Writing – Transactional: English Language Paper 2

Planning
A writing plan should help you to work out what to include, and act as a way of remembering
areas to focus on. For example, a timescale could be set for each part of the writing if the writing is
to a specific deadline, such as in an exam.
Different methods of planning work for different people. Work out what works best for you.

Mind maps

A mind map is a visual way of planning out ideas. Writers often use mind maps to prepare for a
piece of writing because they are a flexible way of jotting down ideas and organising the flow of a
piece of work. They can also be used as a checklist as they write.
You may want to make branches in your mind map to create a plan for each paragraph or topic
within your overall response. Some people like to categorise their ideas so that each part of the
mind map highlights features that have to be included, such as the sub-topics that will be used to
explain the writing’s main topic. It might also be used to highlight particular vocabulary, the topic
content for each stage or some specific techniques to use within the writing.

Bullet points

Bullet points help to capture all your thoughts and ideas in a clear and concise way. Here’s an
example of how you might use bullet points to plan:

Question

Write an article for young people that outlines how to deal with the stresses of modern life.
 Must use a witty and catchy headline, maybe ‘From stress to rest: How to deal with life as a
teenager’.
 Must use a ‘voice’ suited to my reader and text type.
 Must keep it all lively and clear, varying sentence styles and lengths.
 Maybe include an ultra-short sentence and a one-line paragraph?
 Paragraph 1) causes of stress - mobile phones and social media, bullying, exam pressure. Must
make the final sentence one that I can link to next.
 Paragraph 2) why it makes life difficult and what kind of health problems they can lead to -
sleep deprivation, isolation, not sharing worries. Must make my first sentence a transition
from the last one.
 Paragraph 3) ways to overcome stress and deal with modern life - take a break from IT, sleep
well, use relaxation techniques. Must make my first sentence a transition from the last one.
You might also want to add in notes about key issues such as text type, audience and purpose and
notes of particular vocabulary that you might include.

Flow chart

A flow chart is like a mind map that offers you a visual way to plan. A flow chart allows you to
order your ideas and paragraphs into an effective structure, allowing you to consider the topic and
content of each paragraph as you plan.
Some writers find a flow chart helps them make sure they consider each important stage of the
writing process.

Table

A table can be used to help plan the flow of your writing. Here is an example of a task and a plan
that could help the writer:
Question: Write a letter to a newspaper, giving your opinion about the use of mobile phones.
Introduction For Against Summarise Proofread
Thank reader for
Purpose of Helps people Can be very taking time to
letter keep in touch distracting read letter Use a rhetorical question
Capture Sophisticated punctuation –
 Introduction For Against Summarise Proofread
moments -
visual, audio maybe semicolons?
10 minutes 15 minutes 15 minutes 10 minutes 10 minutes
Note how the writer of this plan has allocated a specific time for each part, and has also included a
reminder to leave time to proofread over their writing.

Key things to remember

 Use the kind of plan that works best for you.

 Add in the key information – topic and sub-topics - and think about how to create a clear and
convincing structure using a flow of connected paragraphs.
 Include reminders of key areas to focus on within your writing.
 Think about allocating a specific time if you are working to a particular deadline.

Editing and proofreading

By the time I am nearing the end of a story, the first part will have been reread and altered and
corrected at least one hundred and fifty times. I am suspicious of both facility and speed. Good
writing is essentially rewriting. I am positive of this.
Roald Dahl

Proofreading

Proofreading is reading back over the work to check for mistakes that you might have missed, and
to edit or improve what has been written. All professional writers revise their work over and over
again to improve or alter it until they are satisfied.

Capital letters

This is an easy area to overlook when writing. Read back over your work and check that each
proper name, letter ‘I’ and each sentence has been started correctly with a capital letter. Also,
check misplaced capital letters have not accidentally been included mid-sentence.

Omissions

It is quite common to miss words out, or even to miss letters from words. Check back over the
writing to make sure that all the words required for a sentence to make sense are present, and in
a clear order.

Punctuation

When proofreading, ensure that sentences are grammatically correct, and that sentences are
completed with a full stop. A common error is to overuse commas to break up sentences rather
 than punctuating correctly with full stops, or adding connectives to link each sentence together. A
good tip is to read through and stop at every comma and ask yourself whether it should be a full
stop because it’s an end to a sentence.

Spelling

Even the most expert of spellers will make simple spelling mistakes when writing. It might help to
follow the spelling rules as well as use any strategies that you have found useful over time.

What to improve

Look back over your work, and try to look at it objectively - that means as though you are reading
the writing of somebody else. If you had to give that person advice on how to improve, what
would you ask them to change? It is a really useful skill to be able to edit and improve your own
work.

