Transforming Essays from Band 6 to Band 8

Introduction

• Simple changes can elevate essays from low to higher bands.
• Focus on understanding why a band 6 essay is rated as such before making improvements.
• This lesson will demonstrate how to transform a band 6 essay into a band 8.

Common Issues in Band 6 Essays

1. Background Sentences

• Example: "Nowadays, digital phones are a hot topic in modern life."
  • Problems:
    • Unnecessary for test conditions, risks time management.
    • Often leads to spelling errors (e.g., "nowadays").
    • Memorization can indicate lack of true understanding.
    • Examiners discount memorized sentences.

2. Positioning and Clarity

• Example: "This essay disagrees and believes they have many drawbacks."
  • Problems:
    • Lack of strong position; unclear response.
    • Fails to clearly present benefits or drawbacks in the introduction.
    • Lack of coherence and cohesion in ideas.

3. Overusing Memorized Language

• Common phrases hinder originality and do not enhance the essay.
• Memorized phrases often contain spelling errors.

4. Examples and Evidence

• Personal examples (e.g., citing a cousin’s phone usage) may lack authority.
• Stronger examples should be general and authoritative (e.g., statistics).

Examining Task Response

• A good essay must:
  • Address all parts of the task clearly.
  • Present well-developed responses with relevant ideas.
• Common issues include:
  • Not taking a clear position.
  • Discussing advantages and disadvantages but without clear stance.

Analyzing Coherence and Cohesion

• Clear central topics in each paragraph: Important for coherence.
• Ideas should logically progress and be linked back to the introduction.

Lexical Resource

• Band 6 essays have:
  • Adequate but often imprecise vocabulary.
  • Spelling and word formation errors are more frequent.
• Band 8 essays exhibit:
  • Precise vocabulary usage and minimal errors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

• Grammatical errors lower scores; accuracy is key.
• Systematic errors indicate a lack of mastery in specific areas (e.g. articles, noun forms).

Transforming the Essay: Key Strategies

Introduction

• Start with a paraphrase of the question instead of a background statement.
• Clearly state your opinion and position.

Main Body Paragraphs

• Use clear, well-structured arguments.
• Provide authoritative examples rather than personal anecdotes.
• Keep the language precise and relevant to the topic.

Conclusion

• Summarize the arguments made with a clear stance.
• Avoid vague language; specify whether the topic is positive or negative.

Conclusion of the Lesson

• Small tweaks in writing can lead to significant improvements.
• Focus on clarity, precision, and authority to elevate writing from band 6 to band 8.