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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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