Interjections

Ouch! Oh my! Wow! Yikes!

If you’ve ever uttered any of the words above, you’ve used an interjection, whether you knew it at the time or not. The word interjection comes from the Latin words inter (between) and jacĕre (to throw). So, an interjection is a word that you throw in between sentences or thoughts to express a sudden feeling.

Standalone Interjections

Because interjections usually express sudden feelings, you’ll often see them used to convey surprise (both good surprises and bad ones) or excitement.

Yikes! There’s a snake in the garage! You planned this party just for me? Wow! Ouch! That wasp just stung me! Yahoo! Oops. Terrific! Jordan will send you the contract this afternoon.

There’s no strict rule about where an interjection must go in relation to other sentences. You can use an interjection before or after a sentence that explains what’s going on. You can also use an interjection alone, although it may not make sense if you haven’t adequately described the situation that caused you to use the interjection. Interjections often use exclamation points, but they don’t necessarily have to.

Interjections in a Sentence

It’s possible to use an interjection within a sentence. When you do, treat the interjection as a parenthetical element that’s separate from the rest of the sentence. You can put the interjection inside parentheses or set it off with commas.

I may not succeed, but, hey, at least I tried. The project was delayed because the logistics team made a few (ahem) miscalculations. It will take only thirty minutes (Wow!) to reach the city on the new train.

The important thing to remember is that the interjection should be set off somehow. Don’t just drop it in with nothing to mark it as separate from the rest of the sentence.

I forgot to do the homework assignment oops but my teacher gave me an extra day to finish it.

I forgot to do the homework assignment (oops), but my teacher gave me an extra day to finish it.

Gee I hadn’t thought of that.

Gee, I hadn’t thought of that.

When to Use Interjections

Because interjections are usually separate from other sentences, it’s hard to use them incorrectly. The bigger concern is whether it’s appropriate to use an interjection in your writing. Interjections are fine to use in casual and informal writing. It’s okay to use them in speech, too. But avoid using interjections in formal writing because it may appear that you’re not treating the topic seriously.

And now, you’re ready to go out and use interjections. Hooray!

5 Things That Will Make You Better at Content Writing

Writers around the world publish millions of articles to the Internet every day. Does yours stand out? If you’re a content creator, making a few simple changes will help you become the kind of writer whose posts are readable, relatable, and shareable. Here are five things that will make you better at content writing and help your posts shine like a beacon in a sea of words.

1Studying other writers.

If you’re going to create solid content, you have to be aware of what other writers in your space are doing. Read widely. Keep a clip file of articles that hook you. The bonus? When you’re short on inspiration, you can browse through your clip file to discover topics you’re excited to write about.

Here’s a tip: Don’t let great ideas get away! You may think you’ll remember that cool topic you stumbled upon while reading outdated magazines at the dentist’s office, but chances are it’ll slip your mind unless you write it down. Use Evernote, or any note-taking app on your smartphone, to jot down your flashes of inspiration.

Reading good writers will help you become a better one. Use social media to follow writers whose work informs and entertains you. (Or, if it works better for you, subscribe to their email updates.) Study their articles analytically—what are they doing that’s so appealing? Is there something about their technique that you could learn from?

Take a look at how your favorite writers draw you in with their opening sentence and paragraph. Pay attention to what you like about their voice and style. Do they structure their articles in a way that makes them particularly readable? Is there anything unique about their presentation? How do they handle closing paragraphs? Reading and analyzing the work of other writers can give you valuable insights.

2Researching without overdoing it.

When I begin a new article, I start with some reconnaissance reading. I perform a Google search for my article topic and then scan through the articles in the top results. As I do this, I think about how I’m going to frame my own article in a way that brings something unique to the subject.

My approach to creating content quickly involves writing first and researching last. While I do my recon reading, I make quick notes about the research I want to include in my article. But I won’t dig into that research until I’ve finished my draft. We writers love to learn, so it’s easy to take a deep dive down a research rabbit hole if you’re not careful, and climbing back out of those rabbit holes takes time that busy content producers don’t have.

Odds are, unless analyzing research is your specialty, your readers aren’t going to be looking for in-depth coverage. In most cases, they’ll thank you for digging out the most fascinating discoveries and sharing those in a few sentences. Just make sure you provide a link to the research in case your reader is curious and wants to learn more.

3Getting familiar with SEO best practices.

Search engine optimization is a huge topic. This article isn’t the place for a deep dive, but SEO best practices are something any content producer should study. Here are a few bare-bones basics.

• Titles will make or break you. A good title with competitive (but not too competitive) keywords is key to getting your article seen, read, and shared.
• Structure is crucial. The Internet has made us into scanners rather than deep readers. Your article needs to be skimmable. Not only that, but subheaders are important for placing SEO-friendly keywords.
• You should link back to yourself. Linking back to your own relevant articles is a great way to generate more pageviews.
• Fresh content is critical. Keep your articles updated. That includes creating fresh new stories and updating older ones.

If your SEO knowledge is lacking, Neil Patel offers a great step-by-step SEO guide.

4Knowing how to create a killer hook.

As I mentioned, your headline is the first thing that will draw your reader in, which is why getting it just right is essential. After that, your opening sentence and lead paragraph need to be compelling enough to keep the reader on the page.

I often draft the rest of my article before going back to work on the opening paragraph. I find that, once I’ve written the body of my article, I have a good idea in my mind about what’s unique and interesting about it. Think of your opening paragraph as an advertisement for the rest of your article. Consider these examples.

Weak Hook

Writing a great opening paragraph is very important. Here are a few tips to get you on the way to hooking your readers.

Yawn. Don’t tell your reader that something’s important, show her. Why should she want “a few tips” from you?

Strong Hook

I just stopped reading your article. You had about two seconds to hook me, but your yawn-inducing opener made me surf on to something else. Writers (not to mention their websites) thrive on being read, so why do we invest so little time in crafting strong opening hooks?

Here, we’re showing why a strong hook is important—because if you don’t have one, your reader won’t stick around. (Pro tip: Dwell time is a key factor in SEO.) Readers who navigate away, rather than staying on your site to read what you’ve written, don’t engage. They won’t comment, or subscribe to your newsletter, or follow you on social media. And they probably won’t come back.

There’s one caveat when it comes to opening paragraphs—they should sell, but they shouldn’t be misleading. Never let your opener write a check that your article can’t cash.

5Finding your voice.

It’s been documented that over two million blog posts are published every day. (Enough posts to fill TIME Magazine for 770 years.) Writers, our numbers are legion. Which means that it’s more important now than ever to stand out.

The one thing you have that other writers don’t is your voice, and your voice is forged by not only your writing style but also your experiences.

Whenever you can, don’t just cover a topic, share a story. I recently wrote about imposter syndrome. Instead of covering the same ground others had, I decided to take a more personal approach and share some how-to tips for defeating imposter syndrome through the lens of my own fraught experience at an open mike night. In doing so, my article became more relatable to people who think they may be dealing with the effects of imposter syndrome, too. (At least, I hope it is. I mean, I wrestle with imposter syndrome, so . . .)

If you don’t have a story to relate to your readers, you can at least infuse your article with your personal style. Instead of writing like you’re churning out a dry research paper, write as though you’re telling a friend about some cool new stuff you’ve learned. Use your own natural, conversational tone. Keep your language simple and direct. In other words, just be you. No one else can.

20 Email Subject Lines That Will Get Opened Every Time

Did you know that 33 percent of email recipients decide whether or not to open an email based on subject line alone? If you want your email read, you’ve got to get it opened first. Here are twenty powerful headers to try for four different types of email outreach, plus a few helpful tips for creating subject lines that work.

Networking

Met you at [event]. Let’s connect!

If you’ve met your contact before, and you’re convinced they’d remember the meeting favorably, it’s always helpful to bring it up

Aspiring [profession] seeking advice from the best

Is there someone in your desired industry that you admire? Flattery will often get an email opened.

[Referrer name] recommended I get in touch

A referral will often get you in the door, so don’t be afraid to name-drop right from the subject line.

[Topic] is a passion of mine, too!

You’ve scoured your contact’s blog and social channels and discovered that you both have an interest in hockey. This is fate! Break the ice (ha ha) by referring to a common interest.

Fellow [university] alum looking to connect

If you went to the same college, even if your paths never crossed, use a little school spirit to get a foot in the door.

Sales and Marketing Pitches

X ideas to help you with [problem]

We humans like numbers. Email subject lines with numbers are opened more often. Drop a number, and then offer to give your contact help with some challenge and you’re likely to catch their attention.

How to [accomplish a task]

Let’s say you’re offering customized meal plans. A subject line like “How to become an awesome cook in one week” is sure to get attention.

Only three spots left in [topic] workshop

Tell people that a deadline’s coming up and most of them just shrug. Oh, well. If I miss the deadline, it’s whatever. Tell them there are only three spots left (or twenty-four hours left to save $100, or only four magical squirrel catapults left in stock) and FOMO kicks in. We’re competitive creatures, and no one wants to miss out.

3 out of 4 people are deficient in this mineral. Are you?

Subject lines that create curiosity are infinitely clickable. Don’t you want to know what mineral you’re likely to be deficient in? (We don’t know, either. We made it up. That’s not the point.) If you can make your recipient curious to find the answer to something, you’re more likely to get them to engage.

Introducing [product], a better way to [accomplish a task]

People are curious about new things. Campaign Monitor discovered that emails with “introducing” or “new” in the subject line increased the chance of the email being opened by 9.45% and 3.26% respectively.

Content Promotion

Do not commit these epic Twitter fails

This subject plays off the curiosity gap, but it also suggests that the recipient might be making some critical errors, which makes it a must-open email.

My biggest [topic] mistake

We want to read confessional content. If we’ve made similar mistakes, then we’re reassured that we’re not alone. If we’ve avoided the mistake, we feel grateful. It’s a win-win.

28 ways to get organized right now

Again, we’re using numbers. If the content you’re promoting uses a numbered format, then use that in your subject line. People respond to numbers, and they like tips, too!

What you must know to protect yourself from identity theft

Any time you tell your recipient that there may be a gap in their knowledge, you encourage them to open your email to find out more.

I wrote this for you

Okay, it’s a bit gimmicky, but email subject lines like this work. They feel personalized. Just make sure you deliver some intimate, compelling content or you’ll lose your reader’s trust.

Asking for Something

Spare five minutes to give your expert feedback?

We like to be thought of as experts. We like to know that our opinions matter. Asking for feedback is often fairly easy. Reminding your contact that your request will only take five minutes helps it seem manageable.

I would really appreciate your help with [subject]

Not everyone wants to be helpful, but most people do like to be appreciated. Ask for help in a polite, straightforward way that expresses gratitude.

Urgent call for volunteers. Are you in?

Saying that you have an urgent need alone might do the trick, but adding a call to action right in your subject header can stir a more immediate response. The question “Are you in?” subtly implies that others are and urges the recipient not to miss out.

What are you doing Friday night?

Okay, so, maybe you’re going to ask your recipient to do something they’d rather not, like answer phones at the telethon or stay late to help with a special project. But you’ve got to get them to open your email plea first. This subject line is just vague and intriguing enough to do the trick.

Would you share this story on your social channels?

People often make the mistake of burying their ask so deeply in their email that the recipient isn’t even sure what they’re asking for. This type of subject header cuts straight to the chase and tells the recipient exactly what you want.

Subject Header Tips

• Don’t promise anything you can’t deliver. If your subject header promises to offer twenty great tips for starting a ferret farm, your email had better point to a website with those tips. Otherwise, you’ll lose trust.
• Keep it short. Although 65-character-long email headers do seem to result in opens, it helps to be aware of the issues longer headers may cause. People read emails on their mobile phones, where a subject line over 25 to 30 characters may be truncated.
• Avoid filler words and phrases. Your space is limited. Use it wisely!
• Don’t use all caps or excessive punctuation. When you use all caps online, you look like you’re shouting! No one likes to be shouted at. Excess punctuation (like multiple exclamation points or question marks) looks amateurish and desperate. Both all caps and over-punctuating can also trigger spam filters.
• Speaking of spam filters . . . here are some of the best ways to avoid them.

If You Work From Home, Here’s How to Be Successful

Working from home seems ideal. No need to get dressed and polished for the day, no commute, and no distracting coworkers to face—what’s not to like? But working remotely isn’t as easy as it looks.

The undisputed champion of small talk topics revolves around one question: What do you do for a living? I tell people I’m a writer and that, although I’m technically a freelancer, I have a steady gig with Grammarly. (That insight sometimes evokes the exclamation “Oh em gee! I love Grammarly!” Satisfying.) Inevitably, I’m asked whether “freelancer” means I get to work from home. I do. I’ve been working from home for about twenty years.

Tell people you work from home, and the following conversation almost always ensues:

Person: Aaah, you’re so lucky!

Me: Yeah. It’s pretty cool.

Person: I mean, you can just get out of bed and work in your pajamas.

Me: Well, it’s a little more complicated than that . . .

There’s been a shift toward remote work in recent years. According to Global Workplace Analytics, 50 percent of the U.S. workforce holds a job that allows them to work from home at least part of the time, and approximately 20 to 25 percent of the workforce telecommutes frequently. Everyone seems to want to ditch the commute and the need for a business casual wardrobe and instead work from the relative peace and comfort of their own space.

Top Three Work-from-Home Problems and Their Solutions

I was telecommuting long before telecommuting was cool. I can’t imagine ever having to work outside my home again. And yet, there are some definite challenges that every remote worker faces. Here are my top three, along with some helpful ideas for tackling them.

1 Lack of Discipline

Allow me to speculate that you’re not as disciplined as you think you are. (And if you already know you’re undisciplined, allow me to speculate that you’re even more undisciplined than you concede.) I speak from experience. The siren call of household chores, playtime with your kids or pets, and naps are the least of your concerns.

