The three writing types at a glance
RevisionThe three writing types at a glance
| Type | Reminder |
|---|---|
| Descriptive | Describe an experience/feelings OR how something has changed. Plan: scene → what happened / past → feelings / now → conclusion. |
| Balanced opinion | Two different views + your opinion. Plan: introduction → view 1 → view 2 → conclusion with YOUR opinion. |
| Advantages & disadvantages | Good points and bad points of a topic. Plan: introduction → advantages → disadvantages → conclusion (+ opinion). |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Copying whole sentences from the texts – always rewrite ideas in your own words.
- Giving your opinion in the body of an advantages/disadvantages text – save it for the end.
- Forgetting the conclusion – every text needs one.
- Using the same linker again and again – vary them.
- Writing fewer than 200 words – always check the length.
Writing task 1
Read, listen, take notes, writeQuestion: “What are the advantages and disadvantages of hand-made and machine-made products?”
Read the text and take notes. Listen to the recording twice and take notes. Then write your text using ideas from both. Minimum 200 words.
Read Take notes in the table.
Reading
People buy both hand-made and machine-made products every day. Hand-made products have several advantages. They are usually unique, made with great care, and often of high quality. Each one is a little different, which makes it special. By buying them, customers also support local artists and small businesses, and they help to keep old skills alive. However, hand-made products are often expensive and take a long time to make. Machine-made products, on the other hand, are cheap and quick to produce, so almost everyone can afford them. Factories can make thousands of the same product in a single day. The disadvantage is that they all look the same, and the quality is sometimes lower. Many machines also use a lot of energy and create pollution, which is bad for the environment. In the end, the best choice depends on what the customer wants: a special, hand-made object or a cheap, useful one. Many people today try to buy carefully. They choose machine-made products for everyday things that they use quickly, and they save their money for a few special hand-made items that will last a long time. In this way, they keep their costs low but still enjoy and support beautiful, hand-made work.
Listen Twice — add notes to the table.
Listening
Audio file not found — check that the audio folder sits next to this page.
Play it twice. Take notes as you listen.
Take notes
| Hand-made vs machine-made | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| Hand-made: quality | ||
| Hand-made: people | ||
| Machine-made: price | ||
| Machine-made: amount | ||
| Environment / choice |
Now write your text Minimum 200 words.
Nothing is saved automatically. Copy or save your text before you close this tab — only your own writing is saved, not the exercises.
Writing task 2
Read, listen, take notes, writeQuestion: “Write about the advantages and disadvantages of online education and face-to-face education.”
Read the text and take notes. Listen to the recording twice and take notes. Then write your text using ideas from both. Minimum 200 words.
Read Take notes in the table.
Reading
Education today happens both online and face-to-face. Online education has many advantages. Students can learn from home, save travel time, and watch lessons again whenever they want. This is very useful for people who work or who live far from a school. Online courses are often cheaper too. However, online education also has disadvantages: students can feel lonely, lose motivation, and have problems with the internet or with old computers. Face-to-face education, on the other hand, allows students to meet their teachers and classmates in person. They can ask questions immediately and get help when they are stuck. They can also make friends, work in groups, and enjoy school life together. The disadvantages are that students must travel to school, follow a fixed timetable, and pay higher costs. Because both kinds of education have clear benefits, many schools and universities now use a mix of the two, which is sometimes called blended learning. Students do part of their studying online and part in the classroom. This gives them the freedom of online learning together with the support and friendship of face-to-face lessons.
Listen Twice — add notes to the table.
Listening
Audio file not found — check that the audio folder sits next to this page.
Play it twice. Take notes as you listen.
Take notes
| Online vs face-to-face | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| Online: time & place | ||
| Online: lessons & motivation | ||
| Face-to-face: help & people | ||
| Face-to-face: travel & cost | ||
| Best answer (blended) |
Now write your text Minimum 200 words.
Nothing is saved automatically. Copy or save your text before you close this tab — only your own writing is saved, not the exercises.
Writing task 3
Read, listen, take notes, writeQuestion: “Are there any benefits or drawbacks to print books and e-books?”
Read the text and take notes. Listen to the recording twice and take notes. Then write your text using ideas from both. Minimum 200 words.
Read Take notes in the table.
Reading
Many readers today must choose between print books and e-books. Print books have clear benefits. They are easy on the eyes, do not need a battery, and many people love the smell and feel of paper. It is also easy to write notes in them and to lend them to friends. They make nice gifts, too. However, print books are heavy and take up a lot of space, so they are not always practical for travelling. E-books have their own advantages. A single small device can hold hundreds of books, which is perfect for travelling. You can carry a whole library in your bag. E-books are often cheaper, and you can buy one in seconds and start reading at once. You can also make the letters bigger, which helps people with weak eyes. The drawbacks are that screens can tire the eyes after a long time, and a dead battery means no reading at all. For these reasons, many people enjoy both kinds of book. In the end, print books and e-books each suit different situations. Many readers keep print books at home for comfort and for the pleasure of holding a real book, and they use an e-reader when they travel. Whichever they choose, the most important thing is that people are still reading and enjoying good stories.
Listen Twice — add notes to the table.
Listening
Audio file not found — check that the audio folder sits next to this page.
Play it twice. Take notes as you listen.
Take notes
| Print books vs e-books | Benefits | Drawbacks |
|---|---|---|
| Print: comfort | ||
| Print: using them | ||
| E-books: space | ||
| E-books: price & speed | ||
| E-books: reading |
Now write your text Minimum 200 words.
Nothing is saved automatically. Copy or save your text before you close this tab — only your own writing is saved, not the exercises.
Extra Practice 1 – Vocabulary Review
Units 2–7Vocabulary review
Complete each sentence with the correct word from the box. Change the form if necessary.
Extra Practice 2 – Word Formation
Nouns and adjectivesComplete the table
Write the missing noun and adjective for each verb. A dash (—) means there is no common word.
| Verb | Noun | Adjective |
|---|---|---|
| perform | — | |
| decide | — | |
| communicate | ||
| imagine | ||
| succeed | ||
| pollute | ||
| advise | — | |
| educate | ||
| compete | ||
| rely | — | |
| explore | — |
Use the right form
Complete each sentence with the correct form of the word in brackets.