Learn the basics of correct grammar - Developing your skills

HBR Guide to Better Business Writing - Bryan A. Garner 2013

Learn the basics of correct grammar
Developing your skills

Why nitpick about grammar? Because readers may see your language—especially your use of your native language—as a reflection of your competence. Make lots of mistakes and you’ll come across as uneducated and uninformed. People will hesitate to trust your recommendation to launch a resource-intensive project, for example, or to buy goods or services. They may think you don’t know what you’re talking about.

Telltale indicators

Consider pronouns. If you don’t know how to handle I and me, many of your colleagues, partners, and customers won’t take you seriously. Some errors will predictably get you in trouble:

✵ “She placed an order *with Megan and I.” (CORRECT: She placed an order with Megan and me.)

✵ (On the phone:) “*This is him.” (CORRECT: This is he.)

✵ “Just keep this matter *between you and I.” (CORRECT: Just keep this matter between you and me.)

✵ “*Whom may I say is calling?” (CORRECT: Who may I say is calling?)

The rule, very simply, is that I, we, he, and she are subjects of clauses ; me, us, him, and her are objects of either verbs or prepositions . In the compound phrasings, try leaving out Leslie and—and you’ll know the correct form immediately.

Besides pronoun problems, here are the main types of grammatical errors to watch out for. As for dozens of other wording issues that can torpedo your credibility, see Appendixes D and F.

Subject-verb disagreement

A verb must agree in person and number with its subject . But syntax can make things tricky.

There is poses a problem because There appears to be the subject. It’s not. It’s what grammarians call an exple-tive—not a bad-word expletive (as in “expletive deleted”), but a word that stands in for the subject in an inverted sentence. In these sentences, there is just means “exists.” Take, for example, There is a vacancy on the hiring committee. The uninverted sentence would be A vacancy (exists) on the hiring committee. Because there seems to some people to resemble a singular subject, they tend to use a singular verb. But there inverts the word order, and the true subject follows the verb . And, of course, when the subject is plural, a plural verb is needed.

NOT THIS:

BUT THIS:

There is always risk and liability considerations to take into account.

There are always risk and liability considerations to take into account.

There is many options to avoid a takeover.

There are many options to avoid a takeover.

Another troublesome area for subject-verb disagreement involves prepositional phrases that follow the subject. By “false attraction,” they often mislead writers to choose the wrong verb (singular for plural or vice versa). The object of a prepositional phrase is never the subject of a sentence. It may be nearer the verb, but the number of the subject controls the number of the verb:

NOT THIS:

BUT THIS:

The details of the customized work is delaying the project.

The details of the customized work are delaying the project.

The source of our replacement parts and maintenance have not been selected yet.

The source for our replacement parts and maintenance supplies has not been selected yet.

In the first example, work is the object of the preposition of, so the plural subject details controls the verb. In the second, source takes the singular has not been selected.

Disagreements can also arise with compound subjects connected by or, either... or, or neither... nor. If the subjects are all singular then the verb is singular as well. But when one or more are plural, the number of the verb must match the number of the noun that follows the or or nor:

NOT THIS:

BUT THIS:

Special services or a new product target a niche market.

Special services or a new product targets a niche market.

Neither the education fund nor the training costs is without budget constraints.

Neither the education fund nor the training costs are without budget constraints.

In the first example, the singular subject a new product after the or mandates a singular verb. In the second example, the plural subject after nor makes the verb plural as well. Notice that it’s more idiomatic to use the singular subject or plural subject + plural verb form.

Noun-pronoun disagreement

Strictly speaking, a pronoun must have the same gender and number as the subject.

NOT THIS:

BUT THIS:

A shareholder may cast their vote for only one member of the board.

A shareholder may cast his or her vote for only one member of the board.

Although their is colloquially used as a genderless singular pronoun, this usage is not yet widely accepted in formal writing. And unless you know the sex of the subject, try to avoid using a masculine or feminine pronoun. If you wish to make a political statement with pronoun gender (by always choosing the generic feminine, for example), do so: Just know that some of your readers may be distracted by it or may discount your credibility. The safest course is to use some ingenuity to write in an invisibly gender-neutral way.

NOT THIS:

BUT THIS:

Either the receptionist or the sales assistant will have to change their lunch hour so that at least one will be in the office at all times.

