In this full day session, we will learn : MOM & Memos : - Communicate in ways that help improve the accuracy and effectiveness of your minutes. - Know how to select the right content for different types of minutes. - Be able to report discussions and actions using correct grammar and tone. Reports That Work : - Project a more professional image through your report writing. - Write reports which are clear, logical and convincing. - Produce accurate sections of a report.

1. Business Writing Mastery
13th September 2017

2. What do I want the reader to:
1. think and feel?
2. know?
3. DO?
How to ensure they’ll do
what I want?
1. tone
2. structure
3. contents
planning
reader
purpose
strategy
What should we think about when
we’re planning to write?
1. who am I writing for?
2. what does he care
about?
3. what’s his reading
preference / ability?

3. What are the main considerations in
drafting?
drafting
tone
structure
contents
1. formality
2. technicality
3. immediacy
1. sequence
2. flow
3. sections
1. completeness
2. relevance
3. presentation

4. What are the main aspects of finalising
our work?
1. Planning
2. Drafting
Four big questions…
1. Is it as clear as I can make it?
2. Is it as short as it can be without sacrifice?
3. Am I making the right impression?
4. Is the reader likely to do what I want him to?
✓ When you can say Yes to these four questions,
you’re ready to send

5. Importance of the subject line
The average manager receives over 100 emails
a day.
The subject line must compete for attention.
• Make it short
• Keep it clear
• Be relevant to the reader – “why should I care?”
➢Which email would you be more likely to read?
➢Punctual time reporting
➢How to make sure you get paid the right amount

6. Tone
The tone of emails should be somewhere in
between the informality of everyday speech
and the formality of written reports.
The tone should be consistent throughout.
➢If you begin with “hi” you should not end with
“yours sincerely”
➢Beware of conventional formula-phrases like
“please find attached” and “if you have any
questions, please do not hesitate to contact us”
and “well noted”

7. Language for making suggestions
Five levels of formality in English
– Colloquial / slang
– Informal / idiomatic
– Neutral
– Formal / professional
– Stiff / super-formal
The zone of everyday
speech
The zone of professional
writing
Our recommendations are as follows:
How about…? May I suggest that…
If I was in your shoes, I’d…Just a thought, but…
Have you thought about…?
Why don’t you…?
Have you considered…?

8. Planning to write: key take-away
➢Does the planning process differ if we’re sending an
email instead of writing a report? NO!
Whether it’s an email, a report, or anything else…
1. Draft conclusion first
2. Put yourself in the reader’s shoes and ask “Why
should I care about that?”
3. Now you’re ready to write your subject line or title

9. REPORT WRITING
Purpose and Reader
Experienced writers always allow plenty of time for these - the first
two stages in report writing, even when they are working against the
clock. They know that once these are clear in their minds, they'll save themselves hours
of work and worry later on.
1 Defining the purpose
First: the purpose, the major aim, the reason why you are writing the report at all. This
will determine what kind of report you write.
a) Factual report
For example, it may be to inform - when, say, there's been an accident, or a new
programme of work. What's needed here is a factual report - a straightforward
statement of the facts - to give people an accurate record.
b) Instructional report
Or, it may be to explain - for example, when some change is introduced, like a revised
appraisal system, or a new job evaluation scheme. Here you write an instructional
report - a step-by-step description - to tell people about the new procedures.
c) Leading report
Lastly, it may be to persuade - when you are trying to sell your ideas. This kind is
usually called a 'leading' report, because you are leading the reader towards making a
decision - the one you want him or her to make.
Once the major aim has been defined in this way, subsidiary aims will fall into place -
thus, we inform in order to explain, and inform and explain in order to persuade. And
usually the result will be a leading report - which is often the most difficult to write,
because it has to motivate the reader to do something at the end.

