Chando

ORDINARY LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE COURSE: REVISION GUIDE:

Chando A, Hippo Valley High School
PAPER 1 (1122/1) March 2017 edition
SECTION A – FREE COMPOSITION (30 Marks)

ASPECTS TO BE COVERED:

1. Types of compositions.
• Narrative (telling a story on a given topic).
• Descriptive (verbal portrait of what somebody or something looks like.
This composition is characterized by a predominance of adjectives and
language that creates mental pictures).
• Factual (giving facts about something – person, concept, object etc. There
is no room for personal views or opinions).
• Discursive/Argumentative (debating on a given topic with the objective
of reaching a convincing conclusion).
2. Strategies for essay writing.
3. Gross errors.
4. How to enrich one’s language.
5. Guided composition writing.

NARRATIVE COMPOSITION:
Though the essence of the narrative composition is to tell a story (narrate), the use of
descriptive language will be an added advantage.

Aspects to be considered in the writing and assessment of a narrative

composition:

• Relevance • Atmosphere
• Linguistic ability • Coherence
• Originality • Paragraphing
• Realism • Punctuation
• Interest value • Structure
• Characterization • Length requirements.
• Pace • Presentation

NB. The aspects outlined above are, however, not confined to narrative composition
writing. Aspects such as relevance, linguistic ability, interest value, coherence and
presentation are equally important in descriptive, factual and argumentative essays. Over
and above a consideration of these aspects, candidates should be reminded that
compositions are marked basically by impression. The overall impression matters. For
example, a candidate may do well in showing consistency with the chosen topic but ends
up obtaining a poor mark due to bad characterization techniques.

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5 FEATURES OF AN A’ GRADE ESSAY:

1. Very good/excellent linguistic ability. (A good command of English must be displayed).
2. Ample/adequate content. (The essay must be fully developed and meet stipulated length
requirements).
3. High interest value. (The essay must be dramatic and interesting)
4. Very original. (There must be no suspicion that the work is plagiarized, i.e. stolen from an
established writer).
5. No gross error. (None of the errors outlined below must be found in a first grade essay).

GROSS ERRORS:

These are fatal errors which the candidate should avoid at all costs. They are indicated by a double
underlining or a double caret.

1. Spelling error eg. Tommorow I shall seperate parraffin and rasberry.

2. Error of agreement eg. He have a big house. He live with four woman.
3. Misuse of simple words eg. Their is no food left.
4. Omission of a basic word.
5. Misuse of prepositions, pronouns and articles.
6. Error of punctuation, especially one that affects sentence boundaries.
7. Ridiculous idiom (Direct translation of proverbs, idioms, adages, et cetera, from
any other language into English).

The following sentences have gross errors. Rewrite the sentences, getting rid of all the errors.

1. This boy is the trouble causer.

2. I finished my O’ level last year.
3. Each person must bring his or her bible tomorrow.
4. We persuaded him to go but he refused.
5. They bought the meat irregardless of its prize.
6. The master of ceremony was late for the event.
7. Chipo got in hot soup for coming home in the middle of the night.
8. The doctor operated the old woman at midnight.
9. The police accussed him for overspeeding and overloading.
10. Try by all means to get there in time.
11. If I was you I would not have listened to such nonsense.
12. Robert bored me when he lost my watch.
13. Educating a boy is better than a girl.
14. His brother bought a television and a radio for them.
15. We arrived at noon of which the party had started at ten.
16. He was always number one in class.
17. His manager’s wives has twenty cattle each.
18. We left him at the centre of the forest.
19. You must always be putting on school uniform during lessons.
20. I want to start a business but I don’t have the cash.
21. This is a different issue all together.
22. She has five O’ level subjects.
23. The owner of the pregnancy refused to marry her.
24. All his parents died when he was only two.

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STRATEGIES FOR WRITING A GOOD NARRATIVE COMPOSITION:

1. Construct sentences of varying length and structure.
2. Garnish your language through the use of proverbs, idiomatic expressions, phrasal verbs,
imagery et cetera.
3. Use appropriate discourse markers to enhance coherence.

4. Give an appetizing and relevant introduction. Do not begin in a common-or-garden,

conventional way such as ‘It was…’ or ‘Once upon a time…’ Note that a superfluous
description of the weather that does not offer the reader a glimpse of what the story is
about cannot constitute a good introduction.

5. The use of direct speech can be impressive. However, it is advisable to use it sparingly
to avoid problems of punctuation.

6. Avoid too long (rambling) sentences, as these may not sustain the intended sense.

7. Use rhetorical questions (one or two may be enough) where necessary.

8. Try to write neatly and always shape your letters legibly. Candidates who write neatly are
more likely to impress examiners than those who are careless about their handwriting,
other things being equal.

9. Avoid experimenting with new words and expressions in the final examination.

10. Avoid essay topics that contain words or phrases that you do not understand. There are
always traps and it will be unwise to dice with death.

