How to write better English

If it takes you twice as long to write something in English as it does in your own language, then try these tips.

Before you start

Ask yourself "Why am I writing?" By thinking about the purpose of your text (perhaps you want to explain something, or ask something etc) you can choose the most appropriate vocabulary and level of formality.

Who are you writing to? Who is your reader, and what is their level of knowledge or English? Choose your language carefully and avoid words and expressions that are too technical or complicated.

Plan before you write. Prepare for writing by making a plan, and looking up all the words you need before you start writing.

A plan helps you keep a clear focus and helps you avoid repetition. Just jot down the points you want to make and order them into logical paragraphs. Remember that paragraphs shouldn't be too long. In fact, in certain types of writing, such as emails, your paragraphs can be one sentence long.

It's quicker to look up all the words you need before you write so you don't interrupt your "flow" of writing.

What to write

Say why you are writing in the first sentence. Use phrases such as "I am writing to enquire about…" so that your reader understands why you are writing. If you're replying to someone, you can write "Thank you for your email."

Use standard greetings and endings. Most letters begin with "Dear Mr X" or "Dear Ms X" and should end "Yours sincerely" (or in American English, "Sincerely yours"). If you know your reader quite well, you can be less formal with "Dear (first name)" and end "Best wishes" or "Best regards". If you absolutely have to write "Dear Sir" end with "Yours faithfully" rather than "Yours sincerely".

In emails you can start with the first name "Jane", or precede it with "Hi". If you are writing to a number of people, you can leave out the greeting. To end an email you can write "Best wishes", "Kind regards", "Thanks" or in British English "Cheers".

Use a closing expression in letters such as "Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of further assistance." In emails you can write, for example, "Many thanks for your help."

In letters, write the date out in full: 7 June 2006 or June 7, 2006. Avoid using abbreviated dates such as (7/6/2006) as although British speakers will understand this as 7 June, Americans will understand it to be July 6.

Extra tips

Use linking expressions to connect ideas and sentences. Words such as 'and', 'but', 'therefore', 'however', guide your reader through your ideas and make your writing easier to read. See also Linking Words in our Grammar section.

Be careful of referring words such as 'this' and 'it'. Make sure they refer to the right word or phrase.

Write as concisely as possible. Don't make your sentences too long, as they might become difficult to read. Avoid more than two ideas in any sentence.

Follow this word order principle to keep your sentences concise:

Subject – Verb – Object – Manner – Place – Time
(Who — Does—What— How— Where- When)

"Please could you send us the confirmation as quickly as possible."

"The Managing Director will visit the factory on Monday 10 July at 10 am."

Edit what you write. Use your computer spell-check, but check for grammatical mistakes yourself.

Edit out unnecessary words and phrases and avoid old-fashioned words such as "hereby", "herewith" and above-mentioned". Rather than writing "We hereby enclose a brochure", get to the point with "We are enclosing a brochure."

Read what you have written out aloud. Is it easy to read, or are the sentences too long? Have you put in enough punctuation?

Get someone else to check what you have written. Another person may see something that is unclear or a mistake.

Share with a friend who's learning English:




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49 comments on “How to write better English”

paola

i am studying english but i had not seen this tips for writing a good letter. thanks a lot for giving this opportunity

Nuch

Thank a lot for this topic. I try try to write English well but my English still bad . I can talk some but not very good and write not very good too. Thanks again for this very good website

Faizur Rahman

I think this tips will really help me for writting better english.

Windy

It's a excellent article and very useful for us!
Thanks very much!

lxzh

very clear and concise explanation of writing rules, nice to read and learn easily by heart. good article.

Mr Nasri

I have been a teacher of Englich for many years, and to tell the truth I really find a new and effective way of not only learning English, but also teaching it to my students. Thanks a lot for your insight.

kumar

If i include an attachment in my mail….how should i tell the reader to see the attachment?

Thanks.
Kumar

Please see the attached file / memo / report.

raven

how should I begin my letter?

It depends on what your letter is about. For example, if you want some information, you could start: "I would like to enquire about… (your prices / your terms and conditions…)

a new teacher

thanks a lot for these useful tips.
Could you tell me whether the above written date ( I always write in on the board before ) is true or false in British English
Monday18 February 2008

Yes, it's correct.

azoud

thanks a lot for these useful ways of writing.
i'm very pleased to know such tips ….i really need them to better my style of writing .
thanks again ..

kiran

Thanks these tips are really helpful.i had done my post graduate diplomma in cosmetology then i had need these kind of tips because my writting is not good.i knw what is answer of the question but i can't explain it properly.thanks very much for these good tips now i can improve my writting.

Ali

Thanks a bunch for all the helpful information you have provided on the site….
Realy a nice one…..
Now i can improve my writting.

cheril

I appereciate, tips listed above it will help me a lot in writing emails.

manig

I am very much happy to see this page. Its very good for professional.Keep it up

nuchy

Thanks for the tips! They're really helpful!

rania

I think it's good advise to write

saajid

thanks for your helpfull site. i have been looking a best platform to learn good english, really i got a perfect path!they are really super

Shiva Tomar

Thanks a lot for these tips, I am really happy to read these tips on this site.

Kindly keep it up and update more tips for writing the mail for corpate sector.

Regards,
Shiv Mangal Singh

Clare

Shiva Tomar » For more tips on writing for the corporate sector (or in business), please see our sister site:

http://www.theenglishweb.com

There are regular tips and articles for writing in business.

girindra

Really this is good tips for learner.I got some good point to speak better thank you.

neda

I'm so grateful for your helpful tips,just keep it up.

Aliza

I can write an essay better after reading these tips. Thanks a lot!

suvitha

I like this & very helpful to write the better english.

jojo

thanks alot it really helps thinks for giving us this chance to emprouve our english and also developp it thanks again

Manjunath PT

If i include an attachment in my mail….how should i tell the reader to see the attachment?
"Please find the attachment." OR
"Please get the attachment." [ here 2nd one seems proper way no? because the reader have to download it; thats why "get" ]

Clare

Please see the attachment.
I've attached a report / file about….

rocio g.

thanks for this excellent page.I am a Latin American English student, i need to know where to find short stories with adjectives in English thanks in advance

Nevin

This site is really very helpful to everyone including those who already had a professional degree as well….Infact i am a professional and i am still learning of how to write good English..i think that having recourse to this site will help me achieve my objective of becoming very very good and fluent in English… i get an inspiration from this site to write and speak better English

Brooke

You are awesome! thanks so much for the help!

alfonso

it is really kinf of you, i have never seen advices like these thanks and cheers

Deanne

Thanks for this useful links,,, i managed to get some usefull tips from here.. :) Have a great day !

Tareq

This link's very useful exactly for nonnative sperkers, it corrected many of my expressions.

prasanta gangopadhyay

Thanks for this kind of tips ,.Now i can say I am quite sound about english. so that every body should go with this site to enrich himself.

SOM SETHI

THANKS FOR THIS KIND OF TIPS NOW I CAN SAY I AM QUITE SOUND ABOUT ENGLISH SO THAT EVERY BODY SHOULD GO WITH THIS TO ENRICH HIMSELF.THIS LINKS VERY USEFUL EXACTLY FOR NONATIVE SPEAKER'S, IT CORRECT MANY OF MY EXPRESSIONS.

Seun Adesina

Thanks for this wonderful tips. It halps me alot.

kelvin

Thank a lot, It's very useful

Eugenio Burgos Spain

Very useful, I wil use these sentences in my next written exam.

maria

thanks for giving this opportunity to make as better. Thx a lot.

Abdullah

Good day all,

i am not seen this tips for writing a good open letter. thanks a lot for giving this opportunity

Marium

"I just want to know about your wellbeing"..

is this a correct sentence?

Clare

Yes, it's correct.

andrina

how do you write 'am not'

Clare

As you have done! If you want to abbreviate, you can write "I'm not".

Imu

Realy this is a very useful and helpful site for English learner.

Ashok

Thanks a bunch for all the helpful information you have provided on the site….
Realy a nice one…..
Now i can improve my writting.

fadwa

i dont know is this all it takes me to write better english or there is something else

lobna

3) A: Can you come for a drink tonight?
B: Sorry, I’ll go to see “Hamlet” at the National Theatre.
i need to know what's the error in these two sentences and with an explanation please
thank u

Clare

It should be "I'm going to see…" because we use the "going to" future to talk about events that we've already decided. See the page on future forms in the grammar section of the site for more information about expressing the future in English.

mario

well i'm learning english so is difficult for me to understand ir haha please if someone could help me to do more better my writting :D

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