Lynn Gaertner-Johnston, Author at BusinessWritingBlog

Capitalization

Words to Capitalize in Titles and Headings

Lately I have been seeing a lot of odd capitalization in titles, headings on websites, and subject lines. So I would like to be helpful and provide some easy rules. Here is what to capitalize: All words of four or more letters, no matter what or where… continue reading

What Does et al. Mean?

What is et al.? Can this Latin abbreviation be used at the end of the greeting in an e-mail? Let’s answer these questions together. What Does et al. Mean? The expression et al., which is always followed by a period, stands for “and others.” So… continue reading

Punctuation

Where to Use a Colon–for Meter Readers and Others

Six meter readers attended my Keys to Error-Free Writing class. Given their job of traipsing around outside reading electric meters, they don’t write much. But all of them were interested in learning more about business writing. If you write a lot, using some punctuation marks is second… continue reading

Grammar and Usage

One Word or Two: Anytime, Any Time

Do you wonder about the word anytime at any time? Anytime I stop to think about a word before I write it, wondering whether it is one word or two, it seems like a good topic to write about. If it takes me any time to… continue reading

Email

Thank You in Advance

In email, letters, and memos that include a request, writers often end with one of these statements: “Thank you in advance for your attention to this matter.” “Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.” In comments on another blog post, one reader said she… continue reading

Punctuation

She Didn’t Hear My Comma

The other night while I was flying from Orlando, Florida, to Seattle, I was reminded of the valuable role the comma plays. The flight attendant was taking drink orders. When I asked for water, she asked, “No ice?” I responded, “No, ice will be fine.”… continue reading

Email

Please See Attached

We recently had a reader write with a question about the commonly used phrase “please see attached.” The reader goes on to answer his own question: Today I was looking for an answer to my question about the correctness of the term “please see attached,”… continue reading

Punctuation

Happy Father’s Day!

My daughter just showed me the cute card she made for her dad to give to him tomorrow. She draws well, and the smiling penguin she created on the front of the card made me smile too. But being a word person, I had to correct… continue reading

Punctuation

Using . . . Ellipses

I don't know whether you have any punctuation marks that are hard for you to keep straight. I have only one whose spacing and length challenge me: the ellipsis. Last week a client emailed me with an ellipsis question, and I realized I have to face… continue reading

A man scratching his head in a quizzical pose next to the title: "How To Write Time?"

How to Write Time – A.M., P.M., a.m., p.m.

Let’s discuss the proper way to write time, whether standard, military time or the 24-hour clock. To start, let’s discuss standard 12-hour clock that uses a.m. and p.m. Two commonly seen formats are 4pm and 4:00pm. Which is correct? The answer is: neither! Both renderings are incorrect. You need… continue reading

Author Archives: Lynn Gaertner-Johnston