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Clear communication starts here. Grammar: Why Does It Matter? . Your Words = Your Brand. A great story will be destroyed by poor writing. Studies have shown poor grammar makes readers question: Intelligence Trustworthiness Quality Potentially everything you write in the future.
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Clear communication starts here. Grammar: Why Does It Matter?
Your Words = Your Brand • A great story will be destroyed by poor writing. • Studies have shown poor grammar makes readers question: • Intelligence • Trustworthiness • Quality • Potentially everything you write in the future
So who notices? • Your readers • Employers, supporters • And 420,000 people (and growing) on Facebook who are fans of “I Judge You When You Use Poor Grammar”(Also now a popular book)
Watch for unintended double meanings. Are you mocking someone?
Proof. Proof again. • The tiniest proofing error can equal disaster. • Story: incumbents = incompetents
Result “The three incompetents seeking reelection were at Wednesday’s debate.”
Common Mistakes too, to, twoTo is used as a direction or in comparison.Too is used when describing excessiveness or meaning in addition.And two is, well, 2!
there, their, they’reThere is a place.Their is a pronoun.They’re means they are.
It’s vs. itsIt’s means it is.Its is the possessive form, showing ownership.
Who or whom? Use who when it can be replaced by or answered with he. Who asked for the ice cream? He asked for ice cream. Use whom when the word can be replaced by him. To whom should I give this ice cream? You should give the ice cream to him.
Then and than Than is used to contrast objects. Then is used in a time sequence.
It’s not “could of” or “would of.” It’s “could have” or “would have.”
lay or lie Lay is an action word. Please lay the book on the table. Lie is to recline on a horizontal plane. He lies on the beach all day. Lie also means to make something untrue. Thou shall not lie.
Passive voice vs. active voicePassive: The tuition bill was paid by his mom.Active: His mom paid the tuition bill.
Tricks, tools and where to look • AP Stylebook • Dictionary • Google News • Don’t be afraid to look things up!
Key Areas of the AP Stylebook • Datelines –There are about 20 U.S. cities that stand alone without their states.
State abbreviations –Postal codes are different. I mail something to Globe, AZ but news reports come from Globe, Ariz.
Numbers –Spell out 1-9 (one through nine) and use figures for 10 and greater.
Capitalization –Avoid unnecessary capitals. Ex: Job categories are not capitalized. She is a Nurse. He is a Teacher.
Titles (people and compositions) – How do you write about the president or a popular TV show?
There are six things wrong here: Two administrators and 3 teachers have resigned from Galena Park ISD after district officials found evidence of staff-led cheating on the high-stakes TAKS test. The resignations came Monday from Dianne Edwards, the principle of Normandy Crossing Elementary School; assistant principle Tonia Bush; and three unnamed teachers, according to district spokesman Craig Eichhorn. He said two other teachers initially suspected of being involved have been cleared of wrongdoing. Because of the suspected cheating, all fifth-grade students at Normandy Crossing will have to retake the math and reading sections of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills the last week of June, Eichhorn said. The district's investigation found evidence that staff changed fifth-graders' answers on the TAKS in April and also helped students correct wrong answers. The district plans to complete it’s investigation by Friday, Smith said, and has turned over it’s findings so far to the Texas Education Agency. The incident could affect the school's and the district's accountability ratings.
