tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-270633642024-03-12T19:08:04.412-07:00The Language and Writing Resources SiteResources on writing and language for the UN ICTY Effective Written Communication course.Rob Oliverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03267993663812685993noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27063364.post-1147037538088871412006-05-07T14:26:00.000-07:002007-09-22T13:54:36.256-07:00Introduction<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4111/2921/1600/vermeer.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 167px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 193px" height="240" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4111/2921/320/vermeer.jpg" width="167" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Welcome to my archive of Language and Writing Resources.</strong> </span><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>This site lists resources for my training courses on writing under six sections - see the menu (right).</strong> </span></div><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><p><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Left: Vermeer's Lady Writing a Letter with Her Maid</span></span><strong><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5109661556155657746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 48px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 61px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="149" alt="" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_rdLlZ3IyJuc/RukqHPkgrhI/AAAAAAAAAeY/wmPyp33ocB8/s200/hand.0" width="124" border="0" /></strong></p>Rob Oliverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03267993663812685993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27063364.post-1146095996974886802006-04-26T16:50:00.000-07:002008-01-16T04:10:09.459-08:00Resources on Writing Specific Texts<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7354/2841/1600/egypt.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7354/2841/200/egypt.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong>Here I will post links to sites which offer resources on writing specific kinds of texts. For links on general writing and editing skills, see the post below 'Resources on Writing and Editing'. </strong><br /><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">Memos</span></strong></p><p>For a summary of tips on writing memos see the posts from my latest Effective Written Communication Blog <a href="http://ewc2007.blogspot.com">here</a>.<br /><br />For more on writing memos see this page at <a href="http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/pw/p_memo.html">Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab)</a>. </p><p>Also this page on workplace writing (memos, emails, reports) at the Hong Kong based <a href="http://elc.polyu.edu.hk/cill/topics/correspondence.htm">Centre for Independent Language Learning</a> </p><p><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">Summary Writing</span></p><p>For an interactive introduction to writing summaries see <a href="http://www.tv411.org/lessons/cfm/reading.cfm?str=reading&num=6&act=1">here</a>. </p><p>To improve your understanding of skimming, scanning and summarising a text take a look at <a href="http://www.monash.edu.au/lls/llonline/reading/effective-reading/index.xml">these pages</a> produced by Monash University in Australia. </p><p>Also some quite useful hints on summary <a href="http://www.ccsn.nevada.edu/english/sumguide.htm">here</a>.<br /><br /></p></a><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">CV/Resumes</span><br /><br />For my own site on CVs/Resumes, including FAQS and links to other sites, see <a href="http://cvwritingcourse.blogspot.com/">here</a>. </p><p><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">Job References</span></p><p>If you ever have to write a job reference or testimonial for someone you may find <a href="http://www.businessballs.com/referencesletterssamples.htm#request%20for%20references%20templates">this site</a> useful. Although not well designed, it gives some good tips and examples on what to include in a reference. Also (from a UK point of view) the site gives details of the legal side of employment references. </p><p><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">Letter Writing Conventions</span></p><p>For tips on writing business letters and useful phrases see <a href="http://www.speakspeak.com/html/d2h_resources_letter_writing_phrases.htm">here</a>. </p><p>For more guidance on letter writing conventions in English, French, German and Spanish, see <a href="http://www.askoxford.com/betterwriting/letterwriting/?view=uk">Ask Oxford</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">University Entry</span><br /><br />For my own site (with Helen Martin) on the Personal Statement for UK university entry see <a href="http://personalstatement.blogspot.com/">here</a>.<br /></p>Rob Oliverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03267993663812685993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27063364.post-1146094334835200622006-04-26T16:28:00.000-07:002006-10-23T03:05:02.606-07:00Resources on Punctuation and Paragraphs<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7354/2841/1600/untitled.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7354/2841/320/untitled.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">, : ; " ' ! ? ( )</span></strong><br /><br />Punctuation marks do a lot of work in writing. They give important messages to the reader about how a sentence should be read. They are one of the resources we use to regulate the energy of written language.