391. CONFUSING WORDS - 2

CONFUSING  WORDS - 2

a/an

In both spoken and written English, an is used before words beginning with a vowel sound (He

carried an umbrella. The Nobel is an honor) and when the consonants f, h, l, m, n, r, s, and x are

pronounced by name (The renovations created an L-shaped room. Miles received an F in

physics). Use a before words beginning with a consonant sound (What a fish! I bought a

computer) and words that start with vowels but are pronounced as consonants (A union can be

dissolved. They live in a one-room apartment). Also use a with words that start with consonant

letters not listed above and with the vowel u (She earned a C in French. He made a U-turn).

For words that begin with h, if the initial h is not pronounced, the word is preceded by an (It will

take an hour). Adjectives such as historic, historical, heroic, and habitual are commonly preceded

by an, especially in British English, but the use of a is common in both writing and speech (She

read a historical novel). When the h is strongly pronounced, as in a stressed first syllable, the

word is preceded by a (I bought a history of Long Island).

above

Above can be used as an adjective (The above entry is incomplete) or as a noun (First, please

read the above) in referring to what has been previously mentioned in a passage. Both uses are

standard in formal writing.

accept/except

Accept is a verb meaning "to receive": Please accept a gift. Except is usually a preposition or a

conjunction meaning "other than" or "but for": He was willing to accept an apology from everyone

except me. When except is used as a verb, it means "to leave out": He was excepted from the

new regulations.

accidentally/accidently

The correct adverb is accidentally, from the root word accidental, not accident (Russel

accidentally slipped on the icy sidewalk). Accidently is a misspelling.

adoptive/adopted

Adoptive refers to the parent: He resembles his adoptive father. Adopted refers to the child:

Their adopted daughter wants to adopt a child herself.

adverse/averse

Both words are adjectives, and both mean "opposed" or "hostile." Averse, however, is used to

describe a subject's opposition to something (The minister was averse to the new trends

developing in the country), whereas adverse describes something opposed to the subject (The

adverse comments affected his self-esteem).

advice/advise

Advice, a noun, means "suggestion or suggestions": Here's some good advice. Advise, a verb,

means "to offer ideas or suggestions": Act as we advise you.

affect/effect

Most often, affect is a verb, meaning "to influence," and effect is a noun meaning "the result of

an action": His speech affected my mother very deeply, but had no effect on my sister at all.

Affect is also used as a noun in psychology and psychiatry to mean "emotion": We can learn

much about affect from performance. In this usage, it is pronounced with the stress on the first

syllable. Effect is also used as a verb meaning "to bring about": His letter effected a change in

their relationship.

aggravate/annoy

In informal speech and writing, aggravate can be used as a synonym for annoy. However, in

formal discourse the words mean different things and should be used in this way: Her back

condition was aggravated by lifting the child, but the child's crying annoyed her more than the

pain.

agree to/agree with

Agree to means "to consent to, to accept" (usually with a plan or idea). Agree with means "to be

in accord with" (usually with a person or group): I can't believe they will agree to start a business

together when they don't agree with each other on anything.

ain't

The term is nonstandard for "am not," "isn't," or "aren't." It is used in formal speech and writing

only for humorous effect, usually in dialogue.

aisle/isle

Aisle means "a passageway between sections of seats": It was impossible to pass through the

airplane aisle during the meal service. Isle means "island": I would like to be on a desert isle on

such a dreary morning.

all ready/already

All ready, a pronoun and an adjective, means "entirely prepared"; already, an adverb, means

"so soon" or "previously": I was all ready to leave when I noticed that it was already dinnertime.

all right/alright

All right is always written as two words: alright is a misspelling: Betsy said that it was all right to

use her car that afternoon.

allusion/illusion

An allusion is a reference or hint: He made an allusion to the past. An illusion is a deceptive

appearance: The canals on Mars are an illusion.

almost/most

Almost, an adverb, means "nearly"; most, an adjective, means "the greatest part of" something.

