FUNCTIONAL WRITING

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: ·
Listening
· Speaking
· Writing
· Reading

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:-
1. Fixed format— each type of functional writing has specific parts which are arranged
in a specific order.
2. Absolute economy —a piece of writing should limit itself exclusively to giving the
information required, in the fewest words possible.
3. Abbreviations —several standard abbreviations are allowed in functional writing.
4. Conventional language —the language of most samples of functional writing does
not vary. The expressions used in functional writing are determined by common and
regular usage.

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.

Letters
These include letters of application, inquiry, apology, invitations, confidential
letters/reports, letter to the editor, request letter

Institutional writing/documents
These include reminders, minutes, internal memos, notification of a meeting, writing the
agenda, Curriculum vitae

Personal/social writing
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

Process writing
These include giving and following directions e.g. Recipes, Autobiographies,
Biographies, Speech writing, dialogue and conversations.

Report writing
This includes investigative/survey report, newspaper reports and confidential report.
Public writing
This entails designing posters, invitation cards

· Study writing
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

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 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:
 Making an outline – sketch out a bare outline of the main headings under which you
arrange various topics.
 Filling in the outline – arrange the ideas you have collected under these topics. 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

1. PACKING LIST (Excelling in Eng. Bk1 P.146)

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

 Title— e.g. back to school Packing list.
Below your heading, you can have sub headings indicating the categories of
items involved e.g. shoes, clothing, cosmetics e.t.c.
 Quantity—you should show clearly the specific number/quantity of items
involved e.g. three shirts, one tube of 50g toothpaste, three pieces
of soap and two towels.
 Type of items involved e.g. shirt—the cotton one or the blue and yellow striped one.
 You should also give a description of each item to help you distinguish it from the
others.
Example of a packing list.

Packing list for a trip to Maasai Mara

SN. No. of item Item Type Quantity Description

1. Clothes a) Shirts 3 1. The new yellow one
2 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

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 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

2.TO DO LIST
This is a list of activities that you are planning to do. We write this list to avoid forgetting.

2. SHOPPING LIST (Excelling in Eng. Bk1 P.146)

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

 Title—e.g. my birthday shopping list
 Quantity of items that you are going to buy e.g. 2kg of sugar, 2 loaves of bread e.t.c.
 Brand or type of the item you are going to buy e.g. cooking fat—1kg of Kimbo,
Toothpaste—50g of Colgate
 Details of the items to differentiate among the things you are going to buy e.g.
Shirt—blue short sleeved
Pepper—green
 The price of each item to be bought The total amount required

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4. REMINDERS (headstart eng. Bk3 p52)
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 preoccupied
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.
5. DIARIES (Excelling in Eng. Bk. 1 P 62)

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:-
a) Appointment diary
b) Personal journal.
i) Appointment Diary
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

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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

ii) PERSONAL JOURNAL ( Test it and Fix it P.94)

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.
6. POSTERS (golden tips p.175)

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;-
 Notice boards
 Bus stops
 Walls
 Vehicles
 On advertising boards e.t.c.

Features of an effective poster;-

 Use of attractive colours and graphics

 Must be clear enough for one to see from far.
 Must be brief so as to pass on the message to those quickly passing by.
 Must be well written out (grammatical) to look credible.
 Must be written in morally acceptable language.
 Must contain all relevant information so as not to mislead.

 It must indicate its source. It must be indicated that it is a public notice. It is meant for all.

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 It should contain a heading that captures the message carried in the poster. The heading
should either be underlined or in bold. It should be eye-catching.
 The message should be kept as brief as possible but it should also capture the intended
message.
 A notice should be signed at the bottom either by the person sending it out or the
participating partners

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ADVERTISING
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
 To inform consumers about the product (so as to boost sales /for promotion services)
To persuade consumers buy the product.
 To counter competition from similar products or services.
 To make consumers aware of any improvement made on the products.

