What are some good books for improving my skills in written English?

In my country there are several books but any academic english book will be ok depending on your English learning objectives.

Reading good english novels definitely helps,however one should never hesitate in writting thus comitting mistakes and not feeling shy about being corrected.Reading following books will improve ones writting skills and it will depend upon what kind of books you like fiction,science horror etc.

1.Charlotte’s Web – E.B. White

2.Mieko and the Fifth Treasure – Eleanor Coerr

3.The Outsiders – S.E. Hinton

4.The House On Mango Street – Sandra Cisneros

5.Thirteen Reasons Why – Jay Asher

Thank you for many good answers and I appreciate a lot your help.

Hello again!

Three things:

First, honestly, I learned thru locally produced books in the Philippines. They follow American English set ups, and they are very meticulous with grammar. I recommend those books. 

Second, I carry with me a book entitled "Analyzing English Grammar" by Thomas P. Klammer and Muriel Schultz. I have the second edition. I have had these for more than 16 years now, the only one I carry with me wherever I go. It contains, morphology and some formulae (aside from the basic 12 tenses formulae) and some English word origins (etymology) to name a few. You would love to practice with the formulae if you intend to write properly and correctly, and to undo hypercorrections you might be doing which may actually ruin your learning process, cause you tend to get stuck with just looking for mistakes which would eventually stagnate you and wouldn't make you grow. 

Third, my mother, who was an English teacher trained me to write by making me Write simple sentences when I was in elementary... then making me read short novels like Hardy Boys mysteries and others and practice with the words there... in highschool.  Eventually, when she saw me getting excited learning, she allowed me to check highschools exam papers, from multiple choices to essays to see how I apply what I have learned.

Now, why would I include the third one? Well, this, actually, is the same process you are in now. Your teacher is the net. You read. You see how words are combined to make meaningful phrases, to clauses, to sentences. You get excited. You start practicing. You ask for clarification from others. And long as you do not abandon the process, you will grow and mature as an English Language user, not just in written English, but also in spoken English. You become a professional. you become a happy professional. you welcome the world of English.

I wrote too much. Hope you learned something there.

 

·        The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person's Guide to Writing in the 21st Century by Steven Pinker

·        On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction by William Zinsser

·        Macmillan’s Skillful Reading and Writing

·        Penguin’s The Elements of Style

·        Collins Improve Your Writing Skills by Graham King

·        Effective Academic Writing

For Grammar: English Grammar in Use

For Vocabulary: English Vocabulary in Use

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Also Follow These Links:

https://www.class-central.com/report/writing-free-online-courses/

https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/06/50-free-resources-that-will-improve-your-writing-skills/

http://www.shoutmeloud.com/best-websites-improve-english-writing.html

http://www.bloomsbury-international.com/images/ezone/ebook/writing-skills-pdf.pdf

https://americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/resource_files/developing_writing.pdf

 

 

 

MacMillan English School Books

 

These are essential for anyone who’s learning English as a second language (ESL). English is an extremely complicated language, and unless you’ve grown up speaking, reading, and writing it, there are subtle nuances that take a long time to pick up. These books cover a wide range of skill levels, and can help you polish up both your writing and conversational skills.

 

General/Intermediate English (high school/early college level)

 

eats-shoots-and-leaves-front

 

Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation, by Lynne Truss

 

This book is a brilliant reference for writers of all ages, but I tend to recommend it to high school and college students because it’s funny, clever, and explains punctuation in a memorable way. Remember that good punctuation is vital, as it’s the key to either knowing your shit, or knowing you’re shit.

 

big-book-of-words

 

The Big Book of Words You Should Know, by David Olsen, Michelle Bevilacqua, and Justin Cord Hayes

 

If you’d like to expand your vocabulary, this is the book for you. By learning words like “halcyon” and “sagagious” (which you may come across in books or wish to add into your own writing) as well as “schlimazel” and “thaumaturgy” (ask your English teacher to define those on the spot!), your fluency with this magnificent language will explode in the most brilliant way imaginable.

 

mother-tongue

 

The Mother Tongue – English, and How It Got That Way, by Bill Bryson

 

Everything this author writes is pure genius, and The Mother Tongue is no exception. Bryson weaves a fascinating tale about the origins of the English language, and peppers it with solid insight about the utter weirdness that abounds in the language.

 

gardner_art_of_fiction1

 

The Art of Fiction: Notes on Craft for Young Writers, by John Gardner

 

A vital resource for anyone who intends to write fiction, this book will help you craft a refined sentence, develop characters that readers don’t want to disembowel, and avoid trite cliches. Gardner’s a tough teacher, but if you can put your own delicate ego aside, you can learn a lot from this book.

 

elements-of-style

 

The Elements of Style, by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White

 

This is probably one of the best go-to books for composition and style. If you only want a few reference books in your library that deal with English grammar and writing, let this be one of them.

 

Gregg Reference Manual

 

The Gregg Reference Manual, by William Sabin

 

Probably the most comprehensive guide for style, grammar, usage, and formatting, it’s as beneficial to students as it is for those in business. It really does contain everything you need to know about composing documents, essays, and letters, with tips on how to address various people (senators, bishops, military personnel), and much more.

 

 

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Advanced English (college grads, professional writers)

 

misplaced-modifier

 

The Curious Case of the Misplaced Modifier, by Bonnie Trenga

 

Even those who have a fair bit of writing experience can mess up when it comes to modifiers, and this fun little volume prods your brain-meat to remind you of proper word placement when constructing sentences.

 

Chicago Style

 

The Chicago Manual of Style

 

This book is probably the most invaluable reference for anyone who writes for a North American audience. Whether you’re addressing a letter to a foreign dignitary, citing a study when creating an academic paper, or proofreading another person’s work, this book will guide you through all the writing rules you could ever need.

 

As a side recommendation, I find the Oxford Style Manual to be of great help when working for clients in the UK, as there are certain differences in writing standards on either side of the pond, and having a strong grasp of both can only be of benefit to any writer.

 

There are many other resources that may be of benefit to writers of all skill levels, but the books on this list are some of the best and most well-rounded. They’ll provide a great foundation to one’s writing practice, and although doing so may seem counterintuitive, writers may be surprised at what can be gleaned by revisiting some of the basics, or delving into manuals that may seem more advanced than what they’re accustomed to.

I would recommend Writing Academic English by Alice Oshma and Ann Hogue.

Sorry I can not advise some books in this issue, but I believe improving any language skill needs practising the same skill. Practice is the only way I can say that will lead to improving language skills.

good books in writting is oxford books

there are many good books for improving your writing skills, but i suggest that you read a book more than a book teaches you how to write

.. read what ever u like make it enjoyable to u

don't block ur self by being perfect in it, it will come later naturally