SPM ENGLISH WRITING MODULE (short communicative message) BY CIKGU AIDA
STUDENTS NEED TO WRITE A SHORT RESPONSE OF ABOUT 80 WORDS TO AN INFORMAL MESSAGE. IT COULD BE AN INFORMAL EMAIL OR LETTER. HERE ARE SEVERAL TYPES OF RESPONSES THAT STUDENTS CAN BE TESTED ON IN PART 1:- TYPES OF RESPONSES respond to simple requests and suggestions EXPLAIN SIMPLE PROCESSES FACTUAL AND IMAGINED EVENTS AND EXPERIENCES EXPRESS AND RESPOND TO OPINION AND COMMON FEELINGS Writing Tips: 1. Read the email/letter. 2. Identify who is writing the email/letter and why is the person writing. 3. Underline phrases and sentences in the email/letter that needs replying or reacting. Check whether you need to: apologize for something give an explanation/ information express enthusiasm/ condolences congratulate the writer ask for or give information thank the writer accept or decline a request accept or reject an invitation. PART 1: SHORT COMMUNICATION MESSAGE (20 MARKS) 4. Organize your points in the email/letter by replying in a similar order to the writer's email/letter. 5. Use sequence connectors and linkers to link the points and paragraphs. 6. Remember to use informal language and friendly expressions. respond to simple requests and suggestions explain simple processes factual and imagined events and experiences express and respond to pinion and common feelings
WRITING TIPS TIP 1 – GREET (SALAM) TIP 2 – STATE YOUR PURPOSE OF WRITING (TUJUAN ANDA MENULIS) TIP 3 – PROVIDE A CLEAR LAYOUT FOR YOUR POINTS (SUSUN ISI PENTING DENGAN JELAS) TIP 4 – PRESENT YOUR ANSWER IN A PARAGRAPH/ PARAGRAPHS (START WITH CONNECTORS) (TULIS DALAM PERENGGAN. MULAKAN DENGAN KATA HUBUNG) TIP 5 – YOUR POINTS NEED (NADA RAMAH) TIP 7 – END WITH A CLOSING (AKHIRI DENGAN PENUTUP) LET’S START WITH THIS FORMULA G - GREETING (SALAM) R - RESPOND TO EMAIL (MAKLUMBALAS) 1 CONTENT 1 (ISI KANDUNGAN) ELABORATION (PENERANGAN) 2 CONTENT 2 + ELABORATION 3 CONTENT 3 + ELABORATION C – CLOSING, COHESIVE DEVICES & CONJUNCTIONS GREETINGS: EXAMPLES: DEAR ALICE/ AUNTIE NORA …….. TO ALICE/ AUNTIE NORA …….. HI/ HELLO ALICE/ AUNTIE NORA RESPOND TO EMAIL: EXAMPLES: I’M GLAD TO HEAR FROM YOU (SAYA GEMBIRA MENDAPAT KHABAR DARI ANDA) THANKS FOR WRITING TO ME (TERIMA KASIH MENULIS KEPADA SAYA) I RECEIVED YOUR EMAIL YESTERDAY (SAYA TERIMA EMAIL ANDA SEMALAM) CLOSING: EXAMPLES: DO KEEP IN TOUCH/ KEEP IN TOUCH (HARAP KITA KEKAL BERHUBUNG) LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR NEXT EMAIL (SAYA TUNGGU EMEL SETERUSNYA) I HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON (SAYA HARAP MENDAPAT KHABAR DARI ANDA SECEPAT MUNGKIN) WRITE BACK SOON (BALAS SEMULA SECEPAT MUNGKIN)
To Greet Memberi salam - Dear Alice/ Auntie Nora…To Alice/ Auntie Nora… to Respond How are you? (Awak apa khabar) It’s been ages not hearing from you (Sudah lama tidak mendengar khabar daripada awak) Sorry I haven’t written for so long, but..(Maaf saya sudah lama tidak menulis, tetapi..) It was great to hear from you again (Seronok dapat mendengar daripada anda sekali lagi) It’s taken me ages to reply, but..(Saya mengambil masa yang lama untuk membalas, tetapi..) USEFUL EXPRESSIONS EXAMPLES TO SUGGEST (MEMBERI CADANGAN) I would suggest ….(saya mencadangkan) I recommend that …(saya mencadangkan) I think it’s a good idea to …(saya fikir ianya idea yang baik untuk..) To give opinion (Memberi Pendapat) I think …(Saya fikir) I suggest that (Saya mencadangkan..) To justify (Memberi penerangan) I feel that …(saya rasa) In my opinion …( Pada pendapat saya) To advise (Memberi nasihat) The reason is …(Sebabnya ialah) To wish (memberi ucapan) It’s a good idea because …(ianya idea yang bagus kerana) Closing (ayat penutup) You should …(awak patut) I think you need to …(saya rasa awak perlu) You have to …(awak harus) It would be good if …(Ianya bagus jika) I hope you will.. (Saya berharap awak akan..) USEFUL EXPRESSIONS EXAMPLES Have fun! (selamat bergembira) All the best! (semoga maju jaya) Enjoy your trip! (nikmati percutian anda) Do keep in touch/ Keep in touch (kekal berhubung) Looking forward to your next email (saya tunggu emel anda yang seterusnya) I hope to hear from you soon (saya harap dapat maklumbalas dari awak secepat mungkin) Write back soon (balas semula secepat mungkin) I must go now… (saya harus pergi sekarang)
SIGNING OFF Bye for now All the best Take care Best wishes Love You received an email from your new friend, Amy who has just moved to your hometown. *hometown - kampung halaman Hi, The school holiday is finally here! Let’s go for a picnic with our friends. Where shall we go and what can we do there? What should we bring? I’ll be waiting for your reply. Bye! *picnic - berkelah Now, write an email to your friend in about 80 words. Write your answer below. REMEMBER :GR-123-C G GREETINGS Hello Amy R RESPONSE I am so glad that you have brought this up as I had nothing planned for the holidays. AN EXAMPLE WITH ONLY ONE ELABORATION FOR EACH CONTENT 1. CONTENT 1 Where shall we go? Youth Park (Taman Belia) Elaboration 1 I am totally excited and I know just the place for our picnic. It will be at Youth Park. 2. CONTENT 2 What can we do there? Play ball. Elaboration 2 We could also play ball there as the park is huge. 3. CONTENT 3 What should we bring? Food Elaboration 3 Don’t forget to bring an extra mat to place our foods on just in case I lost mine. C CLOSING Alright, do update me if something comes up. Bye!
