Writing skills help the learner gain independence, comprehensibility, fluency and creativity in writing.

If learners have mastered these skills, they will be able to write so that not only they can read what they have written, but other speakers of that language can read and understand it. Writing skills are specific abilities which help writers put their thoughts into words in a meaningful form and to mentally interact with the message.

Use of letters:

Contacting potential customers and persuading them to buy, making and answering complaints, making credit enquiries, collecting dues, maintaining relations with the public etc.

Before writing a letter:

U must have a good knowledge of language. Knowledge of working, procedures, policies, aims of your organization.

Correctness Conciseness Clarity Courtesy Coherence Compactness Confidence Consideration

Correctness:In spelling, grammar and use of language. In appearance and form of layout. In the information it conveys. In tone, formality and style.

Conciseness:Leaving out unnecessary modifiers. Reducing less important ideas to phrases or single words. Making sure that only the necessary and relevant details.

Clarity:

Simple common everyday words. Short and simple sentences. Proper punctuation. Giving definite and concrete details with figures and names. Logical sequence of ideas.

Courtesy:

Usage of words like please, thank you and sorry. Express appropriate feeling according to the situation. Make the other feel comfortable.

Business jargon refers to words and phrases which were used in old days. The following jargon sentences often appear in the opening paragraph:I write in reference to In respect of the above This is to inform you

In the content:Deem it advisable As per your letter Wherein u state

In the closing paragraph:Thanking you in anticipation I trust this clarifies the situation Please do not hesitate to contact me

It can be written in a framework of 4 points:

Opening/introduction Giving the required information Action/response from the writer Closing
First point Second point Third and fourth point One or two sentences Main content Ending part and takes only one sentence

Appearance of the letter :

Stationery Typing Paragraphing Folding of the letter Address Date : placed two line spaces below the heading on the right.

Parts of the letter :

Reference number : on the left on level with the date. Inside address : name and address of the receiver as it appears on the envelope. Special markings : describes it is confidential. Subject line : adds to the clarity of the letter if it is long. Salutation : begins at the margin, two line spaces below the inside address and is followed by a comma. Complimentary close: two line spaces below the last line. Signature : just below the complimentary close.

A prcis is a clear concise, orderly summary of the contents of a piece of writing.

How do you pronounce this strange word?

Pray-See Pray-see.

Why a Prcis ?

A prcis demonstrates that you have assimilated the key information provided in an article. Prcis can be used as briefs, but are also very similar to the first section of manuscript reviews for peer-reviewed journals. Writing a prcis of an article is an excellent way of learning material for the long term, and gives you a record to jog your memory.

Places where a prcis could be used include:

To shorten or summarize:

Newspaper articles, legal papers and laws, rules and regulations, announcements, directions, business letters, speeches and conversations, interviews, books and magazine articles and lectures.

It might seem like an uphill battle right now, but the prcis is a format that you is of great use of in your post secondary schooling.

WHAT? You mean I have to write a prcis? How do I do that?

Step 1:Count

Count the number of words in the original-your prcis is 1/3 the length of the original. Understand first. Read the original piece carefully, and more than once!

Step 2: Sentence condensing

Understand the central idea of each sentence. Cross out unneeded description. Summarize each sentence of the article Look at the example on the right.

Eg-

There is no icon in Canadian business more universally revered than Tim Hortons. Would become Tim Hortons is a revered Canadian icon OR Tim Hortons is an icon in Canada (even shorter)

Step 3: Use a dictionary!

Icon and revered. . . what the heck do those words mean?

Look up any words, or allusions that you dont understand. In the previous example, if you didnt know what the work Icon meant, youd have missed out on much of the meaning of the sentence.

Include all articles (a,an,the) and prepositions (in,on,out,of) that were Pick out key words, in the original. think what their relation in thought is, Count contractions and in this way find the (dont, cant) as 2 central idea words!

There is a fine balance between cutting out too much of the original, and getting down to the length of the original without loosing the overall essence.

Still on step 3. . .

Step 4: Express your ideas

Omit interjections.(ah, alas, dear, eh, hey, hmm, uh-oh) Omit appositives. For eg :

concisely

1.The insect, a large, hairy-legged cockroach that has spied my bowl of oatmeal, is crawling across the kitchen table. 2.The body was that of a peasant, the son of the village blacksmith.

