Tag Archives: writing

Speaking and Writing: Let’s Get these Personality Adjectives Moving

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Gallery walks must be one of my favourite dynamics. If we add speaking and writing, we have the whole package.

This activity takes something as simple as learning personality adjectives and turns it into an engaging speaking and writing task. The goal is for my students not just to memorize words like arrogant, generous, or shy—but to use them to express opinions and challenge ideas.

So in a nutshell, these are the steps to follow.

Materials: Posters (use mine if you wish), Functional language, Blue-tack or cello-tape, Optional post-it notes

  • REVISING: We start by revising personality adjectives. It’s the vocabulary we’re working on, so students already have a clear focus.

  • POSTERS. Posters with controversial statements, all using personality adjectives, are up on the walls. These are the ones I have used for this activity. You are welcome to use them.

  • Round 1. Gallery Walking. Students walk around the room in pairs or threes, reading the controversial statements and discussing whether they agree or disagree with each statement. You might want to write on the board some functional language to express opinion.(link to photocopy above)

  • Round 2: Write it down. Back at their seats, each student, individually, chooses one statement they agree or disagree with and writes about 70–90 words explaining why they agree or disagree — encourage them to use personality adjectives in their writing. They then stick it next to the poster.

  • First side note: ask them to use their best handwriting. You know what I am talking about, don’t you? Sometimes reading students’ handwriting is like trying to decode ancient hieroglyphics!
  • Second side note: yes, after this first round, you should walk around reading what they have written   and correcting mistakes. I am afraid this is our job, too.

  • Round 3: Writing. React and respond. Students go around again, this time reading their classmates’ post-its. Then, they add a response—agreeing or disagreeing with their peer’s opinion, explaining why. Note: a couple of sentences would be enough this time.

Note: For Round 3, I give my students post-it notes in different colours. It never hurts to add a bit of colour to life.

When Your Students Make YOU the Star of Their Halloween Story… with a Little Help from AI!

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Just imagine that you give your students a spooky Halloween writing task and you -their teacher – are the main star.  Have a look!

This is AI. Free and simple.  This little video is easy to make; Find a photo of yourself, choose a template , upload your photo and click Send. It only requires about 2 minutes, and the result is stunning. Just what we need to engage our students and make them think we are just geniuses at generating videos.

First, I will show you how to create the video clip and then, I will share how to use it in my class and with my students.

  1. Find a good photo of yourself to upload.
  2. The tool is PixVerse. It is Freemium and it gives 60 credits daily. With 60 credits, you can create two or maybe three video clips daily.
  3. Watch the video below to see how easy it is to create a video clip.Play around with other templates, it is a lot of fun.

 

Now, the writing task.

Activity: What Happens Next?

This is a traditional narrative writing activity where a short, dramatic video serves as the story’s “inciting incident.” Students will watch the clip and then write the rest of the story, focusing on plot development, descriptive language, and a clear resolution.

Learning Objective. Students will practice using past tenses (Past Simple, Past Continuous), sequence connectors, and descriptive vocabulary related to action and suspense.

Lesson Procedure

Step 1: Introduction & The Prompt (5 mins)

  • Tell your students: “We are going to watch the beginning of a Halloween horror story. As you’ll see, the main character is me, your teacher. Your mission is to write the rest of the story: what happens immediately after the clip ends, and how it all concludes.”
  • Play the video for the class. Play it a second time so they can absorb the details of the scene.

Step 2: Guided Brainstorming (10 mins)

  • Before students begin writing, project or write the following prompt questions on the board. Give them a few minutes to think and jot down some ideas. This will help structure their stories.

Guiding Questions:

    1. The Immediate Action: What happens in the five seconds after the video ends? Does she fight back? Does she scream for help? Is she dragged into the dark room?
    2. The Attacker: Who is under the Ghostface mask? Is it a student playing a prank, or is it someone truly dangerous? What is their motive?
    3. The Rising Action: How does she try to escape? Does she find a weapon (a book, a heavy pen)? Does someone else enter the scene (another teacher, the school janitor)?
    4. The Resolution: How does the story end? Does she get away and call the police? Does she manage to unmask the attacker, revealing a huge surprise? Or is it a tragic ending?

