Level One Writing Supplement

Translation

1. A mí me gusta la Pizza. ________________________________________________________________

2. Tú me gustas mucho. __________________________________________________________________
3. Son las dos de la tarde. ________________________________________________________________
4. Es en el salon. _______________________________________________________________________
5. Él se bañó temprano. _________________________________________________________________
6. Ella se vino en bus. ___________________________________________________________________
7. Maria tiene 20 años. Su mamá es de Santa Marta. ____________________________________________
8. Pedro tiene hambre. Sus padres están cocinando. ____________________________________________

Simple and Compound Sentences

Adapted from Essay Essentials with Readings: Fourth Edition and The Bare Essentials Plus: Third Edition (Nelson, 2006)
Part One: Introduction to Subjects and Verbs

An independent clause = a group of words that includes a subject and a verb, and it communicates a
complete thought or idea.

A simple sentence = contains one independent clause and ends with a period.

Remember that a sentence needs punctuation. Use a period (.), an exclamation mark (!), or a question mark (?) at
the end of a sentence. Do not use a comma (,) at the end of a sentence!

Simple Sentence
= an independent clause + a period

Independent Clause Period

We study English at Uninorte .
In each of the following simple sentences, underline the subject with one line and the verb with two lines.

1. I have a Canadian friend.

2. He is studying in Barranquilla this semester.
3. My friend likes telling me about his country.
4. In Canada, many Canadians like donuts.
5. Donuts taste sweet.
6. My favorite donuts are chocolate donuts.
7. Last weekend my Canadian friend ate six Dunkin Donuts in Bogota.
8. Buy me some donuts the next time you are in Bogota.*
9. Eating six donuts every day isn’t a good idea.
10. It makes you sick.
*In an imperative sentence, the subject is an invisible You.
 Write eight simple sentences about you, your family, your hobbies, university, or your hometown. In each sentence,
underline the subject with one line and the verb with two lines. Use the present simple, present progressive, or past
simple. When you are finished, check your sentences with a partner.

Mechanics
Adapted from from https://americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/resource_files/developing_writing_1.pdf

Use Capital letters at the beginning of sentences, for names for nationalities and for the days of the week. Use a
period (.) at the end of sentences.
Copy the sentences, and make all the corrections that are necessary.

1. i am ernie Anderson _______________________________________________________________________

2. i am from the united states _______________________________________________________________________
3. we are square dancers _______________________________________________________________________
4. dancing is our hobby _______________________________________________________________________
5. it is an american dance _______________________________________________________________________
6. my father is a weekend cook _______________________________________________________________________
7. he works at a bank on monday, tuesday, wednesday, thursday, and friday
________________________________________________________________________________________
8. he cooks on saturday and sunday __________________________________________________________________
9. usually he cooks Italian spaghetti __________________________________________________________________
10. pizza is italian food _______________________________________________________________________

Using commas in a series. We use a comma between all the members of a list, or a series.
Example: We need eggs, cheese, milk, and bread.

Copy the sentences, and make all the corrections that are necessary. Use capital letters when they are needed.
1. what do you see hear feel and smell? __________________________________________________________
2. i see cars people houses stores and factories __________________________________________________________
3. the largest cities in the world are new york city mexico city tokyo los angeles shanghai buenos aires paris and peking
_________________________________________________________________________________________
4. people are using more food fuel water and air
_________________________________________________________________________________________
5. they are planning cities building roads finding water putting up houses and limiting growth
_________________________________________________________________________________________
6. the growth of cities is a problem in europe africa asia north america and south america
_________________________________________________________________________________________
7. what are we doing about the traffic the noise the pollution and the crowding?
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Compound Sentences using and, but, so, or

Adapted from Focus on Grammar: An Intermediate Course for Reference and Practice (Addison Wesley Longman,
2000)

You can combine two sentences into one sentence. Use a comma (,) and a coordinating conjunction such as and,
but, so, and or. The new sentence has two equal independent clauses with a subject and a verb. It is called a
compound sentence.

For example:

Taxis are expensive. I prefer to take a bus.

Taxis are expensive, so I prefer to take a bus.

