Choose your words wisely and don't rush to comment on things you don't know much about. Being a good listener is better than speaking. You don't need to have an opinion on everything.

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• Avoid the word 'like'. It has become a stumbling word of similar context to 'um'. Try to eliminate the word from your entire vocabulary, even if you use it correctly. Say 'such as' or 'similar to' instead.
• Don't speak loudly. You will quickly lose respect if you do, as this is seen as overbearing and rude. It can also make others angry and upset before you even establish a relationship with them. They will think of you as a 'big mouth'! If you naturally speak loudly, practice turning your volume down.
• Speak with respect to and of others by avoiding negative or insulting remarks. Avoid expressions or theoretical examples implying disrespect, degradation or that invite people to imagine offensive scenarios, like "What's up your butt?" or "How would you feel if someone..." followed by a description of violent or degrading acts. You may not intend this as offensive, but it is. General rule: if you don't want someone to speak about you that way, then don't speak this way to others.
• Don't ever speak of bodily functions, such as using the bathroom or telling crude jokes. Even in casual conversation, this indicates immaturity and often makes bad impressions.

• Show interest in others by asking questions about them. Don't steal their spotlight by just talking about yourself. Don't come off as selfish. Continually talking of yourself is boring and others will find you arrogant.

• Don't put others down, belittle them, or spread gossip. Never criticize someone in an attempt to demean or to elevate yourself. If you wouldn't like it done to you, then don't do it! Be complimentary and positive, for example, avoid criticizing an article someone has written. Their grammar and spelling may not be as good as yours but they tried. Having an opinion is fine, but being insulting reflects bad manners. Never tell secrets, especially those about your close friends. If someone is gossiping or belittling another, show you understand in a neutral way (a small nod to show you comprehend or an "mmhmm" should do).
• Don't interrupt, cut off, or override others unless they are insulting or swearing, etc. Give others respect and try letting them finish. Practice being a listener!

Never use a phone when entering a bathroom, as some things are meant to be private. No one cares to 'hear' you doing your business. Regardless of why you are there, stay off the phone! No exceptions!

• Don’t phone before 7:00 am and after 9:00 pm unless in an emergency or an important overseas call. Also avoid calling people during meals, work, and school. People don't expect you to drop in and visit at these times, unless it is arranged. This includes texting, though you would obviously not text for emergencies.
• Ensure the number you have is correct. If you do disturb someone and it’s the wrong number then ‘please’ have the decency to say, “I’m so sorry! I have the wrong number!” DO NOT just hang up. That individual may be ill, in a wheelchair, or elderly, etc., so you should show respect and apologize for their inconvenience. Likewise, if a person with a wrong number phoned you, politely point out that they have called the wrong number.
• Check your voice! It carries much more than just a tone, and reflects your character and personality even on the phone! Remember: your listener cannot see you, so your phone-voice becomes your facial expressions, gestures, personality, and character. Always check your voice when speaking; speak in a pleasant tone and very clearly. Smile through your voice! What they hear will make a positive or negative impression.
• When someone answers the phone don’t be harsh and abrupt by telling them what you want first. This confuses them and makes them wonder who you are. You also appear very rude, which is bad if you need a favor from them. It gives the wrong impression before you start! And don’t say, “Who is this?” You phoned them, so introduce yourself and state who you are and what you want – politely! For example; say “Hello, my name is Mrs. Peppermint, I'd like to speak to Mrs. Sally Lemon. Is she available?” If the person is not there, state to the person on the phone whether you will call back later or request they call you back. Or if you are making inquiries, state; “Hello, this is Mrs. Peppermint. I saw an advert in the local paper for a shop assistant; is that position still open?” When finished, say, “Thank you for your help. Goodbye” and be genuine! Now ensure you give them time to say ‘Goodbye’ too!
• Give people a chance to answer their phone! They could be outside in their garden, knitting, baking, washing the car, or at another end of the house. Don’t just ring three times and hang up! It's annoying when you stopped doing something and just as the phone gets to your ear the caller hangs up!
• Don’t spend an hour (or hours) chatting to someone. Don't waste people's time or disturb the household! It’s one of the biggest turn-off’s to having a friendly chat! They will not want to talk to you again.
• Answering your phone: Again – don’t forget to check your voice! Just be pleasant and polite and say, ‘Hello’. Avoid saying, 'Good afternoon, Smith residence' or 'John Smith speaking'. It's too dangerous today. If you are alone and you don’t know who the person is, don't tell them no-one is home or your husband is working, etc. Always pretend someone else is there. Use wisdom and good old-fashioned common sense! Be safe!
• If the call is for someone else, say something such as; “One moment please, I'll just go and call them for you.” Put the receiver down gently. If who they want to speak to is unavailable, say, “I’m sorry, Sally isn’t available right now. May I take a message for her and ask her to phone you as soon as she can?”
• If you must carry on two conversations at once you should always excuse yourself from one and resume it later. Say, "I'm sorry, can you hold on a minute; my boss is telling me something," and wait for the person's answer. If the personal conversation will last more than a minute, it would be better to ask, "Can I call you back? My mother needs to talk to me and it may take a few minutes."
• In case of needing a restroom break, say something to get off the phone, without sharing too much information. All you really need to say is 'Can you hold on for a few minutes? I will be right back.'
• When talking on the phone in a public space, keep in mind that everything you say is no longer just your news. Keep your voice at "indoor voice" level, or lower. Generally, people with good manners don't talk about potentially embarrassing private issues in public.
• When on the phone, don't talk with others in the room. What's worse than having a phone conversation with one who chats, perhaps not listening to what you're saying, and you can't tell if they are speaking to you or others. If someone tries to talk to you, simply point to your phone and they will get the message.
• Avoid using the computer while on the phone unless it's part of customer services. It is extremely rude and unpleasant when someone makes you listen to a clacking keyboard.
• Turn off your phone in films and don't text while pretending to pay attention to someone else. Never call during meals or important ceremonies, where mobiles should always be switched off at all times.
• Refrain from using your cell at check-out counters it is bad taste and horribly rude to talk on your cell while having an interaction with other individuals - particularly those people who are handling your money, be it in the grocery store, the mall or at a petrol station. It is unacceptable to treat cashiers as ATMs. Get off the phone, do your business, and then resume your call at a more appropriate time.
• When with others in a social setting, try to refrain from using your cell phone. It implies you'd rather be somewhere else, with someone else, and that who you are with is less important.

