TYPES OF COMPOSITIONS NARRATIVE

DESCRIPTIVE

FACTUAL

ARGUMENTATIVE

REFLECTIVE

1. NARRATIVE COMPOSITIONS Stories

Stories which begin with a given sentence

Stories which end with a given sentence

A narrative is a story. It has to have a beginning, a series of incidents leading to a conflict or climax and a suitable ending. Tips on Writing Narrative Compositions 1. Write a suitable introduction. Introduce your characters. Provide a setting and start the story.

2. Make your characters lively and interesting. Limit your characters to about three or four. Your reader should be able to identify the main character and the minor characters.

3. The incidents you relate must lead to a conflict and later to a climax.

4. Resolve the conflict and end the story.

5. Make your story realistic. You can do this by one of the following methods:

a. Give actual names of places, roads, etc

b. Use dialogues

c. Give your story a time frame.

d. Bring in actual events, for example, Merdeka Day, the SEA Games, etc

Some Types of Opening i. Describe the background to your story This sets things off in a straightforward manner; establishing clearly your characters and situation.

Example: There was once a poet who spent all his days shut up in his dark and shabby rented room on top of a coffin shop.

ii.

Describe the setting Describing the setting will create the mood for your story. Example: Towards two oclock, the huge theatre was thronged floor gallery, boxes and stage were all crowded. So many people were gathered in front of the box offices that the management had to telephone the police, fearing a riot.

iii.

Use direct speech This can be a lively way to begin, especially if your character says something that grabs attention. Example : May God wipe out my whole family if I am lying! she whispered, raising hand in oath.

iv.

Use sounds Using words which convey sounds is an easy way to start on a dramatic note. Example : Plop! The lead at the end of the fishing line dropped into the sea.

2. DESCRIPTIVE COMPOSITIONS Describing people 1. When describing people, select only the significant details.

2.

Mention some of the following: - build, facial features, clothing, height, hairstyle, age, size of the person, distinguishing marks or scars.

3.

Mention character or personality traits, habits, behaviour and relationship with others.

Write about a person you admire Composition outline Introduction - who the person is - how you know the person Body - physical description - character/personality - habits - important incidents - relationship with you and others - why you admire him/her Conclusion - what the person stands for - what the person means to you Describing places or scenes When you describe places, pay attention to the following aspects : Type of place Location Distance Attractions Facilities/Amenities Accommodation When you describe scenes, pay attention to sensory description. Sounds Smell Taste Touch

 Sight A description of a village scene on a hot sunny day

3. FACTUAL COMPOSITIONS The main purpose of factual composition is to inform. So, to write factual compositions, you must have accurate information about the topic being discussed. Information about a topic Causes and effects Analysis of problems, issues and situations and proposals for solutions Some examples of factual topics: Pollution causes and effects Tuition reasons for its popularity Tourism how to promote it Deforestation causes and effects E-learning benefits Dental care importance Smoking health effects Mobile phones health hazards 4. ARGUMENTATIVE COMPOSITIONS An argumentative composition requires you to develop or justify a given argument or to put forward a particular point of view.

An argumentative composition requires you to do one of the following : take one side of an argument and present your stand clearly put forward your argument for and against and then make a stand 5. REFLECTIVE COMPOSITIONS A reflective composition is one in which you express your personal thoughts, opinions feelings. To write reflective compositions, you need to have a good command of the language which will enable you to express yourself clearly. Examples of Reflective essays: My dream house Things I treasure My ideal husband of wife Memories The qualities I would look for in a friend My greatest problem 27 September 2009 loy 1 Comments

The Star: SPM : Essay Writing

THE STAR: Sunday September 27, 2009

Essay writing
TODAY we will look at section B of paper 1 i.e. the section on continuous writing. This section carries a substantial 50 marks. Candidates are given five topics and they have to write on one of these topics in an hour. The topics can be categorised as follows: narrative E.g Write a story beginning with: I never knew what happiness was until. or Write a story ending with: Finally, he walked away without saying a word.

