Grammar tip from President Lincoln

President Lincoln read all his important letters out loud.

And then he would amend it, crossing out and adding words.

Here's a tip:

Do this with important emails.

You'll catch grammatical errors, and it will sound more conversational.

CQ

P.S. I'm doing this with the chapters in my new book, with great results.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did President Lincoln read his important letters out loud?

To catch mistakes and refine the wording before sending, amending the text by crossing out and adding words as he heard how it actually sounded when spoken.

Why does reading an email out loud help catch grammatical errors?

Because mistakes that slip past the eye when reading silently often become obvious when spoken aloud. The ear catches awkward phrasing and errors the eye tends to skip over.

How does reading an email aloud make it sound more conversational?

Because writing that looks fine on the page can sound stiff or unnatural when spoken. Reading aloud reveals where the language feels overly formal or awkward compared to how someone would actually talk.

Is this technique only useful for emails?

No, it's being applied to chapters of a new book as well, with strong results. The same principle, catching errors and improving natural flow, applies to any writing meant to be read by someone else.

What's the practical takeaway from Lincoln's approach?

For important emails specifically, reading them out loud before sending is a simple way to catch errors and make the writing sound more natural and conversational.