Writing short messages: emails, blog posts and instant messages

In Tingkatan 1 you wrote one short message to a friend. In Tingkatan 2 the messages are more varied and the language is a step harder: a thank-you letter that talks about plans, a blog post about a holiday, an email that shows feelings, and an instant message that gives advice. Pulse 2 teaches them on the Writing pages 70, 82, 92 and 102, and trains the matching speaking functions on pages 69, 81, 91 and 101. In the UASA they all lead to Paper 2 Part 1: one short communicative message, 20 marks.

10.1Four short messages at a glance

10.2The informal letter: pronouns and plans

Pulse 2 Student's Book (Form 2), p. 70, Writing.

A letter has a fixed shape. Paul's letter has these parts:

Subject and object pronouns

Pulse 2 Student's Book (Form 2), p. 70, Writing focus.

Use a pronoun for something already mentioned: I love my new trainers. I'm wearing them right now! If you repeat the noun every time, the writing sounds heavy and loses marks for Organisation.

Talking about plans

Paul uses three ways to speak about the future. Page 70's checklist asks you to check them.

10.3The blog post: what you have and have not done

Pulse 2 Student's Book (Form 2), p. 82, Writing.

A blog post has a title, a date and time and a friendly, chatty voice. The writer on page 82 is on holiday and uses four time references in three short paragraphs (your own Writing task asks for two short paragraphs, built on notes about now, already done and not done yet):

really and a bit

Before an adjective in informal writing, really = very (stronger) and a bit = a little (weaker).

10.4The email: adjectives and feelings

Pulse 2 Student's Book (Form 2), p. 92, Writing.

Natalie's email has Hi + name at the start and her name at the end. In between she tells Luke what she did, how she felt and what she plans next, and she invites him (you could play with us).

Using adjectives and emoticons

Adjectives go before a noun (a nice weekend) or after be and look (The game looks fun. They looked unhappy.). An emoticon is a small face that shows a feeling. Use it for friends only, and not instead of a word.

10.5The instant message: asking for and giving advice

Pulse 2 Student's Book (Form 2), p. 102, Writing.

The message that asks for advice has four steps: greet, say why you are writing (I'm writing to you because I want some advice), explain the problem, and ask What should I do?

The reply that gives advice also has a set order. Tilda's reply works like this:

Using different tenses

Pulse 2 Student's Book (Form 2), p. 102, Writing focus.

Finish by checking each verb for the four things on the page 102 checklist: spelling, tense, agreement with the subject (she goes) and word order (What should I do?, not What I should do?).

10.6Speaking functions that feed your writing

Each unit's Integrated skills page practises one function in a short dialogue. The same phrases appear in notes and messages, so learn them as chunks.

10.7From textbook to Paper 2 Part 1

All four texts follow the same method you used in Tingkatan 1. It is now one level harder because you must choose the right type of text, tense and tone yourself.

The examiner gives 0 to 5 in four areas: content, communicative achievement (format and tone), organisation (linking) and language, so 4 × 5 = 20 marks.

Summary

• Four short messages: informal letter (p.70), blog post (p.82), email (p.92) and instant message (p.102). Each needs a greeting, a body that covers every point, a closing and your name.
• Use subject pronouns (I, you, he, she, it, we, they) before verbs and object pronouns (me, you, him, her, it, us, them) after verbs; do not repeat nouns.
• Plans: be going to, will and the present continuous. Letter order words: First, Then, In the evening.
• Blog: present perfect with already / yet / never; past simple with a finished time; really = very, a bit = a little, both before an adjective.
• Email: Hi + name, feelings with adjectives (before a noun or after be and look), emoticons for friends only.
• Instant message for advice: sympathy, a similar experience, advice with I think you should ..., good wishes. Use several tenses and check spelling, tense, agreement and word order.
• Paper 2 Part 1: about 80 words, 20 marks, four areas of 5 marks. Read, plan, write, check.