Introducing Grammarly Insights

Stats. They are everywhere. They are in your sports, your weather forecast, and now they are being used by Grammarly, too. Unlike that statistics class you took that one time, Grammarly Insights are designed to provide you with useful information about how you write.

Some of you may have noticed that we started sending you a weekly progress report via email each Monday. Many Grammarly users spend more time writing online than they may realize. Think about it. Between emails, blog posts, and status updates, our users are writing the equivalent of a novel each month, on average. That’s a lot of words! But what does that mean for you? Well, read on to find out.

This progress report is an analysis of your writing with Grammarly and provides insights that may help you to become an even better writer. Your progress report looks at three main components of your writing: activity, mastery, and vocabulary.

ACTIVITY

Activity measures your total word count for the week and also shows how often you used Grammarly compared to all Grammarly users. Our most active users are those who are utilizing our free browser extension in addition to our web-based Editor (or Grammarly for Microsoft(R) Office). Hey, all those status updates and emails really start to add up!

 

MASTERY

Mastery analyzes how many (or how few) mistakes you corrected with Grammarly as it relates to total words written. The fewer mistakes you need to correct with Grammarly, the more accurately you write. You can also see how well you did compared to all Grammarly users.

VOCABULARY

Vocabulary examines your lexicon and word usage. This section will show you how many unique words you’ve written throughout the prior week. The percentage shown lets you know how dynamic—meaning, how varied and diverse—your vocabulary is relative to Grammarly users.

TOP GRAMMAR MISTAKES

Everyone makes mistakes. This section is designed to prevent you from making the same mistakes twice— or 17 times. This is where you’ll find the exact term for your three most frequent grammatical errors corrected with Grammarly.

SPELLING ADVERSARIES

From time to time you’ll notice this section of your report. Your Spelling Adversaries points out the word you most frequently corrected with Grammarly within the previous week.

OVERUSED WORDS

This section highlights the words you tend to use the most in your writing. Beneath each overused word, we suggest five synonyms you can use to enhance your vocabulary and perfect your writing.

 

 

Lastly, Grammarly Insights starts each week with a helpful writing tip. We include these tips each week to help guide your writing.

Have you received your Grammarly Insights digest yet? If not, sign up for Grammarly today and see a difference in your writing. We are constantly refining Grammarly Insights and looking for more ways to keep our writers engaged. We hope this new weekly email will be insightful for you! If you have any questions about Grammarly Insights or if you have suggestions for making it better, feel free to reach out to us via email: support@grammarly.com.

5 Email Habits to Keep Your Inbox (and Coworkers) Happy

It’s that rare, beautiful Monday when you make it to the office early. Your commute wasn’t as vexing as usual, your coffee’s still hot, and no one is around yet. Your heart races at this delicious opportunity to get some actual work done without the usual distractions.

You peel open your laptop only to discover twenty-seven unread emails. Your shoulders slump in despair. How many of these even matter? Do any of them? What if one does and you miss it? Better start sifting.

Your frustration rises as you realize a dozen of these don’t concern you at all—someone from another department decided to “loop you in” on their discussion of an article their acupuncturist forwarded. Scrolling down, that was before, let’s see . . . six others chimed in, reply-all style. Argh. Deep breaths.

The gaucheries and perturbations of email are many, but we’ve noticed a few that are especially reviled—the kind of mistakes a paragon of email etiquette such as yourself would never make. Lead your colleagues by example: here’s our countdown of sound email habits to keep in mind.

5Avoid CC overcrowding

Chet, your company’s new copywriter, is drafting a few words for Pauline in the design department to use. Pauline’s deputy, Brandon, will be filling in for her on Thursday, so Chet copies him as well. Gotta be thorough.

Chet’s also not certain he’s accurately summarizing Gwyn’s explanation of their next release, so why not copy her, too, for clarification? Gwyn said something about the wording needing a legal review, so, Chet reasons, better loop those guys in. And Mia, the project manager, hates not knowing what’s going on, so, well, you see where this is headed. Back away from the send button, Chet.

A relatively small task can rapidly balloon into an all-staff inbox nightmare if you’re not judicious. And even if you mean well and have good reasons, otherwise decent humans sometimes do indecent things with the reply-all button. Are you willing to risk it?

If it’s vital to send an email to a lot of people at once, consider putting their addresses in the BCC field, so those who respond won’t clog dozens of other inboxes.

Another solution for Chet might be to break this task up into smaller pieces: update the designers in one email, check in with Gwyn in another, pop by the legal corral and ask when they can talk, and apprise Mia at this afternoon’s planning meeting. Speaking of which . . .

4Know when and when not to email

Email is a fine tool, but it’s often a poor substitute for real-time conversation—particularly the kind where you need room to ask or answer follow-up questions and clarify as you go along. Some examples:

• Consulting with HR about your new insurance plan? An exhaustive email explanation sounds like a chore to read, let alone write. Grab a notepad and talk it through.
• Querying an expert about a complex technical matter? Some back-and-forth conversation might help you grok the particulars more quickly than email.
• Discussing sensitive details with the payroll department or the company lawyer? Your Sent folder might not be the best repository for such tasty secrets.

