improving your skills

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "improving your skills" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing personal or professional development, particularly in the context of learning or enhancing abilities. Example: "Taking online courses is a great way to focus on improving your skills in a specific area."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

27 human-written examples

Everything is about teamwork, learning and improving your skills - it's a matter of how well your team works together.

The Guardian

Carve out some time to focus on improving your skills with these 1- and 2-credit classes.

University of California, Berkeley

Perhaps there were good reasons you didn't get the job and you now have the impetus to work on improving your skills and gathering new experiences.

Harvard Business Review

"The Importance of Nonverbal Communication" – A quick read with fun statistics about the importance of nonverbal communication and additional concrete suggestions for improving your skills.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

We can talk all we want about improving your skills and that's a definite part of it, but driving - and I'm not talking Indianapolis or grand prix racing - but driving is not brain surgery.

The New York Times - Sports

If your employer does not offer such a plan but reimburses you for costs, the reimbursement is tax-free if the course is job-related, improving your skills, but not if it prepares you for a new career.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

33 human-written examples

Start learning (or improving) your skill.

WikiHow

A proper diet is key to improving your skill in the sport of rowing.

WikiHow

"You always try to improve your skills," Tuilagi says.

The Guardian - Sport

Do you think you could improve your skills?

Harvard University

We'll put your application on hold while you go away and improve your skills'".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing specific skills, be precise. Instead of broadly stating "improving your skills", specify the area, such as "improving your communication skills" or "improving your coding skills".

Common error

Avoid using "improving your skills" without context. Always provide specific examples or areas of skill development to make your statement meaningful and actionable.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "improving your skills" functions as a gerund phrase, acting as a noun. It often serves as the subject or object of a sentence, describing the action of enhancing one's abilities. Ludwig AI confirms this through various examples where the phrase is used to denote the process of skill enhancement.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Wiki

30%

News & Media

26%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Science

13%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "improving your skills" is a grammatically sound and very common expression used to highlight the process of enhancing one's abilities. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase's correctness and broad applicability across diverse contexts. Its neutral register makes it suitable for both formal and informal communication. While versatile, it's most effective when paired with specifics, clearly stating which skills are being enhanced. By understanding its function and purpose, you can confidently use "improving your skills" in your writing and communication. Remember to avoid overgeneralization and provide context for clarity. Also, alternatives like "honing your skills" or "developing your skills" can add nuance to your expression. This phrase's prevalence and the positive assessment from Ludwig underline its importance in discussions of personal and professional growth.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

honing your skills

Replaces "improving" with "honing", suggesting a process of refinement and precision.

developing your skills

Uses "developing" instead of "improving", focusing on growth and expansion of abilities.

enhancing your skills

Substitutes "improving" with "enhancing", emphasizing the augmentation and elevation of abilities.

sharpening your skills

Replaces "improving" with "sharpening", implying a focus on making skills more acute and effective.

refining your skills

Uses "refining" in place of "improving", suggesting the removal of imperfections to achieve a higher quality of skill.

advancing your skills

Substitutes "improving" with "advancing", highlighting progress and moving skills to a higher level.

perfecting your skills

Replaces "improving" with "perfecting", aiming for flawless execution of abilities.

augmenting your skills

Uses "augmenting" instead of "improving", indicating an increase in the quantity or intensity of skills.

boosting your skills

Substitutes "improving" with "boosting", suggesting a quick and effective enhancement of skills.

cultivating your skills

Replaces "improving" with "cultivating", implying a deliberate and ongoing effort to nurture and develop skills.

FAQs

How can I use "improving your skills" in a sentence?

You can use "improving your skills" to describe the process of enhancing one's abilities, such as "Taking online courses is a great way of improving your skills in a specific area" or "Continuous learning is essential for improving your skills and staying competitive in the job market".

What are some alternatives to saying "improving your skills"?

You can use alternatives like "developing your skills", "enhancing your skills", or "honing your skills" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "improve your skills" or "improving your skills"?

The choice depends on the grammatical structure of your sentence. "Improve your skills" is an imperative or infinitive form, while "improving your skills" is a gerund phrase often used as a noun or part of a continuous verb tense. For example, "You should improve your skills" vs. "Improving your skills is crucial for career advancement."

What's the difference between "improving your skills" and "learning new skills"?

"Improving your skills" focuses on enhancing existing abilities, while "learning new skills" involves acquiring abilities you didn't previously possess. For instance, "improving your skills" might involve refining your programming techniques, whereas "learning new skills" could mean learning a completely new programming language.