Adding Specific Details

What you’ll learn

Replace vague descriptions with useful concrete information.

បន្ថែមព័ត៌មានជាក់លាក់ជំនួសការពិពណ៌នាមិនច្បាស់។

Writing focus

A reader often needs who, what, where, when, or how much. Add details that serve the message rather than adding every adjective you know. Put ordinary adjective modifiers before a noun and place phrases close to what they describe. Concrete information is especially useful in notices and arrangements.

អ្នកអានត្រូវការព័ត៌មានដូច អ្នកណា អ្វី ទីណា និងពេលណា។ បន្ថែមតែព័ត៌មានមានប្រយោជន៍។ ដាក់គុណនាមមុខនាម និងឃ្លាពង្រីកជិតអ្វីដែលវាពិពណ៌នា។

Writing patterns

Pattern	Example or form
Specify a place	at the main entrance of the library
Specify a time	at three on Friday afternoon
Describe an item	a small blue notebook

Examples

1. Meet me at the main entrance.

   ជួបខ្ញុំនៅច្រកចូលធំ។

2. Bring a small notebook.

   យកសៀវភៅកត់ត្រាតូចមួយមក។

3. The class is in Room Two.

   ថ្នាក់នៅបន្ទប់លេខពីរ។

4. We need ten chairs for Friday’s workshop.

   យើងត្រូវការកៅអីដប់សម្រាប់សិក្ខាសាលាថ្ងៃសុក្រ។

Model writing

Please meet me at the main entrance of the library at three on Friday afternoon.

Bring a small notebook and a pen. We will practise writing short messages.

The session will finish at four.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
Bring a notebook small.	Bring a small notebook.	An ordinary adjective modifier precedes the noun.
Meet me there tomorrow. (reader does not know where or when)	Meet me at the library entrance at three tomorrow afternoon.	Supply details the reader cannot recover from context.

Practice

Try these questions before opening the answers. Write or say each answer.

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Improve this isolated message: Meet me later.
2. Correct: a bag blue.
3. Write a request for a specific number of chairs and a day.

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. Meet me at the café at four this afternoon.

   Model answer: add an identifiable place and time.

2. a blue bag

   Put the colour adjective before the noun.

3. Please bring six chairs for Monday’s class.

   Model answer: include the quantity and relevant day.

Quick recap

• Add details the reader needs.
• Keep adjectives and phrases near their nouns.
• Specific information is more useful than unnecessary decoration.