Writing A Transactional Essay
Transactional writing is writing that is part of a chain of written communication intended to inform, persuade, or communicate. Transactional writing includes a wide range of text types, such as business letters, friendly emails, invitations, speeches, and interviews. Students need to learn how to write both social and business formats in order to be successful in school, social settings, and the workplace.
Below Are Tips On How To Write An Effective Transactional Essay
1. Get Off To A Good Start
Read your questions carefully before doing anything and establish the following:
- Who you are writing to
- Why you are writing, i.e. to complain or to ask for information
- What are you writing about
Once you establish what the purpose of your letter or email is then you will be able to know what style you need to use.
2. Planning
A transactional essay needs to be between 120-150 words meaning that it can be quite short. Take advantage if this and use the extra time to plan. It is much easier to write a well-planned answer. Consider the following when making a plan:
- The question – this will give you the basic details about who you are writing to and why. It will also help you figure out if you are writing a formal or an informal letter.
- The original letter or email – this will give you a clear idea of the subject and the kind of vocabulary that you might need. However, note that the more you use your own words the better.
- The handwritten notes – handwritten notes can sometimes give you details that you can use in your answer and can also suggest something that you have to write about.
- 3. Deciding On Paragraphs
Usually your answer will have four or more paragraphs:
- A very short introductory paragraph – just write a sentence to thank the other person for their letter or email and adding any other appropriate comments. Make sure that you know a range of set phrases for both formal and informal letters.
- The first main paragraph – the topic for this is usually given in the original question. Therefore, make your plan based on the letter and notes.
- The second main paragraph – the topic for this again is usually given in the original question.
- The ending – usually, this will be short about a sentence or so but make sure you know a range of formal and informal ways of ending.