Most is not synonymous with almost, as the following example shows: During our vacation we

shop at that store almost every day and buy most of the available snack foods.

In informal speech, most (as a shortened form of almost) is used as an adverb. It occurs before

such pronouns as all, anyone, anybody, everyone, and everybody; the adjectives all, any, and

every; and the adverbs anywhere and everywhere. For example: Most everyone around here is

related. The use of most as an adverb is nonstandard and is uncommon in formal writing except

when used to represent speech.

a lot/alot/allot

A lot is always written as two words. It is used informally to mean "many": The unrelenting heat

frustrated a lot of people. Allot is a verb meaning "to divide" or "to set aside": We allot a portion of

the yard for a garden. Alot is not a word.

altogether/all together

Altogether means "completely" or "totally"; all together means "all at one time" or "gathered

together": It is altogether proper that we recite the Pledge all together.

allude/elude

Both words are verbs. Allude means "to mention briefly or accidentally": During our conversation,

he alluded to his vacation plans. Elude means "to avoid or escape": The thief has successfully

eluded capture for six months.

altar/alter

Altar is a noun meaning "a sacred place or platform": The couple approached the altar for the

wedding ceremony. Alter is a verb meaning "to make different; to change": He altered his

appearance by losing fifty pounds, growing a beard, and getting a new wardrobe.

A.M., P.M./a.m., p.m.

These abbreviations for time are most frequently restricted to use with figures: The ceremony

begins at 10:00 A.M. (not ten thirty A.M.)

among/between

Among is used to indicate relationships involving more than two people or things, while between

is used to show relationships involving two people or things, or to compare one thing to a group to

which it belongs: The three quarreled among themselves because she had to choose between

two of them. Between is also used to express relationships of persons or things considered

individually, no matter how many: Between holding public office, teaching, and raising a family,

she has little free time.

amount/number

Amount refers to quantity that cannot be counted: The amount of work accomplished before a

major holiday is always negligible. Number, in contrast, refers to things that can be counted: He

has held a number of jobs in the past five months. But some concepts, like time, can use either

amount or number, depending how the elements are identified in the specific sentence: We

were surprised by the amount of time it took us to settle into our new surroundings. The number

of hours it took to repair the sink pleased us.

and etc.

Since etc. means "and all the rest," and etc. is redundant; the "and" is not needed. Many prefer

to use "and so forth" or "and the like" as a substitute for the abbreviation.

and/or

The combination and/or is used mainly in legal and business writing. Its use should be avoided in

general writing, as in He spends his weekends watching television and/or snacking. In such

writing, either one or the other word is sufficient. If you mean either, use or; if you mean both, use

and. To make a greater distinction, revise the phrasing: He spends his weekends watching

television, snacking, or both.

and which/and who

"And" is unnecessary when "which" or "who" is used to open a relative clause. Use and which or

and who only to open a second clause starting with the same relative pronoun: Elizabeth is my

neighbor who goes shopping every morning and who calls me every afternoon to tell me about

the sales.

a number/the number

As a subject, a number is most often plural and the number is singular: A number of choices are

available. The number of choices is limited. As with many agreement questions, this guideline is

followed more often in formal discourse than in speech and informal writing.

ante-/anti-

The prefix ante- means "before" (antecedent, antechamber, antediluvian); the prefix anti- means

against (antigravity, antifreeze). Anti- takes a hyphen before an i or a capital letter: anti-Marxist,

anti-inflationary.

anxious/eager

Traditionally, anxious means "nervous" or "worried" and consequently describes negative

feelings. In addition, it is usually followed by the word "about": I'm anxious about my exam. Eager

means "looking forward" or "anticipating enthusiastically" and consequently describes positive

feelings. It is usually followed by "to": I'm eager to get it over with. Today, however, it is standard

usage for anxious to mean "eager": They are anxious to see their new home.

