Grammarly Is Now on iOS and Android

Hey Android users! Since launching the Grammarly Keyboard for iOS, we’ve heard from lots of you wondering when the app would be available on Android. Well, first, we want to thank you for your patience. And second, we’re pleased to tell you that today’s the day! The Grammarly Keyboard is now available on both iOS and Android.

Life happens on the go. By 2018, 50 percent of workplace communication and collaboration will happen through mobile apps. But typing on your phone is awkward and imprecise—we’ve all fallen victim to the dreaded textfail at one time or another.

That’s why we built the Grammarly Keyboard, a personal editor that integrates seamlessly with all your mobile apps and your mobile browser. Whether you’re responding to an important client’s email, posting a Facebook message for the world to see, or texting your boss, you’ll always look polished and professional, even on your phone.

Want to know more? Read on. We’ve rounded up the most helpful information about the keyboard and put it all in one place for you.

What does the Grammarly Keyboard do?

Whenever you type with the keyboard, Grammarly will check your writing and make sure your message is clear, effective, and mistake-free. For Grammarly Premium users, the keyboard will also suggest style improvements and vocabulary enhancements. You’ll see the suggestions along the top of the keyboard, and you can accept a change just by tapping it. If you want to know why Grammarly made a particular suggestion, you can open the correction to see an explanation.

You can also specify whether Grammarly should use American or British English rules to check your writing, and you can add words to your personal dictionary to prevent Grammarly from flagging them as misspellings on any device.

Why a mobile keyboard?

As you’ve probably noticed, the world has gone mobile. In fact, Internet usage on mobile devices and tablets is now higher than Internet usage on desktop computers. It’s clear that communicating fast and accurately through your phone is more important than ever, but when that involves composing a message, it’s still slow and inconvenient. We designed the Grammarly Keyboard to be a personal editor that works anywhere you write, no copying or pasting required.

How do I get it?

If you’re on an Android device, head over to the Google Play Store and download the keyboard. If you’re on iOS, download it from the App Store. Next, open the app on your phone and you’ll be guided through the set-up process. Need more detailed instructions? We have you covered for both Android and iOS devices.

Can you see what I write on my phone?

The Grammarly Keyboard needs access to what you write in order to provide corrections and suggestions. We know that what you write on your phone is private, so we have encryption and several other measures in place to make sure it stays that way. Additionally, the keyboard is blocked from accessing anything you type in fields marked sensitive, such as credit card forms and passwords.

Does the keyboard support glide input?

Not yet—we wanted to give our Android users access to the app as soon as it was ready. But we do know that glide input is an essential feature for many Android users, so it’s something we will be tackling in the future. Keep an eye out for updates!

I’m using the keyboard and I want to tell you what I think!

Awesome! We love user feedback—it helps us focus on building features that are valuable to you. Let us know what you think in the comments below!

Happy typing!

14 Career Development Books That Will Help You Reach Your Goals

Do you need a hand? These fourteen career development books will show you how you can move your job goals in the right direction.

The Classics

People who get stuff done share at least seven common traits. In The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey, you’ll learn what the seven practices are and how you can acquire them.

Though ruling a nation might not be your career goal, you can glean a lot of wisdom from The Emperor’s Handbook, a translation of Meditations written by Marcus Aurelius, which includes some “unique features for contemporary readers.”

For Women

Sheryl Sandberg, former chief of staff for the United States Treasury Department and author of Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, has also held prominent positions at hugely successful companies such as Google and Facebook. If you like your advice to contain a combination of hard evidence, humor, and personal anecdotes, this is the career guide for you.

According to the Washington Post, #GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso is “Lean In for misfits.” Sophia didn’t start her career with a Harvard education as Sheryl Sandberg did; instead, she worked her way up from petty thief to eBayer to . . . well, read the book and find out!

Every female leader has pearls of wisdom to share with her counterparts. Grace Bonney compiles the best of the best in her book In the Company of Women: Inspiration and Advice from over 100 Makers, Artists, and Entrepreneurs.

For Minorities

If you’re a minority looking to advance, there are some realities you’ll have to face. Good Is Not Enough: And Other Unwritten Rules for Minority Professionals by Keith R. Wyche gives practical advice for dealing with unique challenges in the workplace.

Authors Richard L. Zweigenhaft and G. William Domhoff examine the personal histories of talented modern forerunners in the world of business in The New CEOs: Women, African American, Latino, and Asian American Leaders of Fortune 500 Companies. What imitable factors lead to their success?

For People with Disabilities

Employment Options: The Ultimate Resource for Job Seekers with Disabilities and other Challenges includes interactive worksheets so readers can assess their strengths and weaknesses. After all, according to author Paula Reuben Viellet, you have to know who you are now before you develop a plan for improvement.

For Recent Graduates

If you’re a new graduate, you probably have lots of dreams, but you may not know how to realize them. In So Good They Can’t Ignore You, professor Cal Newport tells you why you shouldn’t follow your passion . . . and what you should follow instead.

Those who land a job after college may be wondering, “Now what?” Emily Bennington and Skip Lineberg demystify the process of climbing the corporate ladder in Effective Immediately: How to Fit In, Stand Out, and Move Up at Your First Real Job.

For Science and Math-Lovers

An algorithm is a set of rules a computer follows to solve a problem or equation. Algorithms to Live By: The Computer Science of Human Decisions by Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths explores what your life would be like if used the same rigorous standards for challenges and decisions.

In Sleep Smarter: 21 Essential Strategies to Sleep Your Way to a Better Body, Better Health, and Bigger Success, athlete-turned-author Shawn Stevenson answers this question: Can sleeping differently affect your career development? Try a fourteen-day sleep makeover before you make up your mind about the link between sleep and success!

For Everyone

Martin Seligman, the author of Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being, shares a lifetime of psychological research along with absorbing stories and “flashes of brilliance,” says fellow psychologist and author Sonja Lyubomirsky. If you enjoyed his previous books Learned Optimism and Authentic Happiness, you won’t want to miss his new offering.

What were you born to do? You may find out if you read Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise by Anders Ericsson and Robert Pool. Their findings from studying virtuosos in diverse fields will change everything you think you know about innate skill.

Which book on this list interests you the most? Here’s a goal you can accomplish today: Acquire a copy! The sooner you start reading, the sooner you can use the expert advice to reach your career goals.

Adjectives

What Are Adjectives?

Adjectives are words that describe the qualities or states of being of nouns: enormous, doglike, silly, yellow, fun, fast. They can also describe the quantity of nouns: many, few, millions, eleven.

Adjectives Modify Nouns.

Most students learn that adjectives are words which modify (describe) a noun. Adjectives do not modify verbs or adverbs or other adjectives.

Margot wore a beautiful hat to the pie-eating contest.

Furry dogs may overheat in the summertime.

My cake should have sixteen candles.

The scariest villain of all time is Darth Vader.

In the sentences above, the adjectives are easy to spot because they come immediately before the nouns they modify.

But adjectives can do more than just modify nouns. They can also act as a complement to linking verbs or the verb to be. A linking verb is a verb like to feel, to seem, or to taste that describes a state of being or a sensory experience.

