by Sharon Ernst | Apr 12, 2026 | Proofreading and Editing
(Originally Published December 2017. Updated April 2026) Use of the ampersand, (that’s what the symbol at the top of your 7 key that looks like & is called,) has long been a pet peeve of mine. In my opinion, it should only be used when you’re typing *&^% instead of an actual swear word, or in a name like the Harry & David logo. It should most definitely not be used in place of “and” in your business writing…as in never. Ampersand as speed bump In business writing, our goal is to communicate clearly and quickly so...
by Sharon Ernst | Feb 17, 2025 | Business Writing Class
I finally published the basic business writing course this weekend. Whew!! You have no idea what a relief it was to finally get that done! It takes me a long time to get these online classes pulled together. And there’s always the doubt that they are as helpful as I want them to be. Are you wondering why I even went to all the work to make this class happen? Yes, me too, if I’m honest. But I have a strong desire to share basic tips and advice to help people improve their writing at work. The work behind the classes Every online...
by Sharon Ernst | May 23, 2024 | Proofreading and Editing
A newsletter reader asked for advice on when to use exclamation points. An editor, she said many of the younger writers she works with use too many. And she’s looking for guidance, asking “What’s an appropriate use for exclamation points?” Gulp. I might not be the right person to ask. I too am an exclamation-point-loving fiend, despite no longer being young. (Although for all other punctuation, I do offer a free proofreading course.) But it’s a good question! This kind of punctuation is similar to emojis, in my opinion, which I am...
by Sharon Ernst | Mar 4, 2024 | Proofreading and Editing
With the recent request that I give more advice on the proper use of commas, I decided to do the occasional Comma Challenge since I see so many errors in my day-to-day life. Here’s the first. How does it work? I’m glad you asked! Below you’ll see seven sentences with comma errors. Your job? Find the mistake. Then check with the answers below, where I’ve made the correction and given the reason for it. Have fun! The Comma Errors Seriously, this project is really fun and easy, you should try it. If you’ve been thinking of trying a...
by Sharon Ernst | Dec 7, 2021 | Proofreading and Editing
(Originally Published September 2017) This week’s blog post is brought to you by one of my kids—because I just found out I didn’t teach her how to use semicolons. OK, maybe it was the school’s job when she was younger, but really, I work with words for a living. I teach business writing skills (for example, via my proofreading class). I know my punctuation. And somehow I didn’t pass along this valuable information. Parenting fail! So I’m passing it along now, in a very public way. (Emma, are you paying attention?) I heart semicolons...
