SELECTIVITAT WRITING GUIDE · SELECTIVITAT WRITING GUIDE Institució La Miranda | The Writing process by Fina Melgar 2010-11 1 Step 1 : Brainstorm for ideas x Write down all the ideas

SELECTIVITAT WRITING GUIDE

Institució La Miranda | The Writing process by Fina Melgar

2010-11

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Step 1 : Brainstorm for ideas

x Write down all the ideas you can think of x Don´t worry about whether the idea is relevant x Don´t worry about grammar or spelling x You can write in your own language

Step 2: Organise your ideas

x Decide which ideas to keep and cross out the others x Group similar ideas together x Organise the groups according to a writing plan

Step 3: Focus on language

x Think of words and expressions you will need in your work

Step 4: Write a first draft

x Write your first draft on the computer or by hand. If you are writing by hand , use a pencil. Leave wide margins for notes.

x Leave space between lines for additions and corrections x Write quickly. Don´t worry about neatness or accuracy x If you can´t think of a word in English, write it in your own language. Look up

the word in a dictionary later. x If you can´t spell a word, write it any way you can. Then check the word in a

dictionary or use a spellcheck when you have finished.

Step 5: Check your work

x Use the Writer Checklist on this page to improve your work.

Step 6: Write a final draft

x If you are writing by hand: copy your corrected work neatly onto a clean sheet of paper

x Use a pen and leave a margin on the left-hand side x Make sure your paragraphs are clearly indicated



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NOTE ……………………………………………………………………………………

You can indicate the beginning of a paragraph by:

1. Indenting (moving the first word of the paragraph to the right) 2. Skipping a line before beginning a new paragraph. Each paragraph begins at

the left-hand margin. Both styles are correct, but be consistent in your writing. The indented style is preferred for informal letters.

WRITER´S CHECKLIST

ORGANIZATION □ I organized my work according to a plan □ Each paragraph has one topic □ My paragraphs are clearly indicated □ My ideas are in al logical order □ I used suitable connectors to link my ideas CONTENT □ My work is interesting and original □ I began with a suitable opening sentence □ I presented my ideas clearly □ I included only relevant ideas □ I supported my ideas with details and examples (opinion, for and against essay) □ I ended with a suitable closing sentences □ I used connectors to link my ideas LANGUAGE □ My grammar is correct □ My spelling is correct □ My word order is correct □ My punctuation is correct □ I used capital letter correctly □ I used adjectives and adverbs correctly



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STEPS OF THE WRITING PROCESS (PDRPP)

Prewrite Collect information and begin organizing ideas using prewriting strategies such as:

-brainstorming (either individually or with a group) -notetaking -outlining -webbing

Draft Write a first draft and get feedback either from peers in a writer’s response group or from teacher. At this stage feedback should focus on:

-clear purpose -sense of audience -organized and well-developed ideas

Revise Use feedback to “re-visit” the first draft, clearing up any ambiguities and developing ideas.

Proofread Edit writing, correcting errors in spelling, grammar, etc.

Publish Turn in final draft of writing for assessment.



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CONNECTORS Connectors are linking words which join ideas and show how those ideas are related to one another. They also help us to organize our writing and make it easy for the reader to follow.

Study the chart of connectors and phrases below.

Purpose Examples Adding points And /in addition/furthermore/moreover/what´s more/besides/

also/too/as well as/ To express a contrast

But/ however/nevertheless/yet/still/although/ even if/ even though/ in spite of/ despite

To describe a cause or reason

Because (of)/since/ due to/ as / as a result of/one/another reason for…is…

To describe a result

So/ therefore/consequently/thus/ as a result/ as a consequence/ for this reason/ that is why

To show purpose

In order to/so as to/so that/to

To describe similarity

Similarly/likewise/in the same way

To express personal opinions

In my opinion/ I (strongly) believe (that)/ I think/feel(that)/ in my view/ it seems to me (that) personally/ as I see it

To introduce facts

In fact/ as a matter of fact/actually/ the truth is (that)

To make general statements

In general/generally/ as a rule/ on the whole

To list points To begin/ start with / in the first place / first of all / for one thing/ firstly, secondly, thirdly/finally/ lastly

To introduce opposing points

On the one hand/ on the other hand/in contrast/ contrary to/ it can also be argued that/ but there are people who say/think (that)

To show sequence

First/at first/ in the beginning/before/ next/then/soon/meanwhile/later/after that/ afterwards/ at last/ eventually/ finally/ in the end/ during/ when

To show time When/while/before/ after/ until/ as soon as/ by the time To conclude In conclusion/ to sum up/ in short/ all in all

Linking words

Linking words help you to connect ideas and sentences, so that people can follow what you say. Here is a list of linkers:



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� Giving examples ...............................................................................................................................

