Answers and an explanation for each question appear once you add this activity to your own library.

📌 How to use this lesson

For the Teacher:

Use this 30-minute lesson to build vocabulary for descriptive writing. Answers in these interactive exercises are checked automatically as students practice.

For the Learner:

First, learn key carnival words and complete the quick activities. Next, you will use these words to write your own festival email!

🎭 Module 1: Getting Ready

Get to know your carnival words before you write.

A vivid colorful carnival parade with dancers on tall stilts, people wearing shiny beaded costumes, drumming, and dancin

Carnival Parades & Costumes

Carnivals are full of color, sound, and movement! Read the key words below to talk about what people wear and do at a parade.

💡 Tip: Click the sound icon 🔊 beside each word to hear how it sounds!

✨ Key Carnival Words

march march

verb

To walk in a steady, regular rhythm as a group down a street.

stilts stilts

noun (plural)

Long poles that dancers stand on to walk high above the ground.

drumbeat drumbeat

noun

The continuous, loud rhythm made by drums in a parade.

stomp stomp

verb

To step heavily and noisily on the ground with your feet.

bead bead

noun

A small shiny piece of plastic or glass used to decorate costumes.

dye dye

verb / noun

To change the color of clothes or fabric using liquid paint.

fancy fancy

adjective

Decorated, colorful, or special (like a fancy dress costume).

sway sway

verb

To move slowly from side to side in time with music.

entertain entertain

verb

To perform and provide fun or enjoyment for people watching.

twirl twirl

verb

To spin around quickly while dancing in the street.

✍️ Vocabulary Practice Exercises

Complete all four parts below to test your word knowledge.

A Part A: Put the words in the right order

Unscramble the words to write a complete sentence.

1. Sentence 1

high / dancers / stilts / on / walk / The

____ (Type your complete sentence here...)

2. Sentence 2

loud / stomp / to / drumbeat / the / We

____ (Type your complete sentence here...)

3. Sentence 3

costume / decorated / is / Her / with / beads

____ (Type your complete sentence here...)

4. Sentence 4

perform / Street / to / entertain / dancers / people

____ (Type your complete sentence here...)

B Part B: Fill in the blanks with a word bank

Choose the correct word from the bank for each sentence.

stomp • dye • sway • fancy • twirl

1. The dancers start to ____ in circles to show off their wide skirts.

2. People like to ____ their shirts with bright neon paint before the festival.

3. She wore a very ____ outfit covered in shiny feathers and sparkling jewels.

4. The crowd began to ____ their feet to the loud rhythm of the drums.

5. Look at the colorful flags ____ gently in the warm breeze.

C Part C: Choose the correct word

Select the best option (a, b, c, or d) for each question.

1. What do performers walk on to stand high above the crowd?

____ a. stilts ____ b. drumbeats ____ c. dyes ____ d. beads

2. Which word means to walk together in a steady line down the street?

____ a. twirl ____ b. march ____ c. sway ____ d. stomp

3. What is a small shiny item used to make carnival outfits look colorful?

____ a. drumbeat ____ b. stilt ____ c. bead ____ d. dye

4. Which verb means to perform music or dance to bring joy to an audience?

____ a. entertain ____ b. stomp ____ c. twirl ____ d. dye

D Part D: Match each question to its answer

Select the correct answer column for each question on the left.

Question

They are stomping to the rhythm.

They dyed them for the celebration.

They walk on tall stilts.

1. How do performers stand so high above the street?

____ They are stomping to the rhythm. ____ They dyed them for the celebration. ____ They walk on tall stilts.

2. What are the spectators doing with their feet?

____ They are stomping to the rhythm. ____ They dyed them for the celebration. ____ They walk on tall stilts.

3. What did people do to their white shirts before the party?

____ They are stomping to the rhythm. ____ They dyed them for the celebration. ____ They walk on tall stilts.

📌 How to use this lesson

For the Teacher:

Guide students through this 10-minute email writing task using the provided sentence frame and checklist.
Review their automated AI feedback on key criteria or check their submitted text directly.

For the Learner:

First, read the task prompt and review the sentence starters and checklist.
Next, write your 100-120 word email in the box and submit it for instant AI feedback.

