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1 SPEAKING Work in pairs. Discuss the questions. 1 Which local festivals happen in your area? 2 What happens there? Do you go to any? 2 Read the task and find the two elements that you are required to include in your blog post. Your local newspaper published an article suggesting that a local festival should no longer take place. Write a blog post outlining the advantages of the festival and describing a personal experience of it. | Writing Strategy Make a plan for your blog post so you allow enough space to include every element from the task instructions. Remember to include a good introduction and a summary. | 3 Read the Writing Strategy and the blog post. In which paragraphs (1-4) does the writer cover the two elements from the task? How well does the writer follow the advice in the strategy? 4 Read the Learn this! box. Then find an example of each of the structures in the blog post. | LEARN THIS! Sequencing clauses for describing past events 1 For an action which comes before another action: having + past participle Having played football, they went home. after + -ing After playing football, they went home. 2 For two actions which happen at the same time: a present participle Travelling home, they met Mary. as + past simple As they travelled home, they met Mary. Note: the subject of the participle clause must be the same as the subject of the main clause. NOT After leaving the cinema, it started to rain. X | | | SAVE OUR FESTIVAL! 1 I was very surprised to read an article in my local newspaper suggesting that the Kingsbridge Festival should no longer take place. The article suggested that the festival costs the council too much money and causes too much disruption to traffic in the town centre. I'd like to outline some arguments against this view. 2 I strongly disagree with the suggestion that there is no value in continuing the festival. Firstly, it has become a local tradition. Kingsbridge has held an annual food and music festival for more than ten years. Secondly, local producers and caterers can sell their food and drink there. And thirdly, after eating and drinking, visitors can stay to watch local musicians showcase their talents. 3 Last year's festival was a memorable experience. As families crowded around the food stalls, the music played non-stop. There was a lovely, friendly atmosphere until night fell. Having arrived later to hear the bands play, the local teenagers just mixed in with everybody else. Looking around, I could see young people, old people and parents with children on their shoulders, all dancing to the music. 4 In my view, festivals like this are good for local trade and advertising. They are also invaluable for bringing and keeping communities together. How can you put a price on that? | 5 In your notebook, join the sentences, beginning with the words in brackets. 1 I arrived at the airport. I checked in. (After... / Having ...) After arriving at the airport, I checked in. Having arrived at the airport. I checked in. 2 We lay in the sun. We read magazines. (As.../ Lying...) 3 The band played. The sun came out. (As...) 4 They swam. They wrote postcards. (After... / Having...) 5 You watched the film. You fell asleep. (As.../Watching...) 6 Read the task below. Then make some notes for a) the advantages and b) your description. The local newspaper published an article suggesting that schools should no longer have a long holiday over the summer. Write a blog post outlining the benefits of summer holidays and describing a long summer holiday you have enjoyed. 7 SPEAKING Work in pairs. Discuss ideas for each paragraph and compare the notes you made in exercise 6. 8 In your notebook, write your blog post (180-200 words). | CHECK YOUR WORK Have you... • written equally about both required elements? • included sequencing clauses in your description? | |
