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This I Believe–Essays from ordinary Americans
It’s difficult to become a good writer without spending a lot of time reading good writing. And I think we all know the quality of most of the writing on Facebook and Instagram. So where do you find good writing that’s not 350 pages long? One place where you can read (and listen to!) short essays about hundreds of different topics is at This I Believe. The website is a revived version of a radio programme in the 1950s where people could listen to essays from famous people talking about their beliefs and motivations. The new...
read moreThere is no “I” in academic writing
The obligation to write in the correct style does not only apply to examinations. The author of this article is struggling with the rigid constraints of academic style. I am having the same struggle as I complete my master’s degree. It’s very strange having to write about what I think without being allowed to use the word “I”! But unfortunately, this is just the way things are. This is the style and fighting against it will only get me a bad mark. There are a number of complex social reasons behind the different...
read moreWrite emails easily with a new app
Email Writer is a new app for iPhone, iPad and Android which will allow you to select from thousands of sentence combinations so you can write your business emails quickly and easily. Sometimes you don’t want to look for the right preposition or expression when you’re in a hurry and this app will be a huge help in those situations. Watch the video to see how it works! The maker of the app also runs The Business English Blog with regular updates, exercises and activities. If you need to practice business English, I recommend...
read moreWhat makes good writing?
How do readers decide if something is written well? I think the most important thing is, did I understand it? Then one can consider style, humour, tone and all the rest. It’s a lot easier to write a confusing sentence than a simple one. Here are some quotes from authors (and a grammatician) to keep you motivated when the going gets tough! I found the first three while I was preparing last week’s post on style guides, they are in the introduction to the Economist’s introduction. Mark Twain described how a good writer...
read moreWrite like a pro: use a style guide
How do you write about the person who plays music on the radio or at the club? Is it DJ, D.J., D. J., deejay or dee-jay? Should there be 3 commas or 4 commas in the list above? Should I have written three and four in the sentence above this one? Should I have written “three” and “four” in the sentence above this one? Is it better to write from 2-5:00 pm or from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm? Do you write the abbreviations for meters, kilograms, etc. next to the number or leave a space? 100m or 100 m? It’s confusing for...
read moreAsk a teacher
You’ve checked your dictionary and your grammar books and you still don’t know the best way to say something. Or maybe you know the “right” way to say something, but you want to know why it’s the “right” way. You might have problems with an idiom, slang or phrasal verbs; or you just want someone to check some sentences you’ve written. Here are two great forums where English teachers and native speakers will answer your questions for free! I post on these forums because I like to learn more...
read moreFree spelling and grammar checking software
We all use a spell-checker when we write, but most of them don’t notice when we write the wrong word. If I wrote, “I had a bear at the pub last night,” all of the words are spelled correctly but I should have typed “beer.” Ginger is a new kind of spelling and grammar checker that checks the context of your words, not just the words in isolation. Ginger notices “pub” in the sentence and offers to correct it for me. Try it here: World’s Leading Grammar and Spell Checker Learn More Ginger...
read moreCAE writing style guide: review
5 of 5, click the buttons to read more about the the different styles of writing you may have to do in the exam: Essay Email/letter Proposal Report This is a short summary of some style points to keep in mind when attempting the tasks in the Cambridge English: Advanced writing section. Review Who is the audience? The audience for this question is usually an interested consumer or magazine reader. What is the purpose of the writing? You need to describe something (or some things) and give your opinion. Is it formal? No. Should I use headings...
read moreCAE writing style guide: report
Part 4 of 5, you can find the other style guides by clicking here: CAE writing style guides. This is a short summary of some style points to keep in mind when attempting the tasks in the Cambridge English: Advanced writing section. Report Who is the audience? The audience for this question is usually your boss, a professional group, a school administrator or a group of your peers. What is the purpose of the writing? You need to summarise information and make a recommendation in a concise and well-organised manner. Your target audience...
read moreCAE writing style guide: proposal
Part 3 of 5, you can find the other style guides by clicking here: CAE writing style guides. This is a short summary of some style points to keep in mind when attempting the tasks in the Cambridge English: Advanced writing section. Proposal Who is the audience? The audience for this question is usually your boss, a professional group or a school administrator. What is the purpose of the writing? You are suggesting a solution to a problem. You need to support your suggestion with factual information and be persuasive. Is it formal? Yes....
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