Academic English
Nowadays, many people are using smartphones.
X Nowadays
O Recently/Currently
Good thesis? "This paper will discuss the pros and cons of animal testing."
BAD: "both sides" thesis
Correct?
(Patton & Carter, 2010)
Yes, it's correct.
What's the fallacy? "We can either have a live tiger on campus, or we can look like we don't care about school spirit."
Black-and-white fallacy/False dilemma
What is the capital city of Norway?
Oslo
Besides, many people oppose the death penalty.
X Besides
O Aside from that, furthermore, moreover
Good topic sentence? "First, I will talk about the high cost of public transport."
Nope! It uses a first-person pronoun.
What is the name of Mr. Patton's favorite font? (Hint: It's boring)
Times New Roman
What's the fallacy? "People who want to require uniforms just want to turn all students into identical robots with no personality."
Straw man (misrepresenting the opposing viewpoint)
Which musical group's Deadline world tour will finish at Kai Tak Arena on January 26, 2026?
Blackpink
The second reason is that companies won't allow consumers to make independent decisions.
X Won't
O Will not (no contractions)
Good thesis? "Havana, as the capital city of Cuba, has given birth to several genres or music."
Nope! Just a list. Not argumentative.
What does APA stand for?
American Psychological Association
A report only includes data from students who already support school uniforms to prove that uniforms are popular. What is this called?
Cherry picking (only choosing data that supports your argument)
In GenZ slang, what does it mean to be "cooked"?
Ex.: I'm cooked, bro.
Acceptable:
1. Extremely exhausted
2. In a very bad situation
One reason is that sleep improves focus, many students cannot concentrate without enough sleep.
Comma splice! One reason is that sleep improves focus. Many students cannot concentrate without enough sleep.
Fix it! "Some people think that it is good to eat vegetables every day. I disagree."
Possible: This essay will argue that daily consumption of vegetables is not beneficial.
What's wrong with this reference?
Lee, C. (2021). The Ethics of Mascots. Journal of Higher Education. 45(2), 123-145.
Journal of Higher Education should be in italics
A university states that the average starting salary for its recent graduates is HKD$540,000. You should attend, right?
What's the problem?
The university reported the mean (average) when they should have reported the median (middle) salary.
In text language, what does IYKYK stand for?
If You Know You Know