I’ve been meaning to write this for awhile now but got busy.
Is it just me who can’t stand when they see incorrect words being used? Especially when doing business.
I mean, it’s one thing if it’s a private email or IM to friend or family and casual.
It’s a totally different thing when you’re posting, advertising, tweeting, doing business and you use the wrong word.
Examples:
your vs you’re
The first one is a pronoun and shows possession (ie: your jacket), the latter is contraction for you are (ie: you’re right)
here vs hear
Here is an adverb showing a place or location (ie: you are standing here). Hear is a verb and the definition is to be perceived by the ear (ie: can you hear the phone ringing?)
there vs their
There is an adverb and means in or at that place (ie: the gifts are over there). Their is a pronoun and is form of the possessive case of they used as an attributive adjective (ie: Their house is beautiful).
These are just a few of the many I’ve seen in the past month, moreso than ever. Granted some people live by spell check and that really won’t help them in the situations where they use the incorrect word which is correctly spelled.
Wonder if they’ll come out with a grammar check to back up the spell check?
But seriously, if you’re making these mistakes in business the person you’re attempting to do business with will have to question whether you know what you’re talking about or just how professional you are. If you don’t use proper grammar, which we’ve all been taught (least I think we have), then how can one be assured that you’ll conduct business or supply a service or product properly?
So, before you hit send, post, publish, tweet or any other form of submitting…check your grammar, it can only help you.
Rebekah Jones says
I couldn’t agree more! Not only is it annoying, but it is one of the biggest credibility killers of them all! As a proofreader and editor, I catch these simple errors all the time. If folks would just take a couple seconds to review what they have written…. ๐
Julie A. says
I am totally with you on this too! I think some people just get too lazy to check their spelling after they are done typing or they do check it and just don’t understand the difference between some words. Eerrrrrrr……..
Laurie Ayers says
Amen! While not all people are gifted in grammar, there are plenty of people around who would voluntarily take a lookie see at any work prior to posting so that the unprofessional posts don’t need to hurt your business… or is that you’re biz? ๐
Cathy says
I absolutely agree with you on this. I think it is a true reflection on you as a person and when you make these errors(unknowingly or not)it just doesn’t look good. My husband hates it when I look over his shoulder while he is typing an email because he knows I will almost always find an error and it drives him CRAZY! I try to explain that I do it because I don’t want people to have a negative opinion of him, but he just sees it as me being critical.
Lorena says
Exactly! Everyone makes grammatical errors here and there but if you are sending out a business document, check it thoroughly! It truly does appear less professional when those errors exist.