More and more students are choosing to study abroad for their tertiary education. Do you think the advantages of studying in a foreign country outweigh the disadvantages?
Sample Essay with Corrections
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The essay effectively addresses the task by discussing both the advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad, which is a key strength. The structure is logical, with clear paragraphs, but the flow of ideas could be improved with better transitions and a wider range of cohesive devices. Critical areas for improvement include grammatical accuracy, particularly with subject-verb agreement and pluralization, as well as enhancing vocabulary variety to avoid repetition. The conclusion could also be strengthened by providing a more robust rationale for the stated disadvantages. Structural changes made include correcting grammatical errors, improving transitions, and refining vocabulary. For further improvement, the writer could elaborate on specific disadvantages with examples and enhance the overall coherence by using varied linking words. The tone used is appropriate for an academic essay, maintaining a formal and objective style.
Detailed Scores
What this means:
The essay has a logical structure with clear paragraphs, but the flow of ideas could be improved. Some transitions between points are abrupt, and the use of cohesive devices is limited. For instance, phrases like 'on the other hand' are used, but more varied linking words could enhance the overall coherence. To improve, the writer should focus on using a wider range of cohesive devices to connect ideas more smoothly.
How to improve:
- Use a clear paragraph structure
- Connect ideas with appropriate linking words
- Maintain logical progression
- Use referencing effectively
What this means:
The essay demonstrates a reasonable range of grammatical structures, but there are several errors that affect clarity, such as 'this also have' (should be 'this also has') and 'students can get higher quality education' (should be 'students can receive a higher quality of education'). Additionally, there are issues with subject-verb agreement and pluralization. To improve, the writer should focus on proofreading for grammatical accuracy and ensuring subject-verb agreement.
How to improve:
- Use complex sentence structures
- Maintain grammatical accuracy
- Use a variety of sentence patterns
- Check for common grammar errors
What this means:
The vocabulary used is generally appropriate, with some good expressions such as 'broaden their horizons' and 'cultural shock.' However, there are instances of repetition (e.g., 'students' and 'country') and some awkward phrases (e.g., 'make the friends'). To enhance the score, the writer should aim for more varied vocabulary and avoid redundancy.
How to improve:
- Use a wider range of vocabulary
- Demonstrate awareness of collocations
- Avoid word repetition
- Use more sophisticated vocabulary accurately
What this means:
The essay addresses the task by discussing both advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad. However, the argument could be more developed, particularly in the conclusion, where the writer states that disadvantages are equally significant without providing a strong rationale. To improve, the writer could elaborate on specific disadvantages and provide more examples to support their viewpoint.
How to improve:
- Address all parts of the task fully
- Support ideas with specific examples
- Develop each point thoroughly
- Stay relevant to the topic
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