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Annotation of researchv8dc/cmd/wwb/wordlist.d, revision 1.1

1.1     ! root        1: 
        !             2: 
        !             3: %
        !             4: 
        !             5:      A LOT: ALOT: The correct spelling is always as two         separate
        !             6:      words.
        !             7: %
        !             8: 
        !             9:      ACCEPT: EXCEPT: "Accept" is a verb        meaning "to  receive,  to
        !            10:      take."  "Except"  is either a verb        meaning "to exclude" or a
        !            11:      preposition meaning "with the exclusion of, other than."
        !            12: %
        !            13: 
        !            14:      ACTUAL: ACTUALLY: Do  not use  "actually"   as   a   simple
        !            15:      intensifier (He actually had the nerve to strike me!).  Save
        !            16:      it        for  expressing  a  contrast  between  fact  and  opinion
        !            17:      (George looks like        an old man, but actually he is only 37).
        !            18: %
        !            19: 
        !            20:      ADAPT: ADEPT: ADOPT: To  "adapt"  is  to  adjust, to   make
        !            21:      suitable.  "Adept"  means "skilled, proficient." To "adopt"
        !            22:      is        to accept or to take as one's own.
        !            23: 
        !            24:          The children _a_d_a_p_t_e_d their habits to    their  new  home.
        !            25:          She is _a_d_e_p_t at typing.  The resolution was _a_d_o_p_t_e_d.
        !            26: %
        !            27: 
        !            28:      ADVICE: ADVISE: "Advice" is the  noun,  "advise"  the  verb.
        !            29:      Similarly,        "device" is the noun and "devise" the verb.
        !            30: %
        !            31: 
        !            32:      AFFECT: EFFECT: "Affect" is normally only a  verb;         "effect"
        !            33:      is         usually a noun, but it is also used as a verb.  The verb
        !            34:      "affect" means either "influence" (This quiz will not affect
        !            35:      your  final  grade)  or  "to pretend, assume" (He affected        a
        !            36:      British accent).  The noun        effect means  "result"  (Painting
        !            37:      the walls black had a depressing effect). The verb "effect"
        !            38:      means "to bring  about,  cause"  (The  election  effected a
        !            39:      change  of         government).   The  noun  "affect"  is  a rarely
        !            40:      encountered  technical  term  in  psychology   meaning   "an
        !            41:      emotion."
        !            42: %
        !            43: 
        !            44:      ALL: ALL OF: Either is usually correct, but "of"  can  often
        !            45:      be         omitted  to  avoid  wordiness.  Only "all of" is correct
        !            46:      before personal pronouns (all of us,  all of  them).   Only
        !            47:      "all"  is appropriate  before abstract nouns (All beauty is
        !            48:      deceptive).
        !            49: %
        !            50: 
        !            51:      ALL READY: ALREADY: ALL TOGETHER: ALTOGETHER: "All        ready" is
        !            52:      a pronoun plus an adjective; "already" is an adverb meaning
        !            53:      "by a particular  time."  Similarly,  "all         together"  is  a
        !            54:      pronoun  plus  an adjective, and should be        used when meaning
        !            55:      "at one time" or "in one place." "Altogether" is  an  adverb
        !            56:      meaning "entirely"        or "in total."
        !            57: 
        !            58:          They were _a_l_l   _r_e_a_d_y by noon.        It was _a_l_r_e_a_d_y noon.
        !            59: 
        !            60:          The ten of us were _a_l_l _t_o_g_e_t_h_e_r.  There were
        !            61:          _a_l_t_o_g_e_t_h_e_r too many.
        !            62: 
        !            63: %
        !            64: 
        !            65:      ALL RIGHT: ALRIGHT: The only  acceptable  spelling         is  "all
        !            66:      right."
        !            67: %
        !            68: 
        !            69:      ALLUSION: DELUSION: ILLUSION: An  _a_l_l_u_s_i_o_n         is  a  hint   or
        !            70:      indirect reference        (to call an athlete a "Goliath" is to use
        !            71:      a Biblical        allusion).  An  _i_l_l_u_s_i_o_n  is  a  deceptive  sense
        !            72:      impression         or  a  mistaken  belief.   When  an  _i_l_l_u_s_i_o_n is
        !            73:      serious and persistent enough, it may become a _d_e_l_u_s_i_o_n.
        !            74: %
        !            75: 
        !            76:      ALMOST: MOST: "Almost" is an adverb; "most" is a pronoun  or
        !            77:      adjective.          Colloquially, "most" is often used as an adverb
        !            78:      before a pronoun, but this        should be avoided in writing.
        !            79: 
        !            80:          COLLOQUIAL   _M_o_s_t everybody likes chocolate.
        !            81:          STANDARD     _A_l_m_o_s_t everybody     likes chocolate.
        !            82: 
        !            83: %
        !            84: 
        !            85:      ALOUD: OUT LOUD: "Out  loud"  is  a  colloquial  variant  of
        !            86:      "aloud" and should        be avoided in writing.
        !            87: %
        !            88: 
        !            89:      ALTHOUGH: THOUGH: The words are interchangeable and both are
        !            90:      correct.  The abbreviated forms "altho" and "tho" should not
        !            91:      be        used in formal writing.
        !            92: %
        !            93: 
        !            94:      AMONG: BETWEEN: In        general, "among" refers to more than  two
        !            95:      persons  or things, and "between" refers to only two persons
        !            96:      or        things.  "Between" is, however, often used with reference
        !            97:      to         more  than two things if the things are being considered
        !            98:      individually.  Only "between" is  correct if  relationships
        !            99:      are   being  considered  two  by  two:  there  were  several
        !           100:      marriages _b_e_t_w_e_e_n members of the class.
        !           101: %
        !           102: 
        !           103:      AND ETC.: "And"  is   redundant   because  "etc."   is   an
        !           104:      abbreviation  for Latin  "et  cetera," which means "and the
        !           105:      rest." Hence saying "and etc." is like saying  "and  and  so
        !           106:      on."
        !           107: %
        !           108: 
        !           109:      ANY MORE: ANYMORE:        The correct spelling is as  two  separate
        !           110:      words.   The  use of  "any  more"  in  a sentence without a
        !           111:      negative is a regionalism and should be avoided in        writing.
        !           112: 
        !           113:          REGIONAL     I see him almost every day _a_n_y _m_o_r_e.
        !           114:          STANDARD     I see him almost every day _n_o_w.
        !           115: 
        !           116: %
        !           117: 
        !           118:      ANY ONE: ANYONE: SOME ONE: SOMEONE: "Anyone" means        "anybody"
        !           119:      or        "any person at all." "Any one" means "a single individual
        !           120:      and only one."
        !           121: 
        !           122:          Choose _a_n_y_o_n_e     you like.
        !           123:          Choose _a_n_y _o_n_e of the     three.
        !           124: 
        !           125:      Exactly the  same distinction  applies  to  "everyone"  and
        !           126:      "every  one"; "everyone" means "all persons" and "every one"
        !           127:      means "each single        individual." Similarly for "someone"  and
        !           128:      "some one."
        !           129: %
        !           130: 
        !           131:      ANY WAY: ANYWAY: ANYWAYS: "Any way" is an adjective  plus a
        !           132:      noun  meaning  "whatever way." "Anyway" is        an adverb meaning
        !           133:      "in any case." "Anyways"  is  a  colloquial  substitute  for
        !           134:      "anyway."
        !           135: 
        !           136:          Do it _a_n_y _w_a_y     you like, but do it _a_n_y_w_a_y.
        !           137: 
        !           138: %
        !           139: 
        !           140:      APT: LIABLE: LIKELY: PRONE: In careful usage,  all         four  of
        !           141:      these  words are distinguished.  "Apt" means "talented" (apt
        !           142:      at        wood-working) or "suitable  for  the  occasion"  (an  apt
        !           143:      remark).   "Liable"   means   "susceptible   to   something
        !           144:      unpleasant"  (liable  to  error)  or  "legally  responsible"
        !           145:      (liable  for damages).  "Likely" means "probable" (likely to
        !           146:      snow).  "Prone" refers to a strong        habit  or  predisposition
        !           147:      (prone to temper tantrums).
        !           148: %
        !           149: 
        !           150:      ASSURE: ENSURE: INSURE: "Assure" refers to        persons; "ensure"
        !           151:      and  "insure"  to events  or  things.   Each  verb  must be
        !           152:      followed by an object.
        !           153: 
        !           154:          _e_n_s_u_r_e his recovery,
        !           155:          _i_n_s_u_r_e his house and car,
        !           156:          _a_s_s_u_r_e him that he will recover.
        !           157: 
        !           158:      "Assure" means "to        give confidence to or  to  make  sure  or
        !           159:      certain."
        !           160: 
        !           161:          A successful field _a_s_s_u_r_e_d (us) a new   drying method.
        !           162: 
        !           163:      Although   "ensure"    and    "insure"    are    considered
        !           164:      interchangeable,  the  preference is to use "ensure" to mean
        !           165:      "make sure        or  certain"  and  limit  "insure"  to  financial
        !           166:      protection.
        !           167: 
        !           168:          Certain inspection sequences have been established
        !           169:          to _e_n_s_u_r_e that the consoles will meet     all
        !           170:          customer requirements.
        !           171: 
        !           172: %
        !           173: 
        !           174:      AS TO: Do not use "as to" to mean "about."
        !           175: 
        !           176:          INCORRECT   The clerk inquired _a_s _t_o her health.
        !           177:          CORRECT     The clerk inquired _a_b_o_u_t her health.
        !           178: 
        !           179:      "As to" is        redundant before the  subordinators  "who,  what,
        !           180:      when, which, whether, where, why, and how."
        !           181: 
        !           182:          WORDY       The clerk inquired _a_s _t_o _w_h_e_t_h_e_r she
        !           183:                      was healthy.
        !           184:          IMPROVED    The clerk inquired _w_h_e_t_h_e_r she was healthy.
        !           185: 
        !           186: %
        !           187: 
        !           188:      ATTENUATE: EXTENUATE: Both          "attenuate"   and   "extenuate"
        !           189:      basically mean "to        thin out." "Extenuate" is the legal term:
        !           190:      "extenuating circumstances" make a        crime seem  less  serious
        !           191:      or        contemptible than it originally appeared.
        !           192: %
        !           193: 
        !           194:      ATTRIBUTE: CONTRIBUTE: "Contribute"  means         "to  give  one's
        !           195:      share"  or        "to have a share" in something; "attribute" means
        !           196:      "to trace or ascribe something to a cause or  source"  ("He
        !           197:      attributed         the  crossing  of the letters in the mail to the
        !           198:      intervention of a supernatural power").
        !           199: %
        !           200: 
        !           201:      AWFUL: AWFULLY: The adjective "awful" has lost  its  former
        !           202:      meaning  of  "inspiring  awe"  and         has  come  to  have  the
        !           203:      colloquial        meaning of "unpleasant, disagreeable." The adverb
        !           204:      "awfully" has  been  so  overused  that today it means only
        !           205:      "very." Both should be  avoided  in  writing.   The  use  of
        !           206:      "awful"  as an adverb (I'm        awful sick of his complaining) is
        !           207:      nonstandard.
        !           208: %
        !           209: 
        !           210:      AWHILE: A WHILE: "A while"        may be used wherever "awhile" can
        !           211:      be,  but  only  "a         while"  is correct after the preposition
        !           212:      "for" or with "ago."
        !           213: 
        !           214:          Wait _a_w_h_i_l_e. Rest _a_w_h_i_l_e before you start again.
        !           215:          Wait _a _w_h_i_l_e.      We waited for _a _w_h_i_l_e.
        !           216:          He left _a _w_h_i_l_e ago.
        !           217: 
        !           218: %
        !           219: 
        !           220:      BARELY: HARDLY: SCARCELY: These are negative  words  and  no
        !           221:      other negative should be used in the same clause.
        !           222: 
        !           223:          INCORRECT   _h_a_r_d_l_y no     trouble, _b_a_r_e_l_y     didn't make,
        !           224:                      without _h_a_r_d_l_y a word
        !           225:          CORRECT     _h_a_r_d_l_y any trouble, _b_a_r_e_l_y made, with
        !           226:                      _h_a_r_d_l_y a word
        !           227: 
        !           228:      The same principle        applies for  the  negative  time  adverbs
        !           229:      "rarely"  and  "seldom."  Phrases with "barely, hardly, and
        !           230:      scarcely" are followed by "when" or "before" and not "than."
        !           231: 
        !           232:          INCORRECT   She had scarcely left the garage _t_h_a_n
        !           233:                      her brakes failed.
        !           234:          CORRECT     She had scarcely left the garage _w_h_e_n
        !           235:                      her brakes failed.
        !           236: 
        !           237: %
        !           238: 
        !           239:      BECAUSE: "Because"        properly  introduces  noun  clauses,  not
        !           240:      adverbial clauses.   Thus,  after  such  words as "reason,"
        !           241:      "excuse," and "explanation," the correct word is "that."
        !           242: 
        !           243:          INCORRECT   The reason Judy is crying is _b_e_c_a_u_s_e
        !           244:                      she has a toothache.
        !           245:          CORRECT     The reason Judy is crying is _t_h_a_t
        !           246:                      she has a toothache.
        !           247:          INCORRECT   Her excuse for not coming is _b_e_c_a_u_s_e
        !           248:                      the roads are bad.
        !           249:          CORRECT     Her excuse for not coming is _t_h_a_t
        !           250:                      the roads are bad.
        !           251: 
        !           252: %
        !           253: 
        !           254:      BEING AS (HOW): BEING THAT: SEEING AS (HOW): Nonstandard for
        !           255:      "because."
        !           256: %
        !           257: 
        !           258:      BESIDE: BESIDES: "Beside" is a preposition        meaning  "at  the
        !           259:      side  of."         "Besides"  is  either  a preposition meaning "in
        !           260:      addition to" or an        adverb meaning "in addition, moreover."
        !           261: 
        !           262:          _B_e_s_i_d_e the fishtank, was a pump.
        !           263:          _B_e_s_i_d_e_s the fishtank,   there was a birdcage.
        !           264:          _B_e_s_i_d_e_s, she had forty-two houseplants.
        !           265: 
        !           266: %
        !           267: 
        !           268:      BUT THAT: BUT WHAT: Nonstandard for "that"        or "whether."
        !           269: 
        !           270:          INCORRECT   I don't doubt _b_u_t   _t_h_a_t he's guilty.
        !           271:          CORRECT     I don't doubt _t_h_a_t he's guilty.
        !           272:          INCORRECT   Who knows _b_u_t _w_h_a_t he's guilty?
        !           273:          CORRECT     Who knows _w_h_e_t_h_e_r   he's guilty?
        !           274: 
        !           275: %
        !           276: 
        !           277:      CAN: MAY: In speech, "can"        is widely used for both  "ability
        !           278:      to         do"  and  "permission  to  do." In writing, use "may" to
        !           279:      express the notion        of permission.
        !           280: %
        !           281: 
        !           282:      CAPITAL: CAPITOL: "Capital" means "most important"        or  "most
        !           283:      serious."  "Capitol"   is  a  building  in  which  a  state
        !           284:      legislature meets.
        !           285: %
        !           286: 
        !           287:      CASE: CIRCUMSTANCES: INSTANCE: LINE: SITUATION: All of these
        !           288:      words  tend to be overused, vague and are heavy contributors
        !           289:      to        deadwood.
        !           290: 
        !           291:          DEADWOOD   In the _c_a_s_e of the manufacture of paper,
        !           292:                     air pollution is a serious problem.
        !           293:          IMPROVED   Air pollution is a serious problem in
        !           294:                     the manufacture of paper.
        !           295:          DEADWOOD   He was in very difficult _c_i_r_c_u_m_s_t_a_n_c_e_s.
        !           296:          IMPROVED   He was in great difficulty.
        !           297: 
        !           298:      When using        a word like "situation," the sentence  can  often
        !           299:      be        improved by using more precise wording.
        !           300: 
        !           301:          VAGUE      What about the shovel _s_i_t_u_a_t_i_o_n?
        !           302:          IMPROVED   Are there enough shovels for everyone?
        !           303: 
        !           304: %
        !           305: 
        !           306:      CENSOR: CENSURE: CENSER: To   "censor"   is   to   examine,
        !           307:      especially          to   examine   printed   matter   for  possible
        !           308:      objections.  To "censure" is to reprimand or to condemn.  A
        !           309:      "censer" is a receptacle for incense, especially one used in
        !           310:      religious ceremonies.
        !           311: 
        !           312:          Half the story was _c_e_n_s_o_r_e_d.  The students condemned
        !           313:          their treasurer in a vote of _c_e_n_s_u_r_e.    Choirboys
        !           314:          carried the _c_e_n_s_e_r_s.
        !           315: 
        !           316: %
        !           317: 
        !           318:      CERTAIN: PARTICULAR: Redundant  in         expressions  like  "this
        !           319:      certain  person" or "in that certain instance." "Particular"
        !           320:      is        preferable where "certain" could  be  ambiguous,  meaning
        !           321:      either "some" or "reliable" (certain examples).
        !           322: %
        !           323: 
        !           324:      CITE: SIGHT: SITE:        To "cite" is to refer to.  "Sight"  means
        !           325:      "view" or "spectacle." A "site" is        a location.
        !           326: 
        !           327:          He _c_i_t_e_d an old legal       document.  The mountains
        !           328:          below were a beautiful _s_i_g_h_t.        We visited the
        !           329:          _s_i_t_e of the new building.
