Types of writing tasks

 Argumentative
 Descriptive
 Narrative
 Discursive/For and against/Balanced
 Report writing
 Summary
 Newspaper report
 Magazine article (argumentative or just discuss)
 Movie review writing
 Letter Writing
 Persuasive writing
 Speech

Difference between argumentative and discursive

Discursive structure

• Write using a formal or neutral style as if for a teacher or university tutor.

1) Intro-
elaborate/expand on the essay topic
briefly state the arguments for each side.
Speak about how all things have some benefits and drawbacks.
2) Para 2
Use words such as to begin with, firstly etc. when stating the first argument ‘for’ the topic.
Expand on this argument.
Use secondly, additionally, etc. for the second argument ‘for’ your topic.
For third (and fourth) arguments, use words like furthermore, in addition, also, etc.
Expand on each argument equally.
3) Para 3
Begin with ‘on the other hand/ however’
Do same as above for ‘against’ arguments
4) Conclusion
Re-state all your for and against arguments, rephrase the question and give your personal opinion as well,
starting with ‘in my opinion’.
Argumentative structure
1) Intro-
A thesis statement - a sentence in which you state an argument about a topic and then describe, briefly, how you
will prove your argument.
Speak a few sentences about the topic in general so the audience has a brief understanding of it.
Re state the question and give your opinion. Ex- while some believe that social media is good for society, I do
not agree for a variety of reasons.
State your ‘for’ arguments (at least 3 and up to 4)
2) Para 2
Use words like firstly, secondly, thirdly or to begin with, additionally, furthermore to introduce your ‘for’
arguments and explain them one after the other. Use examples for each argument to lengthen the paragraph and
provide clarity.
3) Para 3
This is called a rebuttal. It is where you introduce an arguments ‘against’ your side and cancel it out.
Ex of arguments against- social media can help teenagers make meaningful connections
Rebuttal- teenagers lose their communication skills the more time they spend online, leaving them antisocial in
the real world where they will find it harder to make friends and meaningful connections, even effecting school
and job life and eventually family life.
4) Conclusion-
Say that there may be some benefits for the opposing argument but your arguments (State arguments) outweigh
the opposition.
Ex- while there may be a handful of reasons why social media can benefit society, the long term, negative
effects outweigh these positives.
Then restate your arguments and give your opinion again
Due to the above discussed reasons such as… OR …are reasons why…
I personally believe that social media has a large, negative impact on our society and hence do not believe it to
be comparatively beneficial.
What is the difference between Narrative and Descriptive Essay?
• Definition:

• A narrative can be defined as an account of an individual personal experience.

• A descriptive essay can be defined as an account that provides a detailed description of a place, a person, or even an emotion.

• Content:

• A Narrative usually relates a story.

• A descriptive essay merely describes something or someone. It does not have a story, but only a highly descriptive account.

• Point of View:

• A narrative mostly uses the first person narration.

• A descriptive essay does not mostly use the first person narration. It functions with the objective of presenting an image of something.

• Action:

• A narrative is full of action as it relates a story. It consists of a sequence of event.

• However, this quality cannot be seen in a descriptive essay.

• Order:

• A narrative follows a logical order since it relates an event or story it goes in a chronological order.

• However, in the case of a descriptive essay, the writer can deviate from this pattern.

• Plot and Characters:

• A narrative has a plot, a number of characters who revolve around this plot and take part in the events of the story.

• In a descriptive essay, there is no plot or characters as in a narrative.

Descriptive writing -

My hobby

Of all the things I do in my spare time, my favourite is drawing. The sound of a sharpened
pencil on crisp, white paper is almost meditative. I opt to draw on thick, textured paper than
smooth, and prefer coal pencils over granite for the satisfying and uniform darkness they
produce, while having the flexibility of providing an unlimited range of shades. I enjoy using
hues of grey and black, to shade my drawings into life. Occasionally, I would experiment with
other members of the colour spectrum, opting to create a more beautiful piece than my usual,
stirring but darker works. A memorable work of art that I created would have to be my attempt
at recreating the famous Mona Lisa as a shaded, almost three-dimensional drawing. The fine
graphite lines, overlapping the thick gray and deep black colours created the perfect balance
between detailed and smooth. She looked as if she was alive and sitting in a white room, with
her shadow cast against the back wall. Her shaded form a stark contrast against the pure, white
and unblemished paper background. While I was unable to recreate her signature smile, the
finished piece was an impressive black and white work of art. The satisfaction of rubbing your
fingers over a textured paper, to create work that stirs the emotions of viewers is truly a
powerful gift.

