Writing is the way people turn language and feelings into marks on a page or a screen. Most of the time it works alongside speech, giving us a lasting record of words that would otherwise be said and forgotten. Strictly speaking, writing is not a language of its own; it is a tool, a kind of technology, for capturing language. It draws on the same building blocks as speaking – words, grammar and meaning – and adds a system of symbols, most often an alphabet, so that those words can be seen and read.

What a writer produces is called a text, and the person who takes it in is the reader. People write to publish their ideas, tell stories, stay in touch with one another and keep personal diaries. Through writing, societies have preserved their history, shared knowledge around the world through the media, and built their legal systems. It is also a powerful way to express yourself, which is why authors, poets and everyday learners alike turn to the written word.