Lesson 8 - Grade 7

Lesson 8 - Grade 7

by Jamie Furlong

​Next week is your first test.

​Let me remind you of something important - I want you to keep this in mind when you see homework scores and test scores.

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​iGCSE First Language English is a course designed for people like...me. People who speak English as their first language.

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​My class is very hard and very demanding. For you to even score 50% in my class is a MASSIVE achievement and makes me incredibly proud.

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​It tells me that you have a lot of potential to become fluent in the future!

Let's review letters.​

​We have covered two core writing styles:

​Letters & Stories (Autobiography / Fiction)

​We haven't yet learnt any specific structures for stories, so it requires less attention. As long as you write a simple story with a clear beginning, middle and end - you will do well. AND remember to ALWAYS use paragraphs!

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​We will learn more specific structures on stories in later units.

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​Our letters though do have a specific structure.

Informal Letters​

A Review​

​We have only covered informal letters.

​Informal means chatty or friendly.

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​We do not need to use fancy words that make us sound smart. We just need to talk casual as if we are talking to a friend, family member or someone else with whom we have a class relationship.

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​This style is known as informal or casual.

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​This is the kind of letter where you might see phrases like, "Oh my God! You'll never guess...!" / "I wish we had slapped him in the face and told him to shut up!"

Structure​

​And why it's important.

​Why Structure is Important.

​There are 2 reasons:

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​1. In iGCSE, a certain structure is required for your writing to be successful. In exams, you will lose marks if this structure is not followed.

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​2. Knowing a structure before even starting to write will free your mind to think about more important things like language range and accuracy.

​Structure

​Greeting - Hi! / Hey! / Heyo!

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​Introduction - Purpose: Why are you writing? Why to this person?

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​Body 1: Idea / Important Thing 1.

​Body 2: Idea / Important Thing 2.

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​Ending - CTA (Call to Action) : Tell the reader what you want them to do / hope will happen.

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​Sign-Off - Yours faithfully.../Lots of love...

​Introduction Example

​Hi (name),

Hi! How’s it going? Sorry for not writing sooner but I’ve been busy doing (something for e.g. revising for exams.)

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Ask a question for e.g. How was your holiday? Anyways, I just wanted to drop you a line about an event that will happen at my school. You won’t believe what I’m doing!

​​Audience

​Your friend should sound like a real person with whom you have a relationship.

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Include some memories or inside jokes to make them sound more real and alive.

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Reference people and situations that only the two of you know. Your vocabulary and content defines this relationship.

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E.g. In the example above, the ‘Giraffe incident’ is something that happened between the 2 friends. The examiner doesn’t know what it is, but it doesn’t matter. We understand that both the writer and recipient of the letter will understand the reference.

​​Useful Sentences

​Useful Sentences

I still remember when you [bla bla bla] and I still laugh to myself about it.

I will never forget the time you…

You always did like to [bla bla bla], didn’t you?

You’ll never guess what happened! / You wouldn’t believe what happened!

​Homework:

​Your homework this week is...NO HOMEWORK!

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​Phew - that means I don't have to mark anything this week! :D

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