Quiz Venue Crisis: A Notice and an Email to the Principal
You are the secretary of the Environmental Society at a school with 1,200 students. The annual inter-house environment quiz was scheduled for the main hall on 18 August at 2 p.m. On 14 August the principal's office informs you that the hall is unavailable because of roof repairs. The only free venue is the ICT laboratory, which has 60 usable seats. Eighty-four students have already registered in four teams. The teacher-in-charge suggests limiting each team to 15 participants and running the quiz in two identical sessions, at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., but the principal must approve the change. You must put a notice on the school board and send an email to the principal. The notice must be calm and clear; the email must be formal and request a decision by 16 August. You have no authority to cancel the event.
1. Write the notice (40-50 words). Explain two choices you made to keep the tone calm and the information clear.
Read the worked answer
Notice: 'Environment Quiz: Change of Venue. The inter-house environment quiz will now be held in the ICT laboratory on 18 August. Because the laboratory has only 60 seats, registered students will be split into two sessions: 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Please check the team lists on the board for your session. - Secretary, Environmental Society.'
Two choices: (1) 'will now be held' is a passive, impersonal statement of the change; it does not say who caused the roof repairs or blame anyone. (2) The notice gives the exact constraint ('only 60 seats') and the exact action ('check the team lists'), so readers know both why the change is happening and what to do. The short verbless heading and direct 'Please check' keep it calm and practical.
2. Write the email to the principal (80-100 words). Identify the request, the reason, and the deadline.
Read the worked answer
Email: 'Dear Principal, I am writing to request permission to run the inter-house environment quiz in two sessions on 18 August. The main hall is unavailable because of roof repairs, and the ICT laboratory has only 60 seats, while 84 students have registered. With your approval, we will hold identical sessions at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., limiting each team to 15 participants. I would be grateful for a decision by 16 August so that notices and team lists can be finalised. Yours sincerely, [Name], Secretary, Environmental Society.'
The request is explicit ('request permission'), the reason is factual (hall repairs; 60 seats vs 84 registrations), and the deadline is stated with its purpose. The modal 'would be grateful' and the full salutation mark the register as formal without being servile.
3. The notice and the email share facts but differ in register. Give two specific differences and explain why each is appropriate.
Read the worked answer
Two differences: (1) The notice uses short, often verbless sentences ('Change of Venue') and direct commands ('Please check'); the email uses full sentences and modal politeness ('I am writing to request', 'I would be grateful'). The notice is read at a glance by students, so speed matters; the email is a record for an authority, so completeness and courtesy matter. (2) The notice avoids blaming anyone and states the change as a fact; the email names the reason (roof repairs) because the principal needs the basis for a decision. Both are appropriate: the notice is calm and public-facing, while the email is formal and accountable.