One thing that blogging and good copywriting share is a conversational style, and that means it’s fine to fracture the occasional rule of proper grammar in order to communicate effectively. Both bloggers and copywriters routinely end sentences with prepositions, dangle a modifier in a purely technical sense, or make liberal use of the ellipsis when an EM dash is the correct choice—all in order to write in the way people actually speak.
But there are other mistakes that can detract from your credibility. While we all hope that what we have to say is more important than some silly grammatical error, the truth is that some people will not subscribe or link to your blog if you make dumb mistakes when you write, and buying from you will be out of the question.
Here are five mistakes to avoid when blogging and writing web copy.
1. Your vs. You’re
This one drives me insane, and it’s become extremely common among bloggers. All it takes to avoid this error is to take a second and think about what you’re trying to say.
“Your” is a possessive pronoun, as in “your car” or “your blog.” “You’re” is a contraction for “you are,” as in “you’re screwing up your writing by using your when you really mean you are.”
2. It’s vs. Its
This is another common mistake. It’s also easily avoided by thinking through what you’re trying to say.
“It’s” is a contraction of “it is” or “it has.” “Its” is a possessive pronoun, as in “this blog has lost its mojo.” Here’s an easy rule of thumb—repeat your sentence out loud using “it is” instead. If that sounds goofy, “its” is likely the correct choice.
3. There vs. Their
This one seems to trip up everyone occasionally, often as a pure typo. Make sure to watch for it when you proofread.
“There” is used many ways, including as a reference to a place (“let’s go there”) or as a pronoun (“there is no hope”). “Their” is a plural possessive pronoun, as in “their bags” or “their opinions.” Always do the “that’s ours!” test—are you talking about more than one person and something that they possess? If so, “their” will get you there.
4. Affect vs. Effect
To this day I have to pause and mentally sort this one out in order to get it right. As with any of the other common mistakes people make when writing, it’s taking that moment to get it right that makes the difference.
“Affect” is a verb, as in “Your ability to communicate clearly will affect your income immensely.” “Effect” is a noun, as in “The effect of a parent’s low income on a child’s future is well documented.” By thinking in terms of “the effect,” you can usually sort out which is which, because you can’t stick a “the” in front of a verb. While some people do use “effect” as a verb (“a strategy to effect a settlement”), they are usually lawyers, and you should therefore ignore them if you want to write like a human.
5. The Dangling Participle
The dangling participle may be the most egregious of the most common writing mistakes. Not only will this error damage the flow of your writing, it can also make it impossible for someone to understand what you’re trying to say.
Check out these two examples from Tom Sant’s book Persuasive Business Proposals
After rotting in the cellar for weeks, my brother brought up some oranges.
Uhh… keep your decomposing brother away from me!
Featuring plug-in circuit boards, we can strongly endorse this server’s flexibility and growth potential.
Hmmm… robotic copy written by people embedded with circuit boards. Makes sense.
The problem with both of the above is that the participial phrase that begins the sentence is not intended to modify what follows next in the sentence. However, readers mentally expect it to work that way, so your opening phrase should always modify what immediately follows. If it doesn’t, you’ve left the participle dangling, as well as your readers.
P.S. You may find it amusing to know that I, like David Ogilvy, have never learned the formal rules of grammar. I learned to write by reading obsessively at an early age, but when it came time to learn the “rules,” I tuned out. If you show me an incorrect sentence, I can fix it, but if I need to know the technical reason why it was wrong in the first place, I go ask my wife.
408 comments... add one
#1 Erin → 03.05.07 at 1:47 am
Errors 1-4 are homophone problems. The conversational nature of blogs and email causes some writers to type what they hear in their heads with less attention to correctness of meaning.
#2 Brian → 03.05.07 at 1:54 am Copyblogger
Erin, that’s exactly right. And it’s exactly these types of errors that reflect poorly on writers of any stripe.
Here’s one I wanted to include–people who write “loose” when they mean “lose.” It’s not even a homophone! I don’t understand what drives so many people to make that mistake.
#3 Terry McGinn → 03.05.07 at 2:34 am
What if we just abandon the use of “you’re” and “your” in blogs and replace it with “ur”? That term seems to manage to pass for real grammar in some circles which shall remain unnamed (read: MySpace).
The apostrophe and its misuse is one of my biggest pet peeves. I travel around my town letting people know that “Orange’s $1.50″ is just plain wrong.
#4 Andrew Cavanagh → 03.05.07 at 2:51 am
I think you’re barking up the wrong tree with this post.
Its really not you’re problem when your writing a blog to get the affect you want.
In fact you can effect you’re readers quite affectively without worrying at all about gramma. And speling.
There fantastic experience on you’re blog will not be hampered by pore writing.
Will it?
#5 Andrew Cavanagh → 03.05.07 at 2:53 am
And yes Brian there are too many ‘homophones’ on blogs too!!!
#6 Abby → 03.05.07 at 2:56 am
This is the best basic intro to grammar I have seen in a long time, and will definitely be recommending this to quite a few bloggers! If they take this to heart, it might not be so painful to read them!
#7 Martin Neumann → 03.05.07 at 2:58 am
Actually, Andrew - if you keep writing like that at your blog it will give me a headache and I’ll eventually unsubscribe. :-)
Brian - #1 drives me crazy as hell as well. And the thing is it’s so easy to get it right, yet I see the mistake on so many posts.
#8 Icheb → 03.05.07 at 3:28 am
Another example:
should of / could of / would of
Drives my nuts.
#9 Ajay → 03.05.07 at 3:42 am
Well put Brian. I will confess that I am guilty of the your and you’re. Normally it doesn’t happen but an occasional mistake does slip through.
#10 Des Walsh → 03.05.07 at 3:59 am
Great post. As a former English high school teacher I sometimes wonder if I’m being too pedantic. Then I decide I’m not. It’s about clarity of communication. Some bloggers would have written “to pedantic” which a misuse of the language that drives me batty! That’s one that regularly stops me and that I’d add to your list - too and to.
I can’t go with your insouciance regarding “effect” and “affect”: “it affected the result” has a quite different meaning from “it effected the result” - I use both and I am not a lawyer.
And Brian, “egregious”? I love the word and use it occasionally, although I doubt I’ve ever used it in a blog (ref your para before that about writing like a human).
But top job - I pray it will be read widely and applied!
#11 Mat → 03.05.07 at 4:06 am
Great stuff Brian!
The first four are very frustrating and such basic errors.
