Editing a Text

Aim:

To improve students’ ability to write concisely

Target Audience:

Students

Relevance to ILEC 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
      point out several details about / comment on

    • being aware that every word counts
      suggest a meeting / suggest meeting
      gratuitously, for free / unpaid

    • avoiding unnecessary explanations
      discuss the Meyer problem in order to prevent it from becoming the Meyer case / to discuss this case

    • being clear and specific
      a widespread attitude which shows great commitment / evidence of commitment

    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 (has been / was) and verb forms (which involve / involving).

NB There are further improvements which can be made to the sample answer (other than the underlined sections).