10. 2 Identifying the reader
But who is the reader? What do we really know about them?
Often, they are just a dim and shadowy figure in the mind, but
we can usually get a clearer picture by asking three questions:
a) What does the reader know?
Two common mistakes in report writing are to overestimate a reader's knowledge-and
blind them with science, or to underestimate it - and bore them to tears. We must
always try to discover how much the reader knows already, so that we can
communicate at their level of knowledge.
b) What are the reader's attitudes?
However good our ideas, they may get thrown out if we don't take account of these, the
reader's special interests, likes, and dislikes. The truth has many faces, and it is only
sensible to feature the one most likely to appeal to them.
c) What does the reader really want?
The reader is rarely a passive recipient of our report, to be swayed this way and that by
our arguments. We'll need to find out just what their hopes and expectations are. Then
we shall know what we're up against, and can prepare our case accordingly.
Sometimes, it is difficult to answer these questions, especially when writing for a varied
readership. In such cases, aim for the important reader - that is, the most important to
you - but without offending others. Some are probably only on the distribution list
anyway for reasons of prestige or courtesy, or because no-one remembered to cross
them off. They will probably be quite happy just to read the opening summary.

11. 3 Setting the objective
Matching the purpose to the reader, we are now
ready to set our objective. In other words, what do
we want the reader to think and do after reading
our report? Here is an example:
*To persuade the managing director to authorize a
proposed system of flexible working hours.
Notice the words 'to persuade' and 'to authorize'. They show that we must produce a
logical and consistent case: one that will spur our reader to positive action. Also, once
we have set the objective, we can usually anticipate the likely problems in meeting it,
e.g.:
a) Knowledge
The managing director is a busy man, and has never heard of flexible working hours.
We'll need to give him ample background information, and define any technical terms
as we go along.
b) Attitudes
He is a stickler for discipline and good timekeeping. We'll have to convince him that the
scheme won't be a license for lateness, but that, on the contrary, timekeeping might
actually improve.
c) Wants
According to the grapevine, he is worried just now about rising costs. So we'll need to
stress how flexible working hours would actually save him money, even if this means
playing down other benefits.
Arriving at an objective like this is the most important step in writing any report.
Sometimes the process will even show that a report is not necessary at all, and that the
objective can best be met in some other way - in which case, you will have saved
yourself a great deal of time and trouble.

12. Introduction
Writing an effective business report is a necessary skill for communicating
ideas in the business environment. Reports usually address a specific issue or
problem, and are often commissioned when a decision needs to be made.
They present the author’s findings in relation to the issue or problem and then
recommend a course of action for the organisation to take. The key to a good
report is in-depth analysis. Good writers will show their reader how they have
interpreted their findings. The reader will understand the basis on which the
conclusions are drawn as well as the rationale for the recommendations.
Report writing uses some of the writing skills you have already acquired. You
will structure your paragraphs and reference your ideas just as you have been
doing in your essays and other assignments within your Commerce degree.
Report writing sometimes differs in structure and style. This handbook will help
you plan, structure, and write a basic report. Remember, though, that reports
will vary according to their purpose and the needs of their reader/s.
Throughout your university career, different courses and/or different lecturers
may have slightly different requirements for reports. Please always check the
requirements for each assignment.

13. 1 Planning your business report
As in all writing, planning is vitally important. The key questions to ask yourself
when planning a business report are:
what is the purpose of this report
who are the readers of this report
what are the report’s main messages
how will the report be structured?
1.1 What is the purpose of this report?
Keep in mind that the purpose of a business report is generally to assist in
decision making. Be sure you are clear on what decision is to be made and
the role the report plays in this decision. It might be useful to consider the
purpose in this way: As a result of this report, my reader/s will …
For example:
As a result of this report, my reader/s will know:
- how well our recycling programme is doing
- how to increase participation in it.
1.2 Who are the readers of this report?
Consider the main reader/s, but also secondary readers. The main reader for
the recycling report alluded to above is the director of the recycling
programme. Secondary readers might be the facilities management team on
campus, the finance team, etc.
Try to understand what the readers already know, what they need to know,
and how they will use this report. You will need to give enough information to
satisfy all these potential readers. You will need to use headings carefully so
that different readers can use the report in different ways.

