Go Kwala: Composition and Extended Writing
Planning before writing
Every composition earns marks for content, organisation, language and mechanics. Spend five minutes planning: decide the type (narrative, descriptive, argumentative, letter, report), the audience, and the main points. A short outline with three or four points prevents rambling.
Structure
- Narrative: setting, characters, rising action, climax, resolution. Use past tense consistently.
- Descriptive: appeal to senses; use comparisons (jaaka, go tshwana le).
- Argumentative: state your position, give two or three reasons with examples, answer one counter-argument, conclude.
- Formal letter: address, date, salutation (Motlotlegi...), body paragraphs, closing (Wa gago / O mogolo), signature.
Paragraph craft
One idea per paragraph. Begin with a topic sentence, support it, then link to the next with a connective. Vary sentence length; too many short sentences sound choppy, too many long ones confuse.
Language control
Watch concords, tense consistency and punctuation. Use direct speech sparingly and punctuate it correctly. Avoid English loanwords where a Setswana word exists.
Traps
- Writing everything you know instead of answering the exact topic.
- Shifting tense mid-narrative.
- Forgetting the letter format features (date, salutation, closing).
- Ignoring the word limit and losing marks for length.
Rule of thumb
Read your draft once only for content and order, then once only for grammar and spelling. Two focused passes beat one vague reread. End with a clear concluding sentence that returns to the topic.