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Brazil flagAndréLuiz da Silva
A simple method to practice writing when I have no idea what to write about. Everyone agrees that we need to keep a routine, practice on a daily basis even if you listen only for a few minutes or write a simple sentence. So, what we can do when we have no idea what write about? For the past few weeks, I've been using this method to practice writing in English. It has been working so well that I'd like to share with my friends here on iTalki. 1) Pick up a talk on ted.com about a topic that you are interested in. In the beginning I suggest you choose a talk of short duration; 2) Copy the talk's link and paste it on the ted2srt.org. Select both your native and your target language. It's important to select your native language first; 3) Download the file and open it up in Word, OpenOffice or Google Docs; 4) Select the first paragraph in your target language and change the font color to gray or something else that unable you to see clearly what is written; 5) In the middle of the paragraph written in your native language and the paragraph in gray, you'll try to write a new paragraph in your target language. In the end, these three paragraphs will look like this: ------------------------------- (Portuguese) Oi. Meu nome é Cameron Russell, e nos últimos tempos tenho sido modelo. Na verdade, por 10 anos. E sinto que há uma tensão desconfortável na sala exatamente agora porque eu não deveria estar usando este vestido. (Risos) (My English Version) Hi. My name is Cameron Russell and the last little while I’ve been a model. Actually, for ten years. I feel that is a unconfortable tension in this room right now because I shouldn’t have been using this dress. (English - in gray) Hi. My name is Cameron Russell, and for the last little while, I've been a model. Actually, for 10 years. And I feel like there's an uncomfortable tension in the room right now because I should not have worn this dress. (Laughter) ------------------- Now compare what you've wrote written and take notes of new words, grammatical errors, new expressions and so on. This is one example that I did recently: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1b9WQecW-uwWNPY-Aho07X81iyR-r4fbH2spq1Q0wu5M/edit?usp=sharing

Corrections · 2

1

A simple method to practice writing when I have no idea what to write about.

Everyone agrees that we need to keep a routine, practice on a daily basis even if you only listen only for a few minutes or write a simple sentence. So, what can we can do when we have no idea what to write about? For the past few weeks, I've been using this method to practice writing in English. It has been working so well that I'd like to share it with my friends here on iTalki.

1) Pick up a talk on ted.com about a topic that you are interested in. In the beginning I suggest you choose a talk of short duration;

2) Copy the talk's link and paste it on the ted2srt.org website. Select both your native and your target language. It's important to select your native language first;

3) Download the file and open it up in Word, OpenOffice or Google Docs;

4) Select the first paragraph in your target language and
change the font color to gray or something else that unable makes it difficult for
you to see clearly what is written;

5) In the middle, between of the paragraph written in your native language and the paragraph in gray, you'll try to write a
new paragraph in your target language. In the end, these
three paragraphs will look like this:

-------------------------------
(Portuguese) Oi. Meu nome é Cameron Russell, e nos últimos tempos tenho sido modelo. Na verdade, por 10 anos. E sinto que há uma tensão desconfortável na sala exatamente agora porque eu não deveria estar usando este vestido. (Risos)

(My English Version) Hi. My name is Cameron Russell and the last little while I’ve been a model. Actually, for ten years. I feel that is a unconfortable tension in this room right now because I shouldn’t have been using this dress.

(English - in gray) Hi. My name is Cameron Russell, and for the last little while, I've been a model. Actually, for 10 years. And I feel like there's an uncomfortable tension in the room right now because I should not have worn this dress. (Laughter)
-------------------

Now compare what you've wrote written and take notes of new words, grammatical errors, new expressions and so on.

This is one example that I did recently:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1b9WQecW-uwWNPY-Aho07X81iyR-r4fbH2spq1Q0wu5M/edit?usp=sharing


Thanks for the suggestion. I'll give it a go.

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