        !           330: 
        !           331: %
        !           332: 
        !           333:      COMMON: MUTUAL: Strictly  speaking,   "common"   refers   to
        !           334:      something shared  with  others  (a  common driveway, common
        !           335:      interests).  "Mutual" means  "reciprocal, having  the  same
        !           336:      relation  to each other" (mutual respect, mutual agreement).
        !           337:      The distinction is        often blurred in speech,  but  should  be
        !           338:      preserved in writing.
        !           339: %
        !           340: 
        !           341:      COMPARE TO: COMPARE WITH: Although        "to" and "with" are  used
        !           342:      interchangeably  in speech, in more formal        writing, "compare
        !           343:      with" means "to examine in        order to note  similarities"  and
        !           344:      "compare  to"  means "to represent        as similar, to liken." In
        !           345:      other words, "compare with" is the         act  of  comparing,  and
        !           346:      "compare to" is the statement of similarity.
        !           347: %
        !           348: 
        !           349:      COMPOSE: COMPRISE:        "Comprise" expresses the relation of  the
        !           350:      larger  to         the  smaller,  not  vice versa.  Try to think of
        !           351:      "comprise"        as meaning "include."  "Compose" means  "to  form
        !           352:      by        putting together."
        !           353: 
        !           354:          The U.S. _c_o_m_p_r_i_s_e_s 50       states.
        !           355:          The committee was _c_o_m_p_o_s_e_d of three representatives.
        !           356: 
        !           357: %
        !           358: 
        !           359:      CONNOTE: DENOTE: "Connote"         implies  a  suggestion   whereas
        !           360:      "denote" specifies        a meaning.
        !           361: 
        !           362:                     His paper _c_o_n_n_o_t_e_s that our research is
        !           363:                     too conservative.
        !           364:                     Signs in red _d_e_n_o_t_e danger.
        !           365: 
        !           366: %
        !           367: 
        !           368:      CONSCIENCE: CONSCIOUS: "Conscience" is a noun referring to        a
        !           369:      sense  of rightness.   "Conscious"  is an adjective meaning
        !           370:      "awake" or        "aware" or "active mentally."
        !           371: 
        !           372:          Let your _c_o_n_s_c_i_e_n_c_e be your guide.
        !           373:          I was not _c_o_n_s_c_i_o_u_s of his fear.
        !           374: 
        !           375: %
        !           376: 
        !           377:      CONSENSUS OF OPINION: Redundant because the word "consensus"
        !           378:      means "agreement of opinion." "Consensus" alone is        enough.
        !           379: %
        !           380: 
        !           381:      CONTACT: Overworked  as  a         verb  synonym  for  "talk  with,
        !           382:      telephone,         ask about, advise, inform, query, write to, call
        !           383:      upon."
        !           384: %
        !           385: 
        !           386:      CONTINUAL: CONTINUOUS: To be  "continuous,"  something  must
        !           387:      extend without interruption in space or in        time.  People may
        !           388:      keep up a "continual" conversation, interrupted because they
        !           389:      have to pause for breath.
        !           390: %
        !           391: 
        !           392:      CONVINCE: PERSUADE: You "convince"        someone that something is
        !           393:      right,  but  you "persuade" someone to do something.  Hence,
        !           394:      you might convince        your instructor that your  grade  is  too
        !           395:      low, but still not        persuade him to change it.
        !           396: %
        !           397: 
        !           398:      COUNCIL: COUNSEL: CONSUL: "Council" means "advisory  board"
        !           399:      or         "group." "Counsel" means "advice" or, especially in law,
        !           400:      "the man who gives        advice."  It may also be used as a  verb.
        !           401:      A "consul"        is a government official.
        !           402: %
        !           403: 
        !           404:      CREDIBLE: CREDULOUS: CREDITABLE: Stories  may  be  _c_r_e_d_i_b_l_e
        !           405:      (believable)  or  _i_n_c_r_e_d_i_b_l_e  (unbelievable); the people who
        !           406:      read  them         may  be  _c_r_e_d_u_l_o_u_s  (willing  to   believe)   or
        !           407:      _i_n_c_r_e_d_u_l_o_u_s (skeptical).  An act that does  someone credit is
        !           408:      a _c_r_e_d_i_t_a_b_l_e (worthy of praise) act.
        !           409: %
        !           410: 
        !           411:      DATA: DATUM: The  singular   "datum"   is   seldom    used.
        !           412:      Generally,         "data"  takes  a  plural  verb;  however, if the
        !           413:      reference is to a group of        facts taken as a unit, a singular
        !           414:      verb may be used.
        !           415: %
        !           416: 
        !           417:      DES'ERT: DESERT': DESSERT': "Des'ert" means a wilderness  or
        !           418:      dry,   sandy   region   with   sparse,  scrubby  vegetation.
        !           419:      "Desert'" means to        abandon.  "Dessert'" (note the change  in
        !           420:      spelling) is a sweet, such        as cake or pie, served at the end
        !           421:      of        a meal.
        !           422: 
        !           423:          The Mojave _D_e_s_e_r_t is part of the Great American _D_e_s_e_r_t
        !           424:            in southern California.
        !           425:          When we ran out of fuel, we _d_e_s_e_r_t_e_d our car to find a
        !           426:            gas station.
        !           427:          John and Sue baked a strawberry pie for _d_e_s_s_e_r_t.
        !           428: 
        !           429: %
        !           430: 
        !           431:      DEVICE: DEVISE: "Device" is a noun        and "devise" is a verb.
        !           432: 
        !           433:          His time machine was an amazing _d_e_v_i_c_e.
        !           434:          I wonder how he could _d_e_v_i_s_e such a thing.
        !           435: 
        !           436: %
        !           437: 
        !           438:      DIFFER  FROM: DIFFER  WITH: "Differ  from"         means   "to   be
        !           439:      different from, to        be unlike something." "Differ with" means
        !           440:      "to disagree with someone."
        !           441: %
        !           442: 
        !           443:      DISINTERESTED: UNINTERESTED: Although both        words  are  often
        !           444:      used to mean "not interested," "disinterested" more properly
        !           445:      is         reserved   for   the   meaning   "impartial,   unbiased,
        !           446:      objective."  "Uninterested" is used to mean "not interested,
        !           447:      indifferent."
        !           448: %
        !           449: 
        !           450:      DUE TO: DUE TO THE FACT THAT: "Due        to" is always  acceptable
        !           451:      in         an  adjectival  phrase (following directly a form of "to
        !           452:      be":  the error was due to         a  misunderstanding).   However,
        !           453:      some  still  object  to  using  "due  to" to  introduce  an
        !           454:      adverbial phrase (He was fired  due  to  his  incompetence).
        !           455:      "Due to the fact that" is unnecessarily wordy and can always
        !           456:      be        replaced by "because."
        !           457: %
        !           458: 
        !           459:      EACH AND EVERY: "Each and every"  is  unnecessarily  wordy;
        !           460:      either  "each" or "every" is preferable.  If you do feel you
        !           461:      must have both for        emphasis, the verb is still singular.
        !           462: %
        !           463: 
        !           464:      EACH OTHER: ONE ANOTHER: Some extremely careful writers  use
        !           465:      "each  other"  to refer  to  two persons or things and "one
        !           466:      another" for more than  two.   For  most  people,  the  two
        !           467:      phrases are interchangeable.
        !           468: %
        !           469: 
        !           470:      E.G.: I.E.: "E.g."        means  "for  example"  and  "i.e."  means
        !           471:      "that is."        Both are usually abbreviated in writing.
        !           472: %
        !           473: 
        !           474:      ELECTRIC: ELECTRICAL: "Electric"  carries  the   sense   of
        !           475:      producing,         arising  from, or being actuated by electricity,
        !           476:      e.g., electric pumps, electric motors, or electric        circuits.
        !           477:      "Electrical"  implies  pertaining to,  being related to, or
        !           478:      associated        with electricity but without  its  properties  or
        !           479:      characteristics,  e.g.,   electrical  industry,  electrical
        !           480:      units.
        !           481: %
        !           482: 
        !           483:      ENTHUSE: ENTHUSED:        Although  these  words  are  widely  used
        !           484:      colloquially,  many people        object to seeing them in writing.
        !           485:      Use "be enthusiastic" and "enthusiastic" instead.
        !           486: %
        !           487: 
        !           488:      ETC.: The abbreviation "etc." is acceptable, even in  formal
        !           489:      writing,  to  avoid a long        and tedious list that the readers
        !           490:      can infer for themselves. However,  "etc."  should  not  be
        !           491:      used  just         because  the  writer  cannot  think of any other
        !           492:      examples; rather  than  write:    "Vermin   include   rats,
        !           493:      cockroaches, etc.," try:  "Vermin include such pests as rats
        !           494:      and cockroaches." Do not misspell "etc." as "ect."          Do  not
        !           495:      write "and        etc." See, AND ETC.