11. Train yourself to come up with an essay of the required length without having to count the
words physically. Essays that are too brief will be penalized for inadequacy of content.
Avoid too long essays as the number of errors increase in step with length.

12. Always make a brief plan before you plunge into writing. This will help you to organize
your ideas logically and, also, save your time. If there are any special expressions, proverbs
or other stylistic devices that you intend to incorporate into your composition, you can
write them down on your plan so that you may not forget them due to exam pressure or
other unforeseen circumstances.

13. All numerical values, except for dates, must be expressed in words rather than in figures.

14. Try to come up with a highly dramatic and fascinating story. Interesting stories will earn
higher marks than dull ones.

15. Where you are instructed to base your story on a given statement it is advisable to
incorporate the words (as they are) in your composition. This is important for two reasons:
(a) where your interpretation of the topic is not fully acceptable, the chances of your
composition being regarded as blatantly irrelevant will be minimized. (b) If you forget to
write down or number the chosen topic it will be easy for the examiner to identify which
topic you are writing about.

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16. Avoid too many characters to avoid confusion especially where pronouns (He, She, etc)
are used in the place of proper nouns.

HOW TO ENRICH ONE’S LANGUAGE:

Credit is given to essays that display candidates’ mastery of the language. Candidates should be
able to garnish their language through employing a wide range of stylistic devices. Compositions
written in plain English are not likely to impress examiners. The following techniques may help:

1. The use of English proverbs to capture complex ideas. Proverbs are a condensed and wise way
of expressing ideas. Each language has its own set of proverbs, so avoid direct translation of
proverbs from your vernacular into English. Two or three proverbs will make a difference if
correctly used. The following are examples of English proverbs that one may use in a
composition:

A stitch in time saves nine.
A bad tree does not yield good apples.
A bad workman blames his tools.
A barking dog seldom bites.
A bird in hand is worth two in
a bush.
A rolling stone gathers no moss.
Do not put all your eggs in one basket.
Repairing things in time will help to prevent
further damage.
A bad parent does not raise good children.
Blaming the tools for bad workmanship is an
excuse for lack of skill.
Someone who constantly makes threats rarely
carries them out.
It is better to keep what you have rather than to
risk losing it by searching for something better.
If you cannot concentrate on one thing at a time
you will never be successful.
Do not depend on a single plan.

A burnt child dreads the fire.
One swallow does not make a summer.
A chain is no stronger than its weakest link.
If the mountain will not come to Mahomet,
then Mahomet must go to the mountain.
A bad experience will make people stay away
from certain things.
Do not base a conclusion on one example or
incident.
The strength of a group depends on each
individual member.
If you want something then you must be prepared
to work for it.

It never rains but it pours. Problems do not come singly.

Fine words butter no parsnips No amount of talking can replace action.
A bad workman blames his tools. Blaming tools for bad workmanship is an excuse
for lack of skill.
Beauty is only skin deep. A person's character is more important than their

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A flower blooms more than once.
Birds of a feather flock together.
Every man is the architect of his own fortune. Life is what you make it.
Failure teaches success.
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
Great oaks grow from small acorns.
A good example is the best sermon.
However long the night, the dawn will break. Bad things don't last forever.
An idle brain is the devil's workshop.
It is always darkest before the dawn.
Kill not the goose that lays the golden egg.
All that glitters is not gold.
appearance.
If you miss an occasion, you can avail yourself of
it another time.
People of the same sort are usually found
together.
People can learn from their failures and be
successful later on.
Inexperienced people become involved in
situations that more intelligent people would
avoid.
Large successful operations can begin in a small
way.
Giving a good example is better than giving
advice.
When you are busy working you avoid
temptation.
The most difficult time is just before the problem
is solved.
Do not destroy the source of your good fortune.
Appearances can be deceiving.

Other commonly used English proverbs:

• Cut your coat according to your cloth.

• When a man is going down the hill everyone will give him a push.
• Pride goes before a fall.
• When in Rome do as the Romans do.
• A drowning man will clutch at a straw.
• Still water runs deep.
• A barking dog seldom bites.
• Make hay while the sun shines.
• Every dark cloud has a silver lining.
• Blood is thicker than water.
• A dog of the king is the king of the dogs.
• A smooth sea never made a skilled mariner.
• People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.
• Procrastination is the thief of time.
• Rome was not built in a day.
• Too many cooks spoil the broth.
• Two wrongs do not make a right.
• Variety is the spice of life.
• Men make houses, women make homes.
• You can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it drink.
• A shallow brook babbles the loudest.

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2. The use of English idiomatic expressions. Like in the case of proverbs, every language has its
own set of idiomatic expressions that capture ideas in elevated and effective ways. The candidate
is expected to display familiarity with idiomatic expressions by incorporating them in their
compositions. However, the use of expressions drawn from the vernacular must be avoided at all
costs. Examples of English idiomatic expressions:

A bolt from the blue ………………………. a sudden and unexpected event.

