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This package will help you to use a variety of grammatical and lexical tools to improve the logic and clarity of your English. In particular, the package will show you how to avoid illogical connections so that you can smoothly link ideas and supporting information.

This package focuses on the sense and clarity of what we write or say.

 

Awareness – Activity 1

Read this extract and answer the questions that follow.


Start young

Age is the most important factor, says Mila Vulchanova, professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

"There is a sensitive period, which is biologically determined, with an onset at birth and a decline later. So the younger, the better. It is only gradual. Teenagers are at an advantage over adults.”

"It is believed to be determined by aptitude competence. Its underlying mechanisms are hotly debated. Where we tested 100 Norwegian children aged 10. We found very high correlations between their memory, their language scores, and their second language scores.”

"Quite often a non-native speaker can be revealed by errors. The sensitive period for speech perception is very short. It ends when we are only eight or nine months old. Bilinguals retain this for longer."

Adapted from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23407265

1. Age is the most important factor in what?
 
2. Mila Vulchanova is a professor of what at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology?
 
3. There is a sensitive period in what kind of learning?
 
4. Language learning is determined biologically with the onset at birth and a decline when exactly?
 
5. What is only gradual?
 
6. Teenagers have an advantage over adults in what?
 
7. What is believed to be determined by aptitude competence?
 
8. Aptitude competence in what?
 
9. Does everyone agree with this aptitude competence theory?
 
10. Where were the Norwegian children tested?
 
11. They discovered very high correlations between:
  i) what kind of memory
 
  ii) which language scores
 
12. It is often easy to identify non-native speakers because they make what kind of errors?
 
13. Why do they make these errors?
 
14. Is this true for everyone?
 
15. What is the context within which this article is set?
 


Activity 2

Now read this re-drafted version of the text in Activity 1 and answer the same questions. Click on the green button and a pop-box will appear for you to check your answers.


Start young

Age is the most important factor in language acquisition, says Mila Vulchanova, professor of linguistics at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

"There is a sensitive period in language learning, which is biologically determined, with an onset at birth and a decline around puberty so the younger the immigrant the better. Since this decline is only gradual, teenagers are at an advantage over adults.”

"The ability to learn a language is believed to be determined by a competence called 'language aptitude' but its underlying mechanisms are hotly debated. In a recent experimental series where we tested 100 Norwegian children aged 10, we found very high correlations between their short-term working memory, their native language scores, and their scores in English as a second language.

"Quite often a non-native speaker can be revealed by errors in pronunciation. This is due to the fact that the sensitive period for speech perception is very short; it ends when we are only eight or nine months old although bilinguals retain this for longer."
Adapted from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23407265

  1. Age is the most important factor in what?


  2. Mila Vulchanova is a professor of what at the Norwegian University
    of Science and Technology?


  3. There is a sensitive period in what kind of learning?


  4. Language learning is determined biologically with the onset at birth and a decline
    when exactly?


  5. What is only gradual?


  6. Teenagers have an advantage over adults in what?


  7. What is believed to be determined by aptitude competence?


  8. Aptitude competence in what?


  9. Does everyone agree with this aptitude competence theory?


  10. Where were the Norwegian children tested?


  11. They discovered very high correlations between:

    1. what kind of memory?

    2. which language scores?


  12. It is often easy to identify non-native speakers because they make what kind of errors?


  13. Why do they make these errors?


  14. Is this true for everyone?



  15. What is the context within which this article is set?

Analysis

So from reading the two versions of the same article and answering the questions, which text is clearer and easier to understand? Well hopefully, your answer to this question is the second version. But why?

If we look at the texts carefully, we should be able to identify a number of reasons.
  1. Text 2 is more detailed and specific providing relevant information that the reader needs but not over-loading the reader with superfluous detail which is either unnecessary or which the reader already knows.

  2. Text 1 omits essential information without which the reader cannot make sense of the content.

  3. Text 2 is far more cohesive as it provides the reader with expressions that allow them to navigate their way through the passage easily. It is also important to note that the use of cohesive devices is very natural and nowhere can you see examples of transitional expressions inappropriately used to ‘plug gaps’.

Logical connections

One area that many people have problems with is connecting ideas and concepts together logically.

They understand that 2 + 2 = 4 but all too often present it awkwardly or incorrectly such as:

  2 + 2 = 4 which = 2 + 2
  or  
  2 + 2 = 4 therefore anything + 2 = 4
  or  
  2 + 2 = 4 because 2 + 2 = 4

Problems related to repeating things unnecessarily, over generalising, presenting nonsensical consequences or giving illogical causes and reasons are common in all walks of life be they academic papers, newspaper articles, pub conversations or business meetings.

Activity 3

Look at the following sentences and identify the coherence problems in each one. Once you think you have identified each problem, click on the blue button and a pop up with an explanation will appear.
  1. Michael is a genius at languages and he is from India. Therefore Indians are all outstanding linguists.




  2. Mei Ling can absorb useful expressions almost instantly because she can pick up practical phrases and vocabulary very quickly and as a result she is able to retain language at a relatively rapid rate.




  3. Most British and Japanese people that I’ve met are not very good at foreign languages so therefore it must be true that all British and Japanese people are not very good at foreign languages.




  4. One major piece of advice when learning a language is to make sure you have a vocabulary notebook, keeping a learning or personal journal and strong motivation.




  5. Of course the best way to learn a foreign language is to immerse oneself in the target language totally by living in the country for an extended period of time such as France, Spain, China etc...




  6. It has been argued that English is the easiest language in the world to learn. If that were true, everyone in the world would soon only speak English and if that were so, there would never be any misunderstandings between countries and as a result war would become a thing of the past.




  7. The standard of English in Hong Kong isn’t very high. Clearly then, teachers are not doing a very good job.




  8. 8. Because Cantonese is so difficult to learn, expatriates in Hong Kong study Mandarin and this is why they know nothing about the local language.




Activity 4

Finally in this package, we shall look at a longer text. Read this BBC article on the difficulties faced by new immigrants to the UK when learning English. Once you’ve finished, choose a sentence from each drop-down box the box in order to create a coherent and cohesive piece of writing.


1.n
2. l
3. i
4. c
5. q
6. d
7. e
8. b
9. o
10. p
11. r
12. g
13. h
14. f
15. j
16. k
17. m
18. a


Hide answers.

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