Biografías

biography

En una biografía damos información sobre la vida de una persona siguiendo un orden cronológico.

A biography is the story of a person’s life. It includes details of the person’s background, childhood, adolescence, education, adult life, career, family life and sometimes death.

When we write a biography we give important information about a person in chronological order. In order to show the chronological sequence, we often give the actual dates of events and use time expressions such as before, after, at the same time, later, during this period,…

Linking words are also useful to show the relationship between event that have influenced a person’s life. Connectors such as although, despite, as well as, not only …. but also, by, as a result of,… can be used to improve the quality of the biography you write.

One of the problems with writing a biography is that the sentence structure may sometimes seems repetitive. We can vary this by using conjunctions, relative pronouns and connectors.

Useful language

Have a look at the activities related to the biographies of

Steven Spielberg.- A sample

Rafa Nadal.- A guided sample

Alexander Graham Bell.- Another guided sample

Jacques-Yves Cousteau.- Order the main events of his life

Billie Joe Armstrong.- Choose the suitable connector

Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente.- Have a try at his biography

Pedro Almodóvar.- Have a try at his life too

Samples

Steven Spielberg was born in Cincinnati in 1946. He became obsessed with films at the age of 12 and was soon making movies with his friends. A year later, one of his films won a prize in a local competition by despite this early success, Spielberg didn’t get a place at film school.

While he was at college studying English Literature, Spielberg made another film called Amblin This time he realised his ambition. A studio executive offered him a job because the film was so good and as a result, Spielberg went to work in Hollywood.

During this career Spielberg has made multi-million pound blockbusters such as Jurassic Park and more thoughtful films such as Schindler’s List. In 1994 he set up the company Dreamworks so he could produce films as well as direct them. Today he is one of the most famous film makers of all time!

Write a biography of a famous person you admire following the information in these notes.

Rafa Nadal’s fact file

1986 : born in Majorca, Spain

Age 3: started playing tennis after watching his uncle Toni play. Tony taught him to play- is still his coach.

By age 11:winning youth tennis tournaments all over Spain.

Age 15: turned professional.

2003: one of top 50 men’s tennis players in the world.

Charactistics: Charisma, long hair, lots of energy, passion. Unique playing style. His uncle aught him to play left-handed although he is right-handed.

2005: Won against Roger Federer, world’s number one player. Won French open.

Future hopes: to win Wimblendon

Opening: State who the person is/ was

Rafael Nadal is one of the world’s top tennis players. He is well-loved for his talent and charisma.

Body: Early life. Career development

Rafa was born in 1986 in Majorca, Spain. He started playing tennis at the age of three. His uncle Toni. taught him to play and is still his coach today

In 2003, Rafa, only17, was one of the world’s top 50 men’s tennis players. Since then he has won against the world champion Roger Federer, as well as winning the 2005 French Open. Rafa is known for his fantastic playing style and for his endless energy and passion

Conclusion: Sum up what the person has done, or is what he/ she is doing today. A fact that leaves a strong impressions

Rafa has accomplished a lot at a young age. It looks as though he will continue to be a big name in tennis

Write a biography of Alexander Graham Bell

Ø Born in Scotland in 1847

Ø 1870- went to Canada, then America.

Ø 1872-opened a school to teach teachers of the deaf

Ø Professor a Boston university- Studied the science of speech, waned to discover a way for people to talk over long distances

Ø 1876-invented the first telephone.

Ø Watson worked with Bell in laboratory, was the first person Bell spoke to.

Ø First words spoken on a telephone “Watson, I want you”

· The opening sentence introduces the person

· The information is organised n chronological order

· The connector of sequence show the order in which events happened

· Relative pronouns and conjunctions are used when possible

Alexaaham Bell was born in Scotland in 1847. He went to Canada in 1870 and then to America where, in 1872, he opened a school to teach teachers of the deaf. Bell soon be876 Bell invented a telephone that worked. The first person Bell spoke to was a man who worked with him in his laboratory. The first words that were ever spoken on a telephone were “Watson, I want you”. The age of communication had finally begun!

Order the sentences to form a brief history of Jacques-Yves Cousteau, a French naval officer and ocean explorer.

1. From 1951, Cousteau explored the oceans in his research ship Calypso, studying and filming sea life.
2. He received his education at the College Stanislas in Paris and at the French naval base at Shanghai, China.
3. Jacques-Yves Cousteau was born on June 11th, 1910 at St André de Cubzac, France.
4. As a result of this experiments, which proved that man could live and work under the sea, Cousteau predicted that men would one day build underwater cities.
5. In 1963, Cousteau led a team of divers who lived for a month at the bottom of the Red Sea.

Read the biography of Billie Joe Armstrong

Billie Joe Armstrong is the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter for the famous punk rock band Green Day. He is known for his dark eye make-up and rebellious character.

Billie Joe was born in1972 to a working-class family in California. Before/ Soon his father died, he gave ten-year-old Billie Joe a guitar. Billie Joe named his guitar Blue and still plays replicas of it.

At the age of 15, Billie Joe formed a band with two friends. At first/ Next, they called it Sweet Children, but they later/ after renamed it Green Day. Their first album, released in/on 1989, was a hit among punk fans. By the time/Eventually they became popular among general audiences as well as punk lovers.

Billie Joe has succeeded in producing a unique style for Green Day by combining late 70s punk music with his own original sound. Today he continues to tour and write music.

Write a biography on the life of

Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente

Early life born 1928- Poza de la Sal

Educational doctor of medicine

Studied animal behaviour

Specialised in animals in danger of extinction.

Professional professor of animal behaviour. University of Madrid.

Brought natural sciences to the people through the media

Wrote books and made films on wild animals

Won Landete Arago prize

Made many television appearances.

Death Died while filming Los perros del Mundo in Alaska, 1980.

Pedro Almodovar

Born September 25, 1951/ Calzada de Calatrava, La Mancha. Father / petrol station attendant

Education religious school

Career 18 years old/ go Madrid/work/ telephone company, draw/ comics, perform/theatre groups, make/ short movies

1985 What have I done to deserve this?/ first successful film

1989 Women on the Verge of a nervous breakdown/ world-wide recognition

March 2000 All about my mother/ win Oscar

Today world-famous director

Key to Biographies

http://www.fno.org/bio/biomak2.htm

to improve biograhy writings.Very good for any level

http://www.ctspanish.com/legends/famous.htm

Famous Spanish people

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/famous_people.htm

Famous people. Shakespeare’s biography is very interesting.