What are Writing Conventions
Conventions refer to the standard way of doing something. Writing conventions are the standard rules which are observed by a person when writing a piece of text to deliver the message effectively. A simple example is that the basic sentence structure requires the need of a noun(subject) and verb; a question should be completed with a question mark. People do not always stick to these requirements but they are essential in effective communication.
Examples
Below is a sample category list of English writing conventions accompanied by a simple look at what each of them is about:
♦ Punctuation
Common punctuation of the English language is among the first things we learnt in English classes. The end of a plain statement should be indicated by a full stop. An exclamatory statement is concluded with a punctuation mark. This is referred to as end-of-sentence punctuation. The punctuation used within sentences includes commas, colon, semicolons and hyphens (and their correct use.)
Other rules which fall under punctuation include enclosing (unnecessary/ explanatory) words in parenthesis and the correct use of possessive nouns (hers, theirs).
♦ Sentence structure
Among the skills we have in writing conventions include completing a sentence; shifts in pronoun person and mood; rectifying modifier placement among many others. These writing conventions on sentence structure guide you on the right way to place and word your statements to ensure they convey the intended meaning.
The sentence is considered a pillar of language and a poorly constructed one may result to a misunderstanding. Imagine reading a page full of statements lacking comprehendible meaning.
♦ Pronoun clarity
If you are reading a well-written document, every pronoun has a clear antecedent to which it refers. Given that the writer understands his characters better than the reader, ambiguous pronouns may find their way into the text. Writing conventions require a pronoun to refer to a clear noun which was earlier mention.
Read through any writing to ensure you do not go against the writing conventions on pronouns which can easily go unnoticed.
♦ Citations
Writing conventions on citing source materials are better understood by people doing research. An in-text citation placed inside a block of text serves the purpose of acknowledging the person who said or wrote said words. They are fitted into the statement and appropriately punctuated.
When you quote more than four lines of text, indent the block ten spaces from the left margin.
Key Pointers?
Writing conventions are not only present in plain writing, but also in the various kinds of writing. For example, reflective writing requires the story to tell of an experience the writer went through. Narrative writing should be accompanied by a story, characters, and a setting. Different characters such as the numeric keys also have their own writing conventions. For example, a number with one or two digits should be spelled out as sixty-five.
Lessons on various writing conventions are available online for anyone who would like to learn more on the same. If you are unsure of the writing conventions involved, seek help from a person with a firm grasp on the writing conventions of English.