        !           496: %
        !           497: 
        !           498:      EVER SO OFTEN: EVERY SO OFTEN: The        two do not mean the  same
        !           499:      thing.  "Ever so often" is        a somewhat childish way of saying
        !           500:      "very often, frequently." "Every so often"         means  "now  and
        !           501:      then, occasionally."
        !           502: %
        !           503: 
        !           504:      EVERY ONE: EVERYONE: EVERYBODY: "Every  one"  is  used  when
        !           505:      referring to individual units in a larger group.  "Everyone
        !           506:      may seem to be plural, but        it requires a singular verb and a
        !           507:      singular  pronoun.   "Everybody"  is  interchangeable  with
        !           508:      "everyone."
        !           509: 
        !           510:          ACCURATE    _E_v_e_r_y _o_n_e of our students is fully certified.
        !           511: 
        !           512:          ACCURATE    _E_v_e_r_y_o_n_e should stay in _h_i_s _o_r _h_e_r seats.
        !           513:          INACCURATE  _E_v_e_r_y_o_n_e should stay in _t_h_e_i_r seats.
        !           514: 
        !           515:          ACCURATE    _E_v_e_r_y_b_o_d_y       should stay in _h_i_s _o_r _h_e_r seats.
        !           516: 
        !           517: %
        !           518: 
        !           519:      EXACT: EXACTLY: "Exact" is        an adjective; do not  use  it  to
        !           520:      modify  the  adjective  "same." The correct form is "exactly
        !           521:      the same."
        !           522: 
        !           523:          INCORRECT   He did the _e_x_a_c_t same thing.
        !           524:          CORRECT     He did _e_x_a_c_t_l_y the same thing.
        !           525: 
        !           526: %
        !           527: 
        !           528:      EXCEPT: UNLESS: "Except" is a preposition and should not  be
        !           529:      used  to introduce        a clause.  To introduce a clause, use the
        !           530:      conjunction "unless."
        !           531: 
        !           532:          INCORRECT   He never writes us _e_x_c_e_p_t     he wants money.
        !           533:          CORRECT     He never writes us _u_n_l_e_s_s     he wants money.
        !           534: 
        !           535: %
        !           536: 
        !           537:      EXPECT: Colloquial        or  regional  in  the  meaning  "suppose,
        !           538:      suspect,  think."  "Expect"  is  standard  in  the  meaning
        !           539:      "anticipate."
        !           540: 
        !           541:          COLLOQUIAL   I _e_x_p_e_c_t     you already know him.
        !           542:          STANDARD     I _e_x_p_e_c_t     you to respond immediately.
        !           543: 
        !           544: %
        !           545: 
        !           546:      FARTHER: FURTHER: In practice,  the  two  words  are  almost
        !           547:      interchangeable.  However, some prefer to reserve "farther"
        !           548:      to        refer  to  physical  distance  (ten  miles  farther)  and
        !           549:      "further" for  other kinds of distance or degree (a further
        !           550:      observation).  Only "further" is correct in the meaning  "in
        !           551:      addition, moreover, furthermore."
        !           552: %
        !           553: 
        !           554:      FEWER: LESS: In speech, "less" is often  used  before  both
        !           555:      plural  and  mass nouns.   In  writing,  "less"  should  be
        !           556:      reserved for mass nouns (less control) and        "fewer" should be
        !           557:      used  with         plural  nouns (fewer horses).  In general if the
        !           558:      following noun ends in "s", use "fewer."
        !           559: %
        !           560: 
        !           561:      FINALIZE: Although        "finalize" is  formed  according  to  the
        !           562:      same  principles as the acceptable        "popularize," "legalize,"
        !           563:      and "modernize,"  many  people  still  object  to it.   Try
        !           564:      "complete," "conclude," or        "put into final form" instead.
        !           565: %
        !           566: 
        !           567:      FIND: LOCATE: "Find" is a verb usually meaning "to        come upon
        !           568:      by         study,  search  or experiment." "Locate" can mean either
        !           569:      "to determine the position        of something" or "to set up in  a
        !           570:      particular        place."
        !           571: 
        !           572:          Please _f_i_n_d my pen.
        !           573:          I don't know if I can _f_i_n_d the strength for it.
        !           574:          Can you _l_o_c_a_t_e their missing son?
        !           575:          Take that crate and _l_o_c_a_t_e it     in the warehouse.
        !           576: 
        !           577: %
        !           578: 
        !           579:      FORMALLY: FORMERLY: "Formally"  means  "in         a  formal  way."
        !           580:      "Formerly"        means "earlier, in the past."
        !           581: %
        !           582: 
        !           583:      FORTUITOUS: FORTUNATE: "Fortuitous" changes are  accidental,
        !           584:      unplanned developments that are not always        "fortunate."
        !           585: %
        !           586: 
        !           587:      FULL: FULSOME: "Fulsome," except when used        by people who are
        !           588:      confused  by  its similarity with "full," means "offensive,"
        !           589:      or        "disgusting." "Fulsome praise" is offensively exaggerated
        !           590:      or        insincere.
        !           591: %
        !           592: 
        !           593:      GOOD AND: As an intensifier meaning "very,"  "good         and"  is
        !           594:      colloquial; it should be avoided in writing.
        !           595: 
        !           596:          COLLOQUIAL   Cleaning the cellar made him _g_o_o_d _a_n_d
        !           597:                       tired.
        !           598:          PREFERABLE   Cleaning the cellar made him _v_e_r_y tired.
        !           599: 
        !           600: %
        !           601: 
        !           602:      GRATITUDE: GRATUITOUS: "Gratitude"        is a noun meaning "to  be
        !           603:      grateful or thankful."  "Gratuitous" is an        adjective meaning
        !           604:      "costing nothing, free, uncalled for."
        !           605: 
        !           606:                     His _g_r_a_t_i_t_u_d_e made       all my efforts seem
        !           607:                     worthwhile.
        !           608:                     She gave him _g_r_a_t_u_i_t_o_u_s advice.
        !           609: 
        !           610: %
        !           611: 
        !           612:      HEALTHFUL: HEALTHY: A distinction gradually  breaking  down
        !           613:      restricts "healthful"  to  mean  "conducive  to health" and
        !           614:      "healthy" to mean "possessing health."
        !           615: %
        !           616: 
        !           617:      HOPEFULLY:        "Hopefully" is always acceptable in  the  meaning
        !           618:      of         "in  a  hopeful manner" (Minnie asked hopefully if there
        !           619:      were any brownies left).  As a sentence modifier meaning "it
        !           620:      is         to  be  hoped,"  "hopefully"  is  attacked  by many, who
        !           621:      apparently        have not noticed that "hopefully"  is  completely
        !           622:      parallel  to   such   acceptable   sentence   modifiers  as
        !           623:      "undoubtedly" and "preferably." To        be absolutely  safe,  you
        !           624:      can reserve "hopefully" for the first meaning.
        !           625: %
        !           626: 
        !           627:      HUMAN: HUMANE: Not        every human being is  "humane"--that  is,
        !           628:      kind, compassionate, sensitive, or        refined.
        !           629: %
        !           630: 
        !           631:      I: ME: The        objective case of "I" is  "me."  "Me"  can  be  a
        !           632:      direct   object,  an   indirect  object,  an  object  of  a
        !           633:      preposition, an object of a verbal, or  the  subject  of  an
        !           634:      infinitive.
        !           635: 
        !           636:          It was a pleasure for the engineer and _m_e to
        !           637:          review the book.
        !           638: 
        !           639:          This is a decision that must be made between
        !           640:          you and _m_e [not I].
        !           641: 
        !           642: %
        !           643: 
        !           644:      IDENTICAL TO: IDENTICAL WITH: Authorities disagree  on  use
        !           645:      and  acceptability;  use  the  preposition         that  feels more
        !           646:      comfortable.    "Identical          with"   means   uniform   with;
        !           647:      "identical        to" means "equal to" or the "same as."
        !           648: %
        !           649: 
        !           650:      IF: WHETHER: "If" and "whether" are  almost  interchangeable
        !           651:      after  a  verb  and before        a clause.  "Whether" is preferred
        !           652:      when an alternative is expressed (Tell me whether you  want
        !           653:      to        play Probe or Scrabble).
        !           654: %
        !           655: 
        !           656:      IMPLY: INFER: "Imply" means "to hint or suggest  indirectly,
        !           657:      without   stating  directly."  "Infer"  means  "to  make  a
        !           658:      conclusion, based on evidence." You might infer  that  your
        !           659:      roommate  is  angry  because  he  implied it by throwing his
        !           660:      track shoes at you.
        !           661: %
        !           662: 
        !           663:      IN BACK OF: IN BEHIND: IN FRONT OF: BEFORE: The   "in"    is
        !           664:      unnecessary  in  "in  back        of" and "in behind." "Back of" is
        !           665:      acceptable, though        somewhat more colloquial  than  "behind."
        !           666:      "In  front         of" is always correct and often clearer and less
        !           667:      awkward than the formal "before."
        !           668: %
        !           669: 
        !           670:      INGENIOUS: INGENUOUS: "Ingenious" means  "having  or  giving
        !           671:      evidence  of  resourceful intelligence."  It can be used of
        !           672:      either persons  (an  ingenious  strategist)  or  things  (an
        !           673:      ingenious device).         "Ingenuous" means "naively frank." It is
        !           674:      used only of persons and of things        closely  associated  with
        !           675:      them (an ingenuous        proposal).
        !           676: %
        !           677: 
        !           678:      IN LIEU OF: "In lieu of" means "instead of" or "in        the place
        !           679:      of." If does not mean "in view of." Even used correctly, the
        !           680:      expression        is somewhat of an affectation and usually  should
        !           681:      be        avoided.
        !           682: %
        !           683: 
        !           684:      IN REGARDS TO: Nonstandard        for "in regard to." "As  regards"
        !           685:      is         correct,  but  sounds affected in American English.  All
        !           686:      expressions with regard  are  wordy  and  often  are  better
        !           687:      replaced with "about" or "concerning."
        !           688: %
        !           689: 
        !           690:      INSIDE OF: OUTSIDE OF: As prepositions referring  to  space,
        !           691:      the  "of" is  redundant  (Don't  wash the dog inside of the
        !           692:      house).  In time expressions, "inside of" is colloquial  for
        !           693:      "within" (You'll hear inside of a week).  As nouns, "inside"
        !           694:      and "outside" require the preposition "of"        (We couldn't  see
        !           695:      the outside of the        house because it was too dark).
        !           696: %
        !           697: 
        !           698:      IRREGARDLESS: DISREGARDLESS: Both  are   nonstandard    for
        !           699:      "regardless."
        !           700: %
        !           701: 
        !           702:      ITS: IT'S: ITS': "Its" is a possessive  adjective (the  dog
        !           703:      ate  its  food); "it's is the contraction for "it is" or "it
        !           704:      has" (It's        lost its flavor).  "Its'" is always incorrect.
        !           705: %
        !           706: 
        !           707:      JUDICIAL: JUDICIOUS: A "judicial" decision  is  a  decision
        !           708:      reached  by  a  judge or by a court.  A "judicious" decision
        !           709:      shows  sound  judgment.   Not  every  judicial  decision  is
        !           710:      judicious.
        !           711: %
        !           712: 
        !           713:      KIND: SORT: TYPE: These words are singular  and  should  be
        !           714:      modified  by "this" or "that," not        by "these" or "those." In
        !           715:      the phrase:  "this        kind (sort,  type)  of  a,"  the  "a"  is
        !           716:      redundant and should be omitted.
        !           717: %
        !           718: 
        !           719:      KIND OF: SORT OF: Colloquial  for "somewhat,  rather,"   in
        !           720:      sentences like (He's kind of big for his age).
        !           721: %
        !           722: 
        !           723:      LATER: LATTER: "Later" is an adjective  meaning  "coming  or
        !           724:      remaining after  the  proper  time" (He came later than the
        !           725:      rest.)  "Latter" is also an adjective, but         means  "relating
        !           726:      to, or being the second of        two groups or things referred to"
        !           727:      (Of apples        and oranges, I prefer the latter).
        !           728: %
        !           729: 
        !           730:      LEAD: LED:        The correct past tense and past participle of the
        !           731:      verb "lead" is "led," not "lead."
        !           732: %
        !           733: 
        !           734:      LIE: LAY: LAID: LAIN: Three pairs of similar verbs        have been
        !           735:      so        thoroughly confused in dialect and nonstandard usage, and
        !           736:      even in literate conversation, that many people have trouble
        !           737:      distinguishing   between  them  in  meaning  and  spelling,
        !           738:      particularly in their uses         with  separable  suffixes.   See
        !           739:      also rise-raise and sit-set.
        !           740:          _L_i_e (lay, lain), intransitive, but usually modified  or
        !           741:      combined with a suffix like down, indicates that the subject
        !           742:      occupies a        position.
        !           743: 
        !           744:          The book _l_i_e_s on the table.
        !           745:          The book _l_a_y on the table yesterday.
        !           746:          The book has _l_a_i_n on the table in the past.
        !           747: 
        !           748:          "Lay" (laid, laid), transitive except for a few special
        !           749:      uses  ("The  hens lay well"; "Lay on, Macduff"), means place
        !           750:      or        put and now  appears  mainly  in  a  variety  of  special
        !           751:      contexts (see a dictionary).
        !           752: 
        !           753:          He _l_a_y_s brick in his spare time.
        !           754:          The men _l_a_i_d their plans carefully.
        !           755:          the soldiers _h_a_v_e _l_a_i_d down their arms.
        !           756: 
        !           757: %
        !           758: 
        !           759:      LIKE: Careful writers still use "like" as a preposition  and
        !           760:      "as"  or  "as  if"         as a conjunction to connect two complete
        !           761:      clauses.  However,        if a verb has been  omitted  by  ellipsis
        !           762:      from the second clause, "like" is an acceptable connector.
        !           763: 
        !           764:          COLLOQUIAL   He looked _l_i_k_e he had just had a shock.
        !           765:          PREFERABLE   He looked _a_s _i_f he had just had a shock.
        !           766:          ACCEPTABLE   He looked _l_i_k_e a man in shock.
        !           767: 
        !           768: %
        !           769: 
        !           770:      LITERAL: LITERALLY: VERITABLE: "Literally"          means   "in   a
        !           771:      strict  sense,  exactly as        spoken or written" and should not
        !           772:      be        used as an intensifier meaning  "almost."  "He  literally
        !           773:      crucified her" means that he actually nailed her to a cross.
        !           774:          Similarly, "veritable" means "true, actual," and should
        !           775:      not  be  used  as a  simple  intensifier.   "My nephew is a
        !           776:      veritable monkey" makes you a monkey's uncle.
        !           777: %
        !           778: 
        !           779:      LOOSE: LOOSEN: LOSE: "Loose" is either an adjective  meaning
        !           780:      "free,  unattached"  or a verb meaning "set free, unfasten."
        !           781:      The verb "loosen" means the same as the verb "loose." "Lose"
        !           782:      is        a verb meaning "mislay, suffer loss."
        !           783: 
        !           784:          You will _l_o_s_e an arm if that dog gets _l_o_o_s_e.
        !           785: 
        !           786: %
        !           787: 
        !           788:      LOTS OF: A LOT OF:        Colloquial for "a great deal,  many"  and
        !           789:      best avoided in writing.
        !           790: %
        !           791: 
        !           792:      LUXURIANT: LUXURIOUS: A "luxurious" house may be  surrounded
        !           793:      by        "luxuriant"--that is, profusely growing--vegetation.
        !           794: %
        !           795: 
        !           796:      MAJORITY: PLURALITY: Save "majority"  for  use  with  exact
        !           797:      counts,  where  a contrast  between  the  majority  and the
        !           798:      minority is made or implied.   "Majority" should  never  be
        !           799:      used with mass nouns.
        !           800: 
        !           801:          INACCURATE The _m_a_j_o_r_i_t_y of the apples are bruised.
        !           802:          ACCEPTABLE Out of 20 or 30 apples, the _m_a_j_o_r_i_t_y of them
        !           803:                     are bruised.
        !           804:          PREFERABLE Most of the apples are bruised.
        !           805: 
        !           806:      "Plurality" is a technical        term; it  means  "the  difference
        !           807:      between   the  number  of votes  received  by  the  winning
        !           808:      candidate and  the  votes  received  by  the  next  highest
        !           809:      candidate."
        !           810: %
        !           811: 
        !           812:      MARSHAL: MARSHALL:        In the United States, this word ends with
        !           813:      a double  "l"  only  when it serves as the proper name of a
        !           814:      person or place.  In  other  instances,  it  is  "marshal,"
        !           815:      whether  it  be  "field  'marshal'"  or  "to 'marshal' one's
        !           816:      forces."
        !           817: %
        !           818: 
        !           819:      MATERIAL: MATERIEL: "Material" is a very general term  which
        !           820:      can be used for any matter        or substance from which something
        !           821:      is        made.   "Materiel"  refers  to  apparatus  or  equipment,
        !           822:      especially        military supplies.
        !           823: %
        !           824: 
        !           825:      MASTERFUL: MASTERLY: "Masterful"  is  an  adjective  meaning
        !           826:      "unusually         competent to play the master."  It also can mean
        !           827:      "a         strong,  virile  personality   and   ability   to   deal
        !           828:      authoritatively   with  affairs."  "Masterly"  is  also  an
        !           829:      adjective meaning  "to  indicate  thorough   knowledge   or
        !           830:      superior skill and        power."
        !           831: %
        !           832: 
        !           833:      MAY BE: MAYBE: "May  be"  is  a   verb   phrase   indicating
        !           834:      possibility.    "Maybe"  is  an  adverb  meaning  "perhaps."
        !           835:      "Maybe" is         somewhat  colloquial;  in  formal  writing,  use
        !           836:      "perhaps" instead.
        !           837: 
        !           838:          They _m_a_y _b_e right after all.
        !           839:          To be fair, _m_a_y_b_e we should wait.
        !           840: 
        !           841: %
        !           842: 
        !           843:      MORAL: MORALE: "Moral"  is         a   modifier,   concerning   the
        !           844:      preference          of   right  over  wrong;  "morale"  is  a  noun
        !           845:      suggesting        good spirits and a healthy attitude.
        !           846: 
        !           847:          George Washington was a _m_o_r_a_l       man.
        !           848:          The victory improved the soldiers' _m_o_r_a_l_e.
        !           849: 
        !           850: %
        !           851: 
        !           852:      NICE: Colloquial as a synonym  for         "affable,"  "agreeable,"
        !           853:      "amiable,"        "congenial," "considerate," and so on through the
        !           854:      alphabet. Use a more exact word.   Carefully  used,  "nice"
        !           855:      means "precise," "exact," "discriminating."
        !           856: %
        !           857: 
        !           858:      NONE: When        "none" means not one  or  no  part  (of),  it  is
        !           859:      singular; when it means not any, it is plural.
        !           860: 
        !           861:          _N_o_n_e [not one] was satisfactory.
        !           862:          _N_o_n_e [not any] of the receivers were impaired.
        !           863: 
        !           864: %
        !           865: 
        !           866:      NON SEQUITUR: The English translation of the Latin        phrase is
        !           867:      "it  does not follow."  Within a sentence, a "non sequitur"
        !           868:      is        a fact or statement which has  absolutely  no  connection
        !           869:      with the main sense of the        sentence.  It is usually a forced
        !           870:      effort to include a bit of        irrelevant information, as  "Born
        !           871:      in        Ohio, she loved cats."
        !           872: 
        !           873:      Another kind of "non sequitur" is a comment or answer  to a
        !           874:      query  which  bears no relation to        the query to which it was
        !           875:      supposed  to  be  a  response.   This  is  sometimes   done
        !           876:      deliberately to evade the question        or to create confusion.
        !           877: %
        !           878: 
        !           879:      NOR: "Nor"        is correctly used as (1) the second member of the
        !           880:      correlative conjunction "neither...nor," or (2) to        introduce
        !           881:      a main clause after a preceding negative main clause.  After
        !           882:      a preceding "not, no, never, etc.," in the        same clause, only
        !           883:      "or" is correct.
        !           884: 
        !           885:          INCORRECT   The refugees have no warm clothing _n_o_r
        !           886:                      shelter.
        !           887:          CORRECT     The refugees have no warm clothing _o_r
        !           888:                      shelter.
        !           889:          CORRECT     The refugees have no warm clothing, _n_o_r
        !           890:                      do they have shelter.
        !           891:          CORRECT     He was neither a gentleman _n_o_r a farmer.
        !           892: 
        !           893: %
        !           894: 
        !           895:      NUMBER: AMOUNT: "Number" refers  to  objects  which  can  be
        !           896:      counted.  "Amount"        refers to quantity in bulk.
        !           897: 
        !           898:          The present method of refining this metal requires an
        !           899:          excessive _n_u_m_b_e_r of work hours.
        !           900: 
        !           901:          The present method of refining this metal requires an
        !           902:          excessive _a_m_o_u_n_t of employee time.
        !           903: 
        !           904: %
        !           905: 
        !           906:      OFF OF: The "of" is unnecessary.  The use of "off"         or  "off
        !           907:      of"  to  designate        source or origin is nonstandard (I bought
        !           908:      it        off of a friend of mine).  Use "from" instead.
        !           909: %
        !           910: 
        !           911:      ON ACCOUNT OF: Colloquial for "because of." The use  of  "on
        !           912:      account  of" instead of "because" to introduce a noun clause
        !           913:      is        nonstandard.
        !           914: 
        !           915:          NONSTANDARD   I stopped reading _o_n _a_c_c_o_u_n_t _o_f   the
        !           916:                        light was so bad.
        !           917:          STANDARD      I stopped reading _b_e_c_a_u_s_e the light
        !           918:                        was so bad.
        !           919: 
        !           920: %
        !           921: 
        !           922:      ONE OF THE: THE ONLY ONE OF THE: "One of the" is followed by
        !           923:      a plural  verb;  "the  only  one  of  the" is followed by a
        !           924:      singular verb.
        !           925: 
        !           926:          Norman is _o_n_e   _o_f _t_h_e men who own their own boats.
        !           927:          Norman is _t_h_e   _o_n_l_y _o_n_e _o_f _t_h_e men who owns his
        !           928:          own boat.
        !           929: 
        !           930: %
        !           931: 
        !           932:      ONTO: ON TO: "Onto"  means         to  position  on;  "on  to,"  to
        !           933:      progress to the next item or step.
        !           934: %
        !           935: 
        !           936:      OVER WITH:        Colloquial for "ended" or simply "over."
        !           937: %
        !           938: 
        !           939:      PASSED: PAST: "Passed" is the past        tense and past participle
        !           940:      of         the  verb  "to  pass."  "Past"  is a noun, adjective, or
        !           941:      preposition.
        !           942: 
        !           943:          The time has _p_a_s_s_e_d rapidly.
        !           944:          In the _p_a_s_t; _p_a_s_t events; _p_a_s_t our window
        !           945: 
        !           946: %
        !           947: 
        !           948:      PEOPLE: PERSONS: As a general rule, use "people" with  large
        !           949:      numbers, "persons"        with exact or small numbers.  _P_e_r_s_o_n_s are
        !           950:      the individuals who make up the _p_e_o_p_l_e.
        !           951: %
        !           952: 
        !           953:      PERCENT: PERCENTAGE: Use "percent"        only after  numbers;  use
        !           954:      "percentage"   as  a  part  or  proportion  of  the  whole.
        !           955:      "Percent,"        originally two words from the Latin "per centum,"
        !           956:      has   become   one          word   (see  Webster's  New  Collegiate
        !           957:      Dictionary, 8th edition).
        !           958: 
        !           959:          Only 5 _p_e_r_c_e_n_t of the   units failed, but this
        !           960:          _p_e_r_c_e_n_t_a_g_e was considered too     large.
        !           961: 
        !           962: %
        !           963: 
        !           964:      PERSONAL: "Personal" is usually redundant and  best  omitted
        !           965:      after  possessive adjectives or nouns.  For example, in the
        !           966: 
        !           967:      phrase:   "My  personal  feelings,"  what else  could  your
        !           968:      feelings be except        personal?  Reserve "personal" to contrast
        !           969:      with impersonal (highly personal remarks).
        !           970: %
        !           971: 
        !           972:      PLAN ON: PLAN TO: "Plan on" is a colloquial  substitute  for
        !           973:      "plan to,"        perhaps by confusion with "count on." In writing,
        !           974:      use "plan to."
        !           975: %
        !           976: 
        !           977:      PRACTICABLE: PRACTICAL: A "practicable" plan  seems  capable
        !           978:      of         being  put  into practice.  A "practical" plan, when put
        !           979:      into practice, is workable         or  effective.   Unlike  things,
        !           980:      people can        be practical but not practicable.
        !           981: 
        !           982:                "Your plan for introducing low-cost synthetic
        !           983:                fuels to the public sounds _p_r_a_c_t_i_c_a_l, but
        !           984:                I'm afraid it isn't going to be _p_r_a_c_t_i_c_a_b_l_e
        !           985:                in the near future," the oil executive said 
        !           986:                in a smug tone.
        !           987: 
        !           988: %
        !           989: 
        !           990:      PRINCIPAL: PRINCIPLE: "Principal" is  an  adjective  meaning
        !           991:      "chief,  main" or a noun meaning (1) "the head of a school,"
        !           992:      or        (2) "money used as  capital,  as  opposed  to  interest."
        !           993:      "Principle"  is a noun meaning "rule, law,        doctrine." It may
        !           994:      help to remember that the adjective is always "principal."
        !           995: %
        !           996: 
        !           997:      PRONE: SUPINE: It is impossible for a man to "lie 'prone' on
        !           998:      his back."        "Prone" means "face downward."  If he is lying on
        !           999:      his back, he is "supine."
        !          1000: %
        !          1001: 
        !          1002:      PROVED: PROVEN: "Proved" is the only form having  historical
        !          1003:      foundation,  but  "proven"         is  also commonly accepted.  The
        !          1004:      verb "prove" is often used        carelessly of statements that are
        !          1005:      not proved; often "suggest," "imply," or "indicate" would be
        !          1006:      more accurate.
        !          1007: %
        !          1008: 
        !          1009:      PROVIDED: PROVIDED THAT: PROVIDING: All  are  acceptable  in
        !          1010:      the  meaning  "on the  condition  that,"  but "provided" is
        !          1011:      preferred in more formal writing. The "that" can be omitted
        !          1012:      unless  confusion would result.  None of these need be used
        !          1013:      where "if"        will express the same meaning.
        !          1014: %
        !          1015: 
        !          1016:      RARELY EVER: SELDOM EVER: SELDOM OR EVER: Instead of "rarely
        !          1017:      ever,"  use "rarely" or "rarely if        ever." Instead of "seldom
        !          1018:      ever" or "seldom or  ever,"  use  "seldom,"  "hardly  ever,"
        !          1019:      "seldom if        ever," or "seldom or never."
        !          1020: %
        !          1021: 
        !          1022:      REAL: REALLY: "Real" is colloquial        as  an  adverb  (She  was
        !          1023:      real pleased).  Use "really" or "very" instead.  Or consider
        !          1024:      omitting the adverb entirely; "really" often  sounds  as  if
        !          1025:      the  writer  is  trying too hard to convince the reader (You
        !          1026:      _r_e_a_l_l_y must try this new shampoo).
        !          1027: %
        !          1028: 
        !          1029:      RESPECTFULLY: RESPECTIVELY: "Respectfully"         means  "full  of
        !          1030:      respect"; "respectively" means "with respect or reference to
        !          1031:      each of several things in the  order  in  which  they  were
        !          1032:      mentioned"          ("'Un'   and   'deux'  mean  'one'  and  'two,'
        !          1033:      respectively").
        !          1034: %
        !          1035: 
        !          1036:      RISE: RAISE: The two verbs        are frequently confused.   "Rise"
        !          1037:      (rose,  risen),  intransitive,  often combined with suffixes
        !          1038:      like "up,"        indicates that the subject moves.
        !          1039: 
        !          1040:          He _r_i_s_e_s before dawn.
        !          1041:          He _r_o_s_e before dawn yesterday.
        !          1042:          He has never _r_i_s_e_n before dawn in his       life.
        !          1043: 
        !          1044:      "Raise" (raised,  raised),         usually  transitive  (but  "John
        !          1045:      opened  the  betting,  and         Tom raised"), indicates that the
        !          1046:      subject acts on something,        making it rise or appear.
        !          1047: 
        !          1048:          He _r_a_i_s_e_s his     hand when he wants to talk.
        !          1049:          The committee _r_a_i_s_e_d a new issue.
        !          1050:          His salary has not been _r_a_i_s_e_d for a year.
        !          1051: 
        !          1052: %
        !          1053: 
        !          1054:      SELF: The only correct forms of the  pronouns  are  myself,
        !          1055:      yourself, himself,  herself,  itself,  oneself,  ourselves,
        !          1056:      yourselves, and themselves.
        !          1057: 
        !          1058:      Although "-self" forms are        often used  in  speech  when  the
        !          1059:      subject  of  the sentence is not the same as the receiver of
        !          1060:      the action, this usage should be avoided in writing, and  "-
        !          1061:      self"  forms  should  be used only        as intensive or reflexive
        !          1062:      pronouns.
        !          1063: 
        !          1064:          COLLOQUIAL   He told a funny story to Paul and myself.
        !          1065:          PREFERABLE   He told a funny story to Paul and me.
        !          1066: 
        !          1067: %
        !          1068: 
        !          1069:      SHALL: WILL: In American English, "will" is by far        the  more
        !          1070:      common,   except  in  legal  documents  and  in  asking  for
        !          1071:      direction or suggestions in the first person (Shall we bring
        !          1072:      in         the  deck chairs?).  If "will" seems natural to you, use
        !          1073:      it; "shall" would probably        sound affected  to  your  readers
        !          1074:      too.
        !          1075: %
        !          1076: 
        !          1077:      SIT: SET: The two verbs  are  frequently  confused.   "Sit"
        !          1078:      (sat,  sat),  intransitive        except for a few uses, especially
        !          1079:      with suffixes like        "out" or "with" ("She sat out the  dance;
        !          1080:      she  sits a  horse gracefully"), indicates that the subject
        !          1081:      occupies a        place or seat or is in a sitting position.
        !          1082: 
        !          1083:          He _s_i_t_s by the window.  He _s_a_t by the   window last week.
        !          1084:          He has _s_a_t there for a year.
        !          1085: 
        !          1086:      "Set" (set, set), transitive except for a few uses        ("The sun
        !          1087:      sets  in  the  west;  the hens are        setting"), means place or
        !          1088:      put, often        varied in combinations  with  words  like  "off,"
        !          1089:      "up," and "by."
        !          1090: 
        !          1091:          He _s_e_t the lamp on the table.
        !          1092:          They _s_e_t up the new organization yesterday.
        !          1093:          Finally they have _s_e_t   out on their journey.
        !          1094: 
        !          1095: %
        !          1096: 
        !          1097:      SO: TOO: VERY: "So" and "too" are colloquial substitutes for
        !          1098:      "very" in negative        clauses and should be avoided in writing.
        !          1099:      Either use        "very" or omit the intensifier entirely.
        !          1100: 
        !          1101:          COLLOQUIAL   The eggplant quiche doesn't taste _s_o good.
        !          1102:          COLLOQUIAL   The eggplant quiche doesn't taste _t_o_o good.
        !          1103:          STANDARD     The eggplant quiche doesn't taste _v_e_r_y good.
        !          1104: 
        !          1105: %
        !          1106: 
        !          1107:      SOME TIME: SOMETIME: SOMETIMES: "Some  time"  refers  to  a
        !          1108:      period   or  span of  time  (I  saw  her  some  time  ago).
        !          1109:      "Sometime"        refers to a particular but indefinite time in the
        !          1110:      future  (Come  to see me sometime).  "Sometimes" means "now
        !          1111:      and  then,         at  times"  (I  see  her  sometimes,   but   not
        !          1112:      regularly).  "Sometime" is        also a slightly archaic adjective
        !          1113:      (A        sometime teacher, he now is a broker).
        !          1114: %
        !          1115: 
        !          1116:      SOMEBODY: SOMEONE:        "Somebody"  is  one  or  some  person  of
        !          1117:      unspecified    or  indefinite   identity.    "Someone"   is
        !          1118:      interchangeable with "somebody."
        !          1119: 
        !          1120:          _S_o_m_e_b_o_d_y outside would like to speak with you.
        !          1121:          _S_o_m_e_o_n_e outside would   like to speak with you.
        !          1122: 
        !          1123: %
        !          1124: 
        !          1125:      SOPHISTICATED: During the 1920's and 1930's  "sophisticated"
        !          1126:      was  used chiefly to describe people with a high quotient of
        !          1127:      worldly wisdom and        urbanity.   Since  World  War  II  a  new
        !          1128:      scientific         application has evolved, and today one speaks of
        !          1129:      highly "sophisticated" computers and "sophisticated" weapons
        !          1130:      systems,  when  describing         devices  that are complicated in
        !          1131:      design and        advanced in form.  Both senses of "sophisticated"
        !          1132:      are Standard English.
        !          1133: %
        !          1134: 
        !          1135:      SUBSTITUTE: It  is         usually  incorrect  to  use  any   other
        !          1136:      preposition  than "for" to        follow the word "substitute."  It
        !          1137:      is        sometimes advisable to use the word "replace" rather than
        !          1138:      "substitute."
        !          1139: %
        !          1140: 
        !          1141:      STATIONARY: STATIONERY: "Stationary" is a modifier  meaning
        !          1142:      "not  movable"  or         "not  moving";  "stationery"  is  a noun
        !          1143:      meaning "writing materials." They can  be distinguished  by
        !          1144:      remembering that letters are written with stationery.
        !          1145: %
        !          1146: 
        !          1147:      SUIT: SUITE: "Suit," the commoner word, can be either a verb
        !          1148:      ("Suit   yourself")   or  a  noun ("a  tailor-made  suit").
        !          1149:      "Suite," only a noun, has several specialized uses.
        !          1150: 
        !          1151:          The ambassador and his _s_u_i_t_e occupied       a _s_u_i_t_e       of rooms.
        !          1152: 
        !          1153: %
        !          1154: 
        !          1155:      TERRIBLE: TERRIBLY: Overused  and misused;  colloquial   as
        !          1156:      general  intensives  ("She        is a terribly sweet girl") and as
        !          1157:      blanket words signifying anything unpleasant  ("I had  been
        !          1158:      vaccinated        and felt terrible").
