5 tips to improve your writing

Summary

In this video, Emma shares five essential tips for improving academic writing, particularly for TOEFL and IELTS exams. She emphasizes avoiding contractions, eliminating weak phrases like 'there is/there are', and refraining from using words such as 'really', 'very', and 'a lot'. She also advises using the active voice over the passive voice and suggests opting for strong verbs rather than weak ones. These strategies help make writing clearer, more formal, and precise, ensuring better performance in academic and business contexts.

Takeaways

• 😀 Avoid using contractions in academic writing. Always write the full form (e.g., 'do not' instead of 'don't').
• 😀 Eliminate phrases like 'there is' or 'there are' to make your sentences more concise and direct.
• 😀 Refrain from using weak intensifiers such as 'really,' 'very,' 'a lot,' and 'so.' Opt for stronger, more precise vocabulary.
• 😀 Prefer active voice over passive voice for stronger, clearer sentences, especially in humanities and social sciences.
• 😀 Use strong verbs to replace weak verb-noun combinations (e.g., 'assisted' instead of 'gave assistance').
• 😀 In academic writing, formality is key—avoid informal expressions and contractions.
• 😀 When writing about countable nouns, use 'many' instead of 'a lot of,' and for uncountable nouns, use 'much.'
• 😀 Using strong verbs like 'assisted,' 'objected,' and 'investigated' makes writing more direct and effective.
• 😀 Academic writing should be precise and to the point—avoid adding unnecessary words like 'there are' or vague terms like 'really.'
• 😀 The passive voice is acceptable in scientific writing but should be avoided in humanities or social science writing when possible.

Q & A

Why should contractions be avoided in academic writing?

Contractions should be avoided in academic writing because they are informal. Academic writing requires a more formal tone, and using full forms (e.g., 'do not' instead of 'don't') helps maintain this formality.

What is the problem with using 'there is' or 'there are' in academic writing?

'There is' and 'there are' often introduce unnecessary words that weaken the sentence. Academic writing values clarity and conciseness, so it’s better to eliminate these phrases and restructure sentences to be more direct.

Can you give an example of a better sentence after eliminating 'there are'?

Sure! Instead of saying 'There are many issues that students face at university', a stronger academic sentence would be 'Students face many issues at university.'

What types of words should be avoided in academic writing, and why?

Words like 'really', 'very', 'a lot', and 'so' should be avoided because they weaken the impact of your writing. It's better to choose more specific and precise words to convey your ideas clearly and effectively.

How can the sentence 'Many students think university is very hard' be improved?

Instead of using 'very hard', the sentence can be made stronger by saying 'Many students think university is difficult.' This eliminates the weak word 'very' and uses a more formal and precise term.

Why should you avoid using the passive voice in most academic writing?

In most academic writing, the passive voice can make sentences feel weak or indirect. Active voice is preferred because it places the subject (the doer of the action) at the forefront, making sentences clearer and more assertive.

Can you explain the difference between active and passive voice with an example?

Yes. In passive voice, the sentence 'Health care reforms were implemented by Obama' places focus on the action, while in active voice, 'Obama implemented health care reforms' makes the subject (Obama) the focus of the sentence, making it stronger and clearer.

Is there any situation where passive voice is acceptable in academic writing?

Yes, passive voice is sometimes acceptable in scientific or technical writing where the focus is on the action or result, rather than the doer. However, it should still be used sparingly.

What is meant by 'strong verbs' in academic writing?

Strong verbs are verbs that convey action directly and clearly, without the need for additional nouns. For example, instead of saying 'He gave assistance to my friend', use the stronger verb 'assisted': 'He assisted my friend.' This makes the sentence more concise and powerful.

How can the sentence 'She conducted an investigation' be made stronger?

The sentence can be strengthened by using a more direct verb. Instead of 'She conducted an investigation', it could be written as 'She investigated', which is more concise and powerful.