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      "title": "Copywriting style guide examples",
      "body": "https://sandralmuller.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Copywriting-style-guide-and-why-you-need-one.jpg\n# What is a copywriting style guide?\n\nAlso known as a corporate writing style guide or online publishing style guide, a style guide is a set of rules that governs the consistent use of language and how you present content.\n\nIt covers the language you prefer to use and how to format it.\n\nStyle guides aren’t about setting or changing grammar rules. Instead, they’re about removing ambiguity and keeping a record of style decisions you make during a project so you can reference that decision in the future or for other content you’re working on.\n\nIt covers things like whether you’ll use sentence or title case for headings:\n\nSlaying zombies at close range\n\nvs\n\nSlaying Zombies at Close Range\n\nWill you use full stop after the last point in a bullet list? Will start each bullet list item with an uppercase or lowercase letter?\n\nWill you use contractions like can’t and won’t, or will you use cannot and will not?\n\nWill you use digits like 1-9 or spell out one to nine?\n\nFor a call to action (CTA) will you use the word ‘call’ or ‘telephone’ when referencing phone numbers? For example:\n\nCall Zombie Hunters: 1800 ZOMBIE\n\nor\n\nTelephone Zombie Hunters on 1800 966 849\n\nNone of these options are right or wrong. Each is a preference.\n\nSo long as you apply these style decisions consistently to your content, you’re right. You’ll also deliver your readers a better user experience.\n\n# Why you need a copywriting style guide\n## Focus on the user\nSet up well, a good copywriting style guide will bring the focus back to the user, which is always a good thing. It keeps the user at the centre of copywriting and editorial decisions.\n\nA style guide might set out who the target audience is and note language preferences to communicate well to that audience. It might set out the website’s readability targets, although smart content will always follow plain English principles.\n\n## Deliver consistent copy\nA style guide helps you deliver a consistent style across all pages in a website. Consistent copy helps present a professional image, which can also build trust and credibility.\n\nThis is especially important when a team of people are working on the content. Without direction, copywriters and editors will make style decisions based on their own preferences. Each page will look different to the last. People will format their content in different ways.\n\n## Keep track of style decisions\nAs you write your way into a project, you make a lot of style decisions and a style guide is the best way to record them.\n\nWhen you’re working in a team of writers and editors, the style guide needs to be a shared resource. Using a shared Google Doc or Wiki are ways to share the style guide among team members. It also becomes a single source of truth and the version that you continually update and refer to.\n\n# Examples of copywriting style guides\nThere’s no need to create your own style guide. Other organisations have done it for you.\n\n## Digital Transformation Agency Content Guide\nhttps://guides.service.gov.au/content-guide/\nBecause I’m based in Australia and more than half of my work is for government clients writing plain English content, I follow the Australian Government’s Digital Transformation Agency’s Content Guide. \n\nIt covers best practice writing style rules and also sets out rules around accessibility and inclusivity.\n\nThe DTA recently published the first digital version of the Australian Government Style Manual, the manual’s first update since 2001.\n\nIt’s currently available to all in beta mode, but mystifyingly and disappointingly, they plan to lock the final version down to users with a .gov.au email address. They also plan to decommission the Content Guide when that happens.\n\nThis will cause headaches for a lot of freelance copywriters like me who specialise in writing for government and need to access the style guide to ensure our copy meets their standards. I remain optimistic that they will continue to give everyone access.\n\n## The Diversity Style Guide\nhttps://www.diversitystyleguide.com/\nThe Diversity Style Guide helps us write in a more inclusive way.\n\nThis style guide covers terms related to\n\n* race or ethnicity\n* disability\n* immigration, sexuality and gender identity\n* drugs and alcohol\n* geography\n\nIt not only explains terms, it suggests when to avoid the term or use it with caution.\n\n## MailChimp’s Content Style Guide\nhttps://styleguide.mailchimp.com/\nCopywriters often reference Mailchimp’s style guide as an example of a well-written copywriting style guide.\n\nIt’s clear, very easy to understand, and has a handy left-hand navigation panel or search function to help you find the style decision you need.