WRITING TASKS www.englishbiz.co.uk Paper 1 : Argue/Persuade
Paper 2: Describe

Connectives
• Vary your ideas and link sentences and thoughts together using connectives:
• How many connectives can you think of?

Advice
• Be original and entertaining with what you write
• Around 2-3 pages long
• Purpose – this will be to Argue/Persuade (paper 1) or
Describe (paper 2)
• Audience – who is it aimed at? What style of language should you use? Who should you address etc?
• Task – what have you been asked to write?
Speech/Letter/Newspaper or Magazine article/Webpage
• Punctuation/spelling/paragraphing/sentence structure/organisation ALL count

Argue/Persuade
• Writing to argue or persuade.
• The two techniques are similar; you are trying to influence someone. However, persuasion is trying to convince someone that your way of thinking is correct, you are biased. You want them to change their opinion to agree with you. An argument is more balanced; it shows both sides of the POV, then knocks down the opposing view point with clear reasons.
• Use rhetorical devices (rule of 3, F&F, emotive language, personal opinion, professional opinion, quotes etc)
• Appeal to the appropriate audience and for the right purpose
• Use connectives and paragraph ‘topics’
• Be coherent and fluent – make sense!
• Be entertaining
• Think of an excellent starting sentence
• Example Questions:
• Write a newspaper article for the school magazine persuading pupils to raise money for the Japanese disaster.
• Write a letter to the Head Teacher arguing that Yr 11 pupils should be given study leave Time to say 'No!' to TV?
Should your teenage son or daughter have a television in their bedroom? With many newspapers telling of the possible negative effects on your daughter or - especially - son's education of having free access to 'the box' , this is a question that is surely well worth your time researching.
Of course, every child has the right to choose (they will tell you.): 'We are free individuals in a free world.' . But are they really free? Are their decisions informed? Or are they captives of an electronic box spewing out media hype and messages, some of which you would be frightened and embarrassed even to know about (when was the last time you watched the kinds of programmes your teenage children watch?). Surely someone has to guide them someone that is who really cares someone much wiser someone who knows better?
So should you give in? After all at less than seventy quid a go, a portable TV makes for an easy
Christmas present. Doesn't it? Well, the answer must still be a resounding, 'No.' . Television is eating into so much of your teenage son or daughter's life already...

At home the other evening while I was 'surfing the 'Net' , I came across some information in an article that amazed me. Apparently 95% of schools in this country are now connected to the 'World Wide Web' . Mr Bleer, our prime minister, was quoted in the article. This is what he said, 'I have a vision for schools in this country.
And this vision includes helping schools to recognise the importance of this revolutionary form of communication...' . I was so fascinated by the article that I almost forgot the reason I was using the Internet in the first place - to help with my
English revision. You see there are so many excellent sites these days - even from 'The
Guardian' and the BBC - that help students get higher grades in their GCSEs.
Oh, but I forgot - I haven't introduced myself yet or said why I am writing. I am sorry.
My name is John Brown and I am a fifteen-year-old student at your school in Year eleven. I am in Mr. White's tutor group and I wanted to write to you to suggest some reasons why I think our school should be included in this figure of 95% of schools connected to the Internet. You see I am passionate about this new technology - even more passionate, I think, than our prime minister (do you know, I have read that he doesn't even know what HTTP means?). I know that