Hi students!
If you have made it this far, you are ready to respond to our first blog question. Please remember that this blog is a public forum: anyone who finds this page can read what you write! This is both exciting and a little scary; however, we should keep in mind that this forum is about ideas: if you've got ideas, please share them with us. We want to know what you think! You don't need to have perfect grammar and you should feel comfortable expressing what you think to your classmates and teacher. With that said, here is our first set of questions:
Part One: What is your major? If you don't have a major, which academic disciplines interest you the most?
Part Two: What are your academic goals for the spring semester? What do you want to accomplish in this class? Which aspects of your academic English study do you think will be the most challenging for you and why?
Happy writing!
Hi everyone,
ReplyDelete1- my undergraduate major is zoology and I love to know about animals and their lives.
2- my academic goals for this semester is to prompt my english language skills especially in writing. I think that the timed writing will be the most challenging skill to master so I really need to learn how to write academic essay or paragraph in a very limited time. I think this skill is important to me in TOEFL, IELTS and GRE tests.
That's all what I have and I am looking forward to hear from the others.
Hi, Hussah.
DeleteI do agree with your academic goal for this semester because I need that skill,too!
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DeleteHi Hussah,
DeleteI believe you can accomplish your goal in this semester. I want you can go on to graduate school next semester. And, I envy your active discussion in class.
Hi Hussah,
DeleteI am also very interested in zoology, but only as an amateur. I especially like wild cats--cheetahs, leopards, tigers, pumas, etc. We'll do some timed writing practice this semester and practice other important academic writing skills that will help you write better essays in a short amount of time.
Two quick language notes:
1. Make sure you capitalize the first word in each sentence when you write your blog posts.
2. Always put a comma before "so" when the meaning of "so" is "therefore" or "as a result."
-->....challenging skill to master so I really need to.......
Hi classmates,
ReplyDeleteI already finished my two years Technical course( machine shop practice)in the Philippines.But, I want to enhance my knowledge with the new technology.
My academic goal for this semester is to improve my vocabulary and reading skills.I also want to learn more about writing essay to improve my grammar.It is hard for me to research on the internet because I am not a computer literate.I have to improve my english langauage skills because it is important to me when I enroll to the college of technology.
Anjo!
DeleteYou have done with your technical degree! You should be good at researching on the Internet!!
Hi Anjo,
DeleteYour plan is great because knowledge isn't limited. It is very important to promote your technology studies and be expert at it.
Hi, Anjo
DeleteI personally think you are already good at computer because computer is a part of technology. Am I wrong?
Hi Anjo,
DeleteI would like to pay tribute to your passion for new technology and study.
Hi Alejandro,
DeleteI really hope I can provide you with activities that increase your ability to use electronic (internet) resources and help you become a better essay writer. These are certainly two goals I will do my best to help you reach.
On preposition use: knowledge of vs. knowledge with
You said "enhance my knowledge with new technology." This is correct, but I think you meant "knowledge of." The difference is subtle, but significant. If you enhance your knowledge with new technology, that means you use technology to help you enhance your knowledge. If you enhance your knowledge of new technology, that means you learn more about new technology. I hope this helps.
I study American and British studies in Japan and I take communication seminar.
ReplyDeleteMy academic goal for this semester is improving my academic vocabulary throgh this class. That is why I'm excited that I can be in this class and communicate with my new classmates who are at high level. My another goal is that I give my opinions in this class as many times as I can so that I can not also improve my speaking skill but have more confidence to speak.
Hi Yuka,
DeleteI am also excited to study in this class and improve my language and academic vocabulary. I shared the same thing with you.
Hi Yuka,
DeleteYou are right, sharing your opinion in our class will help you to improve your speaking skill.
Hi Yuka,
DeleteI also want to improbe my speaking skill.
Let's try to get our goal together.
Hi Yuka,
DeleteEven though this is a reading and writing class, there will be (have already been!) many opportunities for you to present your ideas and opinions. Please feel free to speak up whenever you've got something to say; and even more importantly, don't be afraid to point out something you disagree with as this is an important aspect of academic discourse here in the U.S. We like to disagree!
On grammar: another vs. my other
You said "my another goal...," but the correct way to say this would be "my other." As a general rule, "another" is used without determiners (my, her, his...) or any other words before it. Another way you could say this without changing the meaning is "Another goal of mine is..."
Hi guys.
ReplyDeleteMy major is international communication
My academic goal in this semester is getting better reading skills enough to read academic articles and listening skills to keep up conversation with American people.
