Ten Tips to Help ESL Internet Writers

The internet is truly a world-wide web, and English is the most commonly-used language. Therefore, many internet users speak and write English as a second language. To them, the speed of the internet can be an additional challenge; readers emailing for service expect fast responses. There can be problems of defining and spelling words and idioms, or using proper grammar. To a non-native speaker, it can be a challenge to achieve deserved and necessary respect and trust when mistakes are made.Having some tools at hand can help a webmaster tremendously. Here are 10 Tips to help webmasters speaking and writing English as a second language.

1. Bookmark an online Dictionary/Thesaurus such as http://dictionary.reference.com/

2. Read English as often as you can. Practice, practice, practice.

3. Word Order: Here is the usual word order in any English sentence -subject-verb-object-place-time. Example: I placed a lamp on the table today.

4. Do not repeat the subject of a sentence. Example: "My cat has fleas." Not, "My cat she has fleas."

5. When to use "a", "an", and "the": This is an easy-to-remember rule. Use "a" and "an" if what you are talking about can be counted. Use "the", or nothing at all, if your subject can not be counted. Examples: I need flour to cook this recipe. I need a cup of flour to cook this recipe. Please give me the flour. Flour is an ingredient in the recipe.

6. Sentence structure: Run-on, choppy and fragmented sentences should be avoided. Examples: Run-on: I carry a lot of credit cards in my wallet I probably should not but I do anyways. Choppy: I carry a lot of credit cards. I carry them in my wallet. I probably should not. I do anyways. Fragmented: I carry a lot. Of credit cards. In my wallet. I should not. But I do anyways.

7. Correct use of helping verbs: Helping or auxiliary verbs are words such as will, do, can, have, might, and may. These words are always followed by simple (not conjugated) verbs. Examples: I will go to the mall later. Not: I will goes to the mall later, or, I will gone to the mall later. (when/time) I do know that I love you. (emphasis/affirmation)The date of the party may change if the weather is bad. (possibility).

8. Gerunds (verbs ending in -ing): A gerund is actually a noun. Use it in situations where you can substitute the word "it". Example: Reading helps us to write better. Substituting "It" for reading makes sense too. It helps us write better.

9. Infinitives (words with "to" used before them"): In the example above, "write" is a simple verb used as an infinitive. To understand whether you need to use a verb as a gerund or an infinitive in a sentence, ask yourself, do I want to write about "it" or about "to do it". The answer tells you which to use.

10. Practice: much of the English language is idiom and can only be learned with practice. Examples: a verb can have a totally different meaning when you use it with another word.

get/get up, get over, get real ;
hand/hand in, hand over, hand out ;
look/look up, look good, look under

Do not give up! Give yourself credit for trying hard, and look for someone willing to give a helping hand. Getting help writing can be the best thing you do to insure your success online.

Kathryn Beach helps ESL writers and others improve their writing and impress with their words. Find out more about experienced help writing online.