The document provides guidance on choosing and planning a topic to write about. It discusses identifying key words in the topic, brainstorming ideas, and organizing those ideas. It uses the example topic "Describe someone you admire" to demonstrate how to approach each stage of planning. Key steps include identifying instructional and subject words in the topic, mind mapping potential people and their qualities, and outlining the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion to structure the writing.

1. CHOOSING THE TOPIC

2. SOME POINTERS: Choose a topic you understand well. It makes sense to choose what you are best at. Time spent on choosing wisely is time well-spent.

3. PLAN, PLAN, PLAN!

4. PLANNING INVOLVES 3 STAGES: Identifying key words Brainstorming of ideas Organisation of ideas

5. IDENTIFYING KEY WORDS: Key words are important words in a topic. There are 2 types of key words that you should take notice of. Instructional words – relate to the purpose ( why ) of your writing. E.g. discuss , explain , consider , describe and tell . Subject words – tell you what to write. These words will help you make sure you write on the topic.

6. Describe someone whom you admire. How would you approach this topic if you had to write on it?

7. BRAINSTORMING: Letting your ideas about a topic flow. Jot these ideas down as they come, whether you use them later or not. The act of writing something down often stimulates other ideas. You can try brainstorming in a group – sharing ideas which may help someone else think of something useful. Mind-map

8. Describe someone whom you admire - Mrs. Chng Appearance Behaviour Character Petite conservative Hair – grey and straight Big glasses Slid down her nose caring Loved a good joke Enjoyed helping us See the funny side of things Reminded me of my grandmother Always in a hurry Best literature teacher I have had

9. ORGANISATION OF IDEAS: Enable you to see at a glance in which areas ideas are lacking. Make sure that your essay is easy to follow. Your plan can take a diagrammatic form.

10. THE WRITING FRAMEWORK: Indicates what is likely to occur. The purpose is revealed, the subject mentioned, and the tone set. The body is made up of a series of paragraphs that deal with different parts of your topic or sub-topics. The conclusion brings everything to a satisfying close. INTRODUCTION PARAGRAPH 1 PARAGRAPH 2 PARAGRAPH 3 CONCLUSION

11. AN EXAMPLE: Describe someone whom you admire. Mrs. Chng is a magical teacher who casts spells on her classes to make them all love literature. She does not, at first give the impression of being anyone special. In fact, she is very short… Perhaps one day I will be a literature teacher whom someone else will admire – just as I admire Mrs. Chng. INTRODUCTION PARAGRAPH 1 PARAGRAPH 2 PARAGRAPH 3 CONCLUSION