Section B Skills: Transactional Writing (Edexcel IGCSE English Language A)
Revision Note
Written by: Deb Orrock
Reviewed by: Kate Lee
Section B of Paper 1 will require you to complete one writing task out of a choice of two. The task will be a non-fiction, transactional writing task in response to a statement. The format you should write in will be given to you in the task, and the purpose of your writing will be to argue, persuade or explain something to an intended audience. You will therefore need to carefully consider the language you use and how you structure your writing to suit the form, audience and purpose given to you in the task.
In your response you must:
Adopt a convincing tone of voice
Use language techniques relevant to the purpose and style
Ensure you use the correct form of writing
The following guide will therefore cover:
Form
Audience
Purpose
Persuasive language techniques
Exam tips
Form
This task will ask you to write in a particular form which will determine the layout, structure and context of the writing (where it is used in real life)
The task will provide you with a statement which directs the topic and task:
It is best to construct the most effective argument you can
This does not have to reflect your actual opinion
You should consider where your writing would appear in a real-life context:
A magazine, for example, tends to be more informal than a newspaper article
A letter tends to be more formal and, normally in the exam, written to someone you do not know
The mark scheme rewards answers which consider how the conventions of form can be used to convey ideas:
A letter is more personal than a news article, which targets a large audience
A speech is more interactive than a leaflet and will actively attempt to engage and persuade the audience
You may be asked to write in the form of:
Whichever form you are writing in, there are likely to be some elements which you will have to make up:
However, your writing still needs to be realistic and believable for the most convincing arguments
While your choice of register will largely be dictated by the task, the following guidelines are always helpful:
Type of writing | Form, language and tone |
|---|---|
Letter |
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Article |
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Leaflet |
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Speech |
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Guide |
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Review |
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Examiner Tip
The most effective responses to this task will demonstrate a well-planned answer covering a range of points written in the correct form. It is important not to forget to sign off your letter or give your article a headline. Make sure you have correctly identified the form required in the task, and avoid writing letters to indiscriminate recipients, or writing speeches for unspecified events. Respond to what the task is, rather than what you hoped it would be.
Audience
This task assesses the ability to use sophisticated language:
It is important, however, to consider your audience in terms of your ideas, language and overall tone
Remember, you are being assessed on your ability to adapt your language and tone to suit your intended audience
For example:
A parent will have different concerns and values to a student
A local MP would need convincing using facts and evidence to support your arguments
Readers of a local newspaper would be more persuaded by emotive language
A letter to a headteacher or someone in authority requires formal, respectful language which is not aggressive or inappropriate
Teenagers would need something to relate to, so personal anecdotes would work well
Addressing your audience or reader specifically is a convincing technique to persuade people to agree with your point of view, or at least to acknowledge its validity
You can use inclusive language, such as “we” and “us”
You can also make your audience feel involved by using terms such as “fellow students” or “parents”
The judicious use of colloquial language is fine, depending on the topic, but avoid using slang or terms not common to Standard English
Below are some examples of language that has been adapted to suit a target audience:
Target audience | Language adaptation example |
|---|---|
Teenagers | I’m sure we’ve all had our parents or guardians moan at us for how long we spend on our gaming machines. However, gaming can help us develop important skills, such as teamwork, as well as being an awesome way of connecting with friends from all over the world! |
The use of inclusive pronouns and colloquial language, such as “awesome”, demonstrates that this example is aimed at teenagers or younger people | |
Adults | Using animals for sports, such as fox-hunting, has been debated for many years, and it is an issue which elicits strong emotions from both sides. |
The use of more sophisticated vocabulary, such as “elicits”, as well as complex sentences, demonstrates that this is aimed at adults reading about a serious topic | |
Older people | The purpose of wearable technology, such as smart-watches and fitness trackers, is to make staying connected as easy and hands-free as possible. In addition, wearable technology can have important health benefits, as they can monitor your blood sugars, heart rate, blood pressure and quality of sleep. |
The simple explanations and examples show that this is written for people who might not know much about wearable technology | |
Examiner Tip
As part of your planning and preparation for this task, you should write a summary of your argument in a single sentence. This should be included in your introductory paragraph, establishing your position, and confirmed in the concluding paragraph. The highest marks are achieved when you are able to establish a central argument and sustain this throughout your writing.
Purpose
The question will ask you to write for a specific purpose. This means you are required to deliberately use language to achieve that purpose and that you will be rewarded for the ability to select relevant language techniques appropriate to this purpose. The question asks you to organise your writing in a way that conveys your opinions and ideas convincingly. It will generally be necessary to use persuasive devices in order to achieve the purpose of the task.
Generally, the purpose of the task will be one of the following:
Explain your point of view
Argue your point of view or your opinion
Persuade
Advise or guide
Purpose | Devices and techniques to demonstrate you understand the purpose of the task |
|---|---|
Write to explain:
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Write to argue:
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Write to persuade:
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Write to guide or advise:
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Persuasive language techniques
Persuasive language techniques, or rhetorical devices, are the linguistic devices that make your language more persuasive and convincing.
There are lots of techniques you can use, so it is important to utilise them in a sophisticated and integrated way in order to add impact to your argument. For example, political speech writers use lots of rhetorical devices to convince their listeners that the speaker is correct and should be agreed with. It is, however, important to remember that you are not trying to sell something; instead, you are trying to convince your readers to accept your views or ideas.
For example, if the task requires you to argue, it is important to remember to:
Employ an assured and confident tone of voice without being rude or aggressive:
Using inclusive pronouns builds rapport and sounds less aggrieved, such as “we” and “us”
Convince your reader or listener by constructing a balanced argument using both facts and opinions
Acknowledge a counter-argument:
This means you predict your reader’s possible reasons for disagreeing and offer an argument against them
Consider your audience carefully to understand where their values and concerns may lie
When planning your answer to your Section B task, it is vital to spend time thinking about your brief (your task), just as a journalist would do. The information given in the question is a bit like a journalist’s brief: it will give you instructions, such as whether to write in a formal or informal style.
The following can be useful to think about in your planning:
Consider what your readers’ opinions may be on the subject
Think about how you will use persuasive techniques to offer a convincing argument
Consider whose perspective you will write from and how you can build rapport with your reader or audience:
It may be more effective to write from an adult’s perspective if your intended audience is made up of adults
Plan the tone of voice you wish to adopt:
Use sophisticated vocabulary and avoid slang
Use modal verbs to construct a tone:
Words like “must” are more aggressive than “could”, or “should”
Vary your punctuation and sentence lengths to avoid a monotonous voice
The acronym DAN FOREST PIE can be useful to help you remember some of the key devices, but there are many other techniques you can employ for effect:
Device | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
Direct address | Addressing your audience directly to build rapport | When it comes to the issue of animal cruelty, you cannot stand back and not take a stand. This is your fight as well. |
Audience | Acknowledging the whole of your audience in your writing | Parents, you must surely agree that banning mobile phones in classrooms will improve concentration and enable your children to make better progress in their studies. |
Not only, but also | Used as part of your sentence to add to an argument | Not only does this issue affect local communities, but also it has wider implications for the whole of the country. |
Facts | Something that can be proven to be true | London Zoo is the oldest zoo in the UK. |
Opinions | What you believe or think, often presented as fact | In my view, banning fox hunting with hounds is the best thing to have happened for a long time. |
Rhetorical questions | A question which does not require an answer | Is it right that reality TV stars are paid vast amounts of money while not actually having any skills? |
Emotive language | Language deliberately chosen to make the audience or reader feel a particular emotion or have an emotional response | The horribly cruel, brutal and violent manner in which hunting hounds murder a fox when caught, ripping them apart, is completely wrong. |
Statistics | Factual data used in a persuasive way | Eighty percent of commuters agree that rail fares currently do not represent good value for money. |
Triplets | Three ideas or examples in a sentence used to emphasise a point | Nutritious, delicious and environmentally conscious, plant-based eating is the only way to reduce our impact on the environment. |
Personal and inclusive pronouns | “I”, “you”, “we”, “us” | We must act now on climate change, as it matters not only to us, but to our children and children’s children. |
Imperatives | Command verbs | Act now, as further delay could be catastrophic. |
Exaggeration | Also known as hyperbole - exaggerated language or examples used for effect | If we do nothing, we will regret our inaction for the rest of eternity. |
You could also consider using:
Flattery | Complimenting your readers or audience | As well-educated and intelligent people, you will agree that this situation must not continue. |
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Alliteration | Two or more words that begin with the same consonant sounds - the words do not have to be consecutive | Is fast food making us fatter, or is this idea just a fad? |
Antithesis | Opposing words or ideas presented together to show a contrast | Just a small act of defiance could have a huge effect. |
Double adjectives | Starting your sentence with two adjectives | Smart and exciting, new wearable technology is the latest craze. |
However, using too much of any one technique can actually weaken your argument, so make sure you are using persuasive devices judiciously. As you read the short example below, consider which persuasive techniques have been used and how they contribute to the writer’s arguments:
Task: “Some people believe it is preferable to holiday at home rather than travel abroad on holiday. Travelling abroad is expensive, damaging to the environment and takes away important income from local tourism businesses.” Write a letter to a newspaper giving your views on this topic. |
Dear Editor,
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Exam tips
Plan your response:
Alternating facts and opinions throughout your writing will be more effective than producing a purely emotional response
One way to do this is to consider how your paragraphs will use persuasive techniques to convey your points in a more developed and convincing way
Focus on the effects of your choices:
Using too much hyperbole and emotive language will weaken your argument
Rhetorical questions which are not answered with facts or an anecdote will lose their impact
Statistics can be made up for the purposes of the exam, but keep them credible and believable
Avoid placing all your facts in one paragraph:
Plan how you can convey facts across your writing using:
Polls and studies
Expert quotes or witness statements
Statistics
Remember to use anecdotes and personal examples or stories to bring your ideas alive:
The examples do not have to be based on your real experiences
Being humble and showing your reader you are not perfect is a great way to build rapport
Using emotive language is effective as long as it is not overused:
Emotive language can highlight your attitude and present your ideas passionately, but it should not take the place of facts
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