Functional writing

Functional Writing February 6th 2024

1. To learn the correct content and structure of functional writing

2. To revise the different vocabulary related to functional writing
3. To practice our functional writing skills. Find the errors
and
re-correct the
sentences by
changing the
• CC: (Carbon Copy) the email addresses of anyone else who might also need to read
the email​
wrong words to
the correct words.
• RE: (In reference to): The subject of the email should indicate what the email will be
about ​

• BCC: (Blind Carbon Copy): Sends a copy of the email however no one else can see
that you are sending a copy to that person.
Functional Writing
• Diary Entry
• Letter Writing
• Email
• Blog
• Podcast
• Reviews
• Speeches/Debates
• Articles
Podcast Layout (similar to an Interview)
Good use of
sound
effects
(podcast jingle followed by an advertisement for Tesco mobile)
Host John: Hello listeners and welcome to my Podcast. Today we
are going to meet Martin …. Always
Martin: Thanks John I'm delighted to be here introduce
yourself and
your guest

Always end
the podcast
Host John: That’s all we have for today, thanks for tuning in.

(final jingle to fade out)

Good use of
sound
Blog Post
• Blog is short for ‘web log’. It is a journal that is written online. Blog
writers (bloggers) discuss topics personal to them or share their
opinions on issues they think are important’

• 1: Include a headline
• 2: Give your opinion
• 3: Write in the first person ‘I’
• 4:Use Paragraphs
• 5: A blog post is intended to be published online or on a blog page
 Blog Layout (Online Diary)
Blog name

Beckett’s Brilliant Blog Blog title

Sunny Spain was Spectacular

Bloggers name
By Tom Beckett
Date of blog
06/02/25

Chatty style
Hey Guys…………

ending
Until next time my loyal readers!
Diary Entry
You must include:
• 1: Write the date above each entry
• 2: Write in the first person using the personal pronoun ‘I’
• 3:Tell the events that have happened.
• 4:Comment on the events you describe
• 5: Show emotions by using descriptive language
• 6: Write in an informal (friendly) style)
• 7: Think of the diary as a character and give them a name e.g Dear
Kitty, Dear John, Dear Lotty.
Sample Diary Entry
10/08/2021

Dear Lotty,
I'm so angry right now, I could eat this pen! Sarah is now-according to TJ- my ‘ex-
friend’. I mean, why is she making such a big deal about this? I know she's angry
about Gary going out wit me instead of her, but that's not my problem. Why cant she
be supportive? It was okay for her to date Cian when she knew I liked him. TJ said
she's saying stuff about me on Facebook, but I cant see it because my cruel Mum
took my stupid computer. Everything is so unfair. Ill pick this up later-when I'm
calmer……
Talk soon
Jen
 Date
Diary Layout
06/02/2025
Informal/chatty
• Dear Lotty, introduction

• I had the worst day today………

• I’m off to bed Talk to you tomorrow. Informal/chatty ending

Example of a Formal and Informal Email
Structure
• You must:
• 1: Put the email address of the person you are writing to first.
• For example: To: managersunshinedigitaltv.com (formal email)
• For example: To: LorcanSmith@gmail.com (Informal email)

• 2: Put your email address under the name of the person you are writing to.
• For example : To: managersunshinedigitaltv.com
• For example : From: MaryBourke@gmail.com

• 3: Under the email address of the person you are writing to and under you name, write a short note in the
subject section or RE: section to show what the email is about.
• For example : To: managersunshinedigitaltv.com (formal email)
• For example : From: MaryBourke@gmail.com
• For example: Subject/RE: Poor Wi-fi

• Sign off: Yours sincerely (formal email) or Your name (informal email)
Informal email to a friend
Who you are
• To: Johnsmith@hotmail.com emailing
Your email address
• From: Eoinryan@gmail.com
What your email is
• Re: about

Informal/casual greeting
Hi John,
How is the studying going………………

Informal/casual ending
Talk to you later,
Eoin
Formal
Who you are
• To: MrKebab@hotmail.com emailing
Your email
• Form: Johnryan@gmail.com
What your email is
• Re: Food Poisoning about
Formal/professional
To whom it may concern, greeting
I am writing this email to complain about the horrendous service I
received while dining in your restaurant last week.