A bone of contention ……………………… a cause of conflict
To bury the hatchet ……….......................... to become friends again after quarrelling
To be at loggerheads ……………………… to be enemies
To be a carbon copy of someone ….. …….. to look very much like someone, especially parent.
A chip off the old block …………………… a child who looks very much like his/her parent.
Cupboard love …………………………….. fake love.
To shed crocodile tears …………………… to pretend to be sorry.
Caught between the horns of a dilemma … to be in a difficult situation.
To be between the devil and the deep blue sea …to be in a difficult situation.
To throw caution to the winds …….. …….. to ignore important advice.
A hard nut to crack ………………... …….. something that is very difficult to do or achieve.
To skate on thin ice ……………. .… ……. to do something very risky or dangerous.
To keep abreast of the times …….… …….. to know the most recent facts about something.
To jump from the frying pan into the fire … to run away from one problem and fall into a worse
problem.
Worth a king’s ransom ……………. …….. Very important or valuable.
A snake in the ground ……………………. an enemy who pretends to be a friend.
To take a sledge hammer to crack a nut…… to use too much effort on a small task.
To make someone’s blood boil …… ………to make someone very angry.
A wild-goose chase ……………….. ……. a fruitless search or effort.
To build castles in the air ………….. ……. to have fantastic and foolish ideas.
To take the bull by the horns ……………. to face a difficulty without fear.
To put a bold front ………………… …….. to face a difficulty without fear.
To move heaven and earth ………… ……... to put a lot of effort.
A fly in the ointment ………………. ……. Something that spoils the purity of goodness of
something/someone.
A black sheep ……………………… a worthless person in a family of good people.
To turn over a new leaf …………………… To change for the better
To let bygones be bygones………………… To ignore the bad things of the past
Born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth….. Born in a very rich family
Fiddling while Rome burns………………… doing unimportant things while there are serious
problems to be dealt with.
Go off the rails ……………………………. go out of control and begin to behave in a manner
that is unacceptable to society.
Hue and cry………………………………... loud opposition. E.g. There was a great hue and cry
when the council increased water tariffs.
On cloud nine ……………………………… very happy.

3. Use of complex prepositional phrases. Examples:

• On account of = because of

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• On condition that = if. eg. I will come on condition that you provide the bus fare.
• On no account = for no reason
More Prepositional Phrases:

4. Use of discourse markers. These are words and phrases whose grammatical function is to link
ideas, so they enhance the smooth flow of ideas or a story line in a piece of writing. In a narrative
composition discourse markers show clearly the order in which events took place. In factual and
descriptive essays they help to separate or demarcate ideas. Examples:

For sequencing: (showing time)

Afterwards/After/Finally/Then/Meanwhile/Subsequently/presently/at last/immediately/at that
time/eventually/currently/thereafter/in the meantime/in the past/All of a sudden/At long last
For listing different points:
Firstly/First and foremost/Secondly/Thirdly/Finally/Last but not least
For adding ideas:
Another/In addition to/Related to/Furthermore/Moreover/Also/Equally important/Apart from
that/Besides that/Also
To show cause and effect:
Therefore/Thus/As a result/Consequently/Hence/because/accordingly/so
To summarize:
On the whole/in short/in other words/in general/in brief
For indicating position:
Beyond/nearby/next to/at that point/adjacent to/on the other side/in the front/in the back/there/here
For comparing:
Similarly/Likewise/In the same way
For contrasting:
However/Even though/On the other hand/Nevertheless/Unlike/instead
of/alternatively/conversely/whereas/notwithstanding/though
For emphasizing:
Above all/In particular/especially/significantly/indeed/notably
For illustrating:
For example/such as/For instance/as revealed by/as evidenced by/such as/this can be seen in
To conclude the essay:
In conclusion/In the light of the above/ That said, it can argued that...
NB. A discourse marker must be used once for all in a composition. Never use one discourse
marker more than once in the same composition. A comma should always immediately follow a
discourse marker if it is used at the beginning of a sentence.

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5. Sentence variation. Sentences must be varied in terms of their structure and length. A good
essay is one in which there is an even distribution of sentence types. The following are the four
types of sentences that we have in English.
• Simple sentence I waited for the train.
• Complex sentence While I was alone, the robbers came.
• Compound sentence The robbers snatched my bag and the train arrived.
• Compound-complex sentence As the robbers were snatching my bag, the train
Arrived and it started to rain.

6. Use of phrasal verbs.Examples:

Take down = write (eg. They were taking down notes)
Come by = obtain, find (eg. Money is hard to come by)

Other Phrasal Verbs to learn:

• Simmer down ………. Become calmer, make less noise.

