Deciding whether to double the final consonant of a word before adding ed or ing is a common problem. Grouping the words that take these endings according to how they are accented makes learning and remembering the correct spellings easier. More than 100 verbs are grouped into seven categories. One of the more difficult to remember categories is guided by this rule: If the accent is on the first syllable, almost always a single consonant precedes the -ed and -ing forms.

To determine whether who or whom is correct in a particular circumstance, mentally rearrange the sentence, clause, or question in one or both of the following ways. Substitute another pronoun of the same form, i.e., nominative or objective, to fit the pattern. Omit any parenthetical phrase, leaving only the subject-verb or subject-verb-object. Many problematic examples are given.

To hyphenate or not and one word or two are dilemmas often raised by common words in common usage. Examples are given. Generally, words that precede and modify a noun are either hyphenated or written as one word; combinations such as adjective-noun not immediately preceding a noun are written as two words. Some examples of print-media illiteracy are also given and explained.