+1 ENGLISH A+ MODULE

REVIEW OR CRITICAL APPRECIATION OF A POEM

STEPS TO BE FOLLOWED WHEN WRITING A REVIEW OR A CRITICAL APPRECIATION OF A

POEM

1. Read the poem at least 3 times

2. Para 1 – present the theme of the poem in 2 or 3 sentences using impressive

words – about the author 2 or 3 sentences – period of the poem, category in
which it is included( quotations by some critics can be used)

An Example: Beginning of an Introduction Paragraph

James Shirley's 'Death the Leveller' often leaves out more of a story than it actually tells. In
order to fully understand the speaker and his/her psychology, readers must carefully pay
attention to the word choice, logical progression, and the use of figures of speech, including
any metaphors or analogies. Understanding the thoughts, feelings, and motivations of a
character not only gives readers a sense of sympathy for the characters but also helps readers
understand the multiplicity of perspectives that make up the truth..............(continues).............

3. Para 2 – summary or plot of the poem

4. Para 3 – other features of the poem. Write at least 2 sentences about the
following things:-

- relation between the title and the content

- describe the theme and its relation with the style (lyric, sonnet, dramatic monologue,
elegy etc) of the poem

- historical background of the poem, period during which the poem was written etc

- speaker of the poem(1st or 2nd or 3rd person narrative)

- comment on other characters(living or dead or inanimate, visible or invisible)

- comment on the time of the day, nature, climate, geography etc

- comment on attractive lines. Quote 1or 2 lines and explain

- write whether the poem has word pictures, images etc

- write whether the poem is verse or prose

- write whether the poem has stanza structure(stanzas having fixed no: of lines or not)

- write whether the poem has rhyme scheme (lines ending with similar sounds – cat-bat,
dig-pig etc)

- write whether the poem has alliteration, assonance (similar sounding words in a line or
adjacent lines)

− write whether the poem has simile and metaphor( a thing is compared to
other. Eg:- she is like a rose, she is a rose)
 − comment on the ending of the poem

− comment on the message of the poem

5. Conclusion (write about the significance of the poem to humanity, its

potential, future etc. quotations by some critics can be used)

QUOTES BY FAMOUS CRITICS THAT CAN BE USED IN A REVIEW

"All great works of literature either dissolve a genre or invent one", said Walter Benjamin once and it rightly
applies to Kipling's 'If'

"poetry is seeking to make not meaning but beauty", said Coleridge once and it rightly applies to H.W.Long
Fellow’s ‘Sunrise on the Hills’

SPEECH

THINGS TO BE NOTED WHEN WRITING A SPEECH

 Be clear about your purpose - to inspire, instruct, support, or lead to action etc.
 Make a striking beginning.
 Get organized, i.e. develop the introduction, body, and conclusion.
 Ensure clarity and brevity. (Use short sentences, clear words etc)
 Be persuasive. (Use expressions like You should…, You must…You ought to…)
 Use capitalizations
 Use expressions of interaction. (Eg: ‘what do you think?’, ‘how do you feel my
dear ?’, ‘what should I say ?’ etc)
 Use effective silences. (put the word ‘silence’ in brackets wherever necessary)
 End with an appropriate conclusion (Eg: Thank you all, Thank you for your kind
ears etc)

STRUCTURE OF A SPEECH

1. Salutation

2. Introduction

3.Content (Present the idea with the help of questions, apt expressions, stories, poems,
quotes, capitalizations etc)

HOW TO BEGIN A SPEECH ?

It’s a special pleasure for me to be here today. I hope all of us here today share a sense
of common commitment. I may begin my thoughts with a quote by Winston Churchill –
“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”

OR

It’s a special moment for me to be here today. I hope all of us here today share a sense of
common commitment. I may begin my discourse with a quote by Oscar Wilde – “To live is
the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.”

OR
It is once in life time kind of opportunity for me to be here today. I hope all of us here today share
a sense of common sentiment. I may begin my discourse with a quote by Albert Einstein -“There
are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though
everything is a miracle.”

USE THESE EXPRESSIONS

I think... , I hope that... , In my view... , In my opinion... , I strongly believe that.... , On

the whole we can say that...

HOW TO END A SPEECH ?

Iam not sure whether I had expressed myself completely or not. Any thank you for your kind ears
and impeccable patience. I hope this golden quote by Mark Twain could conclude this speech
appropriately.

“In life, sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.”

Thank you all.

FRIENDLY LETTER/EMAIL

HOW TO BEGIN A FRIENDLY LETTER?