CONTENT ELABORATION USE SIMPLE WH QUESTIONS BRAINSTORMING METHOD - WHAT PLACE IS SUITABLE FOR A PICNIC? PARK (TAMAN) RIVER (SUNGAI) BEACH (PANTAI) - WHAT IS THE LOCATION? WHERE TO HAVE PICNIC? STREET (JALAN) STATE (NEGERI) DISTRICT (DAERAH) - HOW FAR IS IT? NEAR (DEKAT) FAR (JAUH) DISTANCE (KM) - WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE PLACE? YOUTH PARK (TAMAN BELIA) BATU FERRINGHI TELUK BAHANG FORMING IDEAS INTO SENTENCES WHERE TO HAVE PICNIC? SPECIFIC PLACE DISTANCE Let us go to Youth Park for our picnic. It is not only near to our houses but we can also invite Belle who lives 2km away. USING COHESIVE DEVICES IN SENTENCES WHERE TO HAVE PICNIC? SPECIFIC PLACE DISTANCE COHESIVE DEVICE Let us go to Youth Park for our picnic. It is not only near to our houses but we can also invite Belle who lives 2km away. Moreover, we can just walk to have our picnic there.
Expressions and Phrases That You Can Use That sounds brilliant. Sure! Thanks for inviting me. I'd love to come... I'll definitely be there. You can count me in. I'll be glad to help you. RESPONDING TO NEWS • I'm pleased/ glad to hear that... • Wow! That's great. • Congratulations on ...! • What exciting/ sad/ great... news! • That''s a wonderful/ fantastic news. • I'm proud of you. • I'm sorry to hear about... ACCEPTING INVITATION/ REQUEST • Why don't you...? • How about you...? • I think you should... DECLINING INVITATION/ REQUEST •Thanks for the invitation, but I have to... •I'm sorry, I can't make it. •It was nice of you to invite me, but I... •Unfortunately, I won't be able to come. •I'm sorry I cannot help you. GIVING NEWS •I'm writing to let you know about... •You'll be pleased to hear that... •You'll never believe what happened! •Have you heard about...? •Let me fill you in. •Here's an update of what I've been doing. Make Suggestion/ Recommendation • • • • • • To : [email protected] Subject : Picnic Hi Amy, I am glad that you have brought this up as I had nothing planned for the holidays. I am totally excited and I know just the place for our picnic. It will be at Youth Park ¹. We could also play ball there as the park is huge ². Don’t forget to bring an extra mat to place our foods on just in case lost mine ³ Don’t worry about the supplies, I can handle them, though you could bring some snacks if you would like to. The more, the better. I was also thinking that we could have Johnny and Alan come. It will be more fun with them around. Alright, do update me if something comes up. Bye! Your best friend, Belle It’s been a while since I write to you. Studying at university could be exhausting at times. But life’s great! I’ve made new friends and learning got lots of assignments. Unfortunately, my laptop accidentally dropped it. I’m thinking of broke. I’m thinking of buying a laptop or a desktop computer. Which one do you think is better? Love , Dania You have received an email from your cousin. Hi, Sample Email Question - exercise 1 respond : great make suggestion and give a reason sorry to hear Now write an email to your cousin in about 80 words
1 Greet the person you’re writing to. • W rite the signature ending and then your short name. Say something about the previous letter Ask a few personal questions Use chatty comments State the reason for writing Give a reason why you need to end the email/ letter . Ask the person to reply to you. Promise to write back soon. Send re gards to the person’ family/ friends. • Love, • Best Wishes, • Take care, • Bye for now , • Good luck, • Write back soon, • Lots of love, Write a suitable reply to the email/letter in the prompts. W rite everything that you need to include and refer to the notes you have jotted down. Write explanation/suggestion/advice/invitation/apology/ congratulation/requests • That's all for now. • I hope you will... • I'm looking forward to hearing from you soon. • I need to go now. • Send my regards to everyone/ your family. • Don't forget to tell me what happened. • Dear Maria, • Hi Harry, • Hello Rajesh! • Thank you for your email/ letter. • How are you doing? • How it’s going? • How are things? I hope you are doing well. • I'm sorry that I haven't been writing for so long. • I'm sorry for the late reply, but I... • It's great to hear from you. • I'm writing this email/letter to tell you about... Planning the email/letter Greeting Signing Off Body (Contents) Closing Paragraph Opening Paragraph • • • • • • • • • • • • Your friend,