Mar
28
2018
Why you should care about grammar
Love it or hate it, grammar is an integral part of the English language and can have a huge impact if used incorrectly. From a missing comma that cost a company $5 million, to funny spelling mistakes and typos, grammar is something you need to know and understand.
As language evolves and we rush to get work done, grammar becomes less of a priority. However, there are plenty of reasons why you should take a bit longer when writing that email or letter.
It looks professional
Which of these two emails looks more professional to you?
Hi John
Please can u get the invoices over to me bye tomorrow. Its v important that we get this done asap.
Thanks
Helen
Or
Hi John
Please can you send the invoices over to me by tomorrow? It’s very important that we get this done ASAP.
Thanks
Helen
I think we can all agree that the second one is much better! The incorrect punctuation and spelling mistakes in the first email reflect poorly on Helen and her professionalism, whereas the second email is clear, correct, and professional. Helen reads as competent, intelligent, and authoritative.
Colleagues and peers are more likely to trust those who have high levels of communication as it reflects a certain level of professional competency. That incorrect colon and wrong use of ‘their’ might be all that is standing between you and that promotion!
Poor grammar drives away potential customers
As well as looking unprofessional to colleagues, you could also be putting potential customers off with spelling mistakes and misplaced commas. For many people, the initial impression of a website with poorly constructed sentences and typos is not a positive one! In fact, they often view the company behind the site as less trustworthy. The same goes for any written communication with customers, whether it’s an email, a brochure, or a Facebook post.
You’ll be able to convey the right message
‘Let’s eat grandpa’ and ‘let’s eat, grandpa’ have two very different meanings but only one small difference; a comma!
Getting your grammar right means that the reader will be able to understand exactly what you mean without any confusion or misinterpretation. Incorrect spelling or punctuation could leave your audience struggling to figure out what it is that you mean, which could end up costing you business.
As well as accuracy and clarity, perfect grammar could end up saving your organisation a lot of time! Instead of emails flying back and forth checking if you meant X or Y, the once wasted time will be spent actually doing work.
It isn’t as scary as you think!
For many of us the word ‘grammar’ evokes a deeply rooted fear, but in reality grammar really isn’t that scary! This blog will help to calm your nerves.
It may seem complex on the surface but with a bit of effective training you’ll be writing well without a second thought.