        !          1159: %
        !          1160: 
        !          1161:      TERRIFIC: Recently        misused and overused as a general synonym
        !          1162:      for   "large,"   "impressive,"   "dramatic,"  "significant,"
        !          1163:      "dexterous," or "important," it can now scarcely be used  in
        !          1164:      its standard meaning, "causing terror."
        !          1165: %
        !          1166: 
        !          1167:      THAN: THEN: "Than"        is a subordinating  conjunction  used  in
        !          1168:      making  comparisons.   "Then"  is an  adverb  of  time or a
        !          1169:      conjunctive adverb        meaning "consequently, therefore."
        !          1170: %
        !          1171: 
        !          1172:      THAT: WHICH: "That"  introduces  only  restrictive         clauses.
        !          1173:      "Which"  may  introduce either restrictive        or nonrestrictive
        !          1174:      clauses, although some writers prefer to  use  "which"  only
        !          1175:      with nonrestrictive clauses.
        !          1176: 
        !          1177:          RESTRIC.    The shells _t_h_a_t _s_h_e _s_e_l_l_s _b_y _t_h_e
        !          1178:                      _s_e_a_s_h_o_r_e are overpriced.
        !          1179:          CLAUSE      (The restrictive clause limits the
        !          1180:                      shells being discussed to those sold by
        !          1181:                      the seashore.)
        !          1182: 
        !          1183:          NONRESTRIC. The shells, _w_h_i_c_h       _s_h_e _s_e_l_l_s _b_y _t_h_e
        !          1184:                      _s_e_a_s_h_o_r_e, are overpriced.
        !          1185:          CLAUSE      (All the shells being discussed are over-
        !          1186:                      priced; the nonrestrictive clause simply
        !          1187:                      gives additional information about the
        !          1188:                      shells.)
        !          1189: 
        !          1190:      If        the clause could contain "by the way," then  use  "which"
        !          1191:      with a comma before it.
        !          1192: 
        !          1193:          The shells,  _w_h_i_c_h _b_y   _t_h_e _w_a_y     she sells by the seashore,
        !          1194:          are overpriced.
        !          1195: 
        !          1196: %
        !          1197: 
        !          1198:      THERE: THEIR: THEY'RE: "There" is an adverb or an expletive
        !          1199:      pronoun; "their" is a possessive adjective; "they're" is the
        !          1200:      contraction of "they are."
        !          1201: 
        !          1202:          _T_h_e_y'_r_e pitching _t_h_e_i_r tent over _t_h_e_r_e.
        !          1203: 
        !          1204: %
        !          1205: 
        !          1206:      THUSLY: THUS: Nonstandard for "thus." "Thus" is  already  an
        !          1207:      adverb and        needs no additional "ly."
        !          1208: %
        !          1209: 
        !          1210:      TILL: UNTIL: Either form is correct and the  two  words  are
        !          1211:      interchangeable.  The spelling 'til, however, is incorrect.
        !          1212: %
        !          1213: 
        !          1214:      TO: TOO: TWO: "To"        is a preposition and is also used to form
        !          1215:      the  infinitive;  "too"  is  an  adverb;  "two is a cardinal
        !          1216:      number.
        !          1217: 
        !          1218:          The _t_w_o girls   were _t_o_o small _t_o see over the fence.
        !          1219: 
        !          1220: %
        !          1221: 
        !          1222:      TOWARD: TOWARDS: Either form is correct,  although         "toward"
        !          1223:      is        preferred in American usage.
        !          1224: %
        !          1225: 
        !          1226:      UNIQUE: In        careful usage, "unique" means "the only one,  the
        !          1227:      sole  example,  having no equal." Hence you should        not write
        !          1228:      he        was a very unique child (or  rather  unique  or  somewhat
        !          1229:      unique)  any  more         than  you would write he was a very only
        !          1230:      child.  If        you mean simply "unusual,"  then  write  unusual,
        !          1231:      rare, remarkable, or extraordinary.
        !          1232: %
        !          1233: 
        !          1234:      VERY: QUITE: RATHER: "Very,"  "quite"   and   "rather"   are
        !          1235:      intensifiers  that         are  generally  overused and unnecessary
        !          1236:      (e.g. _v_e_r_y        dead, frozen _q_u_i_t_e to the bottom, _r_a_t_h_e_r like  an
        !          1237:      apple).   These  words should be used sparingly.  You should
        !          1238:      try to use        words that are strong themselves.
        !          1239: %
        !          1240: 
        !          1241:      VERY: VERY MUCH: Strictly  speaking,   "very   much"    (or
        !          1242:      "greatly")         should  be  used  to modify past participles and
        !          1243:      "very" to modify adjectives.  The problem lies  in         deciding
        !          1244:      whether  a         past  participle  is  also an adjective.  If the
        !          1245:      participle        has a different meaning  from  the  verb,  it  is
        !          1246:      probably a        true adjective (determined, very determined), but
        !          1247:      in        many other instances, the line is not easy to draw.   One
        !          1248:      way   of  resolving   the  difficulty  is  to  omit  "very"
        !          1249:      completely; "very"        is overused as an intensifier and many  a
        !          1250:      sentence is improved by its removal.
        !          1251: %
        !          1252: 
        !          1253:      WAY: WAYS:        (1)  Use   "way"   for   "distance,   "ways"   is
        !          1254:      colloquial.
        !          1255: 
        !          1256:          COLLOQUIAL   That's a long _w_a_y_s to go by canoe.
        !          1257:          STANDARD     That's a long _w_a_y to go by canoe.
        !          1258: 
        !          1259:      (2) "Way" for "away" is colloquial.
        !          1260: 
        !          1261:          COLLOQUIAL   Don't go _w_a_y--I need you.
        !          1262:          STANDARD     Don't go _a_w_a_y--I need you.
        !          1263: 
        !          1264:      (3) The phrases "in a bad way" meaning "in         poor  condition"
        !          1265:      and "in the worst way" meaning "very much,        greatly" are both
        !          1266:      colloquial.
        !          1267: %
        !          1268: 
        !          1269:      WEATHER: WHETHER: "Weather" refers        to atmospheric conditions
        !          1270:      such  as  temperature  or cloudiness.   "Whether"  helps to
        !          1271:      express choice or an alternative.
        !          1272: 
        !          1273:          Daily _w_e_a_t_h_e_r   reports are studied by meteorologists.
        !          1274:          _W_h_e_t_h_e_r we call or write for reservations, we   must
        !          1275:          do it soon.
        !          1276: 
        !          1277: %
        !          1278: 
        !          1279:      WHICH: WHO: THAT: "Which" refers  to  nonhumans,  "who"  to
        !          1280:      persons, and "that" to either.  See also, THAT, WHICH.
        !          1281: %
        !          1282: 
        !          1283:      WHOSE: WHO'S: "Whose" is the possessive adjective or pronoun
        !          1284:      from  "who"  or  "which." "Who's" is the contraction of "who
        !          1285:      is" or "who has." Note that "whose" is perfectly  acceptable
        !          1286:      as         a  possessive  for  a nonhuman referent and often is far
        !          1287:      less awkward than "of which."
        !          1288: 
        !          1289:          AWKWARD   List all the planets names _o_f _w_h_i_c_h   you can
        !          1290:                    remember.
        !          1291:          IMPROVED  List all the planets _w_h_o_s_e names you
        !          1292:                    can remember.
        !          1293: 
        !          1294: %
        !          1295: 
        !          1296:      WISE: The  suffix  -wise  is   completely   acceptable   in
        !          1297:      established  words         such  as  "clockwise,"  "otherwise," and
        !          1298:      "lengthwise."   However,  its  use         to  form   new   adverbs
        !          1299:      indiscriminately is abhorred by many.  Even if "-wise" saves
        !          1300:      space, it is best to avoid        it.
        !          1301: 
        !          1302:          QUESTIONABLE  The house was satisfactory location-wise.
        !          1303:          PREFERABLE    The location of the house was satisfactory.
        !          1304: 
        !          1305: %
        !          1306: 
        !          1307:      YOU: In writing, "you" should be reserved for addressing the
        !          1308:      reader  directly  and  should  be avoided  as an indefinite
        !          1309:      pronoun.  Hence, "you" is correct  in  imperatives  and  in
        !          1310:      giving  instructions or advice addressed specifically to the
        !          1311:      reader.  As an  indefinite         pronoun,  use  "one,"  "anyone,"
        !          1312:      "everyone,"  "a  person," or  the plural "people" or "those
        !          1313:      (who)."
        !          1314: 
        !          1315:          COLLOQUIAL   When you are deaf, you are cut off from
        !          1316:                       the world.
        !          1317:          PREFERABLE   A deaf person is cut off from the world.
        !          1318: 

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