transactional writing speech question

Colour My Learning is supported by our readers. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases and display ads. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

Edexcel English Language A IGCSE (4EA1/01) Paper 1 – Transactional Writing Past Exam Questions

Li-ling Ooi English Language , Learning , Resources 0

We have collated the transactional writing questions from past year papers and listed them here. If you are taking the Edexcel English Language specification A (4EA1/01) for your iGCSE, and need more practice for this part of the paper, you have come to the right place.

Transactional Writing is in Paper 1 Section B.

You are expected to answer one question out of two prompts. Both will involve a given audience, form or purpose. The task therefore requires the answer in the form that it asks in the question – speech, article, leaflet or letter. In each form of writing it is important to use the expected conventions.

For example a speech will have a greeting to the audience, written in direct speech and uses personal pronouns such as ‘you’, ‘we’ etc. In writing a letter, you are expected to know the layout of a formal and informal letter including a suitable greeting and a correct sign off.

The assessment objectives tested in this section are:

AO4 communicate effectively and imaginatively, adapting form, tone and register of writing for specific purposes and audiences

AO5 write clearly, using a range of vocabulary and sentence structures, with appropriate paragraphing and accurate spelling, grammar and punctuation.

Table of Contents

• Exam Paper Format
• Anthologies Exam Questions Analysis
• Poetry and Prose Text Past Exam Questions
• Transactional Writing Past Exam Questions
• Imaginative Writing Past Exam Questions

Transactional Writing Questions Extracted from Past Year Papers (2014 – current)

Current syllabus (4ea1/01) answer one question..

Choose one of the two questions (Question 6 and 7) Total mark = 45 marks. Recommended time 45 minutes

‘Raising a teenager is one of the most difficult challenges in life.’

Write a leaflet for parents/carers that gives advice on how to help and guide teenagers.

Your leaflet may include:

• what issues teenagers may face
• how parents/carers can best support teenagers
• any other points you wish to make.

Your response will be marked for the accurate and appropriate use of vocabulary, spelling, punctuation and grammar.

‘University is not the only option for those leaving school or college.’

You have been asked to deliver a speech to an audience of school or college leavers and their parents/carers in which you express your views on this topic.

Your speech may include:

the different choices that are available to school/college leavers what factors to consider when selecting the best option any other points you wish to make.

June 2022 R

‘Overcoming a challenge makes you a stronger person.’

You have been asked to deliver a speech to your peers in which you express your views on this statement.

• what challenges a person might face and how these could be overcome
• the ways in which overcoming a challenge might make a person stronger

A magazine is publishing a series of articles with the title ‘The pros and cons of modern technology’. Write your article on this topic.

Your article may include:

• the benefits of modern technology
• the disadvantages of modern technology

January 2022

Write the text for a leaflet aimed at school students which offers advice on how to deal with bullying.

• the different forms that bullying may take
• strategies for combating bullying

A museum is planning to open a new exhibition called ‘Life in the Twenty-First Century’. Write a letter to the museum director explaining what items you think should be displayed and why.

Your letter may include:

• the items you would recommend for display and your reasons for selecting them
• what these items tell us about modern life

January 2022 R

‘The finest quality a person can have is a love for all living creatures.’

You have been asked to give a speech in which you express your views on what you consider to be the best qualities that a person can have.

• the different qualities that you admire in a person
• examples of people who possess some or all of these qualities

‘If you never take a risk, then you will never know what you might achieve.’ ‘Taking risks is dangerous and should be discouraged.’ Write a magazine article with the title ‘Taking a risk’.

• times when taking a risk might be considered a good idea
• occasions when taking a risk would be inadvisable

‘Television educates, entertains and helps global understanding.’ ‘Television is to blame for society’s violence and greed and delivers one-sided news.’

You have been asked to deliver a speech in which you express your views and opinions on television.

• the benefits of television
• the negative elements of television

‘Choosing a career is one of the most important decisions we ever make.’ Write the text of a leaflet that gives advice to young people on how to choose a career.

• factors to consider when choosing a career
• how schools, colleges, friends or family can help

‘Most memorable journeys.’ A website is running a competition to reward the best articles on this subject. Write an article for the competition about a memorable journey.

• a description of the journey
• what made the journey so memorable

‘Cycling is one form of exercise that can lead to a healthier lifestyle.’ Write a guide for young people on the benefits of exercise.

