When used incorrectly, apostrophes are a huge annoyance for readers such as Lynn Crocker of Comcast Spotlight. “What drives me nuts is people using apostrophes for plural things,” she says. “I’ve even seen people make signs that say, ‘We make key’s!’” Make sure you aren’t using apostrophes recklessly. Some tips:
When should you use fewer or less? If you can count or list the items, such as “skills,” use fewer. If you’re describing something that’s a broad concept, such as “skill,” or if you’re referring to something that can’t be counted, use less.
The magic of a thesaurus is that it can take your business writing from drab to unforgettable. Which thesaurus to use? Nothing beats the print version of Roget’s International Thesaurus. But for ease of use, try these bookmarkable online editions:
Which is proper “me and him” or “him and I”? It’s a good question. Often when people speak, they don’t get these pronouns right. Then, when they try to write using pronouns, people get confused about the correct grammar. Here’s the rule:
Q. The Gregg Reference Manual says to use a comma to set off abbreviations that follow a person’s name, such as “Jane Doe, CPS.” I recently proofed a newsletter where some names did not have the comma. A: An argument could be made for doing it either way.
Is the punctuation in this sentence correct or incorrect? This is in response to your daughter, Felicia’s enrollment in the XYZ program. An admin recently sent in the question, saying she suspected the single comma was incorrect, but she didn’t know how to write the sentence correctly.
Can you spot the errors in these sentences? 1. Come quick or you’ll miss the bus. 2. Hank felt badly about missing the deadline. 3. Which would be best, a raise or an extra vacation? 4. Speak slower when you answer the phones.
Q. A question has come up in our office about the use of two spaces after a period between sentences. I was taught in my business and typing courses to use two spaces. Has the protocol changed? Is it now one space?
Take this quiz to double-check your business writing skills. Can you spot the grammar and writing errors in the following five sentences?
Fancy-schmancy business-speak does not make for strong business writing. With that rule in mind, an editor for HarvardBusiness.org suggests banning these words and phrases from your writing:
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