General English, Part C: Composition and Letter Writing

What the official syllabus says

Main Examination, Paper IV: General Hindi and General English

Unit II - General English (Total marks 70)

Part C - Composition & Letter Writing (20 Marks)

• Elaboration of a given theme (Any 1 out of 3, approximately 150 words).
• Writing: Official Letter/Demi-Official/Official Memorandum/Report Writing (approximately 150 words).

Topics in detail

Elaboration of a given theme

• The task: one theme out of three, elaborated in about 150 words
• Kinds of theme: a saying or proverb, a value, or a short statement on a social or public issue
• Order: what the theme means, why it matters, an example or two, and a conclusion
• Staying with the theme; one or two well-linked paragraphs
• Clear, simple sentences and correct grammar; no headings or bullet points
• Choosing the theme on which one has the clearest ideas, not the most impressive-sounding one

Official letter

• Layout: number, government or department, place and date, From, To, Subject, Reference
• Salutation (Sir or Madam), and an opening that states the purpose, often 'I am directed to...'
• Body in short paragraphs; closing ('Yours faithfully'), signature, name and designation
• Endorsement ('Copy forwarded to...') and enclosures

Demi-official letter

• From one officer to another, addressed by name ('Dear Shri ...')
• D.O. number, and the sender's name and designation at the top
• First person, courteous and less formal; used to draw personal attention to a matter
• Closing such as 'With regards, Yours sincerely'

Official memorandum

• Used between departments or offices, and with staff
• Third person ('The undersigned is directed to...'), with no salutation and no complimentary close
• Number, office, date, subject, body, signature with designation, and the addressee at the foot

Report writing

• Kinds: inquiry, inspection, progress and event reports
• Parts: title, to and from, date, background or terms of reference, findings, conclusions and recommendations
• Objective and factual; past tense for what was found; no personal feelings
• Fitting all the parts into about 150 words

The language of official writing

• Formal, concise and unambiguous
• Standard phrases: with reference to, the matter is under consideration, necessary action may be taken
• Correct dates, figures and names; no slang or contractions

Common mistakes

• Mixing formats: a salutation in an office memorandum, or 'Yours faithfully' in a demi-official letter
• No subject line, or a subject line that does not state the matter
• Informal or emotional tone in an official letter or report
• Going far beyond the limit of about 150 words
• Elaborating a theme with a string of quotations instead of one's own reasoning

Overlaps

The same forms are written in Hindi in General Hindi, भाग स, and elaboration of a theme is the English counterpart of पल्लवन in भाग ब.