Hi Alice, ChrisLuke921221, and Pedram_Vaziry
First of all apologies about shortening the title. Usually when I shorten the title I remember to put the original essay question into the original post.
So here's the essay question:
Computers can translate all kinds of languages well. Do our children need to learn more languages in the future?
I'm not sure that I agree with ChrisLuke here - I think the essay is on-topic. For example, Alice's thesis statement gives her opinion clearly:
Therefore, although computers are doing a very good on their jobs of translating, children need to learn a foreign language by themselves at school.
I don't think the essay question is really concerned with computers, but it's always difficult to be sure unless we can see the original question. Overall, I'm happy with the essay ideas and structure.
Essay Layout
Let me analyze the layout of Alice's revised essay.
(A big thanks for taking the time to make some of the changes suggested by ChrisLuke and Pedram_Vaziry. Great work guys! I see some of the things they suggested are still there though. If your reader is not happy with something you wrote, it has to be changed. Think of business: In business, the customer is king. In writing, the reader is king – not the writer. Even Nobel Prize-winning writers have editors. Accept changes, unless they are completely silly.)
Intro
Here, you stated that computers can translate well (one side) but only word for word (other side). Your opinion: children still need to learn. This is fine.
However, you could also give two reasons why children need to learn so that the reader can guess how your essay will be laid out. You can read more about Thesis sentences here.
Here’s one possible thesis sentence you could have used:
I will give some linguistic, cultural, and practical reasons for learning a new language.
Paragraph Two
Here, you gave cultural and linguistic reasons for learning a language. Maybe this paragraph could separate these more clearly: you have the phrasal verbs and rules, and you also mention culture. These could be reorganized a little.
I'm also wondering about the links. You wrote:
For example, if children want to learn to write English well, they need to know more idioms and phrasal verbs, therefore, they need to read Shakespeare’s plays or fairy tale of England.
Do I really need to read Shakespeare in order to learn phrasal verbs? That's a scary idea! More importantly, have a look at the official descriptors for IELTS Task 2 Writing (public version) here, under Cohesion (how you link ideas and sentences).
Paragraph Three
Practical advantages of learning languages: This is very clear: advantages for work of being able to speak different languages.
Conclusion
You summarize both sides of your essay nicely. However, I really don't like 'ergo' and the fragment at the end of the paragraph, and I'm not sure I understand the last sentence.
You wrote:
How favourable learning language is. Ergo, children should learn more than a language.
Let's simplify it:
- Every child should have the chance to learn one or two new languages. OR
- Learning new languages is so useful that it should be mandatory in our schools OR
- I would advise all students to start learning a new language today.
A couple of other points:
Word Choice/Word Form/Usage
You wrote:
In fact, the computer can translate all kinds of languages pretty well.
‘In fact’ is used after an earlier idea or statement, to make it stronger. It can’t come at the start of an essay. Imagine if someone walked up to you and said “In fact, I haven’t seen you in ages!”
- One thing for sure that learning language helps it is easier to associate with people→One thing for sure is that learning language makes it easier to associate with people.
- Nevertheless, the more languages you know the further money you get and the brighter in your future. →In addition, the more languages you know, the more money you can earn and the brighter your future.
- It gives your children more occasions to find a suitable job. →It gives your children more opportunities to find a suitable job.
- Learning another language is an intense way to apprehend people and their culture →Learning another language is an intense way to learn about people and their culture. (‘Apprehend’ is not absolutely wrong here, but it’s better to simplify. ‘Comprehend’ might be another choice.)
- children need to contact with the lifestyle →children need to be in contact with the lifestyle
- By that way, → In that way
- As children learn another language from their childhood, they can speak it frequently when they are adult. →If children learn another language in their childhood, they can speak it more easily when they are adult.
- If…..therefore (Don’t use ‘if’ and ‘therefore’ in the same sentence)
Articles/Possessives/Plurals
- learning language will improve children knowledge → learning a language will improve the children’s knowledge
- There are a plenty of jobs→There are plenty of jobs
- people who know more than a language → people who know more than one language.
- Moreover, bilinguals can also be a translator as well as a businessman with decent salary →
Moreover, bilinguals can also be translators or businessmen/businesspeople with good salaries OR
Moreover, a bilingual can also be a translator or a businessman with a good salary.
- Also, many polyglots can join diplomatic profession →Also, many polyglots can join the diplomatic profession
Shorten/Simplify
You wrote:
For example, if children want to learn to write English well, they need to know more idioms and phrasal verbs, therefore, they need to read Shakespeare’s plays or fairy tale of England. (32 words, 1 sentence)
Don’t use ‘if’ and ‘therefore’ in the same sentence. There are three ideas here. Let’s break this 32-word monster up into separate sentences. Keep your sentences short and aim for one idea per sentence, for clarity.
Here’s one possible rewrite:
For example, if children want to learn to write English well, they need to know idioms and phrasal verbs. They can do this by reading English fairy stories or even Shakespeare.
(Hmmmmm….. what a painful way to learn idioms. I did find this site from ecenglish.com which is a lot easier than reading all Shakespeare’s works just to learn six or seven phrases, but whatever tickles your fancy…)
You wrote:
Also, many polyglots can join diplomatic profession, which requires the recruit to know more than a language, usually offers the highest-paid. (21 words)
Here’s one possible rewrite:
People who speak many languages can also become highly-paid diplomats. (10 words)
Try to keep ‘also’ near the verb, not at the start of the sentence.
Repeated Subject/Punctuation
- For children, who learn more than one language, will have a lot of benefits in the future. →Children who learn more than one language will have a lot of benefits in the future.
Again, thanks for rewriting, and big thanks to ChrisLuke921221 and Pedram_Vaziry for their comments. Much appreciated!