A Composition A Week - The Problem With Flashbacks

Flashback is one of the most popular ways of beginning a story. And if used correctly, it is also very effective. However, just like using characterisation to start a story has its pitfalls, you must be careful when using the flashback technique.


How the flashback technique works is that the story starts in the present. An event in the present triggers the narrator's memory and the narrator then recounts the main story as an event that happened in the past, i.e. as a memory. The problem occurs when the pupil forgets to get the narrator to return to the present at the end of the story. To use the flashback technique correctly, the narrator must recollect himself and return to the present moment at the end of the story.


Below is a story by one of the pupils.


It is an excellent story on many counts. The flashback at the start of the story is succinct and effective, the story is well-developed with plot points that flow logically and the writer displays a great range of vocabulary. The only problem is that the writer forgot to bring the narrator back to the present at the end of the story.

Semester Lists for Semester 1 Week 21

Tip of the Week


Certain words in the English language have two forms of Spelling. For example, 'jewellery' which was used in the Semester 1 Week 19. It could be spelled in the following ways:

jewellery

jewelry

Other such words include:

1. judgement and judgment

2. acknowledgement and acknowledgment

3. tranquillity and tranquility

4. spelled and spelt

5. smelled and smelt

6. grill and grille



Note that such words are spelled differently within the British language (that is the British themselves spell the words two ways); it is not the case that one form is British spelling and the other American spelling.


It does not matter which form you choose but the important thing to remember is to be CONSISTENT. Pick one form and stick to it throughout the whole examination paper or essay.

~.      ~.      ~.

Book Revew: CHILLI PADI

Chilli Padi  by Adeline Foo

Mention Adeline Foo and the Amos Lee series, her bestselling books, comes to mind. Chilli Padi is a book from another series written by the same author. While the Amos Lee series deals with the issues faced by schoolchildren in Singapore, the series comprising of The Beaded Slippers, The Kitchen God, Chilli Padi and The Amulet aims to share the Peranakan culture with our children.

The story of Chilli Padi is a simple one: the main character, Puteh, a girl brought up in a Perankan household, lost her temper during the preparations for the Tang Chek (winter solstice) celebrations but it was her servant boy, Itam, who had to bear the consequences of her actions. Puteh regretted her actions when she saw what her actions led to and the rest of the story describes how she tried to make amends for them.

A Composition A Week - A Remarkable Rat

It has been some time since I posted good stories by pupils. With the examinations coming up and to make up for my tardiness, I'll be posting more such stories in the coming couple of weeks. I know, then the posts should not be entitled A Composition A Week, but never mind. :)

The constraints of Continuous Writing in the PSLE are rather limiting. The pupils are not encouraged to write about the supernatural, aliens or fantasy (which includes a range of characters from witches to elves to talking animals). In fact, some teachers have warned pupils that they would fail if they write about such topics in the examination.

Wow, think about that. It means that works like the Harry Potter series, the Lord of the Ring trilogy and the Narnia series, all considered classics in their own right, would have failed in the PSLE.

You three would not have passed muster
in Singapore's PSLE!

That said, rules and regulation are rules and regulations so we teachers and tutors dutifully exhort our charges not to write about the abovementioned topics in all the-important PSLE, not even for the less important but still important school examinations.

But you know what? Children like such stories. They are so whimsical and amazing that children find them interesting and it is easy for them to immerse themselves in the worlds of such stories. And when given such topics to write about, the more natural writers simply get fired up and when they may be sometimes stuck for words, now they find a torrent pouring out.

Hence at times, to spark the pupils' interest, and to give them free rein to truly explore their creativity, in our classes, the tutors turn a blind eye and let the pupils write about these forbidden topics 'just this once'.

We have below an excellent example of such a story. Read and enjoy. We will share with you our analysis and why we think it is a great piece of work.

The assignment given was the beginning of the story below and the writer has to continue the story:

One night, after a movie, you were going home. When you reached your home, you saw something strange outside your neighbour’s house.

This was what the writer came up with:


[Warning: The story is more than 1000 words long.]

A REMARKABLE RAT

Dark rain clouds covered the night sky as I reluctantly slung my bag over my shoulder and headed home. I had just finished watching a movie with my best friend at the cinema and I was trudging home, a wave of guilt flooding over me. I knew it was wrong not to revise for the test for the next day but if I did not agree to go out with my friend, she might just think that I was not keen to be her friend and our friendship would just fade away. All because of the new girl, Cindy. Cindy wore black-rimmed spectacles and she always topped the class – except for English. My best friend, Hilary, had taken a liking to her and now she stuck to Cindy most of the time because Cindy was intelligent. The next day would be our English test. A really difficult one, the teacher had said in class. I groaned. I guess I had to burn the midnight oil this time because if I did badly again, Hilary might decide she did not want to be my friend anymore.