Your guide may include:

• information on different types of exercise
• how exercise can improve physical and mental health

‘Important lessons I have learned in my life.’ You have been asked to deliver a speech to your peers on this topic. Your speech may include:

• what lessons you have learned
• how the things that you learned have affected or influenced you

Your local/school library wants to encourage young people to read more. Write the text of a leaflet explaining the benefits of reading. Your leaflet may include:

• the different ways in which reading can help people
• the reasons why young people may not spend much time on reading

‘Important lessons I have learned in my life.’ You have been asked to deliver a speech to your peers on this topic.

Your local/school library wants to encourage young people to read more. Write the text of a leaflet explaining the benefits of reading.

June 2020 R

A magazine is running a competition to reward the best articles with the title ‘Animals are important to our world in many different ways’. Write the article that you would enter for the competition.

• the different ways in which animals contribute to the world
• the importance of animals to you personally

A local charity is hoping to gain more publicity for its work.

Write the text of a leaflet that explains the charity’s work and why it is important.

• who or what the charity helps and why
• the different ways in which people could support the charity

January 2020

You and your family have just returned from a holiday that did not turn out as you expected. Write a letter to the travel agent with whom you booked your holiday, explaining what happened.

• your expectations of the holiday
• what the holiday was actually like

A magazine is publishing articles with the title ‘Friendship is one of the greatest gifts in life’. Write your article on this topic.

• your thoughts on friendship
• what else might be considered to be great gifts in life

January 2020 R

A newspaper has published an article with the title ‘Competition in sport makes children unwilling to take part’. Write a letter to the newspaper giving your views on this topic.

• whether you agree or disagree with the statement
• the advantages and/or disadvantages of competitive sport

Today’s roads are becoming more dangerous. Write a guide for teenagers about road safety.

• what some of the dangers on the roads might be
• advice for road users such as drivers, cyclists and pedestrians

Your local newspaper has published an article with the headline ‘Young people today lack any desire for adventure’.

Write a letter to the editor of the newspaper expressing your views on this topic.

• the reasons why you agree or disagree with the statement
• what opportunities there are for young people to be adventurous

‘The key to success in anything is being prepared.’ Write a section for a guide giving advice on the importance of preparation.

• what is meant by ‘being prepared’
• how preparation can contribute to success

June 2019 R

‘Nowadays there should be no differences in the ways that boys and girls are raised and educated.’ You have been asked to deliver a speech to parents/carers and teachers in which you express your views on this statement. Your speech may include:

• how girls and boys are treated by parents/carers
• the ways in which boys and girls are educated

A magazine is inviting readers to send in articles with the title ‘My hopes and ambitions for the future’. Write the article that you would submit. Your article may include:

• your personal hopes and ambitions
• your hopes for the wider world

January 2019

‘Zoos protect endangered species from all around the world’ ‘No wild animal should lose its freedom and be kept in captivity’

Write an article for a magazine in which you express your views on zoos.

Your article may include

• the advantages of zoos
• the disadvantages of zoos
• any other points you wish to make

Your response will be marked for the accurate and appropriate use of vocabulary, spelling punctuation and grammar.

Write a review of an exciting or interesting even that you have seen. Your review may include:

• where and when you saw the event
• your thoughts and opinions about the event

January 2019 R

Your local newspaper is inviting people to apply for a job as a trainee reporter. Write a letter of application to the newspaper editor explaining why you would be suitable for this job.

Your letter may include

• the skills and any relevant experience that make you a good candidate
• the aspects of the job that you would find interesting

The person who has had the greatest influence on me A website is running a competition to reward the best aritcles from young people on this subject.

Write your entry for the competition.

Your contribution may include

• information about the person you have chosen
• the different ways in which this person has influenced you

A travel magazine is asking for articles called ‘Dream Destinations’. Write your contribution, describing the place, or places, you would most like to visit.

• a description of the place(s) you would like to visit
• the reasons why you wish to go there

‘Life in today’s world is just so busy that we do not have time to value the things that really matter.’ You have been asked to deliver a speech to your peers in which you give your views on this statement.

• whether you agree or disagree with the statement and why
• the things in life that we should value

June 2018 R

‘In our busy twenty-first century lives, hobbies and interests are more important than ever.’ Write an article for a newspaper expressing your views on this statement.