14. 1.3 What are the report’s main messages?
Taking into account the information above, think carefully about the
main message/s you need to convey, and therefore what information is
required. Ask yourself: What are the required pieces of information I
need to include?
What are the additional pieces of information I need to include?
1.4 How will the messages be structured?
It should be noted, however, that there is sometimes a place for the indirect
(inductive) approach. This approach leads the reader through the discussion
first and reveals the conclusions and recommendations at the end of the
report. This approach might be used if the recommendations are likely to be
controversial or unpopular (Emerson, 1995).
The next step is to construct an outline, or structure, for your report. Check
for a logical flow, and check your outline against your purpose, your reader/s,
and the report’s relevant information requirements.
The modern business approach is direct (or deductive, to use a more
sophisticated term). This approach presents the conclusions or
recommendations near the beginning of the report, and the report provides
justification for these recommendations.

15. 2 Structuring your business report
A business report may contain:
a covering letter or memorandum
a title page
an executive summary
a table of contents
an introduction
conclusions
recommendations
findings and discussion
a list of references
appendices.
2.1 Covering letter/memorandum
Often a letter is attached to a report to officially introduce the report to the
recipient. If the recipient is outside the organisation, a letter format is
appropriate; if the recipient is inside the organisation, a memorandum/memo
is appropriate.
The covering letter or memorandum should:
remind the reader of their request for the report
state the purpose of the report
acknowledge any assistance
indicate future actions to be taken.

16. 2.2 Title Page
The title page should be brief but descriptive of the project. It should also
include the date of completion/submission of the report, the author/s, and their
association/organisation.
2.3 Executive Summary
The executive summary follows the title page, and should make sense on its
own. The executive summary helps the reader quickly grasp the report’s
purpose, conclusions, and key recommendations. You may think of this as
something the busy executive might read to get a feel for your report and its
final conclusions. The executive summary should be no longer than one page.
The executive summary differs from an abstract in that it provides the key
recommendations and conclusions, rather than a summary of the document.
2.4 Table of Contents
The table of contents follows the executive summary on a new page. It states
the pages for various sections. The reader receives a clear orientation to the
report as the table of contents lists all the headings and sub-headings in the
report. These headings and sub-headings should be descriptive of the content
they relate to (see section 3 of this handbook).

17. 2.5 Introduction
The introduction sets the stage for the reader. It gives the context for the
report and generates the reader’s interest. It orients the reader to the purpose
of the report and gives them a clear indication of what they can expect.
The introduction should:
briefly describe the context
identify the general subject matter
describe the issue or problem to be reported on
state the specific questions the report answers
outline the scope of the report (extent of investigation)
preview the report structure
comment on the limitations of the report and any
assumptions made.
(Adapted from Emerson, 1995, p. 35)
2.6 Conclusions/recommendations
A business report usually needs both conclusions and recommendations. The
difference between conclusions and recommendations in a report lies in the
orientation to time. Conclusions typically relate to the present or past
situation.
When writing conclusions:
interpret and summarise the findings; say what they mean
relate the conclusions to the report issue/problem
limit the conclusions to the data presented; do not introduce
new material
number the conclusions and present them in parallel form
be objective: avoid exaggerating or manipulating the data.
(Guffey, Rhodes & Rogin, 2001, p. 391)

18. Recommendations are oriented to the future: what changes are
recommended, or what actions are recommended for the future? They are
specific, action-oriented suggestions to solve the report problem.
When writing recommendations:
make specific suggestions for actions to solve the report problem
avoid conditional words such as maybe and perhaps
present each suggestion separately and begin with a verb
number the recommendations
describe how the recommendations may be implemented (if you were
requested to do this)
arrange the recommendations in an announced order, such as most
important to least important.
(Guffey, et al. 2001, p. 392)
Although the conclusions and recommendations are presented before the
discussion, they need to logically flow from the discussion. Taking a deductive
approach allows the reader insight into your conclusions/recommendations
early on. When your reader reads the discussion afterwards, they will follow it
more easily. Here are some examples of conclusions and recommendations:
Conclusions Recommendations
Home and family responsibilities directly
affect job attendance and performance.
Provide managers with training in working
with personal and family matters.
Time is the crucial issue to balancing
work and family income.
Institute a flexitime policy that allows
employees to adapt their work schedule
to home responsibilities.
A manager supportive of family and
personal concerns is central to a good
work environment.
Publish a quarterly employee newsletter
devoted to family and child-care issues.
(Adapted from Guffey, et al. 2001, p. 391-392)