For example For instance Namely

The most common way of giving examples is by using for example or for instance.

Namely refers to something by name.

“There are two problems: namely, the expense and the time.”

� Adding information ..........................................................................................................................

And In addition As well as Also Too Furthermore Moreover Apart from In addition to Besides

Ideas are often linked by and. In a list, you put a comma between each item, but not before and.

"We discussed training, education and the budget."

Also is used to add an extra idea or emphasis. "We also spoke about marketing."

You can use also with not only to give emphasis.

"We are concerned not only by the costs, but also by the competition."



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We don't usually start a sentence with also. If you want to start a sentence with a phrase that means also, you can use In addition, or In addition to this…

As well as can be used at the beginning or the middle of a sentence.

"As well as the costs, we are concerned by the competition."

"We are interested in costs as well as the competition."

Too goes either at the end of the sentence, or after the subject and means as well.

"They were concerned too."

"I, too, was concerned."

Apart from and besides are often used to mean as well as, or in addition to.

"Apart from Rover, we are the largest sports car manufacturer."

"Besides Rover, we are the largest sports car manufacturer."

Moreover and furthermore add extra information to the point you are making.

"Marketing plans give us an idea of the potential market. Moreover, they tell us about the competition."

� Summarising ...............................................................................................................................

In short In brief In summary To summarise In a nutshell To conclude In conclusion

We normally use these words at the beginning of the sentence to give a summary of what we have said or written.



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� Sequencing ideas ..........................................................................................................................

The former, … the latter Firstly, secondly, finally The first point is Lastly The following

The former and the latter are useful when you want to refer to one of two points. "Marketing and finance are both covered in the course. The former is studied in the first term and the latter is studied in the final term."

Firstly, … secondly, … finally (or lastly) are useful ways to list ideas.

It's rare to use "fourthly", or "fifthly". Instead, try the first point, the second point, the third point and so on.

The following is a good way of starting a list.

"The following people have been chosen to go on the training course: N Peters, C Jones and A Owen."

� Giving a reason ...............................................................................................................................

Due to / due to the fact that Owing to / owing to the fact that Because Because of Since As

Due to and owing to must be followed by a noun.

"Due to the rise in oil prices, the inflation rate rose by 1.25%."

"Owing to the demand, we are unable to supply all items within 2 weeks."



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If you want to follow these words with a clause (a subject, verb and object), you must follow the words with the fact that.

"Due to the fact that oil prices have risen, the inflation rate has gone up by 1%25."

"Owing to the fact that the workers have gone on strike, the company has been unable to fulfil all its orders."

Because / because of

Because of is followed by a noun.

"Because of bad weather, the football match was postponed."

Because can be used at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence. For example, "Because it was raining, the match was postponed."

"We believe in incentive schemes, because we want our employees to be more productive."

Since / as

Since and as mean because.

"Since the company is expanding, we need to hire more staff."

"As the company is expanding, we need to hire more staff."

� Giving a result ...................................................................................................................................

Therefore So Consequently This means that As a result

Therefore, so, consequently and as a result are all used in a similar way.



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"The company are expanding. Therefore / So / Consequently / As a result, they are taking on extra staff."

So is more informal.

� Contrasting ideas ...............................................................................................................................

But However Although / even though Despite / despite the fact that In spite of / in spite of the fact that Nevertheless Nonetheless While Whereas Unlike In theory… in practice…

On the one hand,... on the other hand....

But is more informal than however. It is not normally used at the beginning of a sentence.

"He works hard, but he doesn't earn much." "He works hard. However, he doesn't earn much."

Although, despite and in spite of introduce an idea of contrast. With these words, you must have two halves of a sentence.

"Although it was cold, she went out in shorts." "In spite of the cold, she went out in shorts."

Despite and in spite of are used in the same way as due to and owing to. They must be followed by a noun. If you want to follow them with a noun and a verb, you must use the fact that.

"Despite the fact that the company was doing badly, they took on extra employees."

Nevertheless and nonetheless mean in spite of that or anyway.