Past Tense

Describe the people and atmosphere inside a busy workplace. (Remember that you are describing the people and
atmosphere and not just what everyone is doing). 200-300

The sound of high-heels clacking against the ground echoed throughout the office, as young businesswomen carrying
files and papers walked from cubicle-to-cubicle steadily, as an air conditioner buzzed continually overhead. Cold, white,
dim lights brightened the workspace, which smelled of new carpets and fragrant coffee. Workers sat at their desks,
some fixated on their glowing computer screens, whilst others clutched dull, beige cellphones, anticipating calls at any
time. Fax machines buzzed and creaked as they produced printed sheets of paper, seemingly all day, at different parts of
the office; almost instantly being snatched as if it were a competition between employees. Gentle conversing could be
heard in the distance, where workers congregated at a petite break room, brewing and sharing cups of coffee among
themselves. The receptionists would sit at their designated front desk, greeting managers and executive staff, whilst
playing tic-tac-toe on notepads. Posters, containing social cues and etiquette illustrated childishly, were taped onto the
sides of pillars and cubicles, some hanging off on single ends. Chimes of incoming elevators sounded throughout the
office, an indicator to the arrival of guests to the building- often leaving employees sighing in exhaustion.
By Selini Silva

Present Tense

Describe the sights, sounds and activities at the end of a busy day at school. (Remember that you are describing the
people and atmosphere and not just what everyone is doing.)

Trills of the final bell echo throughout the school building, muffled by the noise of cacophony amongst the youthful
students. In classrooms, chairs are left askew on the ground, their seats covered in various scratches and holes
punctured into them by their users. The sound of students shuffling through the halls can be heard in the distance, as
the school building empties out. Shelves, which are meant for textbooks, instead hold lunchboxes from ages ago, still
wrapped in colourful cloth. A classroom clock ticks overhead, almost eerily, signaling that the time is one-thirty-one.
Hallways, vandalized to the very best of the high-schoolers’ abilities, are still and quiet, with bags and water bottles
scattered all over the floors. Names of students are written in abstract, graffiti-like lettering on the walls, while the rest
of the spaces are plastered with stickers and drawings. Lockers, with dents and scratches all over their doors, remain
half-open, with piles of paper spilling out of their overstuffed compartments.

The sun beats down on Santa Maria High, where fatigued students lean against walls and playground equipment,
awaiting their rides home. Flattened packets of flavoured milk and snacks litter the ground, rolling in the toasty, late-
summer wind. The sky is a somehow nostalgic shade of blue- just bright enough to be looked at without burning one’s
eyes, not a cloud in sight. The concrete ground radiates a dizzying warmth, creating little mirages in the distant road,
which is emptier than ever.
By Selini Silva

Vocabulary for Describing People’s outlook

Vocabulary for Describing types of People

Narrative writing-

My hobby

My excitement grew as we approached the store I had been wanting to visit since it opened up
weeks ago at the bottom of my street. The sign that sat on the roof read “The Arthouse” in big,
bubble letters. Having saved up for weeks, I clutched my purse tightly, wondering what lay
behind the glass doors.

I entered and was hit with the cool, conditioned air and comforting smell of new paper. My
mother left me so I could shop to my heart’s desire (within the limit of the 150 dollars I had
collected), while she strolled over to the embroidery counter. I rushed to the paints and was
overwhelmed by the sheer size of the display. From rubber, to fabric, to even glittered, they had
it all! I grabbed a basket and began selecting the hues of red that I needed to complete the
painting I had started at home. Each tube was bigger than the size of my palm… much more
than I required. I set the paints down and began surveying the shelves for smaller tubes when
my eyes landed on the most shiny and elegant paintbrushes I had ever seen!

After having spent two hours picking out the supplies I needed, and then the supplies I wanted,
my mother was able to pry me away from the canvases and towards the counter. the hobby was
expensive, but if passion meant success, I was destined to be a millionaire.

