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Situational Writing

4 dot points across 4 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

Which format does the task need - an email, a letter, a report or a speech - and what does each one look like?

Choose and lay out the correct format for a situational writing task, including the openings, sign-offs and features that each format requires
How to pick the correct format for a Situational Writing task (email, letter, report, speech) and lay it out properly with the right greeting, structure and sign-off.
8 min answer →

How do I work out who I am writing to, why, and in what situation, so that my writing fits the task?

Identify the purpose, audience and context of a situational writing task and use them to shape the content, tone and choices in the response
How to read a Situational Writing task for its purpose, audience and context, and use those three things to decide what to write, how formal to be, and what information to include.
8 min answer →

How do I choose the right level of formality, so my writing sounds suitable for the person reading it?

Match tone and register to the audience and purpose of a situational writing task, choosing appropriate vocabulary, openings and closings for formal and informal situations
How to choose the right tone and register for a Situational Writing task, matching formality to the audience and purpose so a letter to a principal sounds different from an email to a friend.
8 min answer →

How do I use the details in the poster, email or notice I am given, without just copying them?

Select and use the relevant information from the visual text or stimulus in a situational writing task, addressing all the bullet points and reorganising details into your own writing
How to pull the relevant details from the visual text or stimulus in a Situational Writing task, cover every bullet point, and rework the information into your own writing instead of copying it.
8 min answer →