The pre-send checklist
Tick each box as you check your draft. Every point gives the rule and the correct form.
The parts of a professional email
Each part has its own small conventions of punctuation and capitals. Here is a complete email with each part labelled.
Twelve work words to spell with care
Words that come up every week in professional writing, with the letters to watch and a hook to remember them.
Numbers and dates
Most style guides used in business follow the same few rules. Pick one style for a document and keep to it.
| Rule | Example |
|---|---|
| Write out one to nine; use figures for 10 and above | three options, 12 suppliers |
| Always use figures for money, percentages and measurements | £4 million, 7%, 3 km |
| Never start a sentence with a figure | Twenty people attended. (not “20 people attended.”) |
| Write dates in full, with no “th” | 3 June 2026 (UK) · June 3, 2026 (US) |
| Use the 24-hour clock or am/pm, not both | 14:30 or 2.30 pm |
Hyphens in describing words
When two words together describe a noun that follows them, join them with a hyphen so the reader takes them as one idea. After the noun, the hyphen usually goes.
| Before the noun | After the noun |
|---|---|
| a full-time role | the role is full time |
| a well-known client | the client is well known |
| a 10-page report | the report is 10 pages long |
| an up-to-date list | the list is up to date |
Words ending in -ly never take the hyphen: a newly hired manager, a highly rated tool.
UK or US spelling
Choose one and use it throughout. Set your spellchecker to match, because it will otherwise “correct” half your words. More pairs are in common grammar issues for professionals.
| Pattern | UK | US |
|---|---|---|
| -ise / -ize | organise, realise | organize, realize |
| -our / -or | colour, behaviour | color, behavior |
| -re / -er | centre, metre | center, meter |
| -ll- / -l- | travelling, cancelled | traveling, canceled |
| -ence / -ense | licence (noun), defence | license, defense |
Four proofreading habits
Your eyes read what you meant to write. These habits make you see what is actually on the screen.
Guides on correct usage
3 guides · newest first
