![]() ![]() ![]() To write hyphenated words consistently, use a hyphen in a compound modifier when the modifier comes before the word it’s modifying. Using hyphens for compound modifiers is one of the common issues. It’s not interchangeable with other types of dashes, such as an em dash or en dash. HyphenationĪ hyphen joins words or parts of words. Ĭonsistent : Applications are due 10 Jul. We’ll announce the winners by August 25th. Ĭonsistent: Applications are due August 7th. Inconsistent: Applications are due August 7th. Grammarly lets you standardize the way dates appear throughout your document. In the month-day-year format, place commas after the day and the year. People are often confused about how to write dates with commas. In the US, we use the month-day-year format in other countries, the day-month-year format is favored. We recommend this only when writing prose or other non-business communication. Use in the morning, this afternoon, or tonight. Spell out noon and midnight instead of 12 p.m. I have a meeting at 9 AM but then need to head home for lunch at 12:30 PM.ģ. Here are some options for keeping it consistent.ġ. or 9 AM? Both can be right, but choosing one style and sticking with it makes your writing easier for your reader to follow, especially when scheduling time. If you’re a working professional, you likely communicate your schedule multiple times a day-for meetings, interviews, webinars, and more. My brother turns twenty one today.Ĭonsistent: My grandma turned eighty-six years old last week. Inconsistent (and incorrect): My grandma turned eighty-six years old last week. This rule applies to any number between twenty-one and ninety-nine. When writing any number made up of two words, you should use a hyphen between each word. We hope to welcome twenty-five next quarter.Īnother common inconsistency with numbers is the hyphenation (or lack of) in compound numbers. We hope to welcome 25 next quarter.Ĭonsistent: This quarter, twenty new employees joined our company. We hope to welcome twenty-five next quarter.Ĭonsistent: This quarter, 20 new employees joined our company. Inconsistent: This quarter, 20 new employees joined our company. Writing a report? It is best to pick a style and stick with it. Presenting lots of numbers in a slide deck? It is probably best to use numerals for information containing lots of stats and percentages. The style you follow may depend on the nature of your work or message. The Chicago Manual of Style, however, instructs us to write out numbers from zero to one hundred in nontechnical writing. This rule is especially handy for technical or scientific writing. This rule also applies to ordinal numbers, spelling out first to ninth, and using numbers for 10th or greater. If following the AP style guide, you should write out numbers one through nine and use numerals for the number 10 and above. There are a few ways to treat numbers in writing. Ĭonsistent: The tour starts in the US and concludes in the UK. Inconsistent: The tour starts in the U.S. Whether you choose to use periods or not, the acronyms should be styled consistently throughout your document. I was late to the concert on Saturday (per usual). Please note, the Oxford comma is often necessary for clarity. ![]() Again, the important thing is to be consistent. Using the Oxford comma, or the serial comma, is a stylistic choice. ![]() Commas separate words, clauses, or ideas within a sentence.Ĭommas separate three or more words in a list. We’re continually updating procedures and adding best practices. We are continually updating procedures and adding best practices.Ĭonsistent: It’s essential to review our security policies every quarter. We’re continually updating procedures and adding best practices.Ĭonsistent: It is essential to review our security policies every quarter. Inconsistent: It is essential to review our security policies every quarter. Using contractions can give your writing a casual tone, so use your best judgment to decide if appropriate. Punctuation Apostrophes & ContractionsĪn apostrophe omits letters in a word or group of words to create a contraction. Let’s review some of the most typical writing inconsistencies within punctuation, numerals, and hyphenation. As you develop your own style and writing rules, being consistent will save you time and effort in the long run. Secondly, it’s about keeping your writing style consistent-doing things the same way every time in a certain context.įollowing consistent punctuation, numbers, and hyphenation makes our documents look more polished. First, it’s about following writing conventions and rules consistently in your own documents. Consistency builds credibility with our team, business partners, and professional audience. Being consistent in our writing can help us get ahead. At work, the onus is on us to communicate professionally and succinctly. ![]()
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