Blog about writing and grammar
Check your tone in emails
Tone matters in emails When we’re writing emails in a hurry, we often don’t think much about the tone, but if the email is important to you, it’s a good idea to examine it and see how you come across. It is easier to be careless with emails than with other media. For instance, with […]
Use the right tone in business writing
Writing elements that create tone In business writing, tone has a spectrum ranging from extremely casual (abbreviations, emoticons) to overly official. Most business writers use neither extreme – your emails are likely to be conversational, yet professional, and your reports will be formal without being overly bureaucratic. Most of us know intuitively when we’re using […]
Your hyphen questions answered
Are hyphens useful or can you leave them out? I often receive questions about hyphens and in this blog I cover some of the most common ones. I have written a general blog about hyphens previously. There is a quote attributed to the Oxford University Press style guide that is often used when talking about […]
Adding extra information in sentences
Does adding extra information in the middle of a sentence work? Why do we find it hard to resist adding extra information in the middle of a sentence? Does it add colour? Is it something we really want the reader to know? Sometimes adding extra information is effective. Take the following two examples. But if […]
Thirteen tweets on business writing
Business writing tips In January 2019, Harvard linguist Steven Pinker wrote 13 tweets on writing. I decided to do the same for business writing. Why write? What do you want to achieve and is writing the best way? Would a phone call or meeting be better? Think of your audience. Imagine writing as a conversation. […]
Numbers in business and technical writing
When to use words or numerals for numbers In business writing, a generally accepted rule is to spell out numbers from one to nine and use numerals for 10 and above. Some organisations change at 11 rather than 10. Numerals are usually used in scientific and technical writing, and increasingly I am seeing some organisations […]
Comma splices and run-on sentences
Avoid comma errors Comma splices and run-on sentences are common problems in business writing. So what are they? They are both comma errors. Comma splice A comma splice occurs when you use a comma to join two independent clauses (also known as main clauses). An independent clause expresses a complete thought and can stand alone. […]
How to improve your business writing
Seven tips to kick-start your writing ‘Simple English is no one’s mother tongue. It has to be worked for.’ Jacques Barzun, French-American historian From time to time, we need to stand back and re-assess our writing skills to make sure our writing is clear, concise and engaging. 1. Just write It’s a truism that the more […]
Words that can cause problems in business writing
Use while, which, however, this, it is, there is with caution Problems arise when writers overuse or misuse while, which, however, this, it is and there is. These words per se are not a problem – it’s just how they are used or overused. If you’re a person who overuses any of these words, I suggest you […]
Your grammar questions answered: hyphens, series, dog breeds
Age terms and hyphens Question: How do you use hyphens with ages, for example, two year old child? Answer: Compound adjectives (two or more words that both modify the following noun) are hyphenated in age terms. a two-year-old child two-year-old (compound adjective) child (noun) However, if the age term is not modifying a noun, you don’t need […]
Capitalisation guidelines for business writing
The modern trend is for more minimal capitalisation One of my pet hates is the overuse and inconsistent use of initial capitals. I think many people were taught that all important words deserved to be capitalised and old habits die hard. The modern trend is for more minimal capitalisation. There are some specific rules, but […]