• Slug it out …............... Fight or argue.
• Soldier on ………….... Continue even when things get difficult.
• Spruce up …………… To smarten, make something neat and tidy.
• Spur on ……………… Encourage someone to continue.
• Steal out …………….. Leave in a stealthy or quiet manner.
• Stand up for ………… Defend, support.
• Steer clear of ……….. Avoid.
• Storm out …………… Leave a place angrily.
• Stumble upon ………. Find something accidentally.
• Chicken out ………… Be too afraid to do something.
• Chuck out ……………. Dispose of something you no longer need or want.
• Crop up ……………… Appear unexpectedly.
• Go out with ………….. Have a relationship with.
• Jazz up ………………. Make something more interesting or attractive.
• Juice up ……………... Make something more exciting or perform better.
• Mill around …………. Walk around without going anywhere.
• Monkey around …….. Not be serious.
• Opt for ………………. Choose.
• Own up ……………….Confess.
• Wade through……….. Get to the end of something with difficulty.
• Walk out on …………. Leave somebody angrily.
• Weed out …………….. Remove, get rid of.
• Zip up ……………….. Keep quiet.
• Chime in …………… Join in an ongoing conversation.
• Bump into……………. Meet somebody unexpectedly
• Fall back on ………… Rely on somebody or something
• Get back at ……………To revenge
• Put up with ……………To accept an unpleasant situation or a person
• Run out on …………….To abandon someone in a difficult situation

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7. Use of similes to create vivid mental pictures. A good simile helps to paint a picture in the
reader’s mind. Examples:

• As bitter as hemlock • As dark as midnight

• As useful as a cow • As cold as ice
• As scarce as a hen’s teeth • As cool as a cucumber
• As naked as a peeled potato • As loud as thunder

8. Use of metaphors. A metaphor is a direct comparison between two things that are seemingly
unrelated. Examples:

• John is a slow coach • Get off, you dog!

• You are a baboon • This man is a lion.
• The way he eats! He is a real pig. • She is an angel.

9. Use of rhetorical questions in order to convince the reader to view something from your
standpoint.

10. Use of apt vocabulary.Candidates will be rewarded for using words, especially those that are
not commonly used, where they are most suitable. Examples:

• Assassination(instead of murder), when referring to the killing of an important political

figure.
• Fugitive, when referring to someone who is running away from prison or police custody.
• Accomplice, when referring to someone who helps another to commit a crime.
• Traffic din, when referring to the sound produced by many vehicles in motion.

In many cases candidates fall into the trap of using words which are closely related to, but not
necessarily interchangeable with, the ones which are appropriate. The fact that certain words can
be synonymous scarcely means that they can automatically fit in each other’s position like a
jigsaw. Consider the following sets of words and try to distinguish them by using them in
sentences.

Speaking/talking/saying Disappointed/annoyed/bored
Centre/middle Lady/woman/maid
Continuous/continual Student/pupil
Clock/watch Meal/food
Shop/store Job/profession/trade/occupation
Intelligent/intellectual/wise Home/homestead/residence
Transport/traffic Money/cash/finance/capital
Basketful/basket full Altogether/all together
Product/production/produce (n) Made of/made from/made in
Wear/put on Area/place/location

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The following story, PIGS MIGHT FLY! (By Chando A, 2001) contains a wide range of
writing techniques (stylistic devices). Read and try to see how many of these can you
identify

“Stop it! For God’s sake, I say stop it!” I could scarcely believe my tottering voice as it
reverberated like a clangour of hammers. So solemn was the command that for some seconds
afterwards my whole frame quivered like the body of an old Datsun 120Y. In that delirious
fury I pulled the trigger and the colossal figure of Mhungu darted towards the ceiling like a
toy before it hit the floor with a maddening thud. An upsurge of phlegm and ire threatened to
barricade my throat as I cast a glance upon the once beloved mulatto woman who now made
a pathetic spectacle on the bed, as nude as a peeled potato. I pulled the trigger and two bullets
disappeared into two succulent breasts which stood erect in a somewhat gesture of defiance.
Sometimes the best gain is to lose.

* * *

In the solid darkness of one grim April night, when the majestic vault of heaven, like a
wronged ancestral spirit, seemed to have conspired with all other things – animate and
inanimate – to form an indomitable blackness, I stole out of the cosy environment of my
bedroom to accomplish a mission which I still regard as singularly noble.

Outside the gate, I trudged down tranquil Nehanda Avenue. My mind, like that of
Agamemnon bent on besieging Troy, was a seething cauldron. I could feel my rage swelling
up with the self-assertiveness of a vomit spewing out. Memories of Maidei, horrid like a
murderer’s dream, remained glued on the forestage of my mind, bitter as hemlock. I loved
Maidei. Yes, I loved that woman beyond passion and rhyme. Over the years my affection for
the woman had risen like billows of sea waters. When we got married my friends had flocked
to tell me I had got the cream of the best milk. I thanked the heavens. “Even a blind squirrel
finds a nut once in a while”, my friend Museve would not miss a chance give that assurance.
Maidei came from a family of devout Christians and barely did it dwell within the precincts
of mortal imagination that this adorable creature could be a blot on the escutcheon. It was not
until a full year and half had gone by that the woman sent me on the qui vive. That was the
day I stumbled upon a love letter in her purse. Before one could say Jack Robinson, she had
vanished into thin air! Eish! There was nothing to do; this Godforsaken creature had decided
to fly off at a tangent.

