Writing Formats

Subject: English A
Classes: 11-A Pools, 11-B Pools and 11-C Pools
School: Ardenne High School
Territory: Jamaica
Year of Examination: 2024

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 Table of Contents

Overview.....................................................................................................................3
Expository Writing....................................................................................................4
Email................................................................................................................................5
Memorandum.................................................................................................................7
Notice............................................................................................................................10
Business Letters.............................................................................................................13
Letter of Apology:...................................................................................................15
Letter of Complaint:...............................................................................................18
Letter of Request:................................................................................................... 20
Application/Cover Letter:......................................................................................23
Letter of Invitation:................................................................................................ 25
Reports..........................................................................................................................26
Incident Report vs. Eyewitness Report..................................................................26
Memorandum Format for Incident/Eyewitness Report:......................................27
Statistical Report:....................................................................................................29
Newspaper Article........................................................................................................ 31
Persuasive vs. Argumentative................................................................................. 33
Format of a Persuasive Essay:.................................................................................. 33
Format of an Argumentative Essay:....................................................................... 34
Example Sample of Argumentative:.......................................................................34
Sample of Persuasive:.............................................................................................. 35
Persuasive Strategies and Devices:...........................................................................37

“Education is the key to success.”

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 Overview
The Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) English A Examination has
two profiles. These are Understanding and Expression. The exam itself has three
components. These are:

Paper 1:
The Paper 1 aspect consists of 60 multiple-choice questions. Section One consists of
25 discrete items and Section Two consists of 35 reading comprehension items
based on five stimuli as follows: one poem; one literary extract ( novel, short story,
biography, diary, letter); one expository extract (for example, encyclopaedia extract,
report, instructions, newspaper article, texts of speeches, transcript of conversations);
one argumentative extract (for example, an advertisement, a speech or a letter to the
editor); one visual extract (for example, table, chart, form, diagram, map, cartoon,
advertisement).

Paper 2:
This component consists of four sections. Section A requires you to do a summary
based on an extract. Section B is an expository writing piece. Section C asks of you
to write a descriptive narrative based on a prompt or an image. Section D is a
persuasive or argumentative essay.

Paper 3:
Paper 3 is the School Based Assessment component.

“Education is the key to success.”

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 Expository Writing
In the CSEC English A Syllabus defines an Exposition as a type of oral or written
discourse that is used to explain, describe, give information or inform. It is
important that you assume that the reader or listener has not prior knowledge or prior
understanding of the topic that is being discussed. Some forms of expository writing
include:
➢ Email
➢ Memorandum
➢ Notice
➢ Business Letters
○ Letter of Apology
○ Letter of Complaint
○ Letter of Request
○ Application/Cover Letter
○ Letter of Invitation
➢ Reports
○ Incident Report
○ Eyewitness Report
○ Statistical Report
➢ Newspaper Article
➢ Instruction Manual

“Education is the key to success.”

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Email
E-mails are messages distributed by electronic means from one computer user to one or
more recipients via a network.

Format of an Email:
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Cc: [email protected] (Optional)
Bcc:
Subject: Application for the Position of Spanish Teacher
Salutation (Dear Sir/Madam:/To whom it may concern:/Dear Ms. Pinto:)
Introduce yourself and purpose for writing
➢ For example, when writing to a potential employer, you might say: "My name is
Earl Rivers. I'm contacting you to apply for the Spanish Teacher position listed
on ardennehighschool.edu.jm."

To-the-point message
· Be direct but polite
· Keep it brief
· Use formal language

Include necessary attachments

➢ For example, include a note like “I am attaching a copy of my resume and
portfolio, in PDF format.”

Complementary close
➢ Yours respectfully
➢ Yours sincerely

“Education is the key to success.”

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Sample:

NB:
You may be asked to do an email format for some of the expository pieces mainly reports
(incident/eyewitness), memorandum or business letters (letter of apology, complaint,
request, application/cover letter and letter of invitation). Be prepared if you asked to do
so. The name of the email must be formal and appropriate.

“Education is the key to success.”

