English Writing Skills

Course Notes
850311_Better English Writing Skills
Course Code: 850311

Better English Writing Skills
Table of Content
Unit 1 Good Writing ................................................................................................... 3

1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 3
1.2 What is good writing? ............................................................................................. 3
1.3 Grammar/ Usage ................................................................................................... 10
Answers to The Drills ................................................................................................. 16
Summary of Unit 1...................................................................................................... 19
Unit 2 Simple Sentences ........................................................................................... 20
2.1 Building Blocks .................................................................................................... 20
2.2 Forming Simple Sentences ................................................................................... 24
Summary of Unit 2...................................................................................................... 50
Unit 3 Compound and Complex Sentences ............................................................ 51
3.1 Compound Sentences ............................................................................................ 51
3.2 Complex Sentences ............................................................................................... 59
3.3 Usage..................................................................................................................... 63
Answers to The Drills ..................................................................................................... 65
Summary of Unit 3...................................................................................................... 68
Unit 4 Paragraphs and an Essay ............................................................................. 69
4.1 Paragraphs in an Essay.......................................................................................... 69
4.2 Development ......................................................................................................... 78
4.3 Words, Words, Words........................................................................................... 79
Summary of Unit 4...................................................................................................... 90
Unit 5 Ideas ............................................................................................................... 91
5.1 Ideas! Ideas! .......................................................................................................... 91
5.2 Idea Generation ..................................................................................................... 93
5.3 Logical Thinking and Fallacy ............................................................................... 97
Summary of Unit 5...................................................................................................... 98
Unit 6 Narrative Essays............................................................................................ 99
6.1 Essentials of Narrative Essays .............................................................................. 99
6.2 How Detailed Are The Details? .......................................................................... 101
6.3 Usage................................................................................................................... 104
Answers to The Drills ............................................................................................... 110
Summary of Unit 6.................................................................................................... 111
Unit 7 Descriptive Essays ....................................................................................... 112
7.1 Essentials of Descriptive Essays ......................................................................... 112
7.2 Usage................................................................................................................... 121
Summary of Unit 7.................................................................................................... 131
Unit 8 Expository Essays........................................................................................ 132
8.1 Essentials of Expository Essays .......................................................................... 132
8.2 About Readers ..................................................................................................... 142
School of Continuing and Professional Studies, CUHK Page 1 of 210

Course Notes
Summary of Unit 8.................................................................................................... 142

Unit 9 Argumentative Essays ................................................................................ 143
9.1 Arguments ........................................................................................................... 143
9.2 Useful Phrases ..................................................................................................... 150
9.3 Writing Argumentative Essays ........................................................................... 156
9.4 Writing Persuasive Essays .................................................................................. 157
9.5 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 157
Summary of Unit 9.................................................................................................... 161
Unit 10 Letters .......................................................................................................... 162
10.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 162
10.2 Formal and Informal Letters ............................................................................ 162
10.3 Application Letters............................................................................................ 171
10.4 Letters of Complaint ......................................................................................... 176
Summary of Unit 10.................................................................................................. 187
Unit 11 Summary ...................................................................................................... 188
11.1 What is a Summary? ......................................................................................... 188
11.2 Steps of Summary Writing................................................................................ 192
Summary of Unit 11.................................................................................................. 199
Unit 12 Report Writing ............................................................................................ 200
12.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................... 200
12.2 Objective of a Report ........................................................................................ 200
12.3 Format of a Report ............................................................................................ 200
12.4 Necessary Items of a Report ............................................................................. 203
12.5 Other Techniques .............................................................................................. 210
Summary of Unit 12.................................................................................................. 210

Course Notes
Unit 1 Good Writing
Two questions for learning objectives:

1. What do you think is meant by good writing?
2. How will you learn the skills of good writing?
(Think about these yourself before going through the content of this unit for the answers.
Brief answers are given by the summary at the end of this unit)
1.1 Introduction
Welcome to the course! The course can be roughly divided into three parts with a total
of 12 units.
Part One: building blocks of writing: grammar, usage, sentence structures,

paragraphing, etc. If you think that you do not usually have ideas in order to write on a
special topic, you will find this practice very useful. The other drills in this part try to
help you form a good habit to write accurate English.
Part Two: four basic types of essays: narrative, descriptive, expository and
argumentative essays. Ample examples are given to you so that you can distinguish
good pieces of writings from bad ones. Equipped with the training from the first part of
the course, you are on the way to write full-length essays during this part of the course.
You can make yourself familiar with the methods to attempt different types of essays.
Part Three: writing with different approaches within the same piece of writing. This
kind of practice is contained in part three. Three important kinds of writings are dealt
with here: the letter, the summary and the report.
Now is the right time for you to draw up a timetable. You have to finish one unit within
two weeks. Don’t think that two weeks is a long period of time. If you don’t make some
effort, you will discover you have done nothing. Time will never wait for anyone.
Decide what day(s) of the week you should spend some time studying this course. DO
IT NOW! ACT! You need about 6 hours to complete 1 unit.
1.2 What is good writing?
In brief, ‘good writing’ means ‘accurate writing’ and ‘effective writing’. If there are no
grammatical mistakes in your writing, your writing is accurate. If your writing has been
well understood and in the right tone, your writing is effective. But, why is writing
necessary?
Writing is a form of communication. It is an account of what we want other people to

know, to understand, to learn, to act, to think, to feel, or to do what we want them to.

Course Notes
We can teach people how to do those things that we have done successfully. In some
other cases, we use words to explore the mystery of our thoughts, the universe and the
unknown. In this way, we want people to feel the way we feel. We want people to think
what we think. We also want people to do what we want them to do. This is writing!
So, how should you learn the good writing skills?
As we want people to understand what we write, we must use the rules of English.
People who know these rules will know exactly what we want to say. Therefore, the
writer and the reader must know the same rules, otherwise, misunderstanding will arise.
In this course, we will try to teach as many rules in English as possible. When you are
told to write, WRITE! We want you to form a habit of writing. We do not want you to
forget the rules. Somewhere in the course you will be told to REVISE, take some time
to revise what you have forgotten. Remember, we are learning the English way of
writing. So, forget how you would express their idea in your native language.
You are learning the English way of writing?
Don’t be frightened by the word ‘rules’. If you can concentrate on what we tell you to
do, you will have no particu1ar difficulties in learning those ‘rules’. Sooner or later, you
may not think they are ‘rules’ at all. We hope that these 'rules' will become your habit,
your second nature.
What we ask you to do is: ATTEMPT ALL THE WRITING EXERCISES IN THIS
COURSE! Answers to the drills can be found before the summary of each unit.
1.2.1 Chinese or English
Many Chinese students try to translate every word from a Chinese sentence into English
and the result is that they are not expressing in English; they are only writing English
words that do not fit into any English pattern - Chinglish.
Now, read the following. What do you think?
Last year September one morning, I woke up, I heard a very loud noise,
so I got up from my bed. Out the window, I saw a house was in fire. So, I
was very afraid, changed my clothes and ran out to the street. I was too
afraid that I forgot to dial the telephone to tell the police or the firemen. I
saw many people seeing what happened. They were talking, looking up,
pointing their fingers to the building, faces were very afraid. Then we
heard the noise of the police, the firemen and the ambulance. I ran to the
opposite street and telephoned my brother who was working in the
Kowloon.
If this kind of writing looks familiar to you, you should beware of that. Maybe you can
understand what the writer wants to say about a fire. However, I can assure you that an
ordinary English-speaking person would regard the above passage a piece of ‘non’
English.

Course Notes
Now, see how an English-speaking person would write about the incident:
One morning last September, I was waken up by a very loud noise, so I

got up. Looking through the window, I saw that a house was on fire. At
the moment, I was very frightened. I went to change and ran into the
street. I was so scared that I forgot to call the fire service or the police
before I left home. In the street, many people gathered together to see
what had happened. They were talking while looking up with their
fingers pointing towards the burning building. I could see that they were
also frightened. A few moments later, the sirens of the police and the fire
engines were heard. The ambulance also came to the scene. At that time,
I ran to the opposite side of the street and called my brother who was
working in Kowloon......
So, you can see that there are a great deal of differences in expressing in English and in
Chinese. The correct way to learn and to write English is to do what the English-
speaking people would do.
Let us take some time to see if you can distinguish the right way and the incorrect way
to express in English.
DRILL 1.2.1
Try to pick the correct sentences in the following pairs.
la. I very like him.

lb. I like him very much.
2a. Yesterday night, I...

2b. Yesterday evening, I...
3a. Last year, we...

3b. In last year, we...
4a. I saw there were many people.

4b. I saw many people were there.
Sa. Today’s morning is Sunday.

5b. Today is Sunday.
6a. This morning, I got up at 7.

6b. Today's morning, I got up at 7.
7a. ... 7 a.m. in the morning.

7b. ... 7 in the morning.
8a. I was seen by him.

8b. I gave him see me.
9a. I go to Central to work.

9b. I go to work in Central.

Course Notes
10a. I finished my work, I packed up my things, and went home.

10b. After I had finished my work, I packed up my things and went home.
11a. She has white hair more than black hair.

11b. She has more white hair than black hair.
12a. Jane is going to marry to John.

12b. Jane is going to marry John.
13a. The price of the car is very cheap.

13b. The price of the car is very low.
14a. We sit in the sun.

14b. We sit under the sun.
15a. We drive our car home.

15b. We drive our car to home.
16a. He writes good.

16b. He writes well.
17a. We take our dinner.

17b. We eat our dinner.
18a. The police is looking for the child.

18b. The police are looking for the child.
19a. I eat apple.

19b. I eat an apple.
20a. My name is chan tai man.

20b. My name is Chan Tai Man.
Now you have finished doing the exercise, check the correct answers given to you at the
end of this unit. Please do not look at the answers before you have tried your best. When
you look through the answers, the important thing is that you should understand the
brief explanations. When you have to write something similar to them, remember not to
write the wrong sentences.
Pause! Take some time to…
MEMORIZE
Stop for a few moments and try to memorize those correct ways to write about the
dates or the time of some incidents. Write them down for several times from memory.

Course Notes
1.2.2 Stock Phrases and Model Composition
The following is a piece of advice to those students going to take English Language in
public examinations.
Do not try to insert stock phrases or sentences in your essays without carefully
considering the context. That means, you have to use different words or sentences in
different situations.
The following information is an extract of the examination report of the former Hong
Kong Examinations Authority (reprinted with permission):
“In English Language examinations, many candidates had part or all of

their compositions discounted. Usually their work belonged to one of
three groups:
(i) Those who wrote out a model essay and who hoped that the
markers would be so impressed by the English that they would
not notice that the content was irrelevant.
(ii) Those who inserted memorized paragraphs describing the

weather, the countryside, a person, a fire, an accident or a
robbery etc. into their own work. Their markers had no difficulty
in deciding that these paragraphs were not the candidates’ own
word.
(iii) Those who used a model argumentative essay which they adapted
by altering one or two words here and there. However, these
compositions had no real content and conveyed no coherent
massage to the reader.”
In this course, you may be asked to ‘memorize’ the sentences. It does not
mean that these sentences can be used in all situations. To memorize
those sentences is to understand how a word or phrase can be written
accurately without any grammatical mistakes.
1.2.3 Clarity
DRILL 1.2.3 Do you think the following sentences are clear?

Try to rewrite them so that the meaning of the sentences are clear to the reader.
1. We have a fever to do our best!

(hint: we are fine, and we are not ill)
2. While Mary and I were standing, we saw John in the bus.

(hint: John is not in the bus)
3. The film is so bad, I would recommend it to you.

(hint: he really doesn’t want to do that!)

Course Notes
4. He stops to work.
(hint: this sentence means he stops doing something else and starts to work; in fact
he does not work but starts to play)
5. After finishing work, John invited Jane to dinner.

(hint: in fact, Jane finished the work, not John)
6. He is as well as his wife.

(hint: both of them are good people)
7. I work hardly and busily.

(hint: he is doing his best)
8. John and Jack went to the cinema and he liked the film.
(hint: in fact, only Jack liked the film.)
9. He woke up and he dreamed.

(hint: how could he dream after he had waken up?)
10. He stole the watch, so he must be a bad guy.

(hint: the stealing was a bad deed, but he might not be bad!)
11. The teacher has to have a knowledge of his students.

(hint: is there a shorter word for the words underlined?)
1.2.4 Unity (Coherence)
People have always formed a habit that they write down anything that comes to their
mind. They do not try to get rid of those irrelevant points. As a result, the reader has to
guess the writer’s intention. As writing is a form of communication, we must try our
best to avoid such error. There are coherence within a sentence, a paragraph, and an
essay.
1.2.5 Content
Do you ask yourself these questions when you write?
1. Is the content appropriate?

2. Is the content the appropriate length?
3. How much time will the reader spend on reading my piece of writing?
4. Is there a focus in my writing?
1.2.6 Vocabulary
Vocabulary here means the words we know, not the words we don’t know. In order that
we can write proficiently, we must learn as many words or phrases as we can, so that we
can express ourselves effectively.

Course Notes
There are two important kinds of words to start with: nouns and verbs. Pay attention to
the meanings of each word, its applications in sentences, the real mood behind each
word, and whether it is an idiom or slang, or some kind of very rude words. It is also
very important to note when that word should be used (particular situations, particular
readers). Jargons should be kept to a minimum unless you are sure that the reader knows
that particular jargon.
1.2.7 Morality
We should learn something about the beliefs of our readers. We should know how much
the readers have already known. What are their social circles? What do they expect to
know? What do they expect to accept, or refuse? When you try to criticize the opposite
sex, will they refuse what you write, and launch a counterattack?
This is a problem of ‘approach’. When we are going to write about 'sensitive' topics, the
important thing is to know your readers before you can write effectively.
1.2.8 Extracts
Here I list some paragraphs. When you read them, ask yourself these questions:
1. Can the essay be easily understood? Why?

2. Is it clear? Why?
3. Are the contents relevant?
4. Is there any jargon?
5. What does the writer want to tell me?
6. Does the writer want me to feel something?
7. After reading them, what do I gain? Is the content the appropriate length?
1. I do not know anything about computers. However, when I look at someone

using a computer, I cannot stop thinking that a computer must be a very
complicated machine. Once I asked my friend about buying a computer for
myself. He was rather discouraging. He did not help me understand the
machine but gave me a lot of terms I did not know: ROM, RAM, DOS, PC, etc.
In the end, I have to spend nearly three thousand dollars to buy a ‘fake’
computer so that I can try to understand this ‘mystery’ by myself!
2. It’s peaceful.
It’s beautiful.
It’s wonderful.
It’s paradise.
Come and join the magic of nature in TRAVEL LAND!
(It is a piece of informal writing. You should have no difficulties appreciating

the kind of ‘force’ it exerts on you. This short ‘paragraph’ is given just as an
example of things you should avoid in ‘formal writing’. However, do you

Course Notes
understand why I use the words ‘paradise’ and ‘magic’? It is because these
words can give you some kind of feelings.)
3. A person is guilty of theft if he dishonestly appropriates property belonging to

another with the intention of permanently depriving the other of it; and ‘thief’
and ‘steal’ shall be construed accordingly.
(This is an extreme example of formal writing as it is taken from an

ordinance. You can see that to understand the passage or to write things like
that, you must know the jargons and the meanings attached.)
1.3 Grammar/ Usage
In this section, you are required to revise something on grammar and usage. Topics
include spelling, articles, verbs, handwriting and tone. They are essential to accurate
writing!
1.3.1 Spelling
Spelling is often overlooked. Some of the spelling mistakes are serious as they will give
a bad impression on the reader who thinks that the writer cannot even spell simple
words correctly. If you are not sure of the spelling of any word, consult a dictionary.
DRILL 1.3.1
One word in each sentence is misspelled. Find them out.
1. This letter is similiar to that one.
2. This house can accomodate three hundred people.
3. This cake is for the ocasion.
4. I recieved this letter this very morning.
5. Please give me some advise in this matter.
6. The job is exciteing.
7. This dying factory manufactured fine fabrics.
8. He carrys a bag of gold.
9. The dictionary is a valueable tool.
10. He is runing very fast towards the pool.
11. He says, ‘Alright!’
12. The friends have an arguement on this incident.

Course Notes
13. After dinner, all of us have the deserts.
14. We have fourty thousand dollars in the bank.
15. I have twenty colleaques in the company.
If you get all 15 correct, you may not have any serious problem with spelling. You are
conscious of the ‘look’ of the words you meet. But if you get less than 10 right, I advise
you to create a list. Write words you often misspell. From time to time, revise the list.
Sooner or later, you will not be too confused with correct spelling. To help you, I give
below some words that I think you might spell incorrectly:
accept - except
accidentally
achieve
adapt - adopt
advise - advice
arguing
argument
athletic
believe
breath - breathe
carton - cartoon
cashier
ceiling
compliment - complement
conceit
conceive
courage
curiosity
deceit
desert - dessert
die- dying
dining
disastrous
dissatisfied
dye- dyeing
environment
explanation
February
forgettable
formally- formerly
freight
government
handkerchief
height
hygiene
irresponsible
its- it's
leisure
library

Course Notes
loose -lose
maintenance
misspelling
neighbour
neither
ninety
perceive
piece
planning
procedure
protein
psychology
receipt
receive
reference
retrieve
seize
similar
statue - stature
thoroughly
transferable
unnecessary
usable
weight
Find out the meanings of these words if you do not know them. Whenever you discover
that you have misspelled a word, put it in this list. Revise them from time to time so that
you could spell them correctly.
1.3.2 Articles
Articles are the words: a, an and the (Determiners before nouns)

Many Chinese students usually omit articles in their writing. One of the reasons may be
that no articles are necessary in Chinese.
Mistakes such as ‘I write with pen’ are frequently made by Chinese. However, in
English, we should use ‘determiners’ to specify that noun. For a general thing, we say ‘a
man’; ‘a television set’; ‘an education system’. For a particular thing, we say ‘the man’;
‘the television set’ and ‘the education system’. And we don’t use ‘a’ or ‘an’ before
plural nouns, e.g. boys, girls. We may say ‘the boys’, ‘the people’, ‘some glasses’,
‘many trees’, etc.
a is used for nearly all nouns:
a book a site a record

a boss a report a teacher
A man goes into a shop to buy a box.

Course Notes
an is used before nouns beginning with a ‘vowel’ sound:
an egg an ace an MP
an hour an uncle
An honest man takes up an apple.
a is used for the following because they don’t start with a vowel sound:
a university a uniform
a one-man job a ewe
He finishes a unit every two weeks.
Now see how articles are used in the following short passage:
Once upon a time, there was a princess. She loves flowers so she asked
the gardener to grow roses in the palace's garden. One morning, she
woke up and saw a bird sitting at the window pane. It was not an
ordinary bird because its feathers were all golden. The bird shone in the
sun.
The following are the phrases that other articles cannot be used:
What a fool you are!
It is quite a good book! They are exactly the same.
You have made such a mistake!
It is rather a good idea!
You must be careful all the time.
DRILL 1.3.2
Rewrite the following. Insert correct articles.
1. Sun rises in East.

2. Iron is useful metal.
3. He is not honourable person.
4. English is language of people of England.
5. She is ugly girl.
6. You are fool to say that.
7. Let us discuss matter.

Course Notes
8. He returned in hour.
9. We set off in afternoon.
10. I have not seen him since he was child.
11. Mary had little lamb.
12. I have box, full of nuts.
13. I met girl with blue eyes.
14. Here is book you want.
15. Cow is useful animal.
16. Do you see blue sky?
17. Draw map of Hong Kong.
18. If you see him, give him money.
19. Have you seen tiger?
20. Have you investigated accident?
1.3.3 Verbs
Verbs are very important in sentences. Each sentence contains at least one verb.
We will discuss verbs fully when we learn about the simple sentence in Unit 2. Here we
will talk about two kinds of verbs, transitive and intransitive verbs. For example:
1. I eat an apple. (Subject + Verb + Object)
2. The sun rises. (Subject +Verb)
3. The sun rises in the East. (Subject + Verb + Adverb phrase)
In sentence 1, we know that we do an action ‘eat’ and something ‘an apple’ is directly
affected by the action. In grammar, we call ‘an apple’ the object of the verb ‘eat’. And
the verb ‘eat’ is called a transitive verb: simply means it takes an object.
However, in sentence 2, ‘rises’ really does not need an object. It does not have
something to act on. In sentence 3, ‘in the East’ tells us the direction; which is clearly
not the object of the verb. This kind of verb is called intransitive verb: it needs no
object. We often find a preposition after an intransitive verb.
I go to the office every morning.
We sit on the floor.
The inflation rises by 2%.
The aeroplane falls on the land.

Course Notes
DRILL 1.3.3
Insert correct prepositions after the intransitive verbs.
1. I agree you.
2. I go school.
3. We care you.
4. We look each other.
5. He listens the radio.
6. You think this.
7. I work nine to five.
8. They swim the shore.
9. The cat lies the floor.
10. The diamond ring shines the light.
Below is a list of verbs for you to look up in a dictionary. In most dictionaries, ‘vt’
indicates a transitive verb, while ‘vi’ indicates an intransitive verb. Consult a dictionary
such as ‘Oxford’ or ‘Longman’. See how these verbs are properly used in a sentence.
Remember what preposition is used if the verb is an intransitive verb.
become begin bend blow break bring build

burn buy catch choose come cost cut
do draw drink drive eat fall find
forget forgive go get grow have hit
hurt keep know lie lay learn leave
lend lose make misunderstand overcome pay
read use run see send shut sing
sink sit sleep smell speak spend spoil
stand steal strike swim take teach tell
think throw understand withdraw withstand work write
1.3.4 Handwriting
A teacher cannot read the essay written by a student because the student’s handwriting
is very bad. You cannot read what you lover writes to you as her handwriting is rather
illegible. When you sit for an examination, you are in a hurry and write very carelessly;
the examiner cannot read what you write.

Course Notes
Similar to spelling, handwriting is a simple matter. It does not require much effort. But
if you do it carelessly, you will suffer. Next time when you write, especially in an
examination, make sure that your handwriting is clear.
1.3.5 Tone
After reading the following two paragraphs, do you think if there are something wrong?
John writes to his lover:
I have the honour to inform you that I decided to many you on the third
day of the coming month. We will conduct our marriage ceremony under
the supervision of the reverend. I take this opportunity to advise you that
you are required to attend the ceremony promptly.
Now, John writes to his boss:
Hi! My dear Robert! I am very happy to hear that you're coming. I am

writing to tell you I am very lucky to have you as my boss. Do you want
to have a chat with me tomorrow morning? Please come on time. I will
be ready to receive you as my dear friend.
The first letter should have been an informal letter. It ought to be intimate. However,
John writes with a formal tone. It looks formal and sounds rigid. It seems that John and
his lover have never met before, or they might not be lovers.
In the second piece of writing, John seems to be meeting an old friend. In this kind of
situation, the letter should be formal and courteous, as he does not know his new boss
very well. The writing here sounds very informal and too friendly.
So, you see, the use of words is very important. There are rather a lot to do other than
grammar. You should therefore pay attention to the tone and style of a piece of writing.
Answers to The Drills

DRILL 1.2.1
1b ‘very’ cannot be used before ‘like’; use ‘very much’ after the verb ‘like’
2b ‘evening’ is more appropriate for the time after daytime
3a We say ‘in the past’, but not ‘in last year’
4a We should say ‘there were many people’; or ‘I saw many people there’
5b ‘morning’ is redundant and inappropriate
6a ‘today’s morning’ is not English
7b ‘a.m.’ already means in the morning
8a ‘see’ cannot be given to someone
9b ‘to Central’ is a direction; ‘in Central’ is a place
10b the sentence is logical and coherent; 10a is not

Course Notes
11b comparing ‘white hair’ and ‘black hair’, we should place ‘more’ before ‘white hair’
12b ‘marry’ is a verb which needs an object
13b the car is cheap; the price cannot be cheap
14a ‘in the sun’ means ‘in the sunlight’; ‘under the sun’ means ‘in the world’
15a ‘home’ does not need ‘to’; e.g. I go back home
16b ‘good’ is an adjective which cannot describe a verb; ‘well’ is an adverb
17a ‘we take our dinner’ in English means ‘we eat some food in the evening’
18b ‘police’ looks like singular, but it is plural
19b we need the article ‘a’ before the noun ‘apple’
20b a person’s name should be in capital letters
DRILL 1.2.3
1. We are in a fever of excitement to do our best!
2. While Mary and I were standing in the bus, we saw John.
3. As the film is so bad, I would not recommend it to you.
4. He stops working.
5. After finishing work, Jane was invited by John to dinner.
6. He is as considerate/ patient/... as his wife.
7. I work hard and busily.
8. John and Jack went to the cinema, but only Jack liked the film.
9. He had a dream and woke up.
10. He stole the watch, and this act is bad.
11. The teacher has to know his students.
DRILL 1.3.1 [wrong word in brackets]
1. similar [similiar]
2. accommodate [accomodate]
3. occasion [ocasion]
4. received [recieved]
5. advice [advise; this is a verb]
6. exciting [exciteing]
7. dyeing [dying means some is badly hurt]
8. carries [carrys]
9. valuable [valueable]
10. running [runing]
11. All right [Alright]

Course Notes
12. argument [arguement]

13. desserts [desert means the place where camels are]
14. forty [fourty]
15. colleagues [colleaques]
DRILL 1.3.2
1. The sun rises in the East.
2. Iron is a useful metal.
3. He is not an honourable person.
4. English is the language of the people of England.
5. She is an ugly girl.
6. You are a fool to say that.
7. Let us discuss the matter.
8. He returned in an hour
9. We set off in the afternoon.
10. I have not seen him since he was a child.
11. Mary had a little lamb.
12. I have a box, full of nuts.
13. I met a girl with blue eyes.
14. Here is the book you want.
15. A cow is a useful animal.
16. Do you see the blue sky?
17. Draw a map of Hong Kong.
18. If you see him, give him the money.
19. Have you seen a tiger?
20. Have you investigated the accident?
DRILL 1.3.3
1. I agree with you.
2. I go to school.
3. We care about you.
4. We look at each other.
5. He listens to the radio.
6. You think about this.
7. I work from nine to five.

Course Notes
8. They swim to the shore.

9. The cat lies on the floor.
10. The diamond ring shines in the light.
Summary of Unit 1
1. Good writing should be grammatically correct (accurate) and clear, coherent logical
and in correct tone (effective).
2. You should improve your writing skills in three stages:
i) Learn the building blocks;
ii) Learn the four basic types of essays;
iii) Learn writing with different approaches.
End of Unit 1

Course Notes
Unit 2 Simple Sentences
Three questions for learning objectives:

1. What are the essentials of a simple sentence?
2. What are the types of words you can use in a sentence?
3. What should we note if we want to write a simple sentence correctly?
2.1 Building Blocks
We are now on our way to learn the ‘building blocks’ of writing, (1) the essentials of the
simple sentence, (2) the different types of words we can use in a sentence, and (3) some
of the most confusing words.
2.1.1 Practising Writing Simple Sentences
In a simple sentence, the most frequent punctuation marks we shall meet are the capital
letter, the comma, and the full stop (some people call it the ‘period’).
Every sentence begins with a capital letter.
Common mistake: he is a boy.
Correct: He is a boy.
Most sentences end with a full stop:
(we can also use the exclamation mark ‘!’ or the question mark ‘?’)
Common mistake: He is a boy
Correct: He is a boy.
DRILL 2.1.1
Write 20 sentences according to the instructions.
1. I ... (about your face)
2. The book ... (about the number of pages)
3. ... has two sons. (add the person who has the sons)
4. There are ... (many people gather in the hall)

Course Notes
5. One of us ... (he is late)
6. We like to... (about television program)
7. ... would you like for dinner? (asking a question)
8. Every day I ... (about your job)
9. Usually we ... (about swimming)
10. Will you come ... (ask John to come to your party)
11. ... ! (order someone to leave the place)
12. What a ...! (you see a beautiful girl)
13. It is ... (introducing a book titled: GOOD WRITING)
14. One morning, ... (you woke up at seven)
15. We ... in order to pass the examination. (about hard work)
16. I am rich, but I ... (the person is sad)
17. As soon as the bus arrives, ... (two of you get on the bus)
18. The rose is ... (add an adjective)
19. ... of us go home. (we all go home)
20. We write effectively so that ... (people understand)
Only suggested answers are given. Check that every sentence begins with a capital
letter and ends with a full stop. The use of words should be similar to those in the
suggested answers.
2.1.2 Right Use of Words (Adverbial phrases)
We cannot avoid talking about time when we write. In stating some points in time, we
often use adverbial phrases, which are mostly prepositional phrases. To avoid making
errors, make sure you memorize the use of the correct prepositions and the phrases
without prepositions.
1. At dawn, we start off to see the sunrise.
2. In the morning, I usually wake up at 6.
3. At noon, we have our lunch.
4. In the afternoon, we would have only three and a half hours to finish our work.

Course Notes
5. This year, we plan to have a seminar.
6. During the day, the sun shines brightly.
7. Next year, we shall go to Canada.
8. Last year, they completed the course in writing.
9. Last December, we had a party at John’s house.
10. In the 1980s, people enjoy travelling a lot.
11. In the next few years, we shall have big growth.
12. Nowadays, boys like to do all sorts of strange things.
13. Recently, I have written a novel.
14. Meanwhile, I am reading a book on computer.
15. In the meantime, I do not have assignments to do.
16. At present, I am working in a university.
17. At the moment, she is singing a beautiful song.
18. At first, he tries to get off the bus.
19. Eventually, he lost his way.
20. Now, we are practising using English.
For each of the sentences above, try to compose other similar sentences. You don’t have
to write them down. Consult a dictionary if there is anything you are not sure of. For
example, for number 1, you can create many sentences beginning with At dawn. You
may think of:
a. At dawn, I woke up suddenly.
b. At dawn, I fell on the ground from my bed.
c. At dawn, the birds fly to the East.
d. At dawn, most of the citizens are asleep.… etc.
In this way, you can construct many good sentences. And in this way, you start to use
those words correctly. So, try them all. Make at least 10 sentences from each one of
them. Take enough time to construct sentences with them.
Now we come to use words about places.
1. In Hong Kong, there are over seven million people.

Course Notes
2. In the world, there are many countries.
3. Inside the room, we are having a party.
4. Outside the house, we plant some trees in the garden.
5. On the table, the dinner is ready.
6. This is between you and me. (This sentence means only we two know some
secrets.)
7. Among the people, there is the thief.
8. Under the chair, a cat is sleeping noisily.
9. In front of the man, the boy is pushing a cart.
10. At the back of the cupboard, a key is found.
11. At the side of it, there are some remarks.
12. Above the sea, eagles are flying.
13. On the hillside, snow covers the grass.
14. Beside the woman, her little boy is hiding.
15. Far from the crowd, the policemen are on alert.
16. On the ceiling, there is a spider.
17. On the wall, there is a painting above the safe.
18. In my mind, I have a plan for my future.
19. I like to see the soap opera on television. (Soap opera is a series of television
drama about people’s daily lives such as ‘Desperate Housewives Series’.)
20. I give recommendations in the report.
21. Everybody goes there.
Memorize the words in bold and the relationship with other parts of the sentences.
DRILL 2.1.2
Write sentences with the following words
1. ...... in the world. (about books)
2. ...... on the table. (about glasses)
3. ...... among all of you. (about a bright student)

Course Notes
4. ...... in front of the interviewer. (about an interview)
5. ...... at the back of the book. (about a glossary)
6. ...... above the mountains. (about clouds)
7. In my opinion, ...... (about Hong Kong’s business environment)
8. ...... to the office. (you bring the report)
9. ...... on television. (about the car race)
10. ...... to be on their feet. (The commander gives the order to his soldiers)
After checking your sentences with the suggested,

memorize as many sentences as you can.
2.1.3 Should We Copy?
The answer is: Yes and No! ‘Yes’: sometimes we have to copy when we first meet a
new word. In order to understand how the word can be used, we may memorize a
particular sentence. ‘No’: as long as we understand how the word is used, we don’t have
to copy anything any longer.
In the next section, we shall talk more about simple sentences. I want to remind you that
the simple sentence is probably the most important unit in a piece of writing. So, do not
skip anything even if the exercises seem simple. Do all the exercises and try to practise
as much as possible.
2.2 Forming Simple Sentences
If someone asks you the following questions, how would you answer them?
1. What is your address?
2. What do you do in the office?
3. When is the meeting?
4. When will you go home?
5. Who is your boss?
6. Who are you?
7. How old is the computer?
8. How many assignments are there?

Course Notes
9. Where is the report?
10. Where did you put the file?
Can you answer all of them with simple sentences? If you can’t, please read the
following sample answers.
1. My address is Flat A, 13/F, Good Building, 33, Better Road, Kowloon.
2. I work as a secretary in the office.
3. We will have the meeting at three today.
4. I will go home at eight this evening.
5. He is Mr Chan Tai Man.
6. I am Wong Siu Yuk.
7. The computer is 3 years old.
8. There are altogether 20 assignments.
9. The report is on your table.
10. I put the file in your drawer.
So, you don’t have to use complicated sentences to answer these questions. Whenever a
tourist asks you for directions, try to give him simple instructions, using simple
sentences.
Practise until you know very well how to answer

those questions. Use simple sentences.
You have done a lot with simple sentences by now. Do you know what a Simple
Sentence is?
In short, a simple sentence is: Subject + Predicate (one finite verb plus)
The subject is the word (or words) that represents the person or thing. The action done
by this subject is expressed in the finite verb in the predicate. Remember that the
predicate contains only one finite verb. A finite verb has to agree with the subject and is
governed by ‘tenses and voices’.
The finite verbs are in bold:
1. He is a boy. (Present)
2. He is singing a song. (Present continuous)
3. He has been to London. (Present perfect)
4. He has been writing a letter for 2 hours. (Present perfect continuous)

Course Notes
5. He was killed in an accident. (Past, passive)
6. He was being scolded by his boss. (Past continuous, passive)
Here are some more examples of simple sentences:
Example: I eat an apple.
The subject is I, the verb is eat and the other part of the predicate
is an apple.
Example: He will lend me five hundred dollars.
The subject is He, the verb is will lend and the rest of the
predicate five hundred dollars.
Example: Go away.
The subject is You which is omitted and understood in standard

English because the sentence is a command. The verb is Go and
the other part of the predicate is away. This is an example of oral
English, which is not usually used in written English.
Example: One of the boys in this class wants to be successful in the

examination.
The subject is One of the boys in this class; the verb is wants;
and the rest of the predicate is to be successful in the
examination.
DRILL 2.2
Pick out the simple sentences.
1. You are a Chinese.
2. We learn English so that we understand it.
3. They study hard to improve their standard of English.
4. The bottom of the sea is full of mystery.
5. Everyone in this office wants to have better promotion prospects.
6. The man is my brother and he has been working for ten years.
7. No one is sure of the importance of the project.
8. The gold price seemed to fluctuate sharply in the past few months.
9. Are you happy?

Course Notes
10. I did not like to write incorrect sentences.
11. You go there and swim.
12. He wants a better life.
13. Whoops!
14. Be brave!
15. Stay put! (this sentence means stay where you are)
16. No smoking is allowed inside the bus.
17. When time comes, we shall meet again.
18. Someone calls me up.
19. The grey dove glided gracefully in the chilly breeze.
20. If you want to write good English, you have to work hard and try to practise
writing all the time.
2.2.1 Parts of Speech
Eight parts of speech: noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition,

conjunction, and interjection.
A noun is the name given to a thing, a person or a concept. Examples are: table, people,
wisdom, etc. When we talk about the same thing the second time, we may use
pronouns to substitute the noun.
Example: John saw a man. He was riding a bicycle.
If we want to talk about some quality of the bicycle, we shall use adjectives.
Example: John saw a man. He was riding a big bicycle.
When we want to describe how the man rode the bicycle, we shall use an adverb.
Example: John saw a man. He was riding a big bicycle carelessly.
We can also use a preposition to introduce a phrase describing how the man’s rides the
bicycle.
Example: John saw a man. He was riding a big bicycle carelessly on the road.
We want to tell more about the man, so we can use a conjunction to link up another
simple sentence with the original sentence.

Course Notes
Example: John saw a man. He was riding a big bicycle carelessly on the
pavement and he was waving his hands.
An interjection is a word of exclamation.
Example: John saw a man. He was riding a big bicycle carelessly on the
pavement and he was waving his hands. Alas! He fell down!
Take out any piece of writing. For each word in the sentences, try
to determine what parts of speech it is. The more familiar with the
function of words in a sentence you are, the more competent you
are in writing good English.
A noun is a name of a thing. Before a noun, there is an article (a, an, the), adjectives,
possessive pronouns, or modifiers. Please note the word before ‘cat’ in each of the
following sentences:
I saw a cat. (the cat)
I saw a beautiful cat. (fat cat, black cat, Persian cat, etc.)
Beautiful cats are rare. (as above)
His cats are beautiful. (my cat, her cat, their cat, the boy’s cat, etc.)
No cats are allowed. (Some cats, a few cats, all cats, more cats, a lot of
cats, many cats, etc.)
The name of a particular thing is called proper noun. The first letter of the word must
begin with a capital letter.
Tom loves Mary.
We went along Nathan Road.
The Bank of China Building is in Central.
Nouns have singular or plural form. Some nouns have the singular form only, while
some nouns have the plural form only. Examples of nouns that have only singular form
are: news, furniture, gold, machinery, luggage, wisdom, etc. Examples of nouns that
have only plural form are: police, people, the rich, glasses, clothes, premises, etc.
When you want to talk about someone or something again in a passage, you may use
pronouns. When you want to start a sentence with a pronoun such as ‘he’, ‘she’ or ‘it,
you must be sure that the readers will understand what you are referring to. The
following is clear:
John went to my office and brought me some of his best books. He put
them on my desk. We start to read one of the books. It is about office
practice.

Course Notes
However, the following paragraph is not clear at all:
He went to his office. He wrote a letter. She tried to type it quickly. He

gave him some instructions and went out again.
When we use adjectives, some difficulties arise. There are two places to use adjectives:
before a noun and after the verb to be (is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been). Let’s
see some examples:
I have some beautiful flowers. (Before a noun)
This flower is beautiful. (After verb to be)
We have a wonderful city. (Before a noun)
Hong Kong is wonderful. (After verb to be)
However, some adjectives can only go before a noun:
He is my elder brother. (We cannot say: My brother is elder.)
Some adjectives can only used after a verb, especially the verb to be:
The little child is afraid. (We cannot say: This is an afraid child.)
Adverbs are words used to modify verbs. They tell you how an action is carried out. For
example:
He sings. (We don’t know how he sings)
He sings cheerfully. (We know he is happy)
There are generally three places where you can put an adverb. However, in some cases,
the meaning of the sentence would change a little. For example:
Only Americans work five days a week.
Americans only work five days a week.
Americans work only five days a week.
Americans work five days a week only.
The first sentence tells us that no other people would work five days a week except the
Americans. The second and the fourth sentences tell us that they do nothing else, except
five days a week. The third sentence tells us that the number of days is five, not six nor
seven. So, you can see that an adverb usually describes the word nearest to it. When you
use adverbs, make sure that they mean what you want them to.
There is an interesting thing about some of the adjectives. They look like adverbs, but
they in fact are adjectives. Examples: friendly, costly, deadly, lovely, lonely, likely,
ugly, cowardly, silly. These words cannot be used as adverbs.

