Functional Skills English - The Learning Curve Literacy Site€¦ · Functional Skills. English. Level 1. Learning Resource 6. Writing for Different Purposes. Wt/L1.1-6

Functional SkillsEnglish

Level 1

Learning Resource 6Writing for Different Purposes

Wt/L1.1-6

WRITING FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES LEVEL 1

©West Nottinghamshire College 1

Excellence in skills development

6

Contents

6a Planning and Drafting Wt/L1.1 Pages 2 - 14

6b Level of Detail Wt.L1.2 Pages 15 - 16

6c Using Linking Words to Write in Wt/L1.3 Page 17 a Logical Sequence

6d Sequencing Instructions Wt/L1.3 Page 18

6e Using Paragraphs Wt/L1.3 Pages 19 - 21

6f Language Suitable for Purpose and Audience Wt/L1.4 Pages 22 – 29

6g Understanding Format and Structure Wt/L1.5 Page 30

6h Presenting Factual Information Wt/L1.5 Pages 31 - 33

6i Workplace Writing Formats Wt/L1.5 Pages 34 - 35

6j Format and Structure for Planning Wt/L1.5 Page 36

6k Proofreading Wt/L1.6 Pages 37 - 43

6l Proofreading for Tutors Wt/L1.6 Page 44


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Excellence in skills development Information Planning and Drafting Good planning is needed before writing. For example, when writing a letter, making and ordering notes makes it easier to structure the final text. When writing a letter of complaint, you need an introduction stating the complaint, followed by an explanation and finally a sentence bringing it to a close. Example A letter of complaint about the noise your next door neighbours are making. First make some notes. Complain about noise Times Electric guitar and drums Reasonable person Early night Banged on wall, phoned Head hit the pillow Enjoy music myself Not the first time Reduce noise level Going to authorities Anticipating a quieter evening Then number the ideas putting them into paragraphs. 1) Complain about noise 2) Times 3) Electric guitar and drums 3) Reasonable person 2) Early night 2) Banged on wall, phoned 2) Head hit the pillow 3) Enjoy music myself 3) Not the first time 4) Reduce noise level 4) Going to authorities 5) Anticipating a quieter evening Then make a final copy of the letter. An example of what the final copy may look like is on the next page. The opening and closing statements are the most important sentences.



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Excellence in skills development

I felt that it was very inconsiderate of you to be playing the drums and electric guitar so loudly and so late in the evening. I went to bed at 11 o’clock thinking that I needed to have an early night but no sooner had my head hit the pillow than the noise started. I banged on the wall repeatedly but you either ignored it or you were unable to hear. When it was evident that you could not hear me, I decided to phone you instead. Again, there was no response. I think I am a reasonable person and enjoy music myself, but I keep the volume low so that I do not disturb you and our other neighbours. If this was an isolated incident I would ignore the disturbance but it is the fourth time in a week that I have been unable to get to sleep until the early hours of the morning. Please try and reduce the noise level, I do want to solve this problem amicably without going to the authorities. Anticipating a quieter evening, Your neighbour, Anna

I am writing to complain about the fearful noise there was last night.

Dear George and Fred 20th April 2007 Birmingham Longton 15 Little Terrace



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Excellence in skills development Exercise 1 Either plan and draft a reply; Think carefully about what you are going to say and make some notes. Before making the draft, think about and then number the points you are going to make in each paragraph. Or write a letter of complaint about a product you have bought or an event that has caused you problems.



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Excellence in skills development Information Planning and Drafting There are occasions when detailed planning and drafting are inappropriate, e.g. writing an email or letter to a friend, writing notes for your own personal use. For Example This is an email from someone having a fantastic holiday. Emailing from an Internet café on holiday is usually charged by the minute so planning could prove expensive as well as being less spontaneous. Notice that the words used are more informal than when writing a letter to someone on a more formal subject. Example

Hiya Still having a wicked time here! Just thought I’d email ‘cos Alison’s faffing around trying to get a visa. It’s just so nice here that we are staying over the month and are having to see less of the rest of South East Asia, but we figure it’s best to not be rushing the whole time and there’s just so much we want to do here! Since last time I emailed you (yes, Chris I got no reply) I have been to an island called Ko Lanta which was so funny. It was just hippyville! We saw some of the most gorgeous beaches from here, one island was just a rock but when you swam through these caves you ended up in the middle of this rock in this cute cove beach, it was brilliant!! Then we moved on to Krabi from where we went kayaking through mangrove forests, it was well hard trying to steer down and through the bushes without scary spider crabs landing on you! And, ‘cos we are so friendly, our sweet tour man gave us a second kayaking tour to a gorgeous island where we were the only people on the beach, it does pay to be blonde here sometimes. He he!

Speaking of that, it’s well funny ’cos everyone thinks that we are either Swedish or

Australian. It’s cool man, my tan is really building up. We spent a couple of days in Ko Samui but is a bit of a holiday resort. See you. Katy



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6Excellence in skills development

Exercise 2 Write an email to a friend about somewhere you have been, or something that has happened to you. Remember to use informal language, this is the type of writing where you can write as you speak and it doesn’t need to be planned.

Can you think of any other occasions when it is not necessary to plan and draft your writing? Discuss your ideas with another learner.


