You need not be embarrassed if the only English words you know are “Hello”, and, you know, that popular slang one comes across so often on social media. Learning English, if it doesn’t happen to be your first language, is admittedly a difficult task. If you are enrolled in an ESL training program, you have a brilliant opportunity to enhance your English writing and speaking skills.
There are a number of ways to improve your English skills. One very useful way, we won’t call it very easy though, is essay writing. Practicing essay writing can significantly help you with not only learning English in a better way, but also improve your analytical capabilities.
But Why Essay?
Writing essays on a broad variety of topics improves the vocabulary and grammar skills. It is a powerful means to learn how, and in what context, a particular word needs to be used. By practicing it multiple times, we learn how vast the English language vocabulary is.
Knowledge Internalization
When you attempt an essay again and again, you are learning things which you wouldn’t by simply listening to your teacher or simply reading an article. Your mind goes through extensive exercise since you have to master construction of complicated sentences, along with correct grammar and punctuation.
Don’t Just Learn It, Own It
Most often than not, essay writing requires you to research extensively on the topic. During your research, you come across a broad spectrum of views and opinions. Many people may not realize it, but it goes a long way in enhancing your analytical skills. It helps you with not just learning English to be able to converse or take a course, but to know the history and evolution of the language over the course of time.
Learn To Differentiate Between Evidence, Assumption and Opinion
There are many types of essays which you would learn over the course of your ESL training program. Writing essays based on diverse structures, formats and purposes helps you understand the correct usage of material to be used in the essay.
If the essay is supposed to be based squarely on facts, you would normally not include your opinions. Different essays have different requirements. Now how does this improve your English skills? Basically, it teaches you what kind of tone to be used in a particular essay, depending on the subject matter and other requirements.
Winding Up Your Views In A Defined Word Count
Many people find it difficult to express their thoughts on the particular subject matter within a specific word limit. Yeah, it’s a universal epidemic. So when you master essay writing skills, you haven’t only learnt the difference between the usage of “than” and “then”, but also to express your views on cat worship in ancient Egypt in a mere 500 words. You can write and talk about any number of topics, without making the other person yawn.
Now, go write one!
