So what do each of these mean? When is it proper to use each? It’s more simple than you may think!

“It’s” is a contraction of “it is.” So if you can fill “it is” into the sentence, then you can use “it’s” (there may, however, be times when you don’t want to use a contraction, in which case you’d just keep “it is”). For example: It’s nice to see you!

“Its” is the possessive form – meaning something belongs to “it.” Here’s an example: The new hotel was beautiful. Its pool was very popular with my children.

Hope this helps clear up this common area of confusion. Questions? Just ask!

When I’m almost done with a piece that I’m either writing or proofreading, I always give it two final read-throughs before I call it complete. Yes, two!

During the second to last read-through, I check for fluency. For example: does it make sense? Are the right words in the right places?

During the final read-through, I take a deeper dive, going word by word and letter by letter to make sure that all my i’s are dotted and all my t’s are crossed (literally). The name of the game during this final read-through is to question everything. If I’m not sure of the spelling of a word or a grammar rule, I look it up. If I’m not sure that a particular fact is correct, I investigate. I make no assumptions and take nothing for granted. Not only does this step help me make each piece closer to perfection, but I also find that I learn a number of fun facts and/or grammar rules along the way, adding to my tool kit for future pieces.

You’d be amazed at the things I find during these final steps, even on pieces that the writer is sure are ready for publication before sending to Practical Productions. These steps are what separate the proofreaders from the proof readers, and help catch the kinds of things that spell check, or a casual read, likely won’t.

Warning: this process can be very, VERY tedious. Proofreading is not for everyone (that’s where Practical Productions comes in)! It requires the right environment (a cubicle in a loud office is not the ideal spot for this type of work), and the right mindset (don’t try to tackle a proofreading job when you’re distracted or in a rush). It also takes some self awareness and an honest evaluation of your strengths and weaknesses.

The bottom line is that a relatively small investment of time proofreading can save large amounts of time and money, not to mention the reputation damage that can result from publications with typos and incorrect information. The saying, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” comes to mind here!

But with this increase in speed can also come an increase in errors. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten incomplete emails in which the note isn’t finished, an attachment is forgotten, or typos abound. Sometimes these errors even cause the writer to feel the need to send a second email on the same topic, with a statement along the lines of, “Sorry, I hit send a little too quickly. Here’s the rest of what I meant to say…”

Not only do these errors look unprofessional, but they can also result in misunderstandings, clogged up email inboxes, and delays as you wait for the rest of the contents to be sent your way.

One simple trick I’ve learned over the years to help combat this issue is to fill in the “to” address last, when I’ve proofread my email and made sure it contains all the information and attachments intended for the recipient. Only when I am sure my email is ready, and I’m about to hit “send,” do I fill in that “to” line.

Not only has this habit become part of a routine that helps me remember to give everything a quick check before hitting send, but it also prevents me from accidentally hitting send while still writing the message.

What about when I’m replying to an email? If the message I’m sending is going to be lengthy, I’ll often delete who is in the “to” line while I’m writing, then fill in the addresses when I’m sure my response is ready to be sent.

Give this a try – I’d love to hear how it works for you!

As you probably gathered from our homepage, Practical Productions is a full-service marketing agency for those in search of honest, efficient, and effective help with their communications needs. We have a clear and concise page that tells you about our services, but we wanted a spot where we could provide a deeper dive. We felt we were leaving visitors wondering who are these people? Do they really know their stuff? Can they actually help my business?

This blog will be our forum for starting those conversations, and we hope that over time we can not only give you a better feel for who we are and what we offer, but also serve as a professional resource (hence the name “practical pointers”).

So, without further ado, we are delighted to broaden the lines of communication. Please enjoy this growing archive of articles, and don’t hesitate to contact us if something you see here sparks a question or if you’d like to request a post about a particular topic of interest. Happy reading!