Some tips! Generally, my advise is that you should try to spend about 5 to 10 minutes planning your composition Generally, before starting to write. If you do not plan, you may find yourself stuck at some point in your story wondering how to continue or trying to cover a loophole you had overlooked. Try to finish about 5 to 10 minutes before time to check through your writing and correct any grammar mistakes. heck for! " tenses #past, present, future etc$ " sub%ect"verb agreement a greement #singular, plural$ " punctuation #esp. for dialogues$ " verb forms " etc &emember, keep keep practicing and you will improve' Try Try to write one composition each week. (t the same time, read many books to improve your vocabulary and grammar' This will also help give you ideas for more e)citing and interesting stories. Throw in as many descriptive words and e)pressions as possible #but not ridiculously e)cessively, of of course$. *se your imagination to play out the story in your mind, and put these into words. +ou are the director of your story. ake the reader feel the emotions and visuali-e the scenes that you have in your mind. (lso remember to to write neatly and make sure your paragraphing paragraphing is clear. clear. eave lines to to make your writing writing more legible.
Composition titles 1. The funniest thing that ever happened to me /. ruel humour . The street kids . 2rustration 5. The changes I see in myself 3. Teenagers are a misunderstood lot 4. The importance of forgiveness . 6rite a story beginning with 7I8m thankful I have a friend like...7 9. y special friend 10. Teenage friendships 11.. :escribe a few incidents of bullying in your school 11 1/. ;ow I choose my friends 1. ;ow I managed to leave a gang 1. Gangs pose a threat to society and should be severely dealt with. :o you agree< 15. y favourite comedians 13. The curse of the stolen diamond 14. y grandmother8s superstitions 1. =eing superstitious can be dangerous. :o you agree< 19. =lack cats on a dark night /0. ommunications of the future /1. ;ow I overcame my fear of learning to use a new communication tool //. The day when >am got caught in his computer /. :iscuss the advantages and disadvantages of advanced technology in our household /. ( day in the life of an astronaut /5. ife on ars
/3. ( brave new world /4. ?n the trail of the criminal /. ;ow the case of the bloodstained glove was solved /9. 6hat can be done to fight crime< 0. ( world without crime is a perfect world. :iscuss 1. (n @skimo boy8s first hunting trip /. >urviving the cold . Is it important to keep traditional skills in a modern world< :iscuss . ost in a bli--ard 5. (n account of oppression in my country8s history 3. an we do without freedom of speech< :iscuss 4. The time I stood up for what I believed . ( political figure I admire 9. >ingapore " a multicultural success story 0. The importance of living harmoniously in multicultural >ingapore 1. The multicultural aspects of >ingapore that would interest tourists /. 6hy I am proud to be a >ingaporean . The struggle of my ancestors . >ingapore " the future of its people 5. >ingapore8s success is dependent on regional peace and internal cohesion 3. >ingapore " the land of opportunity for all 4. The time I played with fire . @scape from the burning flames 9. ( day in the life of a performing dolphin 50. 6hat can be done to save and protect the dolphins<
Story Outlines Title: Haunted house
Your Yo ur writing ;e thought he heard something in th the ho house. It sounded like
Idea 6hat was the disturbing sound he heard<
/3. ( brave new world /4. ?n the trail of the criminal /. ;ow the case of the bloodstained glove was solved /9. 6hat can be done to fight crime< 0. ( world without crime is a perfect world. :iscuss 1. (n @skimo boy8s first hunting trip /. >urviving the cold . Is it important to keep traditional skills in a modern world< :iscuss . ost in a bli--ard 5. (n account of oppression in my country8s history 3. an we do without freedom of speech< :iscuss 4. The time I stood up for what I believed . ( political figure I admire 9. >ingapore " a multicultural success story 0. The importance of living harmoniously in multicultural >ingapore 1. The multicultural aspects of >ingapore that would interest tourists /. 6hy I am proud to be a >ingaporean . The struggle of my ancestors . >ingapore " the future of its people 5. >ingapore8s success is dependent on regional peace and internal cohesion 3. >ingapore " the land of opportunity for all 4. The time I played with fire . @scape from the burning flames 9. ( day in the life of a performing dolphin 50. 6hat can be done to save and protect the dolphins<
Story Outlines Title: Haunted house
Your Yo ur writing ;e thought he heard something in th the ho house. It sounded like
Idea 6hat was the disturbing sound he heard<
;e took an apprehensive step forward, and he heard the floorboard
:escribe the setting
creaking underneath his feet. ;e glanced at his surroundings. The house was
;e thought to himself,A
6hat was the character thinking< 6rite down a Buestion that goes through his mind.
;e then noticed the faint smell of
6hat does the character smell that was out of the ordinary<
It reminded him of
6hat memory does this smell remind him of<
Tears rolled down his cheeks as the past memories flashed in his mind.
onnect that memory to
;e closed his eyes, suddenly remembering how he had chanced upon
the present moment.
this house. It must be fated. @arlier on, he had been ;ow did he end up in the house<
>uddenly, he noticed something about the house.
;ave the character notice something different in the house, something out of the ordinary.
;e thought,A
&aise another Buestion in the character8s mind.
(ll he wanted to do right now was to
6hat does this character really want to do right now< aybe he is afraid to do itC
Taking a deep breath, he
;ave the character do something, take action.
(ll of a sudden,
Dut an obstacle in his pathE make him stop for breath, fall, or pause for some reason.
;owever, he told himself he would not back down. ;e %ust could not
reate a memory for
push the memories out of his mind, and these memories were beckoning
the character that forces
him to
him to go on.
;e muttered a prayer and
et the character move closer to the disturbing scentFsoundFsight.
6hat he saw shocked him to the core. It was a
6hat goes through the character8s mind right before he discovers what8s going on<
;e stood rooted to the ground, unsure what to do ne)t. (s he slowly
et the character
regained his senses, he
discover whatFwho is in the house. Is it nothing to be afraid of, or %ust the oppositeC<
Conclusion (Freestyle)
Tips
•
&ead the Buestion carefully'
•
Do not ignore any details and do not change important facts in the situation.
•
Use all the points provided as omitting any point will lead to loss of marks
•
Types of function writing: letters, reports, accounts, newspaper or magazine articles, speeches
onsider the following Buestions!
1. Who am I writing for? [udience! o
•
o
They could be the public, principal, teacher, friend, company manager, town council etc
Why am I writing this? [Purpose] To give an account of something witnessed, to complain about something, to e!plain, inform. instruct, convince and persuade, sell, etc
•
How is this piece to be written? [Format]
o
report, letter, account, article. statement, review. speech etc
•
What is the tone I should use? [Language]
o
formal, informal, persuasive, informative, argumentative etc
1. 2ormal etter
•
eave a line after each paragraph.
•
"aragraphs should all start from the left.
•
#elow are the suggested structures for formal letters of di$erent purposes.
Ty"e of letter
#"ening
Closing
""lication
I am writing in response to your advertisement dated 5th une /011 and would like to apply for the post of manager in your company.
I sincerely hope that you will consider my application. I await your favourable reply. Thank you.
Com"laint
I am a resident of the Toa Dayoh estate and I am writing in to complain
I seriously hope that you would look into the complaints that I have raised
about...
and remedy the situation as soon as possible. Thank you.
In$itation
?n behalf of the school, we would like 6e sincerely hope that you will accept to invite you to our (nnual >peech and our invitation and we look forward to Dri-e Giving :ay to be held on at your presence on that day. 15th in the school hall. Thank you.
%g& writing a letter to a news"a"er •
address your letter to the newspaper editor
•
give a heading
•
agree or disagree with a previous writer or write without referring to a letter already published %see the forum section of the straits times to see how it is written&
•
give reasons'evidence for your points
•
be polite
•
don(t make accusations which you cannot prove
/. Informal etter
•
start by thanking your friend for a letter #if the letter is in reply from your friend$ o
eg :ear >ha >ha,
o
any thanks for your letter of rd arch, which arrived this morning.
•
Think of an e)cuse to make you finish the letter
o
eg. I must stop now because it8s time for dinner and um needs this tabke
o
eg. >orry, I8ve got to go now as I have to look after my baby brother.
