I Need Some Help With My Grammar And Writing.

[gripnrip]

Ok fellas.  I really stink at this subject.  I'd like to get better at writing and sentence structure.  I had a ton of problems in school during English classes.  I took Comp 1 two times and never grasped the class.  I haven't been diagnosed, but I know I have ADD.  

 

Basically I look back at what I just typed and cringe when I read it back to myself.  Just like the above sentences.  It is the main reason I type short replies in the forums.  A little help on books or sites would be appreciated.  I'd just like to get better! 

 

Thanks

Darin

[Raider Nation Fisher]

Just get Long Mike to proof read everything g you write/type I'm sure he would be more than happy to help you out with this he might even do it for free just in order to keep the world a more grammatically correct place.

[flyfisher]

ADD has nothing to do with being a poor or excellent writer.  The only way you will become a better write is to write a lot and read a lot, and no, bass magazines and the like aren't going to be as beneficial as say real books

 

the next thing to consider is what are you looking to write.  Are you thinking of articles or just in general.  Many people have great thoughts but getting them down on paper and conveying the same feelings you had in your thoughts is not hte easiest thing to do and it takes practice, like anything else in this world lol

[Darren.]

Ok fellas.  I really stink at this subject.  I'd like to get better at writing and sentence structure.  I had a ton of problems in school during English classes.  I took Comp 1 two times and never grasped the class.  I haven't been diagnosed, but I know I have ADD.  

 

Basically I look back at what I just typed and cringe when I read it back to myself.  Just like the above sentences.  It is the main reason I type short replies in the forums.  A little help on books or sites would be appreciated.  I'd just like to get better! 

 

Thanks

Darin

 

Learning is a life-long process, I applaud your desire to improve yourself here. I work for a guy who was a journalist/literature teacher in college. He's been instrumental in helping me. And he's the master of brevity in sentences.

 

Grammar Girl is pretty good with this stuff, here's her take on the topic:

 

http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/how-to-write-clear-sentences

 

Hope this is helpful to some extent.

[Smokinal]

....

[gripnrip]

ADD has nothing to do with being a poor or excellent writer.  The only way you will become a better write is to write a lot and read a lot, and no, bass magazines and the like aren't going to be as beneficial as say real books

 

the next thing to consider is what are you looking to write.  Are you thinking of articles or just in general.  Many people have great thoughts but getting them down on paper and conveying the same feelings you had in your thoughts is not hte easiest thing to do and it takes practice, like anything else in this world lol

Nailed it flyfisher.  I don't necessarily want to write articles. Just better responses.  I love to read all kinds of books.  At the present time I'm reading Robert Jordan's "Eye of the World" series.  Some of the books have 1000 pages or more. It has more to do with what I highlighted in red.    What makes me sick is watching the wife.  She has superb writing skills.  I sound like Mongo! LOL

 

 

Learning is a life-long process, I applaud your desire to improve yourself here. I work for a guy who was a journalist/literature teacher in college. He's been instrumental in helping me. And he's the master of brevity in sentences.

 

Grammar Girl is pretty good with this stuff, here's her take on the topic:

 

http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/how-to-write-clear-sentences

 

Hope this is helpful to some extent.

Thanks man.  I'll check it out.

[Brian Needham]

microsoft word....... type everything in that, then cut and paste. use the thesaurus to jazz it up some if you would like.

 

do that for a few days.

 

for vobaulary, do crossword puzzles.

 

I fall prey to it as well, I ramble and type like I talk sometimes. But then again, this is a message board not a report to home office. I am fairly careful in reports to mind my P&Qs and cross my ts and dot the I.

[Fishwhittler]

Nailed it flyfisher.  I don't necessarily want to write articles. Just better responses.  I love to read all kinds of books.  At the present time I'm reading Robert Jordan's "Eye of the World" series.  Some of the books have 1000 pages or more. It has more to do with what I highlighted in red.    What makes me sick is watching the wife.  She has superb writing skills.  I sound like Mongo! LOL

 

 

Thanks man.  I'll check it out.

 

If you like the fantasy genre and haven't yet read "The Lord of the Rings", you should put the series very high on your list, along with "The Hobbit" and "The Silmarillion".  Tolkien was an english professor and wrote very well.

[K_Mac]

ADD has nothing to do with being a poor or excellent writer.  The only way you will become a better write is to write a lot and read a lot, and no, bass magazines and the like aren't going to be as beneficial as say real books

 

the next thing to consider is what are you looking to write.  Are you thinking of articles or just in general.  Many people have great thoughts but getting them down on paper and conveying the same feelings you had in your thoughts is not hte easiest thing to do and it takes practice, like anything else in this world lol

 

Flyfisher and i agree completely on learning to write. Back in the old days when I was in high school, I did not have much interest in academic pursuits. Fortunately I have always loved to read, and that is what helped me to get by until I came to understand that being able to write and speak well is a vital part of being successful in just about any walk of life. Having to refer to a dictionary occasionally ain't a bad thing.

