When you speak in English, one way to make some words get more attention than other words is to change the way you say them: Speeding up or slowing down Pausing Increasing or decreasing volume Emphasizing one syllable or word more than another Communicating by writing in English is much different. There is no volume […]
The title is the most important part of a piece of writing. The title is the bait, and to hook a reader, you must give them something they want to bite. Think about a fancy French bakery, what is it that makes you go inside? Most of all, it’s that glorious aroma that wakes the […]
No matter how much experience you have with the English language, writing concisely is not easy. It can cause some writers so much frustration that they wish to give up. However, just because it is difficult does not mean that it is impossible. You have to do what you can, and starting somewhere can get […]
Speaking is a skill that comes fairly naturally to most people. However, writing often seems to be more difficult. It’s not always easy to put your thoughts into writing, but if you can make you tone conversational, it will be easier for you to formulate your thoughts and for others to understand what you are […]
Paragraphs, and the sentences that shape them, are perhaps the most important way to give writing direction. Every paragraph needs to have a main point, idea, or focus. This applies to both fiction and non-fiction alike. While fiction will traditionally use paragraphs to direct the reader, develop characters and themes, and move the story along, […]
Editing your writing can be difficult even for professional writers. For those whom English is a second language, it can be twice as hard. Deciding what needs to be done to make your writing more readable can seem overwhelming. Whether you are writing fiction or an essay, editing is the most important step in the […]
Good writers do a lot of things to make their writing interesting. They vary sentence length and vocabulary to keep the writing flowing, and they use sensory language to appeal to their readers’ five senses. This appeal to the senses is also often demonstrated through the use of figurative language, or saying something without being […]
Commas are one of the most frequently used and misused punctuation marks in the English language. The English language has 8 key rules that you need to know about using commas: 1. One of the most common uses of commas is to separate two independent clauses that are connected by one of a special set […]
The most basic spelling rule you need to know is the distinction between consonants and vowels. Vowels include a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y and w. Consonants are all the remaining letters that are not vowels. If you hear a one-syllable word with a soft vowel, the vowel is usually in the middle. […]
The key ingredient to a formal essay is the thesis. A thesis is a statement that expresses the main idea of your paper. It explains the goal or purpose of your formal essay so that your readers know what to expect. A strong thesis should state the main idea of your essay and some points […]
For many, writing a short story is difficult because it’s short and needs to have a theme. The space doesn’t leave a lot of room for rabbit trails. If you’re trying to write better short stories and want to improve your writing, you can. Continue reading for some suggestions about ways to improve your writing […]
A business letter is meant to convey any number of non-personal business transactions, including negotiations, contract agreements, and questions regarding services or to arrange meetings. You may also need to write a business letter to promote your business, share updated information or communicate with vendors. Creating a business letter is a rather simple process, provided […]
Adjectives: Adjectives are words that describe nouns or pronouns. Generally an adjective that comes before a noun will be written right next to the noun. In the sentence “The black cat ran,” cat is the noun and the adjective black comes directly before it. An adjective that comes after the noun will also usually follow […]
If you’re learning to speak English in the British form, you may have noticed that there are differences in the way that Americans speak the language. You’d notice the same thing if you were learning American English and listened to a conversation between two British people. Although it’s the same language, there are differences in […]
