Communication is your trade and effectively communicating is your skill. So what is the most common form of communication we use? Yep, a news release. Or, as some more nostalgic folks may call it – a press release. So there you go, writing away not paying attention to the most common mistakes you’re making. Yes, I make the same ones over and over. So, lets take a look at some mistakes and I’ll show you a great place where you can find the right answers quickly online.
Consider this, which is correct?
- The committee reached its decision.
- The committee reached their decision.
Or how about this one. Which one is correct?
- The girl, whose father was arrested for drunk driving, was unharmed.
- The girl, who’s father was arrested for drunk driving, was unharmed.
What’s wrong with saying this?
The store clerk told police that their ATM machine was missing when they opened up for business.
(I gotta tell you the answer to this one: ATM stands for Automated Teller Machine. So you’re saying, “The store clerk told police that their Automated Teller Machine machine was missing…” I’ve made this mistake many times.)
So if you want to quickly answer your questions about the proper fix to the most common grammar mistakes, then all you have to do is go here:
- THE FREE FIX: http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html
It’s based on a popular book by Paul Brians – which I highly recommend you grab a copy. It will serve you well.
- RECOMMENDED READING: Common Errors in English Usage 2nd Edition
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