EASY TABLE

Study the following table. Construct as many positive simple sentences as possible for each
subject given.
Steps to use Easy Table:
1. Choose the pronoun (subject)
2. Determine the verb to be used (be,have,do)
3. Choose the suitable predicate (make sure the expansions contain no other verb forms).

SUBJECT

PREDICATE

He
is
She
has
It
runs

We

are

They
have
You

like
am

have

like

a boy.
taller than I am.
cute.
sixteen years old.
the one in the blue shirt.
two sisters.
a long tail.
a big house in Kuala Lumpur.
a lot of money.
quickly.
away from home.
towards the old man.
on the field.
friends.
cousins.
Mr. Kasims children.
the students of SMKGeliga.
your neighbours.
some cakes for you.
many children.
a necklace as a gift.
pears a lot.
the songs very much.
the movie.
your niece.
twenty years old.
a prefect at SMK Melati.
a hamster.
nice parents.
a big gift for you.
fried chicken very much.
my house.
the food.

*The emphasis here is the use of simple sentences in writing essays for low
proficient level students.
Teachers needs to provide more vocabulary, preferably the simple and familiar
ones, to the students.

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(A) Construct positive simple sentences using EASY TABLE.

Students sentences based on EASY TABLE.
1.____________________________________________________________________.
2. ___________________________________________________________________.
3. ___________________________________________________________________.
4. ___________________________________________________________________.
5. ___________________________________________________________________.
6. ___________________________________________________________________.
7. ___________________________________________________________________.
8. ___________________________________________________________________.
9. ___________________________________________________________________.
10.__________________________________________________________________.
11.__________________________________________________________________.
12.__________________________________________________________________.
13.__________________________________________________________________.
14.__________________________________________________________________.
15.__________________________________________________________________.
16.__________________________________________________________________.
17.__________________________________________________________________.
18.__________________________________________________________________.
19.__________________________________________________________________.
20.__________________________________________________________________.
(* Students may need to use extra papers for more sentences constructed)

(B) Writing Paragraph level

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Topic : My Idol
(i) Consruct complete sentences for the following notes. Use EASY TABLE as your
reference.
(1) I Faris
_______________________________________.
(2) I sixteenteen years old
_______________________________________.
(3) I a mother.
_______________________________________.
(4) She nice
_______________________________________.
(5) She the best mother to me
_______________________________________.
(6) She pretty
_______________________________________.
(7) She beautiful eyes
_______________________________________.
(8) She long straight hair
_______________________________________.
(9) She loving
_______________________________________.
(10)
She caring
_______________________________________.
(11)
She cakes
_______________________________________.
(12)
She satay
_______________________________________.
(13)
She orange juice
_______________________________________.
(14)
She four children
_______________________________________.
(15)
She a good husband
_______________________________________.
(16)
She my idol
_______________________________________.
(17)
I my mother very much
_______________________________________.

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(ii) Write the sentences into a paragraph.

My Idol
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

(iii) Join the sentences using suitable conjunctions such as andor as well as.
Example: (1) Wani is nice.Wani is cute.
(2) Wani is nice and cute.
(iv)Add linkers wherever necessary (such as Besides, In addition,Not only
that)
Example: (1) Wani is nice.Wani is cute.
(2) Wani is nice.Besides, Wani is cute.
OR
Wani is nice. Besides, she is cute.
(v) Expand the ideas on My Idol more.
Example: Faris ---> Where he lives/ His class name.
Mother ---> physical descriptions (eyes/ nose/ cheeks/lips
etc)
Characteristics/Attitude (helpful/ kind --> give
examples)
(*As this paragraph is getting longer, it can be split into several
paragraphs with each containing a different topic sentence)

CONTINUOUS WRITING
Descriptions of People, Places and Events
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Descriptions of people
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Background
Physical appearance
Hobbies
Ambition
Likes / Dislikes
Special thing about him / her
Hope / Wish

WRITING AN ESSAY A step by step approach

Note: The emphasis here is the constructions of positive simple sentences using EASY
EASY.
A suggested layout on My Friend
1. Background
Fill in column (D) for more expansions.
No
.
1.
2.

