TYPES OF ESSAYS

1) SHORT COMMUNICATIVE
MESSAGE
2) GUIDED WRITING
3) EXTENDED WRITING
SHORT
COMMUNICATIVE
MESSAGE
Step by step guidance
Jot down your ideas about
Read the question and your choice. Always
highlight the keywords. emphasize on why you
should choose it.

Write it into a paragraph.

Don’t forget to greet and Maximum number of words
conclude the paragraph as is 80 WORDS. Plan wisely.
you are communicating.
GR 123 C METHOD

• GREETING + RESPONSE
• CONTENT + ELABORATION (TASKS 1-3)
• CLOSING / COHESIVE DEVICES / CONJUNCTIONS
TEST FOCUS
1. Make and respond to simple requests and suggestions.
2. Explain simple processes.
3. Narrate factual or imagined events and experiences.
4. Express and respond to opinions and common feelings such as happiness,
sadness, surprise or interest.
5. Punctuate written work with moderate accuracy.
6. Spell written work with moderate accuracy.
7. Begin to use formal and informal registers appropriate to the target audience
in familiar situations.
GUIDELINES AND STRATEGY
1. Keep content relevant to the task given. Response must be clear and brief.
Answer only what is asked, no need for elaboration.
2. Be straightforward and communicative (straight and concise).
3. Use a friendly tone throughout the email.
4. Use cohesive devices (linkers, conjunctions, etc) to link your ideas so that the
reader can easily understand your message.
5. Use vocabulary relevant to the topic.
6. Use grammatically correct sentences.
7. Review your work for grammar, spelling and punctuation errors.
8. Use interesting expressions in your answer.
SHORT COMMUNICATIVE
MESSAGE
GREETING / Hi/Hello Nice to hear from you!
SALUTATIONS How are you Hope you’re doing well!
How are your family? It’s been a while.

AGREEING / I agree with you. That’s a great idea!

ACCEPTING INVITATION You are absolutely right! That sounds fun!
I would love to come! Count me in!

DISAGREEING / I don’t think that’s a good idea… I see things differently.

DECLINING INVITATION I’m afraid I don’t agree. I don’t think I can come.
I think I have to decline. Maybe next time as I…
SHORT COMMUNICATIVE
MESSAGE
GIVING SUGGESTIONS / I suggest… Why don’t we…
RECOMMENDATIONS I would recommend that… Let’s go/do…
I think it’s a good idea to… How about if we…

GIVING ADVICE Why don’t you try… It might be a good idea to…
You have to… I think you need to…
I would advise you to… Maybe you should…

JUSTIFYING It’s a good idea because… Due to… I think this might…
The reason is… Seeing that… I think this…
SHORT COMMUNICATIVE
MESSAGE
EXPRESSING COMMON Congratulations! Have fun!
FEELINGS All the best! Enjoy your trip!
Sorry to hear that. Don’t give up!
My condolences.

CONCLUDING Write soon. Do let me know.

Till I hear from you again. Hope to hear from you soon.
Thanks for your email. I’ll be waiting for your reply.

SIGNING OFF Bye, Your friend,

Your cousin, Best regards,
Best wishes, Warm regards,
To (Recipient’s email address)

From (Sender’s email address)

Subject (Purpose of email)

___________________, - Greetings / salutations

_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ - Body
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ - Conclusion

_____________,
_____________. - Signing off
- Sender’s name
___________________, - Greetings / salutations

_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ - Body
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ - Conclusion

_____________, - Signing off

_____________. - Sender’s name
SAMPLE QUESTION

Hi,
We are planning to have a special dinner for Dad on Father’s Day. Should we have
continental, oriental or local cuisine? Which restaurant do you suggest and what
gift shall we get for him?
Bye!
Laila.
To laila@gmail.com

From samwise-gamgee@yahoo.com

Subject Father’s Day celebration

Hi!

Dad would love local cuisine. He loves only Malaysian food like roti canai and the Tarik. We should go to
Malaysian Flavours restaurant, which sells all types of Malaysian food under one roof including Malay,
Chinese and Indian food. As you know, Dad is crazy about car accessories. He has always wanted sports rims for
his car. Obviously, we should get him these sports rims on his special day. I recommend gold and black rims.

What do you think?

