A hero who made a difference: a biography with commas
A biography tells the story of one person. Write who the person is and when and where they were born. Then say what they did in the past simple: He became a coach. She helped many people. He didn’t give up when the work was hard. Then say the qualities with because: I admire him because he was honest. End with how the person inspires you. Use commas in three ways. Between things in a list: He taught children to run, pass and shoot. Before but, so or because when they join two ideas: He played football as a boy, but he wanted to teach. When you talk to a person: Dalia, please come here. Write 60 to 80 words, or up to 100 if you can. Choose a family member or a teacher. Do not copy facts from the model.
| Comma for | Example |
|---|---|
| a list | He taught honesty, patience and hard work. |
| before but | I wanted to play, but I was tired. |
| before so | It rained, so we stayed inside. |
| speaking to a person | Dina, can you help me? |
Medhat Ezzat was born in 1965 in Alexandria. He played football as a boy, but he wanted to teach, so he became a coach in 1990. He taught children to run, pass and shoot, and he also taught them to be honest. He didn’t shout at the players; he listened to them. Many of his students became teachers, engineers and coaches. He inspired the whole neighbourhood.
| Part | Frame |
|---|---|
| Who and when | … was born in … in … . |
| What they did | He or she became … He or she helped … . |
| Qualities | I admire … because … . |
| How they inspire me | He or she inspires me to … . |
Interview and write. Choose someone you admire. Ask them three questions about their life. Write a biography of 60 to 80 words with the past simple, one because sentence, and commas.