FUNCTIONAL WRITING TABLE OF CONTENTS.
TYPE PAGE
(PERSONAL JOURNAL) 15
(FORMAL) 22
(FORMAL) 47
LETTERS OF APPLICATION 50
PREFACE
In 2006, the English syllabus was reorganized to address integration. English is taught through the 4 language skills namely:
The content for language and literature is therefore covered under these skills. Focus is therefore on skill and content. Listening and speaking, for example, is taught with resources from Oral Literature and Poetry as these two provide natural oral content. Reading is also taught because these genres have necessarily to be read in order to be studied.
The objective of this work is to focus on the KNEC and KIE English syllabuses’ requirements for effective teaching of Functional skills, and the assessment of the same through the English paper 1 (101/1).
By looking at the respective components of this paper, it is hoped that best practices for effective teaching of Functional Skills will emerge so that teachers are better equipped to prepare KCSE candidates excellent performance in Paper 101/1.
ENGLISH PAPER 101/1: FUNCTIONAL SKILLS
This is a paper that tests learners on the practical application of the functional skills taught/learned during the course. It is based on the four skills taught in English namely:
The above skills are the cornerstone of the integrated English syllabus. In teaching one or two of the skills, it’s inevitable that the other skill is also being applied though not over-emphasized at the given time.
Structure of the paper
The paper has three sections:
QUESTION 1: FUNCTIONAL WRITING
Functional writing refers to those texts that we produce in order to achieve a specific purpose.
Pieces of functional writing are intended to fulfill specific needs, like applying for a job, registering to vote, keeping records or publicizing an event.
CHARACTERISTICS OF FUNCTIONAL WRITING
Although every type of functional writing is unique, there are common features shared by different types of functional writing. They include the following:-
Functional writing is the first question which carries 20 marks. Here the candidate is tested on how to write a given item following the correct format and appropriate register.
Format
Format refers to general arrangement, design or plan of the item you are writing. Each functional item has its own distinct format. This underscores the importance of using the correct format when writing a particular set item for you to be answering the question.
Wrong format therefore means you have not answered the question as required. At a glance an internal memo is quite distinct from a letter of application for a job.
Register
Register is the style of writing that is usually appropriate to the situation that it is used in. In this case we largely consider whether the item is based on a formal or informal situation; this will in turn determine whether the language to be adopted will be formal or informal. The candidate has also to narrow down to the specific item to decide on the tone to be used in the writing and the mood that should be conveyed in some instances.
For instance, when writing a recipe, the language should be imperative since one are giving directives while reports and minutes are written in the passive voice. In a message of condolence a sorrowful tone and mood need to be expressed at the very beginning but later on end in a hopeful tone to show that all is not lost.
Once the correct format and register is applied, the candidate’s overall linguistic competence is assessed.
The ability of a student to express the information flawlessly and precisely is of utmost importance. This means a good command of grammar. Correct tenses, proper punctuation, correct spellings, and apt vocabulary among other grammar aspects are also considered.
Having considered proper format and appropriate register, you should ensure good presentation of the information since this will endear your work to the examiner. This includes proper paragraphing and generally neat work. This shows that the candidate is confident and sure of what he/she is tackling.
The following is a guideline list of the items you need to revise on.
These include letters of application, inquiry, apology, invitations, confidential letters/reports, letter to the editor, request letter
These include reminders, minutes, internal memos, notification of a meeting, writing the agenda, Curriculum vitae
These include shopping list, packing list, to do list, friendly letters, inventories, thank you notes, congratulatory notes, message of condolences, telegrams, emails, personal journal, diary, C.V’s, biographies, autobiographies
These include giving and following directions e.g. Recipes, Autobiographies, Biographies, Speech writing, dialogue and conversations.
This includes investigative/survey report, newspaper reports and confidential report.
This entails designing posters, invitation cards
It includes book reviews, synopsis.
ESSAY WRITING
SPECIAL PREPARATION
DEFINING THE SUBJECT
You need to have a clear and accurate conception of the subject of the essay before you attempt to write on it; know what is important and what is not. Know what the kind of essay it is: expository, descriptive, narrative, argumentative, etc.
COLLECTING MATERIALS
When you have got a clear idea of the subject, think of what you can say about it. Do not attempt to write an essay before you have given some time to think over what to write down. As you collect materials, note them down. Once this is done, select suitable material for your purpose.
LOGICAL ARRANGEMENT
Here you decide on the logical order in which you can arrange the points you have selected. This helps to prevent having badly arranged essays or one full of irrelevancies and repetitions. Logical arrangement involves:
NB: this outline is what is supposed to guide you in writing the essay.
WRITING OUT
The final stage is to write out the essay. Make sure you go through if after writing to check for any careless errors.
Write the number of words used if asked to.
LIST OF FUNCTIONAL WRITINGS
When going back to school or even to a trip away from home, you need to ensure that you have packed the things that you will require.
It is therefore important to make a list of the items that you are going to pack to avoid leaving behind essential items.
Feature of a packing list
Below your heading, you can have sub headings indicating the categories
of items involved e.g. shoes, clothing, cosmetics e.t.c.
involved e.g. three shirts, one tube of 50g toothpaste, three pieces
of soap and two towels.
Example of a packing list.
Packing list for a trip to Maasai Mara
| SN. No. of item | Item | Type | Quantity | Description |
| 1. 2 | Clothes | a) Shirts | 3 | 1. The new yellow one 2. the old blue one 3. the green short-sleeved one |
| b) Trousers | 2 | 1. The blue jeans 2. the black baggy corduroy
| ||
| c) Towels | 1 | The purple one | ||
| 2. | Shoes | a) Rubber | 2 pairs | 1. The black and white ones 2. the brown ones
|
| b) Leather | 2 pairs | 1. The brown ones 2. the brown safari boots
| ||
| c) Slippers | 1pairs | The blue ones | ||
| 3. | Cosmetics | a) Body lotion | 1 bottle | Vaseline |
| b) Hair food | 1 bottle | Pressol | ||
| 4. | Comb | Plastic | 1 | The yellow one |
| 5. | toothpaste | Colgate | 1 tube | The 50g one |
| 6. | Books | a) novel | 1 | The river and the source |
| b) Poems | 1 | Boundless voices | ||
| 7. | Bedding | a) Sheets | a pair | The pink ones |
| b) Blankets | 2 | 1. The heavy blue and striped one 2. the brown one
|
This is a list of activities that you are planning to do. We write this list to avoid forgetting.
Example of a To Do List
Wednesday 16th may 2015
Just like a packing list, you need to make a list of what you are planning to buy to avoid forgetting crucial items. You need to arrange the items in order of priority such that you buy important items first.
Features of a shopping list
Shirt—blue short sleeved
Pepper—green
My back to school shopping list
| SN.No. of item | Item | Type | Qnty | Description | @Kshs | Total |
| 1. 2 | Clothes | a) Shirts | 3 | 1. The new yellow one 2. the old blue one 3. the green short-sleeved one | 200/= 300/= 500/= | 1000/= |
| b) Trousers | 2 | 1. The blue jeans 2. the black baggy corduroy
| 800/= 400/= | 1200/= | ||
| c) Towels | 1 | The purple one | 300/= | 300/= | ||
| 2. | Shoes | a) Rubber | 2 pairs | 1. The white ones 2. the brown ones
| 800/= 600/= | 1400/= |
| b) Leather | 2 pairs | 1. The brown ones 2. the brown safari boots
| 1200/= 2000/=
| 2400 | ||
| c) Slippers | 1pairs | The blue ones | 200/= | 200/= | ||
| 3. | Cosmetics | a) Body lotion | 1 bottle | Vaseline | 100/= | 100/= |
| b) Hair food | 1 bottle | Pressol | 200/= | 200/= | ||
| 4. | Comb | Plastic | 1 | The yellow one | 100/= | 100/= |
| 5. | toothpaste | Colgate | 1 tube | The 50g one | 100/= | 100/= |
| 6. | Books | a) novel | 1 | The river and the source | 400/= | 400/= |
| b) Poems | 1 | Boundless voices | 300/= | 300/= | ||
| 7. | Bedding | a) Sheets | a pair | The pink ones | 400/= | 400/= |
| GRANG TOTAL | 8100/= | |||||
These are short notes that we write so as to remember the activities that we are supposed to do. This is done to avoid forgetting important things because sometimes we become pre-occupied with many issues.
We therefore need to cultivate the habit of writing reminders to avoid missing out on important occasions or activities.
If you are a secretary of a group, you need to write notes to members to remind them of things they are supposed to do. Such notes are called reminders.
Examples of Reminders.
2.00 pm
Subject: Library Books
4.00pm
Subject: visiting a friend
To: the chairperson
From: the secretary
Date: 30th march, 2013
Subject: consultation with patron
Please remember to consult the patron about the club’s visit to
Mwanza Girls’ School for a Debating Session next term. You are
expected to do this before the official’s meeting on 10th April
2013
A diary is a private document in which you record activities, events and appointments that you want to remember. It acts as an aid to memory. It helps us to honour appointments, important occasions and useful dates as well as remember past events.
The book for keeping such records is also called a diary. It contains a calendar for the whole year with a space for each day, week and month. The space is usually small so you need to be selective and brief by using short forms, notes or abbreviations that are meaningful to you.
Many diaries also contain spaces where you can record personal information like your name, address, blood group and the person to be contacted in case of emergency.
There are two types of diaries:-
In this type of diary, we record appointments so as not to forget. It may not be written in complete sentences. It contains the date, time and the event of the appointment. An example is when a student writes a revision timetable for specific days and times so as not to forget.
Example of an appointment Diary
| Day | Date | Time | Subject |
| Monday | 24/03/2014 | 8.00— 10.00 pm | Literature |
| Tuesday | 25/03/2014 | 7.00— 8.00 pm | Mathematics |
| Wednesday | 26/03/2014 | 8.00— 9.00 pm | Physics |
| Thursday | 27/03/2014 | 7.30— 8.00 pm | Chemistry |
| Friday | 28/03/2014 | 9.00—10.00 pm | English Grammar |
| Saturday | 29/03/2014 | 10.00—12.00 pm | H/Science |
| Sunday | 30/03/2014 | 2.00—4.00 pm | C.R.E |
One may also write a diary on how he/she is planning to spend one of the weeks of a given holiday.
| Day | Date | Time | Subject |
| Monday | 24/08/2014 | 8.00 am— 11.00 am | Weeding the garden |
| Tuesday | 25/08/2014 | 7.00 am— 4.00 pm | Going for shopping |
| Wednesday | 26/08/2014 | 9.00 am— 6.00 pm | Doing assignment |
| Thursday | 27/08/2014 | 7.30 am— 8.00 pm | Visiting Meshack |
| Friday | 28/08/2014 | 9.00 am—2.00 pm | Washing clothes |
| Saturday | 29/08/2014 | 10.00am—12.00 pm | In church |
| Sunday | 30/08/2014 | 2.00 pm—4.00 pm | Watching a movie |
An Appointment Diary may also be written using a different format. Look at the following entry.
Day& Date: Monday 25/03/2014
Time: 2.00 pm.
Venue: National Theatre
Event/Activity: Watching a play “Betrayal In The City”
In-charge/speaker/presenter e.t.c: Theatrix Arts Ensemble
A personal journal is a private record of events that made one happy, excited, angry, embarrassed or depressed during the day.
Although it is a personal document, one needs to observe the mechanics of good writing, including grammar, punctuation, spelling and sentence construction.
Unlike an appointment diary, a personal journal is written after an event has taken place and therefore it is written in past tense. It is also written in complete sentences giving ones experiences and reflections.
A journal for each event is called an entry. It must have the day, date, event and venue.
Example of a personal journal entry
Sunday 25th December, 2013
Today was the most shameful day of my life. I still can’t believe that I stooped too low to allow my friends to influence me to take alcohol. I should not have listened to that talk about Christmas happening only once a year.
I hate to imagine what could have happened if I had got drunk… My God! Just what made me break my vow never to drink? I think I will have to change my friends in the New Year and also be more assertive.
These are enlarged write-ups that are strategically placed in an effort to inform people about a certain event. Posters seek to inform unlike advertisements which seek to persuade for profit. A lot of creativity is required to come up with a poster. Posters are found in many places such as;-
Features of an effective poster;-
Example of a poster
Invites all to:
Our end of year
Venue: Our school hall
Time: 9.00am – 5.30pm
Date: 30th October, 2013
The guest artist will be:
The Matata band.
Come expecting to be Fully Entertained.
(golden tips p.176)
These are instructions or announcements or appeals intended for a large number of people. Notices can be put on notice boards, in the dailies or in areas where they will capture the attention of a large group of people.
A good public notice must contain the following;-
Example of a public notice
There will be a staff meeting
On 3rd May
In the School Library
Starting at 8.00 am.
PLEASE BE PUNCTUAL
Yours,
GISOI KEPHA.
(PRINCIPAL)
8.ADVERTISEMENT (Test it and fix it p.175)
Advertising is the process of communicating about a product or service to as many potential customers in the target market as possible.
An advertisement is a picture, a set of words or a short film intended to persuade people to buy a product or use a service. It can also give information about a job.
Aims of advertising
There are AIDA Principles of Advertisement that capture the aims of advertising. i.e.
A – Attention: No message about a product can be delivered to customers without
gaining their attention.
I – Interest: The advertisement must maintain the interest of the customers for
the message to be delivered.
D – Desire: It creates a level of desire for the product. This will lead to the
customer’s positive action.
A – Action: A successful advertisement will lead the customer into buying the
product and not going for the alternative.
Advertising media
These are means in which advertisements are delivered to intended customers i.e.
Features of a good advert
Example of an advertisement
WITH
AND WIN YOURSELF FABULOUS PRIZES!
Check under the lid for instant prizes. Collect them at our main offices at
Uhuru Towers, 2nd Floor. Everyone is eligible.
(Golden tips p.177)
An inventory is a detailed list of all items or goods in a place such as an office, a classroom, a church, shop, a clinic and so on.
This document gives details of the quantity and condition of whatever is available in a place.
An inventory contains columns that show;-
Below is an example of a stock card from a library inventory of Busad Secondary School.
| IKONGE SECONDARY SCHOOL LIBRARY INVENTORY CARD
| ||||||
| Date of record | Delivery date | Quantity | Description | Date of issue | sign | Balance |
| 05/06/06 | 04/06/06 | 50 | Macmillan Bk.4 Eng texts | 10/06/06 | 32 | |
| 11/06/06 | 11/06/06 | 20 | Reams of foolscaps | 15/06/06 | 15 | |
These are written forms of communication. They are broadly categorized into informal and formal letters. Each category has its unique features that students need to study closely. There are two acceptable patterns of organizing formal and informal letters;-
BLOCK FORMAT INDENTENT FORMAT
Miti Mirefu Secondary School, Miti Mirefu Secondary School,
P.O BOX 483270-00100, P.O. Box 483270-00100,
Nairobi. Nairobi.
17th August 2013 17th August 2013
These are letters to friends, parents, relatives and acquaintances. Unlike formal letters, the recipient will, in most cases be well known to the writer. The language used is therefore informal, though the degree of informality varies. One cannot use the same language for example, to address parents and friends.
The language used should also be grammatical and other writing conventions such as punctuation, spelling and paragraphing should be observed.
Feature of an informal letter
Example of an informal letter
Ngurumo secondary school
P.O BOX 49380-80900,
Lamu
10th August 2014
Dear Ron,
Receive my regards. How are you fairing on since we left each other when schools were reopening. How are the other family members?
This is to just let you know that I arrived in school safely after the half term break. Please bro, could you get me some money for the upcoming school trip in October? I am dying to visit Uganda and yet I know Mum and Dad may not be able to afford the five thousand shillings required for the trip at the moment.
Love,
Cynthia.
Formal letters include all official letters for example letters of inquiry, application, apology, request e.t.c.
An important point to remember is that, unlike informal letters, the information in the letter is conveyed to people we do not know on those with whom we have a formal relationship. The language in these letters therefore needs to be formal, clear and concise.
Features of a formal letter
Example of a formal letter
Miti Mirefu Secondary School,
P.O BOX 483270-00100,
Nairobi.
17th August 2013
The Bank Manager,
Mavuno Bank of Kenya,
P.O BOX 5743-00200
Nairobi.
Dear Sir/ Madam,
RE: APPLICATION FOR THE POSITION OF CASHIER TRAINEE
I am writing to apply for the position of Cashier Trainee as advertised in the Daily News newspaper of 13th August 2013.
I am a form four student preparing to sit for Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination in October this year. I have consistently performed well in Mathematics and Languages as attested by my attached Mock Examination results.
I am the chairperson of the school’s Young Entrepreneurs Club. I have also worked with the Accounts Department in my school as part of my school fees waiver contributory program. I am therefore interested in being recruited as a cashier trainee.
Please find enclosed a copy of my Curriculum Vitae.
Yours Sincerely,
Amina Mpenda Biashara.
Encl.: Curriculum Vitae
Cc: The CEO, Mavuno Bank OF Kenya.
Minutes are a formal record of the proceedings of a meeting. They are written using a specific format and register.
While writing minutes, you should include the following:-
N/B: Each item on the agenda should be numbered as a separate minute.
Sample minutes
MINUTES OF A MEETING OF SHINERS SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT CLUB OFFICIALS HELD IN THE DINING HALL ON 26TH MAY 2013 AT 4.00 P.M.
Present
Wangui Muchemi —————- Chairperson
Katoo Ole Tangwa —————- Treasurer
Nafula Wanjala——————– Secretary
Odhiambo Okiega—————- Member
Mureithi Wang’ombe———— Member
Absent with apology
Kimiri Wagura——————— Member
Absent without apology
Emmanuel Mutiso
Min 38/12: preliminaries
The chairperson called the meeting to order at 4.05p.m and welcomed all members.
Min 39/12: confirmation of minutes of the previous meeting
The secretary read the minutes of the previous meeting. They were proposed by Odhiambo okiega and seconded by Mureithi wang’ombe as a true record of the meeting’s proceedings. The chairperson and the secretary then signed the minutes.
Min 40/12: Matters arising from the previous meeting
Min 30/12: The treasurer reported that the recruitment of new members in the
previous term had resulted in an increased availability of finances to
run the club activities. allowed to lead the rest of the school in
planting trees on that day.
Min 33/12: The secretary reported that a list of all schools with environment
clubs, which had been requested for in the previous meeting was now
available.
Min 41/12: Environment Day
Members discussed the activities that the club would undertake on the world environment day planned for 5th June 2013. The meeting also proposed that the chairperson requests the club patron to invite an environmentalist to address the students on the importance of reducing noise pollution.
Min 42/12: elections
Min 43/12: AOB
Min 45/12: Adjournment
There being no other business, the meeting adjourned at 5.30 p.m
Min 45/12: Next meeting
The next meeting would be held on 2nd June 2013 at the same venue a 4.00 p.m.
Confirmation of the minutes
Chairperson:………………………………………………Date: ……………………
Secretary:………………………………………………Date: ……………………..
REPORTS. (Test it and fix it P. 89)
A report is a description containing information on an investigation or a task. It is written using the active voice and should be clear and concise.
The purpose of the report is to give information on a particular issue to enable others to take necessary action. Different types of reports vary in length depending on the subject.
Reports include:-
There are two main types of reports:-
INFORMAL REPORTS
Informal reports include newspaper and magazine reports, reports on events, accidents, incidents e.t.c
In Newspaper reports, the name of the writer is written below the heading. The heading needs not to be grammatical. E.g.
Mps fight in Parliament
By Juma Njuguna
Example of a newspaper report
Pedestrian hit and killed as sister watches
By Moses Gitau
A middle-aged man died on the spot when he was hit by a speeding vehicle as he crossed the busy Nairobi’s Waiyaki highway yesterday. Moments later nine passengers were injured when a matatu rolled after a collusion with a university bus on the opposite side of the dual carriage way.
The pedestrian was accompanied by his sister, who watched helplessly as his brother was hit as he crossed the road at Waruku. She said she opted to wait for the traffic to clear as her brother opted to cross the highway. In the other accident, an International United States University bus taking students to Naivasha rammed the matatu as the driver tried to avoid a lorry.
The bus driver said he suspected the lorry driver was distracted by the first accident
REPORTS ON EVENTS, ACCIDENTS, INCIDENTS E.T.C
They must have a title e.g. “Report on……”
The first paragraph has introductory remarks on what the report is about. E.g.
Recently our school held a parents’ day; the following is a report of what took place. The Guest of Honor was….
They are written in prose and have no sub-titles.
They require to be written in passive voice as much as possible.
Use of objective language is necessary
They have an ending i.e.
Report written by
(Signature)
Name
Normally at the end of a year, clubs/ organizations issue a report on the activities of the club for the year that has ended. It can also be a report on the finances of the club and how they were spent. Such reports are written by the secretary and given to the members of the club.
Example of a club report.
IKONGE AGRICULTURAL CLUB
REPORT ON THE CLUB ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED
31ST DECEMBER 2013
The club undertook various activities last year. Some of them required huge amounts of money which the club members were able to raise.
We managed to raise 200,000/= that was required to begin a poultry farm through contributions by members and aids from well-wishers. The farm which we initiated is now a reliable source of funds to the club.
We were able to register our club with “THE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF KENYA”. Because of that our club was recognized and we got ten new members.
We were able to visit various Agricultural Shows from where we gathered useful information on the modern methods of farming.
The club opened an account and proposed that each member to contribute 500/= per month. Up to the end of the year we were able to raise 456,000/= to the account.
This is the report for our club for the year ended 31st Dec, 2013
Report compiled by,
Mr. Shillingi Mfukoni.
(SECRETARY)
FORMAL REPORTS
These include reports on investigations, confidential reports, reports in form of programs, e.t.c
A good report should be:-
An investigation report has the following features: –
This tells us what the report is about. It is written in capital letters and underlined E.g.
A REPORT ON THE POST-ELECTION VIOLENCE IN KENYA
Here, the writer identifies himself and states whom the report is written for i.e. who requested for the report. It also indicates when the report is expected. If a committee was appointed, then a list of the members is written here. The purpose of the report and also the task of the committee i.e. to “investigate and recommend….”
The methods used to collect data are mentioned here. The common methods include: –
No personal opinion should be included here.
In the findings, you state what was observed and noted after analyzing the information. Include views of those interviewed.
This should be based on the observation. The outcome/result of the research is given in a summarized way.
These should be based on the findings and the conclusion. This part is written in note form/numbered. The specific actions to be taken to resolve the problem researched on are given.
This includes the ending clause, signature, name and designation of the writer. E.g.
Report compiled by,
Gisoi Kepha
(Secretary)
Sample investigation report
A REPORT ON THE PROBLEMS FACING KAMENI BOYS’ SEC SCHOOL
Introduction/Terms of Reference
The principal of the school asked some students to survey the school and establish the major problems facing it. The aim of the investigation was to come up with the recommendations that would assist the administration to look for ways of curbing the problems. The report was to be submitted in two weeks’ time. The following were selected as the committee members:-
Kamau Kariuki — chairperson (school captain)
Boru Chach ——–secretary (form one student)
Abraham Hussein — member (form two student)
William James——- member (form three student)
Henry Martin———member (form four student)
Collection of data
The committee members collected data by interviewing the students, the cooks and the teaching staff. They also observed and asked some members to fill questionnaires.
Findings
It was noted that the school is understaffed in the mathematics and sciences departments. The shortage in these areas had led to poor results I KCSE for the last three years.
It was observed that school workers were not in school uniform. Consequently it is not possible to differentiate them from strangers. Some of the workers are very untidy.
It was discovered that the dining hall has only a few tables and benches which are not enough for the entire student population. As a result, most students take their lunch while standing.
Although the school is registered as three streams, it has four streams. Most classrooms have over fifty students. This has put a strain on the available resources. Teachers cannot effectively guide the learners since they are too many.
Conclusion
These problems have compromised the standards of education leading to poor performance. Urgent solutions are therefore needed to remedy the situation
Recommendations
The committee recommended the following to solve the problems: –
Report Compiled by;
Boru Chach
Secretary.
These are reports written to comment on the suitability of a person for a job/task/admission. It is also an assessment of the suitability of someone or something for a given task/activity.
Example of a confidential report
Mashamba Flowers.
P.O. Box 54765-000100,
Nairobi.
15th July, 2013.
The Human Resource Manager,
Landscaping Enterprises,
P,O. Box, 122-00100,
Nairobi.
Dear Sir/Madam,
RE: MR JAMES KAPULE: APPLICATION FOR A FLOWER-GROWING JOB
I have known Mr. Kapule for the last six years. During this time, he worked as a gardener in our flower farm where we grow flowers of all types for export. While working for the company, he attended short courses both locally and overseas and obtained a diploma in flower growing and landscaping.
Mr. Kapule is an innovative person who is quite adventurous. He in fact introduced a number of exotic flowers in the farm, which saw our sales soar. He is hardworking and needs no supervision. I therefore recommend him with full confidence that he will not disappoint you. If you need further information, do not hesitate to write.
Yours sincerely,
Shilingi Sumuni
Personnel Manager.
Reports in form of programs should identify the event e.g. wedding ceremony between Susan and Musyoka .It indicates time against the events that will take place.
(Test it and fix it p. 93)
A recipe is a set of instructions on how to prepare or cook some food. Some instructions include:-
Recipes are written using active verbs and the instructions should be clear and concise.
Features of a recipe
A RECIPE ON HOW TO PREPARE A LEMON COCONUT CAKE FOR FIVE
also includes the nutrients present in the food/dish .
their quantity.
Example of a recipe
A RECIPE FOR PREPARATION OF COOKIES FOR TEN PEOPLE
Introduction.
Cookies provide the body with the energy required for metabolism.
Ingredients
Procedure
Beat the eggs into a cup. Add the milk or water.
Sift sugar, flour and salt altogether
Rub the margarine into the mixture prepared in two above.
Add the egg and milk mixture to the flour mixture and knead into a dough.
Roll the dough onto the pastry board.
Cut the dough into the desired shape for the cookies.
Place the cookies onto the prepared baking pan.
Place the baking tin in the oven on the upper shelf and bake at 900C.
Remove from the oven after 15 minutes and place on a cooling rack.
Serve when cool with tea or juice.
Int. eng. Bk.3 p. 113)
A memorandum (memo) is a formal communication among people working within the same organization. A memo is supposed to be brief and concise and is written in formal language. The main purposes of a memo are to;-
Memos are convenient ways of communication. Writing a memo requires one to first plan or decide on an outline of what will be in the memo.
Features of a memo.
Example of a memo.
FURAHA SECONDARY SCHOOL
Strive for excellence
INTERNAL MEMO
Ref. No: FSS/OF/11/10
To: All Club Leaders
From: Chairperson, Debating Club
SUBJECT: DEBATING SESSION ON SATURDAY 18TH AUGUST 2013
This is to remind you that the debating club will be holding a debating session in the school dining hall on Saturday 18th august 2013 from 2.00pm to 4.00pm.
Please do not schedule any activity to take place in the dining hall on the specified date and time.
Yours,
Gisoi Kepha
(Test it and fix it p.94)
(int. eng. Bk.4 p.134)
This is a fairly new way of communication. They are letters that are passed electronically through the use of computers and telephone. For one to send or receive an e-mail message he/she must possess an e-mail address (E.g. kebasoben@yahoo.com), a computer and a telephone line .
Advantages of using e-mail
Example of an e-mail
From: wshiro@hotmail.com
To: mkoko3@yahoo.com
Date: 25th march, 2014, 9.00am.
Subject: visit cancellation
I am sorry that I will not visit you this coming Sunday as we agreed earlier on. Nzambanene, our friend, has invited me for a literature set books symposium at their school on the same day.
He, however has promised that we will visit you next Sunday but one
All the best
Wanjiru Shiro.
In an exam situation, you may be told to write for example an application letter and send it via e-mail. In that case you need not to write the addresses but the e-mail addresses because the letter is not passing through the post office.
Example:
From: wshiro@hotmail.com
To: mkoko3@yahoo.com
Date: 25th march, 2014, 9.00am.
Dear Sir,
RE: APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT
Like e-mails, faxes are also a form of communication but they are getting replaced by the recent forms like e-mail and SMS. The differences between a fax and an e-mail are minimal. The only advantage of a fax to an e-mail is that it can be transmitted even without computers. They are therefore useful in office situations.
To be able to send and receive a fax, one needs a fax machine and a telephone line. Though the addresses are written, what is important is the fax numbers or the phone numbers of the correspondents.
Fax messages can either be typed or handwritten and unlike e-mails, they can bear the signature of the sender. Only faxes that go through a modem may not bear signatures.
Each page of a fax message needs to be clearly labeled for ease of management by the recipient. When a fax message goes through, the sender is informed.
Example of a fax
Maxmilla Footwear,
P.O. Box 312-90100
Machakos
17th July, 2013
Ufundi Industries,
P.O. Box 3007-00100,
Nairobi-Kenya
Tel: 254-020-5869744
RE: CATALOGUE
Kindly send us by the quickest surface mail your latest catalogue of ladies’ footwear and handbags.
Thank you
Monica Munyao.
Proprietor.
This is one of the ways of sending messages through the post office. In order to send a telegram, you go to the post office, write out your message like a short letter and hand it to the postal clerk. He/she will then send your message by electronic signals to the post office address which you indicated. The post office staff on the other end will rewrite your message and pass it to the person whom you want to contact.
Points to note when writing a telegram
Example of a telegram
MRS MARY MACOLLO
BOX 675489 NAIROBI
ARRIVING TUESDAY SIX PM ARUSHA BUS. PLEASE WAIT. ACHIENG
(int. eng. Bk4. p 178).
(Test it and fix it p.95)
A curriculum vitae is a record of personal information, educational background, working experience and any other useful information that may help one to secure employment, scholarship or admission to any institution of learning.
Details of a C.V
This includes the name, date of birth, nationality, postal address, telephone/mobile number, religion, marital status, e-mail address e.t.c.
This captures your professional goal and vision.
This involves academic qualification starting with the latest with the earliest
This also includes the places you have worked and the position starting from the latest to the earliest.
This are practical abilities such and typing and driving skills.
These are any special awards that you may have received.
These are activities you are involved in during your free time.
These are people who can be contacted to give assessment about you. They must be people who know you well.
Example of a C.V.
CURRICULUM VITAE
PERSONAL DATA
Name: Kepha Orang’o Gisoi
Date of Birth: 12.10.1990
Nationality: Kenyan
Sex: Male
Marital status: Single
Religion: Christianity
Address: P.O. Box 23-40501, Ikonge
Mobile no.: 0719119395
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
2010 – 2014: Egerton University-Njoro Campus
Bachelor of Education (Arts)
(English and Literature)
2nd class Honours
2005 – 2008: Cardinal Otunga High School- Mosocho
K.C.S.E.
Mean Grade: B+ (plus)
2000 – 2004: Ekerubo Gietai mixed Primary Boarding School
K.C.P.E.
423 marks out of 500
WORK EXPERIENCE
Aug. 2014 –November 2015: Ikonge Girls’ High School
Assistant teacher
English and Literature
May. 2013 – August 2013: Nyamauro S.D.A mixed Secondary School
B.O.M. Teacher
English and Literature
INTERESTS
REFEREES
Principal
Nyamauro S.D/A secondary school
P.O. Box. 20, Ikonge
Senior Lecturer
Egerton University
Literature department
A form is a document that contains questions and spaces provided to fill in the answers. Forms are filled for specific purposes e.g.
Guidelines on filling forms.
A form must be filled neatly and honestly. I many cases you are given only one form and therefore you have only one chance to fill the form. So you must not make any mistakes. If possible and even unspecified, fill the form in capital letters. Remember a filled form is your first contact with your institution and will give a general impression of you.
Example of a form
APPLICATION FORM FOR MEMBERSHIP INTO THE SCHOOL CHOIR
Vetting results: ……………………………………………………………
Interviewing panel decision: Approved Not approved
General remarks:…………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
Official i) …………………………………..sign: ………………….Date:………
Official ii) ………………………………….Sign: ………………Date:……………
Instructions are step-by-step guidelines on how to do something. They can be about how to operate a garget or how to maintain one. They can also be how to find your way to a given place.
In order to write good instructions, bear the following in mind;-
Example of instructions
15th april 2014
Hi mike,
Sorry that I shall be home late. Kindly do the following for me.
just in front of the door.
the curtains in that room
found it.
See you later. Thank you.
Nivera.
Directions are step-by-step guidelines on how to do something. They can be about how to operate a garget or how to maintain one, operate a cooking stove e.t.c. They can also be how to find your way to a given place.
In order to write good directions, bear the following in mind;-
Example of directions from Kisii town to Ikonge P.A.G Girls’ Sec. School
Take a matatu at the bus terminal that operates from Kisii town to Kericho along Kisii—Chemosit Road up to Ikonge. Alight at the stage where you will find Ikonge Market. Turn left to Magwagwa route, and walk until you find a primary school called Ikonge Primary. From the gate of that school, walk ahead for about 20 metres until you find a junction turning right. At the junction you will see a sign post labeled Ikonge P.A.G. Girls’ Sec. School. Walk along that road for about 120 metres until you reach the gate of the school
(Int. eng Bk. 2 p117)
A dialogue is a conversation between two or more people over an issue. The people who take part in a dialogue are called interlocutors. When wring a dialogue, take note of the following;-
Example of a dialogue
DAUGHTER: (shortly having arrived home from school) Good afternoon,
Daddy
FATHER: (Sitting complacently in the sofa, reading a newspaper. Looking up…..) Good afternoon (Resumes reading)
DAUGHTER: (Holding out her school report form) Daddy, I’m excited. My teacher said I was the best improved. I was………..
FATHER: Oh, you were? Me, I used to be number one. I was absolutely unbeatable.
DAUGHTER: Chemistry has been a particular headache (now looking at the report form which she thought her father would want to see), but this time…….
FATHER: (Stretching his arms, looking preoccupied)
Chemistry for me was particular easy.
I never scored anything less than 90%
DAUGHTER: Dad, I was going to tell you that this time…….
FATHER: (Absent minded) by the way, where is your mum?
DAUGHTER: Mum is in the garden picking vegetables. But dad, you’re not listening to my story. I was telling you about Chemistry
FATHER: You mean you have a story about chemistry? Chemistry is not about stories. It is hard science.
DAUGHTER: It’s about my improvement……..
FATHER: (laughing) me, it wasn’t matter of improvement. I was always at the top of the class
DAUGHTER: Daddy, I give up. You’re not listening
FATHER: (looking surprised) Listening? I heard you: you were talking about improvement in chemistry, weren’t you?
DAUGHTER: anyway, Dad. Thank you for paying attention. Enjoy your newspaper.
FATHER: Oh yes, I’m reading an interesting story about politics
Sometimes in offices, the one to whom the massage is intended may not be present at a particular time to take the message or he/she may be busy doing something else. Someone else (normally a secretary) takes the message and gives it to the owner when he comes back.
When taking a telephone message;-
When you give a telephone message;-
Example of a Telephone Message.
To Mr. Joseph Mutiso
Mr. Mwendwa of Goodwork Kenya limited called at 12.00 noon; he would like to talk to you in connection with the orders for newly published English Books. Please call him back on his number: 0700 30 66 20
Invitations are usually issued in the form of a letter, except for very formal occasions. There are informal and formal invitations
The degree of formality will very necessary depend on;-
INFORMAL INVITATIONS
Informal invitations are often done verbally when you meet the person you wish to invite face to face or over the phone. At times, such invitations are made through notes which are designed in an informal manner.
Example of an informal invitation.
Ikonge P.A.G Girls’ Se. School,
P.O. Box 60- 40501,
Ikonge.
23rd May, 2014.
Dear Mr. Kabito,
Our daughter, Cynthia, has successfully completed her Masters Degree course in marine engineering. We are inviting you to her celebratory graduation party on the 14th of September, 2014 in the Grand Regency Hotel. The festivities will begin at 6.00pm.
We would consider it a great honour if you were able to attend.
Yours sincerely,
Mr. and Mrs.Gisoi.
FORMAL INVITATIONS
Formal invitations are usually sent in form of cards. The card has all the information that the person being invited needs to know. It answers the following questions;-
Example of a formal invitation
MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
THE KENYA INSTITUTE OF MASS COMMUNICATION
The Principal, Staff and Students of
Kenya Institute of Mass and Communication
Requests the pleasure of the company of
——————————————————————————————
On the occasion of their 8th Graduation Ceremony
To be held on
Friday 5th December, 2013, starting at 10.00 a.m
The Guest of Honour will be
Hon. Johnstone Makau, E.G.H.
Minister of Information and Broadcasting
R.S.V.P.
Principal, KIMC
P.O. BOX 231-00100 Guests are requested to
NAIROBI-KENYA be seated by 9.30 a.m
Please bring this card with you
Meeting (Int. eng bk.3 p.254)
Agenda refers to issues to be discussed in a meeting. It is good to notify members of a group or an organization of a meeting that is to take place so that they can prepare themselves to attend. Information of the time, venue and what to be discussed is also necessary.
A notification is therefore sent to members in advance before the meeting takes place. The agenda is given such that the members prepare on what to contribute during the meeting to avoid wasting time in the meeting.
How to set an agenda for a meeting.
N/B: Agenda is normally included in the notification of a meeting.
Example of agenda
IKONGE SEC SCHOOL
To: All Members
From: The chair Person
Date: 14th March 2014
SUBJECT: AGENDA FOR A MEETING OF A WILDLIFE CLUB
Our March 14th meeting will begin at 10.00am in the hall. Please come prepared to discuss the following;-
Mr. Okumu.
The notification of a meeting should therefore answer the following questions;-
Example of a notification of a meeting.
IKONGE FARMERS CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY
To: All club members
From: The secretary
Date: 24th April 2014.
There will be a meeting of the Ikonge Farmers Co-operative Society at Ikonge girls’ sec. school as from 2.00pm.
Please come prepared to dicsuss the following agenda;-
All club members are asked to attend.
Francis Mureithi
Club Secretary.
FORMAL/BUSINESS LETTERS
These are letters that are normally sent for official purposes. Formal letters include all official letters for example letters of inquiry, application, apology, request e.t.c.
An important point to remember is that, unlike informal letters, the information in the letter is conveyed to people we do not know on those with whom we have a formal relationship. The language in these letters therefore needs to be formal, clear and concise.
Features of a formal letter
These are formal letters written to request for employment, scholarship e.t.c.
Example of an application letter
Ikonge Girls’ Sec. School,
P.O. Box 60 – 40501,
Ikonge.
17th April, 2014.
The Human Resource Manager,
Youth Development Company,
P.O. Box 796 – 00100
Nairobi.
Dear Sir/Madam,
RE: APPLICATION FOR THE POSITION OF COMMUNICATION OFFICER.
I am applying for the above mentioned post advertised in Kibaruni Times of Wednesday, 16th March 2014.
I have successfully completed my degree course in communication at the university of Nairobi. During my study, I did a lot of communication related work that included three separate internships at leading organizations.
Currently, I am working as a volunteer with Kula Waya communications agency where I assist in the communication department, which is relevant to this job.
If given the chance,, I will work to the attainment of your organization’s mission and vision.
Kindly consider my application.
Yours Faithfully,
Kaza Mwendo.
Letters of inquiry are written to seek information about something one would be interested in. the purpose is to gather information and details regarding something or a situation one is interested in. for example a student could write to a college inquiring about the kind of courses they offer. The student may go further and inquire about the semester dates and even the fee structure.
Letters of inquiry, like any other formal letters should be brief and precise about what one wants. It is important to indicate why and when you must have the information.
Another example is when a principal of a school may write to a publisher to inquire if the books for the new syllabus are in stock and if they would be able to supply them to the school.
Example of a letter of inquiry
Nyumbani secondary school
P.O. Box 574 – 00100,
Mombasa.
20th January 2006.
The Director,
Watumishi Publishers,
P.O. Box 685 – 00100,
Nairobi.
Dear Sir/Madam,
RE: SUPPLY OF TEXT BOOKS.
Please let me know if the recommended textbooks for the new syllabus are available and whether you are in a position to supply them to our school.
I would appreciate hearing from you within the next two weeks so that we can commence our learning.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs. R.M. Kubosea.
PRINCIPAL.
These are letters written to apologize over a wrong committed or inconvenience caused to someone in some way. In these letters, the writer admits blame and expresses regret for what happened. The tone of the language must therefore reflect this. They should be short and to the point and should not be used as an opportunity to excuse your conduct.
They are formal documents that can even be filed for future reference. If you wrong your friend, parents or desk-mate, all you need to do is to say sorry to them or if they are far, send them a note apologizing.
Whenever you decide to write an apology letter, it is because you have a formal relationship with the person to whom you are writing.
Example of an apology letter
Mutamba Secondary School,
P.O Box 1234 – 00700,
Nairobi.
29th August, 2006.
The Managing Director,
Nation Organization,
P.O. Box 786 – 0800,
Nairobi.
Dear Madam,
RE: APOLOGY FOR MISBEHAVIOUR
I must say that I am utterly sorry for my poor conduct during the tour of your firm last Monday.
It was wrong for me to disregard the time you had taken from your busy schedule to grant us audience. I realize now that some of the questions I asked were totally embarrassing and demeaning to you. I know that I may have jeopardized the chances of for other students who might want to learn from firms such as yours.
Please, accept my sincere apology. I assure you that, granted another chance, such misconduct on my part will never be portrayed.
Yours sincerely,
Mulu Pumbafu.
These are formal letters written to request for another person’s services or assistance of any way. For example a football club may write a request letter to the principal of a school requesting for permission to use the school’s football field for their tournament match.
Example of a letter of request
Mwanga Secondary School,
P.O. Box 567 – 07506,
Kisumu.
22nd March, 2006.
The Patron,
Junior Achievements Club,
Mulango Girls’ School,
P.O. Box. 35000 – 02200
Kisumu.
Dear Sir/Madam,
RE: REQUEST TO USE YOUR SCHOOLS’ HALL.
We, at Mwanga School have formed a junior achievement Club. We request you to allow us use your school hall for its launch due in three weeks as our school hall is under renovation. We would also appreciate very much if your club members would join us.
Please let us know soon if the hall is available so that we can start planning for the day.
Yours faithfully,
Bernadette Aporoko.
CHAIRLADY
This is a letter sent to show dissatisfaction of a service offered to you or any wrong done to you by somebody.
Example of a letter of Complain
Ikonge Girls’ Sec. School,
P.O. Box 60 – 40501,
Ikonge.
28th March, 2014.
The Games Teacher,
Kebabe girls’ sec. school,
P.O. Box 34 -3207,
Kebirigo.
Dear Madam,
RE: MISBEHAVIOUR OF YOUR FOOTBALL TEAM.
I write this letter to you to complain about the misbehavior of your girls’ football team during the Regional Ball Games that were held in our school on 16th March 2014. They became unruly and could not follow the rules that were to govern the matches. One girl also made away with our ball on the same day.
May you advise them about the same to avoid disciplinary measures against the team which may lead to disqualification from participating in the matches for over two years.
Also, do investigation on who has that ball so that we can get it back.
Yours faithfully,
Job omwoyo,
GAMES TEACHER.
NOTE: In some cases you may be told to send a letter through another person. In such a case, you write three addresses. The address of the one the letter is sent through is written below the recipient’s address.
Example: You may be told to send the above letter through the Principal.
Ikonge Girls’ Sec. School,
P.O. Box 60 – 40501,
Ikonge.
28th March, 2014.
The Games Teacher,
Kebabe girls’ sec. school,
P.O. Box 34 -3207,
Kebirigo.
Thro’
The Principal,
Ikonge Girls’ Sec. School,
P.O. Box 60 – 40501,
Ikonge.
Dear Madam,
RE: MISBEHAVIOUR OF YOUR FOOTBALL TEAM.
I write this letter to you to complain about the misbehavior of your girls’ football team during the Regional Ball Games that were held in our school on 16th March 2014. They became unruly and could not follow the rules that were to govern the matches. One girl also made away with our ball on the same day.
May you advise them about the same to avoid disciplinary measures against the team which may lead to disqualification from participating in the matches for over two years.
Also, do investigation on who has that ball so that we can get it back.
Yours faithfully,
Job omwoyo,
GAMES TEACHER
This is a formal letter written to commend a person for a given job, task or for any assistance that he/she may require. Recommendation letters are normally written by employers recommending their employees for promotion or when they want to transfer to other organizations.
It is the same as a reference letter/confidential report. The difference is that a reference letter is written on request by a prospective employer of the person being recommended while a letter of recommendation is not requested but written on will.
A recommendation letter tends to contain only the strengths of the person whereas a reference letter has both strengths and weaknesses of the person.
Also, the person about whom the letter is written in a reference letter does not become aware of it i.e. it is confidentially sent to the person requesting for it but a recommendation letter is written and given to the person being recommended.
Example of a letter of Recommendation
Mashamba Flowers.
P.O. Box 54765-000100,
Nairobi.
15th July, 2013.
The Human Resource Manager,
Landscaping Enterprises,
P,O. Box, 122-00100,
Nairobi.
Dear Sir/Madam,
RE: RECOMMENDATION FOR MR JAMES KAPULE
I have known Mr. Kapule for the last six years. During this time, he worked as a gardener in our flower farm where we grow flowers of all types for export. While working for the company, he attended short courses both locally and overseas and obtained a diploma in flower growing and landscaping.
Mr. Kapule is an innovative person who is quite adventurous. He in fact introduced a number of exotic flowers in the farm, which saw our sales soar. He is hardworking and needs no supervision. I therefore recommend him with full confidence that he will not disappoint you. If you need further information, do not hesitate to write.
Yours sincerely,
Shilingi Sumuni
PERSONNEL MANAGER.
This is a formal letter sent to the editor of a given newspaper about information which one feels the public should be made aware of. For example a person may wish people to be enlightened on the dangers of drug abuse among the youth on the basis of what he has seen happening in his village.
In the letter he will include the information he wishes to be published.
Example of a letter to the editor
Miti Mirefu Secondary School,
P.O BOX 483270-00100,
Nairobi.
17th August 2013
The Editor,
Daily Nation Newspaper,
P.O BOX 5743-00200
Nairobi.
Dear Sir/ Madam,
RE: ITEM TO BE CONSIDERED FOR PUBLICATION
I am writing this letter to propose to you to publish an article on the dangers of drug abuse among the youth in our country on the basis of what is happening in my village.
Many youths in my village are out of schools and have resorted to abusing drugs. The effect is that because most of them have no funds to purchase the drugs, they have formed gangs that steal from people.
I feel that they need seminars on the effects of drug abuse and the importance of going to school because with education they will be good citizens with good lives in future. Without this, I feel that our future generation is threatened.
Please consider this item for publication.
Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
John Maina,
Embu District Resident.
NOTES
These are short messages sent to people for specific purposes e.g. after doing something outstanding (e.g excelling in exams), receiving assistance or after the passing away of a close relative e.g a family member. They include:-
(New int eng. Bk 3 p 130.)
As the name suggests, this note is written to show appreciation for a good or a favour done to a person. It is in order to thank a person who has assisted you in any way or who have been helpful to us in one way or another. This encourages them to offer hospitality to others. It also reflects what kind of a person you are.
It should be brief and precise. It should also be immediate. For example you may send your friend who lives abroad a thank you note for sending you a lovely gift on your birthday.
Example of a Thank You Note
Dear Leah,
It was so thoughtful of you to send me such a beautiful painting for my birthday. I will have it framed and then hang it in my bedroom.
Thank you very much
Yours sincerely,
Margaret.
(New int eng. Bk 3 p 157.)
These are notes meant to congratulate a person for an achievement made in their lives e.g passing of exams, winning a race e.t.c.
Example of a Congratulatory Note
Dear Andrew,
I was delighted to hear of your stunning performance in your K.C.S.E. exams. My mother told me you scored straight A’s.
You certainly deserved it after four years of dedication and determination.
Congratulations Andrew and I wish you all the best as you further your education.
Yours sincerely,
Sheila Jones.
(New int eng. Bk 3 p 186.)
These are notes meant to express compassion to a grieving person or the bereaved.
A condolence note should be written immediately you receive the bad news, otherwise it may lack relevance. It should be brief and sincere.
The feelings we convey in condolences are those of pain, sadness, shock, sorrow, grief and hope.
The choice of words is governed by the relationship between the sender and the recipient.
Messages of condolence should;-
Example of a Condolence Note
Dear Ruth,
I am really saddened by the tragic news of your uncle’s demise. He was a loving person and all of us who knew him are sharing the loss with you.
I am very sorry and I pray that God gives you the strength to bear the pain.
Please accept my sincere condolences.
Yours sincerely,
Tshaka Muleki.
A synopsis is a summary of a work of art such as a novel, a play, a short story, a biography or autobiography.
When you tell someone the plot of the story of a book you have read, you are summarizing. In essence, your summary is a synopsis.
Example of a synopsis.
The following is a synopsis of the short story “When the Sun Goes Down”
The story is set in Kenya. Steve, who is a dynamic character in the short story states that he was a matatu driver plying between Murang’a and Kangema: towns in the central region of Kenya. Kanja is his wakini, meaning age-mate. The story is set in a modern society as depicted by AIDS— the central theme in the short story.
We meet Steve who is feeling the heart of hypocrisy in the society on people suffering from AIDS. In his village, people cannot mind their own businesses. He is eagerly looking for a real, genuine friend to share his predicament with. There is no real friend when you are infected. He is full of anger about the rumours that are going around the village.
He is planning to marry Maureen though they have already been living together and blessed with a son, Kimotho.
The highlight of the story is when Maureen spills the beans to kanja and reveals that she is the one who brought the big disease to Steve. She passed it on to the man she loves. She narrates how she got it from her former unfaithful husband, who was a soldier and kept a mistress, and how she got to know she was a victim after attending an antenatal clinic, she is weak, physically and spiritually, a walking corpse! Stigma is killing her. Her attitude and behaviour have tinted the possible future. She lives in denial, does not eat, or take drugs as she is depressed of death staring at her every second. She lacks the will and repeatedly wishes to ‘rest’.
Maureen regrets having been faithful to her ex-husband and being rewarded with an incurable disease. To add to her disappointments, she doesn’t live long to enjoy life with her only true love. She suffers a deep-seated sense of guilt— being responsible for Steve’s illness. She is going to leave her young son and father soon. Steve on the other hand, has the will to live positively. He has the guts to face the unknown and condemnation of the villagers.
This is a summarized information of what a book is about without necessarily reading the whole book.
When writing a book review, include the following;-
Example of a book review
A BOOK REVIEW
A review for High School students and teachers
Title: English for Secondary Schools, Book 3.
Author: Tanzania Institute of Education.
Publisher: Tanzania Institute of Education.
Extent: 56 Pages.
Year of publication: 1999
Review by Paul Kitooke
Very few books targeting the secondary school market are less than 200 pages. English for Secondary Schools Book 3 is just slightly more than a quarter of this conventional size.
Given that Kiswahili has for a long time been the language of instructions across the curriculum in both primary and secondary school levels, this ‘shy’ extent is understandable and excusable.
Curiously, the book adequately covers the four language skills;-
There are over thirteen passages that offer a variety of approaches; from the literary to the factual. The writing is largely functional-targeting form-filling, interviews, advertisements, speech, dialogue and official letters. All the tenses are well covered.
The book is organized into thirteen chapters each tackling the four language skills; reading, speech work, listening and writing.
Nevertheless, one feels that the book lacks enough practical exercises. Again the apologetic attention given to oral practices is glaringly inexcusable. The English Language is now the language of use across the curriculum in secondary schools and it is hoped that new editions targeting the sensed syllabus will cover the anomaly.
A biography is a non-fiction text that gives information about the life of a real person.
Usually a biography will tell the important events in the life of the person, describe his/her achievements and the events that influenced the person’s life.
To be able to write a biography, or biographical sketch, you need to gather a lot of information about the subject. The best way to gather such information is by interviewing the person.
Example of a Biography.
She was born on 2 June 1958 and is married with 4 children and 2 foster children. She studied at Thompson’s Falls High School and was best student overall in school. She also studied at Alliance Girls High School. At the University of Nairobi she earned her First Degree, Bachelor of Medicine & Surgery, in 1984. In 1990, she earned her Master of Medicine in Paediatrics at the University of Nairobi.
She also has a Post Graduate Diploma on Planning & Management of Development Projects at the Catholic of Eastern Africa in 2004.
Ogola is a paediatrician based in Nairobi and the medical director of Cottolengo Hospice, a hospice for HIV and AIDS orphans. She is also Vice-President of Family Life Counselling (Kenya) and interested in women’s empowerment.
She was National Executive Secretary of the Commission for Health & Family Life of the Kenya Episcopal Conference (1998-2002).
From 2002-2004, she was the Country Coordinator of the Hope for African Children Initiative, a partnership of several international NGOs which included Plan, CARE, Save the Children, Society for Women and AIDS, World Conference For Religion and Peace and World Vision. The Initiative’s main goal is to strengthen the capacity of African communities, to advocate, care for and support children impacted by HIV/AIDS & prevent further spread of HIV.
She also helped found and manage the SOS HIV/AIDS Clinic (April 2004 –April 2005), which is a clinic for PLWAs. The clinic offers VCT, baseline investigations including CD4s, treatment of OI, provision of ART and nutritional support to 1000 persons from the surrounding slums: women, men and children.
Currently, she is the National Executive Secretary: KEC-CS: Commission for Health & Family Life. She is once again Head the Commission of the Catholic Secretariat. The Commission is charged with Coordination of 500 Catholic Health Units & Community Outreaches all over Kenya providing services to over 5 million cases annually.
Dr. Ogola has been appointed a member of the National Council for Children Services.
In 1999, she also was the recipient of the Familias Award for Humanitarian Service of the World Congress of Families in Geneva, Switzerland.
She has written 3 novels, a biography and a handbook for parents
Autobiography is a non-fiction text that a person gives information about his/her life. It is therefore a written account of ones life by himself/herself.
When writing an autobiography a person will tell the important events in his/her life, describe his/her achievements and the events that influenced the person’s life.
To be able to write a biography, or biographical sketch, you need to gather a lot of information about the subject. The best way to gather such information is by interviewing the person.
In an autobiography, we expect to read about;
The author reveals their attitudes towards others and society at large by the comments they make and the way they present issues.
An autobiography should be well planned. It should show;-
Example of an Autobiography.
[Written by a student in the Labour Studies program, used with permission]
My name is Carlo, and I was born in June, 1958, in Italy. Our family, made up of my mother, father, and a brother, emigrated to Noranda, Quebec, when I was five years old. I encountered my first, but not last, taste of racism when kids in the neighborhood laughed at my poor command of English. As fast as I could I learned not only English, but French as well. I became trilingual, speaking fluent French and English, as well as Italian. In the process, I made new friends from a lot of different cultural backgrounds.
We then moved to Toronto, Ontario, where my Dad got work in a rubber factory. From my earliest days, I knew our family had to struggle for every penny. My Mom baked pizza which my brother sold by the slice, door to door. I caddied at the local golf courses and brought home all the money that I made. I hated it when other kids made fun of working people, like garbage collectors, who cleaned up trash for a living.
When I was in grade six, I was ill in hospital for two months with a kidney infection, and it changed my whole life. I seriously took up playing guitar. I began to do photography, and joined the audiovisual club. I discovered I was artistic with an interest in graphic art, although I didn’t always agree with the kind of art assignments the teacher gave us.
However, I had no idea what to do after high school graduation. Thinking electonics was the wave of the future, I enrolled in and graduated with a diploma from George Brown College in Instrumentation Technology. I was hired on by Ontario Hydro as an apprentice.
Life was magical for a single guy in Toronto at this time. I made quite a bit of money. I enjoyed meeting and socializing with many new friends from a variety of different cultures. During this time, I met and married my wife, Valerie, a Registered Nurses’ Assistant, and soon we had two wonderful children, a daughter, Carla and a son, Nicholas. With new family responsibilities, I felt there was not enough opportunity for advancement at work. My wife and I thought of places we would like to live such as the east coast. But there were no jobs there. We finally decided to move to northern B.C. when I was offered a job with a forestry company.
Because of the children’s activities, I soon became involved in the community coaching children’s hockey and soccer, and being a scout leader. At work, I joined the Pulp Mill Recreation Club, eventually becoming president. There were a lot of things that needed changing. I decided I wanted our company to start a wellness program and researched to prove to them that healthy employees tremendously reduced absenteeism and health costs to the company. I wanted the company to reward those who kept themselves fit and began to lobby for this through our union.
I soon became elected as union safety captain, then later became a shop steward. I began to run for executive positions rising through the ranks from financial secretary to environmental vice president, chief shop steward, first vice president, and finally becoming president, a position I held for two years.
In my trade, I constantly must upgrade my skills, so I took advantage of many learning opportunities to do so through the company. This helped our union come into the 21st century, because I insisted we buy computers and subscribe to e-mail, connecting our members to other locals throughout the province. I also edited the union newsletter, keeping the members informed of all aspects of the local’s business. I used desktop publishing to produce our newsletter before anyone in Head Office knew what it was. Using my background in art and photography, I brought our publication from a crude photocopied rag to a sophisticated communication tool. For my efforts, I won two Canadian Association of Labour Media Awards, one for the best cartoon in Canada, depicting flexibility in the workplace, and one for the best editorial story of less than 500 words for a Union Newsletter. I also use my desktop publishing abilities for community fund raising activities.
I lost an opportunity to be union president for a third year because of an unpopular decision our local executive made in connection with implementing a contract that upheld the recognition of seniority rights. Reflecting back, I would not do anything differently. We took the task at hand, looked at the contract, discussed among the executive, asked for the opinions of our area rep, the Western Region Vice President, and our lawyer. Then we made our decision and stood by it, even though it meant I lost the presidency by nine votes. Now, two and a half years later, we are being proven right through the labour board.
Because of this event, I found myself with extra time on my hands. This opportunity made it possible for me to concentrate on pursuing university studies and my social work for unions. I enrolled at AU in the Labour Studies program. I continue with the newsletter, putting forth social and political issues that organized labour is facing today. I support the unions in the community and am involved in organizing them as they have never been organized before. I am even more committed to fighting for social justice than I have been all along, and am keen to move along this route in the future.
A speech is an oral presentation where a presenter gives a formal message to an audience. For a speech to be effective, it must be well written.
What to consider when writing a speech;-
A speech, like any other composition must contain three parts:-
Your introduction should capture the attention of the audience. To begin a speech, you can do the following.
This should be marked with points and issues. You can explain a process, describe a condition, argue your case, or tell your story in a logical sequence.
Your conclusion should sum up the whole speech and it should be brief. You can conclude by including a restatement of your ideas, a call to action or a final emphasis on a key statement. For example if you were discussing ways of avoiding HIV and AIDS, you can conclude by saying, “Ladies and Gentlemen, one sure way of curbing the disease is by self discipline, abstinence and being focused to our goals”
Example of a speech
“The Deputy Director of Education North Eastern province, the Quality Assurance Officer, the Principal of Al Eilly Education Centre, parents, teachers, students and all other guests, good afternoon,
When I was requesting the principal to talk about discipline, I remembered that in secondary school, I was once found sneaking out through the fence and my nether parts got stuck. I couldn’t free myself and was caught red-handed, or as teenagers say these days, I was busted.
I was not only embarrassed, but also had to clean all school toilets for a whole week after I had been severely caned by my class teacher. Of course, back then, there was no such thing as children’s rights and we could be caned until we forget the chairs exist for a reason. That was our society’s ways of disciplining us.
However, I doubt that trying to instill discipline in a person always works miracles. If it did, we could not have truancy in our schools as is the case. If it did, we would not have society engaging in risky sexual behavior. If disciplining others were the only way, my audience, we would not have motorists behave discourteously on our roads. My line of thought this day is that discipline must come from within a person. Self discipline is virtuous because you do not wait for someone to ring the bell but you do it yourself. You employ your God-given conscience and move a step back. You feel that something is not right and refrain. You do not worry that someone may be watching. You strut about without a tinge of guilt.
Even when things are not to your liking, you students need to employ self discipline. How many times have we had strikes in our schools, probably because the meal was not well prepared, or such other reason! Whatever the reason, is striking the best way to solve a problem? Often parents have to pay for damages simply because students didn’t refrain. In extreme cases, students have been harmed, even fatally by others. The weak ones are bullied, and for them, school becomes a place of torture. Which one of us does not know that that is wrong? Individually, we know that it is wrong and yet we employ mob psychology! Let me tell you today: anyone yielding to peer pressure has no self discipline! A self disciplined person does what is right. If something does not please you, for example, if the food is not well cooked, walk to the person concerned and let them know.
Ladies and gentlemen, self discipline is important to everyone. Without self discipline, we would all ruin our lives. For example, if you do not wake up early to get to work, you would certainly lose your job. If you go to watch a premier league and you feel too lazy to check on your scientific experiment, we would lose that HIV vaccine breakthrough you were working on. If the nurse didn’t sacrifice her cushy bed, the patient would die. And you could be that patient.
If students do not set apart their time for study, the result is everyone’s guess. With self discipline, the opposite is true. We have what we have today because someone had self discipline enough to intently work on it. You do not get in trouble if you are self-disciplined.
As I conclude, I will go back to my anecdote about my red letter day: the day I was busted sneaking out of school. Being a senior student, cleaning the toilet for a whole week was more painful than all the severe caning I had
received. From that day, I had no face to show. The embarrassment was too much. I had to hide and keep a low profile till I left the school. I still feel uneasy going back there. I resolved never to do the wrong thing ever again. I resolved to be self disciplined. When I took back on those events, I am thankful that I learnt a vital lesson early in life. That lesson has seen me to what I am today. I would never have been a Provincial Education Officer if I had not learnt the importance of self discipline early enough. Ladies and gentlemen, self discipline pays. Thank you for giving me audience.”
A questionnaire is a set of questions designed to correct information. A questionnaire assists in collecting data for a research or even assist in learning.
Example of a Questionnaire.
Questionnaire
A visit to Nairobi International Show on 5th October 2013.
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of your produce?
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—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-How do you ensure that the contaminated water from the farm does not drain its contents to the surrounding rivers?
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QUESTION 2: THE CLOZE TEST
This section tests the learner’s knowledge of parts of speech (various word classes) and how to link ideas in a given passage. The learner should read through the passage and endeavor to establish what it is about. During the second reading, come up with probable words that can fill each of the blank spaces and the sentences make sense.
Take keen note on how the ideas are being developed in the passage. From the list of the probable words, chose the most appropriate one to fill in each of the blank space. Do not give more than one word for each blank space. Sometimes contracted forms of words are regarded as one word e.g. it’s for it is.
This section requires a lot of practice from the learner. Practice builds a learner’s competence in this section. Ask students to try getting various passages, deleting some words and giving them to their friends to fill in the blanks.
Remember, the words missing are usually basic words or linking words, or referent words or words already used in the passage.
QUESTION3:
ORAL SKILLS/ LISTENING&SPEAKING
The approach to teaching these skills to enable the learner to do well in this part of the exam should bear in mind the objectives in the syllabus. The learner should eventually be enabled to:
This is a section that can boost a candidate’s performance in this paper. Proper understanding of the question is required to avoid cases where students give correct answers to the wrong question. The areas of coverage in the syllabus include:
In the KCSE paper one, specific items of the syllabus will be examined, among others, including the following:
Verbal cues are those that are enacted orally such as varying the tone, imitating the voice, being
audible and singing; while non verbal cues are those enacted through body language/dramatization such as facial expressions, use of gestures, mimicking actions, enacting a situation, etc.
Therefore when asked to give the non-verbal cues you would use to make a narrative interesting
and you give an answer such as: “I’ll employ tonal variation to show when the old man is angered and when he’s happy” – would amount to giving a correct answer to a wrong question.
It is also important to note that a mere stating of the item without linking it to a scenario in the poem or narrative would not score a mark. Your response should therefore be tied to the poem or narrative. For example, “I will put on a happy face to show the happiness of the chameleon when it won the race against the hare.” Or “I will recite the line with open arms while opening my eyes wide to show happiness as I embrace the mother.”
Listening habits are also tested. One needs to know good listening habits such as: making constant eye contacts with the speaker, writing down main points, avoiding distractions such as day-dreaming, objects or people around you, noise; focusing on the speaker’s body language, showing interest in the speech by asking questions, nodding appropriately among others.
The contrary to the above means poor listening habits. In answering questions related to this section the answers should be specific. An answer such as “Lack of concentration” without specifics is rather too general. In this section students can be given an excerpt of a conversation scenario; either an interview, telephone conversation or just a dialogue and asked to either fill in the missing words; identify the shortcomings in the listening habits of participants or what should be done to benefit from a given lecture.
Speaking skills are also tested. These include stress and intonation; distinguishing word classes on the basis of stress; homophones (words with similar pronunciation); public speaking (how to deliver a speech effectively, problems encountered during public speaking and how to overcome such problems), how to interrupt a speaker politely or disagree politely; proper negotiation skills among others.
Phonetics is an essential component of speaking. This refers to the realization of the sounds that constitute a word, i.e. the vowel and consonant sounds. The manner of articulating the sounds is considered.
– For example: Identify the odd word out in each of the following set:
Punctuation marks affect how we say/read particular lines in poetry. Consider:
Oral literature items such as narratives, tongue twisters, riddles and puns are also tested in this paper but with specific emphasis on the performance aspects/actual rendition.
Written and unwritten rules that govern any conversation such as turn taking; polite interruptions, not yelling at others, use of polite language among others are worth to note.
Aspects such as preparing for an interview; how to behave during an interview should be revised.
The information highlighted in this part is just a summary of what a candidate needs to prepare on. It is not all inclusive hence the need for the candidate to revise the course content.
Always establish the focus of the question and give correct responses. This will lead to the realization of the much desired for good results.
ASSESSMENT
Apart from continuous evaluation using the whole variety of testing approaches available to him/her, the teacher should endeavor to analyze previous KCSE papers to see how the syllabus is actually examined; to be able to identify areas to emphasize so as to advantage the candidate come KCSE time. The following is an attempt at working out what specific syllabus areas have so far been tested since the onset of the new integrated syllabus.
101/1- Testing of functional writing at KCSE
YEAR CONTENT/SKILL
2006 Report -Formal & short; report on a trip to a neighboring country
2007 Formal letter – Assistance in publishing a book; through the head teacher; Synopsis, themes,
styles, characterization; why publish
2008 -Notification of a meeting
-Agenda
2009 -Formal letter-letter of inquiry; expression of interest/specific inquiries; quote ref. number
2010 -Speech-formal-launch of a club
2011 Notice and Synopsis
2012 Letter of application and CV
Other functional writing items tested since 1989:
YEAR TYPE
1989 ————Instructions
1990 ————Letter of Application
1991 ————Report (School Magazine)
1992
1993————-Letter of Invitation
1994 ————Survey
1995———– Letter to the editor
1996 ———–Internal Memo
1997 ———–Diary
1998 ———–Informal letter
1999 ———–Recipe
2000———– Personal journal
2001 ———–Dialogue
2002———– Minutes
2003 ———–Internal Memo
2004 ———–Instructions
2005———– Official Letter
ORAL SKILLS
YEAR Listening,
Comprehension ¬e taking Pronunciation Mastery of content Etiquette Non-verbal Cues
2006
2007
2008
2010
2011
2012
FUNCTIONAL WRITING
KCSE REVISION QUESTIONS
(i) Write a confidential report to the Director about Mr. Peter Maina. (10mks)
(ii) Write a letter to Mr. Peter Maina requesting him to attend water reed project seminar on your behalf before he reports to Nakuru. (10mks)
(i) Write a packing list of the personal items you will carry. (10mks)
(ii) Assuming you are the leader of the school Drama Club, write a congratulatory note to the team. (10mks)
(i) Write a thank you note to your teachers and thank them for their support.
(10mks)
(ii) Fax the results of your exam to your uncle in Mombasa who sponsored your secondary education. (10mks)
(i) Write a telegram to his brother (5mks)
(ii) Send your friend a condolence note. (15mks)
will take place. (10mks)
(a) Six members have attended but two cannot and left the apologies. The youth officer in the area was invited. Three members did not attend.
(b) The previous minutes were read through and the dates of the constituency Youth parliament are discussed as matters arising.
(c) Agenda included-registration of the new members, club elections and projects 2012.
(d) A.0.B include: invitation of guest speaker and end year party. (20mks)
(i) Improve library facilities.
(ii) Expand recreational facilities
(iii) Start a school farm
Taking these needs into account, write a report to the principal making recommendations. (20mks)
(a) Write a reminder to the members of your dormitory reminding them not to break school rules. (10mks)
(b) Write an apology letter to the Deputy Principal apologizing for the incident.
(10mks)
(a) Write an advertisement to advertise the bathing soap. (10mks)
(b) Construct a form that the applicants will fill in including all the selections asking for information and the type of employees you will need. (10mks)
(a) Write a short newspaper report on the disaster. (10mks)
(b) Write a letter to the editor of the watchman, column in Nation Newspaper requesting schools to enlighten students on fire disaster management. (10mks)
(a) Write a letter of inquiry to the Managing Director. Express your interest and inquire if they will pay any allowances and whether they can provide accommodation. (10mks)
(b) Write a five day dairy of events you plan to undertake during the first week at the children’s home. (10mks)
(i) Write notification of meeting to inform members about the end year meeting.
(10mks)
(ii) Write a report on the club activities for the year 2012. (10mks)
(i) Make a shopping list for the things you will need for the party. (5mks)
(ii) Write a recipe for your favorite dish you would like to cook in the Birthday
Party. (15mks)
(i) Design a questionnaire on Drug and substance abuse that you will give to the respondents during the collection of the information. (10mks)
(ii) Write a three day personal journal about the tour of kibera slum. (10mks)
(i) Write a public notice to invite neighbouring schools. (10mks)
(ii) Write a book review of this novel “The River and The Source” (10mks)
(i) Write a business letter requesting him to form a business partnership with him. (10mks)
(ii) Write an inventory for the computer hardware that your company possesses.
(10mks)
(i) Design a poster announcing the event and inviting other schools and public to attend. (8mks)
(ii) In not more than 200 words, write a synopsis of the play to accompany the notice. (12mks)
paper requests you to write a book review of Margaret Ogola. “The River and The
Source” and E-mail it to him for publication. Write it out. (20 mks)
would like assistance in publishing the winning entry in a recent competition.
Write a letter to a publisher asking them to consider the book for publication.
Remember to write through the head teacher.
In your letter, include the following
Newspaper, you see an advertisement for a volunteer worker at a children’s home.
Write a letter of inquiry to the manager. Express your interest and inquire if they
will pay any allowances and whether they can provide accommodation.
Remember to quote the reference number of the advertisement. (20 mks)
the following to him or her.
(20 Mks)
lodge has asked you to write a confidential report on one of your former
employees, Mr. Mutuku Mutinda who is seeking a transfer to Kilanguni lodge as a
cheff. Write a confidential report to the manager on Mutuku Mutinda. (20 marks)
SITUATION!! SITUATIONS!!
WANTED – OFFICE TRAINEE
School leaver (male or female) is required to Act as a general
messenger. Applicants must be well spoken and presentable, as
duties will include answering the telephone and conducting
visitors.
A good command of English is essential. Minimum education
requirements- a mean grade B at KCSE with good passes in
English, Maths and Business Education. Typing is an added
advantage.
Please apply in writing to;-
Miss Mutheru, Personnel Manager, Fierce & Striving Ltd.
P.O Box 12345 00100 GPO Nairobi
(a) Write a congratulatory note that you will give to your friend. (5mks)
(b) Write a recipe that your friend will use to prepare the meal to be eaten that day.
(15mks)
In the space provided below, write a sample report that you intend to email to the head teacher. Remember to copy the report to the DEO Kakamega East District
(20mks)
(20mks)
(15mks)
IMAGINATIVE ESSAY.
Write an essay illustrating the saying “Better the devil you know than the angel you don’t know.” (20mks)
EXPOSITORY ESSAY.
Write an essay on “The frequency of road accidents in the country”. (20mks)
ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY.
Write a composition stating whether you agree or disagree with the statement “Educating a woman means educating the whole nation” (20mks)
DESCRIPTIVE ESSAY.
Write an essay describing a scene of a crime that you witnessed recently.
(20mks)
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