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"The sea was cold, but he went swimming nevertheless." (In spite of the fact that it was cold.) "The company is doing well. Nonetheless, they aren't going to expand this year."

While, whereas and unlike are used to show how two things are different from each other.

"While my sister has blue eyes, mine are brown."

"Taxes have gone up, whereas social security contributions have gone down."

"Unlike in the UK, the USA has cheap petrol."

In theory… in practice… show an unexpected result.

"In theory, teachers should prepare for lessons, but in practice, they often don't have enough time."



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WRITING A PARAGRAPH A paragraph consists of several sentences about a certain topic. It has the following parts:

1. a TOPIC SENTENCE which gives the main idea of the paragraph 2. SUPPORTING SENTENCES which add reasons, details and examples 3. a CONCLUDING sentence which leads on to the next paragraph or

summarises the main idea

The parts of a paragraph should flow logically. The paragraph must be easy to understand. You can accomplish this by:

1. using pronouns to refer back to the nouns in the text 2. using connectors to show the connections between ideas



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SELECTIVITAT FORMATS

A FOR AND AGAINST ESSAY

It is usually about a controversial issue. It presents both sides of the issue and then concludes by supporting one of the sides. Look at the topic below. Then study the plan and read the model.

Topic: Write a for and against essay on a topic connected to home schooling

Plan:

Useful connectors:

On the one hand, on the other hand, It is true that, Firsly, Secondly, Thirdly, For example, For instance, such as, Furthermore, However, Nevertheless, Due to, As a result, I believe that, In my opinion, In my view, The question is whether, In addition, Consequently, In conclusion, To sum up…

YES or NO to HOME SCHOOLING

In recent years, an increasing number of parents around the world have chosen to take their children out of the school system and educate them at home. The question is whether this is good for everyone.

On the one hand, home schooling means that parents are able to cater to their children´s individual needs. For instance, parents can encourage their children to explore their own interests. In addition, parents can include important subjects that are often neglected in normal schools, such as art and music. Moreover, parents can protect their children from bullying and teasing.

On the other hand, children who are home schooled often have fewer opportunities to participate in team sports and in other extra-curricular activities. Furthermore, since home-schooled children are exposed to fewer kids, they may not learn social skills that are necessary if they want to live peaceably with others.

Despite the numerous benefits of home schooling. I believe most children should go to school. The lack of opportunities for social interaction may prove to be problematic in later life.



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AN OPINION ESSAY

An opinion essay states an opinion and tries to convince the reader that this opinion is correct. Look at the topic below. Then study the plan and read the model

Topic: Write an opinion essay on a topic connected to teen drivers

Plan:

Useful connectors:

Many people think that…, In my opinion, however,…, I disagree, In my view,… I believe that ..., However,… Despite this, …, First of all, …, Secondly,…In addition,…, Therefore,… As a result…, It is clear that… In short,…To sum up,… In conclusion,…

ADULT SUPERVISION FOR TEEN DRIVERS- Good or Bad?

It is well known that teen drivers are often involved in fatal driving accidents. In order to help deal with this issue, some governments around the world have proposed that new teen drivers should bee required to drive with adult supervision for a period of time. While this suggestion may sound like a good way to save lives, in my opinion, it will not solve the problem.

First of all, a person´s age doesn´t determine their level of responsibility or their driving ability. It´s a fact that many accidents have involved experienced adult drivers.

Secondly, I believe that the more time a driver spends on the road, the better his or her driving ability will be. By preventing new drivers from driving without adult supervision, new drivers will inevitably gain less driving experience since they will only be able to drive when an adult supervisor is free to accompany them.

In short, forcing young drivers to drive with adult supervision will not reduce the number of teen fatalities. It is only by educating teenagers and adults about the importance of safe driving that we can hope to make a difference.



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A NARRATIVE

A narrative is a story about a series of events and the people involved in them. Look at the topic below. Then study the plan and read the model.

Topic: Write a story about a misunderstanding you once had

Plan:

JUMPING TO THE WRONG CONCLUSION

Last Saturday I visited my grandmother, who lives on the other side of London. I had not seen her for ages and I was looking forward to eating a piece of her delicious cake. It was a cold day, so I dressed warmly in a hat and scarf.

I got onto the train and looked for a place to sit. I walked up and down the aisles for some time until I found an empty seat next to an elderly man who was reading a newspaper. Relieved, I sat down and took out my book.