descriptive E.g. The worst day in my life factual/expository E.g. The Effects of Pollution or Ways to Make School Interesting argumentative E.g. Students should be allowed to wear casual clothes to school. Do you agree? one-word essays E.g. Freedom SPM English with JENNY TAN The continuous writing section, which carries 50 marks, tests a students ability to write a 350 - 500 word essay in one hour. Five choices will be given and students are normally given the following types of essays:narrative, descriptive, argumentative, reflective or factual. POINTS TO REMEMBER 1. Choose a suitable question Read each question carefully before deciding which one to choose. You must decide if you have enough points to write an essay of between 350 500 words. You will need to write at least four to five paragraphs. 2. Plan your essay Many good students do not plan. Instead, they tend to write in a think-as-you-go manner. Consequently, they discover they have nothing left to say mid-way and they discard that question and start another one. A plan will help you to stay focussedand not stray from the topic. For example, a student chooses to write on the following: Describe the night market in your town. He starts well by mentioning the location of the night market, the vendors and the things sold. Then, he starts describing a snatch theft in the night market and how he ends up as a witness in the police station. The student has not fulfilled the task required. He is asked to describe the night market and not an incident at the night market. 3. Check your essay

It is important to give yourself some time to check your work before handing in your essay. This is because your essay is assessed by impression marking, that is, the examiner reads your essay, notes down your good points as well as your mistakes, and allots a grade according to his impression. THE NARRATIVE COMPOSITION A narrative is a story with a sequence of connected events. It could be about a personal experience or an imagined event or events. Lets look at some typical questions: 1. Write a story about a man who returns to his home after many years. 2. The day I lost my temper. 3. Write a story ending with, I shall never forget this day for the rest of my life. 4. Write about an occasion when you got into trouble. 5. Write a story beginning with, I could not believe my eyes?. YOUR ACTION PLAN: (1 hour) A. Planning = 15 minutes B. Writing = 35 minutes C. Checking = 10 minutes This plan is for those who are quite weak in English. For those who are proficient, you may only need 10 minutes for planning. A. PLANNING Lets say you have chosen question 3: Write a story ending with, I shall never forget this day for the rest of my life. 1. Read the question carefully and underline important phrases. Pay particular attention to the ending. 2. Brainstorm for ideas and jot down notes. For exam purposes, the simplest way is to divide it into three parts: i. Presentating the situation/characters/setting What day was it? Where were you? What were you doing? Who was there with you? Choose one event or day which is unforgettable. Many students tend to describe a trip somewhere and the places they visited but nothing much happened that could be described as unforgettable. Do not describe more than one day. ii. Conflict/Complication

- What happened first? - How did it happen? - Who was there with you? What happened that was unforgettable? Is it going to be a funny day or a tragic day? Think how you will develop the story and how the events will unfold. Use a simple time line (chronological sequence first to last event). Those who are more proficient may choose to start from the final event (flashback). iii. Resolution - What happened as a result of the complication? - What effect did this have on you? - What is the outcome of the action or complication? Point out a lesson learnt as the conflict is solved. Remember to include the last line as given in the question. B. WRITING Now that you have got the skeleton of your story, it is time to begin writing. Use connectors to link the events so that it flows well. Some suitable phrases are: It was very dark?. I will never forget ?.. A few minutes later?. Suddenly,? When the disaster happened,... (Refer to last weeks article for more transitional phrases.) Use sensory details to reveal the events and to get the reader involved. Example: a. I went into the restaurant. b. I walked into the restaurant. c. I sauntered into the restaurant. Sentence (a) merely states that I went into the restaurant while sentence (b) gives a little more information as to how I went into the restaurant. Sentence (c) is more specific as the word sauntered means strolled or walked slowly. Thus, sentence (c) is more effective in narrative and descriptive writing. C. Checking Read your essay through and check for the following: - Is the spelling correct? - Is the punctuation appropriate? Have you use too many commas in a sentence?

