Blogging gives writers the freedom that different mediums might not. With the evolution of the internet it is accessible to most. Blogging requires the basics of knowing how to write and how to create direct content with your ideas. Unfortunately, that sometimes means that other areas suffer; for example, the use of correct grammar. Blogging often attracts a wide variety of writers working at different skill levels. As more and more people take their passion for writing to the web, it’s important to keep grammar in mind. To help you become a successful blogger, here are the top ten grammar rules you need to follow when writing your blog posts.
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Differences of Words
The art of the language can be tricky, especially English. Different words often sound the same when spoken out loud, however, in writing they have different spellings. A classic example is there, their, and they’re, or you’re and your. Additionally, words that often sound the same have completely different meanings, like affect and effect. If you’re unsure which is correct, double check. With technology at our fingertips, a dictionary is only a click away. Always check for spelling and usage.
Spell Check
Along with knowing the slight differences between words, it’s also important to make correct spelling a priority. A misspelled word draws negative attention of your readers. It often throws them off and causes confusion. When in doubt, consult a dictionary. If you pre-write your blog in a document like Word, take advantage of the grammar tools that come with it. This goes a long way to help you improve your grammar.
Conjunctions
You want your blog to flow, not sound choppy. To help your ideas flow smoothly in your writing, you need to use conjunctions. Simply, these are words that help join words, phrases, and ideas in a logical way. If you forget which conjunctions you can use, remember the acronym F.A.N.B.O.Y.S. The acronym stands for the seven coordinating conjunctions: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. When it comes to blogging, you want a post that’s easy to read for the general audience. Try using these words, they’ll help you smooth things out.
Quotes
Quoting an expert or excerpt is commonplace in blogging. When embedding quotes in your post, you want to do so properly. It may seem like an unnecessary and subtle rule, easily dismissed, but it helps to set your blog apart from the rest. Using quotes correctly shows your reader that you’re a qualified writer with a professional blog. The general rule, according to the AMA and the Chicago Manual of Style, is that all punctuation precedes the closing quotation marks, every time you embed one in the paragraph.
Active vs. Passive Voice
Understanding active and passive voice is often difficult. In turn, switching from active to passive voice in a phrase or sentence becomes a common problem. It all comes down to knowing the difference between your subjects and your objects. When using an active voice your subject is performing an action. When using a passive voice the subject is receiving the action. Not mixing the two up is important and will lead to better comprehension. One quick trick for locating passive voice, is to look for helping verbs. If you notice some that seem out of place or unnecessary, try to rearrange the sentence without the helping verb.
Run-on Sentences
Run-on sentences damage the readability and flow of your writing. Translating your ideas into words often seems like an endless stream of thought. However, your writing should never read that way. Breaking up your phrases with punctuation or conjunctions, or separating it into multiple phrases often works to fix run-on sentences. If you use WordPress, try taking advantage of the Yoast plug-in. This tool evaluates your post and lets you know if you have too many wordy sentences, usually with 20 words or more. Look for these sentences, and try to break them up, but don’t forget about the other grammar rules in the process.
Proper Punctuation
Punctuation helps set the tone of your blog posts. It adds feeling and clarity, while it smooths out your sentences. Consider the differences between punctuation like colons, semicolons, and commas when placing them. It’s often easy to know when to add a period; however, most people don’t know the difference between a comma and a semicolon. Of course, commas are most often used to separate compound subjects and objects. It gets tricky when you want to write a complex sentence with two ideas. This is typically when you’d use a semicolon. Knowing what should go where and why is important.
Numbers
You don’t have to write out a number when you use it. The general rule is to use words for numbers one through nine. However, when it comes to larger numbers the rules aren’t as clear. For instance, using 738 instead of seven hundred and thirty-eight improves readability. It also catches the eye of the reader. Other exceptions include writing numbers over one billion. All those zeros get tricky to read.
Second Person
Writing styles vary with every author. Yet, when writing a blog post, the proven technique is to write in second person. You want to communicate with your audience in the same way as having a conversation. One way to know that you are writing in second person is to use the proper pronouns. Instead of using a general description of a particular object, describe it as the readers. For example, “This is your blog.” This allows you to directly speak to your audience. Use pronouns like you, I, us, and we.
Capitalization
Capitalization counts no matter what. It’s important to pay attention to it while writing. Nouns, beginning of sentences, subheading and headings all must be capitalized. Capitalization seems easy enough, but it often gets overlooked, especially with tools such as auto-correct. Technical terms can also throw you a curve. Do you capitalize terms like social media and internet anymore? What about names of foods? These rules vary depending style and culture. When in doubt, check it out.
Put Your Grammar to Use
Now that you have the grammar knowledge you need, put it to use. The first rule of blogging is to just start writing. You might have the perfect topic a great blog page, but if you never get started, then all of it’s wasted. Another great rule for blogging is to double check. After writing a blog post, always go back and check for these ten grammar rules. Correct any errors you notice. Once that’s done, don’t be afraid to hit that “publish” button.