Writing Skills (Letters, Applications, Paragraphs, Reports)
Writing Skills tests letters, applications, paragraphs and reports. The examiner looks for correct format, relevant content, organisation and control of grammar - not decoration.
Formal letter and application
- Format: sender's address, date, receiver's designation, subject, salutation (Dear Sir/Madam), body, Yours faithfully, signature.
- Put the purpose in the first two lines; use one idea per paragraph.
- Application for leave: mention dates, reason, and request; do not invent unnecessary personal details.
Paragraph
- One topic sentence; four to six supporting sentences; a closing sentence.
- Use linking words: first, moreover, however, therefore.
- Stay on one topic. A paragraph on 'Save Water' should not drift into 'Save Trees'.
Report
- Headline, byline (By X), place and date, then factual body.
- Use past tense and third person: 'The festival was inaugurated by...'
- No personal opinion unless the report asks for it.
- Keep the headline short and active: 'Science Fair Held at Government School', not 'A Report About...'.
Worked example
Paragraph plan for 'Why We Should Save Water': topic sentence (water is limited); support (agriculture, drinking, sanitation); example (drought-prone districts); conclusion (conservation is shared duty). Reasoning: each sentence develops the same claim; no new topic is introduced.
Traps
'Dear friend' in a formal letter; missing subject line; mixing past and present in a report; writing a story instead of a paragraph; exceeding the word limit and losing format marks.