• what hobbies and interests you enjoy
• the benefits of hobbies and interests, especially in today’s world

‘We are harming the planet we live on and need to do more to improve the situation.’ You have been asked to deliver a speech to your peers in which you explain your views on this statement.

• what harm people might be causing to the planet
• what is being done, or should be done, to improve the situation

Old syllabus: 2014-2017. Answer both questions

Answer both questions. 10 marks for the first question and 20 marks for the second.

January 2018

“The Dangers of Modern Life.” A newspaper is inviting readers to send in their ideas on this subject. Write a letter to the newspaper giving your views.

“There is too much emphasis on sport which distracts people from taking part in a wider range of leisure activities.”

Give your views on this statement. You may choose to write about:

• the benefits and drawbacks of sport
• the importance of other leisure activities

A travel magazine is collecting contributions for a series called ‘Holiday Memories’. Write your contribution for the magazine.

‘Keeping any sort of animal as a pet is cruel and unnatural and should be banned.’ ‘Keeping pets teaches children how to be responsible and gives homes to poor, defenceless animals.’

Give your views about keeping pets. You may choose to write about:

• the advantages and disadvantages for animals
• the advantages and disadvantages for people

June 2017 R

‘If I could go anywhere…’

A magazine is running a competition to reward the best writing on this subject. Write your entry for this competition.

Imagine you could have any special skill or talent. Write, explaining your choice.

You may choose to write about:

• what your special skill or talent involves
• the effect it would have on your life and the lives of others

January 2017

“I know I can’t change my past but, looking back, there are things that I regret.” An internet site is running a competition to reward the best writing from young people on this subject. Write your entry for this competition.

… “Children today lack imagination, are unfit and spend too much time indoors.” Explain your views on this statement. You may choose to write about:

• how children spend their free time
• how much exercise children get
• any other ideas you may have.

Greenpeace wants the UK Government to improve the environment.

Write a letter to your government to explain what you think could be done to improve the environment in your country.

‘Not all schools prepare young people for living in the real world.’ Explain your views on this statement.

• what subject(s) you think should be taught
• the importance of other school activities
• any other ideas that you may have.\

June 2016 R

A magazine is publishing a series of articles entitled “Memorable Experiences”.

Write about a memorable experience you have had, exploring why it was important to you.

“The internet has improved the lives of everyone.” ”The internet is dangerous and should be avoided.” Explain your views on the internet.

• the use of the internet in education and business
• the use of the internet for leisure and enjoyment
• anything else that you would like to add.

January 2016

Your local newspaper is collecting ideas on how to improve road safety in your area.

Write a letter to the newspaper giving your ideas.

“We are all so busy that we often forget what should be really important in our lives.” Describe what is important in your life.

• the people in your life
• activities, hobbies and interests

Your local newspaper is publishing a series of articles entitled “We All Need Help Sometimes”.

Write an article for the newspaper describing a time when you have helped someone or when someone has helped you.

A website called ‘Respect’ is collecting views on the statement “Everyone deserves to be treated properly”.

Write explaining what respect means to you. You may choose to write about:

• your own experiences
• how we should treat parents, teachers and others in authority

June 2015 R

Your local newspaper is collecting ideas on what young people can do to care for the environment.

“Zoos are like prisons for wild animals – cruel and unnatural.” “Zoos are necessary: they educate the public and save rare animals that are in danger of becoming extinct.”

Explain your views on zoos. You may choose to write about:

January 2015

Your local newspaper is worried about the number of young people who are injured on the roads. Write a letter to the newspaper giving your views on how to improve road safety for young people

A magazine is publishing an article entitled ‘Happiness!’. Write a contribution for the magazine explaining what makes you happy.

You may choose to write about

• your hobbies, activities and interests
• the importance of friends, family and relationships

January 2014

Write a speech to be given to a youth organisation informing them about somebody in your life who has had a strong influence on you.

Different times of the year bring with the different experiences, celebrations and activities. Write a magazine article explaining which time of year you like best and why.

• The sorts of activities that take place
• Your own experience of special occasions during this time of year
• The different foods clothes and traditions that are associated with his time of year as well as any other ideas you may have

Featured Products

Interested in the product(s) featured here, use the links below to check the price , availability and offers . As an affiliate, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.

