In English, there is one well-known saying that holds incredible power.

One simple sentence that gives a sense of potential and opens up endless possibilities for all:

“The pen is mightier than the sword.”

This saying means that writing and words are powerful things, even stronger than a sharp sword.

Writing is an important part of your English language journey.

By learning more and more advanced skills, your writing can provide you with amazing English language experiences.

Even though in today’s digital age you are more often replacing your mighty pen with a keyboard, the need to know advanced English writing is as important as ever.

So, if you are feeling confident with your current skills and are ready to learn something new, take the leap from intermediate to advanced English Grammar learning! Get ready to discover new and exciting ways you can improve your superior writing knowledge.

Why Improving Your Writing Helps You Master More Advanced English

Let’s face it, writing is everywhere. Whether it is on the side of our cereal boxes or written across a bus, writing surrounds us. And depending on where you live, that writing might be in English.

Improving your skills in English writing will help you in nearly every situation you find yourself in.

Whether the circumstances are ordinary (like reading a set of instructions), extraordinary (like writing a letter to the Queen), informal (texting your best friend) or formal (reviewing your work contract), knowing some advanced English grammar will give you a higher level of understanding.

And since writing is so multi-sensory (includes different senses), improving your English writing will also improve your knowledge of the English language. By physically writing things down, you are also training your eyes to see grammar patterns and spelling and your ears to listen for these concepts. You can even speak your sentences out loud to practice speech. Using all these senses when writing allows for many deeper learning opportunities.

Therefore, writing can help extend your English knowledge and communication skills to improve your career, relationships and everyday life!

4 Advanced English Grammar Skills for More Impressive Writing

1. Master Compound and Complex Sentences

Understanding how sentences are put together will help you gain confidence in using more interesting and complex language. Like building blocks, English sentences contain smaller parts that are necessary to create a complete whole.

We get there by taking things step-by-step.

We begin with a simple sentence. It contains a subject and an action, makes sense and is relatively short:

I am replying to your email. 

Compound sentences are the next level up. These are two simple sentences put together, joined by a conjunction. A conjunction acts as a connecting word: because, and, but, so, if and or. 

Two ideas or messages are joined together to make one longer and more detailed compound sentence:

I am replying to your email and I will write up the report today.

Now we enter the more advanced range of English sentences. The next level sees us adding dependant clauses onto our sentences. When we add a dependent clause to our sentence, we create a complex sentence.

A complex sentence contains a dependent clause and an independent clause.

An independent clause is a sentence that makes sense on its own and contains a complete idea. In other words, if you read the independent clause alone, it makes perfect sense. In our example above, we connected two independent clauses into a complex sentence by joining them with a conjunction.

A dependent clause is a group of words or a phrase that need more information sentence to be understood. These usually use words like while, because, due to, even though and other similar words. A dependent clause might have a verb and a subject but it needs an independent clause to actually make sense.

Its job is to add information to the sentence. By using dependent clauses, you can add meaning and context to your writing.

When I add a dependent clause to our sentence, it transforms into a phrase that adds meaning:

I am replying to your email and I will write up the report today while I eat my lunch.

You did it! This sentence is now a complex sentence.

Dependent clauses can appear at the end, beginning or even in the middle of sentences:

I am replying to your email and, while I eat my lunch today, I will write up the report.

When inserted at the beginning or middle of a sentence, use commas to separate the dependent clause from the independent part of the sentence.

Always read your writing to ensure the addition of your dependent clause makes sense! If it does not, move it to a position in the sentence where it does.

Important note! Although we used a compound sentence for this example, a complex sentence does not need to be one. It just needs a dependent and independent clause working together.

Here are a few more examples of complex sentences. The dependent clause has been highlighted in bold lettering.

My toddler was singing while walking to school this morning.

Though the weather was cold, she wore her new summer dress outside. 

When he was young, he was very adventurous and went on many camping trips.

You try it! Can you make your own complex sentence?

2. Learn to Use Infinitives and Gerunds

Both infinitives and gerunds explain the action occurring in a sentence.

They differ in their verb form yet both are very helpful. Applying both of these advanced grammar techniques in your writing will help you master the art of writing.

An infinitive is a group of words that act as a verb. It follows a simple formula: It is created by using the word “to” + the base form of the verb.

To study, to work, to email, to meet, to eat and to become are all examples of infinitives.

A gerund is a verb used in its present tense, ending in -ing. It is special because it can sometimes be used as a noun. It names the activity that is being completed or the action being taken.

Studying, working, emailing, meeting, eating and becoming are all examples of gerunds.

Here are some common phrases, each expressed with infinitives and gerunds:

Infinitive: I like to email first thing in the morning.
Gerund: I like emailing first thing in the morning. 

Infinitive: I am to meet her after lunch.
Gerund: I am meeting her after lunch.

Infinitive: He needs some time to study.
Gerund: He needs some studying time.

Many times, you can use either form of the word without much change to the meaning.

However, sometimes using the infinitive or the gerund can result in different meanings. For example:

Infinitive: He’ll never forget to spend his money.
Gerund: He’ll never forget spending his money.

Infinitive: She is to talk to her boss.
Gerund: She is talking to the boss.

The difference here is the infinitives and gerunds express the action happening at two different times. The infinitive describes an action that has not yet happened but will in the future, while the gerund describes an action that has already happened or is currently happening.

A less obvious difference between the two can be seen in this example:

Infinitive: I’m afraid to fly (to New York tomorrow).
Gerund: I’m afraid of flying (in an airplane).

Often, gerunds are used to say something in a general way (in this case, the fear of flying). Infinitives, though, are more direct and specific (in this case, the fear of a specific flight that is coming up).

Through use and practice, you will get a good understanding of the subtle differences between the two!

As we said before, learning how to write correctly is about more than just typing the right keys. Involve all your senses by watching (and listening to) authentic videos in English with annotated subtitles, helpful interactive flashcards and more. Make the leap to advanced today!