That cow sure is happy.

It smells gross in the locker room.

Driving is faster than walking.

The technical term for an adjective used this way is predicate adjective.

Uses of Adjectives

Adjectives tell the reader how much—or how many—of something you’re talking about, which thing you want passed to you, or which kind of something you want.

Please use three white flowers in the arrangement.

Three and white are modifying flowers.

Often, when adjectives are used together, you should separate them with a comma or conjunction. See “Coordinate Adjectives” below for more detail.

I’m looking for a small, good-tempered dog to keep as a pet.

My new dog is small and good-tempered.

 

Degrees of Comparison

Adjectives come in three forms: absolute, comparative, and superlative. Absolute adjectives describe something in its own right.

A cool guy

A messy desk

A mischievous cat

Garrulous squirrels

Comparative adjectives, unsurprisingly, make a comparison between two or more things. For most one-syllable adjectives, the comparative is formed by adding the suffix -er (or just -r if the adjective already ends with an e). For two-syllable adjectives ending in -y, replace -y with -ier. For multi-syllable adjectives, add the word more.

A cooler guy

A messier desk

A more mischievous cat

More garrulous squirrels

Superlative adjectives indicate that something has the highest degree of the quality in question. One-syllable adjectives become superlatives by adding the suffix -est (or just -st for adjectives that already end in e). Two-syllable adjectives ending in -y replace -y with -iest. Multi-syllable adjectives add the word most. When you use an article with a superlative adjective, it will almost always be the definite article (the) rather than a or an. Using a superlative inherently indicates that you are talking about a specific item or items.

The coolest guy

The messiest desk

The most mischievous cat

The most garrulous squirrels

Coordinate Adjectives

Coordinate adjectives should be separated by a comma or the word and. Adjectives are said to be coordinate if they modify the same noun in a sentence.

This is going to be a long, cold winter.

Isobel’s dedicated and tireless efforts made all the difference.

But just the fact that two adjectives appear next to each other doesn’t automatically mean they are coordinate. Sometimes, an adjective and a noun form a single semantic unit, which is then modified by another adjective. In this case, the adjectives are not coordinate and should not be separated by a comma.

My cat, Goober, loves sleeping on this tattered woolen sweater.

No one could open the old silver locket.

In some cases, it’s pretty hard to decide whether two adjectives are coordinate or not. But there are a couple of ways you can test them. Try inserting the word and between the adjectives to see if the phrase still seems natural. In the first sentence, “this tattered and woolen sweater” doesn’t sound right because you really aren’t talking about a sweater that is both tattered and woolen. It’s a woolen sweater that is tattered. Woolen sweater forms a unit of meaning that is modified by tattered.

Another way to test for coordinate adjectives is to try switching the order of the adjectives and seeing if the phrase still works. In the second sentence, you wouldn’t say “No one could open the silver old locket.” You can’t reverse the order of the adjectives because silver locket is a unit that is modified by old.

Adjectives vs. Adverbs

As mentioned above, many of us learned in school that adjectives modify nouns and that adverbs modify verbs. But as we’ve seen, adjectives can also act as complements for linking verbs. This leads to a common type of error: incorrectly substituting an adverb in place of a predicate adjective. An example you’ve probably heard before is:

I feel badly about what happened.

Because “feel” is a verb, it seems to call for an adverb rather than an adjective. But “feel” isn’t just any verb; it’s a linking verb. An adverb would describe how you perform the action of feeling—an adjective describes what you feel. “I feel badly” means that you are bad at feeling things. If you’re trying to read Braille through thick leather gloves, then it might make sense for you to say “I feel badly.” But if you’re trying to say that you are experiencing negative emotions, “I feel bad” is the phrase you want.

It’s easier to see this distinction with a different linking verb. Consider the difference between these two sentences:

Goober smells badly.

Goober smells bad.

“Goober smells badly” means that Goober, the poor thing, has a weak sense of smell. “Goober smells bad” means Goober stinks—poor us.

When Nouns Become Adjectives and Adjectives Become Nouns

One more thing you should know about adjectives is that, sometimes, a word that is normally used as a noun can function as an adjective, depending on its placement. For example:

Never try to pet someone’s guide dog without asking permission first.

Guide is a noun. But in this sentence, it modifies dog. It works the other way, too. Some words that are normally adjectives can function as nouns:

Candice is working on a fundraiser to help the homeless.

In the context of this sentence, homeless is functioning as a noun. It can be hard to wrap your head around this if you think of adjectives and nouns only as particular classes of words. But the terms “adjective” and “noun” aren’t just about a word’s form—they’re also about its function.

Adjective Salad and Adjective Soup

We’ll end with a few words about adjectives and style. It’s one thing to know how to use an adjective; it’s another to know when using one is a good idea. Good writing is precise and concise. Sometimes, you need an adjective to convey exactly what you mean. It’s hard to describe a red sports car without the word “red.” But, often, choosing the right noun eliminates the need to tack on an adjective. Is it a big house, or is it a mansion? A large crowd, or a throng? A mixed-breed dog, or a mutt? A dark night, or just . . . night? Always remember to make every word count in your writing. If you need an adjective, use it. But if it’s not pulling its weight, delete it. Careful editing is the best way to avoid the dreaded (and yecchy) adjective soup.

29 Hilarious Halloween Memes and GIFs You’ll Want To Share

Do you live for Halloween?

Whether you’re a fan of kitsch, horror, fabulous style, or coffin-loads of candy, this mischievous and creative holiday has got a spell for you.

In celebration of this hallowed season, we’ve cracked open the crypt and unleashed twenty-nine of the best Halloween memes and GIFs for you to haunt the Internet with your bone-tingling obsession.

1At First You Try to Play It Cool

If you need me I’ll be out back, carving pumpkins and cackling over my cauldron.

2And Some People Seem to Understand

3Like That One Friend…

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Oh, so you’re not dressing up this year? I’ll just be over here, silently judging you.

4Come On, It’s Halloween

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Yes, I am slathering fake cobwebs over 90% of the surfaces of my home. You can keep looking incredulous, or you can get on this ladder and finish cobwebbing the chandelier. This house isn’t going to decorate itself.

5And Halloween Is the Best

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Sometimes it’s hard to contain the excitement.

6No, Really. This Is the Best Time of Year

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7Even David S. Pumpkins Agrees

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8There’s Just so Much to Revel In

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9Like Candy

10Getting Your Haul Is Serious Business

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Thou shalt take no prisoners.

11You Can Never Have Too Much Candy

via SIZZLE

Remember, calories from candy do not count during the Halloween season. These are known as “ghost calories.” (The haunting will begin November 1st.)

12Pumpkins Are Also Essential

Up vote Sigourney Weaver posing on a pumpkin.

And we do mean essential.

13Jack O’Lanterns Are an Art Form

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14Overall, Your Decorating Game Reaches New Heights

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15But the Best Part May Be the Costumes

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16When You Find the Perfect One

via me.me

It’s a match made in hell.

17They’re a Fiendishly Good Time

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18And Even More Fun with Friends

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19Especially Best Friends

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Troy and Abed forever.