\n\nMailChimp encourages everyone to use their style guide under a Creative Commons licence, so long as you attribute it. Fair enough.\n\nIt might suit your own writing work or paid client projects.\n\n## Quickbooks Style Guide\nhttps://designsystem.quickbooks.com/content/\nI discovered this Intuit Quickbooks Style Guide when I met one of its authors, Michael Haggerty-Villa, at a content strategy conference. His talk was on transforming content with style guides.\n\nI like how they include examples of what to do and what not to do. It makes their style guide suggestions so clear and reduces ambiguity.\n\nIt’s a good idea to include these ‘Do’ and ‘Don’t’ examples in a style guide.\n\nBefore using this style guide, check their Terms of use. It’s OK to look at it and refer to it, but it’s not OK to profit from it.\n\n## Shopify Content Style Guide\nhttps://polaris.shopify.com/content/voice-and-tone\nShopify provides an online writing style guide to help external developers and their teams meet Shopify’s content standards.\n\nI like their ‘Voice and tone’ section. Like Quickbooks, they provide simple examples of what to do and what not to do.\n\n# What does a style guide include?\n\nIf you’re putting together a style guide for your client or for your organisation or even yourself, here’s the bare minimum I’d include:\n\n* tone of voice\n* punctuation\n* numbers\n* contractions\n* capitalisation\n* bullet lists\n* formatting of time and dates\n* preferred spelling and word usage\n\n# Academic style manuals\nIf you’re working in an education setting, then the Chicago Manual of Style or the APA Style Manual is sure to come up as the style standard you’ll be asked to follow.\n\n## Chicago Manual of Style\nhttps://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/\nWriters and editors often reference the Chicago Manual of Style as the gold standard of academic style manuals. Their referencing style is used in many university settings around the world, including Australia.\n\nThis style guide also includes punctuation, grammar, preferred spellings, numbers and much more, which non-academic writers also find handy.\n\n## APA Style Manual\nhttps://apastyle.apa.org/\nThe APA Style Manual is another popular choice for students and academics. It also has wider applications beyond academic settings.\n\n# News sites style guides\nNews sites usually provide online style guides for their journalists and anyone else who writes for them.\n\n## The ABC Style Guide\nhttps://about.abc.net.au/abc-editorial/the-abc-style-guide/\nThe ABC has its own style guide.\n\nIt has sections for reporting on business, religion, the military and legal terms, which is handy.\n\n## The Guardian Style Guide\nhttps://www.theguardian.com/info/series/guardian-and-observer-style-guide\nThe Guardian’s style guide is not a good style guide. They don’t categorise elements. Instead, it offers a mixed A-Z list of terms and their meanings, punctuation, numbers, etc.\n\nYou need to know which specific term you’re looking for. It might be hard to find the style answer you need.\n\n# Do you need a style guide?\nThe not-so-definitive answer? Probably.\n\nIf you collaborate on content with a team of writers and editors, then yes, you absolutely need one. It will create that single source of truth that all team members can refer to so they can keep content consistent.\n\nIf you want to keep track of your own style decisions to ensure the content you create is consistent, then yes, a style guide will be invaluable.\n\nIf you use an in-house style guide or refer to a different one and you have permission to share it, drop it in the comments below. I’d love to check it out.",
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      "title": "The sad case of the misunderstood apostrophe",
      "body": "<center>https://thesmarterwriter.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/The-sad-case-of-the-misunderstood-apostrophe-and-why-it-matters.jpg</center> <br/><img src=\"https://thesmarterwriter.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/The-sad-case-of-the-misunderstood-apostrophe-and-why-it-matters-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"The sad case of the misunderstood apostrophe\" class=\"wp-image-1192\"/>\n<p>You may have seen a sad little article doing the rounds across social media recently about&nbsp;the<strong>&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-02/apostrophe-protection-society-closes-down-john-richards/11756830?sf225016450=1&amp;fbclid=IwAR2QKawKNXuDO2f2MaIFEEZv1nYz5FzPgZ_GT4Jq5ClnkUtkouCzr9lhi1Q\" target=\"_blank\">Apostrophe Protection Society closing</a></strong>. Its founder, John Richards, has given up the good fight. He's also 94 and has better things to do with the rest of his life than be a grammar pedant.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>The sad little apostrophe might be the verge of extinction, but I like the little signal it sends to&nbsp;help me decipher a word's meaning and intention.   &nbsp;</p>\n<p>The apostrophe is an often misunderstood and overlooked critter. Yet for such a small mark, it has a big meaning. It tells us so much in this 1 small signal. </p>\n<p> To keep John's good fight going, here's a reminder about when and how and when not to use an apostrophe.&nbsp; </p>\n<p>Sometimes people use apostrophes incorrectly and sometimes not at all. So let's take a refresher on apostrophe use.&nbsp;</p>\n<h2>Apostrophes and possessives</h2>\n<p>We use apostrophes to show that something belongs to someone or something.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f;&nbsp; The zombie's desire for brains drew it to the cowering child.</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f;&nbsp; A zombie slayer's stake&nbsp;pierced the eye of the zombie.</p>\n<p>Phew! Lucky child. </p>\n<p>That's a straightforward example of apostrophe use. It gets a little less straightforward when we use apostrophes with plurals to show ownership.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f;&nbsp; The zombies' path through town caused mayhem.</p>\n<p>Here we're talking about more than one zombie. We're talking about a group of zombies and the path they take through town. Pesky zombies. We add the apostrophe after the S that shows it's a plural.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f;&nbsp; The slayers' plans were not strategic&nbsp;and the town fell to zombies.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Again, placing the apostrophe after the 'S' shows that we're talking about&nbsp;more than one slayer. Silly slayers.&nbsp;I hope that kid is OK.</p>\n<p>It's even less straightforward when the word that needs an apostrophe ends in the letter S when it's not a plural. In that case, it depends on your style guide. Both sentences are correct:</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f;&nbsp; The bus's wheels ran over the zombie with less impact than a speed hump. Squelch.</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f;&nbsp; The bus'&nbsp;wheels ran over the zombie with less impact than a speed hump. Squelch.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>If we're talking about more than one bus and the word ends in 'ES'? We had the apostrophe after the ES.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f;&nbsp; The buses' wheels ran over the zombie.</p>\n<p>&#x274c;&nbsp; The buses's wheels ran over the zombie.</p>\n<center><img src=\"https://thesmarterwriter.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/The-sad-case-of-the-misunderstood-apostophe-PIN.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1196\" width=\"450\" height=\"675\"/><br/><i>Pin it to read later</i></center>\n\n<h3>Possessive pronouns and apostrophes</h3>\n<p>I thought of an interesting case with possessives where we don't use apostrophes. </p>\n<p>Ah, bless the English language, right? There are always exceptions. </p>\n<p>We don't use apostrophes for possessive&nbsp;pronouns.</p>\n<p>Possessive pronouns are words like its, hers, yours, ours, etc. </p>\n<p>But we do use apostrophes for indefinite pronouns like somebody's pitchfork or no one's stake or everybody's running for the safe house. </p>\n<h2>Apostrophes and contractions</h2>\n<p>When we shorten (or 'contract') a word by taking letters out, we use an apostrophe to show that there are missing letters. For example:&nbsp;</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f;&nbsp; Do not becomes don't</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f;&nbsp; You are becomes you're</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f;&nbsp; Would have becomes would've</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f;&nbsp; Will not becomes won't</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f;&nbsp; You all becomes y'all</p>\n<p>Easy peasy, right?&nbsp;Sure, until we get to the its vs it's confusion. </p>\n<h3>Its vs it's</h3>\n<p>This one trips people up. If I didn't have <a href=\"https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=7823\"><strong>ProWritingAid</strong></a> installed on my computer and in my browser, I'd mess this one up all the time, too, because it's so easy to miss.  </p>\n<p>'It's' is a contraction. It means it is. </p>\n<p>'Its' is a possessive pronoun. </p>\n<p>For example: </p>\n<p> &#x2714;&#xfe0f;&nbsp; The zombie snagged its leg on the broken fence. It's stuck. </p>\n<p>In the first sentence, 'its leg' indicates possession, so we don't use an apostrophe because it's a possessive pronoun. We're talking about the leg that belongs to the zombie. The second sentence uses an apostrophe to indicate a contraction for 'it is'. </p>\n<p>Sometimes an easy way to check if you should write 'it's' is to write it out like this:</p>\n<p> &#x274c;&nbsp;The zombie snagged it is leg on the broken fence.  </p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f;&nbsp; &nbsp;It is stuck.</p>\n<p>The first sentence doesn't make sense. No apostrophe for you. The second sentence does. You get an apostrophe. </p>\n<h3>When not to use apostrophes</h3>\n<p>I often see apostrophes when referring to a decade, like the 1950s.</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f;&nbsp; Zombie movies became popular in the late 1960s after the release of&nbsp;George A Romero's Night of the Living Dead.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n<p>&#x274c;&nbsp; Zombie movies became popular in the late 1960's after the release of&nbsp;George A Romero's Night of the Living Dead.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n<p>I also see people using apostrophes with plurals:</p>\n<p>&#x274c;&nbsp;Zombie movie's became popular...&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Or with verbs:</p>\n<p>&#x274c; The zombies see's the child climbing the fence.</p>\n<h2>Why it's important to use apostrophes correctly</h2>\n<p>This post might sound like I'm a grammar pedant. But I'm generally&nbsp;not. </p>\n<p>When I see apostrophes used incorrectly and I'm annoyed, it's not because I'm being all judgey judgey and a condescending prat. It's just that it takes my brain an extra second or 2 to process the writer's intent and re-interpret the sentence. </p>\n<p>The incorrect use of apostrophes adds to my cognitive load and slows down my reading while I mentally correct the mistake and figure out the writer's intent. And that's what I don't like about it. Always keep your readers in mind. Give them a smooth reading experience. </p>\n<p>Apostrophes mean something. They are not arbitrary symbols. </p>\n<p>Each apostrophe is a little signal that tells my brain it represents a plural or possession. Mixing them up or not using them at all, can change the meaning of your words. &nbsp; &nbsp;</p>\n<p>Are you on Team Apostrophe or Team Dont Care? [Before you scold me, the lack of apostrophe was intentional. Did I make your eyes twitch?] </p>\n<p>For weekly tips, explanations and zombie exploits like this, <a href=\"https://thesmarterwriter.com/join-the-smarter-writer-newsletter/\">sign up for my newsletter</a>. <br> </p>\n <br /><center><hr/><em>Posted from my <a href=\"https://thesmarterwriter.com\">blog</a>.",
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      "author": "sandramuller",
      "permlink": "thesadcaseofthemisunderstoodapostrophe-z1sz9d9ldo",
      "title": "The sad case of the misunderstood apostrophe",
      "body": "<center>https://thesmarterwriter.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/The-sad-case-of-the-misunderstood-apostrophe-and-why-it-matters.jpg</center> <br/><img src=\"https://thesmarterwriter.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/The-sad-case-of-the-misunderstood-apostrophe-and-why-it-matters-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"The sad case of the misunderstood apostrophe\" class=\"wp-image-1192\"/>\n<p>You may have seen a sad little article doing the rounds across social media recently about the<strong> <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-02/apostrophe-protection-society-closes-down-john-richards/11756830?sf225016450=1&amp;fbclid=IwAR2QKawKNXuDO2f2MaIFEEZv1nYz5FzPgZ_GT4Jq5ClnkUtkouCzr9lhi1Q\" target=\"_blank\">Apostrophe Protection Society closing</a></strong>. Its founder, John Richards, has given up the good fight. He's also 94 and has better things to do with the rest of his life than be a grammar pedant. </p>\n<p>The sad little apostrophe might be the verge of extinction, but I like the little signal it sends to help me decipher a word's meaning and intention.    </p>\n<p>The apostrophe is an often misunderstood and overlooked critter. Yet for such a small mark, it has a big meaning. It tells us so much in this 1 small signal. </p>\n<p> To keep John's good fight going, here's a reminder about when and how and when not to use an apostrophe.  </p>\n<p>Sometimes people use apostrophes incorrectly and sometimes not at all. So let's take a refresher on apostrophe use. </p>\n<h2>Apostrophes and possessives</h2>\n<p>We use apostrophes to show that something belongs to someone or something.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f;&nbsp; The zombie's desire for brains drew it to the cowering child.</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f;&nbsp; A zombie slayer's stake&nbsp;pierced the eye of the zombie.</p>\n<p>Phew! Lucky child. </p>\n<p>That's a straightforward example of apostrophe use. It gets a little less straightforward when we use apostrophes with plurals to show ownership. </p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f;&nbsp; The zombies' path through town caused mayhem.</p>\n<p>Here we're talking about more than one zombie. We're talking about a group of zombies and the path they take through town. Pesky zombies. We add the apostrophe after the S that shows it's a plural.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f;&nbsp; The slayers' plans were not strategic&nbsp;and the town fell to zombies.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Again, placing the apostrophe after the 'S' shows that we're talking about more than one slayer. Silly slayers. I hope that kid is OK.</p>\n<p>It's even less straightforward when the word that needs an apostrophe ends in the letter S when it's not a plural. In that case, it depends on your style guide. Both sentences are correct:</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f;&nbsp; The bus's wheels ran over the zombie with less impact than a speed hump. Squelch.</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f;&nbsp; The bus'&nbsp;wheels ran over the zombie with less impact than a speed hump. Squelch.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>If we're talking about more than one bus and the word ends in 'ES'? We had the apostrophe after the ES.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f;&nbsp; The buses' wheels ran over the zombie.</p>\n<p>&#x274c;  The buses's wheels ran over the zombie.</p>\n<center><img src=\"https://thesmarterwriter.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/The-sad-case-of-the-misunderstood-apostophe-PIN.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1196\" width=\"450\" height=\"675\"/><br/><i>Pin it to read later</i></center>\n\n<h3>Possessive pronouns and apostrophes</h3>\n<p>I thought of an interesting case with possessives where we don't use apostrophes. </p>\n<p>Ah, bless the English language, right? There are always exceptions. </p>\n<p>We don't use apostrophes for possessive pronouns.</p>\n<p>Possessive pronouns are words like its, hers, yours, ours, etc. </p>\n<p>But we do use apostrophes for indefinite pronouns like somebody's pitchfork or no one's stake or everybody's running for the safe house. </p>\n<h2>Apostrophes and contractions</h2>\n<p>When we shorten (or 'contract') a word by taking letters out, we use an apostrophe to show that there are missing letters. For example:&nbsp;</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f;&nbsp; Do not becomes don't</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f;&nbsp; You are becomes you're</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f;&nbsp; Would have becomes would've</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f;&nbsp; Will not becomes won't</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f;&nbsp; You all becomes y'all</p>\n<p>Easy peasy, right? Sure, until we get to the its vs it's confusion. </p>\n<h3>Its vs it's</h3>\n<p>This one trips people up. If I didn't have <a href=\"https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=7823\"><strong>ProWritingAid</strong></a> installed on my computer and in my browser, I'd mess this one up all the time, too, because it's so easy to miss.  </p>\n<p>'It's' is a contraction. It means it is. </p>\n<p>'Its' is a possessive pronoun. </p>\n<p>For example: </p>\n<p> &#x2714;&#xfe0f;&nbsp; The zombie snagged its leg on the broken fence. It's stuck. </p>\n<p>In the first sentence, 'its leg' indicates possession, so we don't use an apostrophe because it's a possessive pronoun. We're talking about the leg that belongs to the zombie. The second sentence uses an apostrophe to indicate a contraction for 'it is'. </p>\n<p>Sometimes an easy way to check if you should write 'it's' is to write it out like this:</p>\n<p> &#x274c; The zombie snagged it is leg on the broken fence.  </p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f;   It is stuck.</p>\n<p>The first sentence doesn't make sense. No apostrophe for you. The second sentence does. You get an apostrophe. </p>\n<h3>When not to use apostrophes</h3>\n<p>I often see apostrophes when referring to a decade, like the 1950s.</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f;&nbsp; Zombie movies became popular in the late 1960s after the release of&nbsp;George A Romero's Night of the Living Dead.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n<p>&#x274c;&nbsp; Zombie movies became popular in the late 1960's after the release of&nbsp;George A Romero's Night of the Living Dead.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n<p>I also see people using apostrophes with plurals:</p>\n<p>&#x274c;&nbsp;Zombie movie's became popular...&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Or with verbs:</p>\n<p>&#x274c; The zombies see's the child climbing the fence.</p>\n<h2>Why it's important to use apostrophes correctly</h2>\n<p>This post might sound like I'm a grammar pedant. But I'm generally not. </p>\n<p>When I see apostrophes used incorrectly and I'm annoyed, it's not because I'm being all judgey judgey and a condescending prat. It's just that it takes my brain an extra second or 2 to process the writer's intent and re-interpret the sentence. </p>\n<p>The incorrect use of apostrophes adds to my cognitive load and slows down my reading while I mentally correct the mistake and figure out the writer's intent. And that's what I don't like about it. Always keep your readers in mind. Give them a smooth reading experience. </p>\n<p>Apostrophes mean something. They are not arbitrary symbols. </p>\n<p>Each apostrophe is a little signal that tells my brain it represents a plural or possession. Mixing them up or not using them at all, can change the meaning of your words.    </p>\n<p> Are you on Team Apostrophe or Team Dont Care? [Before you scold me, the lack of apostrophe was intentional. Did I make your eyes twitch?] </p>\n<p>For weekly tips, explanations and zombie exploits like this, <a href=\"https://thesmarterwriter.com/join-the-smarter-writer-newsletter/\">sign up for my newsletter</a>. <br> </p>\n <br /><center><hr/><em>Posted from my <a href=\"https://thesmarterwriter.com\">blog</a>.",