The most dangerous distraction sits before you at your desk. Social media, YouTube, and the rest of the Internet are just a tab away. Online games lurk there, too. (And, if you’re of the gamer persuasion, you already know that the game icon on your desktop, or the console in the living room, poses a serious threat to your productivity.) Unless you find ways to minimize distractions, they’ll monopolize your work day before you can say “Whoa! Where did the time go?”

Solution:

Learn good time management skills. You can’t stick to a schedule unless you have one, so schedule your time in blocks.

The key is to make your time blocks manageable. If you book yourself for four solid hours of work without a break, you’ll find your mind wandering and your productivity tanking. The Pomodoro Technique, for instance, promotes scheduling twenty-five-minute blocks of work time followed by brief breaks.

Whatever you do on your breaks, I recommend leaving your desk. Stretch, breathe, grab coffee or tea, use the bathroom (thanks coffee or tea), or take the dog for a quick walk. Your body and brain will thank you. Too much sitting can sap your creativity and ability to think clearly. Grabbing ten minutes to do some yoga or go for a quick walk will clear your head and make you more productive.

Here’s a tip: If you find yourself lured away by Facebook or Twitter during your work-time blocks, try tools that keep you from surfing to distracting websites. StayFocusd is a good one for Chrome users. FocusMe, Cold Turkey, and SelfControl are a few other solid options. Oh, and turn off smartphone notifications while you’re at it.

2 Feeling Out of the Loop

If you’re freelancing for multiple clients, this may not apply to you. But if you’re one of the many telecommuters who work remotely for a single employer, staying connected to your team at the office may prove challenging.

There’s nothing like prepping your really cool project ideas only to hear the project was scrapped or has shifted directions, and that you were not only not informed of the change but also not involved in making it. In addition to leaving you feeling like you’ve wasted time, it serves as a reminder that being out-of-sight sometimes means being out-of-mind.

Solution:

Fortunately, there’s a lot of technology at your fingertips to make communicating with your colleagues easier. Stay active on company chat platforms like Slack. Don’t be afraid to ask questions when you feel ill-informed. Be persistent and go after the information you need in order to do your job. Never use “I wasn’t in the loop” as an excuse.

Be your own advocate. Ask to be included in meetings via video conference so you’ll have better insight into projects. If you can’t attend a meeting, ask a colleague for a quick debriefing by phone. You’ll feel more connected and tuned in.

Don’t make yourself difficult to get in touch with, either. If you’re required to be available during working hours, then consider yourself on the clock and answer promptly when your coworkers message or email you. If you’re accessible, your coworkers will be more likely to include you.

3 Going Stir Crazy

It’s already difficult to make friends as an adult. It’s doubly difficult when you don’t go to an office and connect with your coworkers. There are no daily break room chats, there’s no bonding over sports scores, and no getting the recipe for that awesome veggie dip Dave brought to the last office luncheon. You’re on a solo mission, and yeah, it can get lonely.

Working from home sounds great until you consider how isolated it can make you feel. Staying connected with your colleagues in the ways I described can certainly help, but it’s still no substitute for face-to-face interaction with people. You’ll have to make some extra effort to avoid becoming a creepy recluse.

Solution:

Make time for the friends you already have. Don’t turn down social invitations because you’re tempted to work—get your work done on schedule so that you can keep your evenings and weekends free. You need the downtime just as much as someone who reports to an office does.

Here’s a tip: If you don’t work on a set schedule, make one for yourself. Work reasonable hours. With few exceptions (crunch times, or when you’re getting caught up due to illness or time off), give yourself weekends off. Don’t be tempted to overwork just because your work is always within reach.

Find activities outside work that you can join. A few years back, I found myself becoming a work-obsessed hermit. I realized that, despite my tendency toward introversion, I needed to get myself out amongst people if I was going to be a happy and well-rounded. I love to sing, so I joined a community choir. I’ve since made some great friends, and rehearsals give me a reason to look forward to Mondays.

If finding a hobby or activity isn’t your jam, then at least consider working outside your office now and then. Take your laptop to a coffeehouse where you can watch people, and maybe even interact with a few, as you get work done. (You might be surprised by how well you work in that type of environment.) You could also look into co-working spaces or shared office space in your area.

Working from home can be wonderful. Right now, I’m sitting at my desk with a fresh cup of coffee to my left, a sleeping dog to my right, and a ukulele behind me. As soon as I send this article off to my editor, I’ll finish the coffee, strum the uke for a few minutes, and then walk the dog. It works for me because I’ve learned how to make it work. Here’s to making it work for you!

Did You Study Grammar In School?

Quotation Marks and Dialogue

Quotation marks are used to identify words that someone has said. You’ll often find them in fiction, where they signify dialogue, the words spoken by the characters. In newspapers, journalists use quotation marks to signify that something is a direct quote from a person in the article. In academic papers, quotation marks can signify that you are quoting material that was written by someone else. Quotation marks always come in pairs; the first set opens the quote and the second set closes the quote.

American vs. British Quotation Marks

American English and British English differ in the way they use quotation marks. American English uses double quotation marks (“ ”) for quotes and reserves single quotation marks (‘ ’) for quotes within quotes. In British English, the convention is the opposite. Another difference is that in American English, periods and commas go before closing quotation marks. In British English, they go after the closing quotation mark. The guidelines below apply to American English.

Dialogue

When writers become confused about quotation marks, it usually has to do with where to put other nearby punctuation. Below is an example of a conversation between two characters, with their dialogue correctly punctuated.

Martin said, “I’m going over to Jennifer’s house for a few hours.”

“You can’t be serious!” cried Fauntleroy.

“Oh, but I am,” Martin replied.

“How will you get there?” Fauntleroy asked.

“I thought I’d take the bus.”

“And,” Fauntleroy continued, “exactly how long is ‘a few hours’?”

“Probably two or three.”

“Well . . . fine. Tell Jennifer I said hello.”

In the first sentence, Martin makes a declarative statement that ends in a period. The period goes inside the quotation marks. Treat anything within quotation marks as separate from the rest of the sentence you’ve written, and make sure it has its own correct punctuation. If the quote is a full sentence, it must begin with a capital letter, even though it is within the larger structure of another sentence.

The second sentence begins a new paragraph because a different character is speaking. Fauntleroy responds with an outburst, ending with an exclamation mark. When an exclamation mark belongs to the sentence inside the quotation marks, it goes before the closing quotation mark.

In the third sentence, Martin is making another declarative statement. This time, however, the statement is followed by the dialogue tag Martin replied. In dialogue, when a sentence that would normally end in a period is followed by a dialogue tag, the period becomes a comma. It should go before the closing quotation mark.

In the fourth sentence, Fauntleroy’s query ends with a question mark. As with exclamation marks, a question mark goes before the closing quotation mark when it belongs to the sentence inside the quotation marks.

In the fifth sentence, Martin is speaking, but there is no dialogue tag. Writers often omit dialogue tags when the context of a conversation makes it clear who the speaker is.

In the sixth sentence, the dialogue tag Fauntleroy continued appears in the middle of Fauntleroy’s sentence. Notice the placement of the commas after And and continued; commas go before quotation marks. This sentence also contains a quote within a quote, which is enclosed with single quotation marks. Fauntleroy is repeating Martin’s words a few hours.