20There’s No Limit to What You Can Create

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21Even Pets Love Dressing Up

via me.me

22Some More Than Others

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23Halloween Is Full of Surprises

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24It’s Exciting

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25It Brings People Together

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26It’s a Time for Transformation

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27And Celebration

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28And Sweet, Sweet Brains

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29Happy Halloween, Everyone!

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What’s your favorite way to celebrate Halloween? Dressing up? Devouring sweet treats? Creating your own haunted house?

3 Perfect Examples of How to Write an Apology Letter

You screwed up. Now it’s time to own it. Knowing how to apologize is a crucial life and career skill. But when you write an apology letter, creating a permanent record of an event and your response to it, it’s all the more important that you get it right.

Why is writing an apology letter so hard?

Apologizing is an art form few of us seem to master. We don’t want to admit our mistakes because we think that making mistakes reflects badly on our character. But the truth is, not apologizing, or making a feeble non-apology, is often worse.

There are a few reasons you may struggle with apologies:

• You assume that making mistakes means you’re a bad person. When you feel ashamed, you have a hard time recognizing that one goof doesn’t reflect on your character as a whole.
• You get defensive. No one wants to feel ashamed. But a defense is not an apology.
• You worry that you’ll have to own all the responsibility, or that you’ll open the floodgate for more accusations. It could happen, sure. But not apologizing builds resentment over time, and that’s toxic to personal and workplace environments.

The good news is that when you put your apology in writing, you have the luxury of polishing and editing your thoughts so that they say precisely what you mean to convey.

The Elements of a Good Apology Letter

Sorry does seem to be the hardest word, but if you can master these steps in the apology process, you’re sure to make a good impression. These guidelines apply whether you’re apologizing for a personal error, or you’re writing an apology on behalf of a team or business.

• Say you’re sorry. Not, “I’m sorry, but . . .” Just plain ol’ “I’m sorry.”
• Own the mistake. It’s important to show the wronged person that you’re willing to take responsibility for your actions.
• Describe what happened. The wronged person needs to know that you understand what happened and why it was hurtful to them. Make sure you remain focused on your role rather than deflecting the blame.
• Have a plan. Let the wronged person know how you intend to fix the situation.
• Admit you were wrong. It takes a big person to own up to being wrong. But you’ve already reminded yourself that you’re a big person. You’ve got this.
• Ask for forgiveness. A little vulnerability goes a long way toward proving that you mean what you say.

—If You Want to Know How to Apologize, First Do This…

It’s as easy (and as hard) as that. No minimizing, no shifting blame, no defenses. Now, let’s take a look at some apology letter examples that follow this format.

Apology Letter Examples

Before you begin writing, there are a few pointers to keep in mind. First, keep your letter brief and to the point. Don’t ramble on about what happened—distill it to the essentials. Don’t exaggerate, either. There’s no need to fall on your sword. But do keep your language respectful, sincere, and professional.

The Third-Party Apology

If you supervise an employee who made a mistake and find yourself apologizing to a customer or client, it’s important that you take responsibility without dumping all the blame on the employee. After all, what your employees do reflects your leadership.

Dear Ms. Jones,

On behalf of ABC Office Equipment, I extend our sincerest apologies for the bad experience you had with our sales associate, James. I understand that James made unprofessional remarks when you visited our storefront to inquire about a new copier. You came to us in search of information, and instead were subjected to a pushy salesperson.

At ABC, it’s our goal to help you make an informed purchase decision without having to deal with aggressive sales tactics. James is a new employee that I’ve been training. I take full responsibility for his behavior. He has received a written reprimand and will be shadowing one of our senior sales associates until he has a better understanding of the ABC Office Equipment approach to customer service.

I’m grateful that you brought this issue to my attention and I ask your forgiveness. We’d love to earn your business. I’ve included a voucher for 20 percent off your next purchase in our store as a thank-you, should you decide to give us a second chance. We hope to see you again soon!

Kind regards,

Jennifer Smith Equipment Sales Manager

The Personal Apology Letter

Sometimes, you have to own up to something you did that hurt or inconvenienced another person. We’ve all been there. Keep it simple. Don’t make excuses. Show that you’re trying to improve.

Dear Dylan,

I apologize for not arriving on time to pick you up from the airport yesterday afternoon. I have no excuse for keeping you waiting and wondering when your ride would show up.

It’s important to me not to let people down when they’re depending on me. Next time, I’ll make better use of calendar alerts so I’ll be sure to leave in plenty of time to arrive as scheduled, or even ahead of schedule.

I humbly ask your forgiveness. I hope my mistake won’t prevent you from seeking my help in the future. I’m always happy to be of service.

All the best,

Jillian

The Mass Apology

It’s horrifying to think about, but sometimes you end up upsetting a group of people rather than just one person. As with all apology letters, It’s important not to say, “I’m sorry if anyone felt offended.” (That’s like saying, “It’s too bad some of you don’t know how to handle my personality.”) Instead, say, “I’m sorry that I offended anyone.”

Hello Everyone,

I owe you all an apology. When I planned my costume for our annual company Halloween bash, I clearly wasn’t thinking. I now realize that what I wore was offensive to some of you, as well as to your families.

It was never my intention to cause anyone distress. Looking back, however, I can clearly see that I didn’t think things through before I decided on what to wear. Next time, I’ll be sure to weigh my warped sense of humor against my sense of propriety and choose something that isn’t controversial.

I hope you’ll forgive me for making you uncomfortable. Please accept the cupcakes in the breakroom as a sincere peace offering.

All the best,

Jamie

Here’s How to Get Started as a Freelance Writer

Sick of the 9-to-5 life? Yearning for work that’s creatively fulfilling? If you’re someone who loves to write, the idea of becoming a freelance writer has probably crossed your mind.

And if you’ve ever wondered how to turn that fantasy into a reality, this post is for you.

I’ve been a freelance writer since 2013, and over the years I’ve fielded many questions from folks interested in freelancing. This is a truly mammoth topic, so what I’m sharing today is simply a brief overview of how you can get started as a freelance writer.

By the end of this article you’ll have a better understanding of the process, and hopefully a better idea of whether or not it’s for you.

1Consider: why freelance writing?

Knowing your goals for freelancing will influence how you approach it.

• Are you looking for a creative outlet or a chance to share your ideas? Consider writing posts for your favorite websites that accept submissions (e.g., Huffington Post, MindBodyGreen, Bustle, The Penny Hoarder). Some sites pay, many do not.
• Are you looking for a side hustle to generate some cash? Consider pursuing small or one-off projects (e.g., writing a business’s monthly newsletter or doing Facebook ads for an online program launch).
• Are you looking to fully replace your day job with freelancing as your primary source of income? Prioritize big projects and opportunities for repeat work (e.g., full website copy revamp, e-books, book ghostwriting, weekly blog posts, weekly scripts for YouTube channel).

2Find Your Niche

What are your interests, background, education, expertise? What do you like to write? Who do you want to work with? There are many types of writing and types of clients for you to pursue.

You may not truly find your niche until you stumble onto it in the wild, but in the meantime here are some ideas to get your wheels turning.

• Are you an engineer or tech geek? Technical manuals could be right up your alley.
• Passionate about travel? Write blog posts or web copy for travel sites.
• Love writing short stories? Use your storytelling chops to write case studies (customer success stories) for businesses.
• Ever written a book? The market for book ghostwriting is hot and lucrative.
• Already doing marketing at your 9-to-5? Write sales pages and create social media campaigns for entrepreneurs.
• Maybe you enjoyed writing essays in college, processing complex information and synthesizing an argument. Writing white papers could be your niche.

3Build Your Portfolio

Stressing because you don’t have a degree in writing? Not a problem! My clients never ask about my education (BA in Economics and Anthropology), they ask about my experience working on other projects.

Bottom line: Clients don’t care if you have a degree, they only care if you can do the work.

This is where your portfolio comes in. Your portfolio is your proof that you can do the work you say you can do. Here’s how to get started.

• Gather whatever pieces you already have that pertain to your desired niche (e.g., personal blog posts, articles you wrote for your current company, the brochure you created for the nonprofit you volunteer with).
• Network with family, friends, and community to get a few more projects under your belt (e.g., a social media campaign for your cousin’s ice cream shop, an e-book for your friend’s health coaching practice, a newsletter for your faith community’s food pantry).
• You can work for free (family only) or at a reduced rate (everyone else) since they are taking a chance on you (remember, you don’t have a portfolio yet).
• Starting small (five to ten projects) is fine. What’s important is quality and that you’re showcasing experience in the niche you’re interested in.
• Put your work on a website you can share with potential clients. There’s Journoportfolio (which I use) and Clippings.me (both are free for up to ten articles), or find a Squarespace or WordPress theme that’s designed to be a portfolio.

4Find Clients

Now that you have an idea of the type of writing projects you’d like to do, and a portfolio showing your ability to do that work, it’s time to find clients. Here are some ideas to get you started.

• Contract with your current company. You already have a relationship with the company and understand its mission and voice. (This is how I got into freelancing.)
• Email the contacts within your business network. Let them know what type of projects you’re doing and invite them to pass your info on to others who would want to work with you too.
• Email your friends and family about what you’re doing. Promote your new business on your social media channels.
• Cold email companies that you’d like to work with. Identify a need they have (e.g., regular blog posts or newsletters) and show how you can help them.
• Pitch your article ideas to your favorite websites that accept submissions. Some sites pay for posts, many do not (worst case, you have a prestigious portfolio piece).
• Pitch for projects on a job board (ProBlogger, BloggingPro, All Freelance Writing) or content mill (Upwork, Scripted, Contently). But be warned, these opportunities tend to involve high effort and low pay. I’ve never used these sites, but I know many writers have gotten into the biz this way.
• Build relationships with creatives who provide complementary services, such as web and graphic designers. They have clients who need copywriting.
• Network with other fabulous freelance writers. They’ll pass on referrals when they can’t take a job, or when a company they’re writing for is looking for more contractors. (This is how I got connected to Grammarly : ) ).

Let us know in the comments which freelancing topics you’d like to hear more about in future posts. And if you’re already a freelancer, share one piece of advice that helped you get started!

7 Practical Tips on How to Start a Conversation

You’re probably not as good at starting conversations as you think you are.

And if, after reading that statement, you’re thinking Nuh-uh! I rock at starting conversations! there’s an even better chance you need the advice in this article.

Last night, I went to a blues concert with my friend. After the concert, we bumped into two of his acquaintances. The first, Mindy, approached us and said hello, but then stood there passively waiting for someone else to say something. The second, Lisa, fluttered in like leaves in a windstorm and babbled incessantly about herself for twenty minutes until we made an excuse to leave.

Neither person in that scenario was good at starting, much less maintaining, an interesting conversation. I’ll bet you’ve had similar experiences, ranging from the person who stands there waiting for you to take the lead to the one who starts talking and won’t shut up.

The trick to engaging in an interesting conversation is simple—stop trying to be interesting. Instead, be interested in the other person. Here are seven ways to start a conversation that won’t leave the other party burdened with having to take the lead or struggling to find a way to extricate themselves.

1 Note that you’re “in this together.”

When circumstances aren’t ideal, acknowledging a shared experience can soften the edge and get a conversation going. It’s likely you use this approach all the time without realizing it. At the grocery store, you comment to the person in front of you that the lines always seem to be longest when you’re on your lunch break. From there, a brief conversation flows naturally.

The same technique works when the stakes are higher, too—networking at a party, for instance, where everybody’s a little anxious about making a good impression.

“These parties are always so awkward, aren’t they? Everybody’s supposed to network—no pressure!”

Be careful using this technique. Do your best to remain neutral. A comment like “These networking events are such a bore!” could end up working against you if it turns out the person you’re talking to planned the event or is friends with the person who did.

2 Notice something nice.

The opposite of the “we’re in this together” conversation starter is noticing something pleasant. A positive approach can get a conversation off to the right start. We tend to like upbeat people who draw our attention to good things.

“That was a productive meeting! I feel like we generated some solid ideas.”

“Did you go to the social media workshop? It was great!”

3 Pay a compliment.

This technique can be a great ice-breaker. Who doesn’t like hearing a sincere compliment? You don’t have to fawn over the other party to make an impact, either—succeeding is as simple as noticing something you like and mentioning it.

“That’s a nice shirt. The color looks good on you!”

“You did an awesome job with the presentation. I like how you laid everything out so it was easy to understand.”

One caveat—with the possible exception of hairstyles, don’t comment on physical things. Complimenting a new haircut is one thing, but saying “You have such clear skin” is taking a hard detour into creepy territory.

4 Ask an opinion.

We all want to feel like our opinions matter. Asking for someone’s opinion shows that you’re interested in them and their thoughts.

“What did you think of the keynote presentation?”

“I was thinking of going to the next session of this workshop. Would you recommend it?”

Stick to topics that are immediately relevant. It’s a little weird to walk up to someone and ask, “So, what do you think of the current U.S. political climate?” Not to mention the fact that you may not want to go down that particular rabbit hole with a stranger.

5 Offer help.

There’s no better way to show that you’re a nice, approachable person than to be helpful. If you find yourself in a situation where you can lend a hand, go ahead and do it.

“You seem a little lost. Can I help you find something?”

“Looks like you have a lot to carry. Do you need a hand?”

6 Look for common ground.

This one’s easiest if you know you’re at a function where everyone’s likely to have a similar background. When you bring up what you have in common, you make an instant connection that will lead to more things to talk about.

“When did you attend school here?”

“How long have you been in the marketing business?

7 Ask for help or information.

Much like asking an opinion, asking for a little help or guidance can be a great way to make someone feel useful. Just make sure whatever you’re asking for is something the other party will be able to offer without putting themselves out.

“Do you know where I could pick up a workshop schedule?”

“Do you know if this hotel has an airport shuttle?”

Excellent! Now that you’ve got the conversation started, follow the rules of small talk 101 to keep it flowing for a while. Just remember to be interested in the other person, find common ground, and ask follow-up questions.

