The ability to check and revise your own English writing is the key to improving your composition skills through self-study.
Basic Rules
Checklist (always check after finishing your writing):
① Grammar:
- Subject–verb agreement (He goes, They go)
- Sequence of tenses (She said that she was tired.)
- Use of the articles a/an/the
- Singular and plural forms (a book vs books vs the books)
- Prepositions (on Monday, in 2026, at 7 o'clock)
② Vocabulary:
- Repeated words (if important appears three times, replace it with crucial / essential)
- Unnatural collocations (× big rain → ○ heavy rain)
- Spelling mistakes
③ Logic:
- Is the topic sentence of each paragraph clear?
- Is the logic shown by discourse markers?
- Is the conclusion consistent with the introduction?
④ Style:
- Avoid a series of very short sentences (vary your sentence patterns)
- Divide excessively long sentences (30 words or more)
- Avoid repeating I think
Revision procedure:
1. First review: Correct only grammar mistakes (tense, subject–verb agreement, articles).
2. Second review: Correct repeated vocabulary and unnatural expressions.
3. Third review: Check the logical flow (connecting words and paragraph structure).
4. Fourth review: Read aloud and check for naturalness.
Original: I think school is important. I think students should study. I think they will get a good job.
Revised: Education is essential for young people. Students who study hard tend to get good jobs. Therefore, schools should be valued.
(→ Remove repeated I think, vary the vocabulary, and clarify the logic.)
Points to Note
① Make a list of your weaknesses: Record mistakes you often make, such as “I forget articles” or “I make mistakes with the sequence of tenses.” Pay special attention to those areas next time.
② Do not rely too much on spell-checkers: Be careful with incorrect usage that spell-checkers cannot detect, such as from / form, there / their, and its / it's.
③ Practice paraphrasing: Practice writing the same meaning in different ways. “It is important” → “It is crucial / It is vital / It plays a key role.”
④ Imitate writing by native speakers: Read textbooks and high-quality English writing, and collect useful expressions. Apply them to your own compositions.
⑤ Do not stop at “mostly correct”: A passing score generally requires few grammar mistakes and clear meaning, but a high score requires varied expressions and clear logic.
- Checklist: Grammar → Vocabulary → Logic → Style
- Four-stage revision (Grammar → Vocabulary → Logic → Reading aloud)
- Avoid repeating the same words and use paraphrases
- Vary repeated uses of I think
- Make a list of your weaknesses
Practice
- Identify and correct the grammar mistake in the following sentence: She have a lot of book.
- Improve the repeated expressions in the following sentences: This is important. It is important for students. Important things should be learned.
- Write three English expressions meaning “In my opinion...” without using “I think.”