ATAR Notes: Forum
VCE Stuff => VCE English Studies => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE English & EAL => Topic started by: Halil on February 06, 2011, 08:25:42 pm
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Hi everyone,
I just wanted to know in what ways I can improve my English. I believe that my English is poor and I have been studying very hard and consistently lately to improve it.
First of all my Vocabulary sucks. I never use to read books pretty much until the summer holidays prior. In order to fix up my vocabulary I have been engaged in recording down every word I do not know from the texts I read. So far, since the beginning of school (1 week), I have jotted down over 100 words ( embarrasing), probably have doubled my vocabulary. I'm trying to read over time at times so that I do not forget them.
I also have some minor issues with writing essays. Sometimes I do not go in to the depths of topics and have trouble constructing the introduction part.
At the moment, all I am doing is reading different texts (other than the texts for Vce English this year) and continuing to jot down every word and defining them.
Any advice would be appreciated.
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Join the Essay Submission Scheme! It forces you to study!
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I think you're going wayyyy too overboard with the vocabulary. Just let new vocabulary come to you naturally, not forced upon you. In saying this, complex vocabulary is NOT favoured over complex ideas. I think you're too concerned about your essays sounding good, but not actually being good.
Before you tackle any essay, make sure you plan it out. Underline the key words, find synonyms of these words, ask questions of the question, come up with 3 or 4 key ideas, write out the topic sentences and trust me, you'll feel far more confident writing the essay.
Your essays are lacking depth because you haven't studied your texts deeply enough. Delve deeply into your texts and use abstract evidence as well. Make sure you develop your own unique interpretations of your texts.
Then again, I don't know what your writing is like. I suggest you do what Rohitpi said, and join the essay forum!
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First of all my Vocabulary sucks. I never use to read books pretty much until the summer holidays prior. In order to fix up my vocabulary I have been engaged in recording down every word I do not know from the texts I read. So far, since the beginning of school (1 week), I have jotted down over 100 words ( embarrasing), probably have doubled my vocabulary. I'm trying to read over time at times so that I do not forget them.
Also start with the bold word: 'embarrassing' ;)
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;D
By the way Halil, I've never really been an avid reader either. The only books I've read in the last 2 years have been my English school texts. No kidding! :P
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Dw, My Vocab list on microsoft word is 3893 words, and I don't even know 5/6th of them. So don't go panicking, with vocab explosion. It won't work ): <<<< I'm a failed product of it
Best tactic for short term? Make a list of words for each book, that you can weave into when writing an essay. That should do the trick.
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Yeah.. but don't think that you can sacrifice good ideas with good vocab.
HOWEVER, some people can have complex language AND complex ideas work awesomely together in an essay - iffets!
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Just be like Tarek and you'll be fine ;)
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Yeah.. but don't think that you can sacrifice good ideas with good vocab.
+1, many people get 50s using words that could be from a Harry Potter novel (ie people aged ~12 could understand their essays)
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So I should stop emphasizing on vocabulary for now and try to explore more deeply into the text I'm covering?
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So I should stop emphasizing on vocabulary for now and try to explore more deeply into the text I'm covering?
Thats what I am doing, my vocab is average and I'm happy with it
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So I should stop emphasizing on vocabulary for now and try to explore more deeply into the text I'm covering?
Sparknotes, is a start to exploring deeply into a text. Don't be reliant on it, its designed to give u a foundation so that you know, your heading in the right direction.
Then again, my older brother said, if you use the ideas in sparknotes and study guides, you secure yourself a 40 already. Soooo, your take :D
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Then again, my older brother said, if you use the ideas in sparknotes and study guides, you secure yourself a 40 already. Soooo, your take :D
Wrong. The ideas and interpretations in these study guides are generic.
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Then again, my older brother said, if you use the ideas in sparknotes and study guides, you secure yourself a 40 already. Soooo, your take Cheesy
Woooah woah, settle. I disagree actually, examiners will have seen every idea raised on Sparknotes, and repeating them in your essays is just going to make your essay blend in with the thousands of others they read.
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Imagine the amount of students who will read the guides and copy and paste the ideas into their essay. Instead of doing this, why not unlock your own potential and use your own interpretations, which only you have access to?
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That sounds better.
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Imagine the amount of students who will read the guides and copy and paste the ideas into their essay. Instead of doing this, why not unlock your own potential and use your own interpretations, which only you have access to?
This. Although that is not to say that you shouldn't read any study guides, or that *all* the ideas you put into your essay must be novel and outstanding.
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Imagine the amount of students who will read the guides and copy and paste the ideas into their essay. Instead of doing this, why not unlock your own potential and use your own interpretations, which only you have access to?
Once reading the study guide, you have a firm idea of the themes in the text. After that, you can chop what you want in the idea, reinterpret it the way you view it. So long as you don't regurgitate the idea without understanding it, it should be perfectly fine getting a 40 with it? Right?
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Yes, but IMO, it's better to delve into the texts yourself first, THEN read through the guides to fill in the gaps. Safeguards you from slacking off.
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You should cite examples from unique sources such as Pokemon in your context essays. = 10/10
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You should cite examples from unique sources such as Pokemon in your context essays. = 10/10
LOL I hope you're joking..
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You should cite examples from unique sources such as Pokemon in your context essays. = 10/10
You have inspired me to attempt that, in my practise essays for school, just to see whats the teacher's opinion, before I pwn myself.
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You should cite examples from unique sources such as Pokemon in your context essays. = 10/10
LOL I hope you're joking..
No way, nothing but the truth. 10/10 responses are always filled with unique sources, Pokemon being a fine example.
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I think you're going wayyyy too overboard with the vocabulary. Just let new vocabulary come to you naturally, not forced upon you. In saying this, complex vocabulary is NOT favoured over complex ideas. I think you're too concerned about your essays sounding good, but not actually being good.
Before you tackle any essay, make sure you plan it out. Underline the key words, find synonyms of these words, ask questions of the question, come up with 3 or 4 key ideas, write out the topic sentences and trust me, you'll feel far more confident writing the essay.
Your essays are lacking depth because you haven't studied your texts deeply enough. Delve deeply into your texts and use abstract evidence as well. Make sure you develop your own unique interpretations of your texts.
Then again, I don't know what your writing is like. I suggest you do what Rohitpi said, and join the essay forum!
Vocabulary isn't the most important thing, but I think what you're doing is actually a really good idea because it's a simple and easy way to improve. If you say your vocabulary is REALLY bad, improving it will help you to understand what you're reading a lot better, as well as improving your writing. For a really good English student, I wouldn't worry about vocabulary too much, but if you feel you're weak, this could really help.
As for sparknotes, it's a good resource, and even most english teachers recommend using it, just make sure you're not relying on sparknotes for everything, and make sure you question everything written there, and don't take it as being a definite interpretation.
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Sparknotes saved me for my Year 10 Macbeth exam. I reckon it's awesome. :)
No, seriously, sparknotes is pretty good. And a 40 (8, 8, 7) isn't really that tough. Ok, put it this way, if you can write/analyse like Sparknotes in the exam, I really do believe that you can get more than a 40. IMO anyways.
For vocab, forget about those 8-10 letter words. In most cases, the simpler the better. Instead, you should try to learn to use terms such as decry, intrude, denounce, justify, detach, galvanise, espouse, disparage, encapsulate...words used to express the author's intentions. Try to be more familiar with metalanguage as a whole and you will be fine. Vocab is only a small part in the exam, sometimes I like to think of it as a hidden criteria, given that you can get 45 or above just as easily, if the ideas are good. GL.
If enough people ask for it, I can also get some essays from my English friends (low 40s to the mid-high 40s) and post it here in VN for everyone to have a gauge at.
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Sparknotes saved me for my Year 10 Macbeth exam. I reckon it's awesome. :)
No, seriously, sparknotes is pretty good. And a 40 (8, 8, 7) isn't really that tough. Ok, put it this way, if you can write/analyse like Sparknotes in the exam, I really do believe that you can get more than a 40. IMO anyways.
For vocab, forget about those 8-10 letter words. In most cases, the simpler the better. Instead, you should try to learn to use terms such as decry, intrude, denounce, justify, detach, galvanise, espouse, disparage, encapsulate...words used to express the author's intentions. Try to be more familiar with metalanguage as a whole and you will be fine. Vocab is only a small part in the exam, sometimes I like to think of it as a hidden criteria, given that you can get 45 or above just as easily, if the ideas are good. GL.
If enough people ask for it, I can also get some essays from my English friends (low 40s to the mid-high 40s) and post it here in VN for everyone to have a gauge at.
OH DO IT PHYSICS.
The more awesome writing I can read the better, plus we need to extend the high scoring responses archive.
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Sparknotes saved me for my Year 10 Macbeth exam. I reckon it's awesome. :)
No, seriously, sparknotes is pretty good. And a 40 (8, 8, 7) isn't really that tough. Ok, put it this way, if you can write/analyse like Sparknotes in the exam, I really do believe that you can get more than a 40. IMO anyways.
For vocab, forget about those 8-10 letter words. In most cases, the simpler the better. Instead, you should try to learn to use terms such as decry, intrude, denounce, justify, detach, galvanise, espouse, disparage, encapsulate...words used to express the author's intentions. Try to be more familiar with metalanguage as a whole and you will be fine. Vocab is only a small part in the exam, sometimes I like to think of it as a hidden criteria, given that you can get 45 or above just as easily, if the ideas are good. GL.
If enough people ask for it, I can also get some essays from my English friends (low 40s to the mid-high 40s) and post it here in VN for everyone to have a gauge at.
YES PLEASSEEEE :) :)
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Do you guys mind if some of the essays (mainly text), is now not part of the study design?
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Do you guys mind if some of the essays (mainly text), is now not part of the study design?
No problem at all, great writing is great writing :3