Many people struggle with writing in English and it can seem like a real challenge to improve. Don’t worry, though. Here are some simple steps that you can take to improve your written English and impress people with your writing skills.
Expand your vocabulary
To express yourself clearly, you need a good active vocabulary. That’s not just being able to recognise lots of words – it means actually being able to use them correctly. Do this by learning new words with example sentences, not just word lists.
Tip: When you learn a new word, try learn all the forms of that word and the prepositions that are usually used with it. (For example, rather than just the word ‘depend’, make a note of: to depend on, to be dependent on, a dependant.)
Master English spelling
You must know how to spell those words correctly. Incorrect spelling changes the meaning of your sentence. For example: ‘bare’ and ‘bear’ sound the same but ‘bare’ means naked and ‘bear’ is a large animal. Additionally, incorrect spelling makes it difficult for the reader to understand what you’ve written.
Tip: Practice your spelling using flash cards and test yourself whenever you have some spare time.
Read regularly
People often say that we learn to write best by reading. Reading in English is useful in many ways. It is a great way to get an idea of the different styles of writing and see how to use words appropriately.
Tip: Choose books or articles with topics that interest you.Learning shouldn’t be boring. Read each text several times to make sure you understand how to use new words and expressions in the text.
Improve your grammar
Grammar is very important because it improves the quality of your writing. Always use the appropriate tense and remember to use punctuation. Punctuation is a great way to make your writing clear and fluent.
Tip: Always proof-read your writing twice. The first time, look for general mistakes and the second time look for mistakes with the particular grammar point your are studying at the moment.
Just do it!
Writing can be daunting. However, the best way to improve is get a pen and paper or sit in front of your computer and actually write. Be prepared to write several versions of each text because even for professional writers, the first draft is never perfect. Remember, practice makes perfect, so now is the best time to sit down and get started with our free English quizzes!
The IELTS Exam: Tips to Improve Your Writing Skills
01:00AM May 2, 2014
In my previous posts, I attempted to shed some light on how you could do well in the reading, listening and speaking sections of an IELTS exam. While you act on those tips and add some of your own insights to them, here is a brief guide on how to improve your writing skills in preparation for the writingsection of the exam.
Get feedback on your writing
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When preparing for the written section of the IELTS exam, the first and foremost task is to get some feedback on your writing. You could contact someone who has already secured a good score in the exam, or ask for help from a teacher or friend who has a sound grip on the English language or is a native speaker. The idea is not so much to impress the reader, but to ascertain your strengths and weaknesses. Once you know which aspects of your writing skills require most attention, the challenge becomes easier.
Write something every day
Yes, I know I talk about practice all the time! But I still urge you to write as often as you can in the months before taking the IELTS exam. Don’t worry about not having any good ideas to write about. You don’t have to be a philosopher here. Transcribing your daily activities into words at the end of the day is more than enough. Keep doing this consistently while getting feedback on your writing, and you will see your writing skills improve within a couple of weeks.
Follow the exam instructions closely
During the IELTS exam, try to follow all the instructions. If you have been asked to write 250 words, make sure you are not writing 350. That’s the easiest way to lose points. It is alright to be over or under the limit by around 20-30 words, but don’t push this boundary too far.
Also, don’t just start writing as soon as you read the question. Try to first develop in your mind a rough sketch of what you are going to write. This will help you shape your text right from the start and you will be in a better position to follow the word limit. If you start writing without giving any thought to it, chances are you might end up writing more than the required words.
Use more transitional devices in your writing
Once you have got your basic writing skills correct, try to keep improving them. Using transitional devices (also known as connectives) is one way of doing that. During writing, you may find the need to jump from one idea to another. Here is where transitional devices come in: to ensure smooth flow without upsetting the reader. Transitional devices can be a single word such as meanwhile, hereafter, therefore etc, a sentence or even a complete paragraph. But given the word limit in the exam, it is better to only use words or small sentences to connect parts of your text.
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