Here is another valuable Management Tip of the Day from Harvard Business Review. To sign up for a free subscription to any/all HBR newsletters, please click here.

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People judge you by your writing, so getting a word wrong can make you look bad. Be sure to avoid these common writing errors in your next email:

o Affect/Effect: Affect is a verb; effect is a noun. It affected him. The effect was startling.

o All Right/Alright: Although alright is gaining ground, the correct choice is still all right.

o A Lot: A lot is two words, not one. Allot means “to parcel out.”

o Between You and I: Nope. Between you and me is the correct phrase.

o Complement/Compliment: Things that work well together complement each other.Compliments are a form of praise.

o Farther/Further: Farther is for physical distance; further is for metaphorical distance. How much farther? Our plan can’t go any further.

o Lay/Lie: Subjects lie down; objects are laid down. He should lie down. Lay the reports there.

And remember: If you’re unsure about a word, just write the sentence another way.

Adapted from “A Quick Guide to Avoiding Common Writing Errors,” by Mignon Fogarty.

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Also, you may wish to check out an anthology, Management Tips from Harvard Business Review, by clicking here.