My dear……..,

It’s been too long since our last visit, and I thought I’d write to you to see how everything is. So,
how are you and the family doing? I am fine and the only thing makes me sad is that I miss you.
Hope we meet soon.

OR

My dear……..,

When was the last time we met? Do you have any idea? It seems an year has been gone. Time
flies, isn’t it? Any way letters like these draw us closer, no doubt. So, how is life? Is everything
fine? I hope so. I am fine and the only thing makes me sad is that I miss you. Hope we meet soon.

HOW TO END A FRIENDLY LETTER?

Don’t feel lonely my dear. I am just a phone call away. Do write. Be positive, be cheerful. We are
with you. GOD almighty is always with you. Hope we meet soon. Take care of your health. Bye.

E Mail

Steps for preparing a good e-mail:

• Start with a salutation.

• Write in short paragraphs.

• Stick to the topic.

• Use capitals appropriately.

• Sign off the e-mail.

* For short informal e-mails, use 'Best regards, With regards or Kind regards'.
For a more formal e-mail, it is essential to close appropriately with 'Yours sincerely/Yours
faithfully'etc.

While writing to people you know well, sign off with something such as 'All the best,' 'Take care,'
or 'Have a nice day,' before typing your name.

REVIEW OR CRITICAL APPRECIATION OF A STORY, DRAMA OR FILM

THINGS TO BE NOTED WHEN WRITING A REVIEW

1. Introduce the author, his age, his other works and the relevance of the given story or
film or drama-evaluate the writing style--whether it is a mystery, romance, thriller,
comedy etc-concentrate on a central idea like the author's intent and theme.
2. Summarize the plot –describe the character - highlight those aspects of the story that
pleased your interest, such as the beginning, the climax etc. Analyze the ending of the
story and reflect upon it.
3. Write about the location of the story, the age, geography, climate, costumes,
language, politics, history natural beauty etc
4. Discuss the author's purpose and whether or not you feel he / she achieved it through
the characters, storyline or style.-discuss the overall message of the story, its
significance- give constructive advice. If you cannot appreciate the story, do not criticize
the author on a personal level, but instead focus your advice on the story elements
themselves.
5. Draw your conclusion. Give your overall opinion of the story.

HOW TO BEGIN A REVIEW?

In the context of literary history, Dr. A.J. Cronin is often seen as one of the masters of
creative genius and craft due to his forays into the realms of bare human life and
experience. The themes that run through Cronin’s works and the language he uses to
embody those themes remain incredibly consistent throughout his panoramic career. The
famous Elizabethan Ben Johnson’s remark about Shakespeare fits rightly to Cronin too –
“He was not of an age, but for all time!”

(you may substitute Dr. A.J. Cronin with any other writer and use the paragraph as an
introduction)

OR

Chekhov's tales are episodic and impressionistic rather than plot-driven. His style is resolutely
objective, and it is difficult to identify an authorial tone within any of his works. He complicates
our responses and makes his characters seem more realistic. By abandoning an authorial tone,
Chekhov refrains from making a moral judgment and forces his readers to assess the characters
for themselves.

QUOTES BY FAMOUS CRITICS THAT CAN BE USED IN A REVIEW

"The genre short story is a moral form. It's about cause and effect", said Alice Munro and it rightly
applies to A.J. Cronin’s The Serang of Ranaganji.

“A short story must have a single mood and every sentence must build towards it. ” - Edgar Allan Poe

“A short story is a love affair, a novel is a marriage. A short story is a photograph; a novel is a film. ” -
M.H. Abrahams.
“The quality of a play is the quality of its ideas.”― George Bernard Shaw

INTERVIEW

THINGS TO BE NOTED WHEN PREPARING AN INTERVIEW

1. Ask a cluster of questions or a statement preceding a question

2. Answer in a paragraph (At least 3 sentences)
3. You can use quotes or stories or poems in questions and answers if necessary, but
be precise and to the point.
Sample questions and answers (can be asked to any one)

1. Was your child hood a delightful one? How do you recollect those days now? Can
you share some of your childhood experiences with us?
Sure. It was a delightful one as far as I feel. Even the child having the hardest
childhood would remember it as a good one because the good experiences
remain in our conscience. That is how our brain works. Even from an objective
point of view I can assure you that mine was a happy one in the sense that I was
more or less free to do and think what I wanted. Of course there were problems
but I was a satisfied child. In fact my childhood world shaped my personality.
2. Do you think our world has become more and more negative now? Some people
nostalgically recollect the ‘Lost Paradise’ of the foregone era. I feel it has been
more or less the same time immemorial. What do you think?

