Use big words. A healthy vocabulary is every writer’s best friend! Try to start using words like “ramifications” and “soliloquy”. Use a serious tone. Your writing doesn’t have to be stuffy - just serious. Try to avoid using silly or goofy words and expressions. Be neat. Keep your writing within the margins and avoid unsightly eraser marks. If you’re typing, use a dignified font and follow your teacher’s rules for indents and margins. Cite your sources. Whenever you use information that you didn’t already know in your writing, give your source the credit it’s due. Give your writing a good title. Snazzy titles are a big plus! Serious titles that accurately describe the contents of your writing are a good bet, as are clever, “snappy” ones (puns, references, and so on). To get the best grade on an English paper, you can follow the five and five rule. That means you should plan for five minutes before writing. A planned essay is infinitely better than an unplanned essay. You should review your work at the end. Look at your writing and ask yourself what works and what does not work.