Write a narrative on the topic ‘The Sea’

A Narrative using descriptive tools
A Shark’s Life
My eyes and body felt as if it were floating in midair. A sensation I got used to since birth. A sudden presence came into
view a few meters away from me, a fish, a rather decent sized one too. At the moment, it seemed completely unaware
of my existence, so I intended to make use of this opportunity. I lurked a little closer to it and waited for the perfect time
to bite. The scaly fish finally made a turn in the opposite direction I was and I lunged. Blood soon clouded the water as I
stuck my teeth inside its rich flesh. A few more seconds elapsed as it tried to struggle free, soon slowing down and
finally, turning limp. After making sure it wouldn’t be going anywhere, I gnawed at it and swallowed the pieces of meat
which tore off after every bite. After I finished my meal, I headed to the surface to breathe some air. The sky was still the
misty gray canvas it was and the sea still had its rippling surface. I dip back down into the water, occasionally passing a
few more worthy meals. The very bottom of it had corals of varying sizes, followed by the flurry of motion as its
inhabitants scurried back to their habitats upon laying their scrawny eyes on me. But they weren’t the ones which had
my attention. A large dark figure, the size of a full-scale building was resting a little bit ahead of where I was. It was
nothing like I’d ever seen before. The closer I got to it, the more it became clear that it was a large shipwreck. I hadn’t
seen it last week, so it must have been a recent incident.
 By: Pankajee

Write a story which includes the sentence ‘he spoke in such a nervous way, she thought he was going to change their
plan’
A narrative with a gripping storyline
Euthanasia
They had been together for exactly 52 beautiful years that Sunday, and all of it was about to come to an end.
“Myrtle,” He said, opening his eyes once more to see his beloved, “I’ll have chicken noodle soup today, does that sound
like a good last meal?”
Myrtle herself was an old woman, though she’d been taken care of by her husband, Hector, for most of their years
together, allowing her to take care of herself while he went to work at his farm. Hector worked hard, and it was the
reason for all his illnesses. She sighed, grinning at his childishness.
“Alrighty then, let’s get you some of that from the cafeteria, I’ll be back.”
And so she went, bringing back a steaming hot bowl of soup. She placed it on Hector’s table, which was right next to the
hospice bed he’d been on for the past 3 years. He grinned, thanked her, and proceeded to drink a spoonful of soup.
“I’m not so sure that I’m ready, y’know, but I guess it’s my time to go”, he said, holding his spoon in his hand. Myrtle sat
silently beside him, knowing he wasn’t changing his mind on the plan; after all, anyone would certainly be worried to
face euthanasia, she thought, so she held his free hand to comfort him. In an attempt to help relieve some of his fear,
she put his favourite talk show on the television- a show he never missed a single episode of, until it was time to leave.
Nurses and doctors surrounded Hector, but his eyes were fixed on Myrtle, whose caring gaze could bring warmth and
comfort to anyone who needed it. She entered the room he was in, standing close to him so he could talk to her.
“I really am scared, oh dear, will it hurt?” he whispered, asking questions from nearly every nurse in sight. He was never
scared of death, and Myrtle knew that very well, though that day he spoke in such a nervous way, she thought he was
going to change their plan.
By Selini Silva
News Report Structure
 Headline, should be short (use alliteration)
 By who (Your name)

1 Who, When, What and Where/ Basic Information. Use short sentences, do not use too much decorative
language.
2 How- Small details and more information. Detailed info that you did not include in first para.
3 eye- witnessed account (direct or reported by someone who saw the whole thing). Introduce them with
their name or as “an eye witness account states…”
4 What is currently happening and what will happen in the future. (if the police are doing anything, what
people in charge are saying, etc.)
Be sure to use INFORMATIVE writing style. Do not include your personal thoughts and opinions.
Keep in mind that-
Formal language is needed here
Informative tone
No jokes, questions, etc.
Do not share your own thoughts and views. You are only reporting information.
Magazine article structure

https://igcseaid.com/notes/english-as-a-second-language-0511/writing-exercise-7-writing-an-article/

Usually, this would follow either a discursive (most of the time) or argumentative structure (rarely, depends on
the question), depending on what the magazine requests that you write about.

