Thanks to my colleagues for sharing the article at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-14130854 suggesting attention to proper language is connected to serious money.
It's often said that in today's texting world, grammar and spelling no longer matter. My take: It's unlikely anyone ever experienced an untoward outcome from paying attention to correct usage - but the opposite could occur.
In my resume workshops, I address the standard zero-error principle by stressing how a potential employer might react to mistakes - "the care taken with the resume reflects the care likely to be taken with the job". Throughout our careers, we signal to others the attention we give our responsibilities through the attention we give our writing.
Fortunately, the resources at our disposal are vast. As an example of less well known ones, check out the "Common Errors in English Usage" and related items at www.wmjasco.com.
(Caution: The MS Word spell checker is not among the resources to trust fully. Its sentence suggestions are often wrong.)
But what if doubt does not even arise? Hundreds of cringe-inducers like "preventative" and "please let Susan and I know if you need assistance" pop up over and over - possibly because they are so prevalent. Could it be that in our hectic world, there isn't time to stop and think twice … about the language we use every day?
Readers may be familiar with my attention to language through the document on my website in the Articles section: 100 English Language Traps and Trip-Ups is my personal collection of examples of frequently encountered errors and tips for remembering how not to commit them. I take pride in having been told it is entertaining - imagine "grammar" and "fun" in the same breath!
Comments