Course Notes
I am sitting here lonely. (Wrong)
I am lonely sitting here.
I am a lonely boy.
He talks to me friendly. (Wrong)
He is friendly and talks to me.
He wore a friendly smile.
Prepositions are words like in, on, at, of, etc. They are used in front of a phrase.
Conjunctions such as and, or, but are used to introduce a co-ordinate clause in
compound and complex sentences.
DRILL 2.2.1 (A)

Can you find the subjects in these sentences?
1. Every morning we go to work.

2. Food and money are important to us.
3. Good English should be learnt by everyone.
4. Neither John nor Mary wants to apply for the post.
5. With reference to the advertisement, I would like to apply for the post of Secretary.
6. His favourite sports are soccer and basketball.
7. Yesterday I went to the Ocean Park with a client.
8. My senior officer, Mr Chan, asks me to finish the project by the end of the day.
9. No one comes.
10. The general meeting will be held in the conference room.
DRILL 2.2.1 (B)

Pick out the finite verbs.
1. Now and then, we have to revise the materials.

2. The colleagues are planning to have a meeting.
3. In the examination, we should do our best.
4. Seeing is believing.
5. I have been working in this office for 5 years.
6. All of us will apply for vacation leave.
7. Do not walk on the grass.
8. You are not allowed to use rude words.

Course Notes
9. We shall be crossing the harbour at 9 tomorrow.

10. Cheer up!
DRILL 2.2.1 (C) Pick out the adverb in each sentence.

An adverb is the word which describes a verb, an adjective or an adverb!
1. Happily we went to Malaysia for a tour.

2. He is very happy.
3. The only child of the family eats greedily.
4. The application letter is carelessly written.
5. He runs extremely quickly.
6. I have much more money than you.
7. I hardly work hard.
8. It is a beautifully drawn picture.
9. They will arrive soon.
10. We went home.
DRILL 2.2.1 (D)

What is the plural form of these words?
Group I
1. boy, girl, table

2. baby, lady, body
3. leaf, life, knife
4. radio, photo, zoo
5. boss, watch, wish
6. foot, woman, man
7. toothbrush, textbook, letterhead
8. son-in-law, editor in chief
Group II
1. nothing
2. memorandum
3. criterion
4. zero
5. photostat
6. people
7. police

Course Notes
8. paper
9. Coca Cola
10. John
11. agendum
12. fungus
13. analysis
14. index
15. thesis
16. chairman
17. A
18. f.o.b.
19. Ms (a title used to refer to a person because we don’t know whether she is married)
20. Chinese
DRILL 2.2.1 (E) Some words are underlined.

Decide what their meanings are and what parts of speech they are.
la. We study law.

lb. He listens to the radio in his study.
2a. He saw smoke coming from the house.

2b. May I smoke?
3a. Put the rest of the money in the drawer.
3b. The doctor told him to rest.
3c. After work, he took a rest.
4a. She is a kind lady.

4b. What kind of a lady is she?
5a. The children play in the garden.

5b. The play tells us about our past.
6a. He is on diet.
6b. He maintains a good diet of food.
7a. I close the door.

7b. The door is close to me.
8a. The godown is to the right of the house.

8b. Your answer is right.
9a. The assignment is hard.

9b. We work hard on our assignment.

Course Notes
10a. They make the clothes.

10b. The car is a Japanese make.
2.2.2 Some Very Basics
When we write simple sentences, we will come across three kinds of sentences:
statements, negative sentences and questions.
The following are examples of statements, negative sentences, and questions:
1. We are Chinese.
We are not Chinese.
Are we Chinese?
2. He is going to the office.

He is not going to the office.
Is he going to the office?
3. She works very hard.

She does not work very hard.
Does she work very hard?
4. I will succeed.
I will not succeed.
Will I succeed?
DRILL 2.2.2 (A)

Choose the correct answers.
1. I [have, has] a wonderful job.
2. She [has, have] been to Macao.
3. We [do, does] not sleep in the daytime.
4. Why [do, does] he study this course?
5. [I, me, my, mine] write a letter to the president.
6. The president wrote [I, me, my, mine] a letter.
7. He has more money than [I, me, my, mine].
8. [I, me, my, mine] credit was lost.

Course Notes
9. His credit card is larger than [I, me, my, mine].
10. It is [I, me, my, mine] who earn so much money.
DRILL 2.2.2 (B)

Change the following into negative
statements.
1. I want to see the doctor in the afternoon.
2. He intends to run a shop.
3. We will finish all the assignments.
4. They would complete the project.
5. She hit the ball.
6. It seems to be all right.
7. It seemed correct.
8. We have the chance to go abroad.
9. The boy did steal the money.
10. One of us always goes to the City Hall.
2.2.3 Verb to be and the Infinitive
‘Verb to be’ are the words be, being, been, is, am, are, was, were. Students may write
sentences like the following:
1. I am go to the office. (Wrong)
2. We are work diligently. (Wrong)
3. They are want to do the job. (Wrong)
Just remember one simple rule: There is only one and only one finite verb in a simple
sentence. So, the correct ones should be:
1. I go to the office.
2. We work diligently.
3. They want to do the job.
When we discover that there are two verbs in a single sentence, we may use infinitive
or gerund.

Course Notes
Infinitive: ‘to’ + verb
Examples: to go, to sit, to write
Gerund: verb + ‘-ing’
Examples: going, sitting, writing
1. (Wrong: We want go visit our uncle)
We want to go to visit our uncle.
2. (Wrong: We like play football)
We like to play football.
We like playing football.
3. (Wrong: I intend read write understand English)
I intend to read, to write and to understand English.
Infinitives are sometimes used as adjectives in the following examples.
1. I have nothing to do.
(it describes ‘nothing’)
2. You have something to tell me.
(it describes ‘something’)
We can use ‘verbs to be’ in the following places of a sentence:
before a noun,
before an adjective,
before a present participle,
or before a past participle.
For example:
I am a boy.
I am fat.
I am going to school.
The bridge is built by the workers.

Course Notes
So, when you discover that there is more than one verb in a simple sentence, try to
correct it.
2.2.4 Modal Auxiliary
There is one special kind of words, called modal auxiliary, or sometimes called helping
verbs. These words include: can, could, may, might, must, ought to, shall, should,
will, would (and: is, am, are, was, were, has, have, had). They are used with mostly
with ‘bare infinite’ (without to).
1. I can go. [I have the ability to do it]
2. I will go. [in future]
3. I should go. [have the obligation to do it]
4. I would go. [a possibility]
5. I ought to go. [it is better to do it]
6. I do go. [detonated to do it]
7. I did go. [really happened]
8. I am to go. [planned action]
9. I have to go. [I have no other choice]
2.2.5 Countable/ Uncountable Nouns
We don’t have to argue why some words are countable while the others are not. What
we have to do is to memorize which nouns are countable and which are uncountable. In
this way, we can use the verbs correctly, especially those verbs such as has, have, do,
does, is, are, etc. This kind of ‘matching’ is called ‘subject-verb agreement’, which will
be discussed in Section 2.2.6 below.
Always consult a dictionary to make sure whether a noun is countable, uncountable, or

both, because the usage will be different and sometimes the meanings are different. For
example:
1. The plan falls to the ground.

They refused to publish it on grounds of cost.
(on grounds of = because of)
2. Try to write the sentence in this manner.

(in this manner = in this way)
Mind your manners.
(manners = way of behaviour)
3. The accident caused damage to the machinery.

Course Notes
(damage = harm)
The injured person claimed damages.
(damages = compensation)
The following are typical countable nouns: boy, girl, table, aeroplane, house, machine,
etc. When we use countable nouns, we can also use the following: a, an, many, several,
a few, few, etc. (e.g. a boy, many boys, several boys, a few boys, few boys, etc.)
The following are typical uncountable nouns: wisdom, gold, air, paper, hair, bread,
poverty, etc. When we use uncountable noun, we can use: some, much, a little, little, a
great deal of, etc. (e.g. some money, much money, a little money, little money, a great
deal of money)
2.2.6 Agreement
In English, the subject of a sentence must agree with the verb. For example: I is a boy is
wrong. The subject I and the verb is do not agree. We should write: I am a boy.
Similarly, we should write: One of the boys is Chinese.
The first kind of agreement concerns the ‘person’ of the subject I and We are the first
person. You is the second person, while He, She, It and They are third persons.
Remember the following pattern:
I am a boy.
We are Chinese.
You are hungry.
It has two kittens.
A boy goes to school.
Two boys go to school.
Do you understand the sentence?
Does he understand the verb?
On the desk is my report you want.
The man over there wearing a blue and white shirt is Mr Chan.
DRILL 2.2.6 (A)

Choose the correct verb.
1. Gambling [is, are] not a good hobby.
2. Watching the programs [is, are] exciting.

Course Notes
3. To err [is, are] human.
4. One of us [is, are] going to China.
5. The police [is, are] looking for the thief.
6. The news [is, are] good news.
7. The glasses [is, are] broken.
8. The memoranda [is, are] put on the table.
9. Gold [is, are] precious.
10. Gold and silver [is, are] precious metals.
11. Wisdom [is, are] the food of life.
12. They [goes, go] to the Ocean Park.
13. One of them [goes, go] to work on Sundays.
14. The bus [does, do] not have the capacity.
15. Bread and butter [is, are] my favourite.
16. The manager, as well as his subordinates, [has, have] called off the meeting.
17. All [is, are] fine.
18. Most of the boys [tells, tell] the truth.
19. Each of the children [plays, play] the football.
20. The knowledge of his coming [makes, make] her feel good.
21. Twenty years [is, are] a long time for me.
22. Neither you nor I [is, am, are] the victim.
23. Every man and every woman [does, do] not agree.
24. The pair of scissors [does, do] not work.
25. John, father and husband, [enjoys, enjoy] his life.
26. The boys or the teacher [does, do] it.
DRILL 2.2.6 (B)

Rewrite the second portion of the sentence.
1. Writing Good English, patience is needed.

Course Notes
2. After swimming for two hours, the river is crossed.
3. In order to teach a person, he must be willing to learn.
4. After cooking the fish, the cats eat it.
5. While watching television, Mother orders them to work.
6. In doing this, the matter will be good.
7. Writing a letter, the ink spills on the paper.
8. Singing a song, the audience gives the applause.
9. Walking down the street, the driver saw the boy.
10. Being a birdwatcher, the bird can be distinguished.
2.2.7 Troublesome Words
People often do not really understand troublesome words so they make mistakes when
they use the words in their writing.
DRILL 2.2.7
Choose the correct word from the bracket.
1. We shall be here [to, till] next week.
2. She comes [in, into] the hall.
3. They divide the money [between, among] them four.
4. She sits [beside, besides] me.
5. He has been here [since, for] two days.
6. He has been here [since, for] she left.
7. We [shall, will] go to the office.
8. The boss [tells, says] him to do it.
9. We [make, do] our work.
10. I [make, do] the chair.
11. The cat [lies, lays] on that carpet every day.
12. The hen [lies, lays] an egg.

Course Notes
13. Hong Kong [lies, lays] to the south of China.
14. Please take your [sit, seat].
15. Please [rise, raise] your hand.
16. The sun [rises, raises] in the East.
17. John’s mother [likes, loves] him.
18. The towel is [hanged, hung] on the wall.
19. The criminal was [hanged, hung].
20. You [borrow, lend] me some money.
21. I [borrow, lend] some money from you.
22. I [steal, rob] a watch.
23. He [steals, robs] the bank.
24. Columbus [discovered, invented] India.
25. Edison [discovered, invented] the electric bulb.
26. The games [takes place, takes part] in Korea.
27. He [takes place, takes part] in the games.
28. We [beat, win] that team.
29. We [beat, win] the match.
30. He does not [sleep, go to bed] at night.
31. He wants to [sleep, go to bed] early tonight.
32. I [learn, study] in a famous school.
33. I [learn, study] English in a famous school.
34. Hong Kong is [too, very] hot in summer.
35. My house is [too, very] hot for me to stay.
36. He studies [hard, hardly].
37. He [hard, hardly] studies.
38. [Recently, Presently] they have left Hong Kong.
39. [Recently, Presently] I shall finish this course.

Course Notes
40. [Presently, At present] I am working in a big company.
41. I have [many, much] houses.
42. [Few, A few] people like to donate their blood.
43. John is the [oldest, eldest] of his brothers.
44. My [oldest, eldest] brother is John.
45. I am [interested, interesting] in playing football.
46. Football is [interested, interesting].
47. He is five foot [high, tall].
48. I feel [sick, ill] after working long.
49. I have been [sick, ill] for nearly two days.
50. I go back [house, home].
51. What is the [cause, reason] of the accident?
52. What is the [cause, reason] that you are late?
53. Her luggage [is, are] over there.
54. After the accident, the boss pays him [damage, damages].
55. We often have [fish, fishes] for dinner.
56. There are a few [hundred, hundreds] people.
57. There are [hundred, hundreds] of people in the stadium.
58. [The number, A number] of people came.
59. [The number, A number] of people who came is 250.
60. Do [as, like] I told you.
61. The delay is [due to, owing to] his negligence.
62. [Due to, Owing to] his fault, the shipment was delayed.
63. The library is [open, opened] at nine in the morning.
64. His friend [is, was] dead.
65. His friend [died, have died] ten years ago.

Course Notes

DRILL 2.1.1
1. I have a funny face.
2. The book has two hundred fifty pages.
3. That fat man has two sons.
4. There are many people in the hall.
5. One of us is late for work.
6. We like to watch news programs on the television.
7. What would you like for dinner?
8. Every day I go to work in Central.
9. Usually we go to swim in summer.
10. Will you come to my party, John?
11. Go out!
12. What a beautiful girl!
13. It is the book on GOOD WRITING.
14. One morning, I woke up at seven.
15. We must work hard in order to pass the examination.
16. I am rich, but I am sad.
17. As soon as the bus arrives, we get on it.
18. The rose is red.
19. All of us go home.
20. We write effectively so that people can understand us.
DRILL 2.1.2
1. There are a lot of books in the world.
2. A pair of glasses is on the table.
3. A bright student is among all of you.
4. He attends an interview in front of the interviewer.
5. There is a glossary at the back of the book.
6. Clouds are drifting above the mountains.
7. In my opinion, Hong Kong’s business environment is excellent.
8. I bring the report to the office.
9. There is a car race on television.
10. The commander orders them to be on their feet.

Course Notes
DRILL 2.2
1. Yes. Finite verb: are.
2. No. 2 Finite verbs: learn; understand.
3. Yes. Finite verb: study.
4. Yes. Finite verb: is.
5. Yes. Finite verb: wants.
6. No. Finite verbs: is; has been working.
7. Yes. Finite verb: is.
8. Yes. Finite verb: seemed.
9. Yes. Finite verb: Are. (this is a question, so the order of the words is altered)
10. Yes. Finite verb: did not like.
11. No. Finite verbs: go; swim. (this sentence contains two simple sentences: you
go there. You swim.)
12. Yes. Finite verb: wants.
13. No. It is only an interjection.
14. Yes. Finite verb: Be.
15. Yes. Finite verb: Stay.
16. Yes. Finite verb: is allowed.
17. No. Finite verbs: comes; shall meet.
18. Yes. Finite verb: calls.
19. Yes. Finite verb: glided.
20. No. Finite verbs: want; have to; try.
DRILL 2.2.1 (A)

1. we
2. Food and money
3. Good English
4. Neither John nor Mary
5. I
6. His favourite sports
7. I
8. My senior officer
9. No one
10. The general meeting

Course Notes
DRILL 2.2.1 (B)

1. have
2. are planning
3. should do
4. is
5. have been working
6. will apply
7. Do not walk
8. are not allowed
9. shall be crossing
10. Cheer
DRILL 2.2.1 (C)

1. Happily (describes ‘went’)
2. very (describes ‘happy’)
3. greedily (describes ‘eat’)
4. carelessly (describes ‘is written’)
5. extremely (describes ‘quickly’) ; OR quickly (describes ‘runs'’)
6. much (describes ‘more’)
7. hardly or hard (both describe ‘work’ with different meanings)
8. beautifully (describes ‘drawn’)
9. soon (describes ‘will arrive’)
10. home (describes ‘go’)
(‘home'’ can be a noun in: Come to my home. ‘home’ in the original sentence tells
us where we go)
DRILL 2.2.1 (D)

Group I
1. boys, girls, tables
2. babies, ladies, bodies
3. leaves, lives, knives
4. radios, photos, zoos
5. bosses, watches, wishes
6. feet, women, men
7. toothbrushes, textbooks, letterheads

Course Notes
8. sons-in-law, editors in chief

Group II
1. nothings (a poetic use, consult a dictionary for full details)
2. memoranda
3. criteria
4. zeros, or zero's
5. photostats
6. people (= many persons); peoples (= different people from many nations)
7. police (no singular form)
8. paper (no plural if it means the material); papers (means the documents)
9. Coca Colas, or Coca Cola’s
10. Johns
11. agenda
12. fungi
13. analyses
14. indexes
15. theses
16. chairmen
17. A’s (we cannot change it to ‘As’ because it is confusing)
18. f.o.b.’s
19. Mss
20. Chinese
DRILL 2.2.1 (E)

la. verb: to learn something
lb. noun: a room for studying
2a. noun: the black thing coming from a chimney
2b. verb: to smoke a cigarette
3a. noun: the other portion of the money
3b. verb: (infinitive) to stop working
3c. noun: doing nothing and relax
4a. adjective: she is a good person
4b. noun: the sort
5a verb: engaging in a game
5b. noun: the drama

Course Notes
6a. noun: he eats less

6b. noun: different kinds of food
7a. verb: the opposite of open
7b. adjective: near
8a. noun: the other side of ‘left’
8b. adjective: correct
9a. adjective: not easy
9b. adverb: diligently
10a. verb: doing something
10b. noun: bland
DRILL 2.2.2 (A)

1. have
2. has
3. do
4. does
5. I
6. me
7. I
8. My
9. mine
10. I
DRILL 2.2.2 (B)

1. I do not want to see the doctor in the afternoon.
2. He does not intend to run a shop.
3. We will not finish all the assignments.
4. They would not complete the project.
5. She did not hit the ball.
6. It does not seem to be all right.
7. It did not seem correct.
8. We have not the chance to go abroad.
OR We do not have the chance to go abroad.
9. The boy did not steal the money.
10. One of us always does not go to the City Hall.

Course Notes
DRILL 2.2.6 (A)

1. is [‘Gambling’ is an action, takes singular verb]
2. is [‘watching...’ is an action, takes singular verb]
3. is [‘To err’ takes singular verb]
4. is [singular]
5. are [‘police’ has no singular form]
6. is [‘news’ has no plural form]
7. are [‘glasses’ is plural]
8. are [‘memoranda’ is the plural of ‘memorandum’]
9. is [‘gold’ is material noun, takes singular verb]
10. are [there are altogether 2 kinds of metals]
11. is [‘wisdom’ is abstract noun, takes singular verb]
12. go [‘They’ is plural)
13. goes [‘One of ... ’ is singular]
14. does [‘bus’ is singular, third person]
15. is [these two things are considered as one single thing)
16. has [‘as well as ... ’ is not important]
17. are [‘all’ is plural]
18. tell [there are many boys]
19. plays [‘Each of ...’ is singular]
20. makes [‘Knowledge’ is singular, an action]
21. is [it is considered as a period of time]
22. am [the noun or pronoun nearest to the verb is considered important]
23. does [‘every’ is singular, though there are two groups of people]
24. does [‘pair’ is singular]
25. enjoys [‘John’ is singular, ‘father and husband’ is not important]
26. does [the nearest noun is important]
DRILL 2.2.6 (B)

1. we need patience.
2. we crossed the river.
3. he must find out the student is willing to learn.
4. Mother gave the fish to the cats.
5. they are ordered by Mother to work.

Course Notes
6. we will do the matter.

7. I find that the ink spills on the paper.
8. she gets an applause from the audience.
9. the boy was seen by the driver.
10. he can distinguish the bird.
DRILL 2.2.7
1. till [‘till’ indicates time; ‘to’ if for space]
2. into [‘into’ denotes an action]
3. among [between two; but among more than two]
4. beside [‘beside’ means ‘at the side’; ‘besides’ means ‘apart from this thing’]
5. for [‘for’ is used for a period of time; ‘since’ is used for a point in time]
6. since
7. will [It is outdated that ‘shall’ is used for 1st persons: I and we ‘will’
is used for all in future tense.]
8. tells [‘tells’ means ‘asks’; we say ‘he says something’]
9. do [the work cannot be ‘made’]
10. make
11. lies [‘lies' means ‘on the floor’]
12. lays [‘lays’ means ‘eggs from it’]
13. lies [‘lies’ means ‘the position’]
14. seat [a noun is needed here]
15. raise [‘rise’ is intransitive verb]
16. rises [‘rises’ means it gets higher and higher]
17. loves [it is more reasonable to choose ‘loves’]
18. hung [‘hung’ means being on the wall]
19. hanged [‘hanged’ means ‘being executed by hanging’]
20. lend [‘lend’ means something from the subject to the object]
21. borrow [something from the object to the subject]
22. steal [‘steal’ is used for that thing being stolen]
23. robs [‘robs’ concerns the person, not the thing]
24. discovered [‘discovered’ means ‘found out’]
25. invented [‘invented’ means ‘newly existing’]
26. take place [‘take place’ means ‘is held’]
27. takes part [‘takes part’ means ‘is involved’]

Course Notes
28. beat [‘beat’ means ‘victory over the enemy’]

29. win [‘win’ means ‘successful in wining’]
30. sleep [‘sleep’ is the thing itself]
31. go to bed [‘go to bed’ is the action]
32. study [takes no object]
33. learn [get the knowledge]
34. very [‘too’ is used for bad sense]
35. too
36. hard [‘hard’ means ‘diligently’]
37. hardly [‘hardly’ means ‘scarcely’]
38. Recently [sometime in the past]
39. Presently [soon]
40. At present [now]
41. many [‘many’ for countable nouns]
42. Few [‘few’ means ‘not many’; ‘a few’ means ‘some’]
43. oldest [‘oldest’ used for being old]
44. eldest [‘eldest’ is an adjective]
45. interested [‘interested’ means ‘fond of’]
46. interesting [‘interesting’ means ‘funny’]
47. tall [‘tall’ is used for an tall object]
48. sick [‘sick’ means ‘feeling not all right’]
49. ill [‘ill’ describes a patient]
50. home [‘home’ is used as adverb here]
51. cause [‘cause’ means the ‘factors’]
52. reason [‘reason’ for ‘why’]
53. is [‘luggage’ is singular]
54. damages [‘damages’ is the money for compensation]
55. fish [‘fish’ can be singular or plural; while ‘fishes’ means many kinds of fish]
56. hundred [it is an adjective here]
57. hundreds [‘hundreds’ is used for groups with one hundred as counting units]
58. A number [‘a number’ means many]
59. The number [‘the number’ means the figure]
60. as [‘as’ means ‘what’]
61. due to [‘due to’ follows a verb to be]
62. Owing to [‘owing to’ introduces an adverb phrase]

Course Notes
63. open [‘open’ is an adjective]

64. is [‘is dead’ means he died]
65. died [it is not reasonable to say ‘have died’ as being dead is a state, not a process]
Summary of Unit 2
1. A simple sentence should be: Subject + Predicate (Finite verb plus)
2. The types of words we can use in a sentence: (1) noun, (2) pronoun, (3) verb, (4)
adjective, (5) adverb, (6) preposition, (7) conjunction, (8) interjection.
3. If we want to write a simple sentence correctly, we have to note the following:
i) Subject verb agreement;
ii) Correct use of finite verbs;
iii) Correct use of the parts of speech of the words .
End of Unit 2

Course Notes
Unit 3 Compound and Complex Sentences
Two questions for learning objectives:

1. What are the essentials of compound and complex sentences?
2. How should we decide on the use of verb tenses?
3.1 Compound Sentences
Why can’t we use only simple sentences in our writing? Here is a passage. How many
simple sentences are there?
When I was a boy, I used to go swimming with my four friends. We

did not have much money to spend, so we could only take a bus to
the nearest beach. It was calm and clean. The sand was as white as
snow. As soon as we reached the beach, we dropped all our things
and ran towards the sea. On our way to the water, we took off our
clothes. Of course, we had on our swimming trunks!
Now, let us see what happens if we use only simple sentences for the same story.
I was a boy. I used to go swimming with my four friends. We did

not have much money to spend. So we could only take a bus to the
nearest beach. It was calm and clean. The sand was as white as
snow. We reached the beach. We dropped all our things. We ran
towards the sea. On our way to the water, we took off our clothes.
Of course, we had on our swimming trunks.
So, can you see the differences between the two passages? Which one do you think is
better?
As our thoughts and feelings are complicated things, we cannot use simple sentences to
describe them fully in the way we think. In our writing, we must make important things
look important, and those minor things minor by using different kinds of sentences:
simple, compound and complex sentences.
3.1.1 Strong Verbs
The following verbs are called strong verbs because they express some kinds of physical
action and their three forms - the present, the past and the past participle- are different.
make made made

go went gone
get got got

Course Notes
write wrote written

run ran run
come came come
see saw seen
do did done
sing sang sung
eat ate eaten
You are advised to explore your dictionary to see how they are used in sentences. Don’t
just look for the meaning, but to memorize how these verbs are used correctly.
Remember that verbs can be transitive and intransitive.
DRILL 3.1.1 (A)

Choose one verb of action for each of the brackets.
1. We like to ________ to the Exhibition Centre.
2. My friend ________ a letter to me last year.
3. Under the sea we can ________ nothing as it is dark.
4. The children ________ a beautiful song.
5. As I am very hungry, I ________ them all.
6. What can you ________ when you have no money?
7. When the thief saw the policeman, he ________ away.
8. Please ________ to my party tomorrow evening.
9. We do not ________ up until nine in the morning.
10. What can you ________ with a piece of wood?
The following verbs are called verbs of intention as they describe a person's intention or
hope.
decide, want, wish, hope, think, be going to, seem, intend, expect, plan
They can be used in simple sentences. For example:
1. I plan to stay for a little longer.
2. I want to earn ten million dollars.

Course Notes
3. I wish to have more chance to learn.
4. We intend to be successful.
5. They hope to get to the place in time.
6. He is going to become the manager here.
DRILL 3.1.1 (B)

Make simple sentences with the verbs of intention.
1. subject: I
verb: decide
intention study abroad
2. subject: He
verb: hope
intention: finish hard work
3. subject: We
verb: going to
intention: improve writing skills
4. subject: You
verb: want
intention: become rich man
5. subject: They
verb: intend
intention: enrol in the course, learn more
Below is a list of important verbs in this unit. Write as many sentences as you can in
order that you know very well how to use them correctly. Look them up in dictionary if
you find it necessary. Pay attention to the grammar and usage of the sample sentences..
was were been

cost cost cost
win won won
think thought thought
say said said
drink drank drunk
draw drew drawn
hang hanged hanged
hang hung hung
lie lied lied
lie lay lain
lay laid laid

Course Notes
3.1.2 Verbs in Action
Many students find it difficult to fully understand all the verb tenses and use them
correctly. You are strongly advised to read more grammar books such as the Practical
English Grammar by Oxford University Press, and pay more attention to the examples
and rules of verb tenses. Below is a brief revision of verb tenses.
There are three ‘Time’ divisions: present, past and future. For each division, there are
four ‘Manner’ types: simple, continuous, perfect and perfect continuous. Here is a
table of tenses and voices.
Tenses and Voices Code
(I) Present Tense

1. simple present 1S
2. present continuous 1C
3. present perfect 1P
4. present perfect continuous 1PC
(II) Past Tense

1. simple past 2S
2. past continuous 2C
3. past perfect 2P
4. past perfect continuous 2PC
(III) Future Tense

1. simple future 3S
2. future continuous 3C
3. future perfect 3P
4. future perfect continuous 3PC
Examples: (Passive sentence in brackets)
1S I write the letter. [The letter is written by me.]
1C I am writing the letter. [The letter is being written by me.]
1P I have written the letter. [The letter has been written by me.]
1PC I have been writing the letter. [The letter has been being written by me.]
2S I wrote the letter. [The letter was written by me.]

Course Notes
2C I was writing the letter. [The letter was being written by me.]
2P I had written the letter. [The letter had been written by me.]
2PC I had been writing the letter. [The letter had been being written by me.']
3S I will write the letter. [The letter will be written by me.]
3C I will be writing the letter. [The letter will be being written by me.]
3P I will have written the letter. [The letter will have been written by me.]
3PC I will have been writing the letter. [The letter will have been being written by me.]
(I) Present Tense
The simple present tense is used for general truths, things you always do, commands or
requests. For example:
1. The sun rises in the East.
2. We go to work at seven in the morning every day.
You should not use simple present tense for things to be done today. When we talk
about ‘this morning’, we use past tense. When we want to talk about things ‘in the
afternoon’, ‘in the evening’ or ‘at night’, we usually use future tense.
The present continuous tense is used for things happening now. Words similar in
nature to ‘now’ include ‘at this moment’, ‘'Look!...’, ‘Listen! ...’. For example:
1. Now the officers are doing their best to complete the project.
2. Look! The car is coming at this direction.
The present perfect tense is used for a number of cases. It can be used for things just
completed. It can also be used for things you once did before. You can also use it to
mean you began to do something in the past and that something has not been
finished yet. For example:
1. You have already done the job.
2. I have warned you three times not to do it.
The present perfect continuous tense is used for things that were started some time in
the past and will go on into the future. For example:
1. We have been living in Hong Kong for over 10 years.
(This sentence means that we started to live in Hong Kong some ten years ago.
We were living here, and we are living here. Still, we shall go on living in Hong
Kong in the future.)

Course Notes
2. I have been working on this project for 3 months.
(This means that I started to work 3 months ago. I went on doing it until now but
have not finished it yet, and I shall go on working on it in the future until it is
finished.)
(II) Past Tense
The simple past tense may be the simplest tense you can use. It is used for things that
happened in the past. For example:
1. Yesterday, I went to Central.
2. Three years ago, we started to work on the plan.
The past continuous tense is used when something went on happening in the past. It is
often used together with another past action. For example:
1. When the teacher came in, the students were laughing.
2. When we were crossing the harbour, an aeroplane was flying over the bridge.
The past perfect tense is used for something that had already been finished in the past
and which is not related to the present. For example:
1. Before I told him to go, he had disappeared.
2. Did you know that he had gone away with the money?
The past perfect continuous tense is similar to the present perfect continuous, except
that we are referring to the past. For example:
I had been working for Mr. Chan for ten days.
(I was talking about something else from the past, maybe a year ago. Then I
remembered Mr Chan whom I worked for. So, I wanted to say that I went on
working for Mr Chan for ten days without finishing what I was doing.)
(III) Future Tense
The simple future tense is used for things to happen in the future time. For example:
1. In six months, we will finish this course.
2. I will go to buy a shirt this afternoon.
The future continuous tense is used for things happening continuously in the future.
For example:
At one o'clock tomorrow, our bosses will be having a meeting.
The future perfect tense is used for something that will finish at some time in future.
For example:

Course Notes
1. By the time you come back, he will have painted the wall.
2. By the 18th of this month, our clients will have paid all the outstanding
accounts.
The future perfect continuous tense is used for something to be started in future and
will go on without stopping. For example:
By the end of this month, we will have been studying for 20 years. (We will go
on studying.)
DRILL 3.1.2
Give the correct tense of the given verbs.
1. Babies [cry] when they are hungry.
2. [shut] up!
3. Please [write] your name on this form.
4. He always [go] to work on time.
5. Look! A boy [steal] a watch.
6. At this moment, the students [read] the essay.
7. Already, I [see] the prince four times.
8. Just then, he [come] to this office.
9. How long have you been to Europe?
I [be] there for five years.
10. The book has not been finished although I [work] on it for seven days. I shall try to
finish it.
11. Last week, Mr Chan [visit] me.
12. This time yesterday, the boys [sing].
13. Before he came in, you [finish] the work.
14. I knew that he [run] for 5 hours. He did not seem tired and he was still running.
15. Two years later, we [come] back Hong Kong.
16. At five tomorrow, they [have] the party.
17. By the time you come home, your wife [cook] you a delicious meal.

Course Notes
18. By the end of this month, we [work] for the project for over 5 months but we do
not know when it will be finished.
3.13 Active or Passive Voice of Verb Tenses
Passive Voice: ‘be’ + past participle
Active: Someone found a key on the floor.
Doer of the action is ‘someone’.
Passive: A key was found on the floor.
Receiver of the action is ‘key’.
DRILL 3.1.3
Change into the opposite voice.
1. I saw you.
2. The government tells us to keep calm.
3. The television is turned off.
4. The work had been completed by us.
5. Will you take this letter?
6. You have made the mistake twice.
7. I am writing the computer program.
8. She was singing the song.
9. The boy will kick the ball.
10. The bridge is being built.
3.1.4 Conjunctions and Compound Sentences
When two or more simple sentences are joined together, we call them compound
sentences or complex sentences depending on the importance of the various ‘simple
sentences’.
The following are examples of compound sentences:
1. I am rich and I am happy.
2. I am rich but I am unhappy.
3. You can stay here or you can leave.

Course Notes
The words we use to join simple sentences together are called conjunctions. The three
most important conjunctions are ‘and’, ‘but’ and ‘or’.
Some people who start to learn writing may write something like:
I was waken up by a strange noise, I got up quickly, I got dressed, I was

very frightened, I went to call the fire services, the ambulance finally
came to the scene.
Important points can be joined together with the use of conjunctions. The other
sentences may remain as simple sentences in the passage. So, the paragraph looks better:
I was awakened by a strange noise and I got up quickly. I got dressed. I

am very frightened and I went to call the fire services. The ambulance
finally came to the scene.
DRILL 3.1.4
Join the two sentences using conjunctions.
1. The building is tall. We cannot get to the top floor.
2. The flower is red. The scent is wonderful.
3. The book is ready. You may collect it from the library.
4. I love her. She loves me.
5. I work very hard. My superior is not satisfied.
6. I can continue. I can quit.
7. You learn to write. You will succeed.
8. He has a lot of helpers. The project fails.
9. She shows him the letter. She tells him the truth.
10. John wants to swim. Janet wants to go fishing.
3.2 Complex Sentences
When we use other ‘subordinate’ clauses for less important elements in our sentences,
we call these sentences complex sentences. The most common examples of subordinate
clauses are: ‘... who is my best friend’, ‘… when we come here’, ‘... which is very
beautiful’, ‘... as we are leaving’, etc.
3.2.1 Phrases and Clauses
A clause is similar to a simple sentence in structure. It has a subject and predicate. But
we call it a clause because it is only part of a ‘complex sentence’.

Course Notes
A phrase is a group of words, but it doesn’t have a finite verb. For example, ‘in the
middle of the night’, ‘all of us’, ‘while walking in the dark’, ‘by the side of the river’, ‘at
the beginning of the report’, etc.
3.2.2 ‘When’, ‘While’, ‘As’ (Conjunctions)
There are three words that are particularly important when we write complex sentences.
They are ‘when’, ‘while’, and ‘as’, which are used to describe something happening at
the same time.
‘When’ can be used for a longer span of time or a short one. For example:
1. When I was a boy, I used to go fishing alone.
2. When he is drawing the picture, his son is writing a letter.
(the clause in ‘when’ refers to the future, it is not necessary to write ‘When the
time will come...’)
‘While’ can only be used for a short span of time when two things happen at nearly the
same time. For example:
1. While he was reading the book, I was watching television.
2. While they are playing cheerfully, one of them go out without telling anyone
why.
‘As’ can be used for time as well as reason. For example:
1. He was writing the report as the time is short.
2. As he is coming, I must prepare all he wants.
Other useful words such as ‘whatever’, ‘whichever’, ‘wherever ’and ‘whoever’ can be
used to construct complex sentences. For example:
1. Take whatever you like.
2. I want to choose whichever I love.
3. Whoever wants to go will receive a present.
DRILL 3.2.2
Construct complex sentences with the following pair of simple sentences.
1. I hope so.
The war will end soon. [use ‘that’]

Course Notes
2. He thinks so.
The examination is a difficult one. [use ‘that’]
3. He reminds me of something.
I have forgotten to bring my money. [use ‘that’]
4. They insisted.
We must finish the report on time. [use ‘that’]
5. The government estimated the plan.
The plan has to be implemented soon. [use ‘which’]
6. He is a dancer.
He is also a poet. [use ‘who’]
7. Put all the pots back into the cupboard.
The pots are on the table. [use ‘which’]
8. We are having an examination.
The boys are playing noisily outside. [use ‘while']
9. We cannot hire the luxurious yacht.
The yacht is very expensive. [use ‘which’]
10. We are happy.
We are poor. [use ‘although’]
3.2.3 ‘If’
There is an important type of complex sentences we frequently meet. They are the
sentences with the word ‘if’. We call them conditional sentences.
(I) 1st Type Conditional
When we want to say something that is likely to happen, we say:
1. If you come to my place, I will give you the book.
2. If he comes to the office, tell me.
3. Should he come, I will not entertain him.

Course Notes
Pay attention to the form of the verb in the clauses.
Memorize the form of verbs of 1st Type Conditional.
(II) 2nd Type Conditional
When we want to say something that is unlikely to happen, we say:
1. If you came to my place, I should/would give you the book.
2. If he were to come to the office, I should/would go out.
3. Were he to come, I should/ would not entertain him.
4. If I were you, I should/ would go abroad.
The form of the verb is changed. Remember, you must not change the form of the verb
at will. These sentences indicate that those things are unlikely to happen.
Memorize the form of verbs of 2nd Type Conditional.
(II) 3rd Type Conditional
The third type of conditional sentences is used to indicate something that will never
happen because time is lost. For example:
1. If I had met you yesterday, I would have taken you to dinner.
2. Had you studied hard for the last examination, you would have passed it.
Memorize the form of verbs of 3rd Type Conditional.
DRILL 3.2.3 (A)

Construct ‘if’ sentences as directed.
1. If you come, ... (I go out)
2. 2. If you came, ... (I go out)
3. If you had come, ... (I go out)
4. If he gives you money, .... (you buy a house)
5. If he gave you money, ... (you buy a house)
6. If he were to give you money, ... (you buy a house)
7. If he had given you money, ... (you buy a house)

Course Notes
DRILL 3.2.3 (B)

Fill in the correct form of the verb in the following conditional sentences.
1. If it rains, I [go] to the seaside.
2. If it [rain], I would go to the seaside.
3. If it had rained, I [go] to the seaside.
4. If the governor came to your place, [tell] me.
5. If the prince [visit] you, you would have not gone to Macao.
6. Had he worked overtime, he [get] extra money.
7. If I [be] you, I would tell the truth.
8. If the child [know] the fact, he will not cry.
9. Were he to stay, I [become] mad.
10. Should it rain, please [bring] me the umbrella.
3.3 Usage
3.3.1 Abbreviation
We often see that people like to use abbreviations in their writing. The most frequently
used abbreviations and short forms are: &, don’t, doesn’t, can’t, won’t, etc., and so on,
and couldn’t.
Abbreviations should be confined to spoken English. For example, the symbol ‘&’
should not be used in writing, especially in formal writing. When you are talking about
something, make sure that you are not escaping from insufficient data by saying ‘and so
on’, or ‘etc.’ unless it is reasonable at that particular place to use them. The readers may
think that you cannot give them full details.
However, abbreviations such as ‘a.m.’, ‘p.m.’', ‘U.SA.’ and ‘T.V.’' are well accepted.
3.3.2 Preposition
We as Chinese are not familiar with this concept because we don’t have this use of
prepositions in Chinese writing or speech, so, we must pay more attention to this aspect.
For those people who do not read English much, I suggest that they should memorize
the following list of commonly used prepositions.

