The Editor’s Manual
Free learning resource on English grammar, punctuation, usage, and style.
When “each” is part of the subject of a sentence, it is used with singular verbs, except when it follows a plural noun. “Each” may be used with a plural pronoun in an indefinite reference.
Form the plural of a given or a family name by adding “s.” If the name ends in a sibilant sound (like “s,” “x,” “z”), add “es” instead.
Add “s” to form the plural of a name ending in a vowel. Don’t add “es,” even for names ending in “i” or “o.” Simply add “s” (“the Rossis,” not “Rossies”). Avoid using an apostrophe (“the Lees,” not “Lee’s”).
Form the plural of a name ending in “z,” “x,” “sh,” “s,” and other sibilant sounds by adding “-es” without an apostrophe (“the Diazes,” “the Hendrixes,” “the Williamses”).
Form the plural of a name ending in “s” by adding “es,” not “ses” or an apostrophe and “s” (“the Harrises,” not “Harrisses” or “Harris’s”).
Form the plural of a name ending in “y” by adding “s” without an apostrophe. Don’t replace the “y” with “ies”; simply add “s” after the “y”: “the Murphys,” not “Murphies.”
Use an en dash to show a range. You can also use the word “to” or the paired expressions “from-to” and “between-and.” A hyphen is used instead of an en dash in some styles.
Both a colon and an em dash introduce new information that explains or builds upon something that precedes it. The colon is quieter; the dash is more emphatic and dramatic.
Use a colon only after a grammatically complete sentence to introduce a list. Don’t use a colon between a verb and its object. Don’t use a colon after a title, heading, or caption for a list.
Don’t use a comma with “that,” either as a relative pronoun or a conjunction. “Which” usually introduces an optional description, which you should enclose in commas. No commas are used if “which” introduces essential information.