Ideas. Each Kind of Writing Must Follow A Particular Outline

Hi guys,
As the international tests require more and more writing

skill, I think it is necessary to post this topic to help us meet
their requirements. This topic will be open for all of you. You
can learn, practice and post your opinions about writing.
I will gradually post all that you need to produce a good

piece of writing. Hope you all will learn something from
them.
But first of all, there is something you should pay attention

to when you write a paragraph or essay.
- A good piece of writing needs a logical arrangement of

ideas. Each kind of writing must follow a particular outline
which I will post later.
- A good piece of writing needs a variety of sentence

structures. It is to say you shouldn't use one or two
structures all the time. You shoud use as many structures as
possible.
-A good piece of writing should be as formal as possible.

* You should use formal style to write, i.e use full form not
contractions (I am instead of I'm, he does not instead of he
doesn't)
* Carefully choose the vocabulary. Do not use slangs,
taboos, and informal idioms.
- A good piece of writing should contain ideas which are

concretely supported. That is to say you should use
examples, quotations and statistics from reliable sources.
You should also use your personal point of view; however, it
is not recommended all the time.
- A good piece of writing must have coherence. It is to say

the movement from one sentence to another (or one
paragraph to another) must be logical and smooth. No
sudden jump is encouraged.
- A good piece of writing must have unity. It should discuss

about one idea at a time. Do not discuss about something
too far from its point or your writing will be digressive.
- A good piece of writing does not contain grammatical

and spelling mistakes. (It is better if you write your writing
on a computer as it can check these mistakes for you.)
To be continued… (Topic 1: GRAMMAR REVIEW)

Topic 1: Grammar Review
(You may find these things in the Grammar Box, but I want to systematically
raise them again.)
I. SENTENCE TYPES
a. THE SIMPLE SENTENCE contains one S and one finite V (V in a

particular tense).
She likes to eat mushrooms.
You and I will meet them soon.
b. THE COMPLEX SENTENCE contains one or more main clauses and

one or more dependent clauses.
I know the man who is standing at the door.
Because she didn't know the answer, she had to find it.
c. THE COMPOUND SENTENCE contains two or more independent

clauses.
We don't like him; besides, we don’t like parties.
We rarely take taxis; we can't afford it.
She screamed and ran away. (This sentence can be considered as a simple
sentence.)
d. THE COMPOUND COMPLEX SENTENCE contains two or more

independent clauses and at least one dependent clause.
When she saw him, her hands shivered and she fell down.
II. TRANSFORMATION
You should use a variety of sentence structures.
a. Fronting and inversion

Expensive as the shirt was, she bought it.
Rarely did he travel by bus.
b. Active vs. Passive
c. Cleft structures:
It was the weather that made us stay home.
d. Pseudo-cleft structures:
What amazed me was the things he did.
III. COMMON SENTENCE MISTAKES
* Choppy sentences: No linking words are used to combine related

sentences.
Ex: She looked at the sky. Then she looked at the sea. They were too big. She
threw a rock into the ocean. It disappeared. She began to cry.
Correction: use linking words or make compound or complex sentences
from them.
Ex: The sky and the sea looked too big. She threw a rock into the ocean and
began to cry as it disappeared.
* Run-on sentences: Too many ideas in one sentences with no proper

linking words or punctuation mark.
Ex: It was a pleasant drive the sun was shining.
Correction: Use punctuation or linking words.
Ex: It was a pleasane drive because the sun was shining.
* Comma splice: Wrong use of comma (,)

Ex: If you know, you must tell us, we will do it.
Correction: use another punctuation mark or linking words.
Ex: If you know, you must tell us. Then we will do it.
* Fragment: Incomplete sentences.

Correction: Provide the missing part.
* Rambling sentences: Too long sentences => too complicated to be

understood.
Correction: make shorter sentences from them.
* Dangling participles: The implied subject of the dependent clause and the
subject of the main clause do not refer the same person or thing.
Ex: Jumping into the sea, a shark attacked him.
Correction: Use the proper subject for the main clause.
Ex: Jumping into the sea, he was attacked by a shark.
* Ambiguous pronouns: Pronouns make the readers confused what they

prefer to.
Ex: When Mary saw Ann, she told her that she was pleased to help her.
Correction: Use a Noun or noun phrase in place of the pronoun.
Ex: When Mary saw Ann, she told Ann that she was pleased to help her.
* Faulty parallelism: non-parallel structures.

Ex: She noticed the way he talked and how he did it. Correction: use parallel
structures.
Ex: She noticed how he talked and how he did it.
* Subject-verb agreement: The verbs of the sentence does not go with the
subject.
Ex: Either she or I are going to the party.
Correction: Either she or I am going to the party.
Bibliography: Vu Thi Lan (2003). Writing. Photocopy. Teacher Training

College of Ho Chi Minh City.
To be continued… (Topic 2: HOW TO WRITE A PARAGRAPH)

Topic 2 - Writing a Paragraph
Each paragraph should focus on one appropriate topic. However, a general

topic must be narrowed down to a specific or limited topic that can be
discussed.
For example, you are given the topic about music. This topic should be
narrowed down like this: MUSIC => VIETNAMESE MUSIC => NEW
SONGS or about weather: WEATHER => WEATHER IN VIETNAM =>
STORMS AND TYPHOONS
I. PART OF A PARAGRAPH
1. THE TOPIC SENTENCE
- This sentence has two parts: topic + controlling idea

* The controlling ideas is the main idea or opinion about the topic that you
are going to discuss about. That means all the sentences in the paragraph
will relate to and develop the controlling idea.
Ex: Hurricanes (topic) exert tremendous power (controlling idea).
Ex: The native foods of America's immigrant population (controlling idea)
are reflected in American cooking(topic).
* The controlling idea should not be vague like this: Smoking is bad.
- This sentence should be clear and focus on a specific idea. It should not be
too general (too many things to discuss about) or too specific (too simple to
be developed).
- This sentence may be the first or last sentence of the paragraph.
2. THE SUPPORTING IDEAS (BODY)
- The purpose of the sentences in this part of the paragraph is to support the
controlling ideas in the topic sentence. Therefore, any sentence that is out of
this order will be omitted.
- To make the supporting ideas stronger, you should use some techniques to
strengthen these ideas including using examples, illustrations, statistics,
quotations and personal experience.
3. THE CONCLUDING SENTENCE
- A concluding sentence has three purposes:

a. It signals the end of the paragraph.
b. It summarizes the main points of the paragraph.
c. It gives a final comment on the topic.
- A concluding sentence should begin with one of the following phrases:
finally, in conclusion, in summary, therefore, thus, as a result, in short, in
brief, ...
- The concluding sentence is sometimes a paraphrase of the topic sentence.
Ex:
Topic sentence: Synonyms, words that have the same basic meaning, do not
always have the same emotional meaning.
Concluding sentence: Therefore, you should be careful in choosing words
because many so-called synonyms are not really synonymous at all.
II. OUTLINE OF A PARAGRAPH
Topic sentence:
Supporting ideas (Body):

