Revision Box 4 (descriptive essays)

Are these statements about descriptive essays true or false?

1. When you describe a building you should describe its surroundings.

2. When you describe a place you should give the overall impression.

3. You cannot use the passive to describe events.

4. In descriptions of festivals/ celebrations you can use narration, include various adjectives and adverbs and refer to the senses.

5. When describing a monument do not include information about sights, facilities or activities.

6. Past tenses are normally used when describing a place/ building for a magazine article.

7. Descriptions of place/ buildings never include factual information.

8. Do not write comments in the conclusion of a descriptive essay.

9. When describing objects opinion adjectives follow fact adjectives.

10. Descriptions of objects begin from specific to general.

11. To describe a place for a serious magazine you should use informal language.

12. To describe an object you should include particular details and special features.

13. The Passive Voice is never used to describe events.

14. Descriptions of objects can be included in a report to a lost property office.

15. To describe a place you can use your senses while giving details of it.

16. The final paragraph of a description of a place includes particular details of it.

17. When describing festivals you cannot use your senses to describe the atmosphere.

18. When you need to use a variety of adjectives to describe something, they are normally given in the following order: opinion, size/weight, age, shape, pattern, origin, colour, material.

19. Descriptions of places are never written in an informal style.

20. In a descriptive composition about a place/building you may give its exact location in the conclusion.

Revision Box 5 (letters)

1. Colloquial English can be used in formal letters.

2. If you know the name of the recipient you sign Yours sincerely.

3. Formal letters include facts and strong emotional feelings.

4. Formal letters are always longer than informal letters.

5. In a formal letter it is acceptable to use colloquial English, slang, contractions and idioms.

6. In a formal letter you should include your name and address at the top of the page.

7. In a formal letter you should always write the date in full (e.g. 1 April 2009 and not 1/4/09).

8. In a formal letter you should always put your full name (e.g. James Harcourt and not J. Harcourt) after your signature at the bottom of the letter.

9. Formal letters do not need to be broken into paragraphs; it is acceptable to write them as one continuous paragraph.

10. Letters of complaint are normally written in an informal style.

11. In formal letters when we know the name of the recipient we address him as Dear John.

12. “Yours faithfully” is used in some formal letters.

13. Short forms are used in informal letters.

14. Complex sentence structures are not permitted in formal letters.

15. Omission of subject of sentence is typical of formal letters.

16. Carefully constructed sentences and paragraphs are not typical of letters.

17. In formal letters paragraphs should develop one specific topic.

18. Literary expressions are never used in letters.

19. The first paragraph of a letter usually states the reason for writing.

20. Letters of complaint are always strong.