As a teacher that has taught writing to students all the way from elementary to college, nothing can give me more fits than apostrophes. Reading a student’s writing and seeing a misplaced apostrophe can get my blood boiling. I guess I get so worked up about it because we cover it quite a bit during …
English is not an easy language to master. There are words that sound alike, are spelled alike, but have totally different meanings. It’s always important to use the correct word since using the incorrect one will have people doubting your intelligence. Teachers can tell you firsthand that anytime they spell a word wrong on the …
Writer’s block hits us all at some point. There are days when we sit in front of our computers and words just start pouring on to the page, but then there are other times when everything is a struggle. We can’t get more than a sentence or two into it without feeling frustrated. Writer’s block …
Very few writers actually make a living at their craft. If you are a writer yourself, you know this already. People will tell you to give it up and get a real job. This is why most writers write only on the side or totally give up the craft after awhile. It can be quite …
Reading and spelling can be difficult for children and adults learning the English language. How can the letters “ph” or “gh” when placed together make the same sound as the letter f? Are you telling me that when “eigh” is grouped together, it makes a long “a” sound? What kind of witchcraft is this? Kids …
Precise word choice and syntax is important when writing for a broad audience, as it increases the potential for a greater number of readers to understand the writer’s message. Writers also need to be aware of the expectations of specific target audiences in relation to the language they use. The selected writing style, genre and/or …
In this infographic we had a look at writing mistakes that ESL students and English learners commonly make. Are you familiar with any of these? Please let us know in the comments and share this infographic with your fellow English learners if you enjoy it. Thank you.
Think word count isn’t important in writing? Well, think again. As a writer, the number of words in a piece matters a great deal; it is the only measure of productivity you have. Therefore, you need to ensure the number is within what’s expected for your genre and category. So how many words should your …
You’re writing your first novel, and you know you must shoot for around 80 to 95 thousand words. Once you know what your book will be about, it’s time to start planning the structure of the story. What will happen in each chapter, and how much has to happen before you move on to the …
No, we’re not talking about “homework,” “responsibility” or anything else that implies you’ll have to make an enormous effort when you’d rather be doing something else. Instead, we’re talking about words that give you a feeling of real disgust. They’re perfectly ordinary, otherwise-innocuous-seeming words, but researchers have found when study participants are asked to rate …
