Table 2 Assessment Criteria

1 Generic Structure

Identifies sociocultural purpose of genre

(1) To identify the purpose of the discussion essay

Identifies motivation of genre as interpersonal or pragmatic

(2) To describe the structure of the target genre: 1) Issue, 2) Argument for, 3) Argument against, and 4) Conclusion

2 Lexicogrammar

Makes appropriate lexicogrammatical ideational meaning choices (Field)

(3) To explain general personal nouns

(4) To write about the uses of abstract nouns

(5) To write about the uses of action verbs

(6) To write about the uses of “verbal verbs”

Makes appropriate interpersonal meaning choices (Tenor)

(7) To write about modalities

(8) To write about modality + adverbs

(9) To write these fixed phrases to express the writer’s opinion/modality: It is possible that, I guess that, or It is certain that

Makes appropriate textual meaning choices (Mode)

(10) To explain construct conjunctions and signposts

(11) To explain demonstrative pronouns such as that and this

(12) To use appropriate thematic ties and referential links to extend genre