This week I’m sharing my 7 deadly sins of grammar. These are some of the mistakes you might be unknowingly making in your writing that’s causing you to lose credibility – especially online.
The goal of this episode is to give you more confidence in your writing. It is, after all, one of your most valuable currencies for intelligence. Proper grammar makes for good business, helps you command respect, and creates clarity in your message.
The definition of grammar is the study of the way words are used to make sentences. This can be tricky because the grammar we use when we speak can be much different than the grammar we use when writing, but it’s always worth the effort.
By the end of this episode, you’re going to be clear on the basics, and feel confident that you won’t fall into these very common grammar mistakes.
» [4:38] Who that?
Find out once and for all when to use the word who and when to use the word that.
» [5:46] Dangling modifiers.
It’s best to keep them out of your writing. This mistake happens when a descriptive phrase doesn’t apply to the noun that immediately follows it. Huh? Don’t worry, I explain exactly what that means here.
» [6:41] Me vs. I.
Most people think they’ve got this one down until they need to use it in a sentence. It’s also extra confusing because it can sound right when it’s actually grammatically incorrect. Find out what my little trick is to get this one right.
» [7:49] i.e. vs e.g.
Confession: I pretty much always have to Google this rule before I use it. We might think they mean the same, but they actually don’t. I have a little hack for this one too.
» [8:53] Do you say “care less” or “couldn’t care less?”
When you break it down, one actually makes sense and one doesn’t. Find out if you’re using it correctly.
» [9:33] Using two prepositions back to back.
This one doesn’t come up a lot in grammar guides, but I see it a lot in writing. Using prepositions correctly actually makes your writing clearer and quicker, so it’s definitely worth taking the time to learn.
» [10:15] Quotation mark placement.
This is not one of those quick mistakes, like typing too instead of to, so it’s extra annoying. And yes, I’m judgy about it. Commas and periods always go inside the quotation marks, dashes and colons go outside the quotation marks.
Mentioned on the episode:
- Connect with me on Twitter HERE and tell me your grammar pet peeves using #grammarpeeves.
- Head to my website and jump on the mailing list HERE.
- Check out my online course Communicate with Power in Less than an Hour HERE.
About Molly
Public Relations expert Molly McPherson, APR, reveals the best practices help leaders become indestructible in today’s digital age and crisis-proof their organizations. A mix of discussing current news events along with interviews with newsmakers, communications professionals and business owners while providing insight from 20+ years of public relations and crisis communications expertise working for FEMA and heading communications for the cruise line industry to help take the fear out of communicating in the age of scrutiny. This podcast helps leaders communicate confidently–in writing, speaking, body language, social media — to be heard, seen and relevant.
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