<br /><br />Learning how to use commas, full stops, colons and semi-colons can make your writing clearer and more effective. Punctuation is not just the 'small stuff' of writing.<br /><br />Remember that punctuation varies from one language to another. This is especially true of commas (for example, commas in Dutch are used differently to commas in English). So when you read good writing in English keep an eye on how writers use punctuation.<br /><br />If you have questions about punctuation in English or you need to see some examples, try:The Blue Book at <a href="http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/cnt_punc.asp">http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/cnt_punc.asp</a>. This is the web site for Jane Straus' <span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation</span>. The site has a lot of free material - see the 'Punctuation Rules' if you have a specific question. Also try the quiz.<br /><br />This is a US-oriented book so will not please all lovers of British English. For a more British notion of 'correct punctuation' see <a href="http://www.correctpunctuation.co.uk/">http://www.correctpunctuation.co.uk/</a>.<br /><br />To find out the names of punctuation marks in English see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punctuation">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punctuation</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">Online Game</span><br /><br />To test your knowledge of apostrophes and other punctuation marks play this game <a href="http://eatsshootsandleaves.com/ESLquiz.html">http://eatsshootsandleaves.com/ESLquiz.html</a> which is based on a best-selling book by Lynne Truss.<br /><br /><strong>Note</strong>: 'period' is used in US English, 'full stop' in British English. 'Parenthesis' is widely used in US English, 'brackets' in British English. There are some US/UK cultural differences in the way punctuation is used, notably regarding commas. In US English, writers are more likely to use the 'final comma' in a list of items:<br /><br /><span style="color:#009900;">The writing course included workshop activities, exercises, writing tips, and links to web sites.</span><br /><br />In British English the final comma before 'and' is only used if there is a chance that the reader might confuse the last two items in the list. The comma would only be used for clarification.<br /><br />*************************************<br /><br />To get a better understanding of paragraphs, see <a href="http://www.ncistudent.net/StudySkills/WritingSkills/WritingParagraphs.htm">this Australian site</a>. Examples here of topic, supporting and concluding sentences, and how to plan paragraphs.Rob Oliverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03267993663812685993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27063364.post-1146093912267549282006-04-26T16:18:00.000-07:002008-01-16T04:08:01.513-08:00Resources on Grammar<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7354/2841/1600/untitledmary.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7354/2841/320/untitledmary.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></em><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>This post is copied and revised from my ICTY English course blog at </em></span><a href="http://ictyenglish.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>http://ictyenglish.blogspot.com/</em></span></a><em><span style="font-size:85%;">. At this site you will find links to online resources on grammar including interactive erercises).</span><br /><br /></em><strong>Writing is not all about grammar. It's also about understanding situations, relating to people, and knowing what you want to say. However, having a wide repertoire of grammatical techniques can help you to write in a more flexible and effective way.</strong><br /><br />As English becomes more of a diverse and international language it is less and less possible to point to an authority and say 'that is the correct way!' (or 'that is a mistake!'). But there are generally agreed conventions for British and American English grammar which it is helpful to know, especially when you write.<br /><br />For reference, I would recommend <span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">Advanced Grammar in Use</span> (Second edition 2005) by Martin Hewings (Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0521532914 with answers). This book covers grammatical points in an imaginative way, giving examples and practice exercises on facing pages. Also has useful summaries at the back. If you buy this book for self-study, make sure you get the one with the answer key! The third edition of this book also has a CD Rom. There is an Intermediate level <span style="color:#cc0000;">English Grammar in Use</span> by the same author.<br /><br />For more practice exercises, try <span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">Advanced Language Practice</span> (Second edition 2004) by Michael Vince (Macmillan Heinemann, <a href="http://www.macmillaneducation.com/">http://www.macmillaneducation.com/</a> , ISBN 0435241249 with answers).<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">Online Grammar Resources</span><br /><br />My top recommendation is the <span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">BBC Learning English</span> site at <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/index.shtml">http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/index.shtml</a>. This is an excellent resource for reading, grammar and vocabulary - updated every day. Always worth a visit.