Yes. I totally agree with your opinion. World was never too good or too bad. It is
the attitude of the dwellers here makes the change. When you are young you tend
to perceive everything in silver light. The world caters young minds and when
your mind become old you feel the old world was a better place. So keep your
mind young, don’t fall prey to psychological senility.
3. When we say all these, we tend to glorify youthfulness. Do you think the
youngsters nowadays are more positive? Do you find any imbalances in their
lives?

That is a vexing question. If I am to judge today’s youngsters I must do it from an

objective platform. I always wanted to be with them. In fact it is not “them” but it
is “us”. My thoughts keep me an youngster still. Coming to the question, yes,
there are imbalances, I would say. But nobody outside could help them solve their
problems. It is upto them and they will do it for sure.
4. You are source of inspiration to thousands of people. How do you keep up your
confidence level? What do you do when you feel depressed?

Thank you for the compliments. I am a normal human being and I feel every
emotion just like anybody in the world. There are several ways to get rid of your
depressive mood. The primary one is to believe that everything we face and do is
for the good. In Bhagavad Gita Krishna says- do your duty without thinking about
the results. Find happiness in work not in the result. Positive thinking should be a
habit. Transform an end into a beginning.
5. What does life mean to you? or to put the question in another way, did life teach
you any lessons? What lessons have you learned from life?
I don’t think life is a conventional classroom where you study according to a
syllabus and face examinations and get your grades. Life is much greater a
canvas than a mere class room. Everybody learns from experience and I have
some too. The lessons which I have learned apply only to my life, probably. You
cannot teach someone how to live better. One should learn it by one’s own. Listen
to your soul and do things accordingly.
6. It was nice talking to you. I feel revitalized. Lastly I would like to ask a tricky
question. If God appears before you and asks you to choose another person’s life,
whom do you select and why?
 Ha Ha Ha, as a child I always imagined such things and that is child hood for, isn’t
it? I always fancied becoming a singer, a sports person, or a beautiful actress. But
that doesn’t mean that I am dissatisfied with this life. Of course we like to dream
about “the road not taken”. I think I want live my own life much better if I am
given a chance.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

STRUCTURE OF A LETTER TO THE EDITOR

From,
Name, Address
Date

To,
The Chief Editor
Times of India
Kochi

Sir,
Sub:………………………

I am Pradeep. I work as an accountant in Capital Market Pvt Ltd. I am a

regular reader of your newspaper. First of all I would like to congratulate you on
your responsible demeanour in news reporting. Your true and legitimate ways of
approaching a public activity is unparalleled and deserve credit. Moreover, you
serve the purpose of transacting good English language to the learners country
wide.

I write this letter on a special purpose……… ……………………… …………

………………………........... ………………................................................... ………………
………………………………………………………….

Hope you will look into the matter. I would be extremely grateful if you
publish the matter discussed.No need to publish my name as I prefer tobe
anonymous. Thank you.
Yours Faithfully,

Name

NOTICE/PRESS RELEASE

STRUCTURE OF A NOTICE/PRESS RELEASE

NAME OF THE PROGRAMME

NAME OF ORGANISZATION

Address, Email, Phone

We have decided to conduct a (programme) on (date) at (time) at (venue) under the

auspices of ( organization). Sri ( ) will inaugurate he programme. Sri.( ), Sri.(
), and Sri.( ) will be present. Our society at present needs several of such
programmes. We are committed to such causes.( write 2 or 3 sentences about the
relevance of the program and its possible impact in our society) We seek the help and
support of every one. We wholeheartedly welcome all of you to be present during the
programme.

Place Yours Sincerely

Date Name

Designation

Name of Organization

PROFILE

THINGS TO BE KEPT IN MIND WHEN PREPARING A PROFILE

1. A catchy title or headline

2. 1st para – introduce the person, his greatness, relevance in our society (use
quotes or poem couplets about great lives to create the impression)
3. Birth & Childhood ( use imagination appropriately)
4. Education (School & college)
5. Career and achievements
6. Family life
7. Death
SOME USABLE QUOTES

The great person is ahead of his time – John Ruskin

A great thing can only be done by a great person; and they do it without effort. – John
Ruskin

A position of eminence makes a great person greater and a small person less. – William
Hazlitt

ARTICLE/FEATURE/WRITE UP/ESSAY

Article/Feature/Write up is an essay about an eminent person or an important place or a

decisive incident or similar relevant things. These are commonly seen in magazines,
sunday supplements of newspapers etc.

THINGS TO BE KEPT IN MIND WHEN PREPARING AN ARTICLE/FEATURE/WRITE UP

1. A catchy title or headline

2. 1st para – introduce the person/place/incident, its greatness/relevance in our
society. (may use quotes or poem couplets to create impression)
3. Rest of the paragraphs has no definite structure. Use common sense. Everything
should be light hearted.
4. If it is about a person, include his life history as in a profile.
5. If it is about a place include the details of natural beauty, historical relevance,
climate, geography, route etc.
6. If it is about an incident include location, people involved, details of happenings,
historical, political, social relevance, future effects etc.
YOU MAY USE SENTENCES LIKE THESE
Life posses a mystery in everything it deals with. Surely one could expect the most
unexpected in any moment of this worldly life. Experience brings about maturity as well
as peace of mind. Through this write up, I aim to produce a positive outlook towards life
and our world.
NEWS PAPER REPORT

THINGS TO BE KEPT IN MIND WHEN PREPARING A NEWS PAPER REPORT

1. Headline is mandatory. It must contain the main incident.

Eg: Two Died in a Car Accident OR Oomen Chandy Inagurated the State School
Kalolsavam
2. 1st para – decscribe what happened, when (time&date), where(place),how, who
were involved in the incident, why it happened.
Example:
Alappuzha,17 Oct:Two people died and three others were injured in a car-bus collision at
the NH 47 near Cherthala at 2 AM yesterday. Ramu(28) and Joseph(36) who were in the
Maruthi Swift car died at once when the KSRTC Bus hit them. The Bus was heading to
Kollam and the car was going to Kochi. The passengers in the bus, Rema(32), Rahim(64)
and John(46) were seriously injured and are admitted in the Taluk hospital Cherthala.

3. Remaining 2 paragraphs should contain the details of the incident.

REPORT WRITING

THINGS TO BE KEPT IN MIND WHEN WRITING A REPORT

1. Headline necessary
2. write about the events in the order in which they had occurred
3. use past tense

Travel Essay

1st paragraph - State the name of the place you visited, followed by a catchy comment
on the locale - describe the landscape - its physical features – the description should be
presented in such a way as to arouse the interest of the readers-location of the tourist
spot(country, state, district)

An Example Introduction:

It gives always a nice feeling to travel to places which you had never been to. If you have the
opportunity to tour with the people you like most that would be happiness at its helm. That is what I
had experienced throughout last week. The frosty mornings, the misty sunshine and the foggy air,
with fragrance of exotic flowers, beckon anyone with any sense of beauty to a place such as
Kodaikanal. Fed up with the sweaty, tropical life we had no other choice but the Nilgiris. So close
and so beautiful. It was a dreamy tour, to say the least.

From 2nd paragraph onwards, you can arrange the events that happened during the tour
in the order in which they occurred. You should mention these things:
- practical issues related to travel ( time, vehicle, road, accompanying passengers,
health matters etc)
- incidents that happened during the tour(dancing, singing, photography, spending
time with friends, sad moments, quarrels if any etc)
- natural beauty, climate, geographical peculiarities, historical importance etc
- food, behavior and dress of local people, cleanliness etc
- culture, art forms, music, language spoken, consumer products, shopping centres
etc
- your own impressions of the tour and the spot, recommendations to the future
tourists, how to reach the place etc
 The script of a live TV report.
Live TV Reports are often used during cricket telecasts, news reporting, boat races,
funerals of great people and so on. You should give a live commentary on what you see,
in short, attractive sentences.

. emphasizes the 'now' aspect of the report.

• covers the latest developments the moment they happen.

• engages the audience and makes them feel that they are on the 'spot'. The reporter
could even do a show -and-tell report by pointing out what he/she sees.

• takes the viewers to somewhere they cannot go.

• plans and organizes all the necessary information logically and clearly, giving no room
for confusion.

Example:
Hearty Welcome to everyone. Dear viewers, we are about to watch (write the event) .
What a great, pleasant day! I am at a loss now to explain my feelings right now. I don’t
have the right words to express my emotions. I do feel that you also get the same vibes.
(use may words like “look there.., hold your breath…,wow…, I think I am dreaming…, this
is unreal…,how sad…” etc according to situation)

Character Analysis/Character Sketch

Introduction Para – Name of the lesson, name of the author, name of the character and
his importance in the lesson.

2nd Para – His physical appearance, dress, age etc

3rd Para – His behaviour, character, attitude towards others, relevance in the story, our
opinion about him

Precis Writing

1. give a proper headline

2. Note down the main actions (verbs)

3. avoid the less important ideas, examples, elaboration of ideas etc

4. Rewrite the summary in your own words (make each paragraph 1/3 of the original
size)

Telephonic Conversation/Role Play

Examples of Introducing:-

Hi Gupta, it is Maggie calling.