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      "body": "<center>https://thesmarterwriter.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Stabbing-zombies-with-pitchforks.jpg</center> <br/><img src=\"https://thesmarterwriter.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Stabbing-zombies-with-pitchforks-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"Stabbing zombies with pitchforks and culling -ing words\" class=\"wp-image-1182\"/>\n<h2>Gerunds - nouns that end in -ing are OK</h2>\n<p>When I taught English to kids in Korea in the early 2000s, my most advanced group of students moved onto the final English book in a series. They started learning grammar concepts I didn't understand. How embarrassing!  </p>\n<p>My Korean co-workers knew far more about English grammar than I did. And that makes sense. I didn't really learn grammar until I started learning a foreign language. At first it was Italian in high school and then Korean in Korea. My students were far more advanced at English than I was at Korean.</p>\n<p>So here I was, trying to sound intelligent to a group of 12-year-old girls about grammar concepts I had to Google before each class. One of the first concepts I Googled was 'gerunds'. A gerund is a noun based on a verb. Like horseriding. Or computer training. </p>\n<p>When I talk about culling -ing words, it's not the gerund -ing words I mean. You can hang onto these kinds of -ing words.</p>\n<h2>Adjectives that end in -ing are also OK</h2>\n<p>Using adjectives that end in -ing is also OK. Words like laughing or bewildering or stunning are all OK. These are not the -ing words to cull. </p>\n<p>So, I've covered what not to cull. What -ing words should we cull?  </p>\n<img src=\"https://thesmarterwriter.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Stabbing-zombies-with-pitchforks-strengthen-your-writing.jpg\" alt=\"Stabbing zombies with pitchforks - remove ING words to strengthen your writing\" class=\"wp-image-1184\" width=\"450\" height=\"675\"/><br/><i>Pin it to read later</i>\n<h2><strong>Progressive verbs</strong></h2>\n<p>The progressive form is a verb tense that shows an action happening now or action continuing to some point in time. Progressive verbs come in all tenses - past, present and future. </p>\n<p>For example:</p>\n<ul><li><strong>I am stabbing the zombie with a pitchfork.</strong><br>This is present progressive tense. It's happening right now. You might also know this as present continuous tense.</li><li><strong>I was stabbing the zombie with a pitchfork.</strong><br>This is past progressive tense. It happened in the past. It's also known as past continuous tense.</li><li><strong>I will be stabbing the zombie with a pitchfork.</strong></li><li>This is the future progressive tense. It will happen in the future. It's also known as future continuous tense.</li></ul>\n<p>What's common between them all - other than having -ing endings on the action - they also need a helping (or 'auxiliary') verb to make sense. The helping verb is a version of the verb 'to be'.&nbsp;</p>\n<ul><li>I am stabbing...</li><li>I was stabbing...</li><li>I will be stabbing...</li></ul>\n<p>Of this list, past progressive tense is the most common form we use. I was writing... He was running... They were eating... While these sentences are grammatically correct, they are not as strong as they could be. If we remove the helping verb and turn them into the appropriate present, past or future tense, the sentence is much stronger. </p>\n<p>For example:</p>\n<p>&#x274c; I am stabbing a zombie with a pitchfork.</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f; I stab a zombie with a pitchfork.</p>\n<p>&#x274c; I was stabbing a zombie with a pitchfork.</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f; I stabbed a zombie with a pitchfork.</p>\n<p>&#x274c; I will be stabbing a zombie with a pitchfork.</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f; I will stab a zombie with a pitchfork.</p>\n<p>Note how much more direct, punchier and concise the second examples are. The progressive verb tense brings the reader out of the action. Regular tense puts them into the thick of it.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>You don't need to cull all progressive -ing words, but be aware of them. If you want to make a direct impact with a message, avoid the progressive tense with its bloated helping verb. </p>\n<h2>Too many -ing words in a row. Argh!</h2>\n<p>Another thing to note: too many -ing words close together can turn a short sentence into very hard work for the reader.</p>\n<p>For example:&nbsp;</p>\n<ul><li>After finishing running exciting horseriding and trotting training, I took a refreshing shower.</li></ul>\n<p>My poor little brain hurts while deciphering that. Even though it's grammatically correct, I'm struggling to read and comprehend it. </p>\n<p>Keep an eye out for pesky instances of -ing words and swap them out when appropriate to strengthen your writing and make it more direct and concise. </p>\n<p>For more tips like this, sign up for my weekly Smarter Writer newsletter. </p>\n <br /><center><hr/><em>Posted from my <a href=\"https://thesmarterwriter.com\">blog</a>.",
