IGCSE Directed Writing: Text Transformation

This question can be a tricky one. It is all about using your ability to summarise and recognise key information while constructing your writing using the appropriate form and matching language to audience.

It should take you about an hour.

You could be asked to write a letter, article, journal entry, blog or even an interview and it is important you sue the correct format. You've been going through these with your teacher but here is a brief idea.

For Letters - remember your conventions and use of sincerely and faithfully.

For articles - you might want to include a headline (you don't have to write in columns though).

For a Journal Entry or Blog - You'll need a date and maybe a heading but your writing is likely to be more informal.

For a Interview - You can use a script format to make it clear who is saying what. Use names and colons to indicate who is speaking.

Tip 1 - Read the question and write down all the features of the form you need to include. Tick these off as you write.

Tip 2 - Go through and highlight the topic sentences so you get the main information. Highlight sections that stand out to you (they may be interesting, shocking or controversial). Make sure they link to what the question is asking.

Tip 3 - Think about who you are writing for - consider using language that is appropriate for your audience.

This question tests Writing Objectives W1–W5 (15 marks):

• articulate experience and express what is thought, felt and imagined
• order and present facts, ideas and opinions
• understand and use a range of appropriate vocabulary
• use language and register appropriate to audience and context
• make accurate and effective use of paragraphs, grammatical structures, sentences,
punctuation and spelling.

AND aspects of Reading Objectives R1–R3 (10 marks):

• understand and collate explicit meanings
• understand, explain and collate implicit meanings and attitudes

• select, analyse and evaluate what is relevant to specific purposes.

So remember you gain 40% of you marks from what you have included from the text.

Have a go at the question below:

Read the article Hercules the Human Bear here

Write an interview with the owners of the bear.

In it you should include:

• The reasons for buying the bear.
• How owning the bear affected their life.
• The problems they had keeping the bear.

Base your interview on the article but be careful to use your own words.

You should write about 250-350 words.

Up to 10 marks are available for the content of your answer, and up to 15 marks for the

quality of your writing.

Good Luck

Mr Milne