But please don’t do what chatty Lisa did and make assumptions. Last night, when my friend managed to get a word in edgewise, he mentioned that he knew Mindy through the psychology program at a local university. The one follow-up question Lisa chose to ask was, “Oh, so was your rehab successful?”

He’d done his internship there.

How to Use the Passive Voice Correctly

The passive voice is a misunderstood entity in the world of writing. It is unfairly judged by many authors. Some writers, without taking the time to get to know this grammatical structure, avoid it at all costs. Others use it ineffectively because they do not understand how it works. How can you get to know this mysterious literary device?

First, let’s start with an explanation of what passive voice is. Passive voice sentences mention the thing or person receiving an action before mentioning the action itself, and may omit the actor altogether. For example, consider this sentence:

The leaves were blown by the wind.

The leaves receive the action of being blown. In the example, the agent is specified with the preposition by. However, the agent could have been left out of the sentence: The leaves were blown.

When is it proper to use passive voice? Consider these instances. Why do you suppose passive voice is appropriate? Check your answers below.

• My camera was stolen from my locker at school.
• A candle will be lit at the memorial service for the fallen soldier.
• Diets are made to be broken.
• The sodium hydroxide solution was heated to 200 degrees.

Answers:

• Who stole the camera? The agent is unknown. If you do not know who committed an action, it is appropriate to use passive voice.
• Who do you want to receive the attention? If you prefer the attention to be on the action itself (the candle being lit) and not the person doing the lighting, you may omit the agent.
• You are expressing a general truth that is applicable to many. Using active voice to express this idea would be awkward: People who make diets make them to be broken.
• Researchers often use passive voice in scientific reports. It is assumed that the reader knows that the experimenters are performing the actions without stating this fact explicitly. But, according to the University of Toronto, this trend is on the decline. Recent papers tend to contain more examples of active voice.

What questions do you have about using passive voice?

Texting and Dating: Best Practices

On the back of one of his albums, Bob Dylan reportedly wrote, “I accept chaos, but does chaos accept me?” In most areas of life, rules and procedures govern everything. However, when it comes to texting and dating, people tend to accept chaos. Should this be the case? Consider whether the following texting and dating guidelines would improve your chances of finding love.

1 Introduce yourself in your first text and use the name of the recipient: “Hi, Kirsten. It’s Brad from the party last night. How’s your day going so far?”

Why it’s effective: How many guys did Kirsten meet at the party last night? Don’t assume that you were the only one! If she’s too embarrassed to ask who you are because you didn’t identify yourself, she might decide not to reply. You’ll have ended your relationship before it starts. By the way, make sure you save the right number with the right name in your phone if you were a social butterfly at the gathering.

2 Text right away.

Why it’s effective: Remember the “wait three days before contact” rule? Yes, you should have some dating codes of conduct. But as standards go, this one should be thrown out the window. According to a website that gives advice to eHarmony users , it’s a good idea to contact a love interest right away. Otherwise, they might lose interest because they think you are playing games or because they found someone else in the meantime.

3 Use proper spelling and grammar. Be careful of text acronyms and shorthand; both you and your recipient need to understand what they mean for them to be worthwhile.

Why it’s effective: The way you write reflects on how intelligent you are perceived to be, especially by someone you haven’t met in person. Good grammar gives the impression of education, eloquence, and good breeding. AskMen.com reports that bad grammar can impede your chances of attracting a mate. In online dating, men who use “whom” correctly are contacted 30 percent more often than men who confuse it with “who”!

4 Don’t keep sending texts if the person hasn’t responded. “Hi, Bill! Do you want to go out again?” (minutes later) “Hi, Bill. I was wondering if you got my text about a second date.” (the next morning) “Hi, Bill. I sent you a text. Did you get it?”

Why multiple texts aren’t effective: Modern communication is pretty reliable. If you sent a text, it probably arrived. If you are in a relationship with someone, call or visit them at home to make sure everything is okay. If you are just getting to know the person, a lack of response might indicate that they have decided not to pursue a relationship with you. If they are interested and have telephone issues, they will likely reconnect with you as soon as they can. Resist the urge to send text after unreturned text; you run the risk of appearing desperate. And if there really is a problem with their phone, they won’t be getting your texts anyway.

Texting is a tool for communication. You shouldn’t send texts haphazardly. The simple guidelines above are easy to implement. Don’t be content with chaos like Bob Dylan; it’s unlikely to result in a healthy relationship. Take time to think about what and how you text. Your well-crafted messages may be the very things that attract the attention of your perfect match.

Five Mistakes To Avoid in Your NaNoWriMo Novel

It’s National Novel Writing Month, and that means that writers around the world are working hard to write an entire book during the month of November. Congratulations to everyone who has taken on this challenge—it’s no easy task!

To help you with your masterpiece-in-progress, we compiled a list of the most frequent writing mistakes we encountered as we edited our 2014 NaNoWriMo project, a crowdsourced novel called Frozen by Fire. When it’s time to proofread and revise your manuscript, make sure to watch out for these common pitfalls.

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Proofreading your novel may not be as glamorous as composing it, but it’s an essential part of the writing process. After all, you put a lot of work into your book. Isn’t it worth spending the time it takes to polish your prose until it shines? Plus, you don’t have to do it on your own. Writing apps like Grammarly can help you spot mistakes you missed and can even suggest stylistic improvements.

What mistakes do you find yourself making, and how do you fix them? Let us know in the comment section or via our Facebook or Twitter feeds.

Improve Your Email Writing with These 9 Helpful Posts

Looking for email writing tips?

You’ve come to the right place.

Grammarly’s blog has featured several recent posts on all things email writing. Our aim is to provide readers with valuable insights on how to craft the perfect email for any occasion. We’ve talked about proper email etiquette. We’ve covered ways to maximize your productivity. And we’ve shown you how to step out of office for vacation and avoid a flood of emails upon your return.

Below you’ll find some of the key takeaways from our email-writing topics. Keep in mind, Grammarly’s editor is a great way to improve your copy and ensure the quality of your email messages. Now let’s get to our top email tips of 2017.

1. Properly starting an email is essential in the writing process.

Pro tip: There are several ways to address your intended recipient. Sometimes simplicity can save the day.

Hi [Name], In all but the most formal settings, this email greeting is the clear winner. It’s simple, friendly, and direct. If you want a slightly more formal tone, consider replacing hi with hello.

Source: How to Start an Email: 6 Never-Fail Introductions and 6 to Avoid

2. Keep your subject line short and clear.

Pro tip: You might never get a response to your perfectly worded email if your subject line is not easy to follow.

Keep your subject line short (under thirty characters) so it’s legible on mobile devices. Be specific and intriguing. Never write in all caps or use a generic line such as “Hi” (this may be mistaken for spam). To create a great subject line you can…

Source: This Is How to Properly Introduce Yourself in an Email

3. That opening line in the email is always tricky. Don’t rely on a shortcut.

Pro tip: We know you hope someone is doing well, but there are other ways to write an icebreaker and get down to the business of your email correspondence.

