Before and After
Two openings of the same essay, with the discounted words removed.
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The struck-through words were written, paid for in the word count, and not counted.
Identify the memorised phrases examiners discount, and replace each with content that carries meaning.
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These phrases are not wrong. They are not counted — and the words they occupy are counted against you.
Every other sprint in this course gave you eight items to start using. This one gives you eight to stop using.
That is not a stylistic preference. It is how the marking works.
Examiners are trained to identify memorised language and to assess it as not reflecting the candidate's own ability. The phrase is not marked wrong. It is discounted — treated as though it were not there.
That produces a specific, expensive problem:
A 250-word essay opening with
Nowadays, with the development of science and technologyhas spent nine words that will not be counted, in the position the examiner reads first.
You have paid for those words twice — once in your word count, once in the impression they create.
Two openings of the same essay, with the discounted words removed.
The struck-through words were written, paid for in the word count, and not counted.
Twelve openings sorted by whether an examiner would count them.
Sort each item into the correct category
Five openings. Work out how much content each one carries.
For each opening, ask the only question that matters: what has the examiner learned by the end of it?
An essay opens: "Nowadays, with the development of science and technology, many things have changed." What has the examiner learned?
Three memorised openings. Write what carries the content instead.
One
The essay question is about online learning. The candidate wrote:
~~Nowadays, with the development of science and technology, education has changed.~~
What the sentence was trying to do:
What should replace it:
Two
The candidate wrote:
~~It is a well-known fact that tuition fees deter applicants.~~
What is wrong with it:
What should replace it:
Three
The question asks the candidate to discuss both views. They wrote:
~~This essay will discuss both views and give my opinion.~~
What the examiner already knows:
What should replace it: