Writing for Direct Impact
- These two text types test whether you can adapt tone quickly: emails must follow formal or semi-formal conventions, while social media posts are concise, visual, and persuasive.
- Examiners want to see you can switch register to fit audience and platform.
Emails
Definition
A digital letter, usually with clear structure, polite tone, and professional layout.
- Purpose, Audience & Register
- Purpose: Share information, make requests, respond politely, invite, or persuade.
- Audience: Teachers, employers, classmates, or organisations.
- Register: Formal to semi-formal, depending on the recipient.
- Layout & Conventions
- Subject line (short and specific).
- Greeting (formal: “Dear Ms Tan,” / semi-formal: “Hi Alex,”).
- Body paragraphs each with one purpose.
- Closing (formal: “Yours sincerely,” / semi-formal: “Best,”).
- Name (full name if formal).
- Examiners scan for the visible frame first:
- Subject line, greeting, paragraph breaks, and sign-off.
- Missing one of these instantly weakens your score, even if your ideas are strong.
- Always tick them off before you start writing.
Key Features
- Tone: Polite, respectful, clear.
- Vocabulary: Linking phrases (“I am writing to…”, “I would like to request…”), polite modal verbs (“could,” “would”), neutral adjectives.
How to Write an Email
- Write a clear subject line.
- Use a greeting with the correct level of formality.
- Open with a line that states your reason for writing.
- Organise body into short paragraphs, each with a clear focus.
- Close with a polite request or summary.
