Why do aspirants mostly fail in the essay paper?
 

Hello members
I have observed that mostly CSS aspirants get failed in the essay paper. The candidates secure over 700 marks but they fetch less than 40 in essay writing. Recently announced result of 2009 depicts the same scenario. I am willing to appear in 2010 and have jotted down 12 essays. I am worried how to satisfy the examiners. What do the examiners want in an essay from a candidate? A brilliant student of IR from Q.A uni got failed in essay in 2008 and same happened with the another candidate who had cleared PCS and had been serving as a Section officer.
Seniors, I want ur valuable comments to write an impressive essay.
Esteem regards
Aariz Memon

What my English teacher told me, who is a retired principal, he used to check Competitive English exam papers but now he doesn't as he is retired. What he told me is that the examiner first checks the structure of the essay. Prepositions, articles, correct tenses, all the grammar stuff. Anywhere he finds a mistake in the grammar he marks it with his red pen, then he checks whether the material the candidate has written is relevant to the topic or not if its relevant and the grammar is correct, a person can fetch 50+ easily if the grammar is correct and he has also mentioned little irrelevant stuff then he will get around 40-45 . If the grammar is correct and the material is totally deviating from the topic then he will just get around 30-35 depending on the mistakes he made in grammar as well. So write an organized (with intro, body, [arguments], conclusion ) essay with correct grammar and relevant material and i am sure you would pass with flying colors.

Students fail because they don't practice essay and believe me, essay writing gets easy when you have written like 10-15 essays. Every new essay of yours gets better so when you sit for the exam, your final piece would be splendid. The other mistake students make is that they try to penetrate difficult words in their sentences. Examiner doesn't want you to be a philosophical (but if you can play with the words then go ahead that would impress the examiner but if you are just trying to penetrate for the sake of putting a difficult word then don't because you never know which preposition to use with the word you penetrated in the structure), all he wants is clarity and smoothness in grammar (linked essay from paragraph one to conclusion like a sweet story) with simple and proper English.

I just gave you a rough idea what he tried to tell me yesterday. I hope this would help the aspirants in preparing themselves for essay paper.

regards

waqarj

thanks waqar for ur valuable comments. I have noticed that I have bundle of info about the topics but i am still unable to write more than 20 pages. I got my essays checked from a veteran teacher. He does not find any grammatical or logical mistakes but he suggests my always to write more as i cant do that within three hours.

@ariz.
I think you are facing resistance in starting of an essay or for that purpose paragraphs. When you have enough knowledge about an essay, even then you little confidence for going to write. The problem is simple you do not know how to start. For that purpose, you must practise writing topical sentences to begin paragraphs of your essay. Topical Sentence is,in fact, a statement which you elaborate or prove in your paragraph. Your paragraph should talk only about the topical sentence.
Study a book named "Writing Talk" about developing your paragraph and the paragraph about introduction. I have forgotten the writer of the book. It is , however, famous book and available in the market.

[QUOTE=naveedhussain;156782]If I am not wrong, the author of the book, Writing Talk: Paragraphs and Short Essays with Readings, is Anthony C. Winkler.
:?[url]http://www.cssforum.com.pk/images/smilies/7.gif[/url][/QUOTE]

Could someone please upload the file or send us the link where it can be downloaded from? :waiting

@Abid
Thanks for your comments. I will get the book. I am working to improve introductory paragraphs.

My opinion
 

I agree with QARAj.

Few things that I wana Know are.

Dont use words about whom meanings you are not confirm. :blinkRemember, you are writing essay so do not over load it with facts and figures. Try to use simple and familiar expresion. There should be a sequense in your thoughts.
Strictly follow your outline. Do not repeat ideas and words just to increase words.


Choose topic on which you can write easily and which is according to your interest, mostly stydents try to pick hot issues. I wrote on Co-Education last year. My friends dont appreciate my selection at that time but i cleared and most of them didnt.

i appeared in ce-2009 and i m a masters in english who failed in essay and not because of poor grammar but because at some point i forgot that i was writing abt power of media and started discussing role of media that led to a shameful score for me though my teachers were confident i wud score in 60s so maybe grammar alone cant pass you and my intro was fantastic
so better stick to topic - personal experience

@ sassi sehar:

Yes, you are right. Only grammar is not important but other factors also count. Your style of presentation and what you write are very important. I used headings in the essay but still got through.

[B][I]generally we practice for writting only in exam hall. :king

writting practice is a difficult task but we can manage it successfully if we try. secondly we shud assess our writing style n essay by an expert this will be beneficial for us. moreover, only extensive study and sufficient knowledge abt any essay can fetch good marks. we shud select our area of interest for essay n then focus that particular area like. current, political, economic, social, literary, islamic etc[/I][/B]