April 3, 2010
Not everyone can be a good writer. However, anyone can write decent enough so as not to be terrible, even for an unaccomplished second-language English writer. So what things should you avoid to make your writing, at the least, tolerably readable?
1. Type carefully. Many second language writers worry about their language so much that their writing ends up filled with too many typing errors.
2. All English sentences have a subject and a verb. Keep that in mind and make sure every sentence you create has them.
3. Vary sentence lengths. Most second-language writers tend to fall back on simple sentences too much. There’s nothing wrong with it. If you fall into the same trap, just combine two or more sentences every few lines and you should be fine.
4. Use active verbs. This is simpler than it sounds. Instead of using verb forms of “to be,” such as “is,” “are,” “have” and other similar words, use actual action words for the verbs in your sentences. The maturity they lend your writing is worth every extra minute you take to rewrite erstwhile passive sentences.
5. Use a spellchecker and a grammar software at bare minimum. There’s nothing uglier than material rendered unreadable by bad grammar and misspellings. These automated English language tools can fix those problems on the fly, so that you need not add to your worries.
February 27, 2010
So, you’re an ESL student dumped onto an English-speaking workplace. Chances are, you have no choice but to learn how to write business English effectively, lest risk being unable to perform your job well.
Business writing is different from other types of writing in that it’s a little more formal and requires you to produce material with a professional tone. If you’re going to work in an English-speaking country, there’s no escaping it, as most professions (especially white-collar ones) will require you to write in that manner.
To help you out, here are a few tips:
1. Learn to write English in a more formal, straightforward manner. To be on the safe side, it’s best to aim for a more formal tone, rather than find a more balanced writing style. Sure, you might not end up writing the most interesting emails or memos, but you’ll sound professional doing so.
2. Write to your audience. Always know who you’re writing a document for. If it’s an email to a co-worker along the same rank as you, a little less formality might help you establish better rapport. For a report that you’ll submit to superiors, though, you may want to dispense with the pleasantries.
3. Be clear and to the point. No need for literary devices for business writing. Sure, it might help for proposals and other materials intended to sway opinion. But you’ll be teetering a fine line and it’s best not to rock the boat, especially if English isn’t your first language.
4. Arm yourself with a good English language software. You’ll need it, especially when it comes to cleaning up writing mistakes and improving your overall facility.
January 31, 2010
Small talk is an integral part of everyday communication, especially in casual, non-intimate settings. While generally considered insubstantial, it’s the type of exchange that helps break the ice, bridging awkward silences that come during uncomfortable moments.
Many ESL speakers, especially those on the early stages of their English learning software, understandably feel self-conscious about small talk. Despite the relaxed nature of such interaction, their personal struggles with the language can prove a hindrance that sees them go through the process with much anxiety.
When mustering the “power” to hold your own during small talk, here are a few things to remember:
- Be interested in the basics about them. Who? What? When? Where? Why? Those are the bare basics you’d like to ask your acquaintance. Those are also the likely the same things they will be asking you about, so try practicing your answers in English.
- Learn some conversation starters. Pick up one of those basic social skills book in the library and memorize a few of the conversation starters. When nothing else comes to mind, you can whip them up and, hopefully, get the ball rolling.
- Practice every chance you get. If you’re in an English speaking country, you can practice small talk wherever you come upon people – while riding the bus, waiting for the train or in line at the grocery. Try it – it’s more rewarding than you’d ever expect.
January 30, 2010
Are you trying to improve your English reading comprehension to supplement your software-based language learning? While you can read anything you want and possibly gain some benefits, these tips should help you maximize the positive things you can draw from them.
1. Read at a suitable level. If you’re barely two weeks into your ESL studies, opening up a book written by academics will likely leave you with a headache. As much as possible, try to read at a level that is right for you. If a particular material is too difficult for you to comprehend, put it down and find something else. It’s perfectly valid.
2. New words are awesome. When you encounter new words, don’t let them intimidate you. Just guess their meaning and continue reading. I’d suggest marking them, though, as you go. That way, you can go back after you’ve finished a piece to research the new vocabulary individually.
3. Read regularly. Like all skills, reading requires consistent practice. Save at least 10 or 20 minutes each day for reading, that way you’re able to maintain a regular, active pace.
4. Read with learning the language in mind. Reading for leisure is very different when reading for learning. With the latter, you need to come prepared – have your markers at hand, a dictionary (in case you really can’t understand the words) and other study materials while you read.
5. Choose interesting materials. There are thousands, maybe millions, of reading materials available. Why would you even pick up something you can hardly care about.
January 19, 2010
Word stress is one of the important keys to improving your English comprehension skills. Without a good grasp of where stress appears in the language, it becomes difficult for a second language learner to communicate clearly with a native speaker. And the confusion goes both ways.
In English, each word always has a single point of stress, meaning there’s one syllable that you accentuate. You pronounce this syllable loudly, all while staying quiet with all the others. If you hear two stresses, then the speaker just said out two words and so on.
In some languages, such as Japanese and French, all syllables are given equal emphasis. As such, native users of these vernaculars typically have a difficult time making out a conversation among native English speakers. It’s like learning a whole new system of using sound all on its own.
When you’re trying to learn word stress in English, the simplest rule you must bear in mind is that the stress is always on the vowel. There are many other rules, too, although learning them all will likely complicate matters if you’re only trying to get a good grasp of communication skills.
Rather than perform calculations on the fly, we recommend the following to wrap your head around various English pronunciations:
- When you memorize vocabulary with your language software, memorize word stress too.
- Realize that word stress is a big part of the language. Without learning where the stress falls on a word, you’re not learning a word completely.
- Listen to native speakers – either in person, on talk radio or in films. That’s the easiest way to get used to the way native English speakers use word stress.
January 14, 2010
If you’re going to learn English, you’ll have to understand one of the main characteristics that complicate it – it’s not a phonetic language. That means, we do not always pronounce words the way they are spelled.
Some words bear the same spelling, but need to be pronounced differently. For example, the word “read” is mouthed off differently in these two sentences:
- Read the paper from yesterday.
- I have read yesterday’s paper.
Some words are pronounced the exact same way, yet are spelled differently. For example, the words “way” and “weigh” are complete separate things, yet are mouthed off in exactly the same manner.
- Show me the way.
- How much do you weigh?
Unless you’ve specifically studied both uses of the word, there’s no way you could have known how to differentiate one from the other. Most likely, you will make mistakes with such words during the course of your study with your language software. Just know that it’s nothing to be embarrassed about – those phonetic differences are things you will need to recognize and remember whenever you encounter them.
There are a total of 52 different sounds in the English language, each of which you will likely encounter during your attempts at mastering it. You should learn all these different pronunciations if you want to both speak and listen more capably.
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