What's the best way to get better at your grammar use?

Question

I have really crappy grammar and spelling skills. Right now I’m just double checking everything just to make sure it's right, but that is really take's more time then I have or want to give, especially if I have an essay to do. So does anyone have any ideas?


P.S. Cut the crap with all the retarded comments, if you have a idea or suggestion, please comment if you are just going to TRY to insult me, please buzz off, your a idiot.

Answer 1

Long-term improvement of grammar, spelling, and speaking standard English requires something fairly simple: READING. The more reading you can accomplish, the better your vocabulary and your grammar becomes. Of course, you must choose selections that provide examples of standard English: newspapers, well-written novels, largely circulated magazines, etc. Sometimes watching certain types of TV can model proper grammar and syntax: the national news, "educational" programs such as the type that are shown on Discovery, or even the DIY channel.

Another long-term investment in your grammatical future is to limit your exposure to poorly-spoken, poorly-spelled English. No, don't give up the IM short-speak or the slang you use with friends, but don't make these types of communication so dominant.

Short-term improvement of grammar? As you said, you mostly do proofreading and editing after the fact. That is a good practice. Buy yourself a good desk reference such as Jane Straus's Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation. Bookmark some sites such as usingenglish.com. Use an exercise-based approach with English Grammar for Dummies Workbook. With practice and using good references, grammar will come easier for you.

It is time-consuming for those who find it a struggle. My father, with a 150+ IQ, struggles to spell and write properly. It's not about intelligence, it's about the time you are willing to invest in learning a valuable skill. If I can help in ANY way, let me know. I have been a teacher for 15 years, and I happen to love grammar, spelling, syntax, reading, vocabulary, and all that boring crap!! Good for you for even asking how to improve!!

Answer 2

READ, READ, READ!!!!! Just be sure it's written well. Try the New York Times, The Washington Post, or The Boston Globe. Or, read the classics in literature; F. Scott Fitzgerald, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Somerset Maugham, or John Steinbeck. Pay attention to usage: know the difference between then/than, who/whom, to/two/too, there/their/they're, and appropriate pronouns and possessives.
It also helps tons to learn another language, too.