The flip side of this balancing act is knowing when you should send an email. Sometimes the matter simply doesn’t merit a full-on conversation. Moments like these are when email shines.

If the issue is urgent—as in, today, now urgent—you might be better off sending a message, rather than waiting for recipients to check their inbox.

3Don’t forget the subject line

Not everyone empties their inbox daily, or perhaps ever.

A reporter who gets a hundred emails each day, some crucial and others inane, might triage which ones seem worth her time to even open. Such quick judgments hinge on the subject line. Assuming you don’t want your correspondences with busy people to go forever ignored, you have to make clear why you’re writing, and that it matters.

Also, keep it brief. There’s no need for your subject line to resemble a micro-poem of your email’s contents.

Pro tip: Some veteran emailers, wary of potentially firing off a half-written note, don’t put a valid email address in the To line until they’re ready to mash Send. Instead, they temporarily paste the recipient’s address in the subject line, where it will be easy to find and move once the time comes. This last step can be a useful reminder to fill in that subject line.

2Neither a “+1” responder nor an over-forwarder be

Respecting people’s inboxes means taking ownership over what your sent folder says about you.

A colleague who writes a thoughtful, lucid email that brightens your day deserves better than a thumbs-up emoji back. This kind of “+1” response is akin to saying “cool beans” and changing the subject when a friend offers you a ride to the airport. Don’t you want to show a bit more in the way of appreciation, or at least acknowledgment?

Similarly, a tangled thread of to-dos, follow-ups and maybe-someone-in-finance-can-answer-that uncertainties is rarely made better by sharing it with still more people. When you become part of the forwarded-message juggling troupe, constantly shunting messages in random directions with little regard for what it means or to whom, it implies nothing you’re writing or sharing really matters. You can do better.

1Don’t ambush people by casually threading in their boss

Suppose you’ve been emailing back and forth with someone, telling them something they don’t want to hear. You’ve managed to keep things relatively polite up until now: “No, I’m sorry, that timeframe isn’t realistic,” you’re saying. “Yes, I understand your concern, but the legal team says we can’t change that wording.”

Then comes the bombshell in their next reply: they’re CC-ing your manager. Apparently, this person is unhappy with your responses and has decided an escalation is in order. Oof.

There are plenty of times when it makes sense to add someone’s boss to a thread, but this isn’t one of them. This kind of sneak attack leaves people feeling burned; your next interaction with them will likely fall short of cordial. In other words, it’s not a good look. And it risks burning bridges the next time you have to work together.

Fortunately, this one is easy to avoid; all you have to do is not blindside people by trying to use their boss as a cudgel.

Thanks for reading this far, and please refrain from hitting reply-all in your response.

Countable and Uncountable Nouns: Rules and Examples

Countable Nouns

Countable nouns refer to items that can be counted, even if the number might be extraordinarily high (like counting all the people in the world, for example). Countable nouns can be used with articles such as a/an and the or quantifiers such as a few and many. Look at the sentence below and pay particular attention to the countable noun:

Here is a cat.

Cat is singular and countable.

Here are a few cats.

Here are some cats.

Other examples of countable nouns include house, idea, hand, car, flower, and paper.

Uncountable Nouns

Uncountable nouns are nouns that come in a state or quantity that is impossible to count; liquids are uncountable, as are things that act like liquids (sand, air). Abstract ideas like creativity or courage are also uncountable. Uncountable nouns are always considered to be singular, and can stand alone or be used with some, any, a little, and much. See the examples below for reference:

An I.Q. test measures intelligence.

Intelligence is an uncountable noun.

Students don’t seem to have many homework these days.

Because homework is an uncountable noun, it should be modified by much or a lot of, not many.

Students don’t seem to have much homework these days.

A lot of equipment is required to play hockey safely.

Since uncountable nouns are singular, they also require singular verbs. If you’re ever trying to decide whether to write the information is or the information are, remember that information is an uncountable noun and therefore needs is.

Good information are necessary for making good decisions.

Good information is necessary for making good decisions.

Additional examples of uncountable nouns include water, soil, love, literature, and dust.

Both Countable and Uncountable Nouns

Some nouns can be both countable and uncountable, depending on the context of the sentence. Examples of these versatile nouns include light, hair, room, gear, art, and science. See the examples below:

Did you have a good time at the party?

Here, time is countable (a time).

I don’t think I have time to do my hair before I leave.

In this sentence, time is uncountable.

There is some juice on the table.

There are some juices on the table.

In the first sentence, juice refers to the liquid beverage; thus, it is uncountable. In the second sentence, juice refers to the different varieties of juice (e.g., apple, grape, pineapple, etc.), and therefore, is considered a countable noun.

Which punctuation mark would you choose?

This poll is part of a series that Grammarly is running aimed at better understanding how the public feels about writing, language learning, and grammar.

Please take the poll and share your thoughts in the comments. We can’t wait to hear from you!

If you are interested in more, check out last week’s poll.

It’s a Barnyard Full of Animal Idioms

These idioms about animals are the cat’s meow. Here’s a short list of animal-related idioms and what they mean:

• Curiosity Killed the Cat: asking a lot of questions can get you into trouble.

I’d be careful with your investigation. Curiosity killed the cat, after all.

• Cry Wolf: give a cry for help or alarm when there is no danger.

He cried wolf so many times before that when he was attacked, no one came to his rescue.

• Beat a Dead Horse: talk about an idea or issue over and over again.

I don’t mean to beat a dead horse, but I really think we need to go over our sales strategy again.

• Sick As a Dog: incredibly sick.

I tried to get out of bed this morning, but I’m sick as a dog.

• For the Birds: something that is not worth one’s time; unimportant.

Don’t worry about those little details; they’re for the birds.

• Smell a rat: suspect inauthenticity or deliberate trickery.

He says he just wants to help our cause, but I smell a rat.

If you want to learn more about idioms, read this post explaining idioms about money.

Capital vs. Capitol

• Capital can be a noun or an adjective. Capital can refer to uppercase letters, accumulated wealth, or the city that serves as the seat of a country’s or state’s government.
• A capitol is a building in which the legislative body of government meets.
• In the United States, the Capitol is a building in Washington in which the US Congress meets.
• Capitol Hill is a metonym for the US Congress, but also a neighborhood in Washington DC.

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With only one letter setting them apart from each other, capital and capitol are two easily confused words. The fact that both are often used when talking about politics or the government doesn’t help, either.

Definition of Capital

As an adjective, capital can describe uppercase letters, punishments that involve execution, something that relates to wealth, or something that is most serious, important, or influential:

The word “January” is always written with a capital J.

Mary was always against capital punishment.

We saw an increase in capital gains in the last quarter.

Peter’s capital offense was his unwillingness to say he’s sorry.

Some people think that The Old Man and the Sea is not Hemingway’s capital work.

As a noun, capital can refer to an amount of accumulated wealth, an uppercase letter, or a city that serves as the seat of a country’s or state’s government:

Once you’ve accumulated enough capital, you can think about investing it in start-up businesses.

When you write in all capitals it will seem like you’re shouting.

Paris is the capital of France.

Definition of Capitol

A capitol is a building in which a legislature operates. In the United States, the Capitol is building in Washington DC where the United States Congress meets. Some countries like Cuba, Venezuela, and Colombia also have capitols; other countries, like Norway, Canada, and Kenya, call their legislative buildings parliaments:

In the United States, laws are passed in the Capitol; in the UK, they are passed in the Palace of Westminster; in Australia, they are passed in the Parliament House.

Capital and Capitol: Examples

But it frees up capital and adds 40 to 50 basis points to a key measure of Deutsche Bank’s financial health, its common equity Tier 1 capital ratio.

The Wall Street Journal

The thick smog that covers India’s capital of New Delhi has been identified as the worst the city has seen in 17 years.

The Weather Network

The letter, in which Mr Carney described himself as “Your Majesty’s humble and obedient servant”, was branded at the top with a red-inked “Seen by the Queen” stamp in capital letters to show the sovereign had read the correspondence.

The Daily Telegraph

Nicolli had a big job—handling a big tree that will adorn the U.S. Capitol’s West Lawn for the Christmas season.

KTVB

The capitol’s second floor houses a grand social hall where wakes of provincial government officials, grand balls, parties, concerts and meetings are held.

The Inquirer

Spelling Plurals with -s or -es

If a word ends in ‑s, ‑sh, ‑ch, ‑x, or ‑z, you add ‑es. For almost all other nouns, add -s to pluralize.

How to Spell Plural Nouns: With -es or -s?

When do you add ‑s and when do you add ‑es to make a plural noun? It’s not quite as arbitrary as it may seem.

If a word ends in ‑s, ‑sh, ‑ch, ‑x, or ‑z, you add ‑es. Consider the examples below:

I had to take only one bus; you had to take two buses. I had to do only one wash; you had to do two washes. I have a splotch on my shirt; you have two splotches. I’m carrying one box; you’re carrying two boxes. I heard one buzz; you heard two buzzes.

Some single nouns ending in -s or -z require more than the -es to form their plural versions. To pluralize these nouns, you must double the -s or -z before adding the -es. Some examples include:

Do you smell the gasses coming from the chemistry lab? How many fezzes can the boy possibly have?

All other regular nouns can be pluralized by simply adding an -s. These are just a few examples:

I have one cat; you have two cats. I have one cup; you have two cups. I have one shoe; you have two shoes. I have one ski; you have two skis. I have one toque; you have two toques.

Adding -s or -es to a noun to make it plural is the most common form of pluralization, but there are many other plural noun rules that apply to words with certain endings.