The final two sentences of the conversation also omit the dialogue tags, because it’s clear which character is speaking in both instances.

Non-Dialogue Quotations

In nonfiction or academic contexts, you may want to quote someone without styling it as dialogue. The same rules for where to put other punctuation in relation to the quotation marks apply. But you should also take care to construct your sentence so that the quoted words fit within it grammatically.

The mayor said his two golden retrievers were “the best dogs in the world” and added that he was not a cat person.

The mayor said his two golden retrievers were “the best dogs in the world. I’m not a cat person.”

In the second example, the sentence begins in the third person and past tense but abruptly switches to the first person and present tense halfway through the quote. The result is jarring for the reader, and sometimes hard to follow.

Scare Quotes

Occasionally, writers enclose certain terms they wish to distance themselves from in quotation marks. Quotation marks used this way are commonly called scare quotes or shudder quotes. It’s a way of implying that you’re using a term in an unusual way or that you don’t necessarily approve of it. For example:

Silicon Valley has fully embraced the “sharing economy.”

The scare quotes around sharing economy suggest that it’s not a fully accepted term. Perhaps the writer feels that it’s jargon or just doesn’t like it. But, unless you’re writing for an audience who is totally unfamiliar with the subject, it’s better to leave the quotation marks out and instead provide enough context to make the meaning of the term clear. Overusing scare quotes will quickly annoy readers, so reserve them for terms that truly require them:

For too many people, “computer security” is an oxymoron.

In the sentence above, the scare quotes are needed to indicate that the writer is not talking about computer security in general, but rather the term itself.

Because scare quotes usually suggest a sniff of disapproval or sarcasm from the writer, you should never use them purely for emphasis or decoration. A sign outside a restaurant that proclaims Best “Flapjacks” in Town will make people stop and wonder why the flapjacks need the scare quotes. Are they really flapjacks? Or are they some kind of inferior imitation? Likewise, if you write someone a note that says I “love” you, the recipient will probably assume that you meant the exact opposite!

Words to Purge From Your Emails

Do your bloated emails need a diet? If an email is too wordy, the recipient may not be inclined to read it carefully. Make your emails brief, clean, and effective by eliminating these unnecessary phrases.

One Potentially Impolite Word

When you type an email, the receiver can’t see your twinkling eyes and impish grin. Certain words, such as “actually,” can seem sarcastic, condescending, or even impolite. Consider these example conversations, and decide which of the two sends the more polite message.:

Boss: Marie, I asked you for the Boulder report this morning. Can you please bring it to my office ASAP?

Reply 1: Actually, I put it on your desk earlier. It should be under your green paperweight. Let me know if you don’t see it.

Reply 2: I put it under your desk earlier. It should be under your green paperweight. Let me know if you don’t see it.

Does version one actually seem a bit snippy? Rather than run the risk of your words being misconstrued, why not leave out the unnecessary phrase “actually” in your emails?

7 Weasel Words and Phrases

Weasel words make you sound unsure or unreliable. In particular, there are seven expressions that should be eliminated if you want to make a good impression on the reader: like, sort of, kind of, maybe, perhaps, might, and can. Let’s look at another sample email with and without the weasels.

Client: Will the package arrive on Monday?

Reply 1: We might be able to deliver the package by Monday. I sort of need your tracking number. Perhaps if you send it, I can see where the package is.

Reply 2: To see exactly where your package is, I need the tracking number. Please send it and I will let you know if the package will arrive by Monday.

Reply two is direct and honest. Doesn’t reply one sound hesitant? If you want to send the impression that you have everything under control, avoid expressions that sound like you are trying to weasel out of something.

3 Add-Nothing Adverbs

Some writers hate adverbs, but most agree that they have their place. Henry James wrote “Adjectives are the sugar of literature and adverbs the salt.” To carry the metaphor forward, salt enhances the taste of food when used in the right proportion. Too much salt spoils a dish. On the other hand, salt has no place in certain edibles. Imagine putting salt in your lemonade, for example! Three adverbs are the worst of the worst because they add nothing important to a phrase. Avoid basically, currently, and seriously. Take a look at these examples to see why you should permanently leave these three words behind.

Message 1: I seriously considered your job offer. Basically, I am writing to decline because I currently have commitments that extend through April 2 of next year. Once they are fulfilled, I will contact you again to discuss what openings you have.

Message 2: I am writing to decline your job offer because I have previous commitments that extend through April 2 of next year. Once they are fulfilled, I will contact you again to discuss what openings you have.

It’s a job offer! Of course you seriously considered it. You are writing in present tense. Therefore, “currently” is extraneous. “Basically” indicates that a statement summarizes the most important aspects of a complicated situation. However, you explained the main points. If your readers need more details, they will ask.

3 Redundant or Imprecise Phrases

We’ve covered several redundant phrases that do nothing more than bloat writing. In an email, where brevity is especially appreciated, these phrases should be cut without delay. Let’s revisit a few of the worst offenders:

As a matter of fact

As a matter of fact means “in reality.” Speakers often use it to correct a misunderstanding or point out an error.

Speaker 1: I don’t eat polenta because I am allergic to wheat.

Speaker 2: As a matter of fact, polenta is a corn product.

Remember when we discussed why “actually” should be avoided? If you read the conversation above aloud, perhaps you might imagine Speaker 2 delivering the correction with hands on hips and a roll of the eyes. Why risk offending your readers? Don’t take for granted that they will understand your motives. It’s always better to make important corrections or clarifications in person. If you must send an email, choose your words carefully. A little tact goes a long way.

In the process of

Dear client, we are in the process of remodeling our store. The Bates location will be closed until further notice.

Will your clients get confused if you take out the phrase “in the process of”? Will they turn up at the storefront scratching their heads? If you reread the sentence without “in the process of,” you still understand why the location is closed. Why state the obvious?

For all intents and purposes

For all intents and purposes means “in effect.” People use it when there may be some ambiguity in a statement of fact. For instance, imagine you are a company owner who wants to discontinue the manufacture of a product. You set the date to cease production. Most of the materials to make the product should be used by that date. If you end up with materials left over, you will continue production for a few more days to avoid waste. Rather than go into exhaustive detail with your workers, you state: For all intents and purposes, production will cease on October 15.

Instead of this wordy phrase, opt for a more precise way of expressing ambiguous details. In the example above, the company owner could say that production is predicted to cease on October 12. Or, she might say that production will cease mid-October. Either way, the workers would understand the general timeframe of the end of production.

If you aren’t convinced, consider another problem that arises with “for all intents and purposes.” Many people use it incorrectly. Rather than take a chance on being one of them, you might want to use a synonym such as “in effect.”

English is full of unneeded filler words. The best emails are clear, direct, and brief. If you want your emails to communicate their purpose, eliminate these superfluous phrases.

Grammarly Insights 2.0: Better, Faster, Smarter

For a while now, we’ve been working on improvements for Grammarly Insights based on your feedback. But until recently, this was an undercover job.

So, it’s with great jubilation that we reveal some big changes making their way to your inbox next week.

