Archive for category: Communication

The Seven Most Common Writing Mistakes You Should Avoid

Writing clearly and correctly is crucial, especially in business. Here are seven of the most common mistakes people make in the English language—and how to avoid them.

1. Subject-Verb Agreement Errors
This mistake happens when the subject and verb don’t agree in number (singular or plural). Example: “The team are working late.” The correct version should be, “The team is working late,” because “team” is singular.

2. Misplaced Modifiers
Modifiers are words that add detail, but when placed incorrectly, they can confuse the reader. For example, “She almost drove her kids to school every day” suggests she rarely drove them, when the intention was “She drove her kids to school almost every day.”

3. Incorrect Use of Apostrophes
Apostrophes are often misused in plurals and possessives. For instance, “The company’s values” (possessive) vs. “The companies merged” (plural). A common mistake is using apostrophes for plurals, like “apple’s” instead of “apples.”

4. Confusing Homophones
Words like “their,” “they’re,” and “there” trip many up. Even seasoned writers sometimes mix up “its” and “it’s.” “Its” is possessive, while “it’s” means “it is.” Be mindful of the differences to avoid these mix-ups.

5. Run-On Sentences
Run-on sentences occur when independent clauses aren’t properly connected. For example: “I love writing it’s fun and helps me think clearly.” Correct version: “I love writing. It’s fun and helps me think clearly.”

6. Overuse of Commas
While commas can clarify meaning, overusing them makes sentences confusing. For example: “The CEO, wants to address the issue, as soon as possible.” Instead, it should be: “The CEO wants to address the issue as soon as possible.”

7. Sentence Fragments
Fragments are incomplete sentences that leave out essential components, like the subject or verb. For example, “Because the project was delayed.” This is a fragment, and needs something like, “We missed the deadline because the project was delayed.”

Three Common Texting Mistakes in Business Communication

Texting is quick, convenient, and an increasingly common way of business communication. But with that convenience comes the risk of miscommunication. Here are three common mistakes people make when texting for business—and how to avoid them.

1. Being Too Casual

Business texting doesn’t require the same formality as an email, but it shouldn’t be too casual. Skipping greetings, using excessive abbreviations, or emojis can send the wrong message.

Example of a Mistake: “Hey! U free for a quick call 2day?”

While this might work in a personal setting, it can come across as unprofessional in business.

How to Fix It: Instead, write: “Hi [Name], are you available for a quick call today?”

2. Being Unclear or Vague

In a rush, it’s easy to send texts that lack clarity. If the recipient has to guess what you’re asking or discussing, texting becomes inefficient.

Example of a Mistake: “Can you get that report to me soon?”

“That report” and “soon” are vague. What report? And when exactly is “soon”?

How to Fix It: Instead, write: “Could you send me the Q3 financial report by 3 PM today?”

3. Sending Long, Overly Detailed Texts

Texts are meant to be short and to the point. Sending a lengthy message with too much information defeats the purpose of texting and can overwhelm the recipient.

Example of a Mistake: “Hey, I wanted to let you know that I’ve spoken with the team, and we’re thinking of moving the meeting from Wednesday to Friday, but we haven’t finalized it yet because we’re waiting on approval from Sarah, who’s out of office, and we need to coordinate with the others as well…”

How to Fix It: Instead, write: “Meeting change: Can we move from Wed to Fri? Waiting for Sarah’s approval.”

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By avoiding these common texting mistakes, you can communicate more clearly and professionally, ensuring that your messages are effective without creating confusion or frustration.