ESL Reading and Writing
The skills of ESL reading and writing complement each other when you're trying to improve your level of English.
By reading more you’ll be exposed to new words which will expand your vocabulary. Then as you write you’ll get the opportunity to use the new words which you've learnt from your reading.
This process reinforces the learning process. Reading a word and looking it up in a dictionary is just the first stage in the process of learning the word and being able to use it in your writing. To truly learn the word, so that you’ll be able to use it in the future, you need to practice using it as well as just learning the meaning.
You do this by Writing
When you’re first trying to learn the new word you should try to use it in a few sentences. Each sentence can be a standalone sentence that is just used to help you learn the word by using it.
After this you’ll need to try to use the word when you’re writing naturally. That is when you’re writing an essay or a report you’ll need to try to use the word when it’s appropriate.
When you’re planning your ESL essay writing you should make a list of the vocabulary that you’d like to use in the essay. This is part of the planning stage and you should review the lists of new words you’ve learnt recently to try to find new words to use.
Thinking of the new vocabulary that you want to use in the planning stage will mean that when you’re writing it’ll be easier to produce a well written essay or document.
What to Read
To help with your ESL reading and writing you should read a wide range of different materials. The wider the range of material (different styles, subjects and authors) the larger the number of words you’ll have a chance to learn.
Read fiction as well as non-fiction material. You can read books as well as material from the internet. There is plenty of free reading material for you. With the internet you have an almost limitless supply of English language reading material.
You can download free ebooks, or read them online from Free eBooks.
Make Sure Your Writing is Correct
It is important to make sure that when you use a new word it’s used correctly. You can do this by yourself, but it’s better to get someone to help you. If possible ask someone, with good English skills, to read what you’ve written and make sure that you’ve used the words correctly.
If you just want to check a couple of words or sentences you can come to the Excellent Proofreading and Writing Facebook page where I’d be happy to help. Or if you have a longer passage you can submit it to my proofreading service where I’ll correct it and then send it back to you.
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By Jolyon Dodgson, copyright © 2011-2020.
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