Archive: Punctuation and Grammar
Distinguishing the Em Dash from the En Dash
Think of the em dash as the traditional dash and the en dash as the hyphen. With our numerous punctuation marks, you would think that one dash is enough, but we have two little marks that are referred to as dashes, and if you are in the publishing business, there are...Pinker: “Elements of Style” is valuable but has some “cockamamie advice”
Steven Pinker, the famous psycholinguist, says the Elements of Style usage manual is valuable but has some “cockamamie advice.” In an essay titled Writing in the 21st Century (http://bit.ly/1xBiAiN. Skip the first six paragraphs), Pinker, now at Harvard, notes that...Punctuate for Easy Reading: Insert Colons After Complete Thoughts
Insert a colon after words that form a complete thought, not after phrases such as for example or as a result. It is common for someone to write, The topics on the meeting agenda include: the annual conference, staff additions, and budget planning. Similarly, you...Punctuating “However” and “Therefore” can be Tricky
People are familiar with using a comma before and, but, or so, but however, nevertheless, and furthermore are a different kind of connecting word and can be more problematic. Nearly three dozen words that appear at the start of a sentence and in the middle serve a...Comma Uncertainty: When to Use it Before “Because”
People frequently are unsure whether to put a comma before “and,” but how about using a comma before such words as because, when, where, and who? Essential clause – Words that are an integral part of the main thought of a sentence form an essential clause, and...By Ken O’Quinn
Focus on Them
Perfect Phrases for Business Letters (McGraw-Hill)
TD at Work — Business Writing for Managers
As a contributing author in this book on leadership, Ken offers insights and tips for managing difficult conversations, providing effective feedback, and being authentic. Order here.
Perfect Phrases for Business Letters (McGraw-Hill)
Provides the right words and phrases for any situation - quickly. The book was reprinted in Japanese because of high-volume sales there.
TD at Work — Business Writing for Managers
The Association for Talent Development invited Ken to write this 22-page booklet for the TD at Work series.
Current Blog Post
Accomplishments or Potential to Achieve: Which is More Persuasive?
If you want to persuade your superior to promote you over someone else, you could emphasize what you have accomplished, …