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Memorandum

Format of Memo:
To: [Recipient(s)] Example: Mr. Raphael Brown, Senior Teacher, Ardenne High School
From: [Sender(s)] Eg:Ms. Devorie Smith, Vice Principal, Ardenne High School
Date: [Date sent]: January 16, 2024
Subject: [What the memo is about] Eg: Issues with electronic exams

“Education is the key to success.”

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Paragraph 1:
➢ Quickly and clearly state the purpose of your memo.
➢ Make it short, clear, and to-the-point.
➢ You might begin with the phrase, "I'm writing to inform you … " or "I'm writing
to request ... ".
➢ 5W’s: who, what, when, where, how and why

Paragraph 2 (or 2 - 3):

➢ Summarise any background or contextual information needed to support the
opening paragraph.
➢ Details about what was mentioned in the previous paragraph

Paragraph 3 (or 4):

➢ End with a call to action.
➢ Actions going forward

NB:
If you are asked to do an email format for a memo, the same rules for a memo applies.

“Education is the key to success.”

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Sample:

“Education is the key to success.”

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Notice

Notices are a means of formal communication targeted at a particular person or a

group of persons. It is like a news item informing such a person or persons of some
important event. This can be an invitation to a meeting, an announcement of any event,
to issue certain instructions, make appeals, among others.

It is generally written and then displayed at a public place, where it is accessible to all.
They can be pasted on notice boards. If it is meant for a wider audience, it can even be
published in a newspaper. The government when it issues notices must publish it in
national and local papers.

Tips to Remember:
➢ Be precise and to the point. ...
➢ It is a formal form of communication so the language used should be formal as
well.
➢ Keep the sentences short and use simple words.
➢ Present your notices in a proper format in a box.

Notices should cover some important points that are to be communicated to the
readers. Let us summarize the five points that the content of the notice will
cover, the five W’s

1. What: What is the notice about? The notice should be clear about what is going
to happen (event), or what has already happened (occasion). This is the crux of
the message and should be written clearly. There should not be any ambiguity.

2. Where: If the notice is about an event, then the location of such an event must
be written clearly. The venue or the location is important details, so make sure to
include this in the notice.

“Education is the key to success.”

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 3. When: This is the time and the date of the event or meeting. If possible the
duration of the event should also be mentioned so people can schedule their time
accordingly.

4. Who: This will be who the notice is addressed to. Who is supposed to adhere to
the notice should be clearly mentioned to avoid confusion

5. Whom: The final detail should be who to contact or get in touch with. This
mentions who the appropriate authority is to contact.

Format of a Notice:

“Education is the key to success.”

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Sample:
Question 3: You are Ashley Lue/Aaron Willis, the head girl/boy of Mills International
School. Your school will be publishing the annual magazine next month. Write a notice
for the notice board of your school inviting students to submit write-ups.

Mills International School

NOTICE
May 3, 2021
Annual School Magazine

Mills International School will be publishing the annual magazine on May 23, 2021. The launch
of the magazine will be in the school’s auditorium at 4:00pm. The students are being asked to
submit articles and class pictures. The submission of the articles and pictures should be placed
in the dropboxes located on the school campus. Dropboxes are located at the school’s front
office,inside the school’s cafeteria and by the library. The deadline for the submission of the
documents will be on May 18,2021. Students should submit the articles before classes begin,
during their lunch period and after school. For further details contact Aaron Willis(Head Boy)
or Ashley Lue(Head Girl) at (876)896-0096/(876)877-9005 during the calling hours 8am to
4pm or you can go on our website @MillsInternationalSchool.org and click on our magazine
category where you will be informed about everything you need to know.

Regards,
A.Willis (Signature)
Aaron Willis
Head Boy

“Education is the key to success.”

