Clients may not know the rules, but they can sure spot it when they're not followed." Even a tech writer who doesn't have a degree in English has to have that same ability to spot language that doesn't follow the "rules."
If you write, "They was the ones who paid," your eye - or experience - had better tell you that it's not a correct construction. If you know the rule that a pronoun must agree in number with the verb and that they is plural and was is singular, that's great. But even if you can't cite the rule, you still need to recognize that there's a problem and fix it before you send the copy out.
Either through formal training or through years of experience, good tech writers develop the ability to spot irregularities in grammar, usage, and punctuation. For a lot of us, that experience included making a lot of mistakes and having them pointed out by proofreaders, if we were lucky, or clients, if we weren't. However it came about, now if we do happen to write, "Him and me got the contract," it leaps off the page at us, and we fix it before anybody else sees it.
We get mail from subscribers from all over the world. In some cases, the people writing them doesn't have English as a first language. Multi-lingual people are to be admired - and envied, but our focus in these newsletters is on writing done primarily in North American SWE. Putting aside for the moment that there are differences in what is considered standard between English from the UK and English from the US, the writing we see often shows a lack of familiarity with and understanding of SWE in general.
As it said in one email, "A year ago I didn't know what a TW was, and now I are one."
Decide whether there are irregular usage in these sentences based on North American SWE. (Let's be real picky.)
1. Whom should we assume is responsible for the repairs?
2. We were given new plans that called for retooling.
3. We were given new plans which called for retooling.
4. The new system give's us all the speed we can handle.
5. The attorney general's opinions in six states was that they were liable.
6. We didn't see the designer that created the original drawings.
7. The bank agreed to loan us the funds for the new building.
8. Before setting in the bolts, we pre-drilled the holes.
9. Was that him whom I saw running down the aisle?
10. The writer gave the copy to me and I gave it to the client.
11. The writer gave me the copy and went back to her desk.
12. It may be tedious, but punctuation, like spelling is important.
13. The problem centres around being unable to honour the requirement that there be a spanner in every boot.
14. It's a time-honored custom to give a bonus to every full time employee.
15. The hostile media is responsible for the misinformation.
16. The process would of been easier if they had followed the procedure.
17. Just between you and me, it was a waste of time.
18. They'd have been more better prepared with a little extra time.
19. Since we were ahead of time they slowed down the line.
20. The client awarded the contract to Mark, David, and I because we were the most experienced.
When you're done check the solution below.
Exercise - Answer
If you don't understand or disagree with the usage we identify as un-SWE, consult your style guide.
1. Whom should we assume is responsible for the repairs?
Incorrect pronoun usage: Who should we assume is responsible for the repairs?
2. We were given new plans that called for retooling.
Correct
3. We were given new plans which called for retooling.
Incorrect comma usage: We were given new plans, which called for retooling.
4. The new system give's us all the speed we can handle.
Give's isn't a contraction. No such construction as give is.
5. The attorney general's opinions in six states was that they were liable.
Technically, it should be attorneys general's, but attorney generals' is acceptable as long as the apostrophe is used to show possession.
Incorrect verb usage: opinions'. . .were
6. We didn't see the designer that created the original drawings.
Incorrect pronoun usage: We didn't see the designer who created the original drawings.
7. The bank agreed to loan us the funds for the new building.
Incorrect word usage: Loan is a noun. Should be lend.
8. Before setting in the bolts, we pre-drilled the holes.
Redundant usage: Can't drill a hole before you drill it.
9. Was that him whom I saw running down the aisle?
Technically should be he, but, except in very formal writing, him is generally acceptable.
10. The writer gave the copy to me and I gave it to the client.
Incorrect punctuation: The writer gave the copy to me, and I gave it to the client.
11. The writer gave me the copy and went back to her desk.
Correct.
12. It may be tedious, but punctuation, like spelling is important.
Incorrect punctuation: It may be tedious, but punctuation, like spelling, is important.
13. The problem centres around being unable to honour the requirement that there be a spanner in every boot.
Perfectly good UK English usage but not North American SWE.
14. It's a time-honored custom to give a bonus to every full time employee.
Incorrect hyphen usage: every full-time employee
15. The hostile media is responsible for the misinformation.
Incorrect verb usage: media is a plural noun, hence "media are responsible"
16. The process would of been easier if they had followed the procedure.
Incorrect verb/preposition usage: The process would have been easier. .
17. Just between you and me, it was a waste of time.
Correct.
18. They'd have been more better prepared with a little extra time.
Redundant usage: either more prepared or better prepared
19. Since we were ahead of time they slowed down the line.
Incorrect punctuation: Since we were ahead of time, they slowed down the line. (Some people will argue that slowed the line down is more better usage.)
20. The client awarded the contract to Mark, David, and I because we were the most experienced.
Incorrect pronoun usage: to Mark, David, and me because...
BTW, did you catch the incorrect usage in the introductory copy? Good on you, mate.
If you can write a simple sentence in English and organize your thoughts then technical writing may be a rewarding field. You can easily make it a second income stream in your spare time.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the average salary for technical writers is $60,380. Freelance technical writers can make from $30 to $70 per hour.
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