Back to basics: grammar matters!
Corinna Lines | January 22, 2026
Who needs grammar anyway?
You may have managed just fine up to now without giving grammar a second thought. But every time you write something, you are subconsciously using basic rules that you’ve absorbed through life. Grammar is just the overall term for these language rules and conventions — but if you know a bit about grammar, it helps you write in a way that readers can understand.
Imagine trying to write a grocery list without knowing the names of the food items…
- Yellow stuff to spread on bread
- White liquid to add to coffee
- Animal/bird by-product (red and white)
- Fermented brown liquid for socialising
You get the gist, right?
Everyone needs grammar, whether they know it or not
How many of us know the names of the labels used to identify the components of English? If I said, ‘Turn that adjective and noun into an adverb and verb’, could you?
The fact is that people who’ve learned English as an additional language generally know more about grammar and its terminology. People who speak English as their first language tend to just absorb rules and conventions as they learn to listen, speak, and read — often without knowing the names of things.
But knowing the terminology is useful in any role, especially if you are peer reviewing your colleagues’ work and want to sound professional.
Grammar doesn’t have to be complicated
Improving your grammar can start simply, but it will help to make your meaning clearer.
Simpler sentences make life easier
Shorter, simpler sentences are easier to punctuate and tend to have fewer grammar errors. Avoiding a few problem words also reduces mistakes. Take care with the following words and phrases — they make sentences more complicated and harder to punctuate.
However
Just use ‘but’.
Therefore
Just use ‘so’.
Given the fact that
Just don’t ever start a sentence with this. Try ‘because’ or ‘since’.
To the extent that
This is also guaranteed to create a complicated sentence. Try ‘As far as…’ — or just start again with a more straightforward approach.
Can I use contractions?
Contractions are words like I’m, we’ll, can’t, she’s, isn’t. They can help make your writing sound more conversational, but check if your organisation has guidance about using them.
Avoid using negative contractions that may confuse readers
‘Make sure you haven’t forgotten to tick this box.’
Avoid using contractions for important or formal instructions
‘If you’ve missed the deadline…’
Avoid complicated contractions that readers may struggle to understand
‘I wouldn’t’ve come if I’d’ve known that.’
Do use contractions to make your tone friendlier or more conversational
‘Hope you’ll let us know if you’re coming!’
A final tip you can use right away
Keep an eye on your sentence length. If you’re typing a sentence and it goes over more than two lines, stop and read it out loud. Yes, you may feel a bit silly — but everything sounds fine in your head. Hearing it out loud is quite a different experience, and gives you a fresh perspective on how your writing comes across. Chances are you need to start a new sentence, and hearing it read aloud will help you get an idea of the reader’s struggle.
Getting the writing right means it’s more likely your reader will understand you. And that’s the whole point of writing, right?
Want to polish up your grammar?
So, if you want to start using the proper terms instead of ‘naming words’ and ‘doing words’, or you’d like to understand the building blocks in a sentence, we can help.
Take your grammar from good to great with one of our workshops.
Want a more personalised experience?
Individual coaching can revolutionise your grammar knowledge. Write consultants regularly work with people who want to understand more about writing, or who want to write more efficiently at work. We can tailor a coaching package to your individual needs, based on a careful ‘discovery’ session that identifies what you already know and what you want to learn more about.