When writing in the English language, there are rules that must be followed in order for the reader to understand what is written. Without writing rules, it would be impossible for words to be organized into thoughts. Words would be sprawled all over the page without conveying a message or meaning to the reader. Language rules allow what is on the page to be processed and a mental image can be developed.
Spelling

Spelling is one of the most important things when writing because misspelled words can ruin the credibility of the person who wrote them. Following such rules as "I before E except after C or when it sounds like A as in neighbor or neigh" can help in the spelling of words, especially if the writer is not sure which comes first - the I or the E.

Punctuation

Punctuation is very important in making a sentence read correctly. The most common punctuation mistake is the placement of the comma. Sometimes people are called "comma happy" because they place commas every five words. This is not necessary as commas are supposed to be used to separate two distinct thoughts. As a general rule of thumb if there are two thoughts or parts to a sentence they should be separated by a comma, such as parenthetical sentences. An example of a parenthetical sentence: "There was so much candy, not that I minded, but I knew I could not eat it all alone." Also, avoid using commas after conjunctions such as "and" and "but."

The run-on sentence

It is only appropriate that run-on sentences be listed next under punctuation because it is due to lack of punctuation that a run-on sentence is born. An example of a run-on sentence is: "We went down to the store to get some candy but they did not have the kind we wanted so we went to the next store and they did not have what we wanted either so we decided to go home when we saw a store we had never seen before and it had exactly what we wanted." Try saying that one without taking a breath. Okay, you might be able to do it and it might make sense, but it will read much better with some punctuation. Two or three sentences could be formed out of that run-on sentence with a couple periods, a comma, and added words to make it read less choppy.

Capitalization

There are some who think that the words at the beginning of sentences are the only ones worthy of capitalization. People and places, referred to as proper names, should be capitalized and so should acronyms and titles.

Tense

When referring to the time, tense is very important. The time period in the whole piece of writing should be consistent. When talking about yesterday, the entire piece should be written in past tense, unless the reader is being brought into today. A sentence that reads, "He missed the bus yesterday and he is mad" is not correct. The correct tense is, "He missed the bus yesterday and he was mad." True, he might still be mad today, but chances are the sentence is not speaking of today.

These 5 rules are amongst the many grammar rules that exist, but they do tend to be the worst offenses that when made will compromise the quality of the content. The reader can become frustrated with the writer if it appears that they were napping during English grammar. By building a strong foundation with these five basic rules, other rules will fall into place with practice. Before long, your writing will be of better quality and your audience will thank you!

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