Before the Event.

The Event.

After the Event.

Before working on your plan try to decide what the main event will be so that you can build up your story round it. It is not

always necessary to make out a full detailed plan. But it is wise to note a few ideas under each heading so that you have a fairly

clear picture of what you are going to say before you begin writing. Remember that a plan is only a guide.

Examine carefully the following plan:

Title: The Stranger on the Bridge.

Main Event: Late at night a man climbs over a wall surrounding a big house.

Plan:

Before the Event:

1.Midnight: bridge — cold — dark.

2.

Frank on bridge. Someone approaching. Effect on him.

3.

Steps come nearer. Frank turns to look.

4.

Pretends to stop — sees stranger: description. The Event:

5.

Conversation: man wants information.

6.

Frank suspicious: why? Follows. Outside the house. Lights, man over wall.

After the Event:

7.

Frank now sure — telephone box.

Note: 1—7 — numbers of paragraphs in the essay.

Descriptive Essay

Planning. In descriptive essay there is no underlying "story" to hold your composition together so it is necessary to think of

a central idea to which everything you describe can be related.

In descriptive writing there is no single event which will keep the reader in suspense as there is in a story. Whether or not

your essay will be exciting to read will depend entirely on the interesting details you include. In your first paragraph you

should consider the subject in general and deal with details in the paragraphs that follow. Your description may take the form

of a personal impression or may be purely imaginary.

The general outline for descriptive essay should be as follows:

Introduction.

Development.

Conclusion.

It is absolutely necessary to make out a plan noting but a few ideas under each heading. In this way you will avoid

repeating yourself.

Examine carefully the plan below:

Title: A Walk on Sunday Morning.

Central Idea: A day spent in the city can be quite so interesting as one in the country.

Plan:

Introduction.

1. Decision to spend day in the city: square — gardens.

First impressions.

Development.

2. Arrival at square: people — pigeons — statue. Incident: boy and pigeons.

3. Leave square. Public Gardens: different atmosphere.

4. Pond most interesting. Various boats.

5. Rest. Join crowd-man-model of ship. Conclusion.

6. Midday. Leave for home. Surprise that city could be so pleasant.

Write an essay on one of the following subjects (write a plan, for your teacher to refer to it if necessary):

The Conquest of Space.

An Imaginary Journey in a Balloon.

The Man or Woman you Would Like to Marry.

Sleeping in the Open.

The Crowd outside a Cinema.

A Thunderstorm.

The Indoor Game you Like Best.

A Trip down a Big River by Boat.

CONVERSATIONAL FORMULAS

Expressing and reacting to opinions

True ... but...

This is my way of looking at it.

I think it goes further than that... a lot further.

Yes, you're right.

Well, you see what I mean.

That's one way of looking at it. But...

Yes, if you like ...

You may be right... All the same ...