Interlanguage analysis

Introduction
When learning academic writing in school the student must develop awareness of many
different concepts regarding written work and the writing process. This paper analyses the
interlanguage of a 10th grade student’s written assignment on conspiracy theories. The
assignment given was to choose a specific conspiracy theory, here, BigPharma or the
conspiracy theory of pharmaceutical industry keeping secrets from the public and compare
different arguments and perspectives on the case. The main goals of the assignment were to
practice finding sources for information, structuring the text and writing in an analytical
formal style.
This interlanguage analysis will focus on the student’s writing style, their genre knowledge,
the cohesion and coherence of the text and the vocabulary. Finally, the main points of the
analysis will be summarized to give an overall assessment of the student’s written
competence.

Blair – the writing process.

1. Pre-writing
2. Writing
3. Revising
4. Editing
5. Publishing

Academic writing
Style – Formal or informal (vocabulary)

Genre – analytical genre. Arguments and discussion.

Cohesion (how to link clauses together – simple and complex patterns WITHIN the
clause)
• Conjunctions link clauses together and form sentences (and, or, if, but)
• Coordinating conjunctions: and, but and or.
 • They join pairs of clauses that are grammatically independent from each other.
• She was late but she brought cake.
• Subordinating conjunctions: because, when, that or which
• A subordinating conjunction together with its following clause acts like a part of the
other clause.
• She was late although she left London early this morning.

• Different clause patterns (independent and dependent)

• 1. simple sentence (simple independent clause):
He left
• 2. combined clauses (2 independent clauses):
• He left and he went back at eight
• 3. complex sentence (independent and dependent):
• He laughed because the joke was funny
• 4. compound-complex (2 independent clauses + 1 dependent)
They danced and they laughed while the sun rose over the town
•
• Back and forward references (Sylvia….she or she….Sylvia) back reference:
anaphoric. Forward reference: cataphoric.
Coherence (text level – the underlying thread & clear logic BETWEEN the sentences)
• Structure of a text (e.g work with paragraphs; beginning, middle, end)
• Structure of sentences: the information principle (new and old info – clear logic)
Sentences have end weight when they first introduce a topic and end with new
information.

Chatbot

Cohesion refers to the ways in which the elements of a text are connected to form a unified
whole. In other words, it refers to the relationships between the different parts of a text and
how they work together to convey a message.

Coherence refers to the overall intelligibility of a text and the ease with which the reader can
understand its meaning. It is concerned with the relationships between the sentences in a text
and how they are connected to form a logical and coherent whole.
In an interlanguage analysis, we would examine the text to determine how well the writer has
used cohesive devices and constructed coherent sentences and paragraphs. This might include
examining the use of transitional words and phrases, reference words, and other linguistic
devices that help to connect the different parts of the text.

Overall, the goal of an interlanguage analysis with a focus on cohesion and coherence is to
evaluate how effectively the writer has used language to create a text that is easy to
understand and follow.

The use of conjunctions in writing can have an impact on the level of style in a text.

In formal writing, conjunctions are often used to connect clauses and construct
complex sentences. In this case, the use of conjunctions can help to create a more
sophisticated and nuanced style, as they allow writers to convey complex ideas and
relationships between different parts of a sentence.

In informal writing, on the other hand, conjunctions may be used more sparingly, and
writers may rely more on simple sentences and short, direct phrases. In this case, the
style is often more straightforward and direct, and may be less sophisticated than the
style produced by the use of conjunctions in formal writing.

Ultimately, the level of style in writing is dependent on a number of factors, including

the purpose of the text, the audience for the text, and the writer's personal style and
preferences. The use of conjunctions is just one of many factors that can influence
the style of writing, and writers will need to consider a variety of factors when
determining how to use conjunctions in their writing to achieve the desired level of
style.

Cohesion and coherence

This paragraph demonstrates good cohesion, as the writer has used various cohesive
devices to connect the different parts of the text. For example, the writer uses
transitional phrases such as "Despite having no concrete evidence," "While
arguments against the claims are," and "If we look at it from a neutral standpoint," to
connect the different sections of the text and guide the reader through the
argument.

