Lesson video

Hello everyone and welcome back to our unit where we're writing a journalistic report about the Titanic.

My name is Ms. Mullins and I'm really, really excited to see what we achieve today.

So let's get started.

By the end of today's lesson, you'll be using research to plan the recount paragraph, focusing on the Titanic's interiors and facilities.

Here are some key words we're going to use, specific information, main clause, non-finite clause, non-finite complex sentence, progressive tense.

Specific information is clear, exact, and particular information.

A main clause is a group of words that contains a verb and makes complete sense.

A non-finite clause is a type of subordinate clause that can start with a verb in the progressive -ing tense.

A non-finite complex sentence is formed of a main clause and a non-finite subordinate clause.

Progressive tenses denote ongoing action over a period of time.

Today we're going to be planning the second recount paragraph of a journalistic report about the Titanic.

Firstly, we'll be looking at some structural and linguistic features, and then we will move on to planning the recount section.

The layout of a journalistic report can look like this.

We can have a headline, an opening, which gives the reader some general information about the event.

The recount section, which gives the reader specific information about the event.

The quote section includes quotes from people who know more about the event.

And the closing, this describes what is currently happening and what is likely to happen next.

So far in our unit, we have already written our opening and now we're onto planning the second paragraph of the recount section.

The purpose is the aim of the text.

The purpose of the recount section is to engage the reader and give the reader specific information about the topic.

In our introduction, our information was very general, whereas now in the recount we make our facts more specific.

The paragraph in the recount section gives the reader specific information about the topic.

It follows a clear structure.

Firstly, we have an introductory sentence, then specific information, and finally a linking sentence.

The introductory sentence introduces what the paragraph will be about.

Specific information gives the reader detailed facts about aspects of the event.

And finally, the linking sentence links on to the next paragraph.

Match each part of the recount section paragraph to its function.

Pause the video while you do that.

Well done if you spotted that the introductory sentence introduces the reader to what the paragraph will be about.

Specific information gives the reader detailed facts about aspects of the event and the linking sentence links on to the next paragraph.

A clause always contains a verb.

Remember, a verb is a doing, being, or having word.

A main clause makes complete sense on its own, but a subordinate clause does not.

A subordinate clause needs to be paired with a main clause to make a full sentence that makes sense.

A non-finite or an -ing clause is a type of subordinate clause, so it does not make sense on its own.

Let's read this sentence together.

Waving goodbye to the crowds at the quayside, passengers boarded the ship.

Let's read this one.

Passengers boarded the ship waving goodbye to the crowds at the quayside.

Do you notice here that our non-finite clause is the clause that has the -ing verb at the start, waving goodbye to the crowds at the quayside, but we can play around with the order of the clauses in this type of complex sentence.

We can use the non-finite clause at the start of the sentence, then a comma followed by the main clause.

Or as with the second version of this sentence, we can start the sentence with the main clause followed by a comma.

And then the non-finite subordinate clause.

We always use a comma to separate the non-finite clause from the main clause.

The non-finite clause cannot be a sentence on its own.

It can start with a verb in the progressive tense, which has an -ing suffix.

In these sentences, the verb in the progressive tense is waving.

The non-finite clause can come before or after a main clause.

Let's read this sentence together.

Overlooking the ocean, First Class passengers' bedrooms are situated on the top deck.

We could also write this as, First Class passengers bedrooms are situated on the top deck overlooking the ocean.

Now just like with the sentences we just looked at, we could start our sentence with the non-finite subordinate clause, which is overlooking the ocean, then followed by a comma and the main clause, or we can switch them round where we start our sentence with the main clause followed by a comma.

And then the non-finite subordinate clause.

All clauses contain a verb, but the verb in the non-finite clause is in the progressive tense verb ending in -ing.

I wonder whether you can spot what is the progressive verb in the non-finite clauses here.

Well done if you spotted that the verb is overlooking your turn and this verb, we know it's in the progressive tense because it ends in that -ing suffix.

Which of the following sentences contain a non-finite or an -ing clause? Pause the video while you read through them all and identify which one contains a non-finite clause.

This sentence includes a non-finite subordinate clause because it begins with a verb in the progressive tense.

This verb is occupying and we know it's in the progressive tense because it ends with that -ing suffix.

This is the non-finite clause, occupying a large space on the starboard side.

You might have also spotted that C was also a non-finite complex sentence.

Let's read it together.

First Class cabins are lavishly decorated with high quality furnishings, including horse hair sofas and marble topped bathroom sinks.

and marble topped bathroom sinks.

This time I wonder whether you can spot where the non-finite subordinate clause is.

Remember to look for that progressive verb form with the -ing first.

is our progressive verb, it ends in -ing.

And our full non-finite clause is including horse hair sofas and marble topped bathroom sinks.

Both of these sentences A and C are non-finite complex sentences.

and C are non-finite complex sentences.

They're just different in that A has the non-finite clause at the start Whereas in C, the non-finite subordinate clause goes at the end of the sentence and instead the main clause goes at the start.

The person or thing doing the progressive tense verb.

for the progressive tense verb.

the same as the person or thing doing the action in the main clause.

or thing doing the action in the main clause.

So the subject of the non-finite clause Whoever is doing the action in the non-finite clause must also be doing the action in the main clause.

the main clause.

Departing from the Southampton docks, crowds waved excitedly.

Crowds waved excitedly.

Now I'm just gonna tell you rather than leave you because were the crowds departing from Southampton docks? No, well done, the crowds weren't the ones departing from Southampton docks.

It was the Titanic, the ship itself.

So can you see here who was doing the departing from Southampton docks? Well, it's the Titanic.

And the crowds are the ones waving excitedly.

So those are two separate subjects.

So they do not work together.

The crowds have to also have been doing the departing for this sentence to make sense and that we know that they didn't.

So this is not an appropriate non-finite complex sentence.

However, if we look at this one, let's read this together.

Departing from the Southampton docks, the ship set off on its maiden voyage.

Now we know that the ship departed Southampton docks and also in our main clause the ship is doing something else.

This is a correct non-finite complex sentence.

So again, remember who or whatever is doing the verb in the non-finite clause must also be doing a different verb in the main clause for this non-finite complex sentence to actually work together and make sense.

Let's read this as another non-example.

Waving from the upper decks, the air was filled with excitement.

Was the air doing the waving in that non-finite clause? No, well done, you're correct.

We've got two different subjects going on here.

Who would've been waving from the upper decks of the ship? Probably the passengers or the crew.

So for this sentence to have worked, the passengers or the crew needed to be doing something in the main clause as well.

Let's look at an example.

Waving from the upper decks, passengers called final goodbyes to their loved ones.

We know that the passengers were doing the waving from the upper decks of the Titanic and they were also calling their final goodbyes to their loved ones.

This is a correct non-finite complex sentence because we have the passengers doing something in the non-finite clause and we've got them doing something else in the main clause.

Therefore, this sentence works.

Which of the following would we find in a non-finite - ing clause? Pause the video while you decide.

Well done if you spotted that, we would have a progressive tense verb with an -ing suffix.

We would also have details about action that is happening simultaneously with action in the main clause.

So one thing is happening whilst another also happens.

The action in the non-finite clause and the action in the main clause must be able to be done simultaneously.

Simultaneously just means at the same time.

So for example, let's read this together.

Costing approximately $400, First Class tickets on board this floating palace are highly sought after.

Now I know this sentence makes sense because the tickets were what were costing $400 and they were also highly sought after.

That means just that loads of people wanted these tickets, these First Class tickets.

These actions can be completed at the same time.

So they costed $400 and at the same time lots of people wanted to buy them.

Those two things happened simultaneously.

That means they happened at the same time.

So this works.

And non-finite clause can be placed before or after the main clause.

Let's read this sentence, but this time we've reshuffled the order of the clauses.

First Class tickets on board this floating palace are highly sought after, costing approximately $400.

When a non-finite clause is joined to a main clause, it creates a non-finite complex sentence.

Let's read this together.

Watching the ship depart, the crowds cried out with excitement.

Here we've got our -ing non-finite subordinate clause, comma, then our main clause.

This makes a non-finite complex sentence, but as we've already seen with a few different examples now we don't have to just put the non-finite clause at the start of the sentence.

We can move it to the end and instead have the main clause at the start.

Let's read this version of the sentence.

The crowds cried out with excitement, watching the ship depart.

This is also a non-finite complex sentence.

This time we start with our main clause and then we have a comma followed by our non-finite subordinate clause.

Remember, we must always separate the main clause from the non-finite subordinate clause using a comma.

No matter what the order is, we always have a comma to separate those two clause types.

There is always a comma to separate the main clause and the non-finite clause.

Which of these are non-finite -ing complex sentences? Pause the video while you decide.

Well done if you spotted that A is a non-finite subordinate clause, as a non-finite complex sentence, it starts with the non-finite subordinate clause, costing $400 each.

D is also a non-finite complex sentence.

This time the subordinate non-finite clause goes at the end, loading luggage onto the ship.

Both of these are examples of non-finite complex sentences.

We now know three types of complex sentence.

We have an adverbial complex sentence.

Here's an example, so read this with me.

Before he begins his retirement, Captain Smith will command the Titanic.

In an adverbial clause, we have subordinate conjunction such as before, although, after, because, and we also have a main clause.

We also know relative complex sentences.

Let's read this one.

Titanic, which has ten decks, has been furnished to the highest standard.

In relative complex sentences, we have a main clause which is interrupted by the subordinate relative clause and they always begin with the relative pronoun who or which.

Then we've just learned about a new type of complex sentence, the non-finite complex sentence.

Here's an example.

Overlooking the ocean, First Class cabins are situated on the ship's top deck.

They include non-finite subordinate clauses and they all begin with a verb in the progressive tense.

And we know it's in the progressive tense if it ends with an -ing suffix.

We can tell the type of complex sentence from the word that starts the subordinate clause.

So let's go back to our original sentence.

Before he begins his retirement, Captain Smith will command the Titanic.

Before is an example of a subordinating conjunction.

Some of the subordinating conjunctions we might use in our journalistic writing are, although, because, before, after, well done these form adverbial complex sentences.

Let's read this one.

The luxury liner, which has ten decks, has been furnished to the highest standard.

This has which is a relative pronoun.

Two relative pronouns that we've been learning about are who and which.

And remember, we use who if our relative clause is about a person and we use which if the relative clause is about anything other than a person.

These form a relative complex sentence.

And then finally, our new complex sentence type.

Overlooking the ocean, First Class cabins are situated on the ship's top deck.

Here we've got the word overlooking.

It's an example of a progressive tense verb, and we know it's a progressive tense verb because it has the -ing suffix.

This forms a non-finite complex sentence.

Match the type of complex sentence to a word that could start its subordinate clause.

Pause the video while you do that.

Well done if you spotted that a relative complex sentence would include a who to start its subordinate clause.

A non-finite complex sentence could include the word boarding as its progressive tense verb with the -ing suffix.

And C, our adverbial complex sentence could have the word although in it as a subordinating conjunction to begin that subordinate clause.

Now it's time for your task.

Firstly, you're going to read the model recount paragraph and then you're going to complete all of the mini tasks there.

Let's begin by reading this through together.

Although many have complimented the Titanic's impressive structural design, she has also gained huge admiration on the world's stage for her interior beauty, particularly for the fortunate few who possess First Class tickets.

Costing approximately $7.

5 million, the interior design of the ship has had no expense spared.

The luxury vessel comprises numerous facilities including reading rooms, lounges, cafes, and an ornate dining room.

First Class passengers' bedrooms, which are situated on the top deck, enjoy an ocean view and they have been furnished to the highest standard.

Furthermore, restaurants menus are widely varied and it is alleged that world-class chefs, including Charles Joughin as head baker, will be working in the kitchens aboard the ship.

Those fortunate enough to possess a ticket on board this floating palace truly are the envy of the world.

Well done, now, just so you know, Charles Joughin was a famous baker at the time and he was the head baker on the Titanic.

Pause the video now while you complete your task.

Well done everyone.

So now we're gonna go through our answers.

So part A was for you to find and copy one example of a non-finite complex sentence.

You could have written down either of these two sentences.

So costing approximately $7.

5 million, the interior design of the ship has had no expense spared.

