Download 5 Grammar Mistakes You Have to Stop Making Online

5 Grammar Mistakes You Have to Stop Making
Online
Posted by Amber Ludeman
Whether it’s a tweet, a paid search ad, or content on your blog, your online content is representative of your brand.
That means that yes, it is still imperative that you use correct grammar and spelling. With the 24-hour news cycle,
and the chance for your mistake to go viral, it is important that you double-check your content. You don’t have to be a
grammar stickler regarding punctuation, as this is becoming more fluid with character limits, but spelling is still–well,
not fluid. Here are 5 tips you need to commit to memory to avoid your brand being embarrassed online.
5. Confusing your homophones
Common examples: they’re, their, there / two, too, to / whose, who’s
Homophones are words that sound the same (homo = same, phone = sound). This is just a simple thing to fix
because all of these words sound the same, but mean something different. Learn what they mean and in what
context they’re used.
They’re = they are (They’re finally here!)
Their = plural possession (Their animals are unruly.)
There = location/place (Your hat was lying right there last time I saw it.)
Whose = possession (Whose papers jammed the printer?)
Who’s = who is (Who’s responsible for bringing the doughnuts to the meeting?)
Maybe we’ll graduate to “how to use whom” next time.
4. Misspellings
Common examples: achieve, accommodate, conscious, effect/affect, a lot
Technically misspelling a word falls under a spelling mistake and not a grammar mistake, but it needs to be
addressed. Misspellings in your marketing + online communications simply look sloppy or careless. When in doubt,
look it up.
“A lot” is two (not to or too) words. An “alot” is a fictitious creature created by fellow grammarian Hyperbole + a Half.
3. Subject/verb agreement
This can be difficult at times and is not always easy to pick out when incorrect (frankly because so many people do it
incorrectly). The main thing to remember here is to
figure out whether your subject is
singular or plural. This will help you figure out whether your verb needs to be singular or plural. When
people aren’t sure whether or not the subject is plural or singular, they make mistakes.
A few common subject/verb agreement mistakes explained:
When a person (or his friend) isn’t sure about a subject, he or she might mess it up.
Since it’s an “or,” you accept that the subject is singular and thus use the singular verb “isn’t” instead of “aren’t.” Note:
Do you hate using “he or she”? Then simply make your verb plural so you may use “they” instead.
When a person (and his friend) are ready for the concert, they’ll call.
Since it’s an “and,” you accept that the person and his friend are one plural subject and thus use the plural verb “are.”
2. Semi-colon + comma confusion
Remember that time your teacher told you to put a comma in the sentence where there is a
“natural
pause”? Well, it seems that many people on social networks are naturally pausing a lot (not alot). I won’t get
into every comma rule ever created, but let’s stick with the basics. Use a comma with a conjunction only if the
phrase coming after the conjunction (or, but) can stand alone. If you want to take the conjunction out, simply
use a semi-colon.
Examples:
John and his father went to see the Beatles in March 1970, but little did they know that the band would break up just
a month later.
John and his father went to see the Beatles in March 1970; little did they know that the band would break up just a
month later.
John and his father went to see the Beatles but left early. << No comma needed because “but left early” cannot stand
alone.
1. Using I vs. me
This rule is actually fairly simple to remember. Simply remove the party before you in the sentence to figure out if you
should use “I” or “me.” Read the sentence aloud without the omitted words. If it sounds incorrect with “I” or “me,” use
the other. Read aloud again. Now you can put back in the previously omitted words.
Incorrect: “I took this picture of Tori and I while on vacation.”
Take “Tori and” out of the sentence. Using “me” would be correct.
Correct: “This picture is of Tori and me while on vacation.”
Many people will use the reflexive pronoun “myself,” as in “Tori and myself on vacation.” In this case, it works.
I hope you have enjoyed this grammar lesson + take the time to make sure your online content is both compelling
and grammatically correct. Still need help? Here are a few online grammar resources: