Articles

With word processing programs in workplaces often remaining in the default setting of US spelling, many people are increasingly unaware of the differences between Australian and American spelling. Australian spelling closely follows British spelling, yet many common words are spelt differently in American English even though they mean the same thing. In an interconnected world with English an international language, do these differences matter?

Enticing your reader to begin reading your report may be the biggest writing challenge you face. Even the most motivated reader is likely to be deterred by a report with pages of unbroken text. So how do you overcome this common barrier?

It was French designer Coco Chanel’s non-traditional approach to women’s fashion that made her famous in the 1920s. Perhaps the most enduring of her creations is the little black dress (also now known as the LBD). But what does the little black dress have to do with plain English?

Is it lay or lie? What about laid and lied? And why do we write ‘paid’ and not ‘payed’? Using the correct tense is an important part of communicating your message clearly. Using the wrong tense could mislead your reader. Knowing when an action occurred is important to add meaning to your communication. Take care not to fall into these common tense pitfalls.

One of the hardest aspects of English to get your head around is making sense of its chaotic spelling. This is true for native English speakers as well as those learning English as a second language. When words like blue, shoe, flew, through, you, two and too all sound the same but are spelled completely differently, what hope do we have of making sense of it all? And does it matter anyway? In Western culture at least, it appears that it does.

One of the most basic principles of writing is to write for your reader. Yet often we become so entrenched in what we want to say, we lose sight of what our readers need to hear. Communicating is all about sharing our thoughts and ideas. But can we be sure our readers’ minds work the same way as our own?

The COVID-19 coronavirus has provided fertile ground for scammers to prey on anxious and unsuspecting people in vulnerable financial and health positions. C Since the outbreak of the virus there have been over 2,000 COVID-19-related scam reports. Looking for clues in the text of an email, social media post, or SMS is one of a number of steps you can take to protect yourself from scams. 

A stumbling block for many team members wanting to progress into management positions is their writing ability. Poorly structured and unclear reports are major culprits that let many applicants down. Even if writing is not your strong point, here are 3 simple strategies to help you get a step closer to that promotion.

English is a wonderfully flexible language. We borrow words from other languages, like 'ballet', 'chocolate' and 'patio', and make up words, like 'hangry' and 'mansplain'. Words go in and out of fashion, others disappear only to reappear again decades later. Other words, like 'alternate' can mean different things to different people. 

Emails are still the most common form of written communication in most organisations. Yet, the speed of transmission of emails is both an advantage and a trap. Many team members remain blissfully unaware of the etiquette of business email writing. It’s quick and easy to break some of the golden rules of email etiquette and get your reader offside. Find out the wrong way and the right way.