If you learned English informally (through conversation rather than in a classroom) or if your previous classes did not cover English grammar thoroughly, you may need to pay special attention to the differences between spoken English and academic written English. Writing English requires different skills from those used when speaking English. You need to train your ears to know what sounds natural, but you also have to train your eyes to know what standard English forms look like.
If you speak English well but are having trouble using standard forms or correct English spelling when you write, try reading and listening at the same time. Most libraries carry books on CD, and some libraries even package the paper and audio books together. If you read a book while you listen to the audio version of the book, your brain will begin to connect the visual forms with words you’ve already heard before.
If you purchase a paper copy of the book, you can also underline or highlight new words—or words that look different from how they sound—while you listen. After finishing a few pages or a chapter, stop the CD and review the new forms you’ve marked. Combined reading and listening practice can help you understand standard English forms and use them in your own writing.
The following Web sites provide text and audio—you can listen to someone speak the words as you read along.
American Stories on VOA Special English: Listen to and read short stories by American authors.
VOA Special English News Radio for English Learners: Listen to current global news (broadcast by the US government) while reading the text.
The Poets.org Listening Booth: Hear famous poets read their own works as you read along.
Global English Salon: Listen to and read short editorials and conversations that focus on business English.
Related topics:
Intensive and extensive language activities
Using a dictionary or a thesaurus
Becoming familiar with the Academic Word List
Learning prefixes and suffixes
Keeping a vocabulary notebook
Keeping an editing log
Targeting areas for improvement