Be Good at English

If you're struggling in English class, you're not alone. From famous writers like H.G. Wells and Mark Twain to politicians like Teddy Roosevelt, lots of highly intelligent people have struggled with spelling, usage, and other basic grammar issues. Full of quirks and contradictions, the English language isn't the easiest to learn and use correctly. By addressing the most common errors and concerns, however, you can start actively correcting your errors, improving your vocabulary, spelling, and writing, to give yourself the best possible chance at success in English.

If English isn't your first language, you might want to start with How to Learn English or How to Improve Your English.

Steps

Correcting Common Errors

  1. Learn the difference between your and you're. Mixing up these words is one of the most common and easily-fixable usage errors in English. Since there is nothing that stands out more quickly than writing "You're not coming to the dance, are you?" it's important to clear up the difference and never make this mistake again.
    • Your is used to mean "something you own." Saying "Is that your cantaloupe?" or "Where is your pocketknife?" are appropriate uses of "your." You can always sound it out and try substituting "you are" for "your" in a sentence. If "you are" would make sense, then you should use the other form "you're."
    • You're is a contraction of the words "you" and "are," and it's used as a replacement for those words in a sentence. "You are an excellent tennis player" can be written "You're an excellent tennis player."
  2. Learn the difference between their, they're, and there. If "you" and "your" is a solid first place mistake, misusing these words is a close second. It's also a common spell-check mistake, because spell-checkers won't suggest the right version of the word, necessarily, if you make a typo. It can be confusing, but the difference will be clear once you've memorized the usage rule.
    • Their means "belongs to them." Appropriate uses would include "Their balloon popped quickly" or "Have you not seen their baby?" The word is only used in this context and for no other reason than to mean "more than one owner."
    • They're is a contraction of the words "they" and "are," and should be used to replace those words in a sentence. "They are very much in love" could be written "They're very much in love." Despite the fact that a contraction is used, this word does not imply ownership.
    • There refers to locations and all other uses. "Place the apple over there" or "There is nothing more boring than math" are appropriate uses of "there."
  3. Learn the difference between its and it's. This is a slightly confusing rule because it goes against the basic rule for apostrophes, but this is just an example of a contradiction in contractions. Quick rule: Substitute the words "it" and "is" to sentences with an "its" or an "it's." If the words make sense in that sentence, you need to have an apostrophe. If not, then leave the apostrophe off.
    • Use its when you intend to assign possession to something. Though there is no apostrophe, this means that something owns something else. "Its hair was really dirty" or "I can't compete with its power!" would be appropriate uses of its.
    • Use it's when you want to contract "it" and "is." It would be appropriate to write "It's not that great" or "When it's raining, I like to read."
  4. Use "two," "too," and "to" correctly. This is a common typo, but also a common usage error that many talented writers still make regularly. The differences are pretty easy to get down, however. Quick Rule: Too has two "Os," which can help you remember that it means there's more of something, so you should use the word to compare amounts. If, as in "To be, or not to be," there is no amount being discussed, leave the extra "O" off.
    • To is a preposition, which should always precede a noun or a verb and begin a prepositional phrase. "I want to visit France" and "I went to France" are both appropriate uses of "to."
    • Too is used as a quantity or to agree. "There was too much alcohol the party" or "I ate too many ice cream cones" are appropriate uses. It can also suggest degrees or levels of emotion, and lengths of time: "You're way too angry" or "I cried for too long." It's also used to agree: "I want to go to the party too."
    • Two is a number and should only be used as a number. "I ate two large pizzas" or "There were two pro wrestlers at the party" are appropriate uses of "two."
  5. Learn the difference between "less" and "fewer." This is a big one, commonly misused, but it's easy to learn. One is used to refer to amounts and the other is used to refer to numbers. If you've ever learned about the difference between "count" and "non-count" nouns, that'll come in handy with this rule. When there is "less traffic" that means there are "fewer cars."
    • Less refers to amounts and non-count nouns. "There was much less water in the pool than last week" or "Much less applause could be heard at the game" are appropriate uses. If you can't count individual units of something, "less" is the appropriate word when referring to it. There is less doubt, less oxygen, and less morale.
    • Fewer refers to numbers and count nouns. "Many fewer people applauded" or "One more bike, one fewer car" would be appropriate uses of fewer. If you can give a specific number of an object, like marbles, dollar bills, cantaloupes, or video games, the right word is "fewer."
  6. Use "lay" and "lie" correctly. If you get this one wrong, you're in good company. Learn the rule and you'll never have to worry about getting it wrong again. People get confused because the past tense of "lie" is also "lay," but the difference is something you can learn quickly.
    • Use "lay" when you're putting something down. "I lay the book on the table" or "Please lay your head on your desk" are appropriate uses of "lay."
    • Use "lie" when you're resting or reclining. You would write, "I'm going to lie down now" but the past tense form of the word is "lay," which accounts for a lot of the confusion. In other words, you would also write, "I lay down yesterday." Use context clues in the sentence to find the meaning.
  7. Use "random" and "literally" correctly. No words are overused and more incorrectly used than these two in English. Learn to use them correctly and you'll win the admiration of English teachers and grammar curmudgeons alike.
    • Random means a lack of order or coherence in a series or sequence. There should be no pattern in something that's truly random. Often, people use "random" when they mean "surprising" or "unexpected." For example, it wasn't "some random guy" that talked to you after class. You take the same class, go to the same school, and live in the same town, which means there's nothing random about having a conversation with another person you share space with. It's actually quite likely.
    • Literally should not be used to imply severity, because "literally" means that something actually happened, and was a literal truth. The only time it would be appropriate to say, "I literally couldn't get out of bed this morning," is if you were actually physically unable to move your legs, not because you were unwilling to move your legs. Otherwise, you mean "figuratively."
  8. Avoid textspeak. When you're writing, don't slip into shortened text speak, or use emojis to replace actual words. A colon and a half parenthetical smiley face should never end a sentence. Those have real uses! Let your words communicate your meanings, and use the full versions of those words.
    • We all like to text quickly, but it's best to avoid texting spelling like "ur" even when you're actually texting. When you're writing in textspeak, you're training yourself to connect those typing muscles with those words, making you more likely to unconsciously use the wrong spelling in a formal setting.
    • When you're speaking, it's also good habit to avoid actually saying thinks out loud like, "OMG" or "lol." If you're laughing, just laugh, don't editorialize it.

