Quick Writing Tips 2: Beginning High Level

#1 Use a capital letter to begin each sentence.
Use lower case letters for the rest.
A = capital letter
a = lower case letter
✅ The school is on the corner.
❌ the sCHool is oN thE CoRner.

#2 Always make the pronoun “I” a capital letter.
✅ I like cherries, but I don't like strawberries.
❌ i like cherries, but i don't like strawberries.

#3 Capitalize proper nouns, such as names, titles, days of the week, months, cities, states, countries, and languages.
✅ Carmen is from New York. She speaks Portuguese. She doesn't work on Saturdays.
❌ carmen is from new york. She speaks portuguese. She doesn't work on saturdays.

#4 Use lower case letters for common nouns and other words.
A = capital letter
a = lower case letter
✅ We help our grandparents with cooking.
❌ We help Our Grandparents with Cooking.

#5 Use a period at the end of each sentence. If a sentence ends with an abbreviation that uses a period, do not add a second period.
. = period
✅ Jim wakes up early. He gets to work at 7:00 a.m.
❌ Jim wakes up early he gets to work at 7:00 am
❌ Jim wakes up early. He gets to work at 7:00 a.m..

#6 Use a comma to separate three or more items in a sentence. Include a comma before and (in the U.S.).
, = comma
✅ We have class on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.
❌ We have class on Mondays Tuesdays and Thursdays.
❌ We have class on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

#7 Use a comma to separate a city and a state or a city and a country.
, = comma
✅ Benny is from Paris, France. Now, he lives in Dayton, Ohio.
❌ Benny is from Paris France. Now, he lives in Dayton Ohio.

#8 Use a comma before and, but, and or when connecting two complete sentences.
, = comma
✅ My friend plays soccer on Fridays, and sometimes I join her if I'm not working.
❌ My friend plays soccer on Fridays and sometimes I join her if I'm not working.

#9 Don’t use a comma before and, but, and or when connecting two words or clauses.
, = comma
✅ My friend likes soccer and basketball.
❌ My friend likes soccer, and basketball.

#10 Make sure all sentences in a paragraph are related in their topic.
✅ My favorite food is pasta. I eat pasta almost every day. I work a lot, and I don't have time to cook, so I eat pasta at restaurants. It's my favorite food!
❌ My favorite food is pasta. I eat pasta almost every day. I work a lot, and I don't have time to cook. I'm very busy, but I like my job and the customers. I eat pasta at restaurants. It's my favorite food!