We're going to look now as another way of ensuring that
what you write is correct.
Have a look at this essay title from an examination.
There are many kinds of music.
Why is music so important?
Sometimes it seems that international pop music is
replacing traditional forms of music.
Do you think that is true?
And if so, how important is it?
Give examples from your personal experience to
support your arguments.
Write a minimum of 350 words.
OK, this is a very typical essay
title. The idea is that music is something that most people
have experience of.
No specialist knowledge is required to answer this
question.
Even if you're not very musical.
Most people are in a position to answer the question.
It's a bit bland.
A bit insipid.
Frankly, it's just a stimulus to get you to produce some English.
It's important to realize that the examiner is probably not
very interested in your answer.
And it's not your job to write the most fascinating
essay imaginable.
Nor do you have to tell the
truth. The whole truth and nothing but the truth.
The examiners do not have polygraphs to detect lies.
But they do have language mistake detectors.
They will detect all the
mistakes you make. And they will penalize everyone.
That's who they are.
That's what they do.
The examiner wants you to
produce some English. You want to produce some correct English.
Don't think that writing an amusing essay will compensate
for your mistakes.
The examiners will laugh at your
jokes. Unpenalized your mistakes.
That's who they are. That's what they do.
When you write an essay in an exam, you have to do three
things. One answer the question.
2. Right at least the minimum required number of words.
3. Right, correct English.
Let's look at those three
things. 1. Answer the question.
When I was at school just before the exams, the chemistry teacher
Mr. Benson used to say.
And remember, if all else fails, answer the question.
If the question is about music and you write about sport, not
music. You will fail.
Even if you write correct English, you will fail
because you've written about the wrong subject.
Why would you fail?
Well, the examiner thinks that you probably memorized an essay
about sport and whatever the question you were going to write
the essay about sport that you
had memorized. So you haven't proved that you can write
correct English. You've only proved that you can memorize
an essay about sport.
You need to answer the question and that means
constructing a logical argument.
Now, a lot of writing courses going to great detail about the
structure of an essay.
But that's not really such a difficult matter.
They often make it sound more complicated than it really is.
Besides, a lot of that is transferable from the way you
write in your own language.
Anyway, that's not the purpose of this course. This course is
about avoiding mistakes.
Which is the really difficult thing.
Two right, at least the minimum required number of words.
If they ask for 250 words.
And you only write 150.
You will probably be penalized
heavily. You see, one way to reduce the number of mistakes
you make is to write less.
The less you write, the fewer mistakes there are likely to be.
So the rule about writing the minimum required
number of words.
Is an important rule too?
3.
Right, correct English.
Well, that's what this course is about.
Here is the essay that a student of mine, Suzanna wrote.
There are many kinds of music. Why's music so important?
Sometimes it seems that international pop music is
replacing traditional forms of
music. Do you think that it is true, and if so, how important
is it? Give examples from your personal experience to support
your arguments. Write a minimum of 350 words.
It is undoubtedly true that there are many types of music
in the world today.
The day before yesterday, I drove all the way from Cornwall.
Which is in the Southwest of
England to Birmingham. And during the journey I listened to
the music of Beethoven back
Mozart. To The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen and The
Rolling Stones.
I listened to the Cuban singers Silvio Rodriguez Pablo Milanes,
as well as a number of other
musicians. Both famous and not so famous.
As a result, the journey was interesting and highly
enjoyable.
While it is certainly the case that I did not need to
listen to all that music.
It nevertheless made my journey far more pleasurable.
Indeed, I think that it is possible to go so far as to say
that while it is never essential to listen to music.
A life without music would be somehow poorer.
In the final analysis.
It is probably difficult to
avoid the conclusion. That a certain amount of pleasure in
life is not a luxury, but rather a necessity.
I would argue strongly that music is one of those
necessary luxuries.
After all, as far as we know, there has never been a human
society anywhere in the world at anytime in the course of
history. Which is not had music.
It is by no means uncommon to hear the suggestion that
contemporary pop music exerts a baleful influence
in today's world.
In my professional capacity as a doctor, I frequently have to
travel to different parts of the
world. And I find that I'm often listening to very similar music
in Australian supermarkets in airports in Argentina, and in
hotel restaurants in Tokyo.
I cannot help thinking that in many ways it would be better if
I heard traditional music in each of these places.
But if we're honest with ourselves.
We know that that is probably not a realistic option.
And I do not see any real point in regretting something
that we cannot change.
There is as a proverb so neatly puts it no use
crying over spilt milk.
OK.
A pretty good essay.
It answers the question.
It's 356 words long.
Don't cannot believe me.
And there are no mistakes.
No mistakes.
Very good.
Now it's not the most fascinating piece of writing
I've ever read. But hey, it does the job. It does the job very
well. It answers the question. It contains more than the
minimum number of words.
And there are no mistakes.
Very good stuff.
And I want to show you something
interesting about it. Let's look again at the essay, and
this time I've highlighted some of the phrases.
It is undoubtedly true that there are many types of music in
the world today. The day before yesterday I drove all the way
from Cornwall, which is in the Southwest of England to
Birmingham, and during the journey I listen to the music of
Beethoven Barcan. Note Mozart to The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen,
and The Rolling Stones. I listened to the Cuban singers.
You'll be Rodriguez and Pablo Milanes, as well as a number of
other musicians, both famous and
not so famous. As a result, the journey was interesting and
highly enjoyable. While it is certainly the case that.
I did not need to listen to all that music. It nevertheless made
my journey far more pleasurable.
Indeed, I think that it is possible to go so far as to say
that. What is never essential to listen to music life without
music would be somehow poorer.
In the final analysis, it is probably difficult to avoid the
conclusion that a certain amount of pleasure in life is not a
luxury, but rather a necessity.
I would argue strongly that music is one of those necessary
luxuries. After all, as far as
we know. There's never been a human society anywhere in the
world at anytime in the course
of history. Which is not have music.
It is by no means uncommon to hear the suggestion that.
Contemporary pop music exerts a baleful influence
in today's world.
In my professional capacity as a
doctor. I frequently have to travel to different parts of the
world. And I find that I'm often
listening to very. Music in
Australian supermarkets. In airports in Argentina and in
hotel restaurants in Tokyo.
I cannot help thinking that in many ways it would be better if.
I heard traditional music in each of these places, but if
we're honest with ourselves.
We know that.
That is probably not a realistic option and I do not see any real
point in regretting something that we cannot change.
There is, as the proverb so
neatly puts it. No use crying over spilt milk.
The phrases I've highlighted.
In Suzanne's essay are phrases that she knew were correct.
You've seen those cookery
programs on television? Here's one I prepared earlier.
These are phrases that Susannah had ready ready to use.
In fact, she had a lot more ready in her kit bag.
Those are the phrases she used on this occasion.
The essay is 356 words long.
And over 150 of those words.
Or in the phrases I've highlighted.
Nearly half the essay.
What I want you to do now is write 3 sentences and in each
sentence. Use one of Ruth's phrases.
Then check the sentences are great.
Use a dictionary in the way we practiced in Module 5.