1. To join two independent clauses, use a comma followed by a conjunction, a semicolon alone, or a semicolon followed by a sentence modifier. 　　2. Use commas to bracket nonrestrictive phrases, which are not essential to the sentence\'s meaning. 　　3. Do not use commas to bracket phrases that are essential to a sentence\'s meaning. 　　4. When beginning a sentence with an introductory phrase, include a comma. 　　5. To indicate possession, end a singular noun with an apostrophe followed by an \"s\". Otherwise, the noun\'s form seems plural. 　　6. Use proper punctuation to integrate a quotation into a sentence. If the introductory material is an independent clause, add the quotation after a colon. If the introductory material ends in \"thinks,\" \"saying,\" or some other verb indicating expression, use a comma. 　　7. Make the subject and verb agree with each other, not with a word that comes between them. 　　8. Be sure that a pronoun, a participial phrase, or an appositive refers clearly to the proper subject. 　　9. Use parallel construction to make a strong point and create a smooth flow. 　　10. Use the active voice unless you specifically need to use the passive. 　　11. Omit unnecessary words.