Oxford University Press

Headway Plus ELEMENTARY Writing Guide

2011-12

UNIT 7
Writing Task: Write about your last holiday
Worksheet 1: PRE-WRITING
Exercise 1: Brainstorming and gathering information
Answer the following questions about your last holiday:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Where did you go? ...........................................................................................................................

When did you go? ............................................................................................................................
Who did you go with? .......................................................................................................................
How long did you go for? .................................................................................................................
Where did you stay? ..........................................................................................................................
What did you like? ............................................................................................................................

Exercise 2: Check your vocabulary

Match the nouns on the right with
the correct verb in the table below.
Now write the verbs in the
Past Simple.
verb
go

a holiday
for two weeks
presents
in a restaurant

verb in Past Simple

on a picnic
on holiday
away with my family
swimming

to Cyprus
by plane
a photo
in a hotel

Nouns

stay
eat
take
buy
have

Exercise 3: Extend your vocabulary

What did you do on your last holiday in the mornings, afternoons and evenings?
mornings

afternoons

evenings

Oxford University Press

Headway Plus ELEMENTARY Writing Guide

2011-12

UNIT 7
Worksheet 2: PRACTICE
Exercise 1: Sentence building 1
Use your answers to Exercise 1 / Worksheet 1 to write complete sentences about your last holiday.
Use verbs and nouns from Exercise 2 & 3 / Worksheet 1.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

............................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................
............................................................................................................................................................

Exercise 2: Linking words and, but

Look at the table about Salems holiday.
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate verbs in the past and
linking words (and/but).

Salems holiday
take photos
good weather
good food
go swimming
go on a boat
eat in restaurants
computer
visit museums
good hotel
noisy street

1. The weather _______________ good _________ he

_________________ swimming.
2. The food _______________ good _________ he
_________________ in lots of restaurants.
3. He _______________ send emails _________ he
_________________ on a boat.
4. He _______________ photos _________ he
_________________ museums.
5. The hotel _____________ good _________ the street ____________ noisy.

Exercise 3: Linking words so, because + couldnt/wasnt/werent

Complete the sentences about Salems holiday. Use your ideas.
1. Salem liked the hotel because ......................................................................................................
2. The weather wasnt very good so .................................................................................................
3. He couldnt send emails because ..................................................................................................
4. There werent very many shops so ...............................................................................................
5. He liked the people because ..........................................................................................................
Exercise 4: Sentence building 2
Rewrite the sentences from Exercise 1 / Worksheet 2. Use linking words to write longer sentences.
Add extra information and use your ideas from Exercise 3/ Worksheet 1. Make sure you put the
sentences in a good order.
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................

Oxford University Press

Headway Plus ELEMENTARY Writing Guide

2011-12

UNIT 7
Worksheet 3: WRITING
Exercise 1: Writing a First Draft
Write a paragraph about your last holiday. Start with a topic sentence. Use the Past Simple and use
linking words (and, but, because, so). Write about 50 words.
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
....
....

Read your paragraph and check:

Topic sentence
Past simple
Linking words: and/but/because/so
Sentences in a good order
Spelling (use a dictionary)
Capital letters at the start of sentences
Full stops at the end of sentences

Exercise 2: Writing a Final Draft

Make corrections and write out the paragraph again neatly.