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www.skillpath.comBusiness Grammar—A Vital Refresher Course

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Business Grammar—A Vital Refresher Course

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TABle of ConTenTs

Introduction .........................................................................................................................................................................................................3

Understand How Business Writing Is Uniquely Different From Other Types of Writing .................................4

Grammar Mistakes You Never Want to Make ..............................................................................................................................4

A Concise Refresher on How to Correctly Use Verb Tenses, Subject-Verb Patterns, and Pronouns and Their Antecedents ...........................................................................................6

How to Free Your Writing From Unintentional Bias That Can Alienate Your Readers ....................................6

Avoid These Blunders When Using Apostrophes—They Scream “Rookie!” .............................................................7

To Capitalize or Not to Capitalize? These Tips Will Eliminate Any Question .........................................................7

A Checklist of Key Points to Review Before Any Document Leaves Your Desk .......................................................8

When It’s Okay to Break Grammar Rules .........................................................................................................................................8

Personal Action Plan—Business Grammar ....................................................................................................................................9

Bonus Material .................................................................................................................................................................................................10

symBol Key

Symbols used in this workbook:

Introduction: A brief overview of the session you are about to begin

Summary: A quick review of what you have learned in the current session

Personal Action Plan: An opportunity to apply your newly learned skills and knowledge to your specific work environment

3

Introduction

For many people, grammar is difficult. And, unfortunately, the English language does not help much since it is full of arcane rules, inconsistencies and downright “head scratchers.” This business grammar Webinar will help you review basics and make sense out of the seemingly incomprehensible.

Describe how business writing is uniquely different from other types of writing

List the grammar mistakes you never want to make

Explain how to correctly use verb tenses, subject-verb patterns, and pronouns and their antecedents

Identify blunders when using apostrophes

List the key points to review before any document leaves your desk

Explain when it’s okay to break grammar rules

4

Understand How Business Writing Is Uniquely Different From Other Types of Writing

It’s necessary for you to understand the differences between business writing and other forms of writing in order to be an effective business writer.

The five major functions of business writing are to:

1. Inform

2. Request

3. Record

4. Instruct

5. Persuade

Grammar Mistakes You Never Want to Make

Some of these mistakes are constantly being made, even by television newscasters and reporters who should know better.

Me/I

Incorrect: “Alice and me are going to the mall.”Incorrect: “The bike belongs to Isaac and I.”

“I” is a pronoun that must be the subject, never the object, of a verb. “Me” is a pronoun that must be the object, never the subject. (The same is true for he/him, she/her, we/us, etc.)

A simple test is to remove Alice from the sentence. You wouldn’t say “Me is going to the mall.” You’d say “I am going,” so “Alice and I are going to the mall” is correct.

You wouldn’t say “The bike belongs to I.” You’d say “The bike belongs to me,” so saying “The bike belongs to Isaac and me” is correct.

5

Commas

Use to separate two sentences joined by a conjunction — “Joanna enjoys playing golf, but she also has other interests.”

Use to separate introductory phrases and clauses from the main parts of sentences — “Besides being a good golfer, Joanna is an exceptional speller and has won many

spelling bees.”

Use to separate items in a series — “Joanna is a golfer, speller, writer and organizer.”

Use to separate phrases and clauses that aren’t a part of the main sentence — “Joanna, a great organizer, enjoys helping others become better organized.”

Use to separate adjectives in a series — “This is a clear, simple, easy-to-understand guide.”

Use to set off transitional words from the rest of the sentence — “Furthermore, she is always right.”

Use to set off the names of people addressed in a sentence — “Well, Joanna, you’ve reached your goal.”

Use to separate titles and degrees from the names they’re associated with — “We’ll now hear from Louie Hay, M.D.”

Use to separate items in dates, addresses and geographical locations — “Mary Anne published her first book on August 17, 1981.”

Who/whom? Who/whom Knows?

For many people, it is nearly impossible to decide whether who or whom is correct. Let’s take a look at ways to solve this problem.

“Who” and “whoever” are subjective pronouns; “whom” and “whomever” are in the objective case.

Who is that masked man? (“Who”/subject)

The men, four of whom are ill, were indicted for fraud. (“whom”/object)

When you are not sure:

Substitute “he/him” or “she/her.” If it’s either “he” or “she,” then it’s “who;” if it’s “him” or “her,” then it’s “whom.”

“Who made the prank call?” (Who—HE did.)

“Haley became engaged to the man whom she met in Chicago.” (Haley met HIM).

6

A Concise Refresher on How to Correctly Use Verb Tenses, Subject-Verb Patterns, and Pronouns and Their Antecedents

A verb must agree with its subject in number:

Incorrect: “Three teachers and the principal was late to the meeting.”Correct: “Three teachers and the principal were late to the meeting.”