* supporting idea 1
specific details (example / stastistic / quotation...)
* supporting idea 2
* supporting idea 3
Conluding sentence
III. ASSIGNMENT
Read the following paragraph and do the assignment below.
Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics. First of

all, gold has a lustrous beauty that is resistant to corrosion. Therefore, it is
suitable for jewelry, coins, and ornamental purposes. Gold never needs to be
polished and will remain beautiful forever. For example, a Macedonian coin
remains as untarnished today as the day it was minted twenty-three centuries
ago. Another important characteristic of gold is its usefulness to industrial
applications. The most recent use of gold is in astronauts' suits. Astronauts
wear gold-plated heat shields for protection outside spaceships. In
conclusion, gold is treasured not only for its beauty but also for its utility.
Assignment:
1. Analyze the paragraph about Gold above and write a detailed outline for
it.
2. Narrow down one of the following topics and write a 100-word paragraph
about it, using some techniques to strengthen your supporting ideas.
Topics: Love, Family, Population, Studying English, Weather
Please post your answers to share with us.
Bibliography:
A. Oshima and Ann H. (2002). Writing Academic English. Photocopy.
HCMC: HCMC Publishing House.
Vu Thi Lan (2003). Writing. Photocopy. Teacher Training College of Ho
Chi Minh City.
To be continued ... (Answers to assignment of topic 2)

ANSWERS TO ASSIGNMENT OF TOPIC 2
ASSIGNMENT
Read the following paragraph and do the assignment below.
Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important

characteristics. First of all, gold has a lustrous beauty that is
resistant to corrosion. Therefore, it is suitable for jewelry,
coins, and ornamental purposes. Gold never needs to be
polished and will remain beautiful forever. For example, a
Macedonian coin remains as untarnished today as the day it
was minted twenty-three centuries ago. Another important
characteristic of gold is its usefulness to industrial
applications. The most recent use of gold is in astronauts'
suits. Astronauts wear gold-plated heat shields for protection
outside spaceships. In conclusion, gold is treasured not only
for its beauty but also for its utility.
Assignment:
1. Analyze the paragraph about Gold above and write a
detailed outline for it.
2. Narrow down one of the following topics and write a 100-
word paragraph about it, using some techniques to
strengthen your supporting ideas.
Topics: Love, Family, Population, Studying English, Weather
ANSWERS
1.
DETAILED OUTLINE:
I. Topic sentence:
Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important
characteristics.
II. Supporting ideas:

A. Supporting idea 1: Beauty of gold => resistance to
corrosion
Specific details:
- used to make coins and other ornaments
- not need polishing, remain beautiful forever
- example of Marcedonia coins
B. Supporting idea 2: Usefulness to industry
Specific details:
- used in astronauts' suit to protect the astronauts.
III. Concluding sentence:

In conclusion, gold is treasured not only for its beauty but
also for its utility.
2.
Some suggested narrowed-down topics:
LOVE:
- The romantic side of far-away love
- The advantages and disadvantages of love through the
Internet
- What a person finds in his/her lover
FAMILY:
- The relationship between parents and children in the family
nowadays
- The advantages and disadvantages of nuclear families
- How family is important to you
POPULATION:
- The economically effects of population boom
- How to control the growth of population
STUDYING ENGLISH:
- The most important / difficult skill in studying English
- Why you should study English
- How to be fluent in speaking English
WEATHER:
- The consequences of typhoons in Vietnam
- How you like about the weather in Ho Chi Minh City
- Weather and its effects on agriculture
If you have more ideas, just post them hear so that

everybody can discuss about them. Or, if you have written a
paragraph about one of these topics, do not hesitate to post
it.
Bibliography:
A. Oshima and Ann H. (2002). Writing Academic English.
Photocopy. HCMC: HCMC Publishing House.
Vu Thi Lan (2003). Writing. Photocopy. Teacher Training
Topic 3 - Writing a Description
Part 1: Describing People
Hi guys,
This topic will help you to write a description of a person, a thing or a place.
Each kind of description has a particular outline as well as the language
used. Therefore, I think it will be better if I post each kind in a different part
of this topic.
The first part of this topic is DESCRIBING PEOPLE.
I. LANGUAGE USED
A. VOCABULARY:
1. Physical appearance:
- Face: round, oval, angular, square, wrinkled, sunburnt…
- Hair: long, short, shoulder-length, straight, curly, wavy, fuzzy, shaggy,
bald, grey, blond, black…
- Moustache, sideburns, beard: bristling, drooping, bushy…
- Nose: straight, flat, upturned…
- Eyes: large, small, round, dim, glittering, bright, cross-eyed, beady…
- Eyebrows: arched, bushy, thick, thin…
- Eyelids: swollen, heavily-lidded…
- Chin: firm, double, pointed, cleft…
- Cheek: hollow, dimpled, chubby…
- Mouth: decided, small, wide…
- Lips: heart-shaped, thin, full, decided...
- Complexion: fair, dark, pale, sickly, ruddy, rosy, tanned, ivory…
- Figure: slim, slender, think, skinny, bony, underweight, scrawny, plump,
round, overweight, fat, muscular, well-built, broad-shouldered, chubby…
- Age: over/under 20, teenaged, middle-aged, too old/young for one's age…
- Expression: shy, happy, timid, determined, cheerful, gloomy, bonny,
refined, charming, graceful, blank, lovely, placid, serious, austere,
detestable…
- Voice: clear, hoarse, melodious, warm, soft, weak, trembling, squeaky,
deep…
- Clothes: smartly dressed, neatly dressed, tidy, untidy, loose, tight, elegant,
poor, skin-tight...
2. Characters:
- Positive: calm, faithful, reliable, patient, honest, generous, modest,
sociable, friendly, tender, helpful, enthusiastic, devoted, responsible, caring,
frank, open-minded, considerate, tactful, brave, courageous, merciful,
trustworthy, self-controlled, likable…
- Negative: moody, gossipy, hot-tempered, careless, vulgar, wasteful, stingy,
mean, cruel, impatient, tactless, envious, jealous, aggressive, bossy,
impolite, naughty, haughty, selfish, stubborn, saucy, irresponsible…
- Neutral: shy, timid, playful, light-hearted…
B. STRUCTURES:
- He is a tall man.
- She is in a good mood.
- He is too old for his age.
- He is jealous of his wife's success.
- She has a round face with freckles.
- He has a slim figure.
- He looks fresh in spite of his age.
- He appeared to be a reliable person.
- He is a person of bravery.
- He seemed frail in those loose garments.
- He looks as if he had not enough sleep.
- She wears a shy expression on her face.
- He wore a false beard.
- She was a small woman with rosy cheeks.
- She walked into the room with her most deliberate manner.
- She has long blond hair which hung down to her shoulders.
- Tall, slim and well-dressed, he had an air of a businessman.
- Envious, gossipy, and greedy, she can hardly find a true friend.
- What I like most about him is his generosity.
- It is his generosity that I like best.
- He was born in 1970.
- He died young/a hero.
- He ended his days in poverty.
- She works for a big company.
- She graduated from Ha Noi University.
- She has an M.A. in English.
II. OUTLINES:
* There are usually 2 outlines used for this description.
1. OUTLINE A:
Topic Sentence: General appearance

