Writing Skills (Likhan Kaushal): letter, essay, report and composition
What this domain tests
Writing tasks are marked on three heads: format, content and language accuracy (spelling, matras, agreement). The paper usually offers a choice between a formal and a personal letter, a ਲੇਖ on a familiar social or school topic, and a ਰਿਪੋਰਟ or ਸੂਚਨਾ. Format marks are the cheapest marks in the paper - they are earned in the first six lines.
Formats to reproduce exactly
- ਅਧਿਕਾਰਿਕ ਪੱਤਰ: ਭੇਜਣ ਵਾਲੇ ਦਾ ਪਤਾ → ਮਿਤੀ → ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤਕਰਤਾ ਦਾ ਅਹੁਦਾ ਤੇ ਪਤਾ → ਵਿਸ਼ਾ → ਸੰਬੋਧਨ (ਸ੍ਰੀਮਾਨ ਜੀ / ਮਹੋਦਯ ਜੀ) → three paragraphs → ਤੁਹਾਡਾ ਵਿਸ਼ਵਾਸੀ → ਨਾਮ.
- ਨਿੱਜੀ ਪੱਤਰ: informal salutation (ਪਿਆਰੇ ਪਾਪਾ ਜੀ), personal news first, request last, closing ਤੁਹਾਡਾ ਪੁੱਤਰ/ਪੁੱਤਰੀ.
- ਲੇਖ: ਭੂਮਿਕਾ (2–3 lines) → ਵਿਸਥਾਰ (3–4 paragraphs, one idea each, with an example or figure) → ਸਮਾਪਤੀ (conclusion plus a suggestion).
- ਰਿਪੋਰਟ: headline → place and date → lead paragraph answering what, when, where, who → details and one quotation → closing line. Third person, past tense.
- ਸੂਚਨਾ: institution name, the word ਸੂਚਨਾ centred, date, the five Ws in three lines, signature with designation.
Worked example
Task: write to the Municipal Commissioner about a street light that has been off for a month. Opening that earns format marks: ਸੇਵਾ ਵਿੱਚ, ਸ੍ਰੀਮਾਨ ਕਮਿਸ਼ਨਰ ਸਾਹਿਬ, ਨਗਰ ਨਿਗਮ ... followed by ਵਿਸ਼ਾ: ਗਲੀ ਦੀ ਬੱਤੀ ਇੱਕ ਮਹੀਨੇ ਤੋਂ ਬੰਦ ਹੋਣ ਬਾਰੇ। Reasoning: the examiner ticks four things within those lines - sender's address, date, ਵਿਸ਼ਾ and correct salutation. The body then needs three moves: the problem with its location, its effect on residents, and a specific request with a time frame (ਇੱਕ ਹਫ਼ਤੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਮੁਰੰਮਤ ਕਰਵਾਉਣ ਦੀ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਕਰੋ). Language marks depend on matras, so keep two minutes to proofread.
Traps that cost marks
- No ਵਿਸ਼ਾ line in a formal letter - an automatic format deduction.
- Friendly register inside a formal letter (ਕਿਵੇਂ ਹੋ? to an official).
- Writing the ਲੇਖ as bullet points; paragraphs carry the organisation marks.
- A report in the first person (ਮੈਂ ਦੇਖਿਆ).
- Overrunning the word limit and losing accuracy marks in the final paragraph.