An Analysis of Logical Relations in Academic IELTS Sample Essays

  • Trung Nguyen Quang Nam University
  • Hoa Nguyen Thi Quynh University of Foreign Language Studies – The University of Da Nang
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55637/ijsfl.3.1.2641.37-43

Abstract

The logical structure of clauses indicates the logical connection between experiential events, thus it brings smoothness and coherence to writings. There are two fundamental systems that need to be considered in the analysis of how clauses are related to each other: taxis and logico-semantics (Halliday & Matthiessen, 2014). The theoretical framework used to analyse the logical relations of the clauses employed in academic IELTS sample essays on which the present study is based is the Systemic Functional Theory developed by Halliday & Matthiessen (2014). By focusing on the logical manifestations of the clause complex, particularly the study of taxis and logico-semantics, this paper sheds light on the logical relations demonstrated in IELTS sample essays. This study was designed using descriptive, analytic and inductive research method. Data were 60 IELTS academic essays taken from published books and official IELTS websites with band scores ranging from 7.0 to 7.5. The findings indicate that the writers employ more hypotaxis than parataxis to establish logical connections between states of affairs, proving that the IELTS writers tend to support their arguments using some unequal status. The analysis of logico-semantic relation also reveals that the dominant relationship is expansion. It is expected that the study will enable IELTS candidates to take into account the salient logical features of high-quality essays to produce more effective pieces of writing.

Author Biography

Hoa Nguyen Thi Quynh , University of Foreign Language Studies – The University of Da Nang

Nguyá»…n Thị Quỳnh Hoa is an Assoc. Prof., Ph.D. in Linguistics, M.A in the English language. She has been teaching English, linguistics and related subjects for 28 years. She participated in the Doctoral Development Program in Australia in 2001 and a study tour in the United States of America in 2008. Her main areas of interest are English, linguistics, translation, discourse analysis, relation between language and culture, and English as a medium of instruction. She used to be Dean of the Faculty of International Studies, University of Foreign Language Studies, the University of Da Nang for 8 years (2006-2014). Now she is a senior faculty member and Vice-dean of the Faculty of English, University of Foreign Language Studies, the University of Da Nang. 

Published
2020-12-14
Issue
Vol. 3 No. 1 (2020)
Section
Articles

Copyright (c) 2020 International Journal of Systemic Functional Linguistics

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