Skeleton Frameworks for
Writing
Discussion Text
Discussion text
* presents arguments and information from
different viewpoints
* “for and against”
*
*
*
*
*
*
Discussion organisation 1
Introduction
Statement of issue
to be discussed
for
against
* point +
elaboration
* point +
elaboration
*
“
*
“
*
“
*
“
Conclusion
Summary + (perhaps)
recommendation
Discussion organisation 2
Introduction
Arguments for:
*
*
* etc
Arguments against:
*
*
* etc
Conclusion
When you have made your
grid skeleton, write the
introduction.
Then write one paragraph
‘for’ (or one paragraph per
point ‘for’) and one
paragraph ‘against’ (or one
paragraph per point
‘against’).
Then write the conclusion
Discussion organisation 3
Introduction
(including outline of points
to be discussed)
Point 1: for
against
Then write a paragraph
about point one, a
paragraph about point
two, etc.
Point 2: for
against
Then write your
conclusion
Point 3: for
against
Conclusion
When you have made
your grid skeleton,
write the introduction.
etc., etc
Discussion language features
* present tense
* abstract nouns
* third person
* logical connectives
* discussion
conventions (see page 9)
* complex sentences
Things that you cannot
see or touch
e.g
answer
justice
trust
belief
hope
despair
Discussion conventions
* Don’t take sides –
Some people say…
say what “people” think
Others argue…
* Keep it balanced, e.g
Non-smokers reply…
Smokers would claim that…
On the one hand…
On the other hand…
* Don’t be too definite
– use conditionals
It could be claimed…
This might mean…
possibly
perhaps
Discussion text
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
For/against speech bubbles
Against zoos
Don’t need
anymore
Cruel
*
*
originally for
people to see
animals
now have TV,
video
catch, transport,
cage
For zoos
TV not as
good as
real life
Conservation
*
*
zoochosis
just for
entertainment
Not cruel
*
zoos educational
increase people’s
interest in animals
endangered species
breed in zoos
scientists can
research in zoos
well planned
enclosures
Text
Explanation Text
Explanation text
* explains how or why something happens
* cause and effect
* often in time order
(sequential)
Explanation organisation 1
Simple explanation:
a series of logical
steps
leading to
Probably…
labelled
diagram(s)
leading to
possibly---other causes or
effects at each stage
leading to
When you have made your
flow-chart skeleton, each
section of the flow chart
can become one paragraph
or section of writing.
Explanation language features
* present tense
(except historical
explanations)
If…then…
The reason that
* causal language
* sequential
connectives
* impersonal
language (see
page 8)
* technical
vocabulary
when
so
This results in…
This causes…
Therefore
impersonal language
* third person
* passive voice
* usually formal
vocabulary
This is known as…
(e.g “placed” as opp “put”, “known
as” as opp. “called”)
* formal
connectives
(e.g Furthermore, However,
Therefore, Consequently)
The sides are
covered in…
Explanation text
Cycle
Back to original
3½ kg
53 cm
Newborn
All different
sizes
suck
milk
6 kg
60 cm
3
months
no teeth
tummy
stronger
8 kg
68 cm
9½ kg
6
months
sits up,
plays
72 cm
1
year
some
teeth
stands
teeth
can’t chew
milk + mushy food
some hard
food +
mush + milk
cut up
food
Contains
oxygen
(O )
²
Breathe
in air
O
²
Air sacs
LUNGS
Air sacs
Breathe
out CO
²
capillaries
capillaries
CO
²
capillaries
O
²
cells
HEART
BODY
cells
CO
²
capillaries
Text
Instruction Text
Instruction text
tells how to do or make something
in time order
(sequential/chronological)
Instruction organisation
Title:
what’s to
be achieved
What you need
•-----------------•-----------------•-----------------•------------------
Maybe……
labelled diagrams
What to do, one step at a time
Instruction language features
•Simple clear language
•Imperative verbs
See also third person instructions
•Second person (usually)
See also third person instructions
•Necessary detail only
•Number and/or time connectives
Feed and exercise your dog..
Third person instructions
When more than one
person involved, e.g. a
game
*third person
* present tense
* provide names or
labels
The batting side…
The fielding side…
Writing Instructions
*Do the activity ( or act it out).
Make brief notes as you go
*Make *list of “What you need”
*flow chart of what to do
*diagrams if necessary
*Turn flow chart into written instructions.
What to do, one step at a time
Persuasion Text
Persuasion text
• makes
a case for a particular
point of view
• one
or more points, perhaps with
elaboration
*
*
*
Persuasion organisation 1
point
*
*
*
point
point
elaboration
elaboration
elaboration
…and so on……….
Persuasion organisation 2
Introduction
What? Who? Where? When?
