Speakout Upper Intermediate
WRITING REFERENCE UNIT 6
Writing a letter on particular topic
When you write a letter on a particular topic, use a different paragraph to describe each point
that you want to make.
Learn to write a letter to your descendents
1 How will the world be different in the future? Write down four things that might
change in the next 100 years.
2 Quickly read Wendy s letter to her descendents. Does she mention any of your
points?
Dear All, Greeting
Why you are
I hope you are all well and that you appreciate a friendly letter from
writing
one of your predecessors. One hundred years have passed since I
wrote this letter. I m just getting in contact to see how you are all
getting on.
I expect there will be quite a lot of people in the world by now and
First point
you will all be living on top of each other in skyscrapers. I hope it s
not too noisy and you still have some green space for a game of
football or sunbathing.
I hope that by now humanity will have solved some of the
environmental problems which my generation helped to cause. I m
Second point
sorry that I didn t do more to help when I had the chance. Are there
still polar bears on the planet? Or do you only know about them
from old documentaries? If you still have television, I hope that the
programmes will have improved considerably compared to my time.
I would like to offer you some advice if you don t mind. Try not to
work too hard in order to have some time for yourself. Remember
your family so that you always have someone to love and help you.
Spend time with your friends because they are important. Last of
Third point
all, look after yourself and don t forget to laugh every now and
again so as to stay healthy and happy.
All the best, Close
Wendy
Speakout Upper Intermediate Writing Reference © Pearson Educación, S.A., 2012
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3 Read the letter again and answer the questions.
1 Does Wendy think the world will be a better place or a worse place in the future?
2 What does Wendy think is important to do?
4 Find six linkers of purpose in the letter.
5 Join the sentences using the linkers of purpose in brackets.
1 Make sure you take time off. You need to relax. (in order to)
2 Don t forget to work hard at school. That way you can get a good job. (so as to)
3 I wish you could write back. Then I would know how you are doing. (so that)
4 I hope you went to university. You always talked about studying chemistry. (to)
5 Make sure you meet your friends. You can go to have a coffee. (for)
Extension
6 Look at your answers to exercise 5. Which linkers of purpose can be made negative?
Rewrite those sentences whose linkers can be made negative so that they express
the same idea.
Writing practice
7 Write a letter to your five-year-old son (120 180 words) to be opened 50 years
from now. Use at least three different linkers of purpose.
Writing plan
" Greeting
" Why you are writing
" What you think your son s life will be like (one main point per paragraph)
" Some advice
" Close
Check your letter.
Have you followed the writing plan?
Have you used linkers of purpose?
Have you checked the grammar, spelling and punctuation of your letter?
Speakout Upper Intermediate Writing Reference © Pearson Educación, S.A., 2012
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