Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION
1.1 RATIONALE
It is obvious that in communication of most countries around the world, English plays an important
role. It seems that no country can deny the importance of English if they want to integrate and develop
as other countries in the world. Recently, thanks to the renewal and international economic integration,
Vietnam has significantly changed. It can be seen that within a generation, but the giant leap of science
and technology has brought to Vietnamese people’s life on the profound changes over the hundreds of
year, this helps Vietnam enlarge the integration into the world. Therefore, more than ever English
which is considered as an international language becomes essential in Vietnam. For a long time,
English has been used in Vietnam as a second language; it is also a compulsory subject in Vietnam
education system. Furthermore, at most of the universities in Vietnam, a certain level of English this is
accredited by the organized international English examination such as: TOEFL (Test of English as a
Foreign Language), TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication), IELTS (The
International English Language Testing System)... has been required as eligibility for students to
graduate, recently.
For all above reasons, English has been more and more important for Vietnamese learners; having
perfect skills in learning English is essential, especially if the learners want to take and get the
international certification.

For Vietnamese language learners, owning an English Certificate issued by a roll center or a school
teaching English with international standards (TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS...for example) is very necessary.
It will assist them to meet the needs of society such as graduating from college, going abroad for
further studying or even getting a good job in a particular field. Of all the international English
language testing organizations, IELTS “is widely recognized as a reliable means of assessing the
language ability of candidates who need to study or work where English is the language of
communication” (http://britishacademycalicut.com/en/IELTS/)

It is certified by English school system in the UK (United Kingdom) requirements and can also be
accepted by a number of universities in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the US (United States) as
well as in Vietnam. Score required by many colleges and universities is often 6.0 or higher. Thus,
performing well on IELTS is of primary significance for Vietnamese English learners.
IELTS exam is an academic English skill exam which evaluates listening, speaking, reading, and
writing in separate modules. In which, the IELTS Academic Writing Test includes 2: task 1 requires
candidates to describe a graph, a table, a chart or a diagram. In Task 2 candidates are asked to give out
a point of view or argument or problem aiming to assess on ability of presenting the solution to a
problem, justifying an opinion or evaluating or challenging ideas. “The assessment of Task 2 carries
more weight in marking than Task 1” Hence, to achieve a high score in IELTS writings (task 2),
candidates need to have good skills and be well-prepared in writing academic essays. In fact, according
to Luong & Nguyen. (2008) “most Vietnamese students in particular meet many difficulties in writing
academics essays/assignments in English”; the practice in writing essays to Vietnamese students has
been neglected for long time. There are many factors to create a good writing essay such as word
choice, sentence structures, grammatical rules, organization and so on. Of which, evaluative language
has been shown to help the language product become better and more effective and it almost occurs in
every kind of language product.

For all of the reasons showed, I decided to carry out a linguistic study entitled: “AN
INVESTIGATION INTO IELTS ESSAYS BAND 6-7 – A CASE ENGAGEMENT STUDY”. For
the research I hope that Vietnamese learners of English can understand more about the semantic area of
Appraisal theory – Engagement in particular and know how to use it in the most effective way in their
writings.

1.2 AIMS OF THE STUDY

This paper is aimed:

- To identify, describe and analyze one of three semantic areas of Appraisal theory-
Engagement in IELTS writings (task 2) band between 6 and 7;
- To find out the frequency of occurrence of Engagement resources, determine which values of
Heteroglossic and their sub types are typical in IELTS writings (task 2) band between 6 and 7.
- To investigate how the values of Engagement strategies are used to negotiate and align with
readers to attain the writing intentions.
- To make implications to teaching and learning Appraisal theory - Engagement effectively in
writing academic essays in general and IELTS essays in particular.
1.3 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study ideals with the IELTS writings (task 2) band between 6 and 7 which are selected from a
set of books titled “Cambridge IELTS with answers” and online (IELTS- Blog). This choice is due to
the fact that the researcher wants to have samples from model essays that were graded by IELTS
examiners who “hold relevant teaching qualifications and are recruited as examiners by the test
centres and approved by British Council or IDP: IELTS Australia” (IELTS Handbook, 2007, p.10).
Besides, to make the data analysis possible, forty essays are taken online from the website named
IELTS- Blog. The study focused on Engagement, one of the three semantic domains of the Appraisal
Theory. The choice of Engagement resources in Appraisal theory for the present study comes to the
following reasons. Firstly, Appraisal theory is a broad topic relating to broad semantic domains such as
the sub types of Heteroglossic resources that deal with linguistic resources. Under Engagement, I
investigated how the IELTS candidates negotiate and align with the readers (IELTS examiners) by
means of using Engagement resources in their writings to achieve the score between 6 and 7. Secondly,
due to the lack of time, space as well as relevant materials, the thesis has not paid attention to all
semantic areas of Appraisal theory except for Engagement values to make more deeply in analyzing
IELTS writings (task 2) band between 6 and 7
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
In order to deal with the problems found in this paper, some following research questions will be
addressed:
1. What is the frequency of occurrence of Engagement resources in IELTS writings (task 2) band
between 6 and 7?
2. How do the IELTS candidates negotiate with the readers (IELTS examiners) by means of using
Engagement resources?
3. What are the implications for learning and teaching writing academic essays so that IELTS
candidates can achieve a band between 6 and 7 scored in their task 2?

1.5. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The results of the study are expected to be beneficial to both academic and practical
significances.

At the academic level, with the results of the analysis the researcher hopes to:
- help discover the Engagement resources in IELTS writings (task 2) band between 6 and 7 in
terms of Appraisal Theory with a view to investigating what linguistic factors are employed to reveal
the features and realize the goals of the IELTS essays, especially finding out which resource is
preferred by IELTS candidates.
 - show up the role of these devices in the interaction between writers (IELTS candidates) and
readers (IELTS examiners).
At the practical level, the study:
- provides a detailed view into the operation of the characteristics of Engagement resources
(the ones for entering into a dialogue with an audience) in the IELTS writings (task 2) band between 6
and 7, the features have received less consideration so far.
- facilitates Vietnamese learners in reading and correctly understanding the IELTS writings
(task 2) band from 6 to 7.
- helps Vietnamese especially Vietnamese learners of English align further to the writing style
of the IELTS writings (task 2) band from 6 to 7
- suggests some pedagogical implications for teachers and students to realize Engagement
resources from that perceive the interactive role in the process of reading and writing.
1.6 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY
The general outline of this research consists of five chapters conducted in a typical order as
follow:
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Literature review and theoretical background
Chapter 3: Methodology
Chapter 4: Findings and Discussion
Chapter 5: Conclusions and Implications
 CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

2.1. IELTS ESSAYS

IELTS (the International English Language Testing System), is an academic English proficiency
exam which assesses listening, speaking, reading, and writing (IELTS Handbook, 1997) in separate
modules. IELTS certificates are granted by the Cambridge University. IELTS scores are used by many
tertiary education institutions in the world to make decisions about student admissions into
undergraduate and postgraduate study programs.
The Academic Writing Module consists of two tasks. Task 1 requires the interpretation of factual
information provided in the form of a graph, table, chart or diagram into a description or summary.
Task 2 requests a short argumentative essay in response to a controversial statement or question of
general interest. In this study, we will use test responses written for Task 2 of IELTS Academic Writing
Module as the data for analysis.
2.2. PRIOR RESEARCH