Links to visit major online retailers

Related Posts

Education , Learning , Technology

The Internet of Things (IoT) in Education: Shaping the connected learning environments

English Literature , Learning , Resources

Edexcel English Literature IGCSE (4ET1/01) Paper 1 – Past Exam Questions – Unseen Poetry

Edexcel english literature igcse (4et1/01) paper 1 – past exam questions – anthology poetry – comparison, edexcel english literature igcse (4et1/01) paper 1 – modern prose past exam questions – to kill a mockingbird, harper lee, edexcel english literature igcse (4et1/01) paper 1 – modern prose past exam questions – of mice and men, john steinbeck, edexcel english literature igcse (4et1/01) paper 1 – modern prose past exam questions – the whale rider, witi ihimaera, edexcel english literature igcse (4et1/01) paper 1 – modern prose past exam questions – the joy luck club, amy tan, edexcel english literature igcse (4et1/01) paper 1 – modern prose past exam questions – things fall apart, china achebe, edexcel english literature igcse (4et1/01) paper 2 – heritage texts past exam questions – romeo and juliet, william shakespeare, share your thoughts cancel reply.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Discover more from Colour My Learning

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

Transactional Writing

WHAT IS TRANSACTIONAL WRITING?

Transactional writing is an umbrella term that covers many different nonfiction writing genres.

The purpose of each transactional writing text type is to communicate ideas and information to others.

The purpose of a text can be defined as:

• To persuade

Sometimes two or more of these purposes will be combined in a single text type. 

101 DIGITAL & PRINT GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS FOR ALL CURRICULUM AREAS

Introduce your students to 21st-century learning with this GROWING BUNDLE OF 101 EDITABLE & PRINTABLE GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS. ✌ NO PREP REQUIRED!!! ✌ Go paperless, and let your students express their knowledge and creativity through the power of technology and collaboration inside and outside the classroom with ease.

Whilst you don’t have to have a 1:1 or BYOD classroom to benefit from this bundle, it has been purpose-built to deliver through platforms such as ✔ GOOGLE CLASSROOM, ✔ OFFICE 365, ✔ or any CLOUD-BASED LEARNING PLATFORM.

WHAT ARE THE TRANSACTIONAL TEXT TYPES?

Any nonfiction writing genre that sets out to persuade, argue, advise, or inform can be classified as a transactional text type. Generally, they can all be grouped loosely under one of the following types:

• Article (Read our in-depth guide to writing an article here )
• Letter (Read our in-depth guide to letter writing here )
• Review (Read our in-depth guide to writing a book review here )

Each of these genres (and subsequent sub-genres) will follow specific conventions of language and structure.

What We’ll Look at in this Article

In this article, we’ll look at each of these transactional text types in more detail, as well as some other text types that don’t sit comfortably in any of the five broad genres listed above.

We’ll provide you with all the tools required to help students confidently approach writing any piece of transactional writing.

 We’ll examine what students need to consider before they even begin putting pen to paper, breaking down each transactional writing genre into the specific criteria of language and structure.

Finally, we’ll provide some tools, tips, and techniques students can use to polish their transactional writing and help them achieve their text’s purpose.

HOW TO GET READY TO WRITE A TRANSACTIONAL TEXT

As with any writing task, preparation is key. Luckily, there’s a helpful acronym we can learn to keep the essential elements of transactional writing preparation clear in our minds: GAPS

Before beginning to write, students should fill in the GAPS by answering the following questions prompted by each letter in this acronym.

Let’s take a look:

G enre – What type of text are you being asked to write? What are the features of that genre?

A udience – Who are you being asked to write for? Is it an individual or a group?

P urpose – What are you trying to achieve in the text? Persuade, argue, advise, or inform?

S tyle – Is the text formal or informal? Relaxed or serious in tone? Simple or complex?

Usually, these questions can be quickly answered by closely reading the question or writing prompt.

In instances where the students have a freer rein on what they write, they must ensure that they have answered these questions clearly before beginning the writing process.

Failing to answer these questions definitively before starting to write will all but ensure the writing will lack clarity of purpose.

TRANSACTIONAL WRITING GENRES AND THEIR CRITERIA

Once a student has determined which writing genre they are creating, they need to ensure they have a firm grasp on the features of that genre.