As soon as I had begun reading, I felt that the man was watching me. I felt very uncomfortable. I wanted to move but there were no empty seats. Finally, the train pulled into Kings Cross station. I rushed off the train, eager to escape the stare of the old man.

I left the station and began walking towards my grandmother´s house. After a few moments, I had a strange feeling that someone was following me. I turned round. To my surprise, the elderly man who had sat next to me on the train was running towards me. I started to run. I could hear the man coming up behind me. In a minute he would catch up with me…

“Wait!” he shouted. I stopped. The man stretched out his hand and I could see that he was holding something. “Your hat”, he said. “You left it on the train”. At that moment I realized that I had jumped to the wrong conclusion.



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Useful connectors:

Time expressions- Last weekend/ summer/year,…, Two years ago,…., It was a cold/hot/ stormy day…, It all began when…, One afternoon… Fortunately, / Unfortunately, / Luckily, … To my surprise,…, I felt…, The funny thing is that… Before I knew it…

Connectors of sequence- At first, before, after that, next, later, when, then, until, as soon as, soon, suddenly, while, during, eventually, in the end, meanwhile.



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A SUMMARY

A summary provides the reader with the main points of an article in as few words as possible. A summary usually does not include the writer´s opinion and it is written in his or her words where possible. Look at the topic below. Then read the original article and the model summary.

Topic: Write a summary of the article, using 50-70 words.

Plan:

Baby Einstein DVDs: Educational or not?

Baby Einstein DVDs are specifically aimed at babies and toddlers. These popular DVDs feature classical music, and babies seem to love watching them. Not only do the DVDs provide busy parents with a break from having to care for their infant, they are also said to have educational benefits. Yet recent research suggests that these DVDs may not be as beneficial to children as parents may like to believe. In fact, there is evidence to suggest that television viewing between the ages of 1 and 3 could in fact be harmful to them.

Research at the University of Washington found that babies who had watched baby videos scored about 10 % lower on language skills than those who had not. In addition, experts have shown that baby videos may also be associated with attention problems later on. They claim that the more television children watch in their early years, the shorter their attention spans later in life.

The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood is a group which has been fighting baby media companies for some time in an attempt to get them to admit that baby videos are not educational. They claim that the entire marketing strategy of companies like Baby Einstein is based on false and misleading claims that the videos are educational. Recently, the Baby Einstein company announced that they would give a full refund to anyone who had bought one of the DVDs in the last five years and wished to return it. The campaigners see the recent announcement as an unspoken admission that they did mislead the public and that the DVDs have no educational value.

Yet it will be interesting to see how many parents will actually claim the refund and return the DVDs to the company. Although the videos may not turn their children into geniuses, as they might have hoped, they continue to keep them occupied and stimulated, without the need for parental involvement. That may well be something that parents are not willing to give up.



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Useful language:

TIP: Leave out less important examples and details. Shorten or combine sentences and try to use your own words.

BEING CONCISE: Apparently,…, Finally,…, If…, Clearly,…, Consequently,…, In short,… Presently,… although.

MODEL SUMMARY:

DVDs designed specifically for babies and toddlers are very popular. Yet recent research has suggested that they may in fact be harmful to children´s development . In view of those findings, a recent campaign has accused media companies of deliberately misleading parents by implying that these products have educational value. Consequently, the baby Einstein company has agreed to give a refund to parents wishing to return the DVDs, although it is uncertain how many parents will accept their offer.



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A DESCRIPTION OF AN EVENT

A description of an event gives a clear impression of what the writer experiences. It usually includes details of the writer´s senses and how the writer felt there. Look at the topic below. Then study the plan and read the model.

Topic: Write about a family event that you have attended.

Plan:

Useful connectors:

Last week …, When …, Suddenly…, I felt…, I heard…, It seemed…, The atmosphere was…, The crowd/people were… It turned out to be … All in all,… In the end,…

The Wedding

Last week, I went to my cousin´s wedding. I hadn´t seen my cousin for many years and I didn´t know many of the other guests, so I wasn´t expecting to enjoy myself. In the end, I had a great time.

When I arrived, the wedding hall was already full of people. People were standing around talking excitedly and there was a real buzz in the air. The room was beautifully decorated with flowers and balloons and the sweet smell of the flowers hung in the air. I couldn´t help but feel excited. It felt as if something very special was about to happen.