Bye!
Sam.
GUIDED WRITING
(NOTES EXPANSION)
TEST FOCUS
1. Explain advantages and/or disadvantages of:
i. Ideas
ii. Plans
iii. Arrangements

2. Explain the main points for and against an idea or argument.

3. Express and respond to real or imagined opinions or feelings.
4. Organise, sequence and develop ideas within a text of several paragraphs on
familiar topics and some unfamiliar topics.
5. Punctuate written work on a range of text types with reasonable accuracy.
6. Use formal and informal registers appropriate to the target audience.
I CE123 C METHOD
1. INTRODUCTION – Introduce the topic.
2. CONTENT #1 + ELABORATION
• TOPIC SENTENCE
3. CONTENT #2 + ELABORATION
• EXPLANATION
4. CONTENT #3 + ELABORATION
5. CONCLUSION – Summarize/generalize essay.
GUIDELINES AND STRATEGY
1. Read the question carefully. You will be given two or three points in your
writing. Include all points in your essay.
2. State your opinion in the FIRST PARAGRAPH. Be relevant to the task given.
3. Provide reasons or supporting details in your SECOND and THIRD
PARAGRAPHS. You may reiterate your opinion to conclude the essay.
4. The word limit is 120-150 words so do not provide lengthy explanations.
5. Use appropriate vocabulary to the topic and language. Use sentence
connectors to link ideas so your essay can flow well.
6. Review your work for grammar, spelling and punctuation erros.
USEFUL EXPRESSIONS
TO STATE YOUR I strongly believe that… In my opinion…
OPINION To a certain extent I agree… I agree/disagree with…
I think…

TO PRESENT One important advantage is… A further advantage is…

ARGUMENTS FOR Many people are convinced… The first benefit is…
One point of view in favour of… It is often believed that…

TO PRESENT One major disadvantage of… Some people are against…

ARGUMENTS An additional disadvantage is… An important drawback is…
AGAINST One point against… Another major drawback is…

TO ADD SIMILAR Furthermore Also

POINTS In addition to Besides
Apart from this/thatNot to mention the fact that…
Besides that
USEFUL EXPRESSIONS
TO ADD On the other hand… However,
CONTRASTING Despite/in spite of (the fact)… While
POINTS Nevertheless, Even though,
Although It can be argued that,
One can argue that, But
Though it is argued that People argue that
Opponents of this view say, There are people who oppose this…

TO SHOW Firstly, Secondly, To start with,

SEQUENCE OF Finally, Then, To begin with,
IDEAS After that, First of all, In the first place,
Last but not least,

TO INTRODUCE For example, For instance, Such as, Namely,

EXAMPLES
USEFUL EXPRESSIONS

TO CONCLUDE In conclusion, To conclude, To sum up,

All in all, All things considered, On the whole,

Taking everything into consideration,

As was previously stated…
GENERAL FORMAT OF AN ESSAY
INTRODUCTION
_________________________________________________________ Start with a general
statement and mention the
_________________________________________________________ keywords in the situation
given.

_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________ BODY
Answer the first, second
_________________________________________________________ and third prompts and
_________________________________________________________ elaborate briefly with
examples
_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________ CONCLUSION
End with a brief conclusion
_________________________________________________________
SAMPLE QUESTION

Your class has been discussing about the influence of television on students and your
teacher has asked you to write an essay on whether television is beneficial or harmful.

In your essay, you should write about:

• Your opinion on this issue
• Reasons to support your opinion
• Examples of television programmes
 Television is beneficial for students. It provides entertainment, education and
keeps up abreast with the latest news globally.

Television is the easiest form of entertainment. You can take a break by

watching sitcoms or cartoons. The characters’ hilarious antics can keep stress at bay as
laughter is the best medicine.

Television can also be a source of education. During the recent Movement

Control Order (MCO) due to Covid-19, students can learn through programmes such
as Astro Tutor TV which provides lessons using approaches that appeal to students, or
the National Geographic channels where students are able to learn about history,
nature and the environment in the most interesting way.

Finally, television updates us with the latest development around the world.
News channel such as CNN, BBC news, TV3 and TV Al-Hijrah give us the most up-
to-date news of current events.

Therefore, television is definitely beneficial for students to spend their leisure

time at home.
EXTENDED WRITING
THESIS STATEMENT
TOPIC SENTENCE
TEST FOCUS
1. Explain advantages and/or disadvantages of:
i. Ideas
ii. Plans
iii. Arrangements

2. Explain the main points for and against an idea or argument.

3. Express and respond to real or imagined opinions or feelings.
4. Organise, sequence and develop ideas within a text of several paragraphs on
familiar topics and some unfamiliar topics.
5. Punctuate written work on a range of text types with reasonable accuracy.
6. Use formal and informal registers appropriate to the target audience.
GUIDELINES AND STRATEGY
1. Read the THREE questions carefully.
2. Make sure you understand the requirements of each question – pay attention to the
prompts or questions in the stimulus.
3. Choose the option that you know best – be it in terms of format or subject matter. Be
sure to include all the points given in the stimulus.
4. Use vocabulary suitable to your topic and language that is appropriate for your target
audience.
5. Keep to the word limit.
6. Review and edit your work for grammar, spelling and punctuation errors.
TYPES OF ESSAYS

Article Review Report

Formal
Story Speech
Letter
 ARTICLE

A piece of writing about a particular

subject. Its purpose can be to give
information, news, suggestions or
opinion to the reader. An article can
appear in newspapers, magazines,
newsletters or on the internet.
I CE123C
1. Introduction/Background – 25 words
2. Content+Elaboration #1
3. Content+Elaboration #2 45 – 50 words
4. Content+Elaboration #3
5. Conclusion
GUIDELINES AND STRATEGY
1. Read the question carefully.
2. Start you article with a title – yu may use the one given I the stimulus if you wish, or
come up with a new one. Remember to write your name in the next line.
3. Read the stimulus carefully and understand what is required in your article. Use the
points given to guide you.
4. Come up with a strong opening line. The first line must be able to capture the
attention of the reader and set the tone of the article. Here are some ways you may
start your article:
• Use a quote
• Share a personal story
• Ask a question
• Tell the reader to imagine a scenario
• Share an interesting fact
GUIDELINES AND STRATEGY
5. Remember to keep your introduction short as you do not want to bore the reader or
give away too much information in the beginning.
6. State the aim of the article in the introductory paragraph.
7. Break your main points into paragraphs – preferably a paragraph for each point.
8. Avoid lengthy elaborations as you need to keep to the word limit – 200 to 250 words
maximum.
9. Use sentence connectors to link your ideas so that the reader can easily understand
your viewpoint.
10. Review and edit your essay for grammar, spelling and punctuation errors.
SAMPLE QUESTION

ARTICLES WANTED!

Let’s Go Camping!
• What was your recent camping experience?
• What are the benefits of camping?
• What facilities should be improved at camping sites?

Write us an article answering these questions.

The best article will be uploaded on the school website.
 Let’s Go Camping
By Sheila Ramly

Have you ever felt that life in the city is too hectic and you just want to get away from it
all? Well, why not go camping? It is a fun activity that allows you to enjoy the great outdoors
amidst all the Mother Nature has to offer.
Recently, my family and I had a great time camping at Kenny’s Campsite. Located near a
waterfall which gave us a marvellous view, the campsite was also very clean and well-equipped
with different types of accommodation, from tents to dorms and chalets.
We love camping because there are many benefits to be gained. Firstly, it is a great way to
bond with your family, minus the distractions of technology. Apart from that, it allows us to work
together when doing activities such as setting up the tents, gathering firewood, fishing and cooking.
Secondly, camping is a great way to bond with nature. We realised how important nature is to
mankind and how we must try to preserve it. Finally, camping tests our physical fitness, especially BACK
in activities such as jungle trekking, kayaking and swimming. It is definitely a change from our
usual sedentary lives that is a gateway to many health issues.
Although camping is great fun, there are some facilities that camping sites must improve on.
Safety is priority so having a well-lit campsite especially at night is important. Furthermore, it is
good to provide facilities for people with special needs so that they are able to enjoy the
experience too.
REVIEW

