Candidates write about 250350 words, responding in one of the following text types:

1. Letter (formal and informal)

2. journal
3. speech
4. interview
5. newspaper report
6. magazine article
7. report

1a LETTER (FORMAL)
TOP TIPS: Structure for Success

1.

Opening: (Address your letter to Dear + the name or job title of the person you have been asked to
write to, then start a new line for the opening paragraph. Although it is a good idea to put dates and
addresses on formal letters, and to sign them appropriately, these are not required in the exam.

2.

Paragraph 1: Introduction - (Why are you writing? Give the general aim and minimum information
only, e.g. I am writing to complain, apply, request, disagree, and an indication of what you are
responding to e.g. a recent holiday or a letter in last weeks newspaper). Example: Following last
weeks story about immigration, I am writing to complain about the tone of the article.

3.

Paragraph 2: Details of the situation - (Give previous history of event or your background or
experience. Say what happened exactly if you are making a complaint, or focus directly on the text
you are arguing with. This section should include specific data such as names, dates, facts and
details.)

4.

Paragraph 3: Further development - (Give further support to your claim or request. Summarise the
current situation and why you should be given consideration e.g. other problems which occurred
with your holiday accommodation, how well you fulfil the job requirements)

5.

Final paragraph: Future action - (Say what you wish to happen next e.g. that you look forward to
being called for interview or expect to receive some compensation as soon as possible. Suggest,
firmly but politely, what may happen if you do not receive a response to a complaint.)
Endings
Dear Sir,
Yours faithfully,

Dear Mr Brown,
Yours sincerely,

Start: The opening should only use the first name, for example. 'Dear Mum' or
Dear Sarah
Main Content
The content of a personal letter will vary depending on why you are writing.

1b LETTER (INFORMAL)

Remember you are (probably) supposed to know the person to whom you are
writing

5. Interview

Keep that person in mind and don't tell them things they already know about you
Add some personal chat, usually at the start of the letter, to make it seem
genuine (Hi Sarah, How are you doing? I loved the way you looked in that
Facebook photo you posted last week).
Dont waffle make a plan before you start and cover the three points
in as much realistic detail as you can.
Tone: Make sure the main part of letter relates to the task and that you use an
appropriate tone. Don't be bright and cheerful if writing to pass on bad news.
End: The ending can be informal, for example 'Best wishes' or 'Much love', and
be followed by your first name only

2 JOURNAL
A diary is a personal record of things that have happened to the writer. It can also
record the writer's thoughts or feelings.
Key features:
- Write in the first person 'I'
- Date at the top
- Clear paragraphs with topic sentences
- Give a clear sense of the writer's personality and explain their feelings and
changing emotions

- Focus on key moments or incidents in their world

- Provide a sense of time and sequence (use time connectives: finally, afterwards,
earlier, later that day...)
- Varied Punctuation
- Varied Sentence types
JOURNAL: More focus on the external, objective and factual.
DIARY: More emotional, exploring thoughts and feelings of a character.

3 SPEECH
Speeches are usually formal spoken presentations for a particular purpose - often to
persuade the audience to support an idea, or to explain/describe an interesting topic
or event.
If you're asked to write a speech the most important thing is that a strong sense of
voice or viewpoint comes through make the reason for the speech clear from (or
very near) the beginning.
Write in the first person I (but use we to include the audience!)
Use direct address How would you feel?
Clear topic sentences, with separate points/ideas for each paragraph
You dont need speech marks
Use some informal language, shorter sentences and questions to keep your
audience interested

Varied punctuation for effect... (Are you with me? I said are you with me?
Good!)
Range of sentence lengths
Repetition is useful to make sure your listeners remember
Anaphoric phrases (I have a dream. I have a dream)
Rhetorical questions
Rule of three

4 INTERVIEW
Write an interview in the same way as a script. Use the exact
phrases given in the bullet points. You can add little extra from
the interviewer to make the text seem real, but not too much.
o
o
o
o

Put the speaker in CAPITAL LETTERS

Use the first person.
Use a new line whenever a different person talks.
Language should be relaxed, with abbreviations (dont,
cant).

Example
INTERVIEWER: Can you describe what happened to you during
the earthquake and what you did immediately afterwards?

MAYOR:
INTERVIEWER: I see. What are the needs of your people at the
present time?

5 WRITING A NEWSPAPER REPORT/ARTICLE

TOP TIPS: Structure for Success
How to structure a newspaper article:
1.

A catchy headline that captures the main theme of the story. (THIS WILL PROBABLY BE GIVEN BY
THE EXAM - if it is - USE IT!) Amazing alliteration is a good trick.

2.

First paragraph should tell the reader the main events (who, when, what, where). First par should be
under 20 words keep it tight and bright.

No commas or semi-colons keep it smooth. No names in the intro unless theyre famous.
Use the present tense A fisherman has survived a storm. This shows that its in the past but is
important now.

There are two main kinds

a) Factual: An isolated fisherman has been rescued after a heavy storm.

b) Delayed intro: Most people sit at home watching storms. Others, like Alan Johnson, prefer to be in
the heart of them.
3. Then tell the events in order (from start to end).
Be factual. Be unbiased.
Include an eye witness quote from the article your report is based on.
Paragraph each new point. Use very short paragraphs.
Use time connectives (after, later that day, at the same time).
4. End with a prediction of the future or advice.
e.g. police are now investigating /
They hope that next year will be even more of a success.
For more information call 01255 426645

6 MAGAZINE ARTICLE
1 Topic
Introduce the issue, which may be something topical and in the news, or
recently published research, or a proposal which has been put forward by a
government or other agency, or the description of the person that the article
will concern. Unlike a news report, which is informative, and a speech, which
is argumentative, a magazine article is discursive writing.
2 Background
The article is likely to fill in the past history of the person or event which the
article concerns, so that readers are fully aware of the necessary facts and
reason why the article has been written and what has led to the current state
of affairs.
3 Discussion
The article is likely to return to the present-day situation at this point,
discussing and giving different viewpoints of the person or event, with details
and examples and quotations, and making comparisons with the past or with

similar topics. Though the writers own viewpoint may be inferred, alternative
views must be given equal weight and other voices heard.
4 Prediction
At this point the article may deal with the future developments or predicted
outcome of the present situation, e.g. that a person will go on to become even
more famous and successful, or that a current predicament will become worse
if nothing is done about it, or which side will win the political debate.
5 Conclusion
The article needs a neat conclusion, which may be an ironic reference or
humorous comment, or an evaluation of the different viewpoints, or a
reference back to the beginning of the article, or a quotation.

7 REPORT
Reports are official documents written by companies or research agencies.
They are different from newspaper reports.
Official reports have clear, distinct key features:

Do not use the first person I

Keep a formal tone

No abbreviations (do not / dont)

Use the passive voice where possible (the books were taken to)

Avoid emotional phrases; keep things factual