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Carlos
What is the best way to practice Writing Skills?
Hi all!
I am very into learning Czech and I think I know many words, but it's difficult for me to write or speak. I can read decently, but when it comes to writing, it's very bad, especially because I don't know what to write. Do you know any strategy t practice writing? If so, what do you write about? I was thinking of describing pictures, but I would also like to write some things without having to look at a photo.
I think my level in Czech is A2-B1, so if you know some good techniques for writing skills, I would be very grateful :)
May 5, 2020 11:43 AM
Comments · 4
When I practice basic writing skills, I try to write about simple topics like my family, my interests, my home, my city etc. I also try to write a weekly or bi-weekly diary about my daily life.
I also almost always write by-hand in my notebook, since I find that I remember it better this way.
May 5, 2020
Try to focus on using certain topics only - this will help you use the vocabulary you already know while practising what you want to practise - writing.
Let's say you want to write about nature, animals, travelling (anything you have extensive knowledge about) and then you use the vocabulary you already know. This will help you to not to be discouraged from writing. It doesn't make much sense to try to write about politics in czech when you don't know the vocabulary but if you use what you have and you will be patient with yourself it will pay off.
Please remember that just because your writing is not as good as Milan Kundera's doesn't mean you are not doing a great job.
Hope that helps.
June 4, 2020
In my opinion, it doesn't really matter what you write about, because it's mostly a mental exercise for your own benefit. It's not about entertaining others. It's about learning from mistakes and gathering information about the use of the language when your text is corrected by a native speaker.
It may be good to stick to somewhat objective or tangible topics, like describing your hometown, describing something you experienced recently, or describing a hobby or passion. If the topic gets too complicated from an intellectual point of view, writing about it in a foreign language on A2-B1 level will be too exhausting.
Also, don't make sentences too long and complicated. Get the structure of simple sentences right before moving on to longer ones. In this way, it is also easier for the one who corrects the text to point out errors and possible improvements.
June 7, 2020
I have a similar situation with Hungarian language. My passive skills and vocabulary are very nice, but I still have problems with writing. My recommendations:
1.If you have some topic, just write on it! Don’t afraid of your mistakes and try to write in plain language without too complicated grammar structures. However, if you have a topic, you haven't the problem itself... So I will write about other methods.
2.If you haven’t a topic, just write about language itself. For example, in Hungarian I wrote a text about the word «magyarázni» (to explain). I find this word very unusual because it derived from the word «magyar» (Hungarian). I made a lot of mistakes, but the text itself was quite interesting. I think any language have many interesting words, grammatical nuances and expressions.
3. If writing about languages doesn´t work for you, just write something even if it looks not very meaningful. I mean something like this:
«I am learning Czech and I would like to write something incredibly interesting. Unfortunately I haven’t any fascinating idea or unforgettable experience which can be described in my text. Therefore I am writing spontaneously now. I am trying just to write something, rather than to narrate an amazing story. However, I think it’s acceptable for my writing practice, if my text isn’t too prolix or meaningless…»
As you can see, this method works and surprisingly, you even can use many vocabulary words this way. Method №3 can be used only occasionally.If you write too many texts that way it will become boring for your correctors :)
[Upd. My examples in Hungarian are not that good and my idea can be understood without them.]
My comment is long, but I hope it really helps you.
May 5, 2020
