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Please give me some pointers on my essay here....?

I need to do this essay here for High School. Please proofread it and tell me what you think. The one who helps me the most will get 10 points. The faster the better because I will only be here until 4:00 EST (I'm at the Library). I really need your help on it. Just to give you an idea, its supposed to be something either from my experience, or a personal view point: also from my own experience. Its not to be a researched paper... so I do not want it to sound like one. I also have a problem wording a couple things too... Like, the fifth paragraph, second sentence... seems weird, but I do not know how to fix it. Also, it needs to 'flow' from one sentence to another, and one paragraph to another. I need help with that. Here it is: The dandelion, to me, is not a weed at all but rather an extremely versatile, and easily accessible plant. Its bright yellow flowers can be enjoyed from spring to fall and the entire plant is edible every season of the year. I dare not weed it out just because it is in the lawn. I know of many people who do such things. They see dandelions as weeds that they cannot get rid of, though they do try. People have sprayed them, cut them, pulled them, burned them, etc… and still, the dandelions thrive. I’ve seen the elderly who have ‘been there, done that,’ laugh at people who employ such methods. No matter how hard you try, dandelions will eventually grow back. They are very hard to get rid of. Of course, there are many methods. I know of many people who have sprayed them with herbicides designed especially to remove dandelions and not harm the lawn. Nevertheless, as some weeds are killed, others remain alive and adapts to the chemicals making a new breed that are able to handle the chemicals. At this point, one must use a stronger herbicide or give up. Another method to remove them is to get out on your hands and knees with a dandelion weeder. But this never works either because their strong roots are hard to pull up in one piece. Every piece left into the ground will quickly grow back into another dandelion. I have learned to not waste my time pulling up dandelions. If I wanted a dandelion-free lawn and garden, I would be busy day and night with not much success. Instead of weeding them, I let them grow and try to benefit from them the best I can. Over time, I have discovered many of their great uses and I will do my best to explain them to you. I did not have to pull up too many dandelions to notice how long, strong, and healthy their roots are. These kinds of roots are called taproots, and if you pull them up, they look similar to a carrot. Because of their strong, long roots, I believe dandelions are very useful in breaking up clumps of hard clay while sending rich nutrients up to the leaves. Then I either put them into the compost pile where the nutrients get put back into the soil, or I eat them. As a vegetable, I have found dandelions to be quite satisfying. I have never, ever got sick from eating them. Not only is the plant an excellent survival food but also it is something I would eat even if I had other food sources around. Furthermore, they are really high in nutrients such as vitamin A, and many others. I’ve eaten all parts of the dandelion from time to time, except for the stem, which I have not bothered with although it is edible. The leaves make a great addition to green salads. I like them best in early spring before the hot sun gets to them. At this stage, they are small but not bitter at all. In the summer, I still eat the leaves even though they are bitter. Every time I juice vegetables, I like to throw a few of the leaves down the juicer. Come winter, dandelions will still grow. I believe that the winter is the best time to eat dandelions because the cold weather keeps the leaves from turning bitter. They will grow best when they are under some protection like a sheet of plastic or a cold frame (miniature greenhouse). The roots are best cleaned, dried, then roasted to make a coffee substitute. It does not taste exactly like coffee but I really like it as a beverage. Both the roots and the leaves can also be made into a satisfying herbal tea. In addition to all of dandelion’s benefits, I believe they look great and add color to the lawn, the garden, and my dinner plate. Seeing a bright yellow flower pop up on the lawn does not make me the least bit sad. I believe that dandelions are just one of the plants God created that grow prolifically despite all of man’s efforts to destroy them. The plant benefits the ecosystem in a great way, while it’s also an excellent survival food: very high in nutrients, and great tasting as a coffee substitute or herbal tea. Seeing how God has blessed me with the dandelion so many times, I think that if you do not plan on eating it, you better not waste your time weeding it.

Public Comments

1. It seems pretty good to me. There does not seem to be any problem with the second sentence in the fifth paragraph either. I know what I'm talking about, I have a degree in English. Best of luck!:)
2. Your use of "etc...." in the second paragraph may not be considered good "scholastic" writing. You might want to consider using something like "and so on" or another similar phrase. I think the fifth paragraph would work just fine if you trimmed the beginning of the second sentence down to "These are called taproots..." You also repeat the phrase "strong, long roots" in three sentences. It's a great structure! It adds interest to the essay. I just recommend picking one use. You mention the best time to eat dandelions is both Spring and Winter. Perhaps one could change to "another great time to eat dandelions is..." pick a season. You may want to consider rearranging the sentences a little. Group your descriptions specifically about eating/using dandelions during the seasons together. Then group recipe ideas together. The end of the essay will seem a little less choppy. The introduction and conclusion is very solid and well thought out. Overall, this is well written.