SPM ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1119

GUIDELINES FOR ENHANCEMENT IN ESSAY WRITING: PART 3

Prepared byZANURIN BIN MOHAMAD SAFAR

Guru Cemerlang Bahasa InggerisSekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Kulim

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• 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

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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 quality3

• LET’S REVISE SOME BASIC RULES (page 4):• Simple present tense• Simple past tense• Continuous tense• Perfect tense• Passive verbs

• APPLY “Sub-TiMe”

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• 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”

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–Question 2: ‘TI’ stands for ‘time’ – “Does the 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

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• 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

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• 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)

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• 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 on thinking 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 was

bursting 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]10

• 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 …

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• 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. …

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• 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. …

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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

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• TASK 6:• Feeling?• He is …

• Feeling?• She is …

• Feeling?• He is …

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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.

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SOME EXAMPLES OF SOPHISTICATED ADJECTIVES AND IDIOMS THAT SHOW HAPPINESS

1. RADIANT2. ELATED3. ECSTATIC4. CONTENTED5. EUPHORIC6. I WAS ON CLOUD NINE.7. SHE WAS BURSTING WITH JOY.8. THEY WERE DELIRIOUS WITH JOY.9. SHAM WAS ALL AGOG TO SEE …10.HE WAS OVER THE MOON WHEN…11.SHE WAS IN SEVENTH HEAVEN TO …12.WE HAD BEEN WALKING ON AIR SINCE…

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• 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.

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• 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.

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• 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

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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

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• 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.

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• 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.

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• 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 ESSAYS25

• 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

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• 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”

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• 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)28

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 STORIES29

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END OF PART 3

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