The fifth I haven’t really noticed much which probably means I’m doing it all the time.
#12 Chris Garrett → 03.05.07 at 4:30 am
I have been pulled up for bad grammar by readers in the past, and continue to be pulled up about it. Personally, perhaps because I have bad grammar myself, reading bad grammar doesn’t bother me so much with blogs. In my mind it is like going to a party and stopping another guest mid-conversation to pull them up on their speech. I would rather have root canal than sit down and learn all these grammar rules, yuk.
Having said that, anything that can help attract and retain subscribers has to be a good thing.
In the magazine world I would usually submit the best work I could produce knowing there was a person whos job it is to tidy up these kinds of mistakes. Perhaps there is a role for a blog editor :)
#13 Thilak → 03.05.07 at 4:51 am
I would agree with Erin, I commit this mistake several times, but luckily Word highlights such erros.
#14 adventures of a blogjunkie » Blog Archive » 5 mistakes → 03.05.07 at 5:47 am
[…] Copyblogger points out 5 common gramatical mistakes that make you look dumb: […]
#15 Barry Campbell → 03.05.07 at 5:55 am
Easiest way to remember the “affect vs. effect” distinction:
“Parental behavior affects children” = If you’re a lax disciplinarian, you’ll raise a brat.
“Parental behavior effects children’ = Sexual intercourse causes pregnancy.
#16 Richard → 03.05.07 at 6:05 am
My favourite:
Yourself / Myself instead of You / Me, eg “If anyone has any questions, please address them to myself.”
Hmm. Was that the correct use of a colon?
#17 Jacquelyn Lynn → 03.05.07 at 6:13 am
It’s the incorrect use of apostrophes that spins me up – it’s, its, your, you’re – especially by professionals (like ad copywriters) who 1. ought to know better, and 2. should be using proofreaders.
I learned as you did—through reading (my husband is the technical expert in our house). But that was back in a time when you could count on most of what you read as being grammatically correct.
Great post, excellent points.
#18 Jim Duncan → 03.05.07 at 6:36 am
Thank you for this; I am former English major and find these mistakes showing themselves all-too-frequently in my daughter’s writing. It appears that the IM vernacular is finding its way into her writing, and that of her teachers’ as well unfortunately. Naturally, I have emailed her this post.
#19 Roberta Rosenberg → 03.05.07 at 8:34 am
Spot-on post, Brian. You’ve noted most of my pet spelling/grammar ( or is that grammer?) peeves. I’d add “desert” when you mean “dessert” and “to” when you should use “too” … and please don’t get me started on the use of commas!
#20 Brad Shorr → 03.05.07 at 8:48 am
Excellent list! The one I hear and read most often is, “Between you and I …” That one crops up in business letters, Web sites, press releases, prime time TV–you name it.
#21 Rob Siders → 03.05.07 at 9:08 am
Great post… just don’t get me going on the misuse of apostrophes.
#22 Megan → 03.05.07 at 9:20 am
When in doubt, check this site:
http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html
#23 Mike → 03.05.07 at 9:20 am
You can paint over stoopid, but you can’t hide it. It always show thru. Believe me, I know !
BTW - what’s hormones got to do with grammar ?
#24 Michael Stelzner → 03.05.07 at 9:24 am
Brian;
The effect vs affect one gets me sometimes.
This is why I hire an editor.
She is my sanity and QA step.
Mike
#25 Brian → 03.05.07 at 9:35 am Copyblogger
I’ll admit… I’m a sucker for that two dollar word. I like the way it sounds.
Since this is a blog about writing, I let myself break the general one-and-two syllable rule occasionally. If someone has to look a word up, I think I’ve added some value.
And Des, “insouciance”? :)
#26 Lisa Gates → 03.05.07 at 9:41 am
Brian, I absolutely love grammar posts. There is even a little test you can take over a Newsroom 101.
Tangentially–ever notice how broadcast journalists emphasize the preposition in their speech?
“The two robbers drove TO the beach, and dumped the loot. Investigators are combing the area FOR the cash.”
Go ahead, watch your local news. I think they’re actually trained TO do this. Also, they are big perpetrators of the me/myself dilemma.
#27 links for 2007-03-05 | Bill2Me.com → 03.05.07 at 10:34 am
[…] 5 Common Mistakes That Make You Look Dumb | Copyblogger I recently wrote a post on another blog which described the difference between ‘affect’ and ‘effect.’ Along with the common mistakes there are several other English oddities that can also trip you up if you’re used to typing quickly and if you haven’t qu (tags: reference) […]
#28 Enblogopedia → 03.05.07 at 10:38 am
Nice article.
As an Arabic guy who start to learn English language in my 7th grade! I have a lot of grammar mistakes!
Till now I don’t know when to use, “I`ve been” ..etc. And the biggest problem is that I don’t have time(right now) to do a quick revision for English grammar.
Also I don’t know when to use comma, full stop…etc :s
Anyway, anyone of you guys know an easy and free resource to learn English? :)
As I`ll not open a book to learn English, the best way is to learn it online. :D
#29 Mister Thorne → 03.05.07 at 10:55 am
Thought you might enjoy this post about the use of ‘they’ as a singular pronoun:
http://misterthorne.org/set_in_style/2007/02/23/thay-is-coming/
Also, this one about the origins of ‘women attorneys:’
http://misterthorne.org/set_in_style/2007/02/26/women-v-females-part-i/
#30 Mike Maranhas → 03.05.07 at 10:56 am
Brian,
Thank you for this post. Your examples represent a few of the common errors that all types of writers–not just copywriters–make. You can add the misuse of commas to this list; run-on or disjointed sentences due to faulty use of the comma immediately erode my confidence in an author. This brings me to my point.
I disagree with your terminology and logic regarding the word: mistake. Grammatical rules are tools of the writing trade. If one assumes the position of writer in a professional capacity, he is implying to his audience that he knows how to employ such tools. He is implying that he possesses an acceptable command of the English language. It is no different than when you call an electrician to your house; if he tries to cut a wire with a toilet plunger, you will reach for the Yellow Pages again. The electrician has demonstrated ignorance of his tools.
But ignorance is not what you blogged about today. Rarely do I read the work of someone, assuming the position of writer, who doesn’t “have an ear” or intuition for proper grammar. Such people invariably have had education in this area. When these people write a sentence that is not syntactically correct, or venture onto ground that for them is shaky, they can usually feel it. We all know our shortcomings. That is when the writer, feeling his uneasiness, must reach for The Elements of Style or The Chicago Manual, or just google. But many don’t, and therein lies one problem.
