This post is part of the Canadian Style series. 5.08 Fractions In non-technical writing, spell out simple fractions, especially when used in isolation: The recipe calls for one-quarter cup of flour. I ate two thirds of my sandwich.
Category: Writing
Canadian Style Tip #34: Use of commas in dates
This post is part of the Canadian Style series. 7.20 Use of commas in dates You do not need commas when writing dates in the order day-month-year. If you use month-day-year order, a comma separates the day and year. The year should be followed by a comma within a sentence. I was married 5 May… Continue reading Canadian Style Tip #34: Use of commas in dates
Subject-Complement Agreement
From Grammar Girl: A complement—that’s m-e-n-t—is a noun that completes meaning (1). Take the sentence “She is my sister.†The words “my sister†are the complement. There’s no agreement problem in that sentence, it’s all singular, but what about a sentence like this: “The two girls ate their sandwichâ€? Does this mean the girls shared… Continue reading Subject-Complement Agreement
Canadian Style Tip #33: Block format quotations
This post is part of the Canadian Style series. 8.06 Block format quotations Do not enclose in quotation marks a block quotation set off from the text. It does require indentation, single spacing, and double spacing above and below.
Canadian Style Tip #32: Words commonly misused un- and non-
This post is part of the Canadian Style series. 12.03 Words commonly misused or confused: un- and non- Un- means opposite of, whereas non- means other than. Compare un-Christian conduct and non-Christian religions.
Canadian Style Tip #31: The en dash: compound expressions
This post is part of the Canadian Style series. 7.49 The en dash: compound expressions Use the en dash to join the names of two or more places: The Calgary–Edmonton corridor The Vancouve–Lethbridge flight
Difference between principle and principal
This is part of the difference between series. I’ve heard some people confusing the words principal and principle. Here’s the difference between the two. Let’s start with the easier one first: principle. Principle Principle typically means something like rule, doctrine, or standard. I won’t compromise my principles. Principal Principal, on the other hand, has several… Continue reading Difference between principle and principal
Difference between stationery and stationary
This is part of the difference between series. Stationery means “writing materials,” while stationary means “immovable.” I bought some stationery from Staples. and That mountain is stationary.
Canadian Style Tip #30: Any, every, no & some
This post is part of the Canadian Style series. 2.08 Any, every, no and some The words any, every, no, and some form solid compounds when combined with the words body, thing, and where: somebody anything everywhere nothing somewhere everything
Canadian Style Tip #29: Punctuation in salutations
This post is part of the Canadian Style series. 7.27 Punctuation in salutations In business letters and printed speeches, a colon follows the salutation. In personal letters, a comma follows the salutation. Dear Dr. Jones: Dear Jimmy,