zoom in phrases for creative writing

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Enchanting Marketing

Writing advice for small business

How to Explain Your Ideas Clearly: The Zoom-In-Zoom-Out Technique

by Henneke | 104 enchanting opinions, add yours? :)

Do readers jump up to implement your advice?

Let’s be honest, writing a good explanation is tougher than it seems.

Explanations often turn out to be a tad dry and uninspiring—and when we fail to captivate our readers, we fail to communicate our ideas, too.

So, what can you do to explain with clarity and zing?

The Zoom-In-Zoom-Out technique

You know it from photography, don’t you?

Zoom out, and you display the big picture. Zoom in, and you show details.

Writing works the same.

The best writing combines satellite-style zooming out with telephoto-like zooming in.

When zooming in, you see the mother lion licking her young; you see the bee gathering honey from a clover; you see the withering petals of a tulip. You see one specific situation—one flower, one person, or one animal doing one specific thing.

Satellite photography is the complete opposite. Instead of tiny details, you see patterns. You see the colorful fields with millions of tulips in the Netherlands. You see how the roads and fields are flooded after months of rain. You see sprawling suburbs surrounding the skyscrapers in downtown Houston.

In photography, you have all sorts of lenses and you create pictures with different levels of zoom. But in writing, you alternate mostly between the extremes:

• Captivate readers by using the telephoto lens—tell the story of one person in one specific situation.
• Describe the satellite image to explain the wider picture, the trends, the lessons, the statistics.
• As much as possible, skip the half-zoomed scenes.

The Zoom-In-Zoom-Out technique helps you explain anything to anyone; it helps you captivate readers, even with the most boring topics.

Shall I show you?

How the masters of explanation use this technique

Chip and Dan Heath apply the Zoom-In-Zoom-Out technique in all their books to educate business readers.

Below follows an example from their book The Power of Moments . The story shows how important praise is, and it starts when a student, called Sloop, has been told to mouth words because her voice doesn’t blend with the rest of the choir. Then another teacher asks her to stay after practice:

Sloop was hesitant at first but eventually lowered her guard. She said, “We sang scale after scale, song after song, harmonizing and improving, until we were hoarse.” Then the teacher took Sloop’s face in her hands and looked her in the eyes and said: “You have a distinctive, expressive, and beautiful voice. You could have been the love child of Bob Dylan and Joan Baez.” As she left the room that day, she felt as if she’d shed a ton of weight. “I was on top of the world,” she said. Then she went to the library to find out who Joan Baez was.

Sensory details —the singing of scale after scale and becoming hoarse; and how the teacher took her face in her hands—make this scene come alive. I can sense the impact the praise had on Sloop, and I imagine her walking to the library with a spring in her step.

Once the story has demonstrated the impact of praise, the authors zoom out to share the big picture:

The importance of recognition to employees is inarguable. But here’s the problem: While recognition is a universal expectation, it’s not a universal practice. (…) “More than 80 per cent of supervisors claim they frequently express appreciation to their subordinates, while less than 20 per cent of the employees report that their supervisors express appreciation more than occasionally.” Call it the recognition gap.

Zoomed-out statements—facts, figures, trends and big pictures—only become powerful when the zoomed-in stories give them meaning.

Facts give stories substance. Stories give facts meaning. Substance and meaning are two of the most powerful factors in any explanation. ~ Lee LeFever (From: The Art of Explanation)

Another example of the Zoom-In-Zoom-Out technique

The Year of Magical Thinking is a memoir by Joan Didion, in which she describes her journey of grieving for her husband.

But she doesn’t tell only her own story, she also comments on theories around loss and grieving. For instance:

From Bereavement: Reactions, Consequences, and Care, compiled in 1984 by the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine, I learned for example that the most frequent immediate responses to death were shock, numbness, and a sense of disbelief: “Subjectively, survivors may feel like they are wrapped in a cocoon or blanket; to others, they may look as though they are holding up well. Because the reality of death has not yet penetrated awareness, survivors can appear to be quite accepting of the loss.”

The statement above about bereavement is abstract, and Didion paints a clear picture with the details of her own grieving process:

I could not give away the rest of his shoes. I stood there for a moment, then realized why: he would need shoes if he was to return.

Feel that, too?

It’s the personal story that connects and adds meaning to dry advice and bare facts.

A powerful mix of authority and authenticity

The stories you share can be about yourself, but also about clients or friends, or they can be stories you’ve heard or read.

For instance, in a blog post about finding your passion , Mark Manson explains his general view:

Today, I received approximately the 11,504th email this year from a person telling me that they don’t know what to do with their life. (…) The common complaint among a lot of these people is that they need to “find their passion.” I call bullshit. You already found your passion, you’re just ignoring it. Seriously, you’re awake 16 hours a day, what the fuck do you do with your time?

To be honest, as I was reading that, I didn’t quite get it. What does Manson really mean? Why would people ignore their passion?

But then he zooms into a miniature story about a friend, and I understand:

I have a friend who, for the last three years, has been trying to build an online business selling whatever. It hasn’t been working. And by not working, I mean he’s not even launching anything. Despite years of “work” and saying he’s going to do this or that, nothing actually ever gets done. What does get done is when one of his former co-workers comes to him with a design job to create a logo or design some promotional material for an event. Holy shit, he’s all over that like flies on fresh cow shit. And he does a great job! He stays up to 4:00 AM losing himself working on it and loving every second of it. But then two days later it’s back to, “Man, I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do.” I meet so many people like him. He doesn’t need to find his passion. His passion already found him. He’s just ignoring it. He just refuses to believe it’s viable. He is just afraid of giving it an honest-to-god try.

The story about Manson’s friend is vivid and emotional, and it adds authenticity and meaning to the general advice that you don’t need to find your passion.

So, whenever you want to share a lesson or explain a trend, share a specific story and use vivid details to captivate and inspire readers.

How to explain better

You can use this Zoom-In-Zoom-Out technique for any type of writing:

• In a case study, explain the key benefits of your service by relating how it worked for one specific client.
• In a blog post, teach a lesson by giving a specific example.
• In journalism, weave sociological trends with the stories of how it affects specific families.
• In a memoir, tell your personal story and relate it to a bigger lesson.
• In a historical novel, tell the story of your protagonist to open a doorway to a historical era.

The foundation of explanatory writing is simple: Zoom in. Zoom out.

PS Thank you to Amy Peacock for inspiring this blog post.

Recommended course:

Stories in miniature, learn how to captivate your audience with stories in blog posts, books, social media, web pages, and emails.

“The biggest gift from taking Henneke’s class is finding my voice to tell stories throughout my book. I am not so worried about what people will think anymore. I can choose to be more vulnerable, and I feel so much more confident in my business writing.” ~ Irene Yam

I very much appreciate the personalised support Henneke gives in this course. I never felt left alone, and the companion emails motivated me to keep going. I also love Henrietta’s drawings, they help me remember concepts easily and I think they really spice up the course.” ~ Laura

“Even if you know something (“Show, don’t tell”, for example), Henneke’s way to teach helps you understand better what you already know.” ~ Maurizio

I feel more confident in my story skills. With more practice I now believe that I can become one of those people that can tell an engaging story. Henneke always exceeds my expectations.” ~ Susan

Learn more >>

Further reading on good explanations:

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Reader Interactions

Leave a comment and join the conversation cancel reply.

