Delta Module One, Paper 1, Task 4 : a learner's text (1)
This task requires a longer written response.
You will be given either a transcription of a learner's spoken
language or a piece of authentic writing from a learner.
Your task is to analyse the language noting strengths
as well as weaknesses. You need to find
four strengths and/or weaknesses. Note the need to find
strength as well. It is not necessary to prioritise the
areas you identify.
This question carries 20% of the possible marks so spend no more
than 20 minutes on it.
Here's an example learner text to analyse. It was written by a learner at A2 level in response to a task to come up with an advertisement for an imaginary product.
The perfect Christmas Present!!!!!This is not ordinary wine decanter!In this one, you can set the temprature to your
prefereable number and the decanter does it all! For red wine, you are setting it to 18°C and the wine will stay there for all the day. For white wine, set to 8°C and the same happens. You can have two on Christmas table and your guests could be sure the wine is right to the temprature they are wanting. If you buy two you can get a free one! The costs are €200 each one and they come to you the next day by express. Don't delay! Buy today! Click here to email to us your order. |
Can you come up with four strengths or
weaknesses? In the examination you only need four but think of
more if you can. Don't forget to exemplify everything.
Click here
for a list when you have.
- Strengths
-
- The task has been achieved well with a clear explanation of the product, what it does (keep wine at the right temperature) and its advantages (cheap to run etc.). The learner has not forgotten to include a price and a way to order the product (by email).
- The language is comprehensible and unambiguous and the illustration is well chosen.
- The tone is set well with a positive headline (perfect Christmas present, buy two etc.)
- There is a good attempt at advertising language with positive adjectives (perfect, not ordinary etc.) and slogans such as Don't delay etc.
- There are some good collocations and colligations (set the temperature, the decanter does it all).
- There are some attempts at set expressions and compounds (by express, solar energy etc.)
- There are three spelling errors (see below) but in general spelling is quite accurate (decanter, Christmas, guests etc.)
- There is a good lexical range for the level (delay, click here, bateries or wires).
- There is an attempt at a conditional structure (If you buy two ...).
- Delexicalised verbs are generally well used: set, have, take.
- Weaknesses
-
- There are some phonologically associated spelling errors (temprature (x2), bateries, prefereable etc.)
- There are two examples of poor use of negators (not ordinary, not bateries) where the writer needs the simple no. (Given the learner's level (A2), however, the first of these is excusable.)
- There are uses of progressive forms where simple aspect verbs would be better (setting, wanting).
- There are examples of inappropriate use of the genitive of (lights of your room) where English would prefer a compound (room lights). This may be caused by the learner's L1 structures.
- Some lexis is wrongly used. The adjective cheap has a negative connotation (advertisers would prefer economical / inexpensive), prefereable number (instead of preferred temperature). The expression It's very cheap should probably refer to running costs.
- The modal could is wrongly used (it should be can).
- The set expression Buy two get one free would be preferable to the use of a conditional structure although meaning is not impeded.
- Some prepositional use is flawed (for all the day, right to the temprature).
- There is a transitivity issue with set (set to 8°C) which is probably a slip (it is correct in the previous sentence).
- Although cost can be both a mass and a count noun depending on its meaning, the better choice here would be singular (cost is rather than costs are)..
You may have thought of others. You only have to find four but you must exemplify all of them (as above).
Paper 1 revision test index |