Task 2: Red-Flag Essay Checker (Self-Grading) - (Writing)
A practical self-grading system for Task 2. Use fast triage, a red-flag checklist, and a compact scoring grid to judge your draft before submission. You will catch weak thesis lines, off-task ideas, loose cohesion, vague examples, and grammar slips. Includes instant repair lines, timing protocol, and a two minute audit so your essay is focused, balanced, and examiner friendly.
Part A. 60 second triage
- Route match: Opinion, Discussion, Adv vs Disadv, Problem Solution, Cause Effect, Two-part.
- Thesis presence: One clear sentence that answers the exact route.
- Paragraph map: 4 paragraphs total. Body 1 and Body 2 each have one main claim.
- Word count: 260 to 290.
- Tone: formal, no contractions, no questions to the reader.
Part B. Red-flag checklist
Tick anything that appears. One tick means revise that line. Three ticks in a section means rewrite the paragraph.
Task response
- No clear thesis or it does not match the question type
- New ideas appear only in the conclusion
- Examples are stories without a point that links back to the claim
- Off topic sentence or generic padding
Coherence and cohesion
- Overview of paragraph is missing or unclear
- Bare this or it without a noun anchor
- Lists of points without links like however or therefore
- Paragraph changes topic mid-way
Lexical resource
- Repeated basic words: good, bad, things, a lot
- Informal items: kids, stuff, get
- Claimed data with exact numbers but no source
- Topic words overused in every sentence
Grammar
- Article errors: a poverty, the social media
- SVA errors: a number of students is
- Run-ons or comma splices
- Confused clauses or tense drift
Part C. Self-grade grid
Score each row quickly. 2 means strong, 1 means needs work, 0 means serious issue.
| Area | 2 | 1 | 0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Task response | Clear route and thesis | Minor drift or soft thesis | Off route or missing thesis |
| Idea depth | Two focused claims with logic | One claim thin or repeated | Lists or unrelated points |
| Cohesion | Logical links and anchors | Some jumps or bare this | Hard to follow |
| Vocabulary | Precise and varied | Occasional repetition | Informal or vague |
| Grammar | Clean articles and SVA | Few slips | Frequent errors |
Quick read
9 to 10: strong draft. 6 to 8: revise targeted lines. 5 or below: rebuild the bodies.
Part D. Instant repairs
Use these to fix the exact red flag you see.
Thesis repair
- Opinion: I agree to a large extent because R1 and R2.
- Discussion: Although view A highlights P, view B is stronger since Q and R.
- Adv vs Disadv: Despite D1, the advantages outweigh the drawbacks because A1 and A2.
- Problem solution: The issue stems from C1 and C2, which can be reduced by S1 and S2.
- Two-part: The first question is answered by A1, and the second by A2.
Anchor repair
- This is useful → This policy is useful
- This causes problems → This change causes two problems
Link repair
- Add one bridge per paragraph: however, therefore, by contrast, as a result, in addition.
Example repair
- Pattern: In [context], [action] led to [result].
- Sample: In one district, loaned laptops increased homework submissions in one term.
Lexical repair
- good → beneficial, effective, valuable
- bad → harmful, costly, problematic
- things → factors, measures, outcomes
- a lot → many, much, a large share
Grammar repair
- Article: People rely on social media for news.
- SVA: A number of schools offer evening classes.
- Run-on: Costs rose, so households delayed purchases.
Part E. Paragraph health test
Read only the first sentence of each paragraph. Do they show:
- A clear claim that matches the thesis
- A different angle from the other body
- A hint of logic such as cause, result, comparison
If not, rewrite the topic sentence before editing details.
Part F. Two model rewrites
Before
Many people think online education is good. It helps them a lot and there are some problems also. This is because technology is important and it can be cheap.
After
Online education offers clear benefits, chiefly wider access and flexible schedules. For instance, when schools record lessons, commuters can study after work, which raises completion rates. Although screen fatigue is a risk, short in-person workshops reduce it while keeping the wider access.
Why it works
- Clear claim, concrete example, mechanism, balanced counterpoint, link back to benefit.
Part G. 7 minute revision protocol
- Minute 1: Fix the thesis and both topic sentences.
- Minute 2: Replace bare this or it with anchored nouns.
- Minute 3: Add one logical link per paragraph.
- Minute 4: Swap three basic words for precise synonyms.
- Minute 5: Run the grammar trio: articles, SVA, comma splices.
- Minute 6: Check word count and remove padding.
- Minute 7: Read aloud once for rhythm and clarity.
Part H. Micro drills
- Anchor sweep: Replace five bare demonstratives with noun anchors.
- PEEL check: For one body paragraph, label Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link. Add the missing part.
- Verb test: Underline subjects, cross out prepositional phrases, correct the verbs.
- Lexical chain: Write a four-item chain for your topic, then rotate it across the paragraph.
- Concession line: Add one balanced sentence starting with although or while.
Part I. Final two minute audit
- Thesis aligns with question type
- Each body has one claim, one example, one mechanism, one link
- No bare this or it
- Precise words replace fillers
- Articles and SVA clean
- No run-ons
- Conclusion restates stance without new ideas
Use this checker every practice session. Spot the red flags, apply the matching repair, and your Task 2 essays will read clear, controlled, and easy to score.