Writing Traps

1. Writing Traps Section A: Plurals and Possessives Section B: Capitalization Section C: Number Usage Section D: Colons, Dashes, and Ellipses

2. Plurals and Possessives NOUNS AS POSSESSIONS • Nouns and pronouns can show possession or ownership of other nouns • Nouns can be concrete, such as a person, place, or thing, but also abstract, such as a quality, state, or action • If one noun possesses another, an apostrophe (and usually an s) are needed to show possession • Renaldo’s truck • Meaghann’s happiness • The room’s windows

3. Singular Possessives SINGULAR NOUNS NOT ENDING IN S • To form the possessive of a singular noun that does not end in s, add an apostrophe and s (’s) • If a new syllable is formed in the pronunciation of the possessive, add an apostrophe plus s: • Kansas’s oldest university • The witness’s response • If the addition of an extra syllable would make the word challenging to pronounce, add only the apostrophe: • Philips’ new product line • For goodness’ sake

4. Singular Possessives SINGULAR NOUNS ENDING IN S • To form the possessive of a singular noun that ends in s, add an apostrophe alone, or add an apostrophe and s (’s) • The supervisor’s duties • My computer’s keyboard • Note: If not sure if a noun is showing possession, see if you can change the sentence around by using of. • The duties of the supervisor • The keyboard of my computer

5. Plural Possessives REGULAR PLURAL POSSESSIVES • To form the possessive of a regular plural noun (a plural noun ending in s or es), add an apostrophe after the s (s’) • Singular possessive: The manager’s decision • Plural possessive: All the managers’ decisions • When the singular form of the noun already ends in s, make the noun plural by adding es to the singular noun, then form the possessive by adding an apostrophe. • Singular possessive: The business’s owner • Plural possessive: The businesses’ owners

6. Plural Possessives IRREGULAR PLURAL POSSESSIVES • To form the possessive of an irregular plural noun, change the singular form of the noun to the plural form first, and then add an apostrophe and s • Singular possessive: the child’s opportunity • Plural possessive: the children’s opportunities • Singular possessive: one man’s task • Plural possessive: many men’s tasks

7. More Possessives GROUP WORDS • With group words or compound nouns, the apostrophe and the s are added to the last term. • the president of France’s responsibilities • With plural compound nouns, add the s to the base word, then add the possessive ending to the last term. • the professors of English’s lectures • However, the preferred approach is to change word order. • the lectures of the professors of English

8. More Possessives NOUNS IN SERIES • When two nouns (joined by and) share joint possession, add the apostrophe only to the last noun. • Wayne and Wanda’s report • When there is individual possession, add the apostrophe to both nouns. • Wayne’s and Wanda’s reports

9. More Possessives ABBREVIATIONS • To make an abbreviation plural, add an s • The data is stored on a series of DVDs and CDs. • To make an abbreviation possessive, add an apostrophe and s • The CD’s contents include the results of the FCC’s latest survey. POSSESSIVES STANDING ALONE • When comparing two nouns that both show possession, the item being possessed by the second noun is sometimes implied (left out of the sentence), but possession still must be shown. • Scott’s presentation was longer than Oscar’s (presentation).

10. Capitalization PROPER NOUNS VS. COMMON NOUNS • A common noun is a general term that refers to a class of things. Common nouns are not capitalized. • A proper noun is the official name of a particular person, place, or thing. Proper nouns are always capitalized.

11. Capitalization PROPER ADJECTIVES • A proper adjective is an adjective derived from a proper noun, such as American, Californian, or Orwellian. Proper adjectives are always capitalized. ARTICLES AND PREPOSITIONS • In titles of organizations, as well as literary and artistic works, capitalize the word the if it is the first word of the name, as in The Ohio State University, or The Scarlet Letter. • If the word the is not the first word of the title, do not capitalize it; also, do not capitalize articles (a, an), conjunctions (and, but, nor), or prepositions of three or fewer letters (for, of, in, at).