. &eport 6riting •
show who the report is for and who wrote it
•
give a report heading
•
use formal language
•
use subheadings and numbered paragraphs when necessary
•
no need for formal greeting or ending
•
write the date and sign the report
& 'eneral re"orts
& e"orts to authorities
. Informative (rticle %g& a we* "age on the school •
*se a simple title eg 6elcome to our ;omepage
*se the following structure! +aragra"h ,: rief history of the school +aragra"h -: .etails that is re/uired of you in the /uestion
. Hews (rticle •
generally, use short paragraphs " about / t0 5 lines per paragraph
•
Include a catchy headline and a byline o
Headline eg : )*+ T- # T/0 20D- * 30/45/(- +35
o
Byline eg John mith Staf Writer
•
Include the following structure!
+aragra"h ,: summari0e the whole article •
•
@g. ( mysterious ob%ect was seen in the night sky over >ingapore, generating panic among the public. @g. Two men were killed and do-ens in%ured when a fire swept through a night club in oonlight >treet last night.
+aragra"h -: 'i$e series of e$ents in chronological se/uence •
give details
•
use dialogues from one or more survivors or witnesses
+aragra"h 1: 'i$e general comments on incident •
say what the police or government are going to do
5. >peeches •
*se the following structure
•
+aragra"h ,: salutations o
introduce yourself
o
state purpose of speech
@g. ( very good morning to dm Tan, rs i, r oby and fellow students of Toa Dayoh >econdary >chool. y name is =enny Tan of >ec @1 and I am here to speak in support of my friend, ee >ha >ha of >ec @1 who is standing for elections to the >tudent ouncil.
5g. 2adies and gentlemen, this evening it is my pleasure to welcome our guest speaker... 2u*se/uent "aragra"hs:
•
highlight the points that are given in the Buestion. aintain a persuasive tone throughout the speech
%nding:
•
@nd with a personal or general comment
eg. I hope I have convinced you that ee >ha >ha is an ideal candidate and should be elected to the >tudent ouncil. Thank you.
•
you can write in the same way as you speak o
using short forms! I8m, I8ll, 6e8ll, don8t
o
using non sentences at times! >hould we worry about the cost< Ho, not at all
o
sometimes mentioning the audience! (nd so you see, my friends, that this is not the only way to solve the problem
•
sum up at the end of your speech, or tell your audience what you want them to do eg vote for whoever.
3. :ebate speech •
start by addressing the chair and your guests and audience o
eg adam hair, honoured guests, fellow students...
•
say which side of the debate you are on
o
eg I am delighted to support the motion that some of our streets be closed to all vehicles from 4.0am to 3.0pm and I urge you to vote in favour of the motion
o
eg ike any other reasonable person, I am bound to oppose the proposal to ban vehicles from our streets. I urge you to oppose the motion and to...
•
put forward your ideas in support of your position.
•
anticipate the main points of the opposition and show that they are wrong
•
remember to use speech forms
•
finish your speech by repeating that you want your listeners to vote for or against the motion
4. aking a police statement •
start by identifying yourself! o
name and address
o
when and where something happened
•
if you were a witness and heard somebody say something, Buote the e)act words which the person said #don8t use reported speech$
•
describe what happened from the beginning to the end
•
describe the people involved in the accident if necessary #describe the criminalsFdriversFvictims but not the appearance of firemen or the police etc$
•
no need for greeting or formal ending. %ust sign your name at the end of the statement
%3am"le: I am ane hen >han in and I live in =lock 1/, J15"/, Toa Dayoh &oad, >ingapore 1// #make this up'$ (t about 5.0pm on 2riday, 1/th ay, I was standing outside the ee ah ewellery >hop at 5 Hewton &oad when a large black car...
4. >ituational writing main types of topic are possible
1. using given notes as the basis of an answer /.
writing an answer based on a picture #with or without notes$
.
writing an answer based on a series of pictures eg robbery, accident etc
. studying a number of different suggestions
a& 4sing notes consider: 1. who am I supposed to be in the topic< /. 6hat am I supposed to do< . 6ho am I writing to< . 6hat format must I use< •
it may be necessary to rearrange the notes to get a more logical order
•
check whether you have to use all the information given in the notes or you ca n omit some
•
check if you can add other relevant information
*& 4sing a "icture •
say what the scene shows and then go into detail, perhaps in order of importance
•
look for the main point in the picture eg an in%ured person, a fire, a statue etc. Then describe what you seem moving outwards from the main point
•
work from the foreground to the background or from left to right
c& 4sing a series of "ictures >tudy the Buestion and see what information you can add. If possible, add
•
names of people involved
•
time and date
•
name of the place where the action occurred
•
these details will make it easier to give an account of the incident, especially if many people are involved
•
consider using relevant dialogues
•
pace yourself to ensure you allocate eBual time to each picture
d& choosing from a num*er of ideas or suggestions eg deciding the best use of a new school building and writing a report to e)plain your choice eg. deciding the best place to hold a school event and writing a letter to e)plain your choice
•
Dick the one which is easiest for you to write about
Tenses
Past
Singular
Plural
was, did, said, had
were, did, said, had
Present is, does, says, has
are, do, say, have
Phrases Tips 2u*5ects6 #*5ects and +ossessi$e Forms To understand how to use 7who,7 7whom,7 and 7whose,7 you first have to understand the difference between sub%ects, ob%ects, and possessive forms.
2u*5ects do an action: " He loves movies. " 2he goes to school. " We en%oy hinese food.
#*5ects recei$e an action: " The teachers like him. " Thomas knows her . " The actor smiled at us.
+ossessi$e forms tell us the "erson something *elongs to: " His bike is broken. " I like her new book. " The teacher graded our homework. " The children received their presents.
Who/Whom/Whose 7Who7 is a 2u*5ect +ronoun 76ho7 is a sub%ect pronoun like 7he,7 7she7 and 7we7 in the e)amples above. 6e use 7who7 to ask which person does an action or which person is a certain way. @)amples! •
Who made the birthday cake<
•
Who is in the kitchen<
•
Who is going to do the dishes<
7Whom7 is an #*5ect +ronoun 76hom7 is an ob%ect pronoun like 7him,7 7her7 and 7us.7 6 e use 7whom7 to ask which person receives an action. @)amples!
•
Whom are you going to invite<
•
Whom did he blame for the accident<
•
Whom did he hire to do the %ob<
7Whose7 is a +ossessi$e +ronoun 76hose7 is a possessive pronoun like 7his,7 7her7 and 7our.7 6e use 7whose7 to find out which person something belongs to. @)amples! •
Whose camera is this<
•
Whose dog is barking outside<
•
Whose cell phone keeps ringing<
7Who67 7Whom7 and 7Whose7 in Indirect 8uestions The sentence below contains an e)ample of an indirect Buestion! •
I don8t know whom he in$ited.
>uch sentences usually start with a phrase such as! 7I am not sure7 or 7;e doesn8t know7 or 76e don8t care.7 ust ignore the first part of the sentence and look at the indirect Buestion when deciding whether to use 7who,7 7whom7 or 7whose.7 (sk yourself if the indirect Buestion reBuires a sub%ect, ob%ect, or possessive form. @)amples! •
;e doesn8t know who the boss of the company is. subject of the indirect question
•
I don8t care whom you invite. object of the indirect question
•
>he isn8t sure whose car that is. "Whose" shows possession of ca r.
7Who67 7Whom7 and 7Whose7 in d5ecti$e Clauses The sentence below contains an e)ample of an ad%ective clause! •
I know the man who won the contest.
(d%ective clauses are used to describe a noun in the main sentence. In the e)ample above, the ad%ective clause tells us about 7the man.7 ust ignore the main sentence and look at the ad%ective clause when deciding whether to use 7who,7 7 whom7 or 7whose.7 (sk yourself if the ad%ective clause reBuires a sub%ect, ob%ect, or possessive form. @)amples! •
6e knew the actress who starred in the movie. subject of adjectie clause
•
They hired the man whom we interviewed last week. object of adjectie clause
•
>he knew the family whose house we bought. "Whose" shows possession of house.
