Write for Business - Blog

Scene is a noun that means "a view" or "a place where something happens," or "a spectacle." Seen is a form of the verb "see."

Have you seen Hannah's office? It looks like the scene of a disaster.

(From Write for Business, page 237, and Proofreader's Guide PDF, page 49)

Singular subjects joined by or or nor require a singular verb.

Either Spencer or Laura is expected to attend the meeting.

Note: Sometimes one of the subjects joined by or or nor is singular and one is plural;the verb should agree with the subject closer to the verb.

Neither his complaints nor his attitude was the reason I changed my mind.
(The singular subject attitude is closer to the verb; therefore, the singular verb was is used to agree with attitude.)

(From Write for Business, page 261, and Proofreader's Guide PDF, page 73)

Sociologists say that when someone joins a long-standing community, that person is always viewed as "the newcomer," even decades later. The one exception is the person who remains awhile, goes away, and then comes back to stay. For some reason, the human psyche is designed to view this second person as "an old-timer."

As a parallel, a bad-news situation in business can actually become good news. It can be used to create a stronger bond between people, if the communication is handled correctly.

Consider: Which of the following suppliers would you be most comfortable with?

1. Someone who's Web site and catalog look great, with many glowing testimonials, but with whom you have no experience
2. Someone you purchased from before, with no problem, but who can be contacted only via an online form
3. Someone you purchased from before, who once delayed an order due to a materials defect, but who personally phoned and/or e-mailed you immediately to notify, explain, and apologize

Assuming the problems with hypothetical supplier #3 aren't regular, I'd predict you might feel most comfortable doing business there. That personal phone call or e-mail with its confession of error actually builds trust in a way that perfection cannot, because a perfect record gives no indication of how problems will be handled when they do occur.

Of course, I'm not suggesting that you go creating problems to solve just to build trust in your business dealings. However, when a problem does arise, you can look at it as an opportunity instead of a disaster. A quick confession, followed by a confident solution, can make you part of a trusted community far more than mere perfection can.

How does this idea match up with your own experience? Do you have an example of a disaster turned into a gem? We'd love to hear about it. Click to comment below.

- Lester Smith

Photo by boo_licious

Compound subjects connected with and almost always take a plural verb.

Hard work and attention to detail are her greatest strengths.

(From Write for Business, page 261, and Proofreader's Guide PDF, page 73)

As an adjective, right means "righteous, correct, or appropriate"; as a noun, it means "that which is just or legal." Write means "to inscribe or compose." A wright is someone who builds or repairs something. Rite is a ceremonial act.

Write the memo again, but this time use the right form.

Get the wheelwright to repair the spokes.

The initiation rites need to be reviewed.

(From Write for Business, page 237, and Proofreader's Guide PDF, page 49)