Spelling and other mistakes to avoid

From Lauraibm

(Difference between revisions)
(UK English, rather than American English)
(UK English, rather than American English)
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==UK English, rather than American English==
==UK English, rather than American English==
* '''Use hyphens to connect nouns in adjectival phrases, where possible.'''
* '''Use hyphens to connect nouns in adjectival phrases, where possible.'''
-
::Americans might say '' 'board level pressures are making a difference' ''.
+
**Americans might say '' 'board level pressures are making a difference' ''.
-
::In the UK, it is better to say '' 'board-level pressures ...' '' because this makes it clear that ''pressures'' (and not ''board'') is the subject of the sentence.
+
**In the UK, it is better to say '' 'board-level pressures ...' ''  
 +
***because this makes it clear that ''pressures'' (and not ''board'') is the subject of the sentence.
*An exception to this rule occurs in abbreviations, for example:
*An exception to this rule occurs in abbreviations, for example:
::If '' 'AIM' ''stands for ''Application Interface Marketing'', neither the UK nor the USA puts hyphens between the nouns.
::If '' 'AIM' ''stands for ''Application Interface Marketing'', neither the UK nor the USA puts hyphens between the nouns.

Revision as of 13:59, 30 October 2007

Spelling

  • over time vs. overtime.
This is incorrect: 'overtime this group has expanded...'

UK English, rather than American English

  • Use hyphens to connect nouns in adjectival phrases, where possible.
    • Americans might say 'board level pressures are making a difference' .
    • In the UK, it is better to say 'board-level pressures ...'
      • because this makes it clear that pressures (and not board) is the subject of the sentence.
  • An exception to this rule occurs in abbreviations, for example:
If 'AIM' stands for Application Interface Marketing, neither the UK nor the USA puts hyphens between the nouns.

Sentence construction

  • Avoid joining two sentences with a comma.
For example, this is incorrect:
Within the UK, IT accounts for 4% of total greenhouse gas emissions, it is vital for CIOs to act now in order to reduce these emissions.
It should be expressed either separately as:
Within the UK, IT accounts for 4% of total greenhouse gas emissions. It is vital for CIOs to act now in order to reduce these emissions.,
or with the use of an appropriate conjunction such as:
Within the UK, IT accounts for 4% of total greenhouse gas emissions, so it is vital for CIOs to act now in order to reduce these emissions.
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