Many students face challenges when it comes to O level English reflective writing and today, I am going to introduce 3 important techniques to help you overcome the common challenges in reflective writing.
The Intro Trio In O level English Reflective Writing
1. A General Truth
2. Your situation in life
3. A tiny smidgeon about your ‘problem’
O level English reflective writing relies on 2 important factors – the reason Why you are telling this story and the moral at the end.
There has to be a reason why you are telling this story.
This means that you will need to describe a problem or an obstacle and define it in the scope of your experience.
After all, if without a problem, there would be no reason to tell the story would there?
The second factor is the moral at the end.
Most students eliminate it entirely from their O level English composition, preferring to have that ‘happy ending’ conclusion where the problems are resolved.
They forget that there has to be a learning point.
I am going to teach you 3 simple techniques for O level English Reflective Writing which will boost your entire reflective composition.
The standard, appeal and chemistry of your O level English writing will improve instantly and you will never have to worry about not meeting the mark again.
The main approach to any piece of writing lies in the Introduction.
These 3 steps will reveal how a powerfully written introduction can change the entire course of your O level English composition.
Step 1 – Writing a General Truth
Most people call the first line a ‘hook.’
I prefer to use a hook for an argumentative composition as it is usually an unbiased view of current affairs.
When you write a reflective introduction, the story is based on your personal experience.
You need to write from a standpoint which reveals the depth of your background and the journey you have been on.
Your feelings about what you had gone through and the wisdom which you have gleaned from this must shine through in the opening line.
When you start writing a reflective composition, you are writing from the present perspective.
Then the entire story is narrated about how you went through a specific experience and gained that moral understanding or wisdom at the end.
For example, an opening sentence could be like this.
“Trust is something which can only be gained through the passage of time and it took me four years to realise this.”
This is something which you only knew at the end of your experience.
The opening line is like a spoiler which alerts the reader to your mature self now.
Then the story goes back into flashback mode and you recount the entire experience.
Step 2 – Writing about your situation in life
What do you write about after your opening line in O level English reflective writing?
You need to develop that sense of who you are and what you are doing.
And you should Never reveal too much at the start.
Keep it simple and just give one or two details, enough to whet the appetite of the reader.
Mention where you were and what particular circumstance you were in.
Sketch out your background.
Were you in school or just started work?
Make sure that it has room for development later.
Your situation in life should be at the point you were at when this experience began.
You need to focus on a starting point.
The best way to approach it is to remember the Where, When and What.
When you describe these in about 3 sentences, your story will have some shape to it.
Step 3 – A tiny smidgeon about your problem
What does this mean?
Ok. A tiny smidgeon means a small portion.
What I am saying is that you need to describe just a tiny portion of your problem.
Why do I want to say this?
That’s because you need to start putting ‘on the squeeze’ from the word Go.
Every story is only as good as the suspense it delivers.
It is your prime duty to mention just a bit so that it gets the reader thinking.
Just add a little bit about a worry of yours.
Maybe someone appeared on the horizon and it unsettled you slightly.
Do not explain.
Just leave it there and go on to the second paragraph.
Never reveal everything.
Let the story work out by itself and reveal this only later after the climax.
This way of writing will also give you the opportunity to tie up loose ends and work towards a sound resolution.
Ok. I have come to the end of my blog.
This is a ‘tried and tested’ formula.
All my students have used it to achieve resounding success in O level English reflective writing.
These techniques were written after years of research and I have made sure that they are easy to apply to achieve maximum results.
If my students can do it, so can you. 😊