Improve English Writing: Tips for Students

Tips to Improve Writing

1. Write Now, Edit Later

One of the quickest ways to hinder your creativity, lose your passion and make your initial writing session longer than it needs to be is editing too soon. When you get a great idea and an urge to put it on paper, you want to let it roam free without constant interruption. Some of your best material will come when you just write ferociously as the ideas come to you. Constantly stopping to edit may keep you from discovering the best way to present your idea. So, write until you've exhausted all of the creative possibilities and edit later.

2. Research Your Topic

You'll also want to spend time gathering research for the topic you're going to write about. You may already have a wealth of knowledge if the topic is something you're passionate about, but getting more information is always helpful. When you've researched your topic thoroughly, not only will the writing process be easier, but you'll also produce material that is realistic, genuine and authentic, which are all positives in the mind of readers.

3. Use Active Writing and Avoid Being Passive

To make your writing engaging, fresh and interesting, you should use active verbs and avoid being passive. Using active verbs gives your writing an exciting punch and tends to keep readers reading. Passive writing may bore readers and cause them to feel disconnected from the story. Examples of passive and active writing are found below.

Passive Writing

The boy was running down the football field and was not able to be stopped.

Peter was flipping on the mat, and then, he received a perfect score.

Active Writing

The running back sprinted down the field at full speed, refusing to be stopped.

Peter flipped and somersaulted all over the mat, eventually receiving a perfect score.

4. Read Your Writing Out Loud

In your head, the masterpiece you just wrote might sound wonderful. However, when you actually read your writing out loud, you may discover that certain parts sound awkward or disconnected. If it sounds this way to you, there's a good chance other readers will feel the same. Reading the material out loud allows you to pay more attention to how sentences sound and flow together. You'll be able to discover problems you may have overlooked and correct them, so that your writing is not only easier to read, but perhaps more enjoyable to read as well.