12. Capitalization FIRST WORDS • The first words of the following should be capitalized: • Sentences • Poems • Direct quotations that are complete sentences • My supervisor said, “Let’s wait until tomorrow for that.” • Independent questions within a sentence • Lee was confused, so he asked, What happens next? • Items displayed in a list or outline (like this list) • Salutations and complimentary closings • Dear Sir, Sincerely, etc.

13. Capitalization PROFESSIONAL TITLES • A title is not a proper noun, however: • Capitalize titles when they precede a name, but not when they are part of an appositive. • I met with Vice President of Finance Walter Johnson yesterday. • I met with a vice president of finance, Walter Johnson, yesterday. • Do not capitalize titles when they follow a name. • I met with Walter Johnson, vice president of finance, yesterday. • An exception to this rule: titles of high-ranking government officials, foreign dignitaries, or international figures are routinely capitalized, even when the title follows the name or stands alone. • The President held a press conference in the Rose Garden today.

14. Capitalization ORGANIZATIONAL TERMS • Capitalize common organizational terms in your company, such as advertising department or board of directors. • The Board of Directors met to discuss a five-year plan. • The Manufacturing Division reported record productivity. • Do not capitalize these terms when they refer to departments at another organization, unless you want to show special importance. • The manufacturing division of MegaCorp reported record productivity.

15. Capitalization HYPHENATED WORDS • Hyphenated words are capitalized depending on whether the words are at the beginning of a sentence, within a sentence, or in a title or heading. • Within a sentence, capitalize only the parts of a hyphenated word that are proper nouns or proper adjectives. • These are the most up-to-date reports we have. • At the beginning of a sentence, capitalize the first part of they hyphenated word and other parts that are proper nouns or proper adjectives. • Up-to-date reports are helpful in making decisions. • In a heading or title, capitalize all the parts (except articles, short prepositions, and short conjunctions). • My report, entitled, “Up-To-Date Reporting,” is in your inbox.

16. Basic Number Rules • Numbers 1 Through 10 • Spell out numbers 1 through 10; use numerals for numbers above 10. • Nona requested 15 copies. However, I only had seven left. • Numbers Beginning a Sentence • Spell out a number that begins a sentence. • Sixteen new employees were hired. • Related Numbers • Use the same form for related numbers within a sentence. • I have 14 folders in my office, of which 7 are red and 7 are blue. • Twelve offices are painted out of twenty-four.

17. Basic Number Rules • Unrelated Numbers • When two unrelated numbers occur together, and one of the numbers is a compound modifier, write one number in figures and the other in words. • We developed two 4-page templates. • Fractions and Whole Numbers • When a fraction stands alone, write it in words. Write a mixed number entirely in figures • I think nearly two-thirds of our staff will be able to attend the meeting. • This building is 2½ times the size of our plant in Peoria.

18. Basic Number Rules • Indefinite Numbers • Write an indefinite number in words, not in figures. • They predicted a crowd in the thousands, but it looked more like one in the hundreds. • Ordinal Numbers • Write ordinal numbers in words if they can be expressed in one or two words. • This is the thirty-fifth year for the conference, but only my third time coming.

19. Basic Number Rules • Percentages • Express a percentage in figures with the word percent; only use the % symbol in technical material and in tabulations. • We have spent 15 percent of our annual budget so far. • Weights and Measurements • Use figures for weights, dimensions, and other measurements. • The new office is 100 feet by 140 feet. • Large Numbers • Express a number in the millions or higher in a combination of figures and words, if the number can be express ed as a whole number or as a whole number plus a simple fraction or a decimal amount. • The estimated cost of the project is $2.7 million.

20. Special Number Rules • Dates • When the day follows the month, write the day in figures without an ordinal ending. Do not use figures for the month.. • The offer expires on March 15. • When the day precedes the month or stands alone, write it in figures with an ordinal ending or in words. • My birthday is on the 30th of September. • Express complete dates in month, day, year sequence. • The company was founded on November 3, 1998. • The U.S. Military and most countries other than the United States express dates in day-month-year sequence, without punctuation. • That project was completed on 5 August 2006.

21. Special Number Rules • Dates (continued) • In formal invitations, spell out the day and year. • Please be our guest on the nineteenth of January, for ... • Avoid abbreviating dates in general correspondence (for example, 4/23/07). However, you can abbreviate dates on business forms and in some informal business correspondence, such as e-mail. • When you are responding to correspondence and refer to a date, give only the month and day. • I have received your e-mail of October 14, and will make my decision ...

22. Special Number Rules • Time • Always use figures with the abbreviations a.m. and p.m. • My 8:30 a.m. appointment is with Ms. Howard. • For time on the hour, you don’t need to include :00 unless you want to emphasize the precise hour. • We should be done here around 4 p.m. • The term o’clock may be used with either figures or words to express time on the hour. Never use o’clock with either a.m. or p.m. • Your two o’clock meeting has been rescheduled for tomorrow. • To avoid redundancy, do not use a.m. or p.m. with phrases such as in the morning or in the afternoon; however, you can use them with o’clock. • I plan to arrive at 9 o’clock in the morning on Monday.

23. Special Number Rules • Addresses and Phone Numbers • Use figures for all numbers in addresses except the numbered street names One through Ten and the house number One. • Our office is located at 6214 Maple Ave. • The main administration building’s address is One College Drive. • Do not abbreviate a compass point (North, South, East) when it appears before a street name (unless space is very tight). • I shipped the package to 7843 North Hanley Road, as requested. • For a compass point after a street name, abbreviate compound directions (SW, NE), but spell out North, South, East, and West. • 40 Washington Place, NE • 300 Central Park West • Display phone numbers with periods or hyphens between parts. • My new cell number is 312.555.1234. • Please fax that to me at 215-555-4693

24. Special Number Rules • Money • Use figures and the word cents for an amount under a dollar and figures with $ for an amount of a dollar or more. • Each part costs 45cents to produce; assembled, the item sells for $2.75. • Omit .00 with even-dollar amounts except in tabulation containing some amounts in cents only or in dollars and cents. • Registration for the conference is $495 until May 1. • When an amount under a dollar is related to other amounts of a dollar or more, express the numbers in a similar fashion. • I purchased the set for $2.40, but individually they cost $.75 each. • Use figures for periods of time related to loans and discounts. • If you pay within the next 30 days, you will save 25 percent.

25. Special Number Rules • Age • Spell out an age given in years unless it is used as a statistic or in a news release. • My manager just turned forty-three years old. • Wilson Rochester, 53, was named CEO of the company. • Spell out ordinals referring to birthdays or anniversaries unless you want to place special emphasis on them. Use figures for ordinals that require more than two words (hyphenated numbers count as one word) • I’m having my twenty-fifth birthday party on Friday. • The college is kicking off the celebration of its 125th anniversary.

26. The Colon • Colons alert the reader that information will follow to explain or illuminate the information that preceded it. • Use a colon to indicate a list Tomorrow we will discuss the following: sales, marketing, and training. • Use a colon after the words note and caution Note: The plant will close at 4 p.m. tomorrow for inspection. • Use a colon in business letters after the salutation To whom it may concern: • Use a colon at the end of one sentence to introduce the next sentence Expectations are high for the new CEO: she was very successful in her last job. • Use a colon after a complete sentence that introduces a list; however, do not use a colon after an incomplete sentence The packet includes several items: registration materials, your name tag, and the schedule. The packet includes registration materials, your name tag, and the schedule.

27. The Ellipsis • Ellipsis marks (also known by the plural form ellipses) consist of three periods with a space before, between, and after them ( . . . ). • Ellipsis marks indicate an omission of a word or several words. • Original quote: “In the coming year, which will include many challenges and opportunities, we will reach new heights as a company.” • Quote with ellipsis marks: “In the coming year . . . we will reach new heights as a company.” • When ellipses occur at the end of a quoted sentence, a fourth period is added.

28. The Dash • The Dash can be a substitute for the comma, semicolon, period, or colon. • My committee—which includes five members—meets tomorrow. • This report is thorough—it answered all of my questions. • A single dash places emphasis on the information following it; a pair of dashes emphasize the information between them.