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!