English IGCSE Writing Notes

English IGCSE Writing Notes
in paper 1, writing has 2 exercises:
Exercise 5:
Info:
Informal E-Mail/Letter (Friendly, to a friend)
25 minutes (10 minutes brainstorm, 15 minutes writing)
160 words
No:
Politic related topic
Religion related topic
No Racism (such as calling someone a nigg*r)
No Teasing
No bullying
15 marks:
 6 marks for content:
[ideas + details; avoid being irrelevant and off-topic for maximum mark]
 9 marks for language:
[avoid spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes; use rich vocabulary for maximum mark
You must include 3 bullet points, and answer them in order
Steps:
1. Set the time
2. Read the rubric
3. Extract (required bullets, tense)
4. Brainstorm using table
1st 2nd 3rd
Ideas
(Answer the
bullet as
Q&A)
Details When?
(Average of Where?
4 details) Describe?
How much?
Feelings Use rich
(PG vocabulary
58/59/60) and idioms
How to create the details:
Ask yourself 5 W’s (Who What When Where Why) & HIRD/P (How, Invite, Recommend/Advice,
Describe, Photos/videos)
It is better to use all the contractions IF VALID while writing exercise 5.
Example:
Do not leave empty lines, only indent to mark a new paragraph.
Average of 4 idioms and 4 rich vocab words.
1st 2nd 3rd
Ideas Smart watch Fitness Call customer

(Answer the To help sensor service
bullet as track fitness wasn’t
Q&A) program working
Details When? When? When?
(Average of Where? Where? What?
4 details) Describe? How it affect Recommend/Advice
How much? the watch?
Videos
Feelings Ecstatic Anger Stressed
(PG over the Deceive Worried
58/59/60) moon Irritation
Dear Ali,
What’s up? I hope everything’s going well on your side (General greetings – 1 line – Notes P 37). I
thought about dropping an e-mail to you about my new smart watch (Transitional Sentence – 1 line –
Why you are writing to your friend – P 38). Introduction (2 lines avg.)
(Indent) Last Friday (when), I received my new smart watch (what). I ordered it online from Amazon
Egypt (where). I bought it because I want to track my fitness program and progress (why). It cost me a
bomb (how much). It is the new Apple watch 41 mm white strapped watch (describe). I felt so ecstatic
and over the moon (feelings). Body 1, Bullet 1
(Indent) For my clumsy luck, the fitness sensor wasn’t functioning (Problem). After two weeks of using it
(when), I figured out in the gym that it stopped working (where). It didn’t measure any calories burnt or
my vital signs (how). See the attached video about it (videos). I had mixed feelings of anger, deceive,
and irritation (feelings). Body 2, Bullet 2
(Indent) Without question, I will call the Amazon customer service to complain about it (What I will do).
I’ll do so tomorrow in order to call them during the working hours (when). Of course, I’ll ask for a brand-
new one and not a cash refund (what I want in return). A word in ear, don’t buy any electronics online
and get them directly from the store (recommend). I’ll be so stressed and worried till the problem is
solved (feelings). Body 3, Bullet 3
(Indent) Got to dash now as I have lots to dig in (bye/farewell). See you soon and send me back with
your latest. Conclusion, (avg. 2 lines.)
Cheers,
Omar (Signature)
Exercise 6:
Info:
Formal Writing (can be article, report, review, or speech – each type is different in ideas, but common in
style of writing) |
First:
Article:
A) Rules of Article (Also Rules for Review, Report, Speech [Rules 1 & 2 may change]):
1. Content: For & Against

2. 2 sided argumentative
3. Time = 30 minutes (15 minutes brainstorming, 15 minutes writing)
4. Words = 160
5. Marks = 15
(6 for content [ideas + support], 9 for language [avoid mistakes + complex sentences])
6. No politics/racism/religion/bullying
7. No internet to get ideas
8. No contradiction
9. No copying off bubble speech (but you can rephrase idea)
10. Factual Writing
B) Steps for Brainstorming:
1. Set the time (15 minutes)
2. Read the rubric:
Some problems you may face in Step 2:
i) Off-Topic (when you misunderstand the rubric)
ii) Cuteness in disguise (you read the rubric, understand it, and think it is easy, but you find that
you have a lack of ideas on this topic)
3. Brainstorm the ideas (using this organizer)[try to get as much ideas as you can *the more the
merrier*]:
The following is an example for FASHIONABLE CLOTHES topic:
4. Support these ideas:

How to support ideas [support ideas as much as you can]:
Using RREH system (Reason, Result, Example, How):
EXAMPLE ON FASHIONALBE CLOTHES TOPIC:
5. Add personal opinion (depending on more ideas):

i) if for ideas are more than against ideas, your personal opinion is for
ii) if against ideas are more than for ideas, your personal opinion is against
Personal Opinion is written in intro:
In my opinion, I believe that fashionable clothes are highly disadvantageous to teenagers.
Notes on personal opinion:
a. it is memorized
b. if for ideas are the same number as against ideas, then choose the side that has more support
c. written in the introduction
6. Balanced Opinion (Neutral Opinion):