Course Notes
(sth = something; sb = somebody)
absent from abstain from according to on the account of

account for accuse sb of accustomed to afraid of
aim at angry with annoyed at sth annoyed with sb
anxious about apart from appeal to argue with
argue about sth arrive at arrive in place burst into
busy with capable of care for take care of
careful of/about communicate with compare with/to complain of/about
composed of conscious of consist of contrary to
control over correspond to sth correspond with sb deal with the matter
depend on deprived of descend from descend to begging
despite differ in sth differ from sb on the terms
different from difficulty in distinguish between a & b
doubt about dressed in distinguish himself in some environment
eager to engaged in escape from faithful to
familiar to sb familiar with sth famous for far from feed on
fight for flow from… to a flow of words fond of
glance at good for health good at doing sth grateful to
guilty of hunt down the hunt up some records
ignorant of thief
indifferent to inferior to inform of
innocent of instead of introduce to jealous of
keen on kind to laugh at lie on
mercy on migrate name after remedy for
remove from.... .to
resign from respond to responsible for
from...to
result in rich in rob sb of safe
for drinking safe in place same as shameful of
short of shout at sick of significant of
similar to skillful at using skillful with sth sorry for
stare at sth
start from startled at stick to
successful in suffer from superior to surprised at
sympathize timid of used to useful to
with
visible to worry about worthy of

Course Notes
The following verbs are used with different prepositions in different situations. Look up
in the dictionary for their meanings.
pay run stand stay tell turn do wait work cut

come go take make get give look pass keep have
bring break call pick talk stand shut send see put
play lay

DRILL 3.1.1 (A)
1. go
2. wrote (the letter reached me ‘last year’)
3. see
4. sing
5. eat
6. do
7. ran (we use the past tense because the thief ‘saw’)
8. come
9. get
10. make
DRILL 3.1.1 (B)

1. I decide to study abroad. (don’t forget to use ‘to’)
2. He hopes to finish the hard work. (don’t forget to use an article before ‘hard work’)
3. We are going to improve our writing skills. (‘going to’ is not a finite verb, so we
must add ‘are’ before them; and we must use a relative pronoun before ‘writing
skills’)
4. You want to become a rich man.
5. They intend to enrol in the course to learn more. (‘intend’ is the finite verb, so we
must put ‘to’ before those verbs ‘enrol’ and ‘learn’)
DRILL 3.1.2
1. cry
2. Shut
3. write
4. goes

Course Notes
5. is stealing
6. are reading
7. have seen
8. has come
9. have been
10. have been working
11. visited
12. were singing
13. had finished
14. had run
15. will come
16. will be having
17. will have cooked
18. will have been working
DRILL 3.1.3
1. You were seen by me.
2. We are told to keep calm by the government.
3. Someone turns off the television.
4. We had completed the work.
5. Will this letter by taken by you?
6. The mistake has been made by you twice.
7. The computer program is being written by me.
8. The song was being sung by her.
9. The ball will be kicked by the boy.
10. Some people are building the bridge.
DRILL 3.1.4
1. The building is tall and we cannot get to the top floor.
2. The flower is read and the scent is wonderful.
3. The book is ready and you may collect it from the library.
4. I love her and she loves me.
5. I work very hard but my superior is not satisfied.
6. I can continue or I can quit.
7. You learn to write and you will succeed.

Course Notes
8. He has a lot of helpers but the project fails.

9. She shows him the letter and she tells him the truth.
10. John wants to swim but Janet wants to go fishing.
DRILL 3.2.2
1. I hope that the war will end soon.
2. He thinks that the examination is a difficult one.
3. He reminds me that I forget to bring my money.
4. They insisted that we must be punctual to finish the report.
5. The government estimated the plan which has to be implemented soon.
6. He who is a dancer is also a poet.
7. Put all the pots which are on the table back into the cupboard.
8. We are having an examination while the boys are playing noisily outside.
9. We cannot hire the luxurious yacht which is very expensive.
10. Although we are poor, we are happy.
(‘Although we are happy, we are poor.’ is not quite reasonable)
DRILL 3.2.3 (A)

1. If you come, I will go out.
2. If you came, I would go out.
3. If you had come, I would have gone out.
4. If he gives you money, you will buy a house.
5. If he gave you money, you would buy a house.
6. If he were to give you money, you would buy a house.
7. If he had given you money, you would have bought a house.
DRILL 3.2.3 (B)

1. will go
2. rained; were to rain
3. would have gone
4. tell
5. had visited
6. would have gotten
7. were
8. knows

Course Notes
9. would become
10. bring
Summary of Unit 3
1. The essentials of compound and complex sentences:
Clause + Conjunction + Clause (Subject + Predicate)…
2. The uses of verb tenses:
Three divisions of time: Present, Past and Future
Four kinds of manner: Simple, Continuous, Perfect and Perfect continuous
End of Unit 3

Course Notes
Unit 4 Paragraphs and an Essay
Three questions for learning objectives:

1. What rules should we note in order that we can write effective paragraphs and essays?
2. What are the steps to write an effective essay?
3. What are the ways that we can use to develop our ideas in our writing?
4.1 Paragraphs in an Essay
When we want to write about something, we use sentences to form paragraphs, and
finally a complete essay. When the topic of an essay is simple and straightforward, it
will be sufficient to have one or two paragraphs. But, when we talk about a complicated
topic (e.g. a computer system) or a controversial topic (e.g. Should all students be taught
‘national education’ in Hong Kong?), we may have many main points to express and so
we may have several or even many paragraphs in that essay.
The use of paragraphs concerns the number of ideas we want to express. It also concerns
the main idea of the essay. The paragraphs act like a structure so that all the ideas are
properly organized.
DRILL 4.1
Decide whether a few (F) or many (M) paragraphs are necessary for the following topics.
1. How do we crack an egg?
2. Describe the equation: 1 + 2 = 3.
3. Should we keep ourselves healthy?
4. Can we survive without money?
5. Where can we go from here?
6. How to use the television set?
7. How to make a television set?
8. A report on drug addicts.
9. Triads in Hong Kong.
10. What are the purposes of being a human being?

Course Notes
4.1.1 Direct and Indirect Approaches
Before you decide to write anything, you should first decide how much you would write
about the topic. Then you will use one of the following approaches: the direct or the
indirect approach.
What do you notice about the following paragraphs?
Paragraph A:
We should learn more about writing good English. When we want to tell
somebody what we think, we have to use words to express ourselves. If
we do not know how to use correct grammar, correct usage and other
aspects of good English, we cannot expect that our readers can
understand what we want to tell them. In order that we can communicate
efficiently, we have to learn how to write correctly and effectively.
Paragraph B:
It was a quiet night. The air was chilly and the wind was not very strong.
Through the window of my room, I could see dim lights from distant
buildings of the campus. Snow was coming down gracefully and gently.
The whole lake was now frozen and the bank divides the sky and the land.
My sunken heart echoed with the still atmosphere. Where is my love?
You may have come across these two different types of approach, but you may not have
noticed that you can use any of these approaches in your writing. The important thing is:
How do you want to tell your readers?
In Paragraph A, the first sentence is the main idea of the paragraph. The sentences
which follow tell us why we should learn to write good English. This is called the direct
approach. The writer declares something at the very beginning of the paragraph, and
tries to describe more later on.
For paragraph B, we are told about the scene. The last sentence is a question. This kind
of approach gives us a kind of a feeling. In this way, we may feel how the writer feels;
but we may know very little about the writer’s intention. This approach is called the
indirect approach. The writer does not want to tell the readers directly and explicitly
what he feels. He wants the readers to try to appreciate his feelings. In the paragraph,
the writer does not tell you how he feels, whether he is sad or happy. But, if you use
your imagination, you may think that he is feeling lonely, and he misses his girl friend.
If you can ‘put yourself into that situation’, you may even have stronger feeling.
These two approaches are used frequently in writing. The first approach is often used
when we write a report, a memo, a proposal or a presentation because your readers can
understand them more easily. On the other hand, we often find that the indirect approach
is used in novels and even poems because the readers can often ‘feel more’ than we are
told.

Course Notes
DRILL 4.1.1 Decide whether you will use the direct approach (D), or the indirect
approach (I) for the following topics.
1. Weather Report.
2. To report an accident.
3. To describe the use of a computer.
4. A horror film.
5. How to apply for the job of a company secretary.
6. A story called ‘Romance in the night!’.
7. To make a complaint to the Police against noise nuisance.
8. To tell your boss about the conference.
9. To tell your friend a mystery.
10. How to get $1,000,000.
11. A memo to your colleague asking for help.
12. Law and Regulations.
13. Advertisement.
14. A recipe.
15. A summary of your objectives.
4.1.2 Key Words and Key/ Topic Sentences
When we use the direct approach, the first sentence is often the main idea of the entire
paragraph. We call this sentence the key/topic sentence.
Very often when we read a piece of writing, we find the paragraph easier to understand
if we can locate the key sentence of the paragraph. The reason is simple: because you
can then follow the same path of thought laid down by the writer. Even if the writer
cannot give a clear explanation afterwards, we still know what the main idea is. So,
when you use this approach, make sure that the key sentence is very clear and logical,
allowing no room for misunderstanding.
In any sentence, we must take care of the important words in that sentence. ‘Important
words’ means those words that give the vital information of that sentence. For example
in the sentence, ‘I am a boy’, the key words are ‘I’ and ‘boy’. In another example,
‘While crossing the road, I was knocked down by a car,’ the key words are ‘I’,
‘knocked’ and ‘car’.

Course Notes
DRILL 4.1.2 Find out the key words from the following sentences.
(In the brackets are number of key words.)
1. That beautiful rose is red. (2)
2. The ship has just launched a missile. (3)
3. The tall boy loved the pretty girl. (3)
4. That fat man, who is the manager of this company, treats his subordinates poorly. (3)
5. That was terrible. (1)
6. You lied. (2)
7. Give the poor more money. (2)
8. The weather tomorrow will be fine and sunny. (3)
9. Get out. (1)
10. When I was a boy, I used to swim alone. (3)
4.1.3 Structure and Planning
The direct approach follows a ‘tight organization’ because the writer wants to follow a
well-defined and objective structure of the essay. His main purpose is to give objective
arrangements of knowledge. The key sentence always comes first so that the readers
know the topic at the beginning. Then the writer further illustrates the topic with details
in a logical sequence.
The indirect approach follows a ‘loose organization’. Note, though, that we don’t mean
‘formless’. In fact, this approach follows a particular path. The main purpose of using
this approach is to let the readers understand the mind of the writer. It concentrates on
the writer’s experience, how he thinks and feels.
In practice, we often use the direct approach. Beginners should try their best to
familiarize themselves with the direct approach. Before you write, planning becomes
very important. The first thing you should do for your planning is to decide how much
you would write, i.e. how detailed the essay will be. The second thing is that you have
to make up your mind which approach you would use, or a mixture of the two
approaches.
The First Rule: Decide how much you write.

The Second Rule: Decide the direct or the indirect approach.

Course Notes
4.1.4 Relevance and Order
You will always be given a specific topic to write, by your teachers, examiners or boss.
So, when you write, always remember that you should write the content relevant to what
you are asked to write.
The Third Rule: Write relevant material only.
When you bear the three rules in mind when you write, you can still meet some more
problems. One of these is that you don’t know how to present the ideas in order.
There are many kinds of order you can use. You may write the points in the order of
time: how the things happen in the course of time. You may put the points in the order
of importance: the most important thing first, or vice versa. There is also the order of
place: from the outside to the inside (e.g. describing a physical object), from left to right
(e.g. describing a long object), or from top to bottom (e.g. a building, or the priority list
for promotion).Virtually, there are many kinds of order you can use. Use your
imagination and try to think out a way to describe something so that the readers can
follow your path easily.
The Fourth Rule: The ideas must be in a logical sequence.
4.1.5 Coherence
Things will mean differently in different situations. Keep the important things important,
and vice versa. Don’t talk too little on important ideas, and don’t talk too much on
unimportant points.
The Fifth Rule: The essay must be coherent.
4.1.6 Ideas, Editing, Writing, Correction
Those are the five rules in writing. Always bear in mind that your writing must be well
organized so that your readers can understand it easily. In this way, your writing will
become effective.
However, what are the steps of writing an essay?
The steps are: (1) ideas, (2) editing, (3) writing, and (4) correction.
For more ideas, you should firstly think real hard to gather all the relevant ideas and
main points. Don’t bother about whether the points that come to your mind are really
relevant or helpful. Just put all those main points on paper, in very brief notes of course.
At this stage, you don’t have to think about coherence and flow. You needn't think of
the development techniques. Just jot down the ideas on your mind, the more ideas the
better.
The next step is ‘editing’. This is the time for you to think of relevance, order and
coherence. If any of the points are not relevant, cross it out in the notes. Then, look at all

Course Notes
the points. Think of an order that is suitable for the points. Put a number beside each
main point.
After a careful editing, you can then write the essay in full. During the ‘writing’
process, always remind yourself of the rule: coherence. There must be a right proportion
for various main ideas. Don’t make mistakes in grammar and usage. Try to use words in
correct collocation. Use simple English when it is adequate, and use difficult words only
when the situation requires so.
The final step is ‘correction’. After you have written the entire essay, revise the
approach you use, make a rough estimation of whether your essay is of the right length,
amend any wrong order, correct any mistakes in grammar or usage, check the spelling,
use the right punctuation and use the correct collocation.
The following is an illustration of the steps.

Try your best to make it a habit of your own whenever you write.
Suppose that the title is: ‘The Education System in Hong Kong’. You are required to
write about 400 words. The first step is ‘ideas’. So, just jot down everything that comes
to your mind as follows:
 kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools, universities, courses

provided by Vocational Council,
 Chinese used as medium in primary school
 English used as medium in secondary school
 not very many people can get to universities, they have to study associate degree
courses or vocational high diploma courses
 6 years in primary school, 6 years in secondary school, 4 years at university
 traditional education taught in these institutes
 limited subjects
 not many extra-curriculum activities, sports, interest groups
 Education Bureau plays a very important role
 school premises are usually limited and small
 teachers are always new teachers
 very limited communication among teachers and students
 the main purpose is to pass the examinations to secure good occupation
 rigid teaching programs
 no allowance given to less able students

Course Notes
 education system does not cater for actual needs of Hong Kong
 students feel great pressure in learning
 dropouts are very frequent, especially in low banding schools
 mental health of students not taken care of
 attention mainly on knowledge
 cannot find suitable jobs after graduation
 knowledge learnt from university may not be used in
If you find that you don’t usually have ideas at hand, you should read as much as
possible at your leisure time, no matter what those things are. Reading widely enables
you to acquire hard facts. You cannot invent facts. If you don’t know anything about
education, you can’t write anything on that!
Let’s come back to the notes. Of course, they seem a mess. They do not convey any
central idea. They may be relevant points or they may not be. So, the next step we
should do to edit them.
How can we put these notes in a logical order? Are there any irrelevant points? How
long should I write on the title of the essay? ...etc. The main thing in editing is to decide
on a theme on the title. Suitable themes for the title may be:
1. The different structures and their functions in the education system in Hong
Kong.
2. That the education system of Hong Kong is so ineffective that actions should
be taken to improve it.
3. The role of the students and teachers in school under the education system in
Hong Kong.
4. The role of the government as far as the education system in Hong Kong is
concerned.
5. The students are under great pressure so that their performance is not good.
6. That examination system is the core of the education system of Hong Kong.
You may think of many other themes suitable for the title. A theme is the path of
thoughts related to the content of the title so that the readers of the essay will understand
the topic more.
Let’s look at the notes and the themes side by side. We may discover that most of them
tell more about the theme No.1: The different structures and their functions in the
education system in Hong Kong. Although the other themes are all good themes, I have
not much information on the other themes. So, we should write on theme No.1.

Course Notes
During the steps of ‘ideas’ and ‘editing’, we may think of more ideas for our chosen
theme. Or, we may think of a greater number of main points for other themes while we
are concentrating on the chosen theme. If we find that we have sufficient points to write
on the chosen theme, we go on doing the main thing of editing.
Turning to the main activities of editing, we should choose a particular logical sequence
of the main points in the essay by numbering the main points to suit the theme for the
title.
1. kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools, universities, courses provided

by Vocational Council,
2. Chinese used as medium in primary school
3. English used as medium in secondary school
not very many people can get to universities, they have to study associate degree
courses or vocational high diploma courses
4. six years in primary school, 6 years in secondary school, 4 years at university
5. traditional education taught in these institutes
6. limited subjects
7. not many extra-curriculum activities, sports, interest groups
Education Bureau plays a very important role
school premises are usually limited and small
teachers are always new teachers
very limited communication among teachers and students
8. the main purpose is to pass the examinations to secure good occupation
9. rigid teaching programs
10. no allowance given to less able students
11. education system does not cater for actual need of Hong Kong
students feel great pressure in learning
12. dropouts are very frequent, especially in low banding schools
13. mental health of students not taken care of
14. attention mainly on knowledge
15. cannot find suitable jobs after graduation

Course Notes
16. knowledge learnt from university may not be used in young people’s careers
We should strike off some of the points because they are not relevant, or they cannot fit
in the theme chosen. This is very important because irrelevant details in an essay do not
score marks. The numbers given are the sequence in which the points will be written in
the essay. They follow the logical sequence for the main theme. During this process of
numbering, we may think of other main points, and should put them down and number
them accordingly. This process of editing will go on until we think we have sufficient
materials for the essay.
You may ask:
‘During public examination, should I take time to do that? That will be wasting my
precious time!’
The answer is: YES! Only through a good plan can you write a well-organized essay.
Without the theme and the logical order, your essay is nothing but a mess of points. In a
public examination of English Language, an essay scoring high marks is correct,
organized and relevant.
If you don’t want to jot down the main points coming to your mind first, you may think
of the theme first, and then the main points for the theme.
DRILL 4.1.6
Do the following practice.
1. Choose one of the following titles.
A. The Trip to Thailand with my friend.
B. The Company I am Working in.
C. Should we study abroad?
D. How to Drive a Car.
2. Write about 30 ideas that come to your mind concerning the title.
3. Decide a suitable theme for the title.
4. Strike out any irrelevant ideas.
5. Number the ideas in sequence (bearing in mind the theme you choose).
6. Add other ideas while you are doing the editing.
There will be no suggested answer to this drill.

But this drill is part of the writing assignment for this unit.
In order that the step 1and step 2 become your habit, you should try to practice these
two steps in your spare time or while you are travelling in the MTR. Choose anything

Course Notes
you can think of as the title. Keep practising until you can easily write down many ideas
and can edit them in the context of a theme.
4.2 Development
There are several ways in which your ideas are well presented, so that your readers can
understand your essay better.
4.2.1 Process and Linkage
Everything is in a process. It may be the process of time, or a process of sequence. For

example:
When I woke up yesterday morning, I felt a pain in my head. I went to

work. Mary, my secretary, overlooked an urgent letter. I was very angry.
I shouted at her. My boss scolded me. Mary left the office without my
permission. I was very unhappy.
So, you can see that the paragraph is loosely linked. The ideas do not flow naturally and
many things seem to be missing among the events. It is then better to write the essay as
follows:
When I woke up yesterday morning, I felt a pain in my head. I did not

want to get up but when I remembered that there was an urgent letter for
my boss. I went to the office after a brief breakfast. As soon as I arrived
at the office, I found that my secretary, Mary, overlooked the letter,
watching her i-phone at the desk. I was so angry that I shouted at her.
She became very upset and left the office without my permission. The
matter got worse; my boss scolded me because I could not give him the
letter. What a terrible day!
So, this paragraph is more fluent and the ideas flow more naturally. The process is clear
and the readers can understand the essay easily. Pay attention to the linkage between
any two of the sentences.
4.2.2 Comparison and Contrast
In many situations, we may come across two things at the same time. They may be
different or similar. In order to bring out their similarity or differences, we can use
comparison or contrast, and this technique will be discussed when we come to
argumentative essays, for example, What are the advantages and disadvantages of elite
education?
4.2.3 Analogy
When we want to talk about something conceptual like psychology, philosophy, love,
bravery, courage, sin, etc., we actually cannot express ourselves very clearly. We often
find that what slips into our mind may not be expressed.

Course Notes
One of the ways to deal with this situation is to use analogies or examples. It is not hard
to understand that lovers describe themselves as the sun and the moon, the hills and the
wind, the sea and the sand, etc. These are analogies. These are vivid examples in daily
life. They are used in an attempt to convey something conceptual which is hard to
understand.
When we use analogies, make sure that they can be easily understood and the readers
know very well about the example. For instance, a teacher in Mathematics may fail to
teach their students about Probability when he finds that his students do not understand
the analogy of horse racing.
4.2.4 Cause and Effect
You may often use words such as ‘because’, ‘therefore’, ‘so’, ‘so that’. But when you
use them, ask yourself whether the two things you are talking about have the
relationship of ‘cause and effect’. For example: I woke up, so I went to the office. In
this sentences, we should use ‘and then’ instead of ‘so’, because ‘I woke up’ is not the
cause of ‘I went to the office’.
This technique is very important when we write argumentative essays.
4.2.5 Definition
When you want to argue something, for example ‘Law is fair’, you have to define the
meaning of the words ‘law’ and ‘fair’ first. If the writer and the reader have different
interpretations of these two words, the argument is a failure. These two persons are just
arguing about different things.
So, make it a habit of your own when you argue. Try a little test. In the coming week,
whenever you want to argue with someone, ask yourself whether the words of the
subject matter are well defined, and whether the other person agree on the definitions. In
this way, your statements in the argument are clear and unambiguous.
4.3 Words, Words, Words
In this section, there is more about words: American English, troublesome words, and
parallelism. They can help your writing better and more effective.
4.3.1 American English
The following list is not a comprehensive one; however, these terms may give rise to
misunderstanding when either the writer or the readers do not know the difference.
Know your readers, and use the right words.
English American
aeroplane airplane
aircraft airplane
aluminium aluminum
autumn fall
banknote bill
behaviour behavior
bill check

Course Notes
biscuit cracker
book a room make a reservation
catalogue catalog
English American
centre center
cheque check
child kid
chips French Fries
Christian name first name
city centre downtown
coach bus
colour color
cupboard closet
curtains drapes
cyder cider
disc disk
endeavour endeavor
enquire inquire
favour favor
fibre fiber
first floor second floor
flat apartment
flavour flavor
fulfil fulfill
ground floor first floor
guarantee guaranty
half-a-dozen a half-dozen
half-an-hour a half-hour
holiday vacation
honour honor
humour humor
injection shot
instalment installment
jewellery jewelry
judgement judgment
kilogramme kilogram
kilometre kilometer
label tag
labelled labeled
labour labor
lift elevator
litre liter
lorry truck
luggage baggage
magistrate judge
May to September May through September
milligramme milligram
neighbour neighbor
nett net
overcoat top-coat

Course Notes
pavement sidewalk
petrol gas(oline)
porter bellboy, bellman
post mail
potato crisps chips
programme program
pubs saloons
put through (phone call) connect (phone call)
pyjamas pajamas
railway station train station
return (ticket) two way, round trip (ticket)
shop assistant salesgirl
shop store
shorthand typist stenographer
single (ticket) one way (ticket)
skilful skillful
solicitor attorney
sweets candy
syren siren
terminus terminal
theatre theater
time table schedule
tin can
trousers pants
tyre tire
underground subway
very good great
vest undershirt
waistcoat vest
woollen/ woolly woolen/ wooly
4.3.2 Troublesome Words
Apart from those in the previous unit, you should learn more about some of the
troublesome words with which people often make mistakes. Try to memorize them if
you think they are not familiar to you. Very often you will come across them in your
study, your work, your writing and in examinations.
1. advice/ advise
‘advice’ is a noun, while ‘advise’ is a verb.
He advises me to go home but I do not take his advice.
2. among/ between
‘between’ is used for two things or persons, while ‘among’ is used for more than two.
The money is divided between Tom and John. The money is divided among the
three boys.

Course Notes
3. bad/ worse/ worsen
‘bad’ is an adjective.
‘worse’ is the comparative form of bad, and there is no word such as ‘badder’ or ‘more
bad.
‘worsen’ is a verb, meaning to make something more difficult.
The boy is bad.
John is worse than Tom.
The situation worsens when the dollar falls.
4. beat/ win
When Mr A beats Mr B, it means Mr A wins the match and Mr B fails. We may also say
Team A beats Team B. Team A wins the match or the competition.
Argentina beat France in the World Cup. Argentina won the final match.
5. beside/ besides
‘besides’ means near, or by the side of; ‘besides’ means there is something else to say.
A man stands beside the pretty girl.
A man is standing near the door. Besides, he is singing happily.
6. can’t help/ help/ assist
When we say ‘Tom can’t help laughing’, we mean that Tom cannot stop laughing
because someone plays a joke.
‘help’ and ‘assist’ are similar in meaning but ‘assist’ is more formal.
When I see his funny face, I can’t help laughing loudly.
Please help me do the assignment.
The manager assists the director in preparing the speech.
7. excited/ exciting
‘excited’ describes the feeling of a person while ‘exciting’ means someone/ something
can make other people feel good.
Money is exciting, so everyone is excited.

Course Notes
8. interested/ interesting
They are similar to ‘excited’/ ‘exciting’ in usage.
I am interested in money because money is a very interesting thing to me.
9. have done something/ have something done
‘I have completed the project’ means I do it myself and now the project is completed.
‘I have the project completed’ means that the project is completed by someone else.
I have written the letter.
I have the letter written (by my secretary).
10. hope/ wish/ look forward to
When you think that something may happen, use ‘hope’; when that thing is unlikely to
happen, use ‘wish’; ‘look forward to’ is used when something will happen sooner or
later. Pay attention to the verb form.
I hope I can go to Italy to see the World Cup. I wish I could fly.
I look forward to seeing you next month.
11. its/ it’s
This pair is simple because ‘its’ is an adjective; while ‘it's’ stands for ‘it is/ has/ was’.
The cat loves its kittens.
It's fine today and we are going shopping.
12. less/ fewer
These two words have the same meaning: ‘less’ is used for uncountable nouns such as
money, water, courage, etc.; ‘fewer’' is used for countable nouns such as boys,
managers, coins, conferences, etc.
Tom has less money than John.
There are fewer boys than girls in this hall.
13. passed/ past
These two words seem to be similar but they are different parts of speech: ‘passed’ is a
verb; ‘past’ can be an adjective or an adverb.
I passed the examination.

During the past few weeks, I had been busy.
I walked past the Cultural Centre.

Course Notes
14. some time/ sometime/ sometimes
‘some time’ means a period of time.
‘sometime’ means a time in future or in the past.
‘sometimes’ means occasionally.
I need some time to think carefully.
I will be a writer sometime in future.
Sometimes I go to the City Hall.
15. through/ though/ although/ thought/ thorough
These words are very often confused. First of all, try to see the differences in spelling.
They are in fact different words!
‘through’ is a preposition.
‘though’ and ‘although’ are similar because they mean ‘despite’ (the word ‘but’ must
not be used with either of them).
‘thought’ is the past tense of ‘'think’; or it can be used as a noun meaning idea.
‘thorough’ is an adjective meaning ‘complete’.
I look through the telescope.
Though/ Although I am rich, I am unhappy.
I thought that I could win the match.
The police carried out a thorough search of the house.
16. rob/ steal
‘rob’ takes an object of the person or place where things are being taken away.
‘steal’ is used for those things being taken away.
The thieves robbed the bank.
The thieves stole $1m from the bank. (Note: $1m = one million dollars)
17. welcome/ welcomed
When students learn the passive voice, they may write ‘All people are welcomed’ which
is wrong. The correct sentence should be ‘All people are welcome’. ‘Welcome’ is an
adjective here meaning you welcome all the people. ‘Welcomed’ is used when you
want to say that the host receives you personally.

Course Notes
Boys are welcome to the lecture.
The governor is welcomed by the inspector.
18. open/ opened
This pair is similar to the last pair in usage. ‘open’ is an adjective meaning the people
can use a particular place; while ‘opened’ is used to describe that something is
physically put apart such as a door or a mouth.
City Hall is open to the public.
The door is opened by the waiter.
Take sufficient time to memorize the different usage of the

words/ phrases in this section.
DRILL 4.3.2
Choose the correct word.
1. Please give me some (advice, advise).
2. Please (advice, advise) me on this matter.
3. The secret is (between, among) you and me.
4. The weather is getting (bad, worse, worsen).
5. If you do that you will (worse, worsen) the situation.
6. Can you think Brazil will (beat, win) the World Cup?
7. (Beside, Besides) poverty, I have nothing.
8. When I know I have a pay rise, I (help, can’t help) screaming.
9. I find that the assignment is (excited, exciting).
10. Do you think you are (interesting, interested) in me?
11. I have (cut my hair, my hair cut) in the saloon.
12. I (wish, hope) you were dead.
13. I saw it, (its, it's) terrible.
14. Your salary is (less, fewer) than mine.
15. The tunnel runs (pass, past) the mountain range.
16. (Some time, Sometime) in the past, I liked her.

Course Notes
17. My investigation is (though, thorough).
18. (Though, Through) it is difficult, I shall try.
19. Last night, a boy (robbed, stole) me.
20. The swimming pool is (open, opened) from 9 to 5.
4.3.3 Parallelism and Dangling modifier
Some parts of a sentence must be parallel so that the sentence is easy to read. For
example, it is better to write: ‘The boss fired Mary because she was lazy and
inefficient.’ than ‘The boss fired Mary because she was lazy and she did not do her
work efficiently.’
When we use connective words such as ‘and’, ‘as well as’, ‘not only ... but also...’,
‘than...’, we should be careful of the parts of the sentence on either side of the word we
use. For example:
He has a red handkerchief, a blue shirt, and his car is black.
should be rewritten as
He has a red handkerchief, a blue shirt, and a black car.
The plan not only is good but also people like it.
The plan is not only good but also being liked by the people.
The salary of this company is higher than the other company.
The salary of this company is higher than that of the other company.
Another area of difficulty is the ‘dangling modifier’. You don’t have to remember this
name, but you have to remember their correct usage. For example:
You may not notice that the sentence ‘While crossing the street, the car knocked down
the boy.’ is wrong. Maybe you often write sentences like that. However, ask yourself
two questions: Who was crossing the street? What knocked down the boy? Can you see
the reason behind it? If you still can’t, let me write the sentence in its ‘clause’ form.
It should be rewritten as ‘While the boy was crossing the street, the car knocked him
down.’ But if the first clause becomes a phrase, remember that the ‘subject’ of this
phrase (the subject does not appear of course) and the subject of the main clause is the
same subject. So, the sentences below are correct:
While crossing the street, the boy was knocked down by the car.
(= The boy crossed the street and he was knocked down)

Course Notes
While speeding along the street the car knocked down the boy.
(= The car sped along the street and it knocked down the boy)
DRILL 4.3.3
Choose the correct answers.
1. The article is short, informative, and it is easy.
2. You should bring the things as follows:
i) a pair of shoes
ii) two gloves
iii) a comb
iv) you think of anything.
3. He can tell the difference between a young rooster and when the hen is old.
4. John worked in the daytime and he was happy listening to his records in the
evening.
5. Helen prefers an honest idiot to his talent.
6. When she was praised, she smiles; when she was scolded, she was unhappy.
7. He came home, turned on the HiFi, and was enjoying the music.
8. Seeing what happens, the house is empty because Tom has left.
9. Without examining the schedule, the report was given to the boss.
10. In order to teach a boy, he must be willing to learn.
Take sufficient time to memorize the different usage of the

words/ phrases in this unit

DRILL 4.1
1. F - a simple action
2. F - a simple addition
3. M - health is a complicated subject
4. M - we need to define ‘survive’ and ‘money’
5. M - this is a question often asked when a person cannot solve his problems
6. F - simple instruction on the use of the buttons

Course Notes
7. M - a complicated technical problem

8. M - a complicated society problem
9. M - another social problem
10. M - a philosophical problem
DRILL 4.1.1
1. Direct
2. Direct
3. Direct
4. Indirect
5. Direct
6. Indirect
7. Direct
8. Direct
9. Indirect
10. Direct
11. Direct
12. Direct
13. Direct (Indirect approach becoming popular)
14. Direct
15. Direct
DRILL 4.1.2
1. rose, red
2. ship, launched, missile
3. boy, loved, girl
4. man, treats, subordinates
5. terrible
6. you, lied
7. give, money
8. weather, fine, sunny
9. out
10. boy, I, swim

Course Notes
DRILL 4.3.2
1. advice
2. advise
3. between
4. worse
5. worsen
6. win
7. Besides
8. can’t help
9. exciting
10. interested
11. my hair cut
12. wish
13. it's
14. less
15. past
16. Sometime
17. thorough
18. Though
19. robbed
20. open
DRILL 4.3.3
1. easy to read
2. anything you can think of
3. an old hen
4. listened to his records (enjoyed listening to his records)
5. a talented liar
6. sulked
7. enjoyed
8. Tom left the house, leaving it empty
9. he gave the report to his boss
10. the teacher must make sure the boy is willing to learn

Course Notes
Summary of Unit 4
1. There are five rules to remember for you to write paragraphs effectively:
i) Decide how much you write;
ii) Decide the direct or the indirect approach;
iii) Write relevant material only;
iv) The ideas must be in a logical sequence;
v) The essay must be coherent.
2. There are four steps for you to write an effective essay:
i) Brain-storming ideas
ii) Editing
iii) Writing
iv) Correcting
3. There are five ways for you to develop your ideas in an essay:
i) Process and Linkage
ii) Comparison and Contrast
iii) Cause and Effect
iv) Analogy
v) Definition
End of Unit 4

Course Notes
Unit 5 Ideas
One question for learning objectives:

What should you do to have more ideas for your writing?
(Think about this yourself before going through the content of this unit for the answer.
A brief answer is given by the summary at the end of this unit)
5.1 Ideas! Ideas!
This unit tries to give you some practical help to develop a good habit of thinking. You
will understand more on senses, feelings, thoughts, observation and imagination.
Your way of thinking has a very great influence on your way of writing. At the same
time, your way of writing will shape your way of thinking. In other words, thinking and
writing are closely related to each other.
Logic plays a very important part in your thinking or writing, or virtually in all kinds of
activities you are involved. Logical thinking is discussed so that your writing will be
logical. Bad logic makes your argument meaningless. With illogical reasoning you will
fail to convince your readers.
5.1.1 Getting and Expressing Ideas
When a student tries to write, he often has a few difficulties.
He may not know the facts. For example, he does not know what to write about nuclear
fusion because he knows nothing about the subject.
He may not know the correct grammar or usage. For example, he does not know the
difference among simple sentences, compound sentences and complex sentences, so he
writes one paragraph with more than 100 words, using commas where he should use full
stops.
He may not know how to express his ideas because he has not read anything about the
way to express such kind of thoughts or feelings. For example, he does not know how to
write about how happy he is when he wins a prize of $10 million.
Now, assuming that this student knows the facts, knows the right grammar and usage,
and can express the thoughts, he can still fail because he uses a wrong piece of logic. So,
when we come to the topic of logic, make sure that you understand it. Use it
intelligently and make it a habit of your own to apply correct logical reasoning to your
speaking and writing.

Course Notes
DRILL 5.1.1 During these two weeks, write down ten sentences. These ten
sentences must be that you did not know how to express them in the past, i.e. you
didn't know how to write those sentences in English although you could express
them in Chinese! You may look for them in newspapers, on the radio, or from
any source you can think of But I want to suggest that you can look for those
sentences in some books or magazines which is bilingual, i.e. the publication is
in Chinese and English because you can understand the expressions both in
English and Chinese.
(The best source is a good dictionary, of course!)
5.1.2 Quiz
In this section, you have to play a game. It is not important to understand how the game
works, but you have to try your very best in the game. You need help from your friends
or colleagues. Just tell them that you are testing their ability to ‘guess’ or to solve a
‘quiz’.
This game is in fact trying to test your ability to express, as well as your power of
‘association’. Association is a psychological term. It means thinking of a series of things
or events in a chain. For example, when you see a beautiful girl, you may think of dating
that girl; and you may also think of some good reasons to tell her she is pretty.
Now, choose a thing, a person, an occupation or anything. It may be a cat, your ugly
boss, a pilot or ghosts. I recommend that you to start to choose something that can be
seen and touched. It will be rather difficult for you at this stage to choose abstract things
such as loyalty, wisdom, virtues, evil.
Write 10 to 15 sentences about that thing. You are not allowed to mention its name. For
example, if you choose ‘Fuji Mountain’, you cannot use ‘Fuji Mountain’ or words with
similar meaning. Also, you are not allowed to relate to some past event that your friend
is well aware of. If your friend had been to Japan last June, you cannot say that ‘the
biggest mountain you saw last June’.
When you write the sentences, you should try to think of that particular thing. Use your
imagination to see (in your mind) what are closely related to it. Try to write expressions
that can give vivid impressions on your friend's mind. Make those sentences easy to
understand and visualize. Try to give as much information as you can in those sentences.
Remember, the game is designed for you, not for your friend. If your friend can guess
the thing right, you succeed. If he cannot think out the correct answer, try to improve
your sentences until you succeed.
This game can be repeated as many times as you like, because you can improve your
ability to associate things, and to improve the way you express your thoughts. Don’t
throw away the sentences. This game is part of the writing assignment of this unit.
DRILL 5.1.2 Choose one game that your friend is able to guess the
answer correctly. Write down those sentences for the writing assignment.

Course Notes
5.2 Idea Generation
Did you think that you didn’t have ideas when you wanted to write? Does your mind go
blank when you are asked by your teacher to introduce yourself in class? Have you ever
been tongue-tied when you are asked about something in an interview? Were you so
frightened that you could not speak a word when you were asked to give a short speech
in front of a group of people?
However, have you ever been in a hot argument with a member of your family? Did you
scold someone who had done something very bad to you? What did you say in these two
kinds of situations? Did you have any ideas to express? Were you tongue-tied?
You could not speak a word in one situation, while you simply couldn’t stop talking in
another. So, why is there a difference?
The important thing here is self-confidence. This is a fairly complicated subject which
is beyond the scope of this course. However, I would recommend that you to read some
good books on it. In the following sections, I am going to give you some practical
advice to get useful ideas and information in your daily life.
5.2.1 Discussion
One of the easy ways to get useful information and ideas is through discussion. When
you talk with somebody, try to listen hard. If you can listen attentively without
expressing your own ideas too soon, you can see how other people think and how they
can approach a subject from different angles.
In your daily communication, try to ask ‘why’. Ask your friends why they think so and
so. Try your best to let them tell you what they know about the topic, how they think of
it, and why they don’t think otherwise.
However, don’t try to force your friend to accept your way of thinking. If he does not
accept your idea, don’t jump to the conclusion that your friend is stubborn. Think in this
way: Can I use any other good method so that my friend can understand the whole
matter? Can I express it more clearly? Did I assume that my friend knew what I knew?
In this way, you can get useful ideas from your friends and you can also improve your
way to express yourself effectively.
5.2.2 Observation and Reading
Apart from discussion, you can adopt observation and reading.
According to the scientists, 40% of the information in our mind comes from the outside
world through our eyes. That means, our eyes are the most useful ‘input device’.
Without our eyes, we have great difficulties to get information.
So, why don’t you use your eyes to their fullest extent? Why can’t you see anything
while you are looking? Why don’t you ask ‘why’ when you see something you don’t
understand? Why don’t you dig out much more information from things you see as
‘ordinary’? When you get cash from an automatic teller machine, why don’t you ask
how these machines work? Why don’t you ask how you can get the correct sum of

Course Notes
money when the machine malfunctions? Why don’t you try to find out how others feel?
Why are the people so busy? Why am I alive? How can I live the day fully?
You can use the 5‘W’ and 1‘H’: What, Where, When, Why, Who, and How. They can
help you ask many useful questions, thus you can get many useful answers and ideas.
There is of course a problem of depth in the questions. Start asking ‘why’ about things
that are concrete, things that can be seen and touched, and things that are happening all
the time every day but that are so ‘obvious’.
You need concentration in your observation. If you can concentrate enough, you can
understand that you really know very little about things in the world, especially yourself!
Reading is another useful source to get ideas. You can get others’ ideas from their
writing and publications.
DRILL 5.2.2 Choose an ordinary object such as an apple. Concentrate and

observe it closely. Write down sentences on ten things you can see about the
object. Among these ten things, underline one of them and explain why it is
so. An example is given to help you.
EXAMPLE TO DRILL 5.2.2
Object: my telephone set. The ten things:
1. Its colour is ivory.
2. It is a little bit larger than my dictionary.
3. It is shiny but some dust is on its curved surface.
4. It seems like a cat sleeping calmly in the shade of the sun.
5. It is silent but I badly want it to ring because I am waiting for my girlfriend to call.
6. There are more than 7 buttons on it and I do not know exactly how they work.
7. If it rings and I am outside, what would my girlfriend think?
8. Can it be a wireless telephone?
9. Is it possible for me to check whether it is functioning well?
10. If it is not existing, can I survive without it?
Reason for No.6: I bought the telephone just a day ago, and I do not understand the
operation manual as it is written in French!
5.2.3 Concentration and Imagination
From the last drill, you know that concentration and imagination are important in your
thinking process.

