Directed Writing Exercise: Report (SPM)

Book Review:

Your English teacher has asked the class to read an English novel – fiction or non-fiction. You are to write a book review of the novel.

Based on the notes below, write a review of the novel.

• title, author, publisher, number of pages
• the synopsis
• the main theme[s]
• the main character[s]
• the language and quality of the writing
• personal opinion of novel and comments

When writing the book review, you should remember

• to lay out the review correctly
• to add relevant additional information
• to write in paragraphs

Newspaper Report:

Your neighbour who owns a pedigree cat informed you that his cat went missing and he had a difficult time getting his cat back. As a stringer for a local newspaper, you jotted down some notes as he related to you about the catnapping incident.

Based on the notes below, write a report for the newspaper.

• lost valuable cat – a cat lover found it and sent it to SPCA
• another cat lover saw advertisement – contacted owner
• owner phoned SPCA – officials denied all knowledge of cat
• owner received phone call at night – offering to return dog for reward
• owner contacted finder of cat – finder insisted sent to SPCA
• owner suspicious – contacted police – police planned to trap phone caller
• a trap set – police in hiding – stranger arrived – asked for money
• another arrived with dog – both nabbed – went to address supplied by men
• found SPCA official – cleared many animal-napping cases

When writing the report, you should remember

• to lay out the newspaper report format correctly – headline, by-line, place, day
• to elaborate on information given
• to use paragraphs
• that your report is for a newspaper

Police Report

You returned home after a long weekend away from home with your parents to find that your house had been broken into. You reported the matter to the police who asked you to make a written report.

Based on all the notes below and adding any other relevant information, write your report for the police.

• Date and time you discovered the break-in
• What you saw
• Loss of property
• Damage to house
• Any witnesses?
• Any suspicions?

When you write the report, you must remember

• to write clearly and precisely
• to be brief
• it is a police report