(A)
Background
Name
School

3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Class
Age
Job
Place of stay
About
Parents

8.

Siblings

(B) Sentences
(refer EASY TABLE)
She is Farah.
She studies at SMK
Melor.
She is in Form 5A.
She is 17 years old.
She is a student.
She lives at Kg. Wira.
She has a father.

(C) Expansions

She has a mother.

She has five siblings.

She is a housewife.
She has two brothers
and three sisters.

(D)More expansions?

She is clever.
She walks to school.
She is in my class.
She is beautiful.
She is hardworking.
Kg. Wira is peaceful.
He is a teacher.

*The words used here are the simple ones which have been introduced to students since
they were in year one. So, there is no excuse for them as not knowing the words or lack of
vocabulary.

The Paragraph
My Friend
(i)

From Column (B)

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I have a friend.She is Farah.She studies at SMK Melor.She is in Form 5A.She is 17

years old.She is a student.She lives at Kg Wira.She has a father.She has a mother.She has
five siblings.
(ii)

From Columns (B) & (C)

I have a friend.She is Farah.She is clever.She studies at SMK Melor.She walks to

school.She is in Form 5A.She is in my class.She is 17 years old.She is beautiful.She is a
student.She is hardworking.She lives at Kg Wira.KgWira is peaceful.She has a father.He is a
teachers.She has a mother.She is a housewife.She has five siblings. She has two brothers
and three sisters.
(iii)

From Columns (B) , (C) & (D)

_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
(iv) Combine sentences in column (B) and column (C) using suitable conjunctions such as
and . Add linkers for example besides, furthemore & In addition. Then rewrite the
paragraph.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

2. Physical Appearance

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No.

Physical Appearance

Simple Sentences
(EASY TABLE)

1.
2.

short / tall / 152 cm tall

thin/ fat/ slim

She is..............

3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Large - round eyes

flat/sharp nose
thick/dark eyebrows
thick eyelashes
rosy cheeks
thick/thin/rosebud lips
straight/ curly hair
fair/dark/smooth/wrinkle
d skin

She has round eyes/She

has large round eyes

Expansions
(students can be introduced to
the use of possessive
pronouns now
her/his/my/their/our/its)
...like her mother.
She...................kilogrammes.
People.................her eyes.

She has..........

3. Ambitions
No.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Points on Ambitions
a teacher/ a doctor/ a
singer/ a policeman or
policewoman
takes Biology
studies hard
mother give- motivation

Simlpe Sentences

Expansions

She wants to be.................

help sick people

. takes
She..
Her mother. her
.

4. Hobbies
No.
1.
2.

Points on Hobbies
cooking / teaching/
watching television/
reading/ playing games
Teaching
watching television

Simple sentences

Expansions (wh questions)

She likes..................

She cooks..........(what?)

She. English.
She loves................

3.

4.
5.

Reading
playing games

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She wathes(what?)
Which channel?Why?
When?
With whom?
What game? When?

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5. Likes/Dislikes
No.

Points on Likes

1.

food chicken rice/

noodles sweet food/
durinsetc

2.

dresses blouses/
t-shirts/ jeans/ bright
colours
weather sunny/ bright
days/ rainy days
people kind/helpful/
honest/polite

3.
4.

Simple sentences
She likes
chicken rice.
She does not
like sweet
food.

Expansions
why--> delicious/ tasty/ likes chicken/
reminds her to .....
where- at home/ at Cempaka
Restaurant
Why simple/ easy to
move/comfortable/ trendy
When every day
Where at home/ attends parties

She loves..
She likes.
people.

surroundingsquiet/peaceful/crowded
/
busy places/ noise

5.

6.
7.
6. Characteristics
No
1.
2.
3.
4.

Points for characters

kind / kindhearted
Hardworking
Helpful
Clever

Sentences
She....
is ..

Expansions
She. six hours every day.
share food - friends
get good results

7. Special things about the person

No.
1.
2.
3.

Points to consider
help poor people

Simple sentences
She.....

