“Your grammar is a reflection of your image. Good or bad, you have made an impression. And like all impressions, you are in total control.” Jeffrey Gitomer

I was raised in an age where the spell-checker program was called a dictionary and students were graded on grammar as much as content.

An age where sentences did not end in a preposition, and pronouns like ‘she’ and ‘her’ were used properly as subject or object:

“Her and I went to the store.” No, she and I went to the store.

“Me and her met up.” No, I met up with her, or she and I met. No “up.”

Post from Facebook: “Here’s a picture of —– and I.” No. Would you say here’s a picture of I? No, you’d say “me,” so it’s a “picture of —- and me.”

Say what you will about the speed of the internet and the copious reams of data it provides, it doesn’t make sloppiness or ignorance a virtue.

As though you are so busy/important/distracted as to have no time/inclination/desire to read over your e-mail before you punch send.

Or else you didn’t pay attention/listen/learn while at school.

Get over yourself.

Grammar matters. And so does spelling.

Lazy writing and speaking reflects a lazy mind, for what comes from our mouth or our fingers comes from that same mind.

Strengthen it by taking ONE LOUSY MINUTE to double-check, because spell check, as you know, has its flaws (no apostrophe when showing possession, only as verb contraction) and is iffy half the time.

I have trouble with the auto reply I’ve seen on the bottom of emails sent from smart phones: “Please excuse spelling errors.”

Um, why?

Because you’re (not your) so busy? Or that clumsy?

I remember when hand written notes were de rigeur and a reflection of respect.

The internet may now be the primary form of communication through e-mail or social media—it’s (verb contraction) faster and easier—but it need not reflect laziness.

Good grammar is still a sign of respect for the recipient of your note, and a reflection of the care with which you made the communication.

You’ve heard the adage “dress for success,” especially when applied to making a good first impression.

How about, “speak for respect” as a means to making a lasting one?