Glumly turning a corner, I was shocked to espy a livid-looking man, my neighbour Mr Tan, about to strike a helpless rat with the handle of a broom. The rat cowered below him, shaking with fear. As I approach it, the rat turned its head to stare right at me. To my astonishment, I heard it speak, ‘Please, rescue me! I promise I will be your loyal friend forever!’

Spelling Lists for Semester 1 Week 20

Tip of the Week


Pupils often get these two words confused:

'struck' and 'stuck'

To untangle the confusion, it is good to go back to the base form of both verbs.


'Struck' is the past tense of 'strike'.

'Stuck' is the past tense of 'stick'.


Once we look at both words in relation to their base form, then it becomes pretty clear which word is which because 'r' is present in both 'strike' and 'struck' but not in 'stick' and 'stuck'.



'Struck' is the past tense of 'strike'.

'Stuck' is the past tense of 'stick'.

Lightning never strikes in the same place twice?

~.      ~.      ~.

Model Answer for Advanced Composition S1W18

In preparation for the upcoming mid-year examinations, the pupils in Advanced Composition were asked to do a full Paper 1 as practice.


The following is the Situational Writing question:

Your Task

Your friend, Michael, expressed his desire to be a volunteer. He is very interested in working in the police force in the future. You came across this pamphlet and decide to tell him about it.

Write an email to Michael, telling him about the information in the pamphlet.

In your email, include the following information:

·         The date and venue of the talk

·         The internet address

·         Information of the quiz games

·         Other information in the pamphlet

·         What you think of the volunteer work

You may re-order the points. You should write in complete sentences.

Firstly, let's number the points that you have to give:

·         The date [1] and venue of the talk [2]

·         The internet address [3]

·         Information of the quiz games [4]

·         Other information in the pamphlet [5]

·         What you think of the volunteer work [6]

Now, you can respond in the following manner:

Book Review: HIT AND RUN

Hit and Run by R.L Stine

Not many readers have R.L. Stine on their radar but he is a vastly popular writer in America. He is the author of the Goosebump series as well as the Fear Street series. In 2003, the Guinness Book of World Records named Stine as the best-selling children’s book series author of all time. In fact, he reminds me of James Lee of Mr Midnight fame. Both write horror stories catered for young readers.

R.L. Stine - the man, not the skeleton

The similarity does not end here. Because their books are intended for the young, the language they use is necessarily simple. Also, do not look for any deep insight in their stories. Even the plots are straightforward and characterisation is shallow.

Run and Hit is that way too. Written for teenagers, in this case, the language used is slightly more advanced than that of the books from the Mr Midnight series but nothing that will win the Nobel Prize for Literature. It is essentially a tale told in the undemanding format of B-grade horror movies.

Four teenagers – Cassie (the only girl in the quartet), Scott, Eddie and Winks – drove without licenses one night. They were all going to take their driving tests and they wanted the extra practice. However, Eddie ran into a person and because they were driving illegally without licenses, they simply drove off, leaving the dead man on the spot, giving rise to the title of the story. What ensued next was a series of baffling and hair-raising incidents. The corpse disappeared from the morgue. They received phone calls from the dead man who warned that he was coming after them. Polaroid photographs of the dead man in a car and at Cassie’s doorstep were also received. Winks was run down and the driver sped away without stopping. All these seemed to point to only one conclusion – the dead man was coming after them.

Spelliing Lists for Semester 1 Week 19

Tip of the Week


The following is a common type of sentence that is seen in stories, compositions and essays:

One of the policemen caught up with the robber and leapt onto him.   ü

Many children (and sometimes even grown-ups, judging from the comments I have seen on Internet forums) have problems with the first part of the sentence. They tend to write it as:

One of the policeman caught up with the robber and leapt onto him.   û

The reason being that they see the word 'one' and in their mind, they're thinking about one policeman.


However, if it is merely one policeman, then it would be simpler and more direct to use 'a policeman'.


The correct phrase is always 'one of many'; what the writer is trying to say is that there were many policemen and one of them leapt onto the robber.


So do keep in mind how to use this type of phrase correctly:

• One of the girls has to go home early today.
• One of the dogs is limping.
• One of the houses belongs to Mr Tan.

~.      ~.      ~.      ~.      ~.      ~.

Book Review: FIVE GO OFF IN A CARAVAN

Five Go Off in a Caravan by Enid Blyton

Enid Blyton is one of the world’s most famous authors, having penned many famous children’s series such as Secret Seven, Five Find-Outers and Famous Five. Five Go Off in a Caravan is one of the books in the Famous Five series, detailing the fantastic adventures of the Famous Five: Julian, George, Dick, Anne and Timmy.