Below, we’ll briefly examine some of the main criteria of each of the most common transactional writing genres. There isn’t space to cover each genre in detail here, as that’d require a complete dedicated article.

Luckily though, you’ll find comprehensive (and wonderfully written) articles on each writing genre on this very site!

Let’s gain a brief overview of some of the main criteria of the most common transactional text types.

1. HOW TO WRITE AN ARTICLE

The term ‘article’ covers a lot of ground here. We can expect to find articles in magazines, newspapers, and websites. We can also consider many forms of essays, such as persuasive essays for example, as articles.

STRUCTURE OF AN ARTICLE:

Articles are usually long-form pieces of prose writing on a specific topic. They can be balanced in their outlook considering many points of view , or they can present a very subjective opinion on the topic being written about.

The subjects that articles can explore are almost inexhaustible. Anything you can form an opinion on could make for the subject of an article. Some common topics for articles include:

• Entertainment
• Celebrities
• Current affairs

Articles tend to follow a basic 3-part structure of introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

The introduction tries to grab the reader’s attention and usually outlines the main point of the article.

A series of body paragraphs usually follows that provides more detail on each of the main points covered in the article.

A final concluding paragraph then brings it all together at the end.

LANGUAGE OF AN ARTICLE:

To decide on the type of language to be used in an article, the writer will need to have first identified the audience and purpose of the text.

Regardless of which language register is used, it should be suited to the background of the target reader in terms of complexity and word selection.

Words should also be chosen to ensure the purpose of the article is achieved. For example, where an article is intended to be persuasive, emotional language may be selected. Whereas in an academic article on a historical topic, detached language devoid of emotional color may be more appropriate.

• Heading and subheadings
• Attention grabber or ‘hook’
• Introduction answering who, what, when, where, why, and how?
• Body paragraphs
• May contain pictures with captions

2. HOW TO WRITE A LEAFLET

Standard leaflets are made by folding a sheet of paper to create 2, 3, or more panels. They are often colorful and are usually distributed for free to provide information mostly on goods or services.

STRUCTURE OF A LEAFLET:

In leaflets, the layout and organization of the text are especially important. Usually, they’re printed on folded pieces of paper and card which have implications for how the information in a leaflet is presented.

Leaflets vary widely according to their purpose and the audience they are aimed at. Usually, they will employ subheadings to great effect to guide the reader’s eye through the various sections of information.

Also, information is frequently organized using bullet points and numbers to make instructions, for example, easier to follow.

LANGUAGE OF A LEAFLET:

When leaflets provide instructions, they’ll often use imperatives and the personal pronoun ‘you’.

As always, the language used will be suited to the audience. Where the audience is wide and varied, say, for a tourist attraction, the language will be simple and straightforward to make the information in the leaflet accessible to the widest possible audience.

The tone is often enthusiastic and reassuring, to inspire confidence in the information it contains.

LEAFLET WRITING KEY POINTS

• Easy to read with heading and subheadings
• A colorful and bold presentation style
• Makes an offer of product or service (or provides information)
• Often uses persuasive language
• Eye-catching
• Use of bullet points
• Short, snappy sentences
• Uses pictures and photographs
• May contain details on directions, map, opening times, price, phone no., etc.

THE ULTIMATE NONFICTION WRITING TEACHING RESOURCE

• 270  pages of the most effective teaching strategies
• 50+   digital tools  ready right out of the box
• 75   editable resources  for student   differentiation  
• Loads of   tricks and tips  to add to your teaching tool bag
• All explanations are reinforced with  concrete examples.
• Links to  high-quality video  tutorials
• Clear objectives  easy to match to the demands of your curriculum

3. LETTER WRITING

A letter is a written form of communication usually intended to be read by an individual or a small group of people. Only very rarely is it intended to be read by a large group of people, in which case it is usually referred to as an ‘open letter’.

While traditionally letters were written by hand on paper and delivered via the mail, today technology has given us many more options for personal communication including email, text messages, and various other forms of digital messaging.

STRUCTURE OF A LETTER:

Up until recently, letter writing was usually a fairly formal affair. There are standardized formulas for opening and closing letters which are still quite common. For example:

●      If a letter opens with Dear Sir or Dear Madam (i.e. the name is unknown) it ends with Yours Faithfully

●      If it opens with Dear Mr. Smith or Dear Mrs. Smith (i.e. the name is known) it ends Yours Sincerely .

And while these formal conventions can still apply, some types of text that we can group under the term ‘letter’ are much less formal in their style. Invitations and email are two prominent examples that employ a much looser approach to structure.

LANGUAGE OF A LETTER: 

The language used in any type of letter will depend greatly on the audience it is intended for.

For example, while formal types of letters, such as a cover letter as part of a job application, will have a very professional tone, an invitation to a birthday party will likely have a warm and friendly tone.

Emails are used for a wide variety of purposes these days, and even though they can still be used in some more formal type contexts, in general, they are much more conversational in tone than letters.

LETTER WRITING KEY POINTS:

• For formal letters, your address and the date in the top right corner and the recipient’s address to the left
• Opens with an appropriate greeting (e.g. Dear Sir/Madam, Dear Mr X / Ms X, Hi, etc)
• Main body paragraphs.
• Ends with appropriate closing (e.g. Yours Faithfully, Yours Sincerely, Take Care, etc)

4. HOW TO WRITE A REVIEW

Traditionally, when we think of reviews many of us think of book and movie reviews. There are, of course, many other types of reviews to consider.

These days people read and write reviews on almost any product or service, from hotels to restaurants. For example, we might read a review of a theater show before deciding whether to go or a computer game before deciding on buying it.

STRUCTURE OF A REVIEW:

Usually, a review will open with a statement about what is being reviewed before summing up the writer’s opinion. The remainder of the review will be dedicated to explaining why the writer arrived at the conclusion they arrived at with, of course, close reference to the thing being reviewed.

LANGUAGE OF A REVIEW:

When the review is positive, the writer will opt for more positive language, making for a more upbeat experience for the reader. The reverse is true for negative reviews.

The tone of a review will be particularly obvious in the choice of adjectives chosen by the writer.

As the review is subtly trying to influence the reader’s perception of the thing reviewed, it’s important that the reader trusts the writer and this can be achieved by the writer building rapport with the reader.

One effective way to achieve this is through the use of humor, though whether or not this is appropriate will depend particularly on the specific purpose of the review and the nature of the intended audience.

KEY POINTS OF WRITING A REVIEW

• States what is being reviewed (book, movie, article, etc)
• Overview of material
• Body paragraphs explore positives and negatives
• The conclusion summarizes and expresses an opinion
• Provides either a negative critique or a positive recommendation.

5: HOW TO WRITE A SPEECH

Speeches are made to do one of 4 things: to inform, to instruct, to persuade, or to entertain. They are made on all sorts of formal and informal occasions ranging from political campaign speeches to birthday party toasts.

STRUCTURE OF A SPEECH:

Speeches most often follow a simple 3-part structure:

• An engaging and motivating opening
• Strong, well-structured arguments
• A powerful and memorable conclusion

LANGUAGE OF A SPEECH:

A speech should deliver arguments with clarity and consistency. The speaker must be engaging and able to connect with the audience on an emotional level.

So as not to alienate the audience, it is necessary to choose language in tune with the make-up of the audience.

The purpose of many speeches is persuasion and so persuasive devices should be used such as rhetorical questions, objection handling, and emotive language.

KEY POINTS OF SPEECH WRITING

• Opens with a welcoming statement or greeting (Ladies and gentlemen, Dearly beloved, Teachers and classmates, etc)
• Outlines what speech will be about (Today, I will speak to you about…)
• Body of speech makes 3 or 4 points and expands upon each point
• Arguments handle objections
• Conclusion summarizing main points
• Possible call to action at the end
• Thank the audience.

OTHER TRANSACTIONAL TEXTS TO CONSIDER

Again, the criteria above are far from exhaustive and each genre is worth studying in detail before writing – the articles on this site are a great place to start.

Remember too, the features above are general and each genre has a host of subtypes that have their own specific requirements that may not be listed in the bullet points above.

Also, while the genre of writing will inform the style and tone of the text, a lot depends on the purpose and the audience. This will be decided by the student in the preparation phase by answering the GAPS questions listed earlier in this article.

Now, students understand how to prepare to write, how to structure their writing, and which language register to use, it’s time to make sure they possess the necessary skills to get the work done.

WHAT KEY SKILLS ARE NEEDED TO WRITE A TRANSACTIONAL TEXT?

Well, as discussed already, transactional writing texts cover a wide range of genres, serving many purposes, and are directed toward a variety of audiences.

Therefore, the list of techniques and skills described below will not apply in every single transactional text a student writes.

Once the student has mastered each of the skills and techniques below, they will need to apply their understanding of each writing context to decide which is best suited to their current needs.

The acronym AFOREST will help students to remember the specific writing techniques.

Let’s take a look at each in turn:

A – ALLITERATION & APPEAL

Alliteration refers to the repetition of an initial consonant sound in a series of words. Tongue twisters are an easy way to illustrate the concept, e.g.,

  P eter P iper p icked a p eck of p ickled p epper.

We often see alliteration used in texts that employ headlines as the technique helps grab attention and engage the reader. It can also, of course, be used within the body of the text to help draw attention to a concept or idea.

Appeal is a reminder to consider the audience the text is intended to appeal to, as this will greatly affect the tone of the writing.

It will also inform the pronouns the writer chooses to use in their text.

For example, in a speech where the writer is directly addressing their audience, they may frequently use personal pronouns directly addressing the audience such as you and we .

For example:

Instead of… “Action must be taken to prevent this.” 

The student writes… “We must take action to prevent this.”

F – FACTS

Facts are an important tool of persuasion and can come in many forms. Essentially, facts refer to any verifiably true statement. Statistics are one convincing tool of persuasion to support factual statements.

Whatever guise facts come in, they can be used to inform or entertain as well as persuade the reader.

O – OPINION

Opinion refers to the sharing of a personal point of view. Opinions bring life to a piece of writing.

While it may not be appropriate to express a personal opinion in some contexts, many types of transactional text would be incomplete without the inclusion of the writer’s opinion. For example, a persuasive essay or a movie review.

Often, a text will open with an assertion of the writer’s opinion with the rest of the piece focused on supporting that opinion to persuade the reader to share the writer’s point of view.

The difference between a statement of fact and one of opinion is illustrated in the following two sentences:

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a very popular combat sport. (Fact)

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is the greatest of all combat sports. (Opinion) 

R – REPETITION & RHETORICAL QUESTIONS

Repetition repeating certain words or phrases in a text is an effective means of highlighting a message or an idea, as well as reinforcing it in the mind of the reader. Repetition can be used to not only to bring rhythm and a certain poetry to a text, but it can bring clarity too.

For example,

“Mankind must put an end to war – or war will put an end to mankind.”

— John F. Kennedy

Rhetorical Questions are questions that are asked, but no answer is expected. Usually, the answer will be either implied or obvious to the audience. They are frequently used in speeches and persuasive texts such as advertisements.

For examples,

“Why pay more?”

Rhetorical questions are asked for the effect they create, rather than any attempt to elicit an answer. They can be a very persuasive tool to have in any writer’s arsenal.

E – Emotive Language & Exaggeration

Emotive Language is a powerful tool of persuasion. Emotive language in a text can be used to incite strong feelings in the reader.

Whether these feelings are feelings of joy, sorrow, disgust, or desire, writers often use this type of language to evoke a desired reaction in the reader and incite them to take a particular course of action.

Emotive language is commonly understood in contrast to objective, factual writing. This type of language makes a contention or argument, but in a way, that appeals to the reader’s feelings.

For example, if the writer is arguing that there should be no restrictions on business opening hours, they might write the following:

“Forcing businesses to close will steal money from the pockets of our poorest workers. It will steal bread from the hungry mouths of our children.”  

Exaggeration is sometimes known as hyperbole and in this context refers to the making of intentionally over-the-top statements to intensify the impact of an argument.

Instead of saying school closures will create problems for students, parents, and teachers alike, we might make a statement like:

“School closures will be the end of the world!”

S – Statistics

Statistics , along with percentages and other numbers, are used as supporting evidence for facts.

“The beginning of the week is an extremely stressful time for many people. So much so that the risk of a heart attack for adult men is about 20% greater on Mondays and 15% greater for adult women.”

T – The Rule of Threes

Three is the magic number. Our brains love patterns as they help us make meaning and help make that meaning memorable. We see it in practice in many common phrases.

 “Cool, calm, collected”

“Blood, sweat and tears”

“Location, location, location”

While cliché should usually be avoided, students can come up with their own patterns following the rules of 3 to make their writing more memorable.