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Business Letters
A letter is a written correspondence between two persons or a person and a company or
between two companies. Letters can be formal or informal. Informal letters are also
known as friendly letters. Whereas, formal letters are also known as business letters.
There are four types of business letters:
➢ Letter of Apology: There are formal or informal letters of apology. However,a
formal letter of apology is a way of expressing regret towards a past action or
occurrence. This can be done to or by a manager, teacher, principal or a company
to a client.
➢ Letter of Complaint: This is written to deal with a problem situation when
other attempts have failed to rectify the situation.
➢ Letter of Request: This is a formal way of asking a person or company for
something. It would be that you are asking for sponsorship for an event or you
are asking your principal to permit an event.
➢ Application/Cover Letter: This is a written document submitted with a
resume’ which explains the position the applicant is applying for as well as
highlight skills and traits that the applicant might have that is not highlighted in
the resume’.
➢ Letter of Invitation: This is written when you would like to make a request to a
person or a group of persons to attend various events (weddings, parties,
functions, etc.). They communicate specific information and convey goodwill
through courteous tones.

NB:
The block format will be used to show the business letter format. Also, you can be asked
to do any of the five aforementioned letters above in an email format.

“Education is the key to success.”

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Format of a Business Letter:
Street Name,
General Area,
Parish/Parish with Number/Country. (E.g. St. Andrew)

Date.

Recipient’s Name (If name not available the title should be first.)
Recipient’s Title
Company/Business Name
Address (street name),
General Area,
Parish/Parish with Number/Country. (E.g. Kingston 10)

Dear Sir/Madam,

Body

Yours respectfully,
Full Name.

“Education is the key to success.”

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Letter of Apology:
There are formal or informal letters of apology. However,a formal letter of apology is a
way of expressing regret towards a past action or occurrence. This can be done to or by a
manager, teacher, principal or a company to a client.

Format (in terms of Paragraphs):

Paragraph 1:
➢ Outline the reason you are writing and state you are sorry.

Paragraph 2:
➢ Clearly state the problem and explain as much as possible what went wrong.

Paragraph 3:
➢ Try to solve the problem, and give examples of how you can do this.

Paragraph 4:
➢ Apologize again at end the letter.

“Education is the key to success.”

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Sample:
Patchakan Village
Corozal Town,
Belize.

February 9, 2022

Terrilyn Humes
English A Teacher
Corozal Community College
San Andres Village,
Corozal Town,
Belize

Dear Mrs. Humes,

I, Erin Wade, am writing this letter to express my apologies for passing notes in class
while a lesson was being thought on February 8, 2022. I have the utmost respect for you
and the institution, and what happened yesterday was not done intentionally. I hope
you will forgive me after reading this letter because I pledge not to make the same
mistake again.

That day, I realized that you were discussing important topics that will be beneficial to
me, when taking the English A CSEC Examination. Passing notes in class was utterly
disrespectful not only to you but to my classmates who were trying to pay attention.

From now onward I will limit my classroom communication to more helpful comments
that are related to the subject matter and wait to discuss personal things after classes. I
hope you give me another chance to prove to be a sincere and positive student.

I apologize once more for my unmannerly behavior. Hopefully with the remaining time
left in this year, I will make amends for my action.

“Education is the key to success.”

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Yours respectfully,
Erin Wade.

“Education is the key to success.”

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Letter of Complaint:
This is written to deal with a problem situation when other attempts have failed to
rectify the situation.

Format (in terms of Paragraphs):

Paragraph 1: Describe what is wrong with the product or describe the issues/problems.
Give the date of purchase and place of purchase, if applicable.

Paragraph 2: Explain how you would like to resolve the problem.

Paragraph 3: Explain that you look forward to receiving a reply with a resolution. Set a
date or time limit in which to receive the reply. Give a phone number where you can be
reached.

Language Structures of the Letter of Complaint

Introduction Complaint Resolution

I’m writing: ➢ I must object….. ➢ I expect to be

➢ Because…… ➢ I must complain compensated for the
➢ On account of… about….. compensated for
➢ On the subject of…. ➢ I find it quite inconvenience I ……
➢ To draw your distressing that ….. ➢ I expect better service
attention to….. ➢ I feel something from……..
ought to be done/ ➢ I would like to know
said about…… what action you will
➢ It’s time take to resolve this
that….was/were……. situation.
➢ I look forward to a
prompt reply/ a full
explanation
➢ I await your
response/suggestion/
comments…

“Education is the key to success.”

