CHAPTER 1 DIRECTED WRITING

This section is tested in Section A of Paper 1 of the SPM English Paper. It tests your
writing skills to see if you are able to write using the correct format and elaborate
the points given. You will receive up to 15 marks for the format and the content
points and up to 20 marks for the quality of your writing.

1) You are given 45 minutes to answer this section.

2) Know the format. You have to know the formats of
a) Reports - Formal and informal, and a newspaper report
b) Letters - Formal and informal
c) Opinions, talks and speeches
d) Articles
e) Processes and procedures
3) Read the question carefully. Are you asked to use all the points given or some of
the points?
4) Expand each point given by providing two examples or suitable details. Use 5W
+ 1H (Who, What, When, Where, Why + How) technique to help you elaborate
the points given.
5) Write in paragraphs. There must be an introduction, a body and a conclusion.
6) Tone is important. Is your reader/audience your own friend or are you
speaking/writing to a larger audience?
7) Note the grammatical structure to use. Use link words to connect your ideas.

REPORTS
i) Formal report
ii) Informal report
iii) Newspaper report

FORMAL REPORT
Reports on
To
: (to whom the report is for)
From : (who is writing the report)
Date :

___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

Recommendations:
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
Reported by,
__________
Signature

Title:
Show the purpose of
Writing the report

Introduction:
Give briefly what has
happened,
when, where, and to
whom
Body:
Write in the form of
paragraphs
Conclusion:
Summarise the facts and
give recommendations

SPM MODEL QUESTION AND ANSWER

You were the prefect on duty when a fight broke out. You informed the discipline
teacher immediately. You had been asked to write a report on the incident.

In the report, include the following:

Students were going back to their classrooms

Pushing around, shouts, and a fight started

Seniors accused the junior of being rude

Ran to call discipline teacher

When writing the report, you must:

-

give a suitable title

include the name of the writer
use all the points given
provide two relevant details/examples for each of the four points

STEPS
1. Read the question carefully.
2. Identify the situation and format.
3. Use the 5Ws + 1H approach to elaborate the points given.
You were the prefect on duty when a
fight broke out. You informed the
discipline teacher immediately. You
had been asked to write a report on
the incident.

Introduction:
>Situation
>Format: Formal report

Students were going back to

their classrooms

Body:
Elaborate points given:
1. a) Why were they going back to their
classrooms?
b) Where were the students?

Pushing around, shouts, and a

fight started

2. a) Who started pushing around?

b) How many were involved?

Seniors accused the junior of

being rude

3. a) What did the junior do?

b) Who started the fight?

Ran to call discipline teacher

4. a) Where was the teacher?

b) What happened after that?
Conclusion: Summarise the facts and give
recommendations

Model Answer
Report on a Students Fight
To :

The Principal,
SMK Setia,
Johor Bahru.

From : Jane Chai

Date : 18 March 2016
On Friday (March 15) at 10.40 a.m., a fight broke out between some Form Five and
Form Four students in front of Science Laboratory C.
It was just after recess and the students were going back to their classrooms.
I was on class duty.
I was just coming out of the classroom of Form Four Mewah, which faces Science
Laboratory C.
I heard some commotion from the corridor in front of Science Laboratory C.
There were six Form Five students surrounding a Form Four boy. I heard a Form Five
student yelling, Mind your manners. Juniors should respect their seniors! I also
heard, Why are you pushing us about? Stop glaring at your seniors! The Form
Four boy looked shocked and was shaking his head.
When the Form Four student was shoved against the wall, his classmates
from Form Four Setia ran out and started shouting. There was a lot of pushing
around and shouting, and a fight ensued.
I noticed Mr. Chandran, our discipline teacher, coming from the direction of
the staff room. I quickly ran to inform him of the situation. Mr. Chandran confronted
the students and broke up the fight.
It is unthinkable that such a thing could happen in our school. I suggest more
counseling sessions be held for the students, especially sessions on how to manage
anger.

INFORMAL REPORT
_________________________
By ______________

>Give a title
>Say who is the writer of the report is

_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
____________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
____________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________

Types of report:
a) Report of an activity or event or
incident
b) Report of an investigation
c) Report on a survey
d) A newspaper report
>Read the question carefully. Are you
asked to use all the points given or
some of the points?
>In some reports, you may have to
give recommendations concerning
action which must be taken.

SPM MODEL QUESTION AND ANSWER

Your school played host to the students from another country. As the class monitor,
you were part of the group of students to entertain the visitors. Write a report of
what you did for the school magazine.

In the report, include the following:

Tour of the school

Activity in school
Food
Meeting friends and family

When writing the report, you must:

-

give your report a title

use all the points given
provide two relevant details/examples for each of the four points
write in paragraphs

STEPS
4. Read the question carefully.
5. Identify the situation and format.
6. Use the 5Ws + 1H approach to elaborate the points given.

Your school played host to the

students from another country. As
the class monitor, you were part of
the group of students to entertain
the visitors.
Write a report on what you did for
the school magazine.
Tours of the school
Main building wood
traditional architecture
garden herb garden
Activities in school
Co-curriculum Day Girl
Guides setting up tents
Gymnastics
Food
A variety of Malaysian food
and fruits at the school
canteen
Met up with friends

Introduction:
>Situation
>Format: Informal report

Body:
Elaborate points given:
1. a) Where did you bring the visitors?
b) How many students were there?
2. a) What activities did you show?
b) What did they do?

3. a) Where did you eat?

b) What did you eat?

4. a) Who are the friends?

b) Where did they meet?
Conclusion: Voice your feelings/opinion

Model Answer
Visitors from Adelaide High School
By Lim Fang Lin
I was recently part of the team of ambassadors from SMK Putri, Kota Tinggi, chosen
to entertain our visitors from Australia. The mixed group of thirty students from
Adelaide High School visited us for a day, on Friday, 14 May.
I was tasked with looking after five students for the day. I began with a tour of
the school. I started with the main building. Unlike the other parts of the school, the
main building building is made of wood and its architecture, traditional. Next, we
went to the school garden. Our Australian friends were impressed by the riot of
colours that met their eyes. There were scarlet hibiscus blooms and bright butteryellow allamandas. As President of the schools Gardening Club, I happily showed off

our herb garden.

Next, we moved to the right corner of the school field. It was Co-curriculum
Day and the Girl Guides were setting up their tents. Our friends from Adelaide
quickly lent a helping hand. I learnt that camping is very much a part of their lives
as thet love to go camping. After that, we crossed over the school hall. Our school
gymnasts were practicing. When one of the girls vaulted the bar, our friends gave a
spontaneous cheer. It was wonderful. I learnt that my new friends were all
cheerleaders in their schools.
It was nearly noon time for an early lunch. I led them to the school canteen
where some of the ambassadors had gathered with their groups. There was a
variety of Malaysian food and fruits laid out on the table. The visitors seemed to like
Johor laksa and nasi lemak though they had to wash them down with many glasses
of lime juice and the tarik. They especially enjoyed the duku langsat and nangka.
Joining us for lunch was a group of our students who were on an exchange
programme last year to Adelaide High School. Many were familiar faces to our
friends as they were their hosts. They were happy catching up with each other. It
was a joyous reunion.
At 2.00 p.m., we said goodbye to our Australian friends. They were on their
way to Kuala Lumpur. We exchanged addresses and promised to keep in touch. They
said they had a wonderful time and I had thoroughly enjoyed myself too.

NEWSPAPER REPORT