WRITING CHECKLIST & RUBRIC BUNDLE FOR ALL TEXT TYPES

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (92 Reviews)

Transaction Complete

When understood well, the above concepts, strategies, and techniques will ensure that student writers can confidently and competently produce a strong piece of transactional writing in any genre.

As their experience and abilities grow, students will quickly be able to recognize the purpose of any writing prompt and accurately assess their prospective audience to help fine-tune their language register.

Once they’ve selected the appropriate criteria, they’ll be able to choose suitable tools and techniques to produce a polished piece of writing that fulfils all intended objectives.

All that’s needed now is practice – and plenty of it!

OTHER GREAT ARTICLES RELATED TO TRANSACTIONAL WRITING

How to write a letter

How to write a text response

How to Write a Descriptive Text

How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay

Explore our Teaching Unit on WRITING LETTERS & EMAIL

Tips for Transactional Writing

What is transactional writing.

A transaction is defined as buying or selling something. As an example, you may be trying to sell your point of view in a piece of writing. This type of writing could include a letter , a speech or an article .

Transactional writing tasks are asking you to communicate an idea to a specific audience, for a specific reason. For those of you taking AQA English Language, the following tips apply to Paper 2 Section B.

Tip 1: Avoid Unnecessary Words

It can be tempting to use more words than you can actually need. When you edit your work, cut out any words you don’t actually need. See this example:

The car travels at the speed of 70 mph.

The following is far more effective:

The car travels at 70 mph.

Edit these two sentences:

• It takes seven hours in time to drive from Newcastle to Inverness.
• The cup contains a quarter of a pint in volume.

See how it has more impact?

Tip 2: Avoid Qualifiers

We often use qualifiers in our writing but more often than not they don't really add anything other than clutter.

Watch out for words like essentially and totally. 

Go through a piece of your writing and spot the qualifiers. Can you get rid of any of them?

Tip 3: Use the Active Voice

The active voice has far more punch than the passive voice. Find out what this means here .

Check out the difference:

Passive: The ball was kicked into the net by the star player.

Active: The star player kicked the ball into the back of the net.

When you have written a piece of work cut and paste into Hemingway App - it will immediately show you which sentences to change from passive to active voice.

Tip 4: Use Adjectives in Moderation

You may have been taught the power of the adjective when writing creative descriptions, but in transactional they should be limited, and used only when they add something to the point you are making. Using empty adjectives can make it look as though you are padding your writing out and makes it less compelling and convincing (two adjectives that characterise top band writing!).

Tip 5: Beware the Exclamation Mark!

Too many of these and your writing will look amateurish. Use judiciously, for example when really emphasising a point. Otherwise, use with caution. In journalism, exclamation marks are known as 'screamers' - and you definitely don't want your written work to scream at the reader.

Tip 6: The 5Ws

Whether your transactional writing is a speech, a letter or an article the same advice applies: address the 5Ws near the start of your work. This is a simple strategy that never goes out of fashion. If your work does not answer the following questions in some way, then it should.

• International
• Education Jobs
• Schools directory
• Resources Education Jobs Schools directory News Search

Transactional writing - Speeches AQA

Subject: English

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Lesson (complete)

Last updated

10 February 2022

• Share through email
• Share through twitter
• Share through linkedin
• Share through facebook
• Share through pinterest

This resource has a powerpoint on speeches and a copt of Greta Thunbergs speech to give to students to annotate. This is an introduction to speeches and their impact on auidences.

This is in line with the national cirriculum and AQA exam board. This introduction to speeches will allow students to understand their purpose along improving their reading and writing skills.

The English language paper 2 will ask a question on persausive/argumentative text so these resources are a great insight to how to tackle this particular skill.

● Learning new vocabulary, relating it explicitly to known vocabulary and understanding it with the help of context and dictionaries. ● making inferences and referring to evidence in the text ● knowing the purpose, audience for and context of the writing and drawing on this knowledge to support comprehension

Tes paid licence How can I reuse this?

Your rating is required to reflect your happiness.

It's good to leave some feedback.

Something went wrong, please try again later.

This resource hasn't been reviewed yet

To ensure quality for our reviews, only customers who have purchased this resource can review it

Report this resource to let us know if it violates our terms and conditions. Our customer service team will review your report and will be in touch.

Not quite what you were looking for? Search by keyword to find the right resource: