Introduction: Writing Skills | English Grammar Advanced - Class 10 PDF Download

Basic Introduction

Writing a piece on a given topic helps students to understand their skills in expression, in their creative abilities and presenting their ideas intelligibly and lucidly. Writing skill is to be honed in students from their school days through diverse written activities like article writing, message writing, letter writing and the like.
Writing improves with constant practice. Writing a page or two every day - on everyday activities, or about a piece of information gathered on a particular day would help students develop and improve their writing skills.
There are some basic elements that go into writing a piece, like following some vital strategies in presenting any piece of writing in a requisite format in short and simple sentences in a correct language. As for students, this is achieved by planning, drafting, writing, editing and revising the piece written.
The main objectives of writing as a part of improving a student's language skills are:

• To find the students' ability to use the given verbal input in a short sustained piece of writing.
• Assess students' skill of expressing ideas in a clear and grammatically correct English.
• Test the students' ability to present ideas in a concise and coherent manner.
• Test their ability to write clear description, focusing on the main topic given.
• Develop ideas around a given topic with an introduction and conclusion.
• Use appropriate style and format to develop an idea.
• Test the argumentative and analytical abilities. In writing assessments, students' English language skills will be tested on the basis of :
• Expression of ideas - in a clear, fluent and grammatically correct English.
• Planning, organizing and presenting ideas coherently by introducing, developing and summarizing. a topic.
• Comparing and contrasting ideas and arriving at a conclusion.
• Presenting an argument with supporting examples, using an appropriate style and format.
• Expanding a given note into longer pieces of writing and creatively express them in appropriate style and language.
• Use of vocabulary, grammar - including punctuation and spellings.

Thus students can practice writing in the following ways :

• Letter : Formal and Informal
• Diary
• Article
• Debate
• Speech
• Short stories

Letters

Letters are the best mode of communication between individuals and organizations. Now a days, different methods of communications do exist like SMS, social messaging apps, and emails. In fact, these have replaced letters. Still letters are significant, as they foster good relationships among people. and also can be preserved as memories and records.
There are two types of letter :

1. Formal Letter
2. Informal Letter
Formal Letters
Formal letters are generally written to a higher authority like an official, or to the editor of a newspaper or magazine. The language and format are of utmost importance in writing formal letters. For students, letter writing has long term purposes. The students learn how to formally write a letter, and in what language and format should he/she present his/ her ideas/views.
From : Which should include the name already given in the question itself. If no name is given, the students need not write the name or just write 'ABC' or 'XYZ'. It should have date and address (fictitious or as given in the question), at the end.
To : It may be an authority, for example, the higher official of an organization. If a student is asked to write a formal letter to his/her teacher or Principal, then he/she needs to follow a certain format. If it is a letter of complaint or an inquiry letter, then it has a different format.
If it is a complaint letter, the addressee may be, for example, the Manager/sales manager of a firm, the Director of an organization or an official, like The Chief Engineer, PWD or The Municipal Corporation, or to some Minister, or The Director of a Government Department or an organization and so on. According to the type of letter, the addressee details change.
In case of 'Letters to the Editors', the addressee is always 'The Editor', followed by the name of the newspaper/ magazine.
Subject : This should contain the main purpose of the letter, say , 'Request for' an action or 'complain about' a particular thing, or an 'order for' and so on.
Salutation : This means addressing the concerned person/authority, like 'Respected Sir', 'Dear Sir' or 'Sir' or 'Madam' and the like.
The Body : This is the main content of the letter. It may have two or three paragraphs. The first few lines should concisely state the purpose of the letter like 'I write this letter to...', 'This is to bring to your notice...', or 'I regret to inform you.', and 'Through your columns.' (if Letter to the Editor). In the second paragraph, the main topic should be dealt with in detail. If it is a letter for placing orders, the list of items along with quantity should be given as a list. The last paragraph should be conclusive. If it is a letter of complaint or a letter to the editor, it may be like 'I hope.' or 'I request you .' or 'It is high time' and so on. This is to ensure that action is invited on the part of the person to whom the letter is addressed. For order placing letter, the last paragraph should include the method of delivery and payment details.
Subscription : This is the way of signing the letter. In formal letters, we have to use words like 'Yours truly, 'Yours sincerely', 'Yours obediently' and so on, followed by the signature of the writer. In some formal letters, we also write 'Thanking you' before the subscription.

Informal Letters
These letters are written to someone close to you. It may be your kith and kin or a friend to whom you like to share your joy/sorrow about an event that happened to you or to the person to whom the letter is addressed. The language in these letters is informal and in fact conversational.
Address : The format here is the 'from' address, followed by address, date. There is no need to write the subject.
Salutation : As for salutation, it will always be 'Dear..." followed by the person whom it is addressed to.
The Body : It is always better to start the letter with a general enquiry about the other person's health, like, "How are you." "Hope you are in the pinkest of your health." and so on. After this, the main topic - be it a congratulatory or a condolence that dealt with. Informal letters read good when there is always a personal touch, and especially at the end of the letter like, "Convey my enquiries and regards to ..." and so on.
Subscription : In informal letters, always use words like 'yours lovingly', 'Your loving son', 'Your dearest friend', and the like. This will be followed by the name of the writer.

