Grammar Central

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CARSEF Wrap-up | Proposals Due June 15 for Region 5 Conference
A Dozen Great Myths About New Technology

Basics for Communicating Clearly

assure, ensure, insure

Use assure to mean removing doubt from a person's mind.
The programmer assured me that he'd meet the deadline.

Use ensure to mean making things certain or safe.
To ensure correct operation, close the door until it latches.

Use insure with regard to insurance.
You must insure your car before you apply for license plates.

respective, respectively

To help users easily understand content, avoid the terms respective and respectively.

Hard to grasp:
The respective temperatures at 0600, 1400, and 2200 hours were 34, 59, and 42.
The temperatures were 34, 59, and 42 at 0600, 1400, and 2200 hours, respectively.

Better:
The temperatures were 34 at 0600 hours, 59 at 1400 hours, and 42 at 2200 hours.

Collected "Grammar Central" topics: Click here.

Questions? E-mail Linda Shacklock.

Rough Draft Home | Phoenix Chapter Home | STC Home | Send Us Feedback | Archives

CARSEF Wrap-up | Proposals Due June 15 for Region 5 Conference
A Dozen Great Myths About New Technology