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Sample:

NB:
Depending on the prompt given, you may have to split your paragraphs based on how
many problem/issues you highlighted.

“Education is the key to success.”

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Letter of Request:
This is a formal way of asking a person or company for something. It would be that you
are asking for sponsorship for an event or you are asking your principal to permit an
event.

Format (in terms of Paragraph):

Paragraph 1: Inform your recipient of the reason you are writing. If it is appropriate,
you may write about pertinent information to help the recipient remember you.

Paragraph 2: Discuss what exactly you want the reader to do and if there is any
deadline involved share the information. If there is any requirement involved, include it
as the recipient may need the supporting documentation. Give all the necessary
information that they will need to comply with the request.

Paragraph 3: Conclude the letter by giving your contact details such as your full name,
email address and phone number in the body of the letter. Ask the reader to contact you
if there are any sort of queries, questions or concerns about the request you have asked
for. Finally, thank the recipient for their patience and time to read the letter.

“Education is the key to success.”

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Sample:
#23 Spring Gardens
Greenville
14th March, 2022.

Mrs. Aveng

The Principal
Trinity High School
89 St. Park Street
San Fernando.

Dear Madam,

Good morning, I am the mother of Ryoko Walton who is a Form 4 Business student at
your school. I am writing to inform you of an issue that my son is currently in as a result
of the nationwide flooding that occurred last week.

As you are aware from the national news, many persons are currently dealing with the
impacts of major flood waters which immersed several parts of our country since last
Friday. My family has been adversely affected as our entire home was submerged leaving
us without our basic accommodation, supplies and appliances. Part of this includes
Ryoko’s school uniforms and textbooks, which now compromises his ability to attend
school. I do recognize the importance of his education/classes and I am kindly seeking
permission for him to attend school over the next two weeks, out of his school uniform
and without his books. Once permitted, it is within this time that I hope to acquire
these items for him to comfortably attend school as before.

This allowance would certainly help Ryoko’s progress. At this point, I would like to
apologize for any inconvenience caused and thank you in advance for your consideration
of this letter. I do look forward to your timely response.

“Education is the key to success.”

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Yours respectfully,
Mary Walton
(mother of Ryoko Walton)

“Education is the key to success.”

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Application/Cover Letter:
This is a written document submitted with a resume’ which explains the position the
applicant is applying for as well as highlight skills and traits that the applicant might
have that is not highlighted in the resume’.

Format (based on Paragraphs):

Paragraph 1: State the job you are applying for and where it was advertised and the
date.

Paragraphs 2-3: State why you would like to work for the company. Highlight what
you have to offer the employer , state your experience and skills and say why you are a
good fit for the job. For each skill or quality you mention you can also provide a specific
example.

Paragraph 4: Say thank you to prospective employer for considering you and note how
you will follow up. You can also state at the end that a copy of your resume has been
enclosed.

“Education is the key to success.”

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Sample:

“Education is the key to success.”

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Letter of Invitation:

“Education is the key to success.”

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Reports
Reports are a way of giving information to others about things which have already
occurred. A report answers who, when, what, where, why and how. There are three
main types of reports:
➢ Incident Report
➢ Eyewitness Report
➢ Statistical Report

A report must be factual, accurate and objective. The language is formal and free of
slangs, abbreviations, informal language and/or your opinion.

A report can be written using the business letter format or the memorandum format.
For CXC purposes, you are only expected to use the business letter format for an
incident or eyewitness report.

Incident Report vs. Eyewitness Report

The difference between an eyewitness report versus an incident report is that an
eyewitness report is offers a personal and subjective account whilst an incident report
provides a factual overview.

NB:
In using the business letter format for your incident report/eyewitness report, the
format is similar, however, no salutation line (Dear Sir/Ma’am…) is needed. Instead you
replace it with a “Re” line with a subject which must be underlined.
E.g. Re: Incident on Ardenne High School’s Field during a Football Match

“Education is the key to success.”

