E-mail is so quick and easy to write and send, that we don`t give it the same attention as we would a printed letter. It`s VERY important to make sure any communication you send to clients, customers, and prospects represents you only in the best light.

Now, if good grammar isn`t your strength, no worries! I write and edit for a living, so this stuff is my bag. My point is that you should *check and double-check* all communications you send out, or you risk blowing your credibility.

Here are the five most common (and embarrassing) grammar mistakes I see in sales letters every day. And they`re all for words that sound alike, as you`ll see.

1. IT`S and ITS.
   
   it`s ? contraction for "it is."
   "It`s really beautiful outside today."
   
   its ? possessive, something belongs to "it."
   "Our company credits its new CEO for this year`s successes."
   
   TIP: One of my grade school teachers taught me to remember that an "it" can`t own anything, so it doesn`t deserve an apostrophe as the possessive.



2. AFFECT and EFFECT.
   
   affect ? to influence (always a VERB)
   "Your tardiness has affected the whole team!"
   
   effect ? to bring about or execute (VERB), result (NOUN)
   "We`d like to effect this policy immediately." (verb)
   "Those legwarmers definitely lend your outfit an `80s effect." (noun)
   
   TIP: I relate the "a" in "affect" to the "a" in "action."



3. WHO`S and WHOSE.
   
   who`s ? contraction for "who is"
   "Jeff`s the guy who`s giving us a ride."
   
   whose ? the possessive of "who." Something belongs to someone.
   " Whose notes are these?"
   
   TIP: Again, you`re only using the apostrophe with the *contraction* (like in "it`s").



4. YOU`RE and YOUR.
   
   you`re ? contraction for "you are"
   `You`re really asking for a raise?`
   
   your ? the possessive of "you." Something belongs to someone.
   "Mrs. Henley, your dog is digging in our yard again."
   
   TIP: And yet again, you`re only using the apostrophe with the *contraction* (like in "it`s").



5. THERE, THEIR and THEY`RE.
   
   there ? use this spelling when you`re talking about a place (literal or figurative).
   " Sit over there." "Stop right there." "I absolutely agree with you there."
   
   their ? the possessive of "they." Something belongs to them.
   "She thinks the Joneses are so cool because of their new BMW."
   
   they`re ? contraction for "they are"
   "They`re ready to quit their corporate jobs and go retire in Maine."
   
   TIP: And, once more folks, you`re only using the apostrophe with the *contraction.* (See the pattern here?)

Okay, Got All That? : )

Now, if you can`t memorize all these right away, don`t worry! The idea is to realize what you DON`T know well, and have the sense to look it up when you`re not sure.

In fact, why not print this e-mail and keep it handy?