Transactional Writing Formats
Transactional writing requires you to consider three key elements: form, audience, and purpose. The form is how your writing is laid out, audience is who you're communicating with, and purpose might be to inform, persuade, or entertain.
For an article, leaflet, guide, review or report, start with an informative title or headline. Your opening paragraph should grab attention—perhaps with some conflict—before explaining your main point. Use subheadings to break up text and make it easier to read. Address each bullet point from the question in detail, giving most space to your main arguments.
When writing a letter or email, include the correct address format and date (for letters only). Begin with "Dear [recipient]" and an opening paragraph that addresses the issue in an interesting way. Structure your main body using the bullet points provided in the question, giving each point thorough consideration.
Top Tip: Remember that examiners are looking for your ability to adapt your writing style to different contexts. If writing to a friend, you can be casual, but a formal letter to a newspaper editor requires a more sophisticated approach.
