Quick and dirty tips for better writing - Mignon Fogarty 2008

Appendices

SENTENCE ADVERBS

Sentence adverbs are words that modify a whole sentence. Examples of sentence adverbs include the following:

Clearly

Fortunately

Frankly

Happily

Honestly

Hopefully^*

Ironically

Mercifully

Remarkably

Thankfully

Unfortunately

* Using hopefully as a sentence adverb is controversial.

CONJUNCTIVE ADVERBS

Conjuctive adverbs are transitional words that join two clauses that could be independent sentences. Use a semicolon before the conjunctive adverb to join two clauses. (See here for a discussion of using however as a conjuctive adverb.) Examples of words that can be used as conjunctive adverbs include the following:

Accordingly

Again

Also

Anyway

Besides

Certainly

Consequently

Finally

Furthermore

Hence

However

Incidentally

Indeed

Instead

Likewise

Meanwhile

Moreover

Namely

Nevertheless

Next

Nonetheless

Otherwise

Similarly

Specifically

Still

Subsequently

Then

Therefore

Thus

SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS

Subordinating conjunctions join subordinate clauses to other clauses. See here for a discussion of because as a subordinating conjunction. Following is a list of common subordinating conjunctions:

After

Although

As

As if

As in

As long as

Because

Before

Despite

Even though

How

If

Lest

Now that

Once

Provided

Rather than

So that

Since

Than

That

Though

Unless

Until

When

Whenever

Where

Whereas

Whether

While

LINKING VERBS

A linking verb can also be called a copula.

Verbs That Are Always Linking Verbs

Be (is, was, are, were, have been, had been, am being, etc.)

Become

Seem

Verbs That Are Sometimes Linking Verbs and Sometimes Action Verbs

This list contains the most common words that can function as linking verbs or action verbs. Note how it is possible to replace the verb with a form of to be in each sentence without dramatically changing the meaning. (See here, here, and here for more discussion of linking verbs.)

COMMON IRREGULAR VERBS

Regular verbs take their past-tense form by adding —d or -ed. Irregular verbs don’t follow these typical conjugation rules. Here are some of the common irregular verbs.

GRAMMAR GIRL’S STRUNK & TWITE:
A TWITTER STYLE GUIDE (IN WHICH EVERY ENTRY
IS < 141 CHARACTERS)

Don’t start posts with I am. You are answering the question, “What are you doing? It’s OK to answer with fragments in a conversation.

Use proper capitalization. Typing in lowercase doesn’t save characters; it’s just lazy.

Use proper basic punctuation. It helps people understand what you mean.

Don’t use abbreviations such as 4u and l8 and brb. They make you sound like a twelve-year-old (which is bad, unless you actually are a twelve-year-old).

Use contractions whenever possible.

Shorthand symbols such as >,=, &, and @ are allowed.

Shortened word forms such as nite and thru are allowed.

Use numerals, not words, for all numbers.

Provide links and context whenever possible. Remember that many of your followers can’t see what you are responding to.

Use tinyurl.com or urltea.com to shorten links.

If you can’t say it in 140 characters, reevaluate whether you should be posting it at Twitter.