A piece of writing in which

the writer gives his or her
opinion on a book, movie,
place, product, service,
performance and so on.
BOOK REVIEW CHECKLIST MOVIE REVIEW CHECKLIST
 Title  Title
 Author  Director
 Genre  Actors/Actresses
 Year of publication  Genre
 Brief synopsis  Year of Release
-Where does the story take place?  Brief Synopsis
-Who are the main characters? -Where does the story take place?
-What is the story about? -Who are the main characters?
 What do you like about the book? -What is the story about?
Why?  What do you like about the movie?
-Story Why?
-Language -Story
-Themes/moral values -Cinematography
 Would you recommend it? Why? -Acting
-CGI
-Music/soundtrack
 Would you recommend it? Why?
PLACE REVIEW CHECKLIST
 Name of place
 Date/time of visit
 Location/address
 Accessibility – how to get there
 Brief description of place
- View/décor/ambience
- Any special features
 Food served
 Quality of service
 Price range
 What do you like about the place?
Why?
 Would you recommend? Why?
PRODUCT REVIEW
CHECKLIST
 Name of product
 Date/time of purchase
 Where it was purchased
 Brief description of product/key
features
 How is the product different from
others in the market?
 Price range
 Where to purchase the product
 What do you like about it? Why?
 Would you recommend? Why?
GUIDELINES AND STRATEGY
1. Read the questions carefully and understand what is required in your review. Use the
questions given to guide you.
2. Write the title of the review.
e.g. Nevermore: A Book Review
The Book Owl Café: A Review
Review of the Kobo e-Book Reader
3. You may start with an introduction of what you are reviewing.
e.g. I recently watched/read…
One of my favourite restaurants is…
The product I would like to review is…
The vacation spot I would like to review is…
GUIDELINES AND STRATEGY
4. Provide some background information or details of what you are reviewing in the
opening paragraph. For example:
e.g. The book is written by… / The movie is directed by…
The genre of the book/movie is…
The book was published in… / The movie was released…
The restaurant is located in… / You can get to the restaurant by…
The product claims to…
5. Answer the first question in the stimulus – say what you like about the
book/movie/product. Give reasons and elaborate what you like/dislike about it.
Remember, the point must be relevant to the prompt given.
e.g. It is a fun/entertaining/chilling/inspiring story that…
It features a great cast of characters including…
One of the things I love about the café is…
This is a great product as…
GUIDELINES AND STRATEGY
6. End the review with your recommendation. Would you recommend it or not? Give a
short explanation for your answer. For example:
e.g. I thoroughly recommend this book/movie because…
It is one of the best books I have ever read/movies I have ever seen.
Although I enjoyed the food, I would not recommend it as…
This product is recommended for…
7. Keep to the word limit of 200-250 words.
8. Use sentence connectors to link your ideas.
9. Review and edit your essay for grammar, punctuation and spelling erros.
SAMPLE REVIEWS REQUIRED!
QUESTION Have you read an interesting book lately! Send us your
book review.
What did you like about the book?
Will you encourage your friends to read this book? Why?

The best review will be awarded cash prize.

 Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde: A Book Review

The book the I have enjoyed reading the most lately is an evergreen classic entitled Dr Jekyll
and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. It is part science fiction, part fantasy novel first
published 1886. this is an abridged version published by Fontana Books and available at Famous
Bookstore.
This story follows a lawyer, Gabriel Utterson, who investigates the strange case of Dr Jekyll
and Mr Hyde. Dr Jekyll is a renowned and noble doctor from the upper crust society. Unknown to
anyone, he has a dark side as he derives pleasure from inflicting pain onto others. To camouflage
his sadistic nature, he creates Mr Hyde by drinking a potion. Through Mr Hyde, Dr Jekyll carries
out his heinous activities to satisfy his appetite for cruelty.
I find this book fascinating because the concept of split personality is explored even during
the 1800s. This is an interesting phenomenon that plagues people even in the urban society today.
I also enjoyed reading the struggle between good and evil and how even the most educated person
has dark desires. BACK
I would definitely encourage my friends to read this book, especially those who love science
fiction. Since this book is an abridged version, the language has been simplified and so it is an
easy read and is suitable for all levels. The story is fast-paced and it has a shocking ending that I
think about even until today.
REPORT

A formal account of an event, project or

situation. Types of reports you may be
required to write include:
• Club/society report
• Report on a school event
• Report addressing a complaint/grievance
• Report based on a survey
FORMAT (Formal Writing)

