PART III

Appendixes

Rule #1: Remember to never split an infinitive.

Rule #2: Prepositions are something you should never
end a sentence with.

Rule #3: Dangling a participle at the end of a sentence is
uncouth and requires changing.

Rule #4: Your spelling will improve if you consult
your dictionary alot.

—Larry E. Grimes, from “Rules of the Writing Game”

The two appendixes to The AMA Handbook of Business Letters can help make letter writing less arduous.

The first appendix, “Words to Watch,” is by no means an all-inclusive list of every word ever used incorrectly. It does, however, include some words and phrases that are either tricky to use or often are used incorrectly. If you have a question about how a word or phrase should be used, look it up here.

The second appendix, “Punctuation,” is a discussion of punctuation marks and “how and when to use which.” For a more extensive discussion of the proper use of punctuation, there are several good references available. I recommend: The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th Edition (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2010) and Merriam-Webster’s Guide to Punctuation and Style, Second Edition (Merriam-Webster, 2001).