Grammar and punctuation
This page explains key grammar and punctuation rules to help you write government content that is clear, consistent and accessible.
Apostrophes
Use apostrophes to show possession.
Do
your vehicle's number plate (singular)
your customers' views (plural)
a week's time (singular)
Don’t use apostrophes in plural abbreviations or decades (for example, 1990s).
Use apostrophes to show missing letters in simple contractions.
Do
It’s (short for it is or it has)
Don’t (short for do not)
Ampersands (&)
Do not use & in regular text unless it is part of an official name.
Brackets
Use rounded brackets (like this) to add extra information.
Capitalisation
Use capital letters sparingly.
- Capitalise proper nouns and official titles
- In headings, capitalise the first word and proper nouns only
Government examples
Use lower case for generic references. Write government terms in lowercase when you are referring to them in a non‑specific way – that is, when you are not naming a particular department, agency or program.
Do
NSW Government has announced energy rebates
The Ombudsman is independent of the elected government
Find your nearest local government preschool
The Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure is a NSW Government department
Contact your state government office
Commas
Use commas to separate words, phrases or clauses.
If a sentence has too many commas, rewrite it as:
- two shorter sentences, or
- a bulleted list
Avoid using multiple commas in a sentence. Break sentences over 25 words long into 2 sentences.
Oxford comma
Use an Oxford comma if it helps avoid confusion.
Example
You may need to have your eyesight tested, a medical examination, or take a test before renewing your licence.
Contractions
Use contractions to create a more conversational tone.
Example
you'll
we'll
you're
it's
Avoid complex or negative contractions. These can be harder to read.
Example
can’t
don’t
won’t
Dashes
Use an en dash (–) to:
- add extra information
- show an abrupt change
- set a phrase apart (within a sentence)
Exclamation marks
Do not use exclamation marks.
Full stops
Use a full stop at the end of a sentence that ends with link text.
Do not
use full stops of titles (Mr, Dr or Mrs)
use full stops for abbreviations, acronyms or initialisms
add a full stop if an email address ends the sentence
Hyphens
Use hyphens when 2 or more words form an adjective.
Examples
full-time work → work full time
an in-depth review → reviewed in depth
16-year-old driver
11-digit number
Do not hyphenate when the phrase comes after the noun.
Log in and sign up
Do not hyphenate login or sign up.
Examples
Use your login to log in to your account.
You’ll need to sign up for an account.
Prefixes and double vowels
Use a hyphen if it avoids confusion.
Examples
re-evaluate
re-engage
re-sign (sign again)
re-form (form again)
Do not use hyphens in well-known words.
Examples
coordinate
online
website
Plurals
Avoid using (s) where possible. Rewrite the sentence instead.
If needed
Send your completed document(s) to the address on the form.
Quotation marks
Use single quotation marks, not double quotation marks.
Quick check
Before publishing, ask yourself:
- Can this sentence be shorter?
- Is the punctuation helping or distracting?
- Would this be easy to read aloud?