Unit 1. Lifestyles — Student’s Copy

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.

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

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

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

Part B Complete these sentences with your own ideas.

1In addition, … add a detail

2For example, … give one specific case

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?

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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