Step 3: Individual Writing Task (20-25 mins)

  • Instruct students to write a short story (around 200-250 words) that continues directly from where the video clip ends.
  • Remind them to use their brainstorming ideas to build a complete narrative with a beginning (the video), a middle (their rising action), and a clear end (their resolution).

Step 4: The Horror Gallery Walk & Peer Voting

Time Allotment: 15 minutes

Once they have finished, post their stories on the classroom walls to create a “Horror Gallery.” Students will stand up and move around the room to read the different creative endings their classmates have imagined. After reading them, they will vote for the story they liked the best.

Yes, don’t ask, we will need to collect their stories and give them feedback of their mistakes.

 

Studying for Exams: How to Write a Letter to the Editor

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Writing a Letter to the Editor isn’t exactly the most exciting task on the writing syllabus. It doesn’t come with flashy visuals or dramatic plot twists. But here’s the thing—it’s a classic exam question, and with exams just around the corner, we can’t afford to skip it.

The good news? Once you understand the structure and purpose, this writing task becomes a lot more manageable—and even a little empowering. After all, a letter to the editor is your chance to share your opinion, raise awareness, and suggest solutions to real-world problems.

PDF Table format with Structure, Useful Sentence Starters and High-Impact Vocabulary. I have put in bold the most advanced structures, in case you want to go the extra mile 🙂

How to Write a Letter to the Editor

Step 1: Understand the Purpose

A Letter to the Editor is your way of responding to a public issue, article, or event. You’re not just giving your opinion—you’re raising awareness, persuading others, and sometimes even suggesting action.

Typical prompts might ask you to:

  • Express your opinion about a recent news story
  • Respond to someone else’s opinion
  • Suggest improvements or solutions to a problem

Step 2: Structure Your Letter

Think of your letter as a mini-argument with a clear beginning, middle, and end:

1. Salutation

Use a formal greeting:  Dear Editor, To the Editor,

2. Opening Paragraph – Why You’re Writing

State the reason for your letter clearly and briefly. Mention the article or issue you’re responding to.
I am writing in response to your recent article on plastic pollution in local parks.

3. Main Body – Your Argument (1–2 Paragraphs)

Explain your opinion. Use clear points and examples. Stay polite, even if you strongly disagree.
Many people underestimate the damage plastic waste causes to wildlife. It’s time for local councils to take real action.

4. Conclusion – Wrap It Up

Restate your point and, if appropriate, suggest a solution or call to action.
I strongly encourage the community to support local clean-up efforts and reduce plastic use.

5. Sign-Off

Formal and polite, without using your full name in exams.
🖊 Yours faithfully,
Concerned Student

Step 3: Use the Right Language

  • Keep it formal but not stiff: no slang, contractions (like “I’m” or “don’t”), or emojis.

  • Use modals to sound polite and persuasive: should, must, could, would

  • Try linking words for clarity: Firstly, In addition, However, Therefore, In conclusion

Step 4: Common Mistakes to Avoid

🚫 Don’t be too emotional—stick to reasoned arguments
🚫 Don’t forget the format (especially the greeting and sign-off)
🚫 Don’t use informal expressions or abbreviations

EXAMPLE

I have put in bold,

  • connectors
  • high-impact vocabulary
  • grammar structures

Dear Editor,

I am writing in response to the article “Why We Must Ban Mobile Phones in Schools,” published on 8 May in your education supplement. While I acknowledge the concerns raised regarding distractions and misuse, I believe that a complete ban would be both counterproductive and short-sighted.

In today’s digital world, mobile phones are no longer merely tools for entertainment; they enhance students’ engagement and autonomy. Many educational apps, cloud-based platforms, and AI-powered tools can significantly improve students’ engagement and autonomy. For instance, language learners can access dictionaries and pronunciation tools in real time. Additionally, augmented reality apps can be used  by science students  to visualize complex processes. To deny students access to such resources is, therefore, to deny them the opportunity to become digitally literate—a skill that is not just useful but essential in the 21st-century workplace.

Of course, clear boundaries must be set. Mobile phones should only be permitted for academic purposes, under teacher supervision. Schools must establish robust guidelines that mitigate misuse; however, they should also integrate the positive potential of technology into the classroom. Banning mobile phones altogether conveys the wrong message: that we are unwilling to adapt, innovate, and trust students to use tools responsibly.

In conclusion, rather than banning mobile phones outright, educators should integrate them meaningfully into teaching practice. With proper regulation, these devices can support learning, not hinder it.

