www.grammarly.com
In the PAU you may be asked to write different types of texts on any topic. Let’s check what types of text you may have to face and some examples of tasks:
| An argumentative essay (for & against)
Should the right to vote be lowered to the age of 16, instead of 18? What would be the advantages or disadvantages? Write an argumentative article giving opinions for and against this issue. (2014) |
| An opinion essay
Write your opinions about this law intended to protect animals in Britain. Do you think Spain needs a law like this? (2006) |
| An essay
Write an essay about aspects related to learning and using a language. Discuss difficulties, language components or even other kinds of language (art, music, computer language, animal language…). (2006) |
| A narrative
What makes a good teacher, according to your own experience? Write a personal narrative about the best teacher you ever had. Explain why she/he inspired you. |
| A description of a place (Article)
You are a journalist for a travel magazine. Write an article describing a place you know well. Mention the interesting things to see and do there. Comment also on the historical background and cultural traits. Mention any practical things a traveller should take into account: currency, weather, local customs…(2011) |
| An informal letter / email
Write an e-mail to a friend. Explain a trip you have done recently. Talk about the places you visited, when and who with. Mention any interesting or funny anecdotes that happened during the journey.(2011) |
| A formal letter / email
Write a letter to the Spanish Minister for the Environment. Show your deep concern about how water is being wasted in our country. Suggest a few ideas to improve the situation.(2005) |
| An article
Imagine you are a candidate at your class delegate election. Write a school article inviting people to vote and encouraging your classmates to vote for you, explaining your arguments. (2014) |
| A dialogue / conversation
Two scientists are talking about vivisection (tests on living animals to increase medical knowledge of human diseases). One scientist is for this practice, the other is against it. Write this dialogue. (2006) |
| An interview
You are a journalist for Blue Earth magazine. Write an interview with the leader of a Tuareg clan about their way of life in the desert. (2005) |
| Blog / Diary entry
Mame is writing about her daily life in a web log / diary. Write her entry for a most wonderful day. (Use Standard English, avoid informal or shorthand writing. (2007) |
| A biography
Imagine that you have set up a successful business before the age of 25. Write a biography of yourself and include a description of the company and the steps you took to make the company successful. (2016) |
| Informative text
Imagine you are working for the Namibia Tourist Board. Write a text for a promotional campaign addressed to Europeans with the title: “Come to experience the real Africa in the Kunene region” (2012) |
| Presentation
You are an Erasmus student at the University of Bergen (Norway). One professor asks you to talk to your class about the Catalan language and culture. Write the text of your presentation. (2006) |
| Newspaper story
You are a journalist. Write a short newspaper story about the labor exploitation of some groups of immigrants in Spain. (2008) |
| Speech
You are the representative of your country before the United Nations Organization (UNO). Write a speech addressed to the UNO general delegates denouncing the resurgence of slavery.(2008) |
I. Did you follow the last elections in the USA? Why? Why not?
II. You’re going to watch a video about the new VP of the USA. First, check these words that are going to appear in the video and match them to their definitions.
| Letter | 1. former | a. in the US, a political partner chosen for a politician who is trying to get elected |
| 2. outspoken | b. a lawyer | |
| 3. running mate | c. of or in an earlier time; before the present time or in the past | |
| 4. heritage | d. to cause somebody embarrassment or difficulty by forcing them at that moment to answer a difficult question or make an important decision | |
| 5. attorney | e. expressing strong opinions very directly without worrying if other people are offended | |
| 6. put somebody on the spot | f. a set of ideas or a plan of what to do in particular situations that has been agreed to officially by a group of people, a business organization, a government, or a political party | |
| 7. policy | g. features belonging to the culture of a particular society, such as traditions, languages, or buildings, that were created in the past and still have historical importance |
III. Watch the video and answer the questions.
a. What are Kamala Harris origins?
b. What was her job before she became a California Senator?
c. Can you think of three adjectives to describe Kamala Harris?
d. Give three reasons why Kamala Harris being elected Vice President of the USA is a historic event.
e. Do you think politics are going to improve with Biden and Harris after the Trump administration? Write your opinion in 50 words.
1. What is the video about?
2. What do you think the lyrics of the song mean and what do they have to do with the story?
Lyrics:
If I had another chance tonight
I’d try to tell you that the things we had were right
3. Write a short story about this girl. Why was she carrying a heart? What was she looking for? What happened in the end? Make up an ending for the story.
Watch the ad and discuss the questions below:
Do you think this advert is a parody? Why?
Watch it again and note down all the aspects that make it be a parody.
Do you think couples behave this way on Saint Valentine’s day?
[Thanks to the English Blog for the idea]
I. School children around the world have been going on strike. Would you protest against these things? What would you do? How effective would your protest be? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.
| Would you? | How? | Effectiveness | |
| Climate change | |||
| War | |||
| Food prices | |||
| High taxes | |||
| Government corruption | |||
| Inequality |
II. Read the text and answer the following questions:
Source: BreakingNewsEnglish
III. Who is Greta Thunberg? What was her speech at the United Nations last year about? Listen to her and then you will comment on some of her statements.
a. “I’ve learnt that you are never too small to make a difference”.
b. “You only talk about moving forward with the same bad ideas that got us into this mess even when the only sensible thing to do is pull the emergency break”.
c. “It is the sufferings of the many which pay for the luxuries of the few”.
d. “Until you start focusing on what needs to be done rather than what is politically possible there is no hope”.
e. “We need to focus on equity and the solutions within this system are so impossible to find that maybe we should change the system itself”.
f. “We have come here to let you know that the change is coming whether you like it or not. The real power belongs to the people”.
III. Listen to what the Australia’s Prime Minister said about the school strike. What do you think about it?
IV. Check the Global Climate Strike website to know about all the demonstrations around the world.
1. https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/present-simple-present-continuous-1.html
2. https://elt.oup.com/student/solutions/preint/grammar/grammar_01_012e?cc=global&selLanguage=en
3. http://www.engelsgemist.nl/present-simple-present-continuous/
4. https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/tenses/simple_present_progressive2.htm
5. https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/simpre-prepro
6. https://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbs1.htm
2. https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/present-perfect-present-perfect-continuous-3.html
3. https://elt.oup.com/student/solutions/upperint/grammar/grammar_01_012e?cc=global&selLanguage=en
4. http://esl.fis.edu/grammar/multi/ppsppc.htm
5. https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/tenses/present_perfect_or_progressive.htm
6. https://www.test-english.com/grammar-points/b1/present-perfect-simple-present-perfect-continuous/
7. http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/grammar/3g9-present-perfect-simple-continuous.php
8. https://www.esl-lounge.com/student/grammar/3g41-present-perfect-simple-or-continuous.php
9. https://www.englishgrammar.org/present-perfect-or-present-perfect-continuous-tense-exercise/
10. https://www.e-grammar.org/present-perfect-simple-continuous/test1-exercise5/
