Yes: The dog is loose again.
2. Effect and affect
Effect is usually a noun referring to a result. Affect is usually used as a verb, meaning "to influence."
Rarely, you'll see the reverse used correctly. But if you stick with this, you'll almost always be right.
No: The affect of the marketing campaign was amazing.
Yes: The effect of the marketing campaign was amazing.
Yes: The marketing campaign affected their sales in a big way.
3. They're, their and there
There is simply a contraction for "They are." Their shows possession. There usually refers to a place.
No: The techs had to check there cell phones over their, and their not happy about it.
Yes: The techs have to check their cell phones over there, Osteo biflex and they're not happy about it.
4. It's for its
It's is exclusively for "It is." Its shows possession and never needs an apostrophe.
No: Bring me the CD, along with it's case because its going with us.
Yes: Bring me the CD, along with its case because it's going with us.
5. That and which
Here's a good rule of thumb from William Zinsser: Always use "that" unless it makes your meaning ambiguous. Only use "which" after a comma to define what you meant before the comma.
No: I remember the day which we met.
Yes: I remember the day that we met.
Yes: The team, which won the Superbowl last year, now has the worst record in the NFL.
Even better, "that" is often unnecessary! See if you can delete it and still make sense. (I remember the day we met.)
6. Lay and lie
This one is tricky so let's just talk present tense-which is what most of your marketing-type writing will be. Lay requires a direct object-something being put somewhere. Lie doesn't.
No: I'm going to lay on the sofa, so please lie those books on the table.
Yes: I'm going to lie on the sofa, so please just lay those books on the table.
7. Bring and take
Generally, you ask people to bring things to where you are, and you take things to some place you are going. (Think "take-out food," which you take from the restaurant to your home.)
No: Let's bring a bottle of wine to the party.
Yes: Let's take a bottle of wine to the party.
8. i.e. and e.g.
Think of i.e. as meaning "in essence" and further clarifying what's being said. On the other hand, e.g. means "for example" and implies this is just one of many.
No: I could go to a show with my two siblings. (e.g. Kim and Chris)
Yes: I could go to a show with my two siblings. (i.e. Kim and Chris)
Note: Grammar guides conflict on whether to use a comma after the abbreviations. The generally accepted usage though is without.
9. Punctuation and quotation marks
Ok, this is one of my pet peeves because it really is just so simple. Periods and commas ALWAYS go inside the quotation marks. Doesn't matter if the quotes are around a word or a whole sentence, periods and commas go inside!
No: The word he used was "bloviate", and she said, "I don't know what that means".
Yes: The word he used was "bloviate," and she said, "I don't know what that means."
For question marks and exclamation marks, it depends. They go inside if it's part of the quote, outside if it doesn't.
No: She asked, "Can you explain what that means"? And I can't believe he said "no!"
Yes: She asked, "Can you explain what that means?" And I can't believe he said "no"!
Happy writing!
Tracy Needham, founder of Compelling Communications, LLC, helps small business owners boost their business through compelling copy and marketing strategies that make the most of their time and money. Sign up for her FREE Special Report: The One Press Release You Can Write to Get Thousands of Dollars Worth of Free Publicity at (c) 2008 Tracy Needham
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