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Memorandum Format for Incident/Eyewitness Report:

Format (in terms of Paragraphs):

Paragraph 1:
➢ State what happened (what)
➢ State the date and time (when)
➢ State the place (where)
➢ State who were involved (who)

Paragraph 2 (or 2 - 3):

➢ Explain the events in chronological order
○ What behaviour did I observe?
○ What did the students/ persons do or say?
➢ Do not include bias statements

Paragraph 3 (or 4):

➢ What happened as a result of the incident?

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 ○ To whom was the incident reported?
○ Did anyone go to the hospital?

Sample:
Marji Joe
23 Tangerine Gardens,
Windsor Heights Road,
St Mary.

November 7, 2021

Mr. Winston Black

The Coach
Ardenne High School
10 Ardenne Road,
Kingston 10.

Re: Incident on Ardenne High School’s Field during a Football Match

On October 23, 2020 on the field at Ardenne High School, there was a Football match between
Ardenne and Calabar High. During the match, Josh Brown from Ardenne’s team was badly
injured. This happened approximately 4: 30 pm.

During the second half of the match, Josh Brown was in possession of the ball having received it
from John White near the Center Circle. Just as Josh Brown was about to pass the ball to another
teammate who was in the Penalty Arc, Dwayne Smith from the opposing team collided with Josh
Brown. This resulted in Josh Brown falling backwards and twisting his right ankle. Both Dwayne
Smith and Josh Brown tumbled to the ground.

Subsequently, the coaches and other players ran to the boys’ aid. Both boys were lifted off the
field and brought to Nurse’s Bay. The players’ parents were called, and Josh Brown was taken to
the hospital for further examination by the school’s nurse. Further investigations are being done.

Regards,

Marji Joe.
“Education is the key to success.”

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Statistical Report:
A Statistical Report is a report that is written based on information that is gathered
from analyzing tables, bar graphs, pie charts, surveys, etc. The information gathered is
often refered to as trends and significant figures.

Tips and Format:

➢ Each report must have a heading.
○ E.g. “A Report on the Favourite Movie Genre in Ms. Singh’s Form
Class”
➢ Paragraph 1: Includes the topic sentence which is a brief description of the
figures given. Also includes a general idea of what the figure (bar graph, pie chart,
line graph) above shows and entails
○ E.g. “The following report demonstrates the percentages of each
favourite movie genre in Ms. Singh’s Form Class. Figure 5 above
shows the results of a survey in which the students were asked their
favourite movie genre. The question referred to seven genres namely
comedy, action, romance, drama horror, foreign and science
fiction.”
➢ Subsequent Paragraphs: Highlight the outstanding trends. Mix the ways in
which you present your findings (item by item, show variances by way of the
time, period or total). You MUST identity the positive and negative
significant figures.
○ E.g. “Based on the figures seen, a majority of the class, 27%, prefers
comedy whilst only eight percent prefers foreign and
science-fiction. It can also be seen that there is a sizeable gap of nine
percent between comedy at 27% and action at 18%. The genres of
romance and drama remain even 14% with horror slightly behind
by three percent. Only a small minority of the class prefers foreign
and science-fiction at a consistent eight percent.”

“Education is the key to success.”

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 ➢ Closure: Unlike essays, letters and descriptive-narrative essays, there is not a
defined conclusion that is necessary. Once all of your descriptions have been
presented, EDIT for coherence, accuracy of information and grammar.
➢ Significant Figures are a must!
○ Highest significant figure MUST be analyzed and discussed.
○ Lowest significant figure MUST be analyzed and discussed.
➢ Trends are the patterns observed. They can be negative or positive. They can be
by way of period, items, results or all of the above. MUST BE COHERENT!

Modifiers:
Positive and Negative: Neutral:

1) Remarkable 1) Steady
2) Sizeable 2) Notable
3) Dramatic 3) Consistent
4) Sharp 4) Even
5) Acute 5) Slight
6) Significant

“Education is the key to success.”

