ESL
If you’ve made it this far, great! You’ve tackled the tedious stuff and it is now time to build your confidence. Whoo! There are a lot of things to cover in regards to grammar and English and it will take forever and a day to accomplish this feat. That being said, do not get discouraged if you’re a writer whose first language isn’t English. Learning a language can be hard for most people depending on how their brain functions and the learning style that suits them best. It may be increasingly difficult for those whose native language is nothing like English. Does it mean that there is something wrong with you? Nope! It just means you might need a bit more practice. Even native English speakers suck at the English language sometimes and most of them never try to improve after they’ve entered high school, probably because they don’t feel the need to be able to communicate without sounding like an idiot when speaking or writing—Don’t be like them.
If you’re looking for a way to improve writing in English the first thing you need to do is read more things in English. Simple, right? This doesn’t mean go fill your brain with mindless garbage on social media or fanfics posted on the internet. I can guarantee you that many web-novels have trash-tier habits and would probably hurt more than help and no, I won’t apologize for that statement.
I’d recommend grabbing a book by an author who is well-known or a book published by a respectable publishing company. They have a reputation to keep and have probably been around for awhile, so their style and skills are refined at the very least. You don’t have to jump into anything complex either. Starting with a children's book may sound beneath you, but it’ll be easy to understand until you’re able to advance. If available in English, consider starting with your favorite book from when you were a child.
Don’t linger at the same reading level for too long. It will hinder any progress and you may find yourself mimicking what you’ve read. Always take notes on things you’re uncertain about or so that you can come back to it later. Create a notation system that works well for you and stick with it until you’re comfortable reading without it.
Watching English television with English subtitles might help as well. It’ll help you hear and see dialogue from various sources and settings. This is especially helpful when you get caught up on slang or difficult words.
Creating a Natural Voice
When writing in English or any other language, having a natural tone and making your writing flow is always important. Having a lot of short or long sentences can make the story seem jittery or hinder the point you’re trying to relay. If there is a way for you to combine sentences without using too many transitional phrases or connecting words, then definitely do it. In languages around the world, native speakers tend to drop unnecessary words when speaking or writing. This has become more prevalent in today’s society due to limitations on the amount of characters one can include in a social media post or a text message. Below are a few tips to help you improve and sound more fluent.
Avoid excess words when creating sentences like:
The guards nodded their heads in agreement.
They sat down on the chair.
They looked up at the sky.
He said that it would be easy.
Make use of contractions… Please! If you’re writing a book that isn’t for kids, contractions make the writing seem less robotic. Sadly, in the academic world, contractions might be frowned upon. I’m not entirely sure why, nor do I really care. Regardless, there are times when using a contraction will sound awkward depending on the sentence. If you’re uncertain if it sounds natural, even after reading it aloud, try to reword your sentence or leave the phrase uncontracted.
Try new words. As I mentioned before, taking notes is essential to learning a new language. A thesaurus and dictionary can enhance your understanding of a source word and help you find alternative synonyms.
Practice whenever you can. English can be difficult and limiting yourself to how you absorb the language can delay how fast you’re able to become fluent. There are unlimited resources on the internet that allow speech and writing practice in English.
Get feedback from others. It may be a bit unsettling at first, but try to get feedback as often as possible on your writing or speaking. Encourage your friends to correct you if you’ve made a mistake and be patient with them when they do. Understand that not all people will feel comfortable correcting you even when requested.
Have fun! Don’t make learning a chore. If you get stressed or worn out, take a break and come back to it with a fresh mind.