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.
 Television
 Radio
 Newspapers
 Magazines
 Posters
 Billboards
 Direct mails
 Internet e.t.c.
Features of a good advert
 It must catch the consumer’s attention by using catchy words. Interesting
 It should have a vivid description of the product.
 It should be clear and easy to understand.
 It should mention how the reader or listener will benefit from the product
should he/she buy it e.g. having offers attached to buying it.
 It should be brief and appealing to the eye.
 It should indicate where to find the product.
 It should include a picture to help in catching the readers’ or listeners’
attention.
 A price tag is usually included. It may indicate that the price has been slashed
(e.g. was 120/= now 100/=)
 Exclamation marks are commonly used to show that the one advertising is
wondering why the customer has not taken action.
 INVENTORY
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;Date when the record was
entered Date of delivery of an item.
 Quantity of item.
 Description of a particular item.
 Date of issue
 Signature of the person being issued with an item. Items remaining after
issue.

Below is an example of a stock card from a library inventory of Busad Secondary School.
10. LETTERS (Test it and Fix it P.88)
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
 Indented
BLOCK FORMAT INDENTENT FORMAT

Miti Mirefu Secondary School, Miti Mirefu Secondary School,

P.O BOX 483270-00100, P.O. Box 483270-00100, Nairobi.
Nairobi.

August 2013 17 th August 2013

i) INFORMAL LETTERS

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

 Writer’s address (without the sender’s name)
 Date
 Salutation
 Main body Complimentary close Sender’s name.

ii) FORMAL LETTERS

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

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  Writer’s address (without the sender’s name). This is not written when the letter is
typed on a letterhead.
 Date- this is written after skipping one line from the writer’s address.
 The recipient’s address that is written below the writer’s address but at the left hand
side of the page.
 Salutation e.g. Dear Sir or Dear Madam or Dear Mr/Mrs Fulani
 The subject or reference that indicates the purpose in brief for which the letter is
written.
 Main body that needs to have at most three paragraphs
 Complimentary close—this ends the letter with the words like (Yours Sincerely)
The writer’s signature and full name.
 If there are documents accompanying the letter, it is required that you mention them
under the title “Enclosure”. If there is more than one enclosure, write the number in
brackets)
 If the same letter is being sent to more than one person, then write “CC” below the
enclosure and the name(s) of the recipient(s)

11. MINUTES (Test it and fix it P. 89)

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:-

a) Title or Heading: - this is written in capital letters and underlined. Include aspects
such as the name of the group that is meeting, the date, the venue and time of the
meeting.
b) Record of attendance: - This will include those present. Those absent with apology,
those absent without apology and any non-member who has been invited to attend (in
attendance)

c.The preliminaries: - here, you should note the formalities that introduce a meeting such
as the chair calling the meeting to order, saying a prayer, noting any apologies and the
chairperson’s welcoming remarks.

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d) Confirmation of minutes of the previous meeting: - the secretary reads the minutes and
one member proposes and then another one seconds. Then the secretary and the
chairperson sign the minutes.

e) Matters arising: - these are issues that arise form the minutes of the previous meeting,
which are discussed in the current meeting.

f) Business of the day: - this involves the agenda for the meeting.

g) Any other business: - these are any other issues that are discussed that were not listed on
the agenda.

h) Adjournment: - this brings the meeting to a close. The time when the meeting ends is
indicated here.

i) Date of the next meeting: - this is mentioned, and preferably information on venue and
time should be given.

j) Space for the chairperson and the secretary to sign after the confirmation of the minutes.

N/B: Each item on the agenda should be numbered as a separate minute.

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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:-
a) Annual reports for companies
b) Reports on expenditure in an organization
c) Report of an investigation into an issue.

There are two main types of reports:-

 Informal reports
 Formal reports

INFORMAL REPORTS
Informal reports include newspaper and magazine reports, reports on events, accidents,
incidents e.t.c

12. NEWSPAPER REPORTS (int. eng bk.4 p.147)

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

• A newspaper report is written in continuous prose and it must be brief.