 Your tone should be either informative, persuasive or both.

 Pay attention to the audience, purpose and stick to the topic

Keep in mind that-

Semi-formal to formal language is needed here

Conversational tone

Rhetorical questions

Puns

Your own opinions, thoughts and views

Remember that you are writing something that will make the audience want to read more. Try not to be boring
and mundane. Do not write lengthily.

Basic Structure-

 Catchy Title- alliteration, puns, rhymes, rhetorical questions

 Byline
 Intro- keep it brief!
 Subheading/subtopic 1

(You can choose to include subheadings or not. Use alliteration or rhetorical questions for
subheadings if used. If not using subheadings, show the reader what is to be discussed in the
paragraph by clearly stating the topic in the first line of the paragraph)

 Subheading/subtopic 2
 Subheading/subtopic 3
 Conclusion- keep it brief!
Helpful links for OL students-

https://blogswithwg.com/article-writing-format-sample-o-level-english/

https://www.tutopiya.com/blog/how-to-write-the-perfect-magazine-article-for-igcse/

https://revision.co.zw/writing-an-article/
Report Writing (OL students)

https://blogswithwg.com/o-level-report-writing-sample-directed-writing/

You simply “report” an incident or event. A report is a concise document written for a particular purpose and
audience. This means that you give an account of a particular event, issue or topic. Instead of giving your
personal opinions (unless you are asked to do so), you will simply tell what happened.

elements of a report:

 Subject

 Introduction

 Body

 Conclusion

O Level Report Writing Question:

Section 1: Directed Writing

You are advised to write between 200 and 300 words.

 You will be awarded up to 15 marks for following the task instructions.

 You will be awarded up to 15 marks for the language you use.

Task 1:

Many new students join your school every year. Your principal wants to make starting at the school as easy as
possible for the new students and she asks you to write a report for her about how to do this.

Write your report. You must include the following:

 Some of the difficulties that you and other students had when you joined the school
 Suggestions about what the school can do to help new students
 How the students and the school will benefit

Cover all three points in detail. You should make your report polite and informative. Start your report “To the
Principal”. Remember to give a name and a date.
O Level Report Writing Sample:

To the Principal,

Subject: Problems encountered by the new students in school.

This report is going to discuss the problems faced by the new students. We will also explore a few solutions to
these problems to make starting at school easier for new students.

It is very delightful to hear that many students are willing to join our school this year (2022). However, the
students are likely to face some problems during their initial days in school. The sudden change in the
environment is what makes the candidates uncomfortable. They do not feel a part of the institute. Moreover,
approaching teachers and students is even more difficult.

To help the new students, we can conduct an assembly on the first day of school to introduce the teachers and
students. Furthermore, a warm-hearted welcome will give them a friendly atmosphere which is likely to make
them comfortable.

Simultaneously, all of this will bring some benefits to the students and the school. This will allow the candidates
to adjust to new surroundings easily. The students will feel like a part of the institute and therefore, they will be
able to concentrate on their studies. Thus, producing good grades. Due to all this, the reputation of the school is
likely to enhance and the biggest achievement of a school is the satisfaction of its students.

Overall, I hope that my recommendations will be taken into suggestion and they will make starting at school
easier. If you have any questions related to my suggestions, it will be my pleasure to assist you.

Yours faithfully,

Adam Ryan

12th October 2021

a. The report is likely to receive high marks for its “task fulfilment“. This is because the report
starts with “To the Principal” as the question instructs.

b. Similarly, the subject is clearly mentioned which is essential when you are writing a report. In
the end, the name and date are mentioned because the question says, “Remember to give a name
and a date”.

c. There is a lack of planning. For the three content points, the candidate should have provided
better details. It is better to provide “greater details for fewer ideas.”

So before attempting any directed writing topic, take out 5-8 minutes to plan your work. Then, shortlist 2-3
ideas for each content point.
Then, provide relevant details.

Tips-

The introductory paragraph is more than just repeating the question. To write a good introduction, hook your
reader first. Then provide some background information (if possible).

State the purpose of your writing in your introduction.

In report writing, you should avoid giving your opinions. You should only share your opinions if you are asked to do
so.