• Address older adults and professional seniority with the title of "Mr.", "Mrs.", "Miss", or "Ms." until you are asked by them to address them by their first name.
• Make certain the person prefers you to use their nickname before you use it. Ask if uncertain. Don't assume that "Michael" prefers to be called "Mike" or "Sandra" prefers "Sandy".

• Never say "Yeah". It's "Yes" or preferably "Yes, please".
• It's never "Huh?" or "What?", it's "Pardon?"
• Instead of "Nah", say "No, thank you."
• Always use "May I...?" instead of "Can I...?"

• Give gratitude and be thankful. If someone gives you a gift, goes out of their way for you or provides an appreciated service, write a thank-you note. Not an email unless you are at work, and you should still write a thank-you note for a gift. Saying "thank you" is just not enough. Always keep thank-you cards in your office and home. Be thankful for what others do or have done for you.

Some people think spelling things wrong is normal. It's actually a sign of bad manners and poor intelligence. If you don't care enough to spell it right, you're insulting the recipient.

• Never use IM, SMS language, or computer jargon when sending a note as a 'Thank you' or other communication. Using jargon, in general, makes a person appear self-centred if others don't understand it. It also makes the listener feel ignorant.
• You should never assume everyone knows what LOL or TTYL means.
  • "Cuz" should never be used instead of "because"
  • "2" should never replace "to", "two" or "too". It can cause confusion in some cases.
  • Know the difference between you, your, and you're as well as there, their, and they're.
  • Its and it's have different meanings as well.
• Use a dictionary or thesaurus if you aren't sure of the spelling, meaning, or usage of a word. Remember, it's better to use a word you're comfortable using rather than a fancy word that you don't know the meaning.
• Proofread! Don't assume spell-check catches everything. Re-read everything.
• Not taking the time to spell simple words may be seen as disrespectful.
• Unless you're chatting with close friends and their grammar is usually horrible, you should never use jargon or abbreviations unless they are commonly recognized (Mr., Mrs., dates, etc.)
• Understand when IM and chat room language should be used. Avoid using it outside of IM, text, or chat situations. It makes you appear lazy and ill-mannered.
• Avoid generational jargon and slang. When communicating with someone of a different generation, make sure terms used are those familiar to all generations (use English grammar). You wouldn't like it if your boss or grandparents sent you a letter using a strange code or with phrases in a foreign language. Older and younger generations use different jargon.