Can You Spot These Common Mistakes? answer key
Directions: Corrections are marked with an asterisk (*). To see an explanation, place your cursor over the asterisk after each error.
TO: All employees
FROM: Corporate Compliance
RE: Our new email signatures*No apostrophe is needed here. To make signature plural, just add s. Adding an apostrophe shows ownership, as in The expert doubted the signature's authenticity.
We will now use a standard signature block for all company emails. After May 17, you must use the signature format below in all your*You'reis a contraction—a shortened form of you are. Your is a pronoun that shows possession. If you're not sure which is correct, try replacing youror you're with you are. For example, If you're (you are) not sure.... The result makes sense, so you're is correct. email messages.
Your name, Title
Phone number | Mobile number
Your location
GB999 9999 73 | Registered office
Disclaimer
We will now be using a standard email signature.*This is a complete sentence, so it needs to be separated from the sentence that follows. You can test whether a group of words is a sentence: start with I know that...and add the group of words you want to test: I know that we will now be using a new email signature. The result makes sense, so you have a sentence. This will build awareness of our company’s brand and make us compliant with EU regulations.*If you add this group of words to the I know that... frame, you get a result makes no sense: I know that and make us compliant with EU regulations. If you combine this fragment with the sentence before it, you have a complete thought.
What do I need to do?
Your new signature will be created automatically. On May 3, you will receive*Receive follows this spelling rule: I before e except after c. an email with a sample of your new signature. Review the sample*Spell check won't catch this mistake because simple is spelled correctly. The word that's needed here is sample. to be sure that all information is correct.*This phrase can't stand on its own, as the I know... test shows: I know that to be sure all information is correct makes no sense. Then reply to the email to either confirm that your name and contact details are*Contact details is plural, so the verb should be plural too. correct or let IT know about any error that needs*There's only one error, so the verb should be needs instead of need. to be corrected.
What is the deadline for replying to the email about my new signature?
You must review your new signature and reply by May 7.
What is the number in the new signature block?
The number on the fourth*Forth sounds like fourth, but it means to go out or to move forward in time. Use fourth when referring to numbers. line is our company’s* Value Added Tax (VAT) number. Many countries,*When information breaks the flow of a sentence, you need to add punctuation at the beginning and end of the information. including those in Great Britain,*Information that was added in the middle of the sentence ends here. Punctuation (usually a comma) is needed to mark the beginning and end of inserted information. require companies selling goods or services in the Eurozone to include their VAT number in email footers.
Why are we changing our signature?
The changes will make us compliant*People probably have many complaints about complex regulations, but in this case the word that's needed is compliant. with new regulations for doing business in the Eurozone. We will be offering compliance training on Tuesday, May 17;*Normally items in a series are separated by commas. In this case, however, the dates in the series include commas. To show where each item ends, use a semicolon between items: May 17, Tuesday; May 20, Friday; and Wednesday, May 25. Friday, May 20; and Wednesday, May 25.
What if I can’t attend any of the scheduled trainings?
Contact Alan or me *Some people are insecure about using me correctly, so they use myself instead. However, myself is rarely correct. For a quick test, drop any other names from the sentence and ask whether you'd say Contact myself or Contact me. For a longer explanation, look up reflexive pronoun. to schedule individual training. It’s* critical that you complete this training before the new laws go into effect.
Interpreting Your Results
How serious are the errors on this test? The categories in the first section of the table below are based on a study of people’s attitudes toward grammar errors done by Maxine Hairston in 1981. Several recent studies have confirmed that people still react strongly to the errors Hairston found to be outrageous.
|
Grammar |
Example |
Test item(s) |
Recommendation(s) |
Error number |
|
Outrageous These mistakes may lead others to judge you as uneducated or careless. |
Nonstandard Double |
Not
|
If you tend to make mistakes like these, coaching is recommended. Using nonstandard English could hurt your chances for promotion. |
1. signature’s 2. you’re 3. effect 4. signature this 5. And make… 6. recieve 7. simple 8. To be sure… 9. details is 10. error need 11. forth 12. companys 13. countries 14. Britain 15. complaint 16. 17, 17. myself 18. Its |
|
Very Almost everyone is bothered by these errors.
|
Sentence Fused Lack |
5, 8
|
These errors make you less credible and may confuse readers. For a quick review, |
|
|
Serious Most readers will notice these mistakes, but not everyone objects to them. |
Using Possessive Missing commas around inserted information |
17 1, 14
|
These |
|
|
Less |
Punctuating |
16 |
If you got this right, congratulate yourself for paying attention to fine points. |
|
|
Spelling |
Example |
Test |
Recommendation(s) |
|
|
An Accountemps survey found that 20 percent of |
Misspelling Homophone Wrong |
6, 11 2, 14, 18
3, 7, 15 |
To review, use a |
