Good Grammar In 3 Steps

With interactive media websites being used daily, grammar, spelling, punctuation and writing skills have taken a back seat to quick responses filled with grammatical errors.  These errors are transferring into resumes, emails, memos, articles, and almost any writing piece you could imagine.

Everything you post or send is a writing sample of your work.  When your resume is reviewed, it is a direct reflection of who the reader thinks you are, as is almost anything you write for others to view.  You do not want to come off unintelligent or lazy by presenting poorly written writing samples, and no one wants to read a message that is barely legible.

Not only that, but simple messages are turning into long, wordy paragraphs that simply are not needed.  Not everyone has time to read lengthy emails or articles. Less is more, so ask yourself, “can I say this with fewer words?”

Some basic, no-brainer rules:

1. Spell out the word.  Never use “U” for “you,” or shorten words such as “admin” for “administrator” in professional writing.

2. Proofread your work.  Better yet, read it out loud.  Be sure to check your punctuation and grammar for errors, as they are commonly overlooked.

3. Know the context. Identify who the reader(s) are, how formal/informal to be, etc.

A great way to improve your own writing is to read other work.  Not necessarily Twitter or Facebook updates (although they may inspire you to create better posts yourself) but articles, books, and other published work.  Becoming a better, more competent reader will in turn make you a better writer.