<br /><br />I would also recommend the OWL (Online Writing Lab) at Purdue University for guidance on grammar and writing: <a href="http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/index.html">http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/index.html</a>.<br /><br />For a quick at-a-glance summary of the main <span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">tenses in English</span>, see my Yahoo page <a href="http://www.geocities.com/robolivers/verbtenses.html">here</a>. <em>(Drag the cursor over the tenses for examples)</em><br /><br />For your questions on grammar try the <span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">Blue Book of Grammar</span> at <a href="http://www.grammarbook.com/grammar/cnt_gram.asp">http://www.grammarbook.com/grammar/cnt_gram.asp</a> or this FAQ site <a href="http://www.drgrammar.org/faqs/">http://www.drgrammar.org/faqs/</a> and <span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">Paul Brian's Common Errors</span> site at <a href="http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~brians/errors/errors.html">thttp://www.wsu.edu:8080/~brians/errors/errors.html</a>.<br /><br />For questions on usage you might try the vast <span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">Alt. English Usage</span> at <a href="http://alt-usage-english.org/index.shtml">http://alt-usage-english.org/index.shtml</a>. This is searchable and very good for settling disputes over usage, such as: 'Do we say different from, different to or different than?'<br /><br />You should be able to find answers to most of your questions on these sites. If you can't, email me and I will see if I can find an answer for you!<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">Practice Online</span><br /><br />For quick practice exercises and tests on most areas of grammar see <a href="http://www.world-english.org/">http://www.world-english.org/</a>.<br /><br />For some useful quizzes on English grammar, donated by teachers, see <a href="http://a4esl.org/">http://a4esl.org/</a> (uses mostly Java and Flash). Also see the bilingual quizzes here.<br /><br />I would also strongly recommend the pages on tenses at <span style="color:#cc0000;">Englishpage.com</span>. All the tenses are explained clearly and there are online practice exercises for each one. See <a href="http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbtenseintro.html">http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/verbtenseintro.html</a>.<br /><br />A teacher, David Tillyer, has produced a useful summary of a tricky area - gerunds and infinitives - at <a href="http://www.geocities.com/gwyni_99/gerinfless.html">http://www.geocities.com/gwyni_99/gerinfless.html</a>. He also offers a list of verbs and practice tests.<br /><br />For articles, see my own site at <a href="http://articlespace.blog-o-matic.com/">http://articlespace.blog-o-matic.com/</a>.Rob Oliverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03267993663812685993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27063364.post-1146093451404629452006-04-26T16:12:00.000-07:002006-05-07T14:05:13.016-07:00Resources on Writing and Editing<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7354/2841/1600/untitledsert.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7354/2841/200/untitledsert.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">Although your writing is not something you can change overnight, you can make a little bit of progress every day.</span></strong><br /><br />There are useful online resources which can help you to write more clearly and effectively and to develop sharper skills as an editor. Here are my six top recommendations:<br /><br />1. <span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">The European Union 'Fight the Fog' campaign</span> for clear writing at <a href="http://europa.eu.int/comm/translation/en/ftfog/index.htm">http://europa.eu.int/comm/translation/en/ftfog/index.htm</a>. This is a very engaging site with a 12-page 'How to Write Clearly' booklet and 'Teach Yourself Fog-fighting' exercises similar to those used on my course. There's also humour here, and advice on how to fight 'Eurobabble'. Highly recommended.<br /><br />2. <span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">The UK Plain English Campaign</span> at <a href="http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/">http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/</a>. This is an independent pressure group promoting the use of clear written English in government, law and business. Go to 'Free Guides' for PDF versions of their useful and practical writing booklets, including 'How to Write Plain English'.<br /><br />3. <span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">Sherry Roberts business writing seminar</span> at <a href="http://www.editorialservice.com/11ways.html">http://www.editorialservice.com/11ways.html</a> gives 11 tips for effective writing. Simple and effective.<br /><br />4. <span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University</span>, USA, has excellent pages on writing at <a href="http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/pw/index.html">http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/pw/index.html</a>. Advice on many topics including memos, reports and letters. Useful and easy to read. The home page links to resources on punctuation, grammar and spelling. This is probably the biggest and longest running OWL on the web. <strong>Update</strong>: the new Purdue writing site is at <a href="http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/">http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/</a>.<br /><br />5. <span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">The Editorial Eye</span> at <a href="http://eeicom.com/eye/eyeindex.html">http://eeicom.com/eye/eyeindex.html</a> is widely used by professional editors. It has a searchable database of articles on editing and language. It's not a list of practical tips, but you may find answers to your questions here.<br /><br />6. If you are a legal professional you may find <span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">Bryan Garner's Legal Writing in Plain English</span> at <a href="http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/garner/">http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/garner/</a> useful. This is the free online version of his book, but there are many tips and exercises here on how to edit your legal writing to make it more reader-friendly.<br /><br />Also on the language of law, you may like to read about the work of <span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">Clarity</span>, a worldwide group of lawyers whose aim is the use of good, clear language by the legal profession. <a href="http://www.adler.demon.co.uk/clarity/home/about.htm">http://www.adler.demon.co.uk/clarity/home/about.htm</a>Rob Oliverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03267993663812685993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27063364.post-1146093046127614902006-04-26T16:06:00.000-07:002006-05-07T14:06:05.583-07:00Resources: Dictionaries<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7354/2841/1600/CS30%20Big%20Words.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7354/2841/200/CS30%20Big%20Words.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">If you need to look up a word, why not use an online dictionary?</span></strong><br /><br />There are now several free online dictionaries on the web. Most of them offer additional resources on language such as 'a word a day' or bilingual dictionaries. Some online dictionaries can also help you to expand your vocabulary, not just check the meanings or spellings of words.<br /><br />I reviewed online dictionaries recently and tested them with a list of words including infighting, tsunami, blogosphere and hello. Here is my top 5 with brief comments.<br /><br />1. <span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">Cambridge Dictionaries Online</span> <a href="http://dictionary.cambridge.org/">http://dictionary.cambridge.org/</a>. Searches the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Also has options for English/French and French/English. Nice additional feature is the 'Top 20' most searched words, updated every month.<br /><br />2. <span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">Ask Oxford</span> <a href="http://www.askoxford.com/?view=uk">http://www.askoxford.com/?view=uk</a> Searches the Oxford Compact English Dictionary. Has UK or US viewing options. Lots of additional features including 'Commonly Misspelled Words'and 'New Words in English'. Note: The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary is the dictionary recommended by the United Nations.<br /><br />3. <span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">Word Reference</span> <a href="http://www.wordreference.com/">http://www.wordreference.com/</a> Has English dictionary, but also English to French, Spanish and Italian.<br /><br />4. <span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">Merriam Webster Online</span> <a href="http://www.m-w.com/">http://www.m-w.com/</a> The best dictionary for US English. Also has an online thesaurus and a kids' dictionary.<br /><br />5. <span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">Dictionary Reference</span> (meta search) <a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/">http://dictionary.reference.com/</a> Searches a number of online resources and displays multiple entries. Also has audio file prounciation for words.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">Roget's thesaurus</span> is searchable online at <a href="http://thesaurus.reference.com/">http://thesaurus.reference.com/</a>. This is a huge resource, with lots of tips and articles on words and how to get the most out of them. See the 'Alphabet of Most Looked-Up Words in 2005'.<br /><br />****************************************<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">Other online dictionaries you may find useful</span><br /><br />* <a href="http://acronymfinder.com/">http://acronymfinder.com/</a> Your first stop on the web for acronyms eg. UNCTAD, PDF, ICTY.<br /><br />* <a href="http://www.visualthesaurus.com/">http://www.visualthesaurus.com/</a> A new approach to word-finding. Search for a word and it produces a visual map of that word and related words. At the moment free only for a trial period. An amazing resource.<br /><br />* <a href="http://www.infovisual.info/">http://www.infovisual.info/</a> Another new concept. A visual dictionary in topic areas - plants, animals, the human body and transport.<br /><br />* <a href="http://dictionary.law.com/">http://dictionary.law.com/</a> A large dictionary of legal terms in English covering both US and British systems.<br /><br />* <a href="http://www.ircpolitics.org/glossary.html">http://www.ircpolitics.org/glossary.html</a> A glossary of political terms used in US and British English.