Omit words that are used for emphasis.

Change similes and metaphors.

Omit rhetorical questions by changing them to statements of fact. Use hyphenated words as they count only one word.

So to summarize:
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Count words in original Read original Re-read original Annotate original Cross out description Summarize sentences Summarize paragraphs Check for overall idea of -each sentence and -each paragraph Get a dictionary Omit interjections

-check for various meanings -check for spelling

Omit appositives

Omit emphasis words Change metaphor/ & similes Omit rhetorical Questions Write your prcis!

X all articles

Understand sentences Understand paragraph meanings

X all prepositions

Dos for Prcis Writing Use your own language as far as possible. Keep the same sequence of events, ideas, arguments etc. which you find in the original passage. Drop figures of speech, examples and illustrations.

Donts for Prcis Writing Avoid copying from the original. Do not give any title unless specifically required. Do not dive divide your prcis into paragraphs unless the original passage is very long.

Give maximum information within the required limit.

Use indirect speech and the 3rd person.

Do not change any facts.

Do not make any comments.

Note: A prcis must be an original

It must be an original. Some quotes are still acceptable.

I must say, I am THE originalwhat a lovely specimen of a screen bean.

What is a summary?

A summary is a shortened passage, which retains the essential information of the original. It is a fairly

brief restatement --- in your own words ---of the

contents of a passage.

Note: you simply report back what the writer has said,

without making value judgments.

Characteristics of a good summary

Can be understood without reference to the original. Is a faithful reproduction of, or contains only the ideas or information of, the original. Is a brief without any unnecessary detail.

Steps in writing a summary

Writing a good summary demonstrates that you clearly understand a text...and that you can communicate that understanding to your readers. A summary can be tricky to write at first because its tempting to include too much or too little information. But by following our easy 8-step method, you will be able to summarize texts quickly and successfully for any class or subject.

1) Divideand conquer. First off, skim the text you are going to summarize and divide it into sections. Focus on any headings and subheadings. Also look at any bold-faced terms and make sure you understand them before you read. 2) Read. Now that youve prepared, go ahead and read the selection. Read straight through. At this point, you dont need to stop to look up anything that gives you troublejust get a feel for the authors tone, style, and main idea. 3) Reread. Rereading should be active reading. Underline topic sentences and key facts. Label areas that you want to refer to as you write your summary. Also label areas that should be avoided because the detailsthough they may be interestingare too specific. Identify areas that you do not understand and try to clarify those points.

4) One sentence at a time. You should now have a firm grasp on the text you will be summarizing. In steps 13, you divided the piece into sections and located the authors main ideas and points. Now write down the main idea of each section in one well-developed sentence. Make sure that what you include in your sentences are key points, not minor details. 5) Write a thesis statement. This is the key to any well-written summary. Review the sentences you wrote in step 4. From them, you should be able to create a thesis statement that clearly communicates what the entire text was trying to achieve. If you find that you are not able to do this step, then you should go back and make sure your sentences actually addressed key points. 6) Ready to write. At this point, your first draft is virtually done. You can use the thesis statement as the introductory sentence of your summary, and your other sentences can make up the body. Make sure that they are in order. Add some transition words (then, however, also, moreover) that help with the overall structure and flow of the summary. And once you are actually putting pen to paper (or fingers to keys!), remember these tips:

Write in the present tense. Make sure to include the author and title of the work.

Be concise: a summary should not be equal in length to the original text. Don't put your own opinions, ideas, or interpretations into the summary. The purpose of writing a summary is to accurately represent what the author wanted to say, not to provide a critique.

7) Check for accuracy. Reread your summary and make certain that you have accurately represented the authors ideas and key points. Make sure that you have correctly cited anything directly quoted from the text. Also check to make sure that your text does not contain your own commentary on the piece. 8) Revise. Once you are certain that your summary is accurate, you should (as with any piece of writing) revise it for style, grammar, and punctuation. If you have time, give your summary to someone else to read. This person should be able to understand the main text based on your summary alone. If he or she does not, you may have focused too much on one area of the piece and not enough on the authors main idea.

