Writing Tasks for Your EFL Lessons

Academic and journalistic texts

• Comment: Comment on … !
• Report: Write a report about … !
• Argumentative essay: Write an argumentative essay about … !
• Philosophical essay: Write a philosophical essay about … !
• Summary: Write a summary of … !
• Interview: Collect questions for an interview with … !
• Review: Write a review about … !
• Editorial: Write an editorial / op-ed for … !
• Definitions: Write down a definition for … !
• Characterization: Characterize … !
• Analysis: Analyse … !
• Interpretation: Interpret … !
• Portrait: Write a vivid journalistic portrait of … !
• Headlines: Write the headlines for today’s / tomorrow’s papers!

Texts for games and puzzles

• Activity Cards: Create a set of activity cards for … !
• Brain teasers: Create a brain teaser for … !
• Dilemma story: Write down a dilemma story about … !
• Crosswords Clues: Create a crossword and write your own clues!
• Horoscope: Cast a horoscope for … !
• Jokes: Write down a joke about … !
• Quiz questions: Write down quiz questions about … !
• Mystery story: Create a mystery story and read it out!

Online texts and digital media

• Blog: Write blog entry about … !
• Forum entry: Open up a new thread about … in …’s online forum / newsgroup!
• Social networks: Write a text for a social network campaign and … !
• Fake news: Create an illustrated text about a fake event and publish it on … !
• E-mail: Write an e-mail to … !
• Short message: Write a short message to … !

Literature

Creative writing in general

• Visual input: Look at this painting and … ! Draw a picture of … and write …!
• Observation: Sit down n / at / near … and write down what … !
• Auditive input: Listen to this song and … !
• Imaginary journey: Write a text for a guided imagery program that takes you to … !
• Parody: Write a parody of … !
• Transformation: Rewrite this text in a different genre!

Poetry

• Acrostic: Arrange the letters of a word vertically. Then, use every letter as the beginning of a poetic line!
• Sonnet: Write a Petrarchan / Shakespearean sonnet!
• Haiku: Write a haiku!
• Visual poem: Write a visual poem / carmen figuratum / concrete poem in the shape of … !
• Song lyrics: Listen to … and add some (new) lyrics!
• Prayer: Write a prayer / religious hymn and include … !
• Nursery rhyme / lullaby: Create a nursery rhyme or a lullaby and see if it works!

Drama

• Dialogue: Write a dialogue between … and … !
• Dramatic monologue: Write a soliloquy for … about … !
• Dramatis personae: Write a dramatis personae for your own play about …!
• Dialogue completion: Complete this dialogue by filling in ... / by adding … !

Prose

• Fairy tale: Write a fairy tale! Use the motif of …!
• Short story: Write a short story about … !
• Fable: Write a fable! The message should be “…” !
• Memoirs: Write an excerpt from the memoirs of … !
• Ghost story: Write a ghost story! Use … for inspiration!
• Four items story: Write a story that includes … !
• Tall tale: Write a tall tale about … !
• Story completion: Add an (alternative) ending to … !
• Urban legend: Create your own urban legend!
• Anecdote: Write down a (fictional) anecdote from the life of … !
• Diary entry: Write a diary entry about … !
• Travelogue: Write a report about your journey to … !

Media: Film, audioplay and others

• Film script: Write a script for a film / short film / soap opera about… !
• Audioplay: Create a script for an audiplay based on … !
• Cinematic review: Write a film reviews about “ … “!
• Storyboard: Create a storyboard for scene no. … !
• Recorded message: Write a recorded message for …’s answering machine!

Descriptive texts

• Roomdescription: Describe your bedroom / this classroom!
• Picture description: Describe the picture you can see in … / on the bottom left … / on page 7!
• Animal / plant description: Describe this animal!
• Technical description: Describe this gadget / device!

Pragmatic texts

• Instructions: Write down instructions for … !
• Recipe (baking or cooking recipe): Write down how to make … !
• Manual: Create a short manual for … !
• Game instructions: Create a book of rules for … !
• Party platform: You have founded a political movement. Lay down your ideas in a party program!
• Curriculum vitae: Write a CV for … !
• Memorandum: Write your own memo about … !
• Blurb: Write a blurb for … !
• Questionnaire: Design a questionnaire about … !
• Lonely-hearts ad: Write a lonely hearts ad for … !
• Touristic brochure: Write a text for a tourist brochure and present …
• Bulletin board: Write a notice for the classroom’s bulletin board!
• Directions: How does one get from … to …? Write down the directions!
• Notice of loss. You’ve lost … . Write a notice of loss!
• Cheat sheet: Write a cheat sheet for a test about … !
• Lists: Create a shopping / bucket / birthday list … !
• Contract: Set up a contract with … about … !

Texts and visuals / Visual texts

• Comic Strip: Create a comic strip about … !
• Captions: Add captions to this series of pictures!
• Collage: Label the carious items in this collage!
• Comic Adaption: Use this cartoon to write a story!
• Calligram: Write a text whose shape reflects the topic!
• Scrapbook: Collect pictures about … and add your own comments!
• Flow chart: Create your own flow chart about … !
• Poster: Create a poster for … !
• Speech balloons: Fill in the speech balloons!
• Wanted poster: Create a wanted poster / a profile for …

Letters and Messages

• Letter of Complaint: Write a letter of complaint!
• Application letter: You’re applying for a position as … ! Write an application letter!
• Picture postcards: Write a picture postcard and send it to … !
• Messages for Classmates: Write a message your claassmates and inform them about …!
• Friendly letter: Write a letter to your pen pal / penfriend!
• Reply: Write a reply to …’s letter!
• Thank-you letter: Write a thank-you letter to … !
• Letter of condolences: An important person has passed away. Write a letter of condolences to …!
• Invitation letter: Write a letter to invite … to … !
• Letter of excuse: You can’t participate in … . Write a letter of excuse!
• Letter od apology: You’ve offended someone you actually like. Write a letter of apology!
• Love letter: Write a love letter to … ! Make it sound romantic!
• Birthday letter. It’s …’s birthday. Write as birthday letter!
• Dear John letter: A’s love affair with B is over. Write a Dear John letter to B from A’s point of view!
• Business letter: Write a formal letter to your business partner and … !
• Letter to an agony aunt: Write a letter about a fictional problem you have!
• Message in a bottle: Write a message and put it in a bottle for someone to find it!
• Letter of recommendation: Write a letter of recommendation for … !
• Speech: Write a political speech / toast / formal dinner speech / sermon!