If you’re writing a high-stakes email that needs to get results, it never hurts to do your homework. You don’t have to stalk someone on social media, but doing a little research can go a long way. Include a sentence or two at the opening of your email to show you’re familiar with the recipient’s work.

Source: 5 Other Ways to Write “I Hope You Are Doing Well” in Your Email

4. Mastering the art of writing emails is essential in today’s business world. You’ll also have to become a pro at crafting out-of-office messages.

Pro tip: You’ve worked long hours and deserve a well-timed vacation. Setting yourself up for success upon return involves extra planning on the email front.

Your out-of-office message can be simple. Just let people know you’re unavailable, when you’ll return, and who they should contact with any urgent needs while you’re gone. If you’d like to have a little more fun with your message, here are some options.

Source: 6 Wonderful Tips on How to Catch Up on Emails After a Vacation

5. Some emails require a delicate balance of personality and professionalism. Knowing the rules of email etiquette will go a long way toward helping you avoid a blunder.

Pro tip: Think of how you’d speak conversationally as you review your written emails.

Lay off the exclamation points I know you’re excited! Seriously!!! But you can convey excitement without exclamation points. (Golly gee! Save those for when you’re really exclaiming.) Exclamation point mania is another spam filter trigger, so use them sparingly and never, ever use two or more at the end of a sentence. Unless you’re a preteen. Then have at it.

Source: 17 Email Etiquette Rules to Know and Practice

6. If your goal for writing an email is to get a response, you have to compose your message with that goal in mind.

Pro tip: You want a response? Don’t be generic.

Add a personal touch to your emails whenever you can. If you met the recipient at a conference, say so. If you read an article they’ve written, mention your favorite takeaway. If you’ve interviewed with them for a job, reference a highlight from the interview.

Source: How to Write a Follow-up Email That Gets a Response: 7 Action Tips

7. Email writing can get trickier when you factor in cultural norms and protocols.

Pro tip: Do your research when crafting a professional message to a specific audience. For example, if you’re a non-native English speaker, there are ways to make the email-writing experience less daunting.

Professional emails shouldn’t be epic in length. Be respectful of your readers’ time, because if they feel your message is unduly long, they’ll likely start to skim.

If a weighty subject requires lengthy discussion, look for better ways to communicate about it than email. Use your message as a way to set up a meeting or discussion, rather than a venue for a dense treatise on the subject.

Source: 7 Useful Tips on How to Write a Perfect Professional Email in English

8. More and more emails include emojis these days. There’s a good explanation for how and when to use them if you’re so inclined.

Pro tip: There’s a time and place to engage in a conversational email thread. If you’re looking to use shorthand language, slang or emojis, consider the audience and topic at hand.

If there’s controversy around emojis in business communication, then why do we feel compelled to use them? Why not forego them altogether? The simple answer: we want to be better understood. Email communication is notoriously problematic in that it lacks the emotional cues we rely on with face-to-face or phone conversations. Without tone of voice or facial expressions to guide us, there’s a lot of room for misunderstanding when we read an email. Messages meant to be positive are often interpreted as neutral, and neutral messages are interpreted as negative.

Source: Can You Actually Use Emojis in Work Emails?

9. Finish crafting your email with a memorable sign-off and not a generic throwaway line.

Pro tip: If you’ve successfully addressed your email recipient, kept them engaged with actionable text, and avoided unnecessary distractions, finish your copy with a well-placed conclusion. Don’t overlook the value in signing off your emails. Leaving the letter blank could be a major pitfall.

We live in a world where people frequently email from mobile devices, so excluding a signature certainly isn’t a no-no as an email chain progresses, particularly if your recipient also drops the more formal sign-off. But not signing an initial email or using only the formal signature you’ve created to append to your outgoing emails comes off as impersonal.

Source: How to End an Email: 9 Never-Fail Sign-Offs and 9 to Avoid

This Is How to Be More Productive at Everything You Do

There are days when it all comes together for you, but this might not happen to be one of them.

Some days you’re able to just crank through one task after another. Your “sent” folder brims with solid work before noon, your contribution to the afternoon meeting is well received, and you even manage to wrap up with enough time and energy to hit the gym before dinner. If only someone could bottle up days like this, you muse. Alas.

Many factors of productivity are beyond your control. Sometimes your train is late, or your building’s fire alarm goes off, or a key collaborator whose input you depend on comes down with a dire case of plane tickets to Hawaii. In such circumstances, there’s only so much you can do.

But what about the rest of the time? Amid the many variables at work (and everywhere else), what little things can you do to optimize each day? There are some constants worth keeping in mind—and perhaps a few habits to address. With diligence, the tactics we’ve gathered here might make you more productive at, well, just about everything.

Care for yourself, and be equipped for the task at hand.

Here’s one recurring challenge you should prepare to keep dealing with: you are an alive person. (If not, stop reading and seek assistance.) In other words, you’re going to need food, rest, and an occasional change of scenery—and maybe also fresh socks. Failing to address these concerns can undermine your sanity, to say nothing of your productivity.

1Avoid going hungry.

It’s hard to stay on task when you’re hangry, so plan accordingly. If you have a desk drawer, keep a few snacks in it. If you carry any kind of bag, a pouch of trail mix will have future-you thanking current-you for being so thoughtful.

2Know how much rest you need. Same goes for caffeine.

It’s not uncommon for workers to plow ahead even when they’re exhausted—and for their efficiency to plummet as a result. One solution may be to quit binge-watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer before bed and actually go to sleep. Another is a legal, affordable, performance-enhancing drug known as caffeine, which many offices just give away for free to anyone willing to brave the befuddling machinations of the break-room coffeemaker.

Just be careful not to overdo it, lest you get jittery after that third cup.

3Keep a backup of the essentials handy.

People make mistakes, like casually throwing away their own passport two days into an overseas trip. Devices you rely on can crash, break, or disappear. You can’t always prevent such fiascos, but with preparation, you can limit the fallout for your productivity. While you can’t realistically pack a duplicate of everything, it’s worth making copies of key documents and backing up crucial files.

As for equipment, your Plan B needn’t be identical to your Plan A. For instance, when a reporter’s field recorder runs out of space during a run-and-gun interview, she might not have time to dig out a fresh memory card—but if she turns quickly to the voice memos app on her smartphone, she might just get the quote she needs anyway.

Manage your time.

“Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion,” the saying goes. Being productive means budgeting your time and staying focused. Start by writing down what you need to get done, and in what order. Set priorities and give yourself deadlines. Set a timer if you have to—anything to keep small tasks from sprawling endlessly.

Also, if your typical day involves a steady churn of notifications, you might turn away from the screen and resort to a pen and paper for parts of this process. While some degree of distraction or interruption may be inevitable, be judicious about what you let alter your timeframe.

4Say no occasionally.

This isn’t always an option, but when you’re already spread thin and someone brings you a last-minute project on top of other deadlines you’re facing, sometimes you have to be realistic about how much you can take on. (That’s true in social contexts, as well: don’t let fear of missing out keep you from taking a needed night in to recharge.)

