(vii) Grammar Almost all of us, whe

(vii) Grammar Almost all of us, whether native English speakers or not, have problems with grammar at some time or another. In our haste to get our ideas down on paper, we are more concerned with content than form, and so we often make mistakes. Some mistakes are easily discovered during proofreading, while others, particularly if you are not literary-minded, are not so easy either to spot or to remedy. If grammar is a problem for you - and you will usually know if this is the case - then you should be honest and try to do something about it rather than submitting a sub-standard piece of work. There are some simple things you can do to help yourself: • Write short sentences, as recommended in Sentences, above. The longer a sentence is, the more complicated the grammar becomes, and the more likely it is that you will make mistakes. • Ask colleagues or friends to proofread your work. This will help with grammar problems as well as any gaps in logic or unclearly-explained points. You know what you meant when you wrote something down, but part of the explanation may still be in your head and not on the paper! A good proofreader will help sort this out. Alternatively, consult a professional editor or proofreader consult a professional editor or proofreader if you feel that you need if you feel that you need more help than your colleagues can provide. (viii) Spelling Probably more than anything else, bad spelling irritates a literate reader. Often it is your typing rather than your spelling that is at fault, but whichever it is, if you do not correct mistakes, it looks as though you rushed your proposal, can’t be bothered to use a spellchecker or dictionary, and are therefore a sloppy worker - not a very good impression to make on someone who is going to decide whether or not to confirm your candidature. A word on American vs. British spelling: BE CONSISTENT in your use of the one that you choose. As it is likely, if you are not a native speaker of the one that you choose, that you will not be aware of the many differences between the two, it is crucial that you use the relevant spellchecker to help iron out any inconsistencies in your proposal.Please see Appendix III for more detailed examples and further discussion of language matters.