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Newspaper Article
A newspaper report is a news story found in newspapers and is designed to provide
people with information about what is happening in the world. News is new
information and is usually about something that has just happened. All news reports
follow a certain structure and have the same key features.

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Sample + Format:

“Education is the key to success.”

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 Persuasive vs. Argumentative
In the CSEC English A Paper 2, you may be asked to write a persuasive essay or an
argumentative essay. But, what exactly is the difference.
➢ In a Persuasive Essay, you state whether you agree or disagree with the prompt
given. Essentially, you take a side and try to convince the reader as to why your
views make sense. However, in an Argumentative Essay, for the prompt, you
state arguments from both sides, but, you are not taking a side. Hence, you are
not trying to convince anyone here.

Format of a Persuasive Essay:

A. Introduction
● Attention Grabber/Hook- “Every child can learn...” rhetorical question, quote,
statistics, hyperbole, use of sarcasm
● Background information
● Stance- state the perspective you take- for/against
● Thesis Statement (The writer’s opinions on a topic)
· Reason 1-
· Reason 2-
· Reason 3-

B. The Body
· Reason 1: Transitional word, Topic sentence-
supporting details
Connecting words and phrases- transitional words
Persuasive devices and Concluding sentence

· Reason 2: Transitional word,Topic sentence, supporting details

connecting words and phrases
Persuasive devices and Concluding sentence

· Reason 3: Transitional word, Topic sentence, supporting details

connecting words and phrases
Persuasive devices and Concluding sentence

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. Counter Paragraph: There are two parts (you seemingly go against your own
points but reinforce why your original points are better.

C. The Conclusion
· Summing up of the three reasons
· Why they support the thesis statement
. Make suggestions

Format of an Argumentative Essay:

It follows a similar format as persuasive writing, however, in this case, your thesis
statement is neither for nor against as you do not take a side and a counter argument is
not needed. Hence, only five paragraphs are done for this.

Example Sample of Argumentative:

(CXC is a conservative organization you will never get this topic btw)

In this case, the thesis statement does

not oppose nor support this topic. A
stance is not taken. Rather, 2 points
against and 1 point for is given.

“Education is the key to success.”

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Sample of Persuasive:
TOPIC: In these devious times, people should increase the way they protect themselves and their
property. Thus, animal activists believe that legally, “pitbulls should be used for security and
protection.”

“A dog is a man’s best friend” is said so often but how true is this in Jamaica? Currently, animal
activists are purporting that pit bulls be used as a means of official security in these times. It is amazing
that these animal rights activists seem to care more for the lives of these ferocious man-eaters than the
victims who have died or been savaged by these beasts. These people must get it through their thick
heads that one human life is more important than all the dogs in the world. I strongly disagree that
pitbulls should be used for protection and security. This is because these dogs are unpredictable and
relentless, they drive fear in people in public and there are alternatives.
Firstly, the “predator conquers prey” instincts in these dogs not only make these dogs
relentless; they are also unpredictable. These precious animals were born with a natural inclination to
attack and kill. Even if it is dormant, it is still there. We should remember the poor granny who was
fatally mauled by the two pitbulls that she reared since they were pups. They turned on their masters!
A breeder once told me that when they are mating, no-one should be near because anyone who
interrupts the process will surely die. How can we consider having them as protection? Thus, pitbulls'
unpredictable and predator natures make them unfit to protect.
Secondly, there is a horrendous fear that people feel when they see pitbulls taking a stroll with
their owners in public. There is utter contempt for these owners from the general public. What about
the poor five year old who was attacked while going to the shop because the owner saw it fit to train his
pitbulls in a public park? What about those young men who nonchalantly ‘parade’ their dogs on
afternoons with weak leashes? What about those owners who do not have fences around their business
place but tie their pitbulls outside with all manners of ‘chains’ which are ineffective against the
animals’ raw strength? Are these people really concerned for human life?. Hence, these dogs
demonstrate no control in public.

“Education is the key to success.”

