8 Summary

The main learning points from this session are:

• Modern forms of communication mean that you probably write more than you think you do. It’s important to understand the difference between informal and formal writing.
• To write something formal well, it’s useful to plan it first, write a draft, check it and then produce the final version.
• Different types of text – letters, emails, speeches, articles – have different structures, say different kinds of things and start and finish in different ways.
• To write well formally, you need to spell correctly. There are ways to improve your spelling and to remember tricky words.
• Understanding some very basic grammar rules will also help you to write, because you need to write in sentences, use the right tense for verbs and be able to make longer sentences using conjunctions.
• The same goes for punctuation: understanding how to end sentences properly and how to use commas and apostrophes will help you write well.