Luận án Đặc trưng diễn ngôn bài luận mẫu IELTS - Theo quan điểm ngữ pháp chức năng

THE UNIVERSITY OF DANANG 
 UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE STUDIES 
NGUYỄN THỊ TRUNG 
 DISCOURSE FEATURES OF IELTS SAMPLE ESSAYS 
- A FUNCTIONAL GRAMMAR PERSPECTIVE 
Major: ENGLISH LINGUISTICS 
Code: 9.22.02.01 
DOCTORAL THESIS 
IN SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES 
SUPERVISOR: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Quynh Hoa 
Danang, 2021
i 
STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP 
Except where reference is made in the text, this thesis contains no material 
published elsewhere or extracted in whole or in part from a thesis by which I have 
qualified for or been awarded another degree or diploma. 
No other person's work has been used without due acknowledgements in the 
thesis. 
This thesis has not been submitted for the award of any degree or diploma in 
any other tertiary institution. 
Da Nang, November 2021 
 Nguyen Thi Trung 
ii 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 
Above all, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Associate 
Professor Nguyễn Thị Quỳnh Hoa, for her understanding, encouragement, helpful 
comments and professional guidance at every stage of this thesis. 
I am also deeply indebted to Associate Professor Trần Văn Phước for his constructive 
feedback, distribution of materials, and continuing support. 
My special thanks goes to Professor Hoàng Văn Vân, and Associate Professor Phan 
Văn Hòa for their advice in the first steps of the research paper, saving me from 
confusion. 
My heartfelt gratitude goes to Associate Professor Tôn Nữ Mỹ Nhật for her astute 
comments and encouragement. 
I would like to express my deepest appreciation to the University of Foreign 
Language Studies, The University of Danang and the Faculty of English for their 
generous support and timely assistance. 
Finally, I am indebted to my family for their love, care and sacrifice; and to my 
colleagues and friends for all their encouragement and untiring assistance. 
iii 
ABSTRACT 
Over the past three decades, the International English Language Testing System 
(IELTS) has been considered as the preferred test to assess English language 
proficiency of non-native English speakers. With a view to improving the quality of 
IELTS candidates’ answers to the academic writing test, the thesis addresses three 
aspects of meaning, namely textual, interpersonal and experiential meaning in 
formulating IELTS Academic essays based on the Systemic Functional Theory 
developed by Halliday (1994), and Halliday and Matthiessen (2004, 2014). A 
descriptive method accompanied by qualitative and quantitative approaches was used 
to give a detailed description of three kinds of meaning in relation to the band 
descriptors. 180 sample essays with band scores of 7.0-7.5 and others rated 9 were 
selected as data for text analysis. The findings revealed that the prevailing types of 
Themes deployed in the essays were multiple Themes, demonstrating high levels of 
English proficiency among IELTS writers in constituting a message. It is also 
noticeable that more successful IELTS writers favoured marked topical Themes and 
exhibited tactical manipulation of thematic progression to arrange information 
logically in the text. From the perspective of interpersonal metafunction, successful 
writers were good at building up and maintaining appropriate relationships with 
examiners thanks to appropriate modality and mood choice. In terms of experiential 
meaning, the writers employed more clause complexes than clause simplexes to 
specify the type of interdependency in the texts. From the findings, it is recommended 
that IELTS writers should choose clause complexes over clause simplexes, make 
good use of cohesive devices, modality and mood choice, different types of 
interdependency as well as deploy multiple Themes. In particular, more marked 
Themes, and subtly a few interpersonal Themes are suggested to be deployed in order 
to create logical connections between experiential events and to make the writing 
more academic. It is obvious that IELTS test-takers with better insights into the 
salient linguistic features of IELTS essays in terms of thematic structure, cohesion, 
mood, modality, logico-semantic relation and transitivity can produce a piece of 
writing in accordance with the IELTS community expectation, thus reaching the 
perceived and desired IELTS band score. 