Improving Your Spelling and Vocabulary

  1. Read everything. The best way to improve your English in all respects is to read aggressively. Read difficult books, read silly books, read long books, read magazines, read cereal boxes, billboards, and programs. Read everything and surround yourself with words. Reading lots of different books will not only improve your vocabulary, but it will help you with spelling. Plus, it's great entertainment and a good alternative to watching TV.
    • Try reading out loud sometimes, especially if you're uncomfortable doing so in class. The more comfortable you get working your way through words, the better your speech will become and the more confidence you'll have about pronunciation and speaking. It can also be fun to hear how really great writing sounds. Read Edgar Allan Poe aloud, or other poetry to get the full effect.
  2. Learn the words you commonly misspell. English is full of contradictions and abnormalities, making it difficult to sound out everything and spell it correctly. Why is there a "b" at the end of "comb" when it makes no sound? Why do people pronounce "conch" like "konk" but don't say "church" like "churk"? Who knows. We all have words that give us fits, so it's best to just learn the spelling and memorize those words you have a hard time remembering.[1] Commonly misspelled or challenging words people struggle with include:
    • definitely
    • beautiful
    • believe
    • library
    • nuclear
    • neighbor
    • ceiling
    • exercise
    • vacuum
    • villain
    • jewelry
    • license
  3. Use mnemonic devices to help you memorize tricky words. People have been misspelling words for as long as people have been spelling words. It's not a new thing. Fortunately, that means lots of little tricks have been passed down over the ages, so you can use some great shortcuts to make life easier on yourself, and on your English grade card.[2][3] Here are a few of the best ones:
    • You cut a piece of pie
    • You hear with your ear
    • Because Elephants Can Always Understand Small Elephants. Just because.
    • Never believe a lie.
    • An island is land.
    • Eee! A cemetery!
  4. Play word games. There are loss of digital and analog word games you can play that will help you stay engaged with words on a regular basis, in a fun way as opposed to homework. Play board games like Boggle, Scrabble, and Bananagrams to keep your spelling muscles flexed and do crossword puzzles to help with your vocabulary. On your phone, you can play Crosstix, Hangman, and Word Scramble for free, or challenge your friends to the popular game "Words with Friends." Way better than Candy Crush.
  5. Turn your spell-checker off. In a recent study completed and reported by the BBC, over a third of respondents were unable to spell "definitely" correctly, while two-thirds were unable to identify the correct spelling of "necessary." Dubbed this the "auto-correct" effect, it seems that spell-check might have a negative effect on our ability to spell words correctly.[4] While getting rid of your spelling companion and crutch might seem like a fate worse than death, it can be good to force yourself to learn and spell the words correctly. You can still run it through the spell-checker before you turn it in. Just practice.

