Are you tired of struggling with writing in English? Do you feel stuck or find it difficult to communicate effectively in writing? Fear not! In this funky blog, we will share to help you practice English writing like a pro! We've covered everything, from grammar and punctuation to developing your writing style. You don't have to be a native English speaker to master this skill. Here's how. So, let's get grooving and explore these fun, practical tips for English writing skills to the next level!

Think about your Motivation

The best students I had during my time in Korea were those who had motivation beyond a grade in a class or a score on a TOIEC test. They learned English because they were looking for a job that required English (working for a commercial company, flight attendant, fashion designer, etc.) because they wanted to travel the world with a backpack, or because they had an English-speaking cousin. I was learning Or a friend, etc. Anything is better motivation for learning a language than just getting a score on a test! Think about your cause. What is it? Say it now! Please write it down on a piece of paper. Fix it to your bedroom wall or bathroom mirror.  Remind yourself, when things are difficult, why are you studying English?

Think about your Goals

Your motivation is why you want to learn English. Your goals are what you want to do in English. Do you want to speak to coworkers in English? Do you need to pass a test for work? Would you like to be accepted as a school or apprentice? To be smart about your language learning, you need SMART goals: 

Specific- Focus on one skill; for example, write a 5-paragraph essay in English. 

Measurable- Have a tool to assess your progress. If there is no way to measure your development, how will you know when you have reached your goal? 

Attainable- Be realistic. While you should aim high, a goal of 100% writing accuracy is unlikely for most people. Achievable goals are practical for your current level and the time and resources you have to improve your English. If you have only one hour to study each week, set lower goals than if you had one hour per day! 

Relevant- The goals should align with your needs and current language level. Focus on the areas where you are weak. Vocabulary? Grammar? Essay Writing? Informal writing? 

Time-bound- Your goals need a deadline. Without a deadline, procrastinating or achieving them will be too easy until you have more time, energy, the proper study partner, etc. Here are a few questions to ask yourself when you are setting your SMART goals: 

1. Who, if anyone, will I study with? Will I work with a tutor, a friend, or a conversation group?

2. What materials will I use? books, apps, videos, pen and paper, etc.

3. When will I study? Before work/school, during breaks, just before bed? Set a specific time of day and days of the week to review.

4. When won’t I study? If you don’t plan exceptions, you will give yourself a reason to quit. For example, can you take a week off if you have a project to complete for work or school due one week? A day? If you get sick and take a day or two off, will you make those lessons up later in the week?

5. Where will I study? Do you have a dedicated study or work area at home? If not, think about where you will learn. If you are looking outside your home, choose a comfortable place with good lighting and quietness. For example, the library is an obvious choice if you will be reading, but not if you are meeting a speaking partner. Similarly, a coffee shop is a better choice to meet a speaking partner than a noisy bar.

6. Why is this a goal for me? Is communication with a specific person or group of people helpful? Will it help you meet some requirements for school or work?

7. How will I work towards this goal? This puts together a few of the above elements. For example, “I will write 5-10 sentences in my journal every morning before school. I’ll write one blog post a week, with a minimum of 200 words. I’ll send one email to each of my pen pals once a month.”

Don’t Give Up!

It’s normal to get frustrated when learning. You WILL get frustrated when learning English. We guarantee it! You might feel bored, lonely, confused, tired, etc. Everyone experiences this. The most important thing is not to give up. Take a short break for a few hours, possibly a day or two. Do something fun that you enjoy. Get some exercise. Eat some healthy food. Take a nap. Talk to your friends and family. Relax with your pet. Then go back to studying. You’ll feel refreshed and ready to keep going. Remember: you are not a robot! People need time to relax. Give your brain a break.

Don’t be Afraid of Mistakes

I make a lot of mistakes when learning new things. This is a fact! This is normal for anything and not just English! Remember the very first thing you cooked? It probably wasn’t so delicious and took you a long time. Maybe your kitchen was a disaster afterward. How about the first time you shot a basketball? It probably didn’t go in! Learning a language is the same. You won’t be good at it when you start, but the key is to keep practising and improving. But practising English writing is hard if you’re scared of mistakes. So try to overcome your fear and write. Of course, you’ll make lots of mistakes. But the most important thing is to keep trying. People won’t laugh at you. They’ll be kind and try to understand your writing, even if it is imperfect. You will get better with more practice. Don’t give up!

Have a Positive Attitude about Criticism

The people who are best at English have a positive attitude toward criticism. When a teacher or peer gives them feedback about something they wrote, they love it! These people also regularly seek feedback and are willing to get it from just about anyone. They realized that they could learn from different people. They want everyone to read their writing and aren’t shy about asking! 

