A Probe into Academic English Writing from the Perspective of Ideational Grammatical Metaphor: A Study of 30 IELTS Argumentative Essays

Abstract

In light of the thirteen types of ideational grammatical metaphors (IGM) proposed by Halliday and based on thirty IELTS argumentative essays, the author tries to explore the characteristics for the usage of IGM by different candidates and the implications for English teaching. The data shows that candidates’ ability to use IGM is directly proportional to their final achievements in the test, and those with higher scores are better than those with lower ones in terms of both the number and type of IGM used by them. In addition, the use of IGM is one of the key elements to realize the coherence and cohesion of the writing, as well as its diversity and accuracy of vocabulary and grammar.