Write A Short Message in English: D1.LAN - CL10.09 Trainee Manual

Write a short message in English
D1.LAN.CL10.09
Trainee Manual
Write a short message in
English
D1.LAN.CL10.09
Trainee Manual
Project Base
William Angliss Institute of TAFE

555 La Trobe Street
Melbourne 3000 Victoria
Telephone: (03) 9606 2111
Facsimile: (03) 9670 1330
Acknowledgements
Project Director: Wayne Crosbie

Chief Writer: Alan Hickman
Subject Writer: Quentin Derrick
Project Manager: Alan Maguire
Editor: Alan Maguire
DTP/Production: Daniel Chee, Mai Vu, Jirayu Thangcharoensamut
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was established on 8 August 1967. The Member
States of the Association are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia,
Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam.
The ASEAN Secretariat is based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
General Information on ASEAN appears online at the ASEAN Website: www.asean.org.
All text is produced by William Angliss Institute of TAFE for the ASEAN Project on “Toolbox
Development for Priority Tourism Labour Division”.
This publication is supported by Australian Aid through the ASEAN-Australia Development
Cooperation Program Phase II (AADCP II).
Copyright: Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) 2012.
All rights reserved.
Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to ensure that this publication is free from errors or omissions. However,
you should conduct your own enquiries and seek professional advice before relying on any fact,
statement or matter contained in this book. ASEAN Secretariat and William Angliss Institute of TAFE
are not responsible for any injury, loss or damage as a result of material included or omitted from this
course. Information in this module is current at the time of publication. Time of publication is indicated
in the date stamp at the bottom of each page.
Some images appearing in this resource have been purchased from various stock photography
suppliers and other third party copyright owners and as such are non-transferable and non-exclusive.
Additional images have been sourced from Flickr and are used under:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en
http://www.sxc.hu/
File name: TM_Write_a_short_message_in_English_310812.docx
Table of contents
Introduction to trainee manual........................................................................................... 1
Unit description ................................................................................................................. 3
Assessment matrix ........................................................................................................... 5
Glossary ....................................................................................................................... 7
Element 1: Demonstrate the ability to take messages from oral input ............................... 9
Element 2: Write short instructional messages................................................................ 29
Element 3: Write short messages of appreciation, apology and explanation for absence 41
Presentation of written work ............................................................................................ 63
Recommended reading................................................................................................... 65
Trainee evaluation sheet................................................................................................. 67
© ASEAN 2012
Trainee Manual
© ASEAN 2012
Trainee Manual
Introduction to trainee manual

To the Trainee
Congratulations on joining this course. This Trainee Manual is one part of a „toolbox‟
which is a resource provided to trainees, trainers and assessors to help you become
competent in various areas of your work.
The „toolbox‟ consists of three elements:
A Trainee Manual for you to read and study at home or in class
A Trainer Guide with Power Point slides to help your Trainer explain the content of the
training material and provide class activities to help with practice
An Assessment Manual which provides your Assessor with oral and written questions
and other assessment tasks to establish whether or not you have achieved
competency.
The first thing you may notice is that this training program and the information you find in
the Trainee Manual seems different to the textbooks you have used previously. This is
because the method of instruction and examination is different. The method used is called
Competency based training (CBT) and Competency based assessment (CBA). CBT and
CBA is the training and assessment system chosen by ASEAN (Association of South-
East Asian Nations) to train people to work in the tourism and hospitality industry
throughout all the ASEAN member states.
What is the CBT and CBA system and why has it been adopted by ASEAN?
CBT is a way of training that concentrates on what a worker can do or is required to do at
work. The aim is of the training is to enable trainees to perform tasks and duties at a
standard expected by employers. CBT seeks to develop the skills, knowledge and
attitudes (or recognise the ones the trainee already possesses) to achieve the required
competency standard. ASEAN has adopted the CBT/CBA training system as it is able to
produce the type of worker that industry is looking for and this therefore increases
trainees chances of obtaining employment.
CBA involves collecting evidence and making a judgement of the extent to which a worker
can perform his/her duties at the required competency standard. Where a trainee can
already demonstrate a degree of competency, either due to prior training or work
experience, a process of „Recognition of Prior Learning‟ (RPL) is available to trainees to
recognise this. Please speak to your trainer about RPL if you think this applies to you.
What is a competency standard?
Competency standards are descriptions of the skills and knowledge required to perform a
task or activity at the level of a required standard.
242 competency standards for the tourism and hospitality industries throughout the
ASEAN region have been developed to cover all the knowledge, skills and attitudes
required to work in the following occupational areas:
Housekeeping
Food Production
Food and Beverage Service
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Trainee Manual 1
Front Office
Travel Agencies
Tour Operations.
All of these competency standards are available for you to look at. In fact you will find a
summary of each one at the beginning of each Trainee Manual under the heading „Unit
Descriptor‟. The unit descriptor describes the content of the unit you will be studying in the
Trainee Manual and provides a table of contents which are divided up into „Elements‟ and
„Performance Criteria”. An element is a description of one aspect of what has to be
achieved in the workplace. The „Performance Criteria‟ below each element details the
level of performance that needs to be demonstrated to be declared competent.
There are other components of the competency standard:
Unit Title: statement about what is to be done in the workplace
Unit Number: unique number identifying the particular competency
Nominal hours: number of classroom or practical hours usually needed to complete
the competency. We call them „nominal‟ hours because they can vary e.g. sometimes
it will take an individual less time to complete a unit of competency because he/she
has prior knowledge or work experience in that area.
The final heading you will see before you start reading the Trainee Manual is the
„Assessment Matrix‟. Competency based assessment requires trainees to be assessed in
at least 2 – 3 different ways, one of which must be practical. This section outlines three
ways assessment can be carried out and includes work projects, written questions and
oral questions. The matrix is designed to show you which performance criteria will be
assessed and how they will be assessed. Your trainer and/or assessor may also use
other assessment methods including „Observation Checklist‟ and „Third Party Statement‟.
An observation checklist is a way of recording how you perform at work and a third party
statement is a statement by a supervisor or employer about the degree of competence
they believe you have achieved. This can be based on observing your workplace
performance, inspecting your work or gaining feedback from fellow workers.
Your trainer and/or assessor may use other methods to assess you such as:
Journals
Oral presentations
Role plays
Log books
Group projects
Practical demonstrations.
Remember your trainer is there to help you succeed and become competent. Please feel
free to ask him or her for more explanation of what you have just read and of what is
expected from you and best wishes for your future studies and future career in tourism
and hospitality.
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Unit description
Unit description
This unit deals with the skills and knowledge required to write short messages in the
workplace.
Unit Code:
D1.LAN.CL10.09
Nominal Hours:
60 hours
Element 1: Demonstrate the ability to take messages from oral

input
Performance Criteria
1.1 Write a concise, clear message from oral input
1.2 Use clear handwriting
1.3 Include all necessary information
1.4 Ensure all abbreviations are clear to the reader
1.5 Use correct spelling of names and addresses
Element 2: Write short instructional messages

2.1 Structure a message into a logical set of instructions
2.2 Ensure instructions are clear and unambiguous
2.3 Use polite forms when requesting someone to carry out a set of instructions
Element 3: Write short messages of appreciation, apology and

explanation for absence
3.1 Write a short message of thanks and apology to develop and maintain good working
relationships
3.2 Write a short message explaining a temporary absence
3.3 Use appropriate expressions to start and finish the message
3.4 Use accurate grammar and vocabulary to express ideas
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Unit description
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4 Trainee Manual
Assessment matrix
Assessment matrix
Showing mapping of Performance Criteria against Work Projects, Written
Questions and Oral Questions
Work Written Oral

Projects Questions Questions
Element 1: Demonstrate the ability to take messages from oral input
1.1 Write a concise, clear message from oral input 1.1 1, 2 1
1.2 Use clear handwriting 1.2 3 2
1.3 Include all necessary information 1.1, 1.2 4, 5, 6 3
1.4 Ensure all abbreviations are clear to the reader 7, 8, 9, 10,

1.3 4
11, 12
1.5 Use correct spelling of names and addresses 1.4 13, 14 5
2.1 Structure a message into a logical set of

2.1 15 6
instructions
2.2 Ensure instructions are clear and unambiguous 2.1 16 7
2.3 Use polite forms when requesting someone to

2.1 17.18, 10 8
carry out a set of instructions
Element 3: Write short messages of appreciation, apology and explanation for absence
3.1 Write a short message of thanks and apology to

20, 21, 22,
develop and maintain good working 3.1 9
23
relationships
3.2 Write a short message explaining a temporary 24, 25, 26,

3.2 10
absence 27
3.3 Use appropriate expressions to start and finish

3.2 28 11
the message
3.4 Use accurate grammar and vocabulary to

3.2 29 12
express ideas
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Assessment matrix
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6 Trainee Manual
Glossary
Glossary
Term Explanation
Abbreviation The act or product of shortening.
Absence The time in which someone is away.
Action The state or act of doing something.
Activity The state of being active or doing something.
Apology To say sorry for something.
Clarify To make something easier to understand.
Confirm To verify.
Concise Clear and succinct.
Context A setting or circumstances surrounding something that

occurs.
Instructions Detailed directions on procedures.
Logical Making sense.
Match To find a link that corresponds to something else.
Mingle To mix with others.
Mistake An error.
Modal verb An auxiliary verb (such as „can‟ or „could‟) that expresses

modality.
Noun A person, place, thing, quality or action.
Polite Showing consideration for others.
Preposition A word or phrase connected to a verb that shows relation

to something else (such as on, at, in, under, next to).
Request To ask for.
Sequence In an order.
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Glossary
Term Explanation
Signal To indicate something.
Summarise To present in a short, concise way.
Task A job or action.
Text message A message sent by mobile phone.
Temporary Not permanent.
Unambiguous Clear and precise.
Verb Action, state or doing word.
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Element 1:
Demonstrate the ability to take
messages from oral input
1.1 Write a concise, clear message from oral input
Introduction
Writing messages from oral input in a foreign language
can be extremely challenging. In order to write an effective
message you must understand all of the important
information that has been shared, be able to summarise
the information, and be able to write the information in a
clear and concise manner. Trying to remember every word
is not effective and will usually mean you miss important
information. Listening for key information is a necessary
skill for being able to take notes effectively.
Listening for specific information

The first step in writing a clear and concise message is to understand all of the key
information. When listening for important information for messages you must:
Recognize who the person is that is providing the information
Understand who the message is for
Understand the action or content of the message
Identify the time
Identify the urgency (urgent, not urgent).
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Activity 1
Listen to the recording and fill in the missing words in the transcript below. Check your
answers with your partner.
From where Action or message

Who is calling For who
(location) details
Transcript
Caller: Hi, it‟s __________________ here calling from the ____________________
I am phoning to leave a message for _____________________ Could you tell him his
_____________________ for the ____________________ is confirmed?
Thanks
Useful language
When listening to someone providing information for a message, there are certain words
that signal important information.
Nouns
Nouns are important words as they tell us about people, places and things.
Verbs
In messages, verbs tell us what to do. Just having information is not enough to write a
clear message. You need to know what the action the person giving the message wants
you or someone else to take.
Time, days, numbers and dates
Listening for time, days, numbers and dates is important and when you hear them you
should write them down.
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Signal words
If the message you are listening to describes how to do something or it is long, you need
to write down the steps or stages in the process. Sequencing words like first, next, then,
after that, let you know that important information is coming up and that you should get
ready to listen carefully.
Many words in English are not required to understand the meaning of a text or message.
Example
You trainer will read out a message. Listen to the message from some parents to their son
and answer the questions:
1. What is the boy‟s name?
2. Where are the parents?
3. How many things must the boy do while the parents are away?
4. What things must he do?
Check with your partner to see if you have the same answers. Your trainer will now put
the message on the screen. Check your answers. How many did you get correct?
Look at the summary of the message below. Does it provide all of the important
information? Check the full message.
Message summary:
Take out rubbish – Mondays
Feed cat and dog – 5pm every day. Food in fridge. Dog =1kg meat, Cat = 1 tin
Bring in paper every morning
Pick up sister from train station Thurs. 10th March, 8pm Phone: 123 456789.
Things to do while we are away
Michael,
Your mother and I go on holiday tomorrow. While we are away don‟t forget to do the following
things.
Firstly, every Monday you need to put all of the rubbish in the bin outside. This is important
otherwise the house will smell horrible. Next, you need to feed the dog and cat each day at 5pm.
The dog eats 1kg of meat and the cat eats one tin of cat food. Their food is in the fridge. The paper
gets delivered every morning at 6am, so you should bring it inside when you wake up. On Thursday
the 10th March, you will need to pick your sister up from the train station at 8pm. Her phone number
is 123 456789, if you need to call her.
Love
Mum and Dad
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Summarising a message
Read the message below and write a summary of the message using only the important
words. Check with your partner when you have finished.
Message for Chris.
Hi Chris,
I will be out of the office tomorrow for a meeting.
Could you do some things for me?
First, I need you to unlock the training room doors first thing in the morning (8am). The keys are in
the top drawer under the cash register. Also, can you put the class lists on the training room doors,
please? Finally, can you tell the teachers that their books are on their desks in the training rooms.
Thanks! See you on Friday.
Ruth
Activity 2
Your trainer will play a recorded phone message. Listen to the recording, take notes and
then write a message summarising the message. When you have finished, tell the
message to your partner and check if you have shared all the information required.
1.2 Use clear handwriting