With the influence and importance of their contribution to assess the English proficiency of
English language learning as a second language, IELTS has been a great interest to a lot of researchers
in various fields. Up to know there have been some researchers focusing on the impact of the
preparation for a good IELTS result: Bangert, Kulik and Kulik (1983), Pauline, Richard, Guoxing
(2002), Hayes and Read (2004), (Ying, 2011), Richard Taylor (2013)
Another empirical work related IELTS is a study by Chandra, Kate, Rajni and Veena, (2002-2003)
it revealed that such factors as time, motivation, anxiety and skills have a significant influence on the
scores of candidates in the writing module. The study also pointed to issues related to candidate
perceptions, the impact of intensive course preparation, and the implications of such preparation on
pre-test English language competence.
For the purpose of helping English learners get the best IELTS writings, this study focuses on
examining the use of evaluative language in IELTS writings - one of the new areas where virtually very
little research done on the IELTS essays, with the hope that IELTS candidates can be better in writing.
The study identified one semantic area of Appraisal Theory – Engagement system, which makes a
success or not of the IELTS essays to shed lights on how the writer (i.e. IELTS candidate) presents his
view points through the system of Engagement.
2.3 APPRAISAL THEORY
2.3.1. THE THEORY:

Considered as the framework of evaluative language, APPRAISAL Theory was developed in

Australia by a group of researchers, mainly by Martin (2000) and White (1997, 2001). Recently, for the
purpose of describing various ways of linguistic realization of interpersonal meanings in language use,
the theory is developed as an analytical framework within Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL)
(Halliday & Matthiessen, 2004), Martin and White (2005).

Appraisal is seen to perform the three functions namely ATTITUDE, ENGAGEMENT and
GRADUATION, and each of which has certain subcategories.

“Attitude” contains Affect (emotional responses), Judgment (evaluation of human beings and/or
their behaviours) and Appreciation (the evaluation of entities) with meanings by which
writers/speakers indicate either a positive or negative assessment of people, places, things, happenings
or states of affairs (Martin & White, 2005). Also as they point out, Engagement is concerned with the
linguistic resources for positioning the speakers/writers’ voice with the respect to proposals showed by
a text. Graduation deals with gradability used for the degree of an evaluation – how strong or weak the
feeling is.

2.3.1.1. Attitude
According to Martin and White (2005) Attitude is the primarily term for evaluative language in
construing feeling in text. It comprises of three subcategories: Affect, Judgement and Appreciation
referring to emotion, ethics and aesthetics refers to emotional responses, the evaluation of human
beings and/or their behaviors and the evaluation of entities respectively.
• Affect
Affect refers to emotions, with positive and negative emotional assessment of people, places,
things, happenings and states of affairs.
• Judgement
Judgement is concerned with language resources for assessing human behaviour and action
(positive or negative evaluation).
Judgement as stated by Martin and White (2005, p. 52) can be identified with “Social Esteem”
and “Social Sanction”..
• Appreciation
 Appreciation is the system of resources for aesthetic evaluation of objects, artifacts, entities,
presentation, etc. Similar to Affect and Judgement it has positive and negative dimensions.
Appreciation includes three subtypes: reaction, composition and valuation.
2.3.1.2. Graduation
As defined by Martin and White (2005), Graduation is a general property of values of affect,
judgement and appreciation that are used to intensify or soften an opinion.
As mentioned above Appraisal framework consists of three types: ATTITUDE,
GRADUATION and ENGAGEMENT. In the study Engagement resources will be identified, analyzed
to clear the way and the frequency that the writers have used them in IELTS writings band between 6
and 7 so as to increase the persuasiveness and effectiveness of their propositions and proposals
2.3.1.3 Engagement
2.3.1.3.1 An over view
Under appraisal theory, Engagement is concerned with the language resources by which
speakers or writers use to employ to engage listeners or readers interpersonally. Therefore, authors
position themselves dialogically from what is spoken/written. This system of linguistic resources
includes different values widely discussed in previous literature by White (2001) such as attribution,
modality, polarity, concession, evidentiality, hedging and metadiscourse
The system of Engagement can be understood distinctly into two board sub-systems: Heterogloss
and Monogloss which is based on the perspective of dialogical space between writers and readers.
2.3.1.3.2. Heterogloss versus Monogloss
As Martin and White (2005) state, Hetergloss is the language resources by which speakers or
writers indicate assessment or opinion. Heterglossic resources are concerned with the point of view via
attributing material to external resources and via entertaining values to internal resources. Whereas,
Monogloss involves the truth functional perspective that might be viewed as factuality, Monoglossic
utterances make no references to other voices and viewpoints. Monoglossia is a language resource by
which speakers/ writers use to engage the fact.

Heterglossia resources can be divided into two sub-categories, namely dialogic

expansion (extra-vocalisation) and dialogic contraction (intra-vocalisation). The first one
acts to expand or open the space for dialogic it tends towards dialogistic
expansion via endorsement-neutral formulations such as `Some researchers
argue..., he said that…' which are usually seen in direct speech (quoted) or indirect
speech (reported utterances). Whereas, the second one tends to contract the scope
for dialogistic diversity, it is concerned with the internal voice of the writer or speaker which
proclaims, disclaims or probabilises.

2.3.1.3.3 Expansion

Dialogic expansion indicates the language resources under the two dialogically-expansive heading
of “Entertain” and “Attribute”.
a. Entertain:
Entertain is concerned with wordings by which authorial voice indicates that the proposition
being referenced is just one of a range of possible propositions.
b. Attribution:
Attribution is concerned with attributing the proposition some external source so as to disassociate it
from the text’s internal authorial voice, for example in directly and indirectly reported speech and
thought.
Within Attribution, Martin and White (2005) show two sub- categories. They are “acknowledge” and
“distance”.

Acknowledge is defined as:

locutions where there is no overt indication at least via the choice of framer, as to where
the authorial voice stands with respect to the proposition. (Martin and White, 2005, p. 112)

The major lexico-grammatical realizations that are employed to realize Attribution include means of
reporting verbs such as say, report, state, declare, announce, believe and think.
Distance concerns such formulations in which, there is an explicit distancing of the authorial voice
from the attributed material.
This is presented in the reporting verb “claim” or by certain uses of “scare” quotes.
2.3.1.3.4 Contraction
a. Disclaim
Disclaim falls into two types: Deny and Counter
• Deny (negation)
Martin and White (2005) show Deny (negation) means rejecting alternative positive position after
having been presented in the dialogue, therefore acknowledging it
• Counter
Counter is used in a proposition to replace the denied expectation with an alternative opinion that the
authorial voice introduces as preferable or more correct/justified.
Counter and Deny often appear together but authors present an external voice, so as to
acknowledge it when denying, and then give a negative orientation to reject it. Through Counter,
authors also call out a contrary position to the one introduced, but different from Deny, a proposition is
presented to replace or supplant the one expected.

b. Proclaim

Proclaim includes three types: concur, pronounce and endorse.

• Concur

As stated in White (2005, p. 4), Concur is presented as “something that is given, as being in
accord with generally known or expected”.

Concur is the conventional wisdom and it is widely accepted in the current context of
communication. Therefore, from one side to the other Concur authors suppose the audience will share
the similar view.
• Pronounce
Pronounce includes the dialogistically prospective formulations by which authors directly interpolate
themselves directly into the text to explicitly responsible sources of the utterance. Speaker/ writer
thereby enhance the validity of the advanced proposition, rendering such a direct challenge to his/ her
dialogic position. Through this strategy, the author integrates that possibility into the text by
confronting the possibility of rejection and as a result of that acknowledges the dialogistic diversity of
meaning making in socially diverse social contextual relationship.

