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Sentence basics

Using the correct verb with a subject

Pronouns - singular or plural two

Compounded and non-compounded subjects

Pairs of things

Quantity describing expressions

Expletive constructions

Abbreviations

I.e. versus e.g

Mr and Mrs Smith

Date and time abbreviations

Name initials

Abbreviations of units

Avoiding sentence fragments

When its OK to use sentence fragments

Capitalisation

Proper nouns

The first word of any sentence

Capitalisation of titles

I gets capitalised

Using italics

To make something stand out

Onomatopoeia

Titles

When you are talking about the word itself not using it for what it represents

Names of vehicles

Short sentences

Joining parallel sentence subjects or objects

Compounding parallel objects

Compounding parallel subjects

Linking two sentences together more closely

The simple linking relationship

The contrast relationship

Intentionally subordinating a clause to another

Connecting using an absolute phrase

Connecting using appositive phrases

Connecting using a participial phrase

Using the correct sequence of tenses

Writing numbers correctly

Numbers of units

Decimal and fractional numbers

The number zero

Approximate numbers

Common phrases

Starts of sentences

Multiple numbers one after the other

Writing lists

Lists

Bullet point lists

Numbered lists

Lists

Usually a list has a lead in sentence that tells the reader that what follows is a list of things. If the lead-in sentence is a complete sentence, and suggests that a list follows it, you can end it with a colon. Otherwise, you can use a dash, or even no punctuation mark.

Complete ‘suggestive’ lead-in sentence:

There are several modes of transport available for people in our city, as follows: buses, trains, and taxis.

After the complete lead-in sentence, there is a colon. After each item in the list, there is a comma, and after the second last item there is also an ‘and’. There is a period after the last item.

Incomplete lead-in sentence:

There are several modes of transport in this city - buses, trains, and taxis.

Because the lead-in sentence doesn’t really suggest directly that a list comes after it, we use a dash rather than a colon.

When each item in the list is a complete sentence, you can use semicolons, instead of commas, after each point:

We are worried about several transport issues. These points were raised in the last meeting: there is a shortage of buses late at night in the city; vandals are frequenting the trains on weekends; and bashings of taxi drivers continue to occur.

I prefer not to capitalise the start of each point in an inline list, unless it needs to be because of some capitalisation rule (for instance, if a point starts with someone’s name).

You can also number a list if you want to emphasise the order that the list is presented in:

We are worried about several transport issues. Three points were raised in the last meeting: (1) there is a shortage of buses late at night in the city; (2) vandals are frequenting the trains on weekends; and (3) bashings of taxi drivers continue to occur.

Click here to move on to the next topic: Bullet point lists