Course Notes
If you don’t always concentrate on things you don’t like, force yourself to concentrate.
When it becomes a habit, you will find it easier to concentrate. Someone may ask: ‘How
can I concentrate?’ The simple rule is to think of that particular thing only, and nothing
else. Here is a drill for improving your habit of concentration.
DRILL 5.2.3 (A) Close your eyes and think of a drop of water hanging in the
air. Concentrate, and try your best to visualize that drop of water in your mind.
Try to think of nothing else. Try your best to think of the drop only. When you
find that you are asking ‘why there is a drop of water’, tell yourself to stop
thinking about the question, just think of that drop only. Pay no attention to the
sounds around you. The drill should last for at least five minutes. I must tell you
that the drill is very simple but very hard!
Practise this drill when you have spare time. Try it when you are travelling in a
bus or MTR. Try it before you fall asleep. If you can, try to practise it once
daily.
Now, we come to imagination. By imagination, we try to think or feel the things that do
not actually exist, or the things are not at hand. Through imagination, we can generate
many ideas. Writers use it to finish their novels.
When you want to use your imagination, try to ask these questions, or similar ones:
1. What can I see if that thing is in front of me?
2. What sounds can I hear?
3. Does it give out smell?
4. If I eat some of it, how may I feel and what taste it will be?
5. Does the object have intelligence like our own?
6. Can it feel the way we feel?
7. Can it speak our language or other languages in the world?
8. If I can touch it, what texture can I feel?
9. Does it have any colour, pattern or movement?
10. Is there any connection with other things in this world, or with things that do not
exist?
11. Does it have imagination like ours?
12. Has it any feelings such as likes or dislikes?
13. What can I do with it, or without it?
14. What does it want to do with me?

Course Notes
By asking similar questions, you will have no difficulties in creating new ideas. Read
more novels and you will improve your imagination.
DRILL 5.2.3 (B) Imagine that you are a house.

Write ten sentences about yourself.
5.2.3 Association and Brainstorming
Association and brainstorming are two closely-related methods in generating creative

ideas. These two methods are often used by people working in the marketing field.
When they want to design a new advertisement, they use these methods to create new
images and new points of view.
There is one common belief in using these methods: quantity will breed quality. It is
assumed that when you can think of a lot of ideas, some of these ideas must be good
ones.
In association, simply think out things that are related to a particular thing. If we are
going to generate new ideas about ‘cold drinks’, we simply concentrate on the
‘attributes’ of ‘cold drinks’. We try very hard to think out things that are associated with
‘cold drinks’. Use the 5W and lH in the thinking process. Sooner or later, there will be a
lot of things you can think of.
Brainstorming is a similar method. The difference is that the ideas may not be related to
the topic. Whenever you can think of something, write it down. Don’t ask anything
about the relevance or the relationship. Just jot down everything in your mind.
After you have written down quite a number of ideas, look at the ideas again. Find out
whether some of these ideas are relevant or useful for the purpose in mind. Use
association to think of other useful points. Finally, discard those things that you think
are not relevant.
5.2.4 What-if and Memory Search
‘What-if’ is a special kind of method that can generate wonderful ideas. It helps to
generate ideas that no one has thought of before.
The method is to try to think out ideas when things are very different. If you want to
write about a spaceship, for example, start to think out ideas by asking yourself
questions like these: What if the spaceship is not in space, but inside a big mountain?
What if the spaceship is something that looks like a cow? What if the spaceship is flying
very slowly? What if the ‘people’ inside the spaceship is transparent? What if the
spaceship sounds like the miaow of a cat? What if the spaceship is so small that even
our microscope cannot help us to see it?... etc. You may think that this method is absurd.
But, some writers of popular novels often use this method to create works that are
wonderful.
The last method is the memory search. This method is most useful when you want to
write narrative or descriptive essays. The method is simple. You just simply concentrate
on thinking of past events. Try very hard to visualize the event as if you were once again

Course Notes
in the incident. Try to see, to touch, to feel, to listen, to feel, to smell the things in the
incident. As this method is so useful, writers often travel a lot, see a lot, taste a lot,
experience a lot. In this way, they can have an information bank for their memory
search when they write.
DRILL 5.2.4 Try to remember a picnic during your primary schooldays.

Try to imagine you are now in the picnic. Write down the details of the
picnic, things you saw, heard, touched, felt and thought. Were you happy or
not, and why? Why could you remember all those things?
5.2.5 Conclusion
In order to be proficient in generating new ideas for your writing, you must practise
using the methods until the way of thinking becomes your second nature. Memory
search is the most suitable method for you to write stories, or to find new ways to solve
a problem at hand.
For argumentative or expository essays, you can get the relevant information from
sources such as newspapers, magazines, textbooks, journals or even manuals.
Discussion with other people can also be a valuable source for this kind of information.
Remember: You cannot invent facts. You must learn the facts from reliable sources. So,
it is a must for you to read widely in order to equip yourself with sufficient information
and facts to write essays such as ‘Should Every Citizen Know the Law?’.
For descriptive essays, you must have the power of keen observation. Apart from
observation, you can use your imagination. Use the 5W and lH intelligently so that you
can dig out ideas about something which you are not particularly familiar with.
Use your spare time to practise using the methods mentioned in this unit. Practising
thinking in this positive way not only will make you form a good habit in thinking, but
also will encourage you to seek more knowledge about things around you. Writing will
then become a sharing with other people of what you know and understand. If you
prepare to sit for examinations, writing will be your good servant to achieve your goal.
MEMORIZE all the techniques taught in this unit and try to

practise them whenever you have spare time. Choose any
ordinary object to start with. Write the ideas down on paper
and review them from time to time.
5.3 Logical Thinking and Fallacy
5.3.1 Logical Thinking/ Writing
The first simple logical sequence you can use in your writing is the time sequence.
When incidents happen, they happen along a time scale. Something must happen before
some other things, and so forth. When you write stories or narratives, you can use this
logical sequence.

Course Notes
The other useful kinds of logical sequences are: important to less important, cause and
effect, outside to inside, left to right, top to bottom, advantages to disadvantages, pros
and cons (for and against).
Try to adopt a logical sequence that is appropriate to your situation or topic. When you
want to write about ‘Education system in Hong Kong’, you may use the importance to
less important sequence. That is, you write the important things first, and then the less
important things. If you are asked to write about ‘The Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha
Tsui’, you may use outside to inside, left to right, or centre to circumference sequence.
So, when you use a logical sequence to write, the readers can follow you more easily,
and thus, the readers can understand you. They can see or imagine the things more
clearly.
5.3.2 Fallacy
Fallacy means faulty reasoning. Some people may think that an idea is right, but in fact
it is not correct because of some kind of incorrect logic behind that idea. This is fallacy.
For example, the sentence ‘All Chinese are mean’ is a fallacy because you can certainly
find some Chinese who are not mean! Logical reasoning is very important in
argumentative or persuasive essays, so this will be further discussed in Unit 9 —
Argumentative essays
(There are no suggested answers in this unit)
Summary of Unit 5
To have more ideas in your writing, you should:
1. Know and practice different ways of generating ideas;
2. Read and think more for more ideas;
3. Try to think logically.
End of Unit 5

Course Notes
Unit 6 Narrative Essays

What should you do so as to write a successful narrative writing?
A brief answer is given by the summary at the end of this unit.)
6.1 Essentials of Narrative Essays
Narrative essays are like stories. Events happen one after the other. We write them for
two purposes: (1) to let the readers know the events, and (2) to tell the readers how we
think about these events.
In order to let the readers know the events, we must know the sequence of the events.
We use the time sequence as the structure of the essay. We link the events so that
readers can understand the relationship of the events. If we just tell our readers about
some events that happened in a chain, the narrative essay will not be good enough. We
must tell the ‘moral’ of the story. We have to tell our readers how we think about the
story. In this way, the readers ‘learn a lesson’.
6.1.1 The Help from the Above
Before you write a narrative essay or a story, you must be sure that you have the whole
story in your mind. Don’t try to drag along without sufficient details. Did you write
passages like the following?
Passage 1:
It was so horrible. The head of the ghost was black and the tongue was
hanging to the floor. Behind it, there was something I was not sure about.
The sounds were terrible and I nearly fainted. The ghost jumped up,
reaching the ceiling. It smiled slyly and stretched its ugly big arms. It
jumped.
It was falling onto me! ..... Alas! I was happy to know that it was just a
dream!
Passage 2:
It was real fun for us to spend the morning on the beach. The wind was
soft and the sun was not too hot. The sea was cutting along the long
white beach of sand. We enjoyed swimming. We enjoyed singing songs.
We told stories and we played a lot. .... Oh! The sky was becoming black.
Dark clouds were gathering.
It rained. What a pity it was! So, we packed and went home.

Course Notes
Passage 3:
The big men approached me. I went to the window and they were still
approaching. Their faces looked cunning with five long knives in their
hands! I stepped backwards and I could only climb through the window.
The room was 10-storey high! I could see people in the streets. They
looked like ants! What could I do?... Gee! Superman was just outside the
window! I was safe!
Can you see the similarity among the three passages? There is always some help from
the above so that the story can be finished! A dream. The rain. Superman!
A word of warning here: don’t imitate this kind of approach. This approach clearly
indicates that you cannot organize your essay well, and that you have to get help from
those ‘imaginary’ things.
Therefore, know your story well, organize it and write it to make it a convincing story.
6.1.2 Ideas, Editing, Writing, Correcting
The steps for writing a narrative, as introduced previously, are ideas, editing, writing,
correcting.
To generate ideas, always try the 5W and lH. Use association and brainstorming. If the
story is about something that you have experienced before, you should use the memory
search method. When you have no good ideas, try the What-if method.
In a narrative essay, the important parts are the characters and the plot. The characters
are usually human beings. The plot is the actions of the characters, things they say and
do. So, before you start a story, understand that you must create those characters first.
They may be similar people, or they may be totally different from one another. To bring
out a good story, the number of characters and their personalities are very important.
You need to concentrate very hard to create them, make them vivid. When these
characters are different people, they should speak and do things differently. In your
daily life, try to observe the people around you. Try to understand why they do so and
so. Try to memorize how they look, talk, smile, cry and think.
When the characters and the plot are ready, organize the story by deciding whether you
would tell the first things first, or the last thing first approach. You can start the story
with a straightforward sequence from the first thing to the next, then the next, etc. Or,
you may start by writing the last event, and then the events that precede it.
Decide where the climax is and how to write it. Decide how you would tell your readers
the ‘meaning’ of the essay. Use your own style to share your feelings towards the
‘meaning’ of the story. All these are done during the editing stage before actually
writing the essay.
After the essay is written, read it through and correct any mistakes in it. This step is very
important, especially in examinations. We often make mistakes during the process of
writing as we are concentrating on the plot of the story and the characters. So, during
‘correcting’, concentrate on grammar and usage. Present your essay nicely and neatly.

Course Notes
DRILL 6.1.2 (A)You are going to write the ideas for a given title. You don’t
have to write the story. Write as many ideas as possible. (If you have difficulties
in idea generation, go back to Unit 5 for practical advice.) Edit your ideas.
That’s all for the moment.
Title: A trip on the MTR (Mass Transit Railway)
Plot: This is the first time you take the MTR because you have been to USA for
twenty years. You come back to visit your uncle in Hong Kong. You live in the
Airport Hotel. Your uncle lives in Chai Wan. You have difficulties with the
MTR system.
Message to readers: Hong Kong has been developing very fast.
DRILL 6.1.2 (B)

Decide which of the following pair is better. Give reasons.
1. (a) It was on my table. It lay there silently as if the world was peaceful and calm. It
was red and it stood out from the things around it.
(b) The handkerchief my sister gave me was on my table. It had been there for
hours and it lay there silently as if the world was peaceful and calm. It was red and
it stood out from the things around it.
2. (a) My mother is a pretty woman. She always makes herself look stunning all the
time. Yesterday, she bought some expensive cosmetics from the department store.
(b) She is pretty. She always makes herself look stunning all the time. Yesterday,
she bought some expensive cosmetics from the department store.
3. (a) He got there. He stood still without doing anything. He looked inside the box
and there was something inside, but he was not sure what it was. He put his hand
into the box, and...
(b) There was nothing in the room except for a box on the floor. John stepped
inside and tried to do nothing. He found the box and saw nothing inside it. He put
his hand into the box, and...
6.2 How Detailed Are The Details?
6.2.1 Story Telling
After you have properly introduced your characters in the story or narrative essay, you
then have to write the full story. We have discussed the actions of the story. You have to
decide what the characters have to do and say.
If you have read books of great writers, such as Charles Dickens, you should still
remember that the writers like to write very minute details about the characters, the
places, the objects or the concept. They might take one or two whole pages for
describing a particular person, or the like.

Course Notes
How detailed should the details be? What things should be included in the story? If I
write the trip on the MTR, should I include the details of the colour, printings or the size
of the ticket? Should I mention the number of policemen I saw during the trip? Should I
write that I took ten dollars from my wallet and got small changes from the counter?
Should I count the number of steps inside the station? Should I tell the readers about the
rules and regulations of the station? Or, should I write things I like, for example,
beautiful boys or girls?
If you can ask these questions when you write, you are on the way to writing narrative
essays successfully. By doing so, you will have plenty of ideas and you have come to
the point to decide which should be included.
The important criteria for you to make up your mind is whether the story bas its
message or ‘lesson’. If one particular piece of information is included, will the readers
understand the characters in the story more easily so that the readers can learn the
‘lesson’ or ‘experience’? If something is omitted, will the movements of the story be
misunderstood by the readers? In other words, will those particular details serve the
purpose of writing that story?
Therefore, it is a matter of ‘objective’. The things in the story must serve their functions,
otherwise, cut them out. It is far too often to find that some people, especially students,
write just everything that comes to their mind when they write. The story will become
out of focus, incoherent or exceptionally long.
Furthermore, when you are in an examination, the number of the words in the essay is
always given. So, when you are doing the planning work - ideas and editing steps - you
must bear in mind the number of words you are allowed to write before you are actually
writing the essay. This needs practice, so don’t give up writing when you have a chance.
DRILL 6.2.1 If you are asked to write 500 words on the title given in Drill 6.1.2
(A), what other details you would include? Remember that you want to tell your
readers about ‘the fast developing pace’ of Hong Kong. In your answer for the
previous drill, add any other details you think are appropriate.
6.2.2 Use of Quotation Marks
Quotations are actual words spoken by people. Therefore, quotations are frequently
found in narrative essays. When you decide to use quotations in your story, you should
note the following.
As quotations are the actual words spoken, they are very effective for your readers to
understand the person’s personality and intention. So make sure that the tone or style in
the quotations does not contradict the personality of that person you are writing about.
Different people speak differently, with different words or phrases. Their styles are not
the same. In order to bring out the differences among the characters in your story, you
must remember that the style of the quotations of different people must be different.

Course Notes
Finally, you should note the punctuation rules of the quotation marks. Any good novel
can show you the right use of the quotation marks. So, don’t make funny mistakes with
such simple punctuation marks.
6.2.3 Linkage
In order to let your readers follow your line of thought, the linkage among sentences or
paragraphs is very important. Nothing should be left out between two sentences, there
must not be anything ‘missing’.
Passage 1
We came to the beach. The road was long.
There is no connection between the two sentences in passage 1. You can only argue that
the road to the beach is long, however, even if it is true, the meaning is not clear at all.
So, avoid such kind of writing as in passage 1. As the writer, you know clearly what
there are, but you should understand that the readers really cannot guess the connection
between the two sentences. It is better to write:
Passage 2
We finally came to the beach. The road which we took was long.
So, in passage 2, the reader can understand clearly that the writer took a long road to
reach the beach at last. How can sentences be linked to make its meaning clear? Try to
look at the sentences in passage 2 again. There is some kind of connection: the word
‘came’ in the first sentence and the word ‘took’ in the second. They imply a road, a
route, a means or a way where the writer and his friends were. Now, let us see some
explicit linkage in passage 3.
Passage 3
When she came to the cafe, no one seemed to be interested in her. She
stood still and waited. She looked around but no waiter went to greet her.
She was becoming annoyed and signs of disgust were found on her face.
The first and the second sentences are clearly linked by words ‘her’ and ‘she’. The third
and the fourth sentences go on using ‘She’. Now, what do you think about passage 4?
Passage 4
She came to the café, no one seemed to be interested in her. The place
was not full and quite empty. Beside the door of the kitchen, a waiter was
talking with another customer. He did not seem to notice her and
continued to chat with the fat man. She stood still and waited, feeling
uneasy. When her eyes came upon a man and a girl at the other comer of
the room, frustration surfaced on her face.
Again, the linkage of the passage is good. The word ‘café’ in the first sentence is linked
to ‘The place’ in the second sentence, which is in turn being linked by ‘Beside the door
of the kitchen’ in the third sentence because the door of the kitchen can be easily seen

Course Notes
when a person is in ‘the place’. And the linkage goes on with words: ‘a waiter’, ‘He’,
‘her’, ‘She’, ‘her eyes’. The story flows naturally and logically. The readers can ‘see’
clearly the place and the events in a ‘well-worked-out’ chain.
Therefore, when you write a narrative, don’t forget the aspect of linkage. Without good
linkage, the readers will be frustrated.
DRILL 6.2.3
Rewrite the passage below to improve the linkage.
Last Monday, we decided to go for a picnic. We gathered together at the Admiralty

Station. John came at last. We took the bus to Ocean Park. We found wonderful animals
inside the park and we enjoyed ourselves very much on that day.
6.2.4 Feelings
Our readers are human beings. They have feelings just like our own. They can become
happy, sad, worried, excited, spirited, rude, cold, warm, etc.
In your writing, especially in stories, you can arouse your readers’ imagination to such
an extent that they feel the way you want them to. Arouse their concern to their needs,
wants, fear, likes and dislikes. You can also create a sense of fulfillment to some wild
dreams. Add to your story elements of suspense, mystery, contrast, or uncertainty. If the
story is a funny piece of writing, inject humour into your story.
Always ask yourself what elements in the story that can have such an impact on you. Is
it love, patience, fear, or revenge? Therefore, try your best to arouse intense feelings in
your readers, and your story will be a success.
DRILL 6.2.4 Write the draft plan of the MTR trip to visit your uncle, try to think
of ways that you can arouse intense feelings in your readers. You should at least
put one incident in your story that has a great emotional impact.
6.3 Usage
The following words and phrases are often used in narrative essays.
6.3.1 Useful Phrases
When we want to refer to things that happened in the past, we can use words like: once,
once upon a time, in the past.
I had once written a thesis on this subject.
Once upon a time, there was a king.
In the past, I was very pessimistic.

Course Notes
Referring to the time of action, we can use: meanwhile, in the meantime, at the
moment, now, then, nowadays, at present.
Meanwhile, we had to finish the job before we went to Japan.
In the meantime, nothing happened and I was wondering what would

come up next.
He fell on the ground. At that moment, two guys were running very fast
away from the scene. Now is the time for revenge!
He woke and then he saw a plane in the sky.
Nowadays, young people like to venture a lot.
I have no project to work on at present.
For things in the future, we can have words such as in the future, in future, the coming
Saturday, next year, by 2014, by the time he comes home.
We hope we have peace in the future. You need to write a lot in future.
She will be on leave the coming Saturday. Next year, I will go the
Antarctica.
By 2014, I will have finished this research.
His mother will have prepared the dinner by the time he comes home.
We have some useful conjunctions to relate two incidents. Words like when, while,
whilst, as, after, before are often used:
When I was a boy, I used to swim alone.
While she was singing, he was watching TV. He was injured whilst
operating the machine. As he came late, the meeting was called off.
After he completed the project, he showed it to his supervisor. Before she

went home, she put away all her things.
Phrases such as ‘as soon as possible’, ‘as far as possible’, ‘as many things as you like’
are used to indicate some kind of comparison with time or extent.
Apply for the post as soon as possible.
As far as possible, do not argue with your boss.
You can take as many things as you like.
Note the use of the following words: and, as well as, with, without.
I like swimming, jogging, and playing badminton.

Course Notes
Mr Lee, as well as his family, likes to travel.
I want to see a film with you.
We are going to finish it without you.
6.3.2 Voices
In narrative essays, you will find that you can use both voices - the active voice and the
passive voice. They are not the same because the active voice usually conveys
simplicity, authority and brevity. As the subjects of the verbs in the passive voice are
sometimes omitted, it is used when we want to avoid mentioning the person who does
the action, e.g. No smoking is allowed. We are not interested in who stops us from
smoking, but we are interested in the action: No smoking.
Use the two voices in different situations and try to avoid making mistakes in the verb
combinations.
6.3.3 Pronouns
There is a common mistake concerning the use of pronouns. Pronouns are the words
that represent the names of the people you have just mentioned. If you talk about John,
you will not want to use the word ‘John’ all the time. We can use ‘he’, or ‘him’.
As pronouns are words representing the names of people or things, we cannot use them
before we introduce our characters. The simple way to use pronouns correctly is to first
introduce your character by giving the name of that person when he first appears in your
writing. For example:
This was the first time for me to visit this place. It was so quiet that I
really found myself a bit frustrated. There was no sound except birds in a
distance. When I was staring at the lake at the moment, John came out of
the house and stretched his arms to welcome me. He was smiling
cheerfully and I could not help running toward him.
So, be careful when you use a pronoun. Ask yourself whether the readers will
understand who that person is. If you use a pronoun before you clearly introduce this
character, make sure that the readers will not be puzzled.
The pronoun ‘it’ can represent a thing, an idea, an animal or a concept. It can also be
used without any particular meaning, and no character has to be introduced before using
it.
For example:
It is fine today.
It is because the report is good.
It all depends on the political situation.

Course Notes
6.3.4 ‘See’', ‘Feel’, and Others
In narrative essays, we often write with such words as see, feel, hear, etc.
The first thing to note is that these words (e.g. see, feel, hear, smell, taste) are not used
in the continuous tenses. The following sentences are wrong:
I am seeing the football match.
(Correct: I am watching the football match.)
She is feeling the warmth on her hand.
(Correct: She feels the warmth on her hand.)
We are hearing the speech of Margaret Thatcher.
(Correct: We are listening to the speech of Margaret Thatcher.)
It is smelling bad.
(Correct: It smells bad.)
I am tasting the chicken.
(Correct: I taste the chicken.)
The following is correct because the verb is not in continuous tense, but is a ‘noun’.
I look forward to seeing you.
(‘look forward to’ is phrasal verb ending with a preposition)
6.3.5 Cliches
Cliches phrases do not convey precise meanings since they are no longer original or
effective. We may think that they can tell a lot to our readers. Indeed it is wrong. No
two things are the same, so we should write as originally as we can. Sometimes, cliches
are used to express disapproval. So, use them intelligently, only where it is most
appropriate.
The following is a short list of these cliches. The list is not comprehensive, of course. It
serves as a guideline in order that you can watch out for cliches of a similar kind.
acid test
all in all
all things being equal
as a matter of fact
beating round the bush
better late than never

Course Notes
brings to mind
by leaps and bounds
caught red-handed
cold as ice
cold feet
cold sweat
cut a long story short
each and every
face the music
fat as a pig
flesh and blood
gentle as a lamb
get what 1 mean?
give it a try
hand-to-mouth
in a nutshell
interesting to note
in the long run
last but not least
live it up
make ends meet
Mother Nature
necessary evil
needs no introduction
out of sight
out of mind
pull one's leg
raining cats and dogs
safe to say
strong as an ox
take it easy
that is to say
things like that
turn over a new leaf
wet to the skin

Course Notes
without further ado

you can say that again
at this point in time
history tells us
the voice of the people
the moment of truth
the bottom line
white as snow
lend me your ears
to be or not to be
The following are a special kind of cliches called euphemism. They are used to hide
something or to avoid using particular words. They are polite words or expressions used
to refer to things that people find embarrassing, such as sex, bodily functions, death, war,
etc. Hence, use them intelligently and only when the situation requires it.
Die pass away

to depart this life
was gone
Continued disagreement a frank exchange of views
Anemia tired blood
Expel gas through the anus break wind
Guns and ammunition defence aid
MEMORIZE all the topics on usage. DO all drills.

REVISE the effective way to write narrative essays.

Course Notes

DRILL 6.1.2(A)
(for reference only)
 plane got to airport
 I was tired, checked in the airport hotel, rested for a whole day
 Next day, called uncle, he was at home in Chai Wan, told me to take MTR, no
idea that no MTR near airport
 took present for uncle and aunt and went to MTR station, no idea what station,
managed to buy a ticket
 many levels of the station, no idea which train to take, so asked a man there, he
didn’t know English! my Cantonese was rather poor now after twenty years in
USA, asked an American, he told me to take the Island line at Admiralty station,
got on one of the train and got to Admiralty
 station very big (of course, smaller than station in USA) but the indications were
quite clear, got up and down at the station, finally found a train to Chai Wan
 very crowded inside the train as it might be after office hours, very
uncomfortable inside the cabin, squeezed like sardines, couldn’t breathe properly
 at last! reached Chai Wan, got out, saw big differences with Chai Wan where I
used to fish in my childhood, tall and beautiful buildings around, a different
place with what I still remembered, what a fast developing pace in Hong Kong
DRILL 6.1.2(B)
1. (b) is better. The story starts by telling the readers what you will write: the
handkerchief. If we introduce the character first- the handkerchief here- the
readers will then follow our line of thought more easily.
2. (a) is better. Your character in the story is clearly introduced: mother.
3. (b) is better. The characters are introduced: the room, box and John. The use of
pronouns is also appropriate.
DRILL 6.2.1
The following are for reference only:
 beautiful trains
 trains quite quiet
 trains are fast
 good network of transportation
 effectiveness of the system as a whole
 good machines easy to use, ticket purchase machine, monthly ticket purchase
machine, small changes machine, checking machine, electronic money transfer
machine

Course Notes
 effectiveness of the direction indication inside the station efficiency of the staff
 system like that of USA
DRILL 6.2.3
Last Monday, we decided to go for a picnic to the Ocean Park. There were altogether
twenty of us and we arranged to gather at Admiralty Station on that day. When I
reached the station, ten colleagues were already there. Mary saw me and greeted me
when I came up to them, and I knew that I was the last one who was on time.
We waited for more than thirty minutes and we began to feel angry about the late
comers. At last, John came. So, we went on our picnic by taking a bus. When we
reached the Ocean Park, we could not wait to get inside. We could immediately find
wonderful animals there. We really liked that place and we spent almost seven hours
there. What an enjoyable day it was!
Summary of Unit 6
There are 6 things you should do so as to write a successful narrative writing:
You should:
1. Use the suggested steps: ideas… editing... writing… correcting;
2. Make sure the details can serve the particular purpose of a particular story;
3. Use ‘quotation marks’ appropriately to enliven the characters;
4. Apply appropriate linkages for better understanding of the readers;
5. Try your best to arouse intense feelings in your readers;
6. Do not use cliches indiscriminately.
End of Unit 6

Course Notes
Unit 7 Descriptive Essays

What should you do so as to write a successful descriptive writing?
7.1 Essentials of Descriptive Essays
We may feel something in our heart. We try our best to tell someone who would like to
share our feelings. We tell how we feel, how sad or happy we are, how that feeling
would affect us and how we think about the feeling. All these are descriptions. If we put
these descriptions on paper, they will become descriptive essays.
Expository essays offer a bit more. After we describe an object, we must try to explain
how that object works, and why it works. These are expository essays, which will be
discussed in Unit 8.
7.1.1 Clarity
Do a little ‘test’ before you continue reading this unit. Ask five people the same
question: Do you think that I can always present my points clearly? In other words, ask
your friends or colleagues whether they can always understand what you say in your
daily life.
If your friends tell you that they often cannot understand what you want to say, there
may be a problem in the way that you describe things and you must pay greater attention
to the contents in this unit. You may have problems in logical sequence, line of thoughts,
linkage or the depth of description.
That your descriptions often fail to make your readers understand may be due to the way
you look at the thing. Remember, when you are going to describe something. You may
know very much about that thing/ person. You will often fall into a trap that you omit a
lot of details in your description. Or, you don’t know that suspicions or biases are
present among your readers. You just look at the thing from your point of view.
So, you must try to see the things from your readers’ point of view. The only way to do
this is to understand your readers. Find out their knowledge, their likes or dislikes, their
beliefs, their feelings, their acceptance of new things. When you bear all these things in
mind as you write descriptive essays, there will be a better chance of success that you
can make your readers understand what you want to say.
In writing, especially in arguments, we are quite lazy to take care of our readers.
Another way to confuse your readers is to use jargons that the readers have no
knowledge about. For example, if you want to describe the animals in the Ocean Park to

Course Notes
some children, how can they understand you when you use a technical term such as
‘citramaya’ (a citramaya is a tiger). If you use ‘SSAP’ to describe accounting to laymen,
they will never understand you. (SSAP is the abbreviation for Statements of standard
accountancy practices).
You must use the right jargons for the right persons. It is a good habit to explain a new
term when it first appears in your writing. Don’t assume that the readers know
everything. If they do, it is not necessary for you to describe the things to them.
Therefore, try to avoid using abbreviations, jargons, special technical terms, terms with
particular meanings to a particular group of readers, and terms that are too difficult to
understand.
There is an exception to the rule above. If you are sitting for an examination, you are
undoubtedly expected to write with the jargons of that field. For example, if you are
attending an examination on Data Processing, you don’t have to explain the term ‘CPU’
of a computer system. You can assume that the examiner knows it. Unless you are
required to describe the functions of a CPU, the term can be freely used in this kind of
examination.
When you come to some very difficult concepts, you can try to make your descriptions
clear by using comparison, contrast or examples. These are very useful when you
want to describe intangible things, i.e., things you cannot see. How can you describe
‘liberty’? How would you describe the feeling when you pass a very difficult
examination? These are conceptual things which are very hard to visualize.
Before using comparison, contrast or examples, you need to find out the features of that
concept or feeling. From everyday life, look for concrete things that resemble those
features of the concept. Use that concrete object to illustrate your concept. Try to write
the tangible things related to that intangible concept. For example, if you want to
describe how diligent a colleague is, you can of course use adjectives such as hard-
working, punctual, keen, energetic, or good. Wait a minute, can readers really know
exactly what these adjectives tell them?
In fact, most of them do not know because those adjectives are vague in meaning. What
is ‘good’? What is ‘keen’? Can someone visualize what an ‘energetic’' man is? What do
these people under description look like?
So, we must try to find tangible things or concrete actions in order to describe how
punctual a man is. Can you understand better about a man when his boss says that he
always attends the office thirty minutes earlier, he always meets the deadline, he always
submits the required reports a day early, and he can type 120 words per minute?
Can you see the difference? So, we must form a habit to describe those ‘vague’ things
with something that can be easily visualized, something that is concrete.

Course Notes
DRILL 7.1.1 (A)

Decide which sentence is a better illustration for the thing under description.
1. The television set:
a. The television set is good.
b. The colours of the screen are natural.
2. A house:
a. The price of the house is $2m.
b. Everyone likes the house.
3. A person:
a. He is the kindest man I know.
b. He always helps those who come to him.
4. The president:
a. He is capable of changing the country.
b. He is successful in curbing the inflation rate of the country.
5. The World Cup:
a. The matches are fabulous.
b. Nearly 3 million Hong Kong people watch it.
6. Wisdom:
a. With wisdom, the history of man is written.
b. We are really human with wisdom.
7. Universe:
a. The universe is fathomless.
b. Although we can imagine a thing called universe, we can never measure

the distance across it.
8. Co-ordination:
a. When we do our own part, the project will be finished in time.
b. Without co-ordination, we shall fail

Course Notes
Some examples of descriptive essays are given below. Read them carefully and try to
find out how good the essays are, and to look for anything you must avoid.
Passage 1 is a very interesting description. It is about the history of mankind. In order to

make the ‘history’ interesting and easy to understand, the writer uses a comparison. He
compares the centuries with the hours of the clock, e.g., ‘the stroke of midnight’ is used
to describe the beginning of the history of mankind. ‘At about six o'clock’ is not the six
o’clock of our ordinary day. It is used to illustrate the relation between the beginning of
mankind with the time that man started to know how to grow plants for their food. ‘at
about ten past ten’ is used to denote the time when Buddha, Confucius and Socrates
were born and died.
Do you think this is a good approach for a layman to learn about the relative time
sequence about the history of mankind? An ordinary person knows the hours of a day
very well, so the writer uses this concept to illustrate the more difficult concept of
‘centuries’.
Examples and comparisons are good methods to facilitate your readers’ understanding.
But beware! If the example is a bad one, or the example is not closely related to the
concept, the readers will be confused. If the readers cannot find out the similarities
among the features between the object and the example, the readers may misunderstand
you. So, in your daily life, try to look for good examples to illustrate what you want to
say.
Passage 1
Once upon a time, on the stroke of midnight, the earth was unclouded
and serene.
The people had the entire world to themselves. All through the morning
and all through the afternoon they moved quietly about their business-
hunting animals with spears and arrows, taking shelter in the caves. At
about six o’clock in the evening they discovered that plants could be
grown from seeds and animals could be tamed. They did not have to
wander around looking for food anymore. They started to live closer
together and as half-past seven struck, bustling cities had sprung up all
the way from Egypt to North India. Even at this early hour men was
groping their way towards a meaningful way of life. They turned to
individuals who stood head and shoulders above the rest. There was
Moses who came at a quarter to nine to lead his people to a new life of
freedom. Buddha in India, Socrates in Greece and Confucius in China all
came and went together, although they did not know each other, at about
ten past ten. At half past ten Jesus strode onto the scene while in China a
large mass of people were building a great wall to protect their country.
Another leader of men, Mohammed appeared at eleven o'clock.
(Adapted from History of a Day by Robin Richardson)
Passages 2 and 3 describe two great men: Confucius of China and Socrates of Ancient
Greece. From the descriptions, can you understand more about these two great
philosophers? Are the descriptions clear? Are there any jargons you don’t know? Do the

Course Notes
descriptions follow a logical sequence? Are the points logically linked so that you know
where you are when you read on?
Passage 2
Confucius was China’s most famous philosopher. From an early age he

devoted himself to learning and by the age of 30 he was a well-known
teacher. His teachings made a great impact on the lives and attitudes of
his disciples and in time his ideas not only dominated Chinese thought
and culture but also influenced the cultures of Korea, Japan and Indo-
China. He taught that the rulers of a country derived authority from
heaven but they also had a responsibility for the well-being of the people
and of the nation. He also believed that human interactions should be
guided by established rituals.
Passage 3
Socrates was the greatest philosopher of classical Greece who lived from
469-399 BC He spent much of his life talking and debating in the streets
of Athens, seeking to discover true knowledge and exposing those who
claimed to have wisdom. He did not write down his thoughts but his
dialogues were recorded by his followers. His sharp persistent
questioning angered the city fathers who accused him of heresy and
corrupting the young people. In the end they were so enraged that they
sentenced him to death by poison.
7.1.2 Logical Sequence
In descriptive essays, we must also make our main points in our essay follow a logical
sequence. We have to follow a particular path so that the descriptions can be easily
understood. If we don’t follow a logical sequence with our descriptions, the readers may
not easily form a picture in his mind and he might even misunderstand us.
In descriptive essays, time sequence is less common except when the incidents follow a
chronological order and nothing else. Passage 1 in Section 7.1.1 is a good illustration.
When we are asked to describe a thing, the sequence we should use is the topographical
sequence. Topographical sequence is a sequence related to the place of the main features.
If we want to describe a house, we may use the outside-inside sequence. We describe
the outside features of the house first, then we describe its inside features.
When we want to describe a picture, we may use the top-bottom method or the left-right
method. Describe the things at the top first, and then towards the bottom of the picture.
If this approach is not appropriate, describe things on the left and work towards the right
of the picture.
If you have to describe a football team, (maybe you are interested in the World Cup)
you can use the general-specific approach. First, you should describe the general facts of
the team such as its name, its country, the number of players, the logo of the team, the
colour of the uniform, the structure of its organization. Then, you may proceed to
describe its individual players. Describe the best players, then the others.

Course Notes
In an examination, you are often asked to describe a particular system. (For example:
Describe Hong Kong’s legal system.) For this kind of description, you may use those
methods mentioned before.
Another useful method: the importance method. You must try to describe the most
important things about the thing first, then the less important ones. With this sequence,
the readers can retain the details more easily. If you prefer, you may describe the less
important things first, and then the most important things at the end. In this way, you
can be sure that the readers will remember the most important things about the system
when they finish reading your essay.
As there are so many kinds of things in the world and there are so many different things
that you have to describe in your writing or examinations, you must try to think of
useful methods for particular descriptions. As long as the sequence is logical and the
main features in your description are logically linked, the readers understand what you
say and can form a vivid picture of the thing under description.
DRILL 7.1.2
What logical sequence would you use for the following descriptions?
1. A club house
2. A football match
3. The person you like most
4. A movie
5. A computer network
6. A novel
7. Your future plan
8. Your job
9. The advantages and disadvantages of training
10. The human spirit
7.1.3 Line of Thought
To facilitate understanding, you must consider your readers. You must ask yourself
these questions:
 Do the readers know that particular expression?
 Are they confused by too many details?
 Do I have another way to describe the thing better?

Course Notes
 Is my description comprehensive for the readers to know the whole truth?
 Is my description too short, or too long?
 Is the pace of the description is too fast for the readers to catch up?
 Is my description full of unnecessary details that bore the readers?
 What are the principles to start with?
 Can the readers follow me?
To write descriptions, we often make the mistake of trying to describe the things
‘randomly’. For example, when we are required to describe a person, we may write
about his face, then his feet, then his clothes, then his activities, then his appearance,
then here and finally there. This is a wrong approach. We have discussed logical
sequence, so you know that the line of thought is important. It is because the readers
may think differently, and a logical sequence may help the readers think in a particular
path.
Apart from the question of logical sequence, we must try to understand that the readers
may not be interested in that particular sequence. In describing a person, the readers
may be more interested in the person’s appearance than his actions. As a writer, you
have to be clever enough to know as thoroughly as possible about the way that the
readers think. When you come across a very complicated object, you must try to
describe it as precisely as possible. In an examination, you must try to understand the
expectations of the examiners. Can you guess correctly from the question bow the
examiner would like the description to look?
Always stick to a point of reference when you describe confusing details, such as a town
map. You may try to find an important landmark to start with. With this landmark, try to
describe the things to the top of the landmark, then the things to the right, then the
things to the bottom, then the things to the left. You can see that this is a ‘radiating’
pattern of description.
If you are asked to write about a very complicated government structure with so many
complicated jargons, it is better for you to explain some of the terms you are going to
use before you start to describe the structure.
7.1.4 Focus and Conclusion
Here we come to the problem of focus and conclusion. Some people can often describe
things clearly, but the readers’ expectations are not met.
To write good descriptions, we must decide what the objective of the description is. Is it
to enrich the readers’ knowledge? Is it to share with the readers the experience of the
writer? Is it for the readers to learn a new thing?
Bear the objective in mind, and you will not go astray with your detailed descriptions.

Course Notes
7.1.5 Special Techniques
There are certain techniques you may use in your descriptive essays.
(I) Use concrete terms
When we are asked to describe the features of a camera, we don’t have to say something
like: ‘It is like magic’, ‘Its performance is unparalleled’, ‘It can produce pictures that
no one has seen before’... You may know that this kind of persuasive approach is often
used in advertising, but if you really want the readers to get a clear and concrete
description about a camera, you should say: ‘Although it is not expensive, its design is
up-to-date. The lenses are made of glass, unlike those cameras with plastic lenses. The
weight is right, that it is neither too heavy nor light...’
There is an exception to the above approach. When you are required to describe
something vague, for example, your feeling, you can use concrete examples such as the
actions you will take because of that feeling. In cases similar to this, you can use
metaphors. Metaphors are concrete things that are used to describe conceptual things.
How can you describe the weird atmosphere when you come to a haunted house? You
have never seen a ghost and you may never know how to describe the ‘features’ of a
ghost. If you want to describe the love you share with your lover, you can never give
your readers a piece of ‘love’ to see or touch. The only way to describe these conceptual
things is through metaphors. A good source of metaphors is from poems. Or, you can
find a lot of metaphors in love letters.
(II) Use metaphors
This is a rather difficult method. Different people in different times use different
metaphors. You can only get a ‘feel’ of metaphors by reading widely. Try to look for the
ways that writers use metaphors to describe something that cannot be seen or touched.
In this way, you may acquire a habit to create your own metaphors.
From the passage of the history of mankind in Section 7.1.1, we know that uninteresting
things can be described in an interesting way. We must find ways to make our
descriptions interesting because descriptions are often dull and full of unwanted details.
Know your readers well and learn something about psychology. Look for interesting
description from books, from the newspaper or from television commercials. Try to find
out what things can arouse interests in readers.
(III) Use personalization
This is a useful method to describe human nature. Have you read the book ‘Animal
Farm’? The animals are personalized as humans and the readers can thus easily
understand the writer’s intention.
(IV) Use questions
You can also arouse the interest in the readers by challenging them with questions that
they may not be able to answer. If you want to describe Mars to your readers, ask your
readers questions like: ‘Do you know that you will be burnt to ashes when you come to

Course Notes
the surface of Mars? ’, ‘Do you want to know whether there are Martians on Mars? ’,
‘If you meet a Martian face to face, will you be afraid? ’
The objective to raise this kind of questions is to remind the readers of their own wants
and needs. The readers may want to unveil the mystery of the planet. The readers may
also like to know the description in order to fulfil their need of curiosity. For example, a
travel agent tries its best to describe the features of the various travel attractions to the
potential customers. Without these descriptions, the customer cannot decide which
tourist package he would choose.
In your spare time, you must read something regularly. From the reading, you will learn
how writers arouse readers’ interest. You will learn something factual for your
descriptive essays, because too many things cannot be created through imagination only.
If you are required to write on a social issue, you must know the relevant developments
and comments from newspapers. Those facts cannot be invented. They must be read and
remembered with facts, knowledge and skills you acquire, you can make your
descriptive essays concise and interesting.
DRILL 7.15
Read the passage and find the elements required.
One day when the wind met the sun, they argued with each other. They both wanted to
prove how capable they were. When they saw a man in his coat, the wind said he could
make the man take off his coat without difficulties. Then he blew very hard on the man.
The man did not take off his coat but grabbed the coat more tightly. The wind was very
disappointed because he did not succeed. The sun then said he could do the trick. He
simply shone on the man without doing any other thing. The man became so hot that he
eventually took off his coat.
1. What is the metaphor used?
2. Give an interesting point in the passage?
3. Where is the personalization?
4. What is the objective of the passage?
7.1.6 More Examples
Passage 4 is about Thailand. It describes one significant feature of Thailand, its silk.
Notice how the writer introduces Thailand’s silk in the first paragraph, how he describes
it further with other aspects. Note the vivid illustrations the writer uses.
Passage 4
Thailand’s shimmering hand-woven silks are among its most famous

products. Around the world they are recognized as a unique contribution
to high fashion and few visitors to Thailand can resist including some
Thai silk among their souvenirs.

Course Notes
This is an ancient craft, the skill having arrived with migrants over three
thousand year ago, but it was never a major item of trade, for production
was only on a very small scale.
It was always the village women who spun, dyed and wove the rich
fabrics, when their hard work infield and home allowed time.
Nowadays there are factories creating Thai silk on a grander scale, but
the finest quality silk is still produced on antique hand looms in villages,
where ancient skills ore lovingly passed from one generation to the next.
As this is the Year of Arts and Crafts in Thailand, there is no better time
in which to take in the many and varied examples of Thai tradition and
ingenuity.
Passage 5 is a description of an author. Only one sentence is quoted. Note the way that
the person is described. Pay attention to the adjectives the writer uses, and the picture he
is trying to paint.
Passage 5
Here, as in no other book, is XXXX - the voice-print, the heartbeat, the

profound, impetuous, life-loving man - immortalized in the many letters
he wrote to family, friends, fellow photographers, and politicians.
Passage 6 is also a description of a person. This time, the man is an artist, a painter. He
is fact a painter of modern art. re you impressed with the similes the writer adopts? Note
the nouns the writer chooses for the comparison. Do you feel the impact of the passage?
Can you form a mental picture m your mind about this artist?
Passage 6
Mr XXX dressed like a pirate, looked like a demon, and painted like an
angel. Even before he lost himself in a tropical paradise he had
abandoned himself to the power of the primitive. His radical influence
swept the civilized world and touched off the unending revolution called
Modem Art.
7.2 Usage
7.2.1 Adjectives
When we write descriptions, we often use adjectives. We use them because we think
that adjectives can tell a lot about the thing. In fact, adjectives are quite vague in most
cases. What is really ‘good’ may be totally ‘bad’ to others. Of course, we don’t often
have such extremes. Adjectives can convey some kind of comparison among things we
are talking about.

Course Notes
Keep that in mind when you use adjectives. In order to be precise in your expression,
the other kinds of method must be used to clearly paint your picture on the readers’
mind. Describe actions rather than using adjectives.
Apart from the restrictions, we often make mistakes when we use adjectives as far as
usage is concerned. With the adjective ‘nice’, for example we can say: ‘He is nice’; we
can also say: ‘This is a nice book’. With another example, ‘afraid’, though, we can say:
‘We are afraid’, but we cannot say, ‘He is an afraid boy’.
We have talked about the position of adjectives in relation to the nouns in the sentences.
Before you use an adjective that you are not sure of, look it up in a good dictionary to
see whether that particular adjective is used before a noun or after a verb, or both.
There is another kind of adjectives. They are in fact the present participles and the past
participles of verbs, for example, disappointing and disappointed. They are formed
from the verb ‘disappoint’. Be very careful with this kind of adjective. ‘Disappointing’
is very much different from ‘disappointed’. When I say ‘I am disappointed’, I mean
something makes me feel sad. I expect something to happen, but nothing of that kind
really happens. If I say ‘I am disappointing’, I mean that I make someone feel sad.
Someone expects me to do something, and at the end, I cannot make that happen.
Another kind of mistakes we often make when adjectives are used is the comparative
degree of the adjectives. Adjectives have three forms, ‘tall’, for example, has these three:
tall, taller and tallest.
Is something wrong in the following sentences?
1. This project is more worse than that one.
2. Superman is more stronger than humans.
They should be written as:
1. This project is worse than that one.
2. Superman is stronger than humans.
DRILL 7.2.1
Rewrite the wrong sentences. The words in bold cannot be changed.
1. He spoke friendly.
2. My old boss, who was my close friend, will come.
3. He is an afraid child.
4. My colleague is an alone worker.
5. The doctor takes care of the ill people.
6. The mountain is high 1m feet.

Course Notes
7. They are so strange people.
8. She speaks well Chinese.
7.2.2 Expressions
In this section, I wish to give examples of some useful expressions or phrases that you
can use in descriptive essays.
It is…
It is a fine day.
It is a day of fortune.
It is very strange that…
unlike, different
Unlike his father, John is wittier.
The brothers are unlike in every way.
This book is different from that one.
like, the same as, as if,
He talks like his mother.
His appearance is like that of John’s.
This method is the same as the one we used.
He is so frightened as if he has been a ghost.
alike, similar, related, identical, equivalent, corresponding
The twins look alike.
His style of writing is similar to that of his teacher’s.
The consequences are related to the wrong use of policy.
This diamond ring is identical to that one.
He receives equivalent compliment from the people.
This diligent worker can produce the equivalent output of three ordinary workers.
Wage increases corresponding to the rise in the rate of inflation.
look, sound, seem, appear, regard, view, a man of…

Course Notes
He looks like a prince.
The plan sounds practicable.
It seems that he will come to the meeting.
This policeman appears to be just.
We regard this matter as nonsense.
It is regarded as useless because it is outdated.
The people view the government as a responsible one.
He is a man of bravery, a man of honour and a man of self-sacrifice.
DRILL 7.2.2
Try to consult a dictionary and try to practise writing sentences
with the words introduced in this section. (no suggested answers)
7.2.3 Wordiness
Wordiness means too many words. People often use too many words in their sentences.
They think that the expressions are ‘stronger’ in meaning. In addition, people use
lengthy phrases because they think that their sentences are more like ‘English’. They
may sometimes argue that only then are their sentences complete. Or, they wish that the
sentences they write are more appropriate for the situation.
For example, ‘more stronger’ seems all right. In fact, it is adequate to write ‘stronger’.
‘red in colour’ is wordy because we can use ‘red’.
Below are examples of wordiness. Try to attempt Drill 7.2.3. Furthermore, try to avoid
using too many words in your writing.
DRILL 7.2.3
Write simpler expressions for the following.
1. a certain length of time

2. absolutely essential
3. advance planning
4. after the conclusion of
5. around about that time
6. as a result of
7. at the present time
8. at this point of time
9. audible to the ear

Course Notes
10. before long

11. bisect in two
12. by means of
13. by the time
14. call up on the phone
15. Christmas Eve evening
16. combine together
17. come in contact with
18. complete monopoly
19. completely unanimous
20. connect up with
21. consensus of opinion
22. cooperate together
23. descend down
24. due to the fact that
25. during the time that
26. each and every
27. entirely eliminated
28. extreme prime importance
29. few (many) in number
30. final outcome
31. first beginning
32. for the amount of
33. four-cornered rectangle
34. get in touch with
35. hurry up
36. I would appreciate it if...
37. important essentials
38. in accordance with
39. in case
40. in connection with
41. in lieu of
42. in order to
43. in regard to
44. in the event that

Course Notes
45. in the month of April

46. in this day and age
47. in view of the fact that
48. in as much as
49. individual person
50. it has come to our attention
51. it is interesting to note that
52. join together
53. long length
54. many in number
55. meet up with
56. more angrier
57. more better
58. more older
59. more paramount
60. more perfect
61. more perpendicular
62. more worse
63. most kindest
64. most unique
65. necessary essential
66. necessary need
67. of an indefinite nature
68. of great importance
69. on condition that
70. personal friend
71. provided that
72. recur again
73. reduce down
74. repeat again
75. resume again
76. return back
77. revert back to
78. rise up
79. round in form

Course Notes
80. separate out

81. small in size
82. sunset in the west
83. talented genius
84. this afternoon at 4 p.m.
85. this morning at 7 a.m.
86. visible to the eye
87. with the exception of
DRILL 7.1.1 (A)
1. b the colours are concrete features
2. a the readers will know how much the house costs
3. b actions are described
4. b a good ‘record’ of his ability is shown
5. b readers know better how people like World Cup
6. a it implies that there would be no human beings without wisdom
7. b a better illustration because the readers know that physical distance is described
8. a Success is illustrated in terms of a project being finished on time
DRILL 7.1.2
1. a topographical sequence is appropriate, such as outside-inside, left-right
2. time sequence is the most appropriate
3. ‘outside-inside’ approach: describe the appearance first and then his personality
4. importance approach, first the important things and then the less important ones
5. functional approach: describe the various functions of the various components of
the network system
6. importance approach: unless you want the readers to know the story detail by detail
7. importance approach: describe the most important thing you want to achieve in
future
8. ‘outside-inside’ or general-specific approach: describe the general details first, then
describe exactly what you do every day
9. importance approach: no matter it is an advantage or a disadvantage, the readers
may be interested in the most significant things first
10. general-specific approach: before you want to describe some actual happening
relating to this concept, try to describe the more general things such as the meaning
or definitions of ‘human spirit’

Course Notes
DRILL 7.1.5
1. To take off the coat of the man to illustrate an action for success
2. The wind and the sun argue on a funny thing
3. The wind and the sun are personalized as two people
4. To let the readers know that the right action should be taken for the right job, that
careful thought is an important aspect for success
DRILL 7.2.1
1. He was friendly to me when he spoke to me.
(‘friendly’ is in fact an adjective, not an adverb)
2. My boss, who was my old friend, will come.
(‘old’ may be used to describe a close relationship; when it is used in ‘old boss’' it
means my boss is an old man)
3. The child is afraid.
(‘afraid’ cannot be used before a noun)
4. My colleague always works alone.
(‘alone’ is an adverb)
5. The doctor takes care of the people who are ill.
(‘ill’ cannot be used before a noun)
6. The mountain is 1m feet high.
7. They are strange people.
(if you must use ‘so’ you can only say: They are so strange that they…)
8. She speaks Chinese well.
(‘well’ is an adverb; it can be used as adjective in ‘well-planned’, ‘well-organized’)
DRILL 7.2.3
1. certain time
2. essential
3. planning
4. after
5. about
6. because
7. now
8. now
9. audible
10. soon

Course Notes
11. bisect
12. by
13. when
14. call up
15. Christmas Eve
16. combine
17. meet
18. monopoly
19. unanimous
20. connect
21. consensus
22. cooperate
23. descend
24. since (due to)
25. while
26. each
27. eliminated
28. extreme importance
29. few (many)
30. outcome
31. first
32. for
33. rectangle
34. telephone
35. hurry
36. please
37. essentials
38. by
39. if
40. with
41. instead
42. to
43. about
44. if
45. in April

Course Notes
46. today
47. since
48. since
49. individual
50. (omit)
51. (omit)
52. join
53. long
54. many
55. meet
56. angrier
57. better
58. older
59. paramount
60. perfect
61. perpendicular
62. worse
63. kindest
64. unique
65. essential
66. need
67. indefinite
68. important
69. if
70. friend
71. if
72. recur
73. reduce
74. repeat
75. resume
76. return
77. revert to write, meet
78. rise
79. round
80. separate

Course Notes
81. small
82. sunset
83. genius
84. at 4 p.m.
85. at 7 p.m.
86. visible
87. except
Summary of Unit 7
There are four things you should do so as to write a successful descriptive writing. You
should:
1. make your points clear;
2. present your points in a logical sequence;
3. fulfill the objective(s) of the description towards your readers;
4. use such techniques as using concrete terms, personalization, metaphors and questions.
End of Unit 7

Course Notes
Unit 8 Expository Essays

What should you do so as to write a successful expository writing?
8.1 Essentials of Expository Essays
Expository essays are essays that explain something with the reasons why the things are
so and so, and why the object works in a particular pattern.
There will be no particular drills in this unit except the writing assignment. So, you have
plenty of time to do one thing. Read the sample essays very carefully and try to imitate
writing them from memory. These essays are representative because they illustrate the
various important aspects of expository essays.
You should first read the following passages and decide whether they are narrative,
descriptive, expository or argumentative. You must be able to distinguish these four
types of essays so that you can be sure of what you are writing.
Passage 1
When I was a little boy, I used to swim alone in the lake. One day, when I
went to swim, I met a very beautiful girl on the road to the lake. We then
went to swim together. Before we jumped into the water, I heard a very
loud sound coming from the far end of the lake. I was not frightened. But
when I saw the weird head of a monster coming out of the water, I could
not help screaming and left the place with her without a second thought.
Passage 2
When I was a boy, I used to swim alone in the lake. The water was calm
and serene. Tall trees were grown along the shore of the lake and I could
see the icy mountain top beyond. The weather was usually warm and the
wind was mild. When I swam in the water, I could also hear the gentle
breeze along my ears. Swans were drifting gracefully along the surface
of the lake. The place was like a paradise!
Passage 3
When I was a little boy, I used to swim alone in the lake. Although I was
still young, I was neither brave nor cowardly. I liked being alone in the
lake because the place was so beautiful and calm. Whenever I sat on the
shore facing the lake; I could hear an inner voice from my heart. It
soothed me and I could become strong again.

Course Notes
Passage 4
When I was a little boy, I used to swim alone in the lake. My father
always asked me not to do that. He said the lake was very dangerous and
I could not escape if the monster appeared. I did not agree with him
because no one really claimed to see the monster, at least for these past
twenty years. Scientists had tried to testify the presence of the monster
but in vain. Therefore, I still insist that the lake is a very safe place to
swim.
Passage 5
When I was a little boy, I used to swim alone in the lake. The lake was
beautiful and it still is. It is a very good place for holiday resort because
you can spend very little and you can enjoy the calm and serenity. If your
daily life is so stressful that you want to find relief, that is the place you
will like and it is a place you will not like to leave.
Can you find out the differences? Passage 1 is a narrative describing incidents that
happen in the time sequence. The details are written along the time scale.
Passage 2 is descriptive. The lake is described in detail. Incidents are not included in the
passage which follows a topographical approach of description.
Passage 3 is an expository essay in which the writer explains why he likes the lake in his
childhood. It gives the reasons to support the writer’s claim.
Passage 4 is an argumentative essay because the writer still insists that the lake is a safe
place although his father thinks otherwise. He also gives reasons to support his
argument.
The last passage is a special kind of argumentative essay, the persuasive type. We can
always meet such kind of essays in advertisements. The passage tries to give special
features of the lake in order to persuade the reader to choose the lake as a holiday resort.
So, you should now be able to tell the differences among the different kinds of essays.
The most important thing before you can write good and successful expository essays is
that you must know the topic very well yourself. You must understand the important
features of the thing to be explained and you must be aware that the readers may not
understand the explanation you give. Also, you must know very well the relationship
among the various parts of the thing to be explained. This becomes very crucial when
we try to explain some complicated concept. For example, when we are required to
explain the usefulness of this course, we may concentrate on its structure, its contents,
its applicability and finally the benefits it can bring us.
When we are asked to explain why mental health is important, we may have difficulties
because mental health is quite conceptual and we must try to explain it in concrete terms
which can be easily understood by the readers, especially the laymen.
So, make sure you understand the thing yourself. In an examination, you must not
choose such kind of questions if you do not really know or understand the thing or topic,

Course Notes
for example, ‘Explain Mens Rea’. Unless you have studied law, you could hardly
explain this law term sufficiently clearly.
Therefore, if you want to write successful expository essays, you have to pay attention
to things around you. If you are preparing for an examination, the only way to be
successful is to revise fairly thoroughly the contents of your subject.
The following sections deal with the aspects of expository essays, things you must pay
attention to when you write this kind of essay.
8.1.1 Coherence and Unity
When people write expository essays, they are so involved with the fine details that they
forget the focus of the paragraphs or the entire essay. Worse still, they often include
many other details which they can think of. These points come to their minds when they
write. But, these people often include so many irrelevant ideas that the essay loses its
coherence and unity.
Therefore, before writing an expository essay, you must decide the focus, the objective
of the essay, and decide how to organize the entire essay.
8.1.2 Logical Sequence
Logical sequence becomes very important especially in expository essays. The readers
often do not know, or have very little knowledge of, the subject you are going to explain.
The logical sequence used must conform to the readers’ expectation and the level of
their knowledge.
Logical sequence comes with planning before writing. Without careful planning and
editing before writing, your essay will become confusing. The readers just simply do not
understand you or to comprehend the ‘lesson’ of the essay.
If you are sitting for an examination, this aspect is very important. You may have all the
main points. You may describe or explain the points clear enough. Yet, you may still
fail the examination if your essay does not meet the requirement of the questions. Do
not assume that the examiner, an expert in the field, will try to let you pass just because
you are able to write all the points. So, logical sequence is the first step to good
organization.
8.1.3 Examples and Illustrations
This is perhaps the simplest way to explain something by giving an example or

illustration.
Through the example, the readers will understand the situation most easily especially
when the writer is writing about some abstract concepts.
Make sure that the readers know that the example is an example. You may tell the
reader by using phrases such as ‘for example’, or ‘for instance’. When you quote an
example, try to use a specific one.

Course Notes
The following passage is translated from ‘A Discourse’ by Siu-si. Note that a good
example is given to illustrate the writer’s point of view.
Passage 6
Many people refuse to face reality and take on the pains and trouble of
growing up. They do not realize until they are grown up that the world is
full of lovely things. Life is interesting and fascinating only because it
has both joys and pain. What a pity it would be if we chose not to grow
up simply because we could not be bothered to see life as it really is. We
would then miss out on many opportunities to appreciate life. What is
more, we should realize that many of life’s problems arise through no
fault of our own. e should not look only on other people’s weaknesses
without trying to see their beauty. For example, because I am grown up,
it is only natural for Mum to be old. The experts say that old age brings
changes in people. Who could be blamed? In the past, when Mum told
me to put on more clothes I saw it as a sign of her love for me by now it
is a nuisance. Psychologists say that it is natural for young people to
demand independence. Who, then, should we blame?
So believe it or not, if we want to understand the world, we have to grow

up.
8.1.4 Comparison and Contrast
We are often asked to write about comparison or contrast. For example, we may be
asked to write the advantages and disadvantages of compulsory education in Hong Kong,
or to compare and contrast criminal law and civil law.
For clearer comparison, you have to make it clear to the reader what the focus is. For
example, if you are asked to compare the office practices between Company A and
Company B, you must try to make clear the focus of your essay by writing clearly
through a clear topic sentence. You may write ‘The practice in A is like B’ if you focus
on Company A. Similarly, you may write ‘The practice of B is like A’ if the focus is on
B. If you want to focus on their similarity, you can write ‘A and B are alike in many
ways’.

Course Notes
There are two general ways for the organization of the essay:
A B.
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
Or,
1.
A.
B.
2.
A.
B.
3.
A.
B.
If you stress the companies A and B, use the first organization. If you want to stress the
similarities between the companies, you may find the second organization more
appropriate.
Development of the comparison or contrast needs careful consideration before writing.

You may write fully on one point before going to the other point. However, you must
keep in mind the overall length of the paragraphs. In other words, A1 should be roughly
the same length as Bl. Or, you might even split the points like A.l.a.b. and B.l.a.b. The
reader will know easily the comparison or contrast contained in those various
paragraphs.
8.1.5 Analogy
When we want our readers to understand more easily, we can use analogy. Analogy
means to describe by using a different thing with similar aspects. A good analogy can
clarify the main topic you are discussing, and it can also possess persuasive power.
For example, when a teacher tries to explain the functions of a computer, he would use
an analogy. He would explain that the computer system is just like the work of a clerk.
The computer has an input device, like a clerk having an in-tray. The information from
the input is processed by the CPU, like the files and data being manually processed by
the clerk on the desk. After the input information has been processed, the result output
will be sent to the output device on a computer. The case is similar to the clerk putting
the finished job on the out-tray. Whenever more data are needed from other sources, the
computer will search its hard disk. The clerk, in the same way, searches the necessary
information from the file cabinets.
With the analogy above, the student would easily understand the computer functions
and its various component parts. And this analogy serves its purposes.
Analogy appears in other forms such as fables. The fables seem to talk about animals,
trees, angels and the like. But in fact, the writer wants to convey a particular message or

Course Notes
moral. An analogy is thus more convincing in this kind of situation, especially if the
moral might be rejected by the reader. Jesus often used this kind of analogy in his
teachings. You can find them in a bible. Chinese philosophers often used analogies too.
8.1.6 Process and Classification
You may not know that you regularly come across process and classification in your
daily life.
The following is an explanation on a process.
Passage 7
Mix the onion with butter. Heat for 6 minutes. Stir until the onion
becomes soft. Add the soup base and cover the can. Heat for 4 minutes.
Then let it simmer for 10 minutes. Stir the mixture every 3 minutes.
Divide the soup into 4 cups. Add toast and cheese powder. Put the cups
in the oven under high heat for 10 minutes until the cheese dissolves.
(The preparation of onion soup with the microwave oven)
So, a process looks very much like a narrative, but you would have no great difficulties
to distinguish them. When you write a process, try to be precise. Don’t leave anything
unexplained. If the readers follow the instructions, the final product of the process will
be obtained.
Classification is another common form. The following is an example.
Passage 8
The passing rate this year is quite high - 65% as compared with that of
last year. The turnup rate is another high - 96% this year. The various
passing rate for the various subjects are as follows:
Pass with distinction 2%

Pass with credit 12%
Clear Pass 25%
Pass 26%
Fail 35%
Classification is like a tabulation which can give a very clear mental image. Readers can
grasp the facts more easily with it.
The first important thing dealing with cause and effect is that the writer must make sure
whether the ‘cause’ is the true cause of an effect. For example in this sentence, ‘As I
have much money, I am very sad’, there is no mistake in grammar or usage. However,
with a little thought, an ordinary person will know that being rich does not necessarily
cause sadness!

Course Notes
Watch out for this kind of ‘reasoning’ in your writing. The reason for this kind of error
is that you use a sentence structure which is not appropriate for the two points under
discussion. You may think that the reader might be able to guess what you want to say.
But in fact, far too many points are missing in between. So, in order to be clear, make
sure that the two points have a cause-and-effect relationship.
The simplest way to state the cause and effect is to ask questions and then answer them.
For example:
Passage 9
Many people assert that the elderly in Hong Kong are not taken care of
by the Government. But, why do these people think that way? There are
three main reasons.
1. There is no social security system.
2. The allowance for the elderly is low.
3. There is no pension scheme among workers.
Of course, you cannot ask 100 questions and then give 100 answers in your essay. It will
look dull and boring. The readers will soon lose interest in this kind of approach.
Therefore, instead of asking questions, you may state a topic sentence and then give all
the reasons.
When we write causes, we may choose to write one cause for the entire essay or any
number of the causes. However, in an examination, you cannot give one cause when
you are asked to give three! In that case, try to choose a logical sequence for the causes
and link the ideas to form a coherent essay.
Writing effects is like writing causes. You have to choose the number of effects and
write in a suitable logical sequence for the effects.
In an essay, we may have difficulties in writing the intrinsic relationship among the
various causes and effects. Assume there are the causes Cl, C2 and C3, and the effects
E4, E5, and E6. Now, C1 may be the cause for C2 and E4 at the same time, while C2 is
a secondary cause for E5, and C3 causes E6. In this kind of situation, how would you
organize your explanation? Do you think you are confused? If you are confused, how
can you expect your reader to understand you easily?
You may argue that the plan I put forward is unlikely to happen. However, life is very
complicated. A thing can be a cause, as well as an effect for another. For example, you
study this course because you want to learn more English writing. At the same time, you
may want to equip yourself so that you can teach your children, and at the same time,
you may wish to enhance your promotion prospects as you acquire good skills in
English writing.
In order to make clear the various relationships among all those points, you must plan
carefully before you write. Use clear topic sentences to guide your readers. Ask suitable
questions to arouse the readers’ interest, as well as to pave the road for an effect. Follow

Course Notes
a logical sequence and don’t leave anything for the reader to guess. Link the sentences
and keep the objective of the essay in mind.
8.1.8 Definition
Using definitions is another way to clarify your point. It is often used when a new term
is introduced. And it is often used in legal papers because it is the only way to prevent
any ambiguity in meaning.
The following passage is taken from a handbook describing Jamaica in World Trade. It
talks about The CARICOM (Caribbean Common Market). The explanations are given
in the form of definition where terms or concepts are clearly defined.
Passage 10
Goods originating in Jamaica can enter the markets of other CARICOM

Territories on a duty free basis, provided:
a) they are wholly produced within the Common Market; or
b) they are wholly or partially produced from materials imported from

outside of the Common Market -
i) by a process which results in such substantial transformation of

the materials as to attract classification under a different tariff
heading, or
ii) in the case of certain products, the value of the non-Caricom

materials does not exceed 65% of the export price of the finished
product.
When there is inadequate supply of regional materials and the qualifying

condition for the related finished product is "wholly produced" or
"produced from regional materials" and the situation is beyond the
control of the manufacturer. the "Competent Authority" can grant the
manufacturer permission to use extra regional materials. The
"Competent Authority" is defined to mean the Minister so designated in
the country of the manufacturer.
The following passage is a legal definition of British Dependent Territories Citizenship,

taken from A Guide to the British Nationality Act 1981.
Passage 11
Acquisition by Birth
A person born in Hong Kong is a British Dependent Territories citizen

automatically at birth if either his or her father or mother is a British
Dependent Territories citizen or has unconditional stay in Hong Kong. A
child adopted by a British Dependent Territories citizen by court order
made in Hong Kong is a British Dependent Territories citizen. A new-
born infant found abandoned in Hong Kong shall be regarded for the

Course Notes
purpose of the Act to be a British Dependent Territories citizen by birth

in Hong Kong.
A child born in Hong Kong who does not acquire British Dependent
Territories Citizenship at birth has an entitlement to be registered as a
British Dependent Territories citizen if either parent later becomes a
British Dependent Territories citizen or is permitted to stay
unconditionally. A person born in Hong Kong has an entitlement to
registration as a British Dependent Territories citizen if he or she spends
the first 10 years of his or her life in Hong Kong.
Please note that there is one important aspect in both passages quoted above. The
definition must be clear and comprehensive. That means, firstly, an ordinary person
without any particular knowledge in that field can fairly easily understand the definition.
Secondly, the coverage of the definition must be as comprehensive as possible, in order
to avoid future confusion or possible argument.
You may notice that in the first passage, the definition is subdivided into sub-paragraphs.
This way of writing is to make clear all the possibilities of different interpretation. The
format of using ‘a)’ and ‘i)’etc. is to facilitate ease of reading. Please do not think that
grammar is not important. It is just the opposite. Grammar is extremely important
because grammar is used to clarify the context of the definition. Each separate condition
under separate sub-heading is grammatically similar and correct.
Therefore, if you use definitions for your explanation, you must use simple words as far
as possible; and you must be thorough in your definition to cover every possible
condition.
There are, however, exceptions to rules. If you are working in a particular field, you
may not be expected to explain every detail. The following passage is an illustration.
You may not understand the definition only because you are not one of ‘them’. The
definition is about ‘Investment Properties’', taken from an Annual Report of a Holdings
Company.
Passage 12
Investment properties are defined as properties which are income

producing and are intended to be held for long-term. No depreciation is
provided on investment properties, which are stated at valuation. The
properties are valued at intervals of not more than five years by
independent values. In each of the intervening years, valuations are
undertaken by the Directors in consultation with independent valuers.
The valuations are on an open market basis related to individual

properties. Increases in value are credited to the investment property
revaluation reserve; decreases are first set off against the investment
property revaluation reserve and thereafter charged to the profit and loss
account.
If you are not one of the ‘experts’ in that field, you are not expected to understand this
kind of passage. However, you should try hard to understand it when you want to invest

Course Notes
in that company, when you are working in that company or you are required to write
such a definition.
8.1.10 Sample Essays
Two more essays are included in this section for your appreciation. Before you read
these essays, try to revise all the previous sections in this unit. Bear in mind the various
important aspects of an expository essay. Try to appreciate how well the passages are
written, or otherwise. Pay attention to the clarity, the focus, the organization, the
development of the essays. Remember the techniques used and imitate them in your
own writing.
Passage 13
NIGHT TERRORS
An uncommon but extremely upsetting disorder called night terrors

affects about 3 percent of all children. The sleeping child suffers nightly
episodes of distress, screaming, and sleepwalking and can’t be comforted
or awakened. Night terrors usually disappear within a few years and
don’t seem to be linked to any emotional problem. Nonetheless, alarmed
parents understandably plead for help, and physicians typically resort to
psychoactive drugs that produce questionable results and side effects.
Now, a psychiatrist at London’s Hospital for Sick Children says most

patients can be cured without drugs. He tells parents to wake their
children 10 to 15 minutes before the usual time that the terrors strike, or
at the first signs of arousal. After four or five minutes, the child is
allowed to fall back asleep. The psychiatrist reports treating 19 children
in this manner; they were cured of night terrors within a week.
-British Medical Journal

Source: Discover, Sept 1989
Passage 14
Applications are invited for the following positions:
STOREKEEPERS
(HK$ 10,000 PER MONTH)
SUPPLIES DEPARTMENT
The successful applicants will be young and energetic men. They should
be the holders of the HKCEE/HKDSE/HKAL and Certificate of
Proficiency in Stores Supervision and be willing to be trained up for this
profession in our stores. Two years storekeeping experience is essential.
Candidates studying for the Certificate of Proficiency in Stores
Supervision would be considered with a lower entrance salary.
Benefits include a subsidized/free medical scheme, annual leave, annual

bonus and Compulsory Provident Fund Scheme.

Course Notes
Applications in English stating age, qualifications work experience and

present appointment, together with a telephone number for contact and a
recent photograph should be sent on or before the 20th September, 20XX
to:
The Personnel Manager,

The XXXX Company Limited,
G.P O. Box XXX;
Hong Kong.
8.2 About Readers
In an expository essay, consideration of the readers becomes more important than in

narrative or descriptive.
As something new is to be explained to the readers, you must be prepared that the
readers might not accept your explanations. Readers’ knowledge and experience are
major causes. If the reader knows very little about the topic, you have to explain the
topic from the first principles, from every minute detail at the beginning if the reader
knows a lot but the information he gets might be wrong, you have to explain the topic in
details too. Readers’ experience would be a hindrance to understanding your essay. So,
you must find out the readers’ knowledge and experience. In examinations, your marker
must be a person who knows the subject well. So, if you leave out some important
details in your explanation, the examiner may think that you don’t know those facts and
would give you low marks.
When you explain anything to anyone, please be prepared that no one is bound to accept
what you want to tell them. Whenever they find weak points in your explanation, they
would be too pleased to reject the entire explanation. As a writer, you must be very
careful with the words you use, the logical sequence you adopt, the cause and effect
relationship, and the details. Finally, try to use their jargons as well.
Summary of Unit 8
There are seven things you should do so as to write a successful expository writing.
You should:
1. Know the subject matter(s) well;
2. Explain the subject matter(s) with reason(s);
3. Exclude any irrelevant idea(s);
4. Present in a logical sequence;
5. Use adequate example(s) or illustration(s);
6. Use such techniques as analogy, process and classification, cause and effect and
definition;
7. Consider your readers.
End of Unit 8

Course Notes
Unit 9 Argumentative Essays

What should you do so as to write a successful argumentative writing?
9.1 Arguments
To study this unit effectively, you should memorize all the important topics discussed in
the first section. Then, practice writing correctly with those phrases introduced in the
second section. Finally, you have to choose one of the titles given in the writing
assignment. Write as carefully and convincingly as you can as if you were in a debate.
9.1.1 Value Judgement
Value judgement is the term used to describe the ‘standard’ in a person’s mind when he
thinks about something. If a person wants to buy a pair of sports shoes, he will try to
consider, in turn, the various aspects such as the price, the style, the colour, the material,
the fashion, his need, his expectation and the amount of money he wants to spend. For
each of these aspects, he ‘gives’ a special kind of value or value judgement.
The important thing for a writer is to recognize the existence of different value
judgement. When he writes, he must try to understand himself thoroughly, as well as his
readers. If he writes about what he feels, he needs to clarify that he is talking about
feeling or emotion. Feelings and emotions always require no reasons or any justification.
When we write argumentative essays, we must make an assumption: People are

rational. ‘Rational’ means that a person likes to be logical in his thinking, without any
likes or dislikes of his own. Although we are bound to take this important step, we must
see to it that people’s thinking is very often determined by their value judgement!
Another important element: FACT. A fact is a statement that is free from any value
judgement. If I say, ‘The sun is hotter than the Earth’, you will understand that this is a
scientific fact. But if I say, ‘You must be older than me’, you cannot decide whether
this is a fact unless you can know both our birthdays. But if I say, ‘Money is evil’, you
can see that my statement may not be a fact because it is questionable. The point is:
different people have different meanings on the word ‘evil’.
So, if your argumentative essay is full of facts, your reasoning will be strong. You will
then be successful in the argument. However, if there are too much value judgements or
assumptions in your argumentative essay, it is difficult for you to convince your readers.
Therefore, whenever you make a statement, try to find out if the statement is a fact, a
‘half’ fact that has to be checked, or just an assumption. If it is possible, make factual

Course Notes
statements. Otherwise, you have the duty to tell your readers that you are making an
assumption.
On the other hand, you can be on the road to becoming a good writer if you know the
value judgement of your readers. If you know their beliefs and preferences, you will
know where you can start your reasoning to convince your readers.
Here is a short drill for you to become aware of the difference between a fact and an
assumption.
DRILL 9.1.1
Decide whether each of the following sentences is a fact or an assumption.
1. The Earth revolves round the sun.
2. Insufficient sleep will harm our health.
3. Hong Kong people are very greedy.
4. This proposal will be successful.
5. Jesus was born more than 2000 years ago.
6. One dollar equals to one hundred cents.
7. Mothers love their children.
8. If I were the president of the country, I would give each citizen one million dollars.
9. The zebra has white and black stripes on its body.
10. As the man is blind, he cannot read the newspaper.
11. Roses are red.
12. Nowadays, computers are very important to the modern society.
13. When I taste the lemon, I know that it is sour.
14. Television affects the family very much.
15. The income of Hong Kong people is increasing.
16. More and more young students do not study hard.
17. The MTR runs faster than an ordinary bird.
18. The population of Hong Kong is over 7 million.
19. Universities do not teach Arithmetic.
20. I cannot do it because I am stupid.

