Unit 4: Writing

Writing is the skill of encoding ideas into permanent, structured text so a specific reader can act on them without the writer present. Because the reader cannot ask for clarification, every form in this unit solves the same core problem — matching register, structure and length to purpose and audience.

• Purpose: the reason the text exists — to inform, request, narrate, persuade or evaluate; it decides tone and content.
• Audience: who reads it — formal (examiner, manager), semi-formal (colleague) or informal (friend); this fixes register and contractions.
• Register: the formality level, ranging from formal ("I would be grateful if…") to casual ("gonna grab lunch").
• Structure: the visible skeleton — greeting, body, close in a letter; topic sentence, support, conclusion in a paragraph.
• Cohesion: linking devices (firstly, however, as a result, finally) that bind sentences so ideas flow.
• Mechanics: correct spelling, punctuation, capitalisation and paragraphing — the baseline for credibility.

II. Life and Routine Writing

Texts that record a person or a sequence of days.

Both forms narrate real events in chronological order and depend on accurate factual detail rather than argument.

A. Writing biographies

A biography is a factual account of another person's life written in the third person.

• Person and tense: uses third person (he, she, they) and mostly the past simple — "She was born in 1910", "He founded the company in 1998".
• Chronological spine: ordered birth → education → achievements → later life → death/legacy, signposted by time markers (in 1935, two years later, by the age of forty).
• Fact over feeling: states verifiable detail (dates, places, works) rather than the writer's opinion, unlike an autobiography which is first person.
• Selection: includes only significant events; a short biography of a scientist keeps discoveries and awards, drops trivia.
• Opening sentence: names the person and their claim to fame — "Marie Curie was a physicist and chemist famous for her research on radioactivity."

B. Weekly activities

This is a short record or plan of what a person does across the seven days of a week.

• Layout: often a table or day-labelled list — Monday: swimming at 6 p.m.; Tuesday: guitar class — so each slot is scannable.
• Tense choice: present simple for routines ("I go to the gym on Mondays") and present continuous or going to for fixed future plans ("I am meeting Ravi on Friday").
• Time expressions: anchored with prepositions — on Monday, at 7 o'clock, in the morning, every weekend.
• Frequency adverbs: always, usually, often, sometimes, never to show regularity — "I usually study after dinner."
• Purpose: functions as a timetable or diary that keeps obligations visible and balanced across the week.

III. Digital Communication

Screen-based forms where speed, subject clarity and tone management matter most.

These forms range from the structured email to the compressed text message; register loosens as length shrinks.

A. Emails

An email is a structured digital message with a fixed set of fields and a flexible register.

• Fields: To, Cc (visible copies), Bcc (hidden copies) and a concise, specific Subject line — "Meeting rescheduled to 3 p.m." not "Hello".
• Formal frame: opens "Dear Mr Khan," and closes "Yours sincerely," (named recipient) or "Yours faithfully," (Dear Sir/Madam).
• Informal frame: opens "Hi Sara," and closes "Best," or "Cheers," with contractions allowed.
• Body shape: one-line reason first, details in short middle paragraphs, a clear action request last — "Could you confirm by Friday?"
• Etiquette: no all-capitals (reads as shouting), reply within the thread, attach files mentioned in the text.

B. Blogs

A blog is an informal, regularly updated online article written in a personal voice for a public readership.

• Voice: first person and conversational — directly addresses the reader ("you'll love this") unlike the detached biography.
• Headline and hook: a catchy title plus an opening line that promises value — "Five hostel meals you can cook in ten minutes."
• Scannable layout: short paragraphs, subheadings, bullet points and images so readers skim on screens.
• Engagement features: tags, categories, and a closing call for comments or sharing — "What's your go-to recipe? Tell me below."
• Tone balance: personal opinion is welcome but is backed by examples or steps so the post still informs.

C. Text messages

A text message is an ultra-brief, instant exchange prioritising speed over form.

• Compression: abbreviations and initialisms — u (you), thx (thanks), brb (be right back), btw (by the way).
• Register: highly informal; greetings and sign-offs are usually dropped, emojis carry tone.
• Context dependence: meaning relies on the ongoing chat, so messages are fragmentary — "On my way, 5 mins."
• Caution: abbreviations suit friends only; a message to a teacher or employer should stay in full, correct words.

IV. Composition Building Blocks

The two forms that teach structured, argued writing — one at paragraph scale, one at article scale.

A paragraph is the smallest complete unit of structured thought; an article scales that structure across several paragraphs.

A. Paragraphs

A paragraph is a group of sentences developing one central idea.

• Topic sentence: states the single main idea, usually first — "Regular exercise improves concentration."
• Supporting sentences: expand it with reasons, examples or evidence — statistics, an incident, a comparison.
• Concluding/linking sentence: rounds off the idea or bridges to the next paragraph.
• Unity: every sentence serves the topic sentence; an unrelated sentence is cut.
• Coherence: sentences are ordered logically (time, importance or cause-effect) and joined by connectors (therefore, in addition, for example).

B. Article writing

An article is a focused piece of writing on a single subject intended for publication to inform or persuade a general reader.

• Title and byline: an informative headline plus the author's name — "Why Reading Still Matters, by A. Rao."
• Three-part body:
  • Introduction: raises the topic and its relevance.
  • Development: two or three paragraphs, one point each, with evidence and examples.
  • Conclusion: restates the stance and may end with a suggestion or question.
• Register: semi-formal and objective — more structured than a blog, less rigid than a report.
• Audience targeting: vocabulary and examples suit the publication (school magazine vs newspaper).

V. Planning and Review Writing

One forward-looking planning text and one backward-looking evaluative text.

Planning writing organises a future event into clear steps; review writing judges a past experience against criteria.

A. Plans for a class trip

This is an organisational document setting out the arrangements for an upcoming group outing.

• Essential heads: destination, date, departure and return times, transport, cost per student.
• Itinerary: a time-ordered schedule — "8:00 a.m. assemble at school gate; 9:30 arrive at museum; 1:00 lunch."
• Logistics: teacher-in-charge, student-to-teacher ratio, permission slips, emergency contact.
• Essentials list: what to carry — ID card, water, packed lunch, notebook.
• Future language: uses will, going to and timetabled present — "The bus leaves at 8 sharp."
• Rules clause: behaviour and safety instructions to keep the group together.

B. Restaurant review

A restaurant review is a short evaluative article giving the writer's judged opinion of a dining experience to guide readers.

• Opening frame: name, location and type of the restaurant — "Spice Route, a mid-range North Indian place on MG Road."
• Evaluation criteria:
  • Food: specific dishes with sensory detail — "the butter chicken was rich but mildly spiced."
  • Service: speed, attentiveness and friendliness of staff.
  • Ambience: decor, lighting, noise and seating comfort.
  • Value: price measured against quality and portion size.
• Balance: mentions both strengths and weaknesses to stay credible — not pure praise.
• Evaluative language: rating adjectives (delicious, overpriced, cosy, slow) and a verdict with a recommendation — "Worth a visit for the biryani, but book ahead."

A worked contrast clarifies the register scale running through the unit. The same request — asking a friend to join an outing — reshapes with each form:

Email (semi-formal):
  Subject: Class trip on Saturday
  Hi Meera, we're visiting the science museum on
  Saturday. Could you confirm by Thursday? Best, Anil

Text message (informal):
  trip on sat, u coming? confirm by thu 👍

• What changes: the subject line, greeting and sign-off exist only in the email; the text drops them and compresses you to u.
• What stays: the core information — event, day, deadline — survives in both, proving that purpose is constant while register and structure flex to fit the channel and audience.