Grammar Matters

More and more, writers are getting the idea that grammar isn't important. Perhaps the explosion of self-publishing has contributed. I've had writers tell me that people didn't need grammar rules anymore, because they could put what sounded right, and it was all up to the writer. I disagree. I can and have edited for other writers, but I would never think about publishing something without having it edited first. I can catch other people's mistakes but not my own.

Grammar rules are there for a reason. They make writing uniform in much the same way Noah Webster made spelling uniform in America in the early 1800's. Without either, reading would be much more difficult. Correct grammar makes understanding clearer, comprehension faster, and reading smoother. Readers don't have to slow or stop to comprehend. Today, however, even the supposedly educated people use incorrect grammar more and more.

Here are some of the most common mistakes I'm finding:

• Using a nominative pronoun when an objective case is needed. Example: He gave it to Sue and I.
• Using an adjective instead of an adverb to modify an action verb. Example: He ate his lunch quick.
• Incorrect singular possessive nouns ending in an "s" (you still add an apostrophe "s"). Example: James' suit should be James's suit.
• Misuse of homonyms. Examples: "you're" for "your" or "complement" for meaning to praise, "compliment."
• Incorrect punctuation, which often changes meaning and understanding.

When I read one of the above errors, it slows me down to consider the mistake, I come out of the story, and the flow is broken. And of course, some of the problems change the meaning, like the wrong homonym. I would encourage all writers to strive to get it right and then get a good editor to make sure. Your readers will thank you with better sales and more positive reviews.

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