Date of Award
2018
Degree Name
English
College
College of Liberal Arts
Type of Degree
M.A.
Document Type
Thesis
First Advisor
Dr. Hyo-Chang Hong, Committee Chairperson
Second Advisor
Dr. Ryan Angus
Third Advisor
Dr. Kateryna Schray
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to investigate the tendency of the structural and lexico-grammatical features between high score writings and low score writings by comparing some sample writings of TOEFL practice text books from the perspectives of Systemic Functional Linguistics. Especially, this study focuses on analyzing clause complex, grammatical metaphor, lexical density, and causality of the sample writings of TOEFL practice books. The analysis shows the tendency to get higher scores with appropriate and effective writing structure of the writing section of TOFL iBT. Actually, most practice textbooks briefly provide only the templates that enable the test takers to memorize the form of the construction of the writing and some simple ways of use of conjunctions which is for logically structured writings. The study proves some defects of introduction and explanation part of the writing section of TOEFL iBT; especially, the explanation of ways of conducting text flow, such as effective use of adverbs and conjunctions and word choices, and so on.
Subject(s)
English language -- Study and teaching -- Foreign speakers.
Test of English as a Foreign Language.
Recommended Citation
Nakamura, Yuki, "A systemic functional analysis of TOEFL sample writings" (2018). Theses, Dissertations and Capstones. 1165.
https://mds.marshall.edu/etd/1165
Included in
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons, Language and Literacy Education Commons