Either the receptionist or the sales assistant will have to start taking lunch earlier or later so that at least one will be in the office at all times.

Three candidates responded to the advertisement for the financial-officer position. Each submitted their résumé.

Three candidates responded to the advertisement for the financial-officer position. Each submitted a résumé.

But back to grammar. When the subject of a sentence is a singular pronoun such as either, neither, each, or every, other nouns that accompany it have no effect on the number of the verb:

NOT THIS:

BUT THIS:

Have either of our clients arrived yet?

Has either of our clients arrived yet?

Neither of the new products have sold spectacularly this year.

Neither of the new products has sold spectacularly this year.

Each of us are responsible for the tasks assigned.

Each of us is responsible for the tasks assigned.

Double negatives

A double negative occurs when back-to-back negatives are meant to intensify, not cancel, each other. It’s easy to recognize in dialect (for example, we didn’t have no choice or it didn’t hardly matter), but the problems can be more subtle in formal writing. Watch for the word not plus another word with a negative sense.

NOT THIS:

BUT THIS:

We couldn’t scarcely manage to keep up with the demand.

We could scarcely manage to keep up with the demand.

Another subtle double-negative combination is not... but.

NOT THIS:

BUT THIS:

The clerk couldn’t help but call the manager for advice.

The clerk couldn’t help calling the manager for advice.

But indicates a negative or contradiction, so not... but may be ambiguous. The first sentence could mean the clerk had some other option. The second sentence clearly states there was no alternative.

Nonstandard vocabulary

In business writing, always use standard English—unless you’re writing specifically for a niche audience of nonstandard speakers. Broadly speaking, standard English is characterized by attention to accepted conventions for grammar, vocabulary, spelling, and punctuation.

You needn’t always be strictly formal—in appropriate situations, use less formal English. But your prose and speech must always be professional and respectful.

Dialect is always nonstandard. Avoid using it in business:

NOT THIS:

BUT THIS:

Where’s the meeting at?

Where’s the meeting?

Me and Kim will handle the Brewster account.

Kim and I will handle the Brewster account.

Nonstandard language may also creep in when writers rely on the spoken sounds of words:

NOT THIS:

BUT THIS:

They shouldn’t of submitted those incomplete reports.

They shouldn’t have submitted those incomplete reports.

Irregular verbs are also fertile ground for nonstandard language.

NOT THIS:

BUT THIS:

We drug our heels getting into the mid-Atlantic market.

We dragged our heels getting into the mid-Atlantic market.

Our late entry almost sunk our chances against established competitors.

Our late entry almost sank our chances against established competitors.

How to correct yourself

Here are three good ways to brush up: (1) Read first-rate nonfiction; (2) have knowledgeable colleagues proof your material and explain their corrections; and (3) browse through guides on grammar and usage, consulting them whenever questions arise.

This last method will help you distinguish between the real rules and the artificial ones that plague so much writing. For example, were you told in school never to begin a sentence with a conjunction? So was I. But look at all the ands and buts that begin sentences in first-rate prose. They’re everywhere. These words, as sentence-starters, keep readers going smoothly with the train of thought. They don’t break any real rules—and they never have.

Grammatically, there’s nothing wrong with using additionally and however as sentence-starters. But stylistically, they’re inferior. The multisyllable connectors don’t join as cleanly and as tightly as monosyllables do.

Do you worry that your readers will think a sentence-starting conjunction is wrong? They won’t even notice it, just as you never do. Good style gets readers focused on your clear, concise message. Bad style, by contrast, draws attention to itself.

For a handy collection of grammar guidelines, see Appendix B, “A Dozen Grammatical Rules You Absolutely Need to Know.” And be sure to spend some quality time with Appendix F, “A Primer of Good Usage.” Fall in love with the language, and it will love you back.

Recap

✵ When considering verb number, watch for compound subjects, inverted syntax, and prepositional phrases that follow the subject.

✵ Never mistake the object of a preposition for the subject of a sentence.

✵ Avoid using they/them/their as genderless singular pronouns in formal writing.

✵ Avoid double negatives.

✵ Follow the conventions of standard English.

✵ Improve your grasp of standard English by reading quality nonfiction, having colleagues review your writing, and referring to grammar and usage guides when you have questions.