 

An excellent book that I use regularly is The Longman Writer's Companion. It is a valuable resource that will answer many of your questions about correct usage and punctuation. Good luck.

[ClackerBuzz]

Ok fellas.  I really stink at this subject.  I'd like to get better at writing and sentence structure.  I had a ton of problems in school during English classes.  I took Comp 1 two times and never grasped the class.  I haven't been diagnosed, but I know I have ADD.  

 

Basically I look back at what I just typed and cringe when I read it back to myself.  Just like the above sentences.  It is the main reason I type short replies in the forums.  A little help on books or sites would be appreciated.  I'd just like to get better! 

 

Thanks

Darin

don't bi so hard on urself. dat is wrote better than the minority of the stuff eye read online bc most rite 3 sentences in one dat never seam to stop an are confusing wat is questions and no periods

[A-Jay]

Flyfisher and i agree completely on learning to write. Back in the old days when I was in high school, I did not have much interest in academic pursuits. Fortunately i have always loved to read, and that is what helped me to get by until I came to understand that being able to write and speak well is a vital part of being successful in just about any walk of life. Having to refer to a dictionary occasionally ain't a bad thing.

 

An excellent book that I use regularly is The Longman Writer's Companion. It is a valuable resource that will answer many of your questions about correct usage and punctuation. Good luck.

 

 I'll recommend Rules For Writers.  An excellent and complete reference of essentials: straightforward rules backed up by concise explanations, realistic examples, and short comments on examples. 

 

A-Jay

[flyfisher]

www.freerice.com

 

 

check it out and it will help boost your vocabulary.  It was actually a site that was recommended to help those taking hte Praxxis (teaching aptitude) test.

[gripnrip]

If you like the fantasy genre and haven't yet read "The Lord of the Rings", you should put the series very high on your list, along with "The Hobbit" and "The Silmarillion".  Tolkien was an english professor and wrote very well.

I've read them and have the movies!  I have some books in another series.  I can't quite remember the title or authors.  I just wasn't that into them.  A little more complex than Jordan's writings. "Jordan has come to dominate the world Tolkien began to reveal." - The New York Times  Eye of the World was the first book.  "Wheel of Time" is the series. Oops.

 

The other series was Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steve Erikson.  I think when I'm done with the Wheel of Time series I'll give it another shot.  The reviews are high.

Edited February 24, 2014 by gripnrip

[gripnrip]

Good stuff fellas.  I'll be studying up and hopefully I'll be improving! 

[Root beer]

microsoft word....... type everything in that, then cut and paste. use the thesaurus to jazz it up some if you would like.

 

do that for a few days.

 

for vobaulary, do crossword puzzles.

 

I fall prey to it as well, I ramble and type like I talk sometimes. But then again, this is a message board not a report to home office. I am fairly careful in reports to mind my P&Qs and cross my ts and dot the I.

 

Microsoft Word will not correct tenses and some punctuations.

[Brian Needham]

Microsoft Word will not correct tenses and some punctuations.

very true

[Marty]

Lots of good advice above. I'll throw out the idea of taking an appropriate night school course.

[Darren.]

If you like the fantasy genre and haven't yet read "The Lord of the Rings", you should put the series very high on your list, along with "The Hobbit" and "The Silmarillion".  Tolkien was an english professor and wrote very well.

 

And don't leave out "The Children of Hurin". Finished by Christopher Tolkein, and a good tale.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Children_of_H%C3%BArin

[Grizzn N Bassin]

keep practicing like fly fisher said. thihs forum  is perfect place to work out the kinks! 

[Glenn]

Here's an unorthodox way to learn grammar and writing:  find a couple of good books and magazines, and then re-type chapters and articles, word-by-word.  It will force you slow down and pay close attention to the words, styles, spellings, structure, formatting....everything.  Not mention it will help improve your typing skills!

 

To be sure, it's an unusual way to learn, but it works. 

 

That said, I recommend you do this as a component of your overall education.  It's a means to assimilate what you learn into real-world examples from professional writers and authors.

 

Hope that helps!

[Redlinerobert]

Read more books.  Whatever you find interesting, so you'll actually want to read it. 

[Fishwhittler]

And don't leave out "The Children of Hurin". Finished by Christopher Tolkein, and a good tale.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Children_of_H%C3%BArin

 

The short version of that story is in "The Silmarillion", though the full-length version definitely contains a great deal more.  Still, it's kind of a depressing story…gives me a Sad whenever I read it.   

[Root beer]

English is a very confusing language. So many different writing styles and people being taught different ways to write. For instance, I was never taught to capitalize job titles after a person name and yet I still see people doing it in e-mails. I noticed the Wall Street Journal does not do it, but I have seen others do it.

[Darren.]

The short version of that story is in "The Silmarillion", though the full-length version definitely contains a great deal more.  Still, it's kind of a depressing story…gives me a Sad whenever I read it.   

 

True. It is a sad tale...

 

The Silmarillion is also amazing.

[Brian Needham]

yall a bunch of readin' and spellin' folk.......