Expansions
How gives food/ money why

8. Hope/Wish
No.
1.

Points to consider
hope friend

2.

a true friend

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Simple sentences
I hope she will be my
friend
She is .........

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Expansions
Forever
for me

Practice 1
Based on the notes on My friend, write out the whole essay in your exercise book.

Practice 2
Using the ideas and sentences in the tables on Describing People, answer the following
questions:
Question 1

Honesty is the best policy."

Describe a person who is very honest.

Possible approach:
Step 1 : Write an essay like the one in practice 1
Step 2: Include some ideas on honesty in the essay.
For example, under charateristics or special things about her.
Step 3: The ideas on Honesty can also be mentioned somewhere else in the essay as long
as they are relevant,For example, under likes/Dislikes.
She honest
She find- money
Honesty

She take- money

She give - teacher
Teacher happy
teacher praise

Wherei n classroom
how much It RM100
teachers name She PnSalwa

Question 2

Dont judge a book by its cover.

Describe an experience when this was true for you.

Suggested way
1. Write about a friend, describe him/her based on the essay My friend.
2. You thought he/she was goodinclude good characteristics of him/her, your feeling
about him/her.
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3. Later, you found out she was not good. Add a paragraph or two on this.
4. Conclusion: Dont judge a book by its cover.

Writing Descriptively People

(1) Physical Attributes
Physical
Features
Age
Shape / Size
Eyebrows
Eyelashes
Shape of face
Chin
Cheeks
Nose
Mouth
Arms / legs
Hands
Skin/Complexion
Eyes
Moustache/Beard
Hair

General Description
Teenager, early twenties, late twenties, 30 to 40 years
Chubby, fat, muscular, of average height/size, of medium height,
paunchy,short, skinny, slim, tall, thin, well-built, petite
thick, arched, bushy, scant, thick,
Thick, arched, long, dark
Heart-shaped, oval, round, square
Cleft-chin, double chin, square jaw
Dimpled, pale, rosy, sunken, puffy
Big, flaring nostrils, flat, hooked, straight, bulbous
Big lips, thick lips, thin lips, toothless smile, rosebud lips, yellow teeth
Fat, long, muscular, skinny
Broad, huge, long, skinny fingers, narrow, rough palms, soft, tiny
Dark, fair, freckles, pimples, scarred, pockmarks, smooth, soft, welltanned, wrinkled
Sparkling, round, large, bright, squinted, sunken
Thick, thin, clean-shaven
Colour black, blond, brown, white, greying, streaks of white,
greying at the temples
Type- scant, unkempt, thick, curly, bushy, wavy, frizzy, straight
Style- crew-cut, plaits, long, pony-tail, bun, short

(2) Words to describe personality and character

Ambitious
Brave
Caring
Diligent
Elegant
Jovial

Friendly
Generous
Gentle
Happy-go-lucky
Humble
Honest

Mischievous
Narrow-minded
Patient
Responsible
Rational
Understanding

(3) Similes
As ageless as the sun
As bald as an egg
As blind as a bat
As bold/brave as a lion
As clumsy as a bear
As cool as a cucumber
As fit as a fiddle
As happy as a child / lark
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As hungry as a wolf
As proud as a peacock
As slow as a snail /
tortoise
As strong as Hercules
As thin as a rake
As white as snow
As good as gold
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Selfish
Studious
Soft-spoken
Sociable
Sophisticated
Snobbish

(4)Idiomatic expressions
The apple of ones eye
Has no backbone
A bookworm
A couch potato

A black sheep
A good Samaritan
Chicken-hearted

A high flyer
A wet blanket

Descriptions of scenes / places

Place
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Name
Location where it is
Travel connections / Transportation how to get there
Physical features / Scenery / View beautiful / picturesque / spectacular
Accommodation places to stay
Facilities courts / swimming pools / public restrooms / restaurants
Activities swimming / fishing / scuba diving / jungle trekking
Hope - to go there again

Writing about interesting places

Practice 1
An interesting place
1. Based on the following notes and EASY TABLE, write complete sentences
for each of the paragraphs below.
Monica Bay
Paragraph 1
Monica Bay a beautiful place (be)
It in Kemaman (be)
It 70 km from Kuantan (be)
Paragraph 2
Last weekend, I to Monica Bay (go)
I there with my friend(go)
His name Razi. (be)
We there by bus (go)
It 80 km from our houses. (be)
We happy to go there (be)
We at 8.00 a.m.(leave)
We there at 9.oo a.m. (arrive)
The view - us. (amaze)
Paragraph 3
We many people there (see)
They kids and adults. (be)
We many shops too. (see)
Paragraph 4
There many activities for us there. (be)
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We in the sea. (swim)

We scuba diving. (try)
We at the sea.(fish)
Razi beach volleyball. (play)
He it very much. (enjoy)

Paragraph 5
The hotels comfortable (be)
We at Monica Hotel (stay)
The rate affordable (be)
Monica Hotel popular (be)
Paragraph 6
We - fun at Monica Bay.(have)
We to go there again (hope)
2. For each paragraph, generate more ideas
Remember to use WH questions when generating ideas.
What, Where, When, Why, Which, How
Example:
Look at Paragraph 2,
I there with my friend(go)
His name Razi. (be)
Razi :
Whoishe?

bestfriend/myneighbour

Form what?
Live where?
Characteristics How?

Form5Melor
Kg.Binjai
Kind/helpful

Since when primary

school
myclass/sameclass
How?Alwaystogether

Task
Choose a paragraph, generate more ideas on it.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

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__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

Practice 2
Tanjung Jara Beach Resort
The layout :
Detail

General Description

Type of place

(a) A beach
(b) One of the most charming tourist spots in Terengganu

Location

(a)About eight kilometres from Dungun

(b)Lies mid-way between Kuala Terengganu in the North and Kuantan
in the South

Travel
connections

(a)By road- 482 km,with a driving time of five hours,from Kuala Lumpur
(b)can take- flight -from Subang airport or KLIA available twice dailyat 7.30 a.m. and 7.30 p.m. - taxis are available from the airport

Physical features

Accommodation
and Facilities

Activities

(a)beautiful view white sandy beach silky sand - crystal clear blue
water swaying coconut trees miles and miles of endless sea - a
good place to release stress

(a) hotels budget or luxurious hotels three to five star hotels

comfortable a room is equipped with a television set, a mini
refrigerator - carpeted
(b) hotels rate affordable / not that expensive
(b)also chalets bungalows - hostels
(c) manyrestaurants sell Malay / Chinese / Western food the food
price reasonable food delicious . Restaurants clean workers
friendly
(d) badminton/tennis courts swimming pools for adults and children
golf course
(e)gymnasium a lot of equipment reasonable fee
(f) public restrooms

(a) swimming with family members

(b)fishing at the fishing spots can rent fishing rods there
(c)scuba diving very interesting challenging
(d) canoeing/ wind surfing/ jungle trekking
(a)Night Market- a twenty-minute walk - held every Thursday

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Other attractions

-souvenirs,arts and crafts,Malay delicacies

(b)traditional Malay sports- top-spinning, kite flying

Conclusion

An ideal getaway from the busy city can release stress

Interesting places
1. A Beach Scene
Sight
-swarming with
people
-resorts
mushrooming
along the
beaches
-swaying palm
trees
-crystal clear
water
-shimmering
water

Sound

Smell

-soothing
sound of waves
-whispering
breezes
-waves
splashing
-hissing sound
of the waves
-wind whispers

-smell of sea
-fishy smell

Touch
Weather
-cool, warm,hot
-blazing sun

Taste

-Salty sea

Water
- cool
Others
-cool/ gentle
breeze
-sandy
beaches

2. A village scene
Sight
-Cows grazing
-Rolling hills
-Farmers at
work
-Trees heavy
with leaves
-coconut trees
swaying in the
wind
-golden rice
field

Sound

Smell

Touch

-cows swishing
their tails
-birds twittering
-rustling of
leaves

-smell of freshly
cut grass
-aroma of
freshly baked
cakes
-fragrance of
ferns/flowers

-hot,blazing sun
-shirts clinging
to the backs
drenched with
perspiration
-chill of the wind
blowing against
the cheeks

3. The Night Market Scene

Sight
-people from all walks of life
-people from every race
and creed

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Sound

Smell

-aroma of ayampanggang,
satay
-fragrance of flowers/

-clatter(clanging) of pots
and pans
-music blaring from hifi sets

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Things sold
-colourful clothes
-multi-coloured drinks
-plastic wares
-fresh/green leafy
vegetables
-yellow pears

perfume
-smell of fresh vegetables
-odour of swea

Touch
-ice-cold drinks
-hot,steaming bowls of noodles
-blazing sun
-crispy banana fritters
-chilly weather

-housewives bargaining
-noise of sellers screaming
their lungs out to attract
customers
-noise created by traffic

Taste
-hot and spicy fried chicken
-delicious,mouth-watering dishes
-chilly hot curries
-curries which are finger-licking good
-cold,sweet drink

Lists of sensory words and phrases

(a) Sounds
(i)Sounds made by objects
babble of a stream
bang of a door
ring of a telephone
crackling of wood
crackling of dry leaves
creak of a hinge
hoot of a horn

(ii)Sounds made by animals

A bee hums
A bird chirps/twitters
A cat purrs
A cock crows
A dog barks

howling of the wind

jingle of coins
ringing of bells
rustling of leaves
screeching of brakes
shuffling of feet
slam of a door
tick of a clock

A donkey brays
An eagle screams
An elephant trumpets
A frog croaks
A horse neighs
A lamb bleats
A lion roars

(b) Sight
-the blazing sun
-chalky liquid
-muddy water
-lightning flashed

-shimmering light
-foggy weather
-gleaming glass windows

(c) Touch
-chilly/cold weather
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A monkey chatters
A mouse squeals
An owl hoots
A parrots screeches
A snake hisses
A turkey gobbles
A wolf howls

-coarse sand
-corrugated roof
-crispy biscuits

Similes
-as smooth as glass
-as cold as ice
-as hard as nails

(d) Taste
-bland
-peppery
-spicy

-moist soil
-rough surface
-slimy path/ steps

-shrivelled skin/fruit
-slithering movement
-smooth surface

-as hot as fire

-as soft as wool
-as sharp as a needle -as tough as leather

-salty
-sour
-vinegary

Similes
-as sweet as honey
-as sour as vinegar

Descriptions of Events / Incidents

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

What the event / incident is.

Who involved in it.
When it happened.
How it happened.
How it ended.
A guided one:
A Birthday Party
Paragraph 1

When
Date/day/time

Introduction
Where
Home- (where)-living room(why)- big space
Who organised it & why
parents

Paragraph 2
Before the
day

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Feelings
What you did
before the day

- your feeling happy /excited

- what you did ordered the birthday cake/
collected it (when)
invited friends (who)
bought balloons, ribbons, snacks (examples),
ingredients to cook some food, new dress
- decorated the house(how)
- cooked for the guests(when) (with whom)
- slept late that night (what time/why)
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Paragraph 3
On the day itself
On the day
itself

Paragraph 4
On the day itself

Paragraph 5
Conclusion

woke up early (what time) - took shower

dressed welcomed the guests (time) relatives
and friends came with their family members
brought gifts greeted me a happy birthday - felt
happy
blew the candles sang the song cut the
cake everybody tried the cake guests ate the
food prepared delicious praised mum for the
food
had some activities music chair enjoyed so
much winners received prizes had a quiz on
animals also had an outstanding outfit winner
(who)
the party ended(time) guests went home
we unwrapped the gifts (what gifts did you
receive / any special one / the gifts from your
parents and siblings)

-What the day means to you

-feeling as a whole
-hope

Questions for practices

1. Write about an unforgettable event that had happened at your school. Describe why
it is unforgettable.
2. Write about an important event that had happened at a beach. Describe why the
event is important to you.
3. Write about your favourite movie. Describe why you like the movie.

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