I hope this blog will be useful to teachers, especially my collegues in teaching English language to 'O' Level students, and students in particular in learning the language. I will try to include class exercises, teaching tips, exam tips and techniques, scheme of work and other relevant materials. I will start with this hints on answering Essay Writing for Paper 1.

Hints on Essay Writing (Paper 1, Part 1) English Language O Level 1120

1. Candidates will be given a choice of topic to write about. They should read the questions carefully and choose the topic which gives them the best chance of writing an essay of the required length.
Candidates who are not strong in English may find it easiest to choose a narrative rather than a descriptive or discursive/argumentative option. They should also choose to write from personal experience if possible as freshness and originality of approach are what make the writing interesting and distinctive.

2. Having chosen the topic, it is advisable to make a plan. Plan for about six paragraphs of varied length for an essay of 450-500 words.

3. The essay must have a good beginning to capture the attention of the reader and make him/her want to read on. Try to write a striking opening sentence that reads fluently and is free of errors - remember that first impressions are important! It is also important to write relevantly to the topic from the start: if the title is ‘The Island', do not spend three paragraphs on the journey to reach the island without even mentioning the destination...

4. The middle section of the essay should convey the main steps in the story or the details of the description or the main points of the argument. Make sure that the paragraphs develop logically and are linked by the opening sentences of each successive paragraph. Never begin successive paragraphs with the same word or phrase though - for example Then he went...' and Then he went...'. Remember to have a pivotal word if you are giving both sides of an argument: 'However...' or 'On the other hand…. etc. If using direct speech, it is important to remember to use speech marks and to begin a new paragraph for each new speaker. Try to include a range of interesting, precise and mature vocabulary in the essay to bring the details to life for the reader.

5. Finally, your essay should have a strong ending. It is often effective to have a short and emphatic final paragraph. It may provide the conclusion to an argument, or it may move to the general view after some precise description of details, or it may provide the climax or round off a story, perhaps with a final stress on the relevance of the story to the topic of thequestion. For example, if the topic was 'An embarrassing incident in a restaurant', your final sentence might be 'I knew that I should never be able to go to that restaurant again!'.
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6. It is very important to leave time to check work, by reading through the essay to correct any slips or errors and to fill in any vital words that may have been omitted in the haste and excitement of writing.
A mnemonic such as 'ACROSBIE' may help to remind you of the vital ingredients:
Accuracy; Choice; Relevance; Order; Style; Beginning; Interest; Ending.



Hints on Task-Based Directed Writing (Paper 1, Part 2) English Language O Level 1120

1. An account would usually be a factual, informative piece of writing about an incident or event in which the writer had some personal involvement. It might include some descriptive detail or personal opinion. The style adopted and the register of the language used wouldbe governed by the purpose and recipient of the account. If it is for the Headmistress of your school, use a respectful tone and head your work - for example:
'For the attention of Miss Jones....'
If it is an account of a school trip to be published in the school magazine, you could use a more informal tone to your contemporaries and head your work with a suitable headline – for example:
Highlights of the Trip to Multan

2. A report would usually be a more objective piece of factual, informative writing required to clarify the events that took place in an incident which the writer witnessed or has knowledge of. It would usually be required by someone investigating the incident- e.g. aSchool Principal investigating a fight in the playground or the police investigating a road accident etc. Again, the style adopted and the register of the language used would be governed by the purpose and recipient. For someone in authority, it is likely to be quite formal and will not contain irrelevant, descriptive detail or personal opinion and comment.

A formal format may be used - for example:

To: inspector Jones
From: John Morris
Date: 12 May 2006
Subject: The Accident Outside Multan School on 10 May 2006

A report of this kind should be signed at the end, indicating that responsibility for the accuracy of the facts is accepted by the writer of the report.

The Cambridge Revision Guide...' textbook has some useful guidance and practice on this, pages 84-149, as does The Student Writer's Guide', pages 36-60 (see resource list in syllabus).

3. Five marks are always allocated for Content. The standard ‘pattern' of the question is 5 bullet points. Sometimes a bullet point requires two pieces of information - e.g. 'Where and when did the accident take place?' In this case, the one mark for the bullet point will NOT be awarded unless both pieces of information are given. We never aware half-marks.

4. For letters, there is no specific numerical mark given or deducted for the inclusion of the address (or, in the case of a business letter, the two addresses). Suitable register, tone and format are taken into consideration in the Grade Descriptions used on a 'best fit' basis to award the Language/Style mark. The inclusion of the appropriate addresses, whilst not obligatory, does help to show that the candidate has understood the task; it also helps to establish the tone and register required. All letters should have a date, a greeting, a close and a signature.

5. Do be sure to leave time to check work, by reading through the essay to correct any slips or errors and to fill in any vital words that may have been omitted in the haste and excitement of writing.

A mnemonic such as 'COFAPS' may help to remind you of the vital ingredients:
Content; Order; Format; Accuracy; Purpose; Style