• Congratulations to the Class of 2024 on your results!
    Let us know how you went here
    Got a question about your uni preferences? Ask us here

Should English be compulsory?? (2 Viewers)

hungwell1337

Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2008
Messages
885
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
As I said, just because I don't write what the markers want to read, doesn't make me unable to pursue maths/science/finance.
English is far too subjective.
if english prevents you from doing maths/science/finance, because:

1. you failed it/very low mark/pulled atar down heaps/ insufficient units of study (you suck)
2. your marks werent good enough in your other 4 subject (you suck)

if you dont write what the markers want to read, then why dont you write something the markers would like to read? try putting in some effort
 

Jimmy Recard

Banned
Joined
Jun 11, 2010
Messages
555
Gender
Male
HSC
2007
if english prevents you from doing maths/science/finance, because:

1. you failed it/very low mark/pulled atar down heaps/ insufficient units of study (you suck)
2. your marks werent good enough in your other 4 subject (you suck)

if you dont write what the markers want to read, then why dont you write something the markers would like to read? try putting in some effort
yes

english is fundamental to EVERYTHING we do

maths may not be for some people but english is

im an engineer and 90% of my work is not maths, it is doing grant applications and reports
 

Jimmy Recard

Banned
Joined
Jun 11, 2010
Messages
555
Gender
Male
HSC
2007
im pretty sure tigertooth was being sarcastic and adding to the list of commonly mispelled words
 

Drongoski

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2009
Messages
4,255
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
critical thinking

a skill you are clearly lacking
Should be: a skill you are clearly lacking in

You need that preposition to make sense.

I had to correct quite a few English tutors/teachers on BOS who also have difficulty with grammar & spelling.
 
Last edited:

Jimmy Recard

Banned
Joined
Jun 11, 2010
Messages
555
Gender
Male
HSC
2007
Yes that is true. I was going to say "clearly deficient in" but i changed it and left out the 'in'.
 

Drongoski

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2009
Messages
4,255
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
If my knowledge is correct, things like spelling and grammar can not be marked in the HSC.
Now that shit is ridiculous.
Easier and more correct to just say: "If I'm correct . . ."
 
Last edited:

Drongoski

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2009
Messages
4,255
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
Having reading the essays many people write at uni, I'm leaning to say that even year 12 English isn't sufficient enough.
Maybe better expressed this way: "Having read many uni essays, I'm inclined to think that even year 12 English is insufficient"
 

Drongoski

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2009
Messages
4,255
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
english develops your argumentative and reasoning skills and generally improves intelligence all round.
Not quite.

Logical thinking and deductive reasoning ability improve your reasoning skill. Good English enables you to express your reasoning clearly.
 
Last edited:

Drongoski

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2009
Messages
4,255
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
Shoulda added a poll in the thread tbh, can a mod do it?
The Feralisation of "should have"

Long ago you had to write "should have" and you were allowed "should've" for the oral (i.e. the spoken) form. With democracy, people were given more power - they didn't have to follow rules stricltly. So "should've" became "shoulda" for the lazy and for the illiterate and sloppy this became "shouldof".

So today you also have "couldof"


fob
 
Last edited:

Shadowdude

Cult of Personality
Joined
Sep 19, 2009
Messages
12,145
Gender
Male
HSC
2010
It's ridiculous that the one constant subject that absolutely everyone must do is a subjective subject. At least if you're going to make something compulsory, make it Maths so that you are the sole determiner of your mark and that you get the exact return on your effort, rather than having it come to the discretion of a marker. Yes, if you try hard in English, you will have good results nonetheless, but an opinion can be the difference of a 95 to 100 whereas in Maths, it's you and the paper and if you're right, you're right, if you're wrong, you're wrong. You have complete control on the mark you get back.
That'd only work if we all talked in binary or something.

Fact is, we all use English - and we all need to be skilled users of it. Yes, the system of English now is crap - but if there needs to be a compulsory subject, it must be English - even if not in it's current form.
 

Absolutezero

real human bean
Joined
Nov 17, 2007
Messages
15,077
Gender
Male
HSC
N/A
It's ridiculous that the one constant subject that absolutely everyone must do is a subjective subject. At least if you're going to make something compulsory, make it Maths so that you are the sole determiner of your mark and that you get the exact return on your effort, rather than having it come to the discretion of a marker. Yes, if you try hard in English, you will have good results nonetheless, but an opinion can be the difference of a 95 to 100 whereas in Maths, it's you and the paper and if you're right, you're right, if you're wrong, you're wrong. You have complete control on the mark you get back.
Well, English is double marked, so it's less subjective than you think. Also, don't be fooled into thinking Math is completely objective.
 

powlmao

Banned
Joined
Feb 17, 2011
Messages
3,970
Location
Hogwarts
Gender
Male
HSC
2012
Well, English is double marked, so it's less subjective than you think. Also, don't be fooled into thinking Math is completely objective.
Maths can be more subjectibe depending on the topic


However our english for yr 11 + 12 needs to be revised
 

khfreakau

Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2010
Messages
577
Gender
Male
HSC
2011
I think that while English SHOULD be compulsory, it shouldn't be the only thing that's compulsory. I think a good system would be one where both English AND Maths were compulsory.

In essence, these two subjects stand at the core of many other subjects. Sciences are strongly based on a blend of these two subjects, and by only comparing sciences to one subject, you're essentially giving students who are superior with their written skills an advantage (as opposed to mathematical skill) It's arguable that maths is almost as necessary, if not moreso, in day to day life as english. This way, both creative and lateral thinking can be compared across the board.

It's unfair to suggest that mathematics or any heavy calculation based course should be scaled based on performance in english. The board should refine their algorithms and consider both maths and english when calculating atars.

One of the biggest problems with using english as a benchmark is that it's become a largely mechanical process. I wouldn't be surprised if at least half the state memorised their essays, and it's probably with good reason. Unless the english syllabus is refined, then it can reward those who do little work quite easily, imo.
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 2)

Top