7Whom7 9ess Common The form 7whom7 is becoming less and less common in @nglish. any native @nglish speakers think 7whom7 sounds outdated or strange. This trend is particularly common in the *nited >tates. @specially when combined with prepositions, most people prefer to use 7who7 as the ob%ect pronoun. To most native @nglish speakers, the e)amples below sound Buite natural. @)amples! •
Who did you come to the party with<
•
I don8t know who he gave the book to.
•
That is the woman who I was talking to.
•
Who did you get that from<
•
:o you have any idea who he sold his car to<
•
That is the person who I got the information from.
ore a*out Who6 Whom6 Whose 2u*5ects6 #*5ects and +ossessi$e Forms To understand how to use 7who,7 7whom,7 and 7whose,7 you first have to understand the difference between sub%ects, ob%ects, and possessive forms. 2u*5ects do an action:
;e loves movies. >he goes to school. 6e en%oy hinese food. #*5ects recei$e an action: The teachers like him. Thomas knows her. The actor smiled at us. +ossessi$e forms tell us the "erson something *elongs to: ;is bike is broken. I like her new book. The teacher graded our homework. 7Who7 is a 2u*5ect +ronoun 76ho7 is a sub%ect pronoun like 7he,7 7she7 and 7we7 in the e)amples above. 6e use 7who7 to ask which person does an action or which person is a certain way. %3am"les: 6ho made the birthday cake< 6ho is in the kitchen< 6ho is going to do the dishes< 76hom7 is an ?b%ect Dronoun 76hom7 is an ob%ect pronoun like 7him,7 7her7 and 7us.7 6 e use 7whom7 to ask which person receives an action. %3am"les: 6hom are you going to invite< 6hom did he blame for the accident< 6hom did he hire to do the %ob< 76hose7 is a Dossessive Dronoun 76hose7 is a possessive pronoun like 7his,7 7her7 and 7our.7 6e use 7whose7 to find out which person something belongs to. %3am"les: 6hose camera is this< 6hose dog is barking outside< 6hose cell phone keeps ringing<
76ho,7 76hom7 and 76hose7 in Indirect Kuestions The sentence below contains an e)ample of an indirect Buestion! I don8t know whom he invited. >uch sentences usually start with a phrase such as! 7I am not sure7 or 7;e doesn8t know7 or 76e don8t care.7 ust ignore the first part of the sentence and look at the indirect Buestion when deciding whether to use 7who,7 7whom7 or 7whose.7 (sk yourself if the indirect Buestion reBuires a sub%ect, ob%ect, or possessive form. %3am"les: ;e doesn8t know who the boss of the company is. sub%ect of the indirect Buestion I don8t care whom you invite. ob%ect of the indirect Buestion >he isn8t sure whose car that is. 76hose7 shows possession of car. 76ho,7 76hom7 and 76hose7 in (d%ective lauses The sentence *elow contains an e3am"le of an ad5ecti$e clause: I know the man who won the contest. (d%ective clauses are used to describe a noun in the main sentence. In the e)ample above, the ad%ective clause tells us about 7the man.7 ust ignore the main sentence and look at the ad%ective clause when deciding whether to use 7who,7 7 whom7 or 7whose.7 (sk yourself if the ad%ective clause reBuires a sub%ect, ob%ect, or possessive form. %3am"les: 6e knew the actress who starred in the movie. sub%ect of ad%ective clause They hired the man whom we interviewed last week. ob%ect of ad%ective clause >he knew the family whose house we bought. 76hose7 shows possession of house. 76hom7 ess ommon The form 7whom7 is becoming less and less common in @nglish. any native @nglish speakers think 7whom7 sounds outdated or strange. This trend is particularly common in the *nited >tates. @specially when combined with prepositions, most people prefer to use 7who7 as the ob%ect pronoun. To most native @nglish speakers, the e)amples below sound Buite natural. %3am"les: 6ho did you come to the party with< I don8t know who he gave the book to. That is the woman who I was talking to. 6ho did you get that from< :o you have any idea who he sold his car to<
That is the person who I got the information from.
inin# words / $onnecties The main linking words and phrases are grouped below according to the similarity of their meaning to the three basic connectives and, or, but. >ome can be used to link paragraphs and others can only be used to link ideas within a paragraph.
and
or
*ut
listing
reformulation " e)presses something in another way
contrast " presents a different view
transition
replacement " concession " e)presses an agrees that alternative view something is good, with limitations
summary reference e)ample resultFconseBuence place " refers to things inside or outside the writing time " refers to other studies
isting %numeration •
first ""L furthermore ""L finally
•
one ""L a second... ""L a third """L etc
•
firstly ""L secondly ""L thirdly ""L etc
•
to beginFstart with ""L in the second place ""L moreover ""L to conclude
•
above all
•
last but not least
•
first and foremost
•
first and most importantly
ddition •
reinforcement o
above all
o
actually
o
additionally
o
again
o
also
o
as well #as$
o
besides
o
especially
o
further
o
furthermore
o
what is more
o
indeed
o
in addition
o
moreover
o
not only...but also...
o
notably
o
obviously
o
particularly
o
specifically
o
then
o
too
Com"arison o
also
o
both...and...
o
correspondingly
o
eBually
o
in the same way
o
likewise
o
similarly
o
too
Transition can lead to a new stage in the seBuence of thought •
now
•
regarding
•
turning to
•
with respectFregard to
•
as for
•
as to
2ummary
a generalisation or summing up of what has preceded •
altogether
•
hence
•
in brief
•
in conclusion
•
in short
•
overall
•
then
•
therefore
•
thus
•
to conclude
•
to sum up
•
to summarise
eference
refers back to previous sentences •
and
•
as follows
•
chiefly
•
for instance
•
for e)ample
•
in other words
•
in particular
•
including
•
mainly
•
mostly
•
namely
•
notably
•
or
•
particularly
•
such as
•
that is
%3am"le •
for e)ample
•
for instance
•
such as
•
to illustrate
•
as an illustration
•
to demonstrate
esult e)presses the conseBuence or result from what is implicit in the preceding sentence or sentences •
accordingly
•
as a result
•
as a conseBuence
•
conseBuently
•
for thisFthat reason
•
hence
•
in order that
•
now
•
so
•
so that
•
the conseBuence is
•
the result is
•
then
•
therefore
•
thus
+lace •
above
•
ad%acent
•
at the side
•
behind
•
below
•
elsewhere
•
here
•
in front
•
in the background
•
in the foreground
•
there
•
to the leftFright
Time •
after a while
•
afterwards
•
at last
•
at that time
•
at the same time
•
before
•
currently
•
earlier
•
eventually
•
finally
•
formerly
•
in the meantime
•
in the past
•
initially
•
later
•
meanwhile
•
now
•
once
•
presently
•
previously
•
shortly
•
simultaneously
•
since
•
soon
•
subseBuently
•
then
•
thereafter
•
until
•
until now
•
whenever
•
while
eformulation e)presses something in another way •
in other words
•
in that case
•
or rather
•
that is
•
that is to say
•
to put it #more$ simply
e"lacement e)presses an alternative to what has preceded
•
again
•
alternatively
•
another possibility would be
•
betterFworse still
•
on the other hand
•
rather
•
the alternative is
Contrast •
by #way of$ contrast
•
conversely
•
in comparison
•
in fact
•
in reality
•
instead
•
on the contrary
•
on the one hand...on the other hand
•
then
Concession •
admittedly
•
after all
•
all the same
•
although
•
although this may be true
•
at the same time
•
besides
•
despite
•
doubtless
•
even ifFthough
•
in spite of
•
naturally
•
nevertheless
•
no doubt
•
notwithstanding
•
only
•
still
•
under certain circumstances
•
up to a point
•
even so
•
however
•
while
•
yet
%seful words/phrases/e&pressions in composition writin#
*se words that appeal to the senses
a. The leaves rustled in the trees and the trees swayed slightly, making groaning heavy sounds. The twigs crackled, snapped and sputtered. b. The bells pealed through the clatter and the children shuffled back to class.
*se dialogues a. MHag, nag, nag' ThatNs what I hear all day'A he grumbled. b. M6hat do you e)pect
6rite interesting descriptions of people ""earance ; draw attention to certain $i$id features i. 6hen he laughed, he revealed a set of horribly discoloured teeth. ii. @verybody stared at her. >he had beautiful dark hair piled high on her head, a delicately shaped face, large soft eyes and the most da--ling smile I had ever seen.
+ersonality or character i. 2or years she had lived with her aunt, a bad"tempered, acid"tongued woman who made her life miserable.
6rite vivid descriptions of feelings a. ;e sat by the hospital bed, holding her hand. It was clear that the end was near. Tears welled up in his eyes and silently coursed down his cheeks. MDlease forgive me,A he said, choking with grief. b. >he ran breathlessly to him with the good news. (s soon as he heard it, he leapt into the air with a whoop of %oy. M6onderful' arvelous' *nbelievable'A he kept shouting.
Then he turned to her and swept her up in his arms.
ively style egin each sentence differently from the "re$ious one& i. I opened the door and walked straight into the room. There was Dei +an sitting by the chair, waiting for me. Kuickly rising from her chair, she came towards me.
4se rhetoric /uestion (/uestions that do not re/uire an answer) i. >he thought of the unlucky happenings that had %ust befallen her O her failure in the e)aminations, her motherNs illness, and her father losing his %ob. ;ow could anyone be so unfortunate<
4se words that are highly descri"ti$e6 $i$id and forceful i. The place was eerily Buiet. (ll around us was a deathly silence. >uddenly it was broken by a mournful cry. It did not even sound human. 6e looked at each other, terror"stricken, then made a dash for the door.
4se effecti$e ad5ecti$es i. The forbidden words ! good, bad, happy, sad, nice ii. Hice book! thrilling book iii. Good speech! witty speech iv. >elfish! egoisticFself"centred
2u*stitute o$er
Good e)pressions for describing sadness 1$ Tears trickled down my face. /$ ;is face was grave, abstracted, almost could have fancied sad. $ y heart was in my mouth, and the dread I felt was palpable. $ ;e was disconsolate and without hope because of the loss of his mother. 5$ Mwill you miss me
9$ The great pain and sorrow totally shattered her. 10$ The sorrow seemed to diminish everyone physically. 11$ >he committed suicide during a fit of depression. 1/$ The news cast a gloom over the entire family. 1$ ;e was overcome by melancholy when his mate died. ;e has been moping about the a round the house ever since. 1$ ;e was in low spirits because he was accused of cheating. 15$ >he composed herself and wiped the tears away. 13$ ;er throat was too raw with pain for her to speak. 14$ ;e waited forlornly outside the house, despite the pouring rain. 1$ Hothing we did could lift him out of his state of deep gloom. 19$ 6hen he left, she sank into melancholy. /0$ M;eNs left me,A she revealed in a small, stricken voice. /1$ ;e was e)tremely distressed by the bad news. //$ y heart sank. ( sudden loss came over me. /$ ;er lips moved desolately in prayer, imploring the gods to have mercy on her. /$ ;e sat there in mute misery, his face in his hands. /5$ 6hen he left, she sank into melancholy /3$ >he buried her face in her hands and sobbed Buietly, unable to hold in the great tide of emotions. /4$ ;er emotions hit her like a bullet through her chest. /$ I was homesick and dismayed by the dismal weather in ondon. /9$ ;er eyes turned watery and red as the hurtful moments were brought back to mind again. 0$ Tears streamed down her face as she walked out of the coffee club with her hand still clutching on to the pendant. 1$ >ue broke into tears.
/$ ( dark mood came over ane. $ >he was on the verge of tears. $ Tears rolled down her rosy cheeks. 5$ Ho words could e)press his agony. 3$ Tears welled up in HancyNs eyes. 4$ The poor child sobbed sorrowfully. $ 6ith a heavy heart, he left the hospital. 9$ y heart sank when I heard the sad n ews. 0$ ;er eyes were puffy and red after all the crying. 1$ >he cried her heart out on hearing the tragic news. /$ The frightened child was on the brink of tears. $ They were sobbing their hearts out when they heard of their fatherNs sudden death. $ rs ee was so overcome with grief that she fainted a few times at her husbandNs funeral 5$ y heart sank when my teacher told me that I had failed the e)amination. 3$ The little girl burst into tears when she could not find her mother. 4$ The little girl was close to tears when her mother left her in the care of the new maid. $ >he was so upset that she could not stop her tears from streaming down her cheeks. 9$ ( tingle of sorrow swept over me. 50$ ;er heart was shattered after hearing the devastating news. 51$ 6ith tears in my eyes, a Buaver in my throat, tears streamed down my cheeks onto the ground. 5/$ Grief, remorse and depression covered me like a thick choking blanket. 5$ Tears of sorrow rolled down my cheeks when I heard the heart"breaking news. 5$ ;e howled dismally when his dog died 55$ (fter being wrongly accused by his best friend, he felt down in the dumps.
53$ Qevin felt utterly miserable when ulia called off the wedding. 54$ ;is heart overflowed with sadness when he lost the race. 5$ 2eeling blue, he went for a holiday to forget all his sorrow. 59$ >he felt very wretched after being slapped and locked up by her husband. 30$ ;e told his cousins all his woes when they visited him. 31$ ;e was so sad that he tried to drown his sorrows by going out to drink. 3/$ 6ith tears streaming uncontrollably down her cheeks, anice knelt down in front of her parentsN grave and cried out, M INve been such an unfilial daughter'A 3$ y father felt demoralised because he failed his driving test again. 3$ The widow laments grievously at the death of her husband.
Good e)pressions for describing anger 1$ ;e muttered furiously under his breath. /$ ;er eyes glared at him in ruthless impersonality. $ ;is resentment blinded his logic. $ ;e was outraged. 5$ ;e was infuriated with his son for not telling the truth. 3$ >he blew her top when she could not get her way. 4$ There was fury in his eyes. $ The little boy put a lot of anger into the blow, knocking the bully over. 9$ >he seethed with indignation. 10$ ( wave of rage swept over him. 11$ It caused an enormous furore. 1/$ ;e was livid when he reali-ed that his car was scratched. 1$ ;e did his best to mask his anger butC
1$ >he was so angry that she hurled curses at her rival. 15$ ;is anger was formidable. 13$ ?ne could see a flicker of anger that crossed her face. 14$ >he flounced out of the room when her boss ridiculed her ideas. 1$ >he was %ust too upset to even bother a bout how others thought about her. *nanswered Buestions burned endlessly in her brainE her inner voice was screaming in silent anguish and betrayal as she sank into the shadowed corner of the restroom, holding her head in her hands whilst the tears kept flowing. 19$ Tom turned red with fury. /0$ Deter was boiling with rage /1$ ;e stamped his foot in anger. //$ >ally gritted her teeth in anger. /$ They were too angry for words. /$ ;er voice crackled with anger. /5$ ake stormed off towards the e)it. /3$ ;is anger turned into violence. /4$ ;e drew in his breath with a long hiss. /$ ;e was like a bull in a china shop. /9$ ( wave of futile rage swept over him. 0$ (n angry frown creased her forehead. 1$ I could see her eyes glowing in fury. /$ ;e was so angry that his blood boiled. $ >he stormed out of the room in anger. $ ;is fist came down on the table with a loud bang. 5$ In a fit of anger, he stabbed her to death. 3$ ;is eyes flashed with an ger and resentment.
