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Transactional writing is another name for functional writing. This kind of writing includes
letters, e-mails, advertisements, and other writing that can be part of a business transaction or is
part of the broader business world.
This includes the writing of the body copy of an advert or a poster, messages, postcards, notices,
flyers. Transactional writing is very important because you will practise this kind of writing in
your future business career.
¾ The Style
“Style” refers to the particular way something is done. A writing style refers to the way
someone writes so that you know who the writer is.
The person’s point of view is the position from which the person sees something or how
a person thinks about something; a standpoint.
AN INVITATION
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Make sure you include all the necessary information, such as date; time; venue; dress code;
RSVP details.
Choose the right kind of style for the kind of invitation you are sending, so that a wedding
invitation will be more formal but an 18th birthday party invitation might be quite colloquial.
A POSTCARD
Postcards
When you are a tourist, you often write postcards to your friends and family back home.
A postcard will have the message on the left-hand side and the recipient’s name and address
on the right:
Example:
24 November 2006
Dear All
We have visited the caves – and got lost – The Patterson Family
but were rescued by the guide. We 24 Elm Road
have swum for hours in the warm Greenside
sea. Our bodies are burnt, but our minds 2198
are relaxed and happy.
Love
Phillip and Monica
THE MEMORANDUM
A memorandum is an official note or report from one person to another within the same
organization.
Business people often say that “Memos solve problems” because a memo can do any one of the
following:
• Give information
• Ask the person receiving the memo to do something
EXAMPLE OF A MEMORANDUM
Memorandum
TO:
Mr Abdul Mohammed (SGB member: sports portfolio)
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Mr Sibu Mazibuko (Captain, 1st XI)
Mr Terry Coetzer (Vice-Captain, 1st XI)
At the last Governing Body meeting held on Monday 15 January 2007, it was agreed that there
are enough funds in the sports budget to employ a specialized coach for the school’s soccer
teams.
We need to hold a meeting to discuss the action steps we need to take to employ this person as
soon as possible. I suggest we meet on Friday 26 January immediately after school. Please let
the school secretary know as soon as you can whether you can be there.
Plan 1
1. State the information you want to give.
2. Provide any supporting details.
Plan 2:
1. Make your appeal.
2. Provide the evidence or supporting argument
3. Provide a persuasive conclusion.
A Curriculum Vitae (CV) is a brief written account of your personal details, your education,
and the jobs you have had.
CURRICULUM VITAE
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ADDRESS: 26 High Street
Berea
2198
e-mail sonnym@mail.co.za
fax 011-643-1129
1. ACADEMIC BACKGROUND
2. PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
3. EMPLOYMENT RECORD
5. REFEREES
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Telephone Home 476-8039
University of Gauteng 800-4653
I have been working with the street children in Hillbrow Street Children’s Shelter. We currently
have one soccer team, which plays at a local school.
TIPS
1. Organize the details from the earliest date to the latest, but it is usual to arrange the
section on employment, from the latest job to the earliest dates
2. Follow the following outline when you draw up your own CV.
ADVERTISEMENTS
Your aim in an advert is to get someone to buy your product or use your service. You want to
persuade that person that your product is the best for their needs or your service is exactly what
they wanted.
A persuasive, emotive style makes the person believe what you are saying.
The person you are aiming your advert at is called your “target audience”.
EXAMPLE OF AN ADVERTISEMENT
Duration of employment: 20 weeks from 11April – 15 June and 16 July – 21 September 2007.
Salary neg.
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E-mail CV to the Sports Administrator at bdladla@jabulilehigh.co.za by no later than 28 Feb.
• Visuals including
♣ Language/words/sentences
♣ Punctuation
♣ Pictures
♣ Photographs
♣ graphics
♣ Different fonts and font sizes
♣ use of colour or
♣ black and white
• Auditory, including
♣ sound effects
♣ music
♣ Movement, including animations
Font refers to a the printing type on your computer or in the written text you are looking at; the
font refers to the printed or screen characters of the same design and size. It is the typeset, the
lettering, and the characters.
If, in an exam, you are asked to produce a multi-media text, then focus on:
• Words
• Pictures or graphics
• Different sizes of writing
• Lively punctuation
One kind of advert is the one that tells people about a forthcoming event.
• Venue (Place)
• Time
• Date
• Activities offered
• Charge (if any)
• Action required