@@ -37,6 +37,53 @@ There are 3 rules to describe classes:
3737 See the :ref: `content guidelines <doc_content_guidelines >` for information
3838 on the types of documentation you can write in the official documentation.
3939
40+ English language quirks to be aware of
41+ --------------------------------------
42+
43+ English has a few quirks that even experienced users of English slip up on,
44+ so they are listed here to help avoiding these common mistakes.
45+
46+ The noun adjunct
47+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
48+
49+ When you use a noun to modify another noun, as if it was an adjective, it is called
50+ a "noun adjunct". In most cases this first noun should be singular, so for example
51+ "a list of nodes" is also a "node list", not a "nodes list". This also applies even if
52+ the modified noun is plural, so "the lists of nodes" is also the "node lists",
53+ not the "nodes lists".
54+
55+ Deverbals
56+ ~~~~~~~~~
57+
58+ English has many words called deverbals, where two words in a phrase are combined into
59+ one noun. Examples of this are a "cleanup" from "to clean up", a "setup" from "to set up", etc.
60+ The combined word is not a replacement for the original phrase, so it's "Clean up the nodes",
61+ not "Cleanup the nodes", and "Performs a cleanup", not "Performs a clean up".
62+
63+ Initialisms and a/an
64+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
65+
66+ Many words that are used in the documentation are initialisms, formed by taking the first letter of each word
67+ in a phrase like "Frames Per Second" becoming "FPS". In most cases these are pronounced by just saying each letter
68+ instead of blending the sounds together like a normal word. This, combined with how English letters are
69+ pronounced, means that many of these words should use "an" and not "a" like you might expect.
70+
71+ So it's "an RID", not "a RID", because "RID" is pronounced like "aR-I-Dee". The English letters that are
72+ pronounced with a vowel before the consonant, and should use "an" and not "a" are: `F `, `H `, `L `, `M `, `N `, `R `,
73+ `S `, and `X `.
74+
75+ There are some exceptions to this, like "MIDI", where the word comes from the letters of a phrase, but aren't pronounced this
76+ way. If you are unsure what to do, try saying the word out loud.
77+
78+ Before file extensions the general rule is to always use "a" and write the extension with a leading ``. ``, for example "a ``.obj `` file".
79+
80+ And/or with lists
81+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
82+
83+ When listing things and add a noun at the end the noun should be plural if using "and" and singular if using "or", so it should be:
84+ "The Forward+ and Mobile renderers" or "The Forward+ or Mobile renderer". Also combine "either" with "or", not "and",
85+ and "both" with "and", not "or".
86+
4087.. _doc_docs_writing_guidelines_clear_english_rules :
4188
42897 rules for clear English
@@ -257,6 +304,15 @@ sentence, and keep it short:
257304
258305 The **AtlasTexture's** used region.
259306
307+ .. note ::
308+
309+ When adding the ``'s `` to plural nouns that end in an ``s `` it becomes just ``' ``, so you write "nodes'",
310+ not "nodes's". This applies even if the final ``s `` of the plural wasn't added to make it plural, so it's
311+ "axes'", not "axes's".
312+
313+ You *do * however still add the ``'s `` for plural nouns that do not end in an ``s ``, so it's "children's",
314+ not "children'". You can use either for singular nouns that end in an ``s ``, though ``'s `` is generally preferred.
315+
260316Use the Oxford comma to enumerate anything
261317~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
262318
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