Prepositional phrases are often unnecessary and make your writing wordy. Prepositional phrases that most commonly weasel their way into writings (AKA the two I find myself having to edit from my writings most often) include: In order to Of the Let me explain how to nix these grammar parasites from your writing. But first, if prepositional phrases are bad, why do they find their way into so much content? My belief is that it happens because we are wordier when we talk, and sometimes that wordiness carries into the content we produce. This is but one reason why editing and rewriting are so important. Here’s how to extinguish...
Read moreHappy Anniversary, OK!
Watching CBS Sunday Morning is one of my favorite weekend pastimes. This news show is nothing but feel-good feature stories, and I enjoy having a hot cup of coffee or three while I watch every minute of it. Last Sunday included a segment that particularly appealed to me, and if you read any of our posts about National Grammar Day, it won’t come as a surprise that I enjoyed this particular segment. It was a story by Mo Rocca about the history behind the word “OK,” and the fact that today marks the 175th anniversary of the invention of the word. English professor Allan Metcalf believes it is America’s most successful...
Read moreYou Never Know Where You’ll Find a Typo
This is what it’s like living in my world: no matter where you go, no matter what you do, you never get to take the day off. You’re going to encounter a spelling or grammar area in your daily travels if you are a content writer by trade. This is a blessing and a curse. The other night, I came home after a frustrating workday and decided to do some word find puzzles just to unwind. I know that sounds nerdy. Shut up about it. Try as I may, I couldn’t find one word: chief. As it turns out, it’s because there is a typo in the puzzle. I’ve gone through this puzzle five times, letter by letter,...
Read moreThe Worst Grammar Offenses Ever: From the Mouths of Our Husbands
Our husbands. How we love them. We owe them so much for supporting us in our endeavors. But Lord, have mercy! They brutalize the English language once in a while. We don’t want to embarrass them, so we’re not naming names. But in honor of National Grammar Day, which was March 4, Barbara, Jordan and I are celebrating good grammar all week. Today, we share some of our husbands’ worst grammar offenses. Thankfully, we’ve managed to correct them over the years. Pacifically- “I pacifically asked you to stop by the grocery store on the way home.” A few raised eyebrows later, this has been corrected. Prostrate- “I have to go the...
Read moreWhat People Think of Spelling/Grammar Errors on Websites. One Answer Surprised Me.
Credit: Geekosystem In the days leading up to National Grammar Day, I conducted some informal surveys involving my friends, Facebook followers and members of the Lakeland Business Leaders Facebook group to gauge the level of importance they assign to spelling and grammar on business websites. Truth is, sometimes I wonder if maybe we’re a little over the top in our grammar and spelling snobbery here at Lorrie Walker Public Relations. We cast a lot of judgment around here when we come across promotional materials and websites that contain errors. It’s an occupational hazard, considering a significant portion of our work involves...
Read moreNational Grammar Day…in Pictures
We had a great time celebrating National Grammar Day yesterday. A big thank you goes out to Len Erickson and the entire Mayhem in the AM team for having me on the show to talk grammar. Here are some photos we took yesterday. I bet you’ll see some familiar faces in them! Lorrie was on Mayhem in the AM to talk about National Grammar Day. Bruce Turk and Lorrie Len Mayhem in the AM Publix made this cake for our special occasion. Jennifer and...
Read more7 Ways to Celebrate National Grammar Day. The Last One Makes Me LOL.
Grammar geeks, nerds and Nazis unite! Today is National Grammar Day. Oh, how my heart sang when Jordan informed me several months ago that there was such a thing as a national holiday to celebrate something so near and dear to me. Our friends over at GeekoSystem say this celebration began in 2008. Their blog post on the subject reminds us: “We must foment superior communication and word snobbery, no matter how unpleasant it may make us at social gatherings.” Done and done. Around here, every day is National Grammar Day. But that’s a given in our line of work. I’m going to be a guest on Mayhem in the AM this morning (that’s 1430 AM...
Read moreWe’re Celebrating National Grammar Day on Mayhem in the AM Tomorrow
Tomorrow is the day we’ve anticipated all year: National Grammar Day. What’s a holiday without a celebration? Wasted, that’s what. We don’t think National Grammar Day – celebrated every March 4 – is appropriately observed in this town, so tomorrow we change that. I’ll be a guest on Mayhem in the AM (that’s 1430 AM on the radio, for my Lakeland friends) at around 8:30 a.m. to talk about grammar. Can you say “nerd?” I knew you could. The show is live, and callers are welcome: 863.682.1430. I do hope you’ll tune in, because the Mayhem guys claim to have only 13 listeners....
Read moreSpelling & Grammar Errors Can Make You Look Dumb
When you’ve been a writer for more than 20 years and you clog your social media channels with pictures of spelling and grammar mistakes you’ve collected in your travels, friends and followers take notice. Mine start sending me their own pictures of their prized discoveries. Today’s post is inspired by one such gift. The business shown in this photo is a Lakeland business. I love and support small businesses and wish them no ill will when they’re running a good operation. But that doesn’t mean they are immune to being called out when they have such an egregious spelling error on their sign, which faces one of the...
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