Woke up with this on my mind for about the third or fourth time so I decided to blog about it....Business and Grammar. Read more after the break.
In business, one must know proper grammar and the correct spelling of words and homonyms. I know when it's a typo and when it's flat out wrong. I'm really good at typing reports, sponsorship proposals, press releases, school papers and all that jazz but I really don't like writing. As a business owner, I know it's something I have to do. I hate it when I see people in business using the wrong homonyms, incorrect spelling of words and improper grammar. It lowers THEIR credibility with me. With technology, it is so easy to check your grammar prior to sending that (what might be) million dollar email or million dollar letter to someone who can invest in your business or may become a "big spending" client. A few times, I corrected my friends on this and they don't take it too well so I decided to shut my mouth. Not everyone wants your correction or should I say, constructive criticism.
As a business owner, I'm always proofreading my work, sending to a credible friend to proofread, then I proofread again. I want potential investors and/or potential clients to know that I'm on top of my game and it begins with my grammar. When I get emails that have improper grammar use and misspelled words, I always criticize it and say to myself, "really?!" We as business owners can lose big deals as a result of this. This is just my suggestion, proofread your work or let a friend do it. Four eyes are always better than two.
Here are few common errors I see quite often. Sometimes they're errors and sometimes people just don't know. Please see below.
1. Their, There and They're. Their means possession. Example: I'm riding in their car. There means direction. Example: You dropped the pencil over there. They're is short for they are. Example: Kimaiya and Val; they're my best friends.
2. Know and No. Know means to have knowledge of something. Example: I know Tiffany Black on a personal basis. She's the owner of Tiffany Classics. No is the opposite of yes. Example: Did you go to work today? No, I stayed home and felt like the biggest loser.
3. Your and You're.Your is defined as having ownership of something. Example: Your hair looks nice. You're is short for you are. Example: You're the best daughter a mother could ever have.
What's more, I hate to see "could of" and "would of" statements. It's INCORRECT. Yes, I know it sounds as though it's spelled that way but umm....no, it's wrong. The correct way is "would've" short for would have and "could've" short for could have.
I am no where near an English teacher nor did I blog this evening to teach English. I just thought it was appropriate as I'm on the up and up and I want others to be on the up and up as well but going in the right direction and grammar is only part of the beginning. I hope this is helpful.
