Comments on: Are these 5 grammar mistakes costing you business?

By: Joanna

Joanna — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 09:22:04 +0000

Hi Tim, thanks for mentioning that one. I have to confess it’s not one I’m aware of… but I’ll probably start noticing it now you’ve mentioned it!

By: Tim Mantyla

Tim Mantyla — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 06:59:58 +0000

Another offender: using "everyday" in place of "every day." This one results from mere carelessness and is likely the result of over-reliance on spell checkers. I see this error in print nearly every day. It might be an everyday habit with writers who don't carefully check their work! Tim Mantylas last blog post..Blogging can spur free-wheeling creativity

By: Joanna Young

Joanna Young — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 07:26:19 +0000

Hi David, you’re right. We’re making judgements and assumptions all the time based on the written word, whether folk like it or not. The use of conventions even in blog posts or comment boxes will tell the reader ‘something’ about the writer, where they’re coming from and what’s important to them.

Thanks for stopping by

Joanna

By: David Bowman

David Bowman — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 03:21:06 +0000

In the world of text communication, the quality of writing will determine how the writer is judged. As we often tell our clients, a writer’s credibility depends, in part, on how well he or she uses writing conventions accurately and consistently. One of our central questions is “What does your writing say about you?” In the business world, being credible means having more customers (or more readers).

By: Joanna Young

Joanna Young — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 20:20:34 +0000

Hi Marek

Not directly. Actually I don’t normally write that much about grammar – as I said, it’s not something I get that hung up about, and I’m always scared of making a mistake when I do!

There was a post on copyblogger recently about punctuation, highlighting some of the differences between British and American punctuation rules. You might find that useful

http://www.copyblogger.com/punctuation-mistakes/#more-450

I’m not entirely sure where to go with British and American English myself. I write British English as I’m from the UK, but most of my readers are from the US. Should I change my spelling so that it’s easier for them to read, and for people to find me through search engines? (And so as not to bug people with my spelling?!) I’m not sure. It feels odd to use a spelling that isn’t my own.

Are you aiming to write American English for your audience? And got any feel for how much it matters to the people who are reading? Depending on the context it might not really be so important as the content of what you’re saying, and in your case you have those compelling pictures to communicate your point too

Hope this helps

Joanna

By: Marek

Marek — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 19:52:05 +0000

I think that I am not making these 5 grammar mistakes, but …

English is my second language and, even worse, American English is my second English. Therefore, I have problems to write consistently in American English without mixing American and British words or spelling or some grammar rules. I wonder if you have covered that issue in your blog before.

Marek