6 Essay Writing Tips

[ben@e52]

Hello!

This is Teacher Ben at E52. I’ve put together a list of 6 tips to help you improve your essay writing skills in English. Feel free to try these out and see if they help!



1. Keep it Concise and Simple

When it comes to writing essays, shorter is better. You can usually say a lot with very little. Instead of droning on and on, keep it concise, clear, and to the point. When reading through your essay, ask yourself the following: Is that word necessary? Do I really need this sentence? Your readers will thank you for it!


2. Keep it Coherent

It is extremely important to keep your paragraphs, as well as your entire essay, coherent. One way to keep everything linked is by using transitional sentences or words, such as however, because, or yet. This will help your reader connect your thoughts and aid with the overall flow of the writing. Check the link below for more transitions and information on when to use them:

https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and- ... tions-esl/


3. Formal Vs. Informal – Know the Difference

I’m sure you’re aware that there is a huge difference between formal and informal writing, especially when it comes to tone and purpose. Certain things that you would casually mention to a friend you wouldn’t say to a teacher or professor. It’s important to notice informal words and phrases that don’t belong in formal essays. Check out these links below to change your street lingo into something a bit more professional:

https://www.engvid.com/english-resource ... l-english/

https://www.uts.edu.au/sites/default/fi ... nguage.pdf


4. Proofreading, Editing, and Revision

They say that the best writing comes from rewriting. Therefore, it is imperative that you always check your writing before sending it out. Read through your essay carefully, making sure there are no grammatical errors and that the content is easy to understand. While you’re at it, you can also trim some of the fat, cutting out unnecessary or redundant phrases or sentences. Trust me – your writing will improve drastically when you take the time to edit and catch your mistakes.


5. Avoid Using Pronouns

While pronouns such as it/they/she/he or their/her/him are commonly used in informal speech and writing, it is much better in your essay to simply repeat the noun you are referring to. While this repetition can seem a little annoying, it is much better than confusing the reader. Unless it is very clear what the pronoun is referring to, it’s generally best not to use them in your formal essay writing.


6. Use Vocabulary Correctly

While it’s important to expand and upgrade your vocabulary, you should also know how to use these words properly. If a word is used in your essay in the wrong context, it goes from impressive to confusing rather quickly. Make sure you completely understand a word in context before adding it to your formal writing and wowing your professor.



Feel free to add any comment or question you have below, as well as tips of your own that have helped you improve your writing.

Cheers!
Ben at E52

[vanessafdoval]

In my opinion the essay is a very difficult stage, in my case I always speak informally and to write I always feel that everything is very informal. I know I should practice more to make this natural for me.