DIRECTED WRITING 1

WRITING

DIRECTED WRITING : TABLE OF CONTENTS

• FORMATS, CONTENT AND ELABORATION PAGES

o SPEECH

- SUGGESTED NOTES, INTRODUCTION AND CLOSURE ………………………………..1-4

- STEPS TO UNPACK RUBRICS USING WH- QUESTIONS ………………………………… 5

- IDENTIFY FORMAT & CONTENTS TROUGH WRITING FRAMES …………………… 6-11

o REPORT

- SUGGESTED NOTES, INTRODUCTION AND CLOSURE ……………………………….. 12 -13
- STEPS TO UNPACK RUBRICS USING KEYWORDS ………………………………………… 14 –15
- IDENTIFY FORMAT & CONTENTS TROUGH WRITING FRAMES …………………… 15 - 17

o FORMAL LETTER

- NOTES, SUGGESTED INTRODUCTION AND CLOSURE …………………………………. 18-21
- STEPS TO UNPACK RUBRICS USING WH- QUESTIONS ………………………………… 22
- IDENTIFY FORMAT & CONTENTS TROUGH WRITING FRAMES …………………… 23 – 24

o INFORMAL LETTER

- NOTES, SUGGESTED INTRODUCTION AND CLOSURE …………………………………. 25 – 29
- STEPS TO UNPACK RUBRICS USING WH- QUESTIONS ………………………………… 30
- IDENTIFY FORMAT & CONTENTS TROUGH WRITING FRAMES …………………… 31 – 35

o ARTICLE

- NOTES, SUGGESTED INTRODUCTION AND CLOSURE …………………………………. 36– 37
- STEPS TO UNPACK RUBRICS USING WH- QUESTIONS AND KEYWORDS ……….38 – 42

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SPEECH
What is Speech (or talk)?

• A speech is a public address to an audience. It can be during formal and informal occasion
or ceremony.

• Types of speeches: ‘Thank you’ speech, ‘Welcome’ speech, ‘Farewell Speech’, topics of
interest, social issues

Model Sentence for Format of a Speech
1. Start your speech with a greeting and followed by a self-introduction
Example:
A very good morning I bid to Mr. Principal, Senior Assistants, teachers and friends (school
assembly)
A very good morning I bid to the judges, time-keepers, teachers and friends (competition)
Good morning to the Teacher Advisor and club members of …….. (club meetings)

2. State the reason/purpose of giving speech/talk and introduce the topic
Example:
I, (state your name), as the President of the (state the club name), am going to deliver a
speech/talk in conjunction with (state the programme name). The purpose of my speech is
to raise awareness on…/share information on…/persuade you to… (state the general
idea of the speech)
or
Firstly, I would like to thank my teacher advisor, Madam Munirah, for giving me a chance
to give a speech on this lovely morning. I, Ahmad Muzani, as the president of the English
Language Society will be talking to you about social problems among teenagers in
conjunction with the Social Awareness Campaign launched by the school.

1

3. State the conclusion/concluding sentence to end the speech
Example:
Before I step down from the rostrum, I would like to say, ‘LONG LIVE THE ENGLISH
LANGUAGE!’ Thank you very much. ……Or
To close my speech, I once again urge you to get up and about. Stay active, eat a balanced diet
and lead a healthy lifestyle. Thank you

Greeting

Introduce the topic

Introduce yourself. First Paragraph
Include details (name, (Introduction)
position held, club, school)

State the purpose of your
speech

Include all the CPs and Body of Speech
elaboration (in few paragraphs)

Conclude and thank your Last Paragraph
audience (Conclusion)

2

MODEL SENTENCE (INTRODUCTION AND CLOSURE NOTES)
1. Greeting
A very good morning I bid to Mr. Principal, Senior Assistants, teachers and friends. (School
assembly)
A very good morning I bid to the judges, time-keepers, teachers and friends. (Competition)
A very good morning I bid to the Teacher Advisor and club members of ………………….. (Club
meetings)

2. State the reason/purpose of giving speech/talk and introduce the topic.

I, [state your name], as the President of the [state the club name], am going to deliver a speech/talk
in conjunction with [state the programme name]. The purpose of my speech is to raise awareness
on.../share information on.../ persuade you to…. [state the general idea of the speech].

OR
As everyone knows, [state the programme name] is held this week. I, [state your name], as the
President of [state the club name], have been asked to deliver a speech on behalf of the club. The
reason I am delivering this speech is to raise awareness on .../share information on.../ persuade you
to... [state general idea of the speech]

TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS
Rephrase the question by changing the pronoun YOU to I. E.g.
You are the President of the Health Club in your school. In an effort to promote a healthy lifestyle,
you have been asked to give a speech during the assembly on ways to live a better life.

