What is it that helps?
By ruztiboy
@ruztiboy (20)
July 1, 2012 10:42am CST
What is it that helps us improve our writing skills? aside from reading good materials, what else that will help us widen our vocabulary?
6 responses
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
1 Jul 12
Well, like you mentioned, reading is good for improving your writin and broadening your vocabulary.
But something else I do is when I'm writing something and there's a certain word that I'm not sure if I'm using it correctly I will look it up. I also often find myself looking up synonyms to words I am using, just seeing if there is another word that sounds better in context.
The website www.dictionary.com is a great online dictionary and thesaurus tool!
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (167071)
• Boise, Idaho
1 Jul 12
I enjoy looking up new words. The hunt for just the right word for a certain situation can be a real undertaking sometimes. I use the dictionary site you mentioned alot.
@celticeagle (167071)
• Boise, Idaho
1 Jul 12
I enjoy looking up words and trying to find just the right one for the situation. I do use the site you mentioned quite often.
@nagatron123456 (888)
• Philippines
2 Jul 12
I think there is no other way better than reading. What I do is read and read and when I stumble on words that are new to me I open my vocabulary book then read the meaning and remember it but I prefer to use easy to understand words because it can't mislead others that much which is good so both speaker and listener understand each other. But if you really need to widen up your vocabulary, use any resources available to you. In my part, aside from reading, I watch TV Series "The Big Bang Theory". Try watching it, not only you learn something about science and its terminology, you will also going to have fun.
@ruztiboy (20)
•
2 Jul 12
Thanks for the suggestions, I'll take that. However, I think nowadays rules on writing are slightly loosened up especially in bloggers' community, and this is good
because that gives others (including myself), whose writing skill is at elementary level, a chance to share their opinion about anything in their simple terms and expressions in writing. This is why, I think, mylotters population continue to grow.
But of course, personally, I'd like to know how it feels to be among the excellent writers, someday.
@Shazooo (296)
• Malaysia
7 Jul 12
Well there are many things out there in this world that could helps us increase our vocabulary tremendously. Firstly, like you said, reading, is, in my personal view, the best way to improve our writing and broaden our vocabulary. I think another way to improve our vocabulary and writing is to perhaps watch TV. Pick movies with subtitles so that you'll know how to spell it. This method is very good for those who is just starting to learn a particular language.
@ruztiboy (20)
•
2 Jul 12
Well, long time ago I used to get aggressive about word origins, prefixes, suffix etc., but eventually I realized that "high-sounding" words, sometimes, create barrier between the writer and reader, and chose to use easy-to-understand-words then. But absolutely, studying the root-words helped me a lot to continue my passion in writing. However, there's something I'd like to achieve regarding the clarity & structure of my sentences, I just can't figure out what it is. I always feel something is missing or lacking in my approach. I wonder what it is? do you guys feel that way too?
@anachroniSaM (191)
• Philippines
6 Jul 12
Watching films could help in improving your vocabulary skills. I had applied this on myself. Especially with my vocab in English. For the record, I wasn't very much confident with my English before I have gotten into watching several Hollywood films. But later on, I realized that the mentioned activity actually helped quite a lot in adding up the words or the expressions I could use. Before I know it, I could already employ the English language when writing, at the same time confident with my own grammar. You may also want to try it, since there's no actual harm in it. :D
