Speech/Talk

How to write a SpeechHere are some guidelines you should follow when giving a speech
or a talk.Lets look at a sample question:You recently won the Best Student Award in
your school. You have been asked to give a talk during assembly to share tips with the
other students on what they need to do so that they too can become successful
students.Use

the

following

notes

to

write

your

speech.

Suggestions:

set goals

be motivated

pay attention

ask questions

be organised

complete homework on time

prepare well for exams

take part in co-curricular activities

obey school rules

respect everyone

Avoid:

wasting time

skipping school

When

writing

your

speech,

address your audience

state the purpose of the speech

you

should

remember

to:

use all the points given

end your speech appropriately

E.g
Introductory

Paragraph:

1.

address

your

2.
3.

audience

introduce
state

the

yourself

purpose

of

your

Second

speech
Paragraph

1.

point

(set

goals)

2.

point

(be

motivated)

3.

point

(pay

attention)

4.

point

(ask

questions)

Third

Paragraph

1.
2.
3.

point

point

(be

6(complete

point

organised)

homework

(prepare

on

well

for

Fourth
1.
2.

point

8
point

(take

part

in

co-curricular

(obey

school

activities)
rules)
Paragraph

point

10

(respect

everyone)

Sixth

Paragraph

1.

point

2.

point

11

(avoid

12

(avoid

wasting
skipping

Final

time)
school)
Paragraph

1.
Here

exams)
Paragraph

Fifth
1.

time)

conclude
is

appropriately
sample

answer.

A very good morning to our beloved principal, Pn Laila Mohd Noor, senior
assistants, teachers and friends. On this glorious morning, I, Gary Tan the
recipient of this years Best Student Award am going to give a talk on How to
Become a Successful Student. In my speech, I am going to share with you some
tips on how you can be a successful student.If you want to be successful, you

must set goals. Research shows that people who set goals accomplish more than
those who do not. In deciding your goals, ask yourself What do I want to be?
and What do I do to get there? Besides, you must be motivated. When you are
motivated you will have a strong desire to do well and to achieve your goals. In
addition, you must pay attention in class. Listen actively and focus on what the
teacher is teaching. If you have disruptive classmates, sit in front of the
classroom, away from them. Always ask questions if you do not understand. Seek
clarifications from your teachers or your friends if you are shy to approach the
former.Another important tip to being a successful student is to be organised.You
can use a planner or notebook to write down all your assignments when they are
given. This way you will not forget your homework, dates of tests or projects.
Remember, if you are organised you will be well- prepared and you will have less
stress. Moreover, you must complete your homework on time. Homework helps
reinforce what you have learnt. It helps you understand and remember the
information. You must prepare well for exams. A successful student is one who
prepares for exams well in advance, and not at the eleventh hour. If you study
consistently, you will have ample time for revision.Friends, to be a successful
student you must have diverse interests.You should take part in co-curricular
activities in order to become a well-rounded person. These activities help develop
leadership skills and teamwork besides instilling values like cooperation and
tolerance. Discipline is an important aspect of our lives. No matter where you go
or what you do, you will be subjected to rules and regulations. Hence, it is crucial
that

you

obey

the

school

rules.

Dear friends,What is success if you lack the common courtesies in life?

Remember,you must respect everyone. You must respect your parents, your
teachers, the school staff and also your friends. You must respect other peoples
feelings and opinions.There are also several things you must avoid if you want to
be a successful student. You must avoid wasting time. These days many
teenagers spend hours on social networks such as Facebook or playing computer
games. These are a waste of time and will not benefit you in any way. Remember,
Time and tide wait for no man. Also, avoid skipping school. Some students feel
that school is a waste of time as they can learn better from their tuition teachers.
This is not true. The teachers in our school are experienced and well qualified.
They are also experienced examiners and they know how to impart knowledge
effectively.I have to stop here. I hope you have found my talk helpful. Thank you
for listening attentively.

Report
How to write a report.Let us now look at report writing. Read the sample question below:
Your school recently organised a Leadership Camp for all presidents and
secretaries of the various clubs in your school. You are the Editor of the School
Magazine. You, too, attended the camp and you have been asked to write a report
for the school magazine. In your report, include the following information:
Place:

Perimbun

Date:

Resort,

27-29th

Participants:

Presidents

Organised

and

secretaries

of

to instil leadership qualities

to improve teamwork
Youth

Briefing by facilitators

Setting up tents

Group activities

various

clubs

leaders

from

in

school
Unit

the

Activities: Day

camp:

local

university
1

Day

Morning exercise

Survival skills

Night hike

Day

of

Co-curricular

Facilitators:

July

by:

Objectives

Cheras

Feedback session

The above question requires you to write a report on a school activity. Below are two
samples

based

on

the

same

Sample

question.
1

Integrated

Leadership

Camp

The Co-curricular Unit of SMK Setia recently organised an Integrated Leadership

Camp at Perimbun Resort, Cheras, from 27-29th July. The objectives of the camp
were to instil leadership qualities and improve teamwork among the 50
participants who attended this camp. The activities at the camp were handled by
several youth leaders from a local university. All participants, presidents and
secretaries of the various clubs in school, had gathered at the school hall at 2pm.
From there, they were taken to the campsite in two buses. They were accompanied
by five teachers, including the senior assistant of co-curricular affairs Puan Ng.
Upon arrival at the campsite, they were given a briefing by the facilitators. Then,
they were put into groups and asked to set up tents. By 7pm, most of them had
accomplished this task successfully. After dinner, the participants had to engage
in their first group activity. They were required to come up with names and theme
songs for their groups. The second day of the camp was much more hectic. The
participants had a rigorous exercise session which involved aerobics and jogging
around the campsite. Then, after breakfast, they had to display their survival skills.
In the afternoon, the participants had another round of physical activities. They
engaged in canoeing in the nearby lake. The night programme was the most
interesting. Participants had to take part in a night hike. There was only one
activity on the third day of the camp ? the feedback session. The participants rated
the programme highly and hoped that it would be held annually. The leadership
camp was a huge success because all participants showed tremendous support
by actively participating in all the activities throughout the duration of the camp.
Written
Ly

by,
LyTAN

LY

LY

Editor
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sample
Integrated

2
Leadership

Camp

The weekend of 27-29th July this year will forever be etched in the minds of the 50
participants who attended the Integrated Leadership Camp organised by the Cocurricular Unit of SMK Setia. The two-day two night camp, held at Perimbun
Resort, Cheras, some 20 miles away from the city centre, was a compulsory
activity for all presidents and secretaries of the various clubs in school. The

objectives of the camp were to instil leadership qualities and improve teamwork
among participants. Although the students were accompanied by several teachers,
all activities were conducted by youth leaders from a local university. Most of the
students, who are in Form Four this year, were very excited throughout the 45minute journey to the campsite. Upon arrival, they were immediately whisked off to
the seminar room where they were given a briefing on the rules and regulations at
the campsite by the facilitators. Then, they were put into groups of five and asked
to erect their own tents. Luckily for my group, we had the President of the Scouts
Club with us. In no time, he had instructed us on how to put up the tent.
Unfortunately, some of the other groups were struggling with their tents and
seeing their dismal efforts some of us decided to help them. Apparently, this was
the first test of our teamwork skills and fortunately, many of us passed with flying
colours. After dinner, we had a group dynamics activity, where we had to come up
with names, logos and jingles for our groups. Well, with names like the Flying
Potters and Forever Dumbledores, and jingles ranging from pop rock to jazz, the
students of SMK Setia proved that they are indeed a creative lot. The second day
of the camp started off with an early morning exercise session at 5.30am. The two
energetic facilitators, Tim and Ashraf, took us through a rigorous exercise routine.
Many of us who barely exercise knew what to expect over the next few days ?
muscle cramps. After the one-hour aerobic session, we jogged through Perimbun
town, which was a pale shadow of its daytime hustle and bustle. The early
morning exercise was invigorating and refreshing. We had enough time for a quick
shower and breakfast, before we took part in more group activities. These
activities were physically and mentally challenging. One of the activities was basic
survival skills. We had to start our own fires with only two matchsticks and cook
lunch for the group members. Using water from the slightly muddy stream nearby,
we had to cook not only rice but also fish and vegetables. As no soap was made
available to us, we learnt to wash the cooking utensils using ash. Later in the
afternoon, we had activities like flying fox and abseiling. Through these activities,
we learnt to trust each other and to give moral support when it is most
needed. The highlight of the camp was a night hike in the surrounding jungle. The
facilitators led us deep into the jungle and made us sit all by ourselves. The half
hour spent alone was aimed at making us brave and resilient. Though many of us
were initially hesitant and sceptical about this activity, it was indeed an insightful
experience. On the final morning, we had a hearty breakfast, which was followed
by a feedback session. During this session, we were given the opportunity to
voice our feelings and opinions regarding the camp. Many of the participants gave
constructive feedback on what the camp had taught them. We learnt about the
importance of teamwork, consideration, tolerance and understanding. Most
importantly,

we

learnt

that

good

leadership

is

responsible

Reported
Ly

leadership.
by,

LyTAN

LY

LY

Editor
General

guidelines

to

remember

when

writing

report:

Address it to the person concerned.

Use the points given in a systematic manner use transition markers to enable
your audience to follow the flow of your thoughts.

Elaborate on your points with examples or illustrations.

Conclude your report in an appropriate manner.

Maintain a formal yet pleasant/polite tone.

Informal Letter
Formats for Informal Letter in the Malaysian school system:

Students are taught to:

include the writers address and date in the upper right hand
corner. The date can be written in different forms. (7th
September 2009, 7 SEPTEMBER 2009 or 7.9.2009)

use the most common salutation. (Dear John)

indent paragraphs.

include a suitable complimentary close. (Your loving daughter)

Do not use Regards as it is considered slightly more formal

and distant.

Also, do not use Best Wishes as this is considered

inappropriate.

use proper punctuation. For example, a comma should be used

after the salutation and complimentary close.

use capitalisation where necessary. For example, the month of

the date (10 January 2009), the salutation (Dear Maria)

Under normal circumstances, it is perfectly acceptable to use

informal language (e.g. stuff, jam-packed) and contractions (Ill,
wont) in an informal letter, but this is usually not acceptable in the
local examination system.
Lets look at some important aspects of an informal letter.
1.

Organisation

Paragraph 1 include formalities; give reason for writing the

letter.
Paragraph 2 onwards depends on the reason for writing the
letter. If
your reason is to tell the recipient about your holiday, then you
will
include details of the holiday.

The last paragraph you can give a reason why you have to
stop
writing such as:
I am sorry I have to stop here because it is getting late.
I am sorry I have to stop here because
I have to stop now because
Or you can simply end the letter in a number of appropriate ways
as
shown in #3 below.
2.
Some useful expressions on how to begin an informal
letter
>

I was pleasantly surprised to hear from you.

>
Thank you for your letter. I was pleased to hear that you are in
good
health.
>
It was really nice hearing from you. I am glad that you like your
new
school.
>

I hope this letter finds you in the pink (of health).

>

Thank you for the lovely birthday card.

3.

Some useful expressions on how to end an informal letter

>

I promise to write to you soon.

>

I hope you will reply soon.

>

Give my best wishes to your parents.

>

I am looking forward to seeing you.

>

I look forward to hearing from you.

>

Do write and tell me how you are progressing.

Sample Question
Your younger sister, who is studying in a boarding school, has
written to complain that she finds the compulsory co-curricular
activities very tiring. Write a letter to her to explain the benefits
of co-curricular activities.
Use the notes given below to write your letter.
>

help you become a better person

>

instill discipline

>

learn good values - cooperation

>

respect for others

>

develop leadership skills

>

learn to organize activities

>

provide opportunities - to develop social skills

>

to take part in competitions

>

keep you healthy

>

get a good testimonial

When writing your letter, remember to include the following:

>

your address

>

a proper salutation/greeting

>

a complimentary close

>

all the notes given above

Sample answer 1
10, Jalan Mega Minang, Taman Minang Sari,
68000 Ampang, Selangor.
7th September 2009
Dear Lina,
It was lovely to hear from you. All of us miss you very much.
Mum and Dad are glad that you are slowly adjusting to life in a
boarding school.
In your letter you complained about the compulsory cocurricular activities. Well, let me tell you that you can reap many
benefits through active participation in these activities. Firstly,
the various co-curricular activities help you become a better
person (point 1). Participation in uniformed units, clubs and
societies, sports and games will help you discover your talents
and develop your character. You will become a more confident
and well-rounded person. The strict rules and good behaviour
expected of you as a member of a uniformed unit will instil
discipline (point 2) in you. This is important if you are to become
a law-abiding citizen.
Besides, you will learn good values (point 3) through the
various co-curricular activities. You will learn about the
importance ofcooperation (point 4) and respect for others (point
5). These values are very important in a multi-racial society like
ours.
You have always said that you admire great leaders like
Nelson Mandela and Abraham Lincoln. Well, co-curricular
activities will certainly help you to develop leadership skills
(point 6). There will be ample opportunities to enable you to
become a good leader. Besides learning how to plan events, you
will learn to organise activities (point 7).Sometimes, you might
even have to handle a challenging situation and this will teach
you how to make on-the-spot decisions.
More importantly, co-curricular activities provide you with
many opportunities (point 8) to help you develop social skills

(point 9). As you know, a person with good social skills has an
edge these days. Extra-curricular activities will also provide you
with opportunities to take part in competitions (point 10) at
various levels. Schools usually select their representatives for
competitions at zone, state or national level by looking at their
students performance in school-level competitions.
These activities also keep you healthy (point 11). Who
knows, you might finally shed your baby fat! Most importantly,
you will get a good testimonial (point 12) if you are active in cocurricular activities. This will definitely boost your chances
when applying for a scholarship or a job.
There is no need for you to worry that participation in these
activities will affect your grades. On the contrary, it has been
proven that students who are actively involved usually do well
academically.
I hope you will take the opportunities co-curricular activities
provide to experience new things and discover your strengths.
I have to stop here. I have to study for my trial examination,
which is in two weeks time. Till I hear from you, take care.
Your loving sister,
Shuhada

====================================================
======
The sample above is meant to show weak students how they can get
marks for format and content.
Most of the sentences are simple sentences and the points are not
elaborated. If you are a weak student, try to insert some sentences to
elaborate on the points given.
Remember when you write an informal letter:
>

Do not use slang words.

>

Do not use words which are in a language other than English.

This
means you cannot write Dear Abah, or Dear Amma even if that
is how
you address your parents.

> Do not sign off with Love and Kisses. Keep that for your personal
letters.

Formal Letter
Guidelines for Writing a Formal Letter:

Your address should appear on the

left-hand corner.

2. A horizontal line across the page separates your address from

the recipients address.
3. Address of the person to whom you are writing

The recipients address should bebelow your address.

The postcode and name of the town should be underlined.

4. Date

The date is written on the right along the same line as the last
line of the
recipients address.

The month should be spelt out (i.e. it should be in words, not

numbers). It
must be written in full (do not use abbreviations such as Sept)
and in
capital letters.
5. Salutation/Greeting

If you know the name of the recipient, then do use his surname
(Dear Mr
Tan)

If you do not know the name of the person to whom you are
writing, then
use Dear Sir or Madam
6. Subject heading

The subject heading gives the reader an idea what the letter is
about.

Write the subject heading directly below the salutation and it

should be underlined
7. The body of the letter

The body of the letter refers to the contents of your letter.

It should be divided into short and clear paragraphs.

All paragraphs should be numbered except for the first and

last
paragraphs.
a. In the first paragraph, you should state the reason for writing
(whether it is to inform, to complain, to invite etc).
b. From the second paragraph onwards, you should include

information that is deemed necessary, depending on what you are

writing about.The number of paragraphs depends on what you are
writing.
c. In the last paragraph, state what you expect from the recipient.
This is usually in the form of an action or response. It is a common
practice to end a formal letter with phrases such as I look forward to
hearing from you or I hope prompt action will be taken to solve this
problem.A note of thanks is usually included

Remember to organise the information in a clear and logical

manner.

Also, do not write lengthy paragraphs.

8. Ending

You can end the letter by writing Yours faithfully.

In practice, we usually use Yours

sincerely, if we know the recipient but for exam purposes I

would advise
you to use only Yours faithfully.
9. Signature
Do not forget to sign the letter and write your name below it in capital
letters with in brackets.

Sample question:

You are the Secretary of the Residents Association in your housing estate.
Write a letter to the director of the local municipal council to complain about
the problems you and the other residents are facing.
In your letter, include the details below:

rubbish not collected

causes terrible stench

stray cats and dogs scatter rubbish

clogged drains

breeding ground for mosquitoes

increase in cases of dengue fever

street lights not working

cause accidents at night

increase in crimeplayground not well- maintained

overgrown grass

playground equipment damaged

When writing your letter, you should remember to:

set it out in the correct format

include all the points given

address the letter to the director of the local municipal council

Rajvind Gill,
10, Jalan Jujur,
Taman Jayadiri,
68000 Ampang,
Selangor
The Director,
Ampang Jaya Municipal Council,
Bangunan Mentari,
Ampang Jaya,
68000
SELANGOR.
15 SEPTEMBER 2009
Dear Sir,
Poor Maintenance of Taman Jayadiri
I am writing this letter on behalf of the residents of Taman Jayadiri to complain
about the dismal conditions we have been putting up with for the past three
months.
2. One of the main grouses of the residents concerns uncollected rubbish
(point 1). Initially, rubbish was collected three times a week. However, since
June this year the garbage collectors have only been coming once a week. Our
litter bins are always filled to the brim and we have no choice but to leave our

bags of rubbish next to the bins. The rotting waste causes a terrible stench
(point 2). Worse still, stray cats and dogs scatter the rubbish (point 3) while
looking for food. This is not only unpleasant but also unhealthy.
3. Most of the drains in Taman Jayadiri are clogged (point 4) with rubbish
resulting in the water becoming stagnant. It is not uncommon to see plastic
bags, bottles and dry leaves in these drains. There is an urgent need to clear
these drains as the stagnant water is an idealbreeding ground for mosquitoes
(point 5). The residents are worried as there has been a sharp increase in
dengue cases (point 6) in the last two months.
4. The street lights along several roads are also not working (point 7). This has
caused several accidents at night (point 8), mostly involving motorcyclists as
they are unable to see in the dark. Unfortunately, the dark streets have also led
to another problem an increase in crime (point 9). Several residents,
especially women, have fallen victim to snatch thieves.
5. The one and only playground in our area is also not well-maintained (point
10). The grass is overgrown (point 11) as it has not been cut for almost three
months. Besides, the playground equipment is damaged (point 12). Many of
the see-saws and swings have been spoiled by vandals.
I hope the council will look into our complaints and take prompt action to solve
our problems.
Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
RajvindGill
(RAJVIND GILL)