Course Notes
9.1.2 Don’t Argue
A famous writer advises: ‘If you lose an argument, you will lose. But if you win the
argument, you still lose. So, don’t argue!’ There is some wisdom in the idea, and this
can help you write successful argumentative essay. Make close observations and see
whether things happen like that around you.
To argue with some other people is thus an art in itself. There are no fixed rules. You
win sometimes, maybe. The problem is, when we are asked to write an argumentative
essay, we cannot escape. We should, in this case, try our best to convince the readers
who are ready to fight back.
DRILL 9.1.2
Can you rewrite the following sentences to make them more likely to be accepted?
1. You are wrong!
2. Why are you so late?
3. Can you see that you must be responsible?
4. If I were you, I would not do such a stupid thing!
5. No way!
6. Don’t put words in my mouth!
7. Be more sensible! Come on and do something!
8. Don’t be silly! Get out of my way!
9. Your boss asked me to find out why you have been so careless!
10. Leave me alone!
9.1.3 Don’t Criticize
Most people like to criticize a new idea suggested by others because the simplest way to
‘evaluate’ the idea is to find out its weak points or something wrong with the idea. We
find one simple error in an argument, which can then be easily disregarded and its value
will be depreciated. We can then pay no notice to it any more. So, when you want to
write an argumentative essay, try to get rid of any errors that readers can find. These
errors may include those of invalid logic, wrong assumptions, unproved facts, irrational
likes and dislikes or irrelevant material.
To convince your readers, you must be able to provide facts, evidence, statistics,
research results, scientific discoveries, etc. in your writing (as well as in your speech).

Course Notes
9.1.4 Use of Humour
Another method for better persuasion in your writing: to shift the focus of attention from
the main issue by using analogy, fables, stories and the like to draw your
readers’attention away from things they don’t like. The readers will concentrate on these
stories, the fables, etc. That is the usual way that Jesus or Confucius taught their
disciples. If you put a straightforward idea before a person, that person may not accept it
owing to a lot of understandable reasons. But, if you try to manifest your idea indirectly
through a story, the possibility that the readers will accept your idea becomes higher.
9.1.5 Logical Reasoning and Fallacy
Your readers may reject your idea just because you have made one fallacy in your
writing.
Before you have a drill on fallacy, you should know two kinds of reasoning: inductive
reasoning and deductive reasoning. Inductive reasoning is one that you draw a
conclusion from a number of facts. Deductive reasoning is one that yon start from a
‘general truth’ so that you can say that other things are true.
Inductive reasoning should be used in your writing because people are likely to accept
your idea provided that you can give them sufficient and enough relevant facts and
evidence. With comprehensive facts and evidence, your conclusion is valid and sound.
The following drill is very important because it introduces very common fallacies many
students make in their thinking and writing. You should first examine the statements
very carefully. Ask yourself whether you make those kinds of statements habitually.
Find out the fallacy and the reason why they are wrong. The suggested answers at the
end of the unit will tell you why some of the statements are not valid statements!
DRILL 9.15
Do you think the logic of the following sentences is valid? Can you explain why?
1. As I am short, I cannot reach the highest shelf which is twelve feet high.
2. I love, so I hate.
3. Many people think it is correct, so it must be correct.
4. My boss tells me that the plan is comprehensive, so I know that the plan must be
successful.
5. John’s father likes smoking, so John likes smoking too.
6. I switch on the television and the dog barks. So, when I switch the TV next time,
the dog will bark.
7. For the past ten years that the volcano has shown no signs of activities, it will not
erupt in future.
8. More Hong Kong people eat bread.

Course Notes
9. University students are keen to learn this subject. As John is a university student,
he must be keen to learn this subject.
10. No one has ever proved that this medicine is bad, so it must be good.
11. As water is important to the plants, money is therefore important to us.
12. The students do not want to study, so the schools have to be abolished.
13. All the students like football. As John likes football, he is a student.
14. When people earn more money, they will become happier.
15. For the past ten years that we are doing this in our office. this practice will work for
the next ten years.
9.1.6 Problem Solving
It is often the case that we are given a title to write on. The title may contain a simple
statement such as ‘We must learn to survive. Discuss.’ Or ‘The economy of Hong
Kong is facing a challenge. Discuss’. Or, the title is a question such as ‘Should we
send our children to University overseas?’, or ‘Can we stop unwanted immigrants
from coming to Hong Kong?’
What should we do with these titles? What steps should we take to write a successful
argumentative essay? What factors should we consider so that the argumentative essay
is convincing? What can we do in order to make our reader believe in what we write?
Can we make them accept our points of view?
This is in fact a kind of problem solving. Here we have a statement to prove. Or, we
have to give all the practicable solutions to the question.
The first important thing is to understand the title. Well, it seems to be funny to say that,
because the statement or the question always seems to be very simple and
straightforward. However, a simple statement or a simple question can be a very hard
problem to tackle, because the statement or question is open to argument. If the
statement has been already proved by some means such as science, we don’t have to
bother ourselves to prove it. On the other hand, maybe the statement or question has
already been proved; the problem is that we don’t know the proof. In examinations like
accountancy, law, economics or history, the question often requires us to have the
relevant facts in the first place. If we don’t know adequate facts, how can we proceed
with the argument?
On the other hand, statements are subject to various kinds of opinion. Different people
think differently. Different people view things from different angles. Different people
have different interests leading to different preferences. Important things can be
considered unimportant, and vice versa.
So, when we have the facts, we then have to consider whether these facts can be used to
argue the statement or answer the question. We must try to understand the underlying
meaning. You should also try to understand the circumstances that make the statement

Course Notes
true and the circumstances that can make the statement false. We have to concentrate
and think hard. We must try to think of all possible solutions to the problem. You can:
 Give all the evidence you can think of.
 Set good examples to illustrate your main points.
 Draw analogies if necessary. You may even draw diagrams or illustrations to

demonstrate what you want to say.
 Understand the logical sequence you are using and try to avoid any likely fallacies
in your sentences or paragraphs.
 Draw conclusions from facts and evidences.
 Draw further conclusions with further evidences.
 Draw further conclusions from conclusions.
Bear in mind the objective of the essay: whether you agree with the statement, or
whether you disagree with the statement, or whether you can’t draw any vivid
conclusion. Don’t be afraid to say that you have no solution for the question, or to say
that you have no valid conclusion with available facts and evidence. Remember this: it
is not the conclusion that matters, it is how the conclusion is drawn that matters. That
is why a student being successful in an examination may agree, or disagree, or even has
no solution to the given statement.
The following are the illustration of some examination terms: discuss, explain, describe,
list, and comment.
1. ‘List’ is the simplest of all these. You are expected to name the parts or main points.
You are not expected to give explanations or to argue on the subject matter of the
question. For example: ‘List the departments of the Hong Kong Government.’ You
should write like this: (1) The Government Secretariat, (2) The Inland Revenue, (3)
The Police Department, (4) The Correctional Services, (5) The Fire Services, (6)......
You don’t have to describe their functions in the Government structure.
2. ‘Describe’ is the word that you should give a descriptive essay on the subject.
Sometimes, you may not be expected to give the physical appearances in ‘Discuss
the uses of...’ as this clause requires you to go into some kind of concepts or ideas.
You have to describe the uses or functions of the concept, but you are still not
required to explain why the functions work that way. For example: ‘Describe the
Police Department’, you should write like this: The Police Department is one of the
government departments. Its function is mainly to maintain the law and order of
Hong Kong. It consists of......
3. ‘Explain’ is that kind of essay that you should give the reasons why something is so
and so. You are expected to give evidence to support yourself. But the explanation is
restricted to facts. You should not give your points of views or opinion. Your feeling
towards the title has no importance and feelings are not relevant. For example:
‘Explain why radiation affects our lives.’ You should first find out the extent of
meanings with the word ‘radiation’. Then you should try to give the reasons and

Course Notes
how these various kinds of radiation affect our bodies and ultimately our lives. You
should also give evidence to support your line of thought.
4. ‘Discuss’ is the most demanding of all these terms. An argumentative essay is

expected. The subject matter contained in the examination problem is often a
controversial one. You cannot definitely say something is right or wrong. There are
grey areas. So, apart from having the relevant and sufficient facts and evidence, you
must be very careful to present your material in a logical manner. Any fallacies in
your argument must be avoided. Any unproved facts must be stated as such. The
source of evidence should be given. If you have to give your opinion, state it clearly
to the reader that the point is an opinion of some sort. You can agree or disagree with
the examination statement. Or even, you can say that you cannot draw feasible
solutions for the question. The most important thing is the way that a conclusion is
reached.
5. ‘Comment’ is a word for you to give your opinion or even feelings. Give the facts
first, then some descriptions, followed by some explanation and then the base for
your opinion or feelings. Although you are giving your opinion or feeling, you must
be reasonable and be frank to the readers. Give some reasons that you think that way,
or feel that way. The readers are also human beings. They have their own feeling and
opinion. So, if your reasons are logical, they may accept you more readily.
The following is a drill for you to practise writing answers to examination questions.
DRILL 9.1.6 Read the passage which is about the computer.

How con you answer the examination questions that follow?
The computer has roughly four parts: the central processing unit (CPU), the
input peripherals, the output peripherals, and the storage devices.
The CPU is the part that does the manipulation of the data supplied, as well as
controls the entire operation of the system. Without the CPU, the computer
cannot do anything at all. Complicated and sophisticated circuitry is often
found in this part of the machine.
The input peripherals are the devices that accept input data from the outside
world so that the data can be manipulated to become useful information to the
user through the working of the CPU. Examples of input peripherals are the
keyboard, light pen. disk drives, and character recognition.
The output peripherals are the parts of the computer that show the working of
the CPU as well as the final product of the processing. People cannot see how
the CPU works, but they can easily know the information that the computer
produces. The useful information is the output and it is shown through printers
or the monitor (or the VDU- Visual Display Unit).
Data can also be input into, or output from, the computer through storage
devices such as the disks. We have to use these storage devices because the
computer has its own limit that it cannot handle more data than it is designed.
These storage devices are the places where a great deal of data can be

Course Notes
permanently stored for future use, just like the file cabinets where we keep our
files.
The computer is useful because of its speed and accuracy. When we manage to
calculate one arithmetic problem, the computer can do more than one million
similar problems. In other words, it can be said that it works very much faster
than we can, and it can solve a complicated problem where it might be
impossible for even a million people to tackle the problem. In addition to speed,
the computer is always a reliable and accurate machine that can give us more
than ‘confident” results. Unless we input wrong data to the computer, we often
get accurate output.
Despite all these good points, the computer is nothing but a faithful servant
who cannot make any judgement. It will go on asking a family to pay an
electricity bill of $0.00 until the family ‘pays’ the bill by issuing a cheque of
$0.00! However, as the computer becomes more and more powerful nowadays
and in the near future, it is a very useful machine that we cannot survive
without.
1. List the parts of a computer system.
2. Describe the CPU of a computer.
3. With the information given in the passage, discuss the usefulness of the computer
in society. Give reasons to support yourself.
4. What do you think about the computer?
5. The computer is an idiot. Comment.
9.2 Useful Phrases
Examples of sentences involving useful phrases in argumentative essays will be given

under the sub-heading: definition, reasons, possibilities, analogy, comparison or contrast,
cause and effect, and opinion.
9.2.1 Definition
Definitions are used to specify the meaning of a word, an idea or a statement. With
definitions, the parties concerned will argue with the same elements, and there will be
no ambiguity in meaning. Definitions are useful for difficult and complicated terms, as
well as for simple words or ideas. It can be easily understood that definitions should be
used as far as possible before you put forward an argument, so that your readers know
exactly what you mean by some particular words or terms.
We often find that the law and the dictionary are two major sources of definitions.
However, in different fields of interest, a word may have more than one meaning. For
example, ‘consideration’ is some kind of mental activity in a general sense, while
‘consideration’ in law means some kind of benefit.
The useful phrases are underlined and in bold type.

Course Notes
Equalitarianism is defined as the belief that all people are equal and
should have the same rights and opportunities.
The definition of share is that portion of interests of a company.
‘Right’ means the side that most people have their hands to write with.
9.2.2 Reasons
There are always some reasons for something to happen, and there are reasons why we
feel in a particular way. Note carefully that reasons are not necessarily the cause of an
incident. For example, ‘I am rich so I can buy that expensive table.’ Being rich is the
reason that the speaker is able to spend the money to buy a table, but money is not the
cause that he buys it. The cause may be that his present table is broken beyond repair
and that he has to buy a new one.
According to the rules, we must attend office meetings.
Based on these facts, we can conclude that Hong Kong people are diligent.
I feel happy because I think I have done a good job.
Because of the money, shall do it.
As there are no more people around, I enjoy the serenity of the bay.
The people will be pleased as/ for they will have a new president.
In the view that there is a vacancy, I am writing to apply for the post of
manager.
On the account of the new law, our employer has the responsibility to
grant us more holidays.
His mistakes due to negligence can never be forgotten.
Owing to the bad weather, the outdoor function has to be postponed.
Please note the correct use of ‘owing to’ and ‘due to’. The phrase ‘due to’ is used after a
‘verb to be’ such as is, am, are, was, were, being, been. For example, ‘The mistake is
due to his carelessness.’ ‘Due to’ is also used to introduce an adjective phrase. For
example, ‘The mistake due to his carelessness will not be forgiven.’
For the other situations, we should use ‘owing to’. Especially at the beginning of a
sentence, we should use ‘owing to’ instead of ‘due to’. For example, ‘Owing to the
postponement of the meeting, the implementation of the project has to be put off in
the meantime,’
We have a great deal of money; therefore/ hence/ so we can afford to

travel around the world.
This/ That is why I want you to come to the meeting at once.

Course Notes
The reasons are poverty and ignorance.
As a result, they are not able to finish the project by the end of this month.
We work very hard on the plan so as to make it work.
9.2.3 Possibilities
To express the degree of possibility in our statements, we often use words such as
always, often, sometimes, and never. Phrases such as ‘it is possible’ are often used. Pay
attention to two words: always and never. In English, these two words have very
specific meaning. ‘Always’ is used when there is no evidence to indicate that the things
will not happen. ‘Never’ indicates that things will not happen.
Another word to indicate certainty is ‘all’. Our statement may contain fallacy when this
word is used. For example, ‘All oranges are sweet.’ This statement is not valid because
even a small child can tell you that some oranges are not sweet!
The following sentences contain useful phrases to express some kind of possibility.
They are given as examples, and I must stress that they might not necessarily be true
statements!
Chinese people always eat rice.
A piece of metal never rises on its own.
The meetings are often held in the conference room, but this time it will
be held in the theatre.
Sometimes when I feel lonely, I have a walk in the forest, watching the
birds.
Their supervisor seldom takes previous results into account, so the

planning often fails.
As front line staff, we usually have the opportunity to understand the

market, but rarely have we the chance to convince the top management
of the actual working of the society.
By and large, most Hong Kong people are hard-working and complain
very little.
It is believed that Hong Kong can survive against those crises in the past,
provided that they concentrate on building a better city with all their effort.
It is known that Japanese stock market has been very active for the past
five years.
It is likely that the employees of this company will enjoy better benefits in
terms of salary, medical care and retirement security planning.

Course Notes
It is possible/ probable that junior managers will be promoted to senior

posts in order to inject new life to the old-fashioned management style
long exhibited by those staff going to be retired.
I met my old friend by chance when I was travelling in the United States.
As long as the students concentrate on what they are told to do, they will
find that the drills and exercises creative and constructive.
We try to learn a lot in the hope that we have the knowledge and skill to
build a new world.
It is hoped that speech therapy can help those children overcome the
handicap of poor ability to speak correctly and fluently.
The success of the entire project will depend on the conscious efforts
from all the staff in the company.
Many Hong Kong citizens like to donate their blood for emergency use.
New ideas are rejected most of the time.
It is in no way/ impossible for us to change the world.
No matter what lies before us, we have to try our best to contribute to the
society in order to improve the quality of life.
No matter where he goes, he would carry with him the golden watch his
father gave him.
9.2.4 Analogy
First, you must be sure that the thing or idea for the analogy must be well known. The
example of a clerk with his table and cabinet in Unit 8 (Section 8.8.5) is a good one
because everybody can easily understand what it is about. Do you think the readers will
understand if you use a computer network to illustrate the road traffic in this city?
Therefore, the second point is: choose a simple system to demonstrate a complex system.
Third, the analogy must be appropriate. That is the various aspects of the complex
system are in some way similar to the simple system you are going to use. Fourth,
beware that the readers may misunderstand the complex system simply because the
readers are paying too much attention or interest in the analogy. These are the
shortcoming of using analogies, put careful thinking and experience will guide you.
If the interest rate is increased, say 2%, the banks hope to have the total
increase in cash deposit of 10%.
Some chemicals are harmful to our health. For example, cigarettes contain
nicotine, which is found to be carcinogenic and causes cancer in the lungs.
The propensity to spend the disposable income is high. In other words, it

is very likely for the people to spend all their money.

Course Notes
To search for a job, you have to buy a newspaper first. From the advertisement,
which is like a weird jungle of confusing details, you then look for one that is
appealing to you. You write an application letter hoping that something will
happen. If you are fortunate enough, you will have some response in a few
days asking you to attend an interview. You prepare everything, including your
documents, as well as your appearance. You attend the interview and fight
against a group of interviewers who may be too pleased to bombard you with
funny questions. After the fight, you go home feeling even more pressured. You
wait. It is very likely that you have to wait for a long time before the company
secretary tells you that you can attain a medical examination... Well, the story
seems to go on without end. – That is to say/ In other words, finding a job is a
time consuming task!
There is a lot of information available in the library. When you want some
particular data or books, you have to see the index first. After you know the
category number, you can then easily look for the information you want. Let
me draw an analogy. A map is usually too complicated for us to find a
particular place, say the post office ‘easily’. So, we must look at the key to find
the symbol of a post office. With this symbol, we can then find the place more
easily.
9.2.5 Comparison or Contrast
Some similarities exist among things. Furthermore, things often happen in a similar way.
In order to bring about the similarities among things, we often use words or phrases like
those in the following examples.
This ring is exactly like/ very much like/ just the same as that one.
The twins are identical in appearance.
There are no differences between this model and that one.
The plan will, just as what you have told me, be implemented without the
consent of the committee members.
In line with the current policy in the department, every payment must be
accompanied by a certified true copy of the official receipt.
We must concentrate in order to learn effectively. Similarly, we have to

concentrate on our work so that we can get good results.
The major difference between these two systems is the great difference
in the amount f expenditure involved.
Some people think that the recent incident will bring great effects on the
improvement of the system. On the contrary, the decline of confidence
will bring about a fall in the productivity and effectiveness.
Despite his enthusiasm in the endeavor, the entire plan fails.

Course Notes
He goes on making the same mistake in spite of repeated punishment by

his teachers.
Although it is cold, it is dry.
It is cold but it is dry.
When we have a lot of money, we may be able to acquire many things we

want. Nevertheless/ However, money cannot ensure that we shall be
happy in whatever we do.
Some cause will bring about some effect. The effect can be viewed as the immediate
result of a particular cause. An effect can then act as a cause to bring about another
effect. An example:
When I fell to the ground, I was badly hurt. I suffered a severe bleeding
although I was still alive. A few hours passed, no one came to help me.
Finally, I managed to get up and go home.
In this incident, can I say that the cause of my going home is that I fell to the ground? It
is clearly absurd because a great many things are missing in my argument. Therefore,
when you write sentences indicating cause-and-effect, make sure that nothing important
is forgotten. The readers can easily find that your reasoning is weak because there is a
‘loophole’ in your argument. Here are the sample sentences using some of the useful
phrases concerning cause-and-effect:
As soon as the financial budget is released, many government departments try to

implement what they are expected to accomplish.
Notwithstanding that the public policy is announced, the people show little
enthusiasm towards the underlying rationale.
The problem is so complicated that we must seek the assistance of an external

consultant.
The problem is too complicated for us to solve.
As there is surplus in the government savings, the Japanese can utilize the
resources to carry out extensive research.
I am starving so /; therefore/; hence I have to eat something.
9.2.7 Opinion
If you really have to voice your opinion, you must indicate clearly that it is your opinion,
something that needs further investigation and justification. Better still, tell the readers
that the opinion is of the other people, not yours! The following are some useful phrases.
Some people think that the world is getting worse for us to live in.

Course Notes
Most people may think that power can bring sadness.
I think that we must consider the other people.
I consider that the rise in interest will not cause a rise in inflation.
It is considered that the argument is sound and valid.
The politicians assert that the people are our ultimate goal.
I believe that loyalty is the most valuable virtue in this world.
He claims that he knows nothing about the cause of the accident, and he
saw nothing when the incident happened.
The president states that the government will take good care of the
influences of the regime upon the people.
I realize/ understand/ assume/ trust that you will do your best to protect
the interests of this company.
I expect/ estimate that the plan will work because all favourable factors
are present.
I like/ love that lady. After all, she is my wife.
I am not in the position to give you the secrets you want. (‘in the position
to’ means ‘having the authority to’)
9.3 Writing Argumentative Essays
In writing argumentative essays, you should adopt a positive attitude towards a new idea,
towards the statement of an examination question. Once we set our mind on the positive,
we can gradually find the constructive facts or factors. We may then look for supporting
evidence so that we can agree with the statement. After we think we have found all the
positive aspects, we can then turn our mind into the negative. Try your best to find
evidence to turn down the statement. Find out the bad points. Find the absurdity
contained in the statement. Support your viewpoint with facts and statistics, if possible.
For example, there was a member of the Legislative Council who employed three
personal secretaries to look for an relevant statistics and figures for her. When she spoke
in the Council or in public, she would quote the facts, the figures and the statistics to
support her. In this way, no one could challenge her on the facts. And she could go on
asserting her opinion successfully. By doing so, you can acquire a helpful habit, which
helps you to think clearly. It also helps you to give strong arguments to win your
opponents.
With the negative state of mind at this stage, you can go on trying to find out the faults
within those negative ideas. Can you see the trick here? If you can negate the negatives,
you are in a strong position to substantiate your positive argument.

Course Notes
In other words, an examination statement requiring an argumentative essay often wants

you to agree with the statement. So, give facts and evidence to support the statement in
the first place. Then, explain all the negative aspects concerning the statement as far as
you can. Finally, look for facts and evidence to negate the negative aspects you have
found. The result is: a very well planned argument! The readers will find it very hard
to reject your argument.
9.4 Writing Persuasive Essays
The main approach to persuasive essays is, apart from facts and evidence, thinking
about your readers as human beings with feelings, likes and dislikes, things they love
and things they hate, things they will do despite all rationale.
If you can tell them that some ideas can bring them the benefits they want, they will
undoubtedly accept those ideas. Of course, to find out what they want is very difficult. It
depends on your previous knowledge about people, your power of observation and your
experience in dealing with people. Don’t think that people think the way as you do.
They think differently, and much more differently than you know, sometimes. Unless
you actively keep in touch with various kinds of people, you cannot know what they
think, how they think, and in what way they will accept the other people’s ideas.
When you see some advertisements and TV commercials, don’t just laugh without
thinking. Ask yourself why the designer of the advertisement says such things. Try to
find out the reasons why you like a particular brand of cola. In your daily life, observe
closely how your friends react to external stimulus, how they can be persuaded and why
they reject ideas.
In this way, you have a bank of information about people’s preference, their fear, their
problems, their norms and their beliefs. In writing your persuasive essays, look for data
from your personal ‘bank’ and you will discover that to keep your essay persuasive is
not quite difficult.
9.5 Conclusion
We come to the end of this unit on argumentative essays. There may have been some
difficult concepts. There may also be some areas that you have never thought of. You
may know that facts and evidence are very important. Logic and fallacy are the tool to
present your ideas without errors. Positive thinking is crucial. Negative thinking can be
helpful to us if we can handle them. Experience in dealing with different people can also
help us write persuasive essays.
There is one thing left: Reading! Facts cannot be invented by imagination. You must
read widely and intelligently to enrich your ‘experience’.
You should read something important to you. Read them with an open mind. Think
about the other people when you read. Challenge the information whether sufficient
evidence is presented to you in the information. Memorize those examples of evidence.

Course Notes
Memorize those statistics. Memorize who says what. Learn the analogy of the other
writers.
You should also try to read things that you have never touched upon, or even things you
don’t like. As time goes by, you will have more evidence at hand to help you write
effective argumentative essays. So, start your reading habit as soon as possible.

DRILL 9 .1.1
1. This is a scientific fact and most people know that.
2. This statement cannot be accepted as a fact because doctors do agree that
insufficient sleep may affect our health, but not necessarily harm our health.
Furthermore, the word ‘insufficient’ needs clarification.
3. This is not a fact, but an assumption. We can easily find a Hong Kong citizen who
is not greedy.
4. This is not a fact because it is only an assumption that something may happen.
5. Yes, it is a fact.
6. Yes, it is a fact.
7. This statement is an assumption. It cannot be taken as a fact, but it can be accepted
as a general ‘tendency’.
8. This is not a fact because you are not the president!
9. Yes, it’s a fact.
10. Yes, it is a fact and a truth.
11. No, we can find roses of different colours.
12. Yes, this is a fact because of the word ‘modern’.
14. It is a generally accepted truth but it is not necessarily a fact. Television can have
positive and constructive effects on the family.
15. I don’t know. However, if we can find a person whose salary decreases, the
statement will turn into an assumption!
16. No, I don’t think it’s a fact. On the contrary, I find some of the young students are
very diligent.
17. It is not a fact, but if it can be proved by an experiment, it can become a fact.
19. Yes, a fact.
20. No, it’s an assumption. There is no proven evidence.
DRILL 9.1.2

Course Notes
1. I can assure you that the listener will try his best to prove otherwise. He will then
say you are wrong. So, you should be more tactful. ‘As far as I know, I don’t think
it is correct. But, can you explain it to me?’
2. This sentence tries to find fault again. So, you should say something like: ‘There
must be some accidents that make you late. Can you tell me what?’
3. ‘You must have thought that it is not your responsibility. However, ......’
4. ‘It’s a tragedy that you have done that. Did you have difficulties avoiding that
thing?’
5. ‘I am sorry to say that it is not possible.’
6. ‘I am afraid that I cannot agree with you because……’
7. ‘We have not much time left. I think you should do something now before it’s too
late.’
8. ‘Would you please let me have a chance to concentrate on my work first? I will
come and discuss with you after I have finished it.’
9. ‘Your boss thought that the job bad been done badly. He asked me to find out the
reasons. Now, I really want you to tell me if I could be of help.’
10. ‘Please let me think. I will come to you later.’
DRILL 9.1.5
1. This statement is valid because it is impossible to find someone who is taller than
twelve feet.
2. This statement is not valid because two contradicting things are present in the
same argument. You may hear about this kind of statements only when the speaker
wishes to go into two extremes at the same time. He wishes to draw the listeners’
attention to the absurdity and extremities of ‘love’ and ‘hate’. We sometimes feel
the presence of both. However, ‘love’ could never be the reason to ‘hate’! Let me
put it in the other way: ‘I love you because I hate you!’ What do you think about
this statement then?
3. This statement is not valid because there might be some ‘general truth’ with
something. Something is wrong but most people can consider it right! So, the
consent of the majority cannot always be a valid reason. Sometimes, however, we
have to pay respect to the majority!
4. The statement is a fallacy because no evidence is given. Your boss can be right, but
he can be equally wrong. So, other’s opinion can never be accepted as valid logic.
5. Although there is only one thing - smoking, there are two different people involved.
A person’s likes or dislikes will never be the cause for another person’s likes or
dislikes.
6. The first sentence may be a fact, a true event. The problem is that there may not
be any relationship between these two events. Therefore, we cannot say that the
first incident is the cause of the second incident.
7. We must know that the first sentence is a fact. However, this fact cannot ensure
that something will or will not happen in future. No one bows about the future!

Course Notes
8. This statement can be true if a census can be done to verify it. Otherwise, we
cannot accept it as valid.
9. If the first statement is a fact, we can conclude that the second statement is valid.
The reasoning follows a natural sequence. The logic is correct.
10. The first part of the sentence may be a fact, but there may be someone who can
prove that the medicine is bad! So, cannot accept the opposite of a proven fact.
11. This statement contains an analogy and its validity is limited only to those things
we want to draw the reader’s attention to. Generally, the statement is not valid!
12. If you can think more carefully on this statement, you will find that the
consequence that students do not want to study must bring about greater efforts to
be spent to run the schools.
13. Can you see that this question is different from No. 9? This statement is not valid.
The reason is that John may be a teacher, or someone else other than a student, who
likes football! Be very careful with this kind of situation. Students in examinations
make many mistakes of this kind.
14. It might be true that most people may be happier when they can earn more money.
That does not mean that this is always true. There are many people who would feel
nothing when he earns more money, as he has already had too much money. For
example, you feel wonderful if you can drink a Coke when you are very thirsty.
When you are no longer thirsty, what would you feel if I give you another 1-litre
bottle of Coke?
15. Similar to No.7, but the reasoning is just the other way round. Even if that
something always happened in the past ten years, it doesn’t mean that it will
happen again!
DRILL 9.1.6
1. The central processing unit, the input peripherals, the output peripherals and the
storage devices.
2. The computer is divided into four parts: the central processing unit, the input
peripherals, the output peripherals and the storage devices. The input data go into
the system through the input peripherals such as the keyboard or disk. Data are
accepted and are processed in the CPU (central processing unit) so that the data can
be converted into useful information. This useful information will then be
transferred to the outside world through the output peripheral such as the monitor
and the printer. The storage devices are the place where other data can be stored. It
is often that the storage devices can storage a large amount of data ready to be used
by the CPU.
3. The computer is useful in society because it is fast and accurate. The computer can
work about one million times faster than human being. We sometimes cannot
tackle complicated problem because we cannot solve the problems simultaneously.
However, the speed of the computer enables the machine to do things that we
cannot do. The usefulness of the computer is its accuracy.
4. Human beings are known to make mistakes, especially when they are under
pressure. The computer does not feel tired nor does it ‘feel’ that the work is dull. It

Course Notes
solves problems fast and accurately without complaint. With the appropriate usage,
the computer can be a great asset to the society.
5. With the facts from the passage, I think that the computer is a very useful machine.
It is a wonderful tool to human beings because it can do things that human cannot,
in terms of speed and accuracy. As the world is going to be more complicated, the
computer can help us tackle many difficult problems simultaneously. The
development of the world will then rely very heavily on the development of the
computer system.
6. As far as the present development of the computer is concerned, I agree with the
statement that the computer is an idiot. It is an idiot in that it can only follow
instructions or orders from human without asking why. It then carries out its job
fast and accurately until the job is completed. Nevertheless, the word ‘idiot’
implies the presence of some kind of human nature. In the case of the computer, I
don’t think that the computer has feelings. Human idiots have their own feelings,
so in this sense, the c computer is not an idiot. We can only say that it does not
‘think’ about the truthfulness of the things supplied to them. They only obey.
Summary of Unit 9
To write a successful argumentative essay, you should:
1. know what the examiners are looking for;
2. know why some arguments are well accepted;
3. provide relevant facts and evidence to support your theme;
4. be very clear in our presentation.
End of Unit 9

Course Notes
Unit 10 Letters

What should you do so as to write effective letters?
10.1 Introduction
We may write letters, conventionally or in the form of email, to our friends, our clients,
the company which offers a vacancy, the university we are going to enrol, the consulate
where we want to apply for a visa, the government department to which we wish to
lodge a complaint, and the organization from which we want to get some information.
10.2 Formal and Informal Letters
You may have heard about formal and informal letters. Or, you may hear about formal
and informal writing. We call a piece of writing formal when the writing sounds serious.
We make formal statements when the subject matter is important and the statements
must be made officially.
On the other hand, we usually aren’t formal in our conversations with our close friends.
When we write to our relatives or friends, we don’t want to be stiff in our tone. This
kind of conversation or writing is called informal writing.
10.2.1 Formal and Informal Tones
Formal English is the language used in writing essays, business letters, reports and
articles. There are seven requirements of formal tone:
(I) Formal ones
1. Use more complex words
I am sorry. = I apologize.
2. Prefer one-part verbs (Not phrasal verbs)
We will take part in… = We will participate in…
3. Avoid slang and colloquial vocabulary
I hate this man. = I do not like this man.
4. Avoid Contracted and abbreviated forms of words
I don’t know. = I do not know.

Course Notes
5. Use long and complex sentences, following grammar rules strictly by using:
i) Relative pronoun (e.g. who, which)
ii) Conjunction (e.g. and, because, so)
iii) Adverb (e.g. however, moreover, therefore) + semi-colon and comma
6. Use impersonal pronouns like ‘it’
It is obvious that…
It is thought (that) …
7. Use passive voice
Notice is hereby given (that)…
(II) Informal Tones
Informal English is the language used in memo, emails and letters to colleagues or
friends. There are seven requirements of informal tone:
1. Use many short words (e.g. fire, climb and ask)
2. Be more relaxed about grammar rules than formal English, using simpler
grammatical structures and loosely-connected sentences and phrases
3. Use first and second person points-of-view (e.g. I, you and we) to create a more
personal style than formal English.
4. Use contractions (e.g., ‘it’s’ instead of ‘it is’)
5. Use shorter sentences
6. Avoid using formal punctuation marks like semi-colon (;) and colon (:)
7. Use more phrasal verbs
Examples:
ask for (request) set up (establish)
deal with (handle) find out (discover)
10.2.2 Format of Letter and Envelope
When we write letters, we have to write envelopes. We have to write a few things on an
envelope, that is, the writer’s address, the addressee’s address, or some other notations
such as BY AIR MAIL, REGISTERED, etc.
The writer’s address should be placed at the top left hand corner of the envelope.
Conventionally, the addressee’s address is placed at the central of the envelope.

Course Notes
However, envelopes are always stamped by machines and the possibility that the
addressee’s address is being stamped by the machine marking is rather high. So, in order
to avoid the address being stamped to become difficult to read, it is better to place the
addressee’s address near the bottom of the envelope and a little bit to the left. The
stamps can be placed at the top right hand corner.
Parts of a letter:
Hong Kong Radios Ltd. (1) Your Company’s address

100, Nathan Road,
HONG KONG
Your Ref. ABC/12 (2) Reference
19th May, 2013 (3) Date
Mr David Chan (4) the name and address of the recipient

The President
Mickey Corporation California 92123
U.S.A.
Dear Mr Chan (5) Salutation
CK LCD monitors (Reference line) (Optional)
Thank you for your letter dated 8th May 2013 in which you informed us we had sent you
2000 sets of CJ LCD monitors instead of the CK LCD monitors you ordered last year.
We greatly regret causing you trouble, but after checking the details of your order
mentioned above, we have found you in fact ordered the CJ LCD monitors. We
therefore conclude that the error must have been due to a typing mistake, which can so
easily be made. While I am afraid we cannot agree to the return of the goods, we would
like to suggest you hold them unless we can find another customer in the United States,
who is interested in buying the monitors. We will then arrange for them to be sent on to
him at our expense.
We hope this arrangement will be acceptable to you, and assure you of our best attention
at all times.
Yours sincerely, (6) Complimentary close
Jones (7) Signature
Ritchie Jones (8) Name

Marketing Manager (9) Position

Course Notes
DRILL 10.2.2
Try to correct the mistakes in the following letter. (There are six apparent errors)
15-5-2013
Dear Sir,
Request for information
Send me the Travel Leaflet. I want to go to Canada for a tour. Can you send me one?
Yours,
Karen Yim
The writer’s address is very much similar to the addressee’s address, because the
‘indented’ type of address is no longer popular in writing letters. The ‘indented’ type of
writing of address looks as follows:
Flat 102, Block C,

Goodview Court,
23 Beverly Hill Road,
Hong Kong.
It is clear that the ‘indented’ type of address will look very strange and clumsy if there
are more than 6 or 7 lines in the address. Nowadays, people like to use the ‘block’ type.
This becomes very clear especially in the case of inside address. In writing an address,
one should always write the Flat, Room, Block of the building on the first line. On the
second line, the name of the building is written. On the third and fourth line of the
address, the street number, the street, district and the city/ country are written. It is a
good practice to insert all the commas, including those at the end of the line, when you
write to people of other countries. The reason is very simple. People there are not
familiar with the local addresses and misunderstanding can easily arise.
When we come to writing the date, we should know that there are roughly two types of
dates:
The British write: 23rd December, 2012.
The Americans write: December 23, 2012.
We use ‘st’ for 1st, 21st, and 31st. We use ‘nd’ for 2nd, and 22nd. We use ‘rd’ for 3rd,
and 23rd.

Course Notes
For the rest of the days of a month, we use ‘th’, e.g. 14th, 11th, 30th, etc. Please note
that: ‘th’ is required for 11th, 12th, and 13th, because they are the short form for
eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth. Please also note that we don’t have to write these ‘st’,
‘nd’, ‘rd’ and ‘th’ for the American style of address.
Don’t use ‘2/10/12’ in formal letters.
For recipient, whenever we don’t know the person who would be responsible for the
task, we should write something like ‘The Manager’, ‘The Principal’, ‘The Editor’,
‘The Advertiser’ at the beginning of the inside address. Always bear in mind that the
letter is intended for a person, not a ‘lifeless’ object such as ‘a company’.
If we know the name of the recipient of the letter, or the person to be responsible for the
task, always include his name at the beginning of the inside address, e.g. Mr. John
Wong, The Manager, The Prosperous Company...... Or, we may write his name at the
Attention Line just before writing the salutation, e.g. Attention Mr. John Wong; or Attn.
Mr. John Wong
Always include a title for the recipient, e.g. Mr., Mrs., Madam, Miss, Ms., Professor,
etc. There are some differences among the three titles: Madam, Miss, and Ms. the word
‘Madam’ is often used for married women, while ‘Miss’ is used for unmarried women.
If you are not sure of the marital status of the recipient, use ‘Ms.’.
The salutation is the words of greeting before you start the body. Examples are:
Dear Sir,
Dear Madam,
Dear Sir/ Madam,
Dear Mr. Wong,
Please note that, first, the punctuation after the salutation is a comma. Americans like
the colon instead. Second, don’t write ‘Dear John’ for business purpose or in formal
letters. This kind of greeting should be confined to personal friends or relatives.
Now, we are ready to write the things we want to tell the reader. But, before writing the
body, we may give a subject for that letter. The subject line is a phrase in which you
give brief and concise information about the content of the letter. If the letter is an
application letter, you may write ‘Application for the Post of Manager’ in the subject
line.
The body of the letter is that part of the letter where you tell the addressee what you
want to say. It consists of one paragraph or a few paragraphs, depending on what is
required. If you want to get some information, one paragraph is far too enough. For
business dealing such as an order letter you must list all the particulars of the
merchandise, the unit costs, the sub-total, the total amount, shipping details, etc. So, the
number of paragraphs cannot be a fixed one.
When a new paragraph is started, some indentation is often adopted. Four spaces are
used by most companies. However, there is no fixed convention. The lines of a
paragraph should be single-spaced, that is, no extra empty line is required between any

Course Notes
two lines of written text. However, we usually leave a line of space between two
paragraphs.
After we have written the body of the letter, we should write the complimentary close.
The complimentary close is also a kind of greeting, but this greeting is like the
‘goodbye’ we say to our friends when we depart. Examples for the complimentary close
include: ‘Yours faithfully’, Yours sincerely’, ‘Yours truly’, etc. For informal letters, we
may use ‘Yours’, ‘Your friend’, etc. When you use more formal type of salutation such
as ‘Dear Sir’, ‘Dear Madam’ at the beginning of the letter, you should use ‘Yours
faithfully’ for the complimentary close. If you write ‘Dear Mr. Wong’ at the beginning
of the letter, you should use ‘Yours sincerely’ to show that the letter is less formal in
tone.
In business letters, we often include, in the title notation, the writers title, name and the
Department he is working. For example:
Chan Tai Man

Assistant Manager
Purchasing Department
The special notations include other information to identify some aspects of the letter,
such as who drafts the letter, who types the letter, any enclosure to accompany the letter,
and whether a copy of the letter is necessary for the other interested parties.
For example:
‘CTM/gc’ means Chan Tai Man is the person who signs the letter (i.e. he is the
responsible person) and the person who types the letter is Glory Chan.
‘c.c. Mr. Simon Peters’ means a carbon copy is necessary for Mr. Peters.
Nowadays, we are no longer interested in typing a carbon copy, but we use
Photostat copies instead. Despite this, the abbreviation ‘c.c.’ is still used.
‘encl.’ means enclosure - something else is enclosed in the letter. You may write
‘encl. Testimonials’ meaning you enclose the testimonials in the letter.
10.2.3 Informal Letters
Informal letters are letters written to the writer’s relatives, friends or very close business
partners. We distinguish these letters from formal letters by the use of informal tone. We
often use sentences used in conversations, and we often use short forms such as ‘don’t’,
‘won’t’, etc. These terms from oral English sound friendly and not serious. These terms
show friendliness and intimacy.
In writing an informal letter, we should notice that the basic format of a letter has to be
followed. We should always write our address unless your friend knows too well that
you will not move in the near future. The date of the letter always follows the writer’s
address. (Don’t write the date after the signature of the writer, although we, as Chinese,
often write the date at the end of a letter)

Course Notes
The salutation will then be ‘Dear John’, or ‘My dear Janet’, which are very much
different from the formal ‘Dear Sir’ or the like. Remember to place a comma after the
salutation. We don’t usually use a colon there. (A colon is used in Chinese letters, and,
Americans prefer to use a colon instead a comma after the salutation.) Here is an
example or a personal letter:
Dear Wanda,
How are you these days? How about having a vacation in Hong Kong, so that I can be
your host here? Although Hong Kong is a congested place, I am sure that you will love the
food here.
Three months ago, I had been promoted to Deputy Chief Accountant in my company. I
like the job and I enjoy having a crew of co-operative staff. They are doing their best to
contribute to the company, and they like the salary scale. I have a net of $6000 increase in
my salary and I am very happy about that. It is not necessary any more for me to work
under that rascal whom I told you last time. He was found cheating and was dismissed.
Everyone in the company, except his ‘close’ friends, were excited.
How are you going with your Jonathan? When will you marry him? Is he ever so
handsome and caring? If I were you, I wouldn’t let him go away! Drop me some lines
when you have time. If you decide to come here, you can stay in my house. You know that
I long for seeing you soon. Bye now, and take care.
Yours,
Here is another example of an invitation letter:
Dear Oliver,
Do you remember that the coming Saturday is my birthday? I bet you do. This time, I am
going to have a birthday party in my uncle's house at Repulse Bay. I do hope that you can
come to my party although I know that you are very busy finishing the project for the Far
East Redevelopment Plan. I shall assume you will be coming if you don’t call me next
Monday. On my birthday, I shall like to see Wendy too. See you then.
Yours,
DRILL 10.2.3 Correct the following letter so that it is more like an informal letter.
The writer, J. Mak, writes to his old friend, B. Thames, to invite him to come to his
wedding ceremony. The bride is their close friend, Nancy, who was their classmate
in the university days.

Course Notes
Dear Sir,
It is my pleasure that I can take this opportunity to inform you that I shall
get married next month. My future wife is Nancy whom you should be very
much familiar with when you were studying in the university in Australia.
I would be grateful if you could send me an acknowledgement about

whether you could come for the ceremony. We shall be very delighted to
have you as our honoured guest. Thank you in advance for your help in
this matter.
Yours faithfully,
Johnny Mak
Notes:
1. ‘It is my pleasure that’ is often used in formal letters. Instead of using a noun
pleasure, we may use an adjective showing our feeling in an informal letter.
2. ‘take this opportunity’ is a cliche now. A cliche is an overused phrase or sentence.

It was often used because it conveyed particular meaning without giving special
explanation. Cliches were often used in the past because writers found that these
phrases were very effective and forceful However, in modern usage, these cliches
are no longer effective because their meaning is no longer clear to the reader.
Furthermore, these cliches should not be used when you want to indicate a special
situation or particular feelings. Use your imagination and try to use other original
phrases to express yourself as fully as possible.
3. ‘to inform you’ should be used in formal letters, you should replace it by ‘tell’,
‘write’, ‘let you know’ in an informal letter.
4. ‘I would be grateful if’ is formal. It sounds very serious and should only be used
in formal communications such as formal invitation, formal contract letter, or in
letters ordering merchandise.
5. ‘send me an acknowledgement’ is certainly a formal type of writing. It is not

usual to ask for an acknowledgement from a friend or a relative, except that you
may wish to receive their answer. Acknowledgement means a formal and official
indication that the addressee has received the letter from the writer. Instead of
using this phrase, we should use phrases such as ‘I’m wailing for your answer’, ‘I
would appreciate receiving your prompt answer’, ‘Please promise me’, etc.
6. ‘We shall be very delighted to leans’ on the formal side of the scale. Instead of
using the word ‘delighted’, we may use words of informal nature such as ‘happy’,
‘joyful’, ‘pleased’, etc.
7. ‘our honoured guest’ is formal in tone and it should be used in a serious situation.
However, if you think that it is a very important thing for that friend to attend your
important wedding ceremony, you can use this kind of phrase to indicate that the
friend is really an honoured guest!

Course Notes
8. ‘Yours faithfully’ is one hundred percent formal. It can only be used as such, in
formal letters and in letters where you have used phrases like ‘Dear Sir’ in the
salutation. And in this letter, neither should the phrases like ‘Dear Sir’ be used
because the reader and the writer are close friends since their university days.
9. ‘Johnny Mak’ sounds unacquainted. Your friend seems a stranger to you. You
should drop the surname. Or, simply drop the whole name if your friend will not
take you as someone else. Write the word 'Johnny' there only when your signature
cannot be easily recognized.
10.2.4 Formal Letters
Formal letter, for instance a formal invitation, we often use phrases that we do not use
when we talk. For example, ‘We have the pleasure to invite your presence at our
opening ceremony...’ will become ‘Please come to our opening ceremony…’ in informal
situations.
DRILL 10.2.4 Write a formal resignation letter. Give some reasons for your leaving.
The reasons should not concern anything about the job or company you are leaving.
(Only a suggested resignation letter is given at the end of the unit. Before you read this
suggested letter, you should actually write that letter.)
Please note the following points when you write this resignation letter:
1. This is a formal resignation letter, that is, you should not use any conversational
English or colloquial expression.
2. When you give the reasons for leaving, you should try to convince the reader that
your resignation has nothing concerning any bad things in the present job.
3. In the letter, don’t forget to write the inside address. The addressee may often be
the Personnel Manager in your company. Write the full address to give an
impression that you are careful and prudent. Use ‘Dear Sir’ rather than ‘Dear Mr.
Wong’.
4. Give the letter a subject line that the letter is about resignation. Keep the body of
the letter as short as possible. The first paragraph should always be one sentence
saying that you have decided to resign from the present post. The second paragraph
lays down the reasons.
5. Give some positive comments towards the company although you may hate it very
much. The last paragraph should indicate your regret about causing any
inconvenience and to let the addressee know the means to contact you before and
after you leave the company. If you prefer, you may ask them to give you a
testimonial on your work experience and attitude.

Course Notes
10.3 Application Letters

10.3.1 Elements
An application letter is a serious letter. It is the first step that you can secure a new job
so you must be very careful.
DRILL 10.3.1 Think about how application letters should be written so that
employers are eager to interview you.
The following is a sample application letter; try to find out how successful the letter is in
presenting the applicant’s details concerning his qualification, experience and past duties.

Course Notes
Flat 1206, Block A,

Gillion Mansion,
45 Kowloon Road,
Kowloon.
3rd March, 2013.
The Advertiser,
Box 230,
South China Morning Post,
Wynham Street,
Central,
Hong Kong.
Dear Sir/Madam,
Application for the Post of Customer Relation Manager
With reference to the advertisement in today’s South China Morning Post, I would like to
apply for the post of Customer Relation Manager.
After graduating from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2010, I have been
working as a Bank Officer in Hong Kong Credit Banking Corporation. My duties
include negotiating with the bank’s clients. These clients include some foreign banks.
With these past experiences, I become competent in the banking credit facilities, personal
loan facilities, and finance investment.
The reason why I want to leave my present employer is that your company can offer a
post with better prospects in which I can equip myself to be competent in multi-national
business dealings. The experience in credit and finance investment will be a great help for
me to carry out the duties of the vacant post. If you find my credentials satisfactory, I can
be available for an interview at any time convenient to you. And if it is possible, I will
appreciate your giving me one day’s notice.
Yours faithfully,
Chan Tai Man
Notes:
1. ‘The Advertiser’ is usually used when you don’t know who places the
advertisement in the newspaper. Nowadays, the companies often give full
instructions on where you should write to. Read carefully about the advertisement
and do as you are requested. If you know the name of the officer going to read your
letter, you may put his name to replace ‘The Advertiser’, e.g. ‘Mr. John Wong’,
‘The Financial Manager’. Another way to do a similar job is to write a separate
line after the addressee’s address, e.g. ‘Attention: Mr. John Wong, The Financial
Manager’.

Course Notes
2. ‘Application for the Post of Customer Relation Manager’ is the subject of the
letter. Pay attention to the Capitalization of the important words in the subject.
Words minor in nature, such as prepositions, conjunctions, articles, etc. can be
written in an ordinary manner. Note also that you should not write ‘Application for
Manager’ because the meaning is somewhat wrong. You are applying for a post,
not for a name!
3. ‘With reference to’ is used to introduce your first sentence. Its meaning is that you
are talking about the advertisement in the newspaper. Other examples include ‘In
response to...’, ‘I refer to…’, ‘I have seen your advertisement...’, ‘Having read the
advertisement…’, etc.
4. ‘today’s’ shows your being serious with the job seeking. I find some students refer
to last month’s newspaper. Do you think this gives a good impression? Does it
indicate that the applicant really wants to apply for the job?
5. ‘I have been working as a Bank Officer’ is a sentence indicating a long period of

working experience, and that you are still working in that firm. If you want to say
that you worked for the other firms before this one, you may write ‘I worked in...’
or ‘I had worked in ...’. The past tense gives an emphasis on the company, while
the past perfect tense stresses on the continual period.
6. ‘I become competent’ is that kind of details a potential employer wants to know.

He wants to know exactly how competent this applicant is, what duties he can carry
out independently, how well he will do the job without intensive supervision. So,
whenever you think that you are competent in some business fields, say so. Don’t
be shy to say you are competent, especially in some cases that you must have done
something to become competent. For example, ‘I have supervised the construction
of ten mass transit systems’.
7. ‘The reason why I want to leave’ is something that the employer is also
interested in. He may wonder why such a competent person is willing to leave his
job. Does he have special reasons? Is he a business pirate? So, in your application
letter, give your reasons which should be convincing.
8. ‘better prospects’ is that kind of phrases that applicants often use, but without
knowing why they write it. Similar statements include ‘I am willing to learn and to
work hard’ .Do you notice the nature of these phrases or statements? They are too
general. Unless you have investigated the company and the vacancy, how do you
know that you will have better prospects, how can you be so sure that you are
willing to learn and work hard? If you want to make these statements, remember
that the employer knows better than you.
9. ‘I can be available for an interview’ and ‘I will appreciate your giving me one
day’s notice’ indicate how you can be contacted for an interview. Please be frank
to the potential employer. He may not mind giving you even a 2-days’ notice when
he really want to hire you. In many cases, include the telephone number so that an
arrangement to interview you can be made. When you tell someone of the
telephone number where you can be contacted, make every effort to attend the
telephone, or ask somebody to attend the telephone so that the message about an
interview can be taken.

Course Notes
Other than those points discussed above, you should also try to dig out what your good
points are. You should find out what you can do and what you can do best. Discover
your strengths and weaknesses. Also, find out what you really want from your job.
In writing an application letter, you have to keep in mind that you must provide what the
employer wants, not to provide what you want. If these two aspects are the same sets of
expectation, you will find that the job is suitable to you and you will really enjoy the
work if you are employed.
In an application letter, you must try to sell yourself to the potential employer. Firstly,
you tell him all your strengths and things you can do. Secondly, tell him the benefits that
you can bring to the company. Lastly, convince him that you are the suitable candidate
who can bring the benefits.
10.3.2 Resume (curriculum vitae)
You may now wonder that the sample application letter does not include much
information. You are right in this point, because not every detail is to be written in the
application letter. For other details, it will become more convenient for the recipient of
the letter to learn about the details if the data are written in a well-presented format. We
use resumes.
The word ‘resume’ refers to the data sheet containing your particulars. The resume is
sometimes called the personal particular data sheet, or more technically the ‘curriculum
vitae’. You may often see the abbreviation ‘CV’ in advertisements. When you see such
an abbreviation in an advertisement, a resume is required.

Course Notes
RESUME
Name: Chan Tai Man

Address: Flat 6, Block A, Beautiful Building, 1.23 Wonderful Street, Kowloon.
Telephone number: 9312 3456 Email: chan_tm@aa.com
Education: 1986 - 1992 Small Primary School P1-P6
1993 - 1998 Big Secondary School Fl-F5
1999 - 2002 Matriculation College F6-F7
2002 - 2005 The Chinese University of Hong Kong B.Sc.
Qualification: 1998 HKCEE
English (A)
Chinese (A)
Mathematics (B)
Physics (B)
Chemistry (B)
2002 HKALE
Use of English (A)
Physics (A)
Chemistry (B)
Pure Maths (B)
2005 B.Sc. Degree - CUHK Major in Atomic Physics
Experience: 2006 - present Teacher
Really Big College
Duties: teaching science subjects up to Form 6 (DSE)
Skills: Knowledge in using Microsoft Office
Knowledge in Management Accounting
Languages: English (written and spoken: very fluent)
Chinese (written: very fluent, Spoken Putonghua: fluent)
Interests: Reading novels, swimming. hiking and listening to music
References: Professor A. Mak
Department of Atomic Physics
Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T.
Notes:
1. You should write your personal data correctly, especially your address, telephone
number and e-mail address, so that the potential employer can contact you.
2. ‘Education’ is different from ‘Qualifications’. It is better to separate them.

Education concerns the places where you receive education or training, including
vocational training and even seminars.

Course Notes
3. If you are a graduate from a university, it will become unnecessary to include

details concerning the middle schooling. Decide for yourself with due regard to the
circumstances. List all diplomas, certificates, awards, memberships and the like in
‘Qualifications’. You may list the most recent ones first.
4. In listing working experiences, you may give the previous employment first; or you
may give the most recent ones first. Both approaches are acceptable. The important
thing with your experience is the duties actually involved in your past jobs.
Describe briefly but adequately about the duties and the responsibility. If the
advertisement requires you to give detailed information on this aspect, use a
separate paper to list all the necessary information.
5. If you have learnt something about the computer, you will be in a better position to
secure a job. It is because a certain amount of knowledge in operating a personal
computer is assumed nowadays. List out whether you know about the hardware or
the software. Give the name of the packages. In the ‘Skills’ column, you may also
include those data of other knowledge and abilities.
6. You must make it clear to the reader of your letter in what languages you are
proficient. For general purposes, distinguish between written and spoken languages,
as they may be different in some cases.
7. Students always commit a mistake in listing the interests or hobbies: the problem
of parallelism. When you use a gerund in ‘reading novels’, you should also use
gerunds for the other aspects like swimming, hiking, picnicking, etc. Which one of
the following statement is better, ‘I am interested in football’ or ‘I am interested in
playing football’?
8. Another thing you can include in your resume is the name of a person who knows
you and who is willing to act as your referee. Whether to include a list of
references in the initial stage of applying for a post is a matter of choice. However,
it is a fact that the references are often asked about the applicant many times in a
week.
10.4 Letters of Complaint
A complaint is in fact a special way to bring something to the attention of the people
concerned. Some people may not know something ‘bad’ has happened, so they take no
remedial action to stop it. A complaint is therefore a way to tell those people about that
undesirable thing so that prompt action can be taken.
For every complaint, there should be at least four aspects so that the receiver will know
what he is expected to do, or not to do. These aspects are the introduction, the
circumstances, the demand and the time limit for action.
DRILL 10.4 Decide what you should really complain about in the following
situations. Discuss with your friends or colleagues whether they can help.

Course Notes
1. You went to Australia last month. You carried two suitcases with you. The
suitcases were locked by you. When you arrived in Australia, you found that one of
your suitcases was missing at the Airport. You got the other suitcase, which was
intact and the lock was all right, and went to the hotel. Upon arriving at the hotel,
you tried to open your suitcase. You discovered that the lock of the suitcase was
tampered with and one of the expensive camera lens inside the suitcase was
missing. Under these circumstances, what should the complaint(s) be? To whom
should you make the complaint(s)?
2. You live in an apartment. The neighbour next door played mahjong and brought
nuisance to you. They continued to play the game up to one o’clock in the morning
for the past 3 days. The law requires that no noise nuisance will be allowed after 11
in the evening. So, what should you complain about? Where should you lodge the
complaint?
3. You and your parents went to a department store. There was a supermarket at the
lower ground floor. All of you went down to buy some fruit. When your mother
saw that there were some very nice strawberries on display, she pointed to the
strawberries and talked to you. You two talked about the markings and the words
written on the package of the strawberries. At that very moment, one of the staff,
who was a female in her forties, shouted at your mother ordering her to stop
pinching the strawberries. You were sure that your mother did not pinch the fruit,
so you told that lady calmly that your mother had not done anything. This lady
shouted at you rudely again and again, louder and louder, saying that you that you
were trying to protect your mother who had tried to pinch the strawberries. So, in
this situation, what should be the subject matter of the complaint?
4. You took a taxi. You discovered that there were two sets of wireless
communications inside the taxi. One of which was the radio station between the
taxi and the taxi main station, as you could hear that the staff of the taxi company
was talking about the taxi services. You knew very well that the other radio station
is not legal because you could hear up to four other taxi drivers talking nonsense on
the radio. So, can you lodge a complaint in this case? What is the complaint? And
to whom should you make the complaint?
10.4.1 Introduction
When you start a complaint letter, you should always state the purpose of the complaint
at the very beginning. You must make it clear from the start what the complaint is all
about. For example: ‘I am writing to complain about the ineffective way that my claim
for compensation is being handled.’ Make sure that the starting sentence is illogical. For
example: ‘I am writing to complain about the efficiency of your company.’ is illogical
because of the word ‘efficiency’. This word implies that the company is working
efficiently! So, why do you make a complaint as it is working efficiently? The use of
this word makes the sentence funny.
Watch out for this kind of innocent mistake when you write the first sentence to a
complaint letter.

Course Notes
DRILL 10.4.1
Write the starting sentences for the complaints in DRILL 10.4.
10.4.2 Circumstances
When you have started the first statement and have made it clear what the complaint is
all about in the sentence, you should then tell the addressee the story behind.
You should try to help him understand the situation clearly. So, you should give as
much information and more details as possible. Remember that you should approach
this part as if you were writing a narrative essay. Time sequence is the most frequently
used logic. Don’t leave anything for the readers to make wild guesses. Don’t assume
that the recipient of the letter must understand the situation. Give the details as concisely
as possible.
It is understandable that the complainant must be very angry with something he doesn’t
want to see. However, a complaint letter should concentrate only on the facts only. If
you are too angry with the situation, you will lose your way to make a demand. So,
always keep yourself calm.
10.4.3 Demand
After you have stated the complaint and give all the details of the situation, you should
then make the demand. State your demand in concrete and specific terms. Don’t let the
person under the complaint escape from his responsibility.
DRILL 10.4.3 What should be the demand of the complaints in DRILL 10.4?
Write sentences to voice the demand.
10.4.4 Time Limit
Whenever you make a demand, always make it as specific as possible so that prompt
action will be taken. One of the ways to ensure such an effect is to give a time limit to
the demand, beyond which you will take some other actions you think appropriate
against the party concerned.
For example:
I demand that the compensation reach me by the end of this month.

Otherwise, I have to take legal actions against your company.
Another example:
If I do not hear from you about any workable solution as to replace the
defective machine, I will report this case to the Consumer Council, as
well as to take my lawyer’s advice to carry out the legal proceedings
against your company in order to recover the loss I have suffered.

Course Notes
10.4.5 Replies to Complaints (Letters of adjustment)
When a complaint is received, the matter has to be investigated. The circumstances

given by the complainant have to be checked carefully to see whether the complaint is
verified. If the facts supplied are proved to be correct, we say that the complaint is
justified. If the facts are proved to be incorrect, we call the complaint an unjustified
complaint.
As the recipient of a complaint, you must act promptly on complaints. Whether the
complaints are justified or not, you have to give a reply to the complainant explaining
what you have found.
If the complaint is justified and the demand of the complainant is reasonable, you
should grant him the demand and do as he asks. Give a reply to complainant telling him
that you are sorry for the error, and tell him that you will act upon his requests. If you
can think of anything that your company can do in order to restore the faith of the
complainant, you should tell him the company will also arrange compensation. Finally,
assure the complainant that similar mistakes will not occur in future.
In case that the complaint is not justified, you must be equally careful in giving a reply
to the complainant. It is often found that the complainant is too emotional to accept any
reasonable explanation, and is unwilling to face the facts. When you write a reply
concerning an unjustified complaint, you should think of the emotions and the feelings
of the complainant. Try to find out why he is so angry. If it is possible, find out any
means or reasons to convince him that he is wrong or he has misunderstood something.
Of course, you don’t have to say ‘You are wrong’. Similar to a reply for a justified
complaint, you try your best to explain the ‘mistake’ and to explain carefully what
actually the facts are. If it is the fault of the complainant, try to point out the relevant
facts in the hope that the complainant may eventually find out he is at fault.
For both types of replies, the tone is not right to say: ‘Thank you for your complaint.’ If
you say so, it implies that you are fond of this kind of matters. Instead of saying that,
you may say:
Thank you for your letter dated (date) bringing the matter to my attention.
Then, you should explain the relevant facts by writing:
We have carried out a thorough investigation on the matter, and we

discovered the following findings…
This sentence calls for the attention of the complainant that something has been done by
your company and the investigation is thorough. This tries to set his heart at ease
because the complainant may feel that you are prudent and serious on the complaint.
While explaining the facts of findings to the complainant, don’t name a particular staff
of your company, who has done something wrong. Also, don’t write: ‘Mr. John Wong,
who is our counter officer, was found to be rude to you and had said foul language
when he was arguing with you at the counter’. This is not a necessary step because it
may not be fair to that particular staff although he makes a mistake. Just write:

Course Notes
Some other staff at the scene were questioned. It was discovered that
what you have alleged on the counter staff was correct.
If the relevant facts show that the complaint is not justified, don’t say that the company
is wrong although it is not necessary to say explicitly that the complainant is wrong. Try
to explain carefully and in details the facts to the complainant. Don’t use sensitive
words which might cause serious reaction on the complainant It is, on the one hand, not
effective to point out that someone is wrong (he will probably not be willing to accept
he is wrong); and, on the other hand, not courteous to do that because the complainant
might have misunderstood something that makes him believe your company is wrong.
So, what you should do is to try to explain the facts in a very polite but firm way. Stress
the point that your company is not wrong and the staff have not done anything wrong.
For example:
We have checked the record on your account. For the past two weeks, the
balance had been $4,000. During this period, the account had not been
debited with further amount. Furthermore, we checked that you had
refused our offer for overdraft facilities on the phone last Monday. For
these reasons, your cheque of $6,000 could not be honoured and thus
returned to your client. We are sorry that it had caused you much
inconvenience, but we did not have any other choice in this matter.
Therefore, I sincerely request that you arrange an overdraft service from
us in advance of any possible rejection of cheques issued by you in future.
Do you spot out anything in the above example that the bank indicates the customer is
wrong? No, right? But with a reasonable customer, as well as some other people, it is
very clear that the customer was wrong.
In the example in the preceding paragraph, you might have noticed the phrase ‘I am
sorry…’ Whenever you want to write that phrase, think carefully on the following
points.
Firstly, this phrase is a polite one so that the complainant is willing and ready to listen.
Secondly, this phrase implies you are wrong. So, you must be sure to write the other
parts of the sentence with this phrase very carefully. Write the sentence in such a way
that it is clear you are not wrong (if that is the case).Thirdly, as the phrase indicates
error on your part, there might be some legal liabilities attached. That means that if you
are not careful enough to write the sentence with that phrase, you will be held
responsible for the error in the matter. Fourthly, you may use the passive voice to avoid
those possible drawbacks of the above phrase: ‘It is regretted that…’ or ‘It is
unfortunate to discover that…’
If the complaint is not justified, show the complainant the way that similar
misunderstanding will not occur again in future. Make your suggestions as specific as
possible so that the complainant will know exactly what he should do in future.
At the end of the reply, you may write something to reassure the complainant that your
company is always ready to provide good service to the customers. You may invite the
complainant to give further suggestions to improve the service. Give him a contact
telephone number so that the complainant will not go directly to your boss.

Course Notes
Here are two examples of replies, one on a justified complaint and the other on an
unjustified complaint.
Example 1:
Dear Mr. Swinson,
I refer to your letter dated 15th March 2013 and would like to thank you for
bringing the matter to my attention.
The whole matter has been carefully and thoroughly investigated. The facts you
provided in your letter were found to be valid and true, in that we managed to find
out that one of our staff had stolen your expensive lens after he tampered with
your suitcase. The case had been reported to the police who will take appropriate
legal actions against this staff. As we cannot tolerate such kind of criminal offence,
the staff concerned had been dismissed accordingly. I must express our regret in
this the matter.
As the stolen lens will become an evidence exhibit for the police until the case is
finalized, you will be inconvenienced in the meantime. In order to show our regret
in this matter, we would like to arrange for you to use a similar lens through the
help of TOPGUN CAMERA SHOP in the lobby of our hotel. You are requested to
return the lens to the shop after the original lens is returned to you by the police.
All extra expenses, including the postage you will spend in returning the lens to
the shop, will be borne by us. I hope that the above arrangements are acceptable
to you.
May I express my regret again and hope that you will not lose your trust in our
service. If you have any further queries, please feel free to contact me at 2563
9481- Ext. 3.
Yours sincerely
Chan Tai Man

Manager, Liaison Dept.
Example 2:
Dear Mr Swinson,
Thank you for your letter dated 15th March, 2013, bringing the matter to my
attention.
The matter had been carefully checked and I personally interviewed the porter
who dealt with your suitcase on the day of your arrival. We have the following
findings:
Upon your arrival to the hotel, the suitcase bad been carried by you. There had
been no chance for any staff of our hotel to get access to your suitcase, not to
mention the contents there in. When you checked in at the counter, you were
accompanied by one of our porters who showed you the way to Room 3435. The
porter left you and the suitcase in the room, after you indicated that you were

Course Notes
satisfied with the room assigned. During the period from your arrival to your
checking in, it had been impossible for any of our staff to tamper with the lock of
your suitcase or to steal anything from it. A reasonable conclusion is that your
lens had been stolen well before you arrived at our hotel
In view of the above findings, I regret that the fault is not our responsibility and
we cannot grant you the claim for the loss of the lens. As the theft apparently
occurred before your arrival at our hotel, would suggest that you report this case
to the police for their necessary action and investigation.
I am sorry that we cannot help you in this matter. However, if you wish to buy a
new lens, we would like to arrange the TOPGUN CAMERA SHOP in the lobby of
our hotel to assist you. Thank you for your interest in our service and we assure
you that we will do our best to provide the best service to our customers.
If you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to call me at 2345 6789
Ext.10.
Yours sincerely,
Chan Tai Man

Manager, Liaison Dept.

DRILL 10.2.2
15th May 2013(1)
Dear Sir,
Request for information
I would like you to send me the Travel Leaflet as I will go to Canada for a tour. (2, 3)
Would you send me one? (4)
Yours faithfully (5)
Karen Yim (6)

Karen Yim
DRILL 10.2.3
Dear Bobby,
Long time no see! How are you these days?
Well, I am writing to tell you that I have won the battle. Nancy finally agrees to marry
me. Are you discouraged, anyway? You will miss Nancy, uh?

Course Notes
We have decided to hold our wedding ceremony on 4th next month. do hope you can
come. You are certainly one of our honoured guests in the ceremony. Please call me if
you cannot come, but I won’t like to hear about that. By the way, do you have any
suggestions for me in this important life time adventure? Bye now, and see you in the
ceremony.
With best wishes from both of us.
Very sincerely yours,
DRILL 10.2.4
123 Large World St.,
3/F, Flat 4,
Hong Kong.
3rd March, 2013.

The Personnel Manager,
The Leaving Company Ltd.,
456 Small Hill Avenue,
4/F, Central,
Hong Kong.
Dear Sir,
Resignation
I wish to tender my resignation effective from 1st April 2013. According to the
employment contract, I have to give one month’s notice prior to my leaving the present
post. However, as there are unforeseen circumstances, I can give only 28 days’ notice
to this effect. I am willing to accept any deduction of my salary in lieu of 2 days’ notice.
The reason for my leaving is not that I am not satisfied with my present post. On the
contrary, I find my post challenging and I have gained much invaluable experience
from the duties I was responsible for.
I have to leave the company because I have to leave Hong Kong as the Consulate of
Canada has just inform me of the issue of my permanent residency there. I have to land
in Canada before 15th April. I have to leave on 1st April because that is the only date
when air tickets for my whole family are available.
I am sorry to cause you much inconvenience but the matter is beyond my control.
Lastly, I wish you could write me a testimonial about my work in the company for the
past 5 years. If you have any queries, I can be reached at Ext. 555 before 1st of April
and at Box 321, Beautiful City, Toronto, Canada.
Yours faithfully,
Chan Tai Man

Course Notes
Notes:
1. ‘tender my resignation’ is a formal way to say ‘I want to resign from my present
post’. The word ‘tender’ suggests that you are humble in this matter.
2. ‘prior to’ is a very formal expression meaning before. Always use ‘before’ unless
the situation is truly a very formal one for you to use ‘prior to’.
3. ‘unforeseen circumstances’ is a frequently used phrase to give an excuse. You use
it because you may truly meet a situation that you cannot avoid, or you may have
difficulties to give a decent excuse for that urgency.
4. ‘to this effect’ means concerning this matter. It is rather a formal phrase and
should be used when situation warrants.
5. ‘I am willing to’ is a phrase that you want to introduce something that the
addressee would be happy to hear about. Despite you are not willing to do
something, I suggest that it is no harm saying you are willing. No matter what the
situation will become, you have to do those things!
6. ‘in lieu of’ is another formal phrase. It means to compensate for. Because you
cannot give a full 30-day notice, the balance of notice must be ‘compensated’ by
other means, such as a deduction of salary.
7. ‘is not that I am not’ cannot be considered as a formal phrase, but it is actually a
double negative. ‘I am…’ introduces a positive sentence. ‘I am not…’ introduces a
negative sense. The phrase from the letter is called a double negative because there
are ‘is not’ and ‘am not’ within one sentence. Please take care when using double
negative. Unless it is necessary, try to avoid double negatives because double
negatives are hard to comprehend, or misunderstanding can easily arise. Despite
this, you should use double negatives intelligently, because double negative does
not mean positive. For example: ‘You are not ugly’ does not imply that ‘You are
beautiful’.
8. ‘On the contrary’ is neither formal nor informal. But, it leans on the formal side
of the scale. It is used to introduce something ‘opposite’ in nature. Unless you are
sure that the things you are going to introduce are truly opposite in nature, try to
use other phrases such as ‘Then’, ‘After that’, etc.
9. ‘I am sorry’ does not imply anything formal. More formal phrases include: ‘I wish
to show my regret’, and ‘I regret to…’. The ‘magic’ of this phrase is that the
listener will be more willing to go on listening. He may feel more comfortable
although you may have hurt him. However, when you use this phrase, make sure
that you have no legal liability on the things being done wrong!
10. ‘cause you much inconvenience’ is rather polite and formal. Whenever you ask
for a favour you are supposed to deserve, always include this phrase and that in
Item 12 below.
11. ‘If you have any queries’ shows a way that you are willing to answer for any
questions from the reader of the letter. There is some difference between the word
‘queries’ and ‘problems’. You cannot say ‘If you have any problems’ in such a
circumstance. The latter phrase is used when, say, a manager addresses to his
junior staff.

Course Notes
DRILL 10.3.1
1. If the application is carelessly written, e.g. wrong grammar, wrong usage, wrong
spelling, illegible handwriting, missing details, wrong job title, wrong addresses,
wrong salutation, or ..., the receiver will think that the writer of the letter is not
serious about the application. The employer may conclude that the writer is not
prudent and serious. How can he hire someone who is careless and does not show
great interest in the application? A well-presented letter will, therefore, give an
impression that the writer is willing to work hard and carefully on appointment.
2. If the employer finds that the applicant’s experience is adequate, the applicant
might have a chance for an interview. However, it is far often the case that not
because the applicant is not qualified, but that the applicant does not give correct
and sufficient details of his education and qualification. Therefore, when you talk
about your qualifications, make sure that you are telling them that you are qualified.
Give specific details. Write the name of the certificate and the issuing body
correctly and completely. State the level of the certificate and the grade of the
subjects passed in examinations. If you have a degree, you may even have to give
all the details about the various, courses, papers, researches, thesis, dissertation,
and the GPA.
3. This case is the opposite of No. 2 above. If the employer stress experience and you
have not sufficient experience, you will not be interviewed. However, if the
employer does not emphasize much on experience, but thinks that qualifications
are more important, you might have a chance for an interview when you possess
those required qualifications. Anyway, if you have sufficient experience, give the
details. If you don’t want to give the details in the letter, you may put them in the
resume (personal particular data sheet). Don’t assume that the employer will
understand your duties when you tell him that you were a ‘secretary’. Words of this
kind include clerk, manager, officer, and supervisor. You may think that these
words are specific in meaning. But they are not! Do you think that a secretary to
the proprietor of a small fast food shop carries out the same duties of a company
secretary of an international computer manufacturer like Dell?
4. Prospective employer may think that you will soon leave the job and then he will
take the trouble again to seek for another applicant. If there are applicants who
show willingness to work for a longer time, these applicants have a better chance
than you.
5. Business people are already busy people. If they have some applicants at hand who
seem to be the right staff, why should the employer search for a particular applicant
who does not give sufficient information about himself? Therefore, always try your
best to include all necessary details about yourself, your qualifications, your
experience, and your past duties.
DRILL 10.4
1. You have to make at least two complaints. The first one is to the airline company
about the missing suitcase, and you should claim for the compensation for the loss.
You should also make a second complaint to the hotel in Australia, claiming the
damage to the lock and the missing of the lens. You may even make a third
complaint to the police in Australia that the second suitcase was illegally damaged
by someone.

Course Notes
2. If this happened in Hong Kong, you should call the police just after 11 in the
evening about the noise emitted from your neighbour. The police should then take
actions to stop them from playing the game again unless no extra noise was emitted.
3. This time you should make a complaint to the Manager of the department store, or
you may send the complaint to the manager of the supermarket section of the
company against the rude manners of that lady staff who was too sure to see
something that had never happened.
4. If the taxi belongs to a taxi company, you should make at least two complaints. The
first complaint would be sent to the company to urge them to stop the illegal station
in the taxi. The second complaint should be made to the relevant authorities about
an illegal radio station.
DRILL 10.4.1
1. I am writing to complain about the missing of one of my suitcases when I took a
flight on your Airline from Hong Kong to Australia.
I am writing to complain that the lock of my suitcase was tampered with and one of my
lens was missing while my suitcase was being handled by the staff of your hotel.
I am writing to report the loss of one of my lenses from my suitcase when the suitcase
reached me at the hotel.
2. No complaint letter should be written, as the complaint should be lodged via the
telephone.
3. I am reluctant to lodge a complaint against the rude manners of one of your staff at
the Supermarket.
4. I am writing to complain that an illegal radio station had been installed inside a taxi
of your company.
I am writing to report the illegal radio station installed in a taxi (No.XXX) which I
discovered while I was travelling with it on …
DRILL 10.4.3
1. I demand that compensation be made for my missing suitcase. I expect a sum of
$3,000.
I demand a compensation for the loss of my lens from my suitcase. I expect a sum
of $2,000.
I demand a police investigation on the theft of my lens and the appropriate legal
actions against any criminal offence.
2. (the demand to stop the noise should be made, but it will naturally be handled by
the police who know too well what they should do in this kind of matter)
3. I demand that the staff should be warned of the rude attitude, and I demand a face-
to-face apology from the staff concerned.
4. I request that no further illegal radio station be installed in the taxi.
I demand police action against the illegal radio station installed in the taxi.

Course Notes
Summary of Unit 10
To write effective letters, you should:
1. Know whether it is a formal letter or an informal one
2. Know the different special requirements of different types of letters
3. Know the adequate contents of different types of letters
4. Know the special expressions used in formal and informal letters.
End of Unit 10

Course Notes
Unit 11 Summary

What are the proper steps to write a summary?
11.1 What is a Summary?
After you have seen a movie, a friend of yours may ask you to tell him what the movie
is all about. He may want you to tell him just the gist of the story and he may stop you
from telling him and the other details or what you think. What you tell your friend is a
kind of summary.
The ability to write summaries is important and this ability is often tested in an
examination question in English Language. So, you should know what a summary is,
what it can do, and how you can write it. Besides, the skill to write good summaries is
important for an executive.
Let’s move on to learn about summaries and how we can write them proficiently.
11.1.1 Spotlight
A summary is never just a copying of important sentences from the original essay. The
readers may not comprehend the logic behind those copied sentences. They might even
wonder what are missing. The worst case is that they may misunderstand the original
passage as they read the fragmented notes.
We must, therefore, write a summary as a short coherent essay on its own. When people
read the summary, they would not think that the sentences in the summary are only topic
sentences without any relation between them. So, the first thing you must remember is:
Don’t just copy the sentences from the original passage.
DRILL 11.1.1
Decide whether the following summaries are good. Give reasons.
1. The president indicates that the business figure last year fell by a 20%. He urges a
department head to look into the matter and investigation reports must reach him by
the end of this month, so that a meeting can be called after he peruses all the reports.
2. The inflation rate rises. The total expenditure also rises. The quality of life falls.
Unemployment rises too. People caution to have a strike.
3. We had a picnic yesterday. The sun was very hot and it was bright. No trees were in
the field so we had no shade to protect ourselves. We tried to cover our heads with
newspaper. When we looked up to the sky, we could see that the sun was like a cruel
king pouring unbearable balls of fire upon us and upon our hearts. The sun was so

Course Notes
hot and bright that we could not look straight at it. The sun was then at an angle of
elevation of about 60 degrees and our shadow was as short as a baby.
4. We will find out the cause of the incident and will inform you in due course.
5. Because of the escape of the prisoner, the warden ordered a thorough search. The
fugitive was finally discovered, hiding in a small cave near the southern tip of the
cape.
6. After the trip, I find that the place is beautiful and wonderful.
7. More than twenty years ago, boat people started to rush to Hong Kong. Hong Kong
accepted them in the hope that they would emigrate sooner or later. However, more
and more of them came. Our camps became not big enough to accommodate them
and at the same time facilities were not sufficient to maintain a better than average
standard. As time went by, more and more boat people eventually landed in Hong
Kong. The government could not but to accept them and provide them with enough
bed spaces and facilities. Hong Kong people began to protest, and in the meantime,
the boat people also protested. The former were protesting against the policy to
accept so many boat people, while the latter were not satisfied about being stranded
in Hong Kong for so long without any sign of their emigrating to foreign countries.
Fights and conflicts arose within the camp and there were even fatalities government
began to think of effective ways to repatriate them to their countries.
8. It may be argued that a ‘public place’ is by definition a place where a member of the
public may be and that the extra requirement of reasonable likelihood of the
presence of others therefore involves an arbitrary qualification of the scope of the
term.
9. This unit presents the scope of summaries, the method of extracting the main points,
and the writing of precise summaries.
10. The procedures and methods are illustrated by the following diagrams and
photographs. (Assume that clear diagrams and photographs follow)
11.1.2 Requirement of the Summary
In general, a good summary must be brief and concise, containing the appropriate main
points, which must be well-linked to make the summary a coherent passage on its own.
A good summary may not contain any examples and illustrations, as well as
unnecessary details. It should not contain technical terms or difficult expressions as far
as practicable when the reader is a layman of the subject. The length of a summary
becomes only the second important factor when no essential points can be omitted from
the summary any more.
When you write a summary, you are always ‘asked’ to keep the summary brief and
concise. Maybe it is an examination question. Maybe your boss wants you to write him
a summary outlining the main points of a long paper, a long report, or even a magazine.
So, there is always a requirement for your summary.

