METU / SFL Fall 2022/23

DBE PRE-INTERMEDIATE GROUP

WHO5 (Instructor’s Copy)
WRITING SHORT TEXTS
WHAT IS EXPECTED FROM A WRITTEN TEXT at DBE?
NOTE TO THE INSTRUCTOR:
At PRE-INTERMEDIATE level, students will be expected to produce/write short texts in paragraph format
during the first span, and they will move on to writing/producing longer texts.
The aim of these texts is to teach students how to answer the given question in an organized/structured
manner using effective language.

In DBE PRE-INTERMEDIATE Group, students are asked to write a paragraph, which we define as a text of
about 150-180 words that answers a given question, with an introduction, body, and a conclusion.

LET’S ANALYZE THE STRUCTURE OF A PARAGRAPH:

WHAT IS A PARAGRAPH?
A paragraph is a short text comprising a group of sentences about a single topic. A typical paragraph begins
with a topic sentence, which introduces the topic and the controlling idea. The supporting sentences that
follow support the idea in the topic sentence with explanations, reasons, and other details. The concluding
sentence brings the paragraph to an end.
There are three main features of a paragraph.

1. A paragraph has a topic sentence that states the main idea.

2. All the sentences in a paragraph are about one topic.

3. The last sentence, the concluding sentence, brings the paragraph to a logical order.

I. TOPIC SENTENCE
A paragraph is a short text that is about one main idea, and the topic sentence tells us this main idea. It is
usually, but not always, the first sentence of a paragraph. It is the most important sentence because it
controls all the other sentences. The readers can predict what will be discussed in the paragraph based on
the topic sentence.
A good topic sentence should not be too general or too specific. If it is too general, the writer will not be
able to support the topic in one paragraph. If it is too specific, the writer won’t have enough to write about
in the rest of the paragraph. Look at the following topic sentences.

1) Being unemployed is a problem.

This statement is too general to be developed adequately into one single text (of about 150 words).
There is too much to say about the topic.
2) Being unemployed causes financial problems.
This statement is too specific to be developed. There isn’t enough to say about the topic.
3) Being unemployed means that you do not have a job.
This statement is not a topic sentence because it is a fact that everyone accepts. The information is correct
but it does not give the standing point of the writing.
4) Being unemployed poses two main difficulties for a person.
This statement is neither too general nor too specific. It would be easy to support this sentence.
An effective topic sentence does two things:
a) It introduces the topic of the text.
b) It contains a controlling idea that tells the writer’s opinion, attitude, or idea about the topic.
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 Examples:

Being overweight has two main negative effects on the body.

Topic Controlling idea
There are two main negative effects of being overweight on the body.
Controlling idea Topic

TASK 1. For each topic sentence below, draw a circle around the topic and underline the controlling idea.
e.g. Living in a big city has two advantages.
1. METU campus offers many facilities to the students.
2. Shopping malls have brought many economic benefits to our community.
3. Running has two positive effects on our bodies.

TASK 2. Choose the best topic sentence for the given short texts.

1. _____________________________________________. The first one is that e-mail allows you to send a

single message to many people at the same time. For example, if you want to inform your friends, you don’t
need to write each of them separately. Another advantage of communicating by e-mail is that e-mail messages
always look the same, no matter who has sent them. This means the quality of your letter paper or handwriting
is not important. The last and most important advantage of communicating through e-mail is that it takes very
little time to send and receive messages. From your computer, you can contact people who are far away within
minutes. In brief, today, you can get the maximum benefit of technology by communicating through e-mail.

a) There are three tips for effective e-mail communication

b) E-mail is widely used for business communications
c) Communicating through e-mail has several advantages
d) E-mail is used for many different purposes

2. __________________________________________. First, some students have difficulty in finding suitable

accommodation. Because there aren't enough dorms for all the students on campus, students look for an
apartment to rent, but it is difficult to find one that is suitable for their budget. Moreover, since they do not
know many people from the university, it is very difficult for them to find a housemate to share the rent with.
Second, they usually have financial problems. That means the money they have is not enough for their
expenses. Because they do not know anyone on campus, it is not easy for them to find a part-time job that will
give them the ability to take care of their expenses, and this contributes to their financial troubles. In brief,
university students face two main difficulties when they start university.

a) New university students have difficulty finding accommodation

b) Life is difficult for a new student at university
c) In their first year, university students learn to solve many problems
d) A new university student has some responsibilities

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TASK 3. Write a suitable topic sentence for each of the texts below.
1. With its beautiful weather and sights, San Francisco is popular with tourists. San Francisco is warm all
year round. The city is neither too cold in winter nor too hot in summer. For example, the average
temperature is about 150C in winter and 250C in summer. In addition, it is usually sunny. Especially in summer,
the city rarely experiences rainfall. San Francisco’s beautiful weather makes it possible for tourists to visit the
city’s many tourist attractions. Some of the tourist attractions that are frequently visited are the Museum of
Modern Arts, Chinatown, and the Golden Gate Bridge. To sum up, because of its weather and tourist
attractions, a large number of tourists visit San Francisco every year.

2. Alternative energy can be obtained from different sources. / People obtain alternative energy from
various sources. One source of alternative energy is solar energy. Solar heating systems, which use the sun’s
radiation as a source of energy, are used in many parts of the world today. Another alternative energy source
is oceans. Governments and private industries are working on the possibility of using the power of ocean
waves for producing usable energy. Still another source of alternative energy is nuclear energy. Nuclear power
plants are already in operation in many parts of the world.

3. Living in a large city has two benefits. To begin with, you never get bored in a large city because there are
always cultural events to go to. For example, there are festivals or theaters, which offer you all kinds of
entertainment. You can also go to concerts whenever you are bored. Famous singers usually give concerts in big
cities; therefore, you can listen to your favorite bands live when they visit your town. Secondly, large cities have
wonderful educational opportunities. Many schools offer high-quality education. Moreover, there are different
types of schools for every need. For example, there are language schools and schools for students who have
special educational needs. In addition, experienced teachers work in these schools and provide students with an
excellent education. To sum up, large cities offer two main advantages.

II. SUPPORTING SENTENCES

After you have stated your point in the topic sentence, you need to support it. The supporting sentences
develop or support the controlling idea in the topic sentence. In terms of organization, there are two types of
supporting sentences:

a) Major supporting ideas: These sentences are the main details (like subdivisions of the topic sentence) that tell
us about the topic sentence, and that need further detail and explanation in the form of minor supports.

b) Minor supporting ideas: These sentences are explanations, descriptions, definitions, reasons, results, facts,
statistics, and examples about the major supporting sentences.

It is suggested that you link the body part by using connectors or enumerators. There is no one way of making
transitions between ideas, but what matters is that you give a sense of continuation.
Examples:
1. Topic Sentence: The new language school has brought several economic benefits to our community.

Major supporting sentence: (1st benefit) Many local teachers are employed in the language school.
Minor supporting sentence: The average income of the families in our community has increased. (Result)

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2. Topic Sentence: The new technique for language learning is valued for two important characteristics.

Major supporting sentence: The first important characteristic of this new technique is speed.
Minor supporting sentence: This new technique enables learners to communicate in the new language in a
very short time. (Explanation) For example, with this new technique, a student learning Spanish can pick up the
basics of this language in as little as six weeks. (Example)

When presenting minor supporting ideas, these can be helpful:

 You may clarify your explanations using THAT IS or IN OTHER WORDS.

Examples:
Tom is bilingual. That is/In other words, he speaks two languages.
The disaster affected people with low incomes; that is/in other words, it affected only the poor.

 When you give an example, you may use FOR EXAMPLE / FOR INSTANCE / TO ILLUSTRATE.
Examples:
Students can use the media to improve their listening skills. For example / For instance / To illustrate, they
can watch TV shows in English.
Accommodation costs are low; for example / for instance / to illustrate, the rent of an average apartment
with three bedrooms is only 1000 TL.
 You may also use SUCH AS while giving examples.
Examples:
The magazine publishes articles about various subjects, such as astronomy, politics, and gardening.
We have been to many European countries, such as France and Italy.

 In previous handouts, you studied MOREOVER, FURTHERMORE, and IN ADDITION as

transitions of addition. When you add a similar idea, you may use ALSO as well.

Examples:
Credit cards are convenient. They also help you to manage your budget more effectively. (before the verb)
Muğla has hot summers. There is also little or no rainfall during the summer months. (after the verb to be)

 While writing a paragraph, you can also use enumeration to introduce the major supporting
ideas. Enumeration is a useful tool in arranging supporting sentences in a logical and
connected manner. The topic sentence usually contains the enumerator, which shows a
general class, and in the rest of the text, this general class is broken down into its parts by
listing signals.

