grammar 

(noun): the structure and system of a language, or of languages in

general, usually considered to consist of syntax and morphology

Grammar is the system of a language. People sometimes describe grammar

as the "rules" of a language; but in fact no language has rules*. If we use the
word "rules", we suggest that somebody created the rules first and then spoke
the language, like a new game. But languages did not start like that.
Languages started by people making sounds which evolved into words,
phrases and sentences. No commonly-spoken language is fixed. All
languages change over time. What we call "grammar" is simply a reflection of
a language at a particular time.

Do we need to study grammar to learn a language? The short answer is "no".

Very many people in the world speak their own, native language without
having studied its grammar. Children start to speak before they even know the
word "grammar". But if you are serious about learning a foreign language, the
long answer is "yes, grammar can help you to learn a language more quickly
and more efficiently." It's important to think of grammar as something that can
help you, like a friend. When you understand the grammar (or system) of a
language, you can understand many things yourself, without having to ask a
teacher or look in a book.

So think of grammar as something good, something positive, something that

you can use to find your way - like a signpost or a map.

Here are 20 simple rules and tips to help you avoid mistakes in English
grammar. For more comprehensive rules please look under the appropriate
topic (part of speech etc) on our grammar and other pages.

1. A sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a period/full stop,
a question mark or an exclamation mark. see Punctuation

 The fat cat sat on the mat.

 Where do you live?
 My dog is very clever!
2. The order of a basic positive sentence is Subject-Verb-Object.
(Negative and question sentences may have a different order.)

 John loves Mary.

  They were driving their car to Bangkok.

3. Every sentence must have a subject and a verb. An object is optional.

Note that an imperative sentence may have a verb only, but the subject
is understood.

 John teaches.
 John teaches English.
 Stop! (i.e. You stop!)

4. The subject and verb must agree in number, that is a singular subject

needs a singular verb and a plural subject needs a plural verb.

 John works in London.
 That monk eats once a day.
 John and Mary work in London.
 Most people eat three meals a day.

5. When two singular subjects are connected by or, use a singular verb.
The same is true for either/or and neither/nor.

 John or Mary is coming tonight.

 Either coffee or tea is fine.
 Neither John nor Mary was late.

6. Adjectives usually come before a noun (except when a verb separates

the adjective from the noun).

 I have a big dog.
 She married a handsome Italian man.
 (Her husband is rich.)

7. When using two or more adjectives together, the usual order

is opinion-adjective + fact-adjective + noun. (There are some additional
rules for the order of fact adjectives.)

 I saw a nice French table.

 That was an interesting Shakespearian play.
8. Treat collective nouns (e.g. committee, company, board of directors)
as singular OR plural. In BrE a collective noun is usually treated as
plural, needing a plural verb and pronoun. In AmE a collective noun is
often treated as singular, needing a singular verb and pronoun.

 The committee are having sandwiches for lunch. Then they will go to

London. (typically BrE)
 The BBC have changed their logo. (typically BrE)
 My family likes going to the zoo. (typically AmE)
 CNN has changed its logo. (typically AmE)

9. The words its and it's are two different words with different meanings.

 The dog has hurt its leg.

 He says it's two o'clock.

10. The words your and you're are two different words with different

meanings.

 Here is your coffee.
 You're looking good.

11. The words there, their and they're are three different words with

different meanings.

 There was nobody at the party.

 I saw their new car.
 Do you think they're happy?

12. The contraction he's can mean he is OR he has. Similarly, she's can

mean she is OR she has, and it's can mean it is OR it has,
and John's can mean John is OR John has.

 He is working
 He has finished.
 She is here.
 She has left.
 John is married.
  John has divorced his wife.

13. The contraction he'd can mean he had OR he would.

Similarly, they'd can mean they had OR they would.

 He had eaten when I arrived.

 He would eat more if possible.
 They had already finished.
 They would come if they could.

14. Spell a proper noun with an initial capital letter. A proper noun is a
"name" of something, for example Josef, Mary, Russia, China, British
Broadcasting Corporation, English.

 We have written to Mary.

 Is China in Asia?
 Do you speak English?

15. Spell proper adjectives with an initial capital letter. Proper adjectives
are made from proper nouns, for example Germany → German, Orwell →
Orwellian, Machiavelli → Machiavellian.

 London is an English town.
 Who is the Canadian prime minister?
 Which is your favourite Shakespearian play?

16. Use the indefinite article a/an for countable nouns in general. Use

the definite article the for specific countable nouns and all uncountable
nouns.

 I saw a bird and a balloon in the sky. The bird was blue and the

balloon was yellow.
 He always saves some of the money that he earns.

17. Use the indefinite article a with words beginning with a consonant

sound. Use the indefinite article an with words beginning with a vowel
sound. see When to Say a or an

 a cat, a game of golf, a human endeavour, a Frenchman, a university

(you-ni-ver-si-ty)
  an apple, an easy job, an interesting story, an old man, an
umbrella, an honorable man (on-o-ra-ble)

18. Use many or few with countable nouns. Use much/a lot or little for

uncountable nouns. see Quantifiers

 How many dollars do you have?

 How much money do you have?
 There are a few cars outside.
 There is little traffic on the roads.

19. To show possession (who is the owner of something) use

an apostrophe + s for singular owners, and s + apostrophe for plural
owners.

 The boy's dog. (one boy)

 The boys' dog. (two or more boys)

20. In general, use the active voice (Cats eat fish) in preference to
the passive voice (Fish are eaten by cats).

 We use active in preference to passive.

 Active is used in preference to passive.
Grammar—all those rules and structures that govern written
and spoken language—might seem to some like a tedious
affair. But the truth is that without some rules in place to
follow, we would probably struggle to understand each
other’s speech and writing at all. In fact, whether you know
it or not, you’ve already acquired an understanding of many
grammar rules just by going about your business.

While many of these grammar rules are made to be broken, having a basic awareness and
command of grammar in your writing is of vital importance: With the right understanding
and approach, you can help ensure that you present your best self on the page—you can
make sure that your best ideas are clearly presented and understood by whoever reads
them.

Word processing features like spelling and grammar checkers can make it easy to spot

simple errors in our writing. And AI-powered digital writing assistants like Microsoft
Editor and Grammarly with more advanced features and capabilities can make it even
easier to ensure that your writing is clear, error-free, and the best that it can be. But being
armed with a range of in-depth grammatical knowledge can still be a huge help for which
there’s no real substitute. Not only will you be able to able to pick out potential mistakes on
your own, but you’ll have a better sense of all the tools available to you to get your best
ideas across.
At the end of the day, gaining grammar knowledge is all about expanding that tool set.
Because great writers aren’t just creative thinkers and communicators; they’re also master
technicians who are highly conscious of how to structure and control their words on the
page—whether that’s in emails or letters, resumes or reports.
So to jumpstart your journey toward mastery, we’ve covered some of the grammar basics
that will get you on your way.

Beginning Grammar: Sentence Components and Verb

Tenses
Sentence Components
 In English grammar, sentences are composed of two principal parts: the subject and
the predicate. In simple terms, the subject is who or what the sentence is about. Meanwhile,
the predicate contains information about the subject.
Example Sentence: The city of Chicago is a beautiful place to visit.

 Subject: The city of Chicago

 Predicate: is a beautiful place to visit.

Almost all sentences will include both of these parts, although there are some exceptions.
For instance, an in imperative sentence (one that communicates a command or demand)
typically omits the subject of the sentence (usually you) because it is understood or implied,
as in: Pass the butter, please. or Give me a break! or Do not pass Go, do not collect $200.
Verb Tenses
One other helpful tool to kick start your grammar learning journey is a basic understanding
of verb tenses. In short, verb tense refers to when the action a verb describes occurs. While
each of these breaks down into further, more specific classifications, that’s a more advanced
lesson for another day. For now, you can get through Grammar 101 with a simple
understanding of the three main verb tenses:
Past: Past tense verbs describe something that has already happened
Example: I ran a marathon.
Present: The present tense describes things that are happening currently or continuously.
Example: I am running a marathon. I run marathons.
Future: Future tense verbs describe an action that has not happened yet or will happen.
Example: I will run a marathon next year.
Continuing On: Beyond Basic Grammar
All this information, of course, just scratches the surface. Grammar is ultimately a limitless
pursuit, and one which evolves along with any language over time—just as your
understanding and mastery of it will as you keep reading and writing.
But this lesson in Grammar 101 should still serve you well as you look to improve your own
writing skills. Whatever you’re writing and wherever you’re writing it—whether it’s
in Google Docs or Microsoft Word—you can take these basic English grammar concepts
and terms and build on them.
More importantly, you can build your confidence and start to move on to the nitty-gritty
aspects of not just grammar but what makes great writing truly great, taking each lesson
back with you every time you explore your brightest ideas on the page.

Grammar is the whole system and structure of a language or of languages in general. It includes

parts of speech (nouns, verbs, etc.), syntax (how words fit together to make sentences), and
morphology (the forms of words); many people use the term "grammar" loosely so that it also covers

punctuation, spelling, and word choice (as in, "Will you check my paper's grammar?").

Grammar may seem very complicated, but most of it is already in your head. You may not be able to
tell someone what a subordinate clause or a conjunctive adverb is, but you have internalized
grammar since you first learned to talk. You use it every time you speak or write, and you mostly use
it correctly.
If you really want, you can learn all the grammar rules from scratch, but most people find it more
effective to concentrate on common errors and on resources you can consult when you have a
question. This learning guide will concentrate on those things.

How Important Is English Grammar in Daily Life?

Correct grammar is your key to speaking English fluently and
confidently. Knowing your grammar will help you avoid errors that make your
English sound strange to native speakers.
But there are certain situations in which English grammar is especially
important. For example, if you’re going for a job interview in an English-
speaking country, the employer will be interested in the quality of your spoken
and written English. In fact, in a recent survey of U.K. job recruiters, 50% said
that bad spelling and grammar was the biggest reason they would dislike an
application.
Correct grammar won’t just demonstrate your English skills—it’ll also show
that you’re diligent and have an eye for detail.
This is equally important if you’re aiming to study abroad. Colleges and
universities are likely to assess your academic English based largely on your
knowledge of English grammar.
Grammar is even important for your social life. Did you know that people
on online dating apps are 14% less likely to chat with someone who uses poor
grammar? Plus, when you’re meeting new people or visiting new places, the
last thing you want is to be misunderstood! To avoid confusing your friends, or
even ordering more drinks than you intended, you need to have a firm idea of
how to structure your words.
With all that said, remember that in some situations it’s okay to relax your
grammar. When you’re texting a close friend, for example, it’s fine to use
casual or more simplified language. Talking online is a fantastic way to
connect with native speakers and other English learners in a friendly and
pressure-free environment.
 Why Is Grammar Important? Here
Are 5 Good Reasons
Have you ever wondered why you should care about grammar? Why bother with good
grammar once you’re done writing essays for school?

As the world becomes more digitally connected, good grammar is more important than
ever.

What Is “Good Grammar?”

What do we mean by “good grammar?” Proper grammar follows the accepted
conventions of sentence structure, punctuation, and spelling.

Grammar applies to both written and spoken language, but today we’re focusing on
written grammar skills.

Using correct grammar means following the rules of English.

There are a lot of rules, and they often chan‌ge, but the basics stay the same. Knowing
these basic rules, and using them correctly, is the key to proper grammar.

What’s the Purpose of Grammar?

Grammar exists to make communication easier.

It’s a way to standardize how we use the English language, which cuts down on
communication errors. Poor grammar leads to confusion and misunderstandings.

Everything is online these days, which means people are constantly reading. From
email and social media to news articles and online learning, we are using written
language more than ever.

This means the chance for misunderstandings is even higher. Good grammar builds
bridges by making effective communication easier.

Thankfully, as the world becomes more connected through the internet, we now have
technology to help us avoid grammatical errors.

Here are five good rea‌sons why you need strong grammar skills.

You’ll notice that all five reasons have an underlying thread: effective communication.
Let’s take a look at some of the most important ways that proper grammar aids effective
communication.

1) Clarity in Communication
The most important aspect of communication is clarity. Grammar rules exist to improve
clarity. Mixing up similar words, or using run-on sentences, can leave your audience
confused.

Clarity is especially important in email, social media, and messaging platforms. When
grammar mistakes cause unclear communication, it wastes time because you need to
explain yourself all over again.

If you’re giving instructions, your audience may do something wrong because they
misunderstood. This may lead to an unnecessary argument caused by poor
communication skills.

Using correct grammar won’t eliminate every miscommunication in your life, but it will
drastically cut down on them. Correct grammar allows you to say what you need to say,
clearly, the first time.

2) Accessibility
Good grammar improves accessibility.

Not everyone reads on the same level. Learning disabilities like dyslexia can make
reading comprehension difficult, but correct grammar makes writing easier to
understand.

Assistive technologies that read text out loud also work much better when grammar is
used correctly.

Readability is an essential part of accessibility, even for people without learning

disabilities. Readability scores, like the ones used in our Readability Report, can help
you reach an average reading level that the majority of people can understand.

A recommended readability score for most audiences is a US grade 7. Improving your

grammar is the quickest way to improve a readability score.

) Global Connection
For writing to be truly accessible, it has to be understandable for non-native English
speakers as well as native ones.
When we learn other languages, we learn proper grammar; it takes a much higher level
of fluency to interpret incorrect grammar.

By writing with good grammar, you ensure that non-native speakers have a higher
chance of understanding you.

That’s the power of language and grammar: we can connect with people from across
the world who speak many languages. Grammar rules make this connection easier.

4) Good Impressions
In any situation where you need to make a good impression, correct grammar will help,
which is especially true in professional and academic settings.

Don’t discount the importance of cultural dialects. Even dialects follow grammatical
patterns. But these grammatical patterns and rules don’t always line up with standard
English grammar.

In professional situations, aim to use standard English grammar rules.

Using good grammar also shows attention to detail.

This is a highly valued professional skill, and when you send a cover letter or other
important document that has exceptional grammar, it makes you stand out from the
masses.

5) Make Your Words Matter

Basic Grammar Skills to Remember

Let’s take a look at some of the most common grammar mistakes in writing.

Sentence fragments are one of the most common grammar mistakes you should look
out for in your writing.

A sentence fragment is an incomplete sentence that is missing an important element.

Read on to learn more about sentence fragments and find out how to fix them.

## What Is a Sentence Fragment?

A sentence fragment is another term for an incomplete sentence.

A sentence is a group of words that includes a subject, a verb, and expresses a

complete thought.
 Subject: the subject is the noun or pronoun that is doing something in a sentence.
Essentially, the subject tells us who or what is performing the verb in the sentence.

 Verb: the verb is the action or state of being performed by the subject of the
sentence. It tells us what the subject is being or doing.

 Complete thought: the sentence makes sense without any extra information.

 For example, consider the sentence, “The hungry dog ate a cheeseburger.”
 This is a complete sentence, also known as an independent clause, because it
fulfills all three sentence requirements. It has a subject (“the hungry dog”), a verb
(“ate”), and it expresses a complete thought.
 When one element of an independent clause (the subject, verb, or complete
thought) is missing, you have a sentence fragment. For example, “Ate a
cheeseburger.” and “The hungry dog.” are both sentence fragments.

What Is a Run-On Sentence?

A run-on sentence isn’t just an overly long sentence. In fact, it doesn’t even have to be
that long!

Run-on sentences involve cramming multiple independent clauses into one sentence

without proper punctuation. Let’s review independent clauses and sentence structure,
so we can understand run-on sentences.

What Are the Three Types of Run-On Sentences?

While all run-on sentences involve independent clauses, they don’t all look the same.
There are three main types of run-on sentences: comma splices, fused sentences, and
polysyndeton.

Let’s look at each in more detail.

Comma Splices
A comma splice occurs when you connect two independent clauses with only a comma
and no coordinating conjunction. This is one of the most common run-on sentence
mistakes.

Here’s what this looks like with our previous example:

 Incorrect: I was out of milk, I had to eat my cereal dry this morning.

When you separate independent clauses with a comma, you must also use a
coordinating conjunction.
 Correct: I was out of milk, so I had to eat my cereal dry this morning.

Sometimes comma splices separate more than two independent clauses in a run-on
sentence.

 Incorrect: I was out of milk, I had to eat my cereal dry this morning, I hate dry cereal.

 Correct: I was out of milk, so I had to eat my cereal dry this morning, and I hate dry
cereal.

To avoid a comma splice, you can add a coordinating conjunction to your comma. You
can also just use a semicolon, or in certain situations, an em dash or a colon.

Fused Sentences
The next type of run-on sentence is the fused sentence. You probably see fused
sentences all the time on social media. They’re very common mistakes, especially in
informal writing.

A fused sentence occurs when several independent clauses have no punctuation or

conjunction between them.

 Incorrect: I was out of milk I had to eat my cereal dry this morning I hate dry cereal.

Without the correct punctuation, it’s hard for our brains to catch up. We don’t know
where to pause or where to put intonations.

Polysyndeton
A polysyndeton sentence is a run-on sentence with only conjunctions between
independent clauses—but no punctuation.

Polysyndeton comes from the Greek poly, meaning many, and syndetos, meaning

bound together.

Polysyndeton can also be a rhetorical device. It means using several conjunctions in

close succession, and it can combine words or sentence fragments. But when those
conjunctions combine independent clauses without punctuation, it’s a run-on sentence.

Here’s an example of a polysyndeton run-on sentence:

 Incorrect: I was out of milk and I had to eat my cereal dry this morning and I hate dry
cereal.

The quickest way to make that polysyndeton sentence grammatically correct is to add a
comma before each “and.”
Incorrect Subject–Verb Agreement
Basic sentences are comprised of a subject and a verb. The verb is the action. The
subject is who does the action. Verbs are conjugated into different forms. The form of
the verb has to agree with the subject. For example, if the subject of a sentence is I, the
verb must be the first-person singular form. If the subject is they, the verb must be
conjugated in the third-person plural form.

In English, there are six types of subjects. Subjects can be first-person, second-person,
or third-person. Each of these has a singular and plural form. It’s important to know the
subject of your sentence in order to use the correct verb.

Subjects
First-Person
First-person singular refers to I, me, my, and mine. A first-person singular subject will
always be the word I.

First-person plural refers to I and other people. It looks like we, our, and ours. The first-
person plural subject is we.

Second-Person
Second-person singular and plural look the same in standard English. It uses the
words you, your, and yours. Singular refers to only one you, while plural means more
than one. The second-person singular and plural subject is you.

Third-Person
Third-person singular refers to one other person or thing. The subject may appear as a
person’s name or a noun that describes this person (e.g. Jane or the teacher). It may
also appear as he, she, it, or one.

Third-person plural refers to more than one other person or thing. This may look like
several names or a plural noun that describes the people or things (e.g. Peter, Paul,
and Mary or the singers). We can also use they.

When using singular they to talk about one person, continue to use the plural form of
the verb.

Verbs
 Verbs are conjugated depending on the subject. For regular verbs, we add an -s or -
es to the third-person singular form. We typically only add -es to verbs ending in -s, -x, -
z, -ch, or -sh. For the rest of the forms, we add nothing.

Examples:

 I sit. You sit. He sits. We sit. They sit.

 I come. You come. She comes. You and I come. The dogs come.

 I watch. You watch. The child watches. We watch. They watch.

Irregular verbs are more complicated. The four most common irregular verbs that
change in present tense are have, be, go, and does. Here’s how to conjugate these.

Have: I have. You have. It has. We have. They have.

Be: I am. You are. He is. We are. They are.
Go: I go. You go. She goes. We go. They go.
Do: I do. You do. It does. We do. They do.

Subject–Verb Agreement
Subject–verb agreement means that the forms of the subject and the verb agree. It’s
important to make sure that your subject matches your verb.

Incorrect: I dances ballet.

Correct: I dance ballet.

Incorrect: He go to the store.

Correct: He goes to the store.

Incorrect: They watches the movie.

Correct: They watch the movie.

 Mixed up homophones

Mixed up homophones are another egregious error. Homophones are words that sound
the same but have different meanings and spellings.

Some of the most common homophones that people mix up

are: your/you’re, then/than, to/two/too, there/their/they’re.
"Your grammar is a reflection of your image. Good or bad, you
have made an impression. And like all impressions, you are in
total control." -   Jeffrey Gitomer (American author & business trai

The Importance of Good

Grammar in Business
Communications
Cecile Scaros

Cecile Scaros

Outsourced Business & Operations Director - plugging the holes within your business
Published May 2, 2016
+ Follow

"Your grammar is a reflection of your image. Good or bad, you

have made an impression. And like all impressions, you are in
total control." -   Jeffrey Gitomer (American author & business
trainer)
 

Regardless of the type of business you own, it is likely that you still
rely a great deal on the written word to put your message across. In
this media driven age, written business communications can take
many shapes and forms; from the humble memo, letter or fax to a
tender, proposal, application or report; not forgetting emails, websites,
blogging and other social media communications. Your company’s
written documents may include marketing materials, responses to
customer enquiries, reports to clients and other stakeholders. The list
is endless..

There are many reasons why you should make sure that your
company’s written material is grammatically correct; that spelling
mistakes are eliminated and that the correct punctuation is used.
Some of these include the following:

1. First impressions matter: You want to make sure you come

across as the business professional you are. You want to give
your readers a good first impression. Not only do you want
to get their attention, but you also want to earn their respect.
Good spelling, correct grammar and the appropriate use of
punctuation will give them more confidence in the person (or
the company) communicating with them.

2. Good reputation: Similarly, clients and suppliers are more

likely to trust a company that communicates clearly and
correctly. The use of proper grammar will help maintain your
business’ credibility and reputation as a professional,
trustworthy enterprise that views all of its interactions with its
customers and traders as equally important.

3. Avoid miscommunication and

misunderstanding: Incorrect spelling or a lack of
punctuation may create confusion. Your audience may be left
guessing what you are trying to say. Spelling errors and
grammatical mistakes may also change the meaning of your
message, which might result in misinformation. Some readers
may get back to you to clarify, others might not; which, in the
case of new prospects / customers, is something you want to
 avoid. You do not want poor grammar to cost you business
opportunities.

4. Make your communications more effective: It is likely that

you do not want to distract your readers from the message
you are trying to convey by giving them grammar and
spelling mistakes to take note of. Also, such errors make your
writing harder to read. You wouldn’t want to create any
distraction in your audience’s mind, particularly if you are
trying to get them to take some form of action – such as
following a hyperlink on your website or signing up for a
service.

5. Reduce the risk of costly lawsuits: In this day and age

where most businesses operate on a global basis with teams
of people scattered across every corner of the planet, written
communications – particularly emails and other instant
messaging applications – have become an essential part of
their operations. Grammatically incorrect documents may
convey misinformation, misguiding the reader into taking the
wrong action or their reaction to it. This, in turn, may leave
your business open to costly legal action, on the basis that
the information provided was false or misleading in some
way – maybe simply because of some typographical errors or
other mistakes in the final communication.

6. Keep your business’ competitive edge. Fact: Bad grammar

affects business. Full stop. Research has shown that many
customers would hesitate in making a purchase from a
website that has obvious grammar and spelling errors.
Competition is tough; you only have a short time to impress
a potential new customer (particularly online). You do not
 want to present your products or services in an unfavourable
light or make your readers lose interest with poor grammar.
Instead, you want to gain and maintain your readers’ trust
and attention at all times. The ability to communicate clearly
and effectively is likely to give your company a definite
advantage over less articulate rivals.