The other is that people don’t re-read and edit their work. If they did, they would catch many problems, such as omitted words or homonyms spell checker let slip—others for your list.
I can accept a mistake without losing confidence in an earnest author, but I can’t trust one that displays laziness or disregard for the rules of his trade. To paraphrase Papa, “You can’t bring a pool cue onto a putting green.” If a writer doesn’t have respect for one aspect of writing, such as proper grammar, how can I trust his advice in another, such as the best way to write a headline? When I see a writer/blogger with multiple errors in his work, I don’t feel he has made grammatical mistakes, but professionally ethical ones: he has shown he doesn’t respect me, the reader, and loses my trust that moment.
P.S. I have an Accounting Degree. I hated English in grade school. I did not read obsessively at a young age. I simply learned the hard way that effective written communication skills are required in the business world, and that the primary obstacle to effective writing is carelessness.
#31 Joey → 03.05.07 at 11:03 am
Thank you for this post. It was really helpful. Now I need to go back and look at my posts to see how many I screwed up.
#32 Jason Sadler → 03.05.07 at 11:10 am
A fellow grammar nazi! I am constantly correcting my friends, they hate it.
#33 Todd → 03.05.07 at 11:26 am
Affect vs. Effect is the one that trips me up sometimes, arrgghh!
#34 Karl Ribas → 03.05.07 at 11:29 am
Great Article…. very helpful indeed.
#35 Pier Van Basten → 03.05.07 at 11:36 am
Good job, your really sorting out the loosers who make there mistakes known to ppl all over the web. Its to annoying to reed mistakes and I would sertenly stop reading a blog if the idiot’s maked similar gramatical and speling mistakes too the ones you listed above.
#36 James → 03.05.07 at 11:48 am
I know I’ve violated number four, even when I think I’m doing a careful editing job.
And number five, since to this day I don’t understand dangling participles, I probably violate it all the time.
In fact, I once had a former English teacher edit a business plan I wrote for a client and she nailed me on dangling participles (heck, it’s even hard to write the phrase) three times in the executive summary alone.
A pet peeve of mine is people who call “prostate cancer,” “prostrate cancer.” I know it’s sarcastic, but I always tell them, “I’ve never heard of ‘lying down’ cancer.”
#37 Alex H. → 03.05.07 at 12:05 pm
Thanks for the list, and you might want to tone down #4 a bit. As some of the folks above have noted, treating “affect” as a verb and “effect” as a noun is generally a good rule of thumb.
As already noted, “effect” can be used as a verb in limited cases (”to effect a change” means to cause it to occur completely).
Likewise “affect” can be used as a noun in certain circumstances: e.g., “He handed me the bill without trace of affect” (that is, without any emotions).
Treating “effect” as a noun and “affect” as a verb will keep you from looking really dumb, but be aware that it isn’t an entirely foolproof rule of thumb.
#38 tzbishop2k → 03.05.07 at 12:10 pm
I learn those little things on my English class. When English is not your native language, I think you are paying more attention when writing than if you were writing in your own language.
#39 greg → 03.05.07 at 12:11 pm
its they’re affect your worries about, huh?
also ppl mess up subject verb agreements
#40 Brad → 03.05.07 at 12:16 pm
“Its to annoying to reed mistakes”
Was that a mistake?
“anyone of you guys know an easy and free resource to learn English?”
Yup… A wife. I agree with Brian.
If it wasn’t for the wife, I’d be lost.
I got math covered,
and she has the English.
So between the two of us,
we have the homework covered! ;-)
one more…
“just abandon the use of “you’re” and “your” in blogs and replace it with “ur”? That term seems to manage to pass for real grammar in some circles which shall remain unnamed (read: MySpace).”
You probably can’t handle the baggy pants either, hu.
I text message with the best.
And if it wasn’t for the “new words”
our teens are introducing,
I’d be left in the dust.
The point is “different circles”.
If your marketing to the right “ppl”,
you’d look bad NOT using ’slang’.
Now… my wife is still sleeping.
How many screw ups can you find?
LOL!!
Thanks Brian, for a fun article.
And for reminding us about something
we are all victim to once in a while.
Our own haste!
Brad.
#41 Nocturnal → 03.05.07 at 12:17 pm
Great article. I enjoyed it. Loved the affect vs. effect. I normally try my hardest to use the best possible grammar that I can. I also type my blog posts out in Word prior to the posts going live lol.
#42 Pop Stalin Design → 03.05.07 at 12:20 pm
I can’t believe you didn’t mention one of my biggest pet peeves and that’s the “to and too” grammatical error. I think that one makes me the craziest.
Examples:
“I gave that orange to my brother.”
“He said, “Do you want one too?”
I learned my grammatical skills (and am still learning them) from reading as well. Working at a job the last 3 years with proofers really helped to increase my knowledge as well.
#43 thepiebot → 03.05.07 at 12:21 pm
You should add a part 6 to discuss Lie versus Lay. This one bugs the hell out of me and I even have a professor who takes 20 points off a writing assignment for all the mistakes you listed and Lie/Lay mix-ups.
#44 Jim L → 03.05.07 at 12:21 pm
I think these are great, but the real sign of ignorance…
- Spelling a lot as one word (alot)
- Spelling lose with two o’s (loose)
These drive me nuts!!!
#45 jstroud → 03.05.07 at 12:38 pm
If you show me an incorrect sentence, I can fix it, but if I need to know the technical reason why it was wrong in the first place, I go ask my wife.
Further evidence that I am not the unique little snowflake my id would have me believe.
#46 Icheb → 03.05.07 at 12:38 pm
Let’s not forget spaces before exclamation and question marks. Drives me nuts as well.
#47 Anonymous → 03.05.07 at 12:41 pm
The fact that something is a homophone doesn’t excuse the user. That simply implies that they didn’t _care_ to find out the true spelling, and don’t care if their user has to do the extra work to “translate”. I think it’s as much laziness/lack of education as it is ‘just one of those things’.
#48 yakyakyak → 03.05.07 at 12:41 pm
You left one out:
There - a place
Their - belongs to them
They’re - they are
#49 Justin → 03.05.07 at 12:48 pm
Besides the ones you point out, there are 2 more that always seem to annoy me when I read them….
First, it’s better (faster, bigger, etc.) THAN not THEN.
Second, why can no one spell DEFINITELY correctly?
#50 Gary Speer → 03.05.07 at 12:50 pm
I recently purchased a course from a very successful Adwords marketer.
Throughout the material, he says “more then” instead of “more than.” I even sent him email point out that “more then” for “more than” is never correct. I explained the difference.
He responded, thanking me for my email. He explained that his primary interest was in speaking “one-on-one” to his people so that he could share his expertise as a marketer, not getting the grammar right.
He continues to use “more then” when he should use “more than.”
Never mind the “your” and “you’re” mess — I wager you’ll find far more “more then” when it should be “more than” on most blogs, in ebooks, sales and pre-sales marketing copy, whatever.
I spent 7 years as a newspaper copy editor, more than 30 years writing for publication and editing various publications, and I still make mistakes. But I make an effort to correct them when I find them.
Good post, great discussion. I hope we see more of this on blogs. Can’t hurt.
#51 Dave → 03.05.07 at 12:50 pm
It’s rarely wrong to end a sentence with a preposition. Have a look at http://www.cbc.ca/news/indepth/words/prepositions.html
#52 Guy Briggs → 03.05.07 at 1:07 pm
According to dictionary.com,* “effect” and “affect” are each both verb and noun. To further complicate matters, “affect” has two very different uses:
“His words affected the crowd so deeply they wept.”
“The new students affected a nonchalance they didn’t feel.”
Perhaps this is why lawyers, wanting to affect a skill in writing they don’t actually have, often use “effect” instead of affect.
*Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/affect (accessed: March 05, 2007)
#53 Hein Tore Tønnesen → 03.05.07 at 2:09 pm
Thank you Brian!
There’s nothing that annoys me more than a simple spelling/grammar mistake that could be easily avoided if the writer took one more minute to go through his article before he posted it.
#54 sparky → 03.05.07 at 2:10 pm
two common mistakes that bother me to no end are the use of the word “irregardless” (it’s either “regardless” or “irrespective”), and the phrase “I could care less” which makes no sense at all…you could *not* care less….
really drives me nuts…
#55 Tom Chandler → 03.05.07 at 2:12 pm
As a former journalism major, I rely on the Associated Press Style Manual to get me through a lot of the weird stuff.
Affect vs. effect; insure vs ensure, all the “stop and think” nightmares.
#56 OldSchool → 03.05.07 at 2:19 pm
One of the most misspelled words on the net seems to be “ridiculous”. Many (seemingly intelligent) people tend to spell it “rediculous” and it drives me insane!
#57 Snatchertas → 03.05.07 at 2:20 pm
My native language is not english but I stumble upon such mistakes with an increasing frequency… it must be a native speaker only problem. Most non-native post and blogs have other types of mistakes
#58 Hamster Alliance → 03.05.07 at 2:26 pm
Brian:
“Erin, that’s exactly right. And it’s exactly these types of errors that reflect poorly on writers of any stripe.”
…AND starting sentences with, “And”. :)
The, “And” in your second sentence is typed as though it’s continuing the prior sentence, yet that first sentence has ended due to the period. Either connect the two sentences or remove the, “And”.
“It’s exactly these types of errors that reflect poorly on writers of any stripe.”
:)
#59 Brian → 03.05.07 at 2:32 pm Copyblogger
I routinely break this one on purpose, just about in every post. It’s a very conversational element.
#60 Mister Thorne → 03.05.07 at 2:34 pm
Perhaps it goes to show what we already know — every writer needs an editor!
#61 Chris Taylor → 03.05.07 at 2:41 pm
I have one problem with this list.
There vs. Their
I actively disobey this rule because it is a stupid rule. There is no reason to have both There and Their. The difference is not relevant because the words are not, NEVER were, and never will be defined by spelling. They are defined by CONTEXT.
This is easily proven. Try speaking the words improperly. You can not do it. They are always defined by context. ONE should be selected and the other deleted since context and only context defines them. They are phonetically identical and contextually defined. The difference is spelling is technical and semantic with no logical relevance. You can NOT mis read a sentence because one over the other is used. The CONTEXT defines them not the spelling.
I purposely misuse these words as an act of defiance against there separated existence.
Pick one There or Their not both. Its a stupid rule and a stupid difference.
#62 alec → 03.05.07 at 2:46 pm
In high school, my English teacher referred to me as the ‘grammar guru’. I would have preferred that she refer to me as the ‘grammar erection’. Because that’s usually what I had when I was thinking about grammar.
#63 Darren → 03.05.07 at 2:51 pm
Thank you. These constantly drive me insane. Hopefully more people will understand how uneducated these common mistakes make them look.
#64 Robbie → 03.05.07 at 2:58 pm
Great—albeit short—-list.
During the recent execution of a notorious Iraqi dictator, a lot of writers seemed to be confused about the difference between hung and hanged.
#65 Dominic → 03.05.07 at 3:06 pm
I have to object to your rule about the usage of “effect” versus the usage of “affect.” Even though sticking to your rule will prevent all occurances of incorrect usage, it also prevents some correct usages of “effect” as a verb and “affect” as a noun. When used as a verb, “effect” simply means “to bring about,” and has a meaning akin to “effect” when used as a noun. As far as I’m aware, “effect” is always a transitory verb, and its object is always the thing that the subject has brought about. The object of “affect” is the thing that the subject has influenced.
On the other hand, “affect” when used as a noun has a meaning quite distant from its usage as a verb- it typically means a roughly an emotion or an outward expression of feeling.
#66 tom → 03.05.07 at 3:14 pm
when do you use “specially” versu “especially” in a sentence.. Is there a diffrence in its use.
Thanks
#67 Lucy → 03.05.07 at 3:18 pm
let’s not forget than & then…that one kills me!
#68 Dylan → 03.05.07 at 3:21 pm
The mistakes I hate aren’t grammatical. My pet peeves are malapropisms.
“flush” vs. “flesh” as in, “This needs more detail. Let’s get together to flush this out.”
Irregardless vs. irrespective or regardless. ’nuff said.
