I've always been fascinated by language and writing: as a child, I wrote newsletters for my classmates and books about my imaginary friends' adventures. That love of words eventually led me into a career as a writer, editor and proofreader. Over my career, I've checked thousands of reports, articles and blogs – and I see the same grammatical mistakes time and time again.
In this blog series, I'll share my favourite tips and tricks to help you remember those tricky grammar rules; whether you're writing for work, to learn or just for fun, these posts will help you improve your English and write with more confidence. Here are the top three grammar rules that people ask me to explain:
1) "Which" or "that"?
2) "Less" or "fewer"?
3)"Me" or "I"?
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We use "that" to introduce a phrase that is essential for fully understanding a sentence. For example, if a colleague asks you to "Join me in the meeting room that has a red door", then this tells us that there is more than one meeting room, but only one has a red door. Without this piece of information, you won't know where to meet your colleague. Phrases like this that hold essential information are called "restrictive clauses".
In comparison, “which” introduces additional information that isn’t essential for understanding the sentence’s meaning. At a different office, if your colleague asks you to "Join me in the meeting room, which has a red door", then this tells us that there is only one meeting room and it happens to have a red door. You don't need to know the colour of the door to understand where to meet. These are called "non-restrictive clauses" and are separated with commas, unlike restrictive clauses.
Also compare:
"Simon brought his dog that has three legs." (This tells us that Simon has more than one dog and only one of those dogs has three legs.)
"Jada brought her dog, which has three legs." (This tells us that Jada only has one dog. The dog also happens to have three legs.)
"Fewer" is for items that you can count: it means "not as many".
"Less" is for mass concepts: it means "not as much".
For example: "I'm trying to have less sugar in my diet. As part of this, I'm going to have fewer spoons of sugar in my coffee."
Another example: "I had less time to work this week, so I did fewer hours on the assignment."
"Time" is uncountable but "hours" are countable.
Should you say “Jane, Carlos and I went to the movies?” or “Jane, Carlos and me went to the movies?”
Use "I" when you're doing something – when you are the "subject" of the sentence.
Use "me" when something is being done to you – when you are the "object" of the sentence.
So, "I" is correct here. Here's the easiest way to know which one to use: remove the other people from the sentence and see if it still makes sense.
Incorrect: “Me went to the movies.”
Correct: “I went to the movies.”
Therefore, it's correct to say: “Jane, Carlos and I went to the movies.”
That's when you're the subject of the sentence, now compare it to a case when you're the object.
Incorrect: "Jane invited I to the movies."
Correct: "Jane invited me to the movies."
Bonus tip: remember to always put other people first. So, in our first example, it is always "Jane, Carlos and I", rather than "I, Jane and Carlos".
Grammar can be tricky, but it gets easier with practice – and a few insider secrets. Look out for the next post in this series, where we’ll explore more common grammar mistakes and how to avoid them.
Read our blog posts "11 fascinating facts about English"and "Commonly misspelled English words".
Whether you're hiring new talent or upskilling your current team, understanding the level of English proficiency required for specific roles is crucial. In today's global business environment, effective communication is key to success, and that's where the Global Scale of English (GSE) comes into play.
Staying ahead requires not just talent but the right talent. For HR professionals, ensuring that employees are equipped with the necessary skills is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge. Enter the GSE Job Profiles—a game-changing tool designed to facilitate role-targeted upskilling by mapping English language skills to specific job roles. This blog post will explore how HR teams can leverage this innovative tool to enhance workforce capabilities efficiently and effectively.
The GSE Job Profiles utilizes app’s Global Scale of English and the Faethm by app skills ontology to provide a detailed analysis of the language requirements for nearly 1,400 job roles. This precise mapping allows HR professionals to make informed talent management decisions, including hiring, training and development, and ensuring that employees are adequately prepared for their roles now and in the future.
English is the international language of business and a foundational skill for many roles. The right level of English proficiency is key for individuals and businesses to excel.
But what is the “right” level?
English is not a one-size-fits-all skill. Customer Service Representatives need different English skills to IT Systems Managers. Senior staff will often need more advanced English skills than junior staff.
