In light of social distancing recommendations and more people working remotely, tips about the etiquette for participating in virtual meetings are becoming more widely applicable. As someone who works remotely and regularly communicates with clients across the country and across the world, teleconferences are a necessity when sharing information and organizing meetings with small groups. If you have not needed to interact through virtual meetings…
It’s amazing how many people use these two words incorrectly. Principal is the name that you give the person who is in charge of an elementary or secondary school. He—or she—is the ‘main one.’ That’s what principal means. So whether you are talking about the administrator in a school or you are trying to point…
A few years ago I was chastened by a client who informed me that the word ‘once’ means ‘one time,’ and it should not be used to mean anything other than that. He was so adamant about it that I didn’t bother to look it up. I have heard this admonition more than once (in fact, several…
Yes, Virginia, You CAN Put Tabs in a Table! You may already know this, but it’s new to me. I have found that if I try to ‘Tab’ within a table, Word just takes me to the next cell in the table. If I am at the end of the table, pressing ‘Tab’ adds a…
Use ‘whether’ when there is an alternative involved . . . I can’t decide whether I should leave or stay. Can you tell me whether you intend to pay me? (The alternative is not to pay me.) Use a moisture analyser to visually indicate whether the dehydrator is functioning within its designed range. In most cases, do not use ‘or not’ with ‘whether.’ It is redundant. Please…
‘Further’ and ‘farther’ are often (and sometimes incorrectly) used interchangeably. Use ‘further’ when writing about additions or progress. Hint: ‘further’ is also a verb, meaning ‘to develop or help grow.’ Any further comments must be submitted in writing. To further your career, get a college education. Use ‘farther’ when writing about physical distance. Hint: ‘farther’ is the comparative form of ‘far.’ If ‘far’ doesn’t make sense…
If you have been told that it is not possible to open two Excel files at the same time so that you can view them on dual monitors, we have some great news for you. It can be done! Follow these steps to open two different Excel files on separate (dual) monitors (from one computer):…
Flammable Did you know that both flammable and inflammable mean ‘capable of being set on fire’? Nonflammable means ‘not capable of being set on fire.’ Always use the word flammable to mean ‘capable of being set on fire’ to avoid misunderstanding! Continual Continual implies ‘happening over and over again.’ His continual tardiness finally got him…
Here’s the deal. There are basically three schools of thought regarding the use of any more and anymore: Anymore is a misspelling of any more. Don’t do it. Anymore and any more are just two ways of spelling the same thing. Don’t worry about it. Just be consistent in your writing. Anymore and any more…
If co-workers ask you to give them feedback on their writing, it can either be a pleasant experience or create tension in the workplace. Here are suggestions for successfully communicating helpful input while maintaining a community of respect. Reviewers should: • Be specific. Instead of “This document is confusing,” say, “In section 5, the specific…