Following on from yesterday’s post on why good grammar matters when it comes to business blogging, here are ten grammar mistakes commonly made online, and the rules you should learn in order to avoid making them.

1. Who’s/Whose

There is a simple rule to remember the difference between who’s and whose.

• Who’s = Who Is – Who is there? Who’s there?
• Whose = possessive - Whose umbrella is this? Who owns this umbrella?

2 .i.e./e.g.

The Latin abbreviations i.e. and e.g.  are used extensively but not everyone  is aware of the difference in their usage. I quite often see them used  interchangeably. Follow this rule and you will never be guilty of making this mistake again

• i.e. = “that is” – I like all kinds of music (i.e., I  like all music genres)
• e.g. = “for example” – I like all kinds of music (e.g., pop, rock, dance)

Further rules for using these abbreviations:

• always write them in lower case
• use them in parenthesis and don’t forget to include the full stop and commas as shown above

3.To/too

• to = I go to the office each day
• too = Mary goes to the office each day too

4.There/Their/They’re

• there = refers to a place – the house is over there
• their = possessive – their house is over there
• they’re = they are – they’re nice houses over there

5.It’s/Its

Probably one of the most common mistakes. Here is a simple rule for when to use it’s or its.

• it’s = it is – it’s a lovely tree
• its = possessive – its tree has beautiful green leaves

6.Your/You’re

It is common to mistake your/you’re but the rule is the same as above for it’s/its.

• Your = possessive – your car is nice
• You’re = you are – you’re a nice person

7.Who/Whom

The rule of thumb with this one is to switch who with s/he and whom with her/him. Here are some examples:

• Who likes the music? She likes the music
• With whom are you going to the concert? I am going with him.

This is just a small sample of the many grammatical errors that exist to trip us up. While I find the above examples easy to remember, I find it harder to distinguish when I should use “that” vs “which” in a sentence. If you wish to learn more, then I recommend you check out a good website, such as Daily Writing Tips.

What are some of the grammatical conundrums that you find most difficult? Where do you go to find the answer to your grammar questions?

The post 7 Common Grammar Mistakes And How To Avoid Them appeared first on Write On Track.

Do you think grammar and good spelling matter less in the blogosphere?

When teaching our clients how to blog for business, we always recommend they adopt a more personable, conversational tone when writing. A business blog is not the place to do a hard sell or use complicated jargon.  While the tone might be more casual in your blog, this is no reason to let your spelling or grammar standards slip.

Ten years ago when I first started teaching public relations skills, I recommended a certain grammar guide which sat on my desk at work and which I constantly referred to. While I have been writing professionally for many years, that style guide is one I still use. Grammar basics may come more naturally to me now, but I can still get caught out on some of the more complicated aspects of it, which is where the grammar guide comes in.

By your writing, you shall be known

Despite falling standards in grammar, many people will still judge you by your writing.  Grammatical and spelling errors on your blog, your Facebook updates, your emails, and your company website damages your credibility and authority as an expert in your field. However unfair this may seem – after all a grammar mistake or two doesn’t mean you are any less competent at your job – the reality is that when you need to make a good impression online, good grammar makes good business sense.

Tomorrow, we will take a look at some of the most common grammatical errors people make in their writing, and show you how to avoid them.

The post Why Good Grammar Matters In Business Blogging appeared first on Write On Track.

Grammar can be difficult to get right, I know, but there is less excuse for spelling errors, with access to online dictionaries and spell-check (not infallible either) to help you proof your copy before you hit the publish button.

In a recent BBC News report, Charles Duncombe,  an online entrepreneur, says that “spelling is costing the UK millions of pounds in lost revenue for internet businesses..and an analysis of website figures shows a single spelling mistake can cut online sales in half.”

Sales figures suggest misspellings put off consumers who could have concerns about a website’s credibility, he says. ”This is because when you sell or communicate on the internet, 99% of the time it is done by the written word.”

Spelling is important to the credibility of a website, he says. When there are underlying concerns about fraud and safety, then getting the basics right is essential.

William Dutton, director of the Oxford Internet Institute at Oxford University, says that in some informal parts of the internet, such as Facebook, there is greater tolerance towards spelling and grammar.

“However, there are other aspects, such as a home page or commercial offering that are not among friends and which raise concerns over trust and credibility,” said Professor Dutton.

The lesson to be learned from all of this? Make sure whoever writes your on and offline copy is proficient in good grammar and spelling, otherwise you run the real risk of falling sales and credibility.

The post Do you make this costly mistake on your website? appeared first on Write On Track.