Guided Writing (Letter, Notice, Report, Speech, Dialogue)
Guided writing gives you a situation and a format. Marks are split between format, content and expression, so a technically complete answer with all format elements outscores a stylish one that forgets the subject line.
Formats at a glance
- Formal letter: sender's address, date, receiver's address, subject, salutation, body in two or three short paragraphs, closing. Use "Yours sincerely" with a named recipient, "Yours faithfully" with Dear Sir/Madam.
- Notice: name of the institution, the word NOTICE, date, a short heading, body answering what, when, where, who and whom to contact, then name and designation. Keep it brief.
- Report: title, byline, place and date, past tense, third person, factual and formal, no personal opinion.
- Speech: salutation, greeting, introduction, body with a rhetorical question or two, conclusion, thanks.
- Dialogue: at least four to six meaningful exchanges, natural but not slangy, with each speaker's name.
Worked example (notice)
"NOTICE - Inter-house Quiz Competition. 12 August 20XX. The Inter-house Quiz will be held in the school hall on 25 August at 10 a.m. Students of Standards IX and X may register in pairs with their class teacher by 20 August. - Aarav Patil, Secretary, Quiz Club." Reasoning: it answers what, when, where and whom to contact; it names the issuer and carries a date and heading.
Traps
Omitting the subject line; putting "I think" into a report; exceeding the word limit in a notice; writing a letter without the situation's specific details; dialogue that drifts off the given topic.