Style and style guides
For the new beginning after the summer, let’s start with a basic quiz about style guides.Discuss with yourself or a colleague, then check against the… Read More »Style and style guides
Writing tip: UK vs US English
Test your editing skills
Proofread and correct these examples from United Nations writings. The United Nations and most international organizations in the UN system use the Editorial Manual online.… Read More »Test your editing skills
That or which? UK or US usage?
The United Nations style allows both UK and US grammar usage. However, editors may have their own ideas about what is acceptable or not. Consistency… Read More »That or which? UK or US usage?
Confusing singular and plural nouns
Test yourself then check below. Which is correct? Sometimes both are. 4. Fish contains less than the cholesterol content / contents in beef and chicken.… Read More »Confusing singular and plural nouns
Beware of confusing words in UN texts
In UN and other institutional texts, precision matters. Yet some of the most common problems arise not from complex terminology but from pairs or sets… Read More »Beware of confusing words in UN texts
Unfortunate email beginnings
Today in international organizations, we’re writing emails to so many different people in different locations that our email language is sounding less and less English… Read More »Unfortunate email beginnings
When you have a relative clause starting with “which” or “that”, do you put commas?
Example The project which received financial support from the World Bank consists of the extraction of oil from three oil fields. “which received financial support… Read More »When you have a relative clause starting with “which” or “that”, do you put commas?
How to use capital and lower case letters in international organizations
Different organizations use different style guides for use of capital and lower case letters. The World Health Organization (headquarters) and the United Nations use British… Read More »How to use capital and lower case letters in international organizations
How to write numbers, dates and time
Different organizations use different style guides for numbers, dates and time. The World Health Organization (headquarters) and the United Nations use British style rather than… Read More »How to write numbers, dates and time
Confusing words: “agenda”, “diary” and “calendar”
Living in Geneva, a non-English-speaking area, we often hear words used confusingly as they have a meaning originating from another language. This is particularly the… Read More »Confusing words: “agenda”, “diary” and “calendar”