How do you say reading ability and writing ability?

[feihong]

I know that 听力 is listening ability. I believe that reading ability is 阅读力, and that writing ability is 写作能力. My question is, are there shortened forms of these words? For example, can you say "读力" or "写力"?

[glancky]

I don't know any shorter equivalent of 阅读能力。

For 写作能力， the word is 文笔。

e.g.

这位作者有极好的文笔/这位作者文笔极好。

Soemtimes 文笔 refers to writing style rather than ability.

e.g.

这位作者有着优美的文笔。

这位作者文笔流畅。

excuse my English.

[Avatar]

‘reading ability‘ is 阅读能力. And you cannot say 读力 or 写力.

[feihong]

@glancky

Thanks very much for the useful examples!

@Avatar

Thanks for the tip!

[imron]

For 写作能力， the word is 文笔。

Is it appropriate though to use this in the context of a language learner? For example if they wanted to say 我想提高自己的写作能力, or 我的写作能力不如我的阅读能力好

[Gleaves]

I use 阅读，听力，说话，and 写作. As in 我的阅读比说话好. But now i am wondering, is that wrong and or imprecise?

[abcdefg]

I use 阅读，听力，说话，and 写作. As in 我的阅读比说话好.

I do that too. Chinese person says something I don't understand and then wants to clarify it by writing it out for me, the usual assumption being that my reading level will be better than my speaking level. I must say 我的阅读比说话底。Suppose I could say 。。。阅读水平。。。but the shorter form seems to work.

[glancky]

Is it appropriate though to use this in the context of a language learner? For example if they wanted to say 我想提高自己的写作能力, or 我的写作能力不如我的阅读能力好

I overlooked this. The word is used to describe the quality or style of a person's writing when he/she is already able to write correct and native level language. For example, "文笔" usually would not be associated with an elementary school child, but you can say a high school student has a good or bad 文笔.

"提高文笔" is OK if the context is right. "文笔不如阅读能力"， a bit off.

Nothing wrong with saying 他文笔很好，尽管他只学了两年中文.

I use 阅读，听力，说话，and 写作. As in 我的阅读比说话好. But now i am wondering, is that wrong and or imprecise?

This is correct. Though a more common word for speaking ability is 口语.