TO

I [change ‘You’ to ‘I’] am the President of the Health Club in this [better to change your to this]
school. In an effort to promote a healthy lifestyle, I [change ‘You’ to ‘I’] have been asked to give

a speech during the assembly on ways to live a better life. The reason I’m delivering this speech

today is to raise awareness and share information on how can you live a healthier
life [state general idea of the speech].

3

3. Conclude/End the speech
That is all for my speech/talk today. I hope you have benefited from the speech/talk. Thank you.

OR
I have reached the end of my speech. I hope the speech has been beneficial to all of you. Thank
you for lending me your ears.

OR
With that, I have come to the end of my speech today. Remember what I’ve shared just now. I
hope it will be useful for you. Thank you.
GIVE THIS A TRY.
Write your introductory paragraph and closure for the question below
In conjunction with Earth Day 2019, you attended a ‘Say No To Plastic’ Camp organised
by the local council. You have been asked by your teacher to give a speech on the activities
and benefits gained from the camp

4

STEPS TO UNPACK RUBRICS USING WH-QUESTIONS

Sample Question 1

Step 1 : Unpacking the rubrics using the Wh- questions such as Who? What? Where?
When? Why? How?
You (Who?) attended (What?) a leadership workshop (Where?) during the school holidays
(When?). You have been asked to give a speech offering tips on how to be a successful leader (Why?
& How?).

Use the notes below to write your speech.

• the right attitude
-constructive
-trustworthy

• good role model
-inspire people
-led by example

• well-organised
-plan well
-set achievable goals

• speak and think clearly
-practice thinking skills
-tackling problems

When writing the speech, you should remember to:
-greet the audience
-state the purpose of the speech
-use all the notes given
-give your own ideas when needed
-end your speech appropriately
Note: For your speech, you will receive up to 15 marks for the format and content points, and up
to 20 marks for the quality of your writing.

5

STEP 2 : IDENTIFY FORMAT (F) AND CONTENT POINTS (C1 – C12)
Practice 1

Good morning _______________________________ (F1). The purpose of my speech F1 – 1 mark
is to share _______________________________ (F2). Being a successful leader is an F2 – 1 mark
achievable goal. This is because successful leaders have several personalities which
can be identified and followed.

The first step to be a successful leader is ______________________ (C1). A good C1 – 1 mark

leader possesses the right personalities and qualities. C2 – 1 mark
_____________________________________ (C2). A good leader must be C3 – 1 mark
trustworthy (C3) too. _________________________________________

___________________________________________________ (C4). As a leader, it is C4 – 1 mark
important that you can inspire people (C5) to do the right thing and act well. C5 – 1 mark

________________________________________________________________Avoid
criticism if they fail to act accordingly or do well, ________________________ (C6). C6 – 1 mark

You yourself should do the right thing and act well so the people around you will be
inspired and influenced to be a good leader and good people too.

_____________________________________________ (C7). According to that you C7 – 1 mark
should learn to ____________________ (C8). Do C8 – 1 mark
______________________________ (C9) for you to work to achieve C9 – 1 mark

____________________________________________________. Once the goals are

successfully achieved, this will give positive mood and good feelings to the team

members.

_____________, to be a successful leader, you should
_____________________________(C10). You must be clear on the goals that you C10–1 mark

have set and plan well so your team can achieve them. Also, you should C11- 1 mark
____________________________________ (C11) by ____________________ C12 – 1 mark
__________________(C12). In a tough situation, you should think clearly as it will

6

help you to plan correctly and express yourself accurately so there is no room for
misunderstanding.

I hope with these tips I have shared, you will gain F3 – 1 mark
_______________________________________________________________. (F3)
Suggested linkers:

7

Sample Question 2

Your teacher is organizing a study trip. She has suggested either a visit to a television factory or a
trip to a tea plantation. Using the information in the table below, write a talk to persuade your
classmates to choose one of the two trips.

In your talk, you should:

● describe all the details of the two trips
● state which trip you think is more suitable
● suggest one thing students will learn from the trip

DM Television Factory SL Tea Plantation

How far? 2 kilometres 250 kilometres

How long? One day Two days and one night

Where to stay? Not needed Hotel

How much? No cost RM100

Transport? No School bus

When writing the talk, you must:
● use an appropriate greeting
● state the purpose of the talk
● use all the notes given
● give your own ideas when needed
● use an appropriate closing

Format - 3 marks
Content - 12 marks
Language - 20 marks

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First Step : Unpacking the rubric using Wh- Questions

Your teacher (Who? ____________ ) is organizing (planning) a study trip (visit) (What ? –
Purpose) . She has suggested (cadangkan) either a visit to a television factory
[____________________________] or a trip to a tea plantation [_______________________]
(Where? ) . Using the information in the table below, write a talk to persuade (convince) your
classmates (Who?) to choose one of the two trips (Where & Why?).

