O-Level English Paper 1

O-Level English Paper 1: 1. Paper layout (70 marks, 35%) 1. Sec A Editing [10m]: find and correct grammar errors 2. Sec B Situational Writing [30m]: 250–350 words, uses a visual text 3. Sec C Continuous Writing [30m]: 350–500 words, 1 of 4 topics 2. Situational Writing (Sec B) Always: 1. Identify PAC (purpose, audience, context) 2. Audience decides register: formal = principal, teachers, officials, strangers; informal = friends, family 3. Cover all 6 points from the question paper 4. Support every point with info from the visual text, in your own words 5. Use PEEL for each point; a missing point badly caps your content marks 6. Formal: no contractions, no slang, no exclamation marks Formal letter/email layout ● Intro: Dear [Title + Surname], → I am [full name], [position + organisation]. I am writing to [purpose]. ● Body: 6 points in PEEL ● Conclusion: restate purpose + summarise points. Thank you for your time and attention. ● Close: Yours sincerely (named person) / Yours faithfully (Sir/Madam), [full name] Informal letter/email layout ● Intro: Dear [name], → How have you been? I'm writing to [purpose]. ● Body: 6 points in PEEL ● Conclusion: restate purpose. Thank you! ● Close: Sincerely / Yours lovingly, [name] Email layout ● To / Subject / Date → Salutation → Content → Closing → Name ● Formal: add Dept + Organisation + email ● Subject line is clear and specific ● "Re:" is only for replying to a previous email

Letter layout ● Internal formal: Recipient (title + full name, designation) → Date → Dear [Title Surname] → Title (underlined) → Content → Yours sincerely → Name + signature + designation + dept ● External formal: also add your address (top), recipient's organisation + address, and your organisation ● Informal: your address → date → Dear [name] → "How are you?…" → contractions OK → Yours lovingly, signature Report layout ● To: (title + name, designation) / From: (name, designation, dept) / Date / Title / Content / Signature ● External: add organisation + address for both sides Other formats ● Speech: 1st person, address the audience throughout ● Article: open with "By [full name]", add commentary, headline at top ● Blog: include the date of the post ● Brochure: heading, then sub-heading, then content 3. Continuous Writing (Sec C) Marking split (from your other sheet): Content ~13, Language ~13, Organisation ~9. Argumentative and discursive each have their own structure below. Argumentative Pick one distinct stance (support or do not support) and defend it. Cues: "How far do you agree?" / "Do you agree…" / "Should…" 1. Intro ○ Hook ○ Thesis: state your stance, linked to the hook (e.g. "It is with this notion that…") ○ Roadmap: summarise your 3 distinct points (not too similar) ○ Link to question: link back to the topic and what it asks for 2. Body 1 (supporting) ○ Point 1 (PEEL) ○ Point 2 (PEEL) ○ Link back to the question 3. Body 2 (not supporting) ○ Point 3: goes against your stance

○ Phrase it as a con that does not override your stance ○ e.g. "With [supporting point] in mind, it is worth noting that…" 4. Conclusion ○ Restate stance ○ Summarise points from the body ○ Evaluate both sides (why you chose this stance) ○ Link back to the question Discursive Stay balanced and overall neutral, and show both sides fairly. Cues: "advantages and disadvantages of…" / "What are your views?" 1. Intro ○ Hook ○ Thesis: neutral position, linked to the hook (e.g. "It is with this notion that…") ○ Roadmap: summarise your 4 distinct points (not too similar) ○ Link to question: link back to the topic and what it asks for 2. Body 1 (supporting) ○ Point 1 (PEEL) ○ Point 2 (PEEL) ○ Link back to the question 3. Body 2 (against) ○ Point 3 (PEEL) ○ Point 4 (PEEL) ○ Show the other side fairly ○ e.g. "With [supporting point] in mind, it is worth noting that…" 4. Conclusion ○ Summarise points from the body (both pros and cons) ○ Evaluate the validity of both sides ○ Open-ended ending (e.g. a rhetorical question) ○ Do NOT show a stance, or you are not answering the question Descriptive Detail-heavy writing that immerses the reader through the 5 senses. 1. Organise by space (near to far), sense, or time 2. ¶1 overall impression → ¶2–4 one focus each → ¶5 final image tied to mood 3. Pick ONE dominant mood and keep it consistent Narrative / Personal Recount

Tell an interesting story that shows character development or a lesson, linked to what the question asks. 1. Shape: Orientation → Rising action → Climax → Falling action → Resolution/Reflection 2. Hook with action mid-scene or a flashback 3. Climax gets the most detail and sensory language 4. End with a lesson or character development 5. Show, don't tell (e.g. "my hands trembled") 6. Use dialogue, varied sentence length, and figurative language (don't force it) 4. Pitfalls 1. Wrong register 2. Skipping a point in situational writing 3. Narrative with all plot and no reflection 4. Over-long intro 5. Repeated sentence starters ("I… I… I…") 6. Conclusion that copies the intro word for word 7. Discursive essay that shows a stance