What is the best way to better my grammar and sentence structure when I write and talk?

Question

I really want to better my oral, and written English skills and I was wondering what would be the best way to become better at it? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Here's another idea. Listen every day to good English - if you can get NPR, listen all day long. They speak really well, and on reasonably intelligent topics. You will get the sound of good English in your ears.

Then try reading good writing aloud. You will be practicing the way it feels to speak well. Particularly read interesting or exciting things - the emotion helps imprint the learning.

Then if you really want to speed it up, get the podcasts of those NPR shows (they're free, most of them) and play some sentences that you like over and over and try to say the same thing at the same speed and with the same phrasing until you can sound just like the person on the radio.

I'll bet you'll be amazed at how quickly you start feeling comfortable with standard English this way.

The reading thing works, especially if you start young and spend your life doing it - I know, because that's the way I acquired a larger-than-your-average vocabulary and developed a kind of instinct for what is correct. I almost never looked up words in a dictionary as a kid, but I knew how they were supposed to be used by having learned them in their contexts. However, you may not be four years old, so you may need something that works a little faster.

Using your ears and your mouth to develop the habits of the phrases of good English (or any other language you want to learn) will work about as fast as anything else I can think of.

Good luck!

M
E

Answer 2

Is English your first language?

If it is, I would encourage you to hang around with people who
have an excellent command of the English language. The reason for this is that we are the average of the five people we hang out with the most. If you want to do better in *anything*, spend time with the people who do it well and you will improve dramatically. Pay attention to them. Listen to every word and how they structure their sentences. Best of luck to you.

Answer 3

I agree with Ben S.

Although I can't diagram a sentence or tell you what part of speech a word is, I have written multi-million dollar grants, and other materials inspected by many people. I'm often the one asked to proof read material. My secret? I'm a heavy reader. From Hardy Boys and Louis Lamour as a boy, to politics and history as an adult, I've read it all.

My ex-wives were both teachers, and both were constantly asking me how to spell a word, what adjective to use, or how to word a sentence. Reading works.

Answer 4

Honestly, In order to better your oral and grammar skills you should read books. Think of it as practice.

Answer 5

any religion you are a book by L. Ron hubbard is awsome it is called grammar and communication for children but not really for children it is awsome it is part of the study skills for life boor and is great you can probably buy at a bookstore but best bet is online at appliedscholastics.com