Have you ever come across a website, or social media post, that was riddled with grammatical errors? Did it make you question the credibility and accuracy of the company behind the content? It's common to feel this way, as grammar plays a significant role in how we perceive and understand the messages conveyed through written content. 

In today's digital age, where most communication is done through text-based mediums, the importance of proper grammar cannot be overstated. Whether you're writing a blog post, creating website copy, or crafting a social media post, ensuring that your grammar is correct can make all the difference in how your message is received. 

One of the most common grammar mistakes is the misuse of homophones. These are words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings, such as "their" and "there", or "your" and "you're." It's easy to mix these up, but doing so can significantly impact the clarity and meaning of your message and invalidates your authority. 

Another common mistake is the misuse of apostrophes. Often, people will use an apostrophe to make a word plural when, in fact, it's incorrect. For example, writing "I have two apple's" instead of "I have two apples" is a mistake. Apostrophes are also used to show possession or to indicate missing letters in a contraction, and not using them correctly can completely change what you are trying to say. For example, “its” and “it’s” - “it’s” means “it is” or “it has”, whereas “its” is belonging to it. 

Another area where mistakes are often made is with subjects and verbs. When writing, it's essential to ensure that your subject and verb match in number. For example, “The group of students is going to the party" In most cases, collective nouns use singular verbs. That's because collective nouns refer to a group of multiple people or things as a single unit or entity. 

Another common mistake we see, especially in content writing, is run-on sentences. A run-on sentence is a sentence that is too long, or has too many independent clauses, without proper punctuation or conjunctions. For example, "I woke up early this morning, I went for a jog, I showered and got dressed, I ate breakfast and went to work”. Phew, even trying to say that out loud is a mouthful. This sentence should be separate sentences or connected with appropriate punctuation, instead of one long sentence. A good rule of thumb is to include punctuation where you would naturally take a breath. 

These are just a few examples of the many grammar mistakes that can occur in written content. While it may seem trivial, proper grammar is crucial for effective communication, as it plays a big part in how readers (and prospective clients) perceive and understand your message. 

Correct grammar also plays a significant role in search engine optimization (SEO) for websites. Search engines, such as Google, use algorithms to rank websites based on a variety of factors, including the quality of the content. Proper grammar and punctuation can help boost the readability and credibility of your website, which can lead to higher rankings. 



So, what can you do to ensure your grammar is correct in written work? There are several free grammar check applications on the web, including Grammarly, which will check both your spelling and grammar. 

These apps make suggestions on how you can improve your written work and point out any mistakes in your writing. Alternatively, outsourcing to a professional content writer is another option. At Sharpe, we have a professional content writer to ensure your content is well-written, grammatically correct, and gets your exact message across. 

Good grammar is essential in all forms of written content, from blog posts to social media updates to website copy. Taking the time to review and edit your writing can make all the difference in how your message is received and can help establish credibility and professionalism. So, before hitting that publish button, be sure to proofread and ensure that your grammar is on point!