IGCSE ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

ACE MODULE (WRITING)

Instructions

1. This module is to be completed by 2 October 2021.

2. In your group of 4, pick 1 Exercise 5 Question + 1 Article Question + 1 Review
Question + 1 Report Question to answer. (total = 4 essays)
3. Submit your work to any Form 4 teachers to be evaluated. The aim of this exercise is
to get 4 essays of different types with marks of either 14, 15, or 16. (Content &
Language points = 7 or 8)
4. Be aware that time is limited, the faster you do it, the more time you have to reflect
and improve from your mistakes.
5. Make sure each member contribute to the writing so that everyone can benefit
equally from this exercise.
6. Best of luck people. This year, we’re ACING it. :D
EXERCISE 5 - LETTER/EMAIL

ENGLISH HOMESTAY EXPERIENCE OCT/NOV 2018 VAR2

PARTY PLANS – MARCH 2019

WINNING COMPETITION & MEETING FAMOUS PERSON– MAY/JUNE 2019 VAR1

EXPERIENCE OF ORGANISING FASHION SHOW – MAY/JUNE 2019 VAR2

TRIP ARRANGEMENTS – MAY/JUNE 2019 VAR3

JOINING SCHOOL BAND – MAY/JUNE 2020 VAR3

DOCUMENTARY AND HOMEWORK PROJECT – MAY/JUNE 2020 VAR1

SCHOOL ADVERTISEMENT VIDEO – MAY/JUNE 2020 VAR2

EXERCISE 6 – ARTICLES

“IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE MUSIC LESSONS AT SCHOOL” – MAY/JUNE 2019 VAR1

Opinion Some parties have the stance that it is important to have music lessons at
school.
Reason

Explanation/
Elaboration/
Example
Restate
Opinion +
Recap Reason
Opinion There are people who believe that it is not essential to study music at
school.
Reason

Explanation/
Elaboration/
Example
Restate
Opinion +
Recap Reason
 “GIVING OUT PRIZE REWARDS AT SCHOOL IS A GOOD IDEA” – OCT/NOV 2019 VAR3

Giving rewards to students is a good idea.

Opinion There are people who consider that giving out rewards to students to
encourage them is a good idea.
Reason

Explanation/
Elaboration/
Example
Restate
Opinion +
Recap Reason
Opinion Some people argue that giving out rewards to students as a form of
encouragement is a terrible idea.
Reason

Explanation/
Elaboration/
Example
Restate
Opinion +
Recap Reason
 “TEENAGERS USE THE INTERNET TOO MUCH.” – MARCH 2020

Teenagers are overusing the internet.

Opinion Some people say that teenagers use the internet too much.
Reason

Explanation/
Elaboration/
Example
Restate
Opinion +
Recap Reason
Opinion Some parties believe that teenagers are using the internet for an
appropriate amount of time.
Reason

Explanation/
Elaboration/
Example
Restate
Opinion +
Recap Reason
 “PEOPLE SHOULD KEEP PETS.” – MAY/JUNE 2020 VAR3

Everyone should keep a pet.

Opinion Some voices claim that people should own a pet in their homes.
Reason

Explanation/
Elaboration/
Example
Restate
Opinion +
Recap Reason
(Mini
Conclusion)
Opinion There are people who claim that people do not need to have a pet of their
own.
Reason

Explanation/
Elaboration/
Example
Restate
Opinion +
Recap Reason
Other past year article topics:

