练习指导者方针的好坏是一个首要条件条件。合理地设置练习程序，使英语习作从初级到高级沿着一条按部就班，由简到多的进程进步是成功练习者需要拥有的指导思想。本篇觉得，在习作练习的初期，应采纳一条从有材料可依的习作方法过渡到脱离本本进行自由写作方法的渠道。从有材可依到元材可依的练习过程应包含三个阶段：
1、短文缩写（Summary）阶段。
短文缩写可以是就所学课文进行缩写，也可以使用其它阅读材料，但需要被缩写的材料难易程度低于所学课本。被用于进行缩写的课文或其它材料需要看法明确，层次分明，叙述有条理。缩写时应做到简明扼要，抓住重点，不要拖泥带水，没主次。初学阶段的被缩写材料不适合太长，以不超一千词为佳，缩写文以低于2m词为佳。以下就一篇短文进行缩写，限于篇幅，短文内容有所节略。
Most shops in Britain open at 9.00 a.m. and close at 5.00 or 5.30 in the evening. Small shopsusually close for an hour at lunchtime. On one or two days a week-usually Thursday and/or Friday-some large food shops stay until about 8.00 p.m. for late night shopping.
Many shops are closed in the afternoon on one day a week. The days is usually Wednesday orThursday and it is a different day in different towns. Nearly all shops are closed on Sunday. News-paper shops are open in the morning, and sell sweets and cigarettes as well. But there are legal restrictions1 on selling many things on Sundays. Many large food shopsare self-service. When you go into one of these shops you take a basket and you put the things you wish to buy into it. You queue up at the cash-desk and pay for everything just before you leave. If anyone tries to take things from a shop without paying they are almost certain to be caught. Most shops have store detectives who have the job of catching2 shoplifters. Shoplifting is considered a serious crime by the police and the courts. When you are waiting to be served in a shop, itis important to wait your turn. It is important not to try to be served before people who arrived before you. Many people from overseas are astonished at the British habit of queuing.
将短文缩写如下：
This article tells us about British shops. British shops usually open at 9.00 a.m. and close at 5.00or 5.30 p.m. Many shops are closed in the afternoon one day a week. Nearly all shops are closed on Sundays. In Britain, many large food shops are self-service. And when you wait to be served in a shop, you have to wait patiently for your turn.
这是一篇低于100词的缩写，句子基本上由原文各段落的主要内容构成。个别段落被完全删除以保证缩写重点突出，前后连贯。缩写是一种依材剪贴的习作方法，基本上使用原材料中的词汇和句子，仅作了部分调整，是刚开始级的习作方法。
2、短文评论（Brief Comment）阶段。
短评是就所学课文或阅读材料进行评论。通过剖析原文中的内容和看法，提出肯定的怎么看。短评可以是对原文看法表示同意，也可以提出异议或不同怎么看。如对前文便可作以下评论：
From the article we learned3 about British shops, about their opening and closing time and their service. But we find that there are something inconvenient4 with British shop service. First is the time. Shops in Britain open very late and close too early. Second is that there is almost no Sunday service. Where can people go if they suddenly need to buy something? The last is the habit of queuing. It will be a waste of time if the queue is too long.
初学阶段，短文评论的字数一般也应在150字左右，不适合写大多。短评是一种一半依材一半发挥的习作方法。在内容上，一部分取自原文，一部分靠我们的考虑。在用词上，可以部分地依靠原文，也需用一些其它词语。除此之外，短评的行文布局和用句也是一半模仿，一半创造。短评的这种特征使它很合适承接短文缩写阶段，而又为后期阶段打下肯定的基础。
3、引导写作阶段。
引导写作可分为重新编排句子顺序。规定情景作文。看图作文。提纲作文。关键字作文等形式。这类形式均可以用于练习，但以提纲作文和关键字作文多用为佳.提纲作文是一种给出题目和段落提纲的习作方法，其段落写作提纲可以使用段落主旨句的形式，也可以是短语关键字作文是一种给出作文题目和一些关键字或词组的命题作文形式。因为有段落写作提纲或主旨句等，进行习作时，降低了审题环节，且写作思路遭到引导。在练习初期，引导写作的命题应尽可能与所学习英语书本的内容挂钩，使学生可以参照一部分课文所学的词语与结构，防止大多生词。如针对上篇短文便可出一道有关命题引导学生习作：
题目：shops in China
提纲：（1）中国商店的作息时间（2）中国商店的周未服务状况（3）中国商店服务态度的好坏以上是关于英语习作初级阶段的练习步骤。三个步骤的三种形式，相承相继，按部就班，为进入自由命题写作打下了好的基础。既合适教师指导学生习作课用，也合适学习者自我练习。事实证明，这三个步骤是英语习作人门的有效做法。