• Endorse

Endorse is deals with propositions from external sources presented by the author as correct, valid,

2.3.2. Related studies

Known as a new approach for Stylistics, Appraisal Theory with most important contributors Martin
and White (Martin, 1997, 2000; White, 2003; Martin and White, 2005) has become one of the most
interesting models in the study of evaluative language. The majority of discourse contrastive studies
inspired by Martin and White's ideas have provided an approach of discourse -semantic to the study of
interpersonal meaning Hood (2004a); Lee (2006, 2008), Xinghua and Thompson (2009), Ho (2011),
Xinghua (2013), Tran (2014).
Moreover, there is a series of related works based on Appraisal theory as an analytical
framework including Mizusawa (2010), Nakamura (2009), Ho, V. L. (2011)
For Vietnamese authors, a research using Appraisal theory as an analytical framework explaining
why the English second language writings deviate noticeably from native English texts is studied by
Ho (2011) or Tran.T.T.T (2014) who shows that when communicating with the readers, the English
editors intend to take the role of the presenter of public opinion in order to avoid their intertextual
sources; whereas, the Vietnamese editors are considered more as witnesses of the event that they seem
to get closely with their intertextual sources.
There has been a lot of work relating to how to succeed in IELTS and there are several researches
applying Appraisal Theory to investigating English writings in both Vietnamese and English. However,
up to now little research has explored the effect of evaluative language on the quality of IELTS
writings Band between 6 and 7.
2.4. SUMMARY
In summary, chapter two has reviewed the previous studies relating to the present study. It has
also referred to the view of ENGAGEMENT, a collection of semantic resources for negotiating the
subjective nature of the writer’s stance. It is clear that Engagement is significant to be a framework for
language analysis, specific for explaining, discovering and describing how a language is used to assess.
All these theories will be the foundation for analysis in the following chapters.
CHAPTER 3

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1. RESEARCH METHODS

For the investigation into evaluative language used in IELTS essays (task 2) band between 6 and
7, the methods of the study were based on the combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches.
Certain methods as descriptive, analytic, comparative, contrastive and synthetic were also applied
as the main supporting methods to analyze the data.
3.2. DATA COLLECTION
The data were collected from the download of well-known and reliable websites namely: IELTS-
Blog via: http://www.ieltsbuddy.com/IELTS-blog.html. The sample of the study comprises 40 IELTS
essays (task 2) band between 6 and 7.
 The reason for choosing IELTS Essay samples (task 2) Band between 6 and 7 is that: IELTS
scores are used by many tertiary education institutions in the world to make decisions about student
admissions into undergraduate and postgraduate study programs. In most universities in Vietnam, for
college students, band between 6 and 7 of IELTS essays is the requirement to graduate. Besides, band
between 6 and 7 of IELTS essays is also a scale equivalent to the level C1 of the European reference
framework.
Choosing the IELTS essays band between 6 and 7 to investigate the researcher wishes to help
teachers and IELTS candidates to better understand the use of evaluative language from both linguistic
and socio-cultural perspectives in writing essays to meet language requirements.
3.3 DATA ANALYSIS
3.3.1 Analytical frameworks for data analysis
The study on attitudinal resources found in IELTS essays (task 2) band between 6 and 7 was
conducted based on the framework of Appraisal Theory developed by Martin and White (2005).
The analysis of the research is chiefly concerned with the subsystem of evaluative language,
namely ENGAGEMENT. In this study, the researcher investigated how writers of IELTS essays (task
2) band between 6 and 7 use Engagement values to engage readers interpersonally in their writings.
3.3.2. Analysis procedures

The analysis of Engagement resources operating in IELTS essays (task 2) band between 6 and 7 was
carried out by following systematic steps below:

- collecting samples from a set of books titled “Cambridge IELTS with answers” and online
(IELTS- Blog),

- carefully examining the occurrence frequency of each type of Engagement values,

- presenting the results of each category of Engagement on tables or charts focusing on the
synthesis of the separate tabular or charts,

- comparing the subtypes of Engagement values in the IELTS essays (task 2) band between 6 and
7,

- suggesting some implications in using the values of Engagement in the IELTS essays (task 2) to
achieve band between 6 and 7.

CHAPTER 4
 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

4.1. OVERALL USAGE OF MONOGLOSSIC AND HETEROGLOSSIC

Under Engagement, there exist two subtypes: monoglossic and heteroglossic. These two values of
Engagement were investigated and it was found that there were 197 items of monoglossic and 427
heteroglossic in IELTs essays. The overall usage of Heteroglossic statements occupies a significant
proportion of all IELTs essays, more than twice as much as the overall usage of Monoglossic.

Figure 4.1: Frequency of Monoglossic and Heteroglossic

The findings indicate that the writers of IELTs essays (test 2) band from 6 to 7 use more
Heteroglossic values than Monoglossic values in their essays. With such use, the writers are less likely
to put in place their own opinion and more likely to allow for an uncommitted stance, making an on-
going dialogue between the writers and the readers.
4.2. OVERALL USAGE OF HETEROGLOSSIC
 Figure 4.2: Frequency of Heteroglossic

It is evident from the figure that the IELTs essays use more Expansive resources than Contraction
resources. The average ratio of Expansive resources used in the essay IELTS band is over 56.2%
corresponding to the survey data is 401 items and the average rate of Contraction resources is only
43.8% corresponding to the survey data is 313 items
4.3. EXPANSION
4.3.1. Overall usage of Expansion

Figure 4.3: Frequency of Expansion

A glance at the figure provided denotes that Entertain and Attribution resources are disproportionately
employed in the IELTS essays (task 2) band between 6 and 7. In these kinds of essays, the writers tend
to use Entertain resources. As found in Figure 4.3 Entertain resources account for more than 50 %,
whereas it is just approximately 6% Attribute on resources found in the essays.
The use of information coming from the outside has been evaluated by another person to the
opening essays to make entries convincing and more reliable.

4.3.2. Entertain

4.3.2.1. Overall usage of Entertain

The frequency of occurrence for Entertain resources for the sub-categories is shown in Figure 4.4.
Across the corpus, Entertain resources were found to occur at a frequency of more than 50 % as a
whole as mentioned, in which Modality contribute the most with over 40 %, followed by Attribute
Projection/Opinion ratings with just more than 6%. Postulation and Expository Question appear at very
low rate of less than 1%.

Figure 4.4: Frequency of Entertain

 ENTERTAIN Introduction Body paragraph Conclusion

Modality 4.9% 29.3% 8%

Attribute 1.7% 1.8% 2.9%
Projection/Opinion
Postulation 0.1% 0.7% 0.0%
Expository Question 0.3% 0.6% 0.0%

Table 4.1: Frequency of the sub-categories of Entertain in each of the three main sections

Entertain factors dominate in all the body paragraphs across the corpus. Attribute factors,
Projection modality and Opinion can still be found in the introductions and conclusions. Whereas,
Postulation and Expository Question almost appear very little, especially in the conclusions. This
finding indicates that in the opening (Introduction) and the discussing part (Body paragraph) the
authors admit the possibility of alternative positions or viewpoints in the discourse (by using most of
the entertain values of modal auxiliaries such as ‘can’, ‘may’). However, at the closing (conclusion),
the opening up a space for opinions from outside is very limited.

