5 Grammar ‘Gotchas’ To Avoid
As a former employer used to tell me, “Everyone's a writer, everyone's an editor.” But professional writers and editors know the common mistakes to seek and remove. Too often, business people dash off an email or sales letter, or create website content without rereading their copy to check that it follows standard grammatical rules. Even with today's more casual modes of communication, spelling and grammar errors can attract the wrong kind of attention from prospects, not that hoped-for sale or referral.
So, avoid these five grammar “gotchas” and your compelling sales message should receive the positive attention it deserves.
1. Apostrophes are not just for decoration.
I've seen copy liberally sprinkled with apostrophes where there shouldn't be any. One PowerPoint presentation added an apostrophe before the letter “s” on every slide, concluding with “Thank You's.” By contrast, I proofread a brochure that had absolutely no apostrophes, and it needed a few for the sentences to make sense.
Here's the rule: Apostrophes indicate possession or a missing letter. They don't indicate something is plural.
For example:
• “The conveyor's heavy load moved at high speeds.” There is only one conveyor and it carries a fast-moving load.
• “Today's specials are pumpkin soup and honey-glazed salmon.” The special items belong to the day — they are on the menu for today only.
• “It's not fair that she didn't get a raise.” Apostrophes serve as substitute letters here, instead of writing “it is” and “did not.”
2. Their, they’re and there are not interchangeable.
These are three different words with three different meanings. Spellcheck functions won't catch their misuse, so you have to be vigilant. Use “their” when something belongs to several people or entities, as in “Their profits rose exponentially.” A shortened version of “they are” would be, “they're coming late to the meeting.” “There” locates something, as in “Her office is over there.”
3. Capitalization Does Not Make Everything More Important.
Capitalization can be hard to resist, but unless a sentence includes a proper name, it should have only one capital letter, at the beginning.
4. Sentences need subjects and verbs.
In a standard business communication, every sentence needs to have a subject (a person, place or thing), and a verb (an action taken by that person, place or thing). Even in sentences with several phrases, check that you can identify who (subject) is doing what (verb).
5. Eliminate the passive voice at every opportunity.
The name itself sounds weak — the passive voice is when a subject receives an action, rather than taking action itself. Transform “These modular units can be selected …” into “Select these modular units…” and you can see how the active voice creates a more powerful sentence. If you see “is” or “was” before a verb (“the ball is dropped” or “she was given”), that's a clue that you are using the passive voice. Ask yourself, “What's the important action here?” and you will bring the active voice into your writing. Your readers will thank you for communicating clearly.
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Allison Chisolm founded the marketing communications firm Choice Words/Chisolm & Co. in 1996 to serve clients in business, health care and education. Contact her at Chisolm@ChoiceWordsOnline.com.
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