(independent clause) (independent clause)

1. Jennifer was good at science. Her sister had trouble with writing.
________________________________________________________________________________________
2. We can go to the new chicken restaurant. We can order in.
________________________________________________________________________________________
3. That movie scares me. I don’t want to watch the movie.
________________________________________________________________________________________
4. We passed through passport control. The four of us boarded the airplane.
________________________________________________________________________________________
6. I really disliked that teacher. I still wanted to take his class.
________________________________________________________________________________________
 Read the following email. Circle the most appropriate coordinating conjunctions.

Dear Dania,

I have a few hours before my next class, so / but I’m trying to catch up on my emailing. This semester is difficult, but /
or I’m enjoying it. I’m taking two English classes, and / so I’m also on the student council. Being on the council has
taught me a lot, but/ so it takes up a lot of time.
Studying takes up most of my time, and / but I try to find time for sports too. I’ve got to keep in shape! This weekend I’m
going hiking with some classmates. Do you remember the time we went hiking, and / so we couldn’t find our way back?

Your visit is in just two weeks! I’m really looking forward to seeing you, and / but I’m sure we’ll have a great time. You
can stay in my dormitory, and / or we can stay at my parents’ house. Which would you prefer to do? My parents don’t
live far away, and / but I know they will want to see you.

Let me know which bus you’re taking, or / and I can meet you at the station. Take care! Kyoji

 Now reread the first paragraph of the letter. Underline the subject(s) with one line and the verb(s) with two
lines.
 Complete these rules about coordinating conjunctions. The examples in Kyoji’s letter to Dania can help you.

Use and when the second sentence adds information.

Use when the second sentence gives a contrasting idea.

Use when the information in the second sentence is a result of the information in the first sentence.

Use when the second sentence gives a choice.

Compound Sentence

= an independent clause + a comma + a coordinating conjunction + an independent clause + a period

Independent Comma Coordinating Independent Period

Clause Conjunction Clause

Taxis are expensive , so I prefer to take a bus .
This semester has been difficult , but I’m enjoying it .
*I’m taking two English classes , and I’m also on the student council .
You can stay in my dormitory , or we can stay at my parents’ house .

*Many writers choose not to use a comma before the coordinating conjunction and.
 There are three more coordinating conjunctions: for, yet, and nor. These are usually only used in formal writing.
 Complete these sentences with your own ideas. Remember that each main clause needs a subject and a
verb.
1. It is starting to rain, but _.
2. I don’t want to study Chemistry tonight, so _.
3. This weekend my friends and I will go to a movie, or _.
4. I’m reading a lot of books in English, and .
5. After class I’m going to a movie, so .
6. Last year I watched TV a lot, but _.
7. I’m excited about graduating from Uninorte, and .
8. Julian is too young to drive a car, but .
9. We can fly to Medellin, or .
10. Studying alone is boring, so .
11. .
12. .

Controlled Composition. Variety in sentence types.

Good writers use some short, simple sentences and some longer sentences. Rewrite the paragraph below and vary the
length of the sentences. Make some longer, and change the word order in some. Combine some sentences with and,
but, or, and so.

My name is June Taylor. My daughter Sara lives in Fairbanks, Alaska. I live in Fairbanks, Alaska. I am a working mother. I
work as a camerawoman for a T.V. station in Fairbanks. My job is interesting. I enjoy it. I didn’t always work. I didn’t
plan to work. I started to work ten years ago. This is my story. I married Charles Taylor in 1966. We were very young.
Charles was a salesman. He liked to move. We moved to a new city every year. We lived in Chicago. We lived in Detroit.
We lived in Miami. We lived far from our families. Charles wanted a large family. I wanted a large family. I didn’t plan
to get a job. I planned to stay home with the children. Sara was born in Miami. Charles was very happy. I was very
happy. I stayed home with Sara. We moved to Alaska the next year. I didn’t have a job. I had a hobby. I liked to take
pictures of Sara. I learned to take very good pictures. I started to sell them. It wasn’t a real job. I always worked at
home. Charles suddenly became very sick in 1972. He had cancer. He died after six months. I had no money. I had no
job. I had no education. I had no friends. Then a T.V station in Fairbanks saw my pictures. They
asked me to work for them. I am very lucky to have the job. I can earn
enough money for Sara and me. We are independent. I don’t worry about the future any more.