1. WRITING SKILLS

2. Decide on a topic:
Usually you are given a list of topics to choose from, which often
require you to write a different type of essay (i.e. narrative,
descriptive, etc – see next slide). From this list, you will choose
one topic to write about.
In your CTA booklet, the type of essay you will be writing is
narrative and the topic is:
Imagine that you have spent a day with your chosen celebrity.
Write about this day.

3. TYPE OF WRITING: DESCRIPTION: Descriptive
Using the senses – sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell and emotions – in a descriptive essay.
Argumentative
One’s opinion on a debatable topic and one’s reasons why. One must provide facts, details and explanations that support one’s opinion. You must commit yourself to a particular point of view.
Discursive
One’s viewpoint(s), and the evidence, reasoning, explanation and facts that support the viewpoint(s). You discuss the issues without coming to a particular point of view.
Narrative
A story told by using different types of narrative techniques (e.g. first person or third person).
Letter
A story told through the writing of letters.
Diary
First-person narration that relates the events of a story through diary entries.

4. The writing process:
STEP ONE: PLAN! Brainstorm using a mind map/ spider
diagram:
MAIN IDEA
MAIN IDEA
MAIN IDEA
TOPIC
MAIN IDEA
MAIN IDEA
MAIN IDEA
MAIN IDEA
Each main idea will be a separate paragraph. Study each idea and think of ways to
expand on it (details, examples, descriptions, reasoning, explanation). Put your ideas into
a logical order/sequence (the sequence must make sense to the reader).
Remember to include an introduction and a conclusion!

5. STEP TWO: WRITE THE FIRST DRAFT
When you are satisfied with your mind map you are ready to
write your first draft. NOTE: a draft is not your final
piece of writing! It is still the planning phase and must be
done in pencil. Refer to your mind map during this exercise.
When you have written your first draft, ask yourself:
Do I have an introduction that gives the reader an idea of what my essay is about?
Do I have a conclusion that summarises the main ideas and ties up any loose ends?
Do my paragraphs follow in a logical sequence?
Does each paragraph have one main idea?
Does each paragraph include all important and relevant information?
Is my essay interesting and enjoyable to read?
Is anything I have written unclear (will my reader be confused)?
Consult checklist and guidelines for narrative essays on the next slides to see whether your first draft is a good start.

6. CHECKLIST FOR NARRATIVE ESSAYS

7. GUIDELINES FOR WRITING A NARRATIVE ESSAY
Must have a strong story line and be convincing
Usually written in past tense
The introductory paragraph should capture the reader’s attention
A good story has a point to make
An unusually interesting ending gives a story the final touch
The reader’s interest must be maintained until the end
A successful narrative vividly highlights sensory details such as sight, sound, taste, smell and tactile sensations
A narrative essay often has a strong descriptive element.

8. STEP THREE: READING OVER AND EDITING THE FIRST DRAFT
Read your first draft and see what you
can correct (spelling and punctuation)
and improve (vocabulary, details,
descriptions, linguistic devices).
Make all the necessary adjustments and
corrections on your rough work. Make sure
you have followed all instructions, e.g., the
length your writing piece should be (look at
the amount of words required). In this case,
go back to the task in the CTA booklet
and reread the instructions.

9. CHECKLIST FOR THE EDITING OF ESSAYS
IDEAS:
Of interest
Have impact
Don’t preach or moralize
Original
CONTENT:
Credible (believable)
On the topic
Based largely on personal experience
Aviod melodrama and clichés
INTRODUCTION:
Dynamic (vibrant)
Has impact
Makes the reader want to go on reading
Not too long!
PARAGRAPHING:
New idea = new paragraph
Logical flow of ideas
Not too long
SENTENCES:
Need finite verbs
Choose verbs which energize sentences
Avoid too many adjectives
Vary your sentence lengths (e.g. don’t just use simple sentences)
Figurative language is important, but don’t overdo it
Direct speech lightens and brightens prose
Remember you have 5 senses, not just sight
Be precise and accurate in your choice of words (diction)

10. CHECKLIST FOR THE EDITING OF ESSAYS, cont.
CONCLUSION:
Plan it carefully
You don’t always have to tie everything up neatly
Don’t moralise (preach)
Avoid sentimentality
PUNCTUATION:
Apostrophes, capital letters and full stops are used correctly
Use, don’t abuse, exclamation marks!
Know when to use semi-colons, colons, dashes
Direct speech - :
- new speaker; new line
- indicate tone of voice and body language
- use it to reflect character
WRONG WORDS/ CARELESS ERRORS:
Its/ it’s
Know / no
To/ too
Lose/ loose
Their/ there
Write numbers out
Do not use contractions or abbreviations
Avoid slang unless it is to convey character/ persona (in direct speech)
NO &’s and +’s
NO alots and aswells! (They are actually TWO words, but you can use more descriptive words than these)!

11. RULES FOR WRITERERS
Verbs has to agree with their subjects; pronouns must also agree with her subjects
Prepositions are not words to end sentences with
Be more or less specific
It is wrong to ever split an infinitive
And try not start a sentence with a conjunction
Avoid clichés like the plague or you will make you teacher’s face go as red as a tomato
Never ever use repetitive redundancies
No sentence fragments – use finite verbs
Proofread carefully to see if you any words out
The passive voice is to be avoided
Eliminate, commas, that, are, not, necessary
Parenthesis information added to a sentence should be enclosed in commas, brackets or dashes
Use the apostrophe in it’s proper place and omit when its not needed
Don’t use no double negatives
Kill all exclamation marks!!!!!!!! Use sparingly!!!!!!!!

12. STEP FOUR: REWRITE IN NEAT
Once you have written your first draft and have edited it
thoroughly in pencil by eliminating spelling, grammar and
punctuation errors and you have followed the guidelines and
checklists on the previous slides, you are now ready to write your
neat essay.
STEP FIVE: PROOFREAD
Before you hand in your work, read it over again. Correct and
adjust your work if necessary, then read it again before handing it
in .