PMR ESSAY WRITING TECHNIQUES [BASED ON PICTURES/NOTES GIVEN]

The basic steps to answer this type of question are:

1. Read & understand the question.
2. Brainstorm ideas.
3. Write the essay in organised paragraphs. Write at least 5 sentences for
each paragraph.
4. Re-read the essay to check on your grammar and spelling.
How to Brainstorm ideas? ["Mr. How & his 5 wives" technique]

Where?

When?

Who?

Why?

What?

How?

Where did they travel to?

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When did they go?

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Who were in the car?

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Why did they go there?

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What was the children/mother/father doing in the car?

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How was the weather?

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How was the road condition?

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PMR ESSAY WRITING TECHNIQUES [INFORMAL LETTER]

Your cousin has been chosen to take part in the National Service Programme and
is worried about going. You have decided to write a letter to tell him/her about the
benefits of this programme and to encourage your cousin to go.
(Your Name & Address)
Shalini
5, Jalan Tun Perak,
50050 Johor Bahru.
(Date)
2nd March 2013
(Salutation)
Dear Sam,
(Introduction)
How are you? I hope you are in the pink of health. I was thrilled when I got your
letter. I read your letter eagerly .To be honest, I had mixed feelings after reading
your letter. One was of happiness while the other was of sadness. I am happy that
you got chosen to go for the National Service Programme. On the other hand,
sad, seeing how worried you are to join this programme. I have penned this
letter to encourage you to go for this programme.
(Body 1)
Benefit 1 - One main point
- Two / Three supporting details
- Close
(Body 2)
Benefit 2 - One main point
- Two / Three supporting details
- Close

(Body 3)
Benefit 3 - One main point
- Two / Three supporting details
- Close
(Closing)
I hope my reasoning will convince you to go for this National Service Programme.
To be honest with you, I am a bit jealous that I was not chosen for the
programme. I surely would trade places with you if I could. I will keep my fingers
crossed that you will take my advice and join this programme. Bye and have fun.
Your Cousin,
(Your Signature)
The objectives of the national service programme:

Develop a young generation who are patriotic and with love for their
country

Enhance unity among the multi-racial communities in the country

Instil a spirit of caring and volunteerism among society

Produce an active, intelligent and confident generation

Develop positive characteristics among the younger generation through

good values

Important Points!
1. Precious experiences:
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2. Taught to independent:
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3. Spending post-SPM holidays in useful manner:
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4. Diversify friends list:
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5. Build the spirit of patriotism:
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6. Develop helping tendencies:
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7. 4 modules physical module, nation building module, character

building module, community services module

PMR ENGLISH
NOVEL: THE RAILWAY CHILDREN
SYNOPSIS

Roberta (Bobbie), Peter and Phyllis lived in a comfortable home in London.

Their father was a civil servant while their mother was a housewife. Their parents
were wonderful and kind people. They also had a maid to do the house work.
One day, two gentlemen came to the house to see their father. Soon after,
he followed them out. He was taken to prison. He was accused of being a Russian
spy. The children did not know why their father left with the two men but their
mother knew. She kept it to herself and did not tell the children.
Soon, they had to move to a modest cottage in the Yorkshire countryside.
The cottage was situated near a railway station. The children's life revolved
around the passing trains, workers at the station and the towns people. Their
mother wrote some stories to earn some money to buy food and for other
necessities. It was hard at first to be poor but they soon learned to live with the
little they had.
They learned not to steal coal from the railway station even if they have so
little coal to keep warm. Their life was full of adventures. For instance, they
managed to stop a train when a landslide covered the tracks. They found the
injured boy (hound) in the train tunnel and managed to get help for him.
They liked to wave at passing trains. In time they made many new friends
and forged a special friendship with one old gentleman in particular. The old
gentleman gets to know them and helps them in various ways. He becomes
instrumental in the release of their father from prison. Finally, one day their father
returns home and everybody is happy that now they are together again.

CHARACTER
ROBERTA (BOBBIE)

Roberta is 12 years old. She has a brother named Peter and a younger
sister named Phyllis. She is fondly known as Bobbie in this novel. She is the eldest
of the three. One of her characters is, she is a very persistent person. She doesn't
easily throw in the towel when the odds seem to be against her.
There are many incidences in the novel where we can see her persistence.
For example, in chapter 3 (page 17 - paragraph 5 - lines 1-3), we can see how
determined

she

recovery when her

gentleman

was

in

getting

mother

gave the

the

was ill. Her

things

needed

things

necessary

persistence paid
for

her

for
off

her
when

mother's

mother's
the

old

recovery.

In chapter 6 (page 38 - read the whole page), Perks was not happy with people
giving him presents. He was worried that people would laugh and make fun of
him. Bobbie persistently reasoned with Perks about the good intentions of the
village people giving him the presents until he relented and accepted the gifts.
Finally,

Perks

celebrated

his

birthday

with

happy

note.

