Unit 1 Section B Writing to Inform & Explain

1
Unit 1 Section BWriting to Inform Explain

• Improving your performance in writing

2
The Exam Section B

• You should spend about an hour on Section B
• 2 Writing tasks
• Shorter task Writing to Inform / Explain (25
  minutes)
• Longer task Writing to Persuade / Argue (35
  minutes)
• 40 marks available

3
What is Writing to Inform?

• Gives detailed information about a topic
• Gives examples to support the points made

4
What is Writing to Explain?

• Explains an idea, concept, action or event
• Gives examples to support the points
• Gives reasons why or how something happens

5
Assessment Objectives

• AO3(i) Communication
• Ideas, addressing the audience, meeting the
  purpose
• AO3(ii) Organsiation
• Type of text, overall structure, use of
  paragraphs and sentences
• AO3(iii) Sentence structure, punctuation and
  spelling
• Accuracy of writing skills and vocabulary

6
Writing to InformMark Band 3 Criteria (F Tier)

• AO3(i) Communication
• Clear and successful communication
• Some detail used to engage reader
• Clearly states purpose and message
• Appropriate tone with some variation
• Uses some appropriate rhetorical devices
• Uses connectives
• AO3(ii) Organisation
• Uses paragraphs effectively
• Uses a variety of structural features
• Presents good ideas in sentences
• AO3(iii) Technical Accuracy
• Uses some complex grammar and punctuation
• Sentences accurately demarcated
• Variety of sentences
• Accuracy in spelling ambitious words
• Uses standard English

7
Writing to ExplainMark Band 4 Criteria (H Tier)

• AO3(i) Communication
• Convincing explanation gives clear reasons
• Detailed and developed ideas
• Sustains purpose, intention and aims
• Appropriate and varied tone
• Uses linguistic devices for effect
• Extensive use of discourse markers
• AO3(ii) Organisation
• Whole text written
• Employs effective paragraphs
• Uses a variety of structural features
• Presents ideas coherently
• AO3(iii) Technical Accuracy
• Complex sentence structures and punctuation
  accurate
• Sentences correctly demarcated
• Variety of sentences for effect
• Ambitious vocabulary, accurately spelt
• Standard English used appropriately

8
What do I need to do?

• Structure your writing carefully, showing how
  points are linked together
• Make your writing interesting to read
• Use a range of rhetorical devices for effect
• Use a range of paragraphs and types of sentence
  for effect
• Use a range of punctuation for effect
• Spell words correctly and use an interesting
  vocabulary

9
Examples of tasks

• Explain what qualities you think a best friend
  should have and explain, giving examples, why you
  think this.
• Write a leaflet for Year 10 pupils in which you
  explain how to manage GCSE study successfully.
• There are many pressures on teenagers today.
  Write an article for a parents magazine,
  explaining what you think the main pressures are
  and how they affect young peoples lives.

10
Writers ToolkitOverall Structure

• Remember to create a detailed plan
• Write an imaginative opening to engage your
  reader i.e. an anecdote
• Link your conclusion back to your opening
• Vary the length of your paragraphs e.g. a
  one-sentence paragraph
• Use a range of connectives to link your
  paragraphs together

11
Writers ToolkitRhetorical Devices

• Rhetorical questions x 2
• Lists of three x 2
• Emotive language
• Anecdotes
• Facts and Statistics
• Audience involvement

• Direct address
• Personal involvement
• Alliteration
• Repetition
• Over-exaggeration
• Expert opinions

12
Writers ToolkitSentence Structure

• Questions
• Exclamations
• Short sentences for impact
• Complex lists e.g. There are many reasons why
  Beckham is a hero he has worked hard he has had
  great success he is an inspiration
• Begin with a reason
• Begin with a verb
• Move your subordinate clauses around e.g. at the
  beginning

13
Writers ToolkitRange of Punctuation

• Exclamation / question marks
• Brackets to show sarcasm
• Inverted commas for irony
• Apostrophes for omission and possession
• Use a colon instead of because or so
• Use a semi-colon to show that 2 statements are
  closely linked
• Put a comma after a connective at the beginning
  of a sentence

14
Why use a Text Skeleton?

• It helps you to visualise what your writing
  should look like
• It helps you to structure the writing
  effectively
• It shows the examiner you know what you are doing

15
Draw a fishbone text skeleton
Work out the PAFT Purpose gt Audience gt Form gt Tone
Add an interesting opening ending e.g. anecdote
/ question
Add connectives to sequence points
Write in your ideas, using PEE to structure your
paragraphs Point gt Evidence gt Explain how this
proves your point
Dont forget about some rhetorical devices
to make your writing interesting
16
Approaching the task

• Analyse the task work out the PAFT
• Think of an interesting opening
• Plan your ideas 3 points / examples
• Think of an effective conclusion link back to
  your opening
• Add connectives
• Add rhetorical devices

17
Age Interests Lifestyle Gender
Education Class Job Hobbies Politics
18
Interesting openings

• Begin with an anecdote tell a story
• Use a complex list to summarise your main points
  e.g. there are many reasons to
• Use a rhetorical question (NOT WHAT DO YOU
  THINK?)

19
Beginning with an anecdote
The story identifies various pressures

• Opening to a response about teenage pressures
• Walking into the classroom, Josie groaned. Her
  coursework for Mrs Brown was still on her desk at
  home. She might have remembered it if she hadnt
  spent her time arguing with her mother over her
  10pm curfew. As she slipped into her seat,
  Tiffany Cameron muttered, Wheredya get ya
  shoes, Josephine, Poundland? Josie looked away
  and caught Jamie Smith looking at her. Was he
  laughing at her, or smiling? She put her head on
  the desk her face was burning with embarrassment!

Begins with a verb
Range of sentences
Begins with a preposition
Slang for effect
Rhetorical question
Colon instead of because
Exclamation mark
20
PEE Paragraphs

• Point
• Answer the question what?
• E.g. What makes this person admirable?
• Example
• A quotation from an expert or someone who might
  have something to say
• An anecdote or brief story
• A fact, statistic or ratio e.g. 1 in 7, 14, half
  of all
• Explain
• Answer the question why?
• E.g. Why does this example show this person is
  admirable?

21
Main points PEE Chains

• Think of a reason
• Beckham has worked hard
• Think of an example of this reason
• Relentless training
• Explain how this example supports your reason
  link to the task
• This makes him a hero because it shows us

22
Example of a PEE paragraph

• One of the main reasons David Beckham should be
  considered a national hero is because he has
  worked so hard to achieve his success. An
  example of this is the fact that he started
  training at such a young age many of us were
  still learning to read when he was learning to
  kick a football! This shows us all how important
  it is to have a clear goal in life and to always
  work towards achieving it.

23
Conclusion

• Link back to what you said in your opening
  paragraph
• Repeat or reinforce your main points
• Answer any questions you may have asked
• Think about what might happen in the future if
  people dont do what you want

24
Connectives Band 3
25
Discourse markers Band 4!

• Surely it is reasonable to expect
• Taking the global view
• One alternative position might be
• Some people are of the opinion that
• On balance, it is clear to see that
• It is foolish to suggest that
• In considering the need to

26
Task

• Write an article explaining why it is important
  to support charities.