Confusing Word Usage in Technical Business Writing

Technical Writing actually resides under the umbrella of Business Writing. Many businesses have technical content or components in our technological age, so writing to coworkers, team members, vendors, customers, clients, and any others associated with the business must be deliberate: we cannot write on remote control or automatic pilot. We must make conscious decisions, differentiated from habit. Consequently, the following list of 10 confusing combinations of words and how they are used correctly and effectively will help you write those technical communications:
that (restrictive: only one qualifies) vs. which (nonrestrictive: one among many),
effect (a result or to make happen) vs. affect (an emotive state or to influence),
result (highly persuasive word choice) vs. outcome (a desired learning demonstration),
its (possessive pronoun similar to hers, his, ours, yours) vs. it's (a contraction for it is),
your (possessive pronoun for you) vs. you're (a contraction for you are),
then (a time reference) vs. than (a comparison reference),
fewer (used with count nouns) vs. less (used with amount nouns),
number (used with count nouns, such as envelopes) vs. amount (used with non-count nouns, such as mail),
a number (an undisclosed count) vs. the number (the exact count), and
because of (direct cause-effect reference) vs. due to (a contributing-factor reference).
Knowing these confusing combinations will give you the confidence to "say what you mean, and mean what you say" (or write)!

Words Tell Our Emotional State

Recently, I watched an elderly man, Joe, make a courageous decision to have open-heart surgery to "buy" five more years of life. He flew through the surgery with no complications and sped through recovery better than most men 20 years younger the doctor said. Now it was time for the long rehabilitation, including core body exercises. At the beginning, Joe said the physical therapists were "abusive and agressive." Months later he called them his "angels." How often our words will communicate our emotional well-being and adjustment. Do you work hard at checking your words in your mind before you write or speak them? Do you read and listen behind the words for the emotional context and content? We would all become better communicators if we would test the emotional filters of the words of the moment.