Struggling to Write in English? Practice these Tips Today to Improve Your Writing Skills

Mastering writing in any language can be difficult, but when it is a foreign language, you can easily feel overwhelmed when you try to write anything. Don’t despair, though! These tips can help you improve your writing right away so that your ideas are clearly and effectively communicated to your readers. 

1.) Spend adequate time researching your topic. Gaining a clear understanding of your subject will help relieve some of the stress of writing.  Are you writing an academic paper or other assignment that requires a specific format? Spend time learning the formatting, structure, and writing conventions of that type of writing to help you write your own piece with confidence and clarity. 

2.) Take time away from your writing before finalizing.Don’t try to proofread and edit your writing as soon as you finish it. Come back to it after you have had a break. This will help you identify your errors more quickly. 

3.) Be willing to write more than one draft. Writing shouldn’t be done in a hurry. Whenever you can, go through more than one draft. With each draft think about what your audience needs to know and the best way to express it. Be concise and use words with the most impact. 

4.) Use words you know how to use well. It is definitely a good idea to try out new vocabulary when you’re writing. However, make sure that you know the precise meaning of any words that you use and any idioms that you insert into your writing because your meaning can be unclear to your reader if you use an expression in the wrong context or use a synonym that doesn’t quite have the right meaning. 

5.) When possible, have a trusted native or proficient English user read your writing. This can help ensure that the tone of your writing is appropriate for your purpose and your audience and that you are not misunderstood. It can also help ensure that the words and expressions you use are used correctly. 

6.) Prewrite. Brainstorm your ideas on paper without hesitating to write down whatever you think of related to your topic, and then organize them into a logical order for your writing. Get rid of the ideas that don’t support your main points. This will bring creativity and cohesion to what you write and make your writing easier to understand. 

7.) Remember the audience and the purpose of your writing. Keep your writing focused on who will be reading your writing. Give them just the information they need and keep your writing simple and to the point. Concentrate on your topic and on providing supporting information to make your ideas clear. 

Writing is a time-consuming process, but when you remember who you’re writing for, the purpose of your writing, and take the time to carefully plan and revise it, you’re going to improve your writing significantly.