WRITING REVISION

I. SENTENCE WRITING
COMPOUND SENTENCE: CÂU GHÉP
1. She went to the supermarket, and ____________________________________________________________.
2. Playing video game is fun, but ______________________________________________________________.
3. We missed the bus, so _____________________________________________________________________.
4. Phong had prepared carefully for the interview, so _______________________________________________.
COMPLEX SENTENCE: CÂU PHỨC
1. When I arrived, __________________________________________________________________________.
2. Although she sings well, ___________________________________________________________________.
3. If students try to learn English, ______________________________________________________________.
4. Vegetables are nutritious, whereas ___________________________________________________________.
5. The boy who is standing over there ___________________________________________________________.
6. Many wild species die because ______________________________________________________________.
II. PARAGRAPH WRITING
Activity 1: Writing topic sentences
Read the following paragraphs, then write a good topic sentence that is connected to the information in the
paragraph.
Paragraph 1:
______________________________________________________________________________. Some
people choose to learn how to play a musical instrument because they want to have fun. They want to play it with
their friends or maybe in a band. Another reason people play an instrument is that it is their hobby. They learned
how to play it a long time ago, and now it is a way to occupy their time. Other people learn to play an instrument
because it is part of their culture. Certain instruments are popular in one culture, such as the guitar in Spain or the
oud in the Middle East. In some cases, however, people learn how to play an instrument because they think it will
make them smarter. A great deal of research suggests that studying music can improve a person's brain function
and intelligence. To sum up, there is not just one main reason that people play a musical instrument.
Paragraph 2:
____________________________________________________________________________. First, your
body will look better. Exercise is perfect for staying trim and healthy looking, and it does not have to take a long
time. Second, you will actually have more energy. A person who exercises will have fewer problems walking
upstairs or climbing hills. In addition, your heart will be healthier. A good, strong heart is necessary for a long,
healthy life. Finally, exercise reduces stress and keeps your mind in shape. Therefore, if you want to improve
your overall health, you should exercise three or four times each week to accomplish this goal.
 Activity 2: Writing concluding sentences
There are many reasons why I like wearing a uniform to school. First of all, it saves time. I don’t have to
spend time picking out my clothes every morning. Wearing a uniform also saves money. It’s cheaper to purchase
a new uniform than to go out and buy lots of school clothes. In addition, I don’t have the pressure of keeping up
with the latest styles. Most importantly, wearing a school uniform gives me a sense that I belong. I really think that
it adds to the feeling of school spirit and community…………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Credit cards have a lot of advantages. First of all, credit cards are convenient because you don’t have to
carry a lot of cash around. You can buy the products and services you need even if you do not have cash in your
pocket. In addition, credit cards are very helpful in emergencies. Finally, you can become a better money manager
as you learn to use credit cards responsibly. …………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Activity 3: Writing supporting sentences
The Internet brings many advantages. …………………………………………………………………...
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III. LETTER WRITING
Activity 1: The following letter is written to a friend but it uses some formal language. Change formal language
to informal one.
Dear Hoa,
I was so pleased to receive your letter yesterday. I would like to congratulate you on your new position that
you have been longing for. It sounds so exciting.
As for me, I have just purchased a new car recently. However, it is significantly inconvenient if I drive it in
the city during rush hours. Hence, I do not drive very often. Next month, I am planning to visit Da Nang city.
Therefore, I really hope that you could have time for 2 meetings with me here. It would be brilliant if we could
be able to arrange a talk between us.
I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully,
Minh
Activity 2: Practice
Topic 1: You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You have invited an English lecturer, Mr. Smith, to give a talk at your English class. Read part of the letter
from him below.
I would be glad to come and give a talk to your English class. Could you tell me some information about your
students? I could talk about either British culture or share some methods of learning English. Which one would
be more interesting? Finally, I am staying in a hotel in the city centre. Could you tell me where and when the
talk is and how to get there?
Write an email responding to Mr. Smith. You should write at least 120 words. You do not need to include your
name or addresses. Your response will be evaluated in terms of Task Fulfillment, Organization, Vocabulary and
Grammar.
Sample writing
Dear Mr. Smith,
I am very delighted to receive your letter. I am writing to (1._____________________) you with some
information about the talk at my English class.
First of all, I would like to give you some information about my students. My class has 25 first year
students who study English at Vietnam National University in Hanoi. They are about 18 years old and they are
studying English to become teachers in the future. (2._____________________) the topic of the talk, I believe
that my students will be more interested in how to improve their English ability. For example, could you please
share with them some free learning materials and resources? They will learn about British culture in their final
year. (3._____________________) the time and place of the meeting, it will take place in lecture hall A1 from
9 am to 11 am next Thursday. Could you give me the exact address so that I could pick you up from the hotel?
I (4._____________________) seeing you in my class and hope that we will have a great talk with you.
(5._____________________)
Topic 2: You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
You received an email from your English friend, Allie. She asked you for some information about your
house. Read part of her email below.
I am going to take a two-year intensive course in Vietnamese language in Hanoi next month. I want to look
for an apartment near the university. My friend said that you have a flat for rent. Can you tell me a bit
about your flat (things like number of rooms, its special features, the price and the neighborhood)? I want
to see if the house will be suitable for me.
Write a letter responding to Allie. You should write at least 120 words. You do not need to include your name
or addresses. Your response will be evaluated in terms of Task Fulfillment, Organization, Vocabulary and
Grammar.
Topic 3: You should spend 20 minutes on this task.
You have had a meal at a restaurant. Then, you received an email from its manager. He asked you for some
feedback on the service of the restaurant. Read part of the email.
Thank you for having a meal at Long Hai Restaurant. We would like to improve our service there.
Could you please give us your feedback on our services? Were you satisfied with the food? How
did the waiters and waitresses serve you? Was there anything that could be better?
Write an email giving your feedback on the services of the restaurant. You should write at least 120 words.
You do not need to include your name or addresses. Your response will be evaluated in terms of Task Fulfillment,
Organization, Vocabulary and Grammar.
REFERENCE (THAM KHẢO)
FORMAL LETTERS & INFORMAL LETTERS (THƯ TRANG TRỌNG & THƯ THÂN MẬT)
Trong công việc và đời sống, viết thư là nhu cầu thiết yếu. Tuy nhiên, viết như thế nào cho phù hợp với từng
đối tượng nhận thư là rất quan trọng. Giữa viết cho giáo viên và viết cho bạn bè, cho giám đốc và cho người bạn
cùng phòng, trong những trường hợp khác nhau chúng ta cần sử dụng phong cách (register) khác nhau. Đối với
tiếng anh, hai lối diễn đạt cơ bản nhất là “formal” ( trang trọng ) và “informal” (không trang trọng ). Đối tượng
và trường hợp sử dụng của 2 loại thư này:
FORMAL (TRANG TRỌNG): Giáo viên; cấp trên; các công ty, văn phòng, tổ chức đoàn thể; với những mục
đích liên quan đến công việc và những vấn đề cần sự trang trọng.
INFORMAL (THÂN MẬT): Bạn bè, người thân, những trường hợp không cần quá trang trọng.

FORMAL (THƯ TRANG TRỌNG) INFORMAL (THƯ THÂN MẬT)

1 Dear Sir, Dear Madam,
2 Complex sentences, non-colloquial English,
avoid clichés (dùng câu phức, từ ngữ trang trọng,
từ vựng nâng cao; tránh dùng ngôn từ thông tục,
bỗ bã trong thư trang trọng)
Many people were absent from class yesterday.
The man in black is responsible for reception.
reception: khu vực lễ tân
3 No contractions (không viết rút gọn)
In this case, you shoud not leave your paper at
my office.
4 No abbreviated forms (không viết tắt)
The requested information will be sent as
soon as possible.
5 Closing/ Final comments
Thank you for your help in this matter.
Do not hesitate to contact us again if you require Let me know if you need anything else.
any further information.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any
questions. My direct line…
6 The ending (Kết thúc thư)
Yours sincerely,Yours faithfully
Hi Simon, Dear Sarah,
Idioms, colloquial English, may use clichés (dùng
ngôn ngữ thân mật, có thể dùng thành ngữ, tiếng
lóng, ngôn từ bỗ bã trong thư thân mật)
Loads of students didn’t come to class yesterday.
The guy wearing black suit is gonna help you when
you arrive. (gonna = going to)
Contractions accepted (có thể viết rút gọn)
You shoudn’t leave your paper with me.
Abbreviated forms are accepted
The info will be sent asap! (có thể
viết tắt khi viết thư trong đời sống
hằng ngày nhưng trong bài thi viết
thư thân mật thí sinh không nên viết
tắt)
Closing/ Final comments
Thanks again for everything.
Just give me a call if you have any questions.
My number is…
The ending (Kết thúc thư)
Love, Best wishes, Regards, Cheers