| If the proofreading fairy hasn't visited your office lately, | | | | 'It's too expensive.' |
| you might be blissfully unaware of grammar gremlins | | | | To is a preposition used before and after verbs. 'A |
| or spelling slip-ups in your sales writing. Not only do you | | | | copywriter can help you to...' |
| risk confusing your audience... but you also risk your | | | | Compliment and complement |
| business reputation. | | | | You might give someone a compliment. 'I'd like to |
| In short, poor grammar or spelling errors portray an | | | | compliment you on your...' |
| unprofessional image. To avoid unnecessary copy | | | | Complement is used when you want to show that |
| blunders, open your eyes to the following. | | | | something goes with something else. 'Strawberries and |
| What are homophones? | | | | cream complement each other...' |
| Whether you snoozed through English lessons or | | | | License and licence |
| simply can't remember, the term homophone is a | | | | License is a verb when something is allowed or |
| useful one to know. Homophones are words which | | | | permitted. So, you can be licensed to fly a plane. |
| sound the same but are spelt differently and have | | | | A licence is noun for a permit or permission to do |
| different meanings. No wonder people have problems | | | | what you want. You might have poetic licence, for |
| with them! | | | | example. Or 'Licence to Kill' - if you are James Bond, |
| Common spelling mix-ups include: | | | | of course! |
| Affect and Effect | | | | Precede and Proceed |
| Affect is a verb - to change or influence something. | | | | Precede means to come before something. You might |
| Business is affected by... | | | | precede the report with a short introduction. |
| Effect is a noun - or a result of something. Marketing | | | | When you proceed, you continue as planned or go |
| can have a huge effect on... | | | | forwards. 'Proceed to the exit...' |
| Its and it's | | | | Weather and whether |
| This is a biggie! It's is a contraction or a shortened | | | | Brits are obsessed with it! The weather is all about the |
| word for it is. The apostrophe always goes between | | | | climate. |
| the t and the s. | | | | Whether is a conjunction used when asking questions |
| Its belongs to or relates to something. 'The company | | | | or expressing doubt. It's another word for 'if'... whether |
| increased its profits.' | | | | you like it or not. |
| Principal and principle | | | | Right and write |
| Principal can refer to the first of something. 'The | | | | When you are right, you are correct. Right is also a |
| principal reason for...' You can also have a college | | | | direction and reference to a political persuasion. And of |
| principal. | | | | course, you should know what your rights are by now! |
| A principle is a matter of honour or relating to an idea. | | | | To write is all about writing words or recording |
| You might have business principles or agree in principle | | | | something. |
| with something. | | | | Copy clarity |
| Stationary and stationery | | | | Has that cleared up some confusion for you? The |
| When you're not moving, you are stationary. | | | | trick is to read your copy several times, ask someone |
| Your desk, on the other hand, might be littered with | | | | else to read your copy for you or if in doubt, organise |
| stationery. (Writing materials) | | | | a professional proofreader to give it the once over |
| Too and to | | | | instead! |
| Too is an adverb for 'more' and is placed before an | | | | Since we often can't see our own errors, another pair |
| adjective to emphasise something positive or negative. | | | | of eyes can make all the difference. |