In terms of coherence, the paragraph is also well-structured, with clear and logically
connected sentences. The writer presents a balanced argument, presenting both the
claims made by theorists and the counterarguments against those claims. This helps
to build a coherent and logically consistent argument that is easy for the reader to
follow and understand.

The writer also effectively uses cohesive reference words, such as "the people that
don’t believe the theories" and "the theories don’t have anything to back up their
claims," to refer back to previously introduced ideas and maintain the coherence of
the text.

Overall, this paragraph demonstrates good cohesion and coherence, as the writer
has effectively used cohesive devices and structured the text in a clear and logically
consistent manner.

the paragraph displays a good application of the information principle in its writing.
The writer presents the information in a clear and organized manner, with well-
defined relationships between the different parts of the text. This makes it easy for
the reader to follow and understand the argument being presented.

The writer also presents the information in a way that is consistent with the reader's
expectations, using familiar terms and concepts and structuring the text in a way that
is familiar and intuitive to the reader. This helps to build a clear and coherent
argument that is easy to follow and understand.

In addition, the writer presents the information in a logical and systematic manner,
with a clear introduction, supporting paragraphs, and conclusion. This helps to
ensure that the information is well-organized and easy to follow, and that the
argument being presented is consistent and coherent.

Overall, the paragraph demonstrates a good application of the information principle,

with clear and organized information that is easy for the reader to follow and
understand.

Vocabulary – chunks, idiomatic sentences and lexical items

This paragraph uses chunks effectively to present information in a clear and
organized manner. Chunks are groups of words or phrases that are commonly used
together and that help to convey meaning and structure in a text. In this paragraph,
the writer has used chunks such as "the pharmaceutical industry," "the conspiracy
theory," and "the cure for cancer," to convey meaning and structure the text. These
chunks help to break down the information into manageable units, making it easier
for the reader to follow and understand the argument being presented.

The paragraph also makes use of idiomatic sentences, which are sentences that are
commonly used and have a figurative or idiomatic meaning. For example, the writer
uses the idiomatic expression "All in all" in the conclusion to indicate a summary of
the argument. This use of idiomatic expressions helps to add variety to the language
and can make the writing more engaging for the reader.

Finally, the paragraph makes use of a range of lexical items, or words and phrases, to
convey meaning and add variety to the language. The writer uses words such as
"conspiracy theory," "profit," "research," and "evidence," to convey information and
build the argument. The use of a variety of lexical items helps to add depth and
richness to the language, making it more engaging and interesting for the reader.

Overall, this paragraph demonstrates effective use of chunks, idiomatic sentences,

and lexical items, adding variety and structure to the language and making the
writing more engaging and interesting for the reader.

Vocabulary – formality
The vocabulary used in the paragraph is relatively formal, with the writer using terms
such as "pharmaceutical industry," "conspiracy theory," "invest millions of dollars,"
and "research and development." This formal vocabulary helps to convey a sense of
professionalism and credibility, and helps the reader to take the argument seriously.

However, the style of the vocabulary is not overly formal, and the writer has used a
mix of formal and informal words to create a more conversational tone. For example,
the writer uses informal words such as "blaming," "debunk," and "safe to say," to add
a personal touch to the writing and make it more engaging for the reader.

The writer also uses a range of technical terms related to the pharmaceutical
industry, such as "cure," "vaccines," and "research and development." This technical
vocabulary helps to add credibility to the argument and convey a deep
understanding of the topic being discussed.

Overall, the vocabulary used in the paragraph strikes a good balance between
formality and informality, creating a style that is professional and credible, but also
engaging and conversational.

Coordinating and subordinating conjunctions

the paragraph contains examples of both coordinating and subordinating
conjunctions.

Examples of coordinating conjunctions in the paragraph are:

 "Despite having no concrete evidence many people still believe these

Theories, people believe that the companies..." (the coordinating conjunction
"and" has been omitted)
 "While arguments against the claims are..."

Examples of subordinating conjunctions in the paragraph are:

  "Many people believe that the government are lying to them and that they are
hiding a big discovery like the cure for cancer or something alike." (the
subordinating conjunction "that" introduces the subordinate clause)
 "The main arguments supporting these allegations are things such as “the
government are making money by not sharing a cure” and “how come they
haven't found the cure despite many years of researched, they must be hiding
it”." (the subordinating conjunction "such as" introduces the subordinate
clause)
 "If we look at it from a neutral standpoint, both sides of the argument lack any
solid evidence, however the non-believers have more common sense behind
their arguments." (the subordinating conjunction "if" introduces the
subordinate clause)

Back and forward reference

Examples of back reference in the paragraph:

 "Despite having no concrete evidence many people still believe these

Theories" (the reference to "these Theories" refers back to the previously
introduced topic of the conspiracy theory in the Introduction)
 "The main arguments supporting these allegations are things such as..." (the
reference to "these allegations" refers back to the previously introduced topic
of the conspiracy theory)
 "All in all, we can't 100% debunk the Theory however there is not much
backing it up and there is more pointing towards it being false." (the reference
to "the Theory" refers back to the previously introduced topic of the
conspiracy theory)

Examples of forward reference in the paragraph:

 "Many people believe that the government are lying to them and that they are
hiding a big discovery like the cure for cancer or something alike." (the
reference to "a big discovery like the cure for cancer" anticipates the
development of the topic of the alleged discovery later in the text)
 "The theorists don’t have anything to back up their claims." (the reference to
"their claims" anticipates the development of the claims made by the theorists
later in the text)

Clause patterns – independant and dependant

Independent clauses are complete sentences that can stand alone, while dependent
clauses cannot stand alone and must be combined with an independent clause to
form a complete sentence.

In the paragraph, there are several independent clauses, such as:

 "The Pharmaceutical industry is a topic often talked about in the US."

 "Many people believe that the government are lying to them."
 "Despite having no concrete evidence many people still believe these
theories."
 "All in all, we can't 100% debunk the Theory."

In the paragraph, the following conjunctions were used to connect dependent

clauses to independent clauses:

 "Recently many people have discussed the conspiracy theory that the
pharmaceutical industry are hiding an important discovery." (that)
 "how come they haven't found the cure despite many years of researched,
they must be hiding it." (how come)
 "While arguments against the claims are “the companies talked about do
invest millions of dollars in the research and development of drugs and
vaccines, so it wouldn’t make them a profit” and “it would be a hard secret to
keep”." (while)
 "If we look at it from a neutral standpoint, both sides of the argument lack any
solid evidence, however the non-believers have more common sense behind
their arguments." (if)

These conjunctions serve to connect the dependent clauses to the independent

clauses, making it clear how the dependent clauses relate to the rest of the sentence.
This helps to improve the coherence and cohesion of the text by showing how ideas
are connected and flow logically from one to the next.

Connectives
 "Recently many people have discussed the conspiracy theory that the
pharmaceutical industry are hiding an important discovery." (Recently)
 "While arguments against the claims are “the companies talked about do
invest millions of dollars in the research and development of drugs and
vaccines, so it wouldn’t make them a profit” and “it would be a hard secret to
keep”." (While)
  "If we look at it from a neutral standpoint, both sides of the argument lack any
solid evidence, however the non-believers have more common sense behind
their arguments." (If)
 "All in all, we can't 100% debunk the Theory however there is not much
backing it up and there is more pointing towards it being false." (All in all)

These connectives serve to connect different parts of the text and to help the text
flow logically and cohesively. They help the writer to indicate the relationships
between ideas, and to show the reader the structure of the text.

Summarization
Based on the interlanguage analysis of the paragraph written by the 10th grade
student, we can make the following assessment of the student's level of written
competence:

 Vocabulary: The student has used a mix of formal and informal vocabulary in
the text, but overall the vocabulary is appropriate for the topic and audience.
 Syntax: The student has used a variety of sentence structures including simple,
compound, and complex sentences. The student has also used both
independent and dependent clauses effectively.
 Connectives: The student has used connectives such as "Recently", "While",
"If", and "All in all" to connect different parts of the text and help the text flow
logically and cohesively.
 Use of Information Principle: The information presented in the text follows the
Information Principle, where new information is introduced before old
information and more specific information is introduced before more general
information.
 Cohesion and Coherence: The text is cohesive, with the use of connectives and
effective sentence structures helping to create a clear and coherent text.

Overall, the student shows a good level of written competence, with a good
understanding of vocabulary, syntax, connectives, the Information Principle, and the
principles of cohesion and coherence.