#69 Comentários e blogroll - 5 de março de 2007 | Repositório → 03.05.07 at 3:23 pm
[…] O Copyblogger fez um post sobre os 5 erros mais comuns - em inglês - que podem fazer você parecer um idiota : 5 Common Mistakes That Make You Look Dumb. Ótimo para quem escreve ou pretende escrever em inglês. Aqui no Brasil também ocorrem muitos erros gramaticais, e não estou falando de miguxas. Por exemplo, trocar “há” por “a” ou “á” é o que vejo com mais frequência. Esse tipo de erro claramente não é de digitação, e sim de falta de entendimento da língua - e não que eu não erre, mas tem gente que abusa. E concordo com o Copyblogger, sempre que vejo erros desses eu acho que o autor é idiota, pois dói nos meus olhos. Outro que me lembro e que me irrita bastante: trocar “mas” por “mais”. Vou fazer um post sobre livros que um blogueiro deveria ler e colocar uma gramática como leitura obrigatória :-))). […]
#70 Markus → 03.05.07 at 3:27 pm
What about over-zealous punctuation???
Exclamation marks especially!!!
I once worked with a guy who had the task of writing a four line blog post on the company site! The post consisted of four sentences, three of which had exclamation marks! Of course the last sentence had multiple exclamation marks!!!
Yes, this person had a college degree!
#71 Nathaniel → 03.05.07 at 3:28 pm
I love the title. I saw it in my Live Bookmarks and had to read it, because I certainly don’t want to look dumb. :)
#72 Shane → 03.05.07 at 3:31 pm
may I suggest adding this to the daily reading (listening) list:
http://grammar.qdnow.com/
#73 David → 03.05.07 at 3:32 pm
“it’s it is when it’s it’s and it’s its when it’s not”
-unknown
#74 novaculus → 03.05.07 at 3:46 pm
Thanks for the interesting article.
You omitted (as opposed to “left out”) my pet peeve: The misusage of the adjective this (This hat is mine.) as a demonstrative pronoun. (This is my hat.). Without regard to its strictly grammatical propriety, it can be confusing and is unappealing as a matter of style. Better alternatives are available.
This adjective is also misused for as a substitute for indefinite articles, for the purpose placing greater emphasis on the subject. (You need to evaluate the motives of this person who gave the advice.) This usage is inappropriate but not as egregious an error as its misusage as a pronoun.
Ending a sentence with a preposition may not be a grammatical error, speaking strictly, but good style requires alternatives be found in most cases.
The usage of correct grammar and good style is the hallmark of an educated mind and disciplined thought. As such it should recognized and encouraged. Its absence should serve as a warning to readers and listeners of a concomitant lack of rigor in development of any underlying premise.
#75 David → 03.05.07 at 3:55 pm
Thanks for you’re post, its very informative. Bloggers should pay serious attention to grammar and how it negatively effects there message.
#76 Wes → 03.05.07 at 3:55 pm
I don’t get too riled up over spelling and grammar mistakes unless they affect my ability to actually comprehend what the person is trying to say. In IMs or quick e-mails I will often type “you’re” in place of “your” or make some other homophone-related error. It’s just a subconscious thing.
One thing that bothers me just a little is when people say “different than” instead of “different from” (but only in articles that were supposed to have been proof-read).
One thing that bothers me greatly is when people say “literally” when they are being figurative. For example: “Man, I ate so much I literally exploded.”
#77 Greg → 03.05.07 at 3:56 pm
Nobody likes a language maven.
#78 Doug → 03.05.07 at 3:58 pm
If you’re having problems with the it’s vs. its problem just remember:
his / hers/ its
#79 novaculus → 03.05.07 at 3:59 pm
Imagine my embarassment when I dicscovered I had cut and pasted a draft into the comments box instead of the final version! I submit the final version belos; please feel free to make humorous comments at my expense!
Final draft:
Thanks for the interesting article.
You omitted (as opposed to “left out”) my pet peeve, the misusage of the adjective “this” as a demonstrative pronoun (“This hat is mine.” “This is my hat.”). Without regard to its strictly grammatical propriety, it can be confusing and is unappealing as a matter of style. Better alternatives are available.
This adjective is also misused for as a substitute for indefinite articles, for the purpose placing greater emphasis on the subject. (You need to evaluate the motives of this person who gave the advice.) This usage is inappropriate but not as egregious an error as its misusage as a pronoun.
Ending a sentence with a preposition may not be a grammatical error, speaking strictly, but good style requires alternatives be found in most cases.
The usage of correct grammar and good style is the hallmark of an educated mind and disciplined thought. As such it should be recognized and encouraged. Its absence should serve as a warning to readers and listeners of a concomitant lack of rigor in development of any underlying premise.
#80 Dawud Miracle → 03.05.07 at 4:00 pm
Ahhh….
Yakyakyak grabbed mine…
There - a place
Their - belongs to them
They’re - they are
I see they’re/their misused often - I even catch myself from time to time.
#81 novaculus → 03.05.07 at 4:01 pm
And I broke the rules again by not reviewing my spelling on the comments added to the final draft. This here English grammar stuff is harder too figgur then I thawt!
#82 Alynn → 03.05.07 at 4:09 pm
Grammar is important to writers because our currency is credibility, which we earn through accuracy.
#83 5 Common Mistakes That Make You Look Dumb « BabyPoobarellah.com → 03.05.07 at 4:14 pm
[…] 5 Common Mistakes That Make You Look Dumb March 5, 2007 Posted by Poobarellah in Offbeat, Blogroll. trackback […]
#84 Cassie → 03.05.07 at 4:22 pm
I was also going to mention the alot vs. a lot thing, but I see Jim L mentioned it already.
And Justin, it really bugs me too that no one seems to know how to spell “definitely” OR “separately”!
Even when I’m instant messaging, I can’t bring myself to spell words incorrectly or use the slang like “ur”. I even capitalize and use proper punctuation which is almost unheard of on MSN Messenger.
The one that bugs me to no end is “I seen” instead of “I saw”. My ex was bad for that and he used to get really mad when I corrected him all the time.
I’m not an English major, but it’s nice to see that others still care about what they write too.
#85 Robert C → 03.05.07 at 4:30 pm
The two that drive me crazy are:
1) Substituting an ampersand (”&”) for “and” (lazy ***kers)
and,
2) Using numerals instead of letters for the first nine (not 9!) numbers (as the author of this article did).
#86 Mamasan → 03.05.07 at 4:31 pm
Can someone wigh in on my grammar-taught assertion that “impact” is not a verb?
#87 ziggy → 03.05.07 at 4:37 pm
http://www.d-e-f-i-n-i-t-e-l-y.com/ should be in your list. I think everyone has trouble with that word.
#88 Des Walsh → 03.05.07 at 4:55 pm
>And Des, “insouciance”?