<br /><br />* <a href="http://allserv.rug.ac.be/~rvdstich/eugloss/welcome.html">http://allserv.rug.ac.be/~rvdstich/eugloss/welcome.html</a> A multilingual dictionary of medical and health-related terms. Translations are available into nine European languages. The site is sponsored by the European Commission.<br /><br />* <a href="http://euabc.com/">http://euabc.com/</a> Another EU-sponsored site. A multi-lingual (ten languages!) dictionary of terms used in the European Union debate and EU documents, including the new Constitution.Rob Oliverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03267993663812685993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27063364.post-1146092742268405162006-04-26T16:00:00.000-07:002008-04-29T06:44:42.566-07:00Online Resources: Style Guides<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7354/2841/1600/untitledtree.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7354/2841/200/untitledtree.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">For questions about punctuation, vocabulary and language usage a style guide is probably your best resource.</span></strong><br /><br />Style guides can be helpful in answering questions like:<br /><span style="color:#009900;">* How do I use commas in English?</span><br /><span style="color:#009900;">* When can I use a semi-colon?</span><br /><span style="color:#009900;">* Do I need hyphens in the phrase 'ten-year-old car'?</span><br /><span style="color:#009900;">* When do I use affect and when do I use effect?</span><br /><br />These may sound like trivial questions, but when you are writing such small things do matter. And, of course, you may come up against the same (small) problem over and over again.<br /><br />Sometimes style guides give different advice (eg the use of commas in British and American English), but they often agree on the basic things. Some style guides are used in particular organisations (eg the BBC, NATO). Others apply to particular professions such as law or journalism or refer to academic writing only. The United Nations has its own Correspondence Manual.<br /><br />If you have a question about English style you may find help at these sites:<br /><br />* <span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">The Economist Style Guide</span> is one of the most respected style guides for British English. As the UN policy on language officially follows British English it might be worth getting a copy of this to keep in the office. It is now partly online at <a href="http://www.economist.com/research/StyleGuide/">http://www.economist.com/research/StyleGuide/</a>. Clear, reader-friendly and unfussy. This is highly recommended as a resource for writers at all levels.<br /><br />* <span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">The European Commission's English Style Guide</span> (updated October 2007). A superb resource for writers in an international organisation. Available as pdf file at <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/translation/writing/style_guides/english/style_guide_en.pdf"><span style="font-size:85%;">http://ec.europa.eu/translation/writing/style_guides/english/style_guide_en.pdf</span></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /></span><br />* <span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">The Chicago Manual of Style</span> is one of the most respected and widely used style guides for American English. The manual is not yet available in full online, but the site has searchable FAQs which may answer your questions at <a href="http://chicagomanualofstyle.org/cmosfaq.html">http://chicagomanualofstyle.org/cmosfaq.html</a><br /><br />* Several newspapers now have their style guides online.Try <span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">The Guardian's Stylebook</span> at <a href="http://guardian.co.uk/styleguide/0,5817,184913,00.html">http://guardian.co.uk/styleguide/0,5817,184913,00.html</a> and <span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">The Times Style Guide</span> at <a href="http://timesonline.co.uk/section/0,,2941.00.html">http://timesonline.co.uk/section/0,,2941.00.html</a>.<br /><br />* Some English language sites have sections on usage. A particularly good one is run by the <span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">Usingenglish.com</span> site at <a href="http://www.usingenglish.com/english-articles.html#englishusage">http://www.usingenglish.com/english-articles.html#englishusage</a>. See other post for links on grammar.<br /><br />* If you need to write on the web, you may find a web style guide useful. There are now hundreds of these available, often giving contradictory advice. One that I have found useful and easy to consult is <a href="http://webstyleguide.com/">http://webstyleguide.com/</a>.<br /><br />* A recommended and interesting book is <span style="color:#cc0000;">The Elements of International English Style</span> by Edmond Weiss. This includes lots of tips and examples of writing for a global audience. See <a href="http://iabcstore.com/sdwritingpubplanning/elements.htm">here</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">NEW in May 2007</span><br /><br />The <a href="http://69.94.137.26/editorialcontrol/index.htm">United Nations Editorial Manual</a> is now online! This resource is the first point of reference for drafting and editing United Nations documents. Based on writing practices which have evolved at New York HQ, the guidance and examples in this Manual are relevant to the whole UN system.Rob Oliverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03267993663812685993noreply@blogger.com0