Here is a rule to follow: use affect as a verb and effect as a noun. An affect (noun) is an artificial air that someone puts on. Do you pretend to have a British accent? That’s an affect. To affect something (verb) is to change it. An effect (noun) is the result of someone or something affecting something. To effect (verb) means to accomplish or make something happen.
8. Then vs Than
When one event follows another, we use then. For instance, “The clouds appeared, then it rained.” When two things are being compared, we use than. “Grandma is shorter than Grandpa.” Although most people learned this in elementary school, they seem to forget more thAn anyone would like. Just this month a news site in Santa Clara, California published a review of WALL-E. The critic said, “The film was shorter then I would’ve liked.”
9. None Is
It’s an easy trap in which to fall. “While I am certain there were many applicants for this job, none of them are as experienced as me.” WRONG! We hope you wouldn’t actually write a sentence like that even without the grammatical error, but making none plural makes it even worse. None is singular. None is always singular.
While the “them” toward the end may make you think, “A ha! Multiples!” the subject is still none, which (did we mention?) is singular. “None of them is” may sound a little off to some, but it is correct English.
10. i.e. is not e.g. is not i.e.
Some people seem to think that throwing an “i.e.” into a paragraph makes them look smarter. Unfortunately, most of those people are using i.e. to mean “for example.”
WRONG: “I have sold many products, i.e. washing machines.” This doesn’t make any sense.
i.e. is an abbreviation of the Latin words id est, literally translated as “that is.” In English, i.e. is used synonymously with “namely.” It specifies and limits.
E.g. is also a Latin abbreviation but of the words exempli gratia, meaning “for example.”
E.g. implies, “This is one of several possible options.”
11. Could Of
When speaking, certain contractions can sound like other words. “Could’ve” rolls off the tongue like “could of.” You have to be careful that does not slip into your writing.
In the past tense, could, would and should must never be followed by “of.” If you use contractions in your writing, the words are “could’ve, would’ve, should’ve.” If you don’t, they are “could have, would have, should have.”
It’s an easy mistake to make. Scan any document or business email you write and make sure it’s correct.
Originally published on Excelle
