Remember in English, there is always an exception to every rule. When a sentence starts with a he said/she said phrase and ends in quoted material, you should place a comma before the quote. Example He said, “The proposal will be completed by Friday.” However, if the introductory phrase forms a complete sentence, then place a colon […]
Arun’s question: “I have noticed that sometimes the word ‘peoples’ is used instead of ‘people.’ What is the difference? I always thought that ‘people’ is plural.” BizWritingTip response: As long as I am answering this question, we might as well start with the word “person.” A person is an individual human being. It comes from […]
Hope is a lovely word. We should all have it. However, the only time I would use it in a business document is when I am referring to a social or personal situation. Example I hope the weather is good for your vacation.?I hope you and your family are fine. In a business setting, hope implies the writer […]
1. Parentheses ( ) are used to insert explanatory information within a sentence or paragraph. Use them when you want to provide additional information that really isn’t essential to the reader. Examples This was the best year we’ve had in a long time (in terms of sales).?Note: The period is outside the parentheses because in terms […]
Muhammed’s question: “I have read that The Associated Press has officially killed off ‘e-mail’ in favour of ‘email’ in their official style guide. What are your thoughts?” BizWritingTip response: My first thought is that whatever I write will irritate someone. E-mail is the original spelling of the word. Normally, all English words that use a […]
BizWritingTip reader: “Please do a piece that explains when to use ‘between’ and ‘among.’ Increasingly, ‘between’ is used when ‘among’ should be used. I was taught that ‘between’ references two people and ‘among’ references three or more. In fact, even Sesame Street taught this.” BizWritingTip response: Yes, Jean, you and Sesame Street are correct – […]
A 2007 study conducted in 32 countries shows that people are walking 10 per cent faster than they did a decade ago. If we enter our offices after travelling in the fast lane, how does it impact the rest of our day? And how does it affect our reading styles? I believe we are turning […]
Due to is a phrase that many people misuse. We could tell you to use due to in front of adjective phrases. But let’s keep it simple. Use due to if you could also use caused by. Example The rising gas prices were caused by low inventories. The rising gas prices were due to low […]
There are numerous English words that have the same meaning but are spelled/spelt differently. For example, in Britain and in many other English speaking countries people write “centre” and “organize.” But in the U.S., writers use “center” and “organise.” Why? The reason is interesting. In the early 1900s, the American industrialist/philanthropist Andrew Carnegie believed English […]
“Amount” and “number” are words that are often misused. “Amount” is used for money amounts and for things that cannot be physically counted. Example The amount of work has increased this year. “Number” refers to things that can be counted. Example I spent the day reducing the number of emails in my inbox. Exercise 1. […]