19. 2.7 Findings and discussion
The discussion is the main part of your report and should present and discuss
your findings. It should give enough information, analysis, and evidence to
support your conclusions, and it should provide justification for your
recommendations. Its organisation will depend on your purpose, scope, and
requirements, but it should follow a logical and systematic organisation. The
discussion should be subdivided into logical sections, each with informative,
descriptive headings and a number.
Where your report’s purpose is to recommend the best solution to a problem,
you should show clear analysis of all options. You should explain any
analytical framework you used, such as SWOT or cost benefit analysis. This
analysis of options can often be presented effectively in tables.
2.8 References
2.9 Appendices
If material is important to your discussion and is directly referred to, then it
should be included in your discussion proper. However, you might want to use
appendices to include supplementary material that enhances understanding
for the reader. You might use appendices to provide details on the process or
analysis you underwent (or which was required by your supervisor or lecturer).
Whenever you use information from other sources, references must be
provided in-text and in a list of references. The style of referencing may be
dictated by your faculty or organisation. The Faculty of Commerce at Victoria
uses APA. See the Victoria Business School Writing Skills Workbook (that you
were given in first year in the FCOM 111 course) for information on APA
referencing or see the APA manual (APA, 2010).

20. When you choose to include information in appendices, you should refer to it
clearly in your text (refer Appendix A). A single appendix should be titled
APPENDIX. Multiple appendices are titled APPENDIX A, APPENDIX B, etc.
Appendices appear in the order that they are mentioned in the text of the
report.
Appendices should:
provide detailed explanation serving the needs of
specific readers
be clearly and neatly set out
be numbered/lettered
be given a descriptive title
be arranged in the order they are mentioned in the text
be related to the report’s purpose—not just ‘tacked on’.
(Adapted from Emerson, 1995, p. 41)
A checklist of elements of a good business report is provided in Appendix A.

21. 3 Writing your business report
Now that you have organised your thoughts, you need to put them into writing.
Ensure your writing demonstrates clarity and logic. You should think
constantly about your readers and make your report easy for them to read. To
achieve good readability, you should:
use effective headings and subheadings
structure your paragraphs well
write clear sentences with plain language
keep your writing professional
use white space and well-chosen fonts
number your pages
use footnotes, tables, figures, and appendices appropriately.
3.1 Use effective headings and subheadings
Headings and subheadings are useful tools in business writing. Ensure they
are descriptive of the content to follow. In other words, rather than labelling a
section Section 2.5, it would be better to describe it as 2.5 Justification for
the high risk scenario. It is also essential that the hierarchy of headings and
subheadings is clear. Use formatting (font size, bold, etc.) to show headings
versus subheadings. Headings/subheadings at the same level should use
parallel form (the same grammatical construction). The following examples
illustrate this principle.
Ineffective headings with non-
parallel construction
Effective headings with parallel
construction
Establishing formal sales
organisation
Establish formal sales organisation
Production department
responsibilities
Define responsibilities within the
production department
Improve cost-accounting Improve cost accounting
(Adapted from Munter, 1997, p. 53)

22. Use sentence case for headings. This means that your first word should
have a capital letter, but subsequent words have small letters, unless, of
course, they are proper nouns (Write Limited, 2013). Remember to
ensure that all material placed underneath a heading serves that heading.
It is easy to go off on a tangent that does not relate to a heading.
Remember also that all content must relate to your purpose. Every time
you write a new section of your report, check that it fulfils the purpose of
the report.
3.2 Structure your paragraphs well
Your headings will help create logical flow for your reader, but under each
heading, you should create a series of paragraphs that are also logically
ordered and structured. Paragraphs should be ordered in a logical sequence
beginning with the most important material first. Within your paragraphs you
should also use a structure that helps your reader. Each paragraph should
begin with a topic sentence that states the main idea or topic of the
paragraph. Typically a paragraph will have between 100 and 200 words and
will have the following structure.
Topic sentence (states main idea of paragraph)
Explanation sentence (explains or expands on the topic sentence)
Support sentences (give evidence for the idea in the topic sentence
and include statistics, examples, and citations)
Concluding sentence (optional final sentence that answers the question
‘so what?’; this is your opportunity to show your critical thinking ability)
Remember to link your paragraphs well. The first sentence (usually the topic
sentence) is a good place to make a link between paragraphs. One of the
most common ways to link paragraphs is to use the principle, ‘something old,
something new’. This means you will include a word or phrase that contrasts

