Editing a Text

Aim:

To improve students’ ability to write concisely

Target Audience:

Students

Relevance to ICFE Writing:

Writing paper

Organisation:

Pairs

Materials needed:

Worksheet; Sample Part 1 question; Answers
  1. Ask students to work in pairs. Give each pair the sample Part 1 question and ask them to read it carefully.

  2. Remind students what concise writing means:

    • writing a message in as few words as possible
      our clarifications and explanations for the issues which you raised in your letter / our comments on the issues raised in your letter
    • being aware that every word counts
      in the October of 2000 / in October 2000

    • avoiding unnecessary explanations
      As you know, it is planned the project will be financed 65% by your bank.
    • being clear and specific
      will have to see the future potential of this site and then you will accept that the price is a good reflection of this / you will see that the price accurately reflects the site's potential.

    NB ‘Concise’ does not necessarily mean ‘short’. A long / complex report can be concise if it follows the ‘rules’ above.

  3. Give each pair the Worksheet and ask them to replace the underlined phrases in the sample answer with more concise expressions.

  4. Discuss with whole class, picking out points which illustrate why the first version of the text is not concise. Check verb tenses (will be / are ) and noun phrases (the application for a loan / the loan application).