Or, the luxury vessel comprises of numerous facilities including reading rooms, lounges, cafes, and an ornate dining room.

Both of these are examples of non-finite complex sentences and you can see that I've indicated in purple the actual non-finite subordinate clause.

Part B was define and copy one example of a relative complex sentence.

The only relative complex sentence in the paragraph was First Class passengers' bedrooms, which are situated on the top deck, enjoy an ocean view and they have been furnished to the highest standard.

We can spot that relative complex sentence through finding that relative subordinate clause and it starts with which as the relative pronoun.

Up next, finding and copy one example of an aerial complex sentence.

Although many have complimented the Titanic's impressive structural design, she's also gained huge admiration on the world's stage for her interior beauty, particularly for the fortunate few who possess First Class tickets.

And again, the adverbial subordinate clause begins with although as the subordinating conjunction and the full subordinate clause is highlighted in purple there.

Although many have complimented the Titanic's impressive structural design.

D, find and copy one example of journalistic language, it is alleged that.

And E find and copy one example of parenthesis demarcated using brackets.

Now this one's quite easy 'cause you just need to look for the brackets, including Charles Joughin as head baker.

Well done everyone.

This brings us on now to the second part of our lesson.

Now we're going to be planning the recount section.

When we plan, we use notes.

Notes are concise and capture subject specific vocabulary and information.

The purpose of notes is to help the writer to organise information easily for future use.

So when we come back to writing, we need to make sure our notes are clear, well written, and to the point.

We use bullet points when note taking and they look like this.

What's in a plan? Pause the video while you decide.

Great work, well done if you spotted that plans include bullet points for notes, subject specific vocabulary.

Let's review the structure of this paragraph.

So first of all, we have an introductory sentence and that introduces what the paragraph will be about.

Then that's followed by specific information, which gives the reader detailed facts about aspects of the event.

And then finally we have a linking sentence, which links on to the next paragraph.

We're gonna follow the same structure in our plan so that then when we come to write, our plans are structured in an appropriate way.

Let's go back to my model, but we're not gonna reread the whole thing 'cause I know you know it well now from doing your first task.

But firstly, we're just going to look at this first sentence, the introductory sentence.

Let's read it together.

Although many have complimented the Titanic's impressive structural design, she has also gained huge admiration on the world's stage for her interior beauty, particularly for the fortunate few who possess First Class tickets.

Now it's your turn to use bullet points to note down key words and phrases that you will use in your introductory sentence, but use the prompts on the screen to help you.

How will you explain to the reader that this paragraph is about the Titanic's interiors? And can you even try and challenge yourself to link back to our last paragraph, which was all about the Titanic structure and design.

Are you able to link somehow the fact that the Titanic's structure, engineering, design is very impressive, but so are its interiors? Pause the video now while you use bullet points to note down key words and phrases you will use in your introductory sentence.

Well done everybody.

Here are a few ideas I jotted down.

Remember, my plan's going to look a bit different to yours and that's a good thing because we want to be having lots of different ideas.

But I wanted to use a formal and because I want to build on from my last paragraph.

Remember this is still part of the recount section, so I'm just adding on another paragraph.

This time it's about the Titanic's interiors.

So I've gone for in addition to or as well as its impressive and when I'm writing I might think about its impressive structural design or engineering.

That I definitely want to include the word interiors.

And in brackets I'm going to add as a little bit of additional information.

Particularly the First Class facilities are believed to be equally spectacular.

And I've included that believed to be because as a journalist I haven't been on the Titanic myself, but this is a nice bit of journalistic phraseology.

It is believed to be or reported to be, or alleged to be equally spectacular.

Back to my model now and this time we are going to just focus on the specific information section.

Let's read it together.

Costing approximately $7.

5 million, the interior design of the ship has had no expense spared.

The luxury vessel comprises numerous facilities including reading rooms, lounges, cafes, and an ornate dining room.

First Class passengers' bedrooms, which are situated on the top deck, enjoy an ocean view and they have been furnished to the highest standard.

Furthermore, restaurants' menus are widely varied and it is alleged that world class chefs, including Charles Joughin as head baker, will be working in the kitchens aboard the ship.

