The Power of Doing 2nd Drafts

By WR!TERS@WORK

The following is a real question asked during a lesson at W@W, on one fine Saturday morning:

“Teacher, when do students not need to do a second draft?”

“When you get full marks for your composition, you do not need to do a second draft?”

“Why?”

“You need to do a second draft to correct things you missed out in your first draft.”

At W@W, students are asked to do a second draft after writing their first composition. There are very good reasons for doing a second draft, as students will be able to correct any grammar, vocabulary, or sentence structure errors they have made in their essays. Furthermore, students will be able to revise the plot of the story and the key phrases learned.

What is a Second Draft?

After students write their first draft, they will receive the first draft back with comments from the teacher. Students should look at the feedback and rewrite the essay, making the necessary corrections, which may involve correcting basic grammar and sentence structure mistakes to rectifying more major issues, such as the flow of the essay or the its logical conclusion.

Why Should Students Do a Second Draft?

1. To Correct the Mistakes They Have Made in the First Draft

Students should do a second draft to correct the mistakes they have made in their first draft. Students will typically make a variety of mistakes ranging from grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors which need to be corrected. Going over your previous composition and rewriting the correct version of the sentence will improve your grammar, punctuation, spelling, and vocabulary skills as you will remember the correct way to do things this time.

2. To Add in New Phrases That They Think Suits the Composition

Students will need to use the phrases they have learned during class at W@W to enrich their composition. If students miss out using some of these phrases the first time round, they can improve their work by adding in some new phrases when doing their second draft. Using these phrases will be important as in the exam, these phrases will separate a mediocre essay from a good essay. Furthermore, by using these phrases, students will be able to hone their vocabulary skills, which will be valuable when writing future compositions.

3. To Remember the Plot and Phrases They Have Used in the First Draft

Rewriting a first draft is a form of memorisation technique students can use to remember the plot and phrases of the story to prepare themselves for their upcoming exams. Knowing the plot, characters, and phrases suitable for a particular question will greatly help the student when a similar question comes up again in future exams. By rewriting, students will absorb information about the plot, characters, and setting more easily than simply reading it.

What is the W@W Method?

Every week, students will be allocated some time to write their own compositions based on the Plot Curve and the discussion of the logical flows of the characters’ actions and events in the class. Students will be asked to use the phrases learned during the lesson to write their composition to further enrich their essay. After students get done writing their compositions, they are to submit the composition to their respective teachers so they can be graded.

Many parents and students think that writing essays is a skill which cannot be taught or learned, unlike more “concrete” subjects such as Mathematics or Science, which is easier to grade as there are “right and wrong answers”. However, some essays are better than others, and W@W aims to help its students know how to write good essays – checking all the boxes for grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structure is but one part of writing a good essay.

Crafting a story, fleshing out the characters, and creating a logical plot are equally important skills which can make or break a composition’s grade. Contrary to what some parents and students think, it would be unwise to simply “wing it” and start thinking about what makes a good essay on the exam day itself. Students should endeavour to learn these valuable skills before the exam, so that they feel more prepared walking into the exam hall.

Learn How to Write in a Coherent and Concise Manner with WR!TERS@WORK!

At WR!TERS@WORK, we are committed to providing the smoothest learning experience for your primary or secondary school child sitting for their English exam. With our carefully curated methods of teaching your child how to write, your child will be able to craft well-written essays in any genre with good grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structure.

English tuition and writing courses are instrumental for students not only in school, but to prepare them for their future undertakings as good writing is a universal necessity. Enjoy a smoother learning process with WR!TERS@WORK as we reinforce your child’s language skills and provide them with a strong foundation for academic success. For more exam tips, parents and students can explore our website and watch our YouTube videos.

If you are interested in our primary English tuition and secondary English tuition in Singapore, WR!TERS@WORK has expanded to 8 convenient locations. To find the nearest location that suits your needs, please explore our options. If you have any inquiries regarding our range of programs or class schedules, please feel free to contact WR!TERS@WORK.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

1. How Do You Structure an English Essay?

Firstly, you need a good hook as an introductory paragraph. Next, the body of content follows, which will answer the essay question provided. Lastly, a strong conclusion which “comes down on one side” is needed.

2. What Is a Good Paragraph Starter?

It depends on the essay. For narrative writing, the student can start in media res. For argumentative essays or discursive essays, a thesis statement is needed which outlines the central tenet of your argument.

3. What Should You Not Do in an Essay?

You should not ramble with run-on sentences in an essay. Furthermore, students should always answer the essay question and not address points which are unrelated. Good grammar and vocabulary, along with robust sentence structure, is a must.

4. What Makes a Bad Essay?

A bad essay will not deal with the subject matter it is being asked for. Moreover, a bad essay will fail to drive home the central point, be it a good plot, or arguments posed on either side based on the essay topic. Moreover, a bad essay will contain many grammatical errors, spelling errors, and will have a limited range of vocabulary.

5. What is the Hardest Part of an Essay?

Planning the essay is the hardest part of the essay. Students need to figure out what content to put in the essay and how it is structured, as well as the examples to bolster their argument.

6. What Are the Common Essay Writing Mistakes?

Firstly, not reading and answering the question is a cardinal mistake made by many students. Students should write the essay which is being asked of them instead of writing the essay they want to write, whether it is based on another model essay they have encountered in the past or a question the student thinks is easier to answer than the real essay question.