• It must use formal language.
• It must be objective; i.e. no showing of emotions or opinions  It does not have signing
off.

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.
13. REPORTS ON CLUB ACTIVITIES

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.

FORMAL REPORTS
These include reports on investigations, confidential reports, reports in form of programs, e.t.c
14. INVESTIGATION REPORT
A good report should be:-
 Carefully researched on.

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  Concise and well written
 Well organized
An investigation report has the following features: -
 Title
 Introduction/Terms of Reference
15. CONFIDENTIAL REPORTS (Int .Eng. Bk4 P. 155)
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.
 They are not meant for public readership but for the person requesting for them
 It is written in form of a formal letter (this is optional)
 The weaknesses as well as the strengths of the person are mentioned truly It must
focus on the aspects that are relevant to the job applied for.

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.

16. RECIPES (int. eng. Bk4 p39)

(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:-
 The ingredients to be used
 The Ingredients
 The method of cooking
 For cakes and several other foods, the recipe also indicates the temperature at which
the food should be prepared and for how long.
Recipes are written using active verbs and the instructions should be clear and concise.
Features of a recipe
 Title -- It is normally written in capital letters and underlined. It may also indicate
the number of people to be served e.g.

A RECIPE ON HOW TO PREPARE A LEMON COCONUT CAKE FOR

FIVE

 Introduction -- this gives the nutritional value of the food to be prepared. It

also includes the nutrients present in the food/dish .

 Ingredients -- these are the components required to prepare the food and also
their quantity.

 Method/procedure of preparation.

17. MEMORANDA (MEMO ) (Test it and fix it p. 93)

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;-
a) Inform readers on specific issues
b) Influence others to take action.
c) Give feedback on an issue.

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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.

 Name of institution/organization
 The title. “internal memo”
 Reference number of the communication memorandum
 Name and position of the sender
 Name and position of the one to whom the memo is addressed
 Name and position of any other person who needs to know about this communication
 Date of communication
 The subject of the memorandum
 Content
 Closing

18. ELECTRONIC MAILS (E-MAILS)

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. [email protected]), a computer and a
telephone line .

Advantages of using e-mail

 it is easy, fast and simple to write
 One is able to get quick answers without leaving the comfort of his or her desk.
 It saves on money for postage or phone bills
 It breaks the barrier of time zones i.e. you can send an e-mail to anyone in the world
at any time
 The same e-mail can be sent to multiple recipients in different places in the world at
the click of a button.

19. faxes
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.

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20. TELEGRAMS ( headstart eng. Bk. 3 p82)

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

 Use the fewest words possible, since sending a telegram is expensive, as the cost is
calculated per word. You do not have to write complete sentences. Still you must give
all essential information, including the address of the person to whom you are sending
the telegram. Basic polite forms, such as titles and ‘please’ must also be observed.
Your name must be included in the telegram as part of the message.

 Telegraphic messages are normally written on specially printed forms, which you get
from the telegraphic counter at the post office. Follow the instructions on the form.
Remember to write neatly and clearly on the form. We normally use CAPITAL
LETTERS in writing out telegraphic messages. There is a section on the back of the form
where you are required to write your signature and your address. These do not form part
of your message and you are not charged for them.

 It is advisable to count the words in your message and work out hw much you will be
charged for the telegram. The post office normally has a standard charge for the first
ten words o the message, for example, Kshs. 50. if there are more than ten words in
your message, you are charged a certain amount e.g. Kshs. 5 for every extra word.

Hand in your telegram to the post office counter staff, pay the transaction fee s.

22. filling FORMS

A form is a document that contains questions and spaces provided to fill in the answers. Forms
are filled for specific purposes e.g.
 Job application
 Bursary award
 Loan application
 Joining a learning institution e.t.c.

Guidelines on filling forms.