1 Monitor Your Trends

Until now, the weekly emails summarized your activity over the previous seven days. Moving forward, we will graph up to four weeks’ worth of progress in the Productivity, Mastery, and Vocabulary sections.

2 Badges (Earn and Learn)

Oh no, a marketing gimmick! We hear you. That’s why we’ve set out to create engaging badges that offer surprises, a lot of personality, and some real history along the way. You’ll get a special link to view an archive of your achievements any time you’d like.

3 Personal Records

You’ll now be alerted when you reach an all-time high for the Productivity and Vocabulary metrics. To be more specific, your total word count and unique word count for each week will be stored over time so that you’ll know when you’ve achieved an all-time personal record.

These next updates are not a one-and-done. We have more ideas for future enhancements. That being said, we want to hear from you. What are some features you’d like to see in future updates to Grammarly Insights? Let us know in the comment section below.

Thank you!

Drew Price, Grammarly Product Marketing Manager

Grammarly Insights FAQs

I’d also like to take this opportunity to provide some answers to common questions and misconceptions about these emails.

How do I earn badges?

Badges are earned through consecutive weeks of writing with Grammarly. This means you’ll have to use a Grammarly product (while logged in) at least once per week in order to keep your streak going. In order to give everyone a rich and rewarding experience, your counter will start fresh when we launch this new product, but we will not reset your streak count again unless you go an entire week without any activity.

Also, you will not have to re-earn badges. You’ll have access to a trophy case page of all of your past achievements. And, each weekly email will let you know how many weeks away your next badge is.

How is Productivity calculated?

Productivity is the total number of words checked by a Grammarly product while you were logged in for the previous week. In most cases, this is equivalent to the total number of words you typed.

However, there are a few corner cases that can cause inflation. Here’s the most common case: if you upload a document that you wrote before this week into the Grammarly Editor, Grammarly will check all of that text and add it to your total word count. It’s also possible that the Grammarly browser extension may check an active text window where you were not the original author of some of the words written. In other words, Grammarly will not be able to differentiate the original author in these cases.

How is Mastery calculated?

Mastery is a proxy for how accurate your writing was when you originally typed it. It is calculated using the following formula: (Number of alerts) / (Number of total words checked)

How is Vocabulary calculated?

Vocabulary is calculated based on the number of unique words that were checked. For example, if you used the word ‘Beautiful’ five times in a week, then it will count as one unique word. However, all five uses of the word will be counted in the Productivity section. This is why Productivity number will almost always be higher than Vocabulary number. (It is possible for you to have a tie if you don’t use any word more than once.)

Function words such as and and the are included in the Vocabulary calculation.

My numbers are different from what I expected!

Please see the above sections to make sure you are defining the metrics the same way we do. If you feel that there is a bug with the data, please report your concern to our Support team at support.grammarly.com.

Is my writing still private?

Yes! Grammarly cares immensely about the privacy and security of your data and personal information. We handle the Grammarly Insights emails with the same strict privacy standards as any other Grammarly feature or product.

You can see the specifics of our privacy policy here.

What is a “unique word”?

Please see the above explanation under “How is Vocabulary calculated?”

I’m too excited to wait for the next weekly email! How do I check my progress on the fly?

At this time, there are no other options for viewing your writing statistics. However, our product team is considering adding personal dashboards into the Grammarly Editor in the future.

Who can answer a question about my weekly stats?

Please send any casual thoughts or questions to @Grammarly on Twitter! If you have a bug to report, then please report your concern to our Support team.

Em Dash: Why Should You Love It?

Writers love em dashes as much as hunters love Swiss army knives. It’s not difficult to understand why. Like the utilitarian knife, em dashes are versatile tools. Once you find out about these handy dashes, you may fall in love with them too.

What Is an Em Dash?

Em dashes differ from other dashes not only in usage, which we will discuss shortly, but also in appearance. In fact, the em dash is named after its length—it’s about the same width as the capital letter M. Its alphabetical cousin, the en dash, is about the same width as the letter N. Figuratively speaking, the hyphen pulled the short end of the stick.

Use Em Dashes to Set Off Parenthetical Information

Em dashes are often used to set off parenthetical information. Using em dashes instead of parentheses puts the focus on the information between the em dashes.

For this usage, make sure you use two em dashes. Use one before the parenthetical information and one after it. Putting spaces before and after an em dash is a matter of preference; just be consistent. Consider the examples below for reference:

While I was shopping—wandering aimlessly up and down the aisles, actually—I ran into our old neighbor.

An etymological dictionary is one of the few books—no, it’s the only book—you’ll ever need.

There has recently been an increase—though opposed fiercely by many people—in alternative education practices.

He was going to call off the project—or was he?—when the client increased the payment.

Traveling—that is, traveling by public transit—can be a relaxing activity if you bring music and reading material along with you.

Use an Em Dash to Set Off Appositives that Contain Commas

An appositive is a small section of extra information that is inserted into a sentence for clarification. Commas are usually used to offset the appositive, but if the appositive contains one or more commas, adding additional commas would be confusing for the reader. When using an appositive that contains a comma, offset it with dashes, instead.

Four of us—Mike, Amanda, Katy, and I—went to the conference last week.

Mr. M. glanced surreptitiously at his watch—his gold, diamond-encrusted watch—and suggested the meeting might adjourn for the day.

If you need something, call my assistant—Catherine, not Margaret—and she’ll help you.

Materialism—always wanting something more, something different—is good for the economy but bad for the soul.

The question words—who, what, when, where, why, and how—are used to retrieve information in English.

Use an Em Dash to Bring Focus to a List

When a sentence begins with an independent clause and ends with a list, you can use a colon between the clause and the list. When the list comes first, it’s better to use a dash to connect the list to the clause. This helps to take three potentially random things and focus them toward one idea<, which is easier for the reader to process.

Dishes, laundry, dusting—they’re all done now, and I need a rest.

Crocodiles, alligators—they both look the same to me and they look equally dangerous!

Chocolate, strawberry, vanilla—all ice cream tastes good, especially on a hot summer’s day.

Do this, do that, go here, go there—there’s so much to do that I don’t actually get much accomplished during the day.

Use an Em Dash to Mark Sharp Turns in Thought

Em dashes can also signal an interruption or a sudden change in the direction a writer was heading with a particular sentence. This technique is best suited for creative or informal writing. If you use it in academic writing, you might look unsure of yourself. Consider the examples below:

Mary, could you—no, Mikey, don’t touch the sharp knife!—Mary, could you please set the table?

Dinner is at 6:30—not 6:29 or 6:31.

Where the heck is my—wait, what was I looking for?

Would you please—oh, never mind.

Em Dash vs. En Dash

En dashes are slightly shorter than em dashes. They also have a different function. The two main uses of en dashes are to indicate number ranges and to act as a kind of super-hyphen for compound modifiers. Learn more about the difference between em dashes and en dashes here.

Question Mark

Without question marks, we’d miss out on all kinds of things: invitations, jokes, the Riddler . . .

No doubt, the question mark is a nice little piece of punctuation. And, best of all, it’s easy to use!

