A2Postcards20 min
Write a postcard or holiday message about where you are, what you did and what you plan to do next.
A postcard, or a short holiday message, tells a friend or family member about a trip. It is short and informal. Usually you say where you are and how the trip is going, describe something you did, say what you are going to do next, and finish with a friendly line. You need three different times: now, the past and the future.
Model text
Dear Grandma,
Greetings from the mountains! We're staying in a little wooden hotel next to a lake. The weather is cold but sunny, and the air is so fresh.
Yesterday we walked for five hours to a waterfall. It was hard work, but the view was amazing. In the evening we ate hot soup and played a board game by the fire.
Tomorrow we're going to take a boat across the lake. I'm going to send you lots of photos!
Lots of love,
Jamal
| Purpose | Useful language | Tense |
|---|---|---|
| Where you are now | Greetings from ...! / We're staying in a hotel near ... | present continuous |
| The weather and the place | The weather is hot. / The town is really beautiful. | present simple |
| What you did | Yesterday we visited ... / On Monday we went to ... | past simple |
| Your opinion | It was amazing / delicious / a bit tiring. | past simple |
| Plans | Tomorrow we're going to ... / Next we're going to ... | be going to |
| Finish | Wish you were here! / See you soon, / Lots of love, | fixed phrases |
Exercise 1 of 2
Choose the best form for each sentence from a postcard.
Exercise 2 of 2
Type the past simple form of the verb in brackets.
On Tuesday we (go) to the market.
I (buy) a hat for you!
We (see) some dolphins from the boat.
My brother (swim) in the sea every morning of the holiday.
Our bus (arrive) two hours late.
We (not / enjoy) the long walk in the rain.
Your turn
You are on a trip. Write a postcard to a friend or family member. Say where you are staying and what the weather is like. Describe one thing you did and how it was. Say what you are going to do next, and finish in a friendly way.
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Hi Lena,
I'm writing this from a café by the sea in a small fishing town. We're staying in a flat above a bakery, so every morning smells of fresh bread! It's hot and sunny and the sea is very blue.
On Monday we hired bikes and rode along the coast to a lighthouse. It was a long ride, but it was great fun and we stopped for ice cream on the way.
On Friday we're going to visit an island with lots of birds.
See you soon,
Sofia
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Original lesson by Joy English.
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