Goal: fill an application form, write a 100-word letter of application, use past-perfect passive correctly, write a 200-word career essay. The single most-tested unit at O/L — heavy in Test 11 (word-box), Test 13 (matching adverts), Test 14 (letter), Test 16 (career essay).
📐 Past perfect — passive
- Formula: had been + V3.
- Negative: had not been + V3.
- Question: Had + S + been + V3?
Active : His uncle had told him about the vacancy.
Passive: He had been told about the vacancy by his uncle.
Q: Had any qualifications been asked for?
💼 Letter-of-application shape
- 1. Address top-right
- 2. Date
- 3. Their address (left, lower)
- 4. "Dear Sir / Madam,"
- 5. APPLICATION FOR THE POST OF ... in CAPS
- 6. ¶ ref to advert + post
- 7. ¶ qualifications + experience
- 8. ¶ why you · when free
- 9. "I remain, Yours faithfully," + name.
📋 Application-form fields
- Post applied for · Name in full · Permanent address
- Contact No · E-mail · Date of birth · Age · Sex
- Schools attended · Educational qualifications
- Other qualifications · Co-curricular activities
- Experience · Referees (×2) · Signature + Date
- Tip: BLOCK CAPITALS, neat alignment, never leave a field blank.
📚 Career vocabulary
- Jobs: doctor · nurse · accountant · architect · engineer · journalist · chef · IT technician · graphic designer.
- Qualifications: GCE O/L · A/L · diploma · degree · MBBS · BSc · BA · LLB · professional membership.
- Workplace: vacancy · post · applicant · interview · salary · pension · probation · promotion · CV / resumé.
- Polite phrases: I should be grateful · Looking forward to · I remain · Yours faithfully.
✍️ Writing — match the sign-off
- "Dear Sir / Madam" → "Yours faithfully".
- "Dear Mr. Perera" → "Yours sincerely".
- Word counts: notice 40–50 · paragraph 50–60 · letter ~100 · article / essay ~200.
- NEVER "Looking forward for"; it is "Looking forward to".
- Subject line in CAPITALS earns easy marks.