In chapter 7 (pg 42 - the whole page), she did not give up in finding a way to help
secure her father's release from prison. She was persistent even when her mother
had given up. She secretly wrote a letter to her friend the old gentleman asking
for his help to clear her father's name. In the end her father was released from
prison.
*Brave - Chapter 5, Chapter 7, Chapter 8
*Kindhearted - Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 8
*Responsible - Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5
*Moral - we must not easily give up when things seem impossible. We must keep
trying by finding means and ways to make the impossible possible like Roberta.

PETER

Peter is Roberta's brother. He is the second child in the family. Peter is a

very brave and smart young chap. He wants to be an engineer when he grows up.
He has a knack for railway engines. He was overjoyed when his father gave him
a steam engine for his birthday. One distinct character of Peter is sharp-witted
(intelligent).
In Chapter 5 (p29 - p4 - lines 1-3), It was he who gave the idea of using
something red in colour to wave and stop the train from meeting a certain
disaster. He cut his sisters' red petticoats into six pieces and put them on to
sticks. Peter together with his sisters waved at the coming train until it stopped.
In Chapter 6 (pg 36 - p1 - lines 1-3), Peter was honest in giving the idea of
asking the village people to give gifts for Perk's birthday. He told his mother about
their true intention of giving Perks the presents. Many people gave gifts for Perks
birthday party. In Chapter 2 (pg 12 - p 3 - lines 1-3), we can see the daring side of
Peter. He was daring enough to steal coal from the railway station at night but he
did it ignorantly. Peter innocently thought it was alright to take some coal from
the station. In Chapter 8 (p46 - p1 - lines 1-4 / pg 47 - p2 - lines 1-4), we can see
how brave Peter was in searching for the boy in the red shirt in the dark tunnel.
He was shaking in fear but still he continued the search for the boy with his
sisters.
PHYLLIS

Phyllis is the youngest child in the family. She is the cutest of the three.
She is quite a bubbly character. She is very naive and insecure. She is also very

sensitive but easily forgiving. In Chapter 5 (p29,30 & 31), we can see the brave
side of Phyllis. She together with her elder sister
and brother managed to stop the train from meeting with a terrible accident.
In Chapter 1 (p7 - p1 - last line), Phyllis felt very insecure when they moved in to
their new
house at the countryside. While in Chapter 6 (pg 38 - p1&2), Phyllis became very
sensitive when Perks refused to accept the gifts the children had brought to him.
She was so hurt by Perks words that she started to cry. In Chapter 4,5,6 and 8 we
can see how loving, caring and helpful Phyllis is.
MOTHER

Mother is a homely type. We can read this in Chapter 1 (page 1 - paragraph

2 - lines 1-3). She spends most of her time at home, playing with the children or
reading stories to them. Usually she read the stories she wrote to them. She is a
very protective woman. She protected her children from worrying or feeling sad
about their father. She did this by not telling them what actually had happened to
their father. She also told them that they need to play being poor for a while in
order not to cause more anxiety on them.
In chapter 2 (p12 - pg 1 - lines 2-3), we can see how resourceful she is.
Mother wrote stories and sold them to put some food on the table. In chapter 4
(p21 - pg 3 - lines 1-3), we can see that Mother is a very proud person. Although
they were poor, she strongly discourages her children from telling people that
they are poor and asking strangers to help them.
She is also a very caring and loving Mother.In Chapter 1 (p1 - p2 - lines 1-3),
Mother was always ready to play with her children. She also read stories to them.
Whereas in Chapter 9 ( p53 - p1 - lines 2-4), she taught her children their lessons
as they have stopped going to school for some time now. In Chapter 8 (p50 - p1 lines 8-9), she took in the injured boy into her house and nursed him to health.

FATHER

The children's father worked in a government office. He was a civil servant.

He was an honest and hardworking man. He was wrongly accused of being a
Russian spy and was sentenced to 5 years in prison. In Chapter 1 (pg 1 - p 3 lines 2-4), we can see how tolerant and wonderful he is. He never gets angry at
the children or at his wife. The children love their father very much for he is
always happy and ready to play games with them. In Chapter 1 (pg 3 - p1 - lines
1-3), when Peter showed him his broken steam engine, father looked at it
carefully and smilingly told Peter that there is hope (optimistic) that his steam
engine could be repaired. He is also a grateful man. In Chapter 9 (pg 57 - "Yes',
said Father. Its him I must thank.'). Father was grateful for his release and
wanted to thank the old gentleman for helping him to clear his name and secure
his release from prison.
PERKS
A Railway Porter
Friendly, Proud, Hardworking, Reasonable, Responsible
OLD GENTLEMAN
Friendly, Helpful, Kind, Resourceful

PMR ENGLISH
MODEL QUESTIONS BASED ON NOVEL

1.

Describe about the character that u like the most/find the most
interesting in the novel that you read. [10m]
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2. Describe about the character that u dislike the most in the novel
that you read. [10m]
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MORAL VALUES
Moral Value 1 - Brave

Example: The children managed to save the train and stop a very bad accident
from happening. One day, Roberta, Peter and Phyllis saw a landslide which
blocked the railway line. The girls used their red petticoats to make flags. The
train was moving very fast. Bobbie braved herself and ran on to the railway
line and waved her flags. The train finally stopped just twenty metres from
Bobbie. The children's bravery saved the people on the rain from meeting with an
awful accident and from getting killed.

Moral Value 2 - Kindhearted

Example: In chapter 3, the children's mother was ill and had to stay in bed. Dr
Forrest came to check on their mother and told Bobbie her mother needed milk
and fruit and some other special things to eat in order to get well. They couldn't
afford to buy them, so the children decided to ask help from the old gentleman.
The old gentleman was a kind enough to provide them with all the things they
had asked and some they had not.

Moral Value 3 - Stealing Is Wrong

Example: In chapter 2, Peter and his two sisters stole some coal from the station
yard. They took the coal back to their house. One day, the station master caught
Peter red handed stealing coal in the station yard. Peter and his two sisters
admitted to helping Peter with his crime. The station master warned them not to
repeat it again and let them go. The children realised that stealing was wrong.
They repented and never took any coal from the station yard again.

THEMES

1. The Importance Of A Family - The family bond between the characters in

this novel is very strong. For example, in chapter 1, mother was always at home
spending time with the children. She played with them and read stories to them.
Mother also read stories which she wrote to them after tea. Moreover, the
children had a wonderful father who was never angry, and was always ready to
play a game with them. The children loved their father and never forgot him
though they never talked much about him. Bobbie, Peter and Phyllis were always
together be it at the railway line, the railway station and even when they
collected gifts for Perks.
2. Hope and Optimism - The children's father was always optimistic that things
would be fine. For example, when Peter showed him his broken toy steam engine,
father looked at it and optimistically assured Peter that he would amend it.
Bobbie had high hopes that the old gentleman would be able to help her to seek
the truth about her father's innocence. The old gentleman helped Bobbie in her
quest because he had hopes that her father was innocent.
3. Bravery - Bobbie, Peter and Phyllis are brave children. They risked their lives
to

stop

train

from

accident. Peter

and

Phyllis waved

their

flags by

standing along the railway line while Bobbie ran on to the line waving her
flags. The children also showed bravery when they entered the dark tunnel to
look for the boy in the red shirt. Mother stayed calm and brave for the childrens
sake while her husband was away in prison.
The Joys of Childhood
Kindness Brings Reward
The Loss of Innocence
Justice Shall Prevail

Coping With Hardship

Resourceful and Innovative
Naivety

PMR ENGLISH TEST

30 MINUTES

NAME: _____________________________________________
13 APRIL 2013

DATE:

Monday - class - field trip -

Greeted - Encik Razak caretaker in

fruit orchard Taiping - bus

charge orchard - tour explained - job

Mouth watering/
escape from the hustle
and bustle of city life/
jovial/ had a whale of a
time/ token of
appreciation

Additional words!
On the seventh
heaven, greeted by
the warmth of the
sun/ astonished/
scorching hot/ longing
for a drink to quench
thirst/ gulped down
the drink in a second

Started - showing - tree sapling mango tree -kept - green house - a

month - grow -affected insects saplings safe - enclosed.

Another part - orchard 1 month

old -planted - ground rows - small
tractor

Leaving Encik Razak -two large

baskets -fruits ourselves -thanked
him

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TOTAL WORDS:

PMR ESSAY WRITING TECHNIQUES RECOUNT

ON A STORY

Vocabulary
1. _____________________________________
=_________________________________________
2. _____________________________________
=_________________________________________
3. _____________________________________
=_________________________________________

4. _____________________________________
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5. _____________________________________
=_________________________________________

Sample essay

Vocabulary
6. _____________________________________
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7. _____________________________________
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8. _____________________________________
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9. _____________________________________
=_________________________________________

10. _____________________________________
=_________________________________________

Q. Choose most suitable word in the given below sentence.

1. He brought a ...... pen from the market yesterday.
a. steal

b. still

c. steel

d. steele

2. We stayed in an ....... for the night.

a. house

b. inn

c. in

d. inning

3. The two political parties are ...... .

a. united with one another

b. united c. united together

d.

united in common
4. ....... makes a man perfect.
a. practise

b. practice

c. prectise

d. prectice

5. My brother is an ........ scholar.

a. eminent

b. imminent

c. eminant

d. aminent.

6. He killed a beautiful ........ in the forest.

a. heart

b. hart

c. hert

d. hirt.

7. The police made a ........ entry into his house .

a. forcible

b. forceful

c. compulsory

d.

compulsive
8. Rupa was a........dacoit.
a. notorious

b. famous

c. popular

d. ignomious.

9. God ....... the oppressed.

a. avenges

b. revenges

c. takes revenge

d.

punishes
10.Please get out of my way, you are ..... me in my work.
a. stopping
Interfering

b. Preventing

c. Hindering

d.