A caravan is a mobile home that is towed by a car.
Inside the caravan are sleeping quarters and amenities for cooking.
Quite nifty, isn't it?

Of  course when Enid Blyton wrote the Famous Five series,
cars were not that common yet. Moreover, the Famous Five,
being children, could not drive. In those days, caravans
were drawn by horses which was much more romantic.

Spelling Lists for Semester 1 Week 18

Advanced Composition

1. eccentric
2. He maintained a stony demeanour each time someone tried to make polite conversation with him.
3. gradually acquired a reputation
4. seized up the situation
5. accomplice
6. I scurried over to do his bidding.
7. trussed ruffians
8. They were amazed when they heard how he had single-handedly taken on two men and triumphed.



Intermediate Composition

1. suspicious-looking
2. The time was ripe.
3. sneaked
4. snatched
5. at the heels of the robber
6. opportunity
7. Fear lent him an extra burst of energy
8. apprehended

Book Review: BEAUTIFUL CREATURES

Beautiful Creatures by Kimi Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Beautiful Creatures is one of those books where people are more likely to have watched the movie rather than the book itself; it is also one of those books where the book (or series) is much better than the movie.

Beautiful Creatures is set in Gatlin, South Carolina, and is narrated by Ethan Carter Wate, an average boy who has literally lived in Gatlin for his entire life, like the generations and generations of Wates before him. In a town that never changes, it’s no wonder that Ethan can’t wait to graduate and get out of Gatlin. But his life is turned upside down when a new girl comes to town. She is Lena Duchannes, the niece of Macon Ravenwood, the “Boo Radley” of Gatlin.

What I enjoy most about this book is the element of mysticism in it. It is revealed that Lena Duchannes is in fact a witch, otherwise called a Caster. She part of a family of Casters with special powers. These Witches are even divided up into special groups depending on their powers: there are the Sirens, who have the power to persuade people to do anything they want; the Illusionists, who can change how things seem; Shifters, who change how things are, and most importantly, the Naturals, who are the most powerful Casters of all. Not only that, there is also an element of light versus dark in the Caster world, where Casters have to claim their allegiance to either the Light, meaning they are good, or the Dark, which will eventually begin to twist their mind, turning them evil.

In the middle of this is Lena, who is nearing her sixteenth birthday, which is the day she will be claimed. The book portrays Lena’s conflict in an interesting manner – she loses control of her powers easily, causing it to rain or even breaking windows, all of which are seen as negative and seem to hint that she will be going Dark; nevertheless, she dreads the idea of going Dark, and does her best to fight against it, oftentimes with Ethan’s support.

One of the main focuses in the book is the romance between Ethan and Lena; unlike in books like Twilight, where the characters fall in love “at first sight”, we can see clearly how Ethan and Lena’s relationship gradually develops as they fall in love. From the first moment they meet, they share a connection - both of them share the same dreams (the reason for this is revealed in the second book) and hence recognise each other. We are given a plausible reason for their interest in each other - not because they fall in love at first sight, but because they just want to know who the other is and why they are sharing dreams. Their relationship develops from there - Lena is treated as a freak due to her connection to Macon Ravenwood while Ethan does what no one else dares to: he stands up for her and defends her. As a result, Ethan becomes an “outcast by association” - this leads to them spending more and more time together, during which their affection for each other grows and they learn to support and encourage each other, making this a relationship that we, as readers, can appreciate and cheer for.

The book also focuses greatly on the power of our actions - throughout the book we are constantly reminded of how the characters’ actions have consequences, often devastating ones. For example, it is revealed that during the Civil War, a love between a mortal, Ethan Lawson Wate (Ethan’s ancestor) and Genevieve Duchannes (Lena’s ancestor) is developed, not unlike Ethan and Lena themselves. Ethan Lawson Wate ends up dying, and in an effort to save him, Genevieve uses the “Book of the Moon”, described as an evil book, practically like the Devil himself. Genevieve manages to revive Ethan for all of two seconds before he dies again - and not only that, she has cursed herself and the rest of her family, as she transforms into a Dark Caster, and the rest of the Duchannes line is cursed to be unable to claim themselves (their allegiance will be decided by the Book of the Moon, instead of by themselves, which is the way it is for all other Casters).

This mistake is repeated yet again by Lena when Ethan (Carter) Wate is killed; she manages to bring him back to life for good, but in turn loses the one other person she loves most in the world (Macon) as a sacrifice to bring Ethan back. Thus we can see that whether or not we succeed in doing what we want, there will always be consequences to our actions, hence we should consider every move carefully, for fear of making a mistake.

All in all, Beautiful Creatures is a very enjoyable book - it has an interesting premise that allows us to root for the protagonists, a believable romance that we can appreciate and enjoy, and also teaches us life lessons, something not every book manages to do.

Rating: 4/5

For ages 14 and above