Five ways to improve your formal writing for work

Question

A reader from Malta recently asked, “How can I improve my formal writing as a bank manager?”

This reader, and many others, are looking for ways to improve the formal writing that they do at work: at a bank, or an office, or any other workplace where written communication in English is required.

Below is a list of ways you can improve your formal writing skills in English.

Answer

Five strategies you can use to improve your formal writing

1. Study documents written by other people at your workplace who have good English skills and who do work similar to yours. Notice how their writing is structured and use it as a model. For example, is there an introduction? Do they include headings? If yes, can you use the same ones?

2. Notice the vocabulary words they use and how these words are used. For example, what words do they use to talk about the people who might come to your workplace for service? Are they potential customers? prospective clients? buyers?

3. When you are not sure how to use a word correctly, look it up in a dictionary that includes example sentences, such as the Merriam-Webster Learner’s Dictionary. The example sentences you find there will help you use words correctly.

4. Get an editor. You can ask a native speaker to edit your writing, and/or you can buy software that checks grammar, punctuation, and spelling. There are many products available.

5. Take an online course in business writing.

I hope this helps.