Supporting ideas: details of appearance
Transition: Description of character
Supporting ideas: details and examples of behavior and habits
Concluding sentence: A conclusion about the person's appearance and
character
* In this outline, your description moves from a certain aspect to other

details. In this case, there will be at least two aspects or features that are
described. These aspects should be related (corresponding or contrasting).
E.g.
Appearance: fat, short figure, round face, dim eyes, tiring
Character: inactive, slow-moving
=> appearance and character are corresponding with each other.
Appearance: fat, short figure, round face, tiring, dim eyes

Character: active, energetic, fast-moving
=> appearance and character are contrasting.
* If these aspects are not related, you should write them in two separated
paragraphs.
E.g. 1
Topic sentence: Maria, my classmate, is as beautiful as any Hollywood
starlet.
Supporting ideas:
- figure: well-proportioned, as tall as a fashion model
- others: oval face, fair, smooth skin, wide eyes, small mouth, sensuous lips
Transition: However, while we all like to look at her, nobody wants to make
friends with her.
Supporting ideas:
- snobbish -> example (showing disdain for people of lower status)
- lazy in study while spending lots of time and money on make-up and
fashion -> example (absent from class, going shopping instead)
Concluding sentence: There is nothing but extraordinary beauty in the face
of Maria. Nevertheless, it is her character that has isolated her from others.
2. OUTLINE B:
Topic Sentence: Writer's first impression (appearance or character)

Body: Supporting ideas (confirming first impression)
Concluding sentence: A conclusion about the person's appearance and
character
* In this outline, your description moves from the first impressions to
more detailed knowledge of the person.
E.g. 2:
Topic sentence: Maria, my classmate, is as beautiful as any Hollywood
starlet.
Body:
- hair: long, wavy, black, shouldered-length
- face: diamond-shaped
- complexion: suntanned, clear
- eye: blue, not too large, thick eyelashes, arched eyebrows
- nose: straight, not too long nor too short
- mouth: small, delicate, feminine, a small mole near the mouth…
=> order: from hair -> mouth
Concluding sentence: There is nothing but extraordinary beauty in the face
of Maria. She is indeed admired by all boys and envied by all girls in my
class.
III. ASSIGNMENTS:
* You can do one of the two below or do both of them.
1. Basing on the two examples (E.g. 1 and E.g. 2) of outline above, write
two paragraphs about Maria.
2. Write an outline and develop it into a complete paragraph (100 – 150
words) about one of the following topics:
- One of your classmates
- One of your family members
- Your dream lover
Bibliography:
Chi Minh City.
To be continued ... (Answers to assignment of Topic 3 - Part 1)
ANSWERS TO ASSIGNMENT OF TOPIC 3 - PART 1
ASSIGNMENTS
1. Basing on the two examples (E.g. 1 and E.g. 2) of outline above, write two
paragraphs about Maria.
- One of your classmates
- One of your family members
- Your dream lover
ANSWERS
1.
Paragraph 1 (Based on OUTLINE A)
Maria, my classmate, is as beautiful as any Hollywood starlets. She has a

very good-looking figure which is well-proportioned. She is 1.74 meters tall,
as tall as a fashion model. In addition to that, her thick, long, wavy black
hair gracefully falls down to her shoulders and surrounds her beautiful
diamond-shaped face. More than that, it is her wide sparkling eyes that are
the most impressive on her face. One more thing which is attractive is her
small mouth with sensuous lips. However, while we all like to look at her,
nobody wants to make friends with her. It may be her beauty that makes
her snobbish. She always shows disdain for people of lower status including
many of her classmates. Besides, she spends lots of her time and money on
make-up and fashion instead of study. Last semester, she was absent from
class so much that she was nearly banned to take the final exams. That is
why her grades were not good at all. In short, there is nothing but
extraordinary beauty in the face of Maria. Nevertheless, it is her
character that has isolated her from others.
Paragraph 2 (Based on OUTLINE B)

Maria, my classmate, is as beautiful as any Hollywood starlets. Her
thick, wavy, long black hair gracefully falls down to her shoulders and
surrounds her beautiful diamond-shaped face which is partly decorated by
her slightly arched brown eyebrows. It is these charming eyebrows that also
draw attention to her deep blue eyes which remind me of lake in a bright
cloudless day. One more thing which makes her eyes so attractive is her
thick, curly, long eyelashes. Below those elegant eyes is the nose which is
straight and neither too long nor to short. Another lovely feature on her face
is a small mole near her mouth. And her mouth! It is a small one that looks
delicate and feminine and makes her smiles so pretty. In addition, a golden
suntan usually highlights her smooth, clear complexion, which adds another
touch to her natural beauty. Generally speaking, there is nothing but
extraordinary beauty in the face of Maria. She is indeed admired by all
boys and envied by all girls in my class.
2.
Your own answers.
Bibliography:
Chi Minh City.
To be continued ... (Topic 3: Writing a Description - Part 2)

Part 2: Describing Things
Hi guys,
After a long trip to the coutryside, I now come back very fresh to be ready to
post more topics on writing. So sorry for letting you guys wait for so long.
And now, Topic 3 - Part 2: DESCRIBING THINGS.
Describing an object or thing is just not simple. We sometimes do not know

where to start or what to write about. To get over this difficulty, we need to
be clear about our purpose before writing. For example, if we need to make
a report to the lost-property office, we may want to give some physical
features (size, color, make, content…) of the lost thing. However, if we want
to advertise a new product, we will usually talk about its function and use.
I. LANGUAGE USED
The language below is usually used in this kind of description. Still, there
are a lot more of structures and patterns as well as vocabulary that we can
use.
A. TALK ABOUT PHYSICAL FEATURES
1. Vocabulary:
- Measurements: width, length, height, depth, area, weight, volume,
capacity
- Shape & figure: round, oval, square, triangular, rectangular, star-shaped,
pentagonal, five-sided, conical, spherical, cylindrical (hình trụ), cubic,
hollow, solid
- Color: yellow, blue, purple,…, red-brown, yellow-green, reddish-yellow,
purple-blue, blood-red, brick-red, snow-white, steel-gray, jet-black (đen
tuyền), navy-blue…, dark red, light red, saffron (vàng nghệ), amber (hổ
phách), crimson (đỏ thắm), scarlet (đỏ tươi), indigo (chàm), turquoise (xanh
ngọc), chestnut (nâu hạt dẻ), puce (nâu cánh gián)…
- Surface: smooth, glossy = shiny, bumpy, rough, ridged (gợn), silky, fine
(mịn), coarse (thô), oily = greasy = creamy (nhờn, bóng)…
- Pattern & Decoration: simple, plain, flowered, floral, patterned, spotted,
polka dot, striped, checked, zigzac…
- Material: wool, denim, cotton, nylon, cement, marble, plastic, rubber,
steel, gold, gilded (mạ vàng), silver-plated (mạ, tráng bạc), wooden,
careboard, plywood, glass, clay, porcelain (sứ), crystal, leather, simulated
leather, melamine (nhựa), upholstered (bọc nệm)…
- Physical properties: tough (dai), tender, elastic (dẻo), flexible, stiff,
collapsible (xếp lại được), strong, durable, sturdy, rusty, brittle (giòn),
transperent, unbreakable…
- Position: top, bottom, front, back, base, end, upper, lower, left-hand, right-
hand, top left-hand, bottom right-hand…
- Value: valuable = priceless (vô giá), valueless = worthless (vô giá trị),
cheap, dirt-cheap, expensive, inexpensive…
- Quality: deluxe, high-quality, ragged…
- Operation: automatic, manual, electrical, electronic...
2. Structures:
- The suitcase has four wheels.
- It has four wheels at the bottom.
- There are four wheels at the bottom.
- It looks like a refrigerator.
- The button on the left is used for turning the power on.
- My suitcase is black with my name tag near the handle (a noun phrase).
- My pen was made in Japan.
- The collapsible table is made of wood.
- This red wine is made from the best grapes.
- That pot can hold 2 liters of water.
B. TALK ABOUT USES OR FUNCTIONS
1. Structures and Expressions:
USE
- You use this to cut paper.
- This object has various uses.
BE USED TO (+ infinitive) / FOR (+ V-ing)

