5 Simple Ways to Make Your Writing Read Better (And Have Fewer Errors!)

Writing figures in your day-to-day for most people who're reading this. From email to press releases, text takes up a lot of the work that we do. Everyone wants to write well, and since most people are online most of the time, I feel it's a pursuit worth taking up.

When I was younger, I always considered writing and communicating well and without grammatical errors in English to reflect my professional capability. Though I'm quite far, far away from a veritable CEO's desk, sending out a profoundly disconnected email to their employees that completely ignores reality and uses glib encouragement to push them to their next year's target, you can't argue it would read better with propah English.

So, to those CEOs and the rest of us good folk, here are a few errors that I encounter in my experiences as a journeyman writer that you can use to improve your written English.

Run-On Sentences

Many people think that a run-on sentence means a really long sentence that needs a period or two to shorten it. Or at least, that's what I thought back in the day. The right definition is a run-on sentence that has two or more independent clauses that are joined without the right punctuation or coordinating conjunction.

Here's an example for a run-on sentence - I went to the store I bought some apples.

"I went to the store" and "I bought some apples" are two different clauses. The correct versions would either use a period or comma between those sentences or conjunctions.

• I went to the store, I bought some apples. (or)

• I went to the store, and I bought some apples.

The second one sounds better and more natural.

Subject-Verb Agreement

Subject-verb agreement rule ensures that the subject of a sentence must agree with the verb in terms of number. Simply put, a singular subject must take a singular verb, and a plural, plural verb.

Here's an example of incorrect subject-verb agreement - He run. They runs.

Run is a plural verb, and runs is the singular form of the word. So the right sentences would be

He runs. They run.

Sigh, yes, I know, English. This error also creeps into my writing, too, if I'm not alert enough. Readers will easily notice these kind (*kinds, see what I mean?) of errors.

Homophones

Apart from improper comma use, one of the most occurring errors I've noticed is easily homophones. Homophones are words that have the same pronunciation, which causes confusion and errors in their usage.

Here are a few examples of homophones -

• "there," "their," and "they're"

• "to," "too," and "two"

• "its" and "it's"

• "your" and "you're"

• "here" and "hear"

Sometimes even when I know I should be using "then," I type "than." It doesn't occur to me that I've made an error until I edit the document. So, check and double-check that email before sending it out to your disgruntled employees.

Faulty Parallelism

Faulty parallelism occurs when elements of the sentence are not "parallel" to each other. Parallel here means their general structure and verb usage. This will be clearer when illustrated with an example.

Here's an example of faulty parallelism - She likes to run, swimming, and to hike.

The right version would be, "She likes to run, swim, and hike." When you read the incorrect version, it becomes painfully obvious what the mistake is. In fact, I bet you, like me, have been editing out faulty parallelism in your writing before you even knew it was called that!

Not Using Subjunctive

Neglecting to use the subjunctive is a common grammatical error that occurs when writers fail to use the correct verb form to express suggestions, recommendations, or hypothetical situations. Many writers and speakers often overlook this, and some don't even realize it exists.

Here's an example of neglecting the subjunctive - It's important he understands the rules.

The correct version would be, "It's important that he understands the rules." If you've noticed, we use subjunctives after verbs or phrases that denote urgency or importance. Another example of correct usage would be, "It is important that you're on time to board the train."

Bonus: Proposed vs. Proposed to

This is something that has been a splinter in my side for YEARS. Thousands of times, I've read "He/she proposed me!" and screamed internally so hard I might have PTSD. The expression is pretty common closer to where I live and shows no sign of fading away. Using that statement for its intended purpose, engagement or marriage, is wrong. WRONG. Can you people in the back hear me? Good.

Here are a few examples of the right way to use "X proposed…" -

• He proposed I leave on the train in the morning.

• She proposed a new plan for my house that improves its Feng Shui.

• They proposed a black tie party after the launch event on Saturday.

These are some of the errors that I stumble across on a daily basis. While some errors are hard to catch, spending time on getting it right does help get your message across better. If you're looking for help, it doesn't hurt to invest in an editing tool like Pro Writing Aid or Grammarly to catch these types of errors. Nope, I'm not sponsored by either of them, but that's what someone sponsored by them would say, right?

Writing well is something that should be important across most genres of employment. That email you sent or how you responded to a client might just be what tips the odds in your favor during a promotion or other critical junctures.

If you're looking for a writer who excels at long copy and communication, you're but a message away. I have been in the business of captivating audiences for more than 10 years now. Look my stuff up and let me know what you think!