1. NON-FICTION CORE KNOWLEDGE Exam Question Requirements
SKILLS
Writing:
SPAG – Applying spelling, punctuation and grammar effectively. Minimum expectations: capital letters, full stops, commas & apostrophes. Challenge: colons, semi-colons, parenthesis, exclamation marks, hyphens.
Sentence structures – applying a variety for effect – simple, compound and complex. Using time and sequencing connectives.
Paragraphing – TIPTOP rules & being able to apply these effectively.
Persuasion – Using a range of techniques effectively and suitably (FATHORSE/HADAFOREST)
Vocabulary
Definition
Convey
To communicate a message, information or idea.
Colloquial
Language used in ordinary and familiar conversations. Not formal.
Precise
Exact and accurate
Concise
Giving a lot of information clearly and in a few words.
Criticism
Disapproval
Courteous
Polite and respectful
Facilities
Places, amenities or things that are provided for a particular purpose
Provision
Providing or supplying something.
Reiterate
To say something a number of times.
Elaborate
To develop or present something in further detail.
Proposal
A plan or suggestion
Insufficient
Not enough
Inadequate
Not good enough
Negligible
Small and unimportant.
Recipient
Someone who receives something.
Writing to:
Inform
Persuade
Advise
Layout tips
Formal letter – Your address top right. Their address to the left and under your address. Date to the right of the page. Dear Sir/Madam…Yours faithfully. Write in 1st person.
Informal letter – Their address top right. Date underneath. Dear….From…. Write in 1st person.
Report – Title of report. Write in 3rd person.
Exam Question Requirements
Writing for 2 different purpose, audience and formats with clear communication and technical accuracy.
Write a report about…..for….
Write a letter to…..about…
SPAG & vocabulary must be accurate and effective.
Terminology
Definition
PAFT
Purpose, audience, form and tone
Purpose
What a text trying to do. Is it informative, advisory or persuasive
Audience
Who a text is aimed at
Format
The type of text (eg: letter, speech, report etc)
Tone
The way a piece of text sounds e.g. sarcastic etc. The mood or atmosphere in the writing.
Hyperbole
Use of exaggerated terms for emphasis.
Anecdote
A short story using examples to support ideas.
Directives
Using you, we or us.
Repetition
When words or phrases are used more than once in texts.
Statistics
Facts and figures
Authoritative
Commanding and self-confident. Likely to be respected and obeyed.
Superlative
Declaring something the best i.e. the ugliest, the most precious.
Passive voice
When the subject of the sentence has an action done to it but something or someone else. E.g. the dog was being washed by the girl.
Success Criteria
Clear purpose throughout (to inform, complain, persuade etc)
Clear understanding of audience
Clear format and layout
Suitable tone (formal/informal, displeased, happy etc)
Repetition
Statistics/ Facts
Paragraph Links
Good structure
Developing ideas/arguments clearly
Using a range of punctuation including colons and parenthesise
Punctuation Rules to Apply
Capital Letters: For Proper Nouns – Name of place/person & at the start of a sentence
Full Stops: end of a sentence that is not a question or statement
Comma: separates lists/phrases/words & when using sentence adverbs (‘however’, ‘moreover’ etc.) from the rest of the sentence, & to indicate a sub-clause in a sentence
Colon: to introduce a list.
Parenthesise: To include additional information.