4$ ;is face was contorted with rage and fury. $ ;e clenched his fist and shook with fury. 9$ ;e was fuming but he contained his anger. 0$ >eething with anger, he approached me menacingly. 1$ In a blind fury, he smashed the chair against the television set. /$ 6ith hands trembling from anger, the man slapped the boy hard. $ >he was hopping mad when she heard the slanderous accusations. $ ;is hands were shaking uncontrollably and his face turned an ominous red. 5$ ;is face had turned to the colour of molten lava and his e yes flashed bolts of lightning. 3$ >he stared with eyes filled with anger and hatred that were beyond description 4$ 2ather flew into a rage when I told him I had lost the valuable watch he bought for me. $ y sister and I had a heated argument over the new dress we were supposed to share. 9$ I was shocked at the string of abusive words that came out from her mouth when we Buarrelled. 50$ (hmad lost his temper and slapped his brother. In the ne)t moment, fists were flying, as they e)changed blows. 51$ ary was as angry as a bull that saw red when she realised that she had been conned by the Buick" witted salesman. 5/$ (fter hearing that ohn had betrayed him, (li went for his blood. 5$ ;e clenched his fists in anger. 5$ 2lying into a rage, he slapped his sisterNs face for ruining the things he loved most. 55$ (s im was naughty, rs im scolded him in a thunderous voice.
Good e)pressions for regretFguilt 1$ ;e lived a life of self"condemnation ever since he lost his child. /$ ;e was guilt"ridden for not lending a helping hand to his friend. $ ;e reproached himself for scolding the person he loves.
$ 2eeling reprehensible for the tragedy, he vowed never to drive again. 5$ ;e felt rather contrite for having deceived his friends. 3$ It was an agoni-ing feeling of shame and guilt. 4$ 2eeling remorseful for the accident that happened, he kneeled down in front of the victimNs family to beg forgiveness. $ (ll these years, the old man had carried his guilt like a gestating foetus in his mind. 9$ &egret rushed through her veins, for her harsh words. 10$ (n une)pected wave of guilt swept over essica and she Buickly suppressed it as soon as it came.
Good e)pressions for grief 1$ Ho words could e)press the secret agony of my soul. /$ ?n hearing the terrible news, we were too numb to even cry. $ >he looked up at me with an inconsolable face. $ ?vercome by grief, the mother fainted when she saw her sonNs body in the mortuary. 5$ The wife was hysterical with grief when told of her husbandNs death. 3$ ;e would not show his grief but only stared glumly ahead. 4$ Tears formed in my eyes. ;ow my heart ached. I was crushed I could hardly breathe. y lungs burned as I tried desperately to cry and breathe normally. $ y heart shattered. y thoughts whirled and I cried as hard as I could but it didnNt help. 9$ I was so overcome with grief that there were times when my tears actually flowed down without my noticing it. 10$ The nights grew lonelyE darkness seemed to suck the day dry of its essence.
Good e)pressions for describing panicFdisbeliefFfearFan)ious 1$ Terror sei-ed us all. /$ Danic started to engulf him. $ >he was at a loss for words. $ ;e fro-e for a few seconds.
5$ I rose shakily to my feet. 3$ ( rude shock awaited them. 4$ ( chill went down her spine. $ The sight of the ghost sent shudders down her spine. 9$ ( loud voice boomed, sending shivers down her spine. 10$ I was powerless and frantic with terror. 11$ >he screamed at the top of her voice. 1/$ >he screamed her head off when she saw the corpse. 1$ >he %umped in fright when her mother suddenly shouted at her. 1$ ;is face turned pale and his skin felt cold and clammy. 15$ ?vercome with fright, she lost her balance and fell down in a swoon. 13$ >he e)perienced a feeling of weakness before blacking out. 14$ >he stood rooted to the ground. 1$ The shock robbed him of speech. 19$ I was too afraid to utter a word. /0$ ( ha-e of fear surrounded him. /1$ The timid girl shrank back in fear. //$ Gary stood motionless with horror. /$ >he was panic"stricken when she realised she was trapped. /$ 2rightened thoughts raced through his mind /5$ They fled in panic when they saw the charging dog. /3$ ?ur hair stood on end as a cry rang shrilly in the night. /4$ 2ighting back tears of fear, he stared motionless at the approaching danger. /$ 6ith his sense of direction gone, he ran as fast as his legs could carry him.
/9$ Daralysed with fear, he was speechless. 0$ The frightened child was screaming incoherently. 1$ I woke sobbing, drenched in sweat and paralysed with fear. /$ I was roused by a sound which brought my heart to my mouth. $ They huddled together and stared apprehensively into the darkness. $ Terror gripped his whole being and perspiration started dripping from his forehead. 5$ ( chill ran swiftly up his back, causing the nape of his neck to tingle. 3$ I was sick to my stomach at the horrendous sight. 4$ >uddenly, he heard his childrenNs shouts from the garden, shrill with e)citement. $ =ack in the room, Tom was simply Buivering all over with e)citement. 9$ The crowd let out a stupendous cheer as the team scored a home goal. 0$ Their pulses raced as they neared their final goal. 1$ ;enryNs skin tingled with e)citement as he watched the hair"raising race. /$ They stared at him in blank ama-ement. $ >he rummaged frantically in her handbag for the revolver. $ (li crouched at the corner, shuddering in fear that the gangster might harm him. 5$ old fear gripped me as I began to imagine all sorts of things that could happen to me in the haunted house. 3$ I was about to turn the key when I h eard something. I held my breath and put my ear against the door. 4$ >usan returned home and told her mother in a shaky tone that she had been robbed in the lift. $ Tom turned as white as a sheet when he was caught red"handed stealing (liNs wallet. 9$ I was shocked when my brother got home with a bloodstained face, and bruises all over his arms and legs. 50$ ;e was scared stiff when he saw the ghost. 51$ ;er hair stood on end when she watched the horror movie.
5/$ The screams of terror gave way to dead silence in the haunted house. 5$ Hervously, I opened the door and slowly tiptoed towards him. 5$ y voice Buivering, I felt goose pimples all over my body. 55$ Trembling with fear, I handed them the keys 53$ The piece of news hit us like a bombshell. 54$ 6e were too dumbfounded for words 5$ There was a lump in my throat when I saw the shadow. 59$ old sweat trickled down my forehead when I woke up from a nightmare. 30$ I tried to walk at a faster pace but my knees turned to %elly and I felt sick. 31$ The boy tried to stifle his scream but was unsuccessful. ;e was caught' 3/$ y scream echoed eerily throughout the graveyard. I was paralysed with fear. 3$ ;e was speechless with fright when he saw the ghost. 3$ ;is heart pounded in his chest as he walked into the old mansion 35$ I %umped with a start when I heard the noise. 33$ The eerie room made my blood run cold 34$ (ll the windows were closed and the figure looked dark and menacing. 3$ It missed me by a few centimetres but it scared the life out of me. 39$ 2ear gripped me and I dared not move. 40$ (ll sorts of frightening things crossed my mind. 41$ y legs were heavy and frightening thoughts flooded my mind. 4/$ y heart throbbed with fear at what I had seen. 4$ ;is senses were numbed when the crooks pointed a gun at him. 4$ y bones were %ittering and my heart leapt to my throat. 45$ The killer was very instinctive, even his footsteps echoed danger.
43$ ;is unearthly and awesome appearance struck terror in all. 44$ ;e gave a blood"curdling scream when a vampire appeared in his room. 4$ 6e trembled when ohn did death"defying stunts on the ledge of his tenth storey apartment. 49$ This place gives me the creeps 0$ I felt my blood chill in my veins. 1$ 2or the first time I felt a sense of panic. M?h my god'A I cried in disbelief. /$ 6ith a heart thumping fiercely against her chest, she entered the wedding scene, cringing slightly at the bright shimmering lights. $ Instead of RTom was lost, and he could find his mummy and daddy. $ Tom stopped suddenly, as an ominous reali-ation hit him to the point of crying. ;e looked around, looking for the two familiar faces that guarded him for as long as he could remember. Tom began calling out their names! ummy, and :addy. 5$ Ho response came. 2ear started to burn his heart and spread throughout his body like wildfire. Tom went to the corner and slumped down, unconscious of the tears that stained his cheeks. ;is cries of childish terror filled the corridor. ;e was lost. 3$ ( horrific sight greeted me. 4$ >he blinked her long"lashed eyes disbelief and gave a small gasp. $ @)tremely pu--led and agitated by the strange happenings, angela felt rather disturbed and upset.
>ubstitute words for nervousFan)ious a$ (pprehensive b$ Timorous c$ (larmed d$ Danicky e$ Danic"stricken f$ :isBuieted g$ (gitated h$ ittery
i$ umpy %$ nervy
>ubstitute words for wonderment a$ >pellbound b$ (stonished c$ (stounded d$ (ma-ed e$ (we"struck f$ 2ascinated g$ Impressed h$ :umbfounded i$ 2labbergasted %$ =ewildered k$ da--led
Dhrases to describe happiness a$ ;eart skipped a beat b$ ;eart was thumping wildly c$ ;eart almost burst with happiness d$ ;eart swelled with happiness e$ umped for %oy f$ >hining eyes g$ Tears of %oy welled up in her eyes h$ ;er eyes lit up with %oy i$ ;er eyes sparkled with happiness
%$ >hrieked with e)citement k$ outh curled into a pleasant smile l$ I yelled a shout of %oy as my prayers has been answered. m$ ;is eyes turned red and watery as he held her by her hand. ( tear of great happiness and comfort trickled down his cheeks till it was dangling on his chin. n$ The delight on her face was mi)ed with surprise. o$ The old friends kept up a flow of happy chatter over afternoon tea. p$ They were in high spirits as they traveled, singing songs and telling %okes.
@)pressions to describe weather Good 6eather 1$ The sun shone brilliantly and the water in the pond glittered invitingly. /$ The sun filtered through the clouds, signalling the end of the rain. $ ( golden glow spread across the sky as the sun chased the dark clouds away. $ The whole landscape was bathed in the warm glow of the rising sun. 5$ Dalm trees swayed gently in the bree-e in the warm tropical sunshine. 3$ 2resh air filled my lungs and I felt refreshed and e)hilarated. 4$ The breathtaking scenery captivated everyone. $ The pond was bathed in a golden hue by the gentle sunlight and the water was as clear as crystal. 9$ The sunlit clouds drifted across a clear blue sky. 10$ The sun rose in a pool of crimson and gold, spilling light all over the land and the white clouds. 11$ (s the sun set, the few thin strips of clouds on the hori-on turned shimmering gold. 1/$ It as a lovely walk, with the sun setting behind the mountain in a sea of liBuid gold. 1$ The sunset was glorious, all rosy and salmon pink. 1$ The sky was filled with crimson and amber"tinted clouds. 15$ It dawned bright and sunny, with a sky that was a deep blue, flecked with tiny white clouds.
13$ The sun put its warm fingers into his tent opening and he felt the warmth on his sleeping bag.
ad Weather
1$ The sky above was full of tumultuous, dark and ragged clouds. /$ It was a cold grey afternoon with a dull sky and threatening rain. $ ?minous black clouds covered the sky and released a sudden shower $ Thunder rolled in from the west and rain began to fall. 5$ The dark clouds grew ominous 3$ ightning and thunder raged with fury 4$ The morning was cold and wet with a brisk wind sweeping the rain across the land. $ ( flash of forked lightning and a great clap of thunder came close upon each other. 9$ Thunder roared and lightning flashed across the sky. 10$ The howling of the wind frightened us all. 11$ The wind was howling and soon there was a heavy downpour. 1/$ ( curtain of rain beat down from the heavens. 1$ &ain pelted down from skies. 1$ The sky was most threatening. In no time, it was raining cats and dogs. 15$ (s I had neither a raincoat nor an umbrella, I was soon drenched to the skin. 13$ The sky turned into a hideous grey as lightning struck and thunder rumbled. 14$ It was raining cats and dogs. 1$ ;e was soaked to the skin when he came back from the heavy downpour.
@)pressions to describe 2ire 1$ The car burst into flames after colliding with a stationary lorry. /$ 6ithin seconds, the room was engulfed in flames. $ ( minute later, a loud e)plosion rocked the building. $ >creaming in pain, the occupants of the burning house came staggering out into the streets. 5$ >creams and loud cries pierced the air. 3$ 2lames swept over them. 4$ @verybody was fleeing frantically. $ Danic"stricken occupants rushed out of the burning houses. 9$ ;orrible screams filled the air. 10$ loaked in a wet blanket, I crouched as low as I could to avoid the to)ic smoke. 11$ The scene was chaotic. 1/$ The wail of the fire engine siren could be heard. 1$ There was not a moment to lose. The firemen started putting out the fire as soon as they arrived. 1$ >moke and sparks were whirling in all directions. 15$ Thick smoke filled the air, shrouding the surroundings in total darkness. 13$ olumns of smoke were seen streaming out of the burning building. 14$ any corpses were charred beyond recognition. 1$ I looked up and saw the whole sky bla-ing red because of the fire. 19$ (s the house burned, tongues of flames leapt into the dark sky. /0$ It took the firemen two hours to put the fire completely under control.
@)pressions to describe accidents
1$ Duddles of water were everywhere, making the road slippery and dangerous. /$ The car was going at full speed. $ The short"lived laughter turned into screams of horror when they saw a car coming straight at them. $ The car was speeding down the road. 5$ The reckless driver swerved from left to right, overtaking many vehicles. 3$ ;e did not abide by the traffic rules. 4$ The boy dashed across the road. $ The driver tried to swerve to the right but he was too late. 9$ I heard the screeching of the brakes. 10$ The two cars collided with a deafening crash 11$ 6ith a deafening crash, the car slammed into a tree. 1/$ The car skidded and crashed through the railings. 1$ The car was a total wreck. 1$ The pedestrian was knocked down and became unconscious. 15$ The victim lay in a pool of blood, groaning in pain. 13$ The driver was bleeding profusely. 14$ Datches of blood were splattered on the ground. 1$ The front seat was splattered with blood. 19$ The passengers were se verely in%ured. /0$ The victim was mutilated beyond recognition. /1$ The wreckage burst into flames. //$ The traffic slowed down and motorists craned their necks to catch a glimpse of the accident.
/$ There was a traffic %am. The vehicles were moving along bumper to bumper. /$ >ome people simply stood there and shook their heads in disbelief. /5$ (n ambulance was summoned. /3$ The accident victim was bleeding profusely. /4$ In order to avoid a collision with an oncoming lorry, 2ather Buickly swerved his car to the right. The old wagon ran a little way and crashed into the buffers of another.
@)pressions to describe setting a$ The afternoon sun was glaring. The sky was clear, revealing a wide vast of pale blue. b$ >he strolled to the back of the house by herself, herself, and she saw the most beautiful backdrop. backdrop. Trees Trees were everywhere and sunlight was trying its best to penetrate the thick lush greenery. &ight at the very middle of the trees was a small lake. :anielle leaned against the fence and admired the scene before her with awe. c$ It was a chilly night. The moon had appeared out of the hori-on and the skies were filled with stars. e$ ightning streaked across the sky, sending sending umbrella"toting people scampering to their homes. d$ y feet sunk into the sand as I walked along the shore. The familiar smell of salt water filled filled my nostrils. The weather was was fine, and there were a couple of people around. I staggered to one of the remote corners of the beach. The seagulls screamed past me as I walked towards them. I picked a button"shaped pebble and tossed it into the water, creating a disturbance in the calm water. I looked up in the sky and then back down onto the sand. I shut my eyes tightly, but could could not control my tears. They trickled down my cheeks. I felt that my life was meaningless. e$ The wonderful sunset at the hori-on, the chilling sea bree-e and the wonderful melodic sounds of the splashing waves as the tide started to climb in.
6ords to replace 7>aid7 nger
Fear
2ad
%3cited
&oared
>tuttered
>obbed
@)claimed
2umed
Gasped
oaned
&aved
>narled
Implored
ried
&anted
>napped
Dleaded
amented
>creeched
hided
6himpered
6ailed
>houted
@)ploded
>tammered
6hined
>hrieked
Growled
6hispered
>creamed
&etorted
>Buealed
=ellowed =arked +elled >norted >houted
.escri*ing +eo"le
Face and Head
=ose
Hair
Dale"looking
ong sharp nose
6ith lovely curls
2reckled cheeks
;ooked nose
6avy hair
>Buare %aws
snub nose
Heatly combed
Dimply face
enormous nose
Dlaited
>un"tanned skin
>unken cheeks
6i-ened #old, shrunken and wrinkled with age$
2ull of pockmarks
%yes > %ye*rows
*nkempt hair
=right sparkling eyes
;air in a tangled mess
@yes twinkling with mischief
ong, soft and silky hair
=loodshot eyes
;air sticking out
( fair fair comple)ion, ( dark comple)ion , ( swallow comple)ion
oice
( screeching screeching voice
>mall, beady eyes looking sly
:ull, e)pressionless eyes
=road muscular shoulders
@yes as red as burning coals
Harrow and sloping shoulders
>Buinty eyes oud and dictatorial :eep, authoritative voice
(lmond" shaped eyes
:ry and caustic
@yes that slant upwards
Tremulous
2houlders
Duffy eyes, =ulging eyes, small piggy eyes
Pocabulary to describe people
6ords to describe certain types of people
(lternative words
;yphenated ad%ectives
?ther Dhrases 1.
I had to see a doctor as I was running a high temperature and had a runny nose too.
/.
The labourers working in the hot sun were perspiring profusely.
.
The whole room was splattered with blood. It was indeed a gruesome murder.
.
6e were relieved when other regained consciousness shortly after she had collapsed in the
kitchen. 5.
The %ug was already filled to the brim with water.
3.
ast evening, we had a sumptuous meal at the popular restaurant.
4.
(fter a long and tiring bus ride, we finally arrived at our destination.
.
The wailing sirens could be heard in the distance and soon, the fire engines and ambulances were in
sight. 9.
In the dark of the night, I could hear the howling of the wind and the strange noises made by different
animals. 10. The newly opened department store was packed with people yesterday. 11. 2rom the top of ount 2aber, we can have a clear view of the harbour. 1/. 6hen I found no one at home and discovered that the whole place was in a mess, my imagination began to run wild. 1. Immediately I ran for my life, but the killer was hot on my heels. 1. 6hen I was called up by the principal, I entered his office with mi)ed feelings. 15. I still treasure fond memories of my happy childhood days. 13. 6hen all the e)citement had died down, everyone returned to his seat and resumed work. 14. I caught sight of =ob running at top speed to the tuckshop once the bell had gone. 1. I donNt think you should keep the wallet. It should be returned to the rightful owner. 19. (lthough it was not a big house, it was very well"furnished. /0. It was only after much persuasion that (lice finally agreed to attend the party. /1. (fter spending an en%oyable day at my friendNs house, I thanked her family for their hospitality and bade them farewell. //. I immediately gave him medical aid and tried to relieve him of his pain. /. Dlease consider the matter carefully before coming to a decision. /. other keep telling la-y ack to study hard for the e)amination, but her advice fell on deaf ears. /5. I had forgotten to study for the test, but by the stroke of luck, I managed to pass it. /3. ;awkers selling the Hew +ear delicacies had a roaring business before the festival. /4. 6ith e)tremely good results scored by the pupils, SDri-e"giving :ayN was indeed a red"letter day for the entire school. /. ;e feasted his eyes on all the delicious food laid on the table. /9. The children had a whale of a time at the tea party. 0. The school is %ust a stoneNs throw away from his house. 1. I couldnNt understand how my pen could disappear into thin air. /. The poor beggar was so hungry that he simply gobbled up the food. . other nodded in approval of my suggestion. . =etty eyed the stranger with suspicion because he had been standing at the gate for more than an hour. 5. The girl with long silky hair and smooth comple)ion is my sister. 3. The little boy was numbed with cold as he begged in the streets on a winter night. 4. That old man with the wrinkled face and toothless grin is my grandfather. . I knew I was wrong, but my foolish pride held me back from apologi-ing to him. 9. I always like to hear the waves splashing because they soothe and calm my nerves. 0. 2rom this window, I could have a picturesBue view of the sea and the mountain. 1. I lost my balance, slipped and fell with a loud crash and a heavy thud. /. ?rville 6right climbed into the glider. The engine burst into life and the machine was soon in flight.
. ary had to tell a white lie to save her friend from further embarrassment. . The top pupil had all her answers at her fingertips. 5. The boy told a cock and bull story to e)plain his naughty act, hoping to escape punishment. 3. The throbbing headache that I have makes it difficult for me to concentrate on my work. 4. To participate in the competition or not is a nagging problem for most of our Drimary >i) pupils. . The disobedient son is a thorn in rs iNs flesh. 9. rs Doh could not afford to buy a radio for she had been living from hand to mouth. 50. 6anli is a bull in a china shop. 6hen he walks, he either knocks down something or brushes against somebody. 51. Is a pencil missing from your pencil"bo)< 6hy raise a storm in a tea cup< 5/. That fat middle"aged lady waddled like a duck down the corridor. 5. They felt a surge of embarrassment going through their bodies. 5. (li gave (hmad a cold shoulder when he discovered that he had made an unfair remark about him. 55. ;is hatred for his rival grew deeper. 53. ike they say, every dog has its day. 54. >he was a very poor old woman, but she managed to keep her cottage spick and span and she always had a vase of flowers on her table. 5. There was an old red cushion there, very worn and shabby. 59. It was a cold and frosty night. 30. ;is face turned red with embarrassment when everyone started teasing him. 31. ;is face turned as red as an apple when he realised that his -ip was open. 3/. There was a hive of activity during that day. 3. The minutes ticked by as I waited for my friend. 3. The peace and tranBuillity of the park attracted many tourists. 35. ;e was green with %ealousy when he saw his girlfriend talking to another man. 33. Then one day, tragedy struck. The volcano erupted and claimed thousands of lives. 34. They listened to him with utmost interest. 3. Then, before I could even flick an eyelash, they ran past me. 39. (s he put the flute to his lips, the music was like the clear call of summer birds in the evening. 40. >oon, I realised that I had been walking in circles. 41. 6ithout uttering a word, he stalked off. 4/. I hit upon a bright idea on how to solve the difficult pu--le. 4. 6e craned our necks to catch a glimpse of the superstar. 4. Deople were bargaining at the top of their voices, in different languages, over the food price. 45. 6hen she peered over the wall, she saw a snake.
+ords666
!Wo #eaning o rd "
entence
rap an establishment or reestablishment of 1 pro harmonious relations che me nt
a rapprochement reached between warring factions.
pan a grand or 8amboyant manner 7 ach e
which the latter practised with such panache
lam to mock or ridicule 9 poo ned
to lampoon important leaders in the government
bou pu$ed out $an t
bou$ant hairdo
visc characterized by or proceeding from instinct ; eral rather than intellect
a visceral reaction harboured a visceral enmity towards it
coc 0 derisive gesture
cocked a snook at the world(s sole superpower
rep deserving of reproof, rebuke, or censure> = reh blameworthy ens ible
is methods were reprehensible
torr ardent> passionate ? id oppressively hot, parching, or burning, as climate, weather, or air
a torrid love story
fest to become or cause to become bitter, irritated, @ er etc, esp over a long period of time
resentment festered his imagination
hue any public clamor, protest, or alarm 1 and
a general hue and cry against the war
Writing Tips 1.
It is a good idea to have a few really good stories that you tell well. (dapt these to the task you have been given.
/.
Dlan a >;?&T beginning and a >;?&T ending O most of the story should be the middle where things happen and characters think and feel.
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Dlan a resolution in your ending #e.g. solving a problem$ and refer to it in the beginning O a good short story has the reader wondering how a problem is going to be resolved " and then it is.
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Dlan you last sentence O ending with a punch leaves your reader smiling. This is the time to be original.
5.
Qeep your reader informed of what is happening, and what characters are thinking and feeling O we cannot read your mind. If it isnNt written in the story it doesnNt happen
3.
:?HNT start lots of sentences with the same word Oread it over to check and cross out or substitute words to avoid this.
4.
Include some direct speech in your story # with correct punctuation$ (H: (T @(>T ?H@ piece of indirect speech Oavoid using MsaidA #something like Mthe doctor replied that he had seen spots like this before but only on a ladybird.A ?r MQaty thought to herself that she had never seen such a strange sight in all her life.A$
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eave at least five minutes to check your story for all of your target points O a finished and corrected story is 100 times better than an unfinished and hurried one O whatever the style and standard.
9.
6henever you are stuck, or taking a break, read the story over to yourself under your breath but mouthing the words O if it sounds right when you read it out it is probably ?Q. If you pause when you are reading then check there is a pause marker #like a comma or fullstop$.
10. (void telling the reader what to feel, e.g. it was scary. ake them feel it through your descriptions. 11. (void telling the reader what a character feels, e.g. she was sad. >how how they feel through what they say or do, e.g. her lip trembled.
1/. Qeep thinking Swhat would this person doFsayhort and interesting is great' 19. Dlan your story on paper. Think who is it about< 6hat is going to happen in the end< 6hat e)citing and interesting things will happen along the way< /0. ( SpunchyN start that SgrabsN the readers attention, such as speech, onomatopoeia or a piece of great description. /1. Three well described characters #looks, e)periences and personality$ //. ( conversation to show direct speech and new speech, new line. /. ( well structured story, having a beginning, middle and an appropriate end. /. 6hen you have finished. &ead your story P@&+ carefully, asking yourself, S:oes this make sense
Ways to start a story There are many different ways to start a story& Here are a few of them: .escri"tion of a character: @g ?nce there were four children whose names were Deter, >usan, @dmund and ucy. " The ion the 6itch and the 6ardrobe by > ewis .escri"tion of setting: @g The hottest day of the summer so far was drawing to a close and a drowsy silence lay over the large,
sBuare houses of Drivet :rive. " ;arry Dotter and the ?rder of the Dhoeni) by Q &owling .escri"tion of setting and character: @g ( thousand miles ago, in a country east of the %ungle and south of the mountains, there lived a 2irework"aker called alchand and his daughter ila. " The 2irework"akerNs :aughter by Dhillip Dullman ction: @g Deter crouched over the fire, stirring the embers so that the sparks swarmed up like imps on the rocky walls of hell. " ount Qarlstein by Dhillip Dullman .ialogue: @g INm going shopping in the village,A GeorgeNs mother said to George on >aturday morning. M>o be a good boy and donNt get up to mischief.A " GeorgeNs arvellous edicine by &oald :ahl /uestion: @g @ver had the feeling your lifeNs been flushed down the toilet< " The Toilet of :oom by ichael awrence statement: @g ItNs a funny thing about mothers and fathers. @ven when their own child is the most disgusting little blister you could ever imagine, they still think that he or she is wonderful. " atilda by &oald :ahl
More story-opening examples •
6e were alone in the house one morning whenC
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It all started whenC
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The autumn mists were gathering early and the night was growing dark whenC
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It was a dark and dismal nightC
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It had all happened so BuicklyC
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There was nothing I could do to stop it happeningC
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M:onNt move' ItNs right behind you.A The boy slowly turned and gasped in horror' o
This opening puts us right into the action. This is a good strategy for action stories.
•
The first place that I can well remember was a large pleasant meadow with a pond of clear water in it. >ome shady trees leaned over it and rushes and water lilies grew at the deep end.
o
This opening begins by describing the scene.
o
+our descriptions have to paint a vivid picture for your readers.
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Granny >mith, an ordinary, little, old white"haired lady, resting on a seat in a public park, began to feel decidedly peculiarC
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Granny >mith was old and her eyesight and hearing were not as good as they used to be.
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>uddenly a beam of blue light shot out of nowhere, it seemed, and struck the little old lady...
o
This story begins with a description of the main character.
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The iron man came to the top of the cliff. ;ow far had he walked< Hobody knew. 6here had he come from< Hobody knew. ;ow was he made< Hobody kne w.
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Taller than a house, the Iron an stood at the top of the cliff, on the very brink, in the darkness.
o
This story starts mysteriously with a simple sentence followed by Buestions.
More ways to start a composition In the middle of action
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>uddenly the scream pierced the night. I leapt to my feet. I stood totally motionless. (ll was silent . . . and then it came again, only this time closer to us.
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Then the e)plosion ended the life I had once held with such little regard. I felt soil and mud raining down on me and when the noise stopped and movement ceased I found that I was partly buried and could barely move myself.
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I dropped the container marked M:angerous. ;andle with care,A and the world seemed to slow down. I could swear that minutes passed between it leaving my fingers and crashing to the ground with such terrible conseBuences.
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I tripped and found myself rolling towards the cliff edge.
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I drank the contents of the bottle and then realised what a dreadful mistake I had made.
Contradiction
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>ome days I loved (nne, but on others I hated her.
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I felt as cold as ice but then my skin felt as hot as fire.
4ne3"ected or strange ha""enings
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I dragged myself up the face of the clock and then sat on the second hand wondering what to do
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I didnNt know that I could breathe underwater until I fell into the deep end and found myself sitting happily on the bottom'
s@ing the reader a /uestion
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;ave you ever wondered why things happen the way they do< Is there something or someone manipulating us like weNre little toy figures< 6ell, let me tell how I know what really happens and why.
.escri*e the setting:
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:escribe where the story is taking place.
.escri*e a character:
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:escribe the main person in the story, remember how you describe them must have an impact on the story.
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@.g. Mim was an unlucky boyCA im being unlucky must have an impact on the story line, e.g. im loses his wallet etcC
ction:
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>traight into the e)citement, characters are doing something
.ialogue:
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The characters are speaking to each other.
Main Characters Try to have no more than two main characters. ?ther characters can of course be mentioned in your story, but you must concentrate on developing your main characters. To bring your characters to life, you must describe them! their appearanceE their personalitiesE their strengths and weaknesses. ost importantly, your characters must interact' They must talk to each other %ust like people do in real life.
Writing the Middle of the Story This is where something has to happen. This is the problem in your story that has to be solved. Think of some stories you know and say what the problem was.2or eg! In agnus Dowermouse the problem is how to feed agnus and all the adventures are connected to this problem. +ou can only have one problem' In a book there are lots of pages and chapters to write about lots of problems. +ou havenNt got the time for more than one. The middle of the story must keep the readerNs attention that you caught with the beginning. Qeep the action going, develop the characters and story line. &emember that you need to start a new paragraph when something changes.
How to start a new paragraph •
hange of setting! The action in the story happens in another place.
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hange of time! The story moves on to another time that day or the ne)t day etcC
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hange of person! ( new character is introduced, they may say something or %ust be described.
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hange of event! >omething new happens in the plot.
How to end the story +ou have begun it, created and developed your characters, had a problem that has been solved, now itNs time to bring all your loose ends together and finish your story. The conclusion of a story is really important, you donNt want to disappoint the reader by giving them a weak ending, it can spoil the whole thing'
esolutionAAA This is where the problem is solved. There are different ways of doing this, %ust as there are different
ways of beginning your story. +ou can have a happy or sad solution or you can leave the problem unresolved as a cliff hanger. ( lot depends upon the type of story or genre you have chosen.
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Is your ending going to point to the future! the girls wondered if life would ever be the same< (re you going to make a moral point! the boys knew that they had had a lucky escape and would never meddle in other peopleNs problems again'
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ust as you have done #hopefully$ throughout your story. Include detail, description and build up an atmosphere. ;ow do your characters feel for e)ample.
Ways to end a story ,& Conclusi$e: :raw to an end all the events that have happened in the story. -& Cliff ; hanger: 9ea$e the reader in sus"ense6 wondering what will ha""en ne3t& 1& eflecti$e: Harrator or a character, thinks about something that has happened in the story, this can be done with direct speech.
%ndings e3am"les 1. CI never want to stay alone in the house again' /. Cand that was the end of that. . Cand so weNll never know what really happened. . Cit had finished, at last. 5. Cand so it was over. 3. Cand now we could all have a well"earned rest. 4. Cwe had supper and went to bed, tired but happy. . Cthe horror was over and we were all safe. 9. Cthere was home at last. 6e had made it' 10. Cso it had turned out alright in the end. 11. Cand it was a wonderful way to end things. 1/. Cand I canNt wait to do it again'
