In fact, language teachers talk about two different kinds of vocabulary: passive and active. Passive vocabulary means the words that you can understand when you see or hear them, or words you can understand from context. Active vocabulary means the words that you actively use when you speak or write. Unsurprisingly, it is active vocabulary that is much harder to build.

Also unsurprising is the fact that even native English speakers have much more passive vocabulary at their disposal than active. So building vocabulary is a challenge for everyone, especially when you consider that the English language currently has more than 170,000 words in active use, and that number is growing all the time.

So, what can you do to quickly improve the amount of English vocabulary that you have? Here are some practical suggestions:

1) Write down useful words when you hear or see them

Many of us are guilty of the assumption that we will just be able to ‘remember’ words when the time comes. The fact is, usually we can’t.

Remembering words requires a process, and one of the most effective is to write the word down. But then make a sentence using the word, and to truly remember it in the future make sure that the sentence you create has some relevance to you and your life.

2) Be really selective

One of the biggest mistakes language learners make is that they don’t prioritize the words that they need to learn. When there are more than a million possibilities, you have to be extremely clear about which words are going to be useful for you and those words which won’t be. Here are a few simple questions that will help you decide:

Is it a word I have seen or heard often?

Is it a word that is practical for me to use?

Am I learning the word because it is interesting or because it will help me communicate?

3) Learn word families

An effective way to learn vocabulary quickly is to learn words that are part of the same family. What does that mean? Here is an easy example:

Root word: organize

Word family: organized, disorganized, unorganized, organization, organizer

Simply by introducing a few prefixes (before the root word) and suffixes (after the root word) you can create a whole new range of vocabulary with ease.

4) Learn words that are related by topic

Here’s a quick test. Look at these ten words, look away and then see how easy it is to remember them all:

Group 1: habit, wardrobe, speech, satellite, mystery, chase, surprising, towards, neglect, storm

Now try these words:

Group 2: wind, rain, hurricane, tornado, tsunami, drizzle, blizzard, hail, blustery, overcast

You will find the second group of words easier to recall because there is a connection between them all (they are all related to weather).

5) Learn definitions

By downloading the Linguix extension for Chrome, Firefox or Edge you can get definitions of words anywhere online simply by hovering over the word in question. With definitions you get meaning, and with meaning you have more chance of remembering. Still follow some of the other steps on this list (make an example sentence relevant to you), but with a clear definition of the word you stand more chance of adding it to your active range.

6) Learn synonyms

In a similar way to learning word families or words that are connected to each other, learning synonyms is an effective way to expand your vocabulary quickly. The Linguix writing assistant also provides a handy list of synonyms for any word you decide to hover over. In this way you can pick up five or six words for the price of one. And very often the key to fluency is being able to express the same idea in different ways. That’s what synonyms allow you to do.

7) Hear the word

Nothing can be quite as memorable as sound. Think how you will never forget a song, even if you have only ever heard it once. Hearing a word pronounced helps store it deeper in your consciousness. Plus, it is important that you hear the correct pronunciation so you are able to say the word correctly too. Most online dictionaries will allow you to hear the pronunciation of the word you need.

8) See the word

Seeing what you are saying will also help cement that word in your mind. So, look at the word written down for a start, and practice writing the word several times so the habit becomes more natural. Additionally, when storing the word, add a little picture of your own so you can easily identify it.

9) Use the word and 10) get people to help you

Nothing works quite like actually using a word. So say it. Find a reason to. Look for any opportunity to say it out loud. The process of ‘mega-drilling’ recommends that we repeat the word up to 30 times.  And one last thing. Tell the people around you what you are trying to achieve and they will help you find situations to use the language you need. 

So there you have it. Eight simple ways to expand your vocabulary quickly. And remember, you don’t need to know one million words to be an effective English speaker.

The post Ten Ways to Quickly Improve Your English Vocabulary appeared first on Linguix Blog.

There are many kinds of inefficiency, ranging from operational to structural. However, a sensible place to start is by taking a look in the mirror. By first dealing with individual inefficiency you can then turn your focus to the bigger picture.

With that in mind, here are some practical tips to help you be more efficient at work, in turn leading to greater organizational efficiency:

Be organized

Being disorganized is a style that some people seem to revel in. They shouldn’t. “He’s a little disorganized, but he gets the job done” is a sentence that no one should be saying in the workplace. Because disorganization may not ultimately impact in achieving the goal, but you can be sure that it meant that the goal was achieved slower than it could have been, or at a greater cost.

So, get organized. How? Start with scheduling tasks and prioritizing. Create to-do-lists and regularly update those. Structure your day in a way that allows for future planning and reviews of tasks completed. This all greatly adds to efficiency.

Use the right tools

Failing to use the right tools can greatly affect efficiency. That’s true whether you are a plumber, an aircraft engineer or an office administrator. Select the right tool for the task at hand, and regularly perform research to ensure that there is not a better tool that can be used. Saying “but I’ve always done it this way” is simply not good enough. If that was the case, no one of a certain age would be using computers, for example. You have to roll with the times.

Use performance reviews and even evaluate yourself

Every effective company should have in place a performance review system whereby management provides relevant and structured feedback to staff. This feedback is invaluable, but it is something that you should be employing regularly as a means of evaluating yourself. Be self-critical after you complete every project and ask yourself, “how could I have done this better or more quickly?” Building in this kind of self-analysis will soon serve to increase efficiency.

Compare yourself and your work practices to colleagues and competitors

As children we learn not to always compare ourselves to others. But as a self-improvement tool, this is absolutely what we should be doing. So, have a look at what colleagues and competitors are doing. Of course, there will be some elements in which you are more effective, but it’s about picking and choosing those aspects of your work processes that you know you can improve upon to become more efficient in the future. That’s a good comparison to make.

Communicate effectively

There are any number of ways in which poor communication affects efficiency in the workplace. And again, this is often something that originates at organizational level. But also, again, you can start by looking at your own personal brand of communication and think, “how can I do this better?”

For example, how often do you write the very same words in emails? Think about the time you could save by simply having a shortcode by which you can click and paste the very text that is needed at that very moment.

In fact, think about if that very possibility was available at a business level, i.e. if all members of the team had the capacity to simply click and insert the required text at the required moment.

Here’s are some relevant statistics for you. Office workers spend around 28% of the working day managing emails. That means, by having a tool that allows the insertion of relevant pre-written text at the relevant time – a tool such as Linguix snippets – can save an organization anything up to $18 per hour or $10,600 annually. 

Here’s how you can do it: create your snippet, assign it a shortcode, hit ‘⌥⇧ Space’ on Mac or ‘Shift+Ctrl+Space’ on Windows to instantly insert the template.

So once again, simply allocate a shortcode to any text that you may need to use in the future, such as the start to a sales email, and when that time comes, enter the text through some simple commands. It really couldn’t be easier. And it creates consistency in message too.

This isn’t just about communication but also using the right tools and getting organized. All of those things together can lead to a huge increase in personal work efficiency. Employed across an organizational level, that is a huge change for the better. Just think of the valuable time and money that could be saved.

The post How to Be More Efficient at Work, Saving Valuable Time and Money appeared first on Linguix Blog.

So, here is all you need to know about using indefinite articles in English.

The difference between ‘a’ and ‘an’

The first thing to establish is exactly what is the difference between ‘a’ and ‘an’ because there are some misconceptions about this.

The first thing to say is that ‘a’ and ‘an’ represent exactly the same thing, meaning that they are used in the same situations.

The decision to use ‘a’ or ‘an’ only comes with what the next word is, be that the noun or adjective that is following the article.

And contrary to popular belief, it is not decided on spelling, but on pronunciation.

‘A’ is used when the following word begins with a consonant sound. ‘An’ is used when the next word begins with a vowel sound. In most cases this is self-evident, except:

A university (not ‘an’). University begins with a ‘y’ sound, which is a consonant.

A European country (not ‘an’. Again, European begins with a ‘y’ sound.

An hour (not ‘a’). Hour begins with a silent ‘h’, so is, therefore, a vowel sound.

An honest person (not ‘a’). Again, the ‘h’ is silent.

A one-legged man (not ‘an’). One begins with a ‘w’ sound, which is a consonant.

It is therefore important to remember that using ‘a’ or ‘an’ depends on sound, not spelling.

It is important to note that, when speaking, it should be easy to identify when to use these articles as the sounds should connect easily, which is exactly why the rule exists. ‘An’ + consonant sound, or ‘a’ + vowel sound will mean gymnastics for your mouth!

Where and when to use indefinite articles

So, when should I use an indefinite article in English?

Indefinite articles are used with singular, countable nouns, when you are only providing an example of that thing, or when you are introducing that thing for the first time.

Here are examples of both of those situations:

I have always wanted a dog. I think it would be fun. (an example of something, not specific)

I have a dog. His name is Benji. (You are introducing your dog into the conversation for the first time).

Contrasting the indefinite articles with the definite article ‘the’

‘The’, as a definite article, is used to introduce something specific, or something unique. Here are examples:

The dog that lives next door to me is very big. (a specific dog that you are referencing)

Paris is the capital of France. (it is unique in that it is the only capital)

The sun is shining today. (there is only one sun)

Substituting ‘a’ or ‘an’ in any of the examples above would mean that you are talking about one of many. Here are some examples:

A dog that lives next door to me is very big. (there is more than one dog that lives next door).

Paris is a capital of France. (if France had more than one capital, which is doesn’t. You could say ‘Paris is a city in France’, which is, of course, true!)

A sun is shining today. (this just sounds ridiculous, as there is only one sun)

Failing to use any article with these single, countable nouns is always a mistake in English.

The post How to Use the Indefinite Articles ‘A’ and ‘An’ appeared first on Linguix Blog.

‘Been’ is the past participle of the verb ‘to be’, and so, as such, is used in perfect tenses. Here are some examples:

‘I have been very tired recently.’

‘My car has been stolen.’

‘Gone’ is the past participle of the verb ‘to go’, and so is used in perfect tenses to represent this common verb. Again, here are some examples:

‘My brother has gone to Europe.’

‘Where have they gone?’

However, there is one situation when these two participles, which appear to be totally different, are linked. That situation is in movement.

Gone

‘Gone’, as the past participle of ‘to go’, represents when a person of thing has moved to another place, such as in the examples above. Here are some more examples:

‘My colleague Simon has gone home early today.’

‘Where have you gone? We need you back here in the office.’ (A cell phone conversation)

The emphasis in these examples is that the subject of the sentence is no longer in the place where the statement is made, or where the subject began.

‘Been’

‘Been’, as the past participle of ‘to be’, is often used to speak about states, such as emotions and feelings, or to describe a passive action (where ‘to be’ is used as an auxiliary).

However, ‘been’ is also used to speak about movement. In this case, the person or thing moved to another place, but has since returned to the original place. Here are some examples:

‘Have you ever been to Mexico?’

‘Yes, I’ve been to Mexico three times.’

In this instance, the conversation is definitely not taking place in Mexico, so represents a journey that was made and then returned from. In this case, three times.

In this way, ‘been’ is typically used in the present perfect tense to talk about experiences of travel or movement, again such as in the example above.

‘Gone’ Vs ‘Been’

There is, therefore, a fundamental difference between using ‘gone’ and ‘been’ to talk about movement. Note the contrast in these examples:

‘Where have you gone?’ (A cell phone conversation between two people who were in the same place at some stage before the conversation)

‘Where have you been?’ (A face-to-face conversation between two people who are now in the same place, but one of whom was absent for a period).

In the second example above, it would also be acceptable to say ‘Where did you go?’, particularly in the United States. In British English, the present perfect tense with ‘been’ (as in the example above) would be more common.

So, in summary, ‘gone’ is movement in one directions, whereas ‘been’ represents a movement or journey that was returned from.

If you have ‘gone to France’, you haven’t come back (you are still in France).

If you have ‘been to France’, you are definitely not in France now.

Example mistakes

These are examples of typical mistakes when using ‘gone’ and ‘been’:

‘Have you ever gone to Mexico? – ‘been’

‘Yes, I’ve gone to Mexico three times.’ – ‘been’

‘I’ve gone there before.’ – ‘been’

‘Where did you go?’ ‘I’ve just gone to the shop to buy this soda.’ – ‘been’

Generally speaking, it is much more common to make a mistake by using ‘gone’ instead of ‘been’ than vice versa.

The post How to Use the Past Participles ‘Been’ and ‘Gone’ Correctly appeared first on Linguix Blog.

‘He has so money.’

‘He is such funny.’

‘So’ and ‘such’ can often mean the same thing, but have their own distinct structures to remember.

Here is everything you need to know.

So

First of all, it is important to understand that ‘so’ has different functions. Here we are concentrating on ‘so’ as an intensifier (meaning ‘very’ or ‘really’), not as a conjunction (that means ‘because of this’)

Grammatically speaking, ‘so’ is used before an adjective or an adverb to make the situation more extreme.

For example:

‘He is so hungry.’

‘She runs so fast.’

In both of the examples above you could directly replace ‘so’ with ‘very’ or ‘really’.

But you can also use ‘so’ before ‘much’ and ‘many’ to increase the amount of something.

‘He has so much money.’ (for uncountable nouns)

‘She can speak so many languages.’ (for countable nouns).

Note that ‘very’ and ‘really’ cannot be used here. Also, note that you cannot use ‘so’ with ‘lots of’ or ‘a lot of’

‘She has so a lot of money.’

Such

Such performs the same function as ‘so’: to increase the intensity or quantity of something. However, unlike ‘so’ (and also unlike ‘very’ or ‘really’), ‘such’ must be proceeded by a noun (with or without an adjective).

Here are some examples:

‘He is such a good friend.’

‘She is such a dreamer’ (An extreme example of a dreamer)

When it comes to using ‘such’ to increase the quantity of something, then it is only used with ‘a lot of’ (not ‘much’, ‘many’ or ‘lots of’).

‘Jenny has such a lot of good ideas.’

‘There are such a lot of nice places to visit in this city.’

Comparing ‘so’ and ‘such’

The fact is that ‘so’ and ‘such’ can be used interchangeably, as long as you remember to adapt the rest of your sentence structure accordingly.

Examples:

‘I am so happy right now.’

‘I am such a happy person right now’

‘Those dogs are so aggressive.’

‘They are such aggressive dogs’

‘Sarah has many friends.’

‘Sarah has such a lot of friends.’

‘Jerome eats so much food.’

‘Jerome eats such a lot of food.’

Follow these simple grammar rules and you never need make this type of mistake again.

One final use of ‘so’ and ‘such’

Another commonly shared of ‘so’ and ‘such’, and something that is very different from ‘very’ and ‘really’, is that these words can be used in a sentence to show the result of something. For example:

‘I was so hungry (that) I ate two whole pizzas.’

‘I had such a good time (that) I want to go back there next year.’

This is never possible with ‘very’ or ‘really’

‘I was very hungry (that) I ate two whole pizzas.’

‘I had such a good time (that) I want to go back there next year.’

The post So Vs Such appeared first on Linguix Blog.

‘Me and Jane went to the cinema.’

This is the most frequently made mistake when it comes to the pronouns ‘I’ and ‘me’, and in terms of spoken English, it has become a mistake that is so commonplace that it has almost become acceptable.

Except it isn’t acceptable, and neither should it ever be.

A great tip to follow when looking at how to use the pronouns ‘I’ and ‘me’ is to apply the pronouns individually to any particular sentence. This then makes the mistake that much more apparent.

‘Me went to the cinema.’

It sounds awful, doesn’t it? In fact, it sounds like a sentence Tarzan would say. “Me Tarzan, you Jane!” And Tarzan grew up in the jungle with animals as his family. He didn’t go to school one day in his life!

The reason this sentence sounds so ridiculous is that ‘me’ is an object pronoun. ‘I’ is the equivalent subject pronoun, and in this particular example sentence, the word clearly represents the subject of the sentence or the doer of the action. So, the correct sentence should be:

‘I went to the cinema.’

So, returning to the original sentence, the correct version should be:

‘Jane and I went to the cinema.’

Note that ‘I’ is used as the second subject pronoun. Although not technically wrong, the sound of ‘I and Jane’, or indeed whatever the other subject is, is clumsy in the extreme, and so grammatical habit dictates that ‘I’ become the last listed subject pronoun if there is more than one. It would be the same if other pronouns are used with it. For example:

‘You and I went to the cinema.’ Not…

‘I and you went to the cinema.’

And it’s the same if there are three or more subjects or subject pronouns:

‘Jane, Tom and I went to the cinema.’ Or…

‘She, he and I went to the cinema.’

Let’s look at some more example sentences that include this mistake.

‘Neither you nor me wanted to do it.’ ‘You and I…’

‘She asked him and I if we could do it.’

‘She doesn’t like you or I.’

The final two examples above make the exact same mistake, but with the object pronoun. ‘Me’ is the object, not ‘I’. Of course, removing the other object ‘you’ would make this really obvious. For example:

‘She asked I if we could do it.’

‘She doesn’t like I.’

It just sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it?

It’s a simple mistake, but often the simplest mistakes are the easiest to make. So, when it comes to using ‘I’ and ‘me’, just use them individually in the sentence (without any other subjects or objects) and you will quickly see which makes sense.

The post I Vs Me: A Common Grammar Mistake appeared first on Linguix Blog.

But in business, obviously, it’s better to keep those mistakes to a minimum. If you are going to make mistakes, then follow this advice:

·  Don’t make the sort of simple mistakes that ruin your credibility (see the list below)

·  Don’t make them at the start of an email, post or communication where it will be blindingly obvious and give an immediate bad impression.

·  Try to learn from your mistakes and make improvements in the future.

·  Get others to help you by proofreading your text.

·  Proofread it yourself too (it’s amazing how many people don’t do this!)

So, what are the typical grammar mistakes that people make, and what can be done to fix them?

Sentence structure

This is a typical mistake as, of course, the structure of English is unique to the language. Other languages do not have the same structure and are all unique, and so trying to apply those structures with English words is just going to sound strange.

Unfortunately, this type of mistake is almost inevitable because, with a lack of knowledge, language learners will always revert back to their mother tongue for inspiration. A typical example is when speaking about possessions. Whereas saying ‘the pen of John’ would make perfect sense in all the romance languages, in English the more common ‘John’s pen’ would be used. Although the first structure is possible, it is considered extremely formal.

Adverbs cause problems too because the position of the adverb depends on what it is being used for. So, whereas it might be acceptable to say ‘always I am late’ in another language, in English it should be ‘I am always late.’

What is the solution to mistakes when English sentence structure? One approach is to look at a typical English sentence (in a newspaper, on a website, etc.) and identify all of the parts of speech. A part of speech is just the official name of a type of word – a noun, verb, adjective, etc.

Once you are able to easily identify all the parts of speech in a sentence (and you can use an online dictionary to help you) you can then start to appreciate the typical combinations that are used in an English sentence, and in what order. Alternatively, once the sentence is written you could paste it into Linguix’s grammar checker.

Verb tenses, their relationships, and ‘signal’ words

Poor grammar often begins with a lack of understanding about when and how to use the different verb tenses in English. This could be a mistake of selecting the wrong verb tense (using the present continuous instead of the present simple – ‘I’m believing you’ instead of ‘I believe you’, for example) or using the wrong combination.

Poor use of ‘signal’ words is typical. For example, ‘since’ is only used with present perfect and past perfect, not past simple (‘I did it since yesterday’ is a typical example of this mistake in practice).

Frequently review all the tenses in English to make sure you understand how to create the structure and why/when you need to use them. The most fluent speakers of English (or any language) are able to use different tenses together easily and without problems. To do this, you must understand the relationship between all the tenses, and also understand what ‘signal’ words are used with which verb tenses.

Definite Article ‘The’

Articles are different in all languages. Also, in English, there are many rules about when you should and shouldn’t use them. The result is that almost everyone makes mistakes with articles – even after speaking English for 20 years people can still make mistakes.

‘We want to establish the trust’

Unfortunately, mistakes of this kind can undermine the credibility of a sentence, so learning the rules of when (and when not) to use ‘the’ is of paramount importance. Here is a quick list for reference:

·  When we have referenced something before.

·  When something is specific.

·  When something is unique or there is only one in existence.

·  With superlatives.

·  With rivers, mountain ranges and SOME countries

·  But not with names or people, places, etc.

·  And not when something is just an example of one thing.

Subject / verb agreement

One of the most ubiquitous mistakes in the English language is between the subject and the verb. Here are some classic examples:

She swim…

Everyone have…

It don’t….

This is grammar 101. Reverting back to an elementary grammar book and completing the exercises should see this problem resolved. Or once again, you can use the grammar checker as provided by Linguix’s AI-powered writing tool.

The post Common Grammar Mistakes that Kill Credibility appeared first on Linguix Blog.

That’s a good question, and here’s a rule for you: use ‘who’ when you are talking about people, and ‘that’ when you are talking about things.

And that’s the end of the lesson!

Except it isn’t, because things are a little more complicated than that.

Because ‘that’ can actually represent people too, and has been used in this way by a host of famous writers down the years. So, if your high school English teacher told you to live by the rule as mentioned above, then he or she was actually a little wide of the mark.

‘Who’ is a relative pronoun, as is ‘which’. It is definitely correct to say that ‘who’ is for when you are talking about people, and ‘which’ is for when you are talking about things. This rule is non-negotiable.

However, ‘that’ is an acceptable alternative as a relative pronoun when using both ‘who’ and ‘which’. However, ‘that’ can only be used as a defining relative pronoun, and in a defining relative clause. It cannot be used as a non-defining relative pronoun in a non-defining relative clause.

Are you confused yet?

Don’t be, because this can be explained quite simply so you never need to make this mistake again.

Defining relative clauses

Defining relative pronouns are used in defining relative clauses. Defining relative clauses are used when the subject or object needs to be defined in order to be identified. Here is an example:

‘He is the man.’

Now, the natural question this raises is, ‘who?’, because without defining this man, we have no idea who is being referenced.

‘He is the man who lives next to my sister.’

Now we can identify him (he’s the man who lives next to my sister).

Here’s another example using ‘which’.

‘This is the mug.’

But which mug are we talking about?

‘This is the mug which I use for all my hot drinks.’

Now we know!

These examples both include what are called ‘defining relative clauses’. In both of these examples, ‘who’ and ‘which’ can be replaced with ‘that’, because the pronoun is defining. So:

‘He is the man that lives next to my sister.’

‘This is the mug that I use for all my hot drinks.’

So, to answer the original question, there is no difference between ‘who’ and ‘that’ when the relative pronoun is defining.

Non-defining relative clauses

But relative clauses are not only used to define something. They can also be used to add information.

In this case, ‘who’ and ‘which’ are still distinguished by whether they are adding information about a person or a thing.

‘My brother, who is a keen runner, lives a healthy lifestyle.’

‘My car, which is a Ford, is red.’

Now, the commas are a bit of a giveaway. That’s because everything included inside those commas is simply additional information that (which) is not required to define the subject of the sentence. If you removed those clauses, the sentences would still make sense:

‘My brother lives a healthy lifestyle.’

‘My car is red.’

It is also important to remember that the words ‘who’ and ‘which’, in the original non-defining relative clause examples, cannot be replaced with ‘that’. So:

‘My brother, that who is a keen runner, lives a healthy lifestyle.’

‘My car, that which is a Ford, is red.’

This simply doesn’t work, and the standard ‘who’ and ‘which’ must be used.

So, to answer the original question once again (what is the difference between ‘who’ and ‘that’?) the answer is that ‘who’ is for when you are talking about people, and ‘that’ is nothing!

So, it really all comes down to whether it’s a defining relative pronoun, or not!

The post Who Vs That: A Common Grammar Mistake appeared first on Linguix Blog.

But let’s not be too quick to point the finger, because bad grammar certainly existed in the time when only a bird was capable of producing a tweet.

There is no doubt that social media has facilitated the use of bad grammar (and spelling) but it is certainly not the cause of it. We could speculate all day long as to why people don’t seem to care as much about the way they communicate their message anymore, but the fact is, as long as they get that message across, there are many who don’t seem to care about the ‘how’.

But here’s the thing: the way you communicate that message does say a lot about you. And in business, appearances are crucial.

Let’s look at a few situations in which a workplace-related grammar gaffe could really have a negative impact on the bottom line of the business, and your individual reputation.

Bad grammar in emails

You are sending an email to a senior member of management, perhaps someone who, at least indirectly, has a role to play in your future career trajectory. What does bad grammar in your email say about your attention to detail or the value you place on the perception that colleagues (and by extension, clients) have of you?

Now it could be that this particular manager cares as little for grammar as you (may) do. But on the other hand, this person could see your error-strewn writing as a professional weakness that could well hold you back.

Bad grammar in marketing

The various ramifications of producing a grammatically incorrect piece of marketing material are probably quite obvious, and again the severity of doing just that will depend on your target audience.

Indeed, amongst younger, trendier audiences, inconsequential grammar oversights could make very little difference at all. But the thing about marketing material is that it is placed very much ‘out there’ for all to see. Any mistakes, no matter how trivial they may seem to you, are reflecting on your brand (and therefore you) in the most critical of ways.

There is an expression along the lines of ‘any publicity is good publicity’, but in terms of grammatical mishaps in your marketing campaigns, that is just not true.

Bad grammar in business literature

Business literature, such as company handbooks, is really just another piece of marketing material, except it could be that this time you are marketing to an internal audience. And as the author of that material, you are actually marketing yourself at the same time. The bad grammar here, as in an important email, is not going to reflect well on you at all.

Bad grammar on social media

Bad grammar is acceptable on social media, right? After all, it’s the Wild West of the written word!

Wrong! Because in amongst all the noise and lack of grammatical consideration are all those people and businesses that can truly define your future career. And in among that number are people who keep a close eye on such things. Again, it is all about accuracy, your attention to detail, and the level of care that you give to your reputation and the way that you are perceived. In business, that matters!

Bad grammar on your resume

Perhaps the biggest grammar ‘fail’ of them all. A mistake on a resume never looks good. If there is one piece of written material that says more about you than anything else, it is your resume.

So, take the time, due care and attention to put something together that is completely free from errors. Use an online writing assistant such as Linguix to help you, proofread it several times, and then get someone else to take a look. It really is important that you put your best foot forward on the marketing literature when the product is you.

Classic mistakes

The classic mistakes when it comes to grammar are oh so predictable. Here is a little list just to get started:

·  their / there

·  to / too

·  I / me

·  who / whom

·  which / that

·  is / are

·  its/it’s

The possibilities are perhaps endless, but it is the truly obvious mistakes that reflect worst of all. In most cases, it’s just a complete lack of proofreading. Don’t make that mistake!

The post Why Good Grammar is Crucial For Work appeared first on Linguix Blog.

English grammar is the same, wherever or whenever you use the language. That said, the sometimes formal nature of business operations means that a handful of grammar rules become a little more relevant in this style of communication. For that reason, the three grammar points seen on this list all characterize an English that is rather formal in nature.

So, here are three grammar aspects that will see you communicating politely, indirectly and formally in order to form the right business relationships.

Indirect questions

Being direct in English is seen as being unnecessarily confrontational. We only use directness when we really need to emphasize the point. That means, in general, native English speakers prefer to approach things a little more indirectly in order to facilitate friendlier relationships. Indirect questions are a big part of this.

What is your name?

Now, this is a direct question. It is normal in these situations to introduce an indirect element to the question in order to soften it. Here are some examples:

Would you mind telling me…

Could you tell me…

Do you mind me asking…

In many other languages, this indirect addition to the question is totally unnecessary, but the fact is in English it would seem quite direct, and perhaps then quite rude and aggressive, to ask the question without it.

The grammar rule to remember, then, is that once the question has been made indirect, the subject and the verb must invert back in the original question, because that part is now no longer a question. So…

Would you mind telling me…what your name is?

Could you tell me… what your name is?

Do you mind me asking… what your name is?

If the direct question uses an auxiliary, then this auxiliary is lost in the indirect question.

What do you do?

Would you mind telling me…what you do?

Could you tell me… what you do?

Do you mind me asking… what you do?

And if the direct question is a ‘yes/no’ question, then the auxiliary is replaced with ‘if’ and the verb conjugates as the correct tense

Did you enjoy the presentation?

Can I ask if you enjoyed the presentation?

The passive

The passive voice is only used in about ten percent of clauses (subject + verb ideas) in English in normal, informal conversations. However, when the situation is more formal, that frequency can rise to about 30 percent. Quite simply, using the passive voice is one of the keys to writing, and speaking, formally and politely in English.

The passive voice is formed by using the verb ‘to be’ in the correct tense, then adding the past participle of the verb that is to be used.

We must find a solution. (active sentence)

A solution must be found. (passive sentence)

The people are going to require a concise message. (active sentence)

A concise message is going to be required. (passive sentence)

The rules for making passive tense are as follows:

Conjunctions

When it comes to being more formal in English, a simple change of conjunction can make a big difference. Here are some examples of the typical types of conjunctions (linking words) we use in informal, spoken English, and some alternatives which can make your speech (and writing) that little bit more suitable for business.

Just simply exchanging these conjunctions can give your emails a professional edge, and really adapt your language to the business environment.

It is important to remember, however, that using these different conjunctions does involve changes in grammatical structure, so it is not just a case of substituting the word in.

And there we have it! Three English grammar rules that can really elevate your language in a business context.

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