Techniques in summary writing

Paraphrasing To paraphrase means to completely and correctly express other peoples ideas in ones own words. Grasping the central ideas. Condensation

Use synonyms Change the structure of simple sentences Turn complex sentences into simple sentences Combine the sentences

Finding the topic sentence and making an outline.

STEPS OF PARAPHRASING
Read the original carefully and comprehend its meaning wholly and correctly. Consider the original article as a whole, not in isolated sentences.

From examination point of view :

While writing a summary of a passage or an executive summary, do not include the title or the number of words. In case of a prcis, make sure to include the title and the count of the number of words.

Executive summary

An executive summary previews the main points of an in-depth report; it is written for nontechnical people who don't have time to read the main report. The executive report contains enough information for a reader to get familiarized with what is discussed in the full report without having to read it.

Purpose of an Executive Summary

An Executive summary summarizes the content of the different sections of a report which is situated before the main content of a report. The executive summary allows the reader of a report to scan the most import elements of a full length report. It provides the main contents of a report in a nutshell and is the first part of a report that a reader will read.

Instructions to write an executive summary

Plan to create a summary each time you write a business report exceeding four pages. Write the summary after you write the main report, and make sure it is no more than one-tenth the length of the main report. List the main points the summary will cover in the same order they appear in the main report. Write a simple declarative sentence for each of the main points.

Add supporting or explanatory sentences as needed, avoiding unnecessary technical material and jargon. Read the summary slowly and critically, making sure it conveys your purpose, message and key recommendations. You want readers to be able to skim the summary without missing the point of the main report. Check for errors of style, spelling, grammar and punctuation. Ask a fellow writer to proofread and edit the document.

Comprehension is a two-fold process; it requires understanding of what is presented, and reproducing it as comprehended.

The study reading speed

Is used for reading material which deals with difficult arguments, ideas, notions etc. The comprehension should be read at study reading speed because they have been designed to provide practice in the skill of reading with near total comprehension. To improve your speed try to cultivate the habit of looking at larger group of words and of moving ahead faster. The wider your eye-span, the greater will be your speed.

Hints to tackle passages:

Read the passage to get its general meaning and then pause for a while to recollect and determine what the writer is trying to say. Re-read the passage. Try and make a guess of the words you dont know. The context will help you arrive at the meaning.

Read all the questions given and look for answers one by one. Be precise in answering the questions. There is no virtue giving more than required information. Check carefully the grammar, spelling and punctuation of what you write.

Lets see how much you With the recent growth of understood ! mass media technology advertising has begun

to play a significant role in the national economy. Thousands of people are working to promote the sale of each new product or to boost the sale of a product already in the market. In fact, advertising as an industry now enjoys a respectable status and is regarded by many as a service to society. The avowed purpose of advertising is to inform the audience and to influence it to buy a particular product. The customer is made aware of goods and services available, their merits, uses and value. Advertising thus helps him in choosing what he actually needs or what he should have to add to his comfort and improve his standard of living. But the sale of a product does not depend on advertisement alone. The quality of a product must be good and its price within the reach of those for whom it is intended. If exaggerated claims are made or the price is too high, advertising, howsoever powerful, will not prove effective.

Questions:

1.What is the main function of advertising? Ans:

2.What factors have contributed to the growth of advertising? Ans:

3.Why is advertising considered an important activity of modern society? Ans:

4.Under what conditions can advertising prove effective? Ans:

Technology, now threatens to grow into system, functioning purely in its own interests without regard for the best interests of mankind. Symptomatic of this is the way in which technology has been driven to evolve a special technique for suggesting to man what he imagines he needs. We might eventually arrive at a stage where man, who should be the beneficiary of modern production, becomes a slave to the productive process,. On the one hand, he may buy a car, a television set or a washing machine but he becomes on the other hand, in the office, at his machine in the factory, at his drawing-board, in salespromotion, or even in the managers office, a merely tiny cog in a gigantic organization. He performs his function and plays his part. The little humanity and individually he has must be bought at the price of living his to further the aims of others. Instead of being able to participate in the lively cut-and-thrust of dealing with his fellow-beings, instead of handling matters that concern real people, a modern business-man leads a remarkably abstract sort of life. The result is that feeling of not-belonging, so often deplored these days in public discussions.

Questions :1.Explain the meaning of abstract sort of life. Ans:-

2.What factors corrode a mans humanity and individuality? Ans:-

3. Why has modern man developed a feeling of notbelonging? Ans:-

Grammar is to a language what management is to an organization.

Singular or plural?

Advice is more easily given than taken. When it rains, dust turns into mud. The furniture you wish to buy is very expensive.

Generally speaking, countable nouns, according to their number, take either singular or plural verbs whereas uncountable nouns take only singular verbs.

Collective nouns :

Are words that refer to a group or collection of people or things. Committee, jury, government.

Indefinite pronouns :

Do not refer to a particular person or thing. Everybody, nobody, none, somebody.

Relative pronouns :

When it acts like a subject, its antecedent determines the number of the verb. Hari is one of those students who think..

Compound subjects :

When a subject consists of more than one word but refers to a single person or thing. Every clerk and assistant is expected to know typing.

Use of modifiers :

Words or phrases which restrict the meaning of other words.

Adverbs :

Only Hari has been granted leave for two days. After only walking two miles she felt tired. Even Hari did not answer my letter.

Prepositional phrases :

Should be placed near the words they modify. Throw the horse over the fence some grass can be written as Throw some grass over the fence to the horse.

Participal phrases :

Should clearly modify or refer to something in the sentence. Listening to the radio, an argument broke out can be written as While we were listening to the radio, an argument broke out.

Infinitive phrases :

Should be used with the same caution as modifiers. To succeed as a speaker, the preparation must be thorough. can be written as To succeed as a speaker, you must prepare thoroughly.

Split infinitives :

When one or more words separate to and the verb a split infinitive occurs. Ranjit plans to soon call the meeting. Abdul plans to quickly illustrate the technique.

When we speak, we use pauses between utterances to make our meeting clear. Similarly, when writing we use certain marks of punctuation as an integral part of the communication mechanism.
These indicate the pauses required in reading, and like road signs, guide the readers mind as he goes through a piece of writing. Punctuation marks are also used to express grammatical constructions and the dependence of the various sentences and their parts.

Comma [ , ]

It represents the shortest pause and denotes a close connection.

Semicolon [ ; ]

Its a sort of a period within the sentence. It denotes the end of one thought and the beginning of another closely related one.

Colon [ : ]

It signals that more information or an explanation of a statement made is to follow.

Full stop [ . ] Question mark [ ? ]

To mark the end of a sentence.

Usually denotes the end of a sentence and is used for the following purposes.

Apostrophe [ ]

Generally used with s but sometimes it occurs by itself also.

Exclamation mark [ ! ]

Used to mark a forceful utterance or to indicate a sudden and strong emotion such as surprise, admiration, incredulity etc.

Quotation marks [ ] Dash [ - ]

To enclose direct quotations.

To mark the suppression of a word, break in the thought of a sentence and indicate a long pause for the sake of emphasis.

Hyphen [ - ]

To show continuation of a word divided at the end of a line and join words which form a compound adjective before a noun. Brackets [ ( ) ] To indicate references and to insert a parenthesis.

Discrimination helps attain precision in communication. There are some words which are often confused with others because of their similarity in spelling, pronunciation and meaning.

Can u guess the difference?

Accept agree to take. Except not including.

Accede agree. Exceed surpass.

Advice valued opinion, noun. Advise give advice, verb

All together in company. Altogether entirely.

Altar place of sacrifice in a temple. Alter change.

Ascent the act of going or climbing up. Assent consent.

Calender roller machine for pressing and smoothing cloth or paper Calendar list of days, weeks and months of a year.

Formally in accordance with rules, customs, conventions. Formerly previously.

Later after some time. Latter belong to the end of a period.

loose free, not held, not close-fitting. Lose no longer have.

Principle rules of conduct. Principal highest in order of importance, chief.

Hurraynow that we know how to write a letter, prcis, summary and read a comprehension, we are going to rush home and get them done.

Wait for us, Spot.

SHRADDHA MEHTA (325) ROHIT SHARMA (324) NITISH KUMAR SINGH (322) SHAARDUL MANDLEKAR (323)