Directed writing (audience/purpose/register) - First Language Vietnamese IGCSE Study Notes

Think of Directed Writing like being an actor. When an actor performs, they change their voice, their movements, and even their clothes depending on the character they're playing and the story they're telling. In writing, YOU are the actor, and your words are your performance!

In your exam, you'll be told to write something (like a letter, an article, or a speech) for a specific reason and for specific people. You need to adjust your writing style to fit these instructions perfectly. There are three main things to think about:

• Audience: This is WHO you are writing for. Are they your friends, your teachers, young kids, or grown-ups? Just like you wouldn't use baby talk with your principal, you change your words for different people.
• Purpose: This is WHY you are writing. Do you want to inform them, persuade them, entertain them, or complain about something? Your purpose guides what you say and how you say it.
• Register: This is HOW you write, which includes your tone (how you sound) and your word choices. It's like choosing the right outfit for an occasion. You wouldn't wear a swimsuit to a fancy wedding, right? Similarly, you choose your words and tone to match your audience and purpose. For example, a formal register (like a serious business letter) uses polite, standard language, while an informal register (like a chat with a friend) can use slang and contractions.

Let's imagine you want to convince your parents to buy you a new video game. Now, let's think about how you'd write about this to different people:

1. To your best friend (Audience: Friend, Purpose: Share excitement/plan, Register: Informal)

   • "OMG! The new 'Galaxy Quest' game is out! It looks SO cool! We HAVE to get it! Let's ask our parents together!" (Uses slang like 'OMG', exclamation marks, casual tone).

2. To your parents (Audience: Parents, Purpose: Persuade, Register: Semi-formal/Polite)

   • "Kính gửi Bố Mẹ, Con hy vọng Bố Mẹ khỏe. Con muốn nói chuyện về trò chơi 'Galaxy Quest' mới ra mắt. Con đã tìm hiểu và thấy nó có nhiều yếu tố giáo dục, giúp con phát triển tư duy chiến lược. Con cũng đã hoàn thành tốt bài tập và giúp đỡ việc nhà nhiều hơn. Con rất mong Bố Mẹ sẽ xem xét mua trò chơi này cho con ạ." (Uses polite address 'Kính gửi Bố Mẹ', explains benefits, mentions good behavior, uses 'ạ' for politeness).

3. To the game developer (Audience: Company, Purpose: Give feedback/praise, Register: Formal)

   • "Kính gửi Công ty Phát triển Game, Tôi là một người hâm mộ lâu năm của dòng game 'Galaxy Quest'. Tôi vừa trải nghiệm phiên bản mới nhất và vô cùng ấn tượng với đồ họa và cốt truyện sâu sắc. Tôi tin rằng trò chơi này sẽ là một thành công lớn. Xin chúc mừng đội ngũ phát triển!" (Uses formal address 'Kính gửi Công ty', sophisticated vocabulary, professional tone).

See how the words, the politeness, and even the reasons change completely? That's directed writing in action!