A pronoun must agree with its antecedent (the word it stands for) in number and gender:

Incorrect: “The tour leader took their time.”Correct: “The tourists took their time.” (plural antecedent)

Verbs that are currently undergoing changes:

Base Verb Old Past Tense New Past TenseKneel Knelt KneeledShine Shone ShinedStrive Strove Strived

How to Free Your Writing From Unintentional Bias That Can Alienate Your Readers

It’s vital that you stamp out biased and sexist references to maintain your credibility and avoid offending others or making them angry.

Use parallel language

Address people the way they prefer

Use non-gender-specific terms

Use plural forms

7

Avoid These Blunders When Using Apostrophes—They Scream “Rookie!”

Incorrect Correct

cant can’t

boys bag (individual possessor) boy’s bag (individual possessor)

boy’s bags (multiple possessors) boys’ bags (multiple possessors)

peoples’ people’s

Father’s and Mother’s house (joint possession) Father and Mother’s house (joint possession)

To Capitalize or Not to Capitalize? These Tips Will Eliminate Any Question

Capitalization is pretty straightforward.

Capitalize the first letter of:

Sentences, listed items, quotations, salutations and complimentary closings

The first word, last word and all the main words in titles of books, plays, movies, articles, essays, poems and short stories

The first word, last word and all the main words of headings and subject lines

Names of races and nationalities

Names of geographical regions when they refer to a definite region or are part of a proper name

Names of people’s titles or positions when they precede the person’s name

8

A Checklist of Key Points to Review Before Any Document Leaves Your Desk

Giving a document a final check before it goes out will let you rest easy.

Ask yourself:

h Is it written with my reader in mind?

h Does the opening grab the reader’s attention?

h Is it organized?

h Is the tone appropriate for the message?

h Does it conform to my style guide?

h Did I punctuate correctly?

h Did I check for spelling errors?

h Is my opening powerful?

h Is my closing powerful?

h Did I eliminate clichés?

h Are key points highlighted?

h Do the transitions work?

h Is it free of bias?

When It’s Okay to Break Grammar Rules

While it’s important to know the rules of grammar, it’s also important to know when you can bend the grammar rules. The following rules are ones that can be “bent” when it will help in getting your point across more easily.

1 Ending sentences with prepositions

2. Splitting infinitives

3. Starting sentences with “and,” “but” or “because”

4. Reusing words

5. Using simple contractions

9

Personal Action Plan—Business Grammar

1. List the ways business writing is different from other forms of writing.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

2. Write three sentences that contain bias, and then rewrite them to remove the bias.

1.

2.

3.

3. List five points to review before any document leaves your desk.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

In this business grammar Webinar, you have learned the differences between business writing and other forms of writing. You reviewed the correct use of apostrophes and noun-verb agreement. You learned how to remove bias from your writing, when to capitalize and when it is OK to break grammar rules.