anybody, any body/anyone, any one

Anybody and anyone are pronouns; any body is a noun modified by "any" and any one is a

pronoun or adjective modified by "any." They are used as follows: Was anybody able to find any

body in the debris? Will anyone help me? I have more cleaning than any one person can ever do.

any more/anymore

Any more means "no more"; anymore, an adverb, means "nowadays" or "any longer": We don't

want any more trouble. We won't go there anymore.

anyplace

Anyplace is an informal expression for "anywhere." It occurs in speech and informal writing but is

best avoided in formal prose.

anyways/anyway; anywheres/anywhere

Anyways is nonstandard for anyway; anywheres is nonstandard for anywhere.

apt/likely

Apt is standard in all speech and writing as a synonym for "likely" in suggesting chance without

inclination: They are apt to call any moment now. Likely, meaning "probably," is frequently

preceded by a qualifying word: The new school budget will very likely raise taxes. However, likely

without the qualifying word is standard in all varieties of English: The new school budget will likely

raise taxes.

as

Do not use as in place of whether: We're not sure whether (not "as") you should do that. Also

avoid using as as a substitute for because, since, while, whether, or who, where its use may

create confusion. In the following sentence, for example, as may mean "while" or "because": As

they were driving to California, they decided to see the Grand Canyon.

as/because/since

While all three words can function as subordinating conjunctions, they carry slightly different

shades of meaning. As establishes a time relationship and can be used interchangeably with

when or while. Because and since, in contrast, describe causes and effects: As we brought out

the food, it began to drizzle. Because (since) Nancy goes skiing infrequently, she prefers to rent

skis.

as/like

When as functions as a preposition, the distinction between as and like depends on meaning: As

suggests that the subject is equivalent to the description: He was employed as a teacher. Like, in

contrast, suggests similarity but not equivalence: Speakers like her excel in front of large groups.

ascent/assent

Ascent is a noun that means "a move upward or a climb": Their ascent up Mount Ranier was

especially dangerous because of the recent rock slides. Assent can be a noun or a verb. As a

verb, assent means "to concur, to express agreement": The union representative assented to the

agreement. As a noun, assent means "an agreement": The assent was not reached peacefully.

assistance/assistants

Assistance is a noun that means "help, support": Please give us your assistance here for a

moment. Assistants is a plural noun that means "helpers": Since the assistants were late, we

found ourselves running behind schedule.

assure, ensure, insure

Assure is a verb that means "to promise": The plumber assured us that the sink would not clog

again. Ensure and insure are both verbs that mean "to make certain," although some writers use

insure solely for legal and financial writing and ensure for more widespread usage: Since it is

hard to insure yourself against mudslide, we did not buy the house on the hill. We left late to

ensure that we would not get caught in traffic.

at

Avoid using at after "where": Where are you seeing her (not "at")? Whether used as an adverb or

as a preposition, "where" contains the preposition "at" in its definition.

at this point in time

Although the term at this point in time is widely used (especially in politics), many consider it

verbose and stuffy. Instead, use "now" or "at this time": We are not now ready to discuss the new

budget.

awful/awfully

Avoid using awful or awfully to mean "very" in formal discourse: We had an awfully busy time at

the amusement park. Although the use of awful to mean "terrible" (rather than "inspiring awe")

has permeated all levels of writing and speech, consider using in its place a word that more

closely matches your intended meaning: We had an unpleasant (not "awful") time because the

park was hot, noisy, and crowded.

awhile/a while

Awhile is an adverb and is always spelled as one word: We visited awhile. A while is a noun

phrase (an article and a noun) and is used after a preposition: We visited for a while.

backward/backwards

In formal discourse, backward is preferred: This stroke is easier if you use a backward motion

(adjective). Counting backward from 100 can be an effective way to induce sleep (adverb).

