Jan’s question: “When referring to a 21 bed unit or a 2 year term contract, is it 21 bed or 21-bed? And is it a 2 year or two-year contract?” BizWritingTip response: Again, great questions — taking two different rules into account. First, when a number (e.g., 21) and a noun (e.g., beds) form one thought and […]
Grammar Tip – Most Is or Most Are
in -Latest, Feature Article, GrammarDeane’s question: “Is it okay to write ‘Most of the population speaks English.’ Or should it be ‘Most of the population speak English.’ BizWritingTip response: This question deals with subject and verb agreement and collective nouns. Words such as all, none, any, some, more and most are considered pronouns. The verb following may be singular […]
Word Choice – Possession With Words Ending in “S”
in Word ChoiceBizWritingTip reader: “I get mixed up regarding apostrophes with names ending with an ‘s’ or ‘iz’sound. Is it Ross’ book or is it Ross’s book? What about: I’m sending greetings from the Joneses and me?” BizWritingTip response: To make a word ending in s possessive, you must count the syllables. If the word is only one syllable, […]
Writing Style – Do you treat your readers like sheep?
in StyleIf not, you should. C.S. Lewis once said, “I sometimes think that writing is like driving sheep down a road, if there is any gate to the left or right, the readers will most certainly go into it.” This statement is particularly true in the world of business writing. As our readers are impatient, pressed […]
Grammar Tip – Commas — are they important?
in GrammarSome people don’t see the necessity of commas. However, a telecommunications company has recently had a $2 million lesson on why they are so important. It seems that, in 2002, a telecommunications company contracted an infrastructure company to string cable lines across the Maritimes for a fee of $9.60 a pole. The telecommunications company believed […]
Grammar Tip – Hyphens with Numbers and Nouns
in -Latest, Feature Article, GrammarJan’s question: “When referring to a 21 bed unit or a 2 year term contract, is it 21 bed or 21-bed? And is it a 2 year or two-year contract?” BizWritingTip response: Again, great questions — taking two different rules into account. First, when a number (e.g., 21) and a noun (e.g., beds) form one thought and […]
Word Choice – Up to date Versus Up-to-date
in Word ChoiceUp to date is an example of a phrase that can turn itself into a compound adjective – up-to-date. (A compound adjective is made up of two or more words that express one thought. In other words, it is not an up report, a to report, or a date report. It is an up-to-date report.) Example (adjective phrase – Correct) The forecast is not up to date. […]
Writing Style – Expressing Numbers
in StyleJust as some grammar rules have changed, so too are numbers in for an overhaul. Several BizWtitingTip readers have pointed out that many of the blue population signs on major highways are missing the commas that designate thousands. This is the international way of expressing numbers. When numbers run to five or more figures, spaces […]
Grammar Tip – Between you and …
in GrammarOne of my grammar books states that people who say “between you and I” commit an error of “unsurpassable grossness.”’ I think this statement is overkill. However, “between you and I” is an undeniable grammar error. “Between” is a preposition. The pronouns following must be in the objective form. Therefore, the correct answer — the […]
Writing Style – International Numbers
in -Latest, Feature Article, StyleJust wanted to point out a truly Canadian company – Tim Hortons. If you ever participate in their Roll-Up-the-Rim-to-Win contest, you will notice the numbers on their disposable coffee cups do not have commas to indicate thousands. This is the metric way of writing numbers and also the international style. Canada went metric in the […]
Word Choice – Its and It’s
in Word ChoiceA BizWritingTip reader wrote: “A topic that is confusing to me is the correct use of the apostrophe in the word it’s. I have seen it written as it’s, its’ and its. What is correct?” BizWritingTip Response: This is an easy question to answer. First of all — never use its’. It’s wrong, and it has always been wrong. Now, let’s […]