Frequently Asked Questions Archives

Knowing the Parts of Speech

In a recent business writing class, a participant confessed that she didn’t know a pronoun from a preposition–and she wanted to learn the difference. Why? So she could feel confident about using language correctly. Knowing the parts of speech can help you: Recognize which words to capitalize… continue reading

“Comprised of” vs. “Composed of”

Let’s discuss composed of vs. comprised of. The following sentence is from an advertising supplement in The New York Times: Our wine team is comprised of devoted wine lovers who are some of the most respected professionals in the industry. Your test: Is the phrase… continue reading

“Affect” vs “Effect”

People in business writing classes have been asking for ways to know whether affect or effect is correct. Here are my best tips for choosing the appropriate word. How To Choose Effect Or Affect If you are choosing a noun, your correct choice will be… continue reading

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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

Years’ or Year’s or Years

Is it year’s, years’, or years? Well, all three are perfectly correct depending on the context. Here is the quick rundown: Years is the plural of the word “year” Example: It’s been three years since I last saw him. Year’s and Years‘ are used to express compound time.… continue reading

“Out of Office” When You Are Leaving a Company

“Out of office” messages usually cover temporary absences from work. If you are leaving the company, whether it is for a better position, a break from work, or a stint of unemployment, you should let people know you are “out of office” permanently. Here are… continue reading

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Remove Me from Your List (Politely)

In writing seminars, people frequently say they need a polite way to ask coworkers not to email them jokes, inspirational quotes, and other messages they don’t want or need. Here are a few polite version templates of that “please remove me from this email chain… continue reading

How to Format Phone Numbers

Let’s discuss telephone number etiquette and try to answer the question “how to format phone numbers.” Some use periods (dots) between the parts of a telephone number while others use parentheses and hyphens. Which style or format is correct? As usual, style guides differ. The… continue reading

Should You Use Its, It’s, or Its’?

Its, it’s, or its’? Knowing when and how to use these words can cause some confusion and errors for writers. Let’s explore the differences as well as English grammar rules for their proper usage. How Do You Use Its, It’s, and Its’? Its is the… continue reading

Using Commas With Names and Greetings

Let’s take a look at commas with names and salutations, as we’ve been receiving various questions on the topic from our readers. Are There Commas After Greetings? Question: Do I have to use a comma with a person’s name when I say “Hi” or “Hello”?… continue reading