Wow!! your major is really interesting. No doubt that you will have a bright future
DeleteI want to improve my listening skills to understand the American who talk very fast
I do agree with your goal for this semester. Im not good at academic reading. I think some Americans speak too fast to catch what they say, too. Let's do our best, Kan!
DeleteHi Kan,
DeleteI also want to improve my listening skill.
Let's try to get our goal together.
Hi Kan,
DeleteWe will analyze and explore some very high level articles that will definitely help you develop your reading skills. It really helps when the readings are interesting, and I'm pretty sure that the topics we are going to cover will keep you engaged.
Your grammar is virtually perfect, but your first sentence is missing a period. I do this too sometimes; it's always a good idea to reread your response once or twice before publishing.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteMy major is Genetic Engineering. Before coming here, I worked in Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO). My work was the examination / trial of patent in the biotechnology field.
My academic goal for this semester is improving my academic writing skill, and I really want to improve also my speaking skill. After finishing this semester, I will be back my workplace. Today, the world is as one, and patent also will be as one. I want to expand my business area through my English skill.
Kyeong A, I can tell that you are very smart and your Language skills improved specially the speaking skill in compare to the last semester. Congratulation!!
Deletehi, Kyeong
DeleteIm so impressed. Your work is pretty cool and I want to know more detail about the field is you don't mind.
Hi Kyeong A.
DeleteI'm sure, you can reach your goal because you are smart and hard working.Please tell me about your major, I never heard about that.
Hi Kyeong A,
DeleteLike so many of your classmates have said, your profession seems very interesting, but I must confess that I know very little about it. I really hope that I can help you improve both your academic writing and speaking skills. Each week our article discussions should give you plenty of opportunities to voice your opinions and ideas.
Your grammar is quite good in your response; however, your placement of "also" is not quite right. "Also" and many transitions like it can go at the beginning of the sentence, after the subject, or at the end of the sentence.
All three sentences below are acceptable:
Also, I really want to improve my speaking skill.
I also really want......
I really want to improve my speaking skill also.
Hi, I'm Keisuke.
ReplyDeleteMy major is Law, especially criminal law.
My goal of this semester is speaking English fluently. I will try to speak with American as much as possible!!
Thank you!
Hi Keisuke,
Deleteyour personality is perfect to study the criminal law and you must be an excellence investigator
Good Luck
Hi, Keisuke
DeleteI didn't know that you study law. Please teach me about criminal law!
Keis,
DeleteYour major is good for you because I knew that you want to be a leader in your country someday.
Hi Keisuke,
DeleteYour major is very interesting.
I want you achieve your goal.
Hi Keisuke,
DeleteCriminal Law sounds like such an intriguing field of study. How many years do you have to study before you can graduate? I hope that our weekly article discussions will help you increase your speaking fluency.
Your grammar is quite good in your response, but instead of using "especially," you should use "specifically." "Especially" is used to emphasize something; it makes the thing your talking about more important or highlights it in comparison with a similar thing: I like ice cream, but I especially like chocolate ice cream. "Specifically" in this case indicates the specific field of law that you study. I hope this helps. Let me know if you need more examples.
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ReplyDeleteThis is a text
ReplyDeleteHi, I studied automotive, I´m interested in vehicles, their industry, and insurance mainly, but also, politic, economy and sports.
ReplyDeleteI want improve my speaking and listening. I want accomplish the said before. Probably the reading and speaking, because I think that we are going to work with documents with the level of news and we are going to speak about them.
Hi Salva,
DeleteI think you will produce your own car line one day and be good businessman in the automotive field
Hi Salva, your major sounds interesting. I also think listening skill and reading skill are important.
DeleteHi, Salva
DeleteI am sure that you are enough smart to read academic articles! Lets talk about our articles that we use in this class as many times as we can.
Hi Salva,
DeleteI have interest in automobile racing.
I'd love to go to watch the race in Monaco or Spain someday.
Hi Salva,
DeleteI have always been confounded by what lies under the hood of a car; I truly wish I had the knowledge and skills to not have to take my car to the car shop every time something goes wrong. I can tell that you have a variety of interests. Also, I am confident that you will find many of our unit topics and related articles engaging and at times, challenging (I hope!).
On grammar, I noticed that you made the following error more than once: "I want improve......I want accomplish." This is a common error for many learners but an easy one to fix. In fact, you probably already know how we can fix it: "I want TO improve...... Want is always followed by the infinitive form of the verb (to improve, to study, to investigate, etc.). Hope this helps.