John’s question: “A colleague and I are having a dispute. Is there ever a time when you can use the word ‘effect’ as a verb?” BizWritingTip response: Normally, effect is a noun meaning “result” or “consequence.” Examples (correct) What effect (result) will the holiday schedule have on staffing? We need to assess the effects (consequences) […]
Ildar’s question: “I have been noticing emails from some of my colleagues and clients that start with ‘Hope all is good and you are doing well.’ Is this an appropriate start of a business inquiry?” BizWritingTip response: Thank you for bringing this up. I dislike this opening and so do many of the people who […]
Tuula’s question: “I work for an organization that often receives thank you cards and letters for our staff. Do we need to acknowledge them by sending a thank you back to the people who wrote them?” BizWritingTip response: A while ago, I asked people to send me their pet peeves with regard to emails. The […]
Lesley’s question: “Please volunteer your opinion on next or last. For example, if in 2014, I said I saw her last Christmas, I take this to mean I saw her at Christmas 2012, not Christmas 2013.” BizWritingTip response: When next or last are used to describe a time, things get complicated. They mean different things to different people – even dictionaries cannot agree. […]
Deane’s question: “In sports, news nouns, such as ‘summit’ and ‘medal,’ are often treated as if they were verbs. For example, someone will write: ‘I don’t expect them to medal in that tournament,’ or ‘he is expected to summit Mount Everest this afternoon.’ Is this correct in formal writing?” BizWritingTip response: What you are concerned about even has a name. […]
Tracey’s question: “Is it fingers crossed or finger’s crossed or fingers’ crossed?” BizWritingTip response: This idiom describes a hand gesture in which the middle finger of either hand is crossed over the top of the index finger of the same hand. When we cross our fingers, we are hoping or wishing that things will happen the […]
Pam’s question: “Please provide a simple explanation on when federal should be capitalized and when it shouldn’t. The question applies to other modifiers like state or national.” BizWritingTip response: Years ago, when in doubt you were told to capitalize a word. Now the guideline is when in doubt use lowercase. When it comes to words such […]
Emily’s question: “My pet peeve is people who put words such as however, in addition, or therefore at the beginning of their sentences. We are told to write concisely but this is not concise writing. I think these words should be deleted. BizWritingTip response: One of my concerns is that sometimes when people try to write concisely they come across […]
Louise’s question: “After a % sign should the verb be singular or plural? For example, is it 95% of the population live or lives less than 10 minutes away?” BizWritingTip response: First, using the % sign in a narrative sentence is considered informal wtiting, e.g., emails. And you would use it in charts and tables. Spelling out the word is […]
Marie’s question: “Is the following sentence correct? I appreciate your helping me. I have been told by a colleague that it should be ‘you’ not ‘your.’ I think I am right but I don’t know why.” BizWritingTip response: Yes, you are definitely right. This grammar rule involves gerunds, a term many people are unfamiliar with. A […]