100 Writing Rules Every Educated Adult Should Know

No.	Item	Definition
1.	Apply serial commas consistently	Follow house style unless clarity requires one.
2.	Apply title case consistently	Follow one capitalization system for headings.
3.	Avoid apostrophes in plurals	Ordinary plural nouns do not need apostrophes.
4.	Avoid hyphens after -ly adverbs	Leave clearly adverbial modifier combinations open.
5.	Avoid mixed metaphors	Do not combine incompatible figurative images.
6.	Avoid needless nominalizations	Prefer direct verbs over cumbersome noun phrases.
7.	Avoid stacked noun modifiers	Unpack noun clusters that obscure relationships.
8.	Avoid subject-verb commas	Do not separate subjects from their verbs.
9.	Bracket changes to quotations	Identify editorial additions inside quoted material.
10.	Break overloaded sentences	Separate ideas when one sentence becomes unwieldy.
11.	Capitalize proper names	Use capitals for specific people and places.
12.	Capitalize sentence beginnings	Begin ordinary sentences with capital letters.
13.	Check compound spellings	Consult dictionaries for open, closed, hyphenated forms.
14.	Check either-or agreement	Usually match the verb to the nearer subject.
15.	Check there, their, and they’re	Distinguish location, possession, and they are.
16.	Check your facts	Verify factual claims before sharing your writing.
17.	Choose a or an by sound	Use an before vowel sounds, not letters.
18.	Compare like with like	Make comparisons between logically equivalent things.
19.	Complete paired constructions	Give both parts of either-or and similar pairs.
20.	Correct dangling modifiers	Give introductory modifiers an appropriate grammatical subject.
21.	Cut unnecessary words	Remove language that adds no useful meaning.
22.	Distinguish accept and except	Accept means receive; except means excluding.
23.	Distinguish advice and advise	Advice is guidance; advise means give guidance.
24.	Distinguish affect and effect	Usually, affect means influence; effect means result.
25.	Distinguish count and mass nouns	Use quantifiers and plurals appropriate to meaning.
26.	Distinguish hyphens and dashes	Use hyphens within words, dashes between elements.
27.	Distinguish its and it’s	Its shows possession; it’s means it is.
28.	Distinguish lose and loose	Lose means misplace; loose means not tight.
29.	Distinguish principal/principle	Principal means chief; principle means guiding rule.
30.	Distinguish then and than	Then concerns sequence; than introduces comparisons.
31.	Distinguish your and you’re	Your shows possession; you’re means you are.
32.	Explain how evidence connects	Show how supporting material justifies your claim.
33.	Explain necessary jargon	Define specialist language unfamiliar to your audience.
34.	Fit quotes into sentence grammar	Make quoted words fit the surrounding syntax.
35.	Fix run-on sentences	Separate or properly connect independent clauses.
36.	Follow a number style	Apply consistent rules for numerals and spelled-out numbers.
37.	Give each paragraph a focus	Develop one main idea per paragraph.
38.	Give numbers meaningful context	Include relevant units, baselines, and time periods.
39.	Hyphenate ambiguous modifiers	Clarify compound modifiers before nouns when needed.
40.	Introduce lists with colons	In running text, put complete clauses first.
41.	Keep common nouns lowercase	Avoid capitals without a grammatical or stylistic reason.
42.	Keep essential clauses attached	Do not isolate defining clauses with commas.
43.	Keep heading levels logical	Nest sections according to their actual relationships.
44.	Keep lists parallel	Use matching grammatical forms for equivalent items.
45.	Keep possessive pronouns plain	Yours, theirs, and similar forms lack apostrophes.
46.	Keep pronoun references clear	Make each pronoun’s intended referent obvious.
47.	Keep tone appropriate	Match formality and attitude to the situation.
48.	Keep verb tenses consistent	Change tense only when the time changes.
49.	Maintain a consistent viewpoint	Avoid unexplained shifts in narrative perspective.
50.	Make your purpose clear	Show readers what your writing should accomplish.
51.	Mark contractions accurately	Put apostrophes where letters have been omitted.
52.	Mark nonessential clauses	Enclose supplementary clauses in paired commas.
53.	Mark quotations within quotes	Alternate quotation styles according to regional convention.
54.	Match pronouns to antecedents	Keep pronoun person and number appropriate.
55.	Match subjects and verbs	Use verbs that agree with their subjects.
56.	Match verbs to head nouns	Ignore intervening phrases when determining subject agreement.
57.	Organize ideas logically	Arrange points in an order readers can follow.
58.	Place modifiers carefully	Position descriptive words beside what they describe.
59.	Place quote punctuation by style	Follow your chosen English variety’s conventions.
60.	Prefer active voice	Usually name the actor as the subject.
61.	Prefer clear wording	Choose language readers can understand immediately.
62.	Preserve meaning when shortening	Do not sacrifice qualifications essential to accuracy.
63.	Proofread the final version	Check the finished text for remaining errors.
64.	Punctuate coordinate adjectives	Separate equal adjectives with commas.
65.	Punctuate joined clauses	Usually insert commas before conjunctions joining sentences.
66.	Put emphasis where it belongs	Give important information prominent sentence positions.
67.	Put warnings before actions	Explain risks before readers take relevant steps.
68.	Qualify uncertain claims	Match confidence in wording to available evidence.
69.	Quote exact words faithfully	Preserve original wording inside quotation marks.
70.	Read difficult passages aloud	Listen for awkward rhythm and unclear syntax.
71.	Represent opposing views fairly	Do not distort positions you criticize.
72.	Revise before publishing	Improve content and structure before final release.
73.	Separate items in a series	Use commas between three or more items.
74.	Set off direct address	Use commas around names addressing someone.
75.	Set off introductory clauses	Usually place commas after opening dependent clauses.
76.	Spell names correctly	Verify people’s and organizations’ preferred spellings.
77.	Start new paragraphs for shifts	Mark changes in topic, speaker, or emphasis.
78.	State your main point	Make your central message easy to find.
79.	Support claims with evidence	Provide relevant facts, examples, or reasoning.
80.	Treat collective nouns carefully	Match agreement to meaning and regional convention.
81.	Use abbreviations consistently	Keep shortened forms and punctuation uniform.
82.	Use apostrophes for possession	Mark noun ownership according to grammatical form.
83.	Use articles where needed	Normally give singular count nouns a determiner.
84.	Use complete sentences	Include required sentence elements unless deliberately omitted.
85.	Use dashes for interruptions	Mark abrupt breaks or emphatic asides.
86.	Use ellipses for omissions	Show omitted quoted material without distorting meaning.
87.	Use object pronouns correctly	Use object forms after verbs and prepositions.
88.	Use paired punctuation fully	Close every opened parenthesis and quotation.
89.	Use passive voice purposefully	Emphasize recipients when actors matter less.
90.	Use precise words	Choose words that express your exact meaning.
91.	Use reflexives correctly	Use reflexives when objects refer to subjects.
92.	Use semicolons between clauses	Join closely related independent clauses without conjunctions.
93.	Use semicolons in complex lists	Separate list items containing internal commas.
94.	Use subject pronouns correctly	Use subject forms for subjects of clauses.
95.	Use the subjunctive when needed	Mark hypothetical conditions and formal demands appropriately.
96.	Vary sentence structure	Mix sentence patterns to support readable rhythm.
97.	Write a lot as two words	The standard expression is not one word.
98.	Write could have, not could of	The auxiliary construction requires have, not of.
99.	Write dates unambiguously	Spell months out when numeric formats conflict.
100.	Write for your audience	Match language and detail to readers’ needs.