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Excellence in skills development Information Planning and Drafting Making a flow chart or another type of diagram is a way of planning a piece of writing. It is especially suitable for writing instructions. For Example Beth needs to write some instructions for her friend to find her house. She writes a plan using a flow diagram.

Take B 432


5 miles left B213

Immediately right, old house 3 miles right, Holehouse Lane

Through Wood Green on to Newtown

Lights turn towards Longton Drive 2.5 miles up hill. At

PO right turn Penfold Road

House 3rd right


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Excellence in skills development She then uses the notes to make numbered instructions. 1) From Whitchurch take the A432 towards Longton.

2) Drive for 5 miles to the T junction.

3) Turn left along the B213.

4) Immediately take the right turn to Littlestone by the old black and white house.

5) About 3 miles along this road turn right again along Holehouse Lane.

6) Pass through Wood Green and on to Newton.

7) Through the suburbs to the traffic light in the centre.

8) Turn left towards Longton and continue for 2.5 miles.

9) At the top of the hill by the Post Office turn right into Penfold Road.

10) My house is the 3rd on the right, the one with the red door.

Exercise 3 Use a flow chart to plan and then draft some instructions for an activity which you do regularly e.g. operating a video, making a mobile phone call, sending a text message, sending an email. Show your instructions to another learner. Can they use them successfully? Do you need to modify them to make them clearer and easier to understand?


LittlestoneB213

Wood Green

Longton

My Home

Newton

Whitchurch Redraft and make improvements.


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Excellence in skills development Information Planning and Drafting When planning a short piece of writing conveying a small amount of information, using bullet points is sometimes the best way. For Example This is a bulleted list made to produce the following short piece which was written for a college website about their pool club.

• Enjoy playing socialising • Long running • Improve standards • Social atmosphere • Thursday • Website • Friendly, welcome new members • Club ladder • End of year tournament

Do you enjoy playing a game and socialising? Then maybe the college Pool Club is for you. It is a long running sports club that, as the name suggests, aims to improve standards of pool, as well as providing a very social atmosphere between members. Our club night is every Thursday, check our website to find out what is planned each week. We are a friendly group of people and welcome new members. There is a Pool Club ladder which feeds the top 16 players through to an end of year competition. There are tournaments at the end of each term, in which all members can compete for the chance to win many special prizes! Exercise 4 You have been asked to produce a short piece for a website about a sport or activity that interests you. Plan your piece using bullet points. When drafting your piece, make sure it is short and interesting.



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Excellence in skills development Information Planning and Drafting A writing frame can be very useful when structuring a piece of writing. It provides a framework for your planning and ensures that your piece is well ordered. For Example This frame was used to produce the following article about a successful rugby season.

Writing Frame

Introduction

Successful, best for several years

1st idea/theme

High hopes lose 2 games commitment desire cup game awful conditions different on better day

2nd idea/theme

Gap between best and us small, illustrate using Eastcliffe game skill of players winners of 7s in regional, National hopes

3rd idea/theme

Core of squad leaving proud left team in good state

4th idea/theme

Difficult for next year’s team, practice and training

Closing Statement

Thanks everyone. Well done



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Excellence in skills development Article

Last season was successful, but this season has produced some of the best rugby seen at the college for some several years.

There were high hopes for this season’s results. The team has again achieved the unbelievable this season. To only lose 2 games all season is testament to their commitment and desire and it was unfortunate that the Cup game against Greenwood College was played in such awful conditions; on a better day the result could have been different.

It is always good to compete against the best and this was achieved by playing Eastcliffe College, the present cup holders, just before Christmas and to be down only 17 - 12 with minutes to go, and pushing for the winning try, illustrates that the gap between the best and ourselves is very small and this is a credit to the desire and skill levels of the players. To top off a fantastic season, the team were the outstanding winners of the area 7 - a - side tournament beating our rivals 36 - 5 in the final and we are looking forward to repeating this success in the National 7's.

The core of the squad will leave at the end of the year and they can be proud of the fact that they have left Rugby in a powerful position and have laid the foundations for further successful seasons.

Next year’s team will have a difficult task to play as well and have the same success as the current squad. The Cup has eluded us this year but, with practice and hard training, anything is possible for the next season.

Well done to all the players and thank you to everyone who has made this successful season possible. N.B. Each idea/theme has been written in a separate paragraph.



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Excellence in skills development Exercise 5

Write a report for a club or college news sheet. Use the following writing frame to plan your ideas. It could be about a sporting activity, a place visited, a club or a hobby.

Remember that the plan is to help you to organise your ideas, notes are much better than complete sentences.

Introduction

1st Idea/theme

2nd Idea/theme

3rd Idea/theme

4th Idea/theme

Closing Statement

Now use the notes in the writing frame to draft your article.



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Exercise 6 Using the writing frame, write a report or article for a club or college news-sheet about an event you have attended or an activity you are interested in. Remember that the frame tells you where to start each new paragraph. The introduction and closing statements are the most important.


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Excellence in skills development Information Planning and Drafting Careful planning produces a well thought out and effective piece of writing. There are several different methods for planning.

• Bullet points • Writing frames • Lists • Notes • Diagrams • Flow charts

Some of these have been looked at on previous worksheets.