I’d have been disappointed if you hadn’t caught it :)
#89 5 Common Grammatical Mistakes « Life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about it.. → 03.05.07 at 4:57 pm
[…] 5 Mar 2007 5 Common Grammatical Mistakes Posted by Sunil under Grammar , English , Random Found this via Reddit.. It’s a nicecollection of common English grammatical mistakes that people make. There is one more that I’d like to add to that, “Ensure” vs. “Insure“.. Nearly the same spelling and pronunciation, drastically different meanings, and yet.. There are times I feel like telling them if they really want to “insure” that the project finishes on time, perhaps they should go talk to Safeco next door! […]
#90 Dark Territory → 03.05.07 at 5:01 pm
Thanks for the list, these are also my pet peeves when reading websites and blogs.
The one that really gets my panties in a bunch is when people switch “lose” and “loose”. This problem is two-fold, they often pick the wrong one no matter which they meant to use! It’s infuriating. The meanings aren’t even remotely the same!
#91 Brian → 03.05.07 at 5:05 pm Copyblogger
I’m so glad so many people have pointed this one out–seeing this mistake never fails to mystify me. The meanings are not the same, and the two words do not sound alike. Truly puzzling.
#92 JP → 03.05.07 at 5:06 pm
Bravo! Now teach, people, the proper use of commas, so their sentences, don’t look like, this.
#93 Andrew → 03.05.07 at 5:08 pm
It’s not only “their” and “there” but also “they’re”. I see these three words used in the wrong context all the time.
Great article
#94 mike raphone → 03.05.07 at 5:21 pm
ok grammar ill give you
but i find little need to punctuate anymore
and to be honest no one seems to care about my grammar anymore either even in the business world
and i make plenty of money in IT
so i dont know
seems kind of 90s to memorize all these rules to “not look dumb” to anal people i dont want to know anyway
if youre a writer fine
but if you dont engage in formal writing often spell check will get you from 5th grade to 50 just fine
#95 Tom → 03.05.07 at 5:22 pm
I have grown tired of using the apostrophe key at all, so I just avoid conjunctions as much as possible. It will not ruin your whole sentence structure to say “will not” instead of “won’t” or “you are” instead of “you’re”. At times, I find that it can even make sentences more clear. On the other hand, I hate it when other people make apostrophe mistakes.
Regardless, great job on the article. I hope this makes it to the computers of the loads of people who did not “lern 2 spel” in school.
#96 Bonnie → 03.05.07 at 5:24 pm
Great post (and very popular)!
I see this pet peeve of mine so often I’m beginning to think I’m wrong: writers who use “that” instead of “who” when referring to people. (That was the right way to do it, right? ;-) Here’s the wrong way: “There are many bloggers that don’t worry about bad grammar.”
#97 Brian → 03.05.07 at 5:28 pm Copyblogger
You got it.
I’m one of those people who has to catch themselves on that one from time to time. ;)
#98 Homophone Bloggers at Bee Hive → 03.05.07 at 5:35 pm
[…] Copyblogger posted today on his topic and he doesn’t hold back his opinion when he titles his post - 5 Common Mistakes That Make You Look Dumb. But there are other mistakes that can detract from your credibility. While we all hope that what we have to say is more important than some silly grammatical error, the truth is that some people will not subscribe, buy, or link to you if you make dumb mistakes when you write. […]
#99 Headlines of Note for March 5, 2007 → 03.05.07 at 5:43 pm
[…] 5 Common Mistakes That Make You Look Dumb (Copyblogger) […]
#100 Chris Taylor → 03.05.07 at 6:04 pm
“The usage of correct grammar and good style is the hallmark of an educated (in grammar and writing) mind and disciplined (in grammar and writing) thought. As such it should recognized and encouraged. Its absence should serve as a warning to readers and listeners of a concomitant lack of rigor in development of any underlying premise.”
The Human mind is an amaizng thing. If can make some of the most intresting corrcetions all by itself without you even knowing it. (how many of you noticed the spelling errors above?)
The only people who really notice these simple things are people who actively look for them.
Gross grammar errors are tacky. They really should be corrected. The minor errors though especially spelling errors are quite irrelevant. We all know this even if we refuse to admit it. This irrelevance is why its so hard to proof read your own content. Your brain just “fixes” the mistakes it finds and moves along. It takes another person with the intent to find errors to find them.
This is also why proof reading hard copy is easier than proofreading on screen. You pay more attention to detail when its in hard copy.
I will admit I am a bit lax when it comes to grammar. I am am very good at spelling but not very good at typing. I am fast but sloppy, often tapping the wrong key or having my left hand jump the gun on the right etc..
I tend to type the way I think and it shows in my web pages (Note my webpage is about 10 years out of date and it need of a major overhaul)
I can go through and correct these errors but I am usually to lazy. I make so many and have so little time that it just gets put in the, when I have time, stack of things to do.
I noticed just how badly I use this type as you think method in my latest project. I am writing or more properly putting together a 400page Photo Book of Naram 48. The amount of actual text is low in something like this. As I was reviewing it I was astonished at how many errors I made. I also discovered I tended to overuse words a lot. While this is not an error exactly it is bad taste so I am fixing that too.
The only major problem I have is when people nitpick on otherwise irrelevant errors and mistakes. The only person who cares is the one complaining. If this is a book or a professional paper or work or some kind then fine nitpick away otherwise just let it go. It just does not matter enough to be worth even your time to make the post or reply to complain about it.
#101 Astra → 03.05.07 at 6:10 pm
You named all of my grammatical top pet peeves. But grammar is a constantly evolving idea… who’s to say that 50 years from now these rules won’t be considered archaic? I remember my English teacher years ago telling us that linguists predict that “ought” and “shall” are facing their way out.
As long as there are people fighting the good fight, I will keep this hope alive that people will NOT keep on interchanging ‘it’s’ with ‘its.’ If only people had a remote idea how stupid it makes them look!
#102 andwhatsnext → 03.05.07 at 6:11 pm
I have two more for you.
Quotation marks do “not” add emphasis! It looks “stupid” (or like you want to write for the Zagat guide). Use *asterisks* - if you must - for emphasis when you can’t apply special (rich) formatting.
And,,, never use more than one comma in a row.
#103 WMA → 03.05.07 at 6:12 pm
What about “ad vs add”? :)
#104 JP → 03.05.07 at 6:12 pm
The Chicago Manual of Style (”Fifteenth Edition”) is now online (Note that, in the field of publishing, style means punctuation, italicizing, bolding, capitalization, tables, and so forth; not prose style.)