iv 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
CHAPTER ONE ........................................................................................................................... 1 
INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................ 1 
1.1. Rationale ............................................................................................................. 1 
1.2. Aims and Objectives of the Study ..................................................................... 3 
1.2.1. Aims ........................................................................................................... 3 
1.2.2. Objectives ................................................................................................... 3 
1.3. Research Questions ............................................................................................ 4 
1.4. Scope of the Study .............................................................................................. 4 
1.5. Significance of the Study ................................................................................... 5 
1.6. Organization of the Thesis................................................................................. 6 
1.7. Terminology ........................................................................................................ 8 
CHAPTER TWO ........................................................................................................................ 11 
LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL BACKGROUND .......................... 11 
2.1. Literature Review ............................................................................................. 11 
2.1.1. Review of Systemic Functional Linguistics ........................................... 11 
2.1.2. Review of Studies Related to Academic Writing in the light of Systemic 
Functional Linguistics ...................................................................................... 13 
2.1.3. Review of IELTS Academic Writing Studies ......................................... 16 
2.2. Theoretical Background .................................................................................. 19 
2.2.1. IELTS Writing as Academic Writing ..................................................... 19 
 2.2.1.1. Academic Writing ............................................................................... 19 
 2.2.1.2. The IELTS Test ................................................................................... 20 
 2.2.1.3. IELTS Writing as Academic Writing ................................................. 22 
2.2.2. Discourse Analysis through Systemic Functional Linguistics .............. 30 
2.2.3. Context: Culture and Situation .............................................................. 30 
2.2.4. The Three Metafunctions........................................................................ 33 
 2.2.4.1. Textual Metafunction .......................................................................... 34 
 2.2.4.2. Interpersonal Metafunction ................................................................. 46 
 2.2.4.3. Experiential Metafunction ................................................................... 52 
2.3. Summary ........................................................................................................... 61 
CHAPTER THREE ................................................................................................................... 62 
v 
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................... 62 
3.1. Research Design ............................................................................................... 62 
3.2. Research Methods ............................................................................................ 63 
3.3. Data Collection ................................................................................................. 64 
3.3.1. Criteria for Collecting Data .................................................................... 64 
3.3.2. Description of Sampling.......................................................................... 65 
3.4. Data Analysis .................................................................................................... 67 
3.4.1. Clause and Above the Clause ................................................................. 67 
3.4.2. The Coding Scheme ................................................................................ 68 
3.5. Analytic Framework ........................................................................................ 73 
3.6. Reliability and Validity .................................................................................... 74 
3.7. Summary ........................................................................................................... 75 
CHAPTER FOUR ...................................................................................................................... 76 
TEXTUAL MEANING IN IELTS ACADEMIC SAMPLE ESSAYS .......................... 76 
4.1. Thematic Structure .......................................................................................... 76 
4.1.1. Types of Themes ...................................................................................... 76 
 4.1.1.1. Marked and Unmarked Theme ........................................................... 77 
 4.1.1.2. Topical, Interpersonal and Textual Theme ......................................... 80 
 4.1.1.3. Simple and Multiple Theme ................................................................ 84 
4.1.2. Thematic Progression ............................................................................. 87 
4.2. Cohesion ............................................................................................................ 95 
4.2.1. Grammatical Ties .................................................................................... 96 
 4.2.1.1. The Use of Reference .......................................................................... 96 
 4.2.1.2. The Use of Substitution ....................................................................... 98 
 4.2.1.3. The Use of Ellipsis .............................................................................. 99 
 4.2.1.4. The Use of Conjunction ...................................................................... 99 
4.2.2. Lexical Ties ............................................................................................ 101 
 4.2.2.1. The Use of Reiteration ...................................................................... 1 ... say-topic-schools-should-teach-their-students-how-to-survive-financially-
in-the-world-today-agree-disagree/ 
2.20.
the-classroom/ 
2.21. 
foreign-language-before-english-a-waste-of-time/ 
2.22.https://ieltsmaterial.com/ielts-writing-actual-test-band-9-0-
advantagedisadvantage-essay-topic-gap-year/ 
2.23.https://ielts-simon.com/ielts-help-and-english-pr/2011/06/ielts-writing-task-2-
gender-and-university-essay.html 
2.24. Milton, J. et all. (2003). IELTS Practice Test 2. NXB TP. HCM 
2.25. Simon. (2016). Writing Task 2 IELTS. Zim Academic 
2.26. Simon. (2016). Writing Task 2 IELTS. Zim Academic 
2.27. Simon. (2016). Writing Task 2 IELTS. Zim Academic 
2.28.
knowledge-than-old-employees-band-9-ielts-essay-sample 
2.29.
filled-by-men-band-9-ielts-essay-sample/ 
 179 
2.30.
when-choosing-a-job-band-9-ielts-essay-sample/ 
2.31.
an-old-fashioned-one-band-9-ielts-essay-sample/ 
2.32.
important-consideration-band-9-ielts-essay-sample/ 
2.33.  
