DHS HBL essay notes

DUNMANHIGHSCHOOLYearFour2023IdentifyingtheQuestionType Discursive ArgumentativePossiblequestionstems:● Whatare…● Howcan… Typicallythesequestionsfocuson:● Reasonsfor/against● Factorsfor● Solutions Possiblequestionstems:● Doyouagree?● Towhatextent…?● Howfaristhistrue?● Is…● Whatareyourviews? Typicallythesequestionsrequireyouto:● Takeastand● Acknowledgetheopposingviewpoint● Rebuttheopposingviewpoint Comparative AbsoluteAcomparativeessayasksthatyoucompareatleasttwo(possiblymore)items.Theseitemswill differdependingontheassignment.Youmightbeaskedtocompare:● variedpositionsonanissue(e.g.,responsestoeducationsystemsinFinlandandSingapore)● twodifferentideologies(e.g.,capitalismandcommunism)● existingplansversusideal plans(strengthen,improve)● acrosstime(e.g.,educationalpoliciesinthepastvseducationalpoliciesinthepresent Theuseofspecifickeywordsmaymarktheabsolutestatement:● Only,● Always● Never● Every● Deathof● Banned● Noplaceinsociety Questionswithabsolutestatementsoftenpresentverystrongopinionswhichtypicallyshowanextremestance. Note:Questionscanbeamixofdifferenttypes,e.g.comparativediscursivequestionorabsoluteargumentativequestion. Y4EL2022

DUNMANHIGHSCHOOLYear42023EnglishLanguageExpositoryWritingQuestionAnalysis(AbsoluteTerms) Questionswithabsolutestatementsoftenpresentverystrongopinionswhichtypicallyshowanextremestance.Theuseofspecifickeywordsmaymarktheabsolutestatement.Forexample: a) Geneticengineeringwillonlybenefitmankind.Doyouagree?❖ Thestatementsuggeststhattherearenothingbutbenefitsduetogeneticengineering.Thisisanabsolutestanceonthematter;toagreewiththestatementwouldmeanthatyouagreethatgeneticengineeringwouldbringnodetrimentstomankind.Isthisafeasiblestand? b) Technologyalwaysgivesushopeforthefuture.Doyouagree?❖ Thestatementsuggeststhattechnologyisonlypromising.Again,ifyouagreewiththisabsolute,youwouldbesuggestingthattherearenocasesinwhichtechnologymaycauseanythingotherthanhopeforthefuture.Isthistrue? c) Thekeytosolvingpovertyismoney. Doyouagree?❖ Whilemoresubtlethantheprevioustwo,thisstatementisalsoanabsoluteone.Useofthedeterminer“the”in“thekey”suggeststhatthereisonlyonesolution(theuseofmoney)toresolvingpoverty.Agreeingwiththisstatementwouldbetoagreethattherearenootherviablesolutionstoapproachingpoverty.Doyoufeelthisistrue? Inunpackingtheabsolutestatements,youwillrealisethatagreeingwiththeabsolutesmaypresentaverylimitedandshort-sightedviewofthetopicofdiscussion.Insomecases,itislogicallyunsoundtoagreewiththestatements. Werecommendthatwhenfacedwithabsolutestatements,takinganopposingstance/disagreeingwiththeabsolutegivesyouabetterchancetowriteaconvincing,well-roundedessayonthetopic. Disagreeingwithabsolutesdoesnotmeanthatthereisnoshredoftruthwithinthem.Evenwhenyoudisagreewiththeabsolutestatement,youshouldacknowledgewhysomepeoplemaybeinclinedtoagree.Forexample: Y4EL2022

Q:Geneticengineeringwillonlybenefitmankind.Doyouagree? ● Toagreewiththestatementwouldmeanthatyouagreethatgeneticengineeringwouldbringnodetrimentstomankind.Takingthisstancewouldonlysho