People live longer today and so people should stay in the workforce longer. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Sample Essay with Corrections
Expert Feedback
The essay demonstrates a clear understanding of the topic and addresses both sides of the argument regarding older individuals staying in the workforce longer. Key strengths of the essay include a well-organized structure with distinct paragraphs that separate different ideas, as well as relevant examples that support the main points. The writer also attempts to present a balanced view, which is essential for Task 1 responses. Critical areas for improvement include clarifying the writer's position more definitively, as the phrase 'to some extent' lacks specificity. Additionally, the essay contained grammatical errors and awkward phrases that detracted from its overall quality. The use of varied vocabulary and cohesive devices could also be enhanced to improve the flow of the writing. Structural changes made include correcting awkward phrases such as 'for longer time' to 'for a longer period' and ensuring grammatical accuracy, such as changing 'I am agree' to 'I agree.' Suggestions for further improvements not implemented in the corrected version include providing more specific examples or statistics to strengthen arguments and varying sentence structures to demonstrate a wider range of grammatical ability. The tone used in the essay is appropriate for an academic context, maintaining a formal and objective style throughout.
Detailed Scores
What this means:
The essay is generally well-organized, with clear paragraphs that separate different ideas. However, the transitions between ideas could be smoother, and some sentences feel slightly disjointed. For example, the phrase 'for longer time' is awkward and could be replaced with 'for a longer period.' Using more varied cohesive devices would enhance the flow of the essay.
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 contains several grammatical errors, such as 'I am agree' instead of 'I agree' and 'for longer time' instead of 'for a longer time.' While the overall meaning is clear, these errors detract from the overall quality. To improve, the writer should focus on using correct grammatical structures and varying sentence types to demonstrate a wider range of grammatical ability.
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 appropriate for the topic, but there are instances of repetition, such as 'longer time' and 'more time.' Additionally, phrases like 'more longer' are incorrect and should be replaced with 'longer.' To improve, the writer could incorporate a wider range of vocabulary and idiomatic expressions to convey their ideas more effectively.
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 prompt by discussing both the advantages and disadvantages of older individuals staying in the workforce longer. However, the position is somewhat unclear, as the writer states agreement 'to some extent' without elaborating on the extent of this agreement. To improve, the writer could clarify their stance more definitively and provide stronger supporting arguments.
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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