What Is a Question Mark For?

The main purpose of a question mark, perhaps unsurprisingly, is to indicate that a sentence is a question. Direct questions often (but not always) begin with a wh- word (who, what, when, where, why).

Why did the chicken cross the road? Who wants to know? Is it really that important?

But, not all questions are phrased as questions. Sometimes we phrase questions the same way we would phrase a declarative sentence. In speech, the way your voice rises at the end of the sentence usually makes it clear that you’re asking a question and not just making a statement. But in writing, you need a question mark to signal to readers that they should read the sentence as a question.

You came all this way to ask me about a chicken? Cross the road? Never!

Phrasing a question as an imperative or declarative statement is an emphatic way to express surprise, doubt, or disbelief.

Question Marks and Quotation Marks

When your sentence is a straightforward question, the question mark goes at the very end and serves as the terminal punctuation mark. But things can get tricky when you have other punctuation nearby.

At first glance, the rules about question marks and quotation marks can seem complicated. But the logic is fairly simple. Keep the question mark inside the quotation marks if it logically applies to what is enclosed by the quotation marks. You’ll often see this in written dialogue:

The chicken asked, “Why is everyone so concerned about where I’m walking?” “What do you have to hide?” asked the nosy reporter.

If the question mark applies to the sentence as a whole instead of to the phrase inside the quotation marks, put it at the very end:

Haven’t you ever heard the expression “It’s a free country”?

This holds true even when you have a quotation containing a question:

“When I spoke to the chicken, she said ‘Why won’t you leave me alone?’” recalled the reporter.

And for a quoted question containing a quoted statement:

“What did the chicken mean,” the reporter wondered, “when she said ‘It’s a free country’?”

When you have a question mark that applies to both the quoted phrase and the rest of the sentence, just use one question mark:

Who said “Why did the chicken cross the road?”

Question Marks and Parentheses

The rules for question marks and parentheses are similar to the rules for question marks and quotation marks. If a question mark applies to the parenthetical information, place the question mark inside the parentheses:

I saw the chicken (or was it the rooster?) crossing the road.

The chicken wrote a bestselling memoir called My Road (published abroad as Who Needs a Crosswalk?).

When the question applies to the whole sentence, put it outside the parentheses:

Will the chicken cross the road again tomorrow (April 1)?

Indirect Questions

There is one type of question that never takes a question mark: the indirect question. Indirect questions are embedded within declarative statements:

The chicken asked whether anyone wanted to cross the road with her. We all wondered why the chicken was so obsessed with that road.

Sometimes, with one-word questions, it’s hard to decide whether it’s a direct or indirect question. In most cases, it’s fine to treat it as an indirect question:

As the chicken contemplated crossing the road, she asked herself why.

When a Question Mark Isn’t Enough

As useful as the question mark is, sometimes it’s tempting to embellish the end of your sentence with extra punctuation, especially when you’re trying to convey something really surprising and exciting.

Did you hear that the chicken crossed the road and found a million dollars on the other side??? Are you saying the chicken is a millionaire?! Can you believe it‽

If you don’t recognize the symbol at the end of the last sentence, it’s called an interrobang, and it’s a combination of a question mark and an exclamation point. Interrobangs, multiple question marks, and combinations of question marks and exclamation points might be fine for casual writing, but in formal writing, it’s best to limit yourself to just a plain old question mark. Sometimes, you can make the choice easy with just a little rewriting:

Did you hear? The chicken found a million dollars on the other side of the road!

And that’s everything you need to know to go out and use the question mark. What are you waiting for?

10 Common Interview Questions You Need to Know

You landed an interview! It feels great knowing that a hiring manager from a company you’re interested in working for is also interested in you. But now the pressure’s on—you’ve got to rock the interview.

Here are some of the most common interview questions, and our advice for the best way to answer them.

1Tell me about yourself.

This question is among the first that most interviewers ask, so it’s tempting to jump right in and start listing off all the qualities that make you the best person for the job. But resist. You’ll get to those questions soon. This one’s about breaking the ice.

Rather than talking about your professional skills, share something interesting that the interviewer might find relatable. You might talk about your hobbies or an interesting major life event you’ve gone through recently. Don’t forget to include activities like volunteer work. It’s helpful if you can point out how you’ve parlayed your interests into desirable job skills. Your oil painting hobby, for example, might translate to excellent attention to detail.

Be sure to keep the interests you share neutral. You’ll want to keep your participation in things like political rallies low key unless you’re applying for a job where political activity is relevant or expected.

Here’s a tip: Most companies put an emphasis on cultural fit. If you’ve done your research, and you noticed a blog post about the team’s company-wide kayaking trip last summer, this would be a great time to mention your interest in those types of outdoor sports.

2What are your greatest strengths?

Here’s your opportunity to shine and match your skills to the employer’s needs. What professional talents are you most proud of? What do people often compliment you on? If those skills intersect with what you know the employer is looking for, this is the time to talk about them.

Don’t forget about soft skills. If you’re a good listener, or a lifelong learner who’s always trying out new things, or a versatile person who’s able to fill lots of roles, share that information.

Script the answer to this question before your interview. Make lists of your strengths and then figure out which are the most relevant. Write out your answers. Then, pretend you’re a hiring manager and read what you’ve written. How would you react to the answers you just gave? Are there any red flags? Adjust accordingly.

3What are your weaknesses?

Don’t you love this question? It’s like the interviewer is saying, “Tell us why we shouldn’t hire you.” How do you respond?

Avoid mentioning any weaknesses that you don’t already have a plan for addressing. If you admit to being unorganized, tell the interviewer that you’ve started using some cool new apps that are helping you stay on task. However, don’t be afraid to let yourself be a little vulnerable—knowing and acknowledging your flaws shows that you value self-reflection and personal growth.

Can’t think of an honest answer to this question that won’t sink your career chances? Reflect on your last performance review. No one’s perfect, so it’s likely you were told to improve in an area or two. Now you can own up to those problem areas and share your methods for addressing them with the interviewer.

4Tell me about an achievement you’re really proud of.

Be prepared to share a significant professional achievement, and be prepared to back it up.

Just as when you’re writing a resume, remember that “show, don’t tell” is the golden rule. “I single-handedly turned our sales department around” is bragging, but when you say “Under my management, our sales team was able to increase their conversion rate by 87 percent over six months,” you’re showing that your efforts had a measurable effect.

Here’s a tip: Use the STAR method! First, describe the Situation that led up to your accomplishment and the Task you were required to tackle. Then describe the Action you took to address the problem. Finally, share the impressive Results.

5Why are you leaving your current job?

Make sure you keep your answer to this question short and positive. This isn’t the time to badmouth your current or previous employer. Rather than saying something like “There wasn’t enough opportunity for growth” you could say “I’m looking to expand my horizons and move into a more hands-on developmental role, which is where I know I’d excel.”

Things get trickier if you were fired from your last gig. The best response is a neutral one like “Unfortunately, the company and position were a mismatch for me, so I needed to find a new challenge.” Check Business Insider’s tips for other situations and possible answers.