23. the topic of the previous paragraph with the topic of your new paragraph. Take
a look at the topic sentence at the beginning of this section 3.2. You will see
that this topic sentence links to the material before it. For an example showing
how to link ideas in a paragraph using the ‘something old, something new’
principle, see Appendix B.
3.3 Write clear sentences with plain language
Academic and business writing should be clear. You want to clearly
communicate your understanding of the topic and the strength of your
argument. In order to do this, keep your sentences short and use plain
language where you can (Write Limited, 2013). Sentences that are too long
and complicated are difficult to understand. A good average length is 15–20
words (roughly 1.5 lines). Try not to go over 2 lines. Sometimes students try to
use big words in order to sound academic. This is not always a good idea. If
you need a big (sometimes technical) word, fine. However, if a shorter one
does the job, use it. For example, use is better than utilise, and change is
better than modification.
Look at the following example.
Phase one of the project included the collection of a range of data and
research material completed during 2011, which was utilised in the creation of
a range of soon to be finalised analyst ‘personas’, and input into the planning
of a new enhanced information architecture for the business’s online channel,
particularly resources for current analysts.
Now look at a plainer version.
In 2011, the team undertook phase one of the project. They collected a range
of data and research material. Using this collected material, they created
analyst ‘personas’. They also began to plan an enhanced information
architecture for the business’s online channel. Current analysts can use some
of the resources the team have created.

24. You will notice some of the sophisticated words have changed to plainer ones.
You will also notice that the sentences are shorter and easier to understand.
Another change relates to ‘active voice’. You will notice that the first example
uses some ‘passive voice’: which was utilised. Passive voice enables writers
to omit the people (or doers) from their sentences. However, readers often
appreciate knowing ‘who’ does something. You will notice in the second
example, the writer adds a doer: team. This means the writer can now use the
active voice: In 2011, the team completed…All of these techniques—short
sentences, plainer language, and active voice—will help your reader
understand your message in one reading. This is especially important in
business writing where readers have busy working days.
3.4 Keep your writing professional
Other important characteristics of professional writing are editing and
proofreading. You should leave 24 hours between writing your draft and
editing it. You should also leave another 24 hours between editing and
proofreading. Leaving time between these stages of the writing process allows
Ensure you use an appropriate tone for your readers. Where possible, use
personal pronouns we and you: We recommend you check the building’s
foundations. Personal pronouns create a friendly tone that is appropriate for
business and government. They also help the writer avoid the passive voice.
And, as stated above, readers like to know ‘who’ will do something. However,
sometimes you might want a more formal tone where personal pronouns are
not appropriate. In these cases, you can use words
like research or report as your sentence subject: This report discusses…, This
research has found that… . Another way of ensuring appropriate tone is to
avoid terms that may be interpreted as offensive to ethnic or other groups. Be
careful to use gender-neutral terms. For example, use plural pronouns (they
when referring to clients) rather than gender-specific pronouns (he or he/she).
Another aspect of tone relates to the use of contractions. Contractions are
words like we’ve or it’s. They are informal. For many business reports and for
all academic reports, you will need to avoid them and write we have or it is.

25. you to detach yourself from your writing and put yourself in your reader’s
shoes. When editing, check for:
illogical structure
missing headings
irrelevant or missing content
unnecessary content
redundant phrases or words.
When proofreading, check for:
grammar
punctuation
spelling
formatting
consistency.
Remember to leave enough time for these last two stages. Thorough editing
and proofreading will make a big difference to the readability of your report (as
well as to your marks!), and it is a courtesy to the reader.
3.5 Use white space and well-chosen fonts
White space refers to the empty space on the page. Business reports which
have a more balanced use of white space and text are easier to read and
more effectively communicate main points and subordinate ideas. Create
white space by:
using lots of headings and subheadings
creating large margins along all edges (usually 2.5–3cm)
breaking up your page with tables, charts, and graphs where possible
using bulleted lists.