Content Points (10 marks)

DM Television SL Tea
Factory Plantation

How far? 2 kilometres (near) Content 1 – C1 250 kilometres Content 2 – C2
(further)

How long? One day (shorter time) Content 3 – C3 Two days and one Content 4 – C4

night (overnight)

Where to Content 5 – C5 Content 6 – C6
Not needed Hotel

stay?

How No cost (free) Content 7 – C7 RM100 (pay for Content 8 – C8
much? lodging)

Transport? No Content 9 – C9 Content 10 –
School bus C10

In your talk, you should:

● describe all the details of the two trips
● state which trip you think is more suitable [Choose one place] – Content 11 (C11) – 1

mark
● suggest one thing students will learn from the trip – Content 12 (C12) - 1 mark

When writing the talk, you must: Format (3 marks)
● use an appropriate greeting [An opening – Format 1 (F1) – 1 mark]
● state the purpose of the talk [Purpose – Format 2 (F2) – 1 mark]
● use all the notes given
● give your own ideas when needed
● use an appropriate closing [Closing - Format 3 (F3) - 1 mark]

9

Step 2 : Using a Writing Frames to help students to write simple sentences and elaborate them
from the points given.

-Greetings WRITING FRAME Marks
-Purpose F1 – 1 mark
Introduction F2 – 1 mark

Good morning to my classmates.

Our teacher, Mr. Raj, is organising a study trip for us all.

-Elaboration He has suggested we either visit the DM Television Factory or SL
Tea Plantation.

Body paragraph Marks

Content 1 and For your information _____________________________(C1) C1 – 1 mark
Content 2 away from school while ______________________________(C2) C2 -1 mark
-while away.
(compare)

Content 3 and Moreover, the trip to DM Television Factory will only take C3 – 1 mark
Content 5 ________ __(C3) so hotel in ____________________ (C5) . But, C4 – 1 mark
Content 4, the SL Tea Plantation will take us ______________________(C4). C5 – 1 mark
Content 6 We will ____________________ (C6). C6 – 1 mark

-but

(compare)

Content 7 and Furthermore, the visit to DM Television Factory will be free

Content 8 with _______________(C7). However, at SL Tea Plantation, each C7 – 1 mark

student will pay ____________________________________(C8) C8 - 1mark

Content 9 and Also, our parents could send us there to DM Television C9 – 1 mark
Content 10 Factory. So ____ ________________________(C9) is needed to

visit the factory. But, we need to use the _______________(C10) C10 -1 mark

and get permission from the Principal if we visit SL Tea Plantation.

10

Content 11 – From the information I have gathered, I would like to C11 – 1
Choose one
place suggest__________________________________________(C11). mark

Content 12 – In my opinion, the trip to SL Tea Plantation will give us more C12 – 1
Suggest the benefit because _________________________________________ mark
benefit of _________________________________________________(C12).
visiting the
place Conclusion F3 – 1 mark
In conclusion, I suggest that we visit the SL Tea Plantation
Appropriate as we can learn a lot there. Besides we can visit DM Television
Closing Factory anytime and even by ourselves.

11

REPORT

To: Principal of SMK ……...

From : [insert your name and post]

Title: [Insert title here]

MODEL SENTENCE

[INTRODUCTION]

I am the resident of _____________/ I am ____________ from 5 Bestari/ Taman Maju, Melaka.
The playground in my area is in the state of neglect and disrepair. I am writing this report to
highlight a number of problems/ issues that need your immediate attention. The complaints are as
mentioned below. [on complaints / on addressing social issues]

OR

I, [state you name], am the Secretary of the Environment Club of this school. My club has
successfully organized an environment week in the school. I have been asked to write a report to
the Principal about the event. [on activities carried out by own club]

OR

I am the Secretary of the _____________. I have recently attended a ‘Say No To Plastic’ Camp
organised by the Melaka Tengah Local Council. I have been asked by my teacher advisor, Pn
Sarah, to write a report on the activities and benefits gained from the camp [on past activities
organised by MOE/ NGO/ University/ Gov bodies attended]

[BODY]
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

[CLOSURE]

I have finally come to the end of my report. I hope immediate action is taken by the party concerned
to address the issue/solve the problem. If urgent action is not taken, I fear, things will get worse.
Your prompt attention to this matter is greatly appreciated.[on complaints/ on addressing social
issues]

OR

I have come to the end of my report on……….[insert the general idea of the report]. I have to thank
Pn Sarah, the Health Club teacher Advisor [insert name of club teacher advisor] for the opportunity
given. I have to also thank the organising committee for an excellent job at organising this
programme. I hope an event like this will be organised again next year. [on past activities]

OR

The environment Club of this school had organized a very successful Environment Week. The
12

committee wishes to thank all parties involved in making this event a success. We hope to continue
with the same event next year. [on activities carried out by own club]
Prepared by,
[name]
GIVE THIS A TRY.
Write your introductory paragraph and closure for the question below
In conjunction with Earth Day 2019, you attended a ‘Say No To Plastic’ Camp organised
by the local council. You have been asked by your teacher to write a report on the
activities and benefits gained from the camp

13

REPORT

Recently, the Environment Club of your school organised a Green Earth campaign. As the secretary
of the club,you have been asked to write a report on why it is important to conserve the environment
to the school principal.