6What brought you to [Company]?

Here’s where your research skills are going to shine! Prior to interviewing, a savvy job-seeker will have spent time on the company’s website and read articles about the company and its key players to develop a feel for its brand presence and culture.

Write down keywords you see frequently on the company’s About Us, Culture, and Employment pages. Look for adjectives used to describe the company and its team. If you see terms like innovative or competitive, you can use them in your answer:

“I’ve been eager to join a team that’s innovating in a way that keeps them competitive in this space.”

Here’s a tip: A word cloud generator can help you identify important keywords on company websites. Simply copy and paste the text from a page into the generator to see some of the prominent adjectives the employer uses.

7Tell me about a time when a customer or colleague disagreed with you. What did you do?

Here’s your chance to prove that you are so chill. Someone disagreed with you, but you kept your cool and worked through it. You could certainly talk about how you were able to persuade someone to see your point of view, especially if the role you’re applying for values that ability. (A sales role would be a good example.) However, this could also be the perfect opportunity to show that you work and play well with others. Try talking about a time when you learned something as the result of a disagreement and how it changed your perspective.

It’s all about story. Pick one that shows conflict with a good outcome and makes a positive statement about your ability to collaborate and grow. The Muse has more advice.

8What would your boss and colleagues say about you?

Honesty is the best policy here for many reasons. If you’re a first-class procrastinator, for example, don’t try to pass yourself off as super efficient. The key to a great interview is to emphasize your strengths while demonstrating an ability to learn and grow from your weaknesses.

Be specific and give examples. It may be true that your colleagues would say you’re a hard worker, but without a story to back that up, you’re just tossing out a cliché the interviewer has probably heard hundreds of times. Instead, tell a story about a time you put in extra effort and your colleagues and friends congratulated you on your hard work.

Look at past performance reviews if you’re having a hard time coming up with a specific example. It’s perfectly okay to quote from a positive review:

“In my last performance evaluation, my boss praised me for my creativity in putting together a new content strategy.”

9Where do you see yourself in five years?

Most job-seekers take this question in one of two directions—they’re either aggressively ambitious (“I want your job!”) or they’re too humble (“I just want to do the best work I can and see where my talents take me.”) Neither answer will do much to win you a position.

Instead, respond in a general way. Rather than saying “I see myself as Director of Marketing,” say “My goal is to be in a position where I can take on new challenges. I’d like to take on more management responsibilities, so I’m on the lookout for opportunities to develop my skills in that area.”

10Why should we hire you?

Don’t you just hate this question? It’s tempting to list your sterling qualities, but odds are that your competitors have a lot of the same qualities, which doesn’t exactly make you stand out. Instead of repeating a laundry list of skills and attributes, try restating what you understand about the company’s needs and the position, and then explaining why you’re a good fit. Here’s an example of that strategy in action from Forbes:

”From what I understand about the job, it’s a position that requires a lot of fast activity during the day, and that’s the kind of job I thrive in. I love to stay busy and wear a lot of hats. Is my assessment of the environment on target?

Dress for the job you want, smile confidently, and offer a firm handshake, but remember to do a little behind-the-scenes interview prep. It can mean the difference between walking away with a sinking feeling and walking away with a job.

When Is the Best Time to Send an Important Email?

Your email may never be opened. Sure, you wrote brilliant copy. You also took the time to craft a compelling subject line. You followed good email etiquette. But, unless you considered the best time to send an email, your message may still be destined for the trash bin.

By my conservative estimate, I’ve sent at least 100,000 emails since the early days of the Internet. (May Prodigy rest in peace.) It wasn’t until I started handling public and media relations a decade or so ago that I gave a second thought to how an email’s send time affects open rates. Time of day may not be important if you’re writing your grandma in Poughkeepsie to tell her you won’t be making it to Thanksgiving dinner (although, if she’s email savvy, she may wonder what on earth you were doing up at 3 a.m.), but it’s crucial for things like:

• Sales and marketing campaigns
• PR pitches
• Survey participation requests
• Newsletters
• Important business communication

Although strategically timing email deliveries is an art that requires intuition, testing, and knowledge of your audience, science can provide some guidance. Let’s take a look at what research says.

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READ: The 15 Most Common Email Mistakes of 2017

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What studies say about the best time to send email

CoSchedule, the team behind the marketing calendar software, compiled research from ten different email studies from sources like MailChimp, CampaignMonitor, and HubSpot.

What’s super cool about this sample of articles is that the research varies from studying billions (yes, seriously) of emails to more than 20 million, from case studies to roundups. The data is diverse, but there are dots to connect that’ll help you send emails on the best days and at the best times.

—CoSchedule Blog

Let’s look at the facts.

The best day to send email

According to the studies, Tuesday was “hands down the #1 best day to send emails.” So, if you’ve got a big email campaign coming up, or you just want to make sure your boss is going to open your pitch asking to be considered for a promotion, you can’t go wrong sending email on Tuesday. Research says your email is more likely to be opened then than any other day of the week.

The second-best day to send an email is Thursday. If you’re going to send an initial email and a follow-up, you could consider sending the first on Tuesday with a follow-up on Thursday.

Wednesday ranked as the third best day for sending email, clinching a win for the middle of the week. But there’s data to suggest that Saturday and Sunday are good days to send marketing emails. (I’ll admit to having opened a sales flyer or two on those days. Have you?) The data may be slightly skewed, though, because those are also the days when the fewest emails are sent. Although the open rates may be higher, the actual number of emails opened is much lower.

The best time to send email

According to the collective research, 10 a.m. is the best time to send an email. (11 a.m. ranked right up there, too.) Surprisingly, the time slot between 8 p.m. and midnight ranked as the second-best time. But think about it—how often do you check your email before heading off to bed? (Yeah. Me, too.) And, because half of us also check our email first thing in the morning, 6 a.m. is also a prime time.

Afternoon, at around 2 p.m., also seems promising. It’s toward the end of the workday, at a time when people are getting restless and looking for distractions.

Here’s a tip: Don’t forget to account for time zones! If you’re sending a mass email to an audience spanning several time zones, you might consider aiming for a middle ground. For example, if your audience is in both the Eastern and Pacific time zones, you could time your email so it hits the Pacific time people at 6 a.m., which would mean the Eastern time people would receive their email at 9 a.m.

What Grammarly learned about the best time to write email

“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” That’s the old proverb often attributed to Ben Franklin. And, according to Grammarly’s analysis, it turns out he may have been onto something.

The Grammarly team wanted to know whether time of day had a measurable effect on the quality of a person’s writing, so we crunched over one billion words proofread by our app in search of answers. Ben Franklin might have been pleased with our discoveries. We learned that, although we can’t know the status of their health, wealth, or wisdom, Grammarly users do their best online writing early in the day.

Grammarly’s research showed that we do our best writing between the hours of 4 a.m. and 8 a.m., averaging 11.8 mistakes per 100 words. Night owls writing between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. didn’t fare as well, with 14.3 mistakes per 100 words.

The takeaway? If you’re going to write late at night, at least get help checking your grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

Why you should consider your email’s audience

All this data analysis provides a helpful baseline, but the reality is that your audience ultimately determines the best day and time to send an email, whether it’s to an individual or a large group.

I’ve spent a good deal of my working life writing to journalists. Finding the best time to connect with the majority involved thinking about what their workdays might be like. Many journalists rise early and check email first thing. My message could be waiting in their inbox, and if it offers an intriguing hook (including a compelling subject line, clear and concise copy, and a strong call-to-action), it’s more likely to get a response. By getting into my recipient’s head, I’ve had PR campaigns with 55 percent response rates. (Which, in case you don’t know, is darn good!)

When it comes to emailing a specific audience, take their lifestyle and workday into consideration. When might they be most likely to check email? Aim for that time so your email stands a better chance of being at the top of their inbox. When might they be most likely to reply or click through to a link?

Consider the nature of your email, too. How easy is it for your recipient to accomplish what you’re asking for? It’s one thing to request a simple act like clicking through to a link, but another if you’re asking for something more complicated, like for the recipient to provide feedback or take a survey. Remember, your goal isn’t just to get your email opened (although that’s a good start), you also need your recipient to respond to your call to action.

Go ahead and use the mountains of email research as a guideline. After all, you probably can’t go too wrong sending important emails on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. But to truly optimize for a mass audience, consider your recipients, theorize a few of the best times to reach them, and then test your theories. Happy emailing!

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Writing on a Mobile Device

In ancient times (circa 1995), so-called “cell phones” were designed exclusively for making phone calls. But these days we spend a lot more time typing on our smartphones than talking.

We use our mobile devices for everything—texting, email, posting to social media, Slacking with coworkers, commenting on our favorite blogs, and flirting with our latest matches. There’s even a growing number of authors tapping out entire novels on their mobile devices.

While the list of things we don’t do on our smartphones continues to shrink, writing on a mobile device still has its own set of challenges. So today we’re sharing five common mistakes (and how to avoid them) so you can always show up as your best self—even when you’re writing on mobile.

1Bad Grammar

That feeling when autocorrect does the wrong ‘its’ in a reply to someone with a huge following… pic.twitter.com/gWy8m1zbGl

— Young Crone (@ThrupennyBit) October 7, 2017

There’s just no context where blatant grammar errors will make you look good. Whether you’re texting with your mom (or your crush), emailing your boss, or crafting a witty retort on Twitter—good grammar matters.

Unfortunately, typing on a tiny touch screen can be . . . challenging. Typos abound. And when autocorrect kicks in, the results can get embarrassing.

The solution? Slow down and proofread your messages before you hit “send.” Did your phone’s autocorrect change “baked” to “naked”? Did you type “their” when you should have used “they’re”?

If you don’t have the time to proofread your texts, or you don’t trust yourself to catch every error, download the free Grammarly keyboard for your iPhone. We’ll do the proofreading for you as you type (just like on your web browser) so you can elevate your mobile writing to the same quality as what you produce on your Mac or PC.

2Keeping It (Too) Casual

via GIPHY

We’re so used to sending casual messages to friends and family that it’s easy to forget the need for formalities in more official communication—such as answering work emails.

Writing on a mobile device does not give you a pass to be unprofessional. When you pick up your phone, remind yourself which audience you’re writing for. Are you texting your buddy about evening plans, or are you responding to a client’s question?

A “formal” message has five distinct parts: salutation, opening line, body content, call to action, sign-off.

Hi Nancy, (Salutation: addresses who you’re writing to)

Welcome to round one of your product rebrand! (Opening Line: addresses why you’re writing)

Here’s what our team came up with… (Body Content: your main message!)

Let me know which of these options is your favorite. (Call to Action: what you need from them)

Thanks so much for your feedback! (Sign-off: show your appreciation and sign your name)

—Joanna

If writing a formal message on your mobile device feels too complicated, wait until you can get back to your laptop or desktop to craft your message.

3Convoluted Text Messages

If your text message is longer than my iPhone 6 screen.. You should probably just call me.. Holy cow #longtext

— stephanie morrison (@smorrison627) March 23, 2016

We all just want to be understood. Increase your success rate (in life, love, and business) by writing messages that are clear and concise.

Lengthy, rambling text messages viewed on the tiny screen of your mobile device are not a great way to communicate. Especially when your novel-length missive gets broken into multiple messages that arrive jumbled in the wrong order.

via GIPHY

Do everyone a favor by keeping things simple, and if it’s too complicated to communicate over text—don’t. Send an email or ask if you can call.

For specific examples of how to improve your texting game, click here.

4Too Much Text-Speak

There is no excuse for #textspeak in a world of #autocomplete. #tech #grammar pic.twitter.com/75uvFKqoLr

— Grammarly (@Grammarly) December 23, 2013

The opposite of the dreaded “rambling text” is the message that’s been shortened into obscurity using “text-speak.”

You may have spent your youth tapping out “wut r u ^ 2?” on your phone’s numeric keypad, but technology and the etiquette of mobile communication have since evolved.

So if your opening line to potential dates is still “hey, r u frE 2nt?”, I’ve got bad news. Research conducted by dating sites Match.com and Zoosk have found that bad grammar is a significant turn-off for the majority of their users—both women and men.

Your flagrant use of text-speak isn’t impressing anyone, and you’re likely coming off as childish or uneducated. Instead, show up as your best self by using your device’s qwerty keyboard to write complete words and sentences with punctuation.

5Overusing Emojis

via GIPHY

Emoji-use is another classic case of “know thy audience.”

They’re easy to access through your smartphone’s keyboard, and can be a great tool for enhancing written communication, but they are not appropriate in every context and can even have negative consequences when used in the workplace.

While you’re safe using emojis in messages to friends and family, research has shown it’s a bad idea to send them to your boss and work superiors, clients, and coworkers you’re not close with.

Instead, focus on writing messages that are clear and unambiguously worded so they don’t need the assistance of emojis to convey their meaning.

What Is an Intensive Pronoun?

An intensive pronoun is almost identical to a reflexive pronoun, but their functions differ. Intensive pronouns are used to add emphasis to the subject or antecedent of the sentence. You’ll usually find the intensive pronoun right after the noun or pronoun it’s modifying, but not necessarily.

The intensive/reflexive pronouns include myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves.

Furthermore, an intensive pronoun is defined as a pronoun that ends in “self” or “selves” and places emphasis on its antecedent.

The Difference Between Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns

You can tell the difference between a reflexive pronoun and an intensive pronoun easily: intensive pronouns aren’t essential to a sentence’s basic meaning, whereas reflexive pronouns are.

To differentiate an intensive pronoun from a reflexive pronoun, remove it from the sentence; if it’s an intensive pronoun, the sentence will still make sense. If the sentence no longer makes sense when the pronoun is removed, it’s a reflexive pronoun.

Did you yourself make the cake?

The sentence would still make sense if we removed yourself—“Did you make the cake?” Therefore, yourself is an intensive pronoun in this context. Consider the intensive pronouns in the sentences below:

I myself like a little stroll after dinner.

We went to hear the man himself speak.

The author approved the book cover herself.