Exercise 7 Discuss alternative planning techniques with other learners. Plan some writing on a topic of personal interest using your preferred method. Exchange plans with another learner and compare and discuss techniques.

• Have you used the same method? • Why did you choose this method? • Are some methods better suited to certain types of writing? • Do you think you have used the most appropriate method of planning?

Make improvements to your planning. Draft the piece of writing.



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Excellence in skills development Information Style of writing is about the combination of choices that a writer makes. One of those choices is about how much detail to include. This obviously affects the length of a piece of writing and will be very dependant on the purpose of the piece of writing and the intended audience. The best way of appreciating how much detail is needed is to read and discuss a wide range of texts. Examples Examples of bad practice would be:

• DIY instructions which were so detailed as to be confusing; • reports that are so generic they don’t actually give you any real information on

which to act; • a letter of complaint that goes into unnecessary detail and hence loses its “bite”

and is therefore unlikely to receive the desired attention from the recipient. Exercise 8 1) Collect a number of instruction booklets and sheets from DIY flat pack furniture, DVD

machines, domestic appliances etc and decide how the language, amount of detail and length of text helps or hinders your use the instructions. The following table will help you make a note of your findings.

Instructions for:

Were they bulleted/numbered?

How many words, on average in each instruction?

How easy were they to follow?



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Excellence in skills development 2) If you have access to other learners, discuss together what features were helpful and

unhelpful to the usefulness of the instructions. 3) Choose one of these examples which you felt was an example of bad practice and

rewrite the instructions considering the value of choosing a more appropriate level of length and detail.

Exercise 9 Read the following example of a letter of complaint. Discuss with other learners, if possible, or decide for yourself, why the letter may not be as effective as it could be.

Dear Sir I write to complain about the dreadful service we experienced when we visited your restaurant, The Royal Tiger on Gedling Gate last Friday. It was my mother’s birthday and we wanted everything to be really special because she has recently been in hospital to have a hip replacement. She has been in a lot of pain and hasn’t been able to get out of the house much recently. We thought the evening out at your restaurant would cheer her up but unfortunately that was not about to happen. The waiter was extremely unhelpful. He didn’t seem to know anything about the dishes on the menu and couldn’t be bothered to find out about dishes which may contain nuts. This was important since my niece suffers from a nut allergy. She once had a very unfortunate experience in another restaurant when she almost stopped breathing because a vegetarian meal she had ordered contained peanuts but didn’t state the fact. Since then we have to be really careful about what we order for her. We ordered six meals in all, two of which came 10 minutes before the other four and were therefore cold before we could all start eating together. My steak was extremely tough and my wife had ordered a rare steak but there was not a bit of blood to be seen!!! Do people in this part of the country not understand what “rare” means when serving steak? I have encountered this problem before when ordering steak in this town. A young woman, wearing a rather immodest low-cut top, served us our dessert and to say she was rude does not go half way to describing her manner! I do not understand why any respectable restaurant would want to employ such staff. Needless to say we did not leave a tip!! To top everything off the bill was wrong. We had to wait a further 15 minutes while someone found the manager – heaven knows what he was doing at the time – for him to correct the bill. All in all, not a very successful evening out!! I await your reply with interest.

With a highlighter, mark the details of the letter which, in your opinion, could be deleted in order to make the letter more effective.



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Excellence in skills development Information Using Linking Words Below is an example of an informal text giving some information directly addressed to the reader. It is important that one point follows from another and often a selection of linking phrases help. Such words and phrases include: firstly, secondly, finally, first of all, to sum up, you might think that, as well as, before, however, then, etc. Example You will find eating out of doors a popular and informal way of entertaining and cooking. It was thousands of years ago that man first discovered that he could light a fire and that food tasted better cooked. The next great leap forward in cooking occurred when the spit was invented. You may well know that it was then common-place to roast a whole beast over the fire. Today, however, the barbecue is much more sophisticated. Nevertheless, the barbecue is basically a very simple idea and can be used practically anywhere. Now there is all manner of gadgets and utensils that you can find to make barbecuing very easy and even you can become a ‘master chef’. Finally, as long as you follow a few basic rules, especially of hygiene, everyone can enjoy eating out doors. Exercise 10 Plan and draft an informal text addressed directly to the reader. Use linking words and phrases where appropriate and let one point follow on from another. The text may be instructions or some information that is logically sequenced. For example, information about a neighbourhood, how to apply to join a club or something of your choice.



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Excellence in skills development Information Sequencing Instructions If instructions are to be followed easily, it is important to have them written in a clear sequential order. Example To boil an egg:

• remove egg • place egg in boiling water • boil for approximately 4 minutes • boil a pan of water

These instructions are clearly misleading and need rearranging viz:

• boil a pan of water • place egg in boiling water • cook for approximately 4 minutes • remove egg

Exercise 11

Sequence the following instructions for playing a CD.

• Press OPEN/CLOSE again to close the tray. • To remove the CD press OPEN/CLOSE, take CD out and press OPEN/CLOSE to

close tray. • Put a CD, printed side up, into the tray. • To stop CD press CLEAR. • Press OPEN/CLOSE. • To listen to the CD press PLAY and adjust the volume.

Exercise 12

Sequence your own instructions for making pastry, operating a machine or something of your own choice.



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Excellence in skills development Information Paragraphs A paragraph is a group of sentences that follow on from each other and contain similar information. They are used to help the reader follow the information given more easily. New paragraphs are usually used in the following circumstances.

• When you write about something new • Introducing a new person • When someone new speaks • Writing about a new place • Moving to a different time

Example Bothamwood is a pretty village not far from the city of Frodham. It has a population of approximately 3000 people and it is a very popular place to live. Although it is a small place, it has many amenities that are well used by the locals. There is a small village school, a pub, a village hall and several shops. The village school has a very good reputation and is often over-subscribed. It benefits from some excellent facilities and dedicated teaching staff. The pub, called the “Blue Bell”, is noted for the quality of its food. It is always necessary to book in advance. John and Mary, the licensees, make everyone welcome. The village hall has recently been refurbished and many local societies use it on a regular basis. These include, the local drama group, the Scouts and the Guides. As already stated, Bothamwood is well served by shops and these include a Post Office and small bakery. Finally, Bothamwood offers everything that a family could need and is an excellent place to live. Notice how the above example shows the use of paragraphs to make the points clear. Also note that paragraphs may vary in length. The first and last are often short and can consist of only one sentence.



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Exercise 13 Plan, draft and write a leaflet on your local neighbourhood for newcomers, taking special care to use paragraphs. Also remember to think about the sequence of your information. Use this writing frame to plan your paragraphs. Remember plans need only to be written in note form not complete sentences.

Introduction

Include the name of the place, its location, its population and any other general feature you wish to mention.

Paragraph 1

Outline its many amenities.

Paragraph 2

Give details of the amenities.

Conclusion

….and finally write a general overall sentence which completes the article.


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Excellence in skills development Information Writing an Introduction to a Longer Article

The following is a short introduction from a guide for visitors to the Yorkshire Dales. Notice how it discusses the key facts a visitor might need to know, in a general way, and how the points made are ordered. Example This guide is intended to make known many of the interesting features of the Dales in Yorkshire which form part of the geography of the Pennines and adjacent areas. It hopes to provide useful information to tourists so that they derive maximum enjoyment when they visit. The Dales have two outstanding characteristics: they are surprisingly unspoilt and mostly uncommercialised. Roads may be narrow and often tortuous but this is their charm. Artificial amusements have no place in this beautiful countryside. In the Dales proper, there are no large hotels, indeed accommodation is generally limited, but the standard of the hotels and inns is good and compares favourably with that in other parts of Britain. There are also several guest houses which offer excellent service and accommodation. Many of the hotels etc., besides offering accommodation, are extremely popular as venues for “dining out” and the visitor will find many attractive restaurants. Furnished houses, cottages, flats, chalets and caravans are plentiful. Plus, there are thirteen splendid youth hostels. In the Yorkshire Dales, you may enjoy motoring, cycling, walking, fell walking, angling, potholing and sketching. You may study natural history or study the area’s turbulent periods of history from the various abbeys, castles and other ancient buildings available for the tourist to visit. The guide then would go on to list information about accommodation, activities and places of interest specifically in more detail. Exercise 14 Choose a topic from either your own knowledge or interest and write an introduction for an article on the subject. For example: racing, yoga, weight training, music etc. Make sure you discuss the key facts, plan the points to include and think about the order.



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Excellence in skills development Information Using Language Suitable for Audience and Purpose It is important that, when a piece of writing is required, it is written in a style compatible with the reader. For example, when writing a job application or a letter of complaint, the writing needs to be formal and be set out in the accepted style. However, when writing an informal letter, you have more freedom with the layout and language. Similarly, there needs to be a difference between writing for an adult audience and writing for a child audience. Exercise 15 Below are extracts of different styles of writing. Match each one to one of the following:

a) an advertisement; b) an informal letter; c) a newspaper article; d) instructions to be used by learners; e) a formal letter; f) children’s instructions.

1) How are you? I went to the flicks last night. It was really good! 2) I wish to inform you that your son is due to have a medical on July 4th. 3) Smith ran forward, intercepted the ball and struck a superb goal. 4) Place the bolts in the positions shown in the diagram. 5) Look carefully all around. 6) The island is situated in the sparkling blue Indian Ocean and has an abundance of

superb, sandy beaches. Exercise 16 Give your own examples of the different styles in Exercise 15.



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Excellence in skills development Information Writing Instructions for Different Audiences When writing instructions it is always necessary to bear in mind the audience you are instructing. If the instructions are for children, then the sentences need to be short and use simple words. However, if the instructions are intended for an adult audience, then the sentences may be more involved and assume more knowledge. Examples A trick for children

1) Give a friend a calculator. Tell him to keep it out of your sight. Without letting him see, write 9 on a piece of paper.

2) Ask him to key in the last two digits of his telephone number. 3) Tell him to multiply the number by 2 and press =. 4) Add the number of his house to this total and press=. 5) Take away his age, press =. 6) Multiply the total by 18. Press =. 7) Ask your friend to add together all the digits in the answer.

For example, for 576, 5 + 7 + 6 = 18 8) Continue to add any remaining digits until there is only one left.

For example 1+ 8 = 9 9) Show your friend your answer. It will be the same.

An extract from instructions to finish off a coffee table. Glasspaper all the surfaces to a smooth finish, then, with a soft cloth damped with turpentine substitute, wipe all the surfaces to pick up the fine dust caused by sanding. With a good quality 2 in or 50 mm brush, sparingly apply a varnish of clear matt polyurethane and turpentine, diluted 50/50. When dry, rub down with fine glasspaper. Wipe the surface with a damp cloth again, re-coat with the same varnish mixture, and, when dry, finish by rubbing down with grade 0 steel wool. Clean the surface with neat turpentine, or turpentine substitute, leave an hour, then apply a coat of undiluted polyurethane. When you have finished, you will have a coffee table that is both original and versatile. Exercise 17 Write a set of instructions for either a) children’s road safety or b) the safe use of a dangerous electrical item of your choice.



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Excellence in skills development Information Using Language Appropriate for Advertising When asked to write an advertisement, it is important to think about the following points before you plan.

• The audience you are trying to persuade – adult, child, senior citizens, male, female etc.

• What the positive points are that you can include. • Words to help exaggerate the good points, e.g. best, wonderful, fantastic, individual,

sumptuous, lavish, superb etc. • How you can make it sound exciting.

Example Hand-crafted furniture

Take this opportunity to buy the very best in hand-crafted leather furniture, direct from our factory to your home. We have the largest range of suites and occasional furniture available from any UK manufacturer. Each piece is individually made to order and delivered to your door. Now with interest free credit and price reductions on selected styles! • Choose from over 40 styles and 50 colours • Traditional and contemporary designs • Solid beech and polished wood frames • 10 year construction guarantee • Full refund if not fully satisfied within 28 days PHONE TODAY 010056789 FOR FREE BROCHURE

Exercise 18

Highlight the words, phrases and other features that might persuade someone to buy this furniture. Discuss your answer with someone.

Exercise 19 Write an advertisement to persuade couples to go on a cruise. The places visited may be real or imaginary.

Think carefully about the type of audience this holiday may appeal to and write appropriately.



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Excellence in skills development Information Writing a Letter It is important to be aware of the type of language required depending on the recipient of the letter. Formal letters are sent

• to people you do not know • as letters of complaint • as requests for information • with job applications

These letters usually start with Dear Sir/Madam and finish with Yours faithfully. If you use the name of the person, finish with Yours sincerely. These letters are written in a formal style and tend to use more complex vocabulary. Informal letters are sent

• to people you know well and use chatty, informal language. They start Dear ……, and may finish with love, best wishes, see you soon, etc.

41 Appledore Avenue Fulestone

Beds BD5 2GP

13 February 2009

Dear Joan Thanks for coming to see me yesterday. It was such a nice surprise. We had a really great time talking about old school friends. We must get together again perhaps we could meet in town for a coffee. I will be in touch soon to arrange a date. Best wishes Linda



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Excellence in skills development Example This is a formal letter written to a Council to complain.

(Your address) 8 Smith Street

Medway

(Date) 30 January 2009

(Address of person you are writing to) Local Council Medway Dear Sir/Madam I am writing to you to complain about the condition of the road outside my house. It has been several years since it has been re-surfaced and it is now quite dangerous. There are several large potholes that make it very difficult for cars travelling along the road and also difficult for adults and children crossing the road. It is imperative that these dangerous holes are repaired as quickly as possible before someone is injured. It would also help to make the street look more attractive and improve the environment. Repairing the road will benefit a lot of people as it is well used. I look forward to hearing from you soon and hope the road will be repaired quickly. Yours faithfully (Your signature) Print your name



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Excellence in skills development Exercise 20 Writing a Formal Letter

WANTED

Person to work at local Farm Park

Must be good with people and animals

Hours. 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday

Good rate of pay

Apply Mr. Johnson, Church Farm, Medway

Write a letter of application for the above job. Remember to give reasons why you are suitable and why you want the job. Exercise 21 Writing an Informal Letter Write a letter to a friend inviting them to go to a concert with you. Remember to write in a chatty and if possible an amusing manner.



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Excellence in skills development Information Writing a Newspaper Article Newspaper articles are often set out in a particular way. The following points should be taken into consideration.

• Use a headline to introduce the article and subheadings to create paragraphs. • The article should start with a brief summary as an introduction. • Give the full names of people in the article and, if necessary, their occupation. • Depending on the story, use dramatic language. • Use quotations from people mentioned and remember to use speech marks. • Plan the story carefully before beginning.

Example (plan)

• Local girl wins place at prestigious Fame Academy • Name – Sophie Day age 12 • Comments from mother and singing teacher • Sophie’s ambition • Subheadings – Top Ten; First Appearance; Singing Lessons; Ambition

(article) FAME FOR LOCAL GIRL

Local girl Sophie Day (12) has won a place at the prestigious Fame Academy in London. Top Ten Sophie, who lives in the village of Weldon, is one of only ten children in the country to win a place for singing. Doreen Day, Sophie’s mother, said, “I am so proud of Sophie. She has worked so hard. She has always loved singing and entertained the family from a young age.”

First Appearance Sophie’s first public singing experience was at the age of seven when she played the part of Tallulah in her school production of “Bugsy Malone”. Since then she has appeared in many local productions at the Theatre Royal. Singing Lessons At the age of 10 she started having singing lessons. Mary Price, her singing teacher, said, “Sophie has great

talent and she has excellent stage presence.” Ambition Sophie says that her ambition is to appear on stage in London in one of the big musicals. We look forward to seeing her name up in lights in the future.



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Excellence in skills development Exercise 22 Using this article as an example, write a newspaper report about a child who has been knocked down crossing the road on the way to school. Use this space to plan your article. Remember to begin with an appropriate headline.



Wt/L1.5 6Excellence in skills development Information Use Format and Structure for Different Purposes The methods used for planning our writing can also be used for presenting and organising our text. The choice depends on the type of text required and its purpose. For Example A long paragraph telling someone how to make your favourite dinner is not as easily understood as a list of instructions. Using headings and subheadings to write an article about a hobby is more interesting and effective than a numbered or bulleted list. Exercise 23 Discuss within your group what would be the best method of presenting the following texts. 1) Ingredients for our favourite recipe 2) An entry into a diary 3) A poster to advertise a local event 4) A postcard 5) A newspaper article 6) A letter to a friend about your holiday Exercise 24 Select a method to plan and structure some rules for the family/flatmates or rules for looking after a car/motorbike.



Wt/L1.5 6Excellence in skills development Information Presenting Factual Information Facts need to be presented clearly, so that information is easily understood. There are several ways of splitting up text; paragraphs, numbered or bulleted lists, headings and sub headings, which all make it easier to access the information. For Example The following example is written as one paragraph making it difficult to understand its contents. Different kinds of fruit. Fruit comes in all shapes and sizes. There is a wide variety of tropical fruit which is available throughout the year. These include bananas, which taste best when they are yellow and tinged with brown, pineapple best eaten when the skin is golden and not green and kiwi fruit which need to be soft to appreciate their flavour. Citrus fruits are also imported and this group includes lemons, oranges, satsumas, limes and grapefruits. There are several different varieties of oranges and all have different flavours. Lemons have their own distinctive flavour whereas limes have a more delicate flavour. Grapefruits are usually yellow and have a sour taste but some have a pink inside which is sweet enough to eat without sugar. Many different berries and stone fruits can be bought throughout the year. Blackberries can be cultivated or wild and are good for cooking. Strawberries are tasty when fresh but become soft and mushy when frozen. Peaches have stones in them and have a rough skin; the paler fruits have the best flavour. Plums are best eaten as soon as they are ripe and should have a firm unblemished skin. Nectarines are a cross between a plum and a peach. They are smooth skinned and should be eaten when pink and soft. There are many different sorts of apples and pears. Different varieties of apples have different flavours and textures. Pears can have green or yellow skins and can be soft or hard, it depends on the variety. Grapes grow on vines and can be either black or white. Some grapes are seedless. When this information is presented in a different way it becomes clearer and easier to access

Different kinds of fruit Fruit comes in all shapes and sizes. There is wide variety of fruit which is available throughout the year. These include: Tropical fruits

• Bananas, which taste best when they are yellow and tinged with brown. • Pineapple best eaten when the skin is golden and not green. • Kiwi fruit which need to be soft to appreciate their flavour.



Wt/L1.5 6Excellence in skills development Citrus fruits

• Oranges - several different varieties all have different flavours • Lemons have their own distinctive flavour. • Limes are similar to lemons but have a more delicate flavour. • Grapefruits are usually yellow and have a sour taste but some have a pink

inside which is sweet enough to eat without sugar. Berries and stone fruits

• Blackberries can be cultivated or wild and are good for cooking. • Strawberries are tasty when fresh but become soft and mushy when frozen. • Peaches have stones in them and have a rough skin; the paler fruits have the

best flavour. • Plums are best eaten as soon as they are ripe and should have a firm

unblemished skin. • Nectarines are a cross between a plum and a peach. They are smooth skinned

and should be eaten when pink and soft.

Other fruits • Apples - the different varieties of apples have different flavours and textures. • Pears can have green or yellow skins and can be soft or hard, it depends on the

variety. • Grapes grow on vines and can be either black or white. Some grapes are

seedless.

By using headings and bullet points the information is much clearer.



Wt/L1.5 6Excellence in skills development Exercise 25 Read the following passage carefully.

Musical instruments

There is a vast array of different types of musical instruments which produce a wide variety of sounds in several different ways. There is a group of instruments that makes their sound by striking another part called percussion. These include drums, which come in many shapes and sizes, cymbals whose metallic sound can be very quiet or deafening and xylophones. Another family of instruments are the strings, which includes the guitar, an instrument that is played by plucking the strings, the violin whose sound is created when a bow is drawn across the strings and the piano where a hammer hits the appropriate string when the keys are pushed down. Another group of musical instruments are wind instruments. There are many different sorts, but they are all blown to produce sounds. The clarinet produces its sound by air vibrating a reed inside. The brass horns, such as the trombone, are long brass tubes which change their sound by the player altering the length of its tube. Electronic instruments can make their own individual sound, but can also be used to imitate the sound of other instruments such as the electric guitar. Discuss with other learners the best method of making this easier to understand. Choose the method you think is the most suitable and rewrite the passage. Show your writing to another learner; did they use the same method?



