Mohammed Alonaizan

August 27, 2014

Final draft

Learning a New Language

Moving from Saudi Arabia to the United States and getting used to livinge in it
was one of the hardest things that I have ever done. Even thou it is kind of a good
experiment; it is really hard at the same time. I moved to charlotte last year. It was hard to

Comment [W1]: This is a good topic sentence,

but not the most interesting opening. Look at this
for some ideas.
http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/businesscareer/public-speaking/openings-and-closings

get used to living far away from my family and friends, but eventually I did it. What

Comment [W2]: spelling

mostly, I had problems with was communicating and understanding the language and

Comment [W3]: wordy:

http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/gr
ammar/wordiness-and-idioms

making new friends.

At the beginning, I had a really rough time trying to understand what people say
and answering them back. There were some people who I have met who spoke Arabic,
but I tried not to stay with them a lot because one of the reasons that brought me to the

Comment [W4]: capitalization:

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/59
2/01/
Comment [W5]: Commas with introductory
elements:
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/com
mas.htm (see #3)
Comment [W6]: Tense shift:
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/60
1/04/

Unites States was learning English. I felt lonely because there was no one to talk to
except my uncle who stayed a week with me. And of course we only spoke in English.

Comment [W7]: Avoid starting sentences with

a conjunction.

However, after two weeks, I got enrolled in the English Language Training
Institute (ELTI) in UNC Charlotte, which is where I learned English. I started learning
the language so I can could complete my studies that are include getting my bachelor and
master degree. In my first day at ELTI I had to take a placement test so they could know

Comment [W8]: Commas are needed with

introductory prepositional phrases.

in which level exactly would I be. At the end of that day, I was told by that I would be in
level 4. Listening, speaking, and grammar werent hard for me. On the other hand,
reading and writing were always hard, but I knew that I had to learn and improve my
skills to succeed in the university. I took three classes a day for five days a week from
August 18, 2013 until July 21, 2014.

Comment [W9]: Write out numbers under 10.

Mohammed Alonaizan
August 27, 2014
Final draft
When I first started in ELTI my writing skills were really bad, I didnt know how

Comment [W10]: Comma needed

to write an essay or to be more accurate I didnt know what an essay was. I remember
that my teacher Mrs.Wallace told me that I have to improve my writing more than the

Comment [W11]: Tense shift

others by doing extra work. Not only was she teaching me in class, she also was teaching
me for one hour after classes. She taught me all what that I needed to know the for basic
writing, all the types of essays, and also she gave me some good books to read that
helped me to improve my reading and writing skills.
After I passed to level five, I started to read books as much as I can to develop my

Comment [W12]: Tense shift

reading and writing (RW). In level five, my RW teacher Mr. Seth taught me a new way
of thinking, a new way to express my ideas and put them in sentences. He told us that we
dont have to write like a computer. What he meant was that there is no specific rule that
tells us how many paragraphs the introduction should be. For instance, when write an

Comment [W13]: tense

essay, the introduction doesnt have to be 1 paragraph and the conclusion too. It was hard

Formatted: Highlight

at the beginning but we got used to it. He said that an introduction could be as many
paragraphs as you want, as long as you keep introducing the essay.
Even thou I have learned and developed my reading and writing skills, I dont
consider myself as an advanced reader or writer. Now, I can read and understand and I
can express my ideas in writing. I dont believe that people should give up on something
because it is hard; I think that everything can be learned, but of course you need the effort
to do it. I have learned a lot from my experience at ELTI especially from Mrs.Wallace

Formatted: Highlight

Mohammed Alonaizan
August 27, 2014
Final draft
and Mr.Seth. If it wasnt for Mrs. Wallace and Mr. Seth I wouldnt be as good as I am
today.