2.34.
should-receive-higher-salaries-band-9-ielts-essay-sample/ 
2.25.
on-one-subject-students-should-learn-a-variety-of-subjects/ 
2.36.
motivate-employees-is-to-offer-them-financial-incentives/ 
2.37.
more-important-than-salary/ 
2.38.
fixed-retired-age-for-all-professionals/ 
2.39. https://www.ielts-practice.org/band-9-essay-sample-about-early-retirement/ 
2.40.
done-by-robots/ 
2.41.https://www.ielts-practice.org/band-9-essay-sample-some-managerial-
positions-should-be-reserved-for-female-employees/ 
2.42.
university-degree-for-a-good-job/ 
2.43.
more-valued-by-modern-society-than-musicians-and-artists-band-9-ielts-essay-
sample/ 
2.44.
on-reducing-environmental-pollution-and-housing-problems-to-help-people-
prevent-illness-and-disease-band-9-essay-sample/ 
 180 
2.45.
together-to-reverse-environmental-damage-band-9-ielts-essay-sample/ 
2.46.
pollution-band-9-ielts-essay-sample/ 
2.47.
be-avoided-band-9-ielts-essay-sample/ 
2.48.
a-legal-requirement/ 
2.49.
air-pollution/ 
2.50. IELTS (2001). Cambridge IELTS 2. Cambridge University Press. 
2.51. IELTS (2001). Cambridge IELTS 2. Cambridge University Press. 
2.52.
married-and-have-children-in-their-thirties-band-9-ielts-essay-sample/ 
2.53.
should-share-the-responsibilities-of-household-chores-band-9-ielts-essay-sample/ 
2.54.
run-their-own-business-band-9-ielts-essay-sample/ 
2.55. 
on-the-way-parents-bring-them-up-band-9-ielts-essay-sample/ 
2.56. Jakeman, V. & Mc Dowell, C (2003). Insights into IELTS. Cambridge 
University Press. 
2.57. IELTS (2001). Cambridge IELTS 2. Cambridge University Press. 
2.58.
band-9-ielts-essay-sample/ 
2.59. 
negative-than-positive-effects-on-young-children-band-9-ielts-essay-sample/ 
2.60.
children-someone-can-have-through-taxes-band-9-ielts-essay-sample/ 
 181 
Corpus 2 
1.1. IELTS. Cambridge IELTS 9. Cambridge University Press. 
1.2. 
or-university-is-the-best-way-for-students-to-prepare-for-their-future-career-band-
7-5-ielts-essay-sample/ 
1.3. 
excellent-option-for-children-band-7-5-ielts-essay-sample/ 
1.4.
behaviour-should-be-strictly-controlled-band-7-5-ielts-essay-sample/ 
1.5. https://www.ielts-practice.org/some-people-feel-that-children-should-be-
educated-in-single-sex-schools-band-7-5-ielts-essay-sample/ 
1.6. https://www.ielts-practice.org/some-people-think-that-art-is-an-essential-
subject-for-children-at-school-while-others-think-it-is-a-waste-of-time-band-7-5-
ielts-essay-sample/ 
1.7.https://www.ielts-practice.org/some-people-think-that-the-problem-with-
education-in-poor-countries-is-the-teaching-methodology-used-band-7-ielts-essay-
sample/ 
1.8. https://www.ielts-practice.org/some-people-think-that-all-university-students-
should-study-whatever-they-like-band-7-5-ielts-essay-sample/ 
1.9. https://www.ielts-practice.org/band-7-ielts-essay-sample-some-people-think-
that-the-government-should-decide-the-subject-for-students-to-study-in-university/ 
1.10. https://www.ielts-practice.org/band-7-5-ielts-essay-sample-some-people-
think-that-all-university-students-should-study-whatever-they-like/ 
1.11. https://www.ielts-practice.org/band-7-ielts-essay-sample-discipline-is-an-ever-
increasing-problem-in-modern-schools/ 
1.12. https://www.ielts-practice.org/band-7-5-ielts-essay-sample-students-should-
only-be-allowed-to-study-science-subjects/ 
1.13.https://www.ielts-practice.org/band-7-5-ielts-essay-sample-some-people-think-
that-parents-are-responsible-for-teaching-children-discipline/ 
 182 
1.14. https://www.ielts-practice.org/band-7-essay-sample-advantages-and-
disadvantages-of-pursuing-higher-education-abroad/ 
1. 15. 
involved-in-unpaid-work-band-7-5-ielts-essay-sample/ 
1.16. 
