Virtually real- Virtuellement vraie

Although the younger generation seems to have forgotten how to spell correctly and their communication has morphed into some kind of bizarre Internet shorthand even when they are writing a note, a greeting card, or an essay, I think good grammar is important and attractive! As a VA, it is part of my job to notice grammar, spelling and the proper use of words. Common mistakes can do serious damage to an otherwise stellar reputation. Think about the image you project and proofread, do some research, look it up…or ask me!

Et la prochaine fois, je continuerai avec mes 10 règles de la nouvelle orthographe en français pour les lecteurs francophones.

I will share some basic rules and talk about common mistakes over the next few weeks.

Rule 1. Assure/Ensure/Insure

These words are often confused or misused. They are also just plain confusing. Here are some explanations to help you:

To “assure” a person of something is to make him or her confident of it. According to Associated Press style, to “ensure” that something happens is to make certain that it does, and to “insure” is to issue an insurance policy. Other authorities, however, consider “ensure” and “insure” interchangeable. To please conservatives, make the distinction. However, it is worth noting that in older usage these spellings were not clearly distinguished.

The verbs “assure”, “ensure” and “insure” all mean to “make certain or secure”.

A person assures (makes promises to, convinces) other people.

A person ensures (makes certain) that things occur or that events take place.

A person insures (takes the necessary measures to protect) things against financial loss.

Examples:

1. Don’t INSURE your car for every nick and scratch.
2. “In real life, I ASSURE you, there is no such thing as algebra.” (Frank Lebowitz).
3. Federal drug regulators need more power and money to ENSURE the safety of the nation’s drug supply.