Wt/L1.5 6Excellence in skills development Information Writing Formats in the Workplace Much of the writing in the workplace is done in a pre-set or outline format: the way we structure our writing is determined for us. For Example All phone calls coming into an office have to be logged in a message book.

Date Time To From Message 24th Feb 8.45 George Mr Brown Please phone to talk about the order 24th Feb 9.15 Matt Ian Bishop Call back as soon as possible

Exercise 26 The following messages were received in the first hour of business on Tuesday 25th February. Using the grid on the next page, enter them in the message book. Remember that the message can be written in note form and need not be a sentence. At 8.15 Michael Turner phoned to say that he had a doctor’s appointment and would be late. Please tell Tony Miller. 8.30 John Bishop phoned to say he would be late and please could someone let George know. 15 minutes later Fred Smith phoned Peter Reece to talk about his order. Please return the call. Mary Hobbs phoned Alison May at 8.55 and will call back later. 9.05 Accountant’s secretary, Alison Todd, phoned Tom Sparrow with a query over some of the sales returns. 9.18 Nick Burgess phoned Alison May. Please phone him as soon as possible. 9.20 Chris Barker phoned Tony Miller regarding the emergency delivery - should arrive tomorrow.



Wt/L1.5 6Excellence in skills development Date Time To From Message

24th Feb 8.45 George Mr Brown Please phone to talk about the order

24th Feb 9.15 Matt Ian Bishop Call back as soon as possible

We use many different forms with an outline format whilst at work and at home. Can you think of any other outline formats? Discuss your ideas with your group. You may like to make a collection of several.



Wt/L1.5 6Excellence in skills development Information Format and Structure for Planning We have already looked at planning and found that there are some methods more suitable for certain types of writing. Different formats are needed to convey information easily. e.g. A flow diagram is a good way of showing the different actions for a task which need to be done in a set order. For Example Changing the wheel of a car.

Park on firm level ground and apply hand brake firmly


Remove jack, wheel wrench and spare wheel from the car

Remove hub cap

Find the jacking point and lift the car

Use the wheel wrench to remove the wheel nuts

Remove the wheel and replace with the spare

Tighten nuts and lower the car until the wheels just touch the ground

Tighten the nuts some more

Lower the car completely and remove the jack Exercise 27 Using a flow chart write a sequence of actions required to do an every day task. This could be using a telephone, altering the time on a digital clock or changing the film in a camera. Show your flow chart to another learner. Can they understand what they have to do?


Wt/L1.6 6Excellence in skills development Information Proofreading and Revision of Writing When proofreading, we need to make sure that the text conveys what we want to say to the reader. To do this we need to make sure that:

• the text makes sense • the grammar, punctuation and spelling are correct

We can achieve this by:

• reading each sentence after writing it • reading through the whole text carefully after we have finished writing to be sure it

makes sense • re-reading it to look for grammatical errors • reading it again focusing on spelling

For Example Cicling on the busy roads can be dangerous riding a bicycle of road is much safer far more enjoyable there are no trafic to worry about. Checking for sense Cicling on (the) busy roads can be dangerous but riding a bicycle off road is much safer and far more enjoyable there are no trafic to worry about. To make this make sense ‘the’ needs to be removed and ‘but’ and ‘and’ added to link the ideas together. ‘Of’ has been used instead of ‘off’. Checking for grammatical errors Cicling on busy roads can be dangerous but riding a bicycle off road is much safer and far more enjoyable there is no trafic to worry about. The noun and verb do not agree, ‘is’ replaces ‘are’. Checking for spelling mistakes Cycling on the busy roads can be dangerous but riding a bicycle off road is much safer and far more enjoyable there is no traffic to worry about.



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6Excellence in skills development Exercise 28 Proofread this passage about bungee jumping, correcting the mistakes

Some young, and not so yong, people enjoy the extreme sport of bungy jumpping were

you jump off a high bridge or building attached to a elastic rope. the werd bungy is the

slang werd for an elastic strap in New Zeeland and it was here in the late 1980s that AJ

Hackett openned the first commercial bungy jump from a bridge over a deep canyon now

there is places all over the world where you can experience the excitment of falling threw

the air suspended rope

before jumping each jumper had to empty his pockets and take of his cap and glasses if

he wears them. He is wayed and fitted into a harness and when in position on the jumping

platform a bungy is securely attacht to his ankels. He stands at the edge and is told to

dive of head first. Not every one has the corage to jump but those who do say it is a

experience of a life time and either want to repete it or feel quite ill at the thort.

The sport has now developed a stage further and there is some adventurous people who

bungy jump from helecopters.

Compare your corrections to another learner. Are they the same?

How many mistakes did you find?


