Today, the high sales of popular consumer goods reflect the power of advertising and not the real needs of the society in which they are sold. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Sample Essay with Corrections
Expert Feedback
The essay demonstrates several strengths, including a clear position on the topic and relevant examples that support the argument. The logical progression of ideas and effective use of cohesive devices contribute to the overall coherence of the essay. However, there are critical areas for improvement, such as enhancing the conclusion to provide a more definitive summary of the main argument and reducing repetition in vocabulary. The structural changes made include refining the conclusion for clarity and adjusting some phrases for formality and complexity. Further improvements could involve varying the vocabulary more extensively and incorporating more complex sentence structures to enhance grammatical range. The tone used is appropriate for an academic essay, maintaining a formal and analytical style throughout.
Detailed Scores
What this means:
The essay is well-organized, with a logical progression of ideas. Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect of the argument, and cohesive devices are used effectively to link ideas. Phrases like 'one reason why I agree' and 'to sum up' help guide the reader through the argument, contributing to overall clarity.
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 good range of grammatical structures, with mostly accurate usage. There are minor errors, such as the phrase 'to a certain extent' which could be more formally expressed, and some sentences could be more complex. Overall, the grammatical accuracy is strong, but there is room for improvement in complexity.
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 and varied, with terms like 'persuasive techniques,' 'false sense of need,' and 'idealized images' demonstrating a good range. However, there is some repetition of phrases such as 'popular consumer goods' and 'advertising,' which could be varied further to enhance lexical richness.
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 effectively, presenting a clear position that acknowledges both sides of the argument. The writer provides relevant examples to support their points, such as the smartphone and fast food advertisements. However, the conclusion could be more definitive in summarizing the main argument, which would enhance clarity and impact.
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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