7. Increase productivity: Many businesses rely on written

guidelines (for instance, memos or emails) among team
members. Correct spelling and grammar will help your
employees understand your instructions better, thus avoiding
any confusion or misunderstanding about what is expected
of them. The result will be less time wasted trying to work out
poorly worded instructions and more time spent doing the
job. This may also help to maintain harmonious working
relationships between colleagues, as a result of better and
clearer communication.

The importance of good grammar in business communications is

definitely something that all companies should keep in mind,
regardless of their size or the industry they operate in. The first and
most basic check should be the use of your computer, tablet or smart
phone spellchecking facility; however, you should not rely only on
spellcheckers to catch mistakes, as they will not pick up the wrong
word being used (eg, ‘there’ instead of ‘their’).

Proofreading your document is essential; either do it yourself or better

still, ask a colleague to help – it is always a good idea to have a fresh
pair of eyes to look at what you have written. The best way to
proofread a document still is the old fashioned pen and ruler over a
printed copy; other ways include reading it backwards or reading it
aloud.
Taking a break and revisiting your work after you’ve finished writing
may also improve your ability to spot mistakes. This also gives you a
chance to improve on it, correcting wording and punctuation as you
go along. This is particularly important for emails, where you don’t get
a second chance to make a good first impression.

Equally so, it makes sense that employees who are in charge of

business communications are proficient in their job. They should be
provided with the right training and support; in addition, there are a
number of websites which offer tips on business writing and which can
be referred to.

Finally, you may wish to use the services of a copywriter or a

consultant to write, check and proofread your written material (for
example, if you are writing for a new website or a marketing brochure).

 Importance
Maintaining Professionalism
Although many modern workplaces have become more casual regarding
communication, maintaining professionalism across email correspondences or
other written exchanges remains important. Responses riddled with typos or
confusing and improper grammar may cause co-workers or superiors to
question your professionalism or attention to detail.

Communicating Efficiently
If you've ever experienced a long email chain wherein respondents ask
multiple questions to clarify the original email, you'll understand the
importance of efficient communication. Having sharply honed writing skills can
help you clearly and quickly communicate updates, events, projects, or other
important topics to co-workers without requiring additional time for clarification
or questions.

Increasing Credibility
Although writing skills are important for internal communications, they are just
as important externally, if not more so. As anyone studying public
relations knows, online publications, publicly circulated updates and website
copy are some of the most important channels that clients use to reference
your company. Published content that is hard to understand, poorly written, or
contains grammatical or spelling errors can decrease potential clients'
opinions of your company from the outset.

Improving Writing Skills

It's clear that writing skills are important throughout your career, but how do
you improve lackluster skills? Taking college or post-college courses provides
tools to improve your writing skills, and you may even consider taking
a designated writing course. It is also helpful to pay careful attention to the
writing you find effective and high-quality, and to learn what traits it has that
you can learn from. Of course, practice makes perfect, so writing daily—even
if it's simply journaling or sending emails—can also help.

Seeking higher education is a great way to improve your writing while also
acquiring new skills for an advanced career. If you're considering returning to
school, learn more by viewing our programs online, or complete this form to
discover the opportunities provided by the Tulane School of Professional
Advancement.

10 REASONS WHY BUSINESS WRITING

SKILLS ARE SO IMPORTANT
he global workplace forces us to improve our communication skills. Irrespective of the field,
job, and expertise, you need to be an effective communicator in order to move up the career
ladder.

There are three main ways of communication in business: verbal, non-verbal and written. All
of them are essential. Yet, the latter leads the list as the basic one for most jobs. No matter
what level of hierarchy you are at in a company, writing skills are a valuable asset.
The list of written business communication is quite long. It includes emails, letters, reports,
company brochures, presentation slides, case studies, sales materials, visual aids, social
media updates, and other business documents. Whether you are connecting internally with
colleagues and executives or externally to clients, the way you write can either give your
career a boost or hamper your progression within the organization. Read on to see 10
benefits a good writer can get.

1. Writing skills ensure effective business communication

Business correspondence helps a company connect with partners and stakeholders.

Everything you write must be tailored in a proficient, comprehensive, and informative way.
Thus, the receivers will clearly understand your message.

If a text is poorly written and structured, the subordinates will have troubles with deciphering
it. The message may be misinterpreted.

2. Writing skills make the difference between "good" and "bad" employees

If you are in college now, academic paper writing may seem a difficult task for you. Many
students cannot fit into the deadlines and hire services like EssayPro. Wait until you need to
craft a strong resume and cover letter. That is a real challenge. A document filled with
grammatical errors will never make a favorable impression.
Professionals are good at composing clear messages. Employers value such workers.
That’s why hiring managers recruit these individuals.

If you already have a job, practice writing skills in order to stand out among your co-
workers. Senior management is generally more favorably disposed towards an employee
who can create excellent documentation.

3. You demonstrate your intelligence

Even if your job doesn’t require a lot of writing, how you come across is crucial. A few
grammatical or punctual errors may seem minor. But people do notice. And they tend to
think that those who don't write well are less intelligent than those who do.

Don't let anyone dismiss you because of your poor writing skills. A few minutes of
proofreading can improve the way you are perceived. Flawless documents will present you
a smarter person than a colleague whose work is full of typos.

4. Good writers are credible

People with advanced writing skills are perceived as more reliable and trustworthy. It is
easy to prove. Imagine that you receive an email where you notice odd abbreviations and
misspelled words. What will be the first impression of the sender?

Two options are possible. And none is satisfactory for the sender. Either the person is not
competent and neglects proofreading or is simply unintelligent.

Aim to be perceived as credible in the workplace. It makes you dependable, assigned with
more responsibility, and a right candidate for promotion.
5. You can be more influential

Good persuasion skills help you to influence others to achieve your goals. Professors
assign their students to write persuasive essays in order to prepare them for the job market
by developing these significant skills.

If you are creating taglines and calls-to-action for your organization, you need to know how
to develop a copy that will encourage the reader to take action. If you are describing an
innovative idea that can improve a process to your manager, you should sound convincing.
Every paper must communicate your ideas effectively.

6. Business writing conveys courtesy

The content of formal business correspondence mirrors the same level of politeness and
considerate attention to detail that is shown in face-to-face interaction. A courteous
business letter expresses the writer’s personal respect for the receiver and the company
they work for.

Professionals take into consideration formatting and etiquette. They also pay attention to
their personal tone, clarity, and logic. They avoid poor word choice and grammar. These
things can come across as lazy or even rude.

7. Writing skills help to keep good records

Information that is communicated orally isn’t kept for long. That’s why students take notes of
lectures. As scholars use their notes to write essays, you can apply your records in your
work.

Saving information on paper is the best way of preserving it for years. In fact, the most
accurate knowledge that has reached us from many centuries back was from books.

8. You boost your professional confidence

Every business document has its purpose. You write a business proposal to attract
investors or find partners. You send emails to reach potential customers. You craft a report
to impress your boss.

When written communication leads a business to another successfully completed project,

you become more confident and inspired. And writing itself gets easier.

9. You promote yourself and your career

If you are the best business communicator in your office, coworkers will ask you to for help
in editing their writing pieces before they go to their supervisors. Word will get around. If the
company needs someone to draft effective emails, they will ask someone who writes with
clarity and accuracy. Guess who they will turn to?

The better your writing skills are, the more responsibility you will be given. That’s great for
you and your future career success!
10. Business writing builds a solid web presence

Business is all about presentation. Owners aim to set up an effective online presence. It
helps potential customers discover the company and its products. To attain this goal, they
create websites, blogs and social media accounts.

Quality content is a decisive factor here. A person who can present business in the best
light and convince people to buy products or services is an irreplaceable employee.

Now you know why writing skills are significant to your career success. It is time
to improve your business communication skills and reap the benefits it may bring.
Otherwise, your co-workers or competitors will leave