Three Common Grammar Mistakes in Business Writing
If you’re a marketing or communications professional, you have an in-depth understanding of the nuances of writing at work. Writing styles can be all over the place, from Slack chats where shorthand abounds to press releases that must be as polished as possible.
Even though business writing, in general, has become more casual, it’s still important to ensure you’re communicating as clearly as possible to your audience. Consistently applied grammatical principles ensure greater clarity and avoid audience distraction resulting from sloppy copy.
Here are three grammar mistakes I’ve noticed most frequently in business writing since transitioning my career to copyediting:
#1: Abbreviations
When introducing an abbreviation, use the full term in the first reference with the abbreviation in parentheses. Subsequent references to the term can just include the abbreviation. If you won’t be mentioning the term again, you don’t need to include the abbreviation.
Example: “The Department of Transportation (DOT) is open from 9-5 daily. Stop by the DOT with your relevant documents during business hours.”
Watch out: Be mindful of where audience entry points are for your content. For example, if you’re writing website copy, you may want to define the abbreviation in its first use on each page.
#2: Passive Voice
The simplest explanation of passive voice is that the subject of your sentence is being acted upon rather than doing the acting. While this isn’t technically wrong, it’s generally acknowledged that active voice (the opposite of passive voice) is stronger.
Passive voice example: “The marketing deck was presented by the agency.”
Active voice example: “The agency presented the marketing deck.”
Watch out: Some industries prefer passive voice, such as the sciences, because the result or outcome of the action is more important than the agent performing the action (for example, “The solution was heated to a temperature of 400 degrees,” where the temperature is most important in this context, not the scientist). Additionally, if the agent is unknown, if the agent is clear from the context, or to emphasize the object, it’s perfectly fine to use passive voice.
#3: Commas
There are many comma rules, but I correct one mistake most often: a comma must join two compound sentences that have a coordinating conjunction. More simply, if you can split your sentence into two full sentences and they are joined by a conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so), you need a comma. Otherwise, you may not.
Example that needs a comma: “It looks like it will rain today, so I will need to bring an umbrella.”
Example that does not need a comma: “I will wear my raincoat and bring my umbrella since it’s raining today.”
Watch out: If you join two full sentences without a coordinating conjunction and use a comma, it is a comma splice. Replace the comma with a semicolon, split it into two sentences, or add a coordinating conjunction. For example, “It looks like it will rain today; I will need to bring an umbrella.”
Are you still with me? I know it’s a lot. If that’s enough for you then I encourage you to go forth and apply these learnings to your writing today. If you’re geeking out and want a couple more, I have some bonus grammar mistakes for you. Read on:
#4: Em and en dashes
I liberally (and I mean LIBERALLY) used em and en dashes throughout my writing in my pre-copyediting life (interchangeably, I might add). I thought they added dramatic pauses that couldn’t be captured with a lowly comma. This approach isn’t wrong per se, but there are some caveats:
The em dash (— or “option + shift + hyphen” on a Mac) is the longest type of dash and is used for emphasis. You can also use it to set off a detail or list, in a nonessential phrase in a sentence, or to indicate a shift in tone or thought.
Example: “The weather in New England is so unpredictable—it may rain one moment and be sunny the next—that we must be prepared for anything.”
The en dash (– or “option + hyphen” on a Mac) is used to connect numbers and replaces the word “to” in a sentence.
Example: “The years 2020–2022 were difficult for many people.”
The trouble with em dashes is that some writers use them as a crutch (myself included). They pack more punch if you use them sparingly in your writing. Save them for the times when you need a real emphasis.
Watch out: If your organization prefers AP Style, you must add a space around the em dash, but if you are working in the Chicago Manual of Style, you will leave the spaces out. If you aren’t sure, pick one format and stick with it consistently.
And lastly,
#5: Verb tense shifts
A lot of business writing is in the present or future tense. For example, here’s who we are (present) or what we can do for you (present or future). The key is reading through your materials holistically to ensure you aren’t unnecessarily changing tense throughout your entire document, not just within a single sentence.
Note that the term “present tense” can be a bit misleading. Verbs in the present tense are not generally time-bound; they are often statements of fact that are universally true or generalizations. Conversely, past tense is time-bound.
Watch out: Sometimes, shifting tenses in the same sentence is appropriate. For example: “Sally and Jane founded their organization in 2020 and provide comprehensive design services for clients.” Here, Sally and Jane founded their company in 2020 (past tense), but it’s a statement of fact that they still provide services (present tense).
Remember that editing is an art and a science. Yes, particular grammar “rules” are there to ensure writing is accurate and clear. Then, some “rules” are in the weeds and outdated. When you encounter these situations, it’s most important to be consistent. Pick a lane and stick with it. Your writing (and your audience) will thank you.
Are you looking for fractional editing support to perfect key elements of your marketing efforts? I’d love to work with you, whether you’re seeking an extra set of eyes on your blog posts, press releases, website copy, social media posts, or beyond. Send me an email today!