Writing for an audience
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organisation are appropriate to the task, purpose, and audience, maintaining a consistent style and structure throughout
What a learner can do afterwards
- Identify the task, purpose, and audience before writing and make deliberate choices about structure, tone, and vocabulary to suit them
- Organise ideas logically so that the writing flows from introduction through development to conclusion, with each section serving a clear purpose
- Review a draft to check that the organisation, style, and level of formality are consistent and appropriate for the intended reader
1 · Read
Use your planning skills to ask: what am I writing, why, and for whom? These are your task, purpose, and audience. They guide your structure, tone, and words so readers can follow your ideas. A personal birthday card can sound warm and chatty. A formal school report calls for a more serious, informative tone.
For a report or review, a useful order is introduction, development, conclusion. Introduce the topic, group related ideas into paragraphs, then close with your main point. A persuasive letter can open with a request and reason, develop supporting evidence, and end by asking for action. Each part helps the reader follow the next.
Match the tone to the task. A formal letter needs polite language throughout, including its ending. Casual slang can distract from that purpose. Read your draft back: does the tone still fit your reader in every part? Check the order too. A consistent tone helps only if it is suitable for the audience.
Zara wants library books. She texts a friend: 'we need more books lol.' Her formal request says: 'Could the school order more library books? Several shelves are empty.' The request gives a reason in words suited to the task.
When reviewing, check the task and reader again. Change any words or parts that no longer fit.
Choose a plan and tone for your reader, then check that they fit throughout.
The rewritten readings were written for this dataset.
More to read
Choosing writing that fits its readers
Builders make a castle differently from a dog house because each serves different users and purposes. Writers also adapt what they make.
A message for a close friend, a letter thanking your grandmother and a school report have different patterns. These patterns are genre conventions. They guide a piece's organisation, voice and appearance.
Before starting, decide who your readers are and what you want to achieve. For a birthday card, a cheerful, caring tone fits. When asking the council to provide a playground, use polite language and organise your request clearly.
Reviewing a draft for your reader
Finishing a draft gives you something to review. You may revise it several times.
Start with organisation. Does your opening make the subject clear? Do ideas develop in a sensible order? Does the ending bring them together?
Read your work aloud. Does the voice stay the same throughout? A sudden change from friendly words to very formal language can distract your reader. Keep a steady voice that sounds like you.
Choose clear, exact words that suit your topic and readers. Check that your facts are correct. Give credit by naming the sources that helped with your work.
These checks help readers follow your ideas and decide what to think about them. Keep your own voice as you make changes. Your writing does not have to be perfect.
Sharing a personal experience
Your own experiences can interest other readers. Learning to cycle or remembering a proud moment might become a story you share.
A journal entry serves you alone. Writing for people you do not know needs more shaping. Choose the most meaningful moments and describe them with truthful details.
Choose a voice that fits the memory. You can sound playful when telling a funny story. For a serious memory, use a calmer voice that shows careful thought.
Give readers a familiar path through the story: introduce the situation, develop the main event and explain what you learned. Readers have different backgrounds, so use language that is clear and respectful.
Writing a proposal for change
A proposal asks people to consider a change. You might request playground equipment or suggest a comics club.
Explain the problem, offer a workable plan and give reasons to support it. Suppose the school's footballs are flat, but the school has no money for new ones. Your plan could be a bake sale to buy ten balls. Describe expected costs, who would organise the sale and who would benefit.
Adapt the proposal to its readers. A head teacher needs a polite, serious request explaining benefits for the school. A message inviting students to help can sound friendly and enthusiastic.
Decide what would persuade your audience. A clearly explained problem, a practical solution and suitable language give readers grounds to consider your request.
Compose Yourself: A Guide to Academic Writing
Before drafting, think about your purpose, audience, and the form the piece needs. You can return to planning as your ideas develop.
For a comparison, organise the similarities and differences around a clear question. For a research report, group findings by topic and give sources for claims. For an argument, connect your request to reasons and evidence.
Review the draft from your reader's point of view. Are the terms familiar? Is the order clear? Does the tone suit the task throughout?
Check your sources and give credit to the people whose words or ideas you used.
2 · Watch
En anglaisTake it off screen
Where it sits
Where this leads
Jobs that lean on this skill. Follow one to see everything it is built on.
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.