Ask people about their favourite lessons back when they were in school, and they’ll tend to mention a preference for either Maths or English. I preferred English (funnily enough!), but those who professed more of an affinity for numbers always used to say the same thing about Maths; that “you know where you are with it. With numbers, you’re either right or wrong.”
Well, you can be “either right or wrong” with certain aspects of English too, namely when it comes to spelling and grammar!
If you’re writing a blog, or an e-book, or your first novel, please, please please make sure you use an editor, or at least ask a friend to read through it before you publish! The internet is a wonderful thing, but it has definitely increased the amount of error-laden writing available to read.
Of course, with so much error-laden writing about, you’ll stand out by making sure yours is perfect. After all, as much as people like to say it doesn’t matter if there’s a spelling mistake, people will notice all the same - and they’ll unconsciously judge the quality of your work by the quality of your writing. Not only that, errors will distract your readers from your all-important message.
As a bit of fun (not a patronising lecture, honestly!), to paraphrase Julie Andrews, here are a few of my favourite errors...
“I should of done that…”
It’s “should have”, sometimes abbreviated to “should’ve”, which is where the confusion comes from. But trust me, it’s “should have”.
“You look like your thinking about something interesting.”
It’s “you’re”, as in “you are”. Simple really; if you mean “you are”, use “you’re”. If you don't mean "you are", use "your".
“That phased me a bit.”
The word you’re looking for is “fazed”. This means disturb, bother or embarrass; a phase is a stage, or a step.
“You must have been on tenderhooks!”
This is a common one, but the word is “tenterhooks”, meaning you’re filled with anxious anticipation or stress. “Tenderhooks” isn’t a word…in fact my spellchecker is trying to correct it as I write!
If you know someone who could do with an extremely brief English lesson, please feel free to forward this post to them! In the meantime, if your words could do with a once-over, or you’d like new ones to be written especially for you, why not get in touch?
I'm a friendly and professional writer, reviewer and editor who works with warmth, humour and flexibility.
Creating a schedule can be a difficult task, especially when you're planning for work you're not being paid for - or that nobody is expecting! Here's how to get started on crafting a time plan that will work for you.
Read moreWith a new year on the horizon, why not make a resolution to tell your life story? Committing your personal tales to paper can be a rich and rewarding experience for you to write and others to read...for generations to come. Here's how to get started.
Read moreAre you often left with the feeling that you don't quite know enough about all the online tools you can use to promote your business? How about website analytics...shouldn't you be checking them every five minutes just like the experts say? Relax - here's how to take advantage of all the advice available online, by defining exactly what YOU want to know.
Read moreIs time getting the better of you? With a growing business, several passion projects on the go, books to read and friends I'd quite like to see, I was starting to feel overwhelmed...until I decided to take a closer look at planning my time more effectively. Here's how you can do the same.
Read moreBOO! Like a ripe pumpkin Hallowe'en has rolled around yet again, so what better time to extol the benefits of ghostwriting, definitely not just the province of bargain-bin bound celebrities.
Read moreAn encounter with a corporate headhunter made me question my career - why was I still doing something I didn't love? Here's how I formulated my corporate escape plan and found a career I truly enjoy.
Read moreGoing it alone, releasing yourself from the shackles of a traditional nine-to-five, is exhilarating. It's also incredibly scary! To celebrate my first quarter-year in business, here are some of the most important lessons I've learned from the front line.
Read moreRegular blog posts - especially if you run a business - can drastically increase your following, as well as helping you beat the competition by describing how you do things your way. Read on for a few more great reasons why you should join the blogging revolution!
Read more