Do you want to be a fluent writer? We’ll explain what fluency in writing entails and how to strengthen these skills.
When someone is described as fluent, it means they can easily and articulately express themselves. But what exactly does fluency in writing entail? What can be done to improve writing fluency? We’ll answer these questions below.
Fluency in writing means the audience easily understands the message being conveyed. To ensure a text is fluent, writers should use idiomatic language—words, phrases, or expressions that are natural to native speakers.
Fluency in writing, or more specifically sentence fluency, makes your text easy to read. It gives your writing a smooth, easy-to-follow flow.
Consider the following sentences:
The chief executive officer suggested that we buy sturdy, ankle-reaching, weather-resistant footwear for the company hiking trip.
The CEO suggested that we buy boots for the company hiking trip.
Which sentence is easier for you to follow? The first one is long and winding but states the same message as the second, shorter, more fluent sentence. What makes it fluent? The word choice. Native English speakers commonly refer to chief executive officer as CEO. Additionally, sturdy, ankle-reaching, weather-resistant footwear is also typically known as boots.
Word choice is one of the many aspects of fluency in writing. Writers also have to use proper grammar, avoid wordiness, and use punctuation that improves readability.
Like any other skill, fluency in writing can be improved with practice. Here are three steps you can take to become a more fluent writer:
Nothing improves your fluency quite like studying spelling and vocabulary. When a writer has good spelling skills, they use less energy figuring out how to spell a word, which makes it easier for them to focus on choosing the right word. Moreover, selecting the appropriate word becomes easier when you familiarize yourself with a wide range of vocabulary.
Free writing—writing nonstop for a certain amount of time without worrying about grammar, punctuation, or spelling—has many benefits, like helping combat writer’s block. Additionally, free writing is also an effective way of teaching writers to get exactly what’s on their minds onto paper (or screen). Knowing that there’s no need to worry (or spend energy on) about errors removes a barrier, which allows their thoughts to flow more freely.
To familiarize themselves with what sounds natural or not, writers must engage in casual spoken conversation. This helps writers learn about common idioms, phrases, and even collocations—particular words that are commonly used together with a frequency greater than chance (e.g., strong coffee).
To be an effective writer, you have to be a fluent writer. There’s no way around it. Fortunately, fluency in writing is something that can be practiced and perfected, whether you’re a native speaker or an English language learner.
In addition to using the three previously mentioned tips to improve your fluency, you can also employ LanguageTool as your writing assistant. This multilingual text editor can help you with everything from word choice to stylistic improvements.
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Gina holds a Bachelor of Arts in English. With a passion for creating art with words, she spends her free time reading and writing. And no, we didn’t force her to say that. You can find her strolling the shorelines with her loyal canine companion, Mango, or (painfully) cheering on her favorite team, the Miami Dolphins.
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