1. The world would be a better place if everyone became a vegetarian.

2. Fast food brings benefits for people.
3. We rely too much on eating convenience food nowadays which is not good.
4. Using technology can affect your social life in a good/bad way.
5. It is better to go to university when you finish school rather than getting a job straight
ahead.
6. All young people should do some unpaid work to help improve the lives of everyone in
their local community.
7. The study of science brings good to society.
8. Teenagers should be allowed to make important decisions about their lives.
9. It is better to go abroad rather than stay in your own country for a holiday
10. Governments should spend money on exploring space.
11. Practical subjects like cookery and woodwork should not be taught in schools, and only
academic subjects are important.
12. Playing video games is good for you.
13. You can only learn another language well if you go and live in the country where it is
spoken.
14. The times of the school day should be changed to start and finish one hour later.
15. It is only the teachers who are responsible for the success of students at school.
16. Having sports lessons at school is a waste of time.
17. It is fine to get free music by downloading it from the internet.
18. Living in a boarding school is better for the student than a regular day school.
19. Homework is not important for students.
ARTICLE: ORGANISING YOUR POINTS WITH CONNECTING WORDS AND ARGUMENTATIVE PHRASES
Expressing opinions: Reasoning:
• I agree/ disagree with the • ...because of
above statement that • As a result of
• In my opinion • Owing to
• I believe that • Through
• I am in favour of • Due to
• I am against the idea of • Consequently
• It seems to me that • On account of
• I sympathize with • Therefore
• Hence
•
Concluding: Argumentative verbs (use these
• To sum up instead of say/tell):
• To conclude
• Claim
• It can be concluded that
• Assert
• I believe that
• Insist
• Thus, I am of the opinion that
• Argue
• Allege
• Suggest
• Point out
• Maintain
 Presenting and/or contrasting
opinions: • Despite the fact that/ In spite of
• The main argument in favour of/ • On the other hand
against ... • On the contrary
• It is often said that ... • Whereas
• First of all I would like to consider • What is more
• Apart from that ... • What matters most in this case is
• Even though ... • It is a fact that
• Furthermore ... • Besides
• In addition ... • After all
• Moreover ... • There is no doubt that
• Nevertheless ... • Finally
• And • Lastly
• Or
• But
EXERCISE 6 – REVIEW

Grab: The Effortless Experience

Do you have problems travelling around with no mode of transport of your own? Then
you may be one of those who have to rely on public transportation to get to places. The past
few years have seen a boom in the e-hailing service industry which breathes a fresh air to the
usual public transportation experience. Among them, Grab is one of the leading companies in
Malaysia.

The Grab application has to be downloaded into a mobile device, either a tablet or
smartphone, before you could use its service. The app automatically detects where the
potential passenger is and they only have to input their destination into the application. The
app will then match them up with an available driver and there is even an option to go cashless
by paying through the app.

This app is really convenient as it reduced the hassle in hailing a ride. With a few taps
on my smartphone, I was able to know the availability of drivers in the area, the waiting time
and also the cost beforehand. In addition, the Grab user rating system means that drivers put
in effort to ensure that their passengers enjoy a comfortable ride. I was pleased to see the car
that arrived for me was in tip top condition and the driver had maintained a friendly attitude
towards me throughout the ride.

I find the Grab experience thoroughly simple and painless. I would definitely
recommend it to fellow commuters in need of a ride to places that cannot be easily reached
by other modes of public transportation since their service is designed to be as trouble-free
and is also welcoming to passengers.
 (276 words)

* include personal experience in your analysis paragraph!

INFORM The existence/functions of the e-hailing industry and the brand/product

you will be looking at: Grab
DESCRIBE How Grab is used
How does the Grab service work
ANALYSE The good points of Grab:
- Convenient way of hailing a ride
- Drivers put in effort to please passengers (clean cars, friendly
attitude)
ADVISE/ Grab is recommended for whom
RECOMMEND Why Grab is recommended (recap from analysis)

FILM REVIEW – SPECIMEN PAPER 2019

INFORM

DESCRIBE
 ANALYSE

ADVISE/
RECOMMEND

PERFORMING ARTS COURSE - MAY/JUNE 2019 VAR2

INFORM

DESCRIBE

ANALYSE
 ADVISE/
RECOMMEND

NEW CINEMA – OCT/NOV 2019 VAR1

INFORM

DESCRIBE
 ANALYSE

ADVISE/
RECOMMEND

NEW SPORTS CENTRE – MAY/JUNE 2020 VAR2

INFORM

DESCRIBE

ANALYSE
 ADVISE/
RECOMMEND

REOPENED LIBRARY – SEPTEMBER 2020

16 A library in your town has now reopened after being closed for a year. You have decided to
write a review of the library for your school magazine.

Here are two comments from other people who have visited the library.

The new in-house

I like that it has a wider
internet café is a bit too
selection of books now.
noisy for my liking.

Write a review for the school magazine.

The comments above may give you some ideas, and you can also use ideas of your own.

INFORM

DESCRIBE

ANALYSE
 ADVISE/
RECOMMEND

NATIONAL PARK TRIP – AUGUST 2020

16 You recently went on a field trip to a national park with the Nature Club members. You
decided to write a review of the park for your school magazine.