Along with simple sentences, compound and compound-complex sentences should be used.
Summary writing

Identifying facts from opinions-

Facts would be information such as numbers, locations, names, any kind of statistic and real word information
(like a news report).

Opinions or ‘fillers’ are things included to make it interesting (like what you would find in a magazine article).

When you are told to write a summary, you must identify the FACTS

1. Underline them
2. Put them in order
3. Combine them using complex sentences, since the word limit is often very short.

MAKE SURE you have not included fillers-

 Random information outside the main topic

 Jokes or puns
 What you or the author thinks is best apart from what the data points to
 Rhetorical questions
 And more.

Letter Writing
Persuasive writing
Persuasive essay and Argumentative essay are two different types of essays, and the main difference between them is
that the persuasive essay depends on opinions and emotions while an argumentative essay uses logic and reason.

Example Question-Write a persuasive essay on the topic: shelter dogs need to be adopted into homes.
Use a typical persuasive structure and have at least three arguments.

The essay is typically made up of 3 main sections: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. To
write an effective persuasive essay, each section should contain specific points you want to discuss.
1) The introduction paragraph of your essay should always introduce the topic you will be
discussing. A good introduction paragraph will also have a hook, which is a sentence that grabs
your readers attention. Once you have your hook you will state your thesis. A thesis is the main
point or argument you want to prove in your essay. Every persuasive essay must have a thesis.
Lastly, you should always end each section of your essay with a concluding sentence. This is a
sentence that wraps up the end of a paragraph and helps transition into the next paragraph.

Let’s look at an example of an introduction paragraph of a persuasive essay.

Long ago, ancient Egyptians worshiped cats. They believed they were godly creatures. Today, cats are
still very beloved, but as household pets. Some cats aren’t so lucky; there are many cats who have yet
to find their forever home. Cats are amazing animals that you should consider adopting because they
are very intelligent, have an urgent need to be placed in a home, and make great companions. These
are just a few reasons I’ll discuss as to why cats should be protected.

 This introduction paragraph had a hook, it grabbed our attention by talking about ancient cats,
and related it to cats today.
 We see there is a thesis, the writer believes we need to adopt homeless cats, ideally from
shelters, and gives three reasons why.
 Lastly, they concluded the introduction paragraph by saying they would give more details about
their reasons.

2) Next comes the body paragraphs. The body of a persuasive essay holds all the main points you
as the writer want to argue. It’s best to separate your points by paragraphs; so, if you have three
main arguments, you should have at least three body paragraphs explaining them in detail. When
you argue your points in the paragraph, you must make sure to explain why these reasons
support your thesis. Let’s look at an example.

Cats are very smart animals. Despite what many people think, cats do in fact know their names and
will react when you call out to them. They are also great at solving problems. Cats can easily get
bored, when that happens, they may act mischievous. That’s why cats have puzzle toys to stimulate
their curious minds. Such a smart animal should be able to have a safe home to live and play in peace.

Secondly, cats that end up in shelters don’t always find good homes. Pet shops are popular places to
get cats as pets. When you get a cat from a pet shop, it will live there until it finds a good home. In
shelters however, they can become packed with cats who haven’t found a home. Unfortunately, some
shelters resort to euthanizing the animals when they run out space for new ones. For people who are
interested in helping a cat find a home, why not consider getting one from a shelter instead?
Lastly, despite their bad reputation, cats are very friendly. Cats of all ages are able to cuddle with their
owner and other pets. Some cats, just like people, need time to get used to you, but once they do, you’ll
find you have a great couch surfing buddy that keeps you company. Cats are also low maintenance
pets, and are cleaner than most roommates. Just another reason to consider bringing a cat to your
home.

We can see here that the author addressed the 3 main reasons that support the thesis with 3 body
paragraphs. Each paragraph began with a transition word or hook, then it went into detail to support the
reason, and lastly, it ended the paragraph with a concluding sentence.

3) The conclusion of a persuasive essay is a summary of all the points mentioned earlier that wraps
up the essay and often includes a catchy ending to drive the point home.

Whether you have been thinking of adopting for a long time or just considered it, cats everywhere are
in need of a home. What better way to help an intelligent animal in need and make a new friend than to
adopt a shelter cat!

