Easiest way to improve grammar / writing style.

Savvy_Sue

Ask if there is a training session you can attend which would help. My spelling and grammar are excellent (not perfect, but it's usually a typo rather than an actual mistake IYSWIM) but I found a Plain English course very helpful.

I tend to waffle on, btw. I had a friend who would just look at something I'd prepared and say "Too many words."

Generali

Pyro. wrote: »

I've just received my annual report from work and a big point that has been picked up on is my general every day to day grammar / wording. I send emails out daily and some are seen by those high up in the business, whilst my emails have never been a problem i do feel there are better ways to word things.

Also basic comments on forums such as this one. I just need to brush up on it.

Is there a forum or software that sets exercises or where you can post things and get criticism on?

I feel this is the only way to improve.

Word has a grammar checker built in and grammatical errors are highlighted with a wavy blue line. You might find that over time you pick up on the areas where you are commonly making mistakes. It sometimes will include a brief explanation of the mistake you have made.

You could try something like this:

http://www.bristol.ac.uk/arts/exercises/grammar/grammar_tutorial/index.htm

which looks good from a quick squizz at least.

This is the classic on grammar:

https://www.penguin.com.au/products/9780141037721/usage-and-abusage-popular-penguins

As an aside, I think it's disgraceful that the British education system actively discourages students to learn grammar. If we don't understand how our language works how can we use it well? What then happens is privately educated kids do learn how to write and speak properly and are then gifted a huge advantage in the workplace.

I have had to work really hard as an adult to learn grammar to a reasonable standard, something I was denied at school for ideological reasons.

[Deleted User]

I don't know about that, I read all the time, so my knowledge of required grammar isn't too bad (by no means perfect) but my son (who is 9 years old) is learning far more about grammar than I ever did at school, I always have to look up what he is doing to catch up lol. I might have an idea how to write reasonable sentences but have no idea what the names are of the grammatical contents required.

iammumtoone

oh really - I rest my case

I do know the difference between seem and seen, I know what the words mean and where to use them. It would have been a typing error BUT that is no excuse I should have noticed and corrected it (I did read back the post )

I sometimes wonder if I have slight dyslexia or something, but then tell myself off as I am trying to make excuses for myself

Pennywise

Re-reading only works to check for silly mistakes. If you don't know the difference between there and their or where to put an apostrophe, then no amount of re-reading will help.

Reading more widely from various sources will help enormously as long as you read with an enquiring mind and carefully look at the words. No use at all if you just skim-read a book, but if you do it slowly and carefully, and spot the context of there and their or r's and rs' it should be quite easy to teach yourself. You'd also learn to improve the flow of your writing if you regularly read other peoples' work. Obviously, you need to be reading reputable stuff, i.e. published authors, decent newspapers, etc., and not facebook or The Sun!

Savvy_Sue

iammumtoone wrote: »

oh really - I rest my case

I do know the difference between seem and seen, I know what the words mean and where to use them. It would have been a typing error BUT that is no excuse I should have noticed and corrected it (I did read back the post )

I sometimes wonder if I have slight dyslexia or something, but then tell myself off as I am trying to make excuses for myself

Well, here's another 'excuse'. You see more mistakes on the printed page than you do onscreen. If it's really important, print it and proofread it again.

pollypenny

robatwork wrote: »

I wouldn't normally pick up on a small grammatical error, but obviously in this case it's relevant.

If polly had applied her own rule, she would have realised the comma after "check" was redundant. Perhaps she put that in there as a little test.....

Another tip - when your email is finished, check the first word of each paragraph. Always looks unprofessional if the first word is the same each time. This happens a lot with "I" & "We".

My comma after 'check' is more than redundant; it's damn well wrong! Fat finger on space bar!

makeyourdaddyproud

The biggest violation I see on here is the humble non sequitur or incoherent prose.

Lord_Baltimore

Your managers want you to improve the style of your written word and you have reacted positively to their request: well done! The onus is upon them to help you achieve the standards they expect and you should ask them for their help to improve.

As a start I would ask your immediate manager to read and, if necessary, edit the emails that will be seen by your senior managers before you send them out. This way you can ensure your written style and content meet the criteria of your Company. You will learn from each of these re-drafts and, importantly, your willingness to improve will be evident.

Poor use of English is 'ugly' to those more practised in the art. Demonstrating your desire to improve by asking your managers to help you will impress them and you are guaranteed to be focussing on the standards and style they expect at your place of work.

Be enthusiastic and grateful as the techniques are worth learning and will be of value to you throughout your career. Your next annual report will be better too or your managers have only themselves to blame!