Here are two comments from other members who joined the trip:

We didn’t get to see much The park ranger was very

wild animals even though knowledgeable about
it was an overnight trip. nature.

Write a review for the school magazine.

The comments above may give you some ideas, and you can also use ideas of your own.

INFORM

DESCRIBE

ANALYSE
 ADVISE/
RECOMMEND

NEW SHOPPING CENTRE – OCT/NOV 2020 VAR1

INFORM

DESCRIBE

ANALYSE
 ADVISE/
RECOMMEND
EXERCISE 6 – REPORT

RECYLING CENTRE TRIP (Specimen Paper 2019)

INTRO What and where – trip to recycling centre

Who – my class (4 Ruby)
When – last Saturday
Why – as part of project, to learn about recycling

SUMMARY 2-3 activities:

- Briefing
- Tour around centre

FINDINGS 2-3 findings:

- The importance of recycling
- The impact of recycling on environment
- Better ways of recycling

CONCLUSION Issue/problem + solution/suggestions for improvement

- Tour rushed
- Trip should be more balanced
 Recycling Centre Trip

Last Saturday, students of Class 4 Ruby visited a recycling centre as part of their project on the
local environment. The main objective of the trip was to learn about the different materials that can
be recycled and how they are processed at the centre.

Upon arrival at the centre, we were greeted by the manager and given a briefing. We were
shown a video on the impact of waste on the environment. Next, we were taken on a tour around the
centre where we had to wear protective clothes and helmets. We watched a large machine separate
cans, plastic, and glass from cardboard and paper and place them into different containers. We were
also able to observe how new products were made from these recycled materials.

We find the trip to be very informative and has given us a greater insight into the
environmental value of recycling. It was a shock to see how damaging some materials could be to
wildlife when they are not disposed of properly. In addition, we were able to identify the everyday
objects that we can recycle instead of throw away during the tour so we learned how to improve our
recycling habits.

We were able to learn a lot during the trip with a great amount of information presented to
us. However, the tour felt a little rushed and we did not manage to see all the facilities. This might be
due to the introductory briefing that was too long. I propose that next year the programme should be
better balanced so that we can experience things that we seldom get to in class.

(258 words)
 SCHOOL TRIP – MARCH 2019

INTRO

SUMMARY

FINDINGS

CONCLUSION
 WORK EXPERIENCE WEEK – MAY/JUNE 2019 VAR3

INTRO

SUMMARY

FINDINGS

CONCLUSION
 STUDENT TARDINESS – OCT/NOV 2019 VAR2

INTRO

SUMMARY

FINDINGS

CONCLUSION
 IMPROVEMENTS REQUIRED FOR SCHOOL LIBRARY – MAY/JUNE 2020 VAR1

INTRO Background info

What:
When
Where
Who:
Aim of report:
SUMMARY Reason why school wants to improve

FINDINGS What students think

- Have a hard time concentrating

CONCLUSION How to improve

 TALK BY SINGER – OCT/NOV 2020 VAR3

INTRO Background info

What:
When
Where
Who:
Aim of report:
SUMMARY Reason why school wants to improve

FINDINGS What students think

- Have a hard time concentrating

CONCLUSION How to improve

Writing Checklist

Email
1. Friendly and informal, personal, mentions of feelings
2. Answers all 3 bullet points
3. Development of bullet point
4. Has engagement (I, you, exclamation marks for excitement, questions to involve the
recipient)

Article
1. Semi-formal 4c Explanation that makes sense
2. Title: interesting 4d Thus/Therefore/Hence + Opinion
3. Intro restated + reason
3a General statement 5. Body paragraph #2: O. R. E. O. using
3b Introduce issue/problem “contrasting opinions” phrases (have
3c Introduce two sides to have STRONGER
3d State what the article will do: Look reason/explanation than BP1)
at two sides, reach a conclusion 6. Conclusion:
4. Body paragraph #1 6a “Concluding” phrase +
4a Opinion presented using 6b final conclusion +
“argumentative verbs” 6c recap reason + hope/advice
4b Reason using “reasoning” phrases (optional)

Review

1. Semi-formal 5. Analysis:
2. Title: interesting 5a 2-3 aspects that are good (use
3. Intro: attractive (use questions, adjectives)
interesting trivia, etc) + inform the 5b Analysis: personal
name/brand of product/service you experience/feelings in past tense to
will review explain #5
4. Description of product: 2-3 details, 6. Advice:
informative NOT subjective 6a Recommendation + who the
product is recommended to
6b Advice: Recap of reason in analysis
#5-6