Hello. This is Maggie calling.

I'm Gupta, can I speak to Maggie, please?

Hello, I am Gupta. May I know who is on the other end?

Hello, Gupta speaking. Can I get Maggie?

Hello Maggie, how are you?

Hello, is it 4446449039? Can I get Maggie?

Examples of Connecting Someone:-

Please, hold on. I'll get her.

One second please.

May I know who you are?

Hang on one second.

Just a minute.

Examples of Making Special Requests:-

Can you hold for a minute?

Could you please repeat that?

Please tell me everything. I'll tell her.

Examples of Concluding Conversation:-

Thanks for calling.

I'll talk to you again soon, Bye`

Talk to you later.

OK. See you later.

We'll meet in person soon.

All right. May I hang up?

EXPLAIN THE MEANING OF THE GIVEN LINES IN A POEM (PARAPHRASING OR

ANNOTATION)

1st Para – Write the name of the poem, name of the author, theme of the poem, stanza in
which the given lines appear
2nd Para – Write the meaning of the lines in your own words, use simple sentences
3rd Para – Write if there are rhyme or poetic devices (rhyme,simile, metaphor,
personification, alliteration etc)

Example Introduction:

The given lines are an integral part of the Poem, ‘Death the Leveller’ written by James
Shirley. The poem is a typical funeral song which emphasizes the universal theme, death
and the impermanence of earthly glory. The given lines are the opening lines of the 1 st
the first stanza.

Travel Brochure/Travel Info

Travel Brochure should contain information regarding

-the physical appearance of the place (photographs of selected places, route maps),

-location,its scope for adventure,

-its culture,customs and traditions,art forms

-how to get there, where to stay and where to dine

-consumer products, shopping centres

-mode of conveyance,climate

-opinions of the past visitors

Collocations

There are different types of collocations. Collocations can be adjective + adverb, noun +
noun, verb + noun and so on. Below, you can see seven main types of collocation in
sample sentences.

1. adverb + adjective

•Invading that country was an utterly stupid thing to do.

•We entered a richly decorated room.

•Are you fully aware of the implications of your action?

2. adjective + noun

•The doctor ordered him to take regular exercise.

•The Titanic sank on its maiden voyage.

•He was writhing on the ground in excruciating pain.

3. noun + noun

•Let's give Mr Jones a round of applause.

•The ceasefire agreement came into effect at 11am.

•I'd like to buy two bars of soap, please.

4. noun + verb

•The lion started to roar when it heard the dog barking.

•Snow was falling as our plane took off.

•The bomb went off when he started the car engine.

5. verb + noun

•The prisoner was hanged for committing murder.

•I always try to do my home work in the morning, after making my bed

•He has been asked to give a presentation about his work.

6. verb + expression with preposition

•We had to return home because we had run out of money.

•At first her eyes filled with horror, and then she burst into tears.

•Their behaviour was enough to drive anybody to crime.

7. verb + adverb
•She placed her keys gently on the table and sat down.

•Mary whispered softly in John's ear.

•I remember vaguely that it was growing dark when we left.

DEBATE/ GROUP DISCUSSION

- In a debate, you have to prepare arguments that support the topic(FOR) and also
arguments that oppose the topic(AGAINST).

- In a group discussion you either prepare arguments that support the topic or
arguments that oppose it.

-think of the negatives and positives of the topic

-express your ideas through complete, meaningful sentences

SOME USABLE QUOTES (can be used in various answers according to the situation)

“Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment, full effort is full victory.” - Mahatma
Gandhi

“In a gentle way, you can shake the world.” - Mahatma Gandhi

“A nation's culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people.” - Mahatma Gandhi

“The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.” - Abraham Lincoln

“A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.” - Abraham
Lincoln

******************************************************************************************

SOME GENERAL TIPS FOR EXAMINATION

1. APPROACH EVERY EXAMINATION PROFESSIONALLY. ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS.
2. SET TIME LIMIT FOR EACH QUESTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SCORE
PROVIDED. STRICTLY STICK TO THE TIME LIMIT.
3. ANSWER EASY AND COMFORTABLE QUESTIONS FIRST. KEEP DIFFICULT
QUESTIONS TO THE END.
4. TRY TO MAKE AN IMPRESSION UPON THE EXAMINER BY GOOD HANDWRITING,
NEAT PRESENTATION AND EXOTIC IMAGINATION. SHOW THAT YOU ARE DIFFERENT
FROM OTHERS AND DESERVE A+.
KEEP WORKING HARD, STAY FOCUSSED, YOU WILL WIN....

Prepared by
Unnikrishnan M.G.
HSST English