1. WJEC English Language GCSE
Unit 2 Writing

2. What are we learning today?
Learning Outcomes
I will have created a file on key information for our Unit 2 GCSE exam
I will be able to identify the PAFT of informal letters
I will have evaluated an example informal letter
I will have created an informal letter
Learning Objectives
To develop our understanding of the expectations for Unit 2 Writing Exam
To examine and discuss what is required for an informal letter.

3. letter; report; article; leaflet; speech; review
Don’t get caught with your pants down when it comes to your final English exam!
There are two writing questions and you have just one hour to complete BOTH!
You will be asked to write two of these:
letter; report; article;
leaflet; speech; review

4. What about the numbers involved?
Each question is marked /20.
13 marks for content and paragraphing
7 marks for technical accuracy.

5. Top Tips
As you read the question look for and identify the Purpose Audience Format
Read the instructions carefully and use any bullet points you are given.
Time management: 25 minutes per question to allow for revision and last minute editing.
Think before you write – plan your work carefully so there is structure to your writing.

6. Letter Writing Informal Letter – written to a friend or family member.
The tone should be friendly with a “chatty” approach.
There are certain features of an informal letter. What are they?

7. Write a letter to a friend who is considering moving abroad.
Look at the following letter. The task set in the exam was:
Write a letter to a friend who is considering moving abroad.
PAF?
Evaluate the letter for: Layout Tone
Organisation Content
Technical inaccuracies

8. Now look at the paragraph that begins: “Going abroad ……
Now look at the paragraph that begins: “Going abroad …….” - this has lost valuable marks because it is so brief.
Re-write this paragraph detailing what some of the problems are: finding a job; accommodation; making new friends, etc.

9. Informal Letter Success Criteria
Informal Letter Aspects:
Clear PAFT
Points convincingly developed
Sustained, developed detail throughout
Paragraphs
Appropriate and ambitious vocabulary
Stylistic devices
Technical Aspects:
Correct Spelling
Varied sentence structure
Range of punctuation used accurately
Sentences used to create effect

10. Your aunt & uncle have invited you to go on a round the world cruise with them over the holidays.
Write a detailed letter with your reply giving reasons for your decision.

11. Now let’s look at formal letter writing – notice the differences about how they are set out

12. Yours sincerely, Yours faithfully
Your own
address
Today’s date
Name and address of
person you are writing to.
(or name of person
if possible, you
can make one up)
Dear Sir/Madam,
Letter content which should be clearly
paragraphed using relevant topic sentences.
Make sure your work is punctuated correctly
and that you use formal language.
You use “faithfully” if
you began your
letter with
“Dear Sir/Madam”
Yours sincerely, Yours faithfully

13. Most of the letters you will be asked to write will ask you to PERSUADE or to ARGUE or ADVISE. Quite often they may ask for a combination. There are certain skills/features associated with these terms and examiners will expect you to evidence them in your writing.

14. Persuasive devices – remember A FOREST
A Alliteration: Audience involvement
F Facts: figurative language
O Opinion yours and experts
R Rhetorical questions: repetition
E Emotive language – exaggeration - hyperbole
S Statistics
T Three: list of

15. When you are asked to argue, the examiner wants you to put just one point of view. You need to be very clear from the beginning what your viewpoint is and make this clear in your writing. If you are asked to argue Mobile phones should be banned in schools, you are either in favour or against, you ARE NOT putting two points of view.
The only time you may wish to put the opposite view is if you are using it as an example to then disagree with –a counter argument eg.
Mobile phones are a necessary part of life. What rubbish, what did people do before they were invented!

16. Choose one of the following questions to answer…