Six Common Content Mistakes That Other People Make…Not You
By: Megan Spreer - Posted August 31st, 2010
Writing online content is sometimes an afterthought for many people, but I’m not talking about you. I’m talking about those other people. The ones who mess up the most common grammatical rules and drive the rest of us crazy (or maybe it’s just pseudo-grammar sticklers like me). You know whom I’m talking about, right? They are the social media flies and the overworked, newly appointed web managers that slap something on the page without spell-checking, proofreading, or otherwise even reviewing what they’re about to share with the world.
I know you’ve seen them too. That’s why it’s important that we clear this up. Silly errors like this can ruin the professionalism and credibility of your work and your business…I mean, their work and their business.
Well, this is for them…and purely for your review. I know it’s not you making these errors.
Six Common Online Grammatical Mix-ups That Can Ruin Your Credibility
1. Your vs. You’re
Your is the possessive form of you. You’re means “you are”.
Example: “You’re going on vacation with your grandma next week, right?”
2. Their vs. They’re vs. There
Their is the possessive form of they. They’re means “they are”. There is describing a place somewhere other than where you are.
Example: “They’re rowing their boat over there.”
3. Its vs. It’s
Its is the possessive form of it. It’s means “it is”.
Example: “It’s difficult to determine why its leaves fell off early.”
4. Effect vs. Affect
Effect is a noun. Affect is a verb. To help myself remember this one, I simply imagine the “A” turned upside down and it looks like a “V”; that’s the one that is a verb.
Example: “The effects of stress are even visible physically.” and “Stress affects each body differently.”
5. Loose vs. Lose
Loose is used when something is not as snug or tight as it should be. Lose is used when your favorite team blows it in the playoffs.
Example: “If your laces are loose, you may lose your shoe.”
6. i.e. vs. e.g.
This is one that I have messed up many times. “I.e.” is an abbreviation for the latin words “id est”, which means “that is”. “E.g.” is an abbreviation for “exempli gratia”, which means “for the sake of example”. So use “i.e.” when you want to paraphrase something and “e.g.” when you want to give an example.
Example: “Monkeys are mammals, i.e., warm-blooded animals that give birth to live young.” and “We have soda, e.g., Coca-cola, Pepsi, and Dr. Pepper.”
Great blog. I was using i.e. incorrectly all these years!
Agreed, I was always using i.e. as an example. Another one that everyone messes up is ‘than’ and ‘then’. Maybe next week?