Report Event Report Problem

1. Formal 1. Formal
2. Title: straightforward 2. Intro: 5WH + Objective of report
3. Intro: 5WH + Objective of event 3. Summary: 2-3 reasons/factors of
4. Summary: 2-3 activities problem/issue
5. Findings: things learned from 4. Findings: effect of problem/issue
activity/event 5. Conclusion: suggestions to
6. Conclusion: suggestions for improve/solve issue
improvement
ARTICLE

Opinion Some voices claim that people should own a pet in their homes.

Reason

Explanation/
Elaboration/
Example

Restate
Opinion +
Recap Reason
(Mini
Conclusion)
Opinion There are people who assert that people do not need to have a pet of their
own.
Reason

Explanation/
Elaboration/
Example

Restate
Opinion +
Recap Reason
 Pets: Are we worthy of giving them a home?

These days, the relationship between humans and their pets have changed. People
treat their pets like family. However, at times they might not realise how pets are large
responsibilities. This raises the question of whether people should keep pets.
Therefore, we will have to look at both sides of the argument before we can come to a
justified conclusion.

There are some parties that claim that people shouldn’t be keeping pets. Pet mills
which raise animals in less ideal conditions have been mushrooming as a result of the
high demand for pets. The environments in pet mills can be packed and cramped which
is unhealthy and may cause psychological harm to the animals as pet mills try to cater
to consumers wishes for specific breeds. Thus, this shows why people do not deserve
to keep pets as it only encourages the growth of the toxic pet mill industry.

On the other hand, some voices assert that pets should be given a home with
people. This is because people would be able to take good care of them, especially
the stray animals or those in animal compounds. These animals struggle to find shelter
and food for themselves so if people take them in as pets, the welfare of these animals
can be ensured. Thus, this proves that people should be keeping pets as they are
giving the animals the love and care that they need.

As a conclusion, it is best for humans to have pets in their homes as they are able
to shower these animals with love and warmth. While buying pets from pet mills should
be avoided due to the terrible breeding conditions, people can still try adopting stray
animals or the ones from their local compounds so that these animals receive the care
and shelter they deserve.
REVIEW

You recently used an e-hailing service from a particular company. You have decided to write
a review of the service for the school magazine. Here are some comments from other students
who used the same e-hailing service.

I loved the efficiency of Some of the drivers

booking for a ride through were not so friendly.
my smartphone.

Write a review of the e-hailing service, giving your views.

The comments may above may give you some ideas, and you can also use some ideas of your
own.

INFORM
• Engage readers by using ______________ or __________________

• The functions of the product/service you will be reviewing:

__________________________________
• The target demographic of product/service:

________________________________________
• The name/brand of product/service reviewed: ___________________

DESCRIBE How the product/service functions (2-3 points):

1. ______________________________
2. ______________________________
3. ______________________________
ANALYSE The good/bad points of product/service (2-3 points):
1. ______________________________
2. ______________________________
3. ______________________________
• Use __________________ to analyse the product

• Elaborate points using ____________________ written in the

_____________________
ADVISE/ Do you recommend the product?
RECOMMEND
Who is it recommended for?
Recap the reasons why it is/isn’t recommended:
- ___________________________
- ___________________________
 Grab: The Effortless Experience

Do you have problems travelling around with no mode of transport of your own?
Then you may be one of those who have to rely on public transportation to get to places.
The past few years have seen a boom in the e-hailing service industry which breathes
a fresh air to the usual public transportation experience. Among them, Grab is one of
the leading companies in Malaysia.

The Grab application has to be downloaded into a mobile device, either a tablet
or smartphone, before you could use its service. The app automatically detects where
the potential passenger is and they only have to input their destination into the
application. The app will then match them up with an available driver and there is even
an option to go cashless by paying through the app.

This app is really convenient as it reduced the hassle in hailing a ride. With a
few taps on my smartphone, I was able to know the availability of drivers in the area,
the waiting time and also the cost beforehand. In addition, the Grab user rating system
means that drivers put in effort to ensure that their passengers enjoy a comfortable
ride. I was pleased to see the car that arrived for me was in tip top condition and the
driver had maintained a friendly attitude towards me throughout the ride.