Example:
There are two kinds of materials that can be found in a good library. First, there are books on all
subjects in English and in many other languages. These books are … Second, there are reference
books, which include encyclopedias, dictionaries, bibliographies, and atlases. These can only be used
in the library and …

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 In this short text, ‘kinds’ is the enumerator, and the listing signals are ‘First’ and ‘Second.’ Enumerators are
useful tools that help the reader to follow your flow of ideas more easily. You can use the following
enumerators with the listing signals in your writing:

The first kind

The second characteristic
---------------- reason
One cause noun (social activities)
is
Another effect noun phrase (the social activities that METU offers)
(dis)advantage that + sentence (that METU offers a variety of social activities)
difference
similarity
solution

First / Firstly / First of all / To begin

with,
sentence (METU offers a variety of social activities.)
Second / Secondly / Then / Next

LANGUAGE
The correct use of language is also very important in a written text. While reading your written text, the reader
should clearly understand your opinions, examples and supporting ideas. Therefore, as much as the organization of
your ideas, the use of language is of utmost importance. You will also be evaluated in accordance with the correct
use of language in your texts. Be aware of the language structures and vocabulary items presented in the book and
make sure you use them correctly.

Note to the Instructor: At this point, it is suggested that you go over the Writing Rubric with your students in
class and focus on the importance of rhetoric and language use.
TASK 4. Choose the best major supporting sentence for the text below.

1. Species become endangered for a wide variety of reasons. ____________________________. For example,
many tropical forests, the habitats of thousands of species, are being destroyed at an irreversible rate,
threatening many species with extinction. Overexploitation, that is, the utilization of a species at an excessive
rate, is another reason for the endangerment of species. Among many examples of severe overexploitation, the
case of the great whales stands out as one of the most dramatic. By the middle of the 20 th century, unrestricted
whaling had brought many species of whales to incredibly low population sizes. Still another factor threatening
species is pollution. Pollution resulting from industrial activities in particular has threatened many species,
including the African Wild Dog and the American Peregrine Falcon, with extinction.

a) Habitats in which many different species live are always undergoing changes to which species must adapt
b) First, each animal and plant species has a native environment called the habitat, where it grows naturally
c) The destruction of habitats, or native environments, by human activities is the most important reason
d) Some species fail to react quickly to rapid changes in their habitats while others quickly adapt to them
TASK 5. Choose the best minor supporting sentence for the text below.

1. The IMF does not provide healthy solutions for developing and underdeveloped countries. Firstly, the
decisions about which countries and under what conditions these countries may borrow money are made by
rich countries. (1) ________. Moreover, the IMF will only lend money to countries if they agree on certain
conditions. However, these conditions increase poverty. Another drawback is that the livelihoods of people in
poorer countries are destroyed by unfair competition from foreign goods and services. (2) ________. For
example, local food restaurants reduce their prices to be able to compete in the food market. Lastly, the IMF
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 does not give good financial advice. Countries which have followed its advice have suffered by having to deal
with unemployment, inflation and devaluation. Furthermore, they are still trying to cope with the
consequences. In summary, the IMF tries to help countries develop economically but unfortunately, it only
causes more financial problems.
i) Rich countries, including the USA, France and Germany, have very strong economic growth
ii) Poor countries have little say about loans and the conditions attached to them
iii) Borrowing money means having more cash flow; therefore, these countries increase their wealth
iv) As foreign investment enters a country, local investment tries to keep up with the competition
v) However, people are not willing to compete with foreign investment
Mark the best choice.
a) Blank 1: i; Blank 2: ii
b) Blank 1: ii; Blank 2: iv
c) Blank 1: iii; Blank 2: iv
d) Blank 1: i; Blank 2: v

TASK 6. Now write a major supporting sentence and a minor supporting sentence for the following topic
sentences.
1. There are two main reasons why English is an international language.
Major supporting sentence: One reason is that it is the language of science.
Minor supporting sentence: Most of the publications on science are written in English for a more global
audience.

2. Students can improve their English language proficiency in two ways.

Major supporting sentence: Firstly, students can read books to improve their English.
Minor supporting sentence: Reading books helps to recycle language structures and learn new words.

