Writing & Reading: What did you do last weekend? Error correction practice

Read the following compositions ('What did you do last weekend?' and 'A postcard') written by two anonymous NB1 students. Correct the mistakes and try to improve the style/structures. Pay special attention to:

- grammar
- spelling
- punctuation
- use/correctness of vocabulary
- possible incoherences

COMPOSITION 1

COMPOSITION 1
*TRIPLE-CLICK IN THE SPACES TO SEE THE CORRECTIONS

0. What is what I did the weekend?
‘What did you do last weekend?’

1. On Friday I went to the college to giving my lessons and we had a few activities of carnivals.
On Friday I went to school to give my lessons/ to teach and we had a few carnival activities.
2. The children with the help of the teacher had to elaborate your disguise.
With the help of the teacher, the children had to elaborate their costumes.
3. We all were disguised of rabbits.
We were all disguised as rabbits.
4. Later they were going out to the court of the college to dance.
Later they went to the playground of the school to dance.
5. I after my classes me was to eating with my cousin and his husband.
After my classes, I went to have lunch with my cousin and her husband.
6. We ate paella of vegetables.
We had a vegetable paella.
7. On Saturday morning I bought myself my newspapers and read them in my terrace to the Sun.
On Saturday morning I bought my newspapers and read them in my terrace in the sunshine.
8. Later we went to eat to the Plaza Bohemia to a restaurant.
Later, we went to a restaurant in Plaza Bohemia to have dinner
9. In the night we stay to have dinner and to disguise ourselves with a group of friends.
In the evening, a group of friends and I met to have dinner and to disguise/dress up.
10. We were dancing in the discotheque and they gave to us a prize to the best disguise.
We danced in a disco and they gave us a prize for the best costume.
11. Since we were very tired, on Sunday we get up very late and we went away to eating a 'caldero' to the restaurant The Mosqui.
Since we were very tired, on Sunday we got up very late and we had a ‘caldero’ for lunch at El Mosqui.
12. In the evening we sleep a great siesta and in the night we saw a movie in the DVD.
In the afternoon, we slept a great siesta and in the evening we watched a DVD/film.
13. Monday was a holiday for the teachers of Cartagena and then I was useful to do my English homework.
Monday was a bank holiday for teachers in Cartagena, and then I did my English homework.
An anonymous NB1 student.

COMPOSITION 2: A postcard

1. Dear Pepi.

2. Hope you're OK.

3. I write to you from Miami.

4. We have thought of passing here the vacations of Holy Week.

5. The trip was very heavy, several flight schedule.

6. But we fly very well, they were giving drink free.

7. And I remembered you since be what you like.

8. Here we were to 32 degrees of temperature.

9. We lodge at the apartment of a friends at Miami beach.

10. It is opposite the beach.

11. We rent a car and we were doing visits.

12. We have done some purchases, and do not worry that I have remembered you...

13. We were in C.S.I Miami recording studios and I have taken photos of the actors.

14. We bath every day in the beach.

15. But I have not put dark man since I began protective cream.

16. To the return we meet to Ana Obregón with his son in the airport.

17. She also has done a good flight.

18. Many kisses and we meet in class.

An anonymous NB1 student.

Writing resources: www.ompersonal.com.ar

Hi,

The following link is strongly recommended for those who have difficulties with writing or punctuation. Lots of students at this EOI are doing the activities and they found the website really useful.

Also, you can't miss the other contents of www.ompersonal.com.ar. It's really worth a visit.

Hope you enjoy it!

Thanks Ana Fúster for the link

File 5B. Writing: A short story

Write a short story that includes the following verbs in the Past Simple. Use positive, negative and interrogative questions: 


play - want - need - clap - smile - be - cry - walk - answer - ask - stop


Don't forget to add, at least, another two extra regular verbs in the Past Simple to your story.

The best story gets two free tickets to a concert of your favourite band next April.

Use the Comments section to write your story.

File 2. Writing: An Informal e-mail / letter

Hi,

If you want to practise your writing skills, you can write to a 'penfriend' (or 'e-pal', if you exchange emails) in another country. Here are some links where you can find penfriends or e-pals to write to:
http://pen-friends.net/
http://www.englishjet.com/english_courses_files/people.htm
http://www.penpalpalace.com/

Use the Comments section to write an e-mail or letter to a penfriend, or give it to me in class (See New English File Elementary, page 25, for more details)