- This is used to cut paper.
- This is used for cutting paper.
CAN
- You can cut paper with it.
2. Examples:
- We bring to you this professional-style product. The 40-ounce size, heavy-

duty metal base, and removable stainless steel blades make it a must-have.
Shop now! => a food blender
- Beautiful flowers deserve a beautiful container like this rectangular lead

crystal object. The 8.5-inch-high bowl made of 24 percent lead crystal is
weighty enough to hold a large bouquet. => a vase
- Make quick clean-ups anywhere with Bissell's deluxe cordless product.

You don’t need to get on your knees with this cordless machine; it comes
with a long handle for use in flat areas. For stairs, upholstery, and auto
interiors, it quickly converts to a shorter one. => a vacumm cleaner
II. OUTLINES:
1. OUTLINE A (DESCRIPTION OF THE OBJECT):
Topic Sentence: What is described? (What kind of object it is + some

striking features of the object)
Body:
* General features (value, color, quality…)
* Descriptions of different parts (top to bottom, bottom to top, left to right,
right to left)
* Use
Concluding sentence: The writer's comment or impression
* In this outline, you do not need to describe all the features (in the body
part) of the object. Just choose the most important and some striking details.
E.g. 1
Topic sentence: The zipper (what kind of object it is) is a wonderful
invention (striking feature).
Body: Descriptions of different parts
- Part 1: dozens of metal or plastic hooks in two rows
- Part 2: 2 flexible strips of cloth fastened with the hooks
- Part 3: a fastener to fasten the hooks together or to take the hooks apart
- Additional features: many colors and size
Concluding sentence:How did people ever live without zippers (writer's

comment)?
2. OUTLINE B (HOW TO USE THE OBJECT):
Topic Sentence: What is described? (What kind of object it is + some

striking features of the object)
Body: How to use or operate the object + its parts or features
E.g. 2:
Topic sentence:I have just invented a new machine (what kind of object it is)
to make life easy for people who have to use a type-writer (striking feature).
Body: how to use + parts + features
- use the special pencil to write on the screen
- push the button on the right
- wait for a few second
- the type page come out of the slot in the back
- Additional features: easy to use, expensive
Concluding sentence: People who cannot type quickly will surely want one.
I think it will soon be very popular (writer's comment).
III. ASSIGNMENTS:
* You can do one of the three below or do all of them.
1. Write an outline for the paragraph below:

Poeple all over the world eat rice. Rice is the main staple of millions of
people in Asia, Africa and South America. There are more than 7,000 kinds
of rice, most of which are water plants. People use every part of the rice
plant: they eat the seeds; they make animal feed and rice oil from it; they
make baskets, brooms, rugs, sandals, and roofs for their houses; and they
even burn dry rice stalks for cooking. Isn't it one of the most wonderful
products that nature brings to us?
2. Basing on the two examples (E.g. 1 and E.g. 2) of outline above, write
two complete paragraphs about the zipper and the new machine.

- your dictionary
- a new invention (in your imagination)
- your own topic
Bibliography:
Chi Minh City.
To be continued ... (Answers to assignments of Topic 3 - Part 2)

ANSWERS TO ASSIGNMENTS OF TOPIC 3 - PART 2
ASSIGNMENTS

People all over the world eat rice. Rice is the main staple of millions of
people in Asia, Africa and South America. There are more than 7,000 kinds
of rice, most of which are water plants. People use every part of the rice
plant: they eat the seeds; they make animal feed and rice oil from it; they
make baskets, brooms, rugs, sandals, and roofs for their houses; and they
even burn dry rice stalks for cooking. Isn't it one of the most wonderful
products that nature brings to us?
2. Basing on the two examples (E.g. 1 and E.g. 2) of outline above, write two
complete paragraphs about the zipper and the new machine.

- your dictionary
- a new invention (in your imagination)
- your own topic
ANSWERS
1.
Topic sentence: People all over the world eat (striking feature) rice (what
kind of object it is).
Body: Use
- eat the seeds
- feed animals
- make rice oil
- make baskets, brooms, rugs, sandals, roofs
- burn dry stalks for cooking
- Other features: more than 7,000 kinds, most are water rice
Concluding sentence: Isn't it one of the most wonderful products that nature
brings to us (writer's comment)?
2.
Paragraph 1 (Based on outline A)
The zipper is a wonderful invention. Zippers are very common, so we

forget that they are wonderful. They come in many colors and sizes. A
zipper has three parts: (1) there are dozens of metal or plastic hooks (called
teeth) in two rows, (2) these hooks are fastened to two strips of cloth which
are flexible – they bend easily, and (3) a fastener slides along and fastens the
hooks together – when it slides the other way, it takes the hooks apart. How
did people ever live without zippers?
Paragraph 2 (Based on outline B)
I have just invented a new machine to make life easy for people who
have to use a type-writer. It is an automatic typing machine. To use it, pick
up the special pencil and start writing on the screen. When you have finished
writing, push the button on the right. In a few seconds, a typed page will
come out of the slot in the back. It is very fast for people who cannot type
well. It is expensive (less than $300) and easy to use. People who cannot
type quickly will surely want one. I think it will soon be very popular.
3.
Your own answers.
Bibliography:
Chi Minh City.
To be continued ... (Topic 3: Writing a Description - Part 3: Describing

Places)
Part 3: Describing Places
Paragraphs describing places are usually found in travel
books, brochures, or stories. You may include description of
a place in your essay or letter, too.
I. LANGUAGE USED
The language below is usually used in this kind of

description. Still, there are a lot more of structures and
patterns as well as vocabulary that we can use.
A. TALK ABOUT EXISTENCE (WHAT KIND OF PLACE IT

IS)
Examples:
- There is a tiny fishing village by the sea.
- You can find an ancient town which was built in the
Nguyen Dynasty.
- Saigon was called "the Pearl of the Far East."
- Bangkok is a crowded, noisy city with the population of 8
million.
- The most wonderful place I have ever been to is Furama
Resort.
B. TALK ABOUT LOCATION
1. WHERE IS IT?
Passive construction:
- The village is surrounded by tall trees.

- The village is found north of the forest.
- The house is located/situated close to a small stream.
Prepositional phrases:
- There is a mountain in the distance.

- At the top of the hill is a small cottage.
- To the left of the house is a beautiful rose garden.
Verbs of movement and location:
- A dirt road leads into the woods.

- You can see a spring run past the castle.
- There is a castle standing up behind a row of trees.
- The house faces the north.
- A small path curves past a wooden house.
- To the north lies a hill covered by yellow-leaf trees.
- Looking out of the window, you can see the sea crashing
onto shores.
2. HOW FAR IS IT?
- It's about 20 kilometers from Tokyo.

- The city is about 3 hours' flight from New York.
- My school is just 5 minutes away from home.
- The village is about some miles to the south of the
mountain.
3. WHAT IS IT LIKE (about history, scenery, speciality,

attractions, architecture…)?
* Architecture:
- The house is made of wood/marble/bamboo…
- Nguyen Thi Minh Khai School is an example of French
architecture.
- The statue was built to honor Tran Hung Dao, a general in
the Tran Dynasty.
* Attractions:
- One of the most beautiful places in Vancouver is Stanley
Park.
- The thing you should not miss is riding on a seaplane.
- Among its many attractions is a bay with nearly 2,000
limestone islands.
* History:
- Originally/Initially, it was a green plain, but then it became
a desert.
- Its restoration/reconstruction/renovation took place in the
19th century.
* Scenery:
- Its scenery is magnificent/impressive/gorgeous/terrific…
- The seashore is majestic.
- The sight of a lonely tree is inspiring…
- The view from the window is nice/lovely…
II. OUTLINES:
A. DESCRIBE A ROOM, A BUILDING OR A LANDSCAPE

Generally, you first have to decide where you are
standing and viewing the surroundings before you
describe the place.
1. OUTLINE A (describing features from near to far):
Topic Sentence: What is described?

Body: Describe from near to far
* Foreground
* Middle distance
* Background
E.g. 1
Topic sentence: I live in a nice flat on the third floor.
Body: Describe from the front door (where you are standing
now)
- The hall:
=> left: toilet
=> right: bathroom
=> in front: two doors to bedroom 1 and living room
- The living room:
=> right: dining room and kitchen
=> left: bedroom 2
=> behind the living room and bedroom 2: balcony
Concluding sentence:As you can see, this flat is suitable for a
family of 4 people like mine(writer's comment).?
2. OUTLINE B (describing features from a centered

focus to the surroundings)
Topic Sentence: What is described?

Body: Describe from a centered focus to the surroundings.
(The order here is not an obligation.)
* Front of the focus
* Back of the focus
* Left of the focus
* Right of the focus
E.g. 2:
Topic sentence: I live in a nice flat on the third floor.
Body: Describe from the hall (in the center of the flat)
- to the left: large bedroom
- to the right: small bedroom and bathroom
- to the right of bedroom 1: living room
- opposite bedroom 1: kitchen
- behind kitchen: balcony
Concluding sentence: As you can see, this flat is suitable for
a family of 4 people like mine(writer's comment).
B. DESCRIBE A TOWN, A CITY OR A COUNTRY
OUTLINE C:
Topic Sentence: What is that place?

Body:
* Geographical features
* Other features (history, architecture, attractions…)
E.g. 3:
Topic sentence: Ha Long Bay is the most wonderful natural
beauty in Vietnam.
Body:
* Geographical features:
- located in the Gulf of Tonkin northern Vietnam
- has a 120 kilometers long coastline
- consists of 1,969 limestone monolithic islands and caves
* Other features:
- the largest grotto: Hang Đầu Gỗ (Wooden stakes Cave) with
large numerous stalactites
- home of some birds and animals
- was World Heritage listed by UNESCO in 1994
Concluding sentence: With all the beauty above, it is no
wonder why Ha Long Bay has recently been nominated as
one of the world wonders of nature by NewOpenWorld
Foundation(writer's comment).
III. COMMENTS:
Generally, not all things about the place are described in a

paragraph about places. Only two or three remarkable
features are chosen to mention about. To make your writing
more effective, you should give some comments or remarks
or describe some activities associated with the place (for
some of the features, but not all right in the body of the
paragraph).
E.g.
My house is located in a very convenient place. Near my

house is a park where I can go jogging or walk my dog every
early morning (activity associate with the place). There is a
bookstore just opposite my house, so it is very easy for me
to go and buy any books I want (comments about place).
IV. ASSIGNMENTS:

The Sydney Opera House is located in Sydney, New South
Wales, Australia. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as
appointed in 2007.Designed by Jørn Utzon, a Danish
architect, the Sydney Opera House is one of the most
distinctive and famous 20th century buildings, and one of
the most famous performing arts venues in the world. It
comprises three groups of interlocking vaulted ‘shells' which
roof two main performances halls and a restaurant.Situated
on Bennelong Point in Sydney Harbour, with parkland to its
south and close to the equally famous Sydney Harbour
Bridge, the building and its surroundings form an iconic
Australian image. With all these unique beauty, it is
considered a symbol of the country of kangaroos.
2. Basing on the three examples (E.g. 1, 2, and 3) of outline

above, write three complete paragraphs to describe the
places.
3. Write an outline and develop it into a complete paragraph

(100 - 150words) about one of the following topics:
- your house
- a beautiful place you have ever been to
- your own topic
Bibliography:
Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ha_Long_Bay.
(31.07.2007)
ASSIGNMENTS

roof two main performance halls and a restaurant.Situated

places.

(100 - 150 words) about one of the following topics:
- your house
- your own topic
ANSWERS
1.
Topic sentence: The Sydney Opera House is located in
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Body:
*Geographical features:
- situated on Bennelong Point in Sydney Harbour
- parkland to the south
- close to Sydney Harbour Bridge
* Other features:
- designed by Jorn Uzton
- distinctive and famous
- comprises 3 ‘shells' which roof two main performance halls
and a restaurant
- a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Concluding sentence: With all these unique beauty, it is
considered a symbol of the country of kangaroos (writer's
comment).
2.
I live in a nice flat on the third floor. When you go in,

you come into the hall. The toilet is on the left and the
bathroom is on the right. Ther are two doors in front of you:
the left door leads to a bedroom, and the right one leads to
the living room. When you go into the living room, you will
see two other doors on your right. Opening the first one, you
see the kitchen which is next to the bathroom. The second
one takes you to the dining room. On the left, near the end
of the living room is another door which leads to the second
bedroom. This means the two bedrooms are next to the
living room, on the left. Finally, there is a balcony right
behind the living room and the second bedroom. As you
can see, this flat is suitable for a family of four people
like mine.
I live in a nice flat on the third floor. It consists of five

rooms: a kitchen, a living room, two bedrooms, and a
bathroom. When you go in, the large bedroom is on your left
while the small one and the bathroom is on the right. The
living room is at the end of the hall or to the right of the first
bedroom, and the kitchen is just opposite. The kitchen has a
balcony which gives you a very nice view of the park below.
As you can see, this flat is suitable for a family of four
people like mine.
Paragraph 3 (Based on outline C)
Ha Long Bay is the most wonderful natural beauty in

Vietnam. It is located in the Gulf of Tonkin, north of
Vietnam. This bay, a World Heritage Site listed by UNESCO in
1994, has a 120 kilometers long coastline, which is an
advantage to tourism. Ha Long Bay, which means
Descending Dragon, consists of 1,969 limestone monolithic
islands which rise spectacularly from the ocean. Some of the
islands are hollow with enormous caves among which the
largest grotto - Hang Đầu Gỗ (Wooden stakes Cave) – is also
the most beautiful with large numerous stalactites. This bay
site is also the home of some species of birds and animals
including bantams, antelopes, monkeys, and iguanas. With
all the unique beauty above, it is no wonder why Ha
Long Bay has recently been nominated as one of the
world wonders of nature by NewOpenWorld
Foundation.
3.
Your own answers.
Bibliography:
(31.07.2007)
ASSIGNMENTS

roof two main performance halls and a restaurant.Situated

places.

(100 - 150 words) about one of the following topics:
- your house
- your own topic
ANSWERS
1.
Topic sentence: The Sydney Opera House is located in
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Body:
*Geographical features:
- situated on Bennelong Point in Sydney Harbour
- parkland to the south
- close to Sydney Harbour Bridge
* Other features:
- designed by Jorn Uzton
- distinctive and famous
- comprises 3 ‘shells' which roof two main performance halls
and a restaurant
- a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Concluding sentence: With all these unique beauty, it is
considered a symbol of the country of kangaroos (writer's
comment).
2.
I live in a nice flat on the third floor. When you go in,

you come into the hall. The toilet is on the left and the
bathroom is on the right. Ther are two doors in front of you:
the left door leads to a bedroom, and the right one leads to
the living room. When you go into the living room, you will
see two other doors on your right. Opening the first one, you
see the kitchen which is next to the bathroom. The second
one takes you to the dining room. On the left, near the end
of the living room is another door which leads to the second
bedroom. This means the two bedrooms are next to the
living room, on the left. Finally, there is a balcony right
behind the living room and the second bedroom. As you
can see, this flat is suitable for a family of four people
like mine.
I live in a nice flat on the third floor. It consists of five

rooms: a kitchen, a living room, two bedrooms, and a
bathroom. When you go in, the large bedroom is on your left
while the small one and the bathroom is on the right. The
living room is at the end of the hall or to the right of the first
bedroom, and the kitchen is just opposite. The kitchen has a
balcony which gives you a very nice view of the park below.
As you can see, this flat is suitable for a family of four
people like mine.
Paragraph 3 (Based on outline C)
Ha Long Bay is the most wonderful natural beauty in

Vietnam. It is located in the Gulf of Tonkin, north of
Vietnam. This bay, a World Heritage Site listed by UNESCO in
1994, has a 120 kilometers long coastline, which is an
advantage to tourism. Ha Long Bay, which means
Descending Dragon, consists of 1,969 limestone monolithic
islands which rise spectacularly from the ocean. Some of the
islands are hollow with enormous caves among which the
largest grotto - Hang Đầu Gỗ (Wooden stakes Cave) – is also
the most beautiful with large numerous stalactites. This bay
site is also the home of some species of birds and animals
including bantams, antelopes, monkeys, and iguanas. With
all the unique beauty above, it is no wonder why Ha
Long Bay has recently been nominated as one of the
world wonders of nature by NewOpenWorld
Foundation.
3.
Your own answers.
Bibliography:
(31.07.2007)
ANSWERS TO ASSIGNMENTS OF TOPIC 4
ASSIGNMENTS
1. Match the paragraphs below with the outlines (A, B, and C) above.
Then identify the topic and concluding sentences in each paragraph:
a. Anna was on her way to Paris to see her fiancé Rob. Rob got up early that
morning and eagerly drove to the station to see Anna at 8 a.m.; meanwhile
Anna was sitting on the train, opposite a young man in jeans and a blue T-
shirt. After some time, the young man offered Anna a cigarette, and they
were deep in conversation. She told him about Rob and about her anxiety fro
reunion. During that time, waiting at the station, Rob soon realized that he
had been too early for the train, and he could kill time by having a coffee at
the station café. There, he sat down opposite an attractive young woman in a
tailored suit, and Rob could not lift his eyes from her - doubtlessly he was in
love at first sight. They talked merrily about everything. Finally, when the
woman stood up to leave, Rob lovingly offered her a lift to the city center,
and there they left the station hand in had just as the train approached the
platform. Poor Anna.
b. When my family and I climbed Mount Kyaik-tiyo to see one of the most
admirable Buddhist pagodas in Myanmar, the former Burma, I discovered
total peace. On the way up, we passed small souvenir shops and
monasteries. We met other people who were climbing at the same time, and
we enjoyed the pleasant conversation. We passed waterfalls and watched
monkeys playing in the trees. When we arrived at the top, we were tired, but
happy, because the gentle music from the pagoda gave us new strength and
serenity. That night, we slept in a small cottage behind the pagoda - the quiet
night with the hum of the insects lulling me to sleep.
c. Four of us managed to get our leisure day at the same time, so we all went
off for a picnic together. We certainly packed a lot into the one day. First,
we met up at Flinders Street Station so that we could go in one car. Then we
set off for Sorrento - a lovely bayside resort I'd never visited before. We
spent most of the day swimming and sunbathing there. Later, we drove over
to Portsea to enjoy the view of the ocean. After this, we returned to
Melbourne and went down to the Galeto Bar in Auckland Street for coffee
and cakes. About midnight, everybody was exhausted but exhilarated when
the car brought us back to the station.
2. Write a complete paragraph (100 - 150 words) beginning with one of

the following topic sentences:
- I can't believe in my eyes when I entered the room.
- "An Unforgettable Adventure," a movie about a horrible adventure of the
two main characters, is the best film I have ever watched.
- My last vacation was the most wonderful / worst trip I have ever had.
- your own topic sentence
ANSWERS
1. (The topic and concluding sentences are in boldface.)

* Paragraph a is based on outline B.
Anna was on her way to Paris to see her fiancé Rob. Rob got up early that
morning and eagerly drove to the station to see Anna at 8 a.m.; meanwhile
Anna was sitting on the train, opposite a young man in jeans and a blue T-
shirt. After some time, the young man offered Anna a cigarette, and they
were deep in conversation. She told him about Rob and about her anxiety
fro reunion. During that time, waiting at the station, Rob soon realized that
he had been too early for the train, and he could kill time by having a coffee
at the station café. There, he sat down opposite an attractive young woman
in a tailored suit, and Rob could not lift his eyes from her - doubtlessly he
was in love at first sight. They talked merrily about everything. Finally,
when the woman stood up to leave, Rob lovingly offered her a lift to the
city center, and there they left the station hand in had just as the train
approached the platform. Poor Anna.
* Paragraph b is based on outline C.