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      "title": "Framing language in a positive way",
      "body": "<center>https://thesmarterwriter.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Framing-language-in-a-positive-way-to-improve-readability.jpg</center> <br/><img src=\"https://thesmarterwriter.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Framing-language-in-a-positive-way-to-improve-readability-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"Framing language in a positive way to improve readability\" class=\"wp-image-1170\"/>\n<h2>Be a positive Pat</h2>\n<p>I was going to open with 'Don't be a negative Nellie' but that's demonstrating the opposite language of this writing tip I'm sharing. </p>\n<p>People respond better to positive statements than negative statements. When writing instructions or giving advice, try to frame it in a positive way. That is, be a Positive Pat.</p>\n<p>For example:&nbsp;</p>\n<p>&#x274c; You must not speak loudly in the library</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f; Speak quietly in the library</p>\n<p>Not only is the second sentence shorter (yay for brevity!) it's also much friendlier. When I read instructions like 'YOU MUST NOT SPEAK LOUDLY IN THE LIBRARY' my mind conjures a crotchety old woman with a snarling face, poking me with a gnarled finger. That's not how I want my words to represent my brand. </p>\n<p>I'd much rather she spoke like a Positive Pat and said, \"Speak quietly in the library\". </p>\n<h3>What is positive language?</h3>\n<p>Positive language structures sentences in a way that uses words and phrases that have a friendly, supportive and helpful tone.  </p>\n<p>Customer service staff are often trained to deliver positive responses. </p>\n<p>Rather than saying, \"I can't help you because I don't have access to your account,\" they'll say, \"I'll put you through to someone with access to your account who can help you.\" </p>\n<p>I know which one of these responses I'd prefer, even if I might sigh about being transferred and having to repeat my request. </p>\n<p>We can take lessons from the customer service industry and apply them to our everyday business writing, blogging and social media posting. </p>\n<img src=\"https://thesmarterwriter.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Using-positive-language-for-a-better-reader-experience-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1173\" width=\"342\" height=\"512\"/><br/><i>Pin it to read later</i>\n<h2>Examples of positive language</h2>\n<p>Here are some more examples of turning negative statements into positives. it's really easy to flip negative phrases into positives. </p>\n<p>&#x274c; It's unkind to not offer a cup of tea</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f; It's kind to offer a cup of tea</p>\n<p>&#x274c; The search term 'zombie apocalypse survival' is not searched as much as 'surviving a zombie apocalypse'</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f; The search term 'surviving a zombie apocalypse' is searched more than 'zombie apocalypse survival'</p>\n<p>&#x274c; You can't eat dessert until you finish your dinner</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f; Finish your dinner then you can eat dessert</p>\n<p>&#x274c; Don't ride in the front seat of a taxi</p>\n<p>&#x2714;&#xfe0f; Ride in the back seat of a taxi</p>\n<p>I hope you can see how much stronger the second examples where I've reframed the message in a positive way. </p>\n<h3>Should I always use positive language?</h3>\n<p>I'm not saying you can never use the negative language - sometimes it's appropriate. </p>\n<p>But keep in mind that using positive language is not only friendlier, it can also be much clearer and more succinct. In each example above, the positive example is shorter than the negative example. </p>\n<h2>How to check your writing for negative language</h2>\n<p>Do a search for negative language. Search for words like:</p>\n<ul><li>not</li><li>can't</li><li>won't</li><li>don't </li></ul>\n<p>See if the text would work better with those words either cut out or rephrased with positive language terms. Flip those negatives into positives. </p>\n <br /><center><hr/><em>Posted from my <a href=\"https://thesmarterwriter.com\">blog</a>.",
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