When writing academically, it is crucial to have basic skills and knowledge in grammar, punctuation and paragraphing.

Grammar is important as it is required for a piece of writing to make sense. Through my studies of modern languages, I have learnt of the importance of learning grammar in order to understand the language. By ensuring we have a high level of grammar we are able to understand the logic behind what we are writing.

Punctuation can change the meaning of a sentence. A common example is- “Let’s eat Grandpa.” and “Let’s eat, Grandpa.” Good punctuation means that the piece of writing is easier for the reader to understand and get the point across. Sometimes, it can be easy to write a long sentence which would be better as a shorter sentence as this adds emphasis. When checking work, it is a good idea to read it aloud to see if it makes sense. If you feel that you need to take a breath mid-sentence, you may need to put a comma or full stop in.

Paragraphing allows ideas and topics to flow logically. They allow work to be clearly structured rather than a huge chunk of writing. It is a good idea to read pieces of writing aloud to see where a natural break point is to help you paragraph. By paragraphing, there is a clearer division between topics making the piece easier to read and understand as each idea can be taken one at a time.