They make you lose track of what you were reading while you go back to re-read the last sentence and think “Huh?”

The one I found today wasn’t a major thing – but it was enough to make me stop. And I’m sure I know just how it happened. The write made some edits and changes before submitting the article. But he didn’t quite finish.

Here’s what I read: “There is still a huge backlog of these cases or foreclosures that have never been brought forward yet,” The sentence would have been fine if the writer had left off the word “Yet.” It would also have been fine if he had said “that have not been brought forward yet.” But “Have never been brought forward yet” was jarring.

Before you submit an article or a blog post – proof read your copy. See if there’s a word or two stuck in there that needs to come out.

That said, I haven’t read the words that made the laws for the following “rules” but have to assume that the people who wrote them meant something different…

From my email today:

• In Danville, Pennsylvania, fire hydrants must be checked one hour before all fires.
• Oklahoma law requires that drivers involved in fatal accidents stop immediately and give their names and addresses to those who were struck.
• In Lakefield, Ontario, legislation permits birds to sing for 30 minutes during the day and 15 minutes at night.

Be careful… make sure your words mean what you intended, no matter who reads them!

(Hint: Ask a friend or two to read your copy before you send it out… and ask them what you meant.)