This morning, while visiting my sister-in-law in the hospital, my nephew who has taken TOEFL and GRE asked me how to improve writing ability. I told him to read both extensively and intensively.
Reading extensively helps acquiring vocabulary and good expressions. It also helps one to get a natural feel of the language. Reading intensively, one learns how to organzie ideas. I suggested that he make an outline for what he is reading and find out how the author uses explanation or/and examples to support an iimportant point.
A Chinese teacher at Chiehshow Junior High School, where I taught from 1979 to 1994, used to make students draft an outline before they started to write an essay. A good practice! Her students benefited a lot from it.
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