Spotting Signs That Need Help

Cover image
Sign with incorrect grammar
Body

When driving around town, I look at signs. The image posted shows one I see weekly, and its mistakes jump out every time. Let's take a look at it.

First, let's look at spelling, The Canadian Press Caps and Spelling book lists homemade as one word. An other acceptable correction would be to use a hyphen.

Next, we need to see if the apostrophe is needed. To decide, read the sentence without the contraction, as in this example: Homemade food at it is best. The sentence doesn't makes sense, which tells us that we don't need the apostrophe.

So, the corrected sign will read: Homemade food at its best.

Category
Professional Writing and Editing
Marie Antaya avatar

By Marie Antaya, CTDP

Author of The Eclectic Writing Series.

Continue reading

woman writing and contemplating
How Much Are Your Workplace Documents Costing You?
Professional Writing and Editing, Workplace Well-being and Effectiveness
Person at computer above envelopes with dollar signs.
Are Emails Costing Your Organization Money?
Professional Writing and Editing, Workplace Well-being and Effectiveness
The word who with a magnifying class used for the O.
Who is Better? Me or I? Why, I am!
Professional Writing and Editing
Eye glasses and a pen sitting on top of a style guide.
Why Your Workplace Should Have a Style Guide
Professional Writing and Editing
Excited women sitting at her desk, after discovering her proposal was accepted
Getting a "Yes" With Proposals
Professional Writing and Editing, Workplace Well-being and Effectiveness