Writing composition, Year 11: viewpoint writing and the form of the task

form

HintThink of the genre label on the task, such as 'a letter to a headteacher'.

The whyBefore planning, find all three in the task: who it is for (audience), what it is meant to do (purpose) and what kind of text it is (form). Tone, layout and vocabulary all follow from them.

No: you argue your own point of view

HintThink about whether the quoted statement is an instruction to follow or an opinion for you to answer.

The whyYou may agree, disagree, or agree in part. What is marked is how clearly and convincingly you argue the position you take, so choose the side you can argue best.

B

HintWhich opening could not be mistaken for a neutral summary?

The whyA viewpoint piece should make its position plain from the first lines. Opening A promises a list; opening B makes a claim the rest of the piece can prove.

The two sources in Section A

HintThink of the reading materials you just worked through and the subject they shared.

The whyThe task is on the same theme as the reading, so the sources can spark ideas. The argument itself should be your own.

One, with no choice

HintCompare the options on Paper 1 Section B against how the second paper's final question is organised.

The whyPaper 1 offers a description or a story. Paper 2 sets a single task, so the one thing you can prepare is the skill itself: taking a position and arguing it in whatever form is named.

A headline

HintThink about which element is meant for a reader's eyes and would be meaningless spoken aloud.

The whyA speech is heard, so it opens by addressing the listeners and often ends by asking them to do something. Headlines and subheadings belong to forms that are read, such as articles.

faithfully; sincerely

HintThe choice depends on whether you addressed the reader by name.

The whyWhen you do not know the reader's name, sign off with 'faithfully'; when you have used their name, use 'sincerely'. Only the first word of the sign-off takes a capital letter.

A key phrase repeated

HintThink about how a speaker helps an audience hold on to a main idea when they cannot re-read.

The whyReaders can re-read; listeners get one chance. Speeches therefore repeat key phrases, use short sentences for the main points, and signpost clearly ('first', 'finally').

formal

HintThink about the vocabulary and tone a quality newspaper's readers expect.

The whyA broadsheet is a serious newspaper with an adult readership, so the article should use Standard English and developed arguments. Wit is welcome; slang and text-speak are not.

An article

HintThink of which type of writing uses features such as headings and addresses 'the reader'.

The whyEach of the three features belongs to something read, not heard. Check the form named in the task before you start and again when you read the piece through.

No: the task can name another form

HintRecall what the specification promises about the kind of text you will be asked for, and what it leaves open.

The whyArticles, letters and speeches are the forms most often practised, but the task could ask for another, such as an essay or the text of a leaflet. The method is the same: find the form, then give its reader what they expect.