Recently, several students sent me some sloppy writing.  I had to send them a rather hard email.

You may find some helpful tips here.  Here’s the email:

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First
of all, run everything you write through Grammarly.  I ran your article through.  There were lots of mistakes.

Second: Always come back to your own writing a few days later. Read again what you wrote. See if it still makes sense.  See if you can spot any mistakes.

Third: You may have read tons of books.  That’s great.  Now, it’s time to read some writing books.  Start with this one: On writing well.  I think there is an audio version as well.

Fourth: Memorize this quote: 

“Good English, well spoken and well written, will open more doors than a college degree. Bad English will slam doors you didn’t even know existed.” 

– William Raspberry

Fifth: Learn English grammar.  Find a standard grammar workbook.  Do one page a day until it is done.  Don’t do it for a credit.  Don’t do it for a grade.  Do it because of the quote above.  Do it because you want to master the most powerful language in the world.  You are never going to regret mastering English.  

I think you kids are going to create your own doors.  You are creative and bold.  Still, there is no reason to slow your own progress down.  Bad English will slow you down.  Master English.  You will use it every single day for the rest of your life.  Stop at nothing.  Master English.  You will never regret it.  

What you are saying is good.  You only need to work on how you are saying it.  

Have a happy Saturday!

– Dwane 

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Dwane Thomas’ Tip of the Week, November 5, 2016