Kick These Habits and Become a More Effective Content Creator!
In the world of content creation, churning out engaging and informative content on a regular basis is a must, for both the continued success of your company and the construction of an awesome brand. While one grammar mistake here and there in your writing certainly won’t spell the end of your credibility, constant and glaring mistakes in your content will absolutely begin to erode your authority in a short period of time. Carefully composing and editing your work is the most important part of making sure no embarrassing grammar oversights make it to your online audience. Another important part? Not committing grammar mistakes in the first place.
Whether you realize it or not, there are standards in the world of formal communication, especially through writing, that must be upheld in order to be perceived as an authority on any subject. However, many writers are simply in the dark when it comes to everyday mistakes in language and grammar that they commit regularly in their blog posts. To help give you a leg up on the successful composition of your next blog, we’ve compiled a list of grammar mistakes that you probably don’t know you’re making.
1. Punctuation Outside Quotation Marks
This mistake crops up in the work of even the most vigilant bloggers. Employing quotes from other people is a fairly common demand in the content creation arena, so you’ll need to know how to punctuate those quotes. Remember: always place punctuation inside the quotation marks, and you’ll be golden.
2. Mixing Up “Effect” and “Affect”
This is an easy mistake for a variety of reasons, from the pronunciation of both words to the super-similar spellings. However, committing this mistake, especially on a regular basis, will absolutely do damage to your credibility, especially since these words aren’t even the same part of speech.
“Effect” is a noun, while “affect” is a verb. Check into the definition and make certain that the word you’ve chosen fits the correct part of speech.
3. Using the Wrong Form of “Its” (or It’s)
This mistake usually comes down to simple oversight. Most writers who take the time to consciously ask themselves if their sentence demands a contraction of “it” and “is” or the possessive form of “it” will catch this mistake and duly correct it. It all comes down to proofreading and being aware of the overall aim of your sentences.
4. Dangling Modifiers
This mistake is just blatantly confusing and will likely send your readers to the “back” arrow in droves. A sentence with a dangling modifier reads kind of like this one: “Getting out of bed, the floor feels cold under Sherry’s feet.” This creates confusion in your reader because, when read correctly, it seems as if the floor is the one getting out of bed, not Sherry. A constant and careful reading of your sentences can help alleviate the presence of this rather gruesome mistake in your writing.
5. Misusing “Who” and “That”
This mistake is ubiquitous, especially in less vigilant writers, mostly because both options can sound correct. Unfortunately, there is a definite standard for which is correct in the context of particular sentences. For example, “Mario is a baseball player that bats third in the lineup” may sound correct, but it should actually be “who” instead of “that” in the description. When describing people, always use “who.” For objects, go with “that.” It’s that simple.
6. Confusing “Your” and “You’re”
How can one, in good conscience, create a list of grammar mistakes and not include this hearty stand-by? Misusing your and you’re is one of the most common slip-ups of even the most studied and precise content creator; unfortunately, it will also make one look foolish each and every time. “Your” is the possessive form of you; “you’re” is a contraction that combines “you” and “are” into a more convenient and less formal single word.
Misusing these words can cause confusion in your reader and make your editing skills appear non-existent. If you find yourself naturally committing this snafu, make certain you re-read sentences that call for one or more uses of the word.
Correct grammar usage, especially for those who were never especially interested in English, can be a heap of confusion when it’s time to create some engaging and effective content. Being aware of , and thus avoiding, these grammar faux-pas in your writing, however, can work wonders on your clarity and credibility when it comes to your audience.
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