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Plan Before You Write

A complete B1 classroom lesson adapted from the EnglishDrills literacy-writing material and redesigned for the international EnglishDrills teacher-lesson format.

B150–60 minutesWriting & planningPrintable

Teacher lesson: Look at the title and picture. What do you already know about this writing skill? Write two ideas, then compare with a partner. Work through the nine panels in order, or choose the sections that suit your class. Teacher answers and the listening script are stored separately.

Teacher Answers Back to Teacher Lessons

1 Lesson Goals

By the end of this lesson, I will be able to:

understand the main ideas and key details in Plan Before You Write.
learn and use important vocabulary from the lesson.
use the lesson language in speaking or writing.

Start here: What do you already know about this topic? Tell a partner one idea.

2 Reading

Before you read:

Look at the title and picture. What do you already know about this writing skill? Write two ideas, then compare with a partner.

Many students begin writing as soon as they see a topic. This can work, but a short plan often makes writing faster and clearer. A useful opinion-writing plan can contain five things: the writer's opinion, reason one, a supporting detail, reason two, another supporting detail, and a closing idea.

A plan does not need full sentences. Short notes are enough. For the topic “Should homework be required?”, a student might write: opinion — yes; reason 1 — extra practice; example — difficult maths; reason 2 — responsibility; example — meet deadlines. These notes give the paragraph a clear direction before drafting begins.

3 Vocabulary

Key words: plan · draft · supporting detail · direction · deadline

Write a short meaning or synonym for each word.

plan –

draft –

supporting detail –

direction –

deadline –

4 Check Your Understanding

1. Why can planning make writing faster?

2. Does a plan need full sentences?

3. What should come after each reason?

4. What example is given for extra practice?

5. How can a plan give writing direction?

5 Language Focus

Use the notes to write a clear full sentence.

1. extra practice / helps / difficult subjects

2. homework / teaches / responsibility

3. students / meet / deadlines

4. a short plan / makes / writing clearer

6 Listen & Speak

Listen

Listen to your teacher. You will hear the text twice. Answer the questions.

1. What topic is Hana planning?

2. What is her opinion?

3. What is her first reason?

4. What example will she use?

Speak

Discuss or practise with a partner.

• Choose one topic: uniforms, homework, school lunches or phones.
• Tell your partner your opinion and two reasons.
• Your partner asks for one example for each reason.

Plan Before You Write — Continued

7 Use Your English

Something New

The teacher gives a topic. Students have only 60 seconds to write an opinion, two reasons and two examples. Compare plans and decide which notes would be easiest to turn into a paragraph.

Write

Plan and then write 110–140 words on: “Should schools start later in the morning?” Show your plan above your paragraph using short notes.

8 Puzzle or Game

Two Truths and a Trick

Write three short statements about the Reading panel. Make two true and one false. Read them to a partner. Can your partner find the trick?

9 Success Criteria ✓

Tick each statement when you can do it.

I can explain the main idea of the lesson.
I can use at least three new words correctly.
I can complete the language task.
I can share an idea in spoken or written English.

One thing I am proud of today:

10 Show What You Can Do

Final challenge: Plan Before You Write

Plan: Note your strongest idea, 3 useful words or phrases, and one supporting detail from the lesson.

Respond: Write a short paragraph of 6–8 sentences, or prepare a 45-second spoken response, showing what you learned.

Reflect: Underline the part of your response that best shows your progress.