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Lesson 31
Module 08 · Grammar in Use
B1+

Module 08 —Accuracy in Writing 1

Writing 1 under timing · common B1 slips · proofreading routine

60 min Mixed skill · Accuracy

PET parts in this lesson · mixed-skill spiral

Writing 1GrammarStrategy

Why this lesson now? Applies Module 08 grammar work to Writing 1.

CEFR Pathway · You are here

  1. A0/A1Beginner
  2. A1/A2Elementary
  3. A2/B1Pre-Intermediate
  4. B1/B1+Intermediate
  5. B2Upper-Intermediate
  6. C1Advanced
  7. C2Proficiency

Get ready · 01

5 min

Get talking

activity
Spot the slip

'I have 16 years old.' What's wrong with this sentence, and how would you fix it?

discussion
Timing guess

How many minutes should you spend writing a Writing Part 1 email in the real exam, including checking?

reflection
Checklist brainstorm

Name three things you should always check before handing in a piece of writing.

Grammar for the Exam · 02

8–10 min

The five most common B1 accuracy slips

Grammar Bank: The five most common B1 accuracy slipsJumps straight to this rule — full explanation, examples & practice
Quick rule

Check: verb tense agreement, third-person -s, prepositions, articles, and word order — in that order.

Examples

Examiners at B1 level don't expect perfect English, but a small number of slips appear again and again and cost marks because they make sentences harder to follow. The five biggest are: 1) mixing tenses in the same story ('I go to the shop and I bought…'); 2) forgetting third-person -s ('She like music'); 3) wrong preposition ('good in maths' instead of 'good at maths'); 4) missing or extra articles ('I am student' instead of 'I am a student'); 5) wrong word order, especially with adverbs of frequency ('I always am tired' instead of 'I am always tired'). Learning to spot these five in your own writing, quickly, is worth more than learning new grammar rules.

  • → Tense mixing: 'Yesterday I go to the cinema' → 'Yesterday I went to the cinema.'

  • → Third-person -s: 'My sister live in Leeds' → 'My sister lives in Leeds.'

  • → Wrong preposition: 'I'm interested on music' → 'I'm interested in music.'

  • → Article: 'I go to school by the bus' → 'I go to school by bus.'

Question 1.Find the error: 'She work in a hospital.'

Question 2.Find the error: 'I'm good in tennis.'

Question 3.Find the error: 'I am always tired am I.'

Question 4.Find the error: 'Last week I go to Paris.'

Answer all items, then check.

Quick check 1.What order should you check your writing in?

Answer all items, then check.

Exam Vocabulary · 03

5–7 min

Words & phrases to own

Open Vocabulary BankTap any word below to jump straight to its entry
1

to proofread

to read a text carefully to find and correct mistakes

Use it

How much time do you usually leave to proofread your writing?

2

a slip (grammar slip)

a small, careless grammar mistake

Use it

What's a grammar slip you often make?

3

to agree (subject-verb agreement)

when the verb form matches the subject correctly

Use it

Give an example sentence where the subject and verb agree.

4

consistent (tense)

staying the same throughout, not changing without reason

Use it

Why is it important to be consistent with tenses in a story?

5

to double-check

to check something again to be sure

Use it

What do you always double-check before submitting homework?

6

a content point

one of the pieces of information you must include in a task

Use it

In Writing Part 1, how many content points do you usually need to cover?

7

informal / neutral (style)

the level of formality expected for a piece of writing

Use it

Is an email to a friend usually formal or informal?

8

to draft

to write a first, rough version of a text

Use it

Do you usually draft an email before writing the final version?

Use it now

Activation · Personalise · Recycle

Use each accuracy word while talking about your own writing habits.

Ask your partner
Task 1

Ask your partner

  • Do you proofread your work before handing it in?
  • What do you always double-check?
Useproofreaddouble-check
Complete it
Task 2

"A grammar slip I often make is…"slip

Your opinion
Task 3

Why is it important to stay consistent with tenses and cover every content point in Writing Part 1?

Give your answer + one reason.

Useconsistentcontent point
Quick write
Task 4

Write two sentences describing your usual writing process, from draft to proofread.

Usedraftproofread

Pronunciation for Speaking · 04

3–4 min

Saying -s endings clearly when reading your writing aloud

Say it like this

Read your writing aloud before submitting — your ear often catches a missing -s that your eye misses.

  • • She lives in Madrid.
  • • He works at a bank.
  • • My brother plays football.
  • • The shop opens at nine.

Reading Skills · 05

8–10 min

Reading recycle — why proofreading matters

Teachers often say that the difference between a good piece of writing and an excellent one isn't always new vocabulary or complicated grammar — it's accuracy. A study of exam scripts found that most B1-level students lose marks not because their ideas are weak, but because of small, repeated slips: missing -s endings, wrong prepositions, or mixed tenses within the same paragraph.

The good news is that these mistakes are easy to fix once you know what to look for. Experienced test-takers use a simple routine: they write their answer, then read it through at least twice before finishing, each time checking for one specific type of mistake. On the first read, they check that all their verb tenses match the timeframe of the task. On the second read, they check smaller details — subject-verb agreement, prepositions, and articles.

This routine takes only two or three minutes, but it can turn a script full of careless slips into one that reads clearly and confidently. Examiners notice the difference immediately, even if the vocabulary and ideas are similar to a less accurate answer.

Question 1.According to the study, why do most B1 students lose marks?

Question 2.What do experienced test-takers do before finishing their answer?