• INTRODUCTION – aim/purpose/focus of the report

• BODY PARAGRAPHS 1-3
• CONCLUSION
GUIDELINES AND STRATEGY
1. Read the question carefully and understand the kind of report you are required to
write. Use the prompts to guide you.
2. Pay attention to your role and the audience – who are you and who is the report for?
3. State the aim of the report in the introduction. You may give a brief background of the
situation.
4. Answer the prompts and elaborate. Arrange them in paragraphs.
5. If the question asks for it, give your recommendation, suggestion or proposal in the
concluding paragraph.
6. Use sentence connectors to link your ideas.
7. Keep to the word limit of 200-250 words.
8. Review and edit your essay.
GUIDELINES AND STRATEGY
 Write the title of the report.
 Write an introduction stating the aim and some background information.
 State Detail 1. Provide reasons on why target population/people
agree/disagree/like/dislike as well examples where necessary.
 State Detail 2. Provide reasons on why target population/people
agree/disagree/like/dislike as well examples where necessary.
 Write a conclusion to summarize your points.
 End the report by signing off on the left, followed by your full name, position and
class.
SAMPLE QUESTION

As the Class Monitor, you have been asked to

write a report for your class teacher on the types
of television channels that your classmates
watch.
Your report should include:
• The purpose of the report
• The two most popular channels your
classmates watch
• The reason for watching them
 REPORT ON THE TWO MOST POPULAR TELEVISION CHANNELS IN FORM 5 FARABI

The aim of this report is to state the two television channels that the class of 5 Farabi watch the most. A
survey was conducted recently and it was found that the two most-watched channels are National Geographic and
AXN.
The National Geographic channel takes the top spot because we feel it is most helpful to us in our
studies as well as possible future careers. As Science stream students, we learn Chemistry, Biology and Physics.
These subjects are dealt with in detail in the programmes featured on this channel. For example, Physics students
will benefit from watching aeronautics programme as it deals with the principles of combustion, which is part of
the Physics syllabus. They will be able to understand the topic better as the narration and visual graphics explain
this principle in great length. Also, we understand the nature of animals in the wild via this channel. For those who
are keen on a career as a veterinarian, there are programmes like Dr Pol where we are able to understand this job
scope.
The second most popular channel in this class is AXN. This channel has many entertaining and
informative programmes that are also beneficial for Science students. For example, Biology students enjoy
watching programmes such as CSI which help us understand the principles of forensic science. Students who
desire a career in forensic science will benefit from this programme as it portrays the work specifications of a BACK
forensic investigator.
In conclusion, these two channels are popular because they are beneficial to our studies as well the
professions that we wish to pursue.

Reported by
Jihan Yusoff
Class Monitor
Form 5 Farabi
STORY (NARRATIVE
WRITING)

To tell the reader a story where the characters

face a problem or go through an interesting or
entertaining experience.
Narrative writing has these elements:
 Setting – where and when the story takes place
 Characters – the people in the story
 Plot – sequence of events in the story
 Tense – written in Past Tense.
THINGS TO CONSIDER

• IMPORTANT: decide on a plot for your story.

• Sequence of events. Use time words, e.g: at first, before, until, while, during, etc.
• Use various adjectives. Refer to your Booklet.
• Be careful with your tenses;
 PAST CONTINUOUS to set the scene,
 PAST SIMPLE to describe the main events of the story, and
 PAST PERFECTto provide background of the story.

• Descriptions of people, places, objects or events and descriptive techniques when

emphasizing specific parts of your story.
 INTRODUCTION characters and settings mentioned

PURPOSE: RISING ACTION events that begin to lead to conflict

to educate, motivate, or
entertain. CONFLICT problem that character(s) must overcome

CLIMAX CLIMAX highest point in story where matters come to a

peak
FALLING events after the climax leading to resolution
ACTION
(30 words) RESOLUTION the end of the story where matters are resolved
CONFLICT and the moral lessons mentioned.