4.3.2.2. Modality

Modality consists of modal auxiliaries including modals of prediction, possibility and obligation,
modal adjuncts expressing possibility and modal attributes.
The figure below presents the frequency of modality in the IELTs essays (task 2) band between 6
and 7
 Figure 4.4: Frequency of modality

Taking a glance at figure 4.4 it is interesting to note that modal auxiliaries are much more frequent
than the other types of modality in the data, it accounts for the majority with over 41% compared with
very low rate of modal adjuncts as well as modal attributes (only 0.6%). For each part of the essay,
across the corpus though modal auxiliaries could be found in almost three sections (Introduction, body
paragraph and conclusion), modal adjuncts appeared very little at the introductions accounting for
0.1% and absolutely not appear in the conclusion. It is surprising to note that Modal adjuncts and
Modal attributes share the same rate in the body paragraphs consisting of approximately 0.4% but there
are no instances of modal attributes in the conclusions. See more clearly in table 4.2 below.

Modality Introduction Body paragraph Conclusion

Modal auxiliaries 4.8% 28.4% 7.8%
Modal adjuncts 0.1% 0.4% 0.0%
Modal attributes 0.0% 0.4% 0.1%

Table 4.2: Frequency of the sub-categories of Modality in each of the three main sections

Modal auxiliaries

Under Engagement, Modal auxiliaries are often divided into three types: Modals of prediction,
possibility and obligation. Modals of prediction are typically realized by will, would..; Modals of
possibility are realized by can, could, may, might and Modals of obligation are must, should… Figure
4.5 illustrates the frequency of modal auxiliaries in the data.
 Figure 4.5: Frequency of Modal auxiliaries

The IELTS Academic Writing Task 2 asks you to write a short essay. The essay is usually a discussion
of a subject of general interest. From the figure supplied, it is worth noting that to meet this
requirement; modal auxiliaries are quite frequently used in the data for the purpose of discussion. They
occur in every IELTs essays (task2) band between 6 and 5 and help open the discourse up to different
opinions as well as the degree of engagement the writer makes to the information presented. For
example:

(20) They may become so preoccupied with the benefits ahead of them such as small
salary that they may leave school. (Entertain - Modal auxiliary) (IE32)

It is clear to see that may (in example (20)) shows a speaker’s/writer’s degree of certainty or level of
engagement. Besides, from a dialogic perspective, it also ‘entertains’ or invites the possibility of
alternative stance or viewpoints in the discussion about the children in many countries are engaged in
some kind of paid work.

As shown in figure 4.5 the modal auxiliaries is most commonly signaled by the Modals of
possibility (15.7%) and Modals of prediction (13.3%), and the Modals of obligation (12%).

Examples are given in (21)–(23), below. The three main sections of an essay in which they appear
is also indicated.

(21) In conclusion, I would like to say that a good education system will lead to a
developed country. (Modal auxiliary – from Conclusion) (IE9)

(22) We must acknowledge that education is something that we all need. (Modal auxiliary -
from Body paragraph) (IE3)

(23) Nowadays, people are arguing whether an ideal lifestyle should be a stable one or
should it include a wide range of changes. (Modal auxiliary - from Introduction)
(IE34)

The selection probabilities and frequencies of occurrence of the ‘Modals of auxiliaries’ feature as
well as its realizations differ across each section (see Figure 4.5 and Table 4.3).

The Modals of possibility, which were the most common encoding of ‘auxiliaries’ in the corpus as
a whole, make up just 1.5% in the Introduction, over 12.7% in the Body paragraph and about 1.4% in
the Conclusion. Followed by the Modals of prediction which have selection of probabilities and
frequencies of approximately 1.3%, 10.4%, 1.7% in the Introduction, the Body paragraph and the
Conclusion respectively; slightly less than the Modals of prediction about the frequency are the Modals
of Obligation, they count for approximately 2%, 5.3% and 4.8% in the Introduction, the Body
paragraph and the Conclusion respectively

Modal auxiliaries Introduction Body paragraph Conclusion

Modals of possibility 1.5% 12.7% 1.4%

Modals of prediction 1.3% 10.4% 1.7%

Modals of obligation 2% 5.3% 4.8%

Table 4.3: Frequency of the sub-categories of Modals of auxiliaries in each of the three main sections
As reported above, modals of possibility are prominent features in the IELTS essays (task 2)
Band from 6 to 7. Especially, “can, could, may, might” are widely employed in the IELTS essays.
Using this type of modality, the writers seem to show their stance in an unambiguous way, moderating
the viewpoints and keeping the writer from a complete responsibility for the truth value of the
proposition.
(24) These people may (Entertain-modal auxiliary) prefer to relax by
watching movies, reading or getting a massage. (IE4)
(25) Through the sports, two divided nations could (Entertain-modal auxiliary) reduce
their political and ideological tensions and could (Entertain-modal auxiliary) feel the
patriotic unity. (IE18)
(26) There are several possible reasons why it can (Entertain-
modal auxiliary) happen. (IE23)

By the usage of may, could, can instead of prefer, reduce, happen respectively in examples 24,
25 and 26, the statement is likely more tentative, expecting the engagement of alternative voice. It
helps the writers avoid a full responsibility for the statement, opening some space for different
viewpoints or stance. Furthermore, by using these modals, the writers expect someone to oppose them.
The second most used type in the data is the modals of prediction. With regard to this type of
modals, it can be said that most of modals of prediction used in the data are will, would. A possible
explanation is that by using will, would for predicting effect; the writers would avoid being too
committed to the truth of what they are expressing. The second possible reason is that by using will,
would the writers pose a hypothesis in the future to make their arguments become more convincing.
Besides, these modals suggest the idea that identifies what may happen in the future. Thus, this
expresses the own writer’s expectation.
(27) Many others will (entertain-modal auxiliary) go for dieting
medication and beverages that help them to lose their appetite (EI1)
(28) These unhealthy dieting will (Entertain-modal auxiliary) cause
internal damage in the long run. (EI1)
(29) For example, every time they search for a data, there would
(Entertain-modal auxiliary) be lots of choices that would
(Entertain-modal auxiliary) appear on the screen. (EI22)
(30) In short, I think the world would (Entertain-modal auxiliary) be a
better place without cigarettes (EI22)
The modals “will” in (27) and (28) are used to express a hypothesis in the future for whether
dieting give people a better life or not. Similarly, hedges “would” in (29) and (30) express a prediction
in the future. In (29), the writer predicts that a variety of selection waiting for the Internet users on the
screen. In (30), the writer used “would” in his (her) conclusion about the affect of smoking; this proves
that the writer, he/ she expect a better future without cigarettes. However, whether this expectation
becomes true or not depends on people’s behavior and other factors. Since this is an expectation, would
is a more appropriate choice. See more in the following examples:

(31) Scientists predict that in the nearest future it will (Entertain-modal auxiliary) be
possible to smell a new perfume using the Internet and watch 3D scenes at home like
we do in the movie theater (EI37)
(32) Thus I would (Entertain-modal auxiliary) think the government
may have to look ways to improve road infrastructure and traffic
jams to deter or reduce accidents on the road. (IE40)
In these above examples, both “will” and “would” are used to predict the future. However, in (31)
“will” is more commitment, whereas “would” in (32) is more tentative, it expresses an uncertainty or
little commitment. This finding agrees with Coates’s (1983) finding "would" may convey non-assertion
when mentioning about uncertain future or debatable result for which the writer lacks of certainty.
With regard to the modals of obligation which are employed the least in the corpus as a whole,
Must and should are predominantly attached to the obligation sense. Compared with modals of
prediction, this type of modal occurs slightly less. It is significant to know that the modals of obligation
appear the most frequently in the Conclusion (over 4.8% comparing with 1.7% modals of prediction
and just 1.4% modals of possibility), which tends to impose the writers’ opinions, relating to more
powerful and assertive writers. (White, 2001)
(33) The all over aim should (Entertain-modal auxiliary) be a world in balance, but this
has yet to come. (IE2)
(34) We must (Entertain-modal auxiliary) acknowledge that education is something that
we all need. (IE3)
(35) Personally, in my opinion we should (Entertain-modal auxiliary) create as many
opportunities for women to have an equal life as we can. (IE6)
(36) In conclusion, I think a student should (Entertain-modal auxiliary) travel or work
before going to the university. (IE38)
The propositions in above excerpts are assertive by the appearance of must and should. It is likely that
the writers show their comments in the authoritarian manner. They do not look forward to anything else
happening and refuse any uncertainty about the fact that the aim of education is very necessary to
people (in 34) or women need more opportunities to have an equal life (in 35). By means of using these
modals, the writers refuse the alternative voice; impose their opinions more powerful and assertive.
To summarize, there is considerable variation in the types of modal auxiliaries in the data, this
leads to different meanings. The prominent use of the modals of possibility and prediction in IELTS
essays (task 2) Band from 6 to 7 gives thought to the possibility of discussion between the writers and
the readers, thus the writers have more space to show their view. Furthermore, these types of modal are
used to show the writers’ own viewpoint on the problem, persuade, influence and negotiate with
readers. They are assumed to be either taken for granted or open for negotiation, depending on the co-
text.