Of late I had persuaded a mulatto woman from Avondale to marry me. Her name was Nora.
A pair of glowing eyes, a somewhat fluorescent complexion, tender lips, jet-black and glossy
hair, all in the premises of an elaborately chiseled frame, constituted an array of splendour
that spoke loudly of heaven on earth. Yes, she was a gorgeous creature, endowed too with an
overpowering elegance and a fine electric voice that, had my circumstances been happier,
would have salved the many sores of my heart.. Now, in my present gloom, she merely posed
like belated relief cargo or, if you can stomach the expression, like a packet of poisoned
mutton. My prospects, once loftier than Mount Everest, had since crumbled like clods of wet
earth and the species of passion that the beauty of women could have aroused in me was now
as scarce as hen’s teeth. All youthful whims and their related kindred of notions had bid me
farewell, their former positions now firmly inhabited by nerve-racking reminiscences.

As I was trudging down tranquil Nehanda Avenue, the very thought of Maidei nauseated me
like a gangrenous wound. I was a bag of nerves and so tempestuous was my rage that I as

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good as bumped into Mhungu’s yard without knowing it. I walked stealthily until I reached a
gigantic mahogany tree whose branches overlay Mhungu’s box-shaped house like a mother
hen squatting upon newly hatched chicks.

There was something unintelligible about huge and leafy trees that had always inspired awe
in me, especially at night. As I stood under the mahogany I shuddered once or twice. There is
many a slip twixt cup and lip, I told myself. For a moment I felt an eeriness, a heart-rending
coldness and a subsequent delicacy of nerves that normally precedes the onslaught of a
nervous breakdown. I knew very well that by hook or by crook I had to accomplish my
mission. I knew, also, that I had to be very careful, lest I got hoist with my own petard. Only
a fool would test the depth of the water with both feet, that I knew too. But what was it now
that hacked at my heart with the vehemence and ruthlessness of a fourteen pounds hammer
descending upon a nut? I tried hard to think but the harder I did, the more my mind became as
blank as an idiot’s.

For some time I pinned a blank gaze at the part of the giant mahogany where the two main
branches sprang from their mother as if they were rivals in some game of life and death.
There a halo of lemon-yellow light suddenly appeared. Before one could say Jack Robinson,
objects of varying novelty mushroomed up like a swarm of protesting bees, performing
gymnastic feats within the halo of which mention has been made. At school I had read stories
about magical concoctions capable of producing mind-boggling impressions, but this was a
horse of a different colour altogether. Again my mind, like the scabbard of a misplaced
bayonet, was filled with horrible emptiness. When at last I had gathered my wits, I positioned
myself strategically between the two branches. I was more than happy to find that the
bedroom window, less than a metre from my position, was ajar. I carefully drew the curtain
to one side and that lent me a considerable view of the bedroom. The first thing to attract my
attention was the vacant king-size bed. By that time I had weaned myself from the grayness
that had stuck to my mind like silhouettes against a white background. Smooth seas do not
make skillful sailors, I had finally told myself.

Up the tree, I soon learnt from the soft splashing of water that Mhungu was taking a bath. I
pulled out an old pistol from an inner coat pocket and waited. Later, I heard a feminine
chuckle and instantly concluded that it was Mai Chipo, Mhungu’s wife. I waited.

It was clumsy Mhungu whose forehead, resembling a car windscreen in its inordinate
breadth, popped in first. I wrestled against a fusillade of emotions and sensations – anger,
nausea, jealousy, et cetera – that welled up at one fell swoop. Yet that was just the tail of the
lion. The next figure to enter the room, as naked as a tomato, was neither Mai Chipo nor
Maidei. Eish, pigs might fly! It never rains but it pours! The sensation that coursed down my
spine on that dreary winter night can never find expression in English, Shangaan, Kiswahili,
Maori or any of the world’s numerous languages, nor can it find a convincing explanation in
any of the domains of study and knowledge – theology, robotics, astronomy, et cetera – that
Providence bestowed on man. I felt life sinking to the very bottom of the Pacific. Was that
my reward for all the good things that I had done in life? Why should oaks fall when reeds
stand?

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DESCRIPTIVE COMPOSITION:

Describing means producing a verbal portrait of a person, an object or an event.

In other words, when writing a descriptive composition one should be able to
graphically bring out the characteristics of someone or something. A descriptive
composition is therefore characterized by a predominance of descriptive words
and phrases (epithets).

It is very crucial to be able to describe a person, not only in a purely descriptive

composition but also in a narrative composition. Characters must be described
vividly so as to create a realistic situation and, also, to create a befitting
atmosphere. The examiner will be impressed if the candidate manages to use
descriptive language in such a way that a mental picture is produced.

DESCRIBING A PERSON:

Eyes – sparkling / bulb-shaped / watery / luminous /sunken into their sockets / squint-eyed /
sexy / glowing with happiness/lustful

Face – round / elongated / pale / timid-looking / wan / sickly / fine-chiseled / oval-shaped /

baby face / cheerful

Cheeks – rosy / pimpled / dimpled / smooth / crimson-hued / pale

Nose – pointed / Arabic model nose / broad-nostrilled / tiny / huge/flat

Forehead– receding / protruding / as broad as a car windscreen / as broad as a seventy-five

watts solar panel / bazooka-shaped / angular

Chin– fine-chiseled / double-chinned / retreating into the neck / twitched rhythmically like
that of a bull-frog / bearded / protruding / jutted out / pointed / angular

Lips – pale / sickly-looking / thin / dry / swollen / thick/chunky

Voice – sonorous / smooth / hoarse / tremulous / electric / high-pitched / soothing /

shaky/sharp/ear-piercing/earsplitting/shattering/low

Hair – glossy / unkempt / silken / of a gossamer texture / short / curly / braided / dread-
locked / twisted / untidy/ velvety/shabby/scruffy

Legs– thin / curved / rickety / hairy / spindly

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Body structure – rotund / hunch-backed / slim / colossal / stout / buxom / shapeless / ill-
proportioned / as tall as a giraffe / dwarfish/slender/lean/plump/overweight

Breasts – stood defiantly like the horns of a young bull / lay flat on the ribs / pointed/piercing

Teeth – stained / milk-white / yellowish / jutting out / threatened to escape from their cavity /
small / haphazardly arranged

Manner of walking – elegantly / stealthily /gracefully/ walked as gracefully as a gazelle /

galloping/modeling

General appearance – smart/ hideous (ugly)/ well-groomed/elegant/well-

dressed/attractive/shabby/beautiful beyond comparison/good-looking/gorgeous/fine-
looking/handsome/lovely/charming/unattractive/of stunning beauty/unappealing

Character – honest /malicious/selfish/authoritative/respectable/respectful/untrustworthy

untrustworthy/considerate/arrogant/generous/cunning/kind/understanding/irritable/
responsible/tactful/tolerant/impatient/revolutionary/sincere/cruel/benevolent/versatile/
obedient/stubborn/aggressive.

FACTUAL COMPOSITION:

As suggested by the word ‘factual’, this type of composition demands that the candidate give
information or details about something that are certainly known to be true. In other words,
‘facts’ and not ‘opinions’ are required.

Factual composition topics are often broad and open-ended, demanding as much information
as possible. Most candidates fail to score high marks because of a tendency to focus narrowly
on the topic. A topic such as ‘Land’ is so open ended that it will be unwise to limit one’s
focus to the Zimbabwean context. There is land too in other countries!

It is therefore unwise to plunge into writing before one has obtained a clear understanding of
the demands of the topic. It is advisable to draft a brief plan before one begins to write the
final piece. The following are examples of factual composition topics taken from past
examination papers.

Water Teenagers
Computers Time
Books Flowers
Electricity Advice

It is advisable to avoid writing on a factual composition topic if your knowledge of that topic
is made up of bits and pieces. Remember, also, that one limitation of the human mind is that
you cannot tell how much you do not know about something! You may falsely think that you
know everything about a topic when in fact you know virtually nothing.

DISCURSIVE / ARGUMENTATIVE COMPOSITION:

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This is a two-sided composition in which the candidate has to carefully consider and weigh
each side of the topic against the other. At the end the candidate must be able to come down
to a convincing viewpoint. This is a fairly challenging task that calls for an ability to argue
persuasively and meaningfully on both sides of a topic.

Factual information is also called for in this type of writing. Just like in the case of a factual
composition, if your knowledge about the topic in question is no more than fragmentary it is
highly recommended that you choose another topic.

The language of a discursive essay is largely technical and formal. There is not much room
for figurative language.

Examples of discursive composition topics:

• Modern technology has brought more harm than good. Do you agree?
• The death penalty must be abolished. What are your views?
• The paying of lobola must be abolished. Discuss.
• Women are more responsible for the spread of HIV than men. Do you agree?
• Should children choose what they want to learn at school?
• Advertising reduces our powers of judgment. Discuss.

SECTION B - GUIDED COMPOSITION: (20 Marks)

As the term ‘guided’ suggests, guided composition writing involves interpreting and
expanding provided guidelines. In that way guided composition differs from ‘free
composition’. Unlike in the free composition section, in this section there is no stipulated
length; the length of your composition is primarily determined by your ability or inability to
expand the given ideas. One other factor to reckon with is time!

TYPES OF GUIDED COMPOSITIONS:

(a) Informal letter

(b) Formal letter
(c) Report
(d) Speech
(e) Pictorial
(f) Newspaper/magazine article

Aspects to be considered in the writing and assessment of a guided composition:

(i) Structure: Each type of guided composition has its own outlook or
structural aspects that make it look different from other types.
You should be familiar with the structural features of each
composition type.

