How was your weekend?
Did you see any crazy signs in English?
I did.
Maybe I’ll share them with you later.
But first, let’s talk about the sign from Friday…
FUN WITH PHRASAL VERBS
The big mistake was the preposition.
You fill out a form.
You fill up your car with gas.
Now to make the message clearer….
WRITING TIP
Have you noticed?
Most people can speak clearly.
But when they write, sometimes you have to re-read it to get the meaning.
Here’s the solution:
Write like you talk.
What would the guy at customs say to a passenger who hasn’t filled out the form?
How about…. “You have to fill out this form.”
That’s pretty clear.
So the sign could be:
Attention Visitors: To enter the country you must fill out the form they gave you on the airplane.
Clear AND correct!
Cheers,
Mr. Vig
P.S.
Want to know an easy way to remember the difference between “fill out” and “fill up” so you never make this mistake?
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