May 10, 2024 at 8:40 pm

I write for the self-knowledge niche, but I’m not able to write posts that connect deeply with people, I lack words to engage them. Even though I know my audience, they are insecure women between 20 and 48 years old, with low self-esteem, they feel devalued, lost, and incomplete in their relationships. I can’t write anything impactful that helps them! I always read your articles and they keep me hooked until the end, but I don’t know how to do the same

May 12, 2024 at 6:58 pm

You can do it, too.

Start by writing for one person. Think about one problem you can help her solve. It can be a tiny problem or you can help her take the first step towards solving a big problem.

In your opening, address your reader directly. It can help to write her name at the top of your draft, as if you’re writing a letter. Tell her you understand what she’s struggling with, then promise you have a solution (or a first step towards a solution). That’s all you need to do in the opening: Show empathy and show that reading your blog post will be worth her time. Then, in the main body of your post, share step by step what you recommend doing to solve the issue. Give examples so it doesn’t seem too abstract. Then in the final paragraph, inspire her to take action.

A first draft will not be like you want it to be. Too complicated. Not conversational enough. So, when you’re editing, try to simplify and be precise in what you’re communicating. Also, at least for one round of editing, imagine phoning your reader and reading your blog post aloud to her. How does it sound? How can you make it more natural?

You’ll get there step by step.

May 8, 2024 at 8:23 pm

I’m in awe of how you simplify things, Henneke. The photography analogy works really well and your drawn illustrations are perfect. I will now happily zoom in and out with more awareness of what I’m doing. 😉

May 8, 2024 at 9:07 pm

Thank you so much, Sue. That’s a lovely compliment. Happy writing!

April 23, 2024 at 5:46 pm

Hi Henneke! Thanks for sharing this important knowledge with us. I’v always felt at home with the technique you brought to our attention. It has further reinforced the need to continue to use it.

April 23, 2024 at 6:02 pm

Great that you feel at home with this technique already, Michael. And thank you for stopping by. Happy writing!

April 23, 2024 at 5:11 pm

This post is so timely. Perfect.Perfect.Perfect. I’m in the middle of a writing a series of blog posts (actually the foundation for a book). It came out an invitation to write a post for an organization I belong to. It expanded to over twice the word limit in no time… Now as I am organizing it to be shorter pieces, I see how zooming in & zooming out would be vital for improving the quality & effectiveness of the info. Thank You again for your brilliance in bringing these valuable tidbits to all of us in your posts.

April 23, 2024 at 5:34 pm

Thank you, Bamboo. Your comment makes my day. There’s no bigger compliment to me than someone suggesting they’re going to use my tips to improve their writing. It sounds like you’re creating something special!

April 23, 2024 at 3:05 pm

Like a fine wine, your advice gets better and better, Henneke.

Your examples make the Zoom-in / Zoom-out technique memorable. I can’t wait to try them out on my own writing.

April 23, 2024 at 4:41 pm

Thank you, Bill. That’s a lovely compliment. I like a fine wine 🙂

April 23, 2024 at 1:22 pm

Wonderful examples. I’ll be reading this one a few more times!

April 23, 2024 at 1:34 pm

Thank you, Christy. I love these examples, too.

April 23, 2024 at 12:00 pm

Thank you, Henneke. I really found this post inspiring. I would really like to join your courses. Please keep me posted.

April 23, 2024 at 12:05 pm

Thank you, Jasmine. My courses are open for enrollment all year so you can jump in anytime!

April 23, 2024 at 11:58 am

Brilliant: perfect examples. Sadly, most people will not take the time to understand how to apply your know how to their writing. Thank you for sharing.

April 23, 2024 at 12:04 pm

Well, I’m writing for the people who do take the time to implement my tips. I think there are enough of them 🙂

April 23, 2024 at 11:35 am

Love this play between zoom-in and zoom out for writing! Thanks for sharing, Henneke 🙂

April 23, 2024 at 11:40 am

Thank you, Sampada. I find it such a useful way to think about writing and storytelling.

June 20, 2023 at 11:04 pm

Once again, your enchanting words create inspiration. Henneke, Thank you,

June 21, 2023 at 9:17 am

I’m glad you enjoyed this, Helene. Happy storytelling!

May 26, 2023 at 3:27 pm

Just a quick thank you for all your outstanding teaching. You are such a talent! Trying to find the time to take one of your courses.

May 26, 2023 at 5:06 pm

Thank you for your lovely compliment, Pamela. 🙂

January 4, 2023 at 12:39 am

would I be able to do two zoom-ins in one essay like have my first primary source be the intro-zoom? but then zoom in on another primary later on in the essay

January 4, 2023 at 9:50 am

Yes, you can zoom in more often.

March 14, 2024 at 1:42 pm

Well 😅🔥 will work on it

March 14, 2024 at 1:50 pm

Hope you’ll have fun with this!

August 11, 2022 at 7:15 pm

Exhilarating. The way you have stressed metaphor to zoom in and out and the points below “You can use this technique for any type of writing:” is very engaging.

Kudos for those ideas.

August 11, 2022 at 9:20 pm

Thank you, Indranil. Happy writing!

January 11, 2021 at 12:21 pm

Great advice! I can’t wait to use it. I’m like the thousands of other writers who like Henneke’s articles.

January 11, 2021 at 2:07 pm

Thank you, Wally. This is one of my favorite posts 🙂

December 8, 2020 at 3:49 pm

First off, great explanation of the technique. I’m trying to practice my writing and was wondering if you have any additional examples for the zoom in and out technique, other than the ones given in the article? Thank you!

December 8, 2020 at 6:26 pm

You’ll find many more examples in any of the books by Chip and Dan Heath, or check out good-quality long-form journalism, and see where they share stats or trends, and when they share stories about specific people in specific situations.

November 5, 2020 at 7:49 pm

BEST explanation of this technique!

November 6, 2020 at 10:59 am

Thank you, Jan. Happy writing!

June 7, 2020 at 3:15 pm

Wow! This technique just blew my mind. It is simple as it sounds, but so powerful to improve my writing skill. Thanks for sharing!!!!!

June 7, 2020 at 4:31 pm

I’m glad you enjoyed it, Nhan. Happy writing!

July 18, 2019 at 5:59 pm

It finally makes sense. Zoom in and zoom out. For sure personal experience helps with writing because it’s emotional.Thanks am ready to try it

July 19, 2019 at 10:45 am

I’m glad this post makes sense 🙂 Happy writing, Lubosi, and thank you for stopping by. .

April 2, 2019 at 4:09 pm

Your tips are on point, simple and relevant.

I’m been struggling with extracting the ideas from my head and put them in writing. They are like bees,buzzing in and out,but poorly materialize into actual words on paper.

Any words of advice?

Your articles are great. Thanks for sharing!

April 2, 2019 at 4:50 pm

It’s very common that ideas are buzzing around our minds, but somehow when we try to commit them to paper, it’s not working. It takes time to untangle our thoughts. You may find this blog post useful: https://www.enchantingmarketing.com/writing-strategies/

October 9, 2018 at 12:15 pm

This is a good technique. Very helpful.

October 9, 2018 at 12:16 pm

Happy zooming in and out! 😉

September 7, 2018 at 10:45 am

Hello, The world of better writing sketched by you is a vast one to travel to a beginner like me. But the world is enticing and enchanting and inspires one to traverse.

September 7, 2018 at 4:27 pm

Thank you for your compliment. 🙂 Happy writing!

August 25, 2018 at 5:24 am

More insightful ideas to share with my writing group and our followers on facebook. Thank you.

August 26, 2018 at 6:08 pm

Thank you for sharing, Susan. I appreciate it 🙂

August 18, 2018 at 6:15 pm

Thank you again for writing this Henneke. Its a gem! I felt like I was crouched down panning in a cool stream for weeks and finally found a nugget of gold. 🙂

August 18, 2018 at 6:54 pm

What a great metaphor! 🙂

August 9, 2018 at 9:45 pm

All good points for blogs and journalism, and I rate Lee LeFever’s book highly too.

In my niche, technical writing, there’s a need for minimalism and non-emotive content. But you can still use stories – weave them into examples to give the reader more context.

August 10, 2018 at 3:41 pm

I agree – there’s still space for using mini-stories as examples. Even in technical writing, describing specific situations can be useful. As you suggest, minimalism doesn’t need to exclude zooming in, and zooming in doesn’t mean a scene has to be emotional; it can be a specific user case, too.

Thank you for stopping by to add your thoughts, Craig.

August 9, 2018 at 11:53 am

Hi Henneke – Thank you so much for recommending Lee LeFever’s The Art of Explanation. I bought it, spent the last two days reading it and was not disappointed. Lee’s concepts for creating clear explanations are outstanding. Framing the audience or reader on the “explanation scale” before putting pen to paper fixes the need to think about relevant context before hitting the details. Although it deals more with video instruction than writing a book, I recommend this book to anyone writing a how-to book. Wish I had it years ago.

I also bought the Heath brothers’ Power of Moments and I find it complements LeFever’s book in how to express human experiences meaningfully.

Thanks again Henneke for your insight into writers’ needs – from sunny Sydney. But we now need rain.

August 9, 2018 at 9:00 pm

Hi Paul – I’m so glad you enjoyed The Art of Explanation. Like you say, it’s written for making videos, but equally applies to writing. There’s so much similarity between making educational videos and writing (and public speaking, too).

We had some welcome rain yesterday!

August 9, 2018 at 12:44 am

The title of this writing style – Zoom-in/Zoom-out – makes this lesson so much easier to remember. I love your bee graphic. A picture speaks a thousand words, and while your images are inspirational, your words would be just as complete without them!

I love your blog – and thanks for this lesson!

August 9, 2018 at 8:57 pm

Wow, what a lovely compliment. Thank you, Brylee 🙂 Happy writing, and happy zooming! 🙂

August 8, 2018 at 5:41 pm

Thank you, Henneke. Your advice are very useful for blogging and for posting in social network.

I will follow you advice to get my writing better. And… to study how some (bad) Italian politicians can engage readers with their racist messages… 😉

August 8, 2018 at 8:00 pm

I’ve found that there’s a lot to learn from how politicians communicate and connect with people’s emotions—even if they use their communication techniques for purposes we disagree with. But I don’t really enjoy studying their words—I rather read something that pleases me than something that upsets me. 😉

August 8, 2018 at 5:14 pm

Hi Henneke, Love this and so many of your posts! I can’t add anything brilliant but – yes – what they said!! You SO rock this writing thing. Thank you.

August 8, 2018 at 7:57 pm

Thank you for your lovely compliment, Cecelia. You put a smile on my face 🙂

Happy writing!

August 8, 2018 at 3:23 pm

Hello Henneke, It is absolutely an engaging and informative blog to learn the essential elements in terms of style and effectiveness to engage the reader’s attention particular to the circumstances. One thing that I want to know from you is: how to write a good “case study?” REGARDS,

Richard Padgett and Jonathan Tee have both written good blog posts about writing case studies ( here and here ).

August 8, 2018 at 12:51 pm

“Once upon a time I discovered a talented woman from the Netherlands writing and living in the UK. She riveted my attention with logical and engaging writing ideas. She also made it her mantra to reply quickly and personally to my comments. I thought then and there, I wanted to be a part of her community and to adopt her ideas for my new following. “Zoom out with me for ‘the rest of the story’, I double dare you. Thanks, Henneke, you rock.

August 8, 2018 at 7:55 pm

Hey Stephen, how lovely to see your name pop up again.

Thank you for your lovely compliment and for your story … I’m glad the story is still continuing. Right? I’m happy to have you as part of my community. Thank you.

August 8, 2018 at 12:30 pm

Hi, Henneke… I read all your posts I receive, but I do not make any comment, or reply on them. Because I still have fear to write something in English….! I fear about sentence structure, choosing right words etc. I assume, my expression will not be much worthy to anyone, even to you. But I have a deep desire to write blogs. By reading your posts, I feel, I am a bit inspired to write. The above term Zoom in and Zoom out is very interesting, very important for me to use in my writing. I’ll try to start writing now and use this term in it… Thank you for inspiring me as mentor through your posts.

August 8, 2018 at 7:50 pm

Thank you for overcoming your resistance to writing a comment in English. I much appreciate it! 🙂

August 8, 2018 at 11:04 am

If a day someone asks me “How did you learn to write so well and vividly?” ever comes, your name will be the first to roll off my tongue. 🙂 

August 8, 2018 at 6:36 pm

Thank you so much, Maya. I appreciate your generous compliment 🙂

August 8, 2018 at 10:06 am

Awesome. This is so well explained. Thank you Henneke.

I have a desire to start writing and is learning up the techniques. Have to start writing as practice makes perfect.

Thank you, Christina, for your lovely compliment. Be careful that you don’t aim for perfection, and enjoy your writing!

August 8, 2018 at 8:29 am

Dear Henneke, I visit your blog only now and then, but follow you on Twitter regularly. Coming here (and reading the comments in addition to the article) is like stopping at a warm, friendly coffee house where all is safe and where reigns kindness and good will. Thank you for instilling this ambiance. Enjoy the rest of the Summer up in the lovely North of England.

August 8, 2018 at 6:35 pm

What a lovely compliment, Doris. Thank you. It’s exactly how I’d like my blog to be, and I appreciate everyone stopping by to ask questions, share their opinions, and provide encouragement. I’m enjoying the good company here!

August 7, 2018 at 11:24 pm

I can understand how the woman mentioned in your email left a bit confused. Even in your post here the examples are a bit opaque.

Your examples are clear, but don’t give a direct relation to each other. Even the bereavement examples don’t show a continuance of the story between the two paragraphs — as in, the second paragraph obviously didn’t come immediately after the first. There is more in between that apparently is a transition between the zooming.

I’m probably just a knuckle-headed noob. You said that the in-between transitions should be left out, but reading the bereavement paragraphs one after the other it’s obvious that more of the story has been edited out.

Please enlighten those of us that are still wandering in the dark.

August 8, 2018 at 6:33 pm

Hi Randy —

I’m sorry if my guidance and explanations weren’t clear enough. It’s always the fault of the teacher!

You do need transitions to move from the one to the other so the relations between paragraphs are are clear. But you want to avoid the half-zoomed scenes as much as possible. Most writers don’t zoom in enough, so the writing feels too abstract. It lacks vividness.

The examples are quoted are snippets from the books, that I felt best demonstrated the zoomed in and zoomed out paragraphs, but they’re text in between. It’s tricky to start quoting whole pages of books in short blog posts. I would highly recommend reading the book “The Power of Moments” as it’s one of the best examples for the zoom in zoom out technique I’ve come across. When you read it pay attention to the vivid stories Chip and Dan Heath share. You can also see how they then move on to explain the big picture—the trends, the research and the lessons they suggest.

Also, for people who read your comment and haven’t seen the email … The writer I mentioned was confused after attending a paid writing workshop (which was not by me). My explanation helped her apply the zoom in zoom out technique — and this post expanded from my explanation to her.

August 7, 2018 at 8:09 pm

Excellent advice Henneke.

August 7, 2018 at 8:35 pm

Thank you, David

August 7, 2018 at 5:39 pm

This is centainly the best piece of advice one may need to improve writing. Thank you so much. I share Shirley Pordominsky’s suggestion. You should publish books with your terrific ideas. Wish you the best.

August 7, 2018 at 7:21 pm

Thank you, Tarcisio. I appreciate your vote for Shirley’s suggestion to publish a collection of my blog posts as books. I’ll look into it soon. 🙂

August 7, 2018 at 3:59 pm

Thank you for sharing this. Here is what I gleaned from this post in my own words:

My readers definitely want to know if the ideas that I’m sharing have impacted me personally. They want to know whether I have gone through similar experiences or similar situations as theirs. They want to know how I got myself out. They want working solutions not just abstract ideas. They want to know I’m human. By relating my experience and offering solutions intermittently within my story I will be able to capture their attention and win their hearts and probably make a sale.

August 7, 2018 at 7:19 pm

Yep, that’s a good summary. It may not always possible to share a personal experience, so it’s also okay to share a story about a client or a story you’ve read somewhere—as long as sometimes you do share a personal experience.

Happy writing, Martin. Thank you for your comment. 🙂

August 7, 2018 at 3:19 pm

Thank you so much! Within seconds of digesting this zoom in-zoom out approach, I was able to write an opening line to ‘sell’ a new family centered event. Five minutes later, I had a jingle-like poem to set the mood for the activity. I focused in on the action steps a single kid would complete while participating and presto! things just fell into place. Taking the why it’s important, educational stuff out of the picture–at first–was the solution. Thank you, Henneke!

August 7, 2018 at 7:17 pm

Wow, that makes me happy, Jeannette. Isn’t it lovely when things just fall into place?

Thank you so much for sharing 🙂

August 7, 2018 at 2:24 pm

Hi Henneke, its time for you to sell the collection of your articles, by theme or the kind of writing advise. you decide. Volume One and Two are already ready – and at the end of each year one more book. I can see translations in many languages. I’m always learning from you. Thank you

August 7, 2018 at 7:16 pm

Good idea! Someone mentioned that same idea a few years ago, but I couldn’t get my head around it at that time. Maybe now the time is right as it’s easier to collect a series of blog posts around different themes. I’ll look into it.

Thank you, Shirley.

August 26, 2018 at 7:44 pm

I also vote with my hands and feet for such collections. I’ve already opened my wallet to buy several such books 🙂

This technique is priceless! As it turned out, I intuitively used the Zoom-In-Zoom-Out in my articles.

August 28, 2018 at 7:22 pm

Thank you for another vote, Michael! I need to get some other stuff of my plate first, and then I’ll look into getting this organized 🙂

August 7, 2018 at 2:09 pm

Excellent use of examples to illustrate the zoom in zoom out concept. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Dave

August 7, 2018 at 7:15 pm

Thank you, David. I’m glad you like the examples, too.

This technique is amazing and your explanation and examples are clear and eloquent. Your blog is a treasure trove. Zoom in. Zoom out. 🙂 Thank you!

August 7, 2018 at 7:14 pm

I love it when I find good examples to illustrate the point I want to make in a blog post. The quality of the examples can make or break a blog post.

Thank you for your comment, Nata. Happy writing!

August 7, 2018 at 1:54 pm

Thank you for your posts Henneke, I am now an avid follower. The thing about your writings is that it gears one to make a conscious effort to make writing beautiful, not to leave it to chance or to experiments upon experiments.

The things we know, sit at the back of our minds, but you bring them to fore and guide us in using those tools effectively. Thank you.

August 7, 2018 at 7:12 pm

Thank you for your lovely comment, Boladale. I appreciate it. Happy writing!

August 7, 2018 at 1:31 pm

So very helpful – thank you!

August 7, 2018 at 7:11 pm

My pleasure, Lisa. Happy writing!

August 7, 2018 at 1:13 pm

?? Zoom in, zoom out is such a masterful metaphor for this, Henneke! Once I’d read the article, I realised it encapsulates everything from your post in a single, memorable phrase. That alone is such a great technique because as a reader I can remember and apply your advice so easily.

I love the intimate zoomed-in moments in people’s writing. But sometimes I get to the end of a post and realise I’ve been engaged all the way through, but haven’t got the overall idea of what they were wanting to say/teach.

That’s where the Zoom-Out is so essential. And now i have the words to describe it when I see it/ use it or miss it.

Thank you. I’ll definitely be applying this tip to my writing in future.

I love the intimate zoomed-in moments, too. They make writing worth reading, even if I know “the lesson” already. This is especially true for me when people share personal experiences because those are the stories only they can tell.

Thank you for your lovely comment, Alison 🙂

August 8, 2018 at 10:55 am

“They make writing worth reading, even if I know “the lesson” already. This is especially true for me when people share personal experiences”

Yes, I agree. Even when I know ‘the lesson’ those personal stories are such a source of connection and also help me deepen my insights.

August 7, 2018 at 1:10 pm

Good catchphrase, Henneke! You are like a fly 😉

(with those multi-faceted eyes that look at the same things in 100 different ways)

August 7, 2018 at 1:16 pm

I could not agree more, Kitty!

I love the way Henneke draws in knowledge and information from all over the place, extracts writing and life wisdom from it and shares with us ?

August 7, 2018 at 7:05 pm

Now, there’s another idea for a blog post! ??

August 7, 2018 at 8:39 pm

Darn. And you’ll draw those eyes, too. I have to start keeping my metaphors to mahself! ?

August 7, 2018 at 9:10 pm

Go for it! I’d love to read your post about the fly’s eyes. I’ve just been reading about them. So fascinating … they have an almost 360-degree view but they can’t focus on an image.

August 7, 2018 at 12:28 pm

I had just published the first version of a blog post on “Love till the end of my life”. The title was personal, but there was not much more where I zoomed in.

In fact, I’m quite a zoomed-out writer, who sees and paints the big picture. Because it is through abstractions that I personally can understand life, the world, and everything.

About an hour later, this blogpost landed in my inbox. It was a revelation. I recognized how true and important it is what Henneke writes here. But it had never been explained to me this clearly.

I went back to my blogpost and started it with a zoomed-in scene.

Our texts are often good in content, but fail to engage to the max. We need reminders as engaging as Hennekes to improve our writing.

August 7, 2018 at 7:04 pm

Thank you so much for sharing your story, Ton. It makes me happy when people can instantly implement my advice.

In my experience, most writers are good at zooming out, but forget to zoom in. That zoomed-in scene can make a big difference 🙂

August 7, 2018 at 12:00 pm

This is good technique…

Drawing in the readers and then spilling the beans – to help them understand is a solid idea.

Zoom in..zoom out – my new catchphrase for this week.

Thank you. Stay Awesome.

August 7, 2018 at 7:02 pm

That’s it. Zoom in. Zoom out.

Happy zooming, Rohan! 🙂

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Plain Writing

Zoom in, zoom out

An exercise in changing our perspective.

Advice is great, but advice on its own won’t make you a better writer. We become better writers by writing and it’s always easier to write when we’re inspired. To that end, a creative prompt using an ordinary item.

Changing our perspective is one technique that can be helpful in our writing, creativity, and even our overall life.

Stuck in a rut? Zoom in.

Caught up in the minutiae? Zoom out.

Let’s practice.

We’ll start with a zoomed-out view

What do you see when you look at this picture? Take a few minutes to explain the scene, create a little commentary in your mind.

Don’t move on until you’ve come up with your perspective. When you’re ready, scroll down…

Now, let’s zoom in to a specific part of the scene

What do you see when you look from this perspective? Take a few minutes to explain the scene, create a little commentary in your mind.

Did you notice the boy before? How does he change now that he’s the only face in the picture? What other details are you noticing? How does the scene or the story change?

Let’s zoom in even farther to a specific part of the scene

Now that this is the only part of the image you see, what has changed. What do you see now that you didn’t see before?

Did you notice the way he’s holding his hands?

What about the coffee cup?

The single blue block?

The flowering pillow behind him?

The pocket on his shirt?

What new story can you tell?

Now, let’s zoom back out to a different part of the picture

Did you remember there was a guitar in the room? What changes about the guitar now that there are no people in the scene? What story can you tell?

Let’s go crazy and zoom in even farther to a very specific detail

There’s a single sticker on the guitar case. It appears to be an upright bass or cello. If this was the only part of the picture you could see, what story would you tell? What else do you know about the case from this hyper zoomed-in perspective?

Let’s do one more ultra zoom in on one other detail

A single train car was on the table the whole time. Did you notice that? It’s the only train for the entire track. But it’s slightly off the track and perhaps about to fall off the table. How does this change your perspective? What story can you tell now?

Lastly, let’s zoom back out to the original perspective.

What’s changed in your mind? Does the scene feel any different? Are there other things you notice? Go back and look at your original story - would you change anything about it?

Changing our perspective can be a very helpful tool to bring us new inspiration, break us out of ruts, and shake up the ordinary.

What did you think? How did you like this exercise? Share your thoughts and stories by clicking the “Leave a comment,” button below.

P.S. Special thanks to HiveBoxx for the photo (did you notice their boxes during the exercise?)

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Richard Marriott English

English Lecturing and Tutoring

Improve descriptive writing

15th May 2020

How can we improve descriptive writing? Part 3

Pan and zoom.

A common technique in descriptive writing is panning and zooming . Look out for it, especially at the start of a piece of writing. What happens is that the writer, like a film camera, pans across the scene noticing detail after detail, until zooming in, to focus on one particular detail. It doesn’t have to be visual detail. Here’s an example where the writer surveys the soundscape of the scene.

Pan and Zoom example:

• Amid the cacophony of traders haggling , babies crying , pigs squealing , roosters crowing , and butchers’ machetes thumping , I heard the terrified screams of an infant black mangabey monkey tied atop the a bundle of charred flesh that probably included its mother.

                                             From ‘Zaire’, National Geographic magazine

In this example notice that the present participles (~ing words) all present sounds. Notice too that they make the scene dynamic; it’s a scene of on-going movement. The main focus of the sentence, the screams of the monkey, comes at the end – with lots of pre- and post- modification  (see the first post in this series). And finally notice the emotive language – infant and mother . In other words, there’s a lot for the examiner to reward in just this one sentence.

We can practise this by recalling the sounds of a familiar scene – or a place we are in now. And begin by copying the structure of the example, learn that and vary it. (Amid the cacophony/hubbub/silence . . .)

Notice where the panning ends and the zooming begins in the following examples

 . . .  and notice how the detail that is zoomed in on contrasts with the what has gone before, as if the panning camera has been arrested in its movement by something different. Pattern and contrast are essential to writing.

• Amid the whispered symphony of domestic appliances, the whirring of the washing machine, sloshing of the dish-washer, hissing of the steam iron, hum of the refrigerator I heard the desperate pleading in Philippine of the aproned maid muttering into her mobile to a husband thousands of miles away.
• Amid the silence of nibs gliding over paper, fans whirring, pages turning, lips mouthing words, you might hear – perhaps once every century – the booming of a massy tome dropping onto the time-worn surface of an oak table, its ancient graffiti varnished over, from the gnarled hand of an aged reader that has finally lost the strength to live.

Now practise your own. You could:

• try panning across what you see, or hear waiting at an airport check-in;
• try panning across what you see or hear in a place of worship;
• try panning across the flavours of meal and zooming in on one of them;
• try the smells of a zoo or a perfume counter or bakers (think of the people, as well as the animals, perfumes, baked products).

Tip: before you begin writing, write a list of all the present participles, the ~ing words, you want to use: it will help you write and provide you with a more precise and interesting vocabulary in your writing.

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Zoom In Phrases for Creative Writing 3

Publisher,CASCO Publication Date, Format, Paperback Weight, 420 g No. of Pages,

Kindly ask our staff if you cannot locate the shelf.

Every composition is incomplete without the perfect phrase to spice it up. From the standpoint of the student, it makes great sense to produce ‘a work of art’ by introducing creative phrases that differentiate their composition from others. From the viewpoint of the teacher, a composition filled with beautiful, poetic words, to depict the writer’s feelings at the time of writing, to portray the characters in the story, as well as to paint the background for the story, is definitely much better than one that is plain and uninteresting, and leaves much to the imagination.

This book is a collection of possible examination composition questions, complete with model compositions and suitable phrases that help make the compositions different from others. The phrases range from simple words put together to idioms and phrasal verbs. More often than not, they are simply a play on words (or a rephrasing of simple words) to make them sound different, or more sophisticated. Each highlighted phrase is explained with an example of how to use it. There are also some spin-offs from the phrases used, and these are included in the explanations. The book also includes some exercises for the student to practise using the given phrases as well as to test the student’s understanding of common phrases. This book is definitely one to take along on composition day.

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5 ways to teach the link between grammar and imagination for better creative writing

PhD Student, School of Education, Curtin University

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Fiction authors are pretty good at writing sentences with striking images, worded just the right way.

We might suppose the images are striking because the author has a striking imagination. But the words seem just right because the author also has a large repertoire of grammar.

Read more: Writing needs to be taught and practised. Australian schools are dropping the focus too early

As writing teachers, we often neglect one of these skills in favour of the other. If we inspire students to write creatively at length but don’t teach them how to use the necessary grammatical structures , they struggle to phrase their ideas well. If we teach students about grammar in isolation, they tend not to apply it to their stories .

But research shows it’s possible to teach grammar as a way to strengthen students’ writing.

My research with year 5 students examined one method of teaching grammar for writing. We can teach students how to imagine the scene they are creating, and then teach them which grammatical features help turn their imagination into text .

Read more: 4 ways to teach you're (sic) kids about grammar so they actually care

I found five effective ways to teach the link between imagination and grammar.

1. Set up the imaginative tripod

Most of the stories students brought to me lacked a clear sense of perspective. I taught students to imagine their scene like a film director – they had to decide exactly where their camera tripod should be set up to film their scene. Placing it above, close, far away from or beside the character creates different images and effects.

Then I showed them how careful use of adverbs, verbs and prepositions creates this perspective in writing.

This is done in Philip Pullman’s novel, Northern Lights , to place you right beside the character in the room.

“The only light in here came from the fireplace”

Read more: Why does grammar matter?

2. Zoom in on the details

Young writers often need help adding detail to their stories. A film director might zoom right in on a character’s hand pulling the trigger on a gun to intensify the action of shooting. A writer does the same. I taught students to imagine significant details up close, which helped them select specific nouns to place in the subject position of the sentence.

In Aquila , by Andrew Norriss, specific nouns of body parts are the actors in the sentence.

“As his feet searched for a foothold, his fingers gripped the grass.”

3. Track the movement

It is common for students to write about movement in rather static terms, such as “she ran home”. In a film, a director might choose to follow the movement by panning the camera, using a dolly, or filming multiple shots to allow us to experience the full path of movement.

I taught students to imagine watching the movement in their stories through a series of windows – first, second, third – and choose which parts they wanted to include. This helped them choose which verbs and prepositional phrases to use.

In The Fellowship of the Ring , by J.R.R. Tolkien, we watch Bill the pony galloping off through three windows, each with a prepositional phrase.

“Bill the pony gave a wild neigh of fear, and turned tail and dashed away along the lakeside into the darkness .”

I also taught students to describe how much space an object takes up using the same movement grammar, such as stretched along and rose from .

In The Graveyard Book , by Neil Gaiman, we pan across the perimeter of the cemetery.

“Spike-topped iron railings ran around part of the cemetery, a high brick wall around the rest of it.”

4. Focus the attention

When we read a novel, there is always something standing out in our attention: a thing, a description, a feeling, an action. I taught students to think about which part of their scene stands out in their mind, and then use “attention-seeking” grammar to focus on it.

Read more: To succeed in an AI world, students must learn the human traits of writing

One way to make things stand out is to use grammar that deviates from conventional use, like placing adjectives after nouns. Another way is to use repeated grammatical structures.

In Tolkien’s The Return of the King we get both of these at the same time to contrast the physical states of the orc and Sam.

“But the orc was in its own haunts, nimble and well-fed . Sam was a stranger, hungry and weary .”

5. Convey the energy of action

Many of the students wanted to create action scenes in their stories, which they did using the previous strategies. However, they lacked the energy felt in an action-packed novel. I showed them a sentence like this one from The Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands.

“A musket ball tore at my hair as it punched into the window frame behind me, sending out a shower of splinters .”

The students could see how energy transfers across the clauses, like dominoes, from noun to noun. In this case, the energy starts with the musket ball , and transfers to hair , window frame and finally the shower of splinters , carried by the action verbs.

I asked the students to imagine how a chain of action might appear in their stories and select the appropriate nouns and verbs to do the job.

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Zoom In, Zoom Out: A Focus on Descriptive Writing and Storytelling

Young Writers’ Workshop: 1/07/2010

In this session we will step behind the camera of our mind’s eye and focus on two of the most important aspects of writing—descriptive details and creative storytelling. We will begin by exploring some fascinating pictures from the archives of LIFE magazine where we will find the perfect inspiration for our Zoom-In, Zoom-Out writing exercise. Concentrate on writing  rich details and descriptions of your selected photo, and then create your own story behind the scene. Time permitting, we will share our work with others. Join us as we focus on descriptive storytelling and zoom in on an image that captures your imagination.

LIFE Magazine

New Year’s Around the World

http://www.life.com/image/first/in-gallery/53581/new-years-around-the-world#index/0

Pictures of the Year 2010

http://www.life.com/image/first/in-gallery/52491/2010-pictures-of-the-year#index/0

At War: Photographers’ Best Shots

http://www.life.com/image/first/in-gallery/39632/at-war-photographers-best-shots#index/0

Wild Animal Photos of the Year

http://www.life.com/image/first/in-gallery/38012/wild-animal-photos-of-the-year#index/0

Nature’s Wrath and Its Aftermath

http://www.life.com/image/first/in-gallery/22945/natures-wrath-and-its-aftermath#index/0

Tim Gunn’s Favorite Fashion Photos

http://www.life.com/image/first/in-gallery/32232/tim-gunns-favorite-fashion-photos#index/0

Turn of the Century America 1900-1917

http://www.life.com/timeline/15351/turn-of-the-century-america-1900-1917#index/0

Life in the Fast Lane

http://www.life.com/image/first/in-gallery/25811/life-in-the-fast-lane#index/0

http://www.life.com/image/first/in-gallery/41552/coachella-killer-shots#index/0

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Living life twice.

Sharing Thoughts About Teaching Writing

Learning How to 'Zoom In' When Writing

• Focuses on a brief, yet important moment in the text
• Enlarges images in the same way a camera lens works. The scene becomes crisper!
• Provides a specific use of the strategy, ‘Show, Don’t Tell’
• Involves the use of precise words, the senses, characters feelings/emotions
• Builds the tension in the story.

Writing Like Writers: Guiding Elementary Children Through a Writer's Workshop

Thanks for sharing!...

I love the idea of zooming in by describing the picture and covering parts at a time. This is something I can try with students and teachers. Thank you for this hint Alan!

That is a really good tip particularly to those new to the blogosphere. Brief but very accurate information… Thanks for sharing this one. A must read post!

This is really interesting, You are an excessively professional blogger. I have joined your rss feed and sit up for seeking extra of your excellent post. Also, I have shared your website in my social networks

Thanks this will really help me explain this to my students

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Writing idioms: Inspiring phrases about writing and writers

Struggling with writer’s block? These writing idioms will get your mind flowing again.

In this list we cover English idioms about writing, writers, letters, and even paper. We have also included a few proverbs on these topics! All of these phrases include a definition and example sentences to help you learn how to use them.

So, pen at the ready, and let’s go!

Writing idioms

Get it in writing.

You’ll hear people use the expression get it in writing when they want to have physical proof of an agreement. They don’t just want to rely on a handshake or verbal agreement.

“Unless you get it in writing, I can’t proceed with the deal.”

Related to this, someone may ask you to put it in writing when you are forming an agreement.

Wet signature

Similar to the expression above, sometimes you are required to sign something with a wet signature (as opposed to an e-signature). This means that you must physically sign with a pen or other writing implement.

“That bank is so old-fashioned; they need a wet signature for me to open an account.”

Handwriting like chicken scratch

Hopefully, no one says you have handwriting like chicken scratch . It’s a way of describing someone’s writing as very messy – even illegible – like the dirt marks chickens make!

“My doctor has handwriting like chichen scratch and the pharmacist couldn’t understand it.”

Yes – doctors are notorious for their bad handwriting, but have you ever wondered why ?

Paper trail

You may hear this phrase in your favorite police drama show. A paper trail is a series of records and documents that can be used to track someone’s activities. When the police are looking for a criminal, they can follow phone records, financial reports, diary entries or even video footage to locate the person.

“We just followed the paper trail and found the missing money.”

Even though these records may be mainly electronic nowadays, we still refer to it as a ‘paper trail’.

Poison-pen letter

A poison-pen letter is not a very nice thing to write or receive. It’s a letter or note that is very mean-spirited, critical or even malicious. It isn’t usually signed by the sender.

“I can’t belive someone left a poison-pen letter on my car.”

To describe someone as an open book is to say that they are easy to get to know. They don’t withhold information or keep secrets, so you can learn a lot about them and their nature.

“Jo at reception is an open book. I find her really easy to get to know.”

We have more expressions about friendship and getting to know people on a separate page.

It’s not worth the paper it’s written/printed on

Sadly, some of these writing idioms are about deception and being tricked. When people describe an agreement, contract signing, guarantee or promise as not (being) worth the paper it’s written on , they are saying that the agreement is worthless.

“This contract isn’t worth the paper it’s written on. I’m afraid you’re going to lose your money.”

Not worth writing home about

When something is of little interest, rather dull or unremarkable, you could say that it’s not worth writing home about . In other words, there is no exciting news to report.

“My weekend wasn’t worth writing home about. What about you?”

Don’t forget to write

This is one of the more dated idioms about writing. Traditionally, when people went on holiday they would write postcards to friends and family back home. So, as a clichéd farewell, people will remind you, don’t forget to write . There are some more modern travel idioms you can use, too.

“Have a wonderful holiday and don’t forget to write.”

A word of warning: this expression can also be used in a sarcastic way when someone is happy you are leaving!

The oldest trick in the book

The oldest trick in the book is a form of deception or trickery, or a way of solving a problem, that has been done for a long time and still works well.

“Were you really expecting a new iPhone for that price from a guy on the street?! It’s the oldest trick in the book!” “I always go for a run whilst the family are still sleeping. It’s the oldest trick in the book to make sure I still get a run in.”

When this expression is used in reference to some kind of deception, there is also the suggestion that nobody should be naive enough to fall for the trick as it has been around for so long. So, if you do get tricked in this way, it’s your own fault for being gullible.

Don’t judge a book by its cover

This is such a popular phrase and a really great piece of advice. You should never judge a book by its cover as you are basing your opinions of someone or something purely on what you see on the outside.

“I was so shocked when my 92-year-old grandfather started breakdancing at the wedding. Guess you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover!”

Idioms about writing

Put pen to paper.

This idiom about writing could be losing relevance, since most writing nowadays is done electronically. Still, to instruct someone to put pen to paper is to tell them it’s time to start writing.

“Ok boys and girls, the exam has started to it’s time to put pen to paper. Good luck.” “Writing a novel may seem daunting but it just begins with putting pen to paper.”

The writing is on the wall

A lot of these idioms about writing are forms of warning or guidance, and this one is no exception! When there are strong indications that something bad is about to happen, people will warn that the writing is on the wall .

“Our sales are down and they’ve just transfered calls to another team. I guess the writing is on the wall and we’ll be fired soon.”

Did you know this is one of many idioms that come from the Bible ?

Paper over the cracks

In a literal form, to paper over cracks would be to cover defects in a wall by decorating over them. As an idiom, it tells us that someone is trying to hide or gloss over problems, issues, or disagreements.

“Listen, just paper over the cracks and we’ll sort it out after the presentation.”

Take a leaf out of someone’s book

When someone suggests that you take a leaf (or a page) out of someone’s book they are saying that you should do the same as them or follow their example.

“Why don’t you take a leaf out of your brother’s book? He’s just graduated from college.”

There are lots more idioms about books for you to discover here.

Pen pusher / Paper pusher

Writing idioms can be used in so many different ways. This one describes the type of job someone has. A pen pusher or paper pusher is someone who has a low-level administrative job that isn’t very interesting or significant.

It probably involves a lot of form-filling, filing or repetitive paperwork.

“Just ignore Micky, he’s only a paper pusher and has no real say in what happens.”

The pen is mightier than the sword

This is such an inspiring writer idiom, and perhaps an important idiom for kids to learn . The meaning behind the expression the pen is mightier than the sword is that writing is better than fighting.

Why so? Well, when you write something, people will read your words and you can influence or inspire them. Or it could be saying that communicating solves more problems than going to war. Basically, being intellectual is better than being physically aggressive, according to this saying.

“I wrote a letter to the President as I believe that the pen is mightier than the sword.”

Give someone their walking papers

Although there are a few positive idioms about writing, this one isn’t so good. To give someone their walking papers is to fire them from a job or ask them to leave a place or situation.

“Well, that’s that. I was given my walking papers on Friday.”

In British English, you may hear a similar phrase – to give someone their marching orders – which means the same thing.

The ink isn’t even dry yet / the ink’s still wet

You would use the saying the ink isn’t even dry yet or the ink is still wet to comment on something happening immediately after an agreement or legal document is signed.

A good example is someone getting re-married just after signing their divorce papers.

“The ink was still wet on the contract for the new car and he backed it into a wall!” “The ink isn’t even dry on your employment contract and you’re already thinking of leaving?!”

Even if nothing was physically signed, this phrase can be used figuratively.

Write a bum check (cheque)

Have you ever written a check to make a payment? Checks are being phased out in most places, but here is a full explanation of how they used to work.

To write a bum check (or ‘cheque’ in British English) is to issue a check to someone even though there isn’t enough money in the account to cover it. Since it takes a few days for a check to clear, there would be no way for the seller to know that you didn’t have the funds to make the payment. It’s no surprise that other payment methods are taking over!

“Just make sure you don’t write a bum check again.”

Discover some more idioms about money here.

Write someone up / Write someone a ticket

This writing expression is predominantly used with reference to police officers, although you may hear it in a work context too. When you write someone up you are reporting them for a wrong action they have done.

The similar idiom, write someone a ticket , would usually refer to a parking or speeding ticket resulting in a fine.

“Sue, you know you can’t enter here without a permit! I’m going to have to write you up.” “I begged the policeman not to write me a ticket, but he wouldn’t listen.”

Writer’s block

This is a perfect idiom about writing to end on! The reason for this is that when someone suffers from writer’s block they simply can’t think of anything else to write.

“I tried so hard to finish my essay last night but by 11pm I got writer’s block and had to stop.” “Do you have any tips for dealing with writer’s block?”

Hopefully, this list of writing idioms has helped you not only to understand them better but also to be a little more creative in your own writing.

Are there any others you have heard of that we could add to this list? Leave a comment to let us know.

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Five practical ideas for starting English lessons with Zoom

Like so many teachers, I recently started delivering my English lessons on Zoom. On reflection, I’ve been pleasantly surprised that so many of the things I do in a normal face-to-face lesson are easily transferable to a platform like Zoom. I can present language by screensharing or using the whiteboard, I can set up pair and group work with breakout rooms, and in many ways the chatroom function allows me to work on writing skills in ways that I normally couldn’t in my typical class.

One thing that is noticeably different is that some students have different levels of digital literacy and abilities with a computer so I’ve needed to spend more class time on giving instructions related to the technology. In addition, using a platform like Zoom requires higher frequency use of certain functional areas such as checking and clarifying. Here are five activities I’ve tried in Zoom which you could use, adapt, or extend in your own teaching.

1. Finding out your students’ experience with Zoom

You might assume that your students are familiar with the platform you are using; some might be but others might not be. So one way to start off your English course online is to show this exercise on your screen and have students response with their answers either orally or in the chat. Their answer will indicate how much time you need to spend on orienting them to the platform:

Which of these statements describe you?

A I use Zoom all the time for work or for meeting friends.

B I’ve used Zoom once or twice before.

C I’ve never used Zoom before. This is my first time!

2. Language for talking about the screen and its functions

In order to introduce the screen to my students, I took a screenshot of Zoom and added the arrows. Then show students the phrases below and they match the arrows (A-H).

You might hear or want to say these phrases in Zoom. Match the phrases to A–H on the screen below.

1. Can you unmute your mic?

2. It’s in the top left corner of the screen.

3. Click on the chat button.

4. Start typing into the chatbox.

5. Click on the arrow next to ‘Start Video’.

6. It’s in the bottom right of the screen.

7. You can change you background here.

8. Try starting your video.

Answers : 1. E, 2. A, 3. G, 4. H, 5. B, 6. D, 7. C, 8. F

3. Simon says

Once students have matched the phrases in the previous exercise, you can try giving instructions and see if students can follow them. For example, with the previous exercise, I’d introduced the language that students needed to change their background in video settings so they went ahead and tried doing it. You could vary this by playing a game such as ‘Simon says…’ where you give instructions and students have to follow them; for example, Simon says switch off your video, must your microphone, open the chat, etc. Then hand over to a student to give instructions to the rest of the class and so on.

4. Problem-solving

Inevitably there will be problems with using a platform like Zoom but you can use these moments as a language learning opportunity. In the following exercise I thought of problems that students might have and then the types of phrases that students will need to ask for help or that you will need to provide. (I’m sure there are many other types of problems you could add with other useful phrases to teach.)

Match the problem (1–5) to a useful phrase (a-e).

1. You can’t see another participant.

2. No one can see you.

3. Your teacher’s audio stopped working for a second.

4. You don’t know how to watch in ‘speaker view’.

5. Nothing is working properly!

Explaining and asking for help.

a. “Can you repeat that? I didn’t hear it.”

b. “My video isn’t working.”

c. “Can you show me how to…?”

d. “Have you turned on your video?” e. “Let’s leave the meeting and log on again.”

Answers : 1 d, 2 b, 3 a, 4 c, 5 e

5. Etiquette

In an activity suggested to me by my colleague James Styring, it’s important to establish the ground rules of using Zoom. Introduce your students to the word ’Etiquette’ and ask them what they think it means (e.g. polite behaviour). Then put up examples of good or bad Zoom behaviour on the screen and students decide if they are good or bad. (If you want an even longer list of Zoom etiquette to use in class, just google ‘Zoom meeting etiquette’ and there are lots of website offering suggestions.)

1. Don’t interrupt someone else when talking or try to talk over them.

2. Because it’s online, you can log on a bit later than the start time.

3. Avoid using all capital letters when you use the chat and send a message.

4. Try to look directly at your camera, especially when you are speaking.

5. Because you aren’t in the same room, it’s ok to eat and drink. 6. Dress in the same way you would if you were coming to a normal class.

Answers : 1 Good 2 Bad 3 Good 4 Good 5 Bad 6 Good

Hopefully the five activities above have sparked off more ideas or maybe you have already done something similar, in which case it’ll be reassuring. There is much more language you could provide your students; the most comprehensive summary that I’ve seen so far of the language needed on Zoom is on Alex Case’s excellent blog.

If you have tried out similar activities in Zoom or would like to share your ideas for starting off a course on Zoom, let us know in the comments box below.

Author: John Hughes

14 comments.

I have worked with National Geographic Reading and I had had good experiences with my students, above all for their contents and articles, besides their exercises… I am very happy working with you!

And we’re happy you’re working with us Diana! Thanks for commenting.

Great ideas, thanks for sharing! Love the NG Life series, have been using with my intermediate learners for a few years now.

Hi Louise! I’m so glad you like the Life series – thanks for commenting.

Thanks for sharing those practical ideas! I have been using Zoom effectively for 3 months. ‘Breakout rooms’ in Zoom is a great tool for group activities and for communication among students:)

Hi Elif. Thanks for your comment. Would you like to describe and share an activity you have tried with the breakout rooms?

Yes, I would like to know more about this.thanks

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The Internet conection is very important too .Very useful tips.Thanks

IT IS WONDERFUL!

Great post! You’ve touched on a lot of practical issues I’ve run into while teaching on Zoom. I’m definitely going to use some of these activities next time I start a new online course.

Great ones. Hope I can do them all Thnx

Thank you for your inspiring ideas and videos. I was going to cite the study you mentioned in your Webinar in December 3, 2020 on National Geographic Learning ELT challenges faced by 6800 people of whom 87 percent were English teachers from 123 countries during the pandemic revealed 3 most cited challenges of online teaching for teachers as “maintaining and engaging learners (around 80%), providing interactive lessons (66%) and using technology effectively (26%). I was wondering if I could access that study anywhere? Many thanks

Hi Abbas, we are sending you an email about this request. Thanks!

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Zoom in Vocabulary for Creative Writing 5

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Every composition is incomplete without the perfect phrase to spice it up. From the standpoint of the student, it makes great sense to produce ‘a work of art’ by introducing creative phrases that differentiate their composition from others. From the viewpoint of the teacher, a composition filled with beautiful, poetic words, to depict the writer’s feelings at the time of writing, to portray the characters in the story, as well as to paint the background for the story, is definitely much better than one that is plain and uninteresting, and leaves much to the imagination.

This book is a collection of possible examination composition questions, complete with model compositions and suitable phrases that help make the compositions different from others. The phrases range from simple words put together to idioms and phrasal verbs. More often than not, they are simply a play on words (or a rephrasing of simple words) to make them sound different, or more sophisticated. Each highlighted phrase is explained with an example of how to use it. There are also some spin-offs from the phrases used, and these are included in the explanations. The book also includes some exercises for the student to practise using the given phrases as well as to test the student’s understanding of common phrases. This book is definitely one to take along on composition day.

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