In your report, include the following:

Organiser - Environment Club

Aims - make students aware of the importance to save the planet
- encourage students to practise 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) in their daily lives

Dates - 10-14 January 2020

Venue - School hall

Participants - all students and teachers

Activities
• -essay writing competition
• -poster drawing competition
• -treasure hunt
• -tree planting

Remember to:

− address it to the principal
− provide your report a title
− write your name
− include all the points given
− suggest TWO other ways to save the environment.

Note: For your report, you will receive up to 15 marks for the format and content points , and up
to 20 marks for the quality of your writing.

14

Let’s study the question and try to understand it.
STEP 1 : KEYWORDS FROM THE QUESTION (WORDS COMMONLY USED)

(A) From the rubrics (B) From the given content:

− Environment Club − organiser
− Organise − aim
− Green Earth campaign − practise
− date
− awareness − venue
− secretary − participants
− report − activities
− principal − aware
− address − importance
− include − encourage
− elaborate − daily
− lives

STEP 2 : KNOW THE FORMAT (3 MARKS) )
F1 To:
F2 Title:
F3 Reported by:

(
Post

15

Format(F)/Clues from the What to write?
question To:

Address it to the principal’
(F1)

Title (from the question) Recently, the Environment Club of your school
(F2) organised a Green Earth campaign. As the secretary of the
club,you have been asked to write a report on why it is
Introduction: important to conserve the environment to the school
-Change the underlined principal.
pronouns.(You-my/I)

,- simply use the information
given in the question.

STEP 3 : CONTENT POINTS AND ELABORATION

Content Notes given in the Complete sentences of the content
C1 Organiser Organiser -the Environment Club
-the Environment Club
C2 Aim: The first aim was to..
make students aware of the
importance to save the
planet

C3 Aim: The second aim was to

encourage students to

practise 3Rs (reduce, reuse,

recycle) in their daily lives

C4 Dates The dates were
10-14 January 2020 ………………venue …………. school hall

C5 Venue-School hall

C6 Participants The participants of the campaign were

all students and teachers

16

C7 Activitiies-Essay writing One of the activities was
competition

C8 poster drawing competition Next, there was a…

C9 treasure hunt There was also a……..

C10 tree planting Apart from that… there was a ……

C11 a way to save the One of the ways to protect our earth
environment is…………..

(own idea) Another way to safeguard our Mother Earth
C12 A way to save the is………………………………….

environment
(own idea)

Conclusion The programme was very ………………..
and the students to …………………………..

F3 Name (the reporter’s name) Reported by,

Signature

Post (from the question) ( )

(F3)

17

FORMAL LETTER (NOTES)

Siti Fatimah bt Abdullah

Secretary of Health Club

SMK Dato Onn,

76500 Melaka

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Principal

SMK Dato Onn,

76500 Melaka 2 APRIL 2019

Dear Sir,
WRITE YOUR TITLE HERE

I am the Secretary of the _____________. The toilet/ canteen in our school is dirty and in the state
of neglect and disrepair. I am writing this letter to highlight a number of problems/ issues that
need your immediate attention. The complaints are as mentioned below. [on complaints / on
addressing social issues]

OR

I am the Secretary of the _____________. I have recently attended a ‘Say No To Plastic’ Camp
organised by the Melaka Tengah Local Council. I have been asked by my teacher advisor, Pn
Sarah, to write a letter on the activities and benefits gained from the camp [on past activities]

OR

I am the Secretary of the _____________. The club plans to organize a ‘Say No To Plastic’
Camp’ in conjunction with Earth Day 2019. On behalf of the club, I would like to seek your
permission in organising the said event. [application to organise club activity]

2. ……[insert body]

3. ……[insert body]

4. [CLOSURE] I have finally come to the end of my letter. I hope immediate action is taken by
the party concerned to address the issue/solve the problem. If urgent action is not taken, I fear, things
will get worse. Your prompt attention to this matter is greatly appreciated. Thank you[on
complaints/ on addressing social issues]

OR

4. I have come to the end of my letter on……….[insert the general idea of the report].
I have to thank Pn Sarah, the Health Club teacher Advisor [insert name of club teacher advisor] for
the opportunity given. I have to also thank the organising committee for an excellent job at
organising this programme. I hope an event like this will be organised again next year. Thank you

18

[on past activities]
OR

4. We would be very grateful if you could approve this application to organise
………………………. this year. We hope to receive a positive reply from you the soonest possible
so that arrangements can be made. Your consideration and support are greatly appreciated. Thank
you.[on activities planned to be carried out by own club]
Yours faithfully,

[name ]
[ post]
GIVE THIS A TRY.
Write your introductory paragraph and closure for the question below
In conjunction with Earth Day 2019, the Environmental Club of your school plans to
organise a ‘Say No To Plastic’ Campaign. You have been asked by your teacher to write a
letter to the principal on the activities and benefits to be gained from the campaign.