Suddenly the musicians began to play. Everyone stopped talking at once and turned to face the door. As the bride entered, many of the guests had tears in their eyes. I felt so moved.

As she walked past in her beautiful white dress, my cousin turned and smiled at me. She looked so happy. I realized that I wouldn´t have missed this occasion for the world!



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A DESCRIPTION OF A PLACE

When we describe a place, we want to describe what the place looks like and to give an impression of the atmosphere. Look at the topic below. Then study the plan and read the model.

Topic: Write a description of a place you like.

Plan:

Useful language:

The first thing people notice …, It is located…, The scenery is…, it offers…, I can recommend…, You shouldn´t miss…, I love… when I go there, Most people in …work as …In short/conclusion,…

The Natural History Museum

One of my favourite places is the Natural History Museum in London. The museum is located in Kensington, close to the Kensington underground station. This museum is a very popular attraction, and for good reason. It´s one of the finest museums in the world – and admission is free!

The building itself is architecturally breathtaking, with its impressive ornate façade and enormous central hall. The ceilings, walls and arches are intricately painted and carved with animals and plants, representing the museums´s exhibits.

The museum has got two main galleries, the Life Galleries and the Earth Galleries. The Life Galleries offer displays of nearly all living things on earth, from gigantic dinosaurs and huge whales to the tiniest birds and insects. In the Earth Galleries, visitors can explore natural phenomena such as earthquakes and volcanoes and examine thousands of fossils and precious stones.

I highly recommend the Natural History Museum to anyone visiting London. It´s more than a museum- it´s an experience.



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AN INFORMAL LETTER

When we write an informal letter, we are usually congratulating, persuading or asking for/giving some information. Look at the topic below. Then study the plan and read the model.

Topic: Write a letter to your friend Harry accepting an invitation to go on an adventure holiday with you.

Plan:

Greeting

Body

Conclusion

Closing

Dear Harry,

Thanks for your email! It´s great the summer is nearly here, isn´t it?

The adventure holiday you mentioned sounds like a great idea! Do you know if they offer rock climbing and canoeing? I hope so?

I´d love to come for two weeks, but my sisters getting married during the first week so I – obviously!- have to be here. I could come for the second week, though. You didn´t say how much it costs. I can only afford £200, so I hope it´s not more than that!

One more question for now – what´s the best way to get to Wales from London? Is there a train or a bus that goes near the place?

Well, I´d better go now as I´ve got an exam tomorrow.

Hope to hear from you soon!

All the best,

Susan



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AN ARTICLE

An article is usually written for different kinds of magazines or newspapers. Look at the topic below. Then study the plan and read the model.

Topic: Write an article for an international magazine giving your suggestions about what the future holds.

Plan:

TITLE

Useful language:

Rhetorical questions: Have you ever…? Are you one of those people who…? What do you think about…? Introducing first point: Firstly, First of all, In the first place, To begin with, One thing to consider is… Introducing further points: Secondly, In addition (to this), Yet another…, Apart from that… Introducing final points: So, in conclusion, To sum up, To conclude Introducing your opinion: In my opinion, If you ask me, To my mind, Personally, I believe that…, In my view…

What the future holds

What will life be like in fifty year´s time? It´s impossible to know for certain, but there´s one thing we can be sure of. In some ways, life for our grandchildren will be very different from life today. Let´s just imagine some of the possibilities.

One thing that is changing very rapidly is technology. You can bet that our grandchildren will live in a world where everything and everybody relies on computers. Transport will also change, and perhaps we´ll have cars that fly. Maybe our grandchildren will find themselves stuck in traffic jams in the sky!

Yet another way in which life will be different is the environment. It doesn´t look like we´re going to solve the problems of pollution soon, so our grandchildren may live in a world where many species have become extinct. Sadly, they might never see animals like pandas, apart from in books and zoos.

So, like the present, I believe the future will have its good points and its bad points. I, for one, can´t wait to find out!



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A FORMAL LETTER

When we write a formal letter, we are usually requesting information, applying for a job or course, or writing to complain. Look at the topic below. Then study the plan and read the model.

Topic: Write a formal letter applying for the job of sales assistant in a shop.

Plan:

23 Daylon lane

Norwood

21 June, 2006 London SE5 4FB

Zarat Fashions

68 Boyers Street

London

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing in response to your advertisement for sales assistants in your chain of fashion shops. I would like to apply for a position. I am 18 years old and have just finished secondary school, so I am able too begin to work immediately.

