Posted Oct. 12, 2021
Punctuation seems so simple and obvious that it can be surprising how many controversies surround it.
But first, let’s specify what we’re talking about. Merriam-Webster defines punctuation as “standardized marks or signs in written matter to clarify the meaning and separate structural units.” In other words, punctuation is a sort of textual “markup” that...
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Posted in: grammar
Posted May 29, 2019
Before you accuse Hurley Write of hating on grammar after that provocative title, let us explain!
Grammar is definitely an important component of good writing: the rules of the English language (or any language) don’t exist to make its users’ lives more difficult, but rather to ensure consistency and clarity in communications. By following the standardized conventions of language,...
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We would all agree that correct grammar is important in documents, right? Of course we would. But would we all agree that we should be breaking grammar rules at times? Grammar gives our language structure and helps us understand one another. But grammar can also be a problem. Grammar is a problem when writers become so obsessed by it that they're unable to write a coherent document or when we let grammar rules overrule...
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Creating a corporate style guide isn't just an administrative task. When you take on the task you're decreeing how your company will be seen by the outside world. Are you friendly, professional, exact, entrepreneurial or a mix of all of them? Do you go online, on line, or on-line? Here are eight important areas to think about while you're creating a corporate style guide that reflects your business's...
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An old truism says you should say what you mean and mean what you say, and that goes for writing, too. Whether it's a slip of our typing fingers or a momentary confusion over two homophones, we all make errors when we write. The trick is to catch them in proofreading. Here are seven proofreading tips to help you do so:
Let the work sit. Giving yourself some time between writing and proofing lets your mental buffer...
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