(ii) Linguistic ability: Guided compositions differ in terms of the degree of

formality or informality, so you should be well-versed in
the linguistic requirements of each composition type.

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In all cases grammatical accuracy is a requirement.

(iii) Amplification/Expansion of ideas: Each given idea must be developed into a

paragraph. Generate as much detail as possible about each
idea, giving examples and specific information such as
names of people, places, roads, days, dates, rivers,
statistical data, amounts, etc This applies to all types of guided
compositions.
(iv) Paragraphing and Punctuation: – Paragraphing should be done logically and in
accordance with the flow of ideas. Ideas must be clearly
separated and you must not put two or more ideas in one
paragraph. Observe all the rules of punctuation.

(v)Coherence: Ideas should flow smoothly throughout the composition. This is

enhanced by the use of linking devices such as discourse
markers.

(vi) Addition of one’s own ideas – A good candidate will add one or two ideas to the
ones that are given. The added idea(s) should be logically
linked to the ones that are given. Preferably, you should not add
more than two ideas in order to minimize the risk of going off-
topic.

INFORMAL LETTER WRITING:

This is the kind of letter that you write to friends, relatives and all other people who are
close to you. The language is not restrained and the use of mild slang and colloquial
forms (dad, mom, guy, kid etc.) is allowed. Contracted forms such as ‘can’t, don’t,
didn’t, etc. can be used. The tone can be serious, gentle or light-hearted, depending on
the subject matter at hand.

At times the question comes in the form of a letter that you will be asked to reply to. In
that case you need to thoroughly read the given letter so as to give a meaningful response.
You also need to adopt the name and the address that appear on the given letter.

Structural Aspects:
• One address, aligned to the left margin.
• A date, to be written in full, e.g. 14 Mayl 2017.
• Salutation, e.g. Dear Mom, Hi Chipo, Beloved Uncle Jim, etc.
The choice here depends on the level of intimacy between you and the person to
whom you are writing. E.g.

Hippo Valley High School

P O Box 1
Chiredzi

14 May 2017

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Beloved Norah

First paragraph: Highlight the purpose of the letter. E.g.

I’ve written this letter in response to yours that I received three days ago and,
also, to update you on the developments that have taken place here in Chiredzi.

NB. No greetings in this paragraph.

Second paragraph: Introduce and develop the first given idea. Use an appropriate
discourse marker, e.g. ‘To begin with’.
Third paragraph: Introduce and develop the second given idea.

Develop the rest of the ideas in the same way.

The ending:
➢ Greetings, in their own paragraph.
➢ Skip a line.
➢ Yours truly/Truly yours/In tears of love/In tears of joy/Your loving
friend/Best wishes/Your son, etc.
➢ Skip a line.
➢ Your name, first name only.

NB. Always begin a letter on a fresh page.

FORMAL LETTER WRITING:

Formal letters, as the name suggests, call for seriousness and formality. They convey business
matters and important issues. They include all business letters, application letters, invitation
letters, recommendation letters and letters of complaints.

The language is highly formal and almost always carries an element of respect. Slang,
contracted and colloquial forms should be avoided at all costs. There is no room for greetings
in a formal letter.

Structural Aspects:

• Two addresses both aligned to the left margin.

• Date (in full), after the first address.
• Salutation, Dear sir/Madam, if it is an ‘office’ rather than an individual who should
attend to the letter, or Dear Prof/Mr/Mrs/Miss/Dr …, if you are writing in response to
a formal letter written to you by someone whose name is specified.
• RE. – A statement summarizing the purpose of the letter. Do not mistake RE with
Ref.

Hippo Valley High School

P O Box 1
Chiredzi

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14 May 2017

The Manager
Barclays Bank
P O Box 223
Chiredzi

Dear Sir/Madam

RE: APPLICATION FOR THE POST OF A BANK TELLER

First paragraph: Highlight the purpose of the letter. E.g.

I have written in response to your advertisement published in the Sunday Mail

of 11 April 2017. I am a lady of twenty-five and have written to register my
wish to be considered for the advertised post.

Second paragraph: Introduce and develop the first given idea.

Third paragraph: Introduce and develop the second given idea.

Develop all the other ideas in the succeeding paragraphs, making appropriate use of discourse
markers where necessary.

Ending the letter:

• Make a concluding statement such as ‘I am looking forward to your response’ or ‘I
thank you in advance’.
• Skip a line.
• Yours faithfully (if your letter has the salutation Dear Sir/Madam) or Yours sincerely
(if the addressee is mentioned by name)’
• Skip a line.
• Signature.
• Skip a line.
• Your name in full, e.g. Chando Micklem
.
All this must be aligned to the left margin.

An example of a good ending

I am looking forward to your response.

