Secondary Writing Mastery
Join our highly popular Live, Online Secondary English Writing Classes.
Develop your child’s passion and confidence for writing today!
Proven Teaching Method
Lively and Interactive Lessons
Engaging Teachers
In line with Singapore’s National Curriculum
Learn new writing skills and vocabulary through various story topics
Pre-Secondary Programme
Advanced Grammar and Vocabulary with Creative Writing Skills
- Understanding the usage of Grammar and Vocabulary
- Learn to synthesise and transform your sentences
- Active Reading Skills
- Creative Writing Techniques such as Show-Not-Tell to enhance your story
Secondary Programme
Variety of Advanced English Skills and Writing Techniques
- Descriptive Essay Writing
- Writing persuasively and formally
- Developing opinions, reflections and judgements from reading materials
- Writing a variety of texts such as Reports, Emails and Letter Writing
THE STEP TO ENGLISH EXCELLENCE
Small Class Size
Skills Driven
Nurture the love for learning
Real-time feedback given
Grammar
VERBS
Note: Verbs can occur as phrasal verbs (verb + particle), which express idiomatic
meanings e.g. gave up, put out, set off.
Tense
PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSES
- Perfect continuous tenses are used whenever we are talking about a length of time up to a point in time.
- Length of time = an hour, 30 minutes
Writing
SITUATIONAL WRITING (FORMAL)
Formal letters and emails share similar characteristics for most aspects as shown below.
DESCRIPTIVE WRITING
Usually written in a first-person point of view, descriptive writing requires you to create a vivid image of a place, person, object or experience. It also focuses on one’s feelings and sensations while anchoring the reader in a time and place.
5 Senses
What I feel
GUESS WHAT IS DESCRIBED !
Object: Dog - Miniature Yorkshire Terrier
Her most attractive quality is that she is friendly to everyone, especially children. They love her molten-brown eyes and her glossy fur. She also has the cutest little paws. They are like a fox’s paws (simile) and she loves to dig up the garden (Show-Not-Tell: Do) with them. She also has a small, marshmallow tail. It is soft and white so we just call it the marshmallow.
She can be very ladylike and fussy about her food at times. She turns her nose up at dog food but would snap your hand off for a chocolate digestive. Her small, sharp teeth make short work of any treats we give her. She is always playful and that is why we adore her. Her whip-thin body is very energetic. I’m sure she believes she’s a gazelle or a cheetah at times!
Object: Marina Bay Sands Infinity Pool
Standing at the very top of the awe-inspiring, three-pronged building, is a breath-taking way of beholding the iconic Singapore skyline. This gravity-defying platform is one of the largest in the world. It looks like a massive ship borne up by pillars of deep blue water scintillating in the golden sunlight. This world’s largest elevated body of water outdoors has been designed with a vanishing edge. Those taking a dip in it feel like they are swimming among the clouds, perched so high in the sky with majestic scenery at their feet.
How were you able to guess the Objects?
- Show-Not-Tell
- 5 Senses
- Figurative Language (Personification, Similes, Metaphors)
TIPS ON WRITING A STRONG INTRODUCTION FOR DESCRIPTIVE ESSAYS
- Perfect continuous tenses are used whenever we are talking about a length of time up to a point in time.
- Length of time = an hour, 30 minutes
1. Start With A LEADING QUESTION
Topic: Write about an occasion when you overcame your fear. How did you do it?
- Do you have that one place which creeps you out forever? Most of us do. For as long as I can remember, I have always had the unshakable phobia of hotel bathrooms whenever I travel overseas. Strange as it may seem, it remains a dreadful feature of any holiday trip.
Relating to the reader
through commonly
shared feelings of fear
Topic: Write about a stranger who helped you through a difficult time in your life.
- Have you ever encountered anyone who has left a deep impression on you? For me, the busker at the City Hall MRT platform always holds a special place in my heart. Every day, after school, I would take a five-minute reprieve from life, lean against a wall, and watch as my favourite busker rips out new tunes from the latest charts.
Remember that
character traits should
be related to the
topic!
In a Leading Question, do not give the topic away directly! Instead, lure the reader with relevant details/feelings.
2. Start With A CHARACTER DESCRIPTION
Topic: Describe a place which has brought you great comfort.
- In primary school, I was often known as the kid who was shunned by everyone else. One affliction stood in my way of communicating
clearly: my stutter. Since young, I had been unable to communicate effectively with people due to my lack of confidence. The most I could do in social situations on was nod along politely.
Character Trait: Lack of
confidence + stuttering
→ Needs an isolated place
to introspect
Combine the above tips and incorporate them together in your Introductions! For example, when you begin with a quote → You can then use it to define key terms in the essay question. Practise writing an Introduction to the Essay Question provided below:
Use ‘Whenever…’!
Describe a place that means a great deal to you. Why is it so important?
Whenever I am at Genting Highlands watching the lofty pine trees reaching for the sky and wispy clouds caressing them gently, all my worries and anxieties flee from my mind. It is not the execrable smoke-filled, enclosed shopping malls unceremoniously perched on the mountaintop that can whisk my worries away. I would have gone to Orchard Road for a more enjoyable shopping experience, or Universal Studios Singapore for exhilarating rides. Contrary to what everybody else goes to Genting Highlands for, my sanctuary lies outside of those noise and smoke generators, where the crisp, cold breeze flows freely.
Sample Marking for Creative Writing Composition
Student’s Essay: Secondary Level 1
Guided Writing Title: Witnessing a Car Crash
This incident took place ten years ago when I was a twelve-year-old boy. It was a beautiful afternoon scented by the blooming flowers ( *5 senses: smell! *) that were glowing abundantly along my primary school fence. The cloudless blue sky was Hholding no hint of the tragedy that would soon unfold. ( *foreshadowing + vivid flashback! *)
Great attempt! You managed to display an array of the skill, show-not-tell, 5 senses and even included figurative language in this piece of composition. As a suggestion, you can combine paragraphs 4 and 5 to capture your readers’ attention with a more intense climax. You can also put paragraphs 6 and 7 together as your falling action. Moving forward, in your concluding paragraph, you can also try adding a relevant saying.