Were the Top 10 word blunders in my previous blog helpful? NO!! Oh. Okay, maybe the next 10 may hit the spot. I hope they hit something. Here they are.
NEXT 10 WORD USAGE MISTAKES
10. lose---loose
9. lie---lay
8. I---me---Moi
7. no one---noone
6. peek---peak---pique
5. principal---principle
4. raise---rise
3. than---then
2. there---their---they’re
AND THE NUMBER 1 BLUNDER:
1. whose---who’s
BONUS BLUNDER
your---you’re
That’s my final list. If you pay attention to the preceding word combos when you proof, you should be good shape, blunder-wise, unless you make other mistakes I haven’t seen. You’ve always been kinda sneaky.
HAPPY WRITING!
COPYRIGHT © 2010 Ronald A. Berk, LLC
I’ve written buckets of blogs and articles on writing and publishing because everyone has to write. Interestingly, there are mistakes you make in writing that no one will ever detect when you speak those same words. For example, when you say: “I’ve finally reached my peek in dog training,” no one knows whether you meant peak, peek, or pique, or whether you know the difference among those forms. No one cares about your spelling or word usage when you speak the sentence. However, if you wrote your statement that way, your readers would know you haven’t reached your peak in word usage!
There are certain word pair and trio blunders that I see frequently in e-mails, blogs, social media posts, listserv responses, journal manuscripts, and student papers. I’m not sure whether the errors are due to spelling, word usage, carelessness, or the writer’s just a knucklehead. Whatever the reason, I thought this Top 10 might be helpful to consider when you proof anything you write. You probably know the meanings. The issue is being sensitive to their use when they pop up in your writing.
TOP 10 WORD USAGE MISTAKES
10. accept---except
9. advice---advise
8. affect---effect
7. alternately---alternatively
6. cite---site---sight
5. compliment---complement
4. dessert---desert
3. e.g.---i.e.
2. insure---ensure
AND THE NUMBER 1 BLUNDER:
1. it’s---its
Do any of these words ring a bell? Guess what? There are 10 more blunders being shipped right now by FedEx as you’re reading this. They will appear in the next blog.
I don’t know about you, but when I type quickly, I sometimes forget the apostrophe in contractions. When we whip out a message, mistakes will happen. As professionals or amateurs, these mistakes can only hurt our reputation and credibility. Be careful with these word combos. If you think of others, let me know.
COPYRIGHT © 2010 Ronald A. Berk, LLC
TOP 10 RULES
The rules are divided into “do’s” and “don’ts.” Here are the 1st 3
NETIQUETTE DO’S:
1. USE APPROPRIATE PROFESSIONAL LANGUAGE: Avoid smiley faces and other “social” symbols (save them for Facebook), Web jargon, unfamiliar abbreviations, and any offensive language, such as sarcasm, profanity, vulgarity, and sexual innuendo. Your writing should be that of a professional, not a buddy on a social network. If Google detects your use of “blue material,” your Website, blog, or other network may be demoted in the search engine ranks. This rule also applies to jokes.
2. USE PROPER GRAMMAR AND SPELLING: Chek adn thowroughlee pruf-reed alll mesags. Use SPELCHEK! Don’t hurry to hit the send button. This applies when you e-mail, tweet, text, blog, face, goog, wik, or some other 3–5 letter communication. Although, we are all our own worst proofreaders, try to let your message sit for a while, at least a minute or 2, but a day is best. Seeing it again totally cold often makes the errors jump off the screen. Wait for this jumping. Your writing ability and the care with which you produce any written product will be reflected in your messages and blogs. Your communications also reflect on the institution that hired you. Send only your best work into cyberspace. Anything less may come back to bite YOU in your butt-tocks.
3. BE HONEST AND TRUTHFUL: Don’t even think about it. If you lie or even streeetch the truth in what you communicate, especially your online profiles on your Website, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other networks that display your credentials, your career will hang in the balance. Be truthful in everything you say. Professional credibility is almost impossible to regain once it’s lost. Who will believe you?
If you use humor in your writing, as I do frequently, make sure your readers know you’re joking. Most professors and students, in particular, interpret everything they read seriously, unless they are familiar with the source as a jokester. Also, be careful with the types of humor you use. Self-effacing jokes are usually the safest.
This list continues in my next blog with 3 more do’s related to copyright, signature lines, and timely responses. Stay tuned.
COPYRIGHT © 2010 Ronald A. Berk, LLC
