The English language is crazy!

English is a difficult language to learn. Compared to some other languages where simple rules are always true, English is a mish-mash of rules and exceptions to those rules.
Like this one: I before e, except after c, unless you're running a feisty heist against a weird beige neighbor who owns a rottweiler.

Then there are apostrophes. Ignoring the exceptions for a moment there are basically two rules for when you DO use an apostrophe.
1. To indicate a letter is missing: they’re instead of they are
And
2. To indicate possession: Helen’s frog

PLURALs don’t require an apostrophe. One apple, two apples.

See? It’s not really that hard at all.

For a full explanation read this: http://www.grammarly.com/blog/2015/follow-these-guidelines-to-avoid-an-apostrofail/


Helen Woodall
helen.woodall@gmail.com

Helen is available to line edit and/ or content edit fiction and non-fiction. Rates on application.

Misplaced Apostrophes

Misplaced apostrophes is one of the biggest peevs employers complain about in CVs and resumes. It’s also a big problem in books as well. Maybe some editors don’t know the rules or maybe the mistakes are so widespread authors, when told of their inaccuracies, refuse to fix them.

There’s even a website, http://www.killtheapostrophe.com/, by people who hate them because so few people get them right. But instead of blaming the poor helpless little apostrophe, why not learn how to use them correctly?

The rules are very simple. There are only two places where it is correct to use an apostrophe. First, to indicate a missing letter (or letters), and second, to indicate possession.

John’s hat. (possession).
We’re (we are).

Dates are not possessive and there’s nothing missing, therefore it is the 1780s, NOT 1780’s.

Plurals never require an apostrophe. Apples, pears, cherries, all plural just add s. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are the Smiths. Just add an s.

Helen Woodall
helen.woodall@gmail.com

Helen is available to line edit and/ or content edit fiction and non-fiction. Rates on application.

Ten Grammar Errors Everyone Needs to Fix

Authors, writers, job applicants please pay attention!

I was reading a fascinating marketing article recently. Well fascinating to an editor, anyway.

Here is a direct quote from the opening paragraph of the article. “I may be a stickler, but if I get a cover letter or resume from an applicant for any kind of job, and I find a typo or one of the 10 big grammar errors you’ll see below, it all goes into the trash. Those kinds of mistakes tell me that the applicant didn’t put enough time and energy into that resume or cover letter to get it right, so they’re not likely to meet my company’s (and my personal) standards for attention to detail overall.”

Yes, people do need grammar nazis in their lives if they want to succeed in landing their dream job. So here are their top ten No-Nos. If they look rather familiar, it’s because I’ve told you about all of them before. But no need to listen to me, just listen to the person handing out the jobs.

The same is true for authors wanting to sell a book, or to attract the attention of a publishers, agent or editor.

1. It’s vs. its. It’s is short for it is. Possessive is its. Its pen. It’s hot today.

2. Your vs. you’re. You’re is short for you are. Your is possessive. Your pen.

3. Affect vs. effect. You Affect an Effect. (RAVEN: Remember, Affect Verb, Effect Noun).

4. The dangling participle. A lot of people struggle with this one. The front of your sentence has to be connected to the back of your sentence.

5. There, their, they’re. There is a place. Let’s go over there. Their is possessive. Their pens. They’re is short for they are.

6. Could of vs. could have. There is no such thing as could of, would of, or should of. It’s always have.

7. Me, myself and I. Take out all the middle bits of your sentence and it’ll be easy to see which word is correct. Grandma had a box of chocolates and she gave them all to Bobby and … (I or me?) She gave them to ME.

8. Then vs. than. Mostly it should be then. Than is used to compare things.

9. Under/Overuse of commas. The Oxford comma is dead and buried. Only use commas when the sentence might be confusing without them, or before a vocative. If the sentence is long and you need commas for breathing spaces, it’s too long. Cut it into two sentences instead of adding commas. (vocative = Let’s eat, Grandma. Otherwise you might end up eating Grandma.)

10. Improper use of the apostrophe. An apostrophe is used when a letter has been left out (we’re = we are) or for possession. Bobby’s chocolates.

The original article about applying for a job is here: http://www.rightsourcemarketing.com/content-marketing/10-common-grammar-mistakes-that-will-ruin-good-content/

Helen Woodall
helen.woodall@gmail.com

Helen is available to line edit and/ or content edit fiction and non-fiction. Rates on application.