Need some tips for improving your second language writing skills? Follow these:
- Don’t write in English, then translate. You’re writing ends up closer to a machine translation than anything. Always start writing in the target language, right from the get-go.
- Think in the target language. Writing in a foreign language is always best accomplished when you’re also thinking in that foreign language. Not only is it faster, it helps to acclimate your mind into forming concepts using a language other than English.
- Try forming sentences in your head before writing them down.
- Stick to vocabulary, phrases and other constructions that you’ve already studied.
- As a corollary to the above, avoid taking risks by being inventive. Doing so often entails unnecessary guesswork. Stick to what you know and be creative with that.
- Keep your primary reference material, such as a dictionary or a foreign language software, nearby. Use it generously for cross-checking syntax and looking at examples.
- Avoid copying sentences and paragraphs from other sources. You’ll never learn to write in the new language that way. Instead, rephrase or rewrite them.
In practically any language, the most important aspects of writing remain constant: clarity, good structure, proper syntax, well-developed points and proper grammar. The same holds true whether you’re writing in English, Chinese or French, so focus on those things throughout your attempts at written materials in any language you’re learning.
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