Grammar is like math. Some of us cringe when we hear the term. Others find the topic endlessly fascinating.
Regardless of which camp you fall into, good grammar builds a solid foundation for your business communication.
Grammar is the GPS to better business communication.
Below are resources, cheat sheets, and tips (oh my) to help you steer clear of grammar pitfalls.
Cringe-Worthy Grammar Pitfalls
I hesitate to create posts on grammar. Or typos. It’s the kiss of death – a guarantee some form of grammar guffaw or typo will magically appear. The good news (?) is someone will let me know.
The Good Old Days
I used to have the greatest command of grammar, sentence structure, et al. Thank my 9th grade English teacher, Sister Theodora. Loved her.
Sadly, as I age, those teachings are getting a bit foggy. There have been times I gasped aloud at the grammar guffaws my editing discovered. Cringe-worthy moments that produce images of Sister Theodora rolling over in her grave.
- I like to think it happens to the best of us.
- Please do not shatter my fantasy.
That is why I put some resources on speed dial. Or should I say speed tap? The following are a few of the sites I visit for a refresher or editing help.
Helpful Resources
Educational
The Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL)
- This was one of the first sites I discovered and is a favorite resource.
- OWL offers resources including help on writing, research and citation, and subject-specific writing (such as, technical, healthcare, and more).
- In 2004, the staff began a massive redesign and continue revising the site with a wealth of information and guidance.
- Unfortunately, Jane Straus, the creator of this site lost her battle against cancer.
- Jane’s legacy lives on at this site and in her book, The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation as well as her inspirational book, Enough Is Enough! Stop Enduring and Start Living Your Extraordinary Life.
- The site explains rules with real-world examples and fun quizzes.
Quick and Dirty Tips: Grammar Girl
- Mignon Fogarty turned her passion for grammar into one of the internet’s most popular site for grammar help.
- This site has changed a lot since I first found it. It’s become part of a bigger Quick and Dirty Tips site. I confess I do not use it as much.
- Fogarty’s tips can be found under the Education heading.
- There is also a Grammar Girl podcast. Podcasts are not my thing but with posts, books, and now the podcast, there is a format for everyone.
I like to use the above resources when I need a quick check on a specific issue. When I am in my studious mode, I also enjoy using the sites as a private refresher course.
Techie Tool Resources
If you prefer letting someone (or something) else monitoring your business writing, numerous tools exist. However, a note of caution – remember they are tools.
Sometimes rules need to be broken. In my humble opinion.
Your Simple Editing System…shared various tools for editing.
Cheat Sheets
Another tool I like to use is the grammar cheat sheet.
- You can find cheat sheets on the internet
- Or you can create your own for repeat offenders
The following are cheat sheets I created. Download, tweak, make them your own – or not.
Common Writing Errors – This cheat sheet lists some of the most common writing errors. It provides tips for remembering the correct usage.
Avoid These Grammar Guffaws – To supplement the Common Writing Errors, this quick tip sheet helps you avoid common grammar guffaws.
Beware of Grammar Homophones – I bet that title got your attention. This cheat sheet defines a homophone and provides examples.
Grammar Modifier Miscues – I will admit this grammar gremlin trips me up. Check out this cheat sheet for examples of dangling and misplaced modifiers.
Grammar Parallelism Pointers – What is this parallel universe of grammar goofs? The one-page cheat sheet offers you a sneak peek with examples of unclear sentence structure.
Tips for Grammar Usage
Is it any wonder we need editors? Talk about job security.
The following are a few closing tips for avoiding grammar pitfalls.
What grammar pitfalls have you fallen into? Share those and any grammar resources you love in Comments.
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Note: In 2015, SSB took a year-long alphabetic journey for better business communication. Each post contained an A-to-Z topic for creating better business communication. This ‘G’ post originally published on April 13, 2015, and this April 7, 2022, version updates it. The plan is to update each alphabetic post. Hopefully, it will not take a year to complete. 😊
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Helpful post, Cathy! I knew about most of the resources but never thought about making a cheat sheet for those common mistakes. Thanks for the tip!
Thanks, Dana. I’ve found customizing cheat sheets for my quirky mistakes helps. If nothing else, it gets them on my radar. 😉 Thanks for stopping by, Dana.
Thanks for all the great resources Cathy!
I recently discovered Grammarly, an online tool that proofreads and corrects contextual spelling, grammar, punctuation, sentence structure and more. Double click a word and it suggests synonyms. It’s easy to use and is always on when writing on the web. It also includes a Microsoft Office plugin. I highly recommend it.
Hi Marie. I visited Grammarly when it first came out but have not been back in some time. I will have to revisit the site. 🙂
That’s a great post, Cathy. Creating customized cheat sheets is a great idea. :). I had been using Grammarly to check the content. What’s your say on these grammar checking software?
Thanks for the resources as well.
Thanks, Sabita. Grammarly seems to be quite popular with my readers. As I said, I visited the site a long time ago. My feeling is you can gain from almost any tool as long as you do not rely on that single tool alone. Just look at some of the funny ways auto-correct changes what we type.
I appreciate the kind words, Sabita. 🙂
Excellent advice and resources Cathy. Recently I’ve come across several writers self-publishing on Amazon that could really use this post!
Thanks, John. I hate to cast stones because I know a giant typo or grammar gremlin will appear. 😉 However, I do agree that some authors seem less inclined to check their work.
Thanks for stopping by, John.
I’m a fan of grammarly too.
Thanks for sharing that, Anne. 🙂
Great list of resources, Cathy. I don’t use the Grammarly site, but the Chrome plugin is great for a quick spell-check for blog comments.
Thanks, Sharon. And thanks for the Chrome plugin tip. I’ve thought about adding it but like many things haven’t gotten around to it. 😉