Few things can undermine a good idea or derail a powerful argument as completely as an obvious grammatical error. It isn’t that the error is all that important in the larger context. Your argument will still be powerful. Your idea will still be good. But a grammatical error will almost always get your readers’ attention.

Unfortunately, it’s the wrong kind of attention. Grammatical errors — and to a lesser extent odd but correctly written phrases — can make readers stop reading. In most cases, it’s a brief stop, a moment in which they might mutter, “Really?” before they continue. If they’ve come across several errors, however, they may simply give up, set your work aside, and turn to something else — a document that’s easier to read, for example, or a video game.

For this reason alone, anything that makes readers stop reading — and in particular anything that makes it hard to understand your argument or ideas — should be avoided. Writing skillfully, however, has an even more important role in accomplishing your writing goals. A powerful verb can bring your argument to life. A well-chosen adjective or adverb can highlight specific aspects of an idea. A well-crafted sentence can frame your readers’ understanding of an issue.

In this chapter, you’ll learn how writing skillfully can keep your readers’ attention focused on your ideas and argument. By exploring some of the most important areas of grammar — using verbs correctly and effectively, writing complete sentences, using pronouns appropriately, and choosing adjectives and adverbs wisely — you’ll learn not only how to avoid errors but also how to enhance your effectiveness as a writer.