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Free Writing Check List


How to find and fix your writing mistakes
After you have written something, always check it carefully. You can improve
your writing very quickly by remembering to check it every time.

Always write at least two drafts. This means: Write something, then check it,
then write it again.

To check your writing, think about:

CONTENT
Is it interesting? Would you like to read what you have written? Why?
VOCABULARY
 Have you spelt all words correctly? Use your dictionary.
 Make sure you haven’t misused words. For example their, there and
they’re.
 Have you used a variety of synonyms? Avoid repeating the same words.
GRAMMAR
 Check that your use of plural and singular is correct.
 Have you used the correct grammar? Check your tense. Check your
past, present and future tenses carefully.
 Have you used complex sentences? Avoid a lot of short sentences
Have you used a variety of sentence structures? Avoid repeating the
same type of sentence.
PUNCTUATION
 Check your punctuation including full stops (.), commas (,), semi-colons
(;) and apostrophes (-).
STYLE
 Do not use casual phrases in academic writing.
Are your paragraphs clear? Have you used the correct structure for your
writing, such as letter, essay, and paragraph structure?
DOUBLE-CHECK
 Re-read your document at least twice to check for mistakes.

If you answer ‘no’ to any of these questions, think about how to improve your
writing and then write it again.

The best way to improve your writing is to let people read it!
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Share your writing on your free blog on the Ask John English Community site:
http://www.askjohnenglish.com/howtouseyourblog

I will read your work!

Your friend

John

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