ANSWERING TECHNIQUES

PMR

2013

KNOWING IS NOT ENOUGH

YOU MUST APPLY IT

Salutation

68C, Lorong Satu, Taman Bahagia 2, 77000 Jasin, Melaka. 1st March 2010.Dear Farah, It was indeed a wonderful surprise to hear from you again. _______________________________________________________________________. ________________________________________________________________________________________________. _____________________________________________________________________________________________. Do write to me again after your examinations. Until then, good luck in the exam! Your friend, Saliza

Writer’s / Sender’s Address

Date

Opening remarks

The contents

Closing remarksEndingSignature

INFORMAL LETTERSInformal letters are social or friendly letters. They are usually written to people we know personally, for example members of our family, relatives, friends or pen friends.The Format

The address

•The writer’s address is usually written at the top right hand corner.

•There is a comma (,) after each line.

•There is a full stop (.) at the end of the address.

•You can include the name of your state (Melaka) if you are writing to someone in another state (Pahang).

•Include the name of your country (Malaysia) if you are writing to someone overseas eg. India.

WILLING IS NOT ENOUGH

YOU MUST DO IT

The date

•Write the date below the address.

•Use the correct English spelling of the month.

•When replying to a letter given, your date should be a few days after that of the letter given.

•There are different ways of writing the date.

1st March 2010. 1st March 2010. March 1, 2010. 01 / 03 / 2010

ACTION

SPEAKS

LOUDER

THAN

WORDS

The greeting/ salutation

•The greeting or salutation is written one line below the date, on the left hand of the page ended by the comma (,).

•The salutation used depends on how close you are to the person you are writing to

•Dear ……….. is most often used and always correct. You can use it for anyone, from your mother to a new pen- pal.

•My dear……. is used if you have a close relationship with someone, like your family or best friend.

•Dearest and My dearest………are usually used only for people you love.

YOUR CHOICE IS IN

YOUR HANDS

The ending

•The ending is written below the closing remarks on the right hand side of the page.

•The ending depends on whom you are writing to.

•When writing to a family member or a relative you can end with:

i) Yours affectionately, ii) Yours lovingly, iii) Your son,

•When writing to friends or pen-pals you should end with: Yours sincerely,

•Your name or signature is written below the ending.

YOU CAN EITHER CHOOSE TO

LOSE

OR

WIN

PLANYOUR

WORK

AND

WORK

YOUR

PLAN

MODEL SENTENCES FOR INFORMAL LETTERS

Opening Remarks

•How are you? I hope you are in the pink of health.•Thank you for your interesting letter.•I received your letter yesterday/ a few days ago.•What a surprise! It’s really good to hear from you.•How is everyone in the family? Well, I hope.•I am really glad to hear from you.•How are you? I am sorry I couldn’t write earlier.•This letter will probably come as a surprise to you.•What a pleasant surprise it was hear from you after such a long time.

FEAR - has two meanings

F - FORGETE - EVERYTHING

A - AND

R - RUN

Extending Invitations

•Would you like to join me on a trip to Pantai Remis?•How about coming over to my place next weekend?•I would like to invite you to my brother’s wedding that will take place on the 16th of August.•My friends and I are planning to go camping during the holidays. Why don’t you come along?•If you have not made any plans for the holidays, perhaps you would like to join us on a trip to Cameron Highlands.

F - FACE

E - EVERYTHINGA - AND

R - RISE

Responding to Invitations/ Accepting Invitations

•I’d be glad to join you and your friends on the trip.•I’d love to come over to your house.•Thank you for your invitation. I’d be glad to come to your birthday party.•Of course I would love to attend your brother’s weeding. Thank you for inviting me.

RESPECT PEOPLE WHO FIND TIME FOR YOU

IN THEIR BUSY SCHEDULE

BUT LOVE PEOPLE WHO NEVER LOOK AT

THEIR SCHEDULE WHEN YOU NEED THEM

Declining Invitations

•Thanks for your invitation. However, I am sorry I will have to turn it down as I have already promise my father that I’d join him on a fishing trip.

•Although I’d love to join you, I am sorry to say that I will not be able to make it.

•I am sorry to inform you that I will not be able to attend your sister’s wedding.

To express Appreciation/ Gratitude

•Thank you for your advice.

•It was really thoughtful of you to help us in our time of need.

•How kind of you to think about us!

•I truly appreciate your kindness.

Closing remarks•That will be all for now. I shall write again when I have the time.

•Please convey my warmest regards to your family.

•Best wishes to you and your family.

•Please give my love to Grandma.

•Good luck in your coming examination.

•Do write soon.

•I hope to hear from you soon.

•Do write again when you have the time.

MODEL PMR QUESTION

Your friend who scored 8A’s in the PMR examination has been offered a place to study in a residential school. However, he is undecided whether or not to accept the offer. Write a letter to him. In your letter you should:

•Congratulate your friend on his success•Ask him to accept the offer•Give your reasons

When writing the letter:

•Use all the points•Elaborate on the notes•Make sure it is not less than 120 words.

MODEL ANSWER

16, Jalan Sinaran, Taman Jaya Bakti,

77000 Jasin,

Melaka.

16th February 2010.

Dear Shaiful,

Congratulations on your success in the recent PMR examination. I always knew that you were an outstanding student. I am sure your parents are really proud of you.

In your last letter, you told me that you were undecided whether or not to accept the offer to study in a residential school. If I were you, I will definitely accept the offer. I would not have second thoughts about my decision. In the first place, this will provide you with an excellent opportunity like this. Only students who excel in their studies are offered places in residential schools. Thus, competition is stiff and this will spur you on to achieve better result.

Of course, studying in a residential school would mean that you would have to leave home and stay in the hostel. If given a choice, I would prefer to stay in hostel. Instead of staying at home and being pampered by the rest of the family, you will learn to be independent. Learning to live with people of different backgrounds can be fun.

Anyway, you have till the end of this month to make a decision. Discuss it with your parents. Weigh all the pros and cons before you decide. Please convey my warmest regards to your parents.

Your friend,

Azahar

SAMPLE QUESTIONS

LIGHTS

ON

LITERATURE

BASED ON THE NOVEL YOU HAVE READ, WRITE ABOUT A CHARACTER WHO HAS SHOWN DETERMINATION.GIVE EVIDENCE FROM THE NOVEL TO SUPPORT YOUR ANSWER.

IDENTIFY THE KEY WORDS IN THE QUESTION

1. A CHARACTER

2. DETERMINATION

NAME ONLY ONE CHARACTER

EVIDENCE - 3 EVENTS FROM THE NOVEL SHOWING DETERMINATION