Is the a right or wrong style for answering questions?

[riceball72]

Hi
I have just had an interesting conversation with a co-worker (japanese) about the correct way to answer questions, in written format.

As a native speaker I know there are many different ways, but vividly remember an English teacher telling me I was wrong when I didn't write what she/he considered a 'Full Answer'.

ie. What was Mary wearing?

A1: Mary was wearing blue shorts.
A2: She was wearing blue shorts.

From memory my teacher would have marked me wrong if I had answered with A2, however, it seems my co-worker was taught how to answer using A2 style, instead of incorporating the subject into the answer.

My only idea is that EFL / ESL teaching has a tendancy to focus on 'spoken' style English, where as a native speaker is taught from the written perspective? (I am guessing here!!).

As an English teacher which style of written answer would you expect from your students? Even though technically I think both are correct?

As a student, which way have you been taught?

Any ideas and opinions would be greatly appreciated!

smiles

[Casiopea]

Both are acceptable, right.

I'm an A2 teacher myself. (Chalk it up to teaching 6 years in Japan.) Notice that A2 doesn't repeat the sentence word for word, which could be the reason some teachers prefer it to A1.

All the best.