Do you use a singular or plural verb to match a collective noun such as team or staff? The answer is, It depends. If these nouns are acting as a unit, use a singular verb. Example: The team is heading for practice this afternoon. If the sentence indicates more individuality, use a plural verb. Example: …

We tend to speak plainly and succinctly but for some reason, when we write, we stuff our sentences with extra verbiage, turning streamlined ideas into confusing, out-of-shape messes. Here is a good example of a sentence that needs a workout: The network that this computer is able to connect to contains information that is privileged …

Should you write 13-feet or 13 feet? Here is the rule: when you're combining two or more words to form a compound adjective in front of a noun, put hyphens between these words. Examples: Lara handed me a 15-foot pole. An eighteen-inch monitor is too big for my desk. Emergency room nurses work 12-hour shifts. …

Do you ever wonder if you should double a letter when adding a suffix? For example, why does shop become shopping, not shoping since hope becomes hoping, not hopping? This week's tip will help you spell correctly when adding suffixes. We have Lawrence K. to thank for sending this suggestion as well as for many …

When you drive your car, there are laws you must follow. Well, there are also “laws” or criteria for writing effectively. Enhance your credibility and professional image instantly by paying attention to these criteria: State the main point clearly, right at the beginning Organize information logically Leave out unnecessary information Use short sentences and paragraphs …

Sentences and lists are awkward when they contain a series of items with inconsistent grammatical structure. But as your reader scans through a series of items with parallel grammatical structure, the relationships between different items of information become clear. Here’s an example: Which of the two sentences below is easier to follow? At the February …

Twitter's limit of 140 characters creates some risks. Here are some guidelines for maintaining a professional tone for your tweets: 1. Ask if a tweet is the right format for your message. Step back if you find yourself struggling too hard to fit your message into the site's character limit. Instead, try turning your message …

Many readers have asked me why people write numbers this way: Example: We will need 220 (two hundred twenty) chairs. While it is often unnecessary to have both numerals and words for the same number, and can come off as pretentious, there are two reasons for using both: 1. You are more likely to make …

Many of us find hyphens confusing. The prefix re can make hyphenating even more of a head-scratching experience. However, there is really only one rule that you need to learn to determine when to hyphenate with re. Rule: Use the hyphen with the prefix re only when re means again AND omitting the hyphen would …

The demonstrative adjectives this/that/these/those, which may also be pronouns, tell us where an object is located and how many objects there are. This and that are used to point to one object. This points to something nearby, while that points to something "over there." Examples: This dog is mine. This is mine. That dog is …