1.2 Produce formal writing

Key tips

• Use examples of formal writing to model your work on.
• Understand the focus of the task and who you are writing for by underlining the keywords.
• Plan your time wisely – don't spend all your time deciding on a topic. See Choosing a question
• Write about something you are familiar with and have an opinion about.
• Plan your writing carefully so it has a clear introduction, middle, and conclusion.
• Indicate a new paragraph by leaving a blank line or indenting the first line of the new paragraph.
• Have a series of 4–5 paragraphs discussing the main point. Use a clear structure for each paragraph of your essay.
• Include and incorporate reliable statistics, facts, examples, and opinions.
• Use formal language and tone throughout.
• Use a wide range of vocabulary and language features accurately and appropriately.
• Use rhetorical questions and/or minor sentences as a special feature rather than in every paragraph.
• Read your writing 'aloud in your head' at least once. Listen for any weak or inappropriate words, informal language, run-on sentences, or punctuation errors.
• You will not be allowed to use a dictionary in the examination so use words you know how to spell.
• Check that you have used the correct spelling of a word that may sound like another (there/their/they're, here/hear/hare).
• Check each new sentence starts with a capital letter.
• Read from a range media such as newspapers, magazines, television, and radio to keep up to date with current issues and opinions to help your writing.