need a base verb. It means “make better”.

5She prefers activities because she loves fresh air and being in nature.

outdoor — An adjective before activities. It means “done outside, in the open air”.

Write

Your own paragraph

What activity do you enjoy in your free time? Write a paragraph of at least 130 words.

One paragraph · three parts · minimum 130 words.

My plan Notes first — then write.

Topic sentence ideaSupporting sentence 1Supporting sentence 2Concluding sentence

Self-check Tick each box when you are sure.

Topic sentence. I introduced my main idea in my own words — I did not copy the question.
Linking words. I used at least three different linking words to connect my sentences.
Example. I included at least one example using For example, / For instance, / such as.
Concluding sentence. I ended with a sentence that summarises my main idea. I used In conclusion, / To sum up, / Overall,
Proofreading. I read my paragraph again and checked my spelling and punctuation.

0 of 5 checked.

My paragraph

0 / 130 words

Nothing is saved automatically. Copy or save your paragraph before you close this tab — only your own writing is saved, not the exercises.

Sample answer For modelling and for calibrating your marking.

Task. What activity do you enjoy in your free time? Write a paragraph of at least 130 words.
143 words · band: strong pass

One activity I genuinely love in my free time is cooking. Topic sentence — own words First of all, I enjoy experimenting with new recipes — for example, last month I made a traditional Turkish dish called mantı for my family, and everyone agreed it was delicious. In addition, cooking helps me feel calm and creative after a long and tiring day of university study. There is something deeply satisfying about turning simple, everyday ingredients into a meal that people around the table truly enjoy. Two detailed body ideas + example However, I sometimes find it difficult to cook when I have very little time during exam periods, so in those weeks I plan my meals carefully at the start of each week. Overall, cooking is much more than just a way to prepare food for me — it is a creative hobby that brings me real happiness and connects me to my culture and family. Concluding sentence with personal comment

Marking focusTopic sentence avoids copying the questionAt least 3 different linking wordsOne concrete example (named dish, place or experience)Concluding sentence gives a personal comment

Optional activity

My classmate’s hobby

15–20 minutes · Speaking → Writing

Students interview a partner about their hobby using three questions they write themselves (e.g. When did you start? How does it make you feel? What is one specific memory you have?)
Students write a short descriptive paragraph (80–100 words) about their partner’s hobby in the third person, using the information they collected.
Partners swap and check — is the description accurate? Is there a specific example?

Extension. Display paragraphs anonymously. The class guesses which student each paragraph describes.

✓

Answer key at a glance

Prints with the page

B · Extra practice, Part A
1 summer outdoors / winter indoors	However
2 many activities / last weekend hiking	For example
3 fit and healthy / explore new places	In addition
4 having a hobby is very important	To sum up
D · Exercise 1 — order
Correct order	C → E → D → A → B
Topic sentence	C
Concluding sentence	B
D · Exercise 2 — word from the box
1 My favourite … is photography	hobby
2 I usually … my weekends	spend
3 I find painting very …	relaxing
4 Playing sport regularly can …	improve
5 She prefers … activities	outdoor