Yours faithfully

Micklem Chando

REPORT WRITING:
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To report is to give an account of what happened. Reports can be written on a variety of

situations such as bus disasters, fire outbreaks, violence at a soccer match, etc. A good
candidate should be able to write on any situation. The language of a report should be
straightforward and formal.

Structural Aspects

There are two ways of structuring a report which are both acceptable.

First format:

Give a heading, eg. REPORT ON THE RECENT FIRE OUTBREAK AT SCHOOL

Skip a line after the heading

First paragraph: Give an introduction, giving specific information about the day,
date, time, place etc when the event took place.
Second paragraph: Introduce and expand the first given idea.

NB Develop the rest of the composition in the same way.

The ending: End your report in the following way:

Compiled by

Chando Micklem
(Senior Prefect) – Write in brackets the capacity in which you have written the report.

One may also put a signature just before the name.

Second format:

You may begin your report like:

TO: The Heamaster

FROM: Micklem Chando (Senior Prefect)
DATE: 14 May 2017

REPORT ON THE RECENT FIRE OUTBREAK AT SCHOOL

If one opts for this format it is not be necessary to include ‘Compiled by’ at the end.

SPEECH WRITING:

Speech writing involves imagining you standing in front of an audience (listeners) and
delivering a speech on a given topic. A speech is written in a conversational style. This means
you should write the same way you speak. Usually the question itself states clearly the
audience you are supposed to address. Everything that you are going to say constitutes the

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speech, including greetings. The language of a speech is primarily determined by the nature
of the audience.

Structural Aspects:

First paragraph: 1. Greet the audience.

2. Introduce yourself.
3. Introduce your subject matter (the purpose of your speech).

Below are two examples of introductory paragraphs:

(a) A pleasant morning to you all, my fellow schoolmates, our colleagues from
neighbouring schools, members of staff, our honourable panel of adjudicators
and all invited guests here present. Standing here before you is Micklem
Chando from Hippo Valley High School. It is my pleasure to take part in this
interschool debating competition, moving the motion that reads: “Modern
technology has brought more harm than good”.

(b) Good morning ladies and gentlemen. My name is Micklem Chando. I have
come from the Ministry of Tourism and Environment. I am here specifically to
share with you a few ideas about the dangers of pollution that are brought
about by technological advancement.

Second paragraph: Introduce and develop the first given idea.

Third paragraph: Introduce and develop the second given idea.

NB: Develop the rest of the composition in the same way.

The ending: Remember to thank the audience at the end of the speech. This is done for
Two reasons (a) listening is a duty which often involves sacrificing one’s
time. (b) To mark the end of the speech.

Given below are two examples of how to end a speech:

(a) Ladies and gentlemen, it has been my pleasure standing here before you.
Allow me to pause at this juncture and express my sincere gratitude to you
all for your attentive listening.

(b) I have now come to the end of my speech. Let me take this opportunity to
thank you all for your listening.

PICTORIAL COMPOSITION:

This type of composition is very similar to the narrative composition in the sense that it
chiefly involves telling a story. The difference, however, lies in the fact that in a pictorial
composition the story is based on a given sequence of pictures. The pictures constitute the
guidelines that make the composition fall into the category of guided compositions. A good
candidate will give all the missing information such as the date, day, place, situation, what
the characters say, etc to make the story sound convincing, sensible and realistic. Sometimes

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the given pictures are not logically arranged and the candidate will be expected to rearrange
them.

Structural Aspects:

First paragraph: Introduce the composition by laying out the situation and giving
details relating to the place, year, day etc. when the story took
place. This paragraph serves as the introduction.

Second paragraph: Expand the first given picture.

Third paragraph: Expand the second picture.

NB: Develop the rest of the composition in the same way.

NEWSPAPER/MAGAZINE ARTICLE

As the name suggests, this kind of writing involves stretching one’s imagination into the field
of journalism. Newspaper articles can be written on a variety of topics but generally the
language used is persuasive and straightforward. The tone is usually light-hearted. Paragraphs
must be relatively short.

Format: Headline/Title: e.g. Why Hippo Valley High School is the best.
By/Author: e.g. Micklem Chando

First paragraph: This must serve as an introduction, so no given idea must be

expanded in this paragraph.

Below is an example of an introductory paragraph for a school magazine article. The topic is
Why my school is the best.

Over the years Hippo Valley High School has invariably posed as an icon of integrity
and success. Having remained on the winning streak both in the academic and co-
curricular arena, the school is second to none, not only in the lowveld but also in the
whole country.

Second paragraph: Introduce and develop the first given idea.

Third paragraph: Introduce and develop the second given idea.

*** Develop the rest of the paragraphs in the same way. This entails, in the case of the
topic given above, supporting the topic and providing probably fictional information to
expand and develop the points given in the question. The information does not necessarily
have to be true, but it has to be reasonable and believable.

Conclusion: You may conclude by rephrasing the introduction e.g.

In the light of the above, it may be firmly stated that Hippo Valley High
School offers the best teaching and learning environment in the country.

No signature is required.

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Wish you good luck!

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