Lesson 17: Write and present clearly

Organise grammar and vocabulary around one controlling idea the audience can recover.

~60 MINUTES · WRITTEN AND SPOKEN PRODUCTION

One unit, one job

A paragraph or spoken section should advance one controlling idea. Use point, explanation, evidence/example, and link. Not every unit needs four visible sentences, but listener or reader should recover those functions.

Writing and speech distribute information differently

Writing can carry denser noun phrases and visible paragraph structure. Speech needs shorter thought groups, signposting, repetition of key terms, and deliberate stress. Preserve message while adapting channel.

Edit by system

1. Meaning: one clear controlling claim and accurate support.
2. Grammar: tense, noun phrase, modality, clause relationship, verb pattern.
3. Vocabulary: precision, collocation, register, repetition.
4. Cohesion: reference and progression.
5. Delivery: thought groups, stress, pace, audience action.

Controlled practice

1. Turn 4 random facts into one paragraph with a controlling point.
2. Remove one irrelevant sentence.
3. Replace 3 vague verbs with precise collocations.
4. Qualify one overconfident claim with modality.
5. Combine 2 ideas through cause and 2 through contrast.
6. Adapt paragraph into a 90-second spoken explanation.
7. Mark thought groups and focus words.
8. End with one audience action or conclusion.

Shortcut that works

Write first sentence and final sentence before middle. If they do not express same controlling idea, structure is not ready.

Production lab

Retrieval practice

Primary source

Use British Council B2 writing models and Digital.gov plain-language guidance.

Ask your teaching agent to trace every sentence back to controlling idea and label language system errors separately.