According to a recent Zoosk study, 72 percent of 9,000 people surveyed say that when it comes to online dating, bad grammar and spelling is a deal breaker. Cosmopolitan writes that people felt like those who paid little attention to grammar and spelling mistakes “seemed to be too busy or too lazy to actually construct decent sentences, or like they just didn’t care to.” Those feelings generally don’t make someone want to pursue the relationship.
What else is important? Punctuation. 93 percent of people surveyed said they were more attracted to someone who used punctuation marks. Just watch out if you write “Okay.” Because then we probably think you’re mad.
Some tips to avoid being Tinder’s biggest turn-off: Learn the difference between there, they’re and their, you’re and your, and don’t be afraid to punctuate. Hey, if you’re feeling really ambitious, you could even learn proper semicolon usage! Proofread your messages, because as we’ve read, a simple spelling mistake could have grave consequences. Don’t be afraid to throw in an occasional emoji or smiley face—You’re not a robot. Oh, and try to avoid anything that includes “YOLO”; Zoosk found that sending the phrase reduced responses by 47 percent, and even Drake knows that is so 2012.