Modal adjuncts

Like modal auxiliaries modal adjuncts are used to express the degree of evidentiality. However, in
IELTS essays (task 2) Band between 6 and 7 modal adjuncts are used with negligible quantities and
absolutely not appear in the conclusion. This finding seems to be reasonable for the reason that modal
adjuncts are often employed to reduce the writers’ commitment to the proposition being put forth,
whereas opening up the dialogical space. This is impossible when the authors want to go to the
conclusion of an essay.
Followings (37), (38) are some examples of modal adjuncts used in data:
(37) Maybe (Entertain-modal adjunct) because of a religious view point, the respect for
life is a typical value in the Old Catholic world (EI28)
(38) Maybe (Entertain-modal adjunct) this is not a simple question. (EI28)
The above excerpts indicate that the writers not only present some factual information on the
respect for life but also show their own assessment of the events through adverbs “maybe” and from
that open up the communicative context to other viewpoints, inviting alternative possible opinions.

Modal attributes

It is surprising that the frequency of occurrence of Modal attributes is totally equivalent to Modal
adjuncts (see table 4.2). Yet, unlike modal adjuncts, modal attributes with their meager quantities only
appear in the body paragraph and only one in the conclusion. It is completely non-existent in the
Introductions. The possible reason may be because of its function: employed to construct space for
alternative stances in the texts and create agreement among those who do not share the author’s
viewpoint.
(39) …. implementing more stringent regulations on alcohol drink driving and possibly
(Entertain-modal attribute) to revise on the standard of driving test for young and old
drivers on the road. (IE40)
(40) Therefore, their living conditions are likely to (Entertain-modal attribute) worse off
by not able to earn back their tuition fee after graduation. (IE36)

4.3.2.3. Opinion

With regard to opinion resources, it is interesting that across Entertain, Opinion rank second after
modality. As the means of making the authors’ own voice subjective opinions, Opinion are used
frequently in the data. Particularly, they are often found in the Conclusions
(41) In my opinion (Entertain-opinion), dieting for better health is more important than
solely for looking attractive (IE1)
(42) In my view (Entertain-opinion), the wrong way is to stay at home in your leisure time
if you have a setting job (IE4)
While the use of the phrases In my opinion, In my view, I think can be explained as indicating some
level of uncertainty on the part of the writers about the fact that the dieting for better health is more
important than solely for looking attractive in (41) and that it is not good for us to stay at home in our
leisure time if we have a setting job in (42), but the appraising use of these phrases performs a
deliberative assembly, expressing authority. Thus, it conveys the writer's objective view about the
information.

4.3.2.4. Postulation

Be referred as “knowledge verbs” (Fowler, 1986), the sources of postulation are often used to
emphasize the writers’ own opinion, allow alternative possibilities and when using it the writers are
likely to clearly prefer it over other possible positions, even though the writers basically acknowledge
it valid. Be more as illustrated in (43), (44), and (45)
(43) Dieting seems (Entertain - postulation) to be part of our life in this modern society,
especially for those who are health conscious (IE1)
(44) On television or in newspaper, we seem (Entertain-postulation)to become used to bad
news. It is a little of difficult for us to come across a piece of good news. (IE30)
The appearance of words “seem, apparently” in above examples clearly make the proposition is
one opinion, fastened to the writers’ subjectivity and readers may feel differently. Hence, the
disagreement between the writer and the reader may be minimized.

4.3.2.5. Rhetorical questions

With regard to rhetorical questions, it is evident from table (4.1) that rhetorical questions are employed
as the same rate as postulation and mostly found in the Introductions and Body paragraph but none in
the Conclusions.
(46) Why advertisement has been playing a negative effect in our life? Entertain-
Rhetorical questions). (IE25)
(47) In what field will be computers used for and what roles will human has in this world in
future? (Entertain- Rhetorical questions). (IE37)
In the IELTS essays (task 2) Band from 6 to 7, rhetorical questions are employed with the aim of
adding an informal and conversational feel to the readers, increasing comprehension of the problem.
They dialogically refer to a confabulation or something that has been mentioned before.
4.3.3. Attribution
4.3.3.1. Overall usage of Attribution
Under the heteroglossic study, attribution is considered as unproblematically a key resource for
acknowledging heteroglossic diversity - it gives a resource by which the heteroglossic diversity of the
current social context can be directly inscribed in the text. In Bakhtin’s (1981) Attribution is termed as
dialogic, as coming from multiple sources and reflecting multiple points of view. Attribution introduces
an external, probability an internal voice. The distribution of Attribution is demonstrated in the
following figure.

Figure 4.6: Frequency of Attribution

As shown from figure 4.6, the Acknowledge resources occur more often in the IELTS essays (task 2)
Band between 6 and 7 than the Distance category. These resources amount to 4.3% data. Conversely,
only 1.5% items concern about Distance resources. This is consistent with Tran.T.T.T (2014)’s finding
that the English writers tend to employ more Acknowledge instances in their texts, probably they want
to be more subjective.
The distribution of Attribute in the three main sections of the IELTS essays (task 2) is detailed in
the following table.
Introduction Body paragraph Conclusion
Attribution

Acknowledge 2.1% 2% 0.3%

Distance 0.3% 1.3% 0.0%

 Table 4.3: Frequency of the sub-categories of Attribution as for each of the three main sections
It is evident from Table 4.3 that Acknowledge factors appear fairly uniform frequency in the
Introductions and the body paragraphs but found very little in the conclusions, counting for 2.1%, 2%
and 0.3% in the Introductions, the body paragraphs and the conclusions respectively. Otherwise,
distance factors found very little across the data and are used only in the introductions (just 0.3%) and
the body paragraphs (approximately 1.3%). Particularly, it is fascinating to discover that distance
values do not operate in the conclusions
4.3.3.2. Acknowledge
Acknowledge resources are frequently used to introduce the authorial viewpoints which are
confirmed and given credibility as interactively with external voices and to set up a sort of public
discourse from which the writers aim to keep a distance. All the external voices in IELTS essays (task
2) largely reveal different sources of information which tend to position the reader into different issues.
See the following examples from (48) to (50):
(48) According to (Attribution - acknowledge) a recent report in Britain close to 3,500
people are killed each year in road accidents and 120,000 are killed by smoking
(IE22)
(49) Some people believe that (Attribution - acknowledge) internet access creates
problems (IE23)
(50) Therefore, some people think that (Attribution - acknowledge) the education system is
the only important factor to the development of a country and they may be right (IE9)
(60) “Having easy access to cigarettes puts a tremendous pressure, especially on
teenagers, to resist such a temptation” Dr.Hisham, head of Pschycology department at
Alexandria Medical college, states (Attribution - acknowledge) firmly. (IE27)
By means of using reporting verbs “believe, think” or phrase “according to”, the writers set up the
viewpoint conveyed by the proposition in an explicit subjectivity. The writers thus make a distance to
the information given, which contributes to a veneer of objectivity to the texts. Thereby, they aren't
directly responsible for the information presented. Employing Acknowledge resources in the essays
may denote that the writers want to be more subjective. However, when observing across data, the
researcher remarks that the acknowledge resources employed in the essays are not made clear who the
value position is coming from. This can easily be realized in the above examples when phrases “Some
people believe that, some people think that…” employed in the propositions. Maybe, this is a limit of
writers because the value position is credited to a specific person which is better to build confidence in
readers by guaranteeing the source of information.
In (60), the writer refers to a famous person (Dr.Hisham, head of Psychology department at
Alexandria Medical College) that is to set up belief in their readers by guaranteeing the source of
information. It is employed for the reason that the writers attempt to make homogeneous voices with
other voices instead of trying to let their individual voices be heard completing.

4.3.3.3. Distance

Distance values via the semantics of the framer employed (Eg: the verb: claim or ‘scare’ quotes)
are used to construct an explicit distancing of the authorial voice from the attributed material.
According to Martin and White (2005):
Distancing formulations are dialogistically expansive on the same basis as
acknowledgements. They explicitly ground the proposition in an individualised,
contingent subjectivity, that of some external source. (Martin and White, 2005, p. 114)
In IELTS essays (task 2) Band from 6 to 7 distance values is used with a negligible amount, only
in the Introduction and the Body paragraph. Followings are some examples of distance values.
(61) The results are rising unemployment rates in the “old industrial
countries” (Attribution - distance). (IE2)
(62) In general it is remarkable that there is a new tendency in
“Thinking Global” (Attribution - distance) (IE2)
(63) It is rightly said, “education is a ladder for successes” (Attribution
– distance) (IE9)
The “scare” quotes in (61), (62), (63) are used with a quoting function throughout the texts, which
ensures that any instances of assessments are attributed elsewhere, thus it has a distance from the
attributed information.
In short, among the sub-categories of Attribution, the candidates of IELTS essays (task 2) band
from 6 to 7 prefer the neutral one with extra-vocalising - the verbs of reporting in Acknowledge.
Besides, the resource of distance is only used in the Introductions and the Body paragraphs. By means
of Attribution, the writers introduce objective outside voices in the texts, but do not show either
alignment or disalignment with regard to the attributed information.
4.4. CONTRACTION
4.4.1. Overall usage of Contraction
 Contraction with the function of construing a dialogistic backdrop for the text of extra voices and
extra value positions falls into two broad categories: disclaim and proclaim. “Disclaim” involves some
dialogic option which is directly rejected or superseded. “Proclaim” is a means of protecting a stance
by excluding alternatives. Figure 4.7 presents frequency of Contraction in the data:

Figure 4.7: Frequency of Contraction

The figure reveals that Disclaim resources are used much more than the Proclaim resources in the
IELTS essays (task 2) band between 6 and 7. In IELTS writing, Disclaim is a very common resource
which makes up 37.5%, whereas Proclaim instances only count for 6.3%.
Each of the option is considered in turn.
4.4.2. Disclaim
Disclaim including Deny and Counter is related to resources by which some dialogic alternative
or some other position is adduced so as to be rejected, supplanted or dismissed as irrelevant or some
way communicatively inactive.
Figure 4.8 presents the percentage of Disclaim in the IELTS essays (task 2) band between 6 and 7.
 Figure 4.8: Frequency of Disclaim

Dialogic contraction was generally of the ‘disclaim’ subtype (approximately 37.5% of all dialogic
contraction), with similar amounts of ‘counter’ and ‘deny’ features across the corpus as a whole (just
19.9% and 17.6% respectively), but this varied according to each section. This confirms Nakamura
(2009)’s finding that in IELTS writing the resource of Deny, Counter and Entertain are prevalent across
each band level. The table below shows in detail what has been analyzed
Introduction Body paragraph Conclusion
Disclaim

Deny 2% 15% 2.9%

Counter 1.8% 12.3% 3.5%

Table 4.4: Frequency of the sub-categories of Disclaim in each of the three main sections
In consideration of table 4.4, the Introduction has a similar occurrence of ‘Deny’ features as
‘Counter’ features (about 2% and 1.8% respectively), the body paragraph has a far greater occurrence
of ‘deny’ features (making up 15%) than ‘counter’ features (making up approximately 12.3%) and
there exist an interesting finding that The conclusion has the higher ratio of Counter instances than
Deny (with the proportion of 3.5%, 2.9% respectively).
Examples are given in (64)–(66), below.
 (64) Moreover, people are free for what they do on their leisure time, and nobody (Disclaim
– deny) can say what it is the best (from Introduction - IE4)
(65) In this case, this is not (Disclaim – deny) an individual issue, but (Disclaim – counter)
it is a social problem. (from Body paragraph – IE6)
(66) However (Disclaim – counter), the decision of whether smokes or not (Disclaim –
deny) to smoke should be for each individual to make (from Conclusion-IE22)

4.4.2.1. Deny resources

Deny resource introduces an alternative positive position into the dialogue to acknowledge it
so as to reject it (Martin and White, 2005). In IELTS writing, deny resource is very common; it is
employed in all forty texts by the popular denials no, not, never and sometimes by the verbs neglect,
fail, ignore… By means of these resources, the writers tend to reject or overlook when introducing an
external voice. As Martin and White (2005) state Denial is a variable mechanism with respect to
alignment and putative reader positioning. It opens up heteroglossic space, closes down or rejects
alternative voices. Furthermore, Deny resources help persuade the reader a certain viewpoint and
consider the reader as someone who needs convincing or to emphasize the importance of the writers’
contributions by constructing a contrast with what the reader may not attain. By this way, a clear effort
is made by the writers to intensify solidarity.
(67) A large number of women in these countries are not
(Disclaim- deny) allowed to go to work or even go to public
place.(IE6)
(68) And finally, not (Disclaim – deny) everything is available
through the net (IE 23)
It’s very clear that in (67) the denial “not” is dialogic in that it invokes, and presents itself as
responding to beliefs that “In some countries, there is an unfair treatment in society for women”. Or in
(68) the writer attempts to share with the reader that “using the net is more drawbacks than
advantages”.

4.4.2.2. Counter

Similarly Deny, Counter is quite common in IELTS writing. The well-known cases are usually
realized by even, only, however, but, and sometimes by although, it’s hard to and others. This finding is
consistent with Nakamura (2009)’s finding that in band 7 of IELTS writing, Counter mostly found
though adjuncts such as “even, or, only” rather than conjunctions or connectives. A unique feature,
demonstrated in (69), is the use of the adjunct "only" which position the authorial voice with the view
that university education should be predicated on students’ academic performance and mental abilities
not on their financial capacities.

