interest the reader · share an opinion or experience
Length
about 100 words (B1 Preliminary Part 2)
Tone
friendly and lively — talk to the reader
Must have
a title · an opening that hooks · 2 short paragraphs · an ending
Structure
Four parts
Title
short and catchy: My Perfect Weekend
Opening
a question or a surprising fact to hook the reader
Body
two short paragraphs, one idea each, with examples
Ending
your opinion or a question for the reader
Hooks
Grab the reader in the first line
Question
Have you ever spent a whole day without your phone?
Fact
Did you know that the average person checks their phone 90 times a day?
Bold statement
Weekends are the best invention in history.
Talk to the reader with you: Imagine you…, You might think…
Linking words
Join your ideas
Adding
Also, · What's more, · Another thing is…
Contrast
However, · On the other hand, · but
Result
So, · As a result,
Ending
All in all, · To sum up, · In my opinion,
Model
Read it — find the title, hook, paragraphs and ending
An article — 89 words
My Perfect Weekend Have you ever had a weekend where everything went right? Mine starts on Saturday morning with pancakes and no alarm clock. After that, I meet my friends at the park and we play football until lunch. On Sunday, I like doing something new. Last month, for example, we tried rock climbing — it was scary but amazing! In the evening, I watch a film with my family. All in all, a perfect weekend needs good food, good friends and a little adventure. What does yours look like?
Common mistakes
Where learners go wrong most often
No title
→
My Perfect Weekend
an article always has a title
In this article I will talk about weekends.
→
Have you ever had a perfect weekend?
start with a hook, not an announcement
One long paragraph
→
Two or three short paragraphs
one main idea per paragraph
Dear readers, … Yours faithfully
→
End with your opinion or a question
an article is not a letter
Your turn
Say it first, then write it
Plan an article out loud, then write about 100 words.
1
Title: "The Best Place in My Town". What is your hook?
2
Paragraph 1: what is the place and what can you do there?
3
Paragraph 2: a personal example — a time you went there.
4
How will you end? Give your opinion or ask the reader a question.