So if you’re serious about writing, and have the smallest amount of compassion for people who truly enjoy reading. Then I highly recommend that you take the time to become familiar with this publication. I also highly recommend tattooing http://www.CopyBlogger.com, and http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org on the backs of your hand. For no reason other than to remind you that it’s not about the reader being anal “it is” about the writer being lazy and inconsiderate . . .
And yes (”lazy and inconsiderate”) go together like (”macaroni and cheese”) therefore omitting the use of a serial comma—at least in the context I was referring to. It was my choice to do so, and above all not because I chose to be lazy.
#105 sweetarms → 03.05.07 at 6:16 pm
effect, affect are both verbs
affect = change
effect = make
#106 Mamasan → 03.05.07 at 6:19 pm
Anyone else getting violent eye-twitches from reading grammatical errors in comments responding to an article about grammatical errors?
#107 Brian → 03.05.07 at 6:26 pm Copyblogger
Yes, but it’s not nearly as common, and therefore people screw it up when they deal with “effect” as a noun.
#108 JP → 03.05.07 at 6:27 pm
Mamasan, at the very least the point I was trying to make is don’t be lazy. I got as grammatical as I could get without spending five hours going over my copy, and asking 10 people to proof read it before I hit send ;)
#109 Affiliate Summit Videos, Shoutouts, and Light Posting - ShoeMoney™ → 03.05.07 at 6:29 pm
[…] Copyblogger has a post about Good Grammar (if you are into that) […]
#110 Jay → 03.05.07 at 6:32 pm
How about “ensure” and “insure”?
#111 Prick → 03.05.07 at 6:35 pm
I haven’t taken the time to read all the posts but you forgot the “Bush” mistake. “We got to” rather than “We have got to” or simply “We have to”.
#112 Gary Turner → 03.05.07 at 6:46 pm
I thank Mrs. Stokes and seventh grade English for all the grammar I ever learned. Even fifty years later, I cannot hear or read grammatical errors without wincing.
Writing well requires a bit more than proper grammar, spelling or choice of words, eg., there/their, &c.; it requires style, too. I cannot recommend any source above “The Elements of Style”, William Strunk, jr. and E.B. White.
#113 UrbanGrounds » Blog Archive » Five Simple Things to Make You a More Credible Writer → 03.05.07 at 7:18 pm
[…] 5 Common Mistakes That Make you Look Dumb […]
#114 Nick Hebb → 03.05.07 at 8:13 pm
Brian,
I disagree on the effect/affect issue/. “Effect” is commonly used as a verb.
Since I disagreed, naturally I scouted around the web. This is the most concise explanation of the two terms I could find:
http://www.grammarbook.com/grammar/effVaff.asp
In short, when each is used as a verb you should be able to substitute cause/caused for effect/effected and influence/influenced for affect/affected and retain the same meaning.
#115 Joe’s Blog » Blog Archive : 5 writing mistakes that make you look dumb » 5 writing mistakes that make you look dumb → 03.05.07 at 8:17 pm
[…] CopyBlogger Brian Clark has put together a short list of 5 easy to avoid mistakes that make you look, in his words, “dumb”. This are all simple writing mistakes and include: […]
#116 Leal → 03.05.07 at 8:25 pm
Quite an interesting post. It makes one proof read their comment for the “5 Common Mistakes That Make You Look Dumb”. Great job on pointing them out.
#117 5 Common Mistakes That Make You Look Dumb | Copyblogger at .sleejay → 03.05.07 at 8:34 pm
[…] 5 Common Mistakes That Make You Look Dumb | Copyblogger […]
#118 jdavidb → 03.05.07 at 9:04 pm
Far better way to distinguish “it’s” and “its”:
I could never remember if “it’s” was a contraction for “it is,” or a possessive for “it.” If I could remember to try to repeat “it is” out loud, then I could just remember that “it’s” is a contraction. So the mnemonic in this post doesn’t help me.
However, I can remember this rule: possessive pronouns do not have apostrophes. The possessive form of “he” is “his,” and it doesn’t have an apostrophe. Likewise for “hers.” Likewise for “its.” It’s a possessive pronoun. So therefore the possessive pronoun “its” does not have an apostrophe, and “it’s” is a contraction, not a possessive.
#119 kokuou → 03.05.07 at 9:19 pm
You forgot “split infinitives” on your list.
Oh wait, you know what? Scratch that because it’s a stupid rule.
You know why it exists? Because some scholars who got together to have a pow-wow about English grammar and set down rules decided that they would base those rules on Latin. And for those of you who know anything about Latin, you’ll recall that you can’t split an infinitive because infinitive verbs in Latin are SINGLE WORDS, like in French.
I find it funny that most of these self-appointed defenders of the English language have absolutely no background in linguistics.
Yes, there is a place and a time for “correct” grammar (although, the things that people here are talking about are spelling and punctuation mistakes–not grammatical ones), such as national newspapers and the like, but for someone writing a personal blog? Give me a break.
And for those people (I can’t remember specific names) who say, “I’m always correcting my friends’ grammar and they hate it,” well stop being an ass.
Even as a linguistics major, I know that it’s just plain rude to stop someone mid-sentence to correct them. (It is, however, effective for losing friends or having them talk crap to you behind your back.)
Language is always changing and it is the nature of human language to simplify itself (i.e.: it is natural for people to want to use one form for “there,” “they’re,” and “their”–after all, written language is simply an arbitrary method at conveying what we SAY through symbols, and in speech, all three of those are the same).
For those of you who don’t believe me, well, take a linguistics course or read a book.
Descriptive grammar, FTW!
#120 Dabo → 03.05.07 at 9:21 pm
Great topic and very timely!
These errors mostly tell me that the writer is not a “reader”. Anyone who does any amount of reading of high-quality text, such as books, newspapers, and magazines, then that person should not be making “stupid” mistakes like confusing “it’s” with “its”.
#121 Brian → 03.05.07 at 9:27 pm Copyblogger
Ahh… but this is a blog about marketing, not personal journaling. See, it says so right up at the top?
#122 kokuou → 03.05.07 at 9:41 pm
Wow, thanks for addressing the main point(s) in my post.
The bottom line is that a blog is a blog, be it about marketing or nuclear physics.
Although, I suppose my little tirade to convert grammar-nazis into descriptive grammarians will likely fall on deaf ears.