I find the Grab experience thoroughly simple and painless. I would definitely
recommend it to fellow commuters in need of a ride to places that cannot be easily
accessed by other modes of public transportation since their service is designed to be
as trouble-free as possible and is also welcoming to passengers.
REPORT

Recently, student reports about loss of belongings have been increasing. Your teacher has
asked you to write a report about this, explaining the effects of this issue and suggestions to
counter it. Here are some comments from other students at the school.

The students are suspecting each They should write their names
other. properly.

Write a report for your teacher, giving your views.

The comments may above may give you some ideas, and you can also use some ideas of your
own.

REPORT (ISSUE) Checklist

1. Use ____________________

2. Use ____________________ sentences

3. Use ____________________ vocabulary

What goes into the paragraphs?

INTRO Background info
• What: _______________ Where: __________________
• When: _______________ Who: ____________________
Aim of report: __________________________________________
SUMMARY Factors for occurrence of problem (2-3 points)
- _______________________________________________
- _______________________________________________
- _______________________________________________
FINDINGS Effects of problem
- _______________________________________________
- _______________________________________________
- _______________________________________________
CONCLUSION Suggestions to improve
- _______________________________________________
- _______________________________________________
- _______________________________________________
 MRSM Baling Loss of Belongings Report

For the past month, the issue of missing items has been plaguing the students
of MRSM Baling. After finishing school sessions, they noticed that some of their
belongings had gone missing and have been lodging reports to the teachers. This
report is prepared to explain the effects and propose solutions for this problem.

A survey was conducted to investigate the causes of this problem. There are
two main causes that have been identified. Firstly, students had been misplacing their
belongings. Instead of storing their belongings in its rightful place, they put their
belongings haphazardly. Other than that, students tend to bring more than the
appropriate amount of money. This will cause some wayward students to be tempted
and result in stealing among students.

To date, the school has received many complaints from parents on the problem
and urged the school to compensate using school funding. This results in massive
budget cuts and could put the school at risk of bankruptcy. Moreover, students were
found fighting and accusing each other over the missing items on the school grounds
resulting in worry from parents for their child’s safety. Thus, it could lead to a major
problem as the school‘s reputation may be tarnished.

In order to stop this predicament from getting worse, all students are
recommended to mark their personal items with distinctive tags and minimize sharing
of things with other students. Last but not least, students are reminded to always be
mindful of personal items by carrying their valuable belongings at all times.
EMAIL

Your school recently celebrated its 100-year anniversary and held an Open Day last weekend.
You were part of the organising committee.
Write an email to a friend telling him or her about the celebration.

In your email, you should:

• describe the programmes held during the celebration
• explain your role in organising the celebration
• say how you feel about being part of the school

The pictures above may give you some ideas, and you can also use some ideas of your own.

Email Checklist

1. ______friendly and informal______________________

2. _________use ALL 3 points given________________

3. __________develop points in a balanced way________

4. You can show _____engagement_____ by using

i) _________“I” and “you”_______

ii) ___exclamation marks to express feelings________

iii) ___questions to show relationship with recipient___

Dear Aqmal,

How are you? Sorry for not replying to you sooner. Do you remember my
school’s 100-year anniversary I mentioned before? Last weekend it finally happened
and my school had an Open Day. Let me tell you, it was an absolute blast!

I’ll admit it was quite a shame you couldn’t make it, though. I could have given
you free passes since I was part of the organizing committee. There were a lot of
activities going on such as a singing competition and trivia quizzes about the school.
Every class sent a couple of representatives to set up different types of stalls, some
selling food and while others hosted mini-games. The school band also performed! I’m
sorry that you missed them since you raved about them when I showed you videos last
time.

I was given the role of vice-chairman so that came as a shocker. You know how
I’m not the most organised person on earth but it was a great opportunity so I did my
best to supervise and manage the event. Thank god the committee members gave
their best cooperation so things were quite smooth sailing from start to finish. Being
part of this school made me so proud and happy. I’m beyond grateful that I’m able to
study here as it has shaped me into who I am today. If only you didn’t live far away or
we could’ve studied together and have lots of fun everyday!

Well, that’s all for now. We should meet up soon. Tell me when’s a good time in
your reply, okay?

Your friend,
Izzah

* Courtesy of Izzah Lok with amendments