✉️ Module 2: Write Your Email

Put your vocabulary into practice by writing an email about a festival or parade.

📝 Writing Task

Write an email to a friend. Tell your friend about a parade, a street party or a day with costumes that you have been to or would like to go to. Say where it is, what people wear and what you do or would do there.

Length requirement: 100–120 words

💡 Sentence Starters

Use these starters to help build your text:

• Hi ...,
• The parade I went to was ...
• The costume I liked best was ...
• The people I went with were ...
• The thing I was looking forward to most was ...
• Write soon,

⭐ Useful Sentence Pattern

You can end a descriptive sentence with a preposition like this:

"The street we walked along was full of people."

Try including a sentence using this pattern in your email!

✅ Email Checklist

Make sure your writing includes all of the following points:

✓ Where and when the parade or party was

✓ Two things that people wore

✓ Two things that happened

✓ One sentence with a relative clause that ends with a preposition

✓ How you felt

✓ A friendly ending

✏️ Write Your Email

100–120 words

Type your response in the box below. When finished, submit for feedback on Task Achievement, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy.

____ (Hi ..., The parade I went to was ...)

📌 How to use this lesson

For the Teacher:

Show students this complete model email to demonstrate how sentence starters, unit vocabulary, and checklist points come together.
Review the plain-language notes with your class to highlight key language choices and sentence patterns.

For the Learner:

First, read through the complete model email from start to finish.
Next, read the "Why this works" notes under each bold phrase to see how to improve your own email.

📖 Module 3: See a Model

Look at a complete example email to see how to organize your ideas and use great descriptive phrases.

✉️ Model Email Answer

Length: 117 words

Hi Sam,

The parade I went to was in Rio last February during the annual street carnival. The people I went with were my adventurous cousins who had never been to a tropical street festival before.

Why this works: Saying where and when it happened sets the scene for your reader right away.

The costume I liked best was a giant feather dress decorated with shiny beads and bright blue dye. The music was loud, and the street we danced on was filled with happy crowds.

Why this works: Two words from this lesson (beads, dye) help your friend picture the costume.

Why this works: Ending with "on" sounds natural: the street we danced on.

The thing I was looking forward to most was hearing the powerful drumbeat while energetic performers marched past on high stilts to entertain us. We stomped our feet all afternoon and twirled happily in the warm sun. I felt completely amazed by the incredible atmosphere.

Why this works: Words like "marched" and "stilts" help your friend picture the parade.

Why this works: Sharing strong personal feelings makes your email sound enthusiastic and friendly.

Write soon,
Alex

🎯 How This Model Uses The Frame & Checklist

✓ Frame Starters

Includes all 6 required sentence starters word-for-word.

✓ Where & When

Mentions Rio and last February during carnival.

✓ What People Wore

Describes feather dress with beads/dye and performers on stilts.

✓ Two Events

Performers marched past and the crowd stomped and twirled.

✓ Sentence Ending With a Little Word

Includes "...the street we danced on..."

✓ Feelings & Ending

Ends with "felt completely amazed by" and "Write soon,".

Writing: Carnival Parades and Costumes

📌 How to use this lesson

🎭 Module 1: Getting Ready

Carnival Parades & Costumes

✨ Key Carnival Words

✍️ Vocabulary Practice Exercises

A Part A: Put the words in the right order

B Part B: Fill in the blanks with a word bank

C Part C: Choose the correct word

D Part D: Match each question to its answer

📌 How to use this lesson

✉️ Module 2: Write Your Email

📝 Writing Task

💡 Sentence Starters

⭐ Useful Sentence Pattern

✅ Email Checklist

✏️ Write Your Email

📌 How to use this lesson

📖 Module 3: See a Model

✉️ Model Email Answer

🎯 How This Model Uses The Frame & Checklist

Related lessons

Defining relative clauses that end with a preposition

Reading: UNESCO Carnival Traditions

IELTS Speaking: Carnival Parades and Costumes

Vocabulary & Pronunciation: Carnival Parades and Costumes

Writing Task 2: School Uniforms

Writing: Part-Time Job Enquiry Email