Tag Archives: PAU

Text formats in the PAU

www.grammarly.com

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)

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Pau Tests (speech, presentation & promotional text).

So that you can practise writing, take the listening and reading tests:

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. (June 2008 S5) Reading & Listening Test / Answers / Audio File

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. (June 2006 S1) Reading & Listening Test / Answers / Audio File

PROMOTIONAL 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”. (Sept 2012 S4)

Text types: a speech

A SPEECH

Before writing a speech, you need to take into account the following aspects:

  • WHO you are writing your speech for (the audience).
  • WHAT your speech is going to be about (its topic).
    – the main points ranked in order of importance with supporting research.
  • HOW long it needs to be.

The structure of a speech is simple. It consists of three parts:

  1. an opening or introduction.
  2. the body where all the information is given.
  3. and an ending (or summary).

Let’s go through the different steps you need to follow to write your speech:

STEP 1 – THE AUDIENCE

  • Identify the people who are going to be listening to you. Imagine them sitting in front of you waiting for listening to you.

STEP 2 – WRITING AS YOU SPEAK

  • Note down the main ideas you want to give in your speech. Organise them and write down what you’d say as if you were talking directly to them.

STEP 3 – CHECKING

  • Check the “tone” of your language.
    Is it right for the occasion, subject matter and your audience?
  • Check the length of your sentences.
    If they’re too long or complicated you risk losing your listeners.
  • Have you chosen words your audience will understand?
  • Remember you are writing “oral language”.
    You are writing as if you were explaining, telling or showing something to someone. It doesn’t have to be perfect sentences. We don’t talk like that.

STEP 4 – THE OPENING

The answer is to capture their interest straight away. You do this with a “hook”. Hooks come in as many forms as there are speeches and audiences. Your task is work out what the specific hook is to catch your audience. 

Go back to the purpose. Why are you giving this speech? Once you have your answer, consider your call to action. What do you want the audience to do as a result of listening to you? Next think about the imaginary or real person you wrote for when you were focusing on your main ideas.

STEP 5 – THE ENDING

The ideal ending is highly memorable. You want it to live on in the minds of your listeners long after your speech is finished. Often it combines a call to action with a summary of major points.

Source: Write Out Loud

WRITING TASK

  1. 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. (June 2008 S5)
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PAU practice

PAU

So that you remember me over the Christmas break …

Take these listening & reading tests in real exam conditions. Don’t use a dictionary and listen to the tests only twice. Use up to 45′ to answer each reading exam.

pau_angl11june.pdf

pau_angl11sept.pdf

june11-john craven.mp3

june11-lost.mp3

sept11-end of the world train.mp3

pau_angl11june_key.pdf

pau_angl11sept_key.pdf

 [Thanks to Mireia Xortó for arranging and sharing this post]

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Writing notes for PAU (Batxillerat 2)

by djking (Flickr)

by djking (Flickr)

Here you’ll find the structure of the texts, useful expressions and linkers, as well as some examples of the type of texts you may face at Selectivitat.

A FORMAL LETTER y Andrea Velasco and Laura Mate,

A narrative essay by Adrià Junyent and Toni Torres

ARTICLE AND DESCRIPTION by Tamara Luchena and Marina Zamora

INFORMAL LETTER BY LIDIA RUIZ AND MIREIA SINTES

Opinion Essay by Albert Granados Carla Godoy and Alejandro Guerra

A discussion essay by Kevin Hornero Lucía Lacarta and Sergi Moreira

Dialogue by Pol Galé, Carlos Gallardo and Rubén Sanabria

 

[Thanks to Mireia Xortó and her students at Francesc Macià Highschool for sharing it]  https://englishmireiaxorto.wordpress.com/2015/04/14/writing-notes-for-pau-batxillerat2-2/

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