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 Thirdly, there are other alternatives to protecting one’s property. What about burglar proofing,
alarms, neighbourhood watch groups or less ferocious or more rational dogs like the Alsatian or
German Shepherd? Even though security systems can be expensive, owning and buying a pitbull pup
can be more expensive. A pitbull pup costs $40,000.00 upwards (breeders run lucrative businesses) and
to properly feed one costs $5000.00 a month. However, a security alarm costs $20,000.00 and
installation $8,000.00. In addition, 80% of people from the working class believe that security systems
are more economic than owning a pit bull. Therefore, there are better options other than using pitbulls
for security.
They will say they are simply protecting their properties by owning these dogs. They
will say there are many ways to train the dogs and dogs can be neutered. They will also claim
that ‘would be’ thieves think twice because of the reputation of these dogs. However, no one
can predict when the predator instincts in them can click on. No one can truly train a dog
into submission. No one can truly give a dog a conscience. Therefore, it is not safe using
pitbulls as an effective means of security.
In conclusion, we must all realize that pitbulls are dangerous to human life and it is ironic to
use them as security and protection. They are unpredictable and are capable of killing. They drive fear
in public among people and there are other safer options . Passing legislation to regulate their
ownership is not the answer. Having them neutered is not the answer. If those who support pitbulls as
a legal way of security can not see this, then as a society, we have truly gone to the dogs!

“Education is the key to success.”

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Persuasive Strategies and Devices:

1) Emotional APPEALS: One persuasive technique is appealing to the audience’s emotions

and fears.
2) EVIDENCE: Using evidence is very persuasive as it makes the reader see the author as
knowledgeable and the argument as more logical and reliable. For example: statistics,
expert opinions and research findings.

“Education is the key to success.”

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3) INCLUSIVE & EXCLUSIVE LANGUAGE: Inclusive language such as ‘we’, ‘our’,
‘us’ and exclusive language such as ‘them’ can persuade by including the reader, or by
creating a sense of solidarity or a sense of responsibility. For example: “People like you
and me don’t want to see this happen.”
4) RHETORICAL QUESTION: Rhetorical questions are questions that do not require an
answer and are asked for effect only. They engage the audience and consider the issue
and accept the author’s answer, or imply that the answer is so obvious that anyone who
disagrees is foolish. For example: “Do we want our children to grow up in a world
where they are threatened with violence on every street corner?”
5) GENERALIZATIONS: Make sweeping comments about a whole group, based on only
one or two members of that group. For example: “Grade 8(6) is a very noisy class.”
6) COLLOQUIAL LANGUAGE: Colloquial language is informal, every day, conversational
language that includes down to earth views and is seductive because it appears friendly, and
can make the audience feel that the author is on the same wavelength as them. For example:
“That totally grossed me out” vs “That really disgust me.”
7) HYPERBOLE: The use of hyperbole emphasizes points by exaggerating. It can be used
to mock opposing opinions, as a shock tactics technique, or an appeal to fears. For
example: “Every weekend the city is overrun by beggars.”
8) REPETITION: By repeating letters, words and phrases the author can reinforce an
argument and ensure that the point of view being made stays in the audience’s mind.
9) IMAGERY AND FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE: Use of figurative language, metaphor
and simile can paint a word picture for the audience, making the point visually and by
comparison, or appeal to emotions. They can also make the author appear sophisticated or
well-spoken.
● Example 1: Australia is a fabric woven of many colours. (Metaphor)
● Example 2: Citizenship is thrown around like some confetti. (Simile)
● Example 3: Bodies were piled up in makeshift roadside graves and gutters.
(Imagery)

“Education is the key to success.”

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10) ALLITERATION AND ASSONANCE: The repetition of initial consonant sounds
(alliteration) or vowel sounds (assonance) adds emphasis to major points and makes
them more memorable.
● Example 1: Sydney’s slippery slide. (Alliteration)
● Example 2: Where’s the peck of pickled peppers that Peter Piper picked?
(Alliteration)
● Example 3: The elite meet and greet. (Assonance)
● Example 4: The engineer held the steering to steer the vehicle. (Assonance)

“Education is the key to success.”

39