Yours sincerely,

Cristina Cabal, Avilés, Spain

From ‘Hey’ to ‘Dear Sir’: Leveling Up our Formal Email Game

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You know that moment when you think your students have totally nailed something… and then reality taps you on the shoulder?

That’s exactly what happened after I gave my class a test where they had to write a formal email. Structurally? Nailed it. They knew how to open and close it like pros.
But the language? Ohhh no. We had “I wanna,” “Hey,” and “It’s pretty bad” floating around like they were writing to a friend, not a company rep.

And you know what? It really got me thinking. Had I not explained things clearly enough? Had we just not practiced it enough? Or… had they maybe skipped a bit of the studying part?

Whatever the reason, I knew one thing for sure: I wanted to sleep with a clear conscience! So, I decided to come back to this writing task—but from a slightly different angle. This time, we weren’t going to talk about structure or where to put your “Dear Sir/Madam”. Nope. We were going to zoom in on what really makes a formal email sound formal:
👉 the language.

Comparing informal and formal vocabulary

I created a one-page reference sheet comparing informal and formal vocabulary and gave them some time to read it. It includes:

  • Everyday verbs such as buy, get, and find out → elevated to purchase, obtain, and ascertain 🔝
  • Basic connectors like but and so → upgraded to however and therefore
  • Casual phrases such as Any questions, just ask! → replaced with Please do not hesitate to contact me… 

PDF here: Vocabulary+Exercises+Teacher’s

Practice Activities

But we all know a list of vocabulary alone doesn’t do the trick.

I gave students two short emails—both written in a very informal tone. One was a complaint email; the other was a grant information request. Both had the kind of casual language you’d expect in a message to a friend, not an institution.

COMPLAINT EMAIL

For the first task, I asked students to take the complaint email and transform it into a formal version in their notebooks. The instructions were clear and simple:

“Transform the following informal email into a formal email. Use the vocabulary provided in the INFORMAL VS FORMAL LANGUAGE section of the document to replace the informal words and phrases with their formal equivalents. Maintain the original meaning and intent of the email.”

The goal here wasn’t to expand or rewrite the message—just say the same thing, but using formal vocabulary.
As they worked, I moved around the room, offering individual feedback and answering quick questions. It was a calm, focused activity—great for noticing patterns and building confidence.

GRANT REQUEST EMAIL

From ‘Hey’ to ‘Dear Sir’ de cristina.cabal

Then came the second task—same idea, but a different format. This time, the students tackled the grant request email, but in a much more dynamic way.

I paired them up and gave each pair a section of wall space with a small whiteboard. (If you don’t have mini whiteboards, sheets of paper work just as well!) Each pair worked together to rewrite the informal email in a formal tone, using the same vocabulary support as before.

As they wrote, I provided real-time feedback, corrected mistakes, and asked guiding questions. We wrapped it up by asking students to read and compare each other’s versions.
It’s always interesting to see how different pairs interpret and rephrase the same content!

Finally, once both activities were done, I gave students a “teacher’s version” of both emails to keep as a reference. That way, they could clearly see what was expected and how close they had come.

Complaint Letters/Emails: 2 Warm-ups

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Writing a complaint letter sounds serious, right? But before I ask my students to get into that, let’s help them loosen up with two quick warm-ups!

 

First—let’s reflect. Do you often complain, or do you just let things go?

Then, let’s turn up the fun! There’s a challenge: can you guess the complaint just by interpreting a few clues? Some might be obvious, but others will definitely make them think!

Once we’ve had a good laugh (and maybe a little self-discovery), we’ll dive into writing complaint letters that actually get results. Here are the two quick warm-ups. Hope your students enjoy them.

WARM-UP 1: CONVERSATION QUESTIONS
  • Do you think you complain a lot, a little, or just enough? In what situations do you usually complain?
  • In your country/culture, is openly complaining common, or is it considered rude? How do people usually complain?
  • What do people in your city/country often complain about? (e.g., public transport, slow service, bad weather)?
  • Can you recall a time you complained and got a solution? How did you handle it?
  • Do you prefer to solve a problem by complaining or ignore it? Why?
WARM-UP 2: GUESS THE EMOJI

Let’s have fun!You will see emoji sequences and you must try to guess what type of complaint each represents.

 

Complaint emojis de cristina.cabal