Writing a speech

Structure
A speech often follows a three part structure:

1. a highly engaging and motivational opening

2. a well-structured argument with several main points and including objection handling
3. a positive conclusion

Language

The language used in a speech will vary depending on the audience. In a speech to a professional
audience, such as a business pitch or a talk to headteachers, formal language is more appropriate.
However, in a presentation to younger children, more informal and colloquial language would be
suitable.
The purpose of a speech is often to convince listeners of a particular point of view and so the
language is typically persuasive.
 Example

Here’s a passage from a speech by Barack Obama about climate change. Think about his audience
and purpose:
We, the people, still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves but to all
prosperity. We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so will
betray our children and future generations.
Some may still deny the overwhelming judgement of science, but none can avoid the devastating
impact of raging fires, crippling drought or powerful storms. A path towards sustainable energy
sources will be long and sometimes difficult, but America cannot resist this transition.
We must lead it! We cannot concede to other nations the technology that will power new jobs
and new industries; we must claim its promise. That’s how we will maintain our economic vitality
and our national treasure. You and I as citizens have the power to set this country’s course. You
and I as citizens have the obligation to shape the debates of our time not only with the votes we
cast but with the voices we lift in defence of our most ancient values and enduring ideas. Will
you join us?

 The audience is American citizens

 The purpose is to convince people to take responsibility for acting on climate change
 Notice the repeated use of ‘we’ within the opening paragraph to engage the listeners and
include them in the topic of the speech.
 In the second paragraph Obama uses emotive vocabulary to highlight the negative impact
that climate change has had on America.
 Obama then ends on a powerful message, using 'we' and 'our' to ensure that the audience
feel as though he is working with them.
 He finished with a rhetorical question for impact, so that the audience feel that they have no
option but to agree with his ideas.

Writing a letter

Structure
A letter has a conventional structure with addresses at the top, an opening address using ‘Dear …’
and ending with a standard salutation such as ‘Yours sincerely’ (if you know the reader’s name) or
‘Yours faithfully’ (if you have started your letter ‘Dear Sir/Madam’). In a formal letter, the opening
paragraph should outline the overall aim of the letter and the conclusion should summarise the
main points. Each paragraph should link to the purpose.

Language

The language used will depend on the audience of the letter; if you are trying to persuade
the recipient of a particular idea, then your language may be positive and upbeat in tone. If the
letter is being used to make a complaint, the language is more likely to be formal,
with emotive language to describe the experience or service.

Example

Here is an example of a job application letter. The writer’s overall purpose is to persuade the
reader of their suitability for the role.

Dear Mr Hopkins,
I am writing in response to the recent advertisement for the position of sales assistant that has
become available in your shop. I would like to be considered for the position.
I am currently working in a local coffee shop, where I am responsible for the service and
distribution of food and drink to customers. I am a key holder for the premises, and my daily
duties include taking orders, dealing with customer queries and managing the till takings at the
end of the working day. I work as part of a small team to ensure that the needs of the customers
are met.
Before working in the coffee shop, I spent several years working as a sales assistant in a bookshop.
In this role, I gained extensive experience of organisation, stocktaking and meeting specific
requests for customer orders. In this full-time role, I developed interpersonal skills and confidence
within customer service.
In addition to this I can offer competent skills with Microsoft Office software and I am currently
completing an evening course in accounting. I have included details of my GCSE qualifications in
my attached CV.
Thank for you taking the time to read my application; I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Marisa Ahmed

 The opening paragraph outlines the purpose of the letter to the recipient. The writer then
explains their previous experience in sales and refers to their qualifications to show that
they are suitable. The closing paragraph refers back to the overall purpose, and assumes
that the writer expects to hear from the recipient - this shows confidence.
 Notice that formal language is used throughout.
Writing a report
Structure

A report is highly factual and informs the reader rather than trying to make them feel or react in a
particular way.
A report typically uses subheadings, to organise the text. There might also be statistics, graphs or
evidence to support the text. Bullet points could be used to highlight key information to the
reader.

Language

The language in a report is objective. It states facts rather than attempting to manipulate the
reader’s emotions.
The purpose is usually to provide the reader with relevant information in an ordered way.
Therefore, the vocabulary should be Standard Englishand straightforward, presenting the topic
precisely.
Here’s a report about the catering services at a school. Notice the use of subheadings to focus
each area of the reporter’s findings.

Report: Little Gotham Catering Services

Overview
The report found that most areas of the catering facilities were adequate or exceeding
expectations for their purpose. Inspections were carried out at each stage of the service process,
including a customer satisfaction survey. The report includes strengths of the service provided,
and recommended areas of improvement.

Preparation and hygiene standards

All staff followed a strict hygiene policy prior to handling any food. Raw and cooked foods are
prepared in separate areas of the kitchen, using the regulation stated chopping boards and
equipment for the food in question. Prepared food is checked rigorously for expiry dates and
additional marks or signs of the food being at an inedible stage.

Quality control and nutritional value

All dishes present on the menu are checked both at ingredient quantity stages, and also at tasting
for salt content and temperature. Food is circulated every eight minutes, with any food out on the
service floor for a period that exceeded eight minutes being disposed of immediately.
On more than one occasion, food was not checked for content before service; for example,
meat/vegetable ratio in the winter stew, or custard measurement for dessert dishes.

Service and customer satisfaction

 Service is both efficient and polite. All staff are available to respond to customer needs and
queries. During the survey, many customers made personal reference to particular members of
staff - this shows that staff have built up rapport over a long period of time.
The only area of concern was that the condiment and cutlery drawer was not replenished on
regular occasions to meet customer demand.

Summary of findings
Overall, the catering service is clearly a business that has high expectations of its staff, and
consistently uses strict policy and guidelines regarding food preparation and hygiene to ensure
that customers received a high quality of service.
The only points of recommendation that the report would like to put forward are:
 more rigorous quality control of portion sizes

 ensure staff responsibilities during service are clear so that customer demand (eg for
condiments) is met

The writer has used subheadings to highlight the areas of focus within the report. The writer also
uses signposting sentences at the beginning of each paragraph. Notice in the structure of the
third paragraph - negative areas are mentioned only after the positive findings have been
included. The report ends with a clear summary of the report findings, and a bullet-pointed list
of general recommendations to end.

Writing an article
Structure

The structure of an article for a newspaper, magazine or website, is usually in three parts:
 introduction – engaging the reader, or outlining the main point of the article to follow
 middle – making clear and interesting points about the topic
 end – a concluding paragraph that draws the points together
If the aim of an article is to persuade the reader, then the opening and closing paragraph will
outline the writer’s viewpoint and make it most memorable. Subheadings are sometimes used to
signpost the content of each.

Language

The language of an article depends upon the purpose and audience; usually, the vocabulary of the
article will fit the topic content, and who it is targeted at. For example, you would expect an article
about a recent film release to include the vocabulary of actors, scripts and performance.
A catchy, memorable headline is essential to grab your readers’ attention and entice them to read
the whole article.
Articles are usually written in Standard English, but colloquial sayings or phrases might be used to
emphasise a point. Persuasive devices, such as rule of three, rhetorical questions
and alliteration can be used to encourage the reader to agree with your point of view.

Example

This extract from an article tries to persuade the reader to eat a more balanced, healthy diet:

Eat Right: Live Longer

It has been scientifically proven that the less junk food a person consumes, the longer they are
likely to live. So why isn’t everyone dumping the junk? Jordan McIntyre investigates.

Fast food equals fat

A staple part of twenty-first century British home-life is the weekly takeaway treat: finger-licking
burgers, sticky ribs and crispy chicken wings are, for many, the normal Friday night feast. The
average national calorie count in the UK is a whopping 4500 a day, a key factor in the obesity cases
that are soaring. Fast food is packed with fat and obesity contributes to a range of health issues -
most significantly heart disease and depression. So why aren’t we changing our lifestyles?

Short on time
Families these days are spending less and less time at home during the working week. School
commitments, work meetings and extra-curricular activities mean that time is short and fewer
people are prepared to put in the effort to prepare fresh, healthy meals.
And when time is tight, it seems we are even more willing to compromise our waistlines for a little
bit of what we fancy – fast fatty food.

Eat yourself healthy

However, Georgia Thomas of the University of Food says, ‘I am convinced that it is possible to live
a busy lifestyle AND prepare healthy, satisfying meals. It seems that people have simply got out of
the habit of cooking. We are busy people; how do we reward ourselves? You guessed it - food.’
Britain clearly needs to shift the stodge, and fast.

The article uses a short, bold headline using alliteration to get the reader’s interest and present
the topic of the article. The rhetorical question in the opening paragraph encourages the reader
to challenge the topic. The subheadings direct the reader through the text, and act as mini
headlines, drawing the reader’s attention. The writer uses hyperbole, and colloquial sayings to
produce a lively, interesting article. This style of language is used throughout with phrases such as
‘little bit of what we fancy’ and ‘shift the stodge’ adding a conversational tone to the whole piece.
The final paragraph uses quotations from an expert to add credibility to the argument. You would
expect the article to go on to explore how we can eat healthily and to conclude with an
explanation of how easy it is to do this.
 Writing a guide
Structure

A guide might be a leaflet or handbook, giving instructions on a topic or procedure.

It is typical for a guide to use subheadings so that the reader can see the main points at a glance.
The order of these headings will depend on the purpose of the guide. For example, if the guide is
to encourage people to visit a tourist attraction, the key areas of interest may feature first with
cost and a map appearing at a later point.

Language

As with all writing, the language should be suitable for the audience. In a guide aimed at children,
the language will need to be easy for that age group to understand, but also exciting and lively
enough to make them want to read it.
It is common to use imperatives in a guide, eg ‘Go here’, ‘Pay attention to…’, ‘Sign up now’ –
giving clear directions to the reader.

Here is an extract from a BBC Children in Need guide. The purpose of the guide is to explain how
to take part in challenges that raise money for charity.

 Each section has a heading that outlines the main topic of that part of the guide. Notice that
the subheadings are short and bold to draw the reader’s attention to the crucial information.
 The writer has used the personal pronouns ‘you’ and ‘your’ to directly address the reader.
 Several persuasive techniques have been used within the guide to encourage the reader to
get excited about the idea of fundraising. For example ‘check out some of our famous friends’
top party tunes’.
 Some sections with crucial information, such as the website address, are highlighted for
emphasis.