Audrey Horwitz, Author at BusinessWritingBlog

A graphic of a restaurant with the word "Restaurant" and two mnemonic device suggestions: "I love a place with a good AURA; They give me food, I give them gold (AU).

Spelling

How Do You Spell “Restaurant?”

A commonly misspelled word, the correct spelling is RESTAURANT. Definition A building or a space where people can pay money to eat meals cooked and served on the premises. Examples: In a sentence: We were hungry but too tired to cook, so we decided to go… continue reading

A two-tone (pink and red) graphic with the words begun vs. began

Grammar and Usage

Began vs Begun

Began vs. Begun: What’s the difference? Let’s have a look at began vs. begun. Both began and begun are forms of the verb begin. Began [ bih-gan ] is the past tense of begin. For example: She began classes last week. Begun [ bih-guhn ] is the past participle of begin. For example: I have already begun… continue reading

A picture of a hand stretched out with the words - a bird in the hand

Common Expressions

A Bird In The Hand (Is Worth Two In The Bush)

“A bird in the hand” derives from the longer phrase “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” It means something definite or certain that you already have and do not want to risk losing by trying to get something else. Examples… continue reading

A graphic of a man in front of a laptop, holding a phone and a caption that reads 'best mobile email signature'

Email

Why a Professional Mobile Signature is Key for Business Email (Plus Examples)

We have discussed email signatures before (see our post here), but we thought we’d expand on the topic a bit more, as it was recently brought up in the comment section by one of our readers. A significant benefit of helping clients with their executive… continue reading

The Proper Use and Punctuation of ‘However’

Can you start your sentence with ‘however?’ How about using ‘however’ in the middle of a sentence? It is certainly a very useful word. However, one must be mindful of the various regulations that dictate whenever and however we use it! To mean ‘but’ One… continue reading

A picture of a woman with a sunburn and the words sunburned or sunburnt?

Spelling

Sunburned or Sunburnt? Which is Right?

Summer is almost here, and as beach weather taps on our door, you might soon find yourself pondering a specific grammar question prevalent in the warmest months of the year. Maybe you will be writing a postcard from a tropical paradise. ‘Enjoying the lovely sand,’… continue reading

A graphic that shows a rule of hyphenation - when a description precedes the noun, a hyphen is needed. When it is after the noun, no hyphen is needed

Punctuation

Are Numbers Hyphenated When Written Out? Let’s Find Out.

When big numbers or long, complicated divisions are involved, things can get blurry, especially when one has to write these numbers out. What complicates matters is pesky punctuation. Are numbers hyphenated when written out? What about they they serve as adjectives? Ah yes, punctuation follows… continue reading

To “Bare Children” or to “Bear Children?” – Which is Right?

The correct phrase in the English language is “to bear children.” The phrase “to bare children” is incorrect and should not be used. The reason “to bear children” is correct is because the verb to bear means to support or to carry, which is… continue reading

Common Expressions

“What Goes Up Must Come Down”

Literal Meaning: The phrase, “What goes up must come down,” is a term that usually means something that is up in the air will always and eventually fall back down due to gravity. Conversely, it can be a colloquialism that means good things will not… continue reading

Etiquette

5 Unique Ways To Say “It’s Nice To Meet You” In Your Writing

Greeting people via emails is the main staple nowadays, making up a large portion of our interpersonal communication. Most people do so with a simple “It’s nice to meet you!” however, it can be rather bland and common. This can especially be troublesome for more… continue reading