Grammar Repair Shop
Mary Kay Kinley, of Pueblo, Colo., writes: “Can you tell me how to use effect and affect?”
“Could you please tell me which is correct: Your welcome or You’re welcome.”
Turn business-speak into plain English by keeping your writing simple and to the point.
Which is correct? The majority is or the majority are?
What’s the difference between flesh out and flush out?
Steering clear of business gibberish isn’t easy, since everybody in corporate America uses it. By “gibberish,” we mean the vague language that takes up space but doesn’t say much.
One reader asks, “Should I write ‘p.m.’ or ‘pm’ or ‘PM’?”
Two abbreviations, “i.e.” and “e.g.,” are often used interchangeably in writing. But they have different meanings.
When addressing a professional audience, be careful using words that aren’t spelled the way they sound.
Please address the use of the word “bad” versus “badly.”
The phrase that annoys me most lately — “more importantly” — is widely used on television shows and commercials alike. It seems to me that it should be “more important,” unless the speaker is referring to the way something is done. Do you agree?
Steer clear of this sentence structure when writing: “There’s coffee and bagels in the conference room.”
Common mistakes when using contractions.