- Have you varied the length of your sentences? Does one thought follow the next in a logical order? - Did you stick to the topic? - Did you use words so that your reader could clearly visualise the incident? - Did you use the appropriate tenses throughout your essay? Make any corrections neatly. Now, read the following model answer and see if you can identify the three parts of the action plan and how I use sensory details to make the story come alive. It was a cool September morning. Early rain had cleared the skies to a golden hue. The occasional pit pat of the rain drops on the rooftop gutters lulled me to a dreamy stupor. Soon, I would have to get up as I had to attend a club meeting. My brother, Alex had promised to give me a lift before he went to his office. As usual, we dropped by Permai Restaurant for breakfast. The town was just beginning to stir from its sleep as Alex swerved into one of the many empty parking lots. While he slotted some coins into the parking machine, I grabbed my handbag and sauntered to the restaurant, the aroma of teh tarik beckoning me. Suddenly, I felt a strong tug from behind and before I realized it, my handbag was gone. I looked up and saw two men on a motorcycle. Then it hit me! Snatch thieves! I screamed but the sound was a mere whimper. I ran towards Alex, arms flailing. He jumped into his car and gave chase. By this time, some workers from the restaurant who had realised what had happened brought me into the restaurant and gave me a hot teh tarik. Curious eyes followed me. I could not swallow. Why me? The thought of losing my handphone made me nauseous. I was vaguely aware that my arm was throbbing and I saw that it was swollen. Twenty minutes later and what seemed like an eternity to me, Alex came back emptyhanded. I was relieved that he was all right. He advised me to eat something. The thosai tasted like paper and I pushed the plate away. We headed for the police station nearby and this time, I kept close to Alex. A kind elderly policeman took me into a room where I tried to narrate the incident. We saw several women complaining loudly to an officer. Alex told me they were also victims of snatch thefts. Somehow the thought that I was not the only victim comforted me. Alex sent me to school with some money when I insisted on going. I sat bravely through the meeting without uttering a word. I waited nervously for Alex to pick me up but he was late. Mei, my friend, offered to walk me home. Each time we crossed a road, I clutched her hand. Each motorcyclist that came by looked suspicious to me. That night, after saying a prayer with my mother, I finally broke down and cried. I could not sleep as images of those two men lurked in my mind but I was thankful that I was not

hurt. I resolved to be more alert the next time. I struggled for a few hours before exhaustion took over. I shall never forget this day for the rest of my life. (494 words) Presenting the situation What day was it? Where was the writer? What was she doing? Events/complication What happened first? How did it happen? What happened then? The writer uses short sentences here to emphasise the event that took place quickly. Notice the sensory details used here (in bold) to make the story come alive. Each paragraph introduces a gap in time and the next event. Resolution What happened as a result of that event? What effect did this have on the writer? What is the result ?

narrative E.g Write a story beginning with: I never knew what happiness was until. or Write a story ending with: Finally, he walked away without saying a word. descriptive E.g. The worst day in my life factual/expository E.g. The Effects of Pollution or Ways to Make School Interesting argumentative E.g. Students should be allowed to wear casual clothes to school. Do you agree? one-word essays E.g. Freedom

General guidelines for continuous writing: 1. Read and consider all the questions given. Do not make the mistake of selecting the first question that you read or a question which you think is manageable. You might realise later that you could have handled another question with much more ease. 2. Choose a topic that you are familiar or comfortable with. Select a topic which is within your experience so that you will not have to struggle with the content. 3. Opt for a topic which is within your linguistic ability. Do not select a topic just because you think it is challenging. This is not the time for experimentation. For weak students, it is always advisable to write a narrative. 4. Plan your essay the outline/organisation, points/ideas/thoughts, and supporting points (if you are writing an argumentative or factual essay). 5. Write out your essay in neat and legible handwriting. Small or untidy handwriting, or a combination of both, can be very annoying as the reader has to spend valuable time deciphering what you have written. 6. Write in paragraphs. You may leave a line between paragraphs as it is easier on the examiners eye. 7. Edit and revise language if necessary. Allocate 10 minutes for this, and make sure spelling and punctuation are accurate. Narrative Essays This week we will focus on narrative essays, which are a favourite among students. As mentioned earlier, narrative writing is a better option for weak students. Guidelines to remember when writing a narrative essay: 1. You have to decide whether to write your essay from your own perspective or someone elses. The first person or third person singular is the most popular voice. If you choose to write

