Very topical resource based on an article about the popular, award-winning Blue Planet 2 series.
General reading comprehension questions (with a focus on reading for detail) followed by a challenging writing exercise where the learner has to email a friend and persuade them not to leave litter on the beach.
With answers and curriculum mapping.
Very topical resource about the the Blue Moon Eclipse due on 31 Jan 2018.
General reading comprehension questions followed by an interesting writing exercise where the learner has to enter a competition to win a telescope.
With answers and curriculum mapping.
A set of two exercises (one vocabulary exercise, then a directed writing exercise) plus an extension (fun exercise where learners use the ‘wrong’ register to write a text) to learn about formal and informal language in English.
Editor’s note
No answers
Love the final exercise :) The examples (which involve David Beckham and a broken washing machine) are hilarious.
Level
Level 1
Level 2
GCSE L1-5
English
Functional English - writing
Wt/L2.6
Adult Lit Wt/L2.5 Use formal & informal language appropriate to purpose & audience
Adult Lit Wt/L1.4 Use language suitable for purpose and audience
GCSE Writing AO5(a) Use tone, style and register for different forms, purposes & audiences
A revision activity for Level 1 Functional Skills English reading and writing.
Editor’s note
Reading questions cover all aspects of the FS criteria. The writing activity (formal letter) stresses the use of persuasive techniques and is ideal for both Level 1 and Level 2. It includes a useful writing checklist.
Level
Level 2
Level 1
English
Functional English - writing
Wt/L2.6
Adult Lit Wt/L2.5 Use formal & informal language appropriate to purpose & audience
Adult Lit Wt/L1.4 Use language suitable for purpose and audience
This is a short explanation with examples of eight sorts of conjunctive adverb arranged by type. There is an activity to complete, as well as some stretch/research activities for differentiation.
Editor’s note
Fully mapped to L2 Functional English and GCSE English
Level
Level 2
GCSE L1-5
English
FE L2.20 Punctuate writing correctly using a wide range of punctuation markers e.g. colons, commas, inverted commas, apostrophes, quotation marks
FE L2.28 Construct complex sentences consistently & accurately, using paragraphs where appropriate
This resource is aimed at high E3, L1 and L2 ESOL learners who make mistakes when using conjunctions, prepositions and adverbs in their writing to express contrast. There are seven speaking, reading and writing tasks in all.
Level
Level 1
Level 2
English
Use knowledge of grammar
Apply grammar
Identify main points and detail
Functional Skills English
ESOL
ESOL: Writing sentence focus - punctuation and grammar (Ws)
A series of tasks designed to help learners improve their sentences and hence their writing style. These tasks assume no previous knowledge of complex sentences or subordinating conjunctions. They do assume the learner is familiar with simple sentences (i.e. one clause, one verb) and compound sentences. (See my related Entry Level ‘Halloween Compound Sentences’ resource for more on compound sentences and coordinating conjunctions).
Aimed at L1-2 students but parts could be useful at Entry 3. All tasks have a Halloween theme.
An ESOL reading comprehension based on a BBC News report on the death of Stanislav Petrov, who averted a potential Cold War disaster in 1983.
The text contains several examples of past perfect, reported speech and third / mixed conditionals. The activity combines reading for gist, for detail, identifying vocabulary and identifying parts of speech. An extension activity gives learners an opportunity to write a similar short text, using the same elements of grammar to tell a story about a decision that changed events.
Level
Level 2
Level 1
English
Use knowledge of grammar
Apply grammar
General literacy / English
Functional Skills English
ESOL
ESOL: Reading word focus - vocabulary, word recognition, phonics (Rw)
ESOL: Writing sentence focus - punctuation and grammar (Ws)