bad/badly

Bad, an adjective, is used to describe a noun or pronoun. Badly, an adverb, is used to describe a

verb, adjective, or another adverb. Thus: She felt bad because her broken leg throbbed badly.

bare/bear

Bare is an adjective or a verb. As an adjective, bare means "naked, unadorned": The wall looked

bare without the picture. As a verb, bare means "to reveal": He bared his soul. Bear is a noun or

a verb. As a noun, bear refers to the animal: The teddy bear was named after Theodore

Roosevelt. As a verb, bear means to carry: He bears a heavy burden.

because/due to the fact that/since

Because or since are preferred over the wordy phrase due to the fact that: He wrote the report

longhand because (not "due to the fact") his computer was broken.

before/prior to

Prior to is used most often in a legal sense: Prior to settling the claim, the Smiths spent a week

calling the attorney general's office. Use before in almost all other cases: Before we go grocery

shopping, we sort the coupons we have clipped from the newspaper.

being as/being that

Avoid both being as and being that in formal writing. Instead, use "since" or "because." For

example: Since you asked, I'll be glad to help.

beside/besides

Although both words can function as prepositions, they have different shades of meaning: beside

means "next to"; besides means "in addition to" or "except": Besides, Richard would prefer not to

sit beside the dog. There is no one here besides John and me. Besides is also an adverb

meaning "in addition": Other people besides you feel the same way about the dog.

better/had better

The verb "had" is necessary in the phrase had better and should be retained: She had better

return the lawn mower today.

between you and I

Pronouns that function as objects of prepositions are traditionally used in the objective case:

Please keep this between you and me. I would appreciate it if you could keep this between her

and them.

bi-

Many words that refer to periods of time through the prefix bi- are potentially confusing. Ambiguity

is avoided by using the prefix semi-, meaning "twice each" (semiweekly; semimonthly;

semiannual) or by using the appropriate phrases (twice a week; twice each month; every two

months; every two years).

bias/prejudice

Generally, a distinction is made between bias and prejudice. Although both words imply "a

preconceived opinion" or a "subjective point of view" in favor of something or against it, prejudice

is generally used to express unfavorable feelings.

blonde/blond

A blonde indicates a woman or girl with fair hair and skin. Blond, as an adjective, refers to either

sex (My three blond children. He is a cute blond boy), but blonde, as an adjective, still applies to

women: The blonde actress and her companion made the front page of the tabloid.

borrow/lend

Borrow means "to take with the intention of returning": The book you borrow from the library

today is due back in seven days. Lend means "to give with the intention of getting back": I will

lend you the rake, but I need it back by Saturday. The two terms are not interchangeable.

borrow off/borrow from

Borrow off, considered slang, is not used in formal speech and writing; borrow from is the

preferred expression.

bottom line

This overworked term is frequently used as a synonym for "outcome" or "the final result": The

bottom line is that we have to reduce inventory to maintain profits. Careful writers and speakers

eschew it for less shopworn descriptions.

brake/break

The most common meaning of brake as a noun is a device for slowing a vehicle: The car's new

brakes held on the steep incline. Brake can also mean "a thicket" or "a species of fern." Break, a

verb, means "to crack or make useless": Please be especially careful that you don't break that

vase.

breath/breathe

Breath, a noun, is the air taken in during respiration: Her breath looked like fog in the frosty

morning air. Breathe, a verb, refers to the process of inhaling and exhaling air: "Please breathe

deeply," the doctor said to the patient.

bring/take

Bring is to carry toward the speaker: She brings it to me. Take is to carry away from the speaker:

She takes it away.

bunch

Use the noun bunch in formal writing only to refer to clusters of things grouped together, such as

grapes or bananas: That bunch of grapes looks better than the other one. In formal writing, use

group or crowd to refer to gatherings of people; bunch is used to refer to groups of people or

items only in speech and informal writing.

burst, bursted/bust, busted

Burst is a verb meaning "to come apart suddenly." The word busