3 Examples of Dashing to the Rescue

3 Examples of Dashing to the Rescue 3 Examples of Dashing to the Rescue 3 Examples of Dashing to the Rescue By Mark Nichol When commas are employed to set off a break in thought, or are used to set off more than two distinct sentence elements, the result is often a flat or confusing sentence. To properly signal an abrupt syntactical change or clearly indicate syntactical hierarchy, consider replacing one or two commas with a dash or two, as described in a discussion and shown in a revision following each of the examples in this post. 1. When issues strike unexpectedly, and they will, the head of the department can expect to engage in swift troubleshooting discussions. The bracketing commas are not incorrect, but they’re lackluster and ineffectual in emphasizing the point of the key interjection; dashes are more successful: â€Å"When issues strike unexpectedly- and they will- the head of the department can expect to engage in swift troubleshooting discussions.† 2. The disclosure of data, even, or especially, to law enforcement, is a hot topic.   In this case, the reader will likely have to backtrack to diagram this sentence in his or her mind to process that â€Å"data, even, or especially† is not a list and that even is the beginning of a two-layer parenthesis; frame the outer parenthesis with dashes to distinguish it from the inner parenthesis: â€Å"The disclosure of data- even, or especially, to law enforcement- is a hot topic.†Ã‚   3. When you write for a newspaper, you actually can change the world, well at least a corner of it, for some people. The problem here is similar to that of the previous example, in that well must be set off from the rest of the parenthesis of which it is a part. To distinguish between the punctuation used to do so and the punctuation employed to emphasize the parenthesis itself, promote the quotidian commas to distinctive dashes: â€Å"When you write for a newspaper, you actually can change the world- well, at least a corner of it- for some people.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How Many Tenses in English?How to Punctuate with â€Å"However†Trooper or Trouper?

15 Things You Should Never Say at Work

15 Things You Should Never Say at Work Ever wonder what sets successful people apart in the workplace? They always seem to stand head and shoulders above the fray. Part of that is class and style. And part of that is knowing what to say, when to say it, and- more importantly- what not to say. Here’s a list of 15  things  you should  never say  in the workplace.1. Anything that remotely seems like gossipGossip is no good. It takes your focus and energy off doing your best work and can also be seen as petty and vindictive. Keep your eyes on your own desk and life and watch your social capital rise.2. Anything that seems like an excuseIf you can’t do something, don’t offer. And constant apologizing for being late or disrupting meetings? That only draws attention to the fact that you screwed up in the first place. Instead, don’t screw up. Make it a personal policy never to be late.3. â€Å"No†Successful people are a little bit fearless, and a lot ambitious. They may not always make g uarantees, but they don’t immediately say â€Å"no† either. Try, fail, try harder. Fail, fail better. Succeed.4. Complaints about the systemIf you’re bumping up against the work system and it’s curbing your style and your potential, ask yourself first if that particular obstacle is there for good. If it is, put your brain into figuring out how to work around it. If it isn’t, try to change it. Complaints won’t help in either case.5. Complaints about workloadMore work = more achievement = more success. Never complain about how much work you have. Get it done, then ask for more. And do it because it is a joy to do it, and to set yourself apart.6. Personal stuffSuccessful people keep work talk on work. It’s less complicated and more productive. And they can remain a bit of a mystery.7. Anything that makes you seem negativeDon’t be mean to your colleagues. Don’t tease them. Don’t be petty. Don’t engage in gossip . Keep your head above the fray and be nice to your colleagues and underlings. Avoid controversy. Keep your good name squeaky clean.8. Money stuffNever brag about your salary. And don’t show off your fancy toys. Stick to encouraging equal footing among your colleagues, and value talent, productivity, and hard work. Keep talk of money out of your office entirely.9. Your goalsSuccessful people rarely broadcast their goals. It not only adds to the pressure on them to achieve them, it keeps them from unnecessary scrutiny. And when they do succeed, the degree of their accomplishment gets to take people by surprise.10. â€Å"Me, me, me†¦and more about me†¦Ã¢â‚¬ The best way to win people over is not to constantly talk about yourself. Listen and show genuine interest in your coworkers. Win hearts subtly and be genuine. It’s not all about you.11. â€Å"I might just give up†Successful people don’t even consider giving up. They think outside the box and find another way. But if they do consider it, they’d never say it out loud. Not even to themselves. Devote your energy to finding solutions.12. â€Å"I know enough†Successful people never say no to a learning opportunity. And they don’t feel bashful about admitting what they don’t know and allowing someone to teach them. A strong desire to learn is what keeps successful people on top of their personal wave.13. â€Å"I can’t help†Successful people aren’t ashamed to ask for help when they need it. And they always try to help someone out when they are asked for help. This is a great networking strategy as well.14.  Anything just for the sake of kissing up to someonePleasing other people should never be your motive. Be excellent. Be genuine. Win people over with your best qualities, not some idea of what you think they want to hear. And avoid trying to take shortcuts or sweeten up the boss by any other means. That’s transparent and won’t reflect well on you.15. Offensive jokesOffensive comments are wrong, but so are offensive jokes. Something offensive said in jest is still offensive. Don’t be rude. Be sensitive to the needs and feelings of others. And keep control of your emotions; that will keep you above the fray.