HAVE YOU EVER RECEIVED AN EMAIL OR TEXT IN ALL CAPS?  OR SENT ONE OUT THAT WAY?

Did you know that this is the equivalent of shouting at someone?  It is.  Even if that’s not how you mean it.  It doesn’t matter the content of your letter, post or email.  You could be the nicest person in the world but WHEN YOU WRITE IN ALL CAPS YOU SOUND LIKE YOU’RE SCREAMING AT ME!

Two reasons to steer clear of your Caps Lock key…

1. People don’t like to be yelled at and so most likely will not read what you’ve written.  For instance, you’re a boss and have fired off an important email about a mandatory meeting and you’ve been heavy-handed with the capital letters.  You’re intending to get a message across and make sure that everyone knows you mean business.  However, on the receiving end, people are thinking that your email was forceful, arrogant and mean.  There may be some long faces and a few uncooperative employees that show up to that meeting!
2. It is a lot more difficult to read what you’ve written.  Studies have shown that type in all caps is around 40 percent less legible than caps and lowercase, or just lowercase.

 

Although the same does not hold true for handwritten letters in all capital letters appearing as though you are being shouted at, writing anything in all caps still is not preferable.  Handwriting analysis mentions that those who write letters using all caps tend to be quite egotistic and hold strong opinions.

Etiquette is essential when you interact with people, whether it be face-to-face, on the phone or in the written form of an email or letter.

Really, the only appropriate time to write a string of words in all capital letters, be it in an email, text, facebook post, tweet, or handwritten letter would be for titles or headings or to EMPHASIZE certain words!