FORMAL REPORT

Divided into three parts:

1. Overview - Establish the purpose of the report and what you hope to achieve from the
investigation
2. Main body - Will highlight the problem found in your investigation
3. Conclusion - Number of sensible solutions to tackle the problems

NOTE: No figurative language, just facts - no opinions

Write in third person

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Report: title

Overview - subheading
This report will outline the details of an inspection carried out at ____ in which a recent visit was
made to assess their ___. This report will outline the problems observed and offer several
recommendations to begin _(aim of solutions)___

Problems observed - subheading

- Make this entire paragraph completely factual. Like how you write your IR, but for
language, and not a research paper

Feedback gathered - subheading

- A mixture of direct and reported speech
- Reported speech - when we tell someone what another person said (another person -
from insert)
- Direct speech - a word-to-word repetition of what the speaker or writer has conveyed
(these repetitions will be from the insert given)

Summary of findings and recommendations - subheading

- Solutions for the problem
- These are from your side (imagination and all)
- Example from iGCSE First Language English - How to write a formal report (Non-ficti…
NOTE: This format is just a general example - it may not apply to all reports

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NEWSPAPER REPORT

A newspaper report is a news story found in newspapers and is designed to provide people with
information about what is happening in the world. News is new information and is usually about
something that has just happened. All news reports follow a certain structure and have the same
key features. Maam said it would be a good idea to read actual reports from the newspaper so do
that.

Some typical features:

- Make your headline short and snappy
- In the first sentence sum up what the story is about
- Write your report in the third person and the past tense
- Split your newspaper report up into paragraphs to help the reader clearly understand the
information
- Use both direct and reported speech
- Use suitable tone and voice - NO COLLOQUIAL LANGUAGE - very important point

You should use passive forms of reporting verbs- only for newspapers. These help:
- Avoid any bias
- Avoid inaccurate statements
- Distance the journalist from the source of information

Some useful verbs: Believe, claim, expect, know, hope, report, understand

“It is known that…”, “It had been reported that…”, “It has been understood…”

It’s a good idea to include direct speech/quotation:

One of the teachers, said, “I didn’t expect this type of behavior”

The principal commented “There are truly no words for what I have witnessed”

You may also use reported speech:

One of the teachers said that she was shocked by what she saw
The principal commented that it was truly distressing

NOTE: Be consistent in the type of speech you are using, you can’t just change 3 times in the
same paragraph. You may use both, but you can’t keep alternating.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REPORTED SPEECH AND DIRECT SPEECH

 Reported speech Direct speech

- No quotation marks - Quotation marks

- Sometimes paraphrases what has - The exact words that the person has
been said said - lifted from the text
- 3rd person pronouns ‘she’ - 1st pronouns - I
- Different tense (Shocked/saw - past) - Different tense(to see- present)
- ‘That’ to introduce reported words -
said that, reported that, commented
that

Techniques to make headlines short and snappy:

- Alliteration - Students Shocked Over School Shut Down
- Powerful vocabulary - Small Town plummets into darkness
- Statements - Dust haze settles over the city
- Puns (The video says so…better idea would be to not do it)
- Rhetorical Questions - When is enough enough?
- Exclamations - IT’S ALL OVER! (Don’t keep anything like this in the title please, it’s just an
example)

SAMPLE:
SHAMELESS STUDENT PRANKS TEACHER
Yesterday, shock waves were sent through The School of Youtube, after it was revealed that a
teacher had been cruelly locked inside a store cupboard by a Year 10 Student.

The teacher, who does not wish to be named, was reportedly locked inside for at least 3 hours
before being rescued. It is known that the teacher was not able to seek immediate help, as the
store cupboard was currently out of use. It is also believed that the teacher was unable to use
their phone as there was no signal from within the tiny cupboard.

Fortunately, security staff from the school heard faint cries coming from the store cupboard,
which prompted them to investigate further. Staff quickly jumped into action and unlocked the
store cupboard, revealing the distressed member of staff. It is believed that it was the result of a
prank, in which several Year 10 students were involved.

The teacher, who has been working at the school for many years, has reportedly taken some time
off work to recover. According to several members of staff at the school, all students involved in
the prank have been temporarily excluded, and have been asked to think about their reckless
actions. It is thought that one student has been permanently excluded from carrying out the
prank.
One student said that he had heard of the prank, but did not think the students would go ahead
with it. Another said, ‘I couldn’t believe they locked a teacher in a store cupboard! There was a
YouTube video that went viral a couple of weeks ago, and there was some chatter about pranking
one of our teachers.’

Mr. Smith, the head of English at the school, said, ‘This type of behavior will not be tolerated.’

One member of staff at the school has said that the school will resume as normal from tomorrow
and has stressed that appropriate sanctions have been put in place for all those involved in the
prank.

The school has asked that students not discuss this incident and try their best to not fuel any
rumors or any inaccurate information.

FEATURES:
- Catchy headline
- WHO WHAT WHERE WHEN WHY HOW
- 3rd person past tense
- Factual information
- Direct speech
- Reported speech
- Short and concise paragraphs
- Embedded clause
- Newspaper ‘Reporting’ phrases - some have been bolded at the start to give you an idea
JOURNAL
(FROM THE VIDEO: iGCSE First Language English - Extended Writing Paper 1 (JOURNAL W… )

- Any ideas must be selected from the text and make sure to develop them relevantly
- Use an appropriate voice for the genre, you can’t add humor to a serious question
- The answer should be balanced and cover the three bullet points
- It should be in YOUR WORDS
- Use precise vocabulary and effective sentence structure

PREPARING TO ANSWER THE QUESTION

1. Read the question carefully and identify the text type for a suitable voice
2. Read the first bullet point and locate five pieces of information relating to the focus
3. Do the same for the second bullet point
4. Do the same for the third bullet point

ANSWERING THE QUESTION

1. Write it in an appropriate style, not like a casual thing
2. Use a range of typical and stylistic features - some that you may use day to day but are
not just normal language
3. Use effective vocabulary and sentence structures
4. Reword all of your quotes
5. Develop your quotes - make sure they make sense/are relevant

NOTE: Journals are always in the 1st person and USUALLY informal, also in the past tense
Starts with the date
EXPANSION ON POINT 2 FROM ANSWERING THE QUESTION
1. Chatty language
2. Appropriate fillers to create an authentic voice such as I mean, so, Well - don’t use um, like,
uh
3. Hyperbole
4. Humor/Sarcasm
5. Idioms
6. Rhetorical questions
7. Repetition
8. Emotive language
Useful idioms?
How to convert your quotes from the insert to the journal

- First always spend a few lines to establish your voice in the starting
- Right in 1st person's voice
- Reword the phrase, in a conservatory manner
- Eg. “We are constantly bombarded by stress from all sides” can be turned into “I don’t
know what to feel anymore; the strain is getting unbearable

EXAMPLE OF ARTICLE (INSERT) TO JOURNAL

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SPEECH
(The easiest, Video: iGCSE First Language English - Directed Writing / Extended Response P…
AND iGCSE First Language English - Directed Writing/Extended Response Paper 1 (Speech … )

- Speech is always from 1st person's view

- Don’t use the “Hi, I’m here to talk about…” as it lacks excitement

TECHNIQUES FOR SPEECH:

A - Alliteration
R - Rhetorical question
I - Imperative
P - Pronouns
E - Emotive language
F - Facts
O - Opinions
R - Repetitions
E - Exaggeration
S - Statistics
T - Triplets

The question will tell you the type of writing such as talk. They may give you a sentence starter,
and the ideas must be from the text - reword when appropriate (basically always). Identify the
purpose of the speech so that it makes sense. Identify the audience and most importantly -
BLINDLY follow the three pointers provided.

NOTE: Your language must be appropriate to the character. For eg. if you are the head of
something giving a speech to some new people, it must be formal language, but if you’re giving it
as a student it may be informal, just depends on the question

ADVICE:
- Candidates must change the language of the passages. This will award a higher reading
and writing mark than lifted language
- Address all the bullet points equally - the three paragraphs should be equally sized
- Answer in your own words. Use the material from the passage but adapt it according to
the viewpoint of the response
- Use all the main ideas in the support - the passage will give you all of the context
- Develop your ideas relevantly
- Make sure to create a suitable voice - this will vary from question to question
NOTE: It’s a good idea to have 5 quotations for each paragraph

Here’s an example of how your points should be developed and examples of the points:

HOW TO TURN TABLES LIKE THE ONE ABOVE INTO SPEECHES (In the exam you won’t have time
to make a table, so just make small notes while highlighting the evidence on the insert)

1. Use a sentence starter

2. Create a suitable voice according to the question (I have mentioned this 3 times now -that
means it’s really important)
3. Start with your first idea and develop it properly (The way it is done in the table)
4. Think about the stylistic features you could use (ARIPEFOREST). This will help you to
engage with the audience
INTERVIEW
- Create a believable voice by using anecdotes, rhetorical questions, emotive language,
idioms, humor, and colloquial language
- First-person
- Create a convincing and engaging dialogue

FORMAT:
INTERVIEWER: A1,A2,A3- copy
INTERVIEWEE: RESPONSE

Note: Work out your audience and purpose. This will inform the tone/voice

Filler words:
● Hmm..
● Don’t doubt that
● Stay Safe!
● Check that off the list
● Let's not forget,
● Speaking of…
● Not to miss…
● Yes, of course
● I am not bragging, am I?
● Well…
● Hmmm…. /ahmm…
● I have to say
● How can I forget to mention that

Actions word:
● (rolls his eyes….as if thinking)
● (eyes in pride)
● (Smiles)
● (taps his finger)
● (nods his head) - agreement or understanding
● (leans forward) - interest or eagerness
● (crosses his arms) - defensiveness or discomfort
● (raises an eyebrow) - skepticism or surprise
● (shrugs his shoulders) - uncertainty or indifference
 ● (frowns) - sadness or disapproval
● (tilts his head) - curiosity or confusion
● (smirks) - amusement or smugness
● (sighs) - frustration, disappointment, or sadness
● (grins) - happiness or amusement
● (scowls) - anger or annoyance
● (chuckles) - amusement or contentment

SAMPLE OF 1 PARAGRAPH:
Interviewer: What’s your favorite holiday destination and why
Interviewee: Well you might be surprised to hear this, but there’s so much fun to be had in the
good ol’ capital city of England, London. I mean, there really is something for everyone in London.
Do I think it’s more than just Big Ben and Windsor Castle? Absolutely! There is something about
the hustle and bustle of city life that just excites me - something that just keeps drawing me back
- something that just leaves me with a smile plastered all over my face. Culture permeates every
nook and cranny, and I don’t just mean fish and chips. Although come to think of it, you won’t find
better fish and chips elsewhere! Yes, it can cost an arm and a leg if you want to do the more
‘touristy’ stuff, but there’s a whole load of magical things to do that won’t break the bank.
LETTER

INFORMAL
- It has to be a chatty tone, but don’t go overboard, it’s still an exam
- For a more relaxed tone use features such as rhetorical questions, idioms, colloquial and
emotive language, and humor. No shortened words - wanna, gonna
- Usually written to a loved one
- Informal means semi-formal, not your day-to-day talk
- Might be about experiences, to invite something, the same old stuff
- Ask about their well-being
- End letter with “See you soon”, “Take care” and stuff like that
- State the purpose of the letter in the first paragraph

FORMAL
- The topic is an issue
- Formal tone
- No contractions
- Your tone must be dominant so that the person takes action/acknowledge your issue
- No colloquial language
- Very precise and strong vocabulary
- Use facts and statistics - only from the text of course
- Name: Yours Sincerely; Sir/Madam/Yours faithfully
- Use a formal and polite tone throughout the letter

NOTE: Cool little trick, for formal letter, just imagine you are writing to any teacher

FORMAT:
Address
Date
PARA 1: Write it in a semi-formal style, in your usual manner of WRITING, not talking. Answer why
you’re writing, for eg. a request, or a complaint. What exactly are you responding to, if relevant to
the question? Such details should be clearly stated robotically - “I am writing this letter to inform
you about…”.

PARA 2: Just background information and stuff you know. Say what happened that made you
write this letter. For eg. if it’s a complaint letter, mention details such as dates, facts, names, and
details - though a complaint is unlikely in an informal letter, you get the idea
PARA 3: Support your claim/request/reason for writing the letter, and summarise the CURRENT
situation and why the person you are writing to should give consideration. These factors all
depend on the question and this may not be the case for each question

PARA 4: Say what you wish to happen next. “See you soon”, and “Take care” for informal letters

SAMPLE BULLET POINT:

The bullet point was “your concerns about the conditions at the hostel”

Sample answer:

Dear Public Health Officer

I am writing to alert you to a health and safety hazard I experienced recently whilst staying at a
hostel called ‘Sammy’s Place’.

First of all, I want to express how shocked I was when I had the misfortune of being greeted by a
sea of beds that were unbelievably close together. I understand that ‘Sammy’s Place’ is a hostel,
but there wasn’t even an inch of space between them. I am sure that you will agree that young
people need to feel comfortable and need just as much privacy as you or I do. Further to this, the
conditions of the beds were utterly putrid. It was clear to see that all of the beds were completely
in a miserable state; the sheets looked like they hadn’t been cleaned in years and, of course, they
were the most uncomfortable things to sleep on. The lighting was also terrible and made the
whole room dull and lifeless. One light bulb was even flickering constantly! Not only was this
unpleasant, but incredibly dangerous. Unfortunately, my displeasure continued the longer I stayed
in the hostel. I soon found out that I was unable to open any of the windows to ventilate; it almost
seemed like they had not been opened in years. Upon closer inspection, I also was horrified to find
a collection of dead flies, which clearly had been there for many years. Lastly, I was equally
shocked to witness the cracked sinks and the hardened blobs of toothpaste all over them. The
overall cleanliness was truly horrifying!

Helpful links for letter:

iGCSE First Language English - How to get top marks for Directed Writing 3/3
iGCSE First Language English - Extended Response Q3 (Formal Letter)
iGCSE First Language English - Extended Writing Response - All text types and their features!
ARTICLE

- Catchy title
- Dramatic opening - hooks the reader
- Personal/anecdotal style
- Repetition - keeps the reader engaged
- Humorous voice/ idiom
- Subheadings/ rhetorical questions
- Rhetorical questions - relationship with the reader
- Chatty style
- Depending on the question - formal or informal voice
- Don’t use sentence fragments - EVER
- No fillers in formal, you may if you want in informal

LANGUAGE FEATURES:
- Chatty language - depends on the question
- Rhetorical questions
- Facts, Statistics - usually in a formal letter
- Opinions
- Repetition

NOTE: Work out the audience and purpose. This will inform the tone/voice of your piece - this tip
is basically for each and every Q3 type that’s there

FORMAT THING/STRUCTURE/YOU GET THE IDEA:

1. Topic - Introduce the issue, which may be something topical and in the news, research
recently published, or a proposal that has been put forward by a government or other
agency, or the description of the person that the article will concern. Unlike a news report
which is informative, a magazine article is discursive writing - a genre of writing that asks
you to investigate something
2. Bullet point 1 (Usually something related to the background of the topic): The article is
likely to fill in the past history of the person or event with which the article is concerned so
that readers are fully aware of the necessary facts and reason why the article has been
written and what has led to the current state of affairs
3. Bullet point 2 (Usually discussion of the topic in the current-day situation): The article is
likely to return to the present-day situation at this point, discussing and giving different
viewpoints of the person or event or whatever, with details and examples and quotations
and making comparisons with the past or with similar topics. Though the writer’s own
viewpoint may be inferred, alternative views must be given equal weight, and other voices'
heard
 4. Bullet point 3 (Usually something like predictions or future related): At this point, the article
may deal with the future developments or predicted outcome of the present situation, eg.
that a person will go on to become even more famous and successful, or a problem will
become worse if nothing is done.
5. Conclusion - The article needs a neat conclusion, which may be an ironic reference or
humorous comment, an evaluation of the different viewpoints, or a reference back to the
beginning of the article, or a quotation.

SAMPLE (Just images from the video, this is too long to type):
- This article is more informal and hence has a more chatty tone, and humorous voice. This
varies according to the question
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TIPS FOR Q3
IN Q3 FORMATS, ESPECIALLY LIKE SPEECH AND INTERVIEW (Conversation type formats):

A - Alliteration and Anecdote

R - Repetition
I - Imperative (Like a command, Imagine this.)
P - Pronoun
E - Exaggeration
F - Fact
O - Opinion
R - Rhetorical Question (Good way to start a speech)
E - Emotive language (Strong vocabulary, like atrocious, gruesome, or captivating,
mind-blowing)
S - Statistics
T - Triplets (3 adjectives in a row, which have to build up, it could be interesting, fascinating,
and captivating, but not captivating, fascinating, and interesting cause that ends on a low note)

If you can’t use all of those, you should at least have:

P - Personal anecdote
E - Emotive language
R - Rhetorical questions
F - Facts + opinions
E - Exaggeration
C - Comparison
T - Triplets + tone
You also should use complex and compound sentences:
Compound sentences - connect two different clauses/phrases related to each other, use:
F - For
A - And
N - Nor
B - But
O - Or
Y - Yet
S - So

Complex sentences: This one has one INDEPENDENT clause and one DEPENDENT clause. For
this, you want to use mostly semicolons, though commas work too.

For formal letters (any anything format for the most part), rather than ARIPEFOREST or
PERFECT, you should use:
Formal Language
Connectives
Facts and statistics
Opinions

Connectives:
1. Adding: and, also, as well as, moreover, furthermore, besides, in addition.
2. Cause and Effect: because, so, therefore, thus, consequently, as a result of.
3. Comparing: equally, in the same way, like, similarly, likewise, as with, as compared with.
4. Contrasting: whereas, instead of, alternatively, otherwise, unlike, on the other hand, in
contrast.
5. Emphasizing: above all, in particular, especially, significantly, indeed, notably, most of
all.
6. Illustrating: for example, such as, for instance, as revealed by, in the case of, as shown
by.
7. Qualifying: however, although, unless, except, if, as long as, apart from, yet, despite.
8. Sequencing: next, then, first, second, finally, meanwhile, after.

For all question 3 whether informal or formal, use complex and compound sentences, those
are what will lead you to the top band. I would recommend writing all of the techniques here on
your paper so that you can check which techniques you have or have not used
How to start a magazine article?

Have a catchy title

Start of A1 should be either with a dramatic opening, an imperative, or a rhetorical question
You want to talk in a personal/anecdotal/chatty style, and use repetition to keep the reader
engaged. For example, "It's made us laugh, it's made us cry"
Involve a humorous voice or use idioms to make a more relaxed and informal tone. The
magazine article is INFORMAL. Also, use subheadings, it's easier.