The resources here are used to support my training course on improving professional writing in English for international organisations. If you have done this course, you will find here most of the materials referred to in the workshops as well as the course exercises with solutions. However, the resources will hopefully be useful for anyone wishing to improve their written communication in English.
New resources will be added so please check back regularly!
The resources are listed on the left of this page. Most of the downloads are in Word format, some in PDF.
Essential Reference Materials on Writing
Highly recommended:
* Europe
an Union Style Guide. Widely used in EU agencies in Brussels and across the EU, this style guide gives advice on all aspects of written English, including guidelines for official correspondence, punctuation and spelling conventions in (British) English, points on grammar such as subject/verb agreement, and the use of abbreviations, numbers and foreign words. This document is produced and maintained by translators and revisers working at the EU Commission in Brussels. * Cambridge Dictionary Online. This excellent online dictionary is my
personal favourite. It is efficient and constantly updated. It also allows you to search Phrasal Verbs, Idioms and words in French/English. Also very useful, and widely used within the United Nations, is the Oxford English Dictionary which has some free online services through Ask Oxford.
* Purdue University Online Writing Lab Workplace Writing Resources. This site run from Purd
ue University in the US is the biggest and best 'OWL' (Online Writing Lab) on the Web. The Workplace Writing resources include advice on improving writing at all levels and in different types of texts,Quick links on the OWL:
- Paragraphs and Paragraphing
- Sentence Transitions
- Sentence Variety
- Punctuation Overview
- Proofreading
The Purdue Owl also includes some very useful resources on memo and report writing, and writing job search documents such as CVs and cover letters.
* Un
ited Nations Editorial Manual Online. A guide to drafting and editing documents within the United Nations. Includes links to a large number of online glossaries and databases.My Other Sites....
You might find useful resources on writing at my other blogs:
* Effective Written Communication. This training course blog focuses on shorter forms of professional writing such as memos, emails, letters and proposals.
* Report Writing. This training course blog focuses on report writing for different purposes.
* The English Blog. Updated every week with articles and tips on improving English at an advanced level, this blog has links to many online resources on grammar and language. See under 'Resources' for examples.
If you are looking for material on writing CVs and cover letters, you might find my CV Writing Site useful.
If you are looking for support on presenting in English, including tips on designing Powerpoint slides, see my Presentation Skills blog.
