How to Write: Formal Letter or Email

When is a letter or email formal? When it is written to someone you do not know or someone in a position of authority.

How to Write: a report

An examiner told me that there had been some discussion over what a report is compared to an article. This surprised me as I would have thought it quite clear...just goes to show.

Writing Tips: From the mouths of examiners!

Examiners are actually quite friendly creatures who, a bit like sharks, have an undeservedly bad reputation. OK, some of them bite, but most of them will just do what they have to do without tearing you limb from limb! 

How to Write: A Review

There are some basic rules for writing a review, and you´d be surprised how often people make very simple mistakes.

How to Write...

There will be a series of How to Write posts that give the ESL student a helping hand with form, style, tone and register of the different formats that could be tested in the exam setting.

Interpret not interpretate

A common mistake I have found amongst students is the misconception that a noun that ends -ation, e.g. interpretation, has the verb form ending in -ate rather than another stem form e.g. interpretate instead of interpret.

How to Write: an Essay

What is an essay?