If you can’t—say, if an important client insists it’s urgent, and “no can do” isn’t an option—then consider seeking an extension on your other deadlines. Having to pull an all-nighter—pretty much the antithesis of a productivity booster—should be a last resort.

5Log off sometimes. The mute button is a friend.

Part of budgeting your day is not allowing diversions like social media to continually siphon off small increments of your attention. Seriously, those cat GIFs, political rants, and wedding pictures can all wait. If your roommate from college and twenty other people are all in a thread debating who will bring salads and dessert to next weekend’s cookout, it’s a fine time to turn off notifications and actually, you know, work.

Don’t just think about what you should do—do it.

Sometimes your productivity is hindered by knowing what you want to make happen but not feeling certain you can pull it off. But the surest way to accomplish less is to attempt less—so if you want to be more productive, you have to surmount those doubts.

6Ask for what you want.

Maybe you’d like a promotion and more money. Or maybe you have an idea for a cool project, if only your boss would give you the go-ahead. Asking can be scary, but the idea of not asking—and potentially wondering how different things might be, months later, if you had—should be scarier.

Take it from Lisa Chow, host of the podcast StartUp: “I went through most of my career never negotiating anything. And then suddenly when I did I was like ‘oh wow—this works!’” she says. “I think in our heads, you think, ‘oh if I ask and if they don’t say yes then I might actually lose the job or I might lose the job offer. And I think that is very rarely true.”

One final note to improve your productivity: don’t beat yourself up in the event things don’t go as expected. It happens. Finding ways to learn from such experiences, adapt, and move on will make you a lot more productive in the long run.

10 Ways to Be More Confident at Work

Whether a bad day’s got you down, you don’t love speaking up, or you’re constantly playing the comparison game, chances are good that you could use an added dose of confidence at work.

In some cases, decision-makers in any job setting put more stock in confidence than competence when they’re making picks for a promotion or filling out a performance review. Don’t get overlooked or undervalued because you’re not projecting your best.

Try these ten bits of advice on how to effectively communicate, counter negativity, and generally how to gain confidence in the office and beyond.

1 Don’t let your case of imposter syndrome go untreated.

You know that nagging sense that you’re not as good as the people around you and you got to where you are through luck or timing? Hopefully you don’t. But if you do, it’s called imposter syndrome and it’s extremely detrimental. It’s especially common for women and minorities in largely male- and white-dominated industries, but no matter who you are, giving in to the feeling that you’re not good enough is a surefire way to hold yourself back.

To nip the terrible disease of imposter syndrome in the bud, catch yourself when you think those damaging thoughts, and counter each one with a compliment to yourself. When people give you praise, accept it politely, and don’t doubt whether you deserve it. Act confident, and be confident.

2 Act like you’re in a good mood, even if you aren’t.

Demonstrating a positive attitude—even if your pet just died—and showing resilience—even if you just got yelled at—are two ways to come across well among people you work with. And here’s a secret: projecting positivity and showing that nothing gets to you are great ways to become more positive and actually not let anything get to you.

3 Pretend you’re a movie and watch yourself act.

Pay attention to how you’re coming across in interactions with coworkers and especially bosses. Try to control your facial expressions, body language, the words you use, even your tone of voice. Some blend of polite, engaged, motivated, willing to help, and interested in the conversation should add up to a strong vibe of confidence.

If you mentally take a step back from time to time and observe your behavior, you can make adjustments to make sure you’re coming across just how you want to.

4 Think about what you say and how you say it.

Speak in a clear and level voice and choose your words deliberately. Company buzzwords are a good bet, but avoid irritating workplace no-nos. Body language is important, too: posture, polite head nods, and other ways of showing you’re engaged.

We think eliminating “like”s and “um”s goes without saying, but there, we just said it. Now you have no excuse.

5 Think assertive, not pushy.

When you’re trying to boost your confidence game, if you take it a step too far, you could wind up in cocky territory. Shades of difference are key here: when you get praise, respond with a humble “thank you; the team worked really hard,” not “I knew my ideas would pay off.” The difference between confidence and arrogance can be a fine line, but once you see someone doing the latter, you’ll know it’s not a good look.

6 Make lists obsessively.

A daily to-do list can help you keep track of what you accomplish on an everyday basis. A list of big projects (and even minor wins) can remind you of those successes—which, incidentally, will also come in handy if you need to update your resume or apply for a new job.

7 Figure out what you’re good at.

If you identify your strengths, it’s harder to get bogged down thinking about your weaknesses. Having an extra dismal day? List the skills you know set you apart (or better yet, make the list on a day when everything’s going your way so you can return to it when things aren’t so bright). After all, even if the project you’re working on seems like it can’t be solved by those abilities, or if you’re in a really low state of mind, reminding yourself of your past accomplishments and top skills should both boost your mindset and get you on track.

8 Figure out what you’re bad at.

Yeah, we just said to focus on your strengths and not get bogged down thinking about your weaknesses. However, if you identify areas for improvement, you can be aware of potential issues and areas where you might need to ask for help. Work to get better in those areas so that you can turn them into strengths.

9 Keep a stash of confidence boosters.

Build on the strengths list from tip No. 7. Use it for a reminder of the big projects you’ve completed. Create a file (some call it a “kudos doc”) of emails, performance reviews, and emails or notes from others referring to things you achieved.

Or, create tactics to cheer yourself up, like a favorite song, animal picture, or music video of Christopher Walken dancing like a maniac (and occasionally flying). Hey, he’s not the best dancer, but you can’t deny he’s got confidence. Channel that.

10 Let the little things get to you.

The good little things, that is. If you let a passive aggressive email ruin your day, well, you clearly need to go back and read this from the beginning. But if someone passes you in the hall and says “nice presentation yesterday,” hold onto the good feeling you get from that all day. If you allow the little bits of positive feedback—whether from others or your own sense of a job well done—to grow into something big, then you’ll gain the confidence you deserve bit by bit.

And in the end, the more you act confident, the more you’ll be confident. So go out, paste on a smile, fix your posture, kill any negative thought that pops into your head, and constantly tell yourself that you’ve got this. Try it out: by the end of the day, you’ll realize that you really do.

9 Perfect Ways to Improve Your Proofreading Skills

We all know that proofreading is important—it doesn’t matter if you’re a native speaker or just learning English. Nothing is worse than turning in a project you worked hard on, only to discover that it’s full of typos, misspellings, and grammatical mistakes. But proofreading your own writing is tough. Sometimes your brain sees what you meant to write instead of what’s actually on the page.

Luckily, there are tactics you can use to make proofreading easier. Give these nine proofreading techniques a try and catch your writing mistakes before your readers do.

1 Give it a rest

When you have to edit your own work, it’s a good idea to take a break after you finish writing. Do something else for a little while. Your brain needs some time to forget a little bit about what you wrote. When you come back and start proofreading, it will be easier to look at your work from the perspective of your readers. If English isn’t your native language, this is especially important. You’ll spot mistakes you missed before because you’ll be reading what’s actually on the page instead of just remembering what you meant to write.

