English GCSE transactional writing

14

Hi,
Does anyone have any tips on how to write a good transactional piece? I find this an area I am weak in, but I don't know how to improve...
Thanks!

Reply 1

thaucb i

10

Original post by Ashirs

Hi,
Does anyone have any tips on how to write a good transactional piece? I find this an area I am weak in, but I don't know how to improve...
Thanks!

I was not a fan of transactional writing when I did by GCSES, but I often found reading articles and other documents that were similar to the one I had to write, helped me to understand what was required and gave me a general structure to follow!

There are LOTS of online resources though that you can look at to get you started:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/ztwtnbk/revision/1
http://kingsenglishrevision.weebly.com/english-language-paper-2/transactional-writing-how-to-be-a-success
https://literacyideas.com/transactional-texts/

Hope this helps! :smile:

Reply 2

Jramon

11

Original post by Ashirs

Hi,
Does anyone have any tips on how to write a good transactional piece? I find this an area I am weak in, but I don't know how to improve...
Thanks!

Hello,
I do transactional pieces for blogs once in a while, as a hobby. I have found these pointers to greatly improve the quality of my pieces a d make them more pleasing/engaging to read.

Use concise introduction. Catch the audience's attention from the start. Use TAP to identify basic structure.
T- Type of piece. Could be a speech, comparison/argumentative essay.
A- Audience. A speech to students, a letter to an authority figure etc.
P- Purpose. The topic's subject matter. Why are you writing? To explore the reason for existence of "phenomenon xyz", to argue against or in support of "xyz", etc.
Let your introduction reflect these.

Then use DAFORREST in your body
Direct address
Anecdotes
Facts
Opinions
Rhetoric questions
Repetition
Emotive language
Statistics (Indicate sources where statistics are used)
Triples(there in a row)
Anticipate your audience objections and provide counter arguments appropriately.
Use "we" instead of "you" to show inclusion.
Use hyperbole. Exaggerate ideas but in a clever manner, so not to sound ridiculous.
Each main idea should be in it's own paragraph in the essay body. The start of each paragraph should be a topic statement (A presentation of the main idea being discussed), then the rest of the paragraph explains this main idea. Link paragraphs together. Hint on the next paragraph's main idea at the end of a paragraph, then link the previous paragraph's idea in the next paragraph after the first line (Topic statement).

Offer a concise conclusion, a summary linking all your main ideas and final conclusion.

There are many sources online exploring each of these in greater depth. You should be well off with this as basic elements of your work. You'll get better in no time :wink:

Reply 3

Ashirs

OP

14

Original post by thaucb i

I was not a fan of transactional writing when I did by GCSES, but I often found reading articles and other documents that were similar to the one I had to write, helped me to understand what was required and gave me a general structure to follow!

There are LOTS of online resources though that you can look at to get you started:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/ztwtnbk/revision/1
http://kingsenglishrevision.weebly.com/english-language-paper-2/transactional-writing-how-to-be-a-success
https://literacyideas.com/transactional-texts/

Hope this helps! :smile:

thanks! i'm not a fan of transactional writing either but i guess i will have to do it as it is in my paper :frown:

! these resources are very helpful, thank you!

Reply 4

Ashirs

OP

14

(Original post by Jramon)Hello,
I do transactional pieces for blogs once in a while, as a hobby. I have found these pointers to greatly improve the quality of my pieces a d make them more pleasing/engaging to read.

Use concise introduction. Catch the audience's attention from the start. Use TAP to identify basic structure.
T- Type of piece. Could be a speech, comparison/argumentative essay.
A- Audience. A speech to students, a letter to an authority figure etc.
P- Purpose. The topic's subject matter. Why are you writing? To explore the reason for existence of "phenomenon xyz", to argue against or in support of "xyz", etc.
Let your introduction reflect these.

Then use DAFORREST in your body
Direct address
Anecdotes
Facts
Opinions
Rhetoric questions
Repetition
Emotive language
Statistics (Indicate sources where statistics are used)
Triples(there in a row)
Anticipate your audience objections and provide counter arguments appropriately.
Use "we" instead of "you" to show inclusion.
Use hyperbole. Exaggerate ideas but in a clever manner, so not to sound ridiculous.
Each main idea should be in it's own paragraph in the essay body. The start of each paragraph should be a topic statement (A presentation of the main idea being discussed), then the rest of the paragraph explains this main idea. Link paragraphs together. Hint on the next paragraph's main idea at the end of a paragraph, then link the previous paragraph's idea in the next paragraph after the first line (Topic statement).

Offer a concise conclusion, a summary linking all your main ideas and final conclusion.

There are many sources online exploring each of these in greater depth. You should be well off with this as basic elements of your work. You'll get better in no time :wink:

thanks! i'll try to include all this in my next transactional!

Reply 5

Ashirs

OP

14

Original post by thaucb i

I was not a fan of transactional writing when I did by GCSES, but I often found reading articles and other documents that were similar to the one I had to write, helped me to understand what was required and gave me a general structure to follow!

There are LOTS of online resources though that you can look at to get you started:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/ztwtnbk/revision/1
http://kingsenglishrevision.weebly.com/english-language-paper-2/transactional-writing-how-to-be-a-success
https://literacyideas.com/transactional-texts/

Hope this helps! :smile:

do you have any articles that you recommend I rea? I know news articles are a start but any other suggestions?

Reply 6

thaucb i

10

Original post by Ashirs

do you have any articles that you recommend I rea? I know news articles are a start but any other suggestions?

I mean the thing is it can literally be anything!
You could read up on news articles that you find interesting, and in doing so you can adapt to transactional writing.
You can read obituaries, you can read an autobiography, and also travel writing.

I remember reading a travel piece about monkeys flocking in to be fed on a reserve, and the correlation between the world at that time!

You can also read the examples that your exam board gives you. For each year of papers there should be example essays which got top marks, and you can get a feel for how the essays are marked.

Reply 7

Ashirs

OP

14

Original post by thaucb i

I mean the thing is it can literally be anything!
You could read up on news articles that you find interesting, and in doing so you can adapt to transactional writing.
You can read obituaries, you can read an autobiography, and also travel writing.

I remember reading a travel piece about monkeys flocking in to be fed on a reserve, and the correlation between the world at that time!

You can also read the examples that your exam board gives you. For each year of papers there should be example essays which got top marks, and you can get a feel for how the essays are marked.

thanks!

Reply 8

alexandra444

1

this saved my exam thanks so much :biggrin:

English GCSE transactional writing

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