from your own perspective, then use the first person singular i.e. I. If you choose to write from someone elses perspective, use third person pronouns (he, she, it). Be consistent in your choice of pronouns. Do not switch perspectives mid-way through the essay. The choice of pronoun also depends on the question. In the question Write a story beginning with: I was tired and, you have to use the first person singular I. 2. Engage your reader. Make the story real for him. Make him involved in your experience. 3. Have a simple plot. You will be better off using the chronological order. Flashbacks are a wonderful device where you merge the past with the present. But be careful; only engage in this method if you can carry it off. 4. Use only the simple past tense if you cannot handle the past perfect tense. However, you will need to use the past perfect tense if you are referring to more than one action in the past. 5. Bring your characters to life. Make them real. Make them memorable. It is always more interesting to read about flawed characters. 6. Use nouns, verbs and adjectives to evoke your readers senses. 7. You may use dialogue, but use it sparingly and effectively. Remember you are writing a narrative, not a script. Before you write your essay, it is a good idea to plan what you are going to write. A good narrative should have: i. An introduction This is to set the scene and present the character/characters ii. Complications or problems In your story, the character/characters might have a problem to overcome. iii. A climax A good story should have a climax which is the most exciting part of the story iv. A resolution (end)

Never leave your story hanging although accomplished writers use this technique (which is called an open ending) to get their readers to confront certain issues the writer may have raised in his story. A resolution tells how the complications/problems were resolved or how they (the problems) affected the characters. Specific guidelines for continuous writing: i. Make sure your essay is longer than 350 words. This means that you need to develop your essay/ideas to a considerable degree. ii. Avoid lengthy essays. Some students believe that they will obtain more marks if they write a lengthy piece. This is definitely not true, especially if your essay has considerable grammatical errors. iii. Do not waste time counting the number of words. By now you should be able to gauge how many words you write on one page, so do not waste precious time counting the number of words in your essay. iv. Pay attention to language. As in directed writing, avoid informal language, clichs, contractions and slang words. v. Avoid using unnecessary idiomatic expressions/proverbs. Some students have this notion that they will obtain more marks if they use idiomatic expressions/proverbs, and so, they memorise as many idiomatic expressions/proverbs as they can. Reading an essay littered with idiomatic expressions/proverbs can be a pain. Also, not all idiomatic expressions are formal. vi. Use a variety of sentences (simple, compound, complex and compound-complex) of varying lengths. We will look at these in the next article. vii. Use precise vocabulary. E.g. He told me to be careful as there were crocodiles in the river. He warned me to be careful as there were crocodiles in the river.

The word warned is more precise. viii. Do not use spoken language. These days, it is quite common to come across the usage of spoken language not only in newspaper articles, but also in magazines and novels. Remember, there are differences between spoken and written language. If you are unsure whether a phrase is spoken or written, ask your teachers. ix. Do not leave your sentences hanging. Remember, every English sentence must have a subject and a verb. E.g. I saw many types of marine life. For example, seahorses and starfish. (The second sentence is hanging.) x. Do not use repetitive words, phrases or structures. a) Examples of repetitive words: i. It was a very hot day. I was feeling very thirsty. (You could replace the word very with extremely in the second sentence.) ii. My mother scolded me for coming home late. My father, who was just as angry, scolded me for not listening to his advice. (You could use admonished instead of scolded in the second sentence.) b) Examples of repetitive phrases: i. Murni and I were best friends. We had been best friends since kindergarten. We had promised to remain best friends till the end of our lives. (You could rewrite it this way: Murni and I were best friends. We had been close since kindergarten. We had pledged to maintain our friendship till the end of our lives.) ii. It was the end of the year. My father had promised to take us on a holiday. He had promised to take us to Perth. (There are several ways to rewrite this: 1. It was the end of the year. My father had promised to take us on a holiday. He told us