Wt/L1.6 6Excellence in skills development Information Using a Computer to Proofread and Revise Work When proofreading on a computer, moving sentences and phrases is easy using Cut and Paste. To do this, highlight the words you want to cut, press the cut icon to remove the words. Move the cursor to where you want them and then press the paste icon. Example The final match of the season was played last Saturday between The Red Flyers and Pegasus. The final score was 2:1 to the Red Flyers. There were 3 goals scored. With only 2 minutes to go, it looked as if it was going to be a draw but in the closing minutes Pegasus gave away a penalty which Andy Grey converted into a goal. The second followed a brilliant pass from Andy Grey to George Elliot who hammered the ball into the net. The first goal was an own goal by the Red Flyers. This short match report is in the wrong order. By cutting and pasting we can change the sequence of the sentences. The final match of the season was played last Saturday between The Red Flyers and Pegasus. There were 3 goals scored. The first goal was an own goal by the Red Flyers. The second followed a brilliant pass from Andy Grey to George Elliot who hammered the ball into the net. With only 2 minutes to go, it looked as if it was going to be a draw but in the closing minutes Pegasus gave away a penalty which Andy Grey converted into a goal. The final score was 2:1 to the Red Flyers. The sequence of events is now in the correct order. None of the words has been changed. Exercise 29 Try typing the original text into the computer. Use Cut and Paste to change the sequence of the sentences to the correct order. As you already know, it is possible to use a computer to check spellings and grammar, the spelling mistakes are underlined in red and the grammar in green. To use the check, click on Tools then on Spelling and Grammar. You will be given several options of the correct spellings and suggestions for the grammar errors. Remember that, if you have spelt a word incorrectly but it is still an English word, the computer will not pick up the mistake, e.g. dinner and diner. Be careful when using the grammar check. Always read the suggestion and look at the rule before altering the text.



Wt/L1.6 6Excellence in skills development Exercise 30 Type into the computer the original text about cycling from the example on Page 36. Now use the spelling and grammar check. It should pick out most of the spelling and grammar errors. Are there any words that the computer picks out that are spelt correctly? Do you know why? Are there some mistakes that you found that the computer did not pick up? Discuss them with other learners and your tutor.



Wt/L1.6 6Excellence in skills development Information Proofreading and Revision of Writing For some texts it is important to have complete accuracy but sometimes minor errors and corrections are acceptable. For Example Writing a letter to a future employer needs to be accurate to give a good impression but one to a friend can have a few alterations and errors. Exercise 31 Think about when you need complete accuracy. Think about when minor mistakes ‘will do’. Discuss your ideas with other learners and your tutor. Do you all have the same view of when complete accuracy is required?



Wt/L1.6 6Excellence in skills development Information Proofreading and Revision of Writing When we send text messages on a mobile phone, we often use abbreviations or incorrect spellings which are shorter than the correct ones, because there is limited space on the mobile’s screen. For Example Going 4 a drink after work. Do U want 2 come. Text back 2 let me no if U R comin We would not write like this if we were writing a note to a friend. If this was a written note it would be something like this I am going for a drink after we finish work this evening. Do you want to come? Please send me a note to let me know that you are coming. Exercise 32 Write how we would normally write this message on paper. Will b late 2nite. Can U meet me at 6 b4 we go 2 see Jac. Please tel others. CU later. Text me back 2 let me no. Now write a text message to another learner. Can they write the message as we would normally write it on paper?



Wt/L1.6 6Excellence in skills development Information Proofreading and Revision of Writing Proofreading your own work is important. Look at Page 37 to remind yourself how to find mistakes. Exercise 33 Using a photocopy of one of your drafted pieces of work, highlight and correct your errors. Does it make sense? Check that there are no omissions. Clarify the meaning. Then check for grammar and finally spelling errors. Look at the corrections. Now ask a friend to look at your work. Can they find other errors? Discuss any new mistakes found. Ask your tutor if you don’t understand. Discuss your errors with other learners. Are you all making the same errors?



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Proofreading Help for Tutors There are a few errors made by learners which come up time and time again. At all levels, these must be identified by tutors and corrected. Before learners begin to produce writing for assessment purposes, it would be a good idea if they were taught these points very clearly so there can be no excuse for them making these mistakes repeatedly. 1) ALL people (humans) must be referred to as WHO, not as which or that. To do

otherwise is not only bad grammar, it is bad manners!! 2) The word amount is frequently used wrongly. An amount must only be used when

you are referring to a QUANTITY of something which cannot be physically counted, e.g. an amount of sugar, because no-one can actually count the grains of sugar. The word amount is therefore used when the object can be referred to in terms of a measure e.g. a weight, a size. But people can always be counted, no matter how many of them there are, so an amount of people is always incorrect. Learners must use the term a NUMBER of people.

3) Paragraphing – there are only two acceptable ways to indicate paragraphing

whether the work is typed or hand-written:

by leaving a line space between the paragraphs; by indenting the first line by approximately five characters.

4) Vocationally specific vocabulary must always be spelt accurately at all levels. For

the learners, this vocabulary is part of their everyday language and they should be able to use it accurately.

5) The appropriate punctuation in bulleted lists.

A colon in the introductory line must always be followed by lower case for each point and semi-colons throughout until the final full-stop, e.g.

When lifting a load safely, remember the following points:

keep the back straight; keep the arms close to the body; tuck the chin in; stand facing the direction you need to go with the feet slightly apart; bend the knees; lift by straightening the legs keeping the load close to the body; turn by moving the feet, not by twisting the trunk of the body.

The computer default does not help here as it automatically turns the first letter of each point into capitals. Learners must change these back to lower case manually.

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Functional Skills English - The Learning Curve Literacy Site€¦ · Functional Skills. English. Level 1. Learning Resource 6. Writing for Different Purposes. Wt/L1.1-6