26. 3.6 Number your pages
Your title page has no number. Use Roman numerals for the executive
summary and table of contents (i, ii, iii), and Arabic numbers for the remainder
of the report (1, 2, 3 …).
3.7 Use footnotes, tables, figures, and appendices appropriately
Footnotes should be used sparingly. Points that are important can usually be
integrated into the text. Footnotes or endnotes should not be used for
referencing (see References above).
In business reports, tables and figures are often used to represent data,
processes, etc. Tables and figures should be inserted in the text of the
document, close to the discussion of the table/figure. If the information is
something which the reader could refer to rather than should refer to, then it
may go in the appendices. Tables and figures have different purposes. A table
contains an array of numbers or text (such as a SWOT table). A figure is
something that contains graphical content, such as graphs created in Excel,
organisational charts, or flow charts.
Insert each table/figure one-and-a-half or two lines below the text. The
table/figure should be identified with a label and title which describes the
content, for example, Table 1. GDP of New Zealand, 1988–2002.
If a table, figure, or appendix is included in a document, then there must be
text that refers to it! The text should refer to it by name (As Table 1
shows ….). The text should explain the highlights of the table or figure, not
every detail. Do not leave it to the reader to try to figure out why you included
the table or figure in your document. At the same time, ensure that your
tables/figures supplement and clarify the text but do not completely duplicate
it. Also ensure that there is sufficient information in the table or figure so that
the reader can understand it without having to consult the text.

27. Footnotes immediately underneath the table or figure should be used to
explain all abbreviations and symbols used. Do not forget to add the source of
your material.

28. 3. Give careful consideration to your page layout and presentation
Use:
12-point font
either Times New Roman or Arial (or similar) consistently throughout
the report, including in tables and figures
2.5 centimetre (one inch) margins at the top, bottom, and both sides of
the document
1.5 spacing between lines
an additional line space between paragraphs, or indent the first line of
each paragraph.
4. Reference in APA
Ensure you reference consistently in APA style. You should use in-text
referencing for each citation (material that you have taken from other
sources). This material will be either quotes or paraphrases. Include a
reference list at the end of your report, again paying careful attention to APA
style for different types of references. Your reference list will include the
sources that showed up in your in-text referencing. It is not a list of everything
you read, just of the material you actually included in your report.

29. …OR, Everything you always wanted to know about
English grammar but were afraid to ask…
1.4 Common mistakes
Business
Writing Mastery

30. Common Grammar Mistakes
1. Misplaced apostrophes
Apostrophes aren’t difficult to use once you know how, but putting them in the wrong
place is one of the most common grammar mistakes in the English language. Many
people use an apostrophe to form the plural of a word, particularly if the word in
question ends in a vowel, which might make the word look strange with an S added
to make it plural.
The rules:
Apostrophes indicate possession – something belonging to something or someone
else.
To indicate something belonging to one person, the apostrophe goes before the ‘s’.
For instance, “The girl’s horse.”
To indicate something belonging to more than one person, put the apostrophe after
the ‘s’. For example, “The girls’ horse.”
Apostrophes are also used to indicate a contracted word. For example, “don’t” uses
an apostrophe to indicate that the word is missing the “o” from “do not”.
Apostrophes are never used to make a word plural, even when a word is in number
form, as in a date.
How not to do it:
The horse’s are in the field
Pen’s for sale
In the 1980’s
Janes horse is over there
The girls dresses are ready for them to collect
How to do it properly:
2. Your/you’re
Homophones are a widespread problem and are often misused, however your and
you’re is one of the most common.
The rules:
“Your” indicates possession – something belonging to you.
“You’re” is short for “you are”.

31. How not to do it:
Your beautiful
Do you know when your coming over?
Can I have one of you’re biscuits?
How to do it properly:
3. Its/it’s
We said earlier that apostrophes should be used to indicate possession, but there is
one exception to this rule, and that is the word “it”. Unsurprisingly, this exception gets
lots of people confused.
The rules:
“It’s” is only ever used when short for “it is”.
“Its” indicates something belonging to something that isn’t masculine or feminine (like
“his” and “hers”, but used when you’re not talking about a person).
Its snowing outside
The sofa looks great with it’s new cover
How to do it properly:
4. “Could/would/should of”
This common mistake arises because the contracted form of “could have” –
“could’ve” – sounds a bit like “could of” when you say it out loud. This mistake is
made frequently across all three of these words.
The rules:
When people write “should of”, what they really mean is “should have”.
Written down, the shortened version of “should have” is “should’ve”.
“Should’ve” and “Should have” are both correct; the latter is more formal.
How not to do it:
We could of gone there today
I would of done it sooner
You should of said
If it helps, remember that inanimate objects can’t really possess something in the
way a human can.
How not to do it:

32. How to do it properly:
5. There/their/they’re
It’s another example of those pesky homophones – words that sound the same but
have different meanings.
The rules:
Use “there” to refer to a place that isn’t here – “over there”.
We also use “there” to state something – “There are no cakes left.”
“Their” indicates possession – something belonging to them.
“They’re” is short for “they are”.
How not to do it:
Their going to be here soon
We should contact they’re agent
Can we use there boat?
Their is an argument that says
How to do it properly:
6. Fewer/less
The fact that many people don’t know the difference between “fewer” and “less” is
reflected in the number of supermarket checkout aisles designated for “10 items or
less”. The mistake most people make is using “less” when they actually mean
“fewer”, rather than the other way round.
The rules:
“Fewer” refers to items you can count individually.
“Less” refers to a commodity, such as sand or water, that you can’t count
individually.
How not to do it:
There are less cakes now
Ten items or less
Few sand
There are fewer trees in the forest

33. How to do it properly:
7. Amount/number
These two work in the same way as “less” and “fewer”, referring respectively to
commodities and individual items.
The rules:
“Amount” refers to a commodity, which can’t be counted (for instance water).
“Number” refers to individual things that can be counted (for example birds).
How not to do it:
A greater amount of people are eating more healthily
The rain dumped a larger number of water on the country than is average for the
month
How to do it properly:
8. To/two/too
It’s time to revisit another common grammar mistake that we also covered in our
homophones post, as no article on grammar gripes would be complete without it. It’s
easy to see why people get this one wrong, but there’s no reason why you should.
The rules:
“To” is used in the infinitive form of a verb – “to talk”.
“To” is also used to mean “towards”.
“Too” means “also” or “as well”.
“Two” refers to the number 2.
How not to do it:
I’m to hot
It’s time two go
I’m going too town
He bought to cakes
How to do it properly:

34. 9. Then/than
Confusion between “then” and “than” probably arises because the two look and
sound similar.
The rules:
“Than” is used in comparisons.
“Then” is used to indicate something following something else in time, as in step-by-
step instructions, or planning a schedule (“we’ll go there then there”).
How not to do it:
She was better at it then him
It was more then enough
We’ll go to the baker first , than the coffee shop
How to do it properly:
10. Me/myself/I
The matter of how to refer to oneself causes all manner of conundrums, particularly
when referring to another person in the same sentence. Here’s how to remember
whether to use “me”, “myself” or “I”.
The rules:
When referring to yourself and someone else, put their name first in the sentence.
Choose “me” or “I” by removing their name and seeing which sounds right.
For example, with the sentence “John and I are off to the circus”, you wouldn’t say
“me is off to the circus” if it was just you; you’d say “I am off to the circus”. Therefore
when talking about going with someone else, you say “John and I”.
You only use “myself” if you’ve already used “I”, making you the subject of the
sentence.
Me is an object pronoun, which means that it refers to the person that the action of a verb is
being done to, or to whom a preposition refers.
How not to do it:
Me and John are off to the circus
Myself and John are going into town
Give it to John and I to look after
John told I to leave
How to do it properly:

