Virtually real- Virtuellement vraie

Micheline Harvey: Virtual Assistant, real person/Adjointe Virtuelle, mais tout à fait vraie

Stationary and Stationery – Good grammar, it’s hot! August 13, 2011

Filed under: Virtual Assistance/Assistance Virtuelle — matamich @ 11:16 am
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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!

Stationary and Stationery

Stationary and stationery are confused probably more by their similar spellings than by their definitions, which are quite different. The one-letter spelling difference in these two words makes them easy to confuse.

Stationary with an “a” means “not moving”: The dog lay stationary in the hot sun.

Stationery (with an “e”) refers to writing materials, usually paper.

A good way to remember the difference between the two is by associating the  “e” in stationery with envelopes, because envelopes are often used with writing materials.

Source: www.grammarerrors.com

 

Irregardless – Good grammar, it’s hot! March 13, 2011

Filed under: Virtual Assistance/Assistance Virtuelle — matamich @ 5:15 pm
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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!

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

Rule 10.  Irregardless

Regardless of what you may read or hear people say, irregardless is an unnecessary and illogical substitution for regardless.

For some strange reason, this hideous word has slipped into the English language. Think for a second about the logic behind the construction of the word irregardless: The prefix ir– means “the absence of,” and the suffix –less means “the absence of.” Is it really necessary to indicate the absence of regard twice? I think not.

Remember that regardless is a complete word on its own without the redundant ir– at the beginning.

 Source: www.grammarerrors.com

 

Immigrate Emigrate – Good grammar, it’s hot! February 16, 2011

Filed under: Virtual Assistance/Assistance Virtuelle — matamich @ 5:40 pm
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Rule 9.  Immigrate/Emigrate

There is a subtle but distinct difference between immigrate and emigrate. Immigrate is to move to one country from another. Emigrate is to leave one country to live in another.

As illustrated in the examples below, immigrate is used in conjunction with the word to, while emigrate is used with from. Also, be aware that immigrate is spelled with two letter m’s, but emigrate has only one.

He immigrated to the United States as a teenager.

He emigrated from Canada to the United States.

 Source: www.grammarerrors.com

 

Hopefully – Good grammar, it’s hot! January 16, 2011

Filed under: Virtual Assistance/Assistance Virtuelle — matamich @ 2:17 pm
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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!

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

Rule 8.  Hopefully

This is one word that has become almost completely acceptable in its incorrect form, hence its “questionable” status.

Most people use it to mean “it is hoped that,” as in the following sentence:

Example 1: Hopefully, the rain will stop in time for the outdoor concert.

Hopefully can also be used to describe performing an action “in a hopeful manner,” as the following example demonstrates:

Example 2: We hopefully waited for the winner of the competition to be announced.

Example 2 illustrates what is considered by some to be the only correct usage of hopefully, while Example 1 is considered an outright error.

The argument against using hopefully in the manner of Example 1 is that the adverb–hopefully–is not modifying anything. The rain (in Example 1) is not performing an action in a hopeful manner. Other adverbs, such as thankfully, frankly, and honestly, are used similarly.

There is much debate over the correctness of using adverbs this way. To avoid controversy, switch from hopefully to I hope or we hope. Or you can choose to go with the
masses and continue to use hopefully. Hopefully, no one will correct you.

 

Source: www.grammarerrors.com

 

Further/Farther – Good grammar, it’s hot! November 17, 2010

Filed under: Virtual Assistance/Assistance Virtuelle — matamich @ 10:23 am
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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 6.  Further/Farther

Further and farther are often used interchangeably, although they actually have slightly different meanings. Both words refer to distance, but the distinction is in the type of distance. Further refers to mental distance, while farther refers to physical distance. Take a look at the differences as illustrated in the sentences below:

Example 1 (further-correct usage): The student read further in the textbook. (Note that the distance traveled is only mental.)

Example 2 (farther-correct usage): I have to drive farther to work than to school. (In this sentence, we are referring to an actual distance that is measurable in miles, kilometres, etc., so the word farther is used.)

Source: www.grammarerrors.com

 

Bring/Take – Good grammar, it’s hot! October 18, 2010

Filed under: Virtual Assistance/Assistance Virtuelle — matamich @ 7:13 pm
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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 5.  Bring/Take

Bring and take are very easily confused as their meanings are similar. To prevent confusing these two words, remember that bring means to carry something towards yourself, while take means to carry something away from yourself.

Example 1 (bring–correct usage): Bring
the supplies to my house so we can work on the project.

Note that in the sentence above, the direction of the action is towards the speaker.

Example 2 (take-correct usage): Take
the supplies to your house so we can work on the project.

In Example 2, take, rather than bring, is used because the direction of the action is away from the speaker.

Source: www.grammarerrors.com

 

Anyway/Anyways – Good grammar, it’s hot! September 20, 2010

Filed under: Virtual Assistance/Assistance Virtuelle — matamich @ 7:32 pm
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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 4.  Anyway/Anyways

Do you say anyway or anyways? What’s the difference between them? Both anyway and anyways are considered colloquial (for use in casual or conversational English), and are used in a similar manner as standard words like regardless or nonetheless:

The event was cancelled anyway, so it didn’t matter that we were running late.

Anyway (without the “s”) is the preferred word of choice. It seems to be more commonly used than anyways and, therefore, less likely to be regarded as incorrect English.

Source: Word Choice

 

Good grammar, it’s hot! August 22, 2010

Filed under: Virtual Assistance/Assistance Virtuelle — matamich @ 4:00 pm
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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 3. Complimentary/complementary

Is it a complimentary gift or a complementary gift?

Were you paid a compliment or a complement?

Do peanut butter and jelly compliment or complement each other?

To compliment (verb form) is to give “an expression of esteem, respect, affection, or admiration.” A compliment (the noun form) is the expression itself.

To complement (verb form) is to “fill up, complete, or make perfect,” and a complement (the noun form) is the object or person that fills up, completes, or makes perfect.

Answers:
1. Complimentary
2. Compliment
3. Complement

Source: Word Choice

 

Good grammar, it’s hot! Affect/Effect July 12, 2010

Filed under: Virtual Assistance/Assistance Virtuelle — matamich @ 8:24 am
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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 2. Affect/effect

These words are often confused because of their related meanings but differing spellings.

Affect is a verb meaning “to influence.”

Effect can be both a verb and a noun. Its noun form is related to affect. (Its verb form, meaning “to accomplish” or “to put into operation,” has a different meaning and usage altogether.) In its noun form, an effect is the result of someone or something that is affecting another person or thing.

Here is an example:

Smoking affects health. The effect is lung cancer.

Affect is the verb causing the influence or change (on health). The effect is the result (lung cancer).