- Be confident in your opinion or the stance you have taken in your essay. Steer clear of the words “should” or “could.”
- NEVER use the word “you” unless writing a set of directions.
- Try using new vocabulary to spice up your writing. But remember, check with a dictionary first to make sure you are using it correctly.
- Always have a thesaurus handy when doing a writing piece to avoid word repetition.
- Never just “restate” your introductory paragraph to create a concluding paragraph.
- Avoid the overuse of prepositional phrases.
- Use a variety of transitional phrases and words to link ideas together. Remember, these can go at the beginning, the middle, or the end of a sentence!
- Writing instructors prefer that students write in “active voice.”
- When writing about a piece of literature, it is proper to speak about the plot and characters in present tense.
- To begin the editing/proofreading process, begin by reading your paper out loud to yourself. You’ll “hear” many more mistakes than you would by reading it silently.
- Have at least 2 people read your writing before turning it in. Have one of them be the Best Essay Tutor!
- Use your words to create a mental picture for the reader. This makes the most boring topic, readable and interesting.
- Vary your sentence structure, beginning, and length to avoid monotony.
- Interact with your reader without using the word “you.”
- Let your voice, your personality shine through. This shows that you care about the topic.
- Do plenty of sufficient research before beginning to write. This will eliminate writer’s block.
- Use strong verbs to make your writing come alive. The action is where all of the excitement lies!
- Use descriptive adverbs and adjectives to create a mental picture for the reader, but don’t go crazy. Too many will distract from your topic.
- Cut out unnecessary words. If the word is not strengthening your opinion or point, then get rid of it.
- Use humor when possible. Make sure that it is tasteful, kind and not overdone.