Comments on: Do You Make These 7 Mistakes When You Write?

By: Joanna Stewart

Joanna Stewart — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:40:22 +0000

Thanks for the great post. In reponse to someone who mentioned the sad underuse of the semicolon, I would like to add the sad misuse of the semicolon. I’ve noticed that lots of people use this helpful punctuation mark, but very few use it correctly. Its proper use is pretty straightforward, and it’s almost always taught in school; I don’t know why it doesn’t sink in. Maybe it’s because you need to be able to recognize an independent clause in order to know when to use it the right way. When I was an English teacher, I caught a few students for plagiarism because their essays actually used semicolons correctly, and I knew that the students themselves didn’t know how to do that. Very sad.

By: Harley Bike Shop

Harley Bike Shop — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:19:37 +0000

There’s nothing wrong with a post or article being conversational, but for heaven’s sake, good grammar is still vital! I totally agree with Dave ^

What an absolutely fantastic post! I know these mistakes I see in other people’s writings absolutely drive me nuts. The confusion between their, they’re and there also makes me crazy.

Thanks for posting this. I’ll be sharing it!

By: dave

dave — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 02:48:01 +0000

While I agree that blog post should be conversational, I think part of making it “easier on the reader” is actually following the rules. Yes, breaking the rules every now and then is fine: one word paragraphs, occasional incomplete sentences, etc; but most garden-variety bloggers haven’t even considered grammar or writing complete sentences. Yes, know the rule, then break it, as you mentioned.

I guess I’m biased, I read Strunk and White’s book around once a year.

By: repossessed cars

repossessed cars — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:51:01 +0000

I love posts and blogs like this where the English language thrives. Confusing “to” and “too” has to be my pet peeve. The trouble is, if you try to point things out, you are labelled a spelling Nazi. Oh well. Thanks again.

Catxx

By: What to Look for When Hiring a Blogger | Best info.

What to Look for When Hiring a Blogger | Best info. — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:12:43 +0000

[...] Copyblogger is a blog that regularly discusses some common mistakes writers make, like in this article. These can help any writer build their knowledge on the finer points of grammar, spelling and [...]

By: The Communication Cycle

The Communication Cycle — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 15:45:18 +0000

You are the first person who has ever explained the “me” and “I” conundrum in a way that I can understand. Thank you.

By: Dr. Paul Kratka

Dr. Paul Kratka — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:25:06 +0000

When or how is the word “ones” used/spelled in a sentence such as the following: Diet is a critical component of Bonfire’s lifestyle teaching; beyond everyday healthy choices, integral to the program is the recommendation to supplement ones diet with …”

Is this a situation where an apostrophe is used i.e. ones’? or is it okay as written above?

Your blog is stellar – as our culture gets less and less concerned with grammatically correct writing in our move towards expediency or convenience, it’s refreshing to hear your voice.

Thanks, Paul

By: Lorraine Arams

Lorraine Arams — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:18:47 +0000

Since I started blogging, this is a recurring theme – grammar, punctuation and the proper use of words. I’ve become quite aware now. This awareness has made me look closer at how journalists and writers in newspapers and magazines deliver their content. I find it incredibly amazing that journalists go to university for years to study correct use of the English language and, yet, they, with all their training, make incredibly stupid mistakes, have typos, and miss proper connections between words. We mere mortals of the writing world must forgive ourselves for the occasional error – the pros do it all the time!

By: Harlequin

Harlequin — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 01:31:24 +0000

I am very grateful for this. Although I don’t make these mistakes anymore, it’s wonderful to know WHY they were mistakes. Lose vs Loose drives me loopy when I see it. And the apostrophe error. I think that one is becoming very common – I see it all the time in shops.

Ranting aside, this article is invaluable for anyone. Well done

By: pligg.com

pligg.com — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 07:28:23 +0000

Do You Make These 7 Mistakes When You Write? | Copyblogger…

It’s time once again to review those nasty errors that damage our credibility when we write. Not normally a fun task, but absolutely necessary. I promise to keep you amused to diminish the pain (or at least I’ll give it a shot)….