This is an example of the writing guide I give to my students. The first paragraph exemplifies writing tragedy, and students face the challenge of salvaging that monstrosity using some of the rules outlined below.
King Super Emperor James's Writing Rules to Live (OR DIE) By
English study is really important to us because of its importance in the world as a whole and in every country within that world. English is learned by people who want to become a professor of a university, a CEO of a major corporation, and is also desired by people who wish to travel all over the world. If English were an animal, maybe it would be a dragon or something cool. People who are students of English often say English is a crazy language. No matter what though English is still important to one's hopes and one's dreams.
- Number 1
Passive language sucks! Really. Trust me. People who write in the passive voice give off the aura of being unwilling to commit to anything or stand by their word. They feel like snakes hiding in the grass, ready to slither off and hide at the first scent of trouble. In business communiqué, the passive voice is used for this exact reason -- no one wants to be the nail when the hammer falls, but in wide-audience writing, the passive voice will hang you.
- Number 2
Repeatedly repeating redundancy! Using the same words many times stacks up in the reader's brain, like an awkward and angry JENGA tower of spiraling madness. You don't need a thesaurus to come up with new words, and most definitely complicated language should be avoided. Just a little creativity will suffice.
- Number 3
Whenever you use an unnecessary preposition, God kills a puppy. Harsh? Yes. But think of the puppies before you put pen to paper. "Students who study in the school dislike homework" serves as a nice example of two tragic puppy murders. Students doing homework, by definition, study in school. "Students dislike homework" says the exact same idea without the worthless clutter. Think to yourself, "Is this fluff?" If the answer is yes, then fix it.
- Number 4
Beware the huh? factor. Metaphors and similes speak volumes of awesomeness. Use them excessively. But be aware that they need to make sense. Calling your boss a fire-breathing wildebeest would make me laugh -- but only if I understand why, especially if you decide to insult him out of the blue. I will ask, "Huh?" and probably move on to something more interesting.
-Number 5
Grammar? Forgetaboutit! Some writers commit this grave sin: sacrificing quality or flow upon the black altar of grammar. Here's the thing: think of grammar as the support structure of a building. It is necessary to keep the building from collapsing, but aside from that, what use has it? Anyone can build a box to live in. Beauty in buildings comes in the way the architecture bends into new shapes. Grammar, too, can be manipulated. English grammar, especially, because of its mongrel nature can be shaped to the situation. Do not get hung up on using perfect word choice.
-Number 6
Writers are human. Speak like one! This goes hand in hand with the previous entry. The super secret technique many master writers will tell you, in hushed gestures and whispered words..................
WRITE HOW YOU SPEAK!
No trick exists, save within many fledgling writers' own minds. They try to emulate something they are not, using words not a part of their regular vernacular, or concepts they do not fully grasp in an attempt to lord over their peers.
Ask yourself, "Would I say this to my friend/boss/colleague/King Super Emperor James?" That answer should be all you need to become great.
The Eight Phases of the Moon
Yin and Yang only met
each other once, in the peace
before Creation.
They carry a piece
of each other night and day
in an endless seach.
Kaguya-hime
shed sunset's royal mantle,
slipped into velvet.
Her shadow engulfed
the very heart of the world,
and bathed it in light.
Princes coveted
what even kings were denied --
Those pale silver eyes
swam in a sapphire
ocean a lifetime away,
recalling nothing.
Although the image
stirred some distant memory,
she brushed it aside.
--James Smith
The dream of the world
was written in Fuji's smoke,
and drowned in silence.
--真完--
Now that I am teaching a class specializing in Internet writing skills, I hope to resurrect this from the spiraling blue void of the blog graveyard.
For the time being, the new focus of this blog will shift to improving writing skill with a variety of examples, semi-sane rules of thumb, and my own ponderings on learning, teaching, and living. Hope everyone can enjoy this new foray into doom, gloom, and glory!
You can make your studying life much easier and more beneficial in general if you ask yourself, "Why am I studying this?" English is by no means a pretty language, and although flexible and useful in life, it drives even English teachers like me a little batty.
Most people studying English -- or learning anything, really -- fall into one of three categories: for fun, for education, and for business. Let's look at each category to identify where priorities should lie and maybe a little advice for how to enrichen your studies.
People who study English for simple enjoyment typically show the most rapid progress. They are flexible and absorb the language, and most of all associating the idea of learning with fun makes one embrace the learning process. The tradeoff is that for all their flexibility in conversation, people who study for fun lack specialization -- over time, they may attain nearly native English fluency, but it becomes an uphill process because they have so much more to learn than people who choose to focus their studies.
If you are among those studying English for fun, I highly recommend the dramas Friends and Seinfeld; the speech is fairly natural, the shows are highly rated, and perhaps most importantly, cover a range of topics that one may potentially encounter in daily life.
If that doesn't describe you, and you are learning English primarily to enhance your education; perhaps you want to study in the US or Australia, then you might want to steer clear of relying on drama as a learning tool (although it makes a wonderful supplement).
Instead, I recommend turning to the news for help. Read and listen to reports about your chosen specialty, but don't shy away from other subjects either. In the US, education is being dumbed down for an Internet generation that in addition to granting a huge amount of information to the fingertips of its users apparently drains the brain. Literacy rates are falling, and to compensate, the language of textbooks is changing to read much more like news articles (typically written for the audience of 3rd to 6th graders in elementary school). Scary, huh? This works in your advantage, though. Use it.
Finally, the intrepid businessman/woman. You might not even be learning English to speak with a native -- your audience might be a German, Russian, Venezuelan, etc. Perhaps, even, you just want to score highly on the TOEIC to imrpove your chances of landing a promotion.
If your audience isn't a native speaker, you need to take this into account. For starters, I would recommend familiarizing yourself with the particular accent you need. Movies are a great source for this. Although the accent are sometimes overplayed in movies, it helps give you an idea of what to expect in a worst-case scenario, like your businesspartner speaks exactly like the Terminator. From there, focus your studies on polite and appropriate expressions that are context-sensitive to the CULTURE you will be dealing with. Ie; don't treat a French person like you would an American, just like you would not treat a Korean like a Japanese person. Each culture has its own nuances that you should make a point to study.
As for the TOEIC, there is really not too much advice to give. Because it is an exam, certain rules apply and there is a degree of predictability. Rely on tried and true test-taking strategies and do not slack.
When you begin a class, you have a responsibility to make it clear to the teacher exactly why you are there to study. If it is at all within our power, we are usually willing to make a few changes into our lesson plans to accommodate you. Students who want to learn make good teachers, just like good teachers should make students want to learn.
Who are you?
Magnetic poetry becomes a really useful tool because, like a regular ESL learner, you are limited in your vocabulary -- and like a forgetful old man like me, sometimes you have to be creative in your descriptions in order to convey your message.
This activity serves as an excellent vocabulary, sentence building, and creative tool in any classroom. Feel free to play below -- but don't get too addicted!
My name is James, and I hope to help you learn and expand your English. This blog is designed for learners of English and their teachers. It will consist of articles, tips, and techniques for making your learning a smoother experience -- and hopefully a little more fun than just sitting in a classroom.
I have been an English teacher for a few years now, having spent the majority of them in South Korea; although teaching others is something I've done naturally since childhood. The classroom is my home, and where I am most comfortable.
My specialty is writing, although I am interested in linguistics overall -- especially semantics -- and I dedicated a major portion of my time to their study.
I don't ask much of my students; I don't really believe in homework. All I want is an open mind and an eagerness to learn. (Okay, so maybe that is asking a lot.) But look at the bright side! You don't have to do worksheets!
Welcome and I hope you enjoy your time here!