Grammar doesn’t always rule

When I was a teacher, some of the key objectives that primary-aged pupils had to meet where… ridiculous.

It feels good saying that.

For example, if a seven-year-old started a sentence with ‘But’ that was considered to be incorrect.

As an English Leader at the time, I was constantly torn between ensuring that children met government-set expectations and encouraging them to explore their creativity.

For me, creativity is always going to be more important than a set of grammar rules.

“Imagination is more important than knowledge.”

Albert Einstein.

There’s a strong argument for authenticity in writing. If writing sounds too ‘formalised’ and correct, surely the human element is lost and with that you lose connection with the reader?

The solution lies in a bit of a balancing act.

And, there are some important reasons why good grammar matters to your business writing, so let’s explore those first.

Is grammar really important for business writing?

Of course, some level of grammatical sense needs to be established in your writing. If it doesn’t make sense, you’ll lose readers early.

Important rules to follow:

Subject-verb agreement

❌The ball ponds is cleaned regularly.

✔️The ball ponds are cleaned regularly.

Using the correct article (a/an)

❌You can book a appointment on our contact page.

✔️You can book an appointment on our contact page.

Pronouns and nouns

❌Our new lashes are magnetic and our new lashes last for two weeks.

✔️Our new lashes are magnetic and they last for two weeks.

🤔The Oxford comma debate

✔️Want a light-weight gym shoe but you’re on a budget?

✔️Want a light-weight gym shoe, but you’re on a budget?

Grammarly tells me using a comma before ‘but’ is correct here (Oxford comma) but I was taught not to use a comma before a conjunction (but, or, so, and).

My advice? Pick one and stick with it!

As a copywriter, I do what I’m told where the Oxford comma is concerned and don’t lose too much sleep over it.

Luckily, a quick Google search can help with difficult-to-remember grammar rules. Verb tense, capitalisation and correct use of apostrophes are other key grammar rules that must be accurate in your writing.

Want to guarantee grammatically accurate AND authentic writing for your brand? Talk to me today!

Why does bad grammar matter?

A 2023 study showed that hearing bad grammar can actually send your body into a state of stress. It it thought this is because it takes more effort to understand what you are hearing/reading when incorrect grammar is used.

Of course, you don’t want your ideal customers to feel stressed when reading your content. Quite the opposite!

Some people also suggest that your brand’s credibility could be lost and your reputation destroyed with bad grammar. This is a scary suggestion firstly because it doesn’t leave any room for mistakes and we all know mistakes are what makes us human. Secondly, grammar rules can be broken in a purposeful way that actually increases engagement.

In fact, I would go as far as to say that a few acts of rebellion against grammar in a piece attracts me more to a brand.

Examples of ‘bad grammar’ that had a positive impact

Here are some inspiring examples of where grammar rules have been broken to create a huge impact.

Eat Fresh

Eat ‘freshly’ sounds less fun, less appetising and less catchy. Good choice, Subway.

Spread the happy

It’s tangible and gives you a warm feeling. You can understand their message much more emotionally than you would if it read ‘Feel happy when you spread our Nutella’.

Think different

It prompts action and highlights innovation – not just differently from others but completely different.

Because you’re worth it

It’s a sentence fragment but it suggests you don’t even need to question yourself before you buy their product.

Where to break grammar rules in your business writing

Writing that engages the reader is often conversational and natural in tone.

More and more professional services are adopting this approach in their content writing to appear more approachable. You’ve probably noticed it most in emails from businesses and on websites.

Get conversational and engaging writing to promote your business. Prioritise your growth today!

Here are some ways to break grammar rules and make your brand more approachable for your readers.

💬Dialogue – reviews and recommendations

Real people have given you real feedback that may or may not contain some grammar errors. But guess what? That actually makes those reviews more trustworthy. Your customers accept that they’ve been written by a real person, flaws and all! That’s a good thing in their eyes.

I’ve written reviews for bands before using quotes from the audience. They featured bad grammar such as: ‘They’re pretty decent, like’ and ‘I ain’t heard music like them in a long time.’ It worked because it was real, edgy and relatable.

💥’And’ and ‘but’

Please do start sentences how you like. And that includes using a conjunction such as ‘and’ or ‘but’. See what I did there?

It is a great technique for creating an impact with a sentence and maintaining a conversational tone with your audience. They feel like they’re having a good old chat with a friend.

🔚Preposition at the end of a sentence

As an example: These are the products everyone is talking about.

Another example: What should you pair your boho curtains with?

It sounds more chatty and less formal. The alternative to the last one sounds almost medieval! ‘With what should you pair your boho curtains?’

🙂Neutral pronouns

Adopting ‘they’ and ‘them’ within your business writing is a good habit to get into. Firstly it means you are not accidentally prioritising one gender over another – remember back in the bad old days when everything in non-fiction books and information texts was ‘he must’ and ‘he should’….

Next, using they and them is more inclusive of your non-binary audience. Technically, the sentence ‘My client was overjoyed to achieve it themself’ doesn’t make grammatical sense but it is correct and right to include those who do not assign themselves to a gender.

💭Sentence fragments

I love them! They make you slow down when you’re reading and really take in the message. They create impact and thought which leads to an emotional response from your customer.

Here’s an example:

Need something fancy for your promotion celebration? Gold? Yes… Sparkly? Of course.

In short, grammar doesn’t always rule. But clarity does and your customers will demand it or go elsewhere to find it.

I’m not posting a blog next week as I’m taking the day off for my husband’s birthday celebrations. It’s my first day off for four months so I’m really looking forward to it!

In two weeks, we’ll explore how creative writing can boost interest in your service and products.

Thanks, as always, for reading!

Hayley Hickmott-Maurice | Copywriting Services

Grammar doesn’t always rule