When my family and I climbed Mount Kyaik-tiyo to see one of the most
admirable Buddhist pagodas in Myanmar, the former Burma, I discovered
total peace. On the way up, we passed small souvenir shops and
monasteries. We met other people who were climbing at the same time, and
we enjoyed the pleasant conversation. We passed waterfalls and watched
monkeys playing in the trees. When we arrived at the top, we were tired, but
happy, because the gentle music from the pagoda gave us new strength and
serenity. That night, we slept in a small cottage behind the pagoda - the
quiet night with the hum of the insects lulling me to sleep.
* Paragraph c is based on outline A.

Four of us managed to get our leisure day at the same time, so we all went
off for a picnic together. We certainly packed a lot into the one day. First,
we met up at Flinders Street Station so that we could go in one car. Then we
set off for Sorrento - a lovely bayside resort I'd never visited before. We
spent most of the day swimming and sunbathing there. Later, we drove over
to Portsea to enjoy the view of the ocean. After this, we returned to
Melbourne and went down to the Galeto Bar in Auckland Street for coffee
and cakes. About midnight, everybody was exhausted but exhilarated when
the car brought us back to the station.
2.
Your own answers.
Bibliography:
J. Eastwood. (1994). Oxford Guide to English Grammar. Oxford: OUP
Chi Minh City.
To be continued ... (Topic 5: Writing an Information Report - a Life

Story)
Topic 5 - WRITING AN INFORMATION REPORT - A LIFE STORY
Writing information reports involved writing about a person's life, for

example, about someone you want to introduce or recommend, or to
introduce yourself to the employer.
I. LANGUAGE USED
1. THE PAST TENSES
* Past tenses such as Simple Past, Past Continuous, Past Perfect, and some
modals like would, could, might, should are the mostly used in writing life
stories. These things help to describe events, activities or experience in the
past.
* Time expressions are also used a lot in these kind of report.
Examples:
He was born in 1980.
During my forth year of university, I was sent to Australia to do some
research on biology.
She got married to an actor when she was 18.
He died of cancer in the summer of 1965 when spending his most dynamic
years.
During the next five years, she was working as a sales manager for Pepsi.
2. SENTENCE TYPES
* All sentence types - simple, compound, and complex - can be used in this
kind of reports. However, it is very important for the writer to be flexible
when using these sentence types. He can use each of them alone or combine
them to create some effects on the readers.
Examples:
- He got divorced in 1985.(simple sentences)
- She was introduced to Tom Milestone, who then became her husband.
(complex sentence)
- Pelé joined the Santos FC in 1956, and in 1962, he led the team to its first
world cup championship. (compound sentences)
II. OUTLINE:
1. OUTLINE:
*In the outline for a life story, details are usually arranged in order from the
birth to death (from childhood to adulthood), with the actual dates clearly
stated.
Topic Sentence
Body: Describe the events in the person's life chronologically
* Event 1
* Event 2
* Event 3
* ...
Concluding sentence
2. COMMENTS:
* In the topic sentence, the person who is written about must be identified
by his / her name or the relationship between him / her and the writer. Also,
the most striking achievement should be included in this sentence.
Examples:
- Pelé (1940 - ), a Brazilian soccer player, led Brazil to three World Cup
titles.
- My father, who is a very talented artist, has drawn about 200 drawings of
all kinds.
* The body of the outline usually consists of notes on events and activities
in the person's life, which are often arranged chronologically (in time order).
Examples: Notes from an outline of a writing about Elvis Presley:

- an early pioneer of rock-and-roll music
- born 1935 in Tupelo, Mississippi
- childhood: attended Pentecostal churches.
- wond talent contest at 10
- 1953 recorded some songs to give mother for her birthday
- professionally recorded first songs when 21
- ...
- 1977 died of controversial cause
- known as King of Western Bop and Hillbilly Cat - fused sounds of country
music with black rhythm-and-blues influences => new rock-and-roll style
(This can be the concluding sentence.)
* The concluding sentence is your comment or impression on the person or

his / her most recently job or achivement. If the person had died, this
sentence should be about his / her death.
Examples:
- After his retirement in 1977, Pelé became an international embassador for
the sport, working to promote peace and understanding through friendly
athletic competition.
- He died in 1985, after nearly 10 years bravely fighting with his lung
cancer.
III. ASSIGNMENTS:
1. Write a complete paragraph (100 - 200 words) about one of the following
people:
- a famous singer / actor / sport star
- a person you know about
2. Write a paragraph to introduce yourself to an employer.

Bibliography:
Chi Minh City.
To be continued ... (Topic 6: Writing a summary)

Topic 6 - WRITING A SUMMARY
Writing a summary is one of the most common tasks especially for

university students. When studying, they are usually asked to summarize a
reading to present in front of the class or to include in their assignments.
I. LANGUAGE USED
One of the features of a summary is that the writer uses his own words.
Therefore, paraphrasing or transformation (see Topic 1 – Grammar Review)
is very important. That is to say, the writer states the original ideas in his
own way.
II. OUTLINE:
* A summary usually consists of two parts:
1. The introduction: details of author, book titles (if applicable), or general

idea of the original work
2. Main ideas (paraphrased)
E.g. 1:
ORIGINAL TEXT: The main ideas are in boldface.

Language is the main means of communication between peoples.
However, so many different languages have developed that language has
often been a barrier rather than an aid to understanding among peoples.
For many years, people have dreamed of setting up an international,
universal language which all people could speak and understand. The
arguments in favor of a universal language are simple and obvious. If all
peoples spoke the same tongue, cultural and economic ties might be
much closer, and good will might increase between countries (Kispert).
SUMMARY: The introduction is in boldface; the main ideas are in

italics.
People communicate mainly through language; however, having so
many different languages creates communication difficulties. Some think
that one universal language would bring countries together culturally and
economically and also enhance good feelings among them (Kispert).
E.g. 2:
ORIGINAL TEXT: The main ideas are in boldface.

A friend of ours was walking down a deserted Mexican beach at sunset. As
he was walking along, he saw another man in the distance. As he grew
nearer, he noticed that the local native kept leaning down, picking
something up, and throwing it into the water. Time and again he kept
hurling things into the ocean. As our friend approached even closer, he
realized that the man was picking up starfish that had been washed up on
the beach and, one at a time, he was throwing them back into the water. Our
friend was puzzled. He approached the man and said, "Good evening, friend.
I was wondering what you are doing." "I'm throwing these starfish back into
the ocean. You see, it's low tide right now, and all of these starfish have been
washed up on to the shore. If I don't throw them back into the sea, they'll die
up here from lack oxygen."
"I understand," my friend replied, "but there must be thousands of starfish
on this beach. You can't possibly get to all of them. There are simply too
many. Don’t you realize this is possibly happening on hundreds of beaches
all up and down this coast? Don’t you see that you can't possibly make a
change?" The local native smiled, bent down, and picked up yet another
starfish. As he threw it back into the sea, he replied, "Made a difference to
that one!"
(From "One at a Time" by Jack Canfield and Mark V. Hansen, in
Chicken Soup for the Soul)
SUMMARY: The introduction is in boldface; the main ideas are in

italics.
"One at a Time" by Jack Canfield and Mark V. Hansen, from their
book Chicken Soup for the Soul, tells the story of a man who wanted to
make the world a better place. The man was on the beach in Mexico,
throwing live starfish back into the ocean. A second man approached him
and said that there were too many starfish to toss back, so throwing only
some of them back would not make any difference. As the first man tossed
another starfish back into the ocean, he pointed out that it made a difference
to the one he had just tossed back.
III. COMMENTS:
* A summary is a short writing in which you compress large amounts of

information into the fewest possible sentences. In order to do this, you
include the main points and main supporting ideas and leave out the
details.
* Deciding which ideas are important is your own skill and judgement which
will develop through practice. No rules can guide you in this.
* The purpose of the summary is to inform the reader about the main ideas
of the original work, using your own words. One more important thing is
that you must not add your own opinions.
* Writing a summary consists of 5 steps:

1. Look for the topic sentence or the title. They give the general theme of the
article.
2. Read the article quickly, looking for important / main ideas and key
words.
3. Arrange main / important ideas.
4. Begin the summary with a sentence that informs the readers about the
source (title, author…) and general theme.
5. Rewrite the main / important ideas.
IV. ASSIGNMENTS:
Read a story or an article and write a summary. Be sure that all the main
ideas are included in your summary.
Bibliography:
Chi Minh City.
To be continued ... (Topic 7 - Writing a CV or Résumé)

Topic 7 - WRITING A CV OR RÉSUMÉ
A CV or résumé can be considered your face to the employer when you

apply for a job. Therefore, knowing how to write it correctly is very
important.
I. LANGUAGE USED
* In a CV, phrases rather than completed sentences are usually used. These
phrases include noun phrases, adjective phrases, and verb phrases. Also,
non-finite clauses are frequently used.
E.g.:
- Master in TESOL
- Responsible for academic management
- Teaching classes for adults
II. FORMAT:
* A résumé usually has the following parts:
1. PERSONAL:
* In this part, the applicant's name, date of birth, address, gender,

telephone number and/or email address should be provided.
2. EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS:

* This part should include the time when you studied, the degrees /
certificates which you received, and the institutions / schools where the
degrees / certificates were issued. Anything before high school does not
need including.
* The information in this part starts from the most recent.

e.g.:
5/2004 – 5/2006: Master in TESOL - Victoria University of Technology,
Australia
1999 – 2003: B.A in Teaching English - Teacher Training University, Ho
Chi Minh City, Vietnam
* If you are still doing a course, write "present" for the date. If you left a
school without receiving any certificates, write "unfinished" for the
degrees.
e.g:
6/2006 – present: Master in TESOL - Victoria University of Technology,
Australia
1995 – 1997: (unfinished) - University of Economics, Ho Chi Minh City,
Vietnam
3. WORK EXPERIENCE:
* This part should include the date you started and finished the job (if you
still work there, write "present"), your job title, the name of the workplace,
and your duties / responsibilities.
* The information in this part starts from the most recent.
e.g.:
8/2005 – present: Sales Manager, A & H Building Company, Los Gatos,
California
Responsibilities: formulating sales strategies, making sales plans, and
selecting, training, motivating, and supporting the sales force
2003 – 2005: Sales Assistant, Cotec Corporation, Los Angeles, California
Responsibilities: worked for sales manager, planning promotion plans
4. SKILLS AND INTERESTS:
* This part is a brief outline about the applicant's interests or skills that
he/she thinks they are relevant to the preferred job and that the employers
want to know about.
e.g:
Informatics: Word, Excel, Power Point, Photoshop
Language: English
Hobbies: reading, surfing web, playing sports, watching movies
5. PREFERENCES:
* This part aims to supply the employer with some names and addresses
where he/she can contact to get more information about the applicant.
Sometimes, the applicant can write "References available upon request"
instead. This means the details for the references will be provide later if the
employer requests. However, this is NOT recommended.
III. EXAMPLE:
* This is an example of a complete CV or résumé. The information used in

this example is IMAGINARY. Please see the attached file (Resume1)
below.
IV. ASSIGNMENT:
Write your own résumé.
Bibliography:
Chi Minh City.
To be continued ... (Topic 8: Writing a Letter - Part 1: Process and

Layout)

Ideas. Each Kind of Writing Must Follow A Particular Outline

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Ideas. Each Kind of Writing Must Follow A Particular Outline

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Hi guys,

As the international tests require more and more writing

I will gradually post all that you need to produce a good

But first of all, there is something you should pay attention

- A good piece of writing needs a logical arrangement of

- A good piece of writing needs a variety of sentence

-A good piece of writing should be as formal as possible.

- A good piece of writing should contain ideas which are

- A good piece of writing must have coherence. It is to say

- A good piece of writing must have unity. It should discuss

- A good piece of writing does not contain grammatical

To be continued… (Topic 1: GRAMMAR REVIEW)

a. THE SIMPLE SENTENCE contains one S and one finite V (V in a

b. THE COMPLEX SENTENCE contains one or more main clauses and

c. THE COMPOUND SENTENCE contains two or more independent

d. THE COMPOUND COMPLEX SENTENCE contains two or more

You should use a variety of sentence structures.

a. Fronting and inversion

b. Active vs. Passive

III. COMMON SENTENCE MISTAKES

* Choppy sentences: No linking words are used to combine related

* Run-on sentences: Too many ideas in one sentences with no proper

* Comma splice: Wrong use of comma (,)

* Fragment: Incomplete sentences.

* Rambling sentences: Too long sentences => too complicated to be

* Ambiguous pronouns: Pronouns make the readers confused what they

* Faulty parallelism: non-parallel structures.

Bibliography: Vu Thi Lan (2003). Writing. Photocopy. Teacher Training

To be continued… (Topic 2: HOW TO WRITE A PARAGRAPH)

Each paragraph should focus on one appropriate topic. However, a general

1. THE TOPIC SENTENCE

- This sentence has two parts: topic + controlling idea

- This sentence may be the first or last sentence of the paragraph.

2. THE SUPPORTING IDEAS (BODY)

3. THE CONCLUDING SENTENCE

- A concluding sentence has three purposes:

- The concluding sentence is sometimes a paraphrase of the topic sentence.

II. OUTLINE OF A PARAGRAPH

Supporting ideas (Body):

Read the following paragraph and do the assignment below.

Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics. First of

Please post your answers to share with us.

To be continued ... (Answers to assignment of topic 2)

Read the following paragraph and do the assignment below.

Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important

II. Supporting ideas:

III. Concluding sentence:

If you have more ideas, just post them hear so that

* There are usually 2 outlines used for this description.

Topic Sentence: General appearance

* In this outline, your description moves from a certain aspect to other

Appearance: fat, short figure, round face, tiring, dim eyes

Topic Sentence: Writer's first impression (appearance or character)

* You can do one of the two below or do both of them.

Please post your answers to share with us.

* You can do one of the two below or do both of them.

Paragraph 1 (Based on OUTLINE A)

Maria, my classmate, is as beautiful as any Hollywood starlets. She has a

Paragraph 2 (Based on OUTLINE B)

Your own answers.

To be continued ... (Topic 3: Writing a Description - Part 2)

Describing an object or thing is just not simple. We sometimes do not know