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5 Simple ways to improve your written English

Wil
Girl Writing in a Diary improve written english

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.

1. 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.)

2. 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.

Ready to take your English to the next level? Visit our website and find more about or Specialised Online English Courses and Private lessons.

3. 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.

girl reading

4. 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.

5. 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!

Start your English Learning Online with EF English Live. Sign up today and get a free 14-day trial Whatever your goals, our online English course guarantees your success.

Article related: 10 secrets to success for English speakers

Wil

Wil is a writer, teacher, learning technologist and keen language learner. He’s taught English in classrooms and online for nearly 10 years, trained teachers in using classroom and web technology, and written e-learning materials for several major websites. He speaks four languages and is currently looking for another one to start learning.

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57 comments

  9. Dear Wil,

    I’m writing a financial article. Is it correct to say it “The alpha generating investor……” or “The generating alpha investor……”?

    fyi, alpha is a measure of performance and it’s considered a high return on an investment.

    Your prompt response will be much appreciated.

    Thank you in advance.

    Best Regards,
    Nick Kos

    Reply

  10. This is apropos to the tips which are given in this article is very useful but the thing is that ,we work on which sort of grammar. i am still confused about how to write a good english without grammar error…………
    now i have written this short paragraph but i still don’t know how much grammar error i have made in it…..

    Reply

  13. Hi,

    Thank you for such a nice and qualitative information please do some posts for how to improve writing skills.

    Thanks & Regards,
    Maddy

    Reply

  14. Hi i Moizuddin ansari
    want to learn good writing in English with out grammar mistake,
    please suggest me, and send admission rule,
    and course detail, can you give online training,
    thank you,

    Reply

  18. I need tp learn and practice english without making any grammer mistakes. To speak in english we need more words, but its too difficult to find, Can u please suggest how to prepare it and how to use that in simple case.

    Reply

  19. Sir,

    I am graduate but my English speaking and writing skill is poor so I want to develop my writing and speaking English so you give me some idea and task.

    Reply

  20. my English is really good ut somehow in my report says that I’m at standard even though it looks to that in above standard

    Reply

  21. Dear all,

    I would like to improve my English writing skills, is there any web site were it will allow me to write and help improve my writing skills.

    Reply

  22. Dear Sir/Madam,

    l have been studying English at university for about four years, i am still having a big challenge with the the way how to write a good English, can any one help me with that challenge?

    Regards,

    Brigildo

    Reply

  24. I would like to improve my writing skill. I am very poor in expressing my though when I wanted to write it. Whenever I see a big post of someone’s I always thought how anyone can write so big post with such a good lines.

    Reply

  33. Sam
    Hi, French is my first language. I have difficulty to write English or to joined the word properly while speaking. I have try several trick but its still slow to learn how to read and write properly. How can i improve my writing skill faster, and if so how long do i have to spend average to study or use the strategies.

    Thanks Sam

    Reply

    1. Hi Sam,
      Thanks for your comment.
      We all learn in a different way, at a different pace, depending on your background and the time you spend on it. We encourage you to sign up today and get a free 7-day trial at https://bit.ly/2LMDsTz, you can book a lesson with one of our teachers and they will be able to answer your questions better according to your level of English.
      Hope this helps!

      Reply

  35. Hello, I really want to learn English, these tips are really good, I’m nineteen years old, so I just began to practice my skills, I can understand English good but write in English is totally different, but it’s daunting sometimes.
    Thanks for all of your advice.
    I really want to improve my English, so I’m trying my best.

    Reply

    1. Hi Lilo,
      Thanks for your positive feedback, don’t miss our articles and keep learning English.
      Sign up today and get a free 7-day trial! Whatever your goals, our online English course guarantees your success: https://bit.ly/2EeVdIk
      Cheers!

      Reply

    1. Hi olayiwola,
      If you want to improve your writing English skills, sign up today and get a free 7-day trial: https://bit.ly/2EeVdIk
      Whatever your goals, our online English course guarantees your success.
      Cheers!

      Reply

  37. I am poor in writing English, but I speak fluently.I really need to improve my English in writing email and text message. please help me out

    Reply

  39. Hi my dear!
    Love your post!
    I am an EFL Teacher in Abidjan; Cote d’Ivoire.
    I would be grateful if you help me resources to improve my English skills

    Reply

  41. Hello, I am interesting by this page web and I hope that I can continue to follow you every week.
    Best regards

    Reply

  43. i want also learning English but i am facing a problem in English writing ….. i always try to learning English i failed out then i lose my confidence stand up one try try i hope one will learning how to writing English properly…. i know English little bit but is not must enough for me ……………

    Reply

  44. i want also learning English but i am facing a problem in English writing ….. i always try to learning English i failed out then i lose my confidence stand up one try try i hope one will learning how to writing English properly…. i know English little bit but is not must enough for me ……………

    Reply

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