Writing for Competitive Exams

 

Module III (A)

Writing for Competitive Exams

·         Official/Formal Letters:

i. Correct format must be used.

ii. There should not be grammatical or spelling mistakes.

iii. Colloquial language (बोली भाषा) should be avoided.

·         Salutation: Dear Sir/Madam; Respected Sir/Madam

·         Complimentary close: Yours faithfully/Yours sincerely

·         Enclosures: CV (In case of an application letter)

 

·         Informal letters:

·         Informal letters are also known as Personal Letters or Friendly Letters.

·         Its main purpose is personal communication.

·         Colloquial language is accepted in informal letters.

 

·         Condolence Letter:

·         It is written to a person who has lost his/her close relative or a loved one.

 

·         Type of Essays:

·         Reflective or Expository Essay: It consists of thoughts or explanatory ideas on various subjects. (e.g. “Truth and Justice”, “Indian Democracy”)

·         Narrative Essay: It consists of a description an event that took place in the past. (e.g. “The Memorable Day in My Life”)

·         Imaginative Essay: In such essay, the writer imagines to be in a place or an object. (e.g. “If I were the prime minister of India”)

 

·         Précis Writing: (प्रेसि रायटिंग)

·         Précis writing is like summarising. However …..

·         Précis is exact one third of the given passage. In summarising there is no such limit.

·         In summary, you can add your comments. In précis, you don’t have such freedom.

·         In précis, you are not allowed to omit important facts.

·         Précis should be written with clarity and understanding.

·         Précis should have a logical order, i.e. coherence.

·         Repetitions should be avoided in précis.

·         Précis should be written in third person narration.