7-ielts-essay-sample/ 
1.17. https://www.ielts-practice.org/in-some-countries-a-few-people-earn-
extremely-high-salaries-band-7-5-ielts-essay-sample-2/ 
1. 18. 
who-are-independent-and-innovative/ 
1. 19. 
made-by-managers-and-not-employees/ 
1.20. https://www.ielts-blog.com/ielts-writing-samples/ielts-essays-band-7/ielts-
essay-topic-some-people-say-protecting-the-environment-is-the-governments-
responsibility-others-believe-individuals-should-be-responsible-for-it-opinion/ 
1. 21. 
have-a-negative-effect-on-business-band-7-5-ielts-essay-sample/ 
1. 22. 
their-childrens-activities-closely-band-7-5-ielts-essay-sample/ 
1. 23. 
leisure-time-for-activities-that-improve-our-mind-health-band-7-5-ielts-essay-
sample/ 
1. 24. 
food-people-eat-band-7-5-ielts-essay-sample/ 
1. 25. 
ensure-that-people-stay-healthy/ 
1. 26. 
measures-to-improve-peoples-health/ 
1. 27. 
be-a-criminal-offence-band-7-ielts-essay-sample/ 
 183 
1. 28. 
money-to-eliminate-the-cause-of-crime-band-7-5-ielts-essay-sample/ 
1. 29. 
crime-is-to-give-longer-prison-sentences-band-7-5-ielts-essay-sample/ 
1. 30. https://www.ielts-practice.org/band-7-essay-sample-there-should-be-fixed-
punishments-for-each-crime/ 
2. 1. May, P. (2004). IELTS Practice Test. Cambridge University Press 
2. 2. McCarter, S. (2006). Academic Writing Practice for IELTS. Intelligene 
2. 3. 
subjects-so-that-they-can-pass-exams-band-7-ielts-essay-sample/ 
2. 4. 
ielts-essay-sample-2/ 
2. 5. 
exercise-is-the-responsibility-of-parents-band-7-5-ielts-essay-sample/ 
2. 6. https://www.ielts-practice.org/poor-students-find-it-difficult-to-get-university-
education-band-7-5-ielts-essay-sample/ 
2. 7. https://www.ielts-practice.org/high-school-students-should-be-taught-money-
management-band-7-5-ielts-essay-sample/ 
2. 8. https://www.ielts-practice.org/for-centuries-important-parts-of-education-have-
remained-such-as-reading-writing-and-maths-band-7-ielts-essay-sample/ 
2. 9. https://www.ielts-practice.org/punishment-is-necessary-to-help-children-learn-
the-distinction-between-right-and-wrong-band-7-ielts-essay-sample/ 
2. 10. 
on-facts-rather-than-practical-skills/ 
2. 11. https://www.ielts-practice.org/band-7-essay-sample-punishment-is-necessary-
to-help-children-learn-the-difference-between-right-and-wrong/ 
2. 12. https://www.ielts-practice.org/band-7-ielts-essay-sample-is-smacking-
children-the-best-form-of-discipline/ 
2. 13. https://www.ielts-practice.org/band-7-5-essay-sample-schools-are-giving-too-
much-importance-to-traditional-subjects-like-history/ 
 184 
2. 14. https://www.ielts-practice.org/band-7-essay-children-are-forced-to-study-
even-in-their-leisure-time/ 
2. 1.5. https://www.ielts-practice.org/ielts-band-7-5-essay-samples-money-
management-skills-should-be-taught-at-schools/ 
2. 16. https://www.ielts-practice.org/band-7-essay-samples-it-is-better-to-study-
abroad/ 
2. 17. https://www.ielts-blog.com/ielts-writing-samples/ielts-essays-band-7/ielts-
essay-topic-should-students-travel/ 
2. 18. Wyatt, R. (2013). Complete IELTS. Cambridge University Press. 
