Reflection: My reply to Ms Cook's feedback

Thank you Ms Cook for taking the time to comment on my previous post. I will take this English module as a positive challenge to improve my language. Could you see if I have correctly identified the errors I have made for my previous my post? After you have checked, I will proceed on writing the reflection with the amendments.

1. Unnecessary preposition: Do you know why 'as' is not necessary here? One of them was to make reading 'as' my hobby (Is it because of SVA? Verb is reading and subject is hobby?)

2. You referred to past events and experiences in the following sentences. Therefore, you should have used past tenses. Go through these sentences again and see if you could spot the errors.
-As a result, I got the mindset that I will never improve my English no matter how hard I try. (I did not manage to find the error. Shouldn’t it be in present tense since it is a fact?)

-I lose the motivation to keep going. I stop trying then. My grades for English were always either a C or a fail. (I lost the motivation to keep going. I stopped trying then.)

-As for example, when I was attending a meeting, I have many ideas and suggestions in my thought. However, because I could not phrase what I have in mind into words, I ended up not voicing it out and it was as if, I did not participate in that meeting. (As for example, when I attended meetings, I had many ideas and suggestions in my thought. However, because I could not phrase what I had in mind into words, I ended up not voicing it out and it was as if, I did not participate in that meeting)

-So at every exam, rather than aiming to get an A for English, I felt satisfied when I passed the subject, even with a merely (INCORRECT WORD FORM) 50 marks. I realized that in order for me to be proactive, I have to work on my English language. (Correct word form: mere? May I know when to use mere and merely?)


3. Incorrect use of tenses. The past tense is on 'made me'. Can you spot the error?
-there were incidents that made me realized (… made me realize – can I ask the reason why?)


4. Incorrect use of a comma. Can you spot the error?
However, because I could not phrase what I have in mind into words, I ended up not voicing it out and it was as if, I did not participate in that meeting. (However, because I could not phrase what I had in mind into words, I ended up not voicing it out and it was as if I did not participate in that meeting). Or (I ended up not voicing out the thoughts I had in mind because I was not able to phrase it into words. As such, it was as though I did not participate in that meeting)

5. Subject-verb agreement error:
Writing essay is something that I dreads (Writing essays are something that I dread) or (I dread writing essays)

6. Think about the difference between using 'in' and 'at' 
In NUS, it is impossible to escape from writing essays. Just 2 weeks of school term and I have four essays to complete. (In refer to an enclosed space while at refer to overall location). Difference: I’m in NUS (refer to where I am, more of location). I studied at NUS (refer to the institution I went?) Am I right to say that?

English Language

English language has always been my ‘enemy’ since young. I was never good in all aspects of English, from grammar to vocabulary to writing. I got the lowest mark for English prelims across the level when I was in primary 6. It was a devastating and embarrassing experience. At one point of time, English caused me to hate school so much. When I was a secondary student, I tried many ways to improve my English language. One of them was to make reading as my hobby. However, there were many failed attempts. As a result, I got the mindset that I will never improve my English no matter how hard I try. I lose the motivation to keep going. I stop trying then. My grades for English were always either a C or a fail. Nothing above B. So at every exam, rather than aiming to get an A for English, I felt satisfied when I passed the subject, even with a merely 50 marks.

There were incidents that made me realized that English is important and that I have to improve on it. As for example, when I was attending a meeting, I have many ideas and suggestions in my thought. However, because I could not phrase what I have in mind into words, I ended up not voicing it out and it was as if, I did not participate in that meeting. I realized that in order for me to be proactive, I have to work on my English language. Writing essay is something that I dreads the most. I can spend the whole day writing just one essay. In NUS, it is impossible to escape from writing essays. Just 2 weeks of school term and I have four essays to complete.

I never thought that I will have English module in my university life. The last one I had was 3 years ago, when I was in secondary school. I hope that this module will be a platform for me to start improving on my language especially my writing skills.