Introduction
English handwriting can look very different from
printed or typed English. Individual letters can also
look totally different. During the course of your job,
you may need to interpret what someone has
written. For example, a message, an evaluation
form, a handwritten letter or fax, a person‟s family
name. It is helpful to be aware of the different ways
letters might be written by hand. It is also important
for you to make sure your own handwriting is clear
and can be understood by others.
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Handwriting examples
Handwriting
a a a A b b b B c c c c
d d d D e e e E f f f f
g g g G h h h H i i i I
j j j J k k k K l l l L
m m m M n n n N o o o O
p p p P q q q Q r r r R
s s s S t t t T u u u U
v v v V w w w W x x x X
y y y Y z z z Z
Here are three examples of the same sentence written by three different guests:
We found the service rather poor but the staff were friendly.
We found the service rather poor but the staff were very friendly.
We found the service rather poor but the staff were
very friendly.
We found the service rather poor but the staff were very friendly.
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Activity 3
Write a short message. In the message you should include:

Who you are
Who you are writing the message to
What the message is
A time that you want the activity to happen or be completed by
Thank you.
When you have finished, you should give the note to someone in the class and they must
take notes and explain to you the main points of the message. Check their understanding
of the message to see if it is correct. Ask the student if they were able to read your
handwriting easily.
Examples
Sometimes when you are taking a message from the phone or from someone speaking to
you, there isn‟t a lot of time to complete the notes or details of the message. This is often
when your handwriting becomes messy or difficult to read. Look at the examples below
and summarise each message. Discuss with your partner. Are they easy to read?
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1.3 Include all necessary information

Introduction
When taking a message from oral input, it is important to be
able to capture all of the important data in note form in order
to respond appropriately with the correct action. Missing some
key information can lead to making a mistake or forgetting to
carry out the details of the message. It is also important to
use clear handwriting so other people reading your message
can understand it.
Important information
Although messages will differ greatly depending on the situation, certain language is
common in most messages. It is important that you are able to hear key words or
information and often this language will include:
Days of the week
Dates
Times
Phone numbers
People‟s names
Place names
Company names
Measurements: kilograms, distance, heights
Directions.
There are also often signal words that let you know important information is coming. When
you hear these words you should get ready to write down the details. These signal words
include:
Sequence words: first, then, next, after that, also, finally
Requests: Could you..?, Would you…?, Don’t forget to…?, I need you to…?, You
should…?, Please,…, Remember…
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Activity 4
Read the messages below and circle all of the important words such as dates, times,
people‟s names, places, phone numbers. Then look to see if there are signal words that
come before the important information. Write a summary of the important information using
as little amount of words as possible. Share with your partner and see who was able to
identify all of the important information with the least amount of words.
Message 1:
Matt,
I ordered the food for the party tomorrow
night. All of the food will arrive at 8am at
the venue, The Golden Pig, 45 Main Street.
The supplier’s number is 0903 678 999 and his
name is Mike. Could you collect the food from
him in the morning? Also, Mary from Spring
Florists will bring the flowers at 10am.
Remember to get a receipt from them. One more
thing, don’t forget to bring my knives! I
left them in the kitchen at work.
See you tomorrow.
Vicky
Message 2:
Hi Susie,
Could you arrange the meeting room for the
management meeting at 6pm tonight? You will need to
organize 15 chairs and notebooks for everyone. Also,
put a bottle of water and a glass in front of each
participant. You should set up the laptop and
projector as well and order some light snacks. Mixed
sandwiches should be fine. If you need me you can
call me on 01212 494742.
Thanks
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Larry
Message 3:
Hi Paul, this is Mary from Front Office. We had a family check in this morning and their
son was quite ill. It seems he ate something that wasn’t fresh. I said I would check on
them later but I have been too busy. Could you go to their room and check that the boy is
OK please? Their room number is 1703 and their name is Jones. The boy’s name is
Phillip. Also, it might be nice if you take some lemonade to give to the boy. I left a can in
the staff fridge so you can take that with you. One more thing, Doctor Matthews’
number is 061287678 and you should take his number with you just in case.
Cathy
Practice
Your trainer is going to play a video for you. Listen to the message
and take notes. You will only watch the recording once. Write the
message and give to your partner to check. Watch the recording
again and check if your partner wrote down all of the information
correctly.
When you have finished write a short message and read it out to
your partner. Your partner should write down notes and then tell
you what the message is. Check to see if your partner is correct.
Only read the message once.
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1.4 Ensure all abbreviations are clear to the reader

Introduction
Writing notes from oral input can be challenging as you
do not have a lot of time to take down all of the
information. If you try to write every word, you will most
likely miss a lot of the information and you will not be
able to complete the actions from the message. Using
abbreviations are a great way to collect message details
without having to remember every word. It is important
to listen for key information and to make sure you
understand the abbreviations. Also, if you are writing a
message for someone else, you must make sure that
they understand any abbreviations you use.
Context or location
It is not always necessary to write full grammatical sentences to convey meaning,
especially in a short message. If the context is strong, that is you know what the person
sharing the message is talking about or where they are, then it is easier to understand
what the content of the message might be. Look at the example dialogue below. Is there a
lot of grammar? Are there any verbs? Do you understand what the message or
conversation is about? Discuss with your partner.
Conversation in a coffee shop
Waiter: Tea or coffee?
Customer: Coffee, please.
Waiter: Milk, sugar?
Customer: Both, please.
Waiter: 4.50, please.
Customer: Thanks!
Waiter: Thank you!
Useful language
Grammar is not always required to understand a message. There are also many ways
that language can be shortened or abbreviated to make it easier to write a message. Each
industry or profession has its own abbreviations that are understood by most people who
work in these fields. Some abbreviations are common to more general areas such as
position titles in the workplace.
Look at the common job titles below. Have you seen them before? D you know any other
abbreviations?
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Common abbreviations – Job titles
HR Human Resources
HRM Human Resources Manager
HRD Human Resources Department
GM General Manager
CEO Chief Executive Officer
Dir Director
Dr. Doctor
CFO Chief Financial Officer
AM Assistant Manager
S&M Sales and Marketing
BDM Business Development Manager
PA Personal Assistant
DOS Director of Studies
VC Vice-Chairman
VD Vice-Director
BOD Board of Directors
BOM Board of Management
R&D Research and Development
There are many more abbreviations for job titles. Look at the Hotel organisational chart
below and match the abbreviations with their full spelling. The Hospitality and Tourism
industry has its own set of abbreviations that are very common and specific to the
profession.
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Food and Beverage Manager Housekeeping Manager General Manager
Personal Assistant Chief Financial Officer Rooms Division Manager
Front Office Manager
Useful language for messages