2. 19. Milton, J. et all. (2003). IELTS Practice Test 2. NXB TP. HCM 
2. 20. ‐exam.net 
2. 21. 
longer-required/ 
2. 22. 
offering-a-position-to-a-person-band-7-5-ielts-essay-sample/ 
2. 23. 
role-at-workplace-in-future-band-7-ielts-essay-sample/ 
2. 24. 
receive-government-aid/ 
2. 25. 
engage-in-paid-work/ 
2. 26. https://www.ielts-blog.com/ielts-writing-samples/ielts-essays-band-7/ielts-
essay-topic-working-kids/ 
2. 27. https://www.ielts-practice.org/band-7-5-essay-sample-changing-jobs-
frequently-is-bad/ 
2. 28. https://www.ielts-practice.org/ielts-band-7-essay-sample-celebrities-earn-
more-money-than-other-professionals/ 
2. 29. 
employees-band-7-essay-samples/ 
2. 30. IELTS Write right. IELTS Band 7 
 185 
2. 31. McCarter, S. (2006). Academic Writing Practice for IELTS. Intelligene 
2. 32. https://www.ielts-blog.com/ielts-writing-samples/ielts-essays-band-7/ielts-
essay-topic-environmental-problems/ 
2. 33. 
energy-sources-like-wind-ad-solar/ 
2. 34. 
international-level-band-7-5-ielts-essay-sample/ 
2. 35. https://www.ielts-practice.org/plastic-bags-should-be-banned-band-7-ielts-
essay-sample/ 
2. 36. 
is-the-only-way-to-reduce-air-pollution/ 
2. 37. https://www.ielts-practice.org/should-working-men-and-women-share-
household-works-band-7-ielts-essay-sample/ 
2. 38. https://www.ielts-practice.org/young-adults-are-spending-less-time-with-
their-families-band-7-ielts-essay-sample/ 
2. 39. 
people-are-living-alone/ 
2. 40. https://www.ielts-practice.org/ielts-band-7-essay-sample-young-people-are-
getting-more-infleuenced-by-their-friends/ 
2. 41. 
government-take-care-of-the-elderly/ 
2. 42. https://www.ielts-practice.org/ielts-band-7-essay-sample-eating-home-
cooked-food-is-better-than-eating-out/ 
2. 43. 
living-longer-in-many-countries/ 
2. 44. 
as-physical-disabilities-or-illnesses-band-7-5-ielts-essay-sample/ 
2. 45. 
likely-to-be-lower-in-the-future-band-7-5-ielts-essay-sample/ 
 186 
2. 46. 
their-patients-about-health-band-7-5-ielts-essay-sample/ 
2. 47. 
foods/ 
2. 48. https://www.ielts-blog.com/ielts-writing-samples/ielts-essays-band-7/ielts-
essay-topic-smoking-in-public-places/ 
2. 49. 
rate-of-young-offenders-is-to-teach-parents-better-parenting-skills-band-7-ielts-
essay-sample/ 
2. 50. 
wasting-money-on-arts-band-7-ielts-essay-sample/ 
2. 51. https://www.ielts-practice.org/band-7-ielts-essay-sample-more-and-more-
people-are-living-alone/ 
2. 52. 
serious-crimes-should-be-punished-in-the-same-way-as-adults/ 
2. 53. 
cause-more-problems-than-solutions/ 
2. 54. 
share-their-wealth-among-poor-nations/ 
2. 55. 
should-give-financial-aid-to-undeveloped-nations/ 
2. 56. 
punishment-justified/ 
2. 57. https://www.ielts-practice.org/popular-international-sporting-events-are-
essential-for-easing-international-tensions-band-7-ielts-essay-sample/ 
2. 58. 
dating-sites-to-meet-their-better-halves-band-7-ielts-essay-sample/ 
2. 59. 
have-a-huge-negative-impact-on-both-individuals-and-society-band-7-5-ielts-essay-
sample/ 
 187 
2. 60. https://www.ielts-practice.org/many-people-believe-that-social-networking-
sites-such-as-facebook-have-a-huge-negative-impact-on-people-band-7-ielts-essay-
sample/ 
 188 
 189 
 190