It’d be very easy to think that ‘image’ is all that matters today. How you present yourself on social media. The bold claims you make on behalf of your organisation. So, image is clearly important, and something you should try and control. Even more important is the perceived ‘gap’ between your image and Read More
Tag: grammar
How important is spelling?
Well, perhaps you can you tell me… “Admiring the view has just taking on a whole new meaning.” This is the line taken today from the Nissan UK website, where they are extolling the virtues of their brand new X-Trail model. I already own an older version of this particular car, so was checking out Read More
Be logical
The order of the words really does mattter. Sounds obvious but it’s an easy one to get wrong. Take this photo and caption that appeared in The Guardian print version on February 25, 2012 (they did a better job online). The problem is the word “her”. Which woman is it referring to? Prior knowledge tells Read More
Why sentence length matters
Are your sentences flabby? Many writers try to cram far too much information into their sentences. The result: they are hard to understand so they don’t get read. Here’s an example: The estate was Woods’s most successful commission with the park and grounds hailed as ‘the most beautiful and picturesque’ in the country. He widened Read More
Make your writing more effective
Writing is not as easy it looks. It’s the little things that can trip you up. Take this ad that appeared recently in a UK Sunday paper: As an NICEIC electrician, you can trust me and my work. Oops. Classic mistake: the two clauses don’t work together. I’m not being a grammar pedant here. The Read More
Top tip of the week on grammar
#31 Use hyphens to glue words together to clarify your meaning. Take each word in turn and if it makes sense on its own with the noun then it does not need a hyphen. If it has to be glued to another to make sense, then use a hyphen See more top tips here. Read More
Is there a “me” in empathy?
Well there is, but of course it’s reversed… And that’s kind of the point. Too many writers that I meet are still obsessed with what they “want to say”, rather than what their audience may want to hear. They also overlook the fact that writers have to earn their readers’ attention before they can deliver the main Read More
Using fewer and less correctly
When should you use less and when you should you use fewer? It seems fewer people are sure of the answer these days. Or should that be less people? (Just kidding. Of course it should be fewer.) I get the idea that fewer people understand how to use them because I keep seeing them used Read More
Why proofing REALLY counts
Getting rid of simple mistakes in your writing is important. We’ve talked about it before. Spelling slip-ups and grammatical errors distract the reader from what you are saying. And they can be downright embarrassing. Take the example of the latest television ad from Premier Inn. It’s supposed to be funny; it’s one of a series Read More
What’s in a word?
Well, I think practically everything. I’m helping a client to recruit at the moment, and I’d almost forgotten what a depressing exercise it can be in so many ways. Politely acknowledging every single application, without giving away too much, or innocently exposing yourself to some speculative lawsuit because you have somehow omitted a specific aspect Read More