Grammar for Bloggers: 5 Big Errors to Avoid

Almost every company supports a blog these days as do literally millions of unaffiliated individuals. Blogs are a relatively informal medium by nature, so lots of bloggers take considerable liberties in terms of tone, diction, etc. Many choose to employ a conversational style even in a corporate setting. Breaking the rules a bit breathes life into otherwise stale content, yet writers need to respect basic limits in order to maintain the aura of professionalism. This establishes credibility and builds trust, which is especially important in cyberspace.

Itโ€™s fair to assume that most paid bloggers successfully passed college level English courses, which means the grammatical errors should be kept to a minimum. Nevertheless, there are several recurring mistakes throughout the blogosphere. Here are the most common mishaps along with a few tips on avoiding them.

#1) โ€œWebsites like this oneโ€ฆโ€: Contrary to colloquial speech patterns, the word โ€œlikeโ€ does not serve as a substitute for the phrase โ€œfor exampleโ€. This usage stems from popular vernacular, but prevalence doesnโ€™t signify correctness. Unless youโ€™re writing in an extremely relaxed or personal setting, use the phrases โ€œsuch asโ€ or โ€œincludingโ€ prior to providing an instance or model.

#2) โ€œShe was like, when are we going to the mall?โ€: Thereโ€™s that word โ€œlikeโ€ again, used in a manner that would make any grammarian cringe. In this context, the writer usually attempts to repeat portions of a verbal exchange. The definition of โ€œlikeโ€ bears no resemblance to terms such as,ad โ€œsaid,โ€ โ€œstated,โ€ etc. Reserve โ€œlikeโ€ for its proper place, i.e. making comparisons or referring to examples, and youโ€™ll never fall into this trap again.

#3) โ€œA customer put their glass down for the waitress.โ€: The previous sentence displays pronoun confusion. Singular subjects require singular pronouns whereas plural subjects need corresponding plural pronouns. This sounds like something out of a 4th grade textbook because, well, it is. Carelessness makes it sounds as though you paid your son or daughter to fill in for you for the day. Catch these issues before you go live through proofreading. Try stepping away from the article for a few minutes, and then return to the editing process with a fresh perspective.

#4) โ€œPeople is walking to work.โ€ : That just looks wrong, doesnโ€™t it? The sentence sounds improper due to subject/verb disagreement. The subject is plural, yet the verb appears in singular form. Unfortunately, this elementary school error appears on numerous prominent websites. As a general rule, sentences that seem improper to the ear contain grammatical oversights.ย  Read your work out loud to quickly identify these types of mishaps.

See Also
person holding black iphone 4

#5)โ€I love eating cookies, cakes and candy.โ€ This one appears rampant among journalists for whatever reason, though no specific profession is entirely to blame. Commas can be tricky as well as subjective, which doesnโ€™t help matters. Still, certain aspects of sentence structure dictate a rigid set of rules in terms of comma placement. Whenever a list contains more than two items, you must put a comma in front of the word โ€œandโ€. Commas act as verbal cues to pause between words. Again, you may find it helpful to verbalize the sentence. Insert commas in place of brief vocal gaps.

Guest Bio: Katherine Tattersfield manages a small business blog for localpages.com.

Feeling stuck in self-doubt?

Stop trying to fix yourself and start embracing who you are. Join the free 7-day self-discovery challenge and learn how to transform negative emotions into personal growth.

Join Free Now

Picture of Blogherald Blogger

Blogherald Blogger

RECENT ARTICLES

TRENDING AROUND THE WEB

People who have no close family to rely on usually display these 8 behaviors (without realizing it)

People who have no close family to rely on usually display these 8 behaviors (without realizing it)

Global English Editing

7 subtle traits that make a woman seem forever young, no matter their age

7 subtle traits that make a woman seem forever young, no matter their age

Global English Editing

9 things highly disciplined people always do before 8 AM

9 things highly disciplined people always do before 8 AM

Hack Spirit

4 zodiac signs who are strong on the surface but emotionally vulnerable underneath

4 zodiac signs who are strong on the surface but emotionally vulnerable underneath

My Inner Creative

8 habits that will completely transform your life in one year, according to lifestyle experts

8 habits that will completely transform your life in one year, according to lifestyle experts

NewsReports

7 zodiac signs who have the most vivid dreams when they sleep at night

7 zodiac signs who have the most vivid dreams when they sleep at night

Parent From Heart