On the other hand, people who aren’t good at English are really shy about sharing their writing with other people. They often feel embarrassed by their lack of writing skills. However, asking for feedback isn’t a sign of weakness. Teachers love it when students ask for help! So, be brave and ask people to read what you wrote. Nobody will laugh at you. People will help you improve your writing! Have a positive attitude about criticism and welcome it.

Get a Private Tutor

Looking for a dedicated and experienced English tutor? Look no further than ESOL (English School of London). Our wonderful tutors are native speakers who provide personalized attention and tailored lesson plans to enhance your language learning experience.

Book a demo class with ESOL today and experience the benefits of one-on-one language instruction. Our flexible scheduling and comprehensive resources can help you improve your grammar, vocabulary, and overall proficiency.

While there are online options such as Verbling and iTalki, choosing a platform that prioritizes quality instruction is essential. At ESOL, our tutors are qualified professionals who provide expert guidance to help you achieve your language goals.

Invest in your language learning with ESOL and discover the difference that dedicated tutoring can make. Don't settle for less - book a demo class today and experience the benefits of learning with ESOL.

Find a Language Partner

An equally motivated language partner is a great way to improve your Spoken English skills. The key is finding someone as motivated as you are. It’s best to find a partner that does NOT speak your first language so you won’t be tempted to chit-chat the whole time! If you find someone who speaks your first language, make a rule about how much of that language you’ll speak during your time together (maybe only 5% or less?). Also, be sure to find someone who wants to focus on improving his writing skills. Most students are interested in listening and speaking but fewer in reading and writing. 

If you can’t find a language partner, consider finding one online. A site that I recommend is The Mixxer. The BBC lessons with discussion questions for you and your partner are excellent. Easy Language Exchange is also another good one that you can check out. Another, My Language Exchange allows you to browse by location or target language. 

Chat by voice, text, or email. Lesson plans are available when you need them. For language or text sessions, the first half of the educational period is in one language and the second half is in the other language. If you would rather use your phone than your computer to study with a language partner, there are apps for that! Tandem has over 1,000,000 users and 15 million monthly chats. This site has many active users. Hello, Talk has similar functions as Tandem but also allows you to call your language partner (for free) for better sound quality. Bosuu is available as an app and online. You can record yourself reading the dialogues and listening to the playback using the online version. With the Premium membership, you can submit it to the community for evaluation. The exercises will be a bit basic if you can read this blog. How- ever, if you don’t have regular access to a native speaker or can’t afford to hire one, this is a good alternative. It’s not free, but at the time of writing, it costs €70 per year which is ­much cheaper than a tutor!

Pay Attention to your Body Clock

Everyone has their own best time of day. For example, if I have serious work, I’ll get up early and work from 7 am to 11 am. Then I’ll take a break for lunch and some exercise. Then you can work a few more hours in the late afternoon. What time is best for you? If you’re serious about improving your English skills, set aside this time to study. Please don’t waste it watching TV, cleaning the house, exercising, or hanging out with friends. You can do that stuff anytime!

Take Study Breaks

Muscles get tired when you exercise. Then we have to take a break. Our brains are the same! When we study for a long time, we get tired. Take a brain break every 30 minutes or so. Get up and drink a glass of water. Eat an apple. Say hello to your mom or dog. Why not take a walk around the block? Put in a load of laundry. Wash the dishes. Do 20 jumping jacks. Then sit back down and keep studying. You’ll feel refreshed and able to study more effectively.

Use the Writing Process

I think most people already know this, but it would be helpful to elaborate. When writing, you can use the writing process to help you. Can be used for almost anything.

Step 1: Prewriting
Think about what you’re going to write. Brainstorm some ideas. Choose the best ideas and outline. The outline can be very simple or very detailed. It depends on you. However, don’t write a full sentence in the outline. Only make a few notes. 

Step 2: Writing
Take your ideas and make them into sentences and paragraphs. Don’t worry about if it’s good or not. Your first draft will almost always be terrible! 

Step 3: Editing 
Read what you’ve written slowly and carefully. Does it make sense? Are there any errors? Steps 2 and 3 can be repeated as many times as needed.

Step 4: Publishing
Texts can be posted on the Internet, given to teachers, or emailed.

In conclusion, you'll become a writing superstar by incorporating these ten tips into your writing practice! From channeling your inner Hemingway to embracing your mistakes, you can write with confidence and pizzazz. And if all else fails, remember that emojis can be the perfect punctuation mark ???? So, grab your favorite pen, get your funky writing playlist on, and let's groove our way to better English writing skills!