FALLING ACTION
(70 words)
RISING ACTION

(30 words)
INTRODUCTION RESOLUTION
 CHARACTERS
 Give names
 Describe what they look like
 Describe their personality
 State the relationship between your characters
 Describe their feelings
PLOT
 Describe conflict/problem that arises
 How did the character(s) tackle the problem?
 Did the character(s) solve the problem in a
realistic way?
 Did the character(s) learn any lessons from it?
SETTINGS
 State where and when the story takes place
 Use descriptive words to describe the setting
LANGUAGE
 Decide on the point of view – first, second or
third person?
 Make sure the tense used is consistent (present
or past)
 Include dialogues to make the story come alive
 Use words that appeal to the five senses – sight,
hearing, smell, touch and taste.
 Include some figurative language to make the
story interesting, e.g. metaphors, simile,
onomatopoeia, simile, proverb, etc.
GUIDELINES AND STRATEGY
1. Read the question carefully and decide the kind of story you are required to write. Use
the title and prompts to guide you.
2. Write the title given.
3. Decide on the POV you want to use.
4. Look at the tense used in the prompt to decide on the tense to use in the story.
5. Set the scenario in the first paragraph. Introduce characters, setting and time frame.
Give names to the characters.
6. Answer the first prompt in the second paragraph and elaborate – e.g. describe the
problem the character encountered.
7. Develop the events up to climax.
8. Answer the second prompt in the third paragraph and elaborate – e.g. how was the
problem resolved?
GUIDELINES AND STRATEGY
9. End your story with a logical conclusion. Include moral values that are relevant to the
story.
10. Keep to the word limit.
11. REVIEW AND EDIT YOUR ESSAY.
SAMPLE QUESTION

Your teacher has asked you to write a story for the school magazine. The story must
have the title:

A Painful Lesson
Your story should include:
• A description of the painful situation
• What the person learned from the situation
 A Painful Lesson

Salimah’s parents run a food stall near their village. The food is good and there are normally
many customers at the stall. Her brother, Salman, always helps out but Salimah is reluctant to help as
she prefers hanging out with her friends or playing video games.
One day, she received a phone call from her frantic brother. He told her that their mother had
fainted in the kitchen of the stall and fell hard on her head. He was taking her to the hospital and
asked her to meet them there as soon as possible.
Salimah froze as she heard those painful words. She was shocked and blamed herself for not
helping her mother. Her mother did tell her that she was not well and she wanted Salimah to help her
at the stall but Salimah refused. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she quickly cycled to the hospital.
When she entered the ward, she was shocked to see a bandage around her mother’s head. Her
mother was lying on the bed with her eyes closed. Salimah held her mother’s hands and sought
forgiveness. She sobbed loudly.
Her mother quickly hugged her and consoled her. Her mother reassured her that she was well BACK
but Salimah had to help her father and brother at the stall. The speechless Salimah quickly nodded
her head.
From that time onwards, Salimah went dutifully to the stall. She had changed over a new leaf.
Her mother’s accident was indeed a painful lesson she would never forget.
SPEECH

Speech Writing is a way of sharing your thoughts

with an audience through words. It is like essay
writing, but the tone of a speech differs from an
essay as in a speech you must grab the attention of
the audience. It will be possible when you
understand the purpose of your speech, your
audience, time duration, and how you need to
deliver your speech in order to connect with the
audience.
SPEECH

“There are three things to aim at in public

speaking: first, to get into your subject,
then to get your subject into yourself, and
lastly, to get your subject into the heart of
your audience.”
- Alexander Gregg
GUIDELINES AND STRATEGY
1. Read the question carefully and determine the speech you are required to write. Use the
title and prompts to guide you.
2. Write an opening for the speech. Always greet your audience and tell them the topic of
your speech.
E.G
A very good morning to the school principal, teachers, and all my friends. Today I am honoured to
stand here to give you a speech on ‘The Disadvantages of Smoking’. What I am going to share with
you is important. Make sure you pay attention to me in the next five minutes.
3. Decide on the tense of your speech.
4. Set your facts after the first introductory paragraph. If you have a little background
knowledge on the topic, it would be better. Always link them back to the topic of your
speech.
GUIDELINES AND STRATEGY
5. Connect your main points with your facts. Use sequence connectors to link your points
to make your speech flow more smoothly.
6. Answer all the questions in your prompts OR expand on all the notes given.
7. End your speech with a ‘thank you’ to the audience.
8. Be mindful of your word limit (120 words).
9. REVIEW AND EDIT YOUR ESSAY.
SAMPLE QUESTION

On Teacher’s Day, you as the head prefect of the school have been asked to give a speech.

With the help of the notes below please write out your speech:

• the purpose of Teacher’s day – we must appreciate their efforts, service and their dedication
• teachers – give knowledge, moral values of life, skills for examination, advising us what is
wrong and corect our mistakes
• programme of the Teacher’s day – teachers are invited to attend a concert, organise lot of
games and activities and lunch is served.
 A very good morning to our respected and honorable principal, teachers and my fellow friends. In
conjunction with Teacher’s day, I as the head prefect of our school have been asked to give a speech.
On 16th May, Teacher’s Day is celebrated by all of us and across the world. The main purpose of
Teacher’s Day celebration is for us to value and treasure their spirited dedication and untiring service. Time
and energy may have been sacrificed by the teachers to bring up and give the best outcomes to the pupils. A
very motherly look have been used by them to look after us like their own children. In preparation for our
examinations, they also have imparted and convey on the students a great deal of knowledge and skills.
Teachers are also a good counsellors which means they are good listeners and the one who will advise and
correct us if we do wrong. Many students have turned over a new leaf and go down the right path. These are
all caused by the teacher’s concern towards their students.
Today, we have lined up a few programmes and activities, as an appreciation for our beloved and
dedicated teachers. First and foremost, teachers are invited to attend a concert. In the concert there will be
many performances. A chorus and magic show also would be there. In addition, teachers will also
participate in games that have been organised. Teachers and students are been prepared to have few games
together. Before we leave, the teachers would be prepared with a special lunch and will be served by our
school canteen.
Today is the big day that we can show our big and deep appreciation to our teachers. So, I would like BACK
to take this chance and golden opportunity to express my gratitude and to thank our beloved teachers. Last
but not least, the importance of appreciating our respected teachers should be emphasized. We can show our
appreciation in many ways such as listening to their advice and by getting flying colours in the
examinations. Lastly, I would like to share this quote “A teacher is like a candle it consumes itself to light
the way for others.”
Thank you for lending me your ears.
FORMAL LETTER

Formal letters are written adhering to

certain rules. Formal letters are mostly
written to higher authorities, public
institutions. You can use a formal letter to
express a wish or request. Letters that do
not follow the formal letter rules are often
ignored, so learning the rules is important.
GUIDELINES AND STRATEGY
1. Read the question carefully and determine the letter you are required to write. Use the
title and prompts to guide you.
2. Understand the format needed for your essay. Underline certain key points in the
prompts given to understand what you need to write. Normally, you will get the title for
your letter from the question.
E.G.
On behalf of your English Language Society, write a letter to the Director of Kasih Orphanage for
permission to visit the orphanage. Your letter should not be less than 120 words.
3. Write your essay in PRESENT TENSE.
4. Set all the details needed according to the format. It is always good to provide points to
prove that you know what you’re doing, like you’re writing an actual formal letter.
GUIDELINES AND STRATEGY
5. Never forget to give reasons and examples in your letter. Use sequence connectors to
help link your essay more smoothly.
6. Always use the standard “wrap-up” at the end of your letter.
e.g.
I hope you can consider this
I hope you can take immediate/prompt actions.
Please contact me at XXX-XXXXXX
Thank you for your cooperation. I hope to receive your reply soon.
7. The way to end a formal letter is often similar:
i. Tell them that you hope they can think about your request.
ii. Ask them to reply as soon as possible.
iii. Leave your contact details.
iv. Say thank you.
SAMPLE QUESTION

As the Secretary of the Environment Club, you have to organise a field

trip to AquaWorld, a popular aquarium.
In about 120 words, complete the formal letter seeking permission to visit
the place. Follow the formal of a formal letter.

You may use the notes below to help you write the content.
Secretary of the Environment Club
SMK Taman Forest, Sender’s address
Persiaran Forest Jaya,
70450 Seremban
Education Officer,
AquaWorld, Receiver’s address and
Jalan Sejati, date
50088 Kuala Lumpur 5 April _____

Dear Sir/Madam Address the receiver

State the reason for writing the letter

Title of the letter
Paragraph 1
• State the reason for writing the letter
• State the purpose of the field trip
Paragraph 2
• Include the proposed day, date and time of the field trip
• Express what you seek from the aquarium Body of the letter
Paragraph 3
• Ask about entrance fee
• Ask if the date is convenient
Thank you for your cooperation. I hope to hear from you soon. End your letter
politely

……………………………….
Yours faithfully, Sender’s signature,
name, position
……………………………….
(NAME OF SECRETARY)
Secretary
Environment Club
SMK Taman Forest
THANK YOU.