As I mentioned in my last blog, practising your writing outside of class doesn’t just have to be about writing emails. Here are some more ways you can exercise and improve your writing skills:
Writing a diary in English
I am very enthusiastic about this one, mainly because I wrote a diary every day from when I was 7 to 21 years old. I have two suitcases full of diaries, which are now filed in a diary archive in London. But you don’t have to go those extremes – just a few words in a notebook every day. Not only will it ensure you write something every day, but when you look back, it will be interesting for two reasons: 1) It’s about you and your life, and 2) you can instantly see how much your English has improved over time.
Be a news reporter
I don’t literally mean go and work for a newspaper or news website of course…but listen to or watch the news and then write a summary of what you’ve heard. Or make up your own news stories – perhaps happy ones, given that the news is generally so full of awful things.
Write about the news and what your views and feelings are about it.
Are there things happening in the world that make you feel angry, upset, worried, inspired, excited or happy? If so, write about them – what they are, how they make you feel, and maybe even what you would do, or can do, to change them.
Write book or film reviews
Do you love reading or watching films? If so, aside from sometimes choosing books and films in English to practise your reading and listening skills, you can also practise your writing skills by writing reviews. This is also something you can swap with fellow students, work colleagues, family or friends. If you share your reviews with others, it’s a great way to discover new things too.
Choose a topic and write about it
Here are some ideas to get you started:
Someone you admire.
The bravest thing you’ve ever done.
One of your hobbies and why you like it so much.
What you would change or improve if you were Prime Minister.
Is Social Media a good or bad thing? What makes you think this?
How should we deal with/help migrants and refugees?
Your experience of moving to a different country or town.
Differences between where you were born and where you live now.
Your language learning experiences.
Recipes and cooking.
Your work experiences.
If you were to make a time capsule, what would you put in it?
What else would you like to write about, or have you already written about? The world is your oyster, as my Grandma used to say. Let me know how it goes!
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