What is good English? It is wrong to think that one can write well in English by memorising a few rules of grammar. There is never a greater delusion. The secret of good writing does not lie in grammar but in habit of clear thinking and expression.
Mathew Arnold has put it very beautifully, “Have something to say, and say it as clearly as possible.” Thus the very first thing for writing good English is to be definite and clear in your mind about what you are going to say.
Secondly, in order to improve your English composition, you must keep on writing, for it is the practice alone that makes it perfect. The habit of keeping a diary is very helpful in building up one’s vocabulary and power of expression.
Thirdly, most of the people labour under the misunderstanding that the only English worth writing is the English overloaded with difficult words and phrases.
One should specially guard against difficult and out of way expressions. H W Fowler and F G Fowler in their valuable book “The King’s English have given practical rules. Prefer the familiar words to far fetched, concrete words to the abstract, single word to the circumlocution.
Fourthly, for every composition, observation and imagination are necessary. Your observation counts very much. Unless you have careful observation and imagination you can’t describe well and your description will be flat and uninteresting.
Most importantly, a good deal of useful reading must be done. To write impressively a teeming mind is needed and reading is one of the best ways to make the mind full. Ruskin says, You may read all books in British museum and remain utterly illiterate, but if you read ten pages of a good book with accuracy, you are forevermore an educated person.
TASAWAR ABBAS
Mandi Baha-ud-Din
In pakistan everybody do not know english very well. Although there is nothing tough to learn but still we lack in it. Impressive writing can only possible if you know english well.
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