* Point 1
* Point 2
* Point 3
Conclusion
Summing up
When you have
planned your
points, you can
choose whether to
write one
paragraph per point
or group them
together
Persuasion language features
*
Present tense
*
*
Persuasive devices
*
Connectives showing the
move from one point to
another
Logical connectives
If…then
finally
Elaborating a point
Make your point
clearly, in a sentence.
*
point
add further
detail to make
it clear?
elaboration
would it help to:
give your reasons
for thinking that?
give examples
e.g For example,…
For instance,…?
Persuasive devices
*
emotive language
e.g ‘strong’ adjectives
*
Rhetorical question
“Are we expected to..?”
“How will..?”
*
*
deliberate ambiguity
e.g “probably the best”
perhaps, maybe
“dare you to disagree!”
e.g Clearly,.. Surely,..
Obviously,..
Everyone knows that..
*
Turning opinion
into truth
“The fact is..”
“The real truth is..”
Always ask yourself – is it …
FACT or
OPINION
?
Persuasion organisation
*
*
*
Point + evidence chart
point
evidence
Mary is
trouble
she has
betrayed
us
if plots succeed
Spain takes over
*
*
*
thrown out of Scotland
religious probs, war
forced to abdicate, imprisoned
given home, paid for
not paid back
constantly plotting
claims the crown. Supported by
Phillip II
would be P’s puppet
England falls to Spain
Recount Text
Recount text
* retells events
* in time order
(chronological)
Recount organisation
events in time order
when?
where?
conclusion
introduction
who?
what happened
in the end?
why was it
significant?
what?
neat last
line
When you have made your time-line skeleton,
use another colour to chop it into paragraphs.
Recount language features
* past tense
* named people,
places, things
* first or third
person
* time
connectives
Look out also for conjunctions
like when, while, as, after.
Then…
Meanwhile…
Several weeks later…
Within hours…
Impersonal recounts
* newspaper report
Audience
* magazine article
general reader
with some interest
in the subject
* non-fiction book
* biography
Purpose
to inform and
entertain
Personal recounts
* letter
* diary or journal
* write-up of a
trip or activity
Audience
known reader or
self (or posterity)
Purpose
to record,
reflect, entertain
Lively recount writing
Try using:
* powerful verbs
* vary your
- sentence length
- sentence openings
- sentence type
(use occasional questions or
exclamations)
* quotations
* try to link your last line
back to the introduction.
Watch out for these and other recounts in the texts you read
Recount text
Recount organisation
Flow chart
Cards on a washing line
Recount organisation
name
age
Baz born
born
Y1 – Mrs Bennett
chicken pox
1
2
3
4
5
6
introduction
family
where
she was
St Mary’s Hospital
started playgroup
– met Hannah
started school
– Mrs Robinson
Y2 – Mr Long
Text
(personal)
rubber, bamboo,
spices, coconuts,
pineapple
what
who
8.00am
School
where
return
journey
tropical biome
arrive
breakfast on
journey
intro
when
trip round
see biomes
car park
lunch
Video
‘Making
of Eden’
Exhibition
centre
trip round
cooler biome
oranges, lemons,
grapes, olives
shop £2
Talk - cocoa,
chocolate
3.30
home
(impersonal)
Cornwall
Y5
arrive at
Eden Project
Intro
Eden
Project
long bus
tropical
journey
biome
lunch
warm temperate afternoon
and outside
journey home
activities
Last
Friday
Text
Report Text
Report text
* describes what things are like
(or were like)
* not in time order
(non-chronological)
Report organisation 1
simple report
information
organised in
categories
Topic
Main points
in category
More detail
if necessary
Report organisation 1
Introduction
Who-What-Where-When
Paragraph
Section
Paragraph
Section
}1
}2
etc.
When you have made your “spidergram” skeleton,
each spider leg gives you one paragraph (or
subheaded section) in your writing
Report language features
* present tense
(except historical
reports)
* ‘general’ nouns (not
particular people,
animals, things)
* third person
* factual description
* technical words and
phrases
* often formal,
impersonal language
Planning report text
* BRAINSTORM what you know
(and find out more if necessary).
* ORGANISE it into categories.
* Make the SPIDERGRAM.
Write the topic in the middle, and one category on
each leg.
Report text
Longton,
near York
Lee Park
Intro
hopscotch map
games
quiet area
198 pupils
7 classes
built 1967
infants
summer - play
Our School
playground
field
winter
juniors
football
netball
usually
no play
hall
assembly,
lessons
gym
drama
snow - play
lunch
packed
lunch
back
school lunch
front-tables (cupboard)
Spidergram
coiled proboscis
scales/veins
scaly body/wings
insect features
Lepidoptera
definition
wings
characteristics
insect
male/female
differences
reproduction
3,000 max eggs
leaves
1/100
survive
don’t need much for
short life span
Butterflies
lifecycle
feeding
nectar
over-ripe
fruit
proboscis