19

FORMAL LETTERS

There are various types of Informal Letters
➢ Letters of complaint

➢ Job application letters
➢ Letters of enquiry

The format for formal letters It is written on the top left-hand corner.
1. Writer’s Address
2. Horizontal Line This line separates the sender’s address from the recipient’s
address
3. Recipient’s address
This is the address of the receiving person. Underline the last
line.

4. The date The date is on the right-hand side, along the same line as the
5. Salutation last line of the recipient’s address. Write out the month in full
and in capital letters.

Address the person by his/her surname, for example “Dear
Mr Lim”. If you do not know the recipient’s name, use “Dear
Sir/Madam.

6. Subject Heading The subject heading is below the salutation. It gives the reader
an idea of what the letter is about. Underline the subject
heading.

7. The Body of the Letter a) The opening paragraph:
- states the purpose/reason for writing the letter;
- is not numbered;
- is brief and to the point.

b) Body of paragraph:
- are numbered, starting from the second paragraph onwards;
- should consist of the given elaboration of the points.

c) The Closing paragraph:
- is not numbered;
- is brief and to the point;
- usually contains an action required of the recipient.

8. Complimentary Close The complimentary close is written on the left-hand side. It is
9. Signature and name a polite way of ending your letter. End the letter appropriately
with ‘Yours faithfully’

Write out the name in capital letters and in brackets. Write it

below the signature.

20

FORMAL LETTER OUTLINE

(sender)
Address

(recipient) ___________(date)
Position
Address

(salutation)
Dear Sir,

(Subject)___________________________________________
INTRODUCTION
CONTENT
CONTENT
CONTENT
CONCLUSION

(signatory)
Yours faithfully,
Sufie Rashid

SUFIE RASHID
(position)

21

SAMPLE OF FORMAL LETTER WRITING

Your parents took you and your siblings recently to a popular restaurant to celebrate your birthday. You
were assured of excellent service when you booked your table for ten. But you were dissatisfied with their
service and food.

Write a letter to the manager of the restaurant, complaining about the following.

Service Condition of the restaurant
Poor and slow Unwashed plates
Rude waiter Oily floor
Litter
Food Flies
Poorly cooked
Tasteless Washroom
Filthy

When writing the letter, you should remember to:
lay out the letter correctly (addresses, date, salutation, title, closing)
use all the information given
suggest two ways to improve the restaurant

Dear students… give it a try by unpacking the rubrics using the wh-questions and identify content 1
to content 12 by referring to the writing template on pages 23 and 24.

22

TEMPLATE OF FORMAL WRITING ESSAY F1

.
_____________________________________________________

. ____________ F2

_________________
____________________________________________________

I would like to express my dissatisfaction about the service and food at your Introduction
established and well-known restaurant. On behalf of my family, I would like to raise a
few points. My family and I had dinner at your restaurant on 03 May 2019 to celebrate
my birthday. We expected to have a great time at your restaurant but unfortunately we
did not.

2. Firstly, the service that you offered to us very _______________(C1). The Content 1
waiter took longer time to provide us the menu that we requested. We had to wait for
about half an hour before we could order any food. The waiter spoke to
____________________ (C2 ) whilst taking the orders.Your waiters treated us rudely Content 2
and inconsiderately. In fact, he scolded my mother who wanted to have a cup of tea
without sugar. He claimed that the restaurant does not serve such a drink. For your
information, my mother has diabetes and is trying to avoid taking sugary food and
drinks.

3. Moreover, the _______________(C3) food was also unsatisfactory. We Content 3
were surprised to find out that the roast chicken and fish that we had ordered were still

23

raw and inedible. The mushroom soup tasted a bit sour and the fried prawn was
overcooked. We made a complaint about the ___________________(C4) to your Content 4
waiters and cooks but no further action was taken.

4. _________________________(C5) of the restaurant was extremely bad. There Content 5
were many ____________________(C6) on the tables as nobody picked up the plates Content 6
after the customer left. Other than that, the floor was __________________(C7). Content 7
There were ____________(C8) on the floor and they invited the ______________ Content 8
(C9) to the restaurant. These bad conditions are harmful as the customers might get Content 9
food poisoning and other health problems.

5. Furthermore, the other problem that spoiled our evening was the condition of
the toilet. The __________________________________________(C10) and Content 10
unattended. There were many dirty tissues scattered on the floor. It made us felt very
uncomfortable there. All my family members decided to go back home and preferred to
celebrate it at home.