10

Bonus mATeRiAl

Correct Spellings of Commonly Used Foreign Words

à la carte de jure magnum opus quid pro quo

à la mode double entendre maven raison d’être

a priori en masse modus operandi rendezvous

ad hoc en route modus vivendi repertoire

ad infinitum esprit de corps non sequitur résumé

ad nauseam et al. ombudsman savoir faire

alfresco etc. op. cit. sic

alma mater ex officio per annum sine qua non

alter ego fait accompli per capita sotto voce

bona fide habeas corpus per se status quo

carte blanche ibid. prima facie tête-à-tête

caveat emptor in absentia prix fixe tour de force

chutzpah in toto pro forma troika

cul-de-sac joie de vivre pro rata vice versa

de facto laissez-faire pro tem vis-à-vis

11

Using Dozens of Troublesome Words Correctly in Business Writing

A, An ............................................... A: Use before words beginning with a consonant sound—“a car” ......................................................... An: Use before words beginning with a vowel sound—“an hour”A lot, Alot ........................................ A lot: Many ......................................................... Alot: Sorry! Not a wordAccept, Except .............................. Accept: To take; to receive ......................................................... Except: To excludeAd .................................................... A shortened form for advertisement. In business writing, consider using the longer form of the word.Adapt, Adopt ................................. Adapt: To adjust ......................................................... Adopt: To choose; to put in practiceAdverse, Averse ............................. Adverse: Adjective: Unfavorable ......................................................... Averse: Adjective: Not willing or inclined; opposed toAdvice, Advise .............................. Advice: A noun—“That was good advice.” ......................................................... Advise: A verb—“Will she advise you?”Affect, Effect ................................. Affect: Use only as a verb—“That deeply affected him.” ......................................................... Effect: Can be used as either a verb—“He effected the change”; or as a noun—“The change had an ......................................................... exhilarating effect on him.”All, All of ........................................ It’s not necessary to use of after all unless the word that follows is a pronounAll right, Alright ........................... Alright and all right are interchangeable in general communications. However, all right is still ......................................................... considered the standard in business communications.Allusion, Illusion ........................... Allusion: A reference to something ......................................................... Illusion: A false impressionAnxious, Eager ............................. Anxious: Implies worry, fear or concern ......................................................... Eager: Means enthusiastic desire or interestAssure, Ensure, Insure ................. All mean “to make certain” or “to guarantee,” but assure is used where people are concerned—“I assure ......................................................... you that everything is all right.”Bad, Badly ..................................... Bad: An adjective—“It was a bad proposal.” ......................................................... Badly: An adverb—“He writes badly.”Capital, Capitol ............................ Capital: Invested money, chief in importance or the city in which a central government is located ......................................................... Capitol: The specific building that houses a central governmentCommon, Mutual ........................ Common: Refers to what we share with others ......................................................... Mutual: ReciprocalComplement, ................................ Complement: Something that completes Compliment .................................. Compliment: A noun—A flattering remark. A verb—To praise.Council, Counsel .......................... Council: A governing body of people ......................................................... Counsel: To adviseDisinterested, ................................ Disinterested: Unbiased or impartial Uninterested ................................. Uninterested: Showing lack of interestEminent, Imminent .................... Eminent: Prestigious ......................................................... Imminent: NearFewer, Less .................................... Fewer: Measures numbers ......................................................... Less: Measures quantityGood, Well .................................... Good: An adjective—“He received a good recommendation from the committee.” ......................................................... Well: An adverb and an adjective—Adverb: “She did as well as she could on the exam.” ......................................................... Adjective: “The child did not feel well.”Irregardless ................................... Is redundant for regardless; avoid useIts, It’s ............................................. Its: A possessive pronoun—“The company makes its daily bank deposit at 10 a.m.” ......................................................... It’s: A contraction meaning “it is”Like, As .......................................... Like: A preposition meaning “similar to”—“He looked like a pro.” ......................................................... As: A conjunction meaning “to the same degree”—“It flew straight as an arrow.”Myself ............................................ Myself: Use only when the subject of the sentence is also the receiver of the action—“I hurt myself.”Of, Have ......................................... Don’t use of instead of have with verbs. Write “would have” or “should have” instead of “would of” or ......................................................... “should of.” Set, Sit ............................................ Set: Means to place something somewhere ......................................................... Sit: Means to be seated or to be in a resting positionThan, Then ................................... Than: Use when making comparisons ......................................................... Then: Means “therefore,” “as a result” or “a point in time” or is used to indicate a sequenceUtilize, Utilization ....................... Awkward ways of saying use and usage

12

Are Your Paragraphs in a Confusing, Illogical Order? Here’s How to Tell and How to Fix the Problem

Determine the order of your paragraphs by starting with the opening, then adding the middle and the end paragraphs.

1. Opening: Starts with an attention getter and finishes with your topic sentence

2. Middle: Expands on your topic sentence, giving all the facts and details

3. End: Restates your topic and gives closing thoughts to complete your ideas

Paragraph guidelines:

Begin with an outline

Limit each paragraph to one topic

Open each paragraph with your main idea

13

Put the “Know Thy Reader” Commandment Into Practice and Double the Impact of Your Message

You must know your reader in order to keep his or her attention and to write effectively.

A six-step process for tuning in to your audience:

1. Who?

Job title, department, responsibilities

Personal: Age, sex

2. What?

What does the reader already know about the subject?

What else does the reader need to know?

What will the reader do about this message (decide, delegate, transmit, do the work)?

3. When?

When will the reader read this message?

How much time will the reader spend on it?

When does the reader have to act?

4. Where?

Where in the company hierarchy is this reader located?

Where is most of the reader’s work done?

5. How?

How interested is the reader in the arrival of this message?

How will the reader feel about it (good news or bad news)?

6. Why?

Why am I writing?

Why should my reader respond?

Source: Persuasive Business Writing by Mary Cross

14

The “Best-of-the-Best” Desktop References You’ll Want at Your Fingertips for Quick Answers

These key desktop references will answer the vast majority of your grammar, usage and spelling questions.

References that you should have close to your desk:

Collegiate dictionary

— Webster’s New World Dictionary of American English (Merriam-Webster)

Thesaurus and other word books

— Modern Guide to Synonyms and Related Words (Funk & Wagnalls)

— Webster’s New World Misspeller’s Dictionary (Simon & Schuster)

Style guides

— The Gregg Reference Manual by William a. Sabin (McGraw-Hill)

— SkillPath Business Communication Style Guide by Michelle Poley (SkillPath Publications)

Reference books

— The Business Writer’s Handbook by Charles Brusaw et al. (St. Martin’s Press)

— The New Webster’s Desk Reference Library (Lexicon Publications)

Books on writing

— Grammar? No Problem! by Dave Davies (SkillPath Publications)

— Letters & Memos—Just Like That! by Dave Davies (SkillPath Publications)

— Power Write! by Helene Hinis (SkillPath Publications)

— Write It Right! by Richard Andersen and Helene Hinis (SkillPath Publications)

Miscellaneous

— Managing Your E-mail by Christina Cavanagh (Wiley)

— Communicating With Poise and Power by Michelle Poley (SkillPath Publications)

Internet sites

— http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/

— http://owl.english.purdue.edu/

15

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