If a printed form says one thing, but typing in a blank space says something contradictory
|
One thing blogging and good copywriting share is a conversational style, and that means it’s fine to fracture the occasional rule of proper grammar in order to communicate effectively. Both bloggers and copywriters routinely end sentences with prepositions, dangle a modifier in a purely technical sense, or make liberal use of the ellipsis when an EM dash is the correct choice—all in order to write in the way people actually speak. Show
But there are other mistakes that can detract from your credibility. While we all hope what we have to say is more important than some silly grammatical error, the truth is some people will not subscribe or link to your blog if you make dumb mistakes when you write, and buying from you will be out of the question. Here are five mistakes to avoid when blogging and writing web copy. 1. Your vs. You’reThis one drives me insane, and it’s become extremely common among bloggers. All it takes to avoid this error is to take a second and think about what you’re trying to say. “Your” is a possessive pronoun, as in “your car” or “your blog.” “You’re” is a contraction for “you are,” as in “you’re screwing up your writing by using your when you really mean you are.” Looking for Content Marketing Services?Digital Commerce Partners is the agency division of Copyblogger, and we specialize in delivering targeted organic traffic for growing digital businesses. LEARN MORE 2. It’s vs. ItsThis is another common mistake. It’s also easily avoided by thinking through what you’re trying to say. “It’s” is a contraction of “it is” or “it has.” “Its” is a possessive pronoun, as in “this blog has lost its mojo.” Here’s an easy rule of thumb—repeat your sentence out loud using “it is” instead. If that sounds goofy, “its” is likely the correct choice. 3. There vs. TheirThis one seems to trip up everyone occasionally, often as a pure typo. Make sure to watch for it when you proofread. “There” is used many ways, including as a reference to a place (“let’s go there”) or as a pronoun (“there is no hope”). “Their” is a plural possessive pronoun, as in “their bags” or “their opinions.” Always do the “that’s ours!” test—are you talking about more than one person and something that they possess? If so, “their” will get you there. 4. Affect vs. EffectTo this day I have to pause and mentally sort this one out in order to get it right. As with any of the other common mistakes people make when writing, it’s taking that moment to get it right that makes the difference. “Affect” is a verb, as in “Your ability to communicate clearly will affect your income immensely.” “Effect” is a noun, as in “The effect of a parent’s low income on a child’s future is well documented.” By thinking in terms of “the effect,” you can usually sort out which is which, because you can’t stick a “the” in front of a verb. While some people do use “effect” as a verb (“a strategy to effect a settlement”), they are usually lawyers, and you should therefore ignore them if you want to write like a human. 5. The Dangling ParticipleThe dangling participle may be the most egregious of the most common writing mistakes. Not only will this error damage the flow of your writing, it can also make it impossible for someone to understand what you’re trying to say. Check out these two examples from Tom Sant’s book Persuasive Business Proposals: After rotting in the cellar for weeks, my brother brought up some oranges. Uhh… keep your decomposing brother away from me! Featuring plug-in circuit boards, we can strongly endorse this server’s flexibility and growth potential. Hmmm… robotic copy written by people embedded with circuit boards. Makes sense. The problem with both of the above is that the participial phrase that begins the sentence is not intended to modify what follows next in the sentence. However, readers mentally expect it to work that way, so your opening phrase should always modify what immediately follows. If it doesn’t, you’ve left the participle dangling, as well as your readers. P.S. You may find it amusing to know that I, like David Ogilvy, have never learned the formal rules of grammar. I learned to write by reading obsessively at an early age, but when it came time to learn the “rules,” I tuned out. If you show me an incorrect sentence, I can fix it, but if I need to know the technical reason why it was wrong in the first place, I go ask my wife. When writing a check, you have to specify the amount using numerals (in the box on the right-hand side) as well as words (on the line that says “Pay”). This practice helps to avoid confusion; if it’s difficult to read one section, you can double-check the amount using the other section. However, sometimes the amounts written on a check do not match. For example, what if a check shows a numeric value of “$100,” but the handwritten amount reads “ten dollars”? Here's what to do in such cases. Words Prevail Over NumbersWhen the amount of a check is unclear, the written words are considered to be the correct amount. Numbers written out with words are clearer; you still know how much the check is for, even if you can’t make out half of the letters. On the other hand, numerical digits are almost worthless if they’re hard to read. Section 3.114 of the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), a set of rules for business transactions, dictates how any confusion should be handled: “If an instrument contains contradictory terms, typewritten terms prevail over printed terms, handwritten terms prevail over both, and words prevail over numbers.” In fact, on a check, the space where you write the amount is called the "legal line." The box where you put the digits is called the "courtesy box." Written words are supposed to trump the numerical digits, but it doesn’t always happen that way. When a check gets deposited, whoever processes the check might not notice that there’s a discrepancy. In some cases, they might only look at the numbers in the courtesy box and process the check for the wrong amount. It’s easy for this to happen. Think about when you receive a check: do you look at the numbers in the courtesy box, or do you read the amount off the legal line? Most people glance at the courtesy box because it’s faster and easier, and that can apply to busy tellers and ATM operators that handle deposits, too. It may not be the end of the world if a check is processed based on the numbers in the courtesy box—sometimes that’s the amount that the check writer intended to pay, and what the payee expected. However, it’s not a good idea to use checks when the amounts don’t match. The bank may discover the contradiction and make unwelcome account adjustments later. What to DoWhenever a check has contradictory amounts, it’s best to use a different check. It might be a non-issue if you use the check as written, but it’s not worth the risk of dealing with disputes and delays. If you wrote the check, void the check and write a new one. Otherwise, you never know which amount your payee’s bank will process the check for—and there could be negative consequences. For instance, say you write a check for your mortgage payment, but mistakenly put down two different amounts. If the bank takes out an amount that's less than what's due, you could be penalized for a late mortgage payment, and that could incur fees and even affect your credit score. If the bank takes more than what you intended to send, you risk running low on cash or even overdrawing your checking account, which could incur fees of its own. Plus, you won’t be allowed to reduce your mortgage payment the following month to make up for it. The overage would be applied to the outstanding principal or interest, but you'd still owe the mortgage company your regular payment. On the other hand, if you're on the receiving end of a check with mismatched numbers, you can't just start over. It may be difficult or even impossible to get another check, but it’s probably worth your time to try. If the check is processed for more than the check writer intended, you could have a very unhappy customer (or friend, or family member) on your hands. If the check is processed for less than you're owed, you could be out of luck unless you can otherwise get the money you’re due. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)What is the legal line on a check?The legal line on a check is the line used for writing the payment amount with words. It gets this name because the number written with words is the "legal amount" for the check. The numbers help others quickly read the check, but the legal amount determines the payment amount. How do I get my money back if I wrote the wrong amount on a check?If you wrote the wrong amount on a check, you should place a stop payment request with your bank. It's important to do this as soon as you realize that a mistake has been made. If you don't give the bank enough prior notice with your stop payment order, then the check may get cashed, and you can't hold the bank liable. |
