Do you want to try some creative writing in English? Why not start with something short? How about writing a haiku?

In case you didn’t know, a haiku is a traditional Japanese poem. A haiku has three lines; the first line has five syllables, the second line has seven syllables, and the last line has five syllables. Unlike traditional Western poetry, a haiku doesn’t have to rhyme; you just have to make sure you have the right number of syllables!

Here’s an example of a really bad haiku:

Lovely Edinburgh (that’s five syllables if you pronounce it correctly!)

The capital of Scotland (seven syllables, right?)

A great place to learn!

Can you do better?

HINT: Try to include some seasonal references (how about ‘autumn’ or ‘Halloween’?), and something about nature.

If you’re feeling creative, post your haiku below or send it to marketing@elacademy.co.uk; ELA-Edinburgh will offer a 40% discount on English Courses* for the 20 best writers!

The winners will be announced on Monday 4th November 2019. Good luck!