There are many common abbreviations that are generally recognised by most Native
English speakers when writing messages. One of the most common is „Re:‟. For example,
„Alan phoned re: the dinner booking tonight.‟ Re: here means „regarding‟. It is very
common in emailing especially in subject lines. There are many other common
abbreviations that can help you when writing a message but you must make sure the
reader understands the abbreviations.
When using an abbreviation more than once you can write the full form the first time then
put the acronym or abbreviation in brackets to explain the abbreviation and then you can
use the abbreviation in the remaining part of the message. For example:
„Hi Bob, the Human Resources Department (HRD) rang to speak to the General Manager
(GM) but he wasn‟t in. Could you ask the GM to ring HRD when he gets in, please?‟
This way of explaining an abbreviation is also used with acronyms. For example:
„The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) sent an email explaining that all Small and Medium
Enterprises (SMEs) must lodge new applications. The FAA wants SMEs to complete the
forms ASAP.‟
What does ASAP mean?
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Activity 5
Read the message below and re-write it in full. Check with your partner to see if you have
the same understanding.
Message:
Hey Linh,
I’m writing re: the function for 200pax tmw night.
Who’s in charge of F&B? Also, is the GM attending?
CUL8R
Chris
Common abbreviations – Hospitality and Tourism industry
HOD Head of Department FOC Free of Charge
F&B Food and Beverage GMT Greenwich Mean Time
OH&S Occupational Health and Safety GPS Global Positioning System
SOP Standard Operating Procedure IHA International Hotel Association
FO Front Office Tkt Ticket
Pax Person/people Twn Twin bed
kgs kilograms Dbl Double bed/room
mins minutes Sgl Single
am morning VAT Value Added Tax
pm afternoon/evening ASAP As soon as possible
Mgr Manager Urg Urgent
PA Personal Assistant Imp Important
hr hour Ans Answer
4WD Four wheel drive Q&A Question and Answer
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Common abbreviations – Hospitality and Tourism industry
Arr: Arrive/arrival morn Morning
Dep: Depart/departure Rm Room
COB Close of Business Ph Phone
COD Cash on Delivery ADR/Add Address
Text message abbreviations

Mobile phones have become extremely popular in the world today and you may have to
text a message to someone or your supervisor may need to text you. There are many
abbreviations for text messaging in English.
Note: Text message abbreviations are very informal and change frequently. You must
make sure you and the receiver understand the meaning of the abbreviation before you
use it. Often text message abbreviations are used in emails and written messages too.
Activity 6
Look at the message below. What does it mean?
Text message:
GR8 2 CU last nite! Can u snd me your adr asap, plz? G2G OTW.
CUL8R!
Activity 7
In small groups write down all of the English text message abbreviations you know. The
group with the most abbreviations wins! There are some examples below to help you.
GR8 OTT G/F B/F TBC TBA B4 DV8 OTB KISS TLK2ULTR
Write a message to your partner using text message abbreviations. See if they understand.
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1.5 Use correct spelling of names and addresses

Introduction
In the service industry you will be required to take
down customer‟s personal details which may include
name, address, email address and various other
information. It is important that you can hear the key
information and be able to confirm through spelling.
The alphabet in English has many different sounds
and it is critical that you can hear and say the alphabet
correctly.
The Alphabet
Say each letter of the alphabet then write the letter into the correct sound group.
Some are already done for you.
/eɪ/ /ɪː/ /e/ /ɑɪ/ /əʊ/ /uː/ /ɑː/
A B F I O U R
__ __ __ __ __
__ __ __ __
__ __ __
__ __
__ __
__ __
__
Practice spelling your full name with your partner.
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Clarifying the correct spelling of names
Sometimes it is difficult to hear people‟s names clearly, especially on the telephone or

when they are talking.
We can use the NATO phonetic alphabets, an internationally recognized system to check
the spelling.
Spelling names with NATO phonetic alphabets

Your trainer will play a recording. Follow the conversation below as you listen to
the recording.
Front desk attendant: Welcome to the Sands Hotel. May I take your name
please?
Mr Aggarwal: My name is Aggarwal. Mr Mansoor Aggarwal.
Front desk attendant: Could you spell your family name for me please?
Mr Aggarwal: A-g-g-a-r-w-a-l.
Front desk attendant: So that‟s A for Alpha, G for Golf, G for Golf, A for Alpha, R
for Romeo, W for Windy, A for Alpha, L for Lima. Is that
correct sir?
Mr Aggarwal: Yes, that‟s correct.
Now read the full chart of NATO phonetic alphabets below:
Letter Phonetic letter Letter Phonetic Letter
A Alpha N November
B Bravo O Oscar
C Charlie P Papa
D Delta Q Quebec
E Echo R Romeo
F Foxtrot S Sierra
G Golf T Tango
H Hotel U Uniform
I India V Victor
J Juliet W Windy
K Kilo X X-Ray
L Lima Y Yankee
M Mike Z Zulu
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Activity 8
Now spell your own name, and other trainees’ names, using these NATO phonetic
alphabets.
For example:
My name is Andrew. That‟s A for Alpha, N for November, D for Delta, R for Romeo and E
for Echo and W for Windy.
You should learn this system because during this course, and in your future work, you
may need to use it.
Activity 9 – Mingle
Move around the class and ask students for their full name and address. If you cannot
understand, ask them to spell. Use the NATO alphabet.
First name Surname Address
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Work Projects
It is a requirement of this Unit that you complete Work Projects as advised by your
Trainer. You must submit documentation, suitable evidence or other relevant proof of
completion of the project to your Trainer by the date agreed to.
1.1 Bring in three examples from your workplace of notes you have written from a
meeting with your supervisor or from a telephone call.
1.2. Provide your trainer with three messages you have written by hand from your
workplace.
1.3. Provide your trainer with a list of common abbreviations used in your workplace.
Explain the meaning of each abbreviation to your trainer.
1.4. Bring three examples of bookings, orders or messages you have taken which include
names, dates, numbers or addresses.
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Summary
Demonstrate the ability to take messages from oral input
Taking messages from oral input is challenging in a foreign language. To be able to write an
effective message you should:
Listen for key words
Use abbreviations where appropriate
Use clear handwriting so others can understand the message
Include all necessary information
Spell names and addresses correctly.
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Element 2:
Write short instructional messages
2.1 Structure a message into a logical set of
instructions
Introduction
Short written messages are common in the workplace and
in everyday life. Text messaging has become one of the
most popular ways to communicate and is also used as a
means of communication for work-related matters. It is
important to summarise the main points when writing a
message and to use abbreviations where appropriate but it
is also necessary to put instructions or actions into a logical
order. If you put your instructions in the wrong order, the
task will not get completed properly.
Sequencing and signal words

Often instructions need to be carried out in a specific order. The following recipes are a
good example where you must follow the steps in the correct order or the recipe will not
turn out properly. There are many occasions in the hospitality and travel industry where
following a set of instructions in the correct order is required, such as responding to a
complaint, checking-in a guest, following a recipe or cleaning the floor.
It is important to use language that helps the person reading a message know in which
order they should carry out tasks. There are several words in English that explain the
order in which to complete a set of instructions.
Look at the recipe below. Underline or circle the words that show you the order in which to
complete the instructions.
Basic Cupcake Recipe
Ingredients:
200g unsalted butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 cup caster sugar
3 eggs
2 ½ cups of self-raising flour
½ cup milk
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Method
First, preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line a muffin pan with paper cases.
Next, beat the butter, vanilla and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy. Then add the eggs
one at a time, beating after each egg is added to the mixture.
After that, put the mixture into a big bowl and add half of the flour then stir in half of the
flour. Next, repeat with the remaining milk and flour.
Finally, put two tablespoons of mixture into the prepared muffin pan and bake in the oven
for 15-17minutes.
After cooking, take the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool.
Useful language
Sequencing words that you can use to order a set of instructions include:
First, second, third…..
Firstly, secondly, thirdly….
Then
Next
After that
Also
Finally, lastly.
You could also write your message using dot points ▪ or numbers 1/, 2/, 3/.
Activity 10
Read the sequence for responding to a complaint. Summarise the main points and put it
into the correct order. Use the sequencing words from above.
Responding to a complaint
Apologise again
Offer a solution
Summarise the problem so you show you understand
Apologise
Let the customer know you understand their feelings
Sequence – Taking out the rubbish

Look at the pictures below describing the process for disposing of
rubbish in the workplace. Write a short message describing how to
take out the rubbish. Make sure you explain all the steps. Use
sequencing words to help you.
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1.
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
2.
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
3.
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
4.
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
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Process – Going to the airport

Look at the pictures below which explain the checking-in procedure at an airport. They are
not in the correct order. Write a short message to explain how to check-in in the correct
order. Use sequencing words or numbers to help you.
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
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2.2 Ensure instructions are clear and

unambiguous
Introduction
There are many things to consider when writing a message from
handwriting to vocabulary and grammar. When writing a detailed
message which includes instructions, it is important to make sure
that the instructions you outline are clear and that there is only
one way to interpret the actions. Ambiguous instructions and unclear
messages can lead to mistakes, frustration and can actually
increase the amount of work you must do to complete a set of tasks.
Writing clear messages and instructions

When writing a set of instructions there are certain things you can do to make the
message clear and unambiguous. To ensure your message is clear you should:
Use simple language
Be precise
Use specific vocabulary
Include diagrams or pictures, if they can assist understanding
Use point form, bullet points or numbers
Avoid long explanations and complex sentences
Put instructions in a logical order
Avoid language that is confusing or unclear
Use neat handwriting
Use sequencing words: first, next, then, after that, finally.
Activity 11
Look at the message below. What is the main point of the message? Is it clear? What
language or words make the message unclear?
Hi Eddie, I would like you to complete some things for me, if that is OK with you. I
need you to try and fix the dishwasher which broke last night. The thing on the inside is
not working properly, I think but I am not sure. Maybe it is the other thing with the red
handle on it but perhaps that is not it either. You could try to ask a professional but that
might cost a lot of money which is not really the best idea but they know how to fix it I
would imagine as this is their job. Anyway, do the best you can and if you can’t fix it, it
doesn’t matter because we can use the one in the main kitchen.
Bye
Olga
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Now rewrite the message to make it clearer. Use simple language, point form and
clear instructions. Check your message with your partner.
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Write clear instructions

Look at the pictures below which describe the process of how to tie a tie. Use the pictures
to write the instructions. Remember to use sequencing words or point form and make
sure the instructions are in a logical order.
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How to make an origami dove

Look at the steps below for making an origami dove. Write the instructions and give to
your partner. See if they can follow the instructions to complete the task.
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2.3 Use polite forms when requesting someone to

carry out a set of instructions
Introduction
Being polite is important in all communication, whether
with a manager, colleague or customer. You should
always remember to use please and thank you when
you ask someone to do something for you. There are
also other ways of requesting people to carry out a set
of instructions that are more polite than using imperatives or commands. When speaking,
we often use please and thank you, but it is also important to be polite when you write
instructions. Saying please and thank you should always be a part of any instructions that
you give.
Activity 12
Look at the sentences below. Write please or thank you in the appropriate place.
1. ______________ for working overtime last night!
2. Could you call the customer, ______________?
3. Two coffees, _______________?
4. ______________ for all your help!
Useful language
Often, when giving instructions, it is necessary to use imperatives or commands. For
example, ‘Take out the rubbish!’ or ‘Take the guest’s luggage first, then give them a drink’.
In the right context, using commands for instructions are quite acceptable. When
requesting someone to do something for you, there is language that you can use that is
more polite than commands. ‘Could’ and ‘would’ are polite modal verbs that are useful
when requesting someone to do something.
Remember that when you write an email do not use capital letters as this may mean you
are shouting. For example, you should write ‘Please call me later’ not ‘CALL ME!’.
Look at the examples below. Which is the most polite sentence? Why?
1. Get me a towel!
2. Get me a towel, please!
3. Could you get me a towel?
4. Could you get me a towel, please?
5. Would you mind getting me a towel?
6. Would you mind getting me a towel, please?
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Sentence 6 is the most polite. Adding ‘please’ makes any request more polite and you
should always use it. Using ‘could’ and ‘would’ are more polite because they are asking
the person if they can do something unlike imperatives or commands which direct or tell
someone to do something.
Activity 13
Rewrite the requests below to make them more polite. The first one has been done for you.
Use ‘could’ or ‘would’.
1. Get me another drink! Could you get me another drink, please?
2. Pay the bill! _____________________________________
3. Book the tour! _____________________________________
4. Clean the floor! _____________________________________
5. Phone the guest! _____________________________________
6. Make me a coffee! _____________________________________
Would you mind…?

‘Would you mind…?‟ is a polite way of requesting someone to do something. Read the
information below then complete the task.
Would you mind…..?
Use ‘Would you mind….?’ to politely ask someone to do something. You can add ‘please’ to make
the request more polite.
Would you mind telling me your room number, please? (instead of „Tell me your room
number.‟)
Would you mind picking up your coat from the floor, please? (instead of „Pick up your coat
from the floor.‟)
Would you mind smoking outside, please? (instead of „You must smoke outside.‟)
A strange thing about asking ‘Would you mind..?’ is that when the other person answers ‘No’, they
mean ‘Yes’.
A: Would you mind moving your things, please?
B: No, not at all.
This means B does not mind – so they will move their things.
A: Would you mind moving your things, please?

B: Yes, I would!
This means B does mind – so they won‟t move their things!
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Activity 14
Look at the request below and the responses. Does the second person agree or not? Write
agrees or does not agree. The first one has been done for you.
‘Would you mind turning down the television, please?’
Response Answer
Yes, I would! Does not agree
No problem!
Why should I?
Not at all.
I would actually.
No, that‟s fine.
Sure!
I will.
Yes.
I‟m sorry, no.
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Work Projects
2.1 Provide your trainer with five messages from your workplace which show:
A logical set of instructions

Use sequencing words
Ensure instructions are clear and unambiguous by using simple language,
starting a new line for each instruction, use point form or numbers for actions
Use polite forms to ask people to do something for you.
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Summary
Write short instructional messages
When writing short instructional messages, it is important to put instructions in the correct order. It
is not helpful when instructions are stated in a disorganised manner. This leads to confusion and
delays. When writing short instructional messages, you should:
Use a logical order for any instructions
Use sequencing and signal words to help explain the order in which to carry out the actions
Use simple language, point form or numbering to ensure instructions are clear and
unambiguous
Use polite forms when requesting someone to carry out a task or tasks for you.
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Element 3:
Write short messages of appreciation,
apology and explanation for absence
3.1 Write a short message of thanks and apology
to develop and maintain good working
relationships
Introduction
Everybody makes mistakes sometimes and everybody
does a good job sometimes. It is important, in the
workplace, to admit when we have made a mistake and
apologise for it. It is also important to recognise and
acknowledge when someone has done something to
help you. A short message or email apologising for a
mistake or thanking someone for their help, makes a
work environment comfortable and pleasant.
Message of thanks
In any job you will often need help whether to lift something because it is too heavy, or
because it is so busy that you need extra staff. When you request people to help you, it is
important to acknowledge their assistance. Writing a short message of thanks is an
effective way to show you appreciate the help. Below are some useful expressions that
you can use to say thanks:
Thanks so much for……
Thanks a lot for …….
Thanks, I really appreciate……
Thank you, I couldn‟t have ……….. without your help.
It is important to be specific about why you are thanking someone when you write a
message of appreciation. Always write why you are thanking the person. For example:
‘Thanks for helping with the function last night. We couldn’t have done it without
you.’
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Activity 15
Look at the situations below. Write a short message of thanks for each situation. The first one
has been done for you. Remember to use somebody‟s name!
1.
Working
late
Carol, Thanks for working late last night!
2.
Helping during busy time
_____________________________________________
3.
Cleaning the kitchen
_____________________________________________
4.
Making coffee for the meeting
_____________________________________________
5.
Phoning the airline
_____________________________________________
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Apologising
Thanking someone for their help is an important part of work and apologising for making a
mistake is just as important. You should always admit when you have made a mistake
and apologise to the person or people affected by the mistake. Like a message of thanks,
a short apology message should also explain what you are apologising for.
There are many situations in the workplace where you need to apologise. Some common
mistakes include:
Forgetting to do something
Doing something the wrong way
Not knowing how to do something
Being late
Getting angry
Not communicating effectively.
When writing a short message of apology, it is important to say ‘sorry’ and what you are
sorry for. For example:
I‟m sorry for being late yesterday.
I apologise for forgetting to ……
I‟m sorry I was angry with you.
I‟m sorry for not informing you. I should have sent you an email.
Activity 16
Look at the examples below. Write a short message apologising for each situation. The
first one has been done for you.
1.
I’m sorry I was late.
2.
______________________________________________
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3.
______________________________________________
4.
______________________________________________
5.
______________________________________________
6.
______________________________________________
Activity 17
In small groups, discuss a time when you made a mistake. Explain:

What you did wrong
How you felt
What you did to solve the problem
How you apologized.
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3.2 Write a short message explaining a temporary

absence
Introduction
Often there will be times at work you may have to leave
your position to do something. You might have to help a
guest or get something from a storeroom, for example. You
should always leave a short message explaining where you
have gone so that your colleagues or supervisors know
where you are. Leaving a message to explain a temporary
absence is polite, professional and is a good example of
effective communication.
Be back in 5 mins!
There will be times when you are working that you will have to leave your position to
attend to something else. This is quite common but it is important that you inform people
where you have gone and when you will return. Leaving a message is an effective way to
let your colleagues know where you are. A message can be handwritten, sent by phone
(text) or emailed. It is important to write it down though so you have evidence that you
informed other staff about why you left your station.
Look at the diagram below. In pairs write some common reasons for why people have to
leave their work place temporarily.
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Useful language
There are many reasons why you might have to leave work temporarily. When writing a
message to explain where and why you have gone you can use:
I had to ……
I have gone…..
I will be…..
I am in/at/….
I needed to ……
I‟ve gone to….
It is also important to write when you will return to work. You can use ‘will’ in this situation
if you are certain when you will return or ‘should’ if you can‟t be sure when you will be
back. For example:
I had to go to the toilet. I will be back in 5 mins
I‟ve gone to the cool room. I should be back in 15 or 20 mins
I am in the bar helping with the function. I should be back in half an hour. Call me if
you need me sooner
Sorry, I missed the bus. I will be late to work. I should be there by 10.00am.
Activity 18
Look at the situations below. Write a short message explaining why you had to leave. The
first one has been done for you.
1.
I have gone to the toilet. I will be back soon!
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2.
__________________________________________________
3.
__________________________________________________
4.
__________________________________________________
5.
__________________________________________________
6.
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__________________________________________________
7.
__________________________________________________
8.
__________________________________________________
9.
__________________________________________________
10.
__________________________________________________
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Activity 19
Look at the messages explaining a temporary absence below. Are they appropriate?
Discuss why or why not in small groups.
1. Sorry I was late. I was watching the football and I forgot the time.
2. Jack, I have gone to the toilet. I will be back in 1 hour.
3. Mary, I have gone to the hospital with the Commis Chef. He cut his hand. I should be
back by 2pm.
4. Dear Phil, I won‟t be coming to work today. Thanks!
5. Owen, I am in the restaurant helping Fiona. They are really busy and don‟t have
enough staff. Call me if you need help.
3.3 Use appropriate expressions to start and finish

the message
Introduction
It is important to leave a message when you have to leave your
station, but it is also important to use the correct level of
formality depending on the person receiving the message. It is
usually better to be more formal than informal but if you are
writing a message to a colleague who you know well, then the
message could be more informal and direct. If you are writing a
message to your supervisor, you should use more formal
language. You should start all messages politely and finish
them in an appropriate manner as well.
Starting a message
When you begin a message, you should always address the person that you are sending
or leaving the message for. This stops any confusion in who you are addressing. Like a
letter, you can address the receiver using „Dear‟ or you can just use their name. You can
also say ‘hi’ which is less formal. For example:
‘Dear Jim, I had to help in the kitchen. Will be back in 30 mins.’
‘Hi Mary, I have gone to the toilet. I will be back in 10 mins.’
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Activity 20
Write a short message to explain that you have gone somewhere. Use another student‟s
name from your class. Remember to say when you will return. Give the message to the
person in the class and see if they can understand. Use the situations below to help you.
Finishing a message appropriately

Beginning a message with the receiver‟s name is a polite
way to start a message and finishing the message politely
is also important. If you have asked someone to do
something for you then you should thank the person at the
end of your message. Writing your name at the end of a
message is also necessary to make sure the receiver
knows who wrote the message.
Examples
Look at the message examples below. What type of message is each one? (text
message, email, handwritten) How do you know?
Example 1:
‘Hi Jane, I had to go to head office to pick up some things. I will be back at 2pm. Call me
if you need anything. Thanks.
Julie’
Example 2:
„It‟s Mike here. Am running late. CU @ 9.15am. Thx!‟
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Example 3:
Dear Fiona,
Thank you so much for working late last night. It was really busy and you did a great job. I
hope you aren‟t too tired today. Can I take you for lunch today to say thanks? Let me
know if you would like to go.
Once again, thanks!
Sincerely,
Adam
Adam Smith
F&B Manager
The Beach Hotel
Activity 21
Write three different messages: a text message, a handwritten message and an email
message. One message should explain a temporary absence, another thanking someone
and the last message should apologise for something.
Remember to start the message correctly by using the receiver‟s name and greeting them.
Use the correct level of formality depending on who you are writing too. There are some
examples below to help you.
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3.4 Use accurate grammar and vocabulary to

express ideas
Introduction
When writing short messages in English, it is important
to use simple language that is unambiguous and clear.
Although messages are often quite short, using correct
grammar and vocabulary is necessary to make sure
that the receiver can understand your message
clearly. It is always a good idea to learn new
vocabulary, as being able to use specific words can
help you to express your ideas more accurately.
Grammar – Phrases with go
Phrases with ’go’
Go to
Use go to + place
I go to work at 8am.
I went to the cinema last night.
The Management team has gone to the Magnolia Terrace restaurant.
Go for
Use go for + activity
Let‟s go for a walk.
I went for lunch.
John and Michelle have gone for a swim.
Go on
Use go on + longer activity
Let‟s go on a trip.
They went on a tour.
The Smith‟s have gone on a river cruise.
Go + gerund (verb + ing)

Use go + verb + ing for shopping, and many sports
Let‟s go shopping.
Frank went running last night.
They‟ve gone sailing today.
NOTES: Do not use to with home: I would like to go to home now.
Do not use to before a gerund: On Sunday, I went to shopping.
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Activity 22
Complete the sentences below using: go, go to, go for, go on. The first one has been done
for you.
1. I want to go sailing tomorrow.
2. I want to ______ France in spring.
3. Let‟s ______ a picnic in the park.
4. Would you like to ______ a trip to the mountains?
5. It‟s late. I must ______ home now.
6. Would you like to ______ a meal after work?
7. I need to ______ the Post Office.
8. It‟s too cold to______ swimming.
9. Is there a good place to ______ fishing?
10. Perhaps you would prefer to ______a tour of the city.
Activity 23
Put the words into the right order. Remember to use capital letters and punctuation. Follow
the example.
Example:
every go winter We skiing

We go skiing every winter.
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can for meal? go Where Chinese a I_
go to like on cruise? a Would harbour you
to year. to I go Italy next want
Need home before o’clock. go to I five
have drivers The taxi strike. on gone
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Grammar
Prepositions of time – at, on, in
Use at with times

The restaurant opens at 7pm.
at 5 o‟ clock, at midnight , at lunchtime
at New Year
at the moment
at
Use on with dates and days
We will arrive on the 25th of May and leave on the 28th.
on Fridays, on Saturday morning, on New Year‟s Day
Use in for long periods of time (months, seasons, years)

The hotel opened in March
in December, in Summer, in 2008
Use in for morning, afternoon and evening (but at night)

The gift shop is open in the morning and in the afternoon but not at night.
Do not use a preposition of time with yesterday, tomorrow, last, next

I phoned yesterday. We will move you tomorrow.
We arrived last night. We leave next week.
Activity 24 – at, on or in?
Which preposition do you use with these time words? Put the words into the correct
column. One has been done for you.
April last year weekdays 2006 the morning 7am
10 o‟clock the Tuesdays January Monday night

weekend afternoon
winter Thursday the evening next week public holidays tomorrow
No preposition at on in
April
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No preposition at on in
Activity 25 – Which word?
Write at, on, in or x (no preposition) to complete the sentences. One has been done for
you.
1. Shana and Frank checked in on the 25th and checked out on the 28th.
2. Frank phoned ________ yesterday from Hong Kong.
3. They bought sunscreen ________ the morning from the gift shop.
4. The restaurant opens _______ 7pm and closes ______ 1am every day.
5. The gym opens daily ______ 6am.
6. Shana and Frank drank champagne _______ Shana‟s birthday.
7. They may go back to the hotel _______ next year.
8. There are no harbour view rooms available ______ the moment.
9. The hotel is very busy _____ New Year.
10. The night market is open _______ Saturdays and Sundays ________ summer.
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Activity 26 – Which word?
Read the text below and write the best word in each space. If the noun doesn‟t need an
article, write X in the space.
Write the best word into each space. If the noun doesn’t need an article, write x in the spa
a an the some X (no word necessary)
The MagnolIa Terrace

Restaurant
The hotel restaurant is very popular with ________ guests. _______ menu has
_________ wide range of ________ Chinese, Thai, Japanese and Western dishes,
to cater for all ________ tastes. ________ most popular dishes are La Zi Ji Ding
(very spicy chicken), Fried Rice, Ginger Beef, and Peking Duck. ________ food is
well-cooked, tender, and non-oily, and ________ portions are generous. ________
noodles are fresh – they are made every morning on ________ noodle-making
machine. Most of ________ dishes are served with ________ rice, and ________
guests can choose from ________ wide range of ________ fine wines and beers.
There are ________ traditional dance performances every Friday and Saturday
night.
________ restaurant is on ________ level three, and is open daily from 11.00am to
1.00am. It seats up to ________ 150 diners (60 in the smoking section and 90 in the
non-smoking section).
________ casual attire is appropriate, and ________ reservations are

recommended.
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Vocabulary – collocations
Collocations are two or more words that go together well. Collocations are used by Native
English speakers all the time as they sound natural. For example, a Native English
speaker would use „take a quick shower‟ not „take a fast shower‟. Learning collocations is
a great way to increase your vocabulary quickly by learning groups of words that go
together rather than learning individual words. Some words have lots of collocations and
these groups of words are good to learn.
For example – money
Money combines with verbs, adjectives and nouns to form
collocations.
Verbs:
Save money, spend money, make money, earn money, take
money, steal money.
Adjectives:
Pocket money, spending money, prize money, holiday money.
Nouns:
Money system, money machine, money order, money supply.
Learning vocabulary in topics is an excellent way to widen your
vocabulary. Learning collocations within a topic or word group can
increase your vocabulary quickly.
There are lots of collocations that combine with ‘break’ and these
expressions are very common:
Break in, break out, break up, break a glass, break a record
Take a break, have a break
Weekend break or mid-week break
Short break, long break, work break, lunch break, tea break, coffee break
Half-time break, quarter break.
‘Work’ has many collocations as well.
For example:
Work for, work on, work at, work in, work out, work under
Work mate, work colleagues, work time
Work long hours, work break, work too much, work hard, work smart.
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Activity 27
Look at the diagram below. Add as many words that you can think of that combine well
with „football‟. You can use your dictionary if you like. Some examples have been done for
you.
manager
team
club
football
Activity 28
Many verbs have strong collocations that are very common. Look at the examples below
and in pairs write as many collocations that you can think of for the verbs. Some examples
have been done for you.
out the
rubbish
from
over the
the
reins
poor
Take
away on a
food project
in a
stranger
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up
early
out of
bed
Get
home
to bed
go shopping
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Work Projects
3.1 Provide your trainer with two messages of thanks and two messages of apology from
your workplace. Explain the situation and contexts to your trainer and what
happened after you sent the messages.
3.2. Provide three examples of messages explaining a temporary absence from the
workplace. Include:
Appropriate start and finishing expressions

Accurate grammar and a wide range of specific vocabulary.
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Summary
Write short messages of appreciation, apology and explanation
for absence
When writing a short message of appreciation, apology or explanation for absence, it is important
to:
Use appropriate ways to start and finish the message
Use accurate grammar
Use specific vocabulary that is relevant to the message
Use the correct level of formality.
© ASEAN 2012
62 Trainee Manual
Presentation of written work

1. Introduction
It is important for students to present carefully prepared written work. Written presentation
in industry must be professional in appearance and accurate in content. If students
develop good writing skills whilst studying, they are able to easily transfer those skills to
the workplace.
2. Style
Students should write in a style that is simple and concise. Short
sentences and paragraphs are easier to read and understand. It helps to
write a plan and at least one draft of the written work so that the final
product will be well organized. The points presented will then follow a
logical sequence and be relevant. Students should frequently refer to the
question asked, to keep „on track‟. Teachers recognize and are critical of
work that does not answer the question, or is „padded‟ with irrelevant
material. In summary, remember to:
Plan ahead
Be clear and concise
Answer the question
Proofread the final draft.
3. Presenting Written Work

Types of written work
Students may be asked to write:
Short and long reports
Essays
Records of interviews
Questionnaires
Business letters
Resumes.
Format
All written work should be presented on A4 paper, single-sided with a left-hand margin. If
work is word-processed, one-and-a-half or double spacing should be used. Handwritten
work must be legible and should also be well spaced to allow for ease of reading. New
paragraphs should not be indented but should be separated by a space. Pages must be
numbered. If headings are also to be numbered, students should use a logical and
sequential system of numbering.
© ASEAN 2012
Trainee Manual 63
Cover Sheet
All written work should be submitted with a cover sheet stapled to the front that contains:
The student‟s name and student number
The name of the class/unit
The due date of the work
The title of the work
The teacher‟s name
A signed declaration that the work does not involve plagiarism.
Keeping a Copy
Students must keep a copy of the written work in case it is lost. This rarely happens but it
can be disastrous if a copy has not been kept.
Inclusive language
This means language that includes every section of the population. For instance, if a
student were to write „A nurse is responsible for the patient‟s in her care at all times‟ it
would be implying that all nurses are female and would be excluding male nurses.
Examples of appropriate language are shown on the right:
Mankind Humankind
Barman/maid Bar attendant
Host/hostess Host
Waiter/waitress Waiter or waiting staff
© ASEAN 2012
64 Trainee Manual
Recommended reading
Recommended reading
Parkinson, D., 2002, Really Learn 100 Phrasal Verbs, OUP, UK
Swan. M. & Walter. C., 2009, Oxford English Grammar Course – Basic, OUP, UK
Underhill, A., 2005, Sound Foundations: Learning and Teaching pronunciation,
Macmillan, UK
Websites and online learning
Clearinghouse of ESL Lesson Plans and Resource
www.csun.edu/~hcedu013/eslplans.html
Dave‟s ESL café www.eslcafe.com/
Delta‟s ESL Links www.delta-systems.com/links.cfm
English as a Second Language www.rong-chang.com/
English Club.com www.englishclub.com/index.htm
Grammar Safari www.iei.uiuc.edu/web.pages/grammarsafari.html
Mark‟s ESL World www.marksesl.com/main_page.html
Online Writing Lab www.owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/esl/
One stop English www.onestopenglish.com
© ASEAN 2012
Trainee Manual 65
Recommended reading
© ASEAN 2012
66 Trainee Manual
Trainee evaluation sheet

The following statements are about the competency you have just completed.
Don’t Do Not Does Not

Please tick the appropriate box Agree
Know Agree Apply
There was too much in this competency

to cover without rushing.
Most of the competency seemed relevant

to me.
The competency was at the right level for

me.
I got enough help from my trainer.
The amount of activities was sufficient.
The competency allowed me to use my

own initiative.
My training was well-organized.
My trainer had time to answer my

questions.
I understood how I was going to be

assessed.
I was given enough time to practice.
My trainer feedback was useful.
Enough equipment was available and it

worked well.
The activities were too hard for me.
© ASEAN 2012
Trainee Manual 67
The best things about this unit were:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
The worst things about this unit were:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
The things you should change in this unit are:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
© ASEAN 2012
68 Trainee Manual

Write A Short Message in English: D1.LAN - CL10.09 Trainee Manual

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Write a short message in English

William Angliss Institute of TAFE

Project Director: Wayne Crosbie

Introduction to trainee manual........................................................................................... 1

Unit description ................................................................................................................. 3

Assessment matrix ........................................................................................................... 5

Element 2: Write short instructional messages................................................................ 29

Presentation of written work ............................................................................................ 63

Trainee evaluation sheet................................................................................................. 67

Introduction to trainee manual

Element 1: Demonstrate the ability to take messages from oral

Element 2: Write short instructional messages

Element 3: Write short messages of appreciation, apology and

Work Written Oral

Element 1: Demonstrate the ability to take messages from oral input

1.1 Write a concise, clear message from oral input 1.1 1, 2 1

1.2 Use clear handwriting 1.2 3 2

1.3 Include all necessary information 1.1, 1.2 4, 5, 6 3

1.4 Ensure all abbreviations are clear to the reader 7, 8, 9, 10,

1.5 Use correct spelling of names and addresses 1.4 13, 14 5

Element 2: Write short instructional messages

2.1 Structure a message into a logical set of

2.2 Ensure instructions are clear and unambiguous 2.1 16 7

2.3 Use polite forms when requesting someone to

3.1 Write a short message of thanks and apology to

3.2 Write a short message explaining a temporary 24, 25, 26,

3.3 Use appropriate expressions to start and finish

3.4 Use accurate grammar and vocabulary to

Abbreviation The act or product of shortening.

Absence The time in which someone is away.

Action The state or act of doing something.

Activity The state of being active or doing something.

Apology To say sorry for something.

Clarify To make something easier to understand.

Concise Clear and succinct.

Context A setting or circumstances surrounding something that

Instructions Detailed directions on procedures.

Logical Making sense.

Match To find a link that corresponds to something else.

Mingle To mix with others.

Modal verb An auxiliary verb (such as „can‟ or „could‟) that expresses

Noun A person, place, thing, quality or action.

Polite Showing consideration for others.

Preposition A word or phrase connected to a verb that shows relation

Request To ask for.

Signal To indicate something.

Summarise To present in a short, concise way.

Task A job or action.

Text message A message sent by mobile phone.

Temporary Not permanent.

Unambiguous Clear and precise.

Verb Action, state or doing word.

Listening for specific information

From where Action or message

Caller: Hi, it‟s __________________ here calling from the ____________________

_____________________ for the ____________________ is confirmed?

Things to do while we are away

Message for Chris.

1.2 Use clear handwriting

Write a short message. In the message you should include:

1.3 Include all necessary information

1.4 Ensure all abbreviations are clear to the reader

Common abbreviations – Job titles

Caller: Hi, it‟s here calling from the __

_ for the is confirmed?