online grammar

Writing style tip: how to write about money

frances — Tue, 15 May 2012 05:44:06 +0000

In business writing, currency is usually expressed in symbols and figures ($10). When writing about different currencies that use the dollar, your style choices are a: Letter or letters symbolising the country, followed by the $ sign (This is the style recommended by the Reserve Bank of Australia.) A$10, US$10 Three-letter country code specified in [...]

Writing style tip: how to use different types of brackets

frances — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 23:00:45 +0000

There are three types of brackets: round brackets ( ), often called parentheses square brackets [ ] angle brackets < > Round brackets (parentheses) Use round brackets to add extra information to a sentence. You can use em rules or commas instead of brackets. We plan to hold a writing seminar (originally scheduled for last [...]

Writing style tip: how to use legal and government terms

frances — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 23:00:07 +0000

Use initial capitals for Government, Federal and Commonwealth when referring to a specific entity. Commonwealth always has an initial capital, but government and federal take lower case for generic uses. The Australian Government agreed to the new plan. The government policy remains the same. Defence is a Commonwealth responsibility. The Federal Court sentenced the judge. [...]

The Grammar Factor – as versus like, annexure and appendix

frances — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 03:42:34 +0000

April 2012 As versus like A reader pointed out a grammar error in The Sydney Morning Herald. The sentence read: ‘Like any market in oversupply, price competition has taken hold…’ Many of you probably read that sentence and thought, ‘What’s wrong with it?’ The problem is that many people say like is a preposition, not [...]

Writing style tip: how to use ellipses

frances — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 23:00:59 +0000

We use ellipses to indicate that we have left out material we’re quoting from or that we could say more about the topic. An ellipsis is always three dots ( … ). That’s where agreement about ellipses ends! Full stop or no full stop? Some style guides say that if an ellipsis follows a sentence, [...]

Writing style tip: how to write greetings and sign-offs

frances — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 23:00:11 +0000

Greetings and sign-offs vary depending on the formality of the communication. Greetings and sign-offs in letters In letters, the conventional greeting is: Dear Sally (without a comma) If you don’t know the person, some writers address the person as Mr/Ms or, alternatively, use their full name. Dear Sally Smith Dear Ms Smith Traditionally, letters were [...]

Writing style tip: how to use shortened word forms

frances — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 23:00:23 +0000

Shortened forms checklist Term Example Short for Style convention Abbreviation Inc. Incorporated Use the first few letters of the word, followed by a fullstop. Contraction Dr, Ltd Doctor Limited Use the first and last letters of the word, with no fullstop. Acronym Qantas Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services The first letters from a [...]

Writing style tip: how to write numbers

frances — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 22:00:41 +0000

A common international convention in business writing is to spell out numbers from one to nine in text and use numerals for 10 upwards. Some style guides switch at 11 rather than 10. one, two, three 10, 11, 12 Use numerals for percentages and degrees. 10 per cent (or percent for American spelling) Use commas [...]

Writing style tip: how to write dates

frances — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 22:00:57 +0000

In Australian and New Zealand business writing, the order is: day (optional), month, year—with no punctuation. (Friday) 17 April 2009 The media and the US reverse the order, i.e. 17 April, 2009. Dates as numerals When writing dates as numerals, the conventional sequence in Australia and New Zealand is day, month, year separated by forward [...]

Top 10 grammar myths: you must distinguish between as and like

frances — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 22:00:45 +0000

Can you detect an error in the following sentence from a traditional grammar point of view? This book looks like it should be interesting. Many of you probably read it and thought, ‘What’s wrong with that sentence?’. The problem is that many people say like is a preposition, not a conjunction, and so should not [...]