Techniques of Writing Page 1

Technique 1 Components in an (Argumentative, Factual & Expository)

Essay

An essay must contain:
introduction
body/content
conclusion

An essay must have at least 5 paragraphs:
1 for the introduction and 1 for the conclusion
At least 3 for the content

For the content, each paragraph must have 1 main idea and its elaboration/supporting
details.
The basic skills to elaborate the main idea are using wh-questions like what, why, who,
when, how and giving some examples.

Example:
Main idea: I like to eat bananas.

1) Ask yourself, why you like eating bananas?
Answer: They are tasty and their skins are easy to be peeled off.
2) Ask yourself, how much you like bananas?
Answer: Everyday, I must eat at least three bananas, that is, one after breakfast; one after
lunch; and one after dinner. (The phrases in italics are examples)

Hence, when you write in a paragraph:
I like to eat bananas. It is because they are tasty and their skins are easy to be
peeled off. Everyday, I must eat at least three bananas, that is, one after breakfast; one
after lunch; and one after dinner.

Reinforcement Exercise
Elaborate the following main ideas:
1. Smoking is hazardous to health.




2. Deforestation can cause global warming.




3. Recycling is important to save our mother earth.







Techniques of Writing Page 2

Technique 2 Components in a Story (Narrative Writing)

A story is also composed of 3 parts:
Beginning
Event/Climax
Ending

In SPM narrative writing, the questions are mostly stated in either:
1) Write a story that begins with/Write a story beginning with

OR

2) Write a story that ends with/Write a story ending with

Sometimes, the questions are given like an embarrassing experience and a memorable
camping trip.

For every paragraph including the beginning, climax, and ending, make sure that every
paragraph has only 1 focus. In other words, in one paragraph, you can only mention about
one particular event.

For example:

A ray of warm sunlight hit my face and birds started to chirp happily. My heavy eyelids
slowly opened. I woke up and got down from my bed vulnerably and lazily, stretching my
body and giving a lazy yawn. I went towards the window and opened it. Wow, what a
wonderful morning!
(The focus is that morning came. Before the sentence wow, what a wonderful morning! all
the sentences are used to emphasize that morning was here.)


























Techniques of Writing Page 3

Technique 3 Sentence Structures

In an essay, it must have a variety of sentence structures. Without it, the essay will become
flat in tone and dull.

Basically, there are 3 kinds of sentence structures:
1) Simple sentence
2) Compound sentence
3) Complex sentence

Simple sentence
Examples:
I like to eat bananas.
Water is important to humans.

Compound sentence
Examples:
I like to eat bananas becausethey are tasty.
Water is important to humans as their bodies contain 70% of water.

Complex sentence
Examples:
I like to eat bananas, which are sold at markets rather than malls, because they are
fresher and tastier.
Water is important to humans as their bodies contain 70% of water, so they have to
drink at least eight glasses of water everyday to maintain the amount of water in
their bodies.

























Techniques of Writing Page 4

Technique 4 - Cohesiveness

The flow of an essay is very important as it will make the essay lively and sound better. This
can be done by using conjunctions, logical and sequence connectors.

Conjunctions
Conjunctions are used to join phrases or sentences together and hence to form compound
sentences.










Conjunctions Usage Example
and
also
as well as
not onlybut also
To show things of similar
functional value

but
yet
still
To show contrast
although
though
even though
even if
To show concession
or
eitheror
or else
To indicate alternatives
because
as
since
To show reason
that
so that
in order to
To indicate purpose
as
when
while
since
To express time
if
unless
To indicate condition
where
wherever
To indicate place
so
so that
To indicate result


Techniques of Writing Page 5

Logical Connectors
Logical connectors are used to link sentences which follow a logical order. Hence, use them
appropriately.

Logical Connectors Usage Example
As a result
Consequently
Thus
Hence
Therefore
To show connection
between
actions and consequences

However
Nevertheless
Nonetheless
On the other hand
To show contrasting ideas
Besides
In addition
Furthermore/Further
Moreover
To introduce a new idea or
provide extra information

Similarly

To introduce a similar
idea



Sequence Connectors
Sequence connectors are used to link sentences which follow a sequence of events.
They are best used when you are writing essays like speeches, argumentative, factual and
expository writing, etc. They are the essays that require different points, so sequence
connectors can be used to help you arrange your points systematically and accordingly.

Sequence Connectors Example
First/Firstly, Next, Then, After, After that,
Later, Until, Before, Subsequently, Afterwards,
Finally, Meanwhile, Eventually