L E TT E R W R I T I N G

ENGLISH

YOUR TASK

Imagine you are a medieval knight away at battle. Write a letter home to your parents to tell them how you are and what you have been doing.

TYPES OF LETTERSFormal Purpose Informal Purpose

• Bill • Ask for payment

• Email • Pass on information

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THESE TYPES OF LETTERS?

• Language• Content• Target Audience: the person you are writing to

directly impacts how and what you write. • Would you write the same letter to both your best

friend and your grandparents? Why/Why not? How would they differ?

Recipent’s address

Date

Greeting:(e.g. Dear, Hi, Hello and then the person’s name)

Main Body:This will be where you write your letter.

Remember:As this is an informal letter, you can use more informal language.Informal letters usually discuss more personal issues.Think about who you are writing to and adapt your language to suit them. You may use different language with a family member than you would a close friend.Think about why you are being asked to write the letter. Are you trying to persuade your friend/family member to do something? Are you telling them some news? This will influence the way you will write your letter.Break your letter down into paragraphs. Each paragraph should discuss a single idea. Once you have finished talking about that idea, move on to a new paragraph.Check your punctuation. Although this is an informal letter, you will still need to use punctuation in the right places.

Closing:(e.g. Yours sincerely and then your name)

WHAT TYPE OF LETTER WILL YOU BE WRITING?

Informal

Purpose: to tell your parents how you are and what you have been doing.

LIFE AS A KNIGHT

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jamZyBva_LE

WHAT DID KNIGHTS DO?

In the space below, jot down some ideas about what knights did in their day-to-day life. Think about their job and who they interacted with.• E.g. Tournaments, pages, squires…

WHAT WILL YOU WRITE ABOUT?

What would a knight:

See Smell Hear Taste Feel

• Fighting• Blood

• Waste• Rotten food

• Clang• Horses

hooves

• Beer• Sweat

• Weight of armour

• Pain

WORD BANK

http://www.medieval-faire.com/speak.html http://the-orb.net/medieval_terms.html  

It is important to think about the language you use when you write. This Word Bank might give you some ideas about different words to use and what you might write about.

http://boostblogtraffic.com/power-words/

Below is a site that has a list of great words you can use to make your writing more interesting and descriptive.

Below are links to sites with medieval language and definitions that you may choose to include in your letter.

WORD BANK ACTIVITY

Using the Word Bank or websites, try and make the following sentences more interesting:

I had a fight with some guys the other day.I am very tired.I rode my horse to the village.

YOUR REVISED SENTENCES:• I…• I…• I…

HERE’S AN EXAMPLE LETTER

Start with some kind of response to a past letter from your parents. Imagine they have given you some news that you want to reply to.

Then go on to give some information about what you have been doing.

The last two paragraphs could describe specific events or people. Try to make your language as descriptive as possible.

Choose a sentence from this example letter. Can you make it more interesting by adding descriptive language? Can you add any medieval language to improve it?

Highlight the words in this letter that you recognise from the Word Bank. Highlight the words that you think make the letter interesting to read.

YOUR TASK

Imagine you are a medieval knight and write a letter home to your parents. The letter should be between 1-1 ½ pages.

The date can be anytime in the medieval period (1066-1600). For example:

25th February 1287

The address you write to will be:

William and Mary Basset24 Drury LaneNewmarket, Suffolk ENGLAND 5123