Overview/Description When do you use who's or whose? And when should you choose less rather than fewer? Understanding the subtle variations in meanings of such words – ones that are often misused or confused – is important if you want to write clearly and professionally. This course describes how to use commonly confused words correctly, including word pairs that sound alike and those that have related meanings. It also covers verbs that are often misused – for example, affect and effect or apprise and appraise. In addition, the course reviews some idiomatic combinations of verbs and...

Overview/Description Do you know when to use commas in a sentence? Do you know when it's better to use a semicolon rather than a colon? And what's the difference between parentheses and brackets, or between the hyphen and the dash? Knowing the answers to these questions will ensure that you're using punctuation correctly in your business messages. And by doing so, you'll convey a professional image and inspire confidence in your work and in your company. In this course, you'll review the standard rules and guidelines for using punctuation appropriately. You'll start by reviewing how to...

Overview/Description As you sit down to write your business messages, do you ever find yourself wondering whether a word should be capitalized or abbreviated? Or whether you should spell out a number rather than use a figure? Knowing the correct way to abbreviate, capitalize, and express numbers in your business messages goes a long way in helping you to present yourself as a reputable professional. This course presents the basic rules for using capital letters, abbreviations, and numbers. It covers abbreviations of titles, names, locations, and countries, as well as how to capitalize direct...

Overview/Description When it comes to business writing, most individuals don't really appreciate the importance of editing and proofreading a document before sending it. But have you ever distributed a document or message only to find later that you forgot to include a key point or correct an embarrassing spelling error? Reviewing is a crucial stage in the writing process. It entails editing for clarity, tone, accuracy, and completeness, and also proofreading for spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. Carelessness reflects badly on you, your work, and your organization. Taking the time to...