6. Due to the situation, I would like to make suggestions to improve the

quality of your restaur ant. Fi rst of all, I suggest that you look at your restaurant

and _________________________________(C11) s o n o m o r e f l i e s or other Content 11

stray animals are on your premise. Next, you should also (1st way)

__________________________________________(C1 2 ) to provide good service Content 12

and food to customers. Last but not least, cleanliness should be maintained in all (2nd way)

parts of your restaurant. I hope that you will look into these complaints and take
immediate actions. It is very important to remember that „The Better The Service,
The Better The Business‟._________________________________________________

_____________________ F3
_____________________

24

INFORMAL LETTERS • Letters asking for / giving advice
• Congratulatory letters
There are various types of Informal Letters • Letters of appreciation/gratitude
• Letters of condolence
• Letters of invitation • Letters of sympathy
• Letters accepting / declining

invitations
• Letters asking for/giving

information

The format for Informal Letters

1. The address of the writer is at the top right-hand corner of the page.
2. The date is just below the address.
3. The salutation or greeting is on the left-hand side of the page, one line below the

date.
Examples of salutation are: Dear Mother/Father, Dear Alicia, Dearest counsin. Etc
4. The opening remarks are written in the first paragraph as the Introduction.
5. The content is the Body of the letter. Write out the points given in complete
sentences and elaborate on them.
6. Present your points in an organised manner.
7. The closing is written on the right-hand side below the body of the letter. How you
write the closing depends on who you are writing to. Examples include “Yours
sincerely, Your affectively, Yours lovingly
8. The signature is just below the closing.

Examples of opening remarks

• Asking about the person’s health
- How are you? I hope you and your family are in the best of health.
- I hope you, Mike, and the kids are having a great time in Boston.

• Asking what the reader has been doing lately?
- Did you go on a holiday to Pulau Pangkor?
- I am happy that you have settled well in your new neighbourhood.
-

Examples of closing remarks

• Do write to me as soon as possible. I am looking forward to receiving a reply from
you.

• Take care and please convey my regards to your family.
• I am looking forward to hearing from you.

25

INFORMAL LETTER OUTLINE

(salutation) (recipient) (SENDER)
Dear ____________, Name
Address

Date

INTRODUCTION
CONTENT
CONTENT
CONTENT

CONCLUSION

(Signatory)

Yours sincerely,

…………………………………..

27 ( )

INFORMAL LETTER

ADDRESS
_________________________________
_________________________________
Salutation [Dear brother/sister/friend/cousin]
INTRODUCTION
Example A
How are you and everyone at home? I hope you and your family are fine. I’m sorry for not
being able to reply your letter the soonest possible. I have been busy lately. Aunt Lydia told
me that ………...
OR
Hi there, Justin. How are you doing? You’ve probably heard the news already. Little Amy
just had her appendix removed so Mum and dad are busy taking care of little Amy at the
hospital. I am left at home with nothing to do so I’ve decided to write you a letter. Aunt
Lydia told me that….

BODY
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

CLOSURE
Well, that is all for now. Please send my regards to your parents and do write soon to tell me
your latest situation regarding this matter. Take care of yourself. Goodbye.

Your friend/cousin/sister/brother/sincerely

Winny Wee
28

GIVE THIS A TRY.
Write your introductory paragraph and closure for the question below
Your cousin has informed you that he was nominated by his friends to be the new class
monitor through a letter. He has decided to accept the post and has asked for your tips on
how to become a good class monitor. Write a letter advising him on how to become one.
Use all the information below.

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SAMPLE OF INFORMAL LETTER WRITING

Your younger sister is studying overseas. You have decided to write a letter to
advise her on how to spend her money wisely.

Use the notes given below to write your letter.

When writing the letter, you must remember to:

• Lay out your letter correctly (address, greeting, closing)
• Use all the notes given
• Remember that your letter is to your younger sister

• Shopping list
- Necessary items

• Compare prices
- Cheaper brands

• Budget
- What you can afford

• Buy during sales
- Discounts

• Own cooking
- Cheaper

• Leisure time activities
- Think about cost

Note:

For your letter, you will receive up to 15 marks for the format and content points, and

up to 20 marks for the quality of your writing. (SPM 2012)

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TEMPLATE OF INFORMAL WRITING ESSAY F1
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________

_____________________

_______________________

How are you? I hope you are settling well in the university and with F2
your friends in Boston. We miss you very much and the house is so much
quieter without you around. I have been busy decorating the room and I hope Content 1
you can give me some ideas after I share the pictures. You told mum that you Content 2
need advice on tips on how to spend money wisely. I am glad to share the tips
with you.

As you are living alone now, you will have to do your own shopping and no
longer rely on mother to buy things for you. There is so much to buy sometimes
that you lose track. Therefore, it is important
_____________________________________________________ (c1). This
will help you _____________________________________ (c2) you need to
buy. If you do not have shopping list, you will end up buying whatever you see.
Practice exercise self-control and try your best to keep to your shopping list.

Besides, you can __________________________ (c3) of the things that Content 3
you plan to buy. Every supermarket or shops may have a slight price difference Content 4
but every single cent counts. However, it depends on certain products and
brands. Be selective and wise in comparing the prices as you can save up more
if you are able to look for the most affordable price. On the other hand,
______________________________ (c4). Sometimes, cheaper brand can be
as good as the expensive brand too.

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A very important factor in____________________________.(c5) Content 5
You have to make sure you plan your spending wisely. The budget that you plan

should be the things that you____________________.(c6) All the spending Content 6
must be within the budget. Please not to overspend and expect the next
allowance will cover your expenses before. If you remain with this habit, you will
end up developing a habit of overspending. This is not healthy and I discourage
you to do that.

An exciting tip is to_________________________.(c7) We all love Content 7
sales!. However, don’t get carried out, stick to your budget and check out the
___________________during sales (c8) and get the items that you need at the Content 8
cheaper price. Food and eating outside will cost you an arm and leg so I think
the best thing to do is to cook your own_________.(c9) It is Content 9
______________(c10) and you are such a great chef at home. You can cook Content 10
delicious dishes and introduce the food to your roommate especially our
delicious Malaysian cuisine.

Lastly, it is tempting to be going around the country for vacation or

______________________activities with your friends.(c11) Entertainment is Content 11

fine, but make sure you think about the cost too. There are many leisure

activities that have less ____________(c12) It is also enjoyable too. Content 12

I think I should end here and all the useful tips clearly explained for you.
I just trying to help you to have a disciplined financial planning. Take care for
now.

----------------------- F3

----------------------
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Dear students.. you could give it a try…

Directed Writing

[35 marks]

[Time suggested : 45 minutes]

You participated in a Language Carnival Programme organised by Melaka Education
Department recently. Your friend is interested in organising a similar event at his/her
school. Write a letter to your friend informing him/ her of your experience joining the program.

• Date and venue
• Participants
• Accommodation
• Objective of the programme
• Language Activities

• Spell It Right
• Activity 2
• Benefits
• Enrich vocabulary
• Benefit 2
• Problem
• Time constraint for the activities
• Problem 2
• Suggestions to overcome problem
• Suggestion 1
• Suggestion 2

When writing your letter, you must:

• lay out your letter correctly (address, greeting, closing)
• use all the points given
• remember that your letter is to a friend

Note : For your letter, you will receive up to 15 marks for the format and content points and
up to 20 marks for the quality of your writing.

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_______________________ Format 1
_______________________
_______________________

_____________________

_______________________

Format 2

How are you? _____________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

______________, the carnival was held on the _______________ Content 1
_________________________________________________________ Content 2
Also, accommodation was provided. We stayed at _________________ Content 3
_________________________________________________________
The objective of the programme is _____________________________ Content 4
_________________________________________________________

_________________, __________________________________ Content 5
_________________________________________________________ Content 6
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________

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_________________, ___________________________________ Content 7
_________________________________________________________ Content 8
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________

_________________, ___________________________________ Content 9
_________________________________________________________ Content 10
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________

_________________, ___________________________________ Content 11
_________________________________________________________ Content 12
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________

_______________________, Format - 3

………………………………….
()

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DIRECTED WRITING: ARTICLE

What is Article?
• An article is a piece of writing in a newspaper, magazine or other publication.
• Types of articles: ‘Magazine’, ‘Bulletins’, ‘Newsletters’ and ‘Newspaper’ articles

Guidelines:
• Study the question and notes carefully – identify the topic
• Write a title that summarises the whole article – find the title in the question
• Write the name of the person or writer
• Write an introduction that is related to the topic
• Use all the points given – count and number the points (make sure there are 12
unless you have to add your own ideas)
• Add an idea for every point – supporting details, examples, reasons, descriptions,
facts or statistics
• End your article with suitable conclusion – summarise the main ideas

Examples of Opening and Closure for Article

ARTICLE
TITLE: _________________________________

by : ………………………..

INTRODUCTION
Example A
Hi! We meet again in this month’s edition of ‘Just English’. Just a month ago, I received a
letter / an email from Ahmad, an SPM candidate from Johor Bahru who has requested me
to write on .../ who has asked me on …................................... So in response to his letter /
email, this month’s focus will be on …........................ .

Example B
Hi! We meet again in this month’s edition of ‘The Insider’ after a month long holiday. I have
received a few requests from our readers who would like a) to know how to ................... /

b) us to highlight a special
feature on .......... /
So for the benefit of our readers, here is some information on ............. .