Improving Your Writing

  1. Use active voice instead of passive voice. Verbs have passive voices and active voices, and good writers are always active. The passive voice, appropriate for science reports and some technical writing, places a distance in the writing. Active voice, on the other hand, stands up and demands recognition. Using the exact same verb, you can make a sentence much more active and lively. Active writing is good writing.[5]
    • Passive voice: "The city has been scorched by the dragon's breath." Here, the verb in the sentence is actually "to be," because the subject of the sentence–the city–is in the act of being changed by something (the dragon's breath).
    • Active voice: "The dragon's breath scorched the city." Here, the dragon is the subject of the sentence, and the stronger verb–scorch–is used as the verb in the sentence, rather than a vestigial verb phrase.
  2. Use fewer commas and use them correctly. Lots of inexperienced writers think their biggest problem in the world is using commas correctly. It's not as significant a problem as you might think. Commas aren't used when you want "a pause," they're used to separate clauses in complex sentences. That's not to say they aren't complicated punctuation, but that going through and adding commas willy-nilly is bad writing.[6]
    • Use commas when you start sentences with adverbs: "Although I drank the poison Kool-Aid, my Wednesday was mostly boring."
    • Use commas with "because" sentences only if the clause after the because is complex. For example: "I drank the Kool-Aid because I was thirsty" doesn't need a comma before the "because." However, "I drank the Kool-Aid, because my sister left me home alone and there wasn't anything else to drink" requires a comma. You didn't drink Kool-Aid because your sister left you, you drank it because there was nothing else to drink.
    • Use commas to set off intro clauses: "Fortunately, I carry a pocketknife" is an appropriate comma use. Likewise, "To begin a novel correctly, forget everything you know" is also correct.
    • Use commas to separate opposing clauses: "The puppies were cute, but smelled disgusting." Avoid commas when the clauses agree: "I'm happy but I can't help it."
  3. Be concise. In general, fewer words makes for better writing. Lots of students and inexperienced writers get it in their gourds that writing long, flowery prose will impress the teacher and fool them into thinking a genius wandered into the classroom. Just worry about writing clear sentences, not "smarting up" your writing with complexity. Don't write beyond your capabilities and load your sentences with extra words to try to extend the word count. Use the most muscular sentences possible–cut the fat.
    • Adverbs and adjectives are easy cuts. "The flowing, fiery dragon breath beset the besieged and ragged city dwellers, cowering in their filthy, stinking, scorched rags of clothes, all matted and terrible" would be much better written, "Flowing, the dragon breath scorched the city dwellers, who cowered in their stinking clothes."
    • Avoid stacked prepositional phrases. To avoid writing run on sentences, get in the habit of looking for "stacked" prepositional phrases. These are good indicators that you need to restructure sentences to improve the agreement of the subject and verb. A "stacked" sentence is confusing: "In the field, over the cascading weeks, inside a house, like a weeping girl stood Joseph." Instead, try this: "Like a weeping girl, Joseph stood inside a house in the field. Over the cascading weeks, he…"
  4. Stop using the thesaurus function on your word processor. Lots of students think right-clicking and substituting the suggested synonyms for "over-used" words will result in better writing. Most of the time, this is not true. Plus, if you change "The bond between the nations was strong" to "The bond between the nations was beefy," like the synonym-generator suggests, your writing will look foolish. Most teachers can also recognize when you're writing beyond your vocabulary, as well, so it's best to focus on more important aspects of your writing.
    • If you want to use a more appropriate word, or substitute a word for something that you're overusing, looking at the suggested synonyms is a perfectly acceptable way to find alternatives, but if you don't know the word you must look it up before you insert it.
  5. Revise, revise, revise. Good writing means good editing. No great writers wrote perfect drafts the first go-around, and you won't either. If you want to be good at English and succeed in your English class, it's important that you save enough time at the end of a writing assignment to go over it, both for proofreading and for editing. While they involve similar skills, proofreading and revising or editing are actually quite different, and equally important.
    • Editing happens when you improve a piece of writing by re-wording sentences to improve them, checking the writing for content, and addressing large concerns about the essay or the assignment. When you revise, you're "re-visioning" the writing, looking at it with new eyes.
    • When you proofread, you're specifically looking for mistakes on the sentence-level. So, spelling issues, commas, and other little problems are what you should look for when you proofread. This should happen after you revise.

Tips

  • Try as hard as you can not to doodle or pass notes or talk in class. You could miss something very important and it will also save you time from the principal's office!
  • Try to have a regular spelling practice each day at the same time. Practice for tests every day until the big day.
  • Try to sit near the front all the time, and ask questions with good vocabulary.
  • Asking questions and asking your teacher to repeat something will not only make you a better listener, but it will also answer questions some other people might have and also help you remember while doing your homework.
  • Get a Nook or Kindle. It makes reading more convenient and saves you more room in your bookshelf while bringing multiple books wherever you go!

Warnings

  • Don't stress yourself out! English is hard and sometimes it can be hard to memorize things, but getting better isn't going to happen overnight!

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0862708.html
  2. ↑ http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/how-to-improve-your-spelling-skills.html
  3. ↑ http://www.edublox.com/spelling-mnemonics.htm
  4. ↑ http://www.bbc.com/news/education-18158665
  5. ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/passive-voice/
  6. ↑ http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/commas.htm

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