One of the best, yet criminally underused ways to improve your knowledge of any foreign language is to start writing essays in that language. If you take a moment and think about it, it makes perfect sense. Essays require perfect grammar and spelling, as well as use of words and sentences you wouldn’t normally come across in colloquial speech. This means you will have to expand your vocabulary, especially if you are writing an essay on a specific subject which requires you to master the necessary lingo. Most importantly, once you immerse yourself deeper, you will begin to think in that language, and that is your ultimate goal.
However, it takes time before you can reach such a level where you can write essays using a foreign language. In order to make that time interval as short as possible, you can rely on a multitude of different tools which will help polish your writing and lingual skills. We have done our research and chosen 7 best ones for you.
1. EssayMap
The tricky thing about essays is that they have to abide certain rules and have a particular structure, but you shouldn’t worry about that, if you decide to start using EssayMap. Basically, this interactive tool allows you to construct an outline for your essay in a graphic environment. It is especially novice-friendly, because it helps you develop your work with step-by-step instructions. If you don’t have a decent outline, you don’t have an essay,
because an outline allows you to build your essay around it, and retain a sharp focus on the subject, instead of meandering all over the place and missing the point. It’s so easy to use, you don’t even have to register. Just open its home page, and once you are done creating your essay map, save or email the final product.
2. The Easy Essay
If you think essay tools can only help you if you are already a pretty advanced speaker, think again, because The Easy Essay can help you craft an essay whether you’re a grade school student, or a PhD candidate. It covers all levels, because it enables its users to develop a logical way of thinking.
Moreover, thanks to a built-in translator, you can pretty much use it in any language. Its global appeal is not just limited to lingual aspect of essay writing, because it can be used to produce essays and papers in any line of work, ranging from medicine, law, arts and history, to business, marketing and technology.
3. EduGeeksClub
EduGeeksClub is one of the most complete online services if you are looking to develop your essay writing skills, and take your knowledge of a foreign language to a whole new level, because you will be working with some of the best professionals in the field. They can help you cover all aspects of essay writing, starting with the research process, and ending with writing itself, proofreading and publishing. They will teach you how to access academic journals, papers and publications, how to adjust your vocabulary for the task at hand, and help you correct some of the bad grammar and spelling habits you’ve picked up along the way.
4. Paraphrasing Tool
Another way to develop your language skills through essay writing is to use Paraphrasing tool. Not only will it enable you to make your work more original, but it will also introduce you to new words, phrases and sentences which you haven’t come across before, and which offer a different way of expressing your ideas and arguments. It is incredibly easy to use. All you have to do is paste a word, a paragraph, or an entire essay, and answer a simple math question asked by the app, and you will get a thoroughly rewritten content.
5. Vocaboly
Using Vocaboly is one of the most fun ways to expand your vocabulary. Offering more than 12,000 words, it also allows you to add your own, which means you can keep up with modern slang and new words that are created almost every day. It has plenty of features through which you can learn new words and definition, among which is the Word Ticket, which presents you with flash cards that contain a word along with a short definition. There is also a spelling quiz, and a multiple-choice test feature. Its user interface does feel a bit old-fashioned, but it’s simple and easy to use.
6. Thesaurus.com
When writing an essay, especially in another language, one tool which you simply can’t do without is Thesaurus. Offering a massive catalog of synonyms, Thesaurus.com will provide you with all the synonyms there are out there, but it will also suggest related and similar words, as well as history of every word, and how it came into existence. Along with Dictionary, Thesaurus is your ultimate destination for learning new words, and there is also plenty of useful features, like Word of the Day, Word Fact, and an endless number of useful blog articles.
7. PlagScan
Another tool you’re going to need when writing an essay is a plagiarism checker, and we recommend that you check out PlagScan. Out of all the plagiarism-detecting apps out there, PlagScan is one of the most accurate and one which offers a multitude of different features, such as user accounts which you can customize to your liking, accurate reports, and above all, quick and helpful customer service. Equally useful if you are native or a second language student.
Despite the fact that most people would shudder at the very mention of the word “essay”, essay writing has many advantages, including the possibility of entering contests, earning money, receiving scholarships and grants from prestigious academic institutions, and last, but not least, learning another language, with all its nuances. Start using these tools today, and see the change in your lingual skills happen for the better, every single day.
Micheal is a Content Manager at resume writing service Resumes Planet. He’s psyched about marketing, business, blogging and SMM. In his parallel life, he loves hiking and can’t wait to see the Himalayas one of these days.