Question 3.What do they check on the first read?

Question 4.What do they check on the second read?

Question 5.How long does this proofreading routine usually take?

Answer all items, then check.

Listening Skills · 06

8–10 min

Listening recycle — checking an email before sending

Listening audio

Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.

Show transcript

Sam:Can you check my email reply before I send it?

Nadia:Sure. First — did you answer all four points your friend asked about?

Sam:I think so — I mentioned the time, the place, what to bring, and who else is coming.

Nadia:Good. Now check your tenses — you're telling a story about last weekend, so it should all be past tense.

Sam:Oh, I've written 'we go to the beach' here — that should be 'went'.

Nadia:Exactly. Now read it aloud quietly — that usually helps you catch missing -s endings.

Sam:Good idea. I just spotted another one: 'my sister love the beach' should be 'loves'.

Nadia:Well done. Two mistakes fixed already — that's exactly what proofreading is for.

Question 1.What does Nadia check first?

Question 2.What tense should Sam's story be in?

Question 3.What mistake does Sam find first?

Question 4.What does Nadia suggest to catch missing -s endings?

Question 5.What is Sam's second mistake?

Answer all items, then check.

Question 1.Which phrase does Nadia use to introduce her proofreading advice?

Answer all items, then check.

Exam Strategy · 07

5 min

PET Writing Part 1 — accuracy under timing

Strategy

Write for 12 minutes, then use the last 3 minutes for a two-pass proofreading check.

Task

Reply to a short email covering all four content points in 35–45 words, then proofread using a fixed two-pass routine.

Example

Draft: 'My sister live in London and she love it there.' Pass 2 catches both missing -s endings: 'My sister lives in London and she loves it there.'

Writing Task · 08

5 min

Put it in writing

Writing Part 2Reply to an email
≈100 words

Reply to your friend's email in 35–45 words. Answer all four points: say if you can come, suggest a time, ask what to bring, and say how excited you are.

Your writing draft

0 words Saved
Show model answer & examiner comment

Hi! Yes, I'd love to come on Saturday. Is two o'clock OK for you? Should I bring anything, like snacks or drinks? I can't wait — it's going to be such a fun afternoon! See you soon, Alex

EX

Examiner comment

Reward range, organisation and style. Penalise lists, off-topic or under-length answers.
Mark scheme extract
5All content points covered; consistent style; range of structures; minor errors only.
3Content mostly covered; mostly suitable style; some range; errors don't stop the reader understanding.
1Limited content; intrusive errors; very basic structures; under-length.
PET Writing Part 1 · Email
PET Writing Part 1 — Reply to the email. Write 35–45 words and answer ALL 4 points. You have 15 minutes: write for 12, proofread for 3.
From: PriyaSubject: Weekend plans

Hi! A few of us are meeting at the park on Saturday for a picnic. Can you come? What time is good for you? Also, could you bring something to eat? Let me know if you're excited! Priya

✎ say if you can come
✎ suggest a time
✎ say what you can bring
✎ say how you feel about it

Your reply must cover:

  1. Say if you can come
  2. Suggest a time
  3. Say what you can bring
  4. Say how excited you are

Speaking Task · 09

10–15 min

Make it a real conversation

Open Expressions BankConversation phrases and functional language from across the course

In pairs, swap your Writing Part 1 answers and act as each other's proofreader. Find at least one tense slip and one -s slip (real or invented) and explain the fix using this lesson's vocabulary.

Useful phrases

Optional · Teacher-led

Teacher Activities

Build the proofreading habit into muscle memory. ~22 min total

Homework · 10

Take-home

Take it home

Self-study — everything you need is included below. All four skills are covered so you keep the spiral going between lessons; pick the order that suits you.

WritingProductive

Timed Writing Part 1 mock — write a reply email in 15 minutes (12 to write, 3 to proofread using the two-pass routine).

Your response

0 words Saved

Materials included

Stimulus email

From: Tom Subject: Football match Hi! A few of us are playing football on Sunday afternoon. Do you want to join? What time works for you, and can you bring a ball? Let me know! Tom

Content points

Say if you can join, suggest a time, say if you can bring a ball, ask one question about the match.

Attempt the task first, then check your answers.

GrammarLanguage

Slip-hunting drill — find and correct the five accuracy slips in the text below.

Your response

0 words Saved

Materials included

Text with slips

My name is Carlos and I am 15 years old. I live with my family in a small flat near the school. My father work in an office and my mother is a teacher. Yesterday I go shopping with my friend and we buyed some new trainers. I am interested on football and I play it every Saturday. I hope you can visit us soon!

Attempt the task first, then check your answers.

WritingProductive

Proofreading habit tracker — for one week, proofread every piece of English homework using the two-pass routine and note what you fixed.

Your response

0 words Saved

Materials included

Tracker

Each day, write: 1) what you wrote, 2) one mistake you found in pass 1 (tense), 3) one mistake you found in pass 2 (agreement/preposition/article).

Attempt the task first, then check your answers.

Recap · 11

2–3 min

What you've learned

  • The five biggest B1 accuracy slips: tense mixing, missing -s, wrong prepositions, article errors, and word order.
  • A fixed two-pass proofread (tenses, then agreement/prepositions/articles) fits into 2–3 minutes.
  • Reading your writing aloud helps catch missing -s endings your eye skips over.
  • Cover all four content points before worrying about extra vocabulary.
  • Accuracy, not extra ideas, is often what separates a good script from an excellent one.
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