Now use bullet points to note key words and phrases you will use in your specific information sentences.

I've deliberately given you a bit more space this time 'cause we can actually include quite a lot of information here.

If you're not sure where to start, use the bullet point questions on the screen.

So have you referred to all of these things? So how much it costs to furnish the Titanic? Now, back when it was built in 1912, $7.

5 million would be around the equivalent of 170 million pounds today.

So it was a lot of money.

Possibly you might want to mention about the classification of the tickets, that you could get a First Class ticket, a second class ticket or a third class ticket, and the class of ticket that you had would give you access to certain parts of the ship.

The features of some of the rooms and any wider facilities such as a gym, restaurants.

The Titanic had the first ever indoor swimming pool on a boat and maybe how many decks there were.

There were 10 different decks.

If you think you want to develop your knowledge a little bit more about the Titanic's interiors, now it might be a good time to go and do a little bit of research around what facilities were available on the ship and then come back, use bullet points to note keywords and phrases you will use in your specific information sentences and pause the video while you do that.

Great work, everyone.

Here are a few ideas that I've put down.

I've gone again with my journalistic vocabulary saying it was alleged or reported that the ship's interior facilities and interiors cost $7.

5 million.

That there I've also jotted down that there were first, second and third class tickets that cost up to $400, which was a lot of money in 1912.

Enjoying an ocean view from their cabins, First Class passengers.

Now, the reason why I've included this is because I'm really determined to use a non-finite complex sentence.

And so I have planned in a non-finite subordinate clause onto my plan, enjoying an ocean view from their cabins.

And I've also made sure to help whenever I come to write that who was enjoying the ocean view from their cabins.

It would be First Class passengers.

They were the passengers who got rooms with a view of the ocean from their cabins or their bedrooms. So I haven't written the full sentence, but I've set myself up for success when I've come to writing in that I've given some thought to my non-finite clause I want to include.

And the subject of the main clause.

Remember, it has to be the same as the subject of the non-finite subordinate clause.

So I've made sure to prompt myself that yes, the people enjoying the ocean view are the First Class passengers.

And when I come to finishing this sentence in my writing, my First Class passengers also need to be doing something else in the main clause.

And also I'm going to include just a list of the facilities.

So they include a gym, reading rooms, and an indoor swimming pool.

And I've also given that a little additional information as parenthesis to say the swimming pool is the first of its kind.

And finally now we're going to look at our linking sentence.

So this is the final sentence of our paragraph.

This is really going to just sum up what we've been talking about throughout the whole recount.

Those fortunate enough or lucky enough to possess a ticket on board this floating palace truly are the envy of the world.

So in this sentence I have summarised how fortunate or how amazing an opportunity it is to get to travel on the Titanic.

Now use bullet points to note key words and phrases you will use in your final linking sentence.

How can you summarise the information in this paragraph? Pause the video while you do that.

Great work, everyone.

So I've written down the word passengers, or I might refer to passengers as those who possess a ticket 'cause that's quite formal as well, are highly fortunate and that they get to witness firsthand this iconic moment in history.

An iconic moment in history is like a really, really significant, big event in history.

And lots of people watched the Titanic set sail from Southampton docks.

Lots of people read about it in the news.

But to actually have owned a ticket on the Titanic, you were seen as an incredibly lucky person to have actually got to have that experience.

Now we know that the events of the Titanic as they unfolded, it was actually an incredibly unlucky experience.

But remember at the time of writing this journalistic report, the Titanic had not yet sunk.

So all anybody felt by the Titanic was how lucky all of the passengers and crew were to actually get to travel on this incredible ship, which was the first of its kind.

Well done, everyone.

And that now brings us to the end of our lesson where we have been planning the second recount paragraph of a journalistic report about the Titanic.

The purpose of the recount section is to give the reader specific information about an aspect of the event.

We can vary how we present information to the reader by using a range of sentence types.

Non-finite complex sentences are formed of a main clause and a non-finite clause.

When we plan, we write in note form using bullet points.

We include keywords, phraseology, and subject specific vocabulary in our plans.

Well done, everyone for your hard work.

I'm really, really impressed with how you've been getting on and all the ideas you've brought to our planning lesson today.