Asking question in an essay, using "you"

[Anna232]

Can I use "you" in an essay and ask a question or should it be used with a phrase like "It begs the question?" Are the parts in bold natural? It is a short paragraph about the importance of practice.

Books can help us understand more about life, about how other people think and see the world. As well as that, books can educate us about many different topics. But is everything that we need to learn contained in books?
On balance, books do contain beneficial information. They can help you broaden your horizons. The more you read, the more you increase your knowledge. It helps you grasp how others tackle different situarions. Practice plays an important role in our learning path. Our comprehension skills, the way we see the world, frame questions and approach life challenges all require practice. We need to have our own experience to gain more fluency and see things more in depth.
Books are a great source of information about the basics, examples, and other people's philosopies, but practice is just as important.

 

[teechar]

What was the prompt/question, and why have you highlighted certain words in your answer?

 

[Anna232]

What was the prompt/question, and why have you highlighted certain words in your answer?

The question is "Not everything that is learnt is contained in books." I highlighted them because I am not sure they are idiomatic.

 

[teechar]

Books can help us understand more about life, about how other people think and see the world. As well as that, books can educate us about many different topics. But is everything that we need to learn contained in books?

By writing that question, you're introducing a degree of doubt into the reader's mind, or at least hinting that you will discuss the opposing view. Just beware of that.

On balance,

Again, that phrase is used when summing up and making a conclusion, after discussing two opposing views.

books do contain beneficial information. They can help you broaden your horizons.

You used "us" above, so stick with that line. Use "us", "we", and "our" if you have to.

The more you read, the more you increase your knowledge.

It helps you grasp how others tackle different situations.

I'm not sure what that "it" refers to. If it's reading, then change it to "that".

Practice plays an important role in our learning path.

That is a bad sentence:
1- It's unnatural.
2- It's about a completely different topic!
If you want to introduce the idea that we can learn things through other means, try:
On the other hand [ Note the linking (switching) device] , we mostly learn not by reading but through experience, both planned and unplanned.

Our comprehension skills, the way we see the world, frame questions and approach life challenges all require repeated experience or practice.

We need to have our own experience to gain more fluency and see things more in depth.

I have no idea what this sentence means or what its purpose is.

Books are a great source of information about the basics, examples, and other people's philosophies, but practice is just as important.

 

[Anna232]

By writing that question, you're introducing a degree of doubt into the reader's mind, or at least hinting that you will discuss the opposing view. Just beware of that.

Is it better to write "It begs the question: "But is everything that we need to learn contained in books?"

Again, that phrase is used when summing up and making a conclusion, after discussing two opposing views.

You used "us" above, so stick with that line. Use "us", "we", and "our" if you have to.

Do you mean "you" and "your" are never used?

I'm not sure what that "it" refers to. If it's reading, then change it to "that".

Yes, I mean reading.

That is a bad sentence:
1- It's unnatural.
2- It's about a completely different topic!
If you want to introduce the idea that we can learn things through other means, try:
On the other hand [ Note the linking (switching) device] , we mostly learn not by reading but through experience, both planned and unplanned.



I have no idea what this sentence means or what its purpose is.

By writing that question, you're introducing a degree of doubt into the reader's mind, or at least hinting that you will discuss the opposing view. Just beware of that.

Again, that phrase is used when summing up and making a conclusion, after discussing two opposing views.

You used "us" above, so stick with that line. Use "us", "we", and "our" if you have to.



I'm not sure what that "it" refers to. If it's reading, then change it to "that".

That is a bad sentence:
1- It's unnatural.
2- It's about a completely different topic!
If you want to introduce the idea that we can learn things through other means, try:
On the other hand [ Note the linking (switching) device] , we mostly learn not by reading but through experience, both planned and unplanned.



I have no idea what this sentence means or what its purpose is.

Sorry which three sentences do you mean? 1, 2 and your last comment must be about the third one.

 

[Tarheel]

I don't think you need "It begs the question" at all.

Yes, practice is important.

You can't learn everything from books.

 

[jutfrank]

I don't think you need "It begs the question" at all.

Right. The collocation is 'raise a question'.

'Beg the question' has a completely different meaning, pertaining to circular reasoning.

 

[teechar]

Is it better to write "It begs the question: "But is everything that we need to learn contained in books?"

See @Tarheel 's comment above.

Do you mean "you" and "your" are never used?

No. I didn't say that. I meant don't switch between "us" and "you".

Yes, I mean reading.

Then use "that".

Sorry which three sentences do you mean? 1, 2 and your last comment must be about the third one.

Those were two comments by me. I was not trying to number your sentences.

 

[Anna232]

See @Tarheel 's comment above.

No. I didn't say that. I meant don't switch between "us" and "you".

Then use "that".

Those were two comments by me. I was not trying to number your sentences.

Practice plays an important role in our learning path.

Sorry, I mean this part

That is a bad sentence:
1- It's unnatural.
2- It's about a completely different topic!
If you want to introduce the idea that we can learn things through other means, try:
On the other hand [ Note the linking (switching) device] , we mostly learn not by reading but through experience, both planned and unplanned.

Do I understand correctly that should be crossed out
"Practice plays an important role in our learning path. Our comprehension skills, the way we see the world, frame questions and approach life challenges all require practice. We need to have our own experience to gain more fluency and see things more in depth.
Books are a great source of information about the basics, examples, and other people's philosopies, but practice is just as important."

 

[teechar]

I don't understand what you're asking about. Also, fluency is about how well you speak a language.

 

[Anna232]

I don't understand what you're asking about. Also, fluency is about how well you speak a language.

I meant is everything in this part wrong
"Practice plays an important role in our learning path. Our comprehension skills, the way we see the world, frame questions and approach life challenges all require practice. We need to have our own experience (removed this after your explanation) to gain more fluency) to see things more in depth.
Books are a great source of information about the basics, examples, and other people's philosopies, but practice is just as important."

 

[teechar]

I meant is everything in this part wrong?

No, only the sentence about fluency. I've already fixed the rest for you.