that we would be going to Perth that year. 2. It was the end of the year. My father had promised to take us on a holiday to Perth.) c. Examples of repetitive sentences: My mother is one person who is admired by many people. She is a strong and determined person. She does not let problems stop her from doing what she wants. She sees problems as challenges. (As you can see the structure She is repeated as in She is She does not She sees Learn to use other structures to overcome this problem. My mother is one person who is admired by many people. She is strong and determined. Problems do not stop her from doing what she wants. According to her, problems are challenges.) *You may, however, use repetitive structures for emphasis. xi. Avoid redundancy, E.g. In my opinion, I think In my opinion and I think have the same meaning. E.g. It was a happy and merry occasion. I felt satisfied and contented. The words happy and merry mean the same thing, so does satisfied and contented. Here is a sample question: Write an essay ending with ... with tears in her eyes, she hugged me tightly. Sample answer It was the wettest December I had ever experienced. The torrential rains had ruined my holiday plans as floods continued to wreak havoc in several states. I had pleaded with dad to allow me to go to the east coast with my friends but he had been unyielding. The thought of having to stay indoors for the next two weeks was not only depressing but also unbearable. Television did not excite me anymore. I was fed up of watching the same old movies on cable television. Even the other channels had nothing exciting to offer. Finally, I decided to go into the attic to retrieve some books which I had not read for a long time. The attic was surprisingly clean - a sign that mum had finally completed the chore that

she had kept putting off. I looked around and noticed a teak chest that I had never seen before. Curiosity got the better of me and I walked towards it. I lifted the lid slowly and was pleasantly surprised to see a variety of things in it all of them reminders of my childhood. I looked nostalgically at the clothes I had worn as a child and the toys I had played with. Bobo the teddy bear, which I had slept with until I was ten, had been drycleaned and kept in a box which also contained the first Mothers Day card I had made myself. I was not prepared for what I saw next. Lying at the bottom of the cardboard box was an old black and white photograph of a young woman. I stared at it incredulously. It was as if I was looking at a female version of myself. All sorts of questions and dreadful thoughts flooded my mind. I held the photograph tightly in my hand and dashed out of the attic, only to bump into my mother. Mum....who is this? I asked in a quivering voice. From the look on her face, I knew it was a question she did not want to answer. Quietly, she held my hand and led me towards the study where dad had been working all morning. She knocked on the door once before opening it. Dad looked up, and his expression of annoyance disappeared when he saw the photograph in my hand. What I heard that day is something I will never forget for the rest of my life. The woman in the photograph was my mother, my biological mother Lily Lee. Son, Lily loved you very much; just as much as Janet here loves you. Dads use of the past tense made me uncomfortable. It took a great deal of effort on his part to narrate the painful past. My biological mother was six months pregnant when the incident happened. She had been walking towards her office when a motorcyclist came from behind and grabbed her handbag before speeding off. As a result of the sudden assault, she had lost her balance and fallen on the kerb. The head injuries she had sustained had a devastating effect on her health. The only option was to perform surgery, but due to her condition, this option was risky. The doctors had wanted to terminate her pregnancy to save her life but she had refused. A month later she fell into a coma. Although the doctors had given up hope, Lily continued to live, though in a comatose state. It was as if she was not giving up on life till her baby was born. When the doctors deemed it safe, they performed an emergency Csection. Lily breathed her last the moment I was born into this world. Dad sobbed softly as he finished relating the heart-wrenching story. All sorts of emotions consumed me. I was sad, confused and angry. Was I adopted? What about my father? Who was he? Had he abandoned me? After a while, I braved myself and stated what I thought was obvious. So, that means you are not my real parents. I am adopted! No, son. You are not adopted. I am your father. Lily was my first wife. She made me

promise her that I would marry her younger sister, Janet, so that you would not grow up motherless. The sense of relief that I felt at that moment was indescribable. I looked at mum and I saw the pain and anguish in her eyes, as though she was anticipating rejection. Quickly, she looked down. Slowly, I got up from my chair and walked towards her. I went down on my knees and held her hands in mine. Her eyes remained downcast, fearful of rejection. Mum, I know I am only seventeen but I am more mature than you think. You might not have given birth to me but you are and will always be my mother. I comforted her as much as I comforted myself. She looked up slowly, her eyes searching my face for sincerity. Then with tears in her eyes, she hugged me tightly.