Formal/professional ending
Yours Sincerely,
John Ryan
Email
• Send an email to a friend in class wishing them the best
of luck for the Junior Certificate exams.

• Remember
2019 Exam Paper
 Speech
You must include the following in a
Speech:
• 1: Address the audience. For example, Ladies and Gentlemen, My fellow classmates
• 2: share your point of view or opinion and state which side of the motion you are on.
• 3: include accurate information about the topic you are speaking about.
• 4: Use paragraphs to divide your points. Each point gets a paragraph and is supported.
• Use anecdotes (this is a short personal story that you may have experienced in your life to
highlight a point you are making.
• 5: Use statistics to support your argument (these statistics can be real or made up).
• 6: Use repetition to support your arguments
• 7: You could use humour, include quotes to support a point
• 8:Use questions to persuade the audience and rhetorical questions (rhetorical question is an
unanswered question: Surely you don’t want this to happen?).
• 9: Closing statement/conclusion sums up your argument.
• 10: Always Thank your audience for listening.
 S a m p le S p e e c h

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. Address the Audience
I am speaking today because I believe teenagers should not be called ‘screenagers’. Teenagers are not addicted to screens even though some adults think this is
the case. Technology is an important part of our lives, but there is much more to us than the technology we use.

2.Give your opinion

Addicted is a very strong word. It means you can't give something up. Personally, I could survive a week without seeing a screen. There's nothing good on most of
the time, anyway. There are lots of things young people do that have nothing to do with screens. When you call us ‘screenagers ’, it makes us sound like zombies
7. Humour
who have no control.
3. Include accurate information
I like Facebook and TV. I like chatting with my friends, but only when I've done my chores around the house and completed my homework. My mom doesn’t think
it’s a good idea to spend too long watching TV, and I agree because it hurts your eyes. My friends are the same, so to call us all ‘screenagers’ is wrong. The other
day one of my friends suggested we play FIFA, but we
4. anecdotes toldpersonal
(short him thatstory
we wanted to may
that you play have
real football outside
experienced instead.
in your life

Teenagers are interested in lots of things that have nothing to do with screens. We paly sport and go for walks. We meet our friends and chat. We don’t all just
gather around a TV for hours and refuse to talk. Recent 5.
research showed that 55 per cent of teenagers spend less time on their screens than their parents or
Use statistics/facts
other adults in their lives. 8. Use questions

I think adults are scared of young people on screens because they don’t know what we are doing all the time. Can you ask us? Of course, you 6.
can. Can you
Repetition
8. Use rhetorical questions
learn something? Definitely. I was able to show my dad how to change something for a work project. You need to trust us. You need to see that this can be a good
thing.

9. Closing statement/ Argument

Adults often spend as much time looking at screens as young people and sometimes more because a lot of them work from home or in offices. I know teenagers
are anything but ‘screenagers’.

Thank you for taking the time to listen to my speech.

10. Thank your audience
Sample Speech
• Imagine you have been asked to host your school awards. Write
your opening speech
Formally
address your
Fellow students, teachers, principal and vice audience
principal,
I am honoured to be here today to host our annual school awards.

Thank your
audience
• Our ceremony has now ended. Thank you for your time and
patience.
 Debate
Opening for a debate

• Chairpersons, judges and members of the opposition, I

am here today to prove to you all that animals should
(or should not) be banned from zoos and
circuses…………….
Explain which side of the
debate you are arguing
(for or against)

• I am sure you will agree with me and join me in

opposing this motion. Thank you /I am sure you will join
Always end your
me in disagreeing with the opposition and support thisby saying
debate
 Interview
You must include the following in an Interview:
• A brief introduction
• For example: In this month’s episode of ‘Before They Were Famous’, Colm Dennehy talks to recent Nobel Prize winner Rory
Kennedy about his formative years.
• Colm Dennehy: Good morning, Rory, and thank you for taking the time to come into the studio this morning…
• Rory Kennedy: Thank you for having me, I am delighted to be here.

