Writing activity - Collège Vaugelas

Writing activity : writing a postcard
Devoir Maison à rendre pour le lundi 20 avril 2009
▪You are on holiday and you decide to write a postcard.
1) Choose who you are going to write to = the addressee ( choisis à qui tu vas écrire = le
destinataire) : a friend? A member of your family? Your Mum and Dad?
2) Choose where you are on holiday (choisis ton lieu de vacances) : in a city? In the country?
In the mountains? At the seaside?
Be careful: you must be on holiday in an English-speaking country (attention: ton lieu de
vacances doit se situer dans un pays anglophone)
Here are some websites where you can find ideas and information :
- Australia : http://www.australia.com
- USA: http://www.usatourist.com
- Ireland: http://discoverireland.com
- Great-Britain : http://www.visitbritain.co.uk/about-britain
- South Africa : http://www1.southafrica.net/cultures/en-US/consumer.southafrica.net/
- Canada : http://www.canada.travel/splash.en-gb.html
▪Your postcard must look like the following model:
- On one side, draw or stick a picture of your holiday destination
- On the other side, write your text and the name and address of the addressee.
- Don’t forget the stamp!
You can choose the size and shape (taille et forme) of your postcard.
You can also go to the “Collège de Vaugelas” website http://www.collegevaugelas.com
(Enseignements/Anglais/Cinquième) and follow the given link to create your postcard.
Example:
▪ Your text must contain (les éléments que ta carte postale doit comporter):
1) An opening : it includes the name of the person who receives the message
2) The sort of time you’re having at your holiday destination
3) What the weather is like
4) What you did yesterday
5) An opinion about the people, your activities or how you feel
6) A closing : it’s the end of the message
7) Your signature
Holiday destination :
Picture or drawing
Text
First Name & Surname
Number Street
Zip Code & Town
Country
Stamp

▪ Here is some advice and useful vocabulary to help you write your postcard !
Be careful : vary the adjectives you use (attention: varie les adjectifs que tu utilises)
1) Examples of openings: Hi/Hello/Dear ...
2) Examples: I’m having a great time in New York City.
I’m in Johannesburg and it’s fantastic.
List of adjectives : magic/great/lovely/fabulous/nice/wonderful/good/bad/
terrible/fantastic/brilliant/amazing ...
3) List of adjectives for the weather: fine/lovely/ awful/terrible/horrible/
sunny/stormy/snowy/windy/rainy/cloudy/foggy/hot/cold/warm/freezing ...
4) – What you did yesterday : Attention : n’oublie pas d’utiliser le prétérit et de vérifier si le
verbe que tu utilises n’est pas irrégulier.
- Use your senses (pense à tes cinq sens): I saw, I watched, I heard, I listened to, I
touched, I tasted, ...
- Examples of activities : match the French and the English
Take pictures ●
Put your feet up ●
Do some sunbathing ●
Get sunburnt ●
Try the local food ●
Go out at night ●
●sortir le soir
●goûter la cuisine locale
●prendre des photos
●bronzer
●prendre des coups de soleil
●ne rien faire, se détendre
Rappel: pour parler d’activités sportives, on utilise souvent la construction « Go + V-ing »
Ex : I went horse-riding. I went skiing...
List of activities in “go + V-ing” : use a dictionary and find the French translation
go sightseeing :
go hiking :
go fishing/hunting :
go camping :
go swimming :
go windsurfing :
go scuba diving :
go waterskiing :
go rock-climbing :
go kayaking/canoeing :
5) People: friendly? Welcoming?
Activities: boring/exciting/frightening/scary/interesting/amazing/great ...
Feelings: Pleased/excited/fed up/tired/disappointed/bored ...
Rappel: pour exprimer tes goûts ou parler des activités que tu aimes ou que tu n’aimes pas,
tu peux employer la construction « like/love/enjoy/hate/dislike + V-ing »
Ex : I liked horse-riding : j’ai aimé faire du cheval
I enjoyed visiting the museum : la visite du musée m’a beaucoup plu
6) Examples of closings : Love/lots of love/hugs and kisses/best regards/xxx/see you
soon/all the best/take care