I feel that I would be suitable for this job because I have always had an eye for fashion and feel that I could help customers choose clothes that are suitable for them. I am also extremely responsible, organized and hard working.

I look forward to hearing from you in the near future. I have enclosed my CV and would be happy to attend an interview at a time convenient for you. Thank you for considering my application.

Yours faithfully,

Marianne Edwards



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MINOR FORMATS

1. A speech

A speech must be engaging, clear, concise and most importantly, catered to the audience’s interests.

Therefore the first step is to Choose a Topic after Learning who the audience will be.

Once that is done, you must Write a statement of purpose for the speech. Next, do the required research so that your speech is accurate and extensive.

After this you need to start writing your speech. But first, you must create an outline.The outline must have an Introduction, Body of Speech and Ending. Under each of those headings, place notes from the research, anecdotes, quotes etc.

Once you decide this, you must also decide how to Start and End your speech.

To begin, you may Tell a Story, Use Humour, Use a snappy quote, or you may start by getting your readers’ attention by Reading some startling statistics or by Asking thought-provoking questions.The end must be dramatic, conclusive and must leave a lasting impression on the listener’s mind. You may use the same strategies that you used for the beginning.

Now you must start writing the Body of the Speech. Make sure that the different points flow into each other and that you’ve not digressed from your statement of purpose. Go back and read what you’ve written. Make any adjustments that you think are needed. Put yourself in the audience’s shoes and try to listen and see if your speech makes sense.

Do’s and Don’t’s

x Use simple, direct words

x Know exactly what you want to say

x Cut words wherever possible, be brief

x Use everyday English, not jargon

x Vary the length of your sentences

x Use active verbs



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x Don’t use passive tense

x Don’t use modifiers

Example: You are a young painter who is thanking an art gallery for

displaying your first exhibition.

1. Organise!

* The opening: Ladies and gentlemen, it is a pleasure to welcome you to... * The body os the speech: This could include facts about when/ how/ why you started painting, your feelings about it and your plans for the future * The closing: This could include your thanks and your good wishes. I´d like to thank the gallery for giving me this wonderful opportunity. It has been a pleasure working with them.... Of course, I´d like to thankk all of you for coming and making this opening such a success.

2. The following words and expressions are often used in speeches:

As you all know... I´d like to take this opportunity to ... It is an honour to... I have been asked to ... You/we have all ... I would like to thank/express my thanks ... I´d like to wish you all ... On behalf of.../ in the name of ...

x Remember: The kind of language you use depends on the occasion and the audience. If it is a formal occasion, you will use formal language like that in the example. If it is an informal gathering, your language can be less formal and more everyday.

2.A dialogue:

Remember the following when you are writing a conversation:

� Identify each of the speakers in the conversation. � Start a new paragraph whenever you change speakers. � When you need to break a conversation and identify the speaker,

use commas (,). � Use the kind of informal language that people use when they speak:

contractions, everyday words, exclamations, etc.



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Example: Imagine you are a journalist interviewing Mrs Cross. Write

about an interview where you ask her for her views on St. George´s Day

and find out what what she would say to people who oppose making it a

public holiday.

Interview with Gillian Cross

I: Interviewer, G: Gillian Cross

I: Mrs Cross, I understand that you have some very strong views on St. George´s Day.

G: Yes, I think it should be a public holiday. We need a day to demonstrate pride in our region.

I: I see. What would you say to those people who think that a new holiday would be too expensive?

G: I can understand their concern, but I also think that St. George´s Day is a great business opportunity. People will want to spend their money on going out and having fun.

I: Some people are also concerned that the day might have racist connotations.

G: Absolutely not! This day is for everyone who loves in England, no matter what their colour or background. We need to show the racists that they´ve completely misunderstood.

I: Thank you very much for your comments, Mrs Cross



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x Estructura de l'examen x Criteris generals d'avaluació

� Estructura de l'examen

L'examen de llengua anglesa consta de les tres parts següents:

Parts de l’examen Duració Valor Comprensió d’un text oral 30 minuts 20 % de la nota Comprensió escrita 60 minuts 40 % de la nota Expressió escrita 40 % de la nota

Les preguntes i instruccions de l'examen són formulades en anglès i hauran de ser respostes en anglès sense ajut del diccionari ni de cap altre material didàctic.

a) Comprensió d'un text oral

La prova utilitza un text de dificultat mitjana autèntic o semi-autèntic (text amb característiques bàsiques d'un text autèntic, però simplificat a un nivell d'entrada a la universitat -el que en podríem dir "text de registre pedagògic"-), sobre un tema de cultura general actual, del tipus corrent en els mitjans de comunicació. L'examinand haurà de respondre vuit preguntes d'opció múltiple (a, b, c, d) sobre aquest text, amb un valor de 0,25 cadascuna.

