Writing Skills: Essays, Letters, Reports, Speeches, Notices, Articles
Writing carries a large block of marks and is where conventions are most cheaply lost. Every task names a format, an audience and a word limit - read all three before writing a line.
Format checklists
- Notice: in a box; institution's name; the word NOTICE; short heading; date; body of 40–50 words; name and designation. No salutation, no “I”, no address.
- Formal letter: sender's address, date, receiver's designation and address, subject line, salutation, three paragraphs (purpose – detail – action), Yours faithfully with full name.
- Letter to the editor: “The Editor, ” is enough; state the issue, its local impact, a concrete appeal.
- Report: title, byline, place and date, lead paragraph answering what/when/where/who, details with a quotation, conclusion; past tense, third person.
- Speech: salutation, greeting, personal hook, two or three points with one example each, call to action, thanks. Contractions and direct address are correct here.
- Article/essay: title, byline for articles, one topic sentence per paragraph, no bullets, conclusion that answers the title.
Worked example
Task: a notice for a Literary Club book exhibition on 12 August in the school library. Weak draft: “We are conducting a book exhibition. All students are requested to attend.” This fails on venue detail, timing and contact. Revised body: “The Literary Club will hold a book exhibition on 12 August 2025 in the school library from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Students may donate or borrow books; register with the Club Secretary by 10 August.” Each sentence answers a reader's question; no adjective of praise appears.
Traps
- Yours sincerely only when the recipient's name is known; otherwise Yours faithfully.
- Missing subject line in a formal letter.
- Salutation inside a notice, or first person inside a report.
- Padding to reach the word limit; examiners stop rewarding after the limit.