(69) In conclusion, university education should be made fair to everyone, predicated only
(Disclaim – counter) on their academic performance and mental abilities, rather than
their financial capacities and the government should subsidize those students in need
(IE 36)

Countering instances has tendency to align rather than to disalign; hence creating a community of
shared values between the writers and the readers. Another element to support the solidarity between
writers and readers when employing counter values is that they help avoiding imposing a contrary
assessment without mention of the readers' expected viewpoint.
(70) To conclude, I feel that to raise the age limit of young drivers are not the best solution
but (Disclaim – counter) to give them more driving lessons about the problems they
may encounter on the road and to ban them from driving if they have caused an
accident due to carelessness. (IE 14)
(71) Despite (Disclaim – counter) these positive effects there are lots of negative effects to
smoking too (IE22)
(72) I suggest that people should not smoke in a room or a place where
there are non smokers; however (Disclaim – counter) they should
be free to smoke elsewhere (IE22)
The countering word "but" in (70) is employed to aim to share knowledge that the writer tends to
support the government to give drivers more driving lessons about the problems they may encounter on
the road and to ban them from driving if they have caused an accident due to carelessness rather than
raise the age limit of young drivers in efforts to reduce traffic accidents. Or in (71) the countering word
“despite” invokes the readers to share the view that smoking has lots of negative effects besides its
positive effects. Similarly, in (72) the writer uses however to signal he acknowledges people should be
free to smoke everywhere except places where there are non smokers.
Also noteworthy is the fact that Deny and Counter often occur together in the IELTS essays (task
2) band between 6 and 7. Similar to Nakamura’s (2009) findings Counter usually follows Deny in
IELTS writing, particularly in high grade bands. They can be used to address a contrary viewpoint and
to guide the readers to avoid a point of view which they may hold and can have either positive or
negative consequences for the propositions. Meanwhile, Deny elements are engaged to straightly reject
an alternative position. By referring to some contrary evidence, Counter elements are employed to limit
the possibilities of other potential voices. They invite, not reject, as in the case of negation, a particular
expectation. Counter, therefore, brings more dialogic space, in relation to negation, for the other
potential voices (White 2001) as can be seen in 73 and 74.
(73) However (Disclaim – counter), I do not (Disclaim – deny) agree with this requirement
completely (IE6)
(74) However (Disclaim – counter), although (Disclaim – counter) I
feel that smoking can be harmful, I don’t (Disclaim – deny) think it
should be forbidden completely (IE22)
By way of conclusion , the resource of deny and counter are pervasive across each section of
IELTS essays, possibly pointing out the candidates' confidence in employing these two resources to
supplant or open space for other potential voices respectively. However, with this finding we should
refer to Liu's (2013) finding, he pointed out that Disclaim re-sources (Counter and Deny) appear more
frequently in the low-rated essay than in the high-rated one. The researcher also states that the interplay
between Counter, Deny and other Contracting resources leaded the authorial voice too strong, which
made arguments less persuasive. Employing Disclaiming resources frequently made the low-rated
essays become a negative coloring and thus ignored possible refutation from a resistant audience by a
strong textual voice.

4.4.3. Proclaim

Proclaim is applied to compromise with a proposition from an external source, according to

Martin and White (2005) it acts to restrict the scope of dialogistic options in the ongoing colloquy.
There are three main subtypes of the ‘Proclaim’ feature: "Concur" which appears to limit the scope of
dialogic alternatives by explicitly compromising with certain expected voices. "Endorse" used to
restrict the alternative voice by interpreting those expected voices as true, undeniable, or strongly
warrantable, or by explicitly intervening of author - the main function of ‘Pronounce’. Below is the
figure illustrating the frequency of the subtypes of Proclaim in IELTS essays (task 2) Band from 6 to 7.
 Figure 4.9: Frequency of Proclaim

Introduction Body paragraph Conclusion

Proclaim

Concur 0.6% 2% 0.3%

Endorse 0.7% 1.1% 0.0%

Pronounce 0.4% 0.8% 0.3%

Table 4.5: Frequency of the sub-categories of Proclaim as for each of the three main sections
It is evident from Figure 4.9 and Table 4.5 that the majority of the Proclaim items fall into the Concur
category. These resources amount to approximately 2.9%, with its overwhelming number the values of
Concur were present at all sections and featured in the Body paragraphs, accounting for 0.6%, 2% and
0.3% in the Introductions, the body paragraphs and the conclusions respectively. Endorse ranks the
second of all Proclaim resource, amounting to 1.8%. It is worth pointing out that this resource is
employed only in the Introductions (0.7%) and the body paragraphs (1.1%) but there is no existence of
it in the Conclusions. The last position is Pronounce, accounting for 1.5%. A close Pronounce analysis
reveals a similarity in the frequency of appearance of Concur resources; though appearing with the
least number Pronounce values are in use in all three sections, on average, 0.4% in the Introductions,
0.8% in the Body paragraphs and just 0.3% in the Conclusions
 4.4.3.1. Concur

Regarding Concur resources, we see that they are prominent features of all Proclaim resource.
The expressions such as: certainly, no one can deny, naturally… are employed to construe a readership
already aligned with and having the same value positions and knowledge as the writer. In other words,
by these resources the readers will be expected to share the same view or belief with the writers
because of its conventional wisdom or at least it widely accepted in the current condition of
communication.

(75) Firstly, smoking certainly (Proclaim – concur) helps many people

to relax. (IE22)

(76) Obviously (Proclaim-concur), higher education opportunities bring

about benefits to students in multiple ways.(IE36)

Here, in (75) and (76) the writers use the locutions: certainly and obviously to expect beliefs on to
the reader and to construe the reader as sharing the writers’ viewpoint that smoking in a certain aspect
it also has a positive side as help people to relax (in example (75)) or higher education opportunities
bring about benefits to students in multiple ways (in example (76)). These Counter values “overtly
announce the addresser as agreeing with, or having the same knowledge as, some projected dialogic
partner.” (Martin and White, 2005, p. 122)

It’s interesting to find that “We” is other Concur instance largely used in the data, amounting to
0.7% of all Concur. In texts, the instance of affirm “We” is used with the aim of involving the reader
and building solidarity. This finding is consistent with Nakamura (2009) who finds that in IELTS
writing band 7, the first person plural pronounce “We” is largely attributed. The following example
(77) will demonstrate more of the “we” usage in the data

(77) As We (Proclaim-concur) are human we (Proclaim-concur)

naturally (Proclaim-concur) need to rest on leisure time to recover

the stress of work and everyday life (IE4)

Through a joint reference to ‘we’ as a party, the writer aims to create solidarity and assume that
writer and reader share the same understanding about the need of rest leisure time to recover the stress
of work and everyday life of human.
 4.4.3.2. Endorse

The resource of endorse helps authors to merge external sources into authorial voice as
“correct, valid, undeniable or otherwise maximally warrantable” (Martin & White, 2005, p.126).
These resources are often realized by the locutions show, demonstrate, prove and find … A close
Endorse analysis reveals that this resource is not a common one in IELTS essays (task 2) band from 6
to 7. This finding corresponds exactly Nakamura’s (2009) observation, indicating that “Endorse is
used regardless of writers’ proficiency levels but not a common resource in IELTS writing”

(78) Initially, smoking has been proven (Proclaim-endorse) to be very dangerous for health
(IE2)

(79) Nowadays, it is acknowledged (Proclaim-endorse) that students

from suburban areas find it tough to receive higher education

(IE36)

The use of Endorse in the IELTS writing shows the possibility that the writers tends to endorse
the external authorial voice to limit the space for dialogic alternatives.

4.4.3.3. Pronounce

The ‘Pronounce’ items can be realized by a various range of formulations, including constructions
such as I contend that and The fact is that, as well as intensifiers such as indeed and really (Martin and
White 2005). Through these resources, the writers explicitly intervene into the text for the aim at
highlighting the validity of the supported position and directly challenge other different points of view.

(80) All in all it can be said that (Proclaim-pronounce) the effects of

globalization are enormous. (IE2)

(81) In some feudal countries, it was true to say that (Proclaim – pronounce) the societies
favor the males, and at that time instances of inequality occurred very frequently (IE6)

In examples (80), (81), the textual voice explicit emphasis through its use of "it can be said that”
or "it was true to say that" the sureness of a formulation that either an assumed or directly referenced
counter-position is responded. The appearance of pronounce values here may be evidence of that the
writers count on pronouncing their own views and aim at invoking some assumed or directly
mentioned alternative views.
 It seems that the use of these values in the IELTS essays brings certain effects in achieving high
scoring. This finding is also demonstrated by Nakamura’s (2009) research, he pointed out that "there is
a distinct pattern of use of pronounce in the high-scoring texts from Bands 9 to 7, where values of
pronounce occur in every text, which is not the case in lower-scoring texts" (Nakamura 2009, p. 132).
 Chapter 5

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Based on the data collected, analyzed and the findings from previous chapters, this final chapter
first draws out some major conclusions, then proposes some implications for teaching and learning
how to write an effective IELTS essay (task 2), finally puts forward some limitations of the thesis and
some suggestions for further studies.

5.1. CONCLUSIONS

The following concluding argumentation bases on the analysis 40 IELTS essays (task 2) Band
between 6 and 7 in the light of the theoretical framework of Appraisal Theory which is concerned with
writer/speaker resources for intersubjective positioning. Appraisal Theory altogether consists of three
categories: Attitude, Engagement and Graduation. However, in this study, only Engagement was used
to analyze the texts. Engagement deals with the interaction and negotiation of alternative voices and
stances. It plays a positive role in evaluating issues, adopting viewpoints, and managing interpersonal
positions and relationships. Engagement is represented under the headings of modality, hedging, and
attribution, among others. Within the study, different types of engagement features and their
interrelations are identified in the corpus in order to emphasis their dialogic functionality in construing
for the text a background of alternative voices (the literature, the putative reader) and other value
positions. In broad term according to the theoretical frameworks of Martin and White (2005),
Engagement can be classified into two subsystems: heterogloss and monogloss. Heterogloss is the type
which mainly focused in this study. It includes two values, namely Contraction and Expansion with
their respective sub values.

This study attempts to sort out the probabilities of these features, the frequencies of their
occurrence, their distributions across the texts, and some of their typical achievements to create an
IELTS essay (task2) scoring-band from 6 to 7.

The comparative analysis of Engagement values indicates that the IELTS essays (task 2) band
between 6 and 7 rely more on heteroglossic than on monoglossic. This result leads to the possible
finding that the writers tend to extend space for the dialogue in the text and invoke alternative
perspectives.
 A variety of strategies of Engagement employed in the data shows strong focusing on
constructing, intensifying and sustaining solidarity between the writer and the reader. Hence, IELTS
essays seem less affirmative and authoritative but more dialogically expansive.

A significant finding from this study is the writers’ extensive use of Entertain and Disclaim
resources, other Engagement resources are comparatively less used. The finding reveals the writers’
desire of opening up dialogic space, stating the proposition as one of a range of potential positions
when using Entertain resources, Nevertheless, employing Disclaiming resources frequently made
essays become negative and hence alternative positions may be ignored by a strong textual voice.

In the category of Engagement itself, the IELTS essays (task 2) seem to have a preference for
Dialogic Expansion, more than double Dialogic Contraction values. In this, Entertain is the most
frequently appearance with the purpose of acknowledging alternative positions of the reader.

Within modality subcategories options, there exists an allowance for intersubjectivity and reader’s
involvement through the preference of high value of modality in IELTS writing (task 2), especially in
the body paragraphs of the essay. A much higher number of modals of probability denoting the writers
tend to less powerful and more suggestive.

The findings of this study seem to indicate that Attribute projection and Opinion resources occupy
a greater part in the English texts, almost in the Conclusions, leading to the effect of making more
subjective observations with author’s own voice and personal opinions.

It is noteworthy that although, Acknowledge values are not frequently used in the texts, the use of
more than “Acknowledge” values compared with “Distance” denotes the writers try to support their
views and orientate readers to follow their thinking, and, thus, to follow their orientation. It’s also
significant to indicate that most of the Acknowledge instances do not refer to a specific person. It’s
likely making the source of information less guaranteed; hence not taken the confidence of the readers.

The tendency of favoring Concur resources emphasizes that the writers would like to share the
same knowledge with the addressee.

In conclusion, in order to take in a stance to the value positions which the text refers to and with
respect to those they address, the IELTS candidates have deployed a wide range of the linguistic
resources performed by Engagement values. As discussed, the IELTS essays (task 2) band between 6 to
7 are more likely to avoid their intertextual sources by allowing for the reader’s participations into the
propositions. Therefore, the writers have created the attraction and interest the reader aims to reach
certain efficiency for their IELTS essays.

5.2. PEDAGOGICAL IMPLICATIONS

By the results of the study, the researcher wants to contribute some benefit to teaching and
learning for IELTS writing, a new understanding of IELTS writing in terms of valuation meanings.
Furthermore, it also makes a valuable contribution to IELTs learners in writing IELTS essays so as to
achieve scoring band from 6 to 7. Finally, it may be useful for doing research of this aspect of
linguistics.

The first important pedagogical implication obtained from the above findings for both IELTS
teachers and candidates is that besides primarily focusing on the correctness of grammar use, IELTS
writing instruction and learning needs to pay more attention to evaluative meanings conveyed through
linguistic constructions. The attribution of Engagement employed in IELTS writing revealing
intertextual density observed in IELTS essays (task 2) band between 6 to 7 may be a typical feature of
IELTS writing.

This study also indicates that a proper use of Engagement values helps set up personal voice and
position readers, thus achieving significant arguments and persuasion. IELTS learners need to be aware
of practical language in IELTS essays (task 2) and help them recognize the strategies of Engagement
that the writer makes use in the texts in order to attain the purposes of the IELTS essay.

Furthermore, for IELTS learners, understanding and mastering Engagement strategies is very
necessary and challenging. It will help IELTS learners acquire the logic of ideas, the organization and
development of the arguments in the essays. From that they may benefit by being involved in
challenging the ideological assumptions and propositional knowledge.

5.3. LIMITATIONS

For some reasons of the shortage of time, related materials as well as the limited knowledge of the
author, there are some limitations which cannot be avoided in this study. Firstly, the study just focused
on only one sub type of Appraisal, Engagement employed in 40 IELTS essays (task 2) band between 6
to 7. Thus, it cannot be said that this small corpus can reflect the perfect shape of the IELTS essays
(task 2) thoroughly. Secondly, with the limited data just downloaded from some websites in the
internet, it is uncertain that whether or not different IELTS essays from other resources are written in
the same type. Last but not least, it is inevitable that there may remain some weaknesses and mistakes
because of the author’s inexperience limited ability in doing a scientific research. Nevertheless, it is
hoped that the paper is somewhat useful for those who have interest in this issue.

5.4 SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH

The study was conducted with the aim of analyzing and finding out the frequency of occurrence
with regard to evaluative language in IELTS essays (task 2) band between 6 and 7. However, due to
the limitation of time and ability only Engagement values are focused, there remain some other topics
that have not been examined. Therefore, I would like to suggest further research on the following
issues:

- Other types of Evaluative language (Attitude or Graduation) used in the IELTS essays (task 2).

- Other values of Engagement resources used in the IELTS essays (task 2) (a careful look at the
combinations of Deny and Counter in IELTS essays – for example)

- Engagement resources used in the IELTS essays band between 8 and 10.