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5 tips to: improve your writing skills

How much do you need to write in your new language?

Studying to achieve a qualification? You will need to write quite a bit.

Going travelling? Writing will probably be lower down on your list of skills to master.

Do you live in the language? Then you might need to send emails or messages to local groups or organisations, such as schools, sports clubs etc.


I'm guessing if you're reading this you need to write in your new language. Check out these 5 tips for inspiration to improve your writing skills.


Write your shopping list in your local language



  1. Reading

The first step to improving your writing is to read more. Through reading we can pick up new vocabulary and subconsciously we are paying attention to sentence structure, so our grammar improves too. I speak from experience, my Dutch grammar has definitely improved the more I have read.


Choose something you think you will enjoy reading. It shouldn't be a chore. If reading isn't high on your list of fun activities then set yourself a time limit of just ten minutes. You'll be amazed at how much you can progress with a small daily goal.



  1. Shopping list

Do you live in the country whose language you are trying to learn?

A great way to improve your writing skills is to write your shopping list in that language. It will help you to think in the language and should help you to do your shopping more easily. I remember the first time I tried to do the weekly supermarket shop I was totally reliant on the pictures on the tins to help me understand what was inside. Writing your shopping list in your new language will help you to find the food on the shelf more easily. It might seem like a lot of work to start with, but it will save you time in the long run.


Write your shopping list in your target language
Write your shopping list in your target language

  1. Keep an online journal

Write down what you have done each day. This is a great way to practice using the past tenses of your new language. When we are talking to people we use the past tense a lot more than we realise, so using it in our written exercises will help us to recall it more easily when we are speaking to people. I mention an online journal because then we can use tools such as the spell check function and also easily copy and paste text into a translation tool to check what we have written. I don't recommend overly relying on a translation tool when you write, you should try in your new language first and then check it. It's a great way to practice.


  1. WhatsApp messages

Do you know someone who already speaks your new language? Start up a WhatsApp conversation with them. It's a great way for you to practice using the language and you can pick up vocabulary and grammar over a few short sentences. The great thing about WhatsApp is that your recipient won't expect a long answer so it's much less time consuming and more 'relaxed' than sending an email.


I know this tip sounds quite daunting because you are using your writing to actively interact with someone else, but most people are more than willing to help and will appreciate you are making the effort to learn.


Message people in the language you are learning
Message people in the language you are learning

  1. Comment on YouTube videos or Reddit feeds in your target language


Watching YouTube videos or reading Reddit feeds in your new language are a great ways to help improve your speaking and listening skills. You can work on your reading and writing skills at the same time by reading the comments and posting one of your own! You may only write one sentence, but it's more than you would have done.


Every short piece of writing that you do, from words on your shopping list, to WhatsApp messages and comments on a YouTube video, is a way of actively engaging with the language you are learning. The more you start to think in this language the easier it will become.


Try to make these writing tasks as true to your everyday life as possible and you will be able to fit them more easily into your day. It might take longer to start with, but it will pay off in the end.


Try one of these 5 tips to improve your writing skills:

  1. Reading

  2. Shopping list

  3. Online journal

  4. WhatsApp messages

  5. Comment on YouTube videos or Reddit feeds


Click here to talk to me about English language coaching.

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