TASK 7. Write a supporting sentence (major or minor) for each of the following texts.
1. Young people should live alone for some time before they get married for two reasons. First of all, living alone
is necessary because young people have to learn how to manage a household. This includes knowing how to
wash the dishes and do the cleaning, the cooking and the shopping. It also means keeping the house tidy and
sharing the housework with the other people in the home. Secondly, living alone before marriage also teaches
the young how to manage their money. They have to learn how to prepare a weekly or monthly budget, and
put aside money for the rent, food, and bills. To summarize, in order to learn how to run a house and manage
their money, young adults should live alone for a certain period of time before they start to share their lives
with somebody else.
2. In today’s technology-driven world, although the smartphone is a popular means of communication, its
popularity may bring about two problems. The first problem is that people who use cell phones in public places
can disturb others. For example, in concert halls or cinemas, cell-phone users sometimes forget to turn them
off, and this upsets the people sitting around them when the phone starts to ring. The second problem is that
people who use their cell phones while driving may cause accidents. In fact, in 2018, the New England Journal
of Medicine reported that drivers who check their social media feed on their smart phones are four times more
likely to cause accidents. To conclude, keeping in mind the problems they may create, people should try to use
their smart phones more considerately.
3. Nowadays, childhood obesity has reached epidemic levels in not only developed but also developing countries,
and there are two main causes of this. The first cause of childhood obesity is poor diet. Convenience foods,
such as frozen dinners, salty snacks, and canned foods, contribute to unhealthy weight gain in children. Some
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children become obese because their parents don’t know how to choose or prepare healthy foods. The second
cause of childhood obesity is a lack of exercise / physical activity. Physical exercise helps people to burn
calories and maintain a healthy weight. However, in today’s technologically driven world, many children spend
a lot of time in front of the TV, or looking at their tablets, instead of going out to play, and this often leads to
obesity. To conclude, parents should keep in mind the causes of obesity and encourage their kids to maintain a
healthy lifestyle.
III. CONCLUSION
The last sentence of a text signals the end of the text and leaves the reader with important points to
remember. In a conclusion, you can reach a conclusion or make predictions, give advice, offer suggestions, or a
solution based on the preceding ideas. The conclusion can also act as a summary sentence, in which you
reword or rephrase the thesis statement.
Below are some expressions that can be used to signal the end of a text:

To introduce a conclusion: To introduce a summary:

In conclusion, In brief, In summary, In short,
To conclude, To summarize, To sum up,

*** Note that NOT all paragraphs have to have a concluding/summary sentence. This depends on the
writer’s preference.

TASK 8. Read the following text and choose the best sentence to finish it. Discuss why.
(Please allow time for students to discuss why one is better than the others, and make sure they understand
that we do not start a totally new argument in the conclusion.)
1. METU is a very popular university, and many students choose to study at METU every year for two main
reasons. One reason is that METU has qualified instructors. It has good teachers at every department that
are experts in their subjects. Most of them have various publications. Another reason is that METU, as an
international university, gives importance to research and development. The students and graduates can
reach information first hand by the conferences that are organized with the participation of scientists from
top universities and research institutions and other scientific activities and can join academic discussions. It
also has several laboratories, computer facilities and a library for students who want to do research and
continue their studies. __________________.
a) In conclusion, different from other universities, METU is a well-known university with its high-quality
instruction and beautiful campus area
b) In brief, the quality of instructors and its welcoming approach to research and development make
METU a popular university
c) To sum up, METU is a popular university as it welcomes many international students and takes part in
international conferences
TASK 9. Provide a concluding and/or a summary sentence for the short text below.
1. Skiing is an unpopular sport because it is dangerous and expensive. First, every year, many skiers are injured
or even killed as a result of skiing accidents. For example, skiing involves the danger of avalanches. A skier can
easily get stuck in the mountains and die of cold. Second, skiing is very expensive due to the equipment
required. A pair of skis, boots, and goggles cost a fortune. Moreover, skiing resorts are mostly luxurious places.
For example, a night at such a resort costs about $200. In summary, the dangers and expenses make skiing a
less preferred sport. / To conclude, people who want to take up skiing as a sport should consider these
negative sides of the sport. / In brief, skiing is not a popular sport for two reasons.

TASK 10. Read the text below, and complete the analysis.
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Students should choose online education for two main reasons. First, it provides them with flexibility. With
online courses, they have the opportunity to attend classes whenever they want and wherever they have
Internet access. As a result, students can study at their own pace in a setting that works for them. In addition,
students no longer have to worry about missing classes because they can arrange their class hours according to
their own schedule. Second, studying online is cost-effective. The tuition that students pay for online education
is affordable. That is, they can pay for it without difficulty. Moreover, they can save money by avoiding the
expenses that are common at traditional schools. Without the need to leave home to spend a semester or a year
in a distant city, young people can substantially save on expenses, such as transportation, housing, and food
costs. In short, because it is both flexible and cost-effective, online education should be preferred by many
students.

What is the topic sentence? Students should choose online education for two main
reasons.
What is the topic? Online education
What is the controlling idea? Two main reasons why some students should choose
online education
How many major supporting ideas are there? Two:
List them. 1. flexibility
2. cost effectiveness
How does the writer end the text? By summarizing the reasons.