 Filling in forms requires accuracy. Hence one is expected to use legible hand
writing, so that the information filled is understood. In many cases, one is
expected to use capital letters.
 Go through the entire form before filling any blank space.
 Read the instructions carefully.
 If an item does not apply to you, write N/A ( not applicable) Do not fill
unauthorized sections that read For Official Use only.
 Many forms ask for signatures. Ensure that you sign.
 Make a photocopy of the complete form for your records.

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  You must fill the form in the specified order e.g. some forms will specify that
you fill the month before you fill the year.

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
2. How long have you been a choir member? …………………………………

Which voices can you sing? Soprano Alto Tenor

INSTRUCTIONS/DIRECTIONs (Adv. In eng. Bk. 4. p.129)

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;-

 Write simply and clearly.

 Have a thorough understanding of the procedure in detail.
 Use the language level appropriate for the reader.
 Make sure the person to whom you are writing is familiar with the topic you are writing
instructions on. This minimizes misinterpretation.
 Make good use of headings especially when there are sub-tasks.
 Make good use of lists especially when you are giving instructions on things to be
purchased.

24. DIRECTIONS. (ex in eng. Bk. 3 p.101)

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;-

 They should be simple and clear.

 They should be concise and precise
 Use the language level appropriate for the reader.
 Present them in steps and in the correct order or sequence.
 They should be able to indicate or refer to landmarks such as schools, market centres
e.t.c. that can serve as guides. They should also include distances and sides such as left
and right.
 Never approximate distance in terms of time because you cannot know the speed in
which a vehicle travels or the pace in which a person walks.
 They should always begin form the starting point to the destination.

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25. DIALOGUE (Int. eng bk. 1 p. 111,)
(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;-
 A dialogue is written in direct speech.
 Speech marks/quotation marks are not used, but all other punctuation marks are
kept.
 The speaker’s name is written on the left hand side of the book.
 A colon is placed immediately after the speaker’s name.
 Each time the speaker talks, his/her name is written on the left hand side of the
book and his or her exact words are written down.
 Contracted forms of words e.g. “I’ll” instead of “I will” are allowed.
 Explanations of moods or actions of the speakers are written in brackets and in
italics. They are called stage directions.
26. TELEPHONE MESSAGES (explore eng. Bk. 2 p.190)
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;o Listen keenly as the caller gives the message. If the caller
does not speak clearly, seek clarification but avoid interrupting as the message is being
given to you.
o Jot the message down clearly.
o Indicate the full name of the caller, his/her place of work or residence, the time and
date ot the call and any other important details.
o Messages should be passed on to their owners as quick as possible. Urgent messages
should be conveyed with urgency.
When you give a telephone message;o
Try to be clear and brief
o Always remember to give your name and place of work or residence as well as the
telephone number.
o As you give the message, indicate whether the message is personal/official and
whether it should be treated with urgency Example of a Telephone Message.

27. INVITATIONS (int. eng bk2 p.206)

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;-
i) Who the invitation is being issued to.
ii) The actual function of the invitation.

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.

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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;-
o Who is inviting you? o What are you being invited for? o Where
will the function be held? o What date will it take place? o What time
shall it start? o Who will be the Guest of Honour? o Whether the
person needs to carry the card with him to the function?

28. agenda and notification of a 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.
Determine the type of the meeting, whether formal or informal and its length.
Determine the matter or matters that need to be discussed in relation to the group
objectives and annual calendar in the case of a club.
Decide whether the matter needs to be discussed or whether it is a mere
announcement. A matter needing discussion has several sides to be considered before
a decision is reached at. Announcements can be pinned on notice boards or be made
orally at assemblies. The number of items to be discussed should be numbered in the
order in which they will be discussed.
Items for discussion must be in statements for easy understanding, e.g. Election of
officials.
Consider how the matter to be discussed concerns the people invited to the meeting.
Decide whether there are any subsidiary matters that should be briefly discussed.
The agenda items should be clearly stated.
The agenda is therefore sent together with the notification of a meeting.
N/B: Agenda is normally included in the notification of a meeting. Example
of agenda
The notification of a meeting should therefore answer the following questions;-
a) Who will attend the meeting?
b) Where will the meeting take place?
c) When will the meeting take place?
d) What will be discussed in the meeting? Example of a notification of a
meeting.
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

 Writer’s address (without the sender’s name). This is not written when the letter is
typed on a letterhead.

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  Date- this is written after skipping one line from the writer’s address.
 The recipient’s address that is written below the writer’s address but at the left hand
side of the page.
 Salutation e.g. Dear Sir or Dear Madam or Dear Mr/Mrs Fulani
 The subject or reference that indicates the purpose in brief for which the letter is
written.
 Main body that needs to have at most three paragraphs
 Complimentary close—this ends the letter with the words like (Yours Sincerely)
followed by the writer’s signature and full name.
 If there are documents accompanying the letter, it is required that you mention them
under the title “Enclosure”. If there is more than one enclosure, write the number in
brackets)
 If the same letter is being sent to more than one person, then write “CC” below the
enclosure and the name(s) of the recipient(s)

29. letters of Application (Golden tips p.190)

These are formal letters written to request for employment, scholarship e.t.c.
 Application letters can result from advertisements in the dailies or be on one’s
request.
 When applying for an advertised position, make sure that you indicate the
source of the information e.g. the Daily Nation of 15th June 2014.
 Application letters must be brief, clear and concise.
 The letter must be correctly punctuated.

30. LETTERS OF INQUIRY (Golden tips p. 188)

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
31. LETTERS OF APOLOGY (golden tips p.170)

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

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 32. LETTERS OF REQUEST (golden tips p. 189)

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

33. LETTER OF COMPLAIN.

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
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.
34. LETTER of RECOMMENDATION
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.

35. LETTER TO THE EDITOR

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
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:Thank you note
 Congratulatory note
 Condolence note

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36. Thank YOU NOTE
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.

37. CONGRATULATORY NOTE (golden tips p. 192)

(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.

38. CONDOLENCE NOTE. (Golden tips p.192)

(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;-

 Express sorrow at the loss of the departed. E.g. I have learnt with deep sorrow of the
untimely demise of your dear mother.

 Appreciate the value of the life of the departed. E.g. Your late mother was a source
of inspiration to us all.

 Encourage and give hope to the bereaved. E.g. May God give you the fortitude to
bear the loss.

39. SYNOPSIS (golden tips. p.179)

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.

40. BOOK REVIEW (Adv. In eng. Bk. 4 p. 160)

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;The author, title and publishers of
the book.
 The content of the book, that is, what the book is about.
 The language used and the style of the authors.
 The critic (strengths and weaknesses) of the book.

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41. BIOGRAPHY (golden tips p.201)
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.

42. AUTOBIOGRAPHY

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; o The author’s
background — childhood, parentage o Experiences — in
school, when growing up, at work. o Expectations—
fulfilled and those which are unfulfilled
o Adulthood— current situation
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;o
The plot
o Individual style—that reveals the author’s attitude o Personal
convictions.
43. SPEECH (golden tips. P.171)

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;-

 Be clear about the topic you would like to address.

 The audience you are dealing with.- this will determine your language use.
 Acknowledge all those present in order of seniority starting from the highest e.g. the
Guest of Honour, other distinguished guests, and ladies and gentlemen.
 Write your speech in a logical sequence starting either with the most prominent to the
least prominent or vice-versa.

A speech, like any other composition must contain three parts:-

Introduction.
Your introduction should capture the attention of the audience. To begin a speech, you can do
the following.

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 Introduce yourself (if you have not been introduced before by anyone else.)
Thank the audience for the opportunity to address them. You can
introduce your speech ;
 By giving statistics e.g. are you aware that HIV and AIDS kill about
seven hundred people daily in this country?

 With a quotation. E.g. a famous American President once said: ask

what you can do for your country and not what your country can do
for you.

 With short anecdote (a light-hearted remarks) that must be relevant to

your topic.

The Body.
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.

Conclusion
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”

44 . QUESTIONNAIRE (golden tips P. )

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.
 The questions should be clear and easy to understand.
 They should be detailed so as to collect as much information as one could gather.
 The questions should be logically written. You should arrange them in a way that one
question leads to another.
 Start from simple to complex but avoid ambiguity.

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.

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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:

 Listen attentively for comprehension and respond appropriately

 Use listening skills to infer and interpret meaning correctly from spoken discourse
 Listen to and process information from a variety of sources
 Use non-verbal cues effectively in speaking
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:

1. Pronunciation
2. Listening comprehension and note taking
3. Etiquette
4. Non-verbal cues that enhance listening and speaking

In the KCSE paper one, specific items of the syllabus will be examined, among others,
including the following:

 Sound patterns in poetry i.e. those devices that are used to enhance rhythm in a
poem (alliteration, assonance, onomatopoeia, repetition, rhyme, refrain etc). In this
section a learner needs to identify the particular style and illustrate it from the
poem.

 Performance/dramatic techniques such as gestures, facial expressions, tonal

variations, mimicry, body movement, audience involvement, dramatization etc.
are features that are also referred to as paralinguistic features. Under this category
a distinction should be made between those we can say are verbal cues/skills and
non-verbal cues.

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.

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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:
a) August, talk, warden, tale.
b) Shoe, machine, chef, church
c) Cause, course, coarse
d) Steal me, piece, weapon.
Punctuation marks affect how we say/read particular lines in poetry. Consider:
A bright flash!- a lighted plain:
Then, from the once blue heavens,
Accompanied by rain that deafens,
Steadily pours the rain.
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.

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 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 &note taking Pronunciation Mastery of content Etiquette Nonverbal
Cues
2006
 Oral narrative – myth
 Poetry-sound patterns

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  Homophones (vowels)
 Rhyme
 Stress Intonation Dialogue.
 Polite Language.
 Register.
 Attention.
 Listening.
 Participation.

2007
 Oral narrative – ogre
 Oral directions
 Vowels with Homophones.
 Stressed syllables (word Stress)
 Speech
 Dialogue on bad listening habits
 Voice.
 Pitch.
 Intonation.
 Dramatization.
 Audience attention

2008
 Poetry
 Homophones (vowels)
 Rhyme
 Bad listening
 Habits
 Negotiation skills Tone of voice. Punctuation.
 Poor attention

 2009
 Oral poem.
 Features of performance.
 Preparation for narration Homophones (consonants) Debate.
 Mastering fear & anxiety Dialogue. Use of polite language Sentence
stress.

2010
 Poetry – sound patterns.
 Performance of choral verse.
 Rhyme.
 Alliteration.
 Onomatopoeia.
 Homophones (vowels).
 Silent letters
 Choral verse recitation; what listeners should pay attention to.

27
2011
 Oral Poem: performance
 Intonation: rising, falling, homophones, word stress; stressed syllables
 Dialogue: use of polite language;
 Interrupting and disagreeing politely
 Oral poem: verbal and non-verbal presentation to retain audience attention

2012
 Poetry: rhythm, rhyme scheme
 Word stress,
 Homophones
 Speech: Reasons for good delivery,
 Interview; preparation before and during
 Use of polite expressions
 Speech: appearance, grooming, gestures, posture, eye contact, etc.

FUNCTIONAL WRITING
KCSE REVISION QUESTIONS
1. Write an E-mail to your favorite musician inviting him or her to a charity concert to
be held in your school. Indicate the purpose of the concert and any other information you
consider important. (20mks)

2. Imagine you are the Managing Director of Nairobi Water Company. The Managing
Director Nakuru Water Company had asked to write a confidential report on one of your
former employees, Mr. Peter Maina who is to be promoted as a supervisor in Nairobi area.
(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)

3. Your school item has qualified for the national music festival to be held in Mombasa for
one week.
(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)

4. Imagine you have just collected your form four national examination results. You have
passed very well in all the subjects.
(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)

5. Your friend has been bereaved, her mother has died in a road accident, and she has
requested you to send a telegram to his brother who is in Mombasa.
(i) Write a telegram to his brother (5mks)
(ii) Send your friend a condolence note. (15mks)

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6. You are the principal of your school and the local Member of Parliament has invited the
Deputy Principal and the school captain to a luncheon at a atop class hotel in town.
This is as a result of good K.C.S.E performance in your school.
i) Write a memo to the concerned groups informing them of the same. (10mks) ii)
Give them directions to the location of the Imperial Hotel where the occasion
will take place. (10mks)

7. You are the secretary of the youth group in your community. You are required to take
minutes of the proceedings of the meeting. The following information should be included
in the minutes.
(a) Six members have attended but two cannot and left the apologies. The youth officer
inthe area was invited. Three members did not attend.
(b) The previous minutes were read through and the dates of the constituency
Youthparliament 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)

8. You are the secretary of the Social Welfare Club that has been asked to investigate and
recommend the best ways in which to spend a donation to your school. The club has
observed the following needs.
(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)

9. You are a dormitory prefect in your school; one of the school rules is that you should
not keep food in the dormitory. There has been a search and several food items were
confiscated from your dormitory.
(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)

10. Imagine you are the new director of a soap manufacturing company. You wish to
employ some more workers and advertise the company’s new brand of soap CLEANEX
SOAP.
(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)

11. Imagine you are the chairperson of school Journalism Club. Recently, you witnessed
students rescuing a school mate from a burning dormitory, two students burnt to death and
others were seriously injured. The journalist from a local newspaper has asked you to
report the incident since they were not around the vicinity of the school.
(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)

12. You are waiting to join a college after your K.C.S.E examination while reading a
newspaper you sees an advertisement for a volunteer worker at a children home. (a) Write

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 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)

13. You are the secretary of young Farmers Club in your school; you are to hold the end
year meeting.
(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)

14. Imagine you have two thousand five hundred (kshs.2, 500) and hosting a birthday party
in your house for five friends.
(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)

15. You are in school and your brother at home has called you and told you to give him
instructions on how to repair a bicycle tire puncture. Write a letter to him instructing him
on hoe to mend the bicycle. (20mks)

16. You are the chairperson of the school straight talk club you intent to tour Kibera slum
and collect information about drug abuse.
(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)

17. Margaret Ogola is visiting your school to give a talk about the novel The River and
The Source.
(i) Write a public notice to invite neighbouring schools. (10mks)
(ii) Write a book review of this novel “The River and The Source” (10mks)

18. Imagine you are the managing director of Bethwell Agencies a company that deal in
selling computer hardware parts. You intend to partner with a friend who also owns o
computer agency.
(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)
19. You scored a mean grade of A plain in K.C.S.E examination. You have won a
scholarship in Harvard University. The university has requested you to write your
autobiography and e-mail it to the director of studies. Write an autobiography and email
it to this e-mail address, [email protected]. (20mks)

20. Your Drama Club is organizing to stage a performance of Henrik Ibsen’s play, An
Enemy of the People. You are inviting neighbouring schools and the general public to the
event.
(i) Design a poster announcing the event and inviting other schools and public to attend.
(8mks)

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 (ii) In not more than 200 words, write a synopsis of the play to accompany the notice.
(12mks)

21. Imagine that you are Akoko write a letter of complaint to the District Commissioner
complaining about Atieno Kembo who has by force taken over the chieftancy and force
fully trying to grab her wealth (20mks)

22. You are a speaker in a seminar “Youth and Drug Abuse” prepare a speech you would
deliver. (20mks)

23. Imagine you are Kinuthia, Waiyaki’s friend. Waiyaki has become a hero in theAgikuyu
community. Write a biography about him. (20mks)

24. Imagine you are a secretary of St. John’s Academy. The Director of Education has
called wishing to speak to the principal but he was not in the office. He requests you to
inform the principal that he would be coming to school on Wednesday at four and he
would like to be picked from the airport. Write the telephone message. (10mks)

25. Imagine you are one of the Daily Nation Columnists. The Chief Editor of the 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)

26. You are the chairperson of the creative Writing Club in your school. The club 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
 The title of the book and name of author
 A brief description of what the book is about
 Why it is important for the book to be published. (20 mks)

27. You are waiting to join college after you K.C.S.E examination. While reading a
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)
28. Write an E-mail to your pen friend living in Norway. In your E-mail, highlight the
following to him or her.
• Details about you and your family
• Your locality and country
• Places of interest in your country
• You hobbies and interests (20 Mks)

29. While reading the obituaries column in a local daily newspaper, you come across the
untimely demise announcement of a friend. You wish to console the parents of the
deceased. Email your condolences to the parents of the deceased.
(20 Mks)
30. You are the Human Resource manager, Tsavo Inn. The Manager of Kilanguni
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.

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 (20 marks)

31. Imagine you are a resident of Makutano junction market centre and of late you have
noted, with a lot of concern, an increased number of stray dogs and cats in the market.
Write a letter to the editor of a local daily newspaper on the problem, calling upon the
authorities concerned to come to your rescue and eradicate the menace once and for all.
(20mrks)

32. Imagine you are the teacher in charge of examinations in your school. Write an
Internal Memorandum to teachers informing them about the date of submission of the
raw exams for typing, the date of starting the exam, the quality expected of the exam to
be set, serious and thorough invigilation, how to deal with exam malpractices by
candidates, marking and preparing report forms. A copy of the internal memo should be
sent to the District examination co-coordinator; Masinga. (20 mks)

33. Imagine that it is your first day in a new school. Write an entry in your journal
indicating the things that surprised you, those that scared you and those that made your
happy. (20mks)

34. You have completed your form four examination. You have read the following
advertfor a job in The Standard Newspaper; write a letter of application accompanied
with a
C.V that can help you land an interview for the job. (20 mks)

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
35. You have been invited by your best friend, who attained an aggregate mean grade of
A, to a party to celebrate his/her good performance in last year’s KCSE. Your friend has
also asked you to assist in preparing a one course meal for ten guests.
(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)
36. Last year, you read a thrilling novel. You surely wish that your friend would read it.
Write a synopsis that you wish to send to your friend so that he/she may be persuaded to
read it. (20 marks)

37. You did your KCSE last year and scored A, emerging the best in your school and
division. Your former principal has invited you for a prize giving ceremony and asked
you to deliver a speech to the students. Write the speech you are going to give.
(20mks)

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38. Imagine that you sat for your K.C.S.E exams two years ago and passed well, you
have done some training in a professional course. The other day you read an
advertisement in the Daily Nation of a position you qualify for. Apply for it and attach
your functional curriculum vitae (C.V) (20mks)

39. You are the principal of Baraka Teachers Training College and one of your
graduatesMr. Christopher Lipwoni has applied for employment as a teacher at Lihanda
boarding primary school. The head teacher of that primary school has send you an email
requesting you to avail more information about Mr. Christopher Lipwoni to enable the
school decide whether to employ him or not.
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)

40. You are invited to give a speech on the role of the youth in fostering peace in your
country by a friend overseas. You are unable to travel due to unforeseen circumstances.
E-mail your speech to your friend to present it on your behalf.
(20mks)

41. Imagine you live in Mumias, an average town in Western Kenya. The National
MusicFestivals are set to be held in this town for five days. Your friend who lives in
Webuye town intends to come over.
a) Give them clear directions to Nabongo cultural centre in Mumias town. Make your
instructions as precise (one page) and clear as possible – you could use land marks,
well known means of transport, show distance in kilometers e.t.c.
(15mks)
b) Also prepare a packing list for your friend to facilitate their stay in Mumias town for
the duration of the festivals (5mks)

42. You are the proprietor of a newly opened hotel. Write an advertisement describing
the services it offers, the menu, hours of business and give directions to the location of
this new hotel. (20mks)

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.

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