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Conventions and Text Styles

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Conventions and text styles

English is a foundation skill – we use English in a variety of

subjects and situations at school.

What different types of written English do you use at school?

Brainstorm some examples and note them in the box below.

writing a science report.


Activity


Conventions


You need to become familiar with the conventions of the

different types of writing you are required to produce at

school.

You need to make a variety of decisions. For example:

What must be included

Conventions


Your work might be let down if you are unaware of some

of the conventions associated with the type of writing you

are asked to produce.

For example, you may be very concerned about the

effects of pollution in the environment. Nevertheless, a

science essay is not the place to express your anger.

A geography essay on overpopulation should not include

the stories a relative told you about their experiences in

New Delhi.

Conventions


What’s wrong with this science report?

Sheila Tarpey, 27, ground the off-white rock salt

vigorously; the effort revealing her tanned, muscular

forearms. She mixed it with some water which was as

clear and pure as the mountain spring outside a Zen

Buddhist’s hermitage. She stirred it absent-mindedly,

thinking of her days as a croupier in a Las Vegas casino.

She took a filter, folded it carefully and placed it in a

funnel. As she heated it, beads of sweat formed gently on

her forehead. It was a hot summer’s day. She was already

anticipating a pint of cool lager once work was finished.

She left the solution to evaporate like the dreams of youth.

Science report


This report does convey information. You can tell how to

purify rock salts by reading it. However, you would think it

very odd to read this in a science book. Your teacher

would not be very impressed if you wrote up a science

experiment in this style.

Why not?

Much of the writing is inappropriate. For example, science

reports don’t use the name of the scientists, tell you their

ages or comment on their physical features. The writing

uses a simile (‘the water was as pure as…’), which is

more suitable for creative writing. The scientist’s thoughts

are irrelevant. The report does not use the passive voice.

Science report


You may be asked to write a front page report on

something from a book you have read in English.

It is also highly likely you will be asked to do the same

thing in other subjects, such as History and Religious

Studies.

Newspaper writing

Writing a newspaper account of the

murder of Duncan in Macbeth requires

different choices than, say, writing an

essay on how Shakespeare builds tension

in the murder scene.


Likewise, writing a newspaper account of the ten plagues

of Egypt is different to writing an essay describing the ten

plagues.

Newspaper article

News stories try to sound sensational. You could use some

of these expressions. Using all of them in one report would

be too much.

Dramatic Drama Breakthrough

Desperate Crisis Kiss and tell

Shock Horror Hero

Tragic Tragedy Sensation


Writing a newspaper involves thinking about:

The headline

This needs to be short

and snappy yet

convey the key

information. Only the

keywords are

included. Often

alliteration and puns

are employed.

Newspaper article


You will have to decide on the order in which you will

present information and what can be included and what

can’t.

For example, an essay on Macbeth murdering King

Duncan can refer to the witches, his wife’s influence and

his indecision earlier in the play. A newspaper report can’t

because a journalist would have no way of knowing

these things.

The essay could begin sometime before the actual

murder but a newspaper account must try to include who,

what, where, when and how in the opening paragraph or

two.

Newspaper article


In History you might be asked to explain the

causes of the World War II.

In Geography you might be asked to explain the

consequences of overpopulation.

In Science you might be asked to explain the

effects of pollution on an ecosystem.

Quite often you are required to explain the link between cause

and effect in your schoolwork.

Cause and effect


Knowing the vocabulary of cause and effect can help your

work, too.

Here are some useful words and phrases to use in this

type of work:

Cause and effect

consequently

as a consequence of

therefore

this led to

leading to

this resulted in

this produced

this created

generating.


Sometimes your writing will require you to list points.

At times the list needs to be in order of importance.

When the list is in no particular order of importance you

can use: First, Second, Third etc.

When the list is in order of importance, you can use:

Firstly, Secondly, Thirdly, etc.

Other useful words in this type of writing are:

Next, Then, After that, Later, Finally, Last, Lastly.

Listing points


Activity

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Conventions and Text Styles - Toynbee School · Conventions and text styles English is a foundation skill – we use English in a variety of subjects and situations at school. What