1. It's not only good writing that's important to readers - it's also using design elements that make your text easy to read. Use a serif font like Palatino, Book Antiqua, Garamond or Times, and leave enough white space to let the page, and your reader, breathe.
2. Semicolons are wonderful devices for showing a connection between two ideas. Instead of putting a period between two sentences, use a semicolon to show a cause-effect, or other close relationship, between two ideas.

   For example:

   The Florida ballot was not a plain language design; nevertheless, the Florida Supreme Court was forced to make a decision.

3. Buy a guide, like The Gregg Reference Manual, for the rules of capitalization. As Gregg's author, William Sabin, admits, "The rules of capitalization give most people fits... there are a seemingly endless number of rules to master".
4. Use a comma between two interchangeable adjectives. For example, a comma is needed for a "handsome, blue-eyed man" because you could also write a "blue-eyed, handsome man". On the other hand, you wouldn't need a comma between "dark storm clouds" because you can't say "storm dark clouds".
5. Use a hyphen for compound adjectives. A compound adjective consists of two descriptive words that only make sense as a unit, for example, long-term planning, in-flight announcement, two-day workshop, and brown-eyed dog. There are a few exceptions to this rule. Some common compound adjectives don’t have hyphens because no one would mistake their meaning, for example, high school teacher.
6. Even among experts, there is debate about the use of commas with which and that. But, the basic rule is to use a comma before which, but don't use a comma with that.

   For example:

   I went home to Leduc, which is just south of Edmonton.
   I watered the plants that had dry soil.

7. Many Canadians think there are certain British and American spellings that should be used in Canada; in fact, Canadians even spell differently from province to province. In B.C. and Ontario, for example, more British spellings are common, and in Alberta, we use more American spellings. So, in Canada, no one is wrong — both British and American spellings are correct!
8. Use active voice verbs whenever possible. Sentences written in passive voice take up to 50 percent longer to read. Active voice is more natural — more like our speaking voices.

   For example:

   Passive: Quebec's Summit of the Americas is seen by left wingers to be pro-corporate America.

   Active: Left wingers see Quebec's Summit of the Americas as pro-corporate America.

9. Rid your writing of all the gobbledygook that has filtered down to business writing. Instead of writing regarding, with respect to, in order to, in this regard, due to the fact that, and prior to, just write for, on, about, to, because, and before.
10. The more syllables in your words, the harder it is for anyone, at any level of education, to see through the fog and understand what you're writing.
    
    Don't write: Our discussion centered on the implementation of a privatization policy.
    Write instead: We discussed having a privatization policy.
    or even
    We discussed privatizing.
11. Free yourself from outdated, high school English rules! You can now safely end a sentence with a preposition, split an infinitive occasionally, and begin a sentence with and or because.
12. Take the time to craft a specific, detailed subject line in a memo or e-mail. This is particularly important with e-mail, as many people won't even bother opening an e-mail that doesn't appear worthwhile.

    For example:

    Okay: April 25 board meeting
    Better: Important board meeting April 25 – Please be there.

13. Bullets are tools to vary format, organize parallel points, and provide white space. Using bullets can help your reader and improve your document. Don’t overuse them, however. More than nine bullets is too many for your reader to keep organized as they read.
14. The comma before the last and in a list is optional. We suggest you make a habit of putting it in, however, as leaving it out can sometimes be confusing. Here's an example: We ordered two dishes, a salad and a soup. In this sentence, it is unclear whether there were two or four items ordered. If you put a comma before the and, though, it is clear there are four items.
15. A common mistake in business writing is ending a letter with "please contact myself". In fact, you can only use myself reflexively, that is, self words must reflect back to another pronoun (I, you, she, he).

    For example:

    I hurt myself. You hurt yourself. She hurt herself.
    I, myself, would not talk to the boss about it.

    In your letters, just write , "Please contact me"!

16. Keep the subject and the verb in a sentence together when possible. Doing so makes reading easier.

    For example:

    Linda (the subject) wrote (the main verb) a letter while in the coffee shop.
    not: Linda, while in the coffee shop, wrote a letter.

17. Use an up-to-date dictionary to check whether a word should be hyphenated or not. (As William Strunk Jr. writes, "Common sense will aid you in the decision, but a dictionary is more reliable.") Words are always evolving; one that is changing right now is e-mail. Is it e-mail or email? The dictionary still says e-mail, but don't be surprised to see email in a dictionary coming to you soon!
18. Two commonly confused words are effect and affect. An effect means a result. Affect means to influence.

    For example:

    The effect of the road closure was increased traffic.
    The results were affected by many factors.

19. Do we need less rules in English grammar? No, we need fewer rules! Use less when you're referring to quantity (for example, volume), and fewer when you're referring to numbers (for example, items you can count).

    For example:

    His glass was less full than mine.
    He had fewer drinks than I did.

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