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.
49 comments on “How to write better English”
i am studying english but i had not seen this tips for writing a good letter. thanks a lot for giving this opportunity
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
I think this tips will really help me for writting better english.
It's a excellent article and very useful for us!
Thanks very much!
very clear and concise explanation of writing rules, nice to read and learn easily by heart. good article.
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.
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.
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…)
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.
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 ..
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.
Thanks a bunch for all the helpful information you have provided on the site….
Realy a nice one…..
Now i can improve my writting.
I appereciate, tips listed above it will help me a lot in writing emails.
I am very much happy to see this page. Its very good for professional.Keep it up
Thanks for the tips! They're really helpful!
I think it's good advise to write
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
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
Shiva Tomar » For more tips on writing for the corporate sector (or in business), please see our sister site:
There are regular tips and articles for writing in business.
Really this is good tips for learner.I got some good point to speak better thank you.
I'm so grateful for your helpful tips,just keep it up.
I can write an essay better after reading these tips. Thanks a lot!
I like this & very helpful to write the better english.
thanks alot it really helps thinks for giving us this chance to emprouve our english and also developp it thanks again
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" ]
Please see the attachment.
I've attached a report / file about….
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
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
You are awesome! thanks so much for the help!
it is really kinf of you, i have never seen advices like these thanks and cheers
Thanks for this useful links,,, i managed to get some usefull tips from here.. :) Have a great day !
This link's very useful exactly for nonnative sperkers, it corrected many of my expressions.
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.
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.
Thanks for this wonderful tips. It halps me alot.
Thank a lot, It's very useful
Very useful, I wil use these sentences in my next written exam.
thanks for giving this opportunity to make as better. Thx a lot.
Good day all,
i am not seen this tips for writing a good open letter. thanks a lot for giving this opportunity
"I just want to know about your wellbeing"..
is this a correct sentence?
Yes, it's correct.
how do you write 'am not'
As you have done! If you want to abbreviate, you can write "I'm not".
Realy this is a very useful and helpful site for English learner.
Thanks a bunch for all the helpful information you have provided on the site….
Realy a nice one…..
Now i can improve my writting.
i dont know is this all it takes me to write better english or there is something else
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
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.
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
