Students will be introduced to the format and language features of the various text types in Situational Writing

1. Situational Writing
Convincing, persuading and stating a
preference – Part 1 (Situational Txt types)

2. • You would have learnt to…
a. Identify the parts of a Section 2 question
b. Use the question given to you to help you fulfil the task
c. Identify the various formats and choose them
appropriately
d. Practice using the formats for the appropriate question.
By the end of the lesson…

3. • Longman’s, Developing Situational Writing Skills, Vol. 1,
Ho Lin Lee (ed.) Pearson-Longman, Singapore: 2009
• Longman’s Effective Guide to O’Level English,
Longman, Singapore: 2000
Lesson References

4. • “…as the word situational suggests, it is based on a given
context, i.e. a situation with given information that is set
for (the student). (The student) has to use the information
provided to accomplish the task, be it persuading
someone to take a course of action, recommending
someone to a position etc.
(Longman’s Developing Situational Writing Skills, pg. vii)
What is Situational
Writing?

5. • Informal Letters
• Letters to friends who are overseas
• Letters from you to family at home
• Formal Letters
• Letters of introduction (cover letters for job applications)
• Letters of complaint
• Letters of endorsement
• Reports
• Information Sheets
Text Types (Sit. Writing)

6. • Requirements for the Situational Writing Section
• Time allocated: 45 to 50minutes
• Breakdown of time allocation:
• Plan: 5-8 minutes
• Write: 37-40minutes
• Check: 5 minutes
• Word Requirements: 250 to 350 words
Assessment
Requirements

7. • Word limit:
• Do not overwrite – more chances for errors and wasting
precious time, which could be used to check your work.
• Do not “under” write – written work which is below the
word limit penalises itself (i.e. Examiners will get a sense
that you are not able to fulfil the task required of you)
Assessment
Requirements – Con’td

8. • Unlike Free Composition Section (Section A), marks for
Situational Writing are allocated as follows:
• Task fulfilment: 10 marks (how well you have answered
the requirements of the question)
• Language: 20 marks (how well the candidate made
use of the English Language and displayed proficiency in
the language)
• Total: 30 marks
Mark Allocation

9. • Examiners have commented that they are looking at how
well the candidate “…makes use of the information
provided in the situation to show how good is his/her
control of the language…”
• Candidates should not simply copy from the situational
information provided without adding anything new…
Strategy

10. • Step 1: Using the question to help you
• Step 2: Using the material to your advantage
• Step 3: Write clearly
Steps to Situational
Writing

11. • Candidate has to find out four facts about this exercise
from the question:
• (a). Who are you (I mean the writer) supposed to be?
• Is there a specific role you have to be (a student librarian, a
class president, a prefect? – find out)
• Write from the viewpoint of the character you asked to be…
• How would this “character” see what happens,
• How would he/she react to the events mentioned
Step 1: Use the question

12. • (b) Who will read it?
• Who is the “audience” the letter or report is supposed to be
addressed to
• This matters, because it tells you how formally or informally you
are to write
• (c) What format or type of writing must you use?
• Formal or Informal Letter?
• Report?
• (d)What content is required?
• After finding answers to the above three questions from the first
part of the question, you can now turn your attention to the listed
points (i.e. the specific points mentioned in the question)
Step 1: Use the question

13. • Make sense of each point that is given to you in the
content section
• Connect ideas together into a clear sequence
• Re-phrase the guiding questions into your own words but
keep the same meaning…
Step 2: Using material to
your advantage

14. • Name names. Give every character in your situation a
name.
• Provide street names or other details. Don’t make names
up. Try to make the account, letter sound as realistic as
possible.
• See it happening in your mind’s eye…use imagination
and work out the sequence of activities.
Step 3: Writing clearly

15. • Choice of the correct format for letters depends on the
following:
• Who is writing?
• What the message is?
• Who is the intended reader is?
Letter Formats (Informal)

16. Letters
- For business/ anything official/ Format 1 - Formal
writing to someone you do not
know
- For writing to someone you know Format 2 – Polite
by name, but not a close friend
- Friends, relatives, those whom you Format 3 – Casual
call by their personal name in
ordinary conversation
Report Format 4 - Report
- When you are instructed to write
an
official account or report
Formats will be given to you after the lesson!
Formats

17. • Practice Step 1 – Using the question
a) Who are you supposed to be?
b) Who is supposed to read it?
c) Which format and type to use?
d) Read question again…what content is required?
In-Class Practice

18. • Practice Step 2 – Using the material to your advantage
a) Make sense of the points given
b) Connect the points into a sequence
c) Re-phrase (re-write into your own words)
In-Class Practice

19. • Practice Step 3 – Write clearly
• Now look at the model letter and carry out the following
tasks:
• Re-write the first and last paragraphs of the model answer
keeping to the meaning as well as the same affectionate and
informal tone.
In-Class Practice

20. • Provide one characteristic of Situational Writing
• Name the text types used in Section 2 of Paper 1
• What is the allocation of time for this section?
Key learning points