2 Print it out or change the font

Make your document look less familiar by changing the format. Try printing it out, changing the margins, or changing the font. When the text looks different from what you’re used to seeing, you’ll pay more attention to it and you’ll be less likely to start skimming.

3 Read your work aloud

Reading your writing aloud will help you find sentences that are hard to understand. Did you need to stop and breathe in the middle of a sentence? That’s a good indication that the sentence is too long. Are there places where you stumbled over your words? Your readers will get confused in those spots too, so it’s a good idea to rewrite them.

Added bonus: this is always a great trick for improving your English pronunciation!

4 Read backward

Start at the last word of your document and work your way to the beginning, one word at a time. This is a great way to spot misspellings and repeated words. Reading backward helps you concentrate on individual words without getting distracted by the topic of the sentence.

5 Use your finger

The best proofreaders have one thing in common. When they are proofreading, they read very, very slowly. If you’re naturally a fast reader, it can be surprisingly difficult to slow down and really examine your writing. Try using your finger to point at each word as you’re reading. It’s a good way to force yourself to stop and really look at everything you’ve written.

6 Keep a list of mistakes you make often

Nobody likes being reminded about past mistakes, but in this case, a list of them can help you avoid making the same mistake twice. Maybe you tend to mix up “there” and “their,” or maybe apostrophes and possessive nouns give you trouble. Write down your most common mistakes and make a note about the correct usage. Keep the list near your computer so you can easily refer to it while you’re writing. Having the answer handy will save you time in looking it up. Over time, you’ll probably find that you need the list less and less.

7 Pay special attention to titles, headings, and lists

Titles and headings are the first things people look at, but it’s surprisingly easy to overlook mistakes in them. Double-check every title and heading in your document. If your document contains a numbered list, make sure the numbers are in the right order.

8 Double check prepositions you aren’t sure about

English prepositions (words like in, on, to, from, by, about) are tricky. Often, they don’t follow a logical pattern. Do you comply with a request? Or do you comply to a request? A tool like Google Ngram Viewer can show you which phrase is more common in English. It’s a helpful starting point, but remember that the tool won’t define the phrases for you. You’ll still need to check a dictionary if you aren’t sure about the meaning of the preposition.

9 Check your writing with Grammarly

Grammarly’s online writing app not only checks your spelling and grammar but also suggests style and vocabulary improvements. You can create a free account and upload a document, or you can download the free Grammarly browser extension, which will correct your spelling and grammar whenever you write something online.

Grammarly’s AI-powered products help people communicate more effectively. Millions of users rely on Grammarly every day to make their messages, documents and social media posts clear, mistake-free, and effective.

A version of this post originally appeared on Kaplan International’s blog.

This Is Why Managing Stress Will Make You Successful

Workplace stress touches most of us at one time or another. In fact, according to the American Institute of Stress, 80 percent of us feel stressed at work. Deadlines loom. Bosses make unrealistic demands. Restructuring means anxiety over job security. Although stressors may be an inherent part of work life, buckling under the pressure doesn’t have to be.

There are plenty of reasons to manage your workplace stress rather than accepting it as part and parcel of having a busy career. For starters, stress takes a heavy physical toll. It can cause headaches, stomach upset, irritability, depression, and even elevated blood pressure.

Along with its emotional toll, prolonged job-related stress can drastically affect your physical health. Constant preoccupation with job responsibilities often leads to erratic eating habits and not enough exercise, resulting in weight problems, high blood pressure, and elevated cholesterol levels.

—American Psychological Association

Stress doesn’t exactly make you more productive on the job, either. It can strip away your ability to concentrate and process complex thoughts. Stress can make it difficult to find the motivation to complete tasks, which creates a negative feedback loop when you’re under pressure to perform.

6 Ways to Manage Stress at Work

1 Know what stresses you out.

Sure, you’re stressed. But do you actually know why? Many of us walk around on edge without ever taking a moment to uncover the source of our stress on a deep level.

Let’s say you often struggle to meet deadlines. Being behind the curve at work can be anxiety-inducing. Can you identify the underlying problems? Maybe a chatty coworker distracts you more frequently than you thought, or you’re lured away from your tasks by social media. Now that you’ve identified the root of the issue, you can work on regaining your focus.

2 Respond to stress in positive ways.

If you respond to stress by coming home, opening a bag of chips, and flinging yourself at the couch where you’ll binge-watch Netflix until you crawl off to bed, you’re not doing yourself any favors.

via GIPHY

Here are some better ways to combat stress:

• Get plenty of exercise
• Eat a healthy diet
• Make time to get plenty of rest
• Schedule social time and connect with people regularly
• Make time for your creative pursuits
• Meditate or practice yoga daily

3 Don’t skip vacation.

It’s tempting, especially when job stress is high, to push onward and be a martyr. We all like to come across as committed to our work. But is your commitment really shining through if you’re stressed out all the time and less productive as a result?

Trust us. You need a vacation. Taking time off to rejuvenate ultimately makes workers more productive. It can also reduce symptoms of stress like sleeplessness, fatigue, and headaches. Return to work relaxed and refreshed and you’ll be better equipped to get things done.

4 Act on what you can control, accept what you can’t.

How often do you find yourself thinking, Ugh! I should be getting my act together!

All those “shoulds” tend to pile up on a person, creating stress. But learning to tune in to that interior monologue allows you to focus your thoughts. Mindfulness, and a practice called radical acceptance, can help.

Radical acceptance encourages you to look at distressing events as though you’re a casual observer with no stakes in the game. You begin by simply describing what happened, and your role in it, in the most objective terms possible. Then you assess what you had control over in that particular situation, and what you didn’t.

Mindfulness challenges you to accept the things outside of your control. Why stress over things you’re powerless to change? It also helps you shift your emotional response from negative to neutral, or even productive, by teaching you to channel your energies toward acting (taking ownership of the things you do have control over) rather than simply reacting.

5 Ask for help when you need it.

Don’t be afraid to admit when you’re in the weeds. Everyone gets overwhelmed from time to time, and there’s no shame in asking for help when you truly need it.

We tend to view asking for help as admitting defeat. But put yourself in your manager’s shoes. Would you rather an employee make excuses for not completing a project on time or to your satisfaction, or have that employee ask for help before disaster strikes?

There are a few caveats to asking for help. First, make certain you’ve put in your best effort before you seek out assistance. Second, prepare any questions you have in advance. If you simply go to your boss with a complaint without offering any solutions, you’ll sound like you’re whining rather than being proactive about solving a problem. Most of all, be sure you know the answer to the question your boss is likely to ask: What do you need from me?

6 Remember what you love about your job.

When you’re stressed out, it helps to take a few deep breaths and remember what you love about your job. Maybe the work is fulfilling, or you have great coworkers, or you’re actually living the dream of being what you always wanted to be when you grew up. It’s impossible to feel both grateful and fearful or angry at the same time, so remind yourself from time to time that there are good things about your job even when the stressors are mounting.

Of course, if there’s nothing to love anymore, it may be time to consider moving on. Work stress is a fact of life, but if coping strategies aren’t working and you don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel, it may be time to hit the job boards in search of a better fit before stress takes a serious physical or emotional toll.