Unit 1

The form refers to how and where a piece of writing will appear. Like audience and purpose, the form influences decisions writers make about language, tone and structure. Each form of writing has its own conventions.

Here are some examples of forms and their basic conventions:

• Email:

+ Often more informal than a letter

+ Might include hyperlinks

+ Includes a subject line that summarises the content

• Novel:

+ Follows a narrative arc

+ Includes imaginary characters

+ Is divided into chapters

• Newspaper article:

+ Has a bold headline

+ Divided into short paragraphs

+ Reports a factual event

Exercise 1: Work in pairs. Discuss these questions.

- What kinds of forms do you sometimes fill in?

- Think of a form you filled in. What information did you write?

Exercise 2: Look at these forms. What is each form for?

Exercise 3: Writing skill information on forms

A. Match the questions (1-7) with the headings on the forms in Exercise 2 where you write the information.

1. Are you married, single or divorced? marital status

2. Do you take any pills or medicine?

3. How many children do you have?

4. What country were you born in?

5. What city/town were you born in?

6. Who can we call in your family if you need help?

7. What is the first letter of your middle name?

B. Look at the forms again. Answer these questions. Then check your answers on page 155.

1. How many abbreviations can you find in the forms? What do they mean?

DOB = Date of birth

2. Under the heading Title on forms, we use the abbreviations Mr, Mrs, Ms and Dr. What do they mean?

3. Which form doesn't want you to write in lower-case letters?

Exercise 4: Work in pairs. Design a form for new students at a language school

• List all the information you need about the students.

• Then prepare the form.

Exercise 5: Exchange your form with another pair. Use these questions to check their form.

• Is their form easy to fill in?

• Do you know what to write in each part?

• Would you change you change anything on the form?