• The interviewer’s questions should be quite short and the interviewee's answers much longer.
• For example: Try to link the questions in some way if you can.
• Show that the interviewer has done some research and is listening and responding to the answers. Here are some sample
openings of questions.
• ’That’s very interesting. Did it have any significance on your decision to…
• ‘Was that the main reason you decided to pursue a career in science?’
• ‘You said earlier…’
• ‘You mentioned your father’s influence…’
• ‘You have been quoted as saying…’
• ‘You are on record as an opponent of…’ Etc.
• Include an anecdote (short amusing or interesting story about an incident or person) can help to bring the interview to life
and make it seem more natural and believable

• Show that the interview has come to an end. : Colm Dennehy: Thanks for tuning in as always and thanks to Rory for coming
Interview Use colon : after each name
A brief introduction

• Colm Dennehy: Good morning, Rory, and thank you for taking the time to
come into the studio this morning…
• Rory Kennedy: Thank you for having me, I am delighted to be here.

• Colm Dennehy: Thanks for tuning in as always and thanks to Rory for
coming in today. Always end your interview
• Rory Kennedy: You’re Welcome
V15
F355
Eircode
 Your address
Informal Letter Layout or make it up

21 Red Road,
Listowel,
Co. Kerry.
Informal
greeting 06/02/25
Hi John,
How are you? How is your summer going?

Informal
ending
Talk to you soon,
Eoin
 Your
address
Formal Letter (make it
up)

21 Red Road,
The address of the Listowel,
person you are writing Co. Kerry.
to
06/02/25
The Manager,
Jumbos Takeaway,
Main Street,
Listowel,
Co. Kerry. Formal
greeting
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing you this letter with regards to the horrendous service I received while dining in
your restaurant last week…………………..
Formal ending
Yours Sincerely,
John Smith
Letter of Complaint
 Your
Complaint Letter address
(make it
21 Red Road,
up)
Listowel,
Co. Kerry.
The address of the 06/02/25
The Manager, person you are writing
Jumbos Takeaway, to
Main Street,
Listowel,
Co. Kerry.
Formal
Dear Sir/Madam, greeting
I am writing you this letter with regards to the horrendous service I received while dining in your restaurant
last week…………………..

For these reason I will not be recommending your establishment to anyone, and I will be reporting you to the
Food Safety Authority.

Formal ending
Formal
Yours faithfully,
complaint
John Smith
 Letter of
Information/Enquiry
Review
• A review is your opinion of a book, film, cd, etc. When you are writing a review, you should
include the following:
• 1: The full title of the film, book or CD along with the name of the director for a film, author for
a book or band for a CD.
• Give a brief summary of the book, CD or film- but don’t give away the important parts such as
the ending of the film.
• Give your opinion on three of four aspects of it. Highlight the high points and discuss the
weaknesses but ty to be balanced.
• Use paragraphs.
• Suggest things you would change about the book, film or CD.
• Say if you would recommend it to others.
• Give it a star rating out of 5 or 10. If you liked it, you should be enthusiastic and encourage
others to experience it.
Film Review Give a heading

Name the film and director

• Wonder fills the big screen with hope and love.

As I walked from the cinema, I couldn’t help but feel uplifted. Wonder,
directed by Stephen Chbosky, is the feel-good movie of 2017.

I would give this film a star rating of 5 stars and recommend it to all age
groups.
Always give a recommendation
 Article Writing
Headline
We will not be bullied
Byline
By Mary Smith Your name

We need to address the current issue of bullying in Listowel Community

school.
Date
1 February 2024
st

Opening

We have a serious issue that cannot be ignored………..

Closing
statement
So please stop and speak up if you see any bullying.
Choose 1