Despite all the proven disadvantages of fashionable clothes, the advantages cannot be avoided.
Notes on balanced opinion:
a) Balanced Opinion must be written because the argument is 2-sided
b) it is written in conclusion
c) it is memorized
7. Styles/Sentence Structures (understood not memorized):

Our target is to use compound and complex sentences while writing
C) Writing Steps (15 minutes, 4 paragraphs, NO CONTRACTIONS):
0. Title (Optional, unimportant, no marks awarded for it, but gives a good impression for the
examiner when written)
Title Rules:
a. Must be catchy/creative
b. Must be short (approximately 4 words)
c. No copying off the rubric
d. Don’t spend long time on title as it is trivial (maximum time for title: 1 minute)
TITLE EXAMPLE FOR FASHIONABLE CLOTHES TOPIC:
“ ”
1. Introduction:
Introduction consists of two parts:
a) Hook/Grabber (6 types, here are the first two):
i) Rhetorical Question:
It is a question with which we sometimes start the introduction, it is a question with no answer,
and its purpose is to create curiosity and introduce the topic to the reader.
Example on FASHIONABLE CLOTHES topic:
Do you think that the issue of fashionable clothes gives rise to heated debate between
supporters and opponents?
ii) General Fact:
It is a real, ubiquitous, general fact with which we sometimes start the introduction, we are not
allowed to include stats (numbers and values) in it.
Example on FASHIONALBE CLOTHES topic:
In our modern era, the majority of teenagers follow and wear fashionable clothes.
b) Personal opinion: It is a memorized (Joker) sentence (details up in previous page)
Introduction example on FASHIONABLE CLOTHES topic:
Do you think that the issue of fashionable clothes gives rise to heated debate between
supporters and opponents [Rhetorical Question Hook]? In our modern era, the majority of
teenagers follow and wear fashionable clothes [General Fact Hook]. In my opinion, I believe that
trendy clothes are highly disadvantageous and useless [Personal Opinion].
Introduction is memorized.
2. Body Paragraph 1 (start with the heavier argumentative side):

The parts of it (in order):
a) Opening sentence:
It is a memorized sentence with which we start the body paragraph.
Speaking about the disadvantages of fashionable clothes, there are many.
b) Conjunction of sequence:
Example: Firstly, secondly, finally, …
c) Start with the ideas that you brainstorm, and be aware of the sentence structure when
writing (write a full sentence and not a phrase).
Firstly, teenagers wearing fashionable clothes lack uniqueness.
d) Support the ideas you wrote, in order (it is written after the idea):
How to write support:
Reason:
This is because……………………………..
This is due to………………………………..
Result:
This results in + verb(ing)………………………………
This leads to + verb(ing)………………………………..
Example (watch out for parallelism and punctuation):
For example:………….,……………..,…………… and…………
How:
This is by……………………………………
Example for FASHIONABLE CLOTHES topic (supporting lack of uniqueness idea):
Firstly, teenagers wearing fashionable clothes lack uniqueness [idea]. This is because all
teenagers wear the same style of clothes [support (for idea)].
Example for BODY PARAGRAPH 1 for FASHIONABLE CLOTHES:
Speaking about the disadvantages of fashionable clothes, there are many (opening sentence).
Firstly (conjunction of sequence), teenagers wearing fashionable clothes lack uniqueness (AG
idea 1). This is because all teenagers wear the same style of clothes (Support [for AG idea 1]).
Moreover (conjunction of sequence), fashionable clothes are expensive and costly (AG idea 2).
This results in wasting a lot of money and spending beyond people’s budgets (Support for [AG
idea 2]).Even more (conjunction of sequence), fashionable clothes make teenagers more
judgmental and materialism (AG idea 3). Furthermore (conjunction of sequence), fashionable
clothes have a high rate of turn over (AG idea 4). This results in creating more waste products
and causing more pollution (Support for [AG idea 4]). In addition, shopping for fashionable
clothes is an addictive habit that wastes time, effort, and money (AG idea 5).

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English IGCSE Writing Notes

in paper 1, writing has 2 exercises:

You must include 3 bullet points, and answer them in order

1st 2nd 3rd

It is better to use all the contractions IF VALID while writing exercise 5.

1st 2nd 3rd

Ideas Smart watch Fitness Call customer

1. Content: For & Against

4. Support these ideas:

5. Add personal opinion (depending on more ideas):

6. Balanced Opinion (Neutral Opinion):

7. Styles/Sentence Structures (understood not memorized):

C) Writing Steps (15 minutes, 4 paragraphs, NO CONTRACTIONS):

2. Body Paragraph 1 (start with the heavier argumentative side):

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