Course Notes
For example, the examination question may require you to write a summary of 50 words
on the advantages and disadvantages of studying English Your boss is too busy to read
a technical report on a recent scientific discovery of the cure for the AIDS, so he asks
you to write a short summary of the report without any jargons.
In writing a summary, you must be very sure what really are required from the original
passage. The original passage is always very long and full of inappropriate main points
for your summary. Remember, not every main point in the passage must be included in
your summary.
DRILL 11.1.2
Read the passage below and do the drills afterwards.
In the morning we gathered at the Outlying Islands Pier to take a ferry to Silvermine
Bay. All ten of us reached the pier before 8 am on Sunday 10th July, 2013. We were
happy to see one another because we had not seen one other for a very long time, and
this trip of ours had to be a good chance for reunion.
We took the 8 am ferry and bought the tickets for the upper deck where there was air-
conditioning. We went up to the third deck and found that it was amazingly crowded.
People were dashing around with noisy little children screaming here and there. Ladies
were not talking each other, but they yelled across the rows of passengers to tell their
mates about a small accident to their Persian cat! 'What a deluxe class!
We manage to find ten seats by a long table. The seats were near the rear of the boat
and we could order some drinks and snacks from the food counter just behind us. Our
big brothers liked to get to the outside to take fresh air, while the rest of our ladies
chatted with one another on those dreams in the past, the unpleasant encounters in the
present, and the fearsome future!
It took us nearly one whole hour to reach the long white beach of Silvemine Bay. The
beach was really lovely but the noise of the people around had dissolved the quiet it
once possessed. We really missed the quiet days when we could swim in the beach with
no other people around!
The beach was once wonderful because we could do whatever we liked. We played, sang,
ran, lay on the sand, enjoyed the coolness of the sell water and bathed in the mild
sunlight. All these things reminded us of the good old days.
When it was time to leave, we really did not want to. We decided that we would bring
our little kids there next time, so that we could enjoy the wonderful things that Nature
promises to grant us.
1. If the question asks you to write a summary about the feeling of all ten of you, which
of the following main points would you omit?
a. We went to Silvermine Bay on 10th July;

b. We took a ferry to go to Silvermine Bay;
c. We gathered at the ferry before 8;

Course Notes
d. We were very happy to see one another;

e. We stayed at the third deck;
f. The ferry was crowded;
g. The ferry was very noisy;
h. The tickets were deluxe class;
i. We chatted;
j. The air outside was fresh;
k. The beach was very quiet;
l. All the things reminded us the past;
m. We promised to go there with our kids.
2. If the question asks you to outline the trip to Silvermine Bay, which of the following
main points would you include?
a. We were happy to see one another;

b. We did not see one another for a long time;
c. It was a reunion;
d. The women talked about a cat;
e. The tickets were deluxe class;
f. The counter offered snacks;
g. The future was fearsome;
h. We missed the good old days;
i. We would bring our kids next time.
3. If the question asks you to write a summary on the conditions of the beach of the
Silvermine Bay, which of the following main points would you omit?
a. We gathered in the morning;

b. The ferry to Silvermine Bay set off at 8;
c. The tickets were for the upper deck;
d. Children were screaming inside the ferry;
e. Ladies yelled at one another;
f. The Persian cat had an accident;
g. The beach was quiet;
h. We were swimming in the beach;
i. The beach was wonderful;
j. Nature grants us the beach.

Course Notes
11.1.3 Length of Summary
In an examination, the number of words for the summary is always given. For example:
Write a summary of about 200 words of the given passage. Or, write a summary of not
more than 100 words.
You often come across three phrases in writing summaries: not more than, not less
than, about. If ‘not more than’ is stated in the examination question, please do not write
more than the stated number of words. If ‘not less than’ is in the question, your
summary will fail if you write less than the stated number of words. But, what are the
standards? Usually, a margin of 5 words is assumed around the stated number of words
required.
On the other hand, if the examination question does not state the number of words
required, or if your boss does not clearly ask you to write within a specific limit, you
should always write a summary of a length about one third of the original passage. For
example, if the original passage is about 1000 words, your summary should be about
300 words.
11.2 Steps of Summary Writing
There are four steps for you to write a summary: (1) understanding the original passage;
(2) extracting the main points according to the requirements; (3) editing, and (4) writing
and revision.
11.2.1 Understanding the Original Writing
Students always ignore this important step. They think that the most important step is to
find out the main points for the summary. As you have understood that before you read
the original passage, you must read and understand the exact and specific requirements
of the question. So, it is equally important that you must understand the original passage
if you want to extract the main points. Under the time constraint of an examination, it is
not always possible for you to understand the passage to every minute detail. However,
do your best to comprehend the original passage.
As we have to write summaries, it is not quite necessary for us to understand every word
in the original passage. The place where we should look for main ideas is the key
sentences in every paragraph. The key sentences are usually found at the beginning of
each paragraph. If you can locate the key sentence, the rest of the paragraph will
become very clear to you. The other minor points tend to describe, explain, demonstrate
or illustrate the idea contained in the key sentence.
Sometimes you cannot find any key sentences in the paragraph. This is often the case
with narrative essays where no key sentence is necessary, and the theme of the essay is
illustrated by the various details of the story.
In descriptive essays, expository essays and argumentative essays, you will always find
the key sentences in the paragraphs easily. If you know the subject of description or
argument well, you will have no difficulties locating the key sentences. Spend the

Course Notes
amount of time you may need to comprehend fully the ideas contained in the key
sentences. Ask yourself whether you know what the writer wants to say. Spend more
time when you have a piece of writing that is composed by a ‘poor’ writer. There are
some writers who would not try their best to let the readers understand their work easily.
They may not write with a plan. Their essay may not follow a logical sequence. They
may use too many jargons. Some writers may write with too many ‘unnecessary’ details.
When you read through the passage, make some marks on the passage to remind you of
their relative importance as far as the requirement of the question is concerned. Pay no
attention to those very minor points no matter how interesting or vivid they are. For
example, you may underline important ideas or key sentences, and double underline the
key words. You may also use wavy lines, circles, stars, brackets, or virtually any mark
that can facilitate or highlight the main ideas.
11.2.2 Main Points and Relevant Points
What are the main points? The step of extracting the main ideas is perhaps the most
frustrating part of summary writing. Some students may even be at a loss when they
ultimately discover they have extracted too many words, even enough to write a length
double that is required. After you have underlined or marked the main ideas in the
passage, count roughly the number of words you have highlighted. If the number of
words exceeds the number of words required for the summary, you have extracted too
many from the essay. If the number of words of the extracted material is less than 50%
of the required number of words, you may have omitted some of the main points or
ideas. If you have extracted the right number of words, the number should be
approximately about 85% of the number required by the question. For example, if the
required number of words is 200, you should have extracted about 170 words. The 30
words to make up a complete summary consist of those linking words, such as ‘Firstly’,
‘Secondly’, ‘On the other hand’, ‘Similarly’, etc.
If you always extract words that are far below 50% of the required number of words,
you should know that this is a sign that you don’t understand the original passage. The
only way to improve your skill in extracting main points is to read widely and to learn
sufficient vocabulary and expressions.
However, if you find that you always extract more words than required, you may have
included some unnecessary words. The following suggestions may help you to exclude
unnecessary points.
So, what are unnecessary points? The first kind is ‘examples’. Do you remember that we
could use examples to illustrate our idea in a piece of writing? The use of examples is to
make clear our meaning in another way. Therefore, when we write a summary, we don’t
need to include the examples from the original writing. Can you spot the examples in
the following passage?
We like sports very much. In summer we like to go swimming in the beach.

Fishing is also our favourite. When we can catch a big fish, we feel very happy.
In winter when the weather is too cold for water sports, we would go hiking.
We enjoy the serenity of the countryside and we could enjoy having a big
barbecue.

Course Notes
We are tempted to include everything from the passage. If we ourselves like what the
writer likes, we will try to select 'fishing', 'swimming' and 'hiking' in the summary. But
the only main point in the given passage is the first sentence. So, you can now
understand that you should spot the examples and omit them entirely. Of course, if you
are asked to give a summary of the various sports you are interested in, then you should
briefly include these ‘types’ of sports from the original passage. They no longer are
examples, and they become the focus of attention.
Similar to examples, we may omit illustrations, diagrams, dialogues and detailed

descriptions, illustrations are those things that explain a central idea. Diagrams are often
used to give a vivid impression for the readers to ‘see’ the real object so that the reader
can easily understand an idea.
When two or more people talk with one another, we should not put every word spoken
by everyone on paper like those reporters often do when they cover a piece of news.
There are many reasons for them to report the actual wordings of the speakers and one
of the main reasons is to ‘stick to the facts’. You cannot challenge the genuineness of
the passage. What you can challenge is the speaker, so that the reporters are free from
any. However, when you are required to write a summary from an original dialogue,
you are expected to extract the gist, or the main ideas, contained in that particular
dialogue. In dealing with dialogues and detailed description, you might have to use
many of your own words to express the main ideas from the original passage. If you try
to copy from the original, you will find yourself exceeding the required number of
words, as in the case of an examination.
DRILL 11.2.2
Extract the main points from the following dialogue and description
passages.
1. A dialogue:
The name of A is Ada, supervisor of B, Brenda.
A: You're alright?
B: Not quite. I have a temperature.
A: Why is it so? Did you catch a cold?
B: I don’t know, but I was caught in the rain yesterday.
A: Did you see a doctor?
B: No, but I am going to.
A: You may leave the work if you don’t feel well. I will ask Mary to take over your
project in the meantime. Just listen to the doctor and take a good rest.
B: Thank you Ada. The approved plan is on my desk and the proposal has already
been input into the computer. I hope Mary can continue with my work without
too much difficulty.
2. A detailed description

Course Notes
World trade consists of importing and exporting. Import means something going into a
particular country, while export means that the goods leave a country. When some
goods are imported by a country, the goods are said to be exported from the other
country. Just like we pay the price when we buy a particular piece of merchandise, the
importer country has to pay a price for the goods to the exporter country.
Therefore, it is very important to calculate the price of the goods being exported. Wrong
and incorrect calculations will bring about loss of profits. If the price is calculated 'too
high', the competitiveness of the goods falls.
There are three common ways to calculate the price: FOB, C&F and CIF. The first one
stands for Freight on Board, the second stands for Cost & Freight, and the third one is
Cost, Insurance and Freight.
Freight on Board means that the exporter pays all the fees until the goods reach
particular place. For example, FOB Hong Kong means that the exporter pays all the
fees until the goods are on board a ship in Hong Kong; and the buyer of the goods must
pay the rest of the fees arising from the transportation after the goods leave Hong Kong.
C&F means Cost & Freight. The exporter pays all the fees for the transportation. All
fees other than transportation fees will be paid by the importer. The importer will have
to pay the insurance fees.
CIF means Cost, Insurance & Freight. For this kind of calculation, the exporter will
pay the fees of transportation as well as the insurance premiums.
11.2.3 Editing of Main Points and Draft
Extracting all the necessary main points from the original passage is only one of the
steps in summary writing. Especially in an examination, one of the marking systems of
summary is to give 1 to 3 marks to every correct main point in a summary. If a
particular point is the required one, 1 mark will be given. If this main point is
grammatically correct but does not fit well enough in the context, 2 marks will be
awarded. When the examiner thinks that the correct main point is extracted and the idea
is expressed well in the summary, 3 marks will be given. In this kind of marking scheme,
the final score of a candidate can be very different from that of the other candidates.
For example, 3 students write the same examination question on writing a summary. All
three of them get the correct main points from the original passage. Assume that Student
A cannot write sentences which are grammatically correct for the summary, Student B
can only write sentences grammatically correct but the sentences are not coherent in the
context of the summary, and finally Student C can express the main points well without
grammatical mistakes. It is assumed that there are altogether 10 main points. Therefore,
Student A scores 10 marks, Student B scores 20 marks and Student C scores 30 marks.
You may think that their difference is not great. But with 100 marks as the maximum,
Student A can only score 33 marks, Student B 66 marks and Student C 100 marks. Can
you now see the differences? Student A fails the test, Student B can only get an average
grade, while Student C is brilliant!

Course Notes
Can you get the moral from the above example? Will you try to correct all the possible
grammatical mistakes while you write a summary, especially in an examination? Will
you try to use your own words in order to express the main ideas coherently in a
summary so that the summary becomes a well-written piece of writing by itself? Do you
understand why you scored so poorly in the English paper when you were required to
write summaries in the past?
So, the next important step in writing a summary is to edit the main points before you
start writing the summary. Don’t think that the ideas extracted from the original must be
in a good sequence. As many other details of the original passage are omitted, you have
to think of a suitable logical sequence for those main points extracted. It may also be
necessary to rearrange the order of the main points. This is important because without a
logical sequence, the main points cannot be written well in a coherent summary. The
reason is that too many things, such as examples, illustrations, diagrams, dialogues have
been omitted. Those things that can help readers to understand the original ideas.
After you think that you have chosen a correct and suitable logical sequence for the
extracted main points, you can then make a draft with those main points. If you think
that you are not experienced in writing a final summary with main points, a draft is
always necessary. When you write the first draft, concentrate on the flow of ideas and
the problem of coherence. Pay little attention to the grammatical mistakes if you make
some. Just assume that you are the reader of the summary, what would you try to
express in order that the summary is clear and free from any ambiguity in meaning?
When you are writing the draft, try to think. Ask yourself whether there could be
anything you have left out. Is there anything missing or that the main ideas seem not to
fit? Make a note where you think so. If you can think of another way to express a
particular main idea, put that down near the margin of the summary.
In an examination, if you are often asked to write with a certain number of words in a
summary, you should divide the paper into five columns so that you can easily know the
number of words you have written when you reach the end of the summary. Don’t waste
time on things unimportant! Counting the words of a summary one by one is such a
waste of time. So when you have some more time left, you should make good use of it
to revise the summary.
If you think you have the time to run through the original passage once more after you
have written the first draft, do it. It is often the case that you may extract more important
main points which you have overlooked in the first place. Put those main points at
places where you think something is missing during the writing step.
11.2.4 Revision and Fair Copy
When you have finished writing the draft, you should go on to the final step in summary
writing: revision and final draft. At the stage, you should concentrate on the grammar
and usage of the words or sentences in the summary. Correct any grammatical and
usage mistakes. If it is clearer to separate a summary into two paragraphs, do it.

Course Notes
Check against the requirements of the examination question. Check whether you
understand the requirements. Check whether you have extracted the wrong main points
which are not relevant to the requirements. Check the number of words. Check whether
the summary is written in a coherent manner. Check whether there are mistakes in
grammar and usage.
Finally prepare the final copy of the summary. If you are writing an examination answer,
indicate the number of words at the end of the summary.

DRILL 11.1.1
1. This summary is brief and concise. The main person is mentioned because he is
important as far as the contents of the summary are concerned. (We don’t usually
use phrases such as ‘The writer....’ because the contents are important and the writer
is relatively not so important) The percentage figure is important as it is significant.
As a result of this fall, something has to be done.
2. The main points are there. Assuming that there are no amendments in the contents
from an original passage, the main points are brief and concise. But, the summary is
not good enough. The main reason is that the five main points are not well linked,
and the reader may not understand the underlying features of these highly economic
terms.
3. This is not a good summary. First, it is not a summary at all as you can find many
unnecessary details in the passage. Second, the readers can find no theme from this
passage that he may not know what the writer really wants to ask if it is just like an
introduction of a novel. Third, if the summary is about a picnic, there are too many
examples and illustrations about the sun and the scene. Fourth, a summary does not
always include metaphors or similes.
4. Although the passage includes one sentence, it is a good summary of the facts. The
readers will know very well that they have to wait for an outcome of the
investigation.
5. This is a good summary because the two main points are presented logically.
6. This cannot be considered as a good summary just because no useful information is
there. The main reason for this is that the ‘passage’ contains only the writer’s
opinion. Whether the place is beautiful or not has to be decided by the readers. In a
story or novel, you can write a lot of opinions and thoughts, but you should always
give hard facts in a summary.
7. You may think that the passage is too long to be a good summary. Too many people
think that the length of a summary must be short to be a good summary. However,
the length is the second important. Length is always determined by content. The
most important thing is the content. With all these hard facts about the boat people,
you cannot virtually shorten the length of the summary. The details are essential and
cannot be omitted. Despite this, you cannot think that you can write as long as you
like for a summary.

Course Notes
8. You may find this piece a little bit difficult, may you not? Whether this passage is a
good summary depends on circumstances. This is in fact a summary of the argument
during a court decision. Although the passage contains legal terms, the summary can
still be considered as a good summary because no details can be omitted. It is natural
that you may not understand this summary fully, but that doesn’t mean that the
summary is not a good one. However, if the summary is intended for laymen, more
general and simple terms should be used in place of those difficult legal terms. So,
when you write a summary, make sure you understand the requirement and your
readers.
9. This is a good summary and the sentence is well constructed without unnecessary
words.
10. This is a good summary although no further information is given there. Of course,
you can easily understand that the diagrams and photographs that follow must be
clear enough to state the ideas of the summary.
DRILL 11.1.2
This drill is a little bit tricky, but it tries to make you aware of the many inappropriate
main points that slip into the summaries of some students. No merit can be gained when
inappropriate points are included. Although some of the points are main points of the
passage, they may not be the main points required! So, before you read an original
passage, make sure you understand clearly what the question asks you to do. You should
include what is required and omit those irrelevant points.
1. Among those main points listed, you should omit all except one: (d) ‘We were very
happy to see one another.’ The other points, although they may be considered as
main points, are not required by the question. You would not gain extra marks when
you include them.
2. You should only include (e) ‘The tickets were deluxe class’ from the given list.
3. Omit all the points listed as they are all irrelevant to the requirement of the question.
Points (g) that the beach is quiet, and (i) that the beach was wonderful, are wrong.
The passage does not mention these two points. As for (j) that Nature grants us the
beach, the passage does not explicitly say so, therefore it must not be considered as a
main point
DRILL 11.2.2
1. This dialogue is rather common. So, you may find it quite difficult to extract the
main points because everything seems equally important or equally unimportant.
You should include the following main points.
 Ada was Brenda’s supervisor
 Brenda bad a temperature
 Ada advised Brenda to see a doctor
 Brenda told Ada that the plan was on the desk while the proposal was input in the
computer

Course Notes
However, if a summary of about 25 words is required, you should omit the last
portion of the last main point which is relatively unimportant in the context of the
dialogue. So, the summary may look like:
Brenda had a temperature. Ada, her supervisor, advised her to see a doctor. Brenda
told Ada that the current work was on the desk. (24 words)
2. Main points are as below:
 importing and exporting form world trade
 there are ways for the importer and exporter to calculate the price of the goods
 correct calculation of the price is important
 there are three common ways to calculate the price
 FOB means Freight on Board where the exporter pays only the transportation fees
until the goods are on board a ship
 C&F means Cost & Freight in that the exporter has to pay the transportation fees
 CIF means Cost, Insurance and Freight in that the exporter has to pay the
insurance as well as the transportation fees
DRILL 11.2.4
Commercial education is well-established in Britain. Although techniques have changed,
the basic skills have not Copper plate writing has been replaced by typewriting;
shorthand, bookkeeping & and accounts are still necessary; languages are perhaps
more important than ever. One change is in the number of girls involved: since the
twenties the majority of those taking shorthand and typing have been girls, a reversal of
the previous situation. Executives will continue to require the personal qualities and
technical skills of well-trained secretaries. Future trainees will need to be highly
intelligent and will require more thorough training, including the use of dictating
machines, as the range of office work extends. They will need to know how automation
will affect their office procedures and be prepared to learn the use of an increasing
number of electronic appliances. To obtain full efficiency from future secretaries better
office conditions including quiet and air-conditioning are essential. (150 words)
Summary of Unit 11
The proper steps for you to write a summary:
1. Make sure you really understand the whole passage or article to be summarized;
2. Make sure the requirements of the summary question, for example, the number of
words;
3. Extract the main points;
4. Compile the main points in logical sequence;
5. Edit and revise in terms of grammar and contents.
End of Unit 11

Course Notes
Unit 12 Report Writing

What should you do in writing a good report in the workplace?
12.1 Introduction
Basically, in a report, we tell the reader particular information that the readers are
interested in. A report also tries to explore as many aspects as the reader may require.
Therefore, a report’s content depends very much on the specific requirements of the
readers, as well as on the specific details being revealed during investigation or research.
12.2 Objective of a Report
The objective of a report falls into three broad categories: (1) investigation of a past
event, (2) description of a present event and (3) the ‘investigation’ of a future event. For
example, sales reports are on past events, about the business status of a particular
company. Progress reports stress the present situation of a particular plan, whether there
are problems in the implementation of a project. Feasibility study reports concern
whether a particular project can be put into force, so its focus is on the future.
However, a report may have more than one of these objectives. For example, for an
incident report, something has happened and investigation has to be carried out in order
to find out the causes of that incident, to understand the present situation after the
incident and to take any precautionary measures to prevent similar future incidents.
On the other hand, a report is often a product of investigation under the request of the
client, whether it be your own boss, the other company, or another organization making
use of the service of your company. So, the objectives of a report are therefore generally
defined by your clients.
12.3 Format of a Report
The format of a report is very important because the right format of a report can
facilitate the understanding of the contents of a report, especially in the case of a long
and complicated report.
Before an investigation is carried out, the client often specifies the requirements of the
investigation. Whether the requirements are well defined depends on the way how they
are formulated. As you are the one to initiate the future investigation, you should try
your best to discuss with your clients and help him formulate the specific requirements.
So, the definition of the requirements is important because it determines the way the
investigation is to be carried out, and finally it dictates the format of the report.
The definition of the requirements is contained in the letter of transmittal or the

memorandum of transmittal. The letter of transmittal is a formal document and is for

Course Notes
clients outside your organization, while the memorandum of transmittal is for people
inside your organization. In this document, the authority for a report is stated and the
terms of reference are also clearly laid out. The following are examples of a letter of
transmittal and a memorandum of transmittal.
A letter of transmittal:
Management Consultants, Inc. Management House, Hong Kong.
Ref: LOT/CFN/134/CXJ
CONFIDENTIAL
20th May, 2013
The Managing Director
Client Building,
123 Queen's Road, Hong Kong.
Dear Sir,
Report on Very Young Company
You instructed us on 1st April, 2013, to report on Very Young Company with the following
terms of reference:
 Goal setting;
 Reward system;
 Career planning;
 Career development;
 Strategic interventions.
We have the pleasure in enclosing the Report and will be pleased to discuss it with you at
your convenience.
Yours faithfully,
Simon Chan
Manager

Course Notes
A memorandum of transmittal:
MEMORANDUM
CONFIDENTIAL
To: Mr. A.B. Davies

Managing Director
From: C. D. Johann
Personnel Manager
Ref.: T/ /235/11
Date: 25th April, 2013.
Career Policy of the Able Company
1. On 1st March, 2013, you instructed me to submit a report on the career policy of the
company with the following terms of reference:
 Coaching and counseling;

 Performance appraisal;
 Career development workshops;
 Placement summaries.
and to make recommendations for improvement.
2. I am now enclosing my report and will be happy to discuss it with you at your
convenience.
C.D. Johann
Administration Officer
c.c. E.F. Graham, Vice President.

G.H. Inches, General Manager.
IJ. Kim, Personnel Director.
K.L. Manchester, Training Director.
Departmental Managers.

Course Notes
You can see from the examples that the letter/ memorandum of transmittal is a written
document stating clearly where you get the authority to carry out investigations, as well
as to clearly define the areas to be covered by the report. Usually, your boss will only
give you vague instructions to carry out some investigations, so you have to define the
terms of reference yourself.
The letter/ memorandum of transmittal is required for important reports. You can omit
this document if you think that the report is rather routine or of lesser importance.
Otherwise, always include it, especially in long reports.
There are a lot of short reports you come across in your daily routines, such as sales
reports, book reports, government policy reports, absentee’s reports, staff reports,
incident reports, etc. These reports may in fact demand different formats for different
companies in order to facilitate the efficiency of internal operations of a company.
If your customer asks you to give him a report, for example, an audit report, you may
write the report in the form of a letter. If the manager of the purchase department asks
the manager of the sales department to give him a stock report, the latter should write
the report in the form of a memorandum. The writing of the memorandum differs from
that of the letter, and the main difference lies on the format, the tone and layout. Writing
memos is more straightforward than writing letter in that you should always keep the
contents of a memo as brief as possible. No salutation or complimentary close is
necessary. Please also note that you should number the paragraphs of a memo so that
future reference can be easily made.
In the case of a short report, you should briefly state the purpose of the memo, method
of investigation, the results of the investigations and recommendations. The preparing of
a short report is similar to the preparing of a reply to a complaint. First, you should
know the objective of the report, the scope of the investigation, the investigation itself,
the investigation results, and the recommendations to improve the situation.
If time is an important aspect for the report, you must include it. State the time or the
period clearly in order to specify the usefulness and the limitations of the report. Don’t
overstate the coverage of the report because undesirable effects would be caused if the
client misunderstands this aspect of the report.
12.4 Necessary Items of a Report
The necessary items have their own functions in a report, so you can judge from their
functions and their appropriateness in the context of the requirements of the
investigation and report.
These items include:

1. Letter/memorandum of transmittal;
2. Title page;
3. List of illustrations;
4. Table of contents;
5. Abstract;

Course Notes
6. Introduction;
7. Circumstances;
8. Investigation methodology and methods;
9. Investigation results;
10. Conclusion;
11. Recommendation;
12. Glossary;
13. Appendix;
14. Bibliography.
The letter/memorandum of transmittal is an attachment to the report. This means that

the report actually starts from the title page, whereas the letter/ memorandum of
transmittal is enclosed with the report to be sent to the client, so that the client (or your
boss) can be reminded of the authority for the report, terms of reference, and the date he
makes the request for the making of the report.
The title page looks a bit like a cover of a book. The title of the report is placed near the
middle position of the sheet of paper, followed by the name of the writer. You may also
include the time of compilation of the report. The following is an example of the title
page.
A title page:
REPORT
ON
STAFF APPRAISAL POLICY
by A.B. Davies
31st May, 2013.
Illustrations means graphs, tables, photographs, diagrams and the like. Whenever these
illustrations appear in the report, it is a good practice to tell the readers where they can
find the illustrations. So, it is necessary to state the titles of the illustrations as they
appear in the report and the page number where the illustration is located. To facilitate
ease of reference, the titles of the illustrations should be arranged in alphabetical order.
The following is an example of the list of illustrations.

Course Notes
List of illustrations:
List of illustrations:
page
Diagram of the New Product X ......................................................... 25

Flowchart - Production ...................................................................... 33
Organizational Chart ................................................................ .......... 35
Photograph of Product X ....................................................................28
Product Distribution Graph for 2002-2012 .......................................12
Product Test for Product X................................................................31
Sales Graph for 2002-2012 ................................................................ 7
Sales Rep. Distribution .....................................................................32
Sales Statistics 2002-2012 ................................................................... 4
After the list of illustrations, you should then include the Table of Contents. The Table
of Contents lists all the headings, subheadings of the entire report. The sequence of the
topics in the report should follow the exact sequence of the terms of reference as far as
possible. If you think that a particular sequence is more suitable for the entire report,
you should alter the sequence of the terms of reference listed in the letter/ memorandum
of transmittal the same way as in the sequence of the report.
All headings and subheading should be included in the Table of Contents to make the
latter really useful for easy reference. The page number for a particular section must be
correct for apparent reasons. The layout of the Table of Contents looks similar to that of
the List of illustrations. The following is an example.

Course Notes
Table of contents:
TABLE OF CONTENTS
page
List of Illustrations i
Table of Contents ii
Abstract iii
I. Introduction 1
II. Circumstances 2
III. Methods 5
IV. Statistics 15
A.The Years 2002-2007 19
B. The Years 2007-2012 20
C. Distribution 2002-2012 38
V. The Problem 45
A.The Techno-structural 55
B. Work Design 65
C. Stress Points and Management 80
VI. Role and Function of Management 95
A.The Role of Supervisors 105
B. The Role of Top Management 125
VII. Management Performance Appraisal 135
VIII. The Results of the Survey 175
IX. Conclusions 225
X. Recommendations 275
Glossary
Appendix
Bibliography
An abstract is different from a summary in that the former concerns the WHAT and it
does not explain the WHY and HOW. An abstract is a very short passage in which the
reader is prepared to learn what will be presented in the report. No explanations or
descriptions are given in an abstract. For example, an abstract may look like:
This report is about the career development of the staff of the company in
relation to its present conditions, so that appropriate recommendations
could be made in order to minimize the acute brain drain the recent
years.
In the abstract above, you are not told why there is acute brain drain in recent years.
You are neither told about how suitable implementation could be carried out in order to
minimize the brain drain. All the WHYs and HOWs will be discussed in the body of the
report. The main function of an abstract is to save the time of the reader.
An abstract is different from a summary because the latter will give all the WHYs and
HOWs. A person who reads an abstract does know only the topics to be discussed,
while he will at least understand some of the general reasons by reading a summary. The
following is another example of an abstract in its entirety.

Course Notes
An abstract:
The ABSTRACT report aims to investigate computer proficiency among

managers and the effect upon productivity, efficiency and effectiveness in
managerial decision making
The introduction may be a short paragraph, but with a complicated subject, a lengthy
introduction is not uncommon. The length of the introduction depends on the
complexity of the subject under investigation.
In the introduction, the writer should try to explain clearly the scope of the report as
well as its limitations. If the terms of reference need clarification, the writer should try
to explain it in the introduction so that misunderstanding will not arise when the readers
read the later sections of the report.
However, keep your introduction concise and brief, but detailed enough so that the
reader know exactly what they would expect in the rest of the other sections of the
report.
Before the investigation results are presented to the readers, you must explain fully what
methods you have used for the investigation because the reliability of the results of the
investigation depends solely on the appropriateness of the methods used.
When a new term has to be used, try to explain that term before your readers can read
further.
What you have found from the investigation is contained in the section of Investigation
Results. Try to be as objective as possible in this section. Many question and problems
may be raised by the readers while they are reading these results. So, if you can
anticipate those questions and then give sufficient reasoning, your readers can then fully
comprehend the investigation results. You must not make any mistakes in logical
reasoning or wrong deductions. That is why the section of Method is so important. If
samples are taken for your research or investigation, you must explain the sampling
techniques. Then your readers will not question the validity of the investigation results.
With the correct methods, as well as valid investigation results, you are on the way to
give the conclusions. In the Conclusions section, you should then draw logical and
reasonable conclusions based on those valid investigation results, but don’t introduce
new things in this section.
When you have drawn the conclusions, it is time for you to make recommendations in
the Recommendation section. The report can be useful only when suitable and
applicable recommendations can be made. It is often that you are paid to give the
recommendations.

Course Notes
When you make recommendations, make sure that they are feasible. Not everything is
applicable because of factors such as money, time constraint, lack of resources, lack of
expert knowledge of how the recommendations can be implemented, or simply that the
readers don’t like the recommendations!
So, if you can understand your clients and their limitations well, your recommendations
are more likely to be accepted. Therefore, you must make objective recommendations as
far as possible unless you are asked by the clients to make subjective recommendations
based on your own intuition.
The other three parts of the report should be included so that the information can
enhance the readers’ understanding of the contents of the report. The first one of these
three is the Glossary. Here, the unfamiliar terms or jargons can be listed with
explanations in order that the readers can refer to them when necessary.
The terms should be in alphabetical order to facilitate ease of reference. The following
is an example.
Glossary:
GLOSSARY
bloc…………..……...a group of people

goodwill……………..reputation of a company, can be valued in terms of money
in transit……………..on the way
per capita……………each person
strike………………...refusing to work
terms of reference…...details of work to be carried out
walk out……………..employees leaving to protest
works rules…………..regulations of a company
The Appendix is the place where you can put less important information. Its details are
not directly related to the line of thoughts of the report, but quite necessary for a full
understanding of the whole picture. This kind of information is placed here because the
writer doesn’t want to disturb the ‘natural flow’ of the report.
In the Appendix, you may also include information from other reports in order to show
the relationship between what you find with what the other people have found. Then the
reader can make a suitable comparison. The Appendix may consist of a certain number
of pages, so you should give each a number, for example: Appendix A, Appendix B,
etc.; or Appendix 1, Appendix 2, etc. You can use whatever numbering system you like,
but you must not forget to give each a suitable title. Underline the title if you think fit.
As the report is quite concise in general, you may wish to include sources of secondary
information of your report. ‘Secondary information’ means such information which was
obtained by some other people. What you find from your investigation and research is
called ‘primary information’. In the Bibliography section, the source of the information

Course Notes
used in your report are given. There are a few ways to write the Bibliography, but a
practical one looks like the following.
Bibliography:
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Coleman, Helen. How to Write a Report. London: ABC Publishing Company, 1988.
Davies, John and Peter Pan. Write Successfully. New York: XYZ Incorporation, 1989.
Felt. Bernard. An Effective Writing. Hong Kong: Tai Tai Publishing House, 1987
House, Janet and others. Communicate Effectiveness. Taiwan: Formosa Publishing

Company, 1990.
You may have noticed that the surname of the author of the book is written first and
then the first name, separated by a comma between them. The name of the book is
written in italic or underlined. The place of the publication is given with the name of the
publishing agent or company. The year of the publication is given last
The list of publications and sources of information are given so that the readers can refer
to these sources for full details of the secondary information. At least the name of the
book and the name of the author have to be given, when other information cannot be
obtained.
12.4.1 Development
In a report, facts must be proven so that they can be accepted, no matter they are useful
or not in the eyes of the listeners. That is why the Bibliography is important because the
source of your ‘facts’ can be quoted in order to convince your readers.
If you have to make assumptions and speculations, let your readers know that you are
doing so. Furthermore, give your reasons that you have to make those assumptions or
speculations. The reasoning must be logical and you must be sure that no important
things are left out from your arguments.
12.4.2 Conclusion versus Recommendations
We should pay attention to the nature of the Conclusion and the Recommendations.
You have learnt something about logic and logical reasoning, so you should have no
great difficulties in drawing conclusions from facts and observations. In the Conclusion
section, never introduce new things which have not appeared anywhere in the report. If
you do so, these new things can only weaken the strength of your argument and the
chance of being accepted. The conclusion should contain those things that are the direct
consequences of all the materials you put forward to your reader in the preceding
sections of the report.

Course Notes
When we come to the recommendations, always be SPECIFIC. The readers are always
ready to see what they should do, and they are prepared to draw up a timetable for any
actions recommended. For example, ‘to increase the salary’ is too general; ‘to increase
the salary by 15%’ is more specific; and ‘to increase the salary of the Accounts staff by
25% effective from the coming July’ is the most specific among these three.
As recommendations are often made on the basis of your expertise and experience, you
should, however, try to give adequate reasons to support your claim. It is true that the
readers of the report often rely on your competence, but they will be more happily
convinced given sufficient reasons and they will not wonder whether they would be led
astray by your recommendations.
12.5 Other Techniques
In the report, you would probably like to include some diagrams, tables, illustrations,
‘explosion diagrams’, etc. in order to clarify something that cannot be sufficiently
explained only in words. Diagrams are effective because they give a visual
representation of the real thing. The readers will understand a complicated object more
easily by reading tables and graphs.
Make sure the illustrations are given a good title with adequate explanations in the
illustration. The units shown in the diagrams or graphs must be clearly stated. The scale
of the graphs must be appropriate. The time element must be clearly mentioned, giving
the time, day or year. If you are not good at drawing, you may consider including
photographs in your report. Photographs are appealing and convincing.
Summary of Unit 12
To write a good report, you should:
1. Know and use the right format;
2. Know what you should write in each item/ part;
3. Write in an objective way;
4. Use tables or diagrams to illustrate, if necessary.
End of Unit 12

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850311_Better English Writing Skills

Course Code: 850311

Unit 1 Good Writing ................................................................................................... 3

School of Continuing and Professional Studies, CUHK Page 1 of 210

Summary of Unit 8.................................................................................................... 142

School of Continuing and Professional Studies, CUHK Page 2 of 210

Unit 1 Good Writing

Two questions for learning objectives:

Part One: building blocks of writing: grammar, usage, sentence structures,

1.2 What is good writing?

Writing is a form of communication. It is an account of what we want other people to

School of Continuing and Professional Studies, CUHK Page 3 of 210

So, how should you learn the good writing skills?

You are learning the English way of writing?

1.2.1 Chinese or English

Now, read the following. What do you think?

School of Continuing and Professional Studies, CUHK Page 4 of 210

One morning last September, I was waken up by a very loud noise, so I

la. I very like him.

2a. Yesterday night, I...

3a. Last year, we...

4a. I saw there were many people.

Sa. Today’s morning is Sunday.

6a. This morning, I got up at 7.

7a. ... 7 a.m. in the morning.

8a. I was seen by him.

9a. I go to Central to work.

School of Continuing and Professional Studies, CUHK Page 5 of 210

10a. I finished my work, I packed up my things, and went home.

11a. She has white hair more than black hair.

12a. Jane is going to marry to John.

13a. The price of the car is very cheap.

14a. We sit in the sun.

15a. We drive our car home.

16a. He writes good.

17a. We take our dinner.

18a. The police is looking for the child.

19a. I eat apple.

20a. My name is chan tai man.

Pause! Take some time to…

School of Continuing and Professional Studies, CUHK Page 6 of 210

1.2.2 Stock Phrases and Model Composition

“In English Language examinations, many candidates had part or all of

(ii) Those who inserted memorized paragraphs describing the

DRILL 1.2.3 Do you think the following sentences are clear?

1. We have a fever to do our best!

2. While Mary and I were standing, we saw John in the bus.

3. The film is so bad, I would recommend it to you.

School of Continuing and Professional Studies, CUHK Page 7 of 210

5. After finishing work, John invited Jane to dinner.

6. He is as well as his wife.

7. I work hardly and busily.

9. He woke up and he dreamed.

10. He stole the watch, so he must be a bad guy.

11. The teacher has to have a knowledge of his students.

1.2.4 Unity (Coherence)

Do you ask yourself these questions when you write?

1. Is the content appropriate?

School of Continuing and Professional Studies, CUHK Page 8 of 210

1. Can the essay be easily understood? Why?

1. I do not know anything about computers. However, when I look at someone

Come and join the magic of nature in TRAVEL LAND!

(It is a piece of informal writing. You should have no difficulties appreciating