Diary
Diary is nothing but a record of day to day happenings that one experiences in his/her life. Instead of monotonous recording of the happenings, diary writing may be made interesting by presenting it in a good, attractive, interesting manner with a touch of humour and personal opinion, wherever necessary. Unlike other pieces of writings, diary writing does not require a specific topic. It just needs one to incorporate one's ideas and thoughts connected to a day's happenings.

Steps to follow :

• Begin the entry with a general introduction, describing the day or momentary feelings.
• In the body, you may discuss an event of the day that inspired or influenced you.
• Conclude with a final remark.

Article
Writing an article is a challenging task. It needs creativity, a good vocabulary, good knowledge of the given subject and the skill to organize idea.
An article is a piece of non-fiction writing on a particular subject. Besides presentations skills, a student also needs to have some basic knowledge about the topic to be written in the form of an article. Sometimes they may also need to present facts along with his/her opinions. Unlike diary writing, article writing is highly objective. That is, it is more of information gathered from different sources, than of personal experiences.

Debate
Debate is a formal discussion or an argument on a subject on which people have different opinions. Its main purpose is to check the skills and ability of presenting an argument.
Debate writing should always be in either in favour or against a particular viewpoint. It simply means either you are in favour of the topic or condition mentioned in the question or you are against the topic or condition mentioned in the question. But always keep your stand strong enough to support your views. Debates require an analytical approach on the part of the students. This is because, in debates, one should know how to present arguments in favour as well as against the topic contended. For example, if a student is asked to write a debate on 'computers : a boon or a bane', he/she should be able to collect his/ her thoughts in favour of computers to write about it as a 'boon' and as well he/she should know about its 'bane'. This is because, only if he/she knows both, will he/she be able to assertively write about the arguments he/she has to put forth.
Also, one should imagine himself/herself to be addressing an audience and accordingly start the piece with 'I am here to put forth...' or 'I am here to argue that.' and so on. Then comes the main part wherein the arguments of opposite side also can be touched upon here and there to emphasise the argument put forth.


Speech
Speech is generally written to express views in public. So, while writing a speech, care should be taken as to start writing the speech - very much in the manner it is spoken. The first and foremost is the method of addressing a gathering. If it is a speech by a student, then one should start the writing as "Respected..." . Most of the speech writings are highly formal, and so care should be taken in the way one addresses the gathering. After the address, which is a manner of greeting the gathering, the students should introduce the purpose of his/her speech. So, while writing it should be, " I am here to speak." or " Let me first introduce..." and so on. Then comes the main topic wherein the students should assertively put down his/ her thoughts in a clear and concise language. The focus should be towards the main topic.


Short Story
Writing a short story requires one to be highly imaginative. It is comparatively an easier task if some cues like hints, beginning or ending of a story, or even a topic is given to write a story. In the absence of these, the task becomes a bit difficult, as one has to be really creative to come out with the seed of an idea for a story. For some, writing a story is a natural skill. Some get inspired by things around to write a story, while some others get influenced by reading several story books. To make a short story interesting, the story may be started in the middle of a happening like, I never expected that..., Finally, I got the..., The news was a shock..., Suddenly it went dark... and so on.
Then there are the other styles like, The other day, I happened to see..., That man whom I used to find near the bus stand... and the like.
For students, while writing a story whose beginning or ending of a story is provided, the ideal method is to first write down some hints like characters, situation after, before the given cue, and then try to weave the thread of imagination as to form a story. Hint- expansion in story writing is still more easier. The hints already have the entire plot of the story. The students only need to provide connecting sentences on their own to make the story.
The best method to acquire the skill of writing short stories is to observe the happenings around and start weaving a story based on them. By constant practice, this skill improves.

Tips and Tricks for writing

To make your writing piece attractive, interesting and thought provoking, you need to follow certain strategies such as the following :

• Give an interesting introduction - a catchy title if needed, and an interesting quote or an adage, if it is an article or the introduction of a topic in a debate or a speech.
• It is always better to brush up your grammar skills, and keep the new words you learn handy and ready to be used whenever there is an opportunity.
• Use clear and simple language. Ensure that you use grammatically correct sentences.
• Short and precise sentences should convey your idea effectively. Long winding sentences may sound uninteresting and even confusing to the readers to understand what you want to drive home.
• Sparingly use a figurative language which gives the text a richness in presentation.
• Focus on the topic you need to write about.
• If possible, first write down your points in the form of hints, which you may revise before using them for your main piece of writing.
• An end with a cliffhanger will give your piece of writing an edge over other general writings. It may be a question which would provoke a thought on the part of the reader. You may also leave the reader pondering over your topic by the way you give your conclusion.
• Finally, practice, and practice every day, so that good writing becomes your natural skill.