Tata –

(Roman?)

The best thing you can do is read – and not the newspaper, something you like. The other thing is to keep a journal and write in it every day, or as often as you can.

One of the links I like a lot is dave’s esl cafe – www.eslcafe.com. Dave has a lot of other links there. There is stuff for both teachers and students. I think you will like also. Also, if you have any questions you are welcomed to e-mail me anytime. I can scan and send you worksheets to practice. My guess is that you’d like to improve your vocabulary and syntax, and not so much grammar. Am I right?

At the same time, check with your college. All of them have a tutoring center that is FREE to you. Go make an appointment with a tutor. That will help you the most, especially when you have to write papers or essays.

The Elements of Style is ok – but it’s mostly made for Americans who don’t know the difference between its and it’s, your and you’re and so on. I get a feeling you do know those differences from the way you asked your question.

Don’t worry! The other students can’t write either! I think you are fine. Your writing of this question is fine. An introductory composition teacher would probably give you a c+ for this at the beginning of a class. Many times the composition teachers will walk you through writing the papers. That’s their job a,fter all to teach you how to write! Don’t be afraid to see a teacher if you need writing help. Also, most colleges have writing labs that are staffed with knowledgeable assistants that can help you. What can help you the most is writing and proofreading. Simply capitalizing your sentences and making sure you have basic punctuation, will help you. I suggest you send email correspondence to your friends, or type and send paper letters to your family. Proofread them carefully, and don’t be afraid to revise and rewrite. Imagine how pleased your aunt or uncle will be to hear from you in writing! It’s always impressive to get sincere, correspondence. So, you can score points and practice your writing at the same time. I would also recommend you buy a reference book. Strunk and White have a classic style guide, and a really good book on grammar is helpful. These need to be hard copy because you want them beside the computer for easy reference, and not on screen where you have to switch windows. Summary: Write Proofread Consult guides and experts Rewrite David P.S. A lot of people submit writing here and ask for critiques. That seems to always get good responses. P.P.S. I had to proofread this three times. It’s probably still not perfect!

Get the book “Elements of Style” by E.B. White.

It helped me in my first year of college. I struggled with papers initially, then by the time I graduated, I could practically write them while I slept! Practice, practice, practice. And READ literature. Good literature, not Sidney Sheldon or dimestore novels.