Lately I’ve been posting about little details that can make a difference in your writing. The distinctions between written English and spoken English provide a rich harvest of examples from which to pick.
Yet not all choices in writing are between more effective and less effective options. Sometimes writers can select an option not according to grammar or function but rather according to style. The options available are equally legitimate; the deciding factor is simply the stylistic preferences of the writer.
Proved and proven provide such an example. These two words are both past participle forms of the verb to prove. And although more writers usually select proved, proven is not a wit behind in acceptability. So either word will work equally well from a grammatical standpoint.
The example sentence in the graphic above uses proven. But if you prefer the more popular proved, the sentence would read as follows:
Yet not all choices in writing are between more effective and less effective options. Sometimes writers can select an option not according to grammar or function but rather according to style. The options available are equally legitimate; the deciding factor is simply the stylistic preferences of the writer.
Proved and proven provide such an example. These two words are both past participle forms of the verb to prove. And although more writers usually select proved, proven is not a wit behind in acceptability. So either word will work equally well from a grammatical standpoint.
The example sentence in the graphic above uses proven. But if you prefer the more popular proved, the sentence would read as follows:
According to the evidence we have examined, our investigation has proved faulty manufacture to be the root cause of the failure.
Language is both an art and a science. And sometimes the art portion provides equally valid options to the writer. The only question then is one of personal preference.
Learning when to scrutinize and when to slide is part of becoming a better writer. Better writers produce better writing, and that helps the reader to connect you, your organization, and your brand with better images — better quality, better service, better professionalism. And that makes your business better for you.
Learning when to scrutinize and when to slide is part of becoming a better writer. Better writers produce better writing, and that helps the reader to connect you, your organization, and your brand with better images — better quality, better service, better professionalism. And that makes your business better for you.
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