Higher National Diploma in English
HNDE Professional Writing II First Year Second Semester Syllabus
Linking ideas: clauses and phrases (05/03 hrs)
- Activities: Provide sentences with linking words such as: because, so, but,
although, in spite of, otherwise, except that, apart from. Get them to underline the
linking words. Discuss the function of linking words - Provide more activities.
– Join the ideas in the two columns using linking words.
– Fill in the blanks.
Develop paragraphs: organizing ideas at inter-paragraph level (05/02 hrs) - Generate ideas using different techniques: brain storming, group/class discussions,
reading, illustrations - Guidelines on organization: beginning, developmental Pattern-content (two or three
paragraphs), ending, register, key words - Writing drafts, conference with the teacher, revising
Informative writing (10/05 hrs)
- Text types: prospectuses, description of places/people
- Focus: conveying information clearly. Consider what the reader wants to know and
include relevant details only. - Present materials clearly, appropriate layout, illustrations and organization
Practical writing (10/05 hrs)
- Text types: CV writing, job applications and covering letters
- Focus on particulars found in an application form, CV format is different from
application form
Letter writing- business letters (10/05 hrs)
- Text Types: letters of complaints, letters of orders, banking correspondence
- Focus: use formal and impersonal language
Imaginative writing (10/05 hrs)
- Text types: poetry, short stories, play lets
- Short stories
– Creative use of language. Provide questions/pictures to stimulate writing.
– Provide the beginning; An old man sat on a bench in the park watching
children playing…
– Provide the ending: …I told you it was a joke
– Supply captions or titles as starting points. These can be taken from
newspapers. e.g. Boy saved from drowning.
– Imaginary situations: If I were a parent… - Poetry
- Playlets
– Text types: write dialogues appropriate to specific situations on different themes and
act them out (group tasks)
– Write and act out scripts for well-known tales, e.g. folk stories
Persuasive and argumentative writing(10/05 hrs)
- Writing skills: giving reasons: e.g. why do people gamble/become vegetarians/keep
pets/enjoy watching violet films? (Ref: Language in Use: Upper-Intermediate.
Classroom Book.Page40, 50) - Text types
– Brochures, leaflets, advertisements- on presenting a case influencing the
reader. E.g. Imagine a local radio station has asked you to write a one-minute
commercial advertising a new product.