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Example C
Hello! Welcome to this page. I have not written an article for a long time. Have you
experienced ........?
BODY
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
________

CLOSURE
Example A
I have come to the end of this article on …............. . Practise what I have mentioned just
now./ May you find this beneficial to you. Remember, …...................................... . Best of
luck / (any suitable response) .
Example B
That is all for this month’s issue on .......... . May you find the information given beneficial.
Thank you for reading and see you in the next month’s issue. It will be on sale at the school
cooperative store in July. Till then, bye.

GIVE THIS A TRY.
Write your introductory paragraph and closure for the question below
Crime prevention is a shared responsibility.
Your teacher has asked you to write an article for your school magazine on how to ensure
safety in the neighbourhood. Using the information in the poster below, write your article.

37

Section A: Directed Writing
(35 marks)

(Time suggested : 45 minutes)

You are the President of Fitness Club in your school. In conjunction with the National
Sports Day 2021, you have been asked by your teacher to write an article for your school
sports magazine.
In your article, include the following:

NATIONAL SPORTS DAY 2021

Programmes
• Zumba
• 5 KM Fun Run
• E-sports: Mobile Legend
• Traditional Games
• Food Stalls

Benefits
• foster unity among teachers and students
• make friends with others from different classes
• promote healthy lifestyle and fitness
• identify sports talents
• improve teamwork and cooperation
• promote virtual and physical activities
• (give one more benefit)

When writing your article, you must:
- write a title for your article
- write the name of the writer
- use all the points given
- give your own ideas when needed

Note: For your article, you will receive up to 15 marks for the format and content points,
and up to 20 marks for the quality of your writing

38

Practice 1:
Task: Complete the table with rough ideas for the elaboration of points.

ITEMS IDEAS
Write a title for your article
Write the name of the writer - When/Time
- Where/Venue
Introduction: - Who/Participants
You are the President of Fitness - The starting point?
Club in your school. In conjunction - When/Time
with the National Sports Day 2021, - Where/Venue
you have been asked by your - When/Time
teacher to write an article for your - Where/Venue
school magazine. - Who/Participants
In your article, include the following: - When/Time
Title: - Where/Venue
NATIONAL SPORTS DAY 2021 - Who/Participants
- Examples
Body: - Examples of food
Programmes - How much/Price
1. Zumba

2. 5KM Fun Run

3. E-sports: Mobile Legend

4. Traditional Games

5. Food Stalls

Benefits - from different races
6. foster unity among teachers - participate in activities together

and students 39

7. make friends with others from - join group works
different classes - help one another

8. promote healthy lifestyle and - awareness to be healthy and fit
fitness - participate in various activities

9. identify sports talents - join other competitions and games
- boost spirit to be more active
- develop skills

10. improve teamwork and - understand each other
cooperation - tolerate
- learn to work together

11. promote virtual and physical - many modern games that can attract
activities
younger generations
- teenagers learn to play games wisely
- learn to keep a balanced lifestyle

12. (give one more benefit) - develop interest to be active in sports

Conclusion

40

Practice 2:
Task: Fill in the blanks with suitable phrases.

Title: 1._________________________
Author: 2._________________________

I am the 3._________________________ in my school. In conjunction with the
National Sports Day 2021, I have been asked to write an article for my school magazine.
National Sports Day is an annual event organised by the teachers and students of
4._________ _________________________. This article will describe the event such as the
programmes and benefits.

There were many programmes prepared by the organiser. Firstly, Zumba which was
held at the 5._________________________. It started at 6._________________________
for _________________________. Everyone could join this fun activity. Next was
7.____________. The run was from 8._________________________ back to the school field.
The route was familiar that students and teachers did not have problem running.

After that, Form 4 and 5 students joined 9._________________________. It was one
of the most 10._________________________ games among teenagers. There were
11.___________ for the winners. Other than that, there were
12._________________________ for Form 1 until Form 3 students. The games included
congkak and batu seremban. Students could play individually or in a
13._________________________. Another highlight of the day was the
14._________________________. There were various foods such as
15.________________________________.

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By participating in the National Sports Day event, both teachers and students would
gain many benefits. It could foster unity among teachers and students as they
16.______________________________. Besides, they could make friends with other
students from different classes. It would also help to
17.____________________________________________. They could definitely learn a lot
from others.

This event is also important to promote healthy lifestyle and fitness. Students need to
18._________________________. Sports would make them active and productive. Through
this event, teachers could identify students with sports talent and
19._________________________. They would be able join more games and
20._________________________ in the future. Moreover, group activities were designed to
allow 21._________________________ to improve their teamwork and cooperation. They
learnt 22,_________________________ each other better.

Furthermore, this event is interesting as it managed to promote both virtual and
physical activities. Students could choose 23._________________________ for them.
Another benefit is 24._________________________. It is important because
25._________________________.

Last but not least, 26.__________________________________________________.
Everyone should try to be more active and at the same time keep a balanced to their current
lifestyle. It helps to avoid mental stress and other illness. It also
27._____________________________________.

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