Tools for you

Consistency is key when you communicate with Canadians. This set of tools will help you standardize certain elements in your texts, such as vocabulary, spelling and usage. The recommendations propose solutions to contentious language issues, while the reminders offer practical advice on how to handle recurrent language difficulties.

Linguistic Recommendations

• Date: how to write the date
• Government of Canada: full title and abbreviation
• Internet and Net
• Inuit and Inuk
• New French Spelling New
• Public service
• Telephone numbers
• Web

Linguistic Reminders

The Linguistic Reminders and the Rappels linguistiques deal with language problems specific to each language. Consequently, the English and French reminders do not cover the same topics.

Reminders in English

• affect vs. effect
• amount vs. number
• biweekly (bimonthly, biannual)
• cannot or can not?
• Capitals in titles of office or rank New
• comma after the year
• compass points
• fewer vs. less
• flounder vs. founder
• further vs. farther
• In regard to, with regard to, as regards
• its or it's
• over or more than?
• me myself and I?
• punctuation with closing quotation marks
• regardless vs. irregardless
• seldom
• serial commas
• supposably vs. supposedly
• the question as to whether
• there or their or they're
• who's and whose
• you and I or you and me