35. 11. Invite/invitation
This mistake is now so common that it’s almost accepted as an alternative, but if you
really want to speak English properly, you should avoid it.
The rules:
“Invite” is a verb – “to invite”. It refers to asking someone if they’d like to do
something or go somewhere.
“Invitation” is a noun – “an invitation”. It refers to the actual message asking
someone if they’d like to do something or go somewhere.
How not to do it:
I haven’t responded to her invite yet
She sent me an invite
How to do it properly:
12. Who/whom
Another conundrum arising from confusion over how to refer to people. There are
lots in the English language!
The rules:
“Who” refers to the subject of a sentence; “whom” refers to the object.
“Who” and “whom” work in the same way as “he” or “him”. You can work out which
you should use by asking yourself the following:
“Who did this? He did” – so “who” is correct. “Whom should I invite? Invite him” – so
“whom” is correct.
“That” is often used incorrectly in place of “who” or “whom”. When referring to a
person, you should not use the word “that”.
How not to do it:
Who shall I invite?
Whom is responsible?
He was the only person that wanted to come
How to do it properly:

36. Time, Date, Day, Month, Year, Decade,
Century, Millenium, Era, Epoch, Age, etc.
From Time to Time From Here to Eternity At Attention
Over the Rainbow Into the Breach Through the Looking Glass
From 9 to 5.
Location Occupied in Physical Space, Place,
Proximity, Coordinates, Position, Address;
Geographical, Abstract or Conceptual, etc.
PREPOSITIONS
AT
TIME MOVEMENT
ON
IN
in on at
by to
into onto over
through from off out
in on at
by next to
beside between near
in front of behind
beneath below under
underneath above over on top of
in on at
by to
for from since
before during
while until after
about
Hours Locations
Areas
Regions
Days
Weeks,
The Weekend
Minutes
Seconds
Months,
Years, Decades,
Centuries, Millenia, etc.
At 12, after hours.
At precisely 7 A.M.
At the time of 3:11...
By five o’clock, post meridian time.
At Christmas time,
family drops by to
visit for awhile and
exchange gifts.
At 12345 6th Street. Through that tunnel.
At the South by Southwest Regional Festival.
At the Museum, near the Theatre, next to the Hall.
Meet at the Hotel, by the pool, by (no later than) 3 o’clock.
On Main Street. On the horizon.
On a plane, a train, or a bus.
On the 5th Floor. On the Moon. On par.
On the road. On an island. By the side.
In a Country. In a City.
In a Car. In a Building.
In the Gobi Desert. By Town. In Space.
In the Area. In an Airport. In a maze.
By July 4th, 1776... On Time.
During the Holiday, it will be
time to step on the gas.
In December, ...
By the 1600s...
In the 80s
In 1492...
A Preposition shows the location (in, near, beside, on top of) or relationship (about, after, besides,
instead of, in accordance with) between a noun or a pronoun and objects or subjects in a sentence.
The placement of prepositions is not uniform, nor is proper use easily learned.
Avoid ending sentences, wherever possible, with prepositions, however, a myth of English grammar is that you may not end a sentence with a preposition.
Refer to the PREPOSITIONS LIST Page for comprehensive list. Some prepositions don’t neatly fit into a category. The preposition LIKE means "similar to" or "similarly to."
A preposition isn't a preposition unless it goes with a related noun or pronoun, called the object of the preposition. Most of the time a preposition precedes its noun or pronoun.
Generally, a preposition describes the RELATIONSHIP of nouns and pronouns with objects and subjects, and their LOCATION in relation to that of TIME, SPACE and MOVEMENT.
GENERAL
infinity
INSIDE
multiple
APPROXIMATE
averageplural
ABOVE
SPECIFIC
Larger
Medium
Smaller finitesingular
PLACE
WITH OF
SPACE
RELATIONSHIPS
Of & With create/describe
between nouns, pronouns,
subjects, objects & verbs.
Innovative
Training
Solutions
accompaniment, relation, characterization, means/instrument/use, manner,
comparitive, regarding, owing, proximity, separation, opposition, possession,
service, estimation, causality, agreement, additional condition/circumstance
distance, direction, deprivation, derivation, causality,
content, apposition/identity, relation, association,
substance, origin, attributes, reference, devotion, etc.

37. Tips on writing good minutes
1. Say who was there
2. State the agenda
3. Write clearly, even if the speaker was unclear
4. Use bullet points
5. Stick to main points and actions
6. Be diplomatic
7. Note the issues suggested for future meetings
8. Vary your speaking verbs