SPM ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1119 GUIDELINES FOR ENHANCEMENT IN ESSAY WRITING: PART 3 Prepared by

SPM ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1119 GUIDELINES FOR ENHANCEMENT IN ESSAY WRITING: PART 3 Prepared by ZANURIN BIN MOHAMAD SAFAR Guru Cemerlang Bahasa Inggeris Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Kulim

TASK 3: Tell your friend next to you HOW AND WHEN to use each of the verbs below: • 1. drives • 2. drive • 3. were driving • 4. is driven • 5. have driven • 6. drove

STRATEGY 1: APPLY DIVER FORMS TO ENHANCE YOUR MASTERY OF TENSES • DIVER FORMS (Different Verb Forms) • Why? • To enhance the mastery of basic tenses • To reduce errors • To improve language quality

LET’S REVISE SOME BASIC RULES (page 4): • Simple present tense • Simple past tense • Continuous tense • Perfect tense • Passive verbs • APPLY “Sub-TiMe”

Apply “SubTiMe” - three crucial questions which students must ask: • Question 1: ‘SUB’ stands for ‘subject’ – Students must determine the status of the subject in the sentence by determining the status of the verb. They ask themselves, “Is the verb singular or plural?” • Therefore, always remind yourself – “When the verb is singular, the subject must be singular/uncountable/abstract”& “When the verb is plural, the subject must be plural/countable”

Question 2: ‘TI’ stands for ‘time’ – “Doesthe action happen at present or in the past?” • Question 3: ‘ME’ stands for ‘meaning’ – “What does the verb mean?” • Ask the questions above BEFORE CONSTRUCTING EACH SENTENCE

TASK 4: Construct a sentence based on each of the verbs below • 1. ban • 2. banned • 3. has banned • 4. bans • 5. are banning • 6. is banned • Time: 6 minutes • Be prepared to present them

MESSAGE: • EVERY SENTENCE THAT YOU WRITE HAS A VERB • IT IS A FACT THAT ONE OF THE COMMON ERRORS IS ERRORS ON VERBS • THEREFORE, THERE MUST BE ONGOING PRACTICES TO MASTER ALL TENSES – TO REDUCE ERRORS ON VERBS • PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT. AGREE? • APPLY DIVER FORMS (page 5 & page 6)

STRATEGY 2:MASTER PAST TENSE VERBS. HOW? • PARAGRAPH WRITING SCHEME (PAWS) STEPS: • 1. Think of one starting sentence • 2. Continue writing several more sentences • 3. Write whatever ideas/details that come across your mind. • 4. Determine the length of the paragraph • 5. The length must increase from time to time • 6. Underline every past tense verb in the paragraph

Starting sentence: I was totally clueless why I kept onthinking of my biggest enemy. • I even dreamt of him last night. • He apologised to me repeatedly but I just ignored him. • Finally I accepted his apology and he wasbursting with joy. • My handsome enemy invited me for dinner at a posh restaurant which belonged to his father. • I really wanted to say ‘No!’ but out of thin air, I said ‘Yes’ to him [73 words]

TASK 5 : • Write a paragraph based on the starting line given: • Suddenly I heard my name was called repeatedly and the person shouted at the top of his/her voice saying “I love you!” • Preparation: 5 minutes • Get ready to present your paragraph

THE POINT IS …

OTHER STARTING SENTENCES • OPA STYLE: VERSION 1 (GENERAL) • When I opened the door, I saw a bag full of money in front of me. … • I wanted to tell him how much I liked him but … • The moment I stepped into the classroom, all my classmates looked at me strangely. …

OTHER STARTING SENTENCES • OPA STYLE: VERSION 2 (BASED ON INCIDENTS/EVENTS) • I witnessed the tragic accident. … • The robbery happened right in front of Maya. … • It was a memorable farewell party. … • Everybody had fun at the reunion. …

MESSAGES: • PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT. AGREE? (Page 7) • YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WRITE 100 ESSAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR PAST TENSE VERBS • HOWEVER, YOU ONLY NEED TO WRITE SHORT PARAGRAPHS ON ONGOING BASIS • TRY TO WRITE ABOUT AS MANY EVENTS OR INCIDENTS AS POSSIBLE

TASK 6: • Feeling? • He is … • Feeling? • She is … • Feeling? • He is …

STRATEGY 3: USE SOPHISTICATED WORDS AND IDIOMS IN YOUR ESSAY Why? To enrich your language quality + to gain merits TASK 7: List down adjectives and idioms that you know to show happiness.

SOME EXAMPLES OF SOPHISTICATED ADJECTIVES AND IDIOMS THAT SHOW HAPPINESS • RADIANT • ELATED • ECSTATIC • CONTENTED • EUPHORIC • I WAS ON CLOUD NINE. • SHE WAS BURSTING WITH JOY. • THEY WERE DELIRIOUS WITH JOY. • SHAM WAS ALL AGOG TO SEE … • HE WAS OVER THE MOON WHEN… • SHE WAS IN SEVENTH HEAVEN TO … • WE HAD BEEN WALKING ON AIR SINCE…

READ AN ESSAY ON PAGE 8 (DESCRIBE YOUR EXPERIENCE TAKING PART IN A SCHOOL PROGRAMME AND HOW YOU FELT) • THE ESSAY HAS NO/ZERO MERIT. • LET US REPLACE SOME OF THE WORDS WITH SOPHISTICATED WORDS OR IDIOMS SO THAT THERE WILL BE MERITS THROUGHOUT THE ESSAY.

TASK 8: • READ ANOTHER ESSAY ON PAGE 9 (DESCRIBE YOUR VISIT TO A PUBLIC PLACE AND WHOM YOU MET). • IN PAIRS, SUGGEST SUITABLE SOPHISTICATED WORDS OR IDIOMS THAT CAN REPLACE SOME OF THE WORDS IN THE ESSAY SO THAT THE ESSAY HAS MORE MERITS.

TASK 9 : • Watch a video. Based on the video, write a paragraph. • Make sure you get some merits in the paragraph. Use suitable sophisticated adjectives and idioms to enrich the quality of language in the essay. • Focus on the feelings and descriptions of characters

CLOSURE • NO DOUBT ALL OF YOU CAN WRITE. HOWEVER, MAKE SURE THERE ARE SEVERAL MERITS IN EACH OF YOUR PARAGRAPHS. • MERITS CAN BE EASILY OBTAINED BY USING SOPHISTICATED/LOW-FREQUENCY/ HIGH-FLOWN/BOMBASTIC WORDS OR IDIOMS • FOCUS ON FEELINGS AND DESCRIPTIONS OF CHARACTERS

STRATEGY 4: VARY SENTENCE STRUCTURES • Simple, compound and complex sentences • What is a simple sentence? • SIMPLE SENTENCE: Has one main idea. e.g. The girls are not smart. • What is a compound sentence? • COMPOUND SENTENCE: Has two main ideas that are linked by “and, but, or, so” e.g. The boys are handsome and brilliant.

What is a complex sentence? • COMPLEX SENTENCE: Has one main idea and one or more subordinate ideas. e.g. • 1. The girls, who are mostly romantic, eat a lot! • 2. The girls, who are mostly romantic, who have great passion for food, are angry with me. • 3. The book that was lost was expensive. • 4. The beggar who was talking to me was my neighbour.

TASK 10: • Complete these COMPLEX sentences: • We were delirious with joy when … • We visited the museum before … • After I came home, I … • The boy was punished because … • Whenever they saw Mr. Lim, they … • Students enjoyed their days when … • MESSAGE? • YES YOU CAN VARY YOUR SENTENCES IN YOUR ESSAYS

TASK 11 : • Watch a video • Individually, write a short paragraph • Make sure there are at least these sentences in your paragraph: • i) one compound sentence • ii) one complex sentence describing anything related to the video

CLOSURE: • ENHANCE YOUR LANGUAGE QUALITY FOR YOUR A+/A/A- • THIS ENHANCEMENT PROCESS TAKES TIME. THEREFORE, IT MUST BE ONGOING. • THERE ARE ALWAYS WAYS / STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE YOUR LANGUAGE QUALITY. • IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GET THE BEST RESULT, YOU NEED TO MAKE PLANS BECAUSE “THOSE WHO FAIL TO PLAN, THEY ARE ACTUALLY PLANNING TO FAIL”

STRATEGY 5: ENHANCE READERS’ INTEREST TO READ YOUR ESSAYS ESPECIALLY YOUR CONTINUOUS ESSAYS • WHY? • A good mark is awarded when the reader’s interest is aroused and sustained • HOW? • Most of you lack creativity, therefore, reading excellent short stories is helpful. • Task 12: Let’s read 2 sample essays (pp.11-12)

HOW TO GET MORE STORIES: • USE ANY SEARH ENGINE • CHOICE 1: TYPE “INSPIRATIONAL STORIES” – ABOUT LIFE, FOR TEENAGERS, FOR STUDENTS, OF FAITH • CHOICE 2: TYPE “SHORT STORIES” – WITH MORAL LESSONS, ABOUT LOVE, ABOUT FRIENDSHIP • CHOICE 3: TYPE “BEST SHORT STORIES” – BEST SHORT STORIES OF ALL TIME, BEST AMERICAN SHORT STORIES, BEST HORROR SHORT STORIES, BEST COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES

END OF PART 3

SPM ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1119 GUIDELINES FOR ENHANCEMENT IN ESSAY WRITING: PART 3 Prepared by