La realització d'aquesta prova s'articula de la següent manera:

a. Una breu introducció per fer que l'oient es familiaritzi amb les veus, el tema, el ritme i l'acústica de la gravació. El text de la introducció podrà ser llegit alhora que escoltat.

b. Una pausa inicial per a que l'alumne llegeixi les preguntes de comprensió. c. Primera audició del text. d. Primera pausa per a completar les respostes. e. Segona audició del text. f. Segona pausa per a completar les respostes.

b) Comprensió escrita Consisteix en una activitat de comprensió d'un text anglès escrit en llenguatge estàndard, no especialitzat. L'exercici, amb un valor global de fins a quatre punts, té com objectiu avaluar el nivell de comprensió escrita de l'alumnat. Consta de vuit preguntes d'opció múltiple (a, b, c, d) sobre aquest text, amb un valor de 0.5 cadascuna.

c) Expressió escrita Consisteix en la producció d'una redacció personal, sobre un tema relacionat amb el text utilitzat en l'exercici de comprensió lectora. Aquesta redacció, d'una extensió no

PPPAAAUUU::: AAAnnnggglllèèèsss ...EEEssstttrrruuuccctttuuurrraaa dddeee lll'''eeexxxaaammmeeennn iii cccrrriiittteeerrriiisss gggeeennneeerrraaalllsss ddd'''aaavvvaaallluuuaaaccciiióóó...



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Composition: 4 points

The following aspects will be evaluated separately on a scale of 0 to 10 points.

1 GGGrrraaammmmmmaaarrr (25 % of the composition grade) Two different aspects will be contemplated under this heading:

x the correct and appropriate use of morphological and syntactic structures x the range (variety and complexity) of structures used.

2 VVVooocccaaabbbuuulllaaarrryyy (25 % of the composition grade) Two main aspects will be considered:

x the range and appropriate use of vocabulary (variety of semantic fields, richness, phrasal verbs, collocations, idiomatic expressions, linking words,...).

x the correct spelling of words.

3 TTTeeexxxttt /// PPPaaarrraaagggrrraaappphhh bbbuuuiiillldddiiinnnggg (25 % of the composition grade) Two main aspects will be examined:

x The clarity of organization of ideas within the sentence, the paragraph and the text

x The clear and correct use of punctuation and text markers.

4 MMMaaatttuuurrriiitttyyy (25 % of the composition grade) Aspects contemplated in this category:The skillful handling of the topic (clear thinking, good outline, well-reasoned ideas, creativity, ...)

inferior a cent paraules, s'haurà d'ajustar a les indicacions de l'opció triada. L'exercici serà qualificat amb un total de fins a quatre punts.

� Criteris generals d'avaluació

Listening comprehension: 2 points

x 0.25 points for each correct answer to a multiple choice question (8 questions).

x wrong answers will be penalized (-1/3 of the question value = -0,08).

Reading comprehension: 4 points

x 0.5 for each correct answer to a multiple choice question (8 questions).

x wrong answers will be penalized (-1/3 of the question value = -0,16).



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Reminders

x Wrong format: If a composition does not follow the format (letter, dialogue, news report, diary, for and against argumentation, description, narrative, ...) of the chosen option, it will be penalized up to 1 point.

x Copying from the text: the use of full sentences or fragments taken from the text will not be considered as personal writing.

x Insufficient length. Compositions under 100 words will be penalized up to 1 point. x Wrong topic: No points will be given to a composition written on a topic not included in the two given

options.



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SELECTIVITAT FORMATS

1st term 2nd term A for and against essay

x

A formal/informal letter

x

An opinion essay x

A description of an event/place

x

A narrative x

A summary x

A dialogue x

A speech x

An article x

3rd term

Selectivitat

EXAM PRACTICE

SELECTIVITAT WRITING GUIDE · SELECTIVITAT WRITING GUIDE Institució La Miranda | The Writing process by Fina Melgar 2010-11 1 Step 1 : Brainstorm for ideas x Write down all the ideas

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