VOICE & DICTION

Samples from student writing under test conditions (JC2, Term 1 2013)
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What ? The choices a writer makes Words & phrases for impact, emotional connection, visualisation Sentence structures, pattern & length Figurative language Literary devices etc.
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What for ?

To

defend & convince !

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CLEAR CONNECTIONS to the question & its key words

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Is it impossible to have quality time with the family ?

... greater ease at accessing social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Eventually, this has led to the overusage of technology even at the wrong times. During family dinners, youth may still be constantly on their phones, oblivious to their surroundings. There may be physical proximity between them and their families, but there would be no engagement or familial communication. Time may be spent with the family, but it would not be quality time if most of the members are engrossed with their digital devices.
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NEVER CONTRADICT YOURSELF

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Do not write in absolute language that you cannot defend

How to edit the contradictions caused by language below ? STAND : Quality time with the family is very difficult to achieve, but not impossible One could argue that quality time is impossible to achieve because the pace of life today is too fast. On the other hand, it can also be argued that quality time is possible if there is enough help for families from the government or employers.
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LABEL PERSPECTIVES CLEARLY for a MEASURED, WELL-CONSIDERED TONE

Proponents, Advocates, Supporters, Opponents, Detractors, Critics, Optimists, Pessimists misapplied words ? vs Those/People who think/argue/believe that ... vs A government/business/viewer(specify) that is concerned with/thinks that ...
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MEASURED, WELL-CONSIDERED TONE

Qualifiers,

Intensifiers, Downtoners, Quantifiers Modals

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TONE, VOICE, DICTION that suits the topic

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Should religion still be emphasized ?

Religion has been around almost ever since humans possessed the ability to rationalise and think beyond basic survival. This intrinsic desire to find out where we come from and what is my purpose have resulted in what we see as religion today. Back when people were afraid of nature, like thunderstorms or hurricanes, and provided no scientific reasoning as to why certain phenomenon occur, Man turned to an alternative explanation a Higher Being. Certainly religion serves other purposes, like salvation, making morality a part of us, a mode of self-actualisation and many more. However, with our current progress in the fields of physics, genetics and biology, is there still a need to emphasise religion ? Humans have established systems which seem to slowly chip away at the fundamental purpose of religion, be it through the law, science and even politics. This writer believes that religion still has a role to play in our modern world but an emphasis of it should not be encouraged to the extent that is once was.
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VISUALISATION

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Is it impossible to have quality time with the family ?

... Most parents would head to work early in the morning and return at night, while the children would have to go through the mundane routine of schooling every weekday. The family would usually succumb to lethargy after they head home, and may be too exhausted to talk. For students, they are left with piles of assignments to be done, restricting them to their own tasks. They would be little time each day to even have proper conversations with each other within the family. This routine repeats itself day after day...
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LISTING & USING A RANGE for effect

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Are we addicted to technology ?

... If one sees technology as a solution to resolve any problem one meets in life like the difficulty in writing a chemical equation or deriving a mathematical expression, one could become over-reliant on technology. With the creation of search engines like Google, more and more internet users are depending on Google for answers in every aspect of their lives, be it on the ways to living a healthy lifestyle or the latest Korean celebrity stars updates. Many users are also losing their ability to memorise or simply remember what they wanted to search online because Google will automatically and immediately show possible matches to their questions just by typing a few key words. Given a longer period of time, they become so over-reliant that they turn to Google for anything from bread-and-butter issues like job-hunting and cooking to aiding in their memory.
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BIG WORDS Do they work or not ?

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Samples :
Religion is powerful. It indubitably holds insurmountable power to influence the masses. In contemporary society, there is a plethora of different religions... ... Religion has brought about propitious benefits. ... Those who subscribe to this belief abhorrently kidnap children... ...Terrorists brainwash these men to perform odious acts like bombing... It would be insane if these aberrations of religions were to be emphasised ...

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Samples :
... Religion promotes benevolence, fraternity and other good values The state grants its citizens volition to choose which religion to put their faith in. Instability was natural corollary of this incident. In the case of riot, the emphasis on religion would be inimical to society.

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