It may just be me, but I find it WAY more interesting to study how language changes than it is to attempt something as futile as language standardization.
#123 JP → 03.05.07 at 9:48 pm
Did a few individuals commenting on this post forget the name of this blog? Let me refresh your memory it’s called “CopyBlogger” (copy writing tips for online MARKETING success.)
Far be it from me to throw a wet blanket over a few of these soap boxes, but we need to stay on track here.
Furthermore I think the follow up to this post should focus specifically on the difference between casual writing for “diary blogs” and ad copy writing for “commercial blogs.”
#124 JP → 03.05.07 at 9:49 pm
Gah! Brian you beat me to the punch :P
#125 Coffee, Sun & Technology » Confession of an immigrant → 03.05.07 at 9:52 pm
[…] Thankfully, CopyBlog.com clarified it for me: 5 Common Mistakes That Make You Look Dumb. […]
#126 kokuou → 03.05.07 at 9:54 pm
Well, JP, if you want comments from only those in MARKETING, then maybe there shouldn’t be a link to DIGG on the site, hmm?
#127 Oh no! « Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre → 03.05.07 at 9:55 pm
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#128 JP → 03.05.07 at 10:03 pm
I think this post has finally jumped the shark . . .
#129 Another comment on poor writing « Blunt Object → 03.05.07 at 10:11 pm
[…] 5 Common Mistakes That Make You Look Dumb (copyblogger.com) […]
#130 Josef → 03.05.07 at 10:20 pm
If you haven’t read the book Eat, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss you should take a quick look. You raise some of the same issues.
#131 Fred → 03.05.07 at 10:43 pm
And site vs. sight? As in “lose sight”?
“Building Traffic with Article Marketing” (your pdf write up), page 8, 4th word in the first paragraph.
#132 Brian → 03.05.07 at 10:48 pm Copyblogger
Good catch Fred, thanks!
What’s your URL? I’ll be glad to return the favor.
#133 Into PR | Weekly Grammaticalness: 5 Common Mistakes That Make You Look Dumb → 03.05.07 at 11:05 pm
[…] As a very humble offering as substitute for my lack of grammatical posts, here is a very good post from Copyblogger. It’s a list of five common errors in writing. […]
#134 Joseph K → 03.05.07 at 11:33 pm
That’s a good list. The way people commonly mix up singular and plural always annoys me: “Is there any questions,” “There’s two people there,” etc. And knowing when to use “less” and “fewer” is a small thing, I think (though I realize there are common phrases like “fifty words or less” that are acceptable).
#135 stef → 03.05.07 at 11:59 pm
I am french and I find English so easy, compared to my native tongue. I agree with you that bad spelling is common, and challenges the credibility of the writer.
#136 Fred → 03.06.07 at 12:00 am
I’m sorry, but it’s in Spanish (that’s my native language). Thanks anyway! Glad to be useful somehow.
#137 "links for 2007-03-06" by Bob Plankers, The Lone Sysadmin → 03.06.07 at 1:17 am
[…] 5 Common Mistakes That Make You Look Dumb | Copyblogger Amen, brother. Also add loose vs. lose, and too, two, and to. […]
#138 Jim → 03.06.07 at 1:37 am
How horrid that blog writing is in such a lowly state; I hope bloggers eventually take some pride in their craft. These mistakes that you call common are basic grammar that all of us should have learned in grade school. A copy of Strunk & White’s “Elements of Style” should be mandatory with every laptop sold. And we need a universal grammar checker on the Internet. Anybody who writes “it’s” instead of “its” or “there” instead of “their” should be squirted out of the universe like a watermelon seed.
#139 Edward → 03.06.07 at 1:45 am
I always make the it’s & its mistake ….
#140 AHFB → 03.06.07 at 2:20 am
Ha. You think thats bad, you should try reading university papers (as I do on my site). You’ll find all sorts of awful mistakes. Then/Than is one, but there are far bigger issues than poor word choice.
#141 Mike Schinkel → 03.06.07 at 2:23 am
@JP >> “So if you’re serious about writing, and have the smallest amount of compassion for people who truly enjoy reading. Then I highly recommend that you take the time to become familiar with this publication.”
Yes, if you are serious about writing. I suggest you not be. Lazy and inconsiderate to your readers. And that you should. Complete your thoughts. In your sentences. Especially if you are going to pendantically. Call out others. For their foibles. ;-)
BTW, I read the comments to see if anyone else mentioned “THEN vs. THAN”, which someone did, but I still thought I’d add my voice to the list!
#142 David → 03.06.07 at 4:28 am
I enjoyed the blog post thoroughly! There are certainly many more common errors.
One of my favorites (already mentioned) was “irregardless” - my dad used that word constantly. Having looked it up in the dictionary, I like to ask people: What’s the difference between the word “irregardless” and “regardless”? Brings them to the point rather quickly after they receive the answer: they’re synonyms!
A couple of my pet peeves (inherited from my school teacher grandmother): the phrase “so true” or “very true” or “so right” - either you are right, or you are not: you *can’t* be VERY right. Either it is true or it is false: it *cannot* be VERY true.
Same holds for “very black” or “extremely black” or “sort of black” - either it is black or it isn’t.
As for French and Spanish (I can converse in the former, and muddle my way in small talk - VERY small - in the latter) - I find both to be easier in grammar and spelling than English (my mother tongue) - in spite of words like ratatouille (”rat-a-too-ee”) or Marseille (”mar-say”). Still seems to make sense somehow; sometimes English just doesn’t make any sense….
#143 Richard → 03.06.07 at 6:04 am
Chris Taylor said:
“The Human mind is an amaizng thing. If can make some of the most intresting corrcetions all by itself without you even knowing it.
(how many of you noticed the spelling errors above?)
The only people who really notice these simple things are people who actively look for them.”
Well, I noticed the spelling errors and I wasn’t looking, actively or otherwise. I wasn’t reading carefully either, I was just zipping through and the errors jumped out at me.
For me it’s a pattern thing - words either look right or they don’t.
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#146 The Blog Columnist » Grammar: what drives me crazy → 03.06.07 at 7:49 am
[…] Brian Clark over at CopyBlogger has once again hit paydirt with his post 5 Common Mistakes That Make You Look Dumb - looking at obvious mistakes bloggers make that they really shouldn’t, and thus, making them look … well, dumb! […]
#147 Where a little about a lot will take you a long way » Affect Vs. Effect → 03.06.07 at 9:15 am