Everyday Writing Tips For The Workplace
With more of us working remotely, you probably find yourself sending more emails than ever, or writing briefs instead of talking to colleagues in person. And even though you may be making the most of working from home in your PJs and fluffy slippers, you probably still want to sound professional. To help, I’ve collated some of the common writing and grammar errors that I continually come across in my 9-5 job. Hopefully one or more clears up some uncertainties you may have had :)
Every day vs. Everyday
These tend to get mixed up, in retail especially. Every day, written as two words, can be swapped out with each day. For example, ‘the sale was on every day that week’ can also be written as ‘the sale was on each day that week’. The one word everyday, however, is used as an adjective to describe something that is daily or common. Examples include everyday prices, an everyday dinner, or an everyday occurrence. If you ever get confused, just remember every day = each day, and that should set you right.
Should of. Should have.
Sometimes people write the way they speak without realising it. In conversation, should’ve can sound like should of, and then that’s how it’s written on paper. Please, never do this – it drops the quality of your writing faster than a cold snap in Melbourne. Write the full should have, and you’ll never go astray.
Stationery or stationary?
I see these mixed up all the time. Stationery = paper, envelopes etc. and stationary = not moving. My trick to remembering which is which? Think ‘e’ for envelope.
That vs. Which
‘That’ and ‘which’ seem to swap out easily enough, so it can be tricky knowing when to use what. Both are modifiers – the difference is that ‘that’ is used for essential information, and ‘which’ for non-essential information. Stay with me!
For example:
‘My bag that has the keyring on it is in the wardrobe’.
‘My bag, which has a keyring on it, is in the wardrobe.’
For the first example, the clause ‘that has the keyring on it’ is essential – it tells us which bag is in the wardrobe, and it indicates that there are more than one.
In the second example, the clause ‘which has a keyring on it’ is just extra information. It can be removed from the sentence and not change the meaning. Only one bag is being discussed.
The best way to remember is to think of ‘which’ being used for disposable information.
The semi-colon ;
A semi-colon is used to join two independent clauses that have a connecting idea. For example:
‘We’re not too formal here; we like to let our hair down every now and then.’
The second clause is connected to the first; it’s an example of how they’re not too formal.
The important thing to remember when using the semi-colon is to make sure both clauses are independent – that they can function as standalone sentences. The below, for example, would be incorrect:
‘We’re not too formal; letting our hair down every now and then.’
Letting our hair down every now and then is not a standalone sentence. If the clause doesn’t function as a sentence on its own, it shouldn’t be used with a semi-colon (or it should be reworded so it’s independent).
For more information on dependent and independent clauses read this Merriam-Webster overview.
The comma ,
One of the most underused pieces of punctuation (in my own observation and not based on actual statistics).
The comma signals when the reader should pause in a sentence. If you didn’t use commas at all the sentences would seem too long hard to follow and the meaning could become confusing such as in the example below where the placement of the comma actually changes the meaning (phew!).
Version 1: Just so you know, Susan is writing the report.
Version 2: Just so you know Susan, is writing the report.
In the first version, it’s clear Susan is writing the report; in the second, it sounds like Susan is being addressed and the name of whoever is writing the report is missing.
Below are some other examples of when to use commas:
In a list: this, that and also that one.
When preceded by a modifying clause, a comma should be used.
However, you should also always use one following the word however.
For more information on the comma (and there is so much more!) read this guide from Grammarly.
