Write about the following topic: Some people believe that it is more beneficial to take part in sports which are played in teams, for example football or volleyball, while other people think that taking part in individual sports is better, for example swimming or running. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words.
Sample Essay with Corrections
Expert Feedback
The essay effectively addresses the task by discussing both team and solo sports, providing relevant examples and a personal opinion. Key strengths include a clear structure with distinct paragraphs for each viewpoint and a personal touch in the conclusion. However, critical areas for improvement include grammatical accuracy, particularly with subject-verb agreement and verb forms, as well as vocabulary usage, where some words were misused or repeated. Structural changes made include correcting grammatical errors, enhancing clarity, and improving transitions between ideas. Suggestions for further improvements not implemented in the corrected version include expanding the range of vocabulary and using more cohesive devices to enhance the flow of ideas. The tone used is appropriate for an academic essay, maintaining a formal yet personal approach.
Detailed Scores
What this means:
The essay has a logical structure, with clear paragraphs for each viewpoint. However, some transitions between ideas could be smoother, and the use of cohesive devices is somewhat limited. For instance, using phrases like 'on the contrary' or 'in addition' could enhance the flow of ideas. Improving the linking of sentences would strengthen coherence.
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, including subject-verb agreement issues (e.g., 'do team sport can has' should be 'team sports can have') and incorrect verb forms (e.g., 'is doing' instead of 'are doing'). While the writer demonstrates some range in sentence structures, the frequency of errors affects clarity. To improve, the writer should focus on grammatical accuracy and review sentence constructions.
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, but there are instances of repetition (e.g., 'sport' and 'solo sport'). The writer attempts to use some varied expressions, but there are also several misused words and phrases (e.g., 'best' instead of 'better', 'theirs' instead of 'their'). To improve, the writer should aim for a wider range of vocabulary and ensure correct usage.
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 views on team sports and individual sports, providing relevant examples and personal opinion. However, the introduction could be clearer, and the conclusion could better summarize the main points. To improve, the writer could ensure a more structured approach in presenting arguments and examples.
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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