10 more simple mistakes to avoid
Friday, 03 July 2009 10:22
Here are ten more common mistakes that, if avoided, will help your writing look more professional:
1. Plurals don't have apostrophes!
This one could easily have made my top ten list of mistakes, it's so annoying. How many times do you see people write apostrophes before the 's' of a plural for no reason? E.g. DVD's instead of DVDs, CD's instead of CDs. Just because you are using an acronym (abbreviation using initial letters of each word) doesn't mean you need an apostrophe when pluralising it - just add the 's' like you do for most other plurals. Remember: apostrophes are only for contractions, e.g. isn't (where the apostrophe indicates an absent letter or letters) and ownership, e.g. John's.
2. i.e. instead of e.g.
Wrong: Find a reputable publisher, i.e. Kingsway, Authentic, Hodder.
Right: Find a reputable publisher, e.g. Kingsway, Authentic, Hodder.
Remember: The abbreviation i.e. means "that is" and so is usually followed by one specific thing being explained; e.g. means "for example" and is usually a list of more than one item (and a comma should always be placed in front of both of them).
3. When to use whose and who's
Wrong: Who's tongue is longest?
Right: Whose tongue is longest?
Wrong: Whose that over there?
Right: Who's that over there?
Remember: who's means who is and whose is possessive.
4. Very unique
You are either unique or you aren't. There is no such thing as pretty unique, fairly unique, really unique, very unique or slightly unique. It's like 'pregnant' - you either are you aren't.
5. Mistaking inferring for implying
Wrong: What are you inferring?
Right: What are you implying?
Wrong: Am I to imply that you don't know anything?
Right: Am I to infer that you don't know anything?
6. Plural not pleural
This is simply bad spelling! If you are talking about more than one, it's plural. Pleural is something to do with lungs!
7. Oral/verbal
Oral and verbal are not synonymous. Oral means spoken. An oral agreement is in spoken words and not written down. Verbal means in words - whether written or spoken. Also, oral can mean anything relating to the mouth, but verbal doesn't. E.g. if a doctor examines your mouth it is an oral examination, not a verbal examination.
8. Ensure/insure
This is a classic that ensures (makes sure of) a lot of confusion. To insure something is to establish a policy for reimbursement should something bad happen. To ensure something is to make it certain. Just ask Michael Winner - 'e sure knows when he's onto a good thing!
9. Insurance and assurance
Those in the insurance industry will no doubt never make this mistake, but everyone else does! In general, the term insurance refers to providing cover for an event that might happen while assurance is the provision of cover for an event that is certain to happen. So, if you take out insurance you will only get a payout if the event happens, but assurance will always result in a payment.
10. Me myself I
It's tricky to know when to use these. To tell the difference, just add more of a sentence on the end and if it doesn't sound right then it probably isn't right. E.g. 'My sister is faster than I' is right, whereas 'My sister is faster than me' is wrong. How do you know? Put 'am' on the end. 'My sister is faster than I am' makes perfect sense, unlike 'My sister is faster than me am'. However, 'My sister is faster than myself' is OK and sounds less stuck-up. We all get away with 'me' in this type of sentence when speaking, but should make the right choice when writing.
More next time...