The difference can be very dramatic: an etiquette expert names the main mistake in online correspondence

In the era of mass online communication, basic rules of etiquette for business and personal correspondence have been formed. Knowing the basic nuances of communication will help you avoid awkward situations when communicating with colleagues, acquaintances, or potential clients.

For example, emoticons in business correspondence will be inappropriate, and voice messages can be very annoying to the interlocutor. The etiquette expert named the main mistake in texting that can lead to misunderstandings.

Text messages can be easily misinterpreted. However, it often happens that it's not the words that cause the recipient to misunderstand the context, but the punctuation marks.

Daniel Post Senning, an etiquette expert, emphasized that periods, in particular, can change the tone of a text.

"The difference between the words 'funny' and 'funny.' can be significant. Full stops at the end of a one-word sentence add a dramatic effect," Senning emphasized.

People use exclamation points and emoticons more freely in text. Full stops can add a touch of hostility to short messages.

"You shouldn't end one- or two-word replies and messages with a full stop," Senning said.

However, a full stop will be relevant if you want to communicate that the problem is really serious and express your categorical attitude towards an issue. The Caps Lock, for example, is traditionally perceived as a raised tone or a shout.

Humor is also not easy to convey in text messages, emojis and punctuation are crucial for correct interpretation.

Earlier, OBOZ.UA told that you should not abuse the format of audio and video messages in business correspondence. Voice messages are convenient only for the sender, and the recipient may not accept this method of communication. Sometimes voice messages are perceived as a sign of disrespect.

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