The Internet Commenter Style Guide

Welcome to The Internet Commenter Style Guide, a community-driven collection of English style and usage guidelines for the common Internet Commenter. The ISCG is designed to be a quick and easy resource for any and all fact-checkers, trolls and holders of important opinion. We believe that if you’re going to share your mind, it’s best to do so with elegance and proper style. Bookmark this page for the most up-to-date material and don’t be shy about sharing it wherever you see a need. This guide is a work in progress. Check back often for updates.

The ICSG welcomes submissions! Please send all proposed rules and examples to us with the #icsg tag via our submissions page.

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1. Capitalization. In English, only proper nouns and the first word in a sentence are capitalized. Proper nouns include the names of people and places. Brand names are also capitalized.

• Correct usage: Last week, Bryan ate at a Kentucky Fried Chicken in Louisville.
• Incorrect usage: OMG UR SO DUMB SHUT UP

2. Regarding truncated text-speak. With the advent of text messaging and Twitter, message length restrictions have led to the common shortening of certain words and phrases. When such limitations exist, it is wholly acceptable to make any and all necessary abbreviations in order to make room for your entire comment. Otherwise, such language should be avoided at all costs.

3. Proper punctuation use. The English language employs a number of punctuation marks, each serving a distinct and important purpose. Let’s review them all.

• The period is used to signify the end of a sentence. It can also be used for abbreviations, as in Mr. or Mrs. Commenter.
  • Example: Hello, Mr. Commenter, my name is Joe. I am happy to be reading your comments.
• The comma separates clauses and phrases from each other in sentences, allowing the reader to easily compartmentalize the many thoughts and ideas contained within a greater unit of language. Make sure to use a comma when writing longer sentences, particularly those that feature connecting articles such as “and,” “but,” and “or.”
  • Example: Yesterday, I went trolling, but no one took the bait.
• The colon, like the comma, links two parts of a sentence together. Use the colon for lists and for definitions that are not complete phrases or sentences by themselves.
  • Example: I have eaten four kinds of fruit today: apples, grapes, pears and bananas.
• The semicolon is similar to the colon, but should only be used when a phrase expands upon a previous phrase in a sentence but could stand apart as its own complete sentence.
  • Example: He didn’t feel much like eating; he’d already eaten four kinds of fruit that morning.
• There is never a need to use more than one exclamation point.
  • Example: I am happy!
• The question mark should be used in place of a period at the end of a sentence that asks a question.
  • Example: Hello, Mr. Commenter, how are you today?

4. Common misspellings and errors. This list is a compilation of some of the most commonly observed errors made on comment threads.

• Supposed, not suppose. Things are “supposed to” do things, never “suppose to” do them.
• A lot, not alot. See the brilliant blog, Hyperbole and a Half, for more information.
• Traditionally, all right should be broken into two words, but the alternative spelling “alright” is seeing widespread acceptance.
• To vs. two vs. too. Each of these homophones has a distinct use and should only be used in an appropriate use.
  • To: A preposition, “to” is used with indirect objects (I gave the ball to Billy), to show movement towards something (I went to Chicago), or as a part of an infinitive verb (I am going to eat a deep-dish pizza).
  • Two: This is the only version of the homophone set that should be used as a number.
  • Too: An adverb, used in place of words such as “additionally,” or “also.” Should always be separated by commas (I, too, am Canadian).