Grammatical errors are eyesores, so you’re hardly to blame if you feel the need to correct others. But there’s a fine line between helping and trolling. So how can you become a respected voice of grammar authority online instead of an annoying pedant? Here are some tips:

Never attack

Trolls correct mistakes and attack the person by calling them dumb, stupid, idiot, etc. There’s no need to stoop that low.

Keep it private

Send someone a direct message to let them know about their error instead of calling them out publicly.

Make it light

Diffuse your correction by framing it as a joke or a suggestion. Criticism doesn’t have to be serious all the time.

Let it go

If it’s a minor error like a common typo, you can ignore it. Mistakes sometimes happen even to the best of us.

Thanks to Grammarly for this useful infographic so we can politely help others catch grammar issues.