As we can see, conclusion paragraphs don’t need to be super long. As long as they summarize the
overall thesis and arguments of the essay, it is an effective closing to a persuasive essay.

Tips and tricks to keep in mind to make sure your persuasion is more effective:

Repetition – Don’t say the same thing so many times that you start to sound redundant, but find ways
to bring back your main argument throughout the essay. Your readers and listeners will remember your
argument better if you repeat and emphasize it throughout the piece.

Real-world examples – Whether you are using data, emotions, or credibility to drive your point home,
you should try to always use real-world examples to further persuade your readers.

Call to action – A good thesis in a persuasive essay is a statement that asks the reader to do something.
Think hard about what you want to convince people of and narrow that action into one clear sentence.
The rest of your essay should revolve around that.

Review

The main purpose of a persuasive essay is to persuade the reader to a certain viewpoint or opinion of
the writer. The essay will have an introduction paragraph that introduces the main argument, multiple
body paragraphs that discuss sub-arguments that support the main argument, and a conclusion that
wraps things up. And finally, if you want to make your persuasion more effective, remember to repeat
your main argument throughout the paper, try to use real-world examples to support your points, and
make your thesis a call to action.

Writing a Speech

Goal
You need to argue and debate so the audience are convinced you’re right

To get what you want,

MAKE THEM FEEL

Order of Persuasive Modes

1.
2. Logical 3. Authoritative
Emotional

Layout
A speech is much more about content than style. It is meant to be spoken rather than written, so it’s
more of a script. There’s no special layout like an article or letter; the focus here is more on your
language techniques. You should try and include all the persuasive writing language techniques:

A FOREST:

A Alliteration

F Facts

O Opinions

R Repetition

E Emotive Language

S Statistics

T Three (rule of)

Features Of a Speech :
 Welcome the audience
 Introduce yourself
 Tone a language depends on the context (audience)
 Use the 'you tone' to involve the audience
 Use humour
 Include pauses gestures and fillers (Umm.. etc) but sparingly
 Refer to facts and statistics
 Use a variety of sentence structures
 Include famous quotes
 Express Strong opinions expressed with logical reasoning
 Use figurative language such as facts, metaphors etc ...
 Ask Rhetorical Questions (usually at the beginning at the end, can be included in between
as well)
 Use proper Nouns
 Use emotive language such as 'I feel delighted to' etc
 Vivid language
 Thank audience at the end

Question:

Your best friend is a popular person at school and is very successful both inside and
outside the classroom. Your friend is leaving school to move overseas. Your teacher, Mr
Johnson, asks you to make a speech to your classmates on the last day of term wishing
your friend goodbye and good luck.

Write your speech. You must include the following:

• the name of your friend and where your friend is going
• why your friend is moving
• what you and your classmates will miss about your friend.
Cover all three points above in detail. You should make sure your speech is both polite
and friendly.

Start your speech, ‘Mr Johnson and friends...’

Answer:

Mr Johnson and friends, let me begin my speech with my sincere gratitude to all of you
for your presence. However, I feel really unhappy to tell you that a very well known
figure from our school is leaving us this Friday.

Adam, do you know him? Well, who does not? Mr Johnson and all my respected fellows,
Adam is amidst these last days which he is spending with us. He will be leaving us this
 Friday for Manchester, England. Anyways I know none of us should actually be sad for
Adam moving overseas. It will be just a physical day to day connection that would be
missing, but we all will be virtually connected way too strong. Adam would be living in a
strong long-distance friendship.

As you all know, we only have three months left before we pass out from School. Adam
is indeed a very intelligent student. He had planned to join his father in Manchester and
continue his further studies. I believe all of you would be praying for the best of Adam's
future so do all of us.

Whether it is Adam's academic efficiency that we would miss but his excellence in co-
curricular activities is also leaving us with much to debate.

I thank you all and especially Adam to give me your precious time and listen to me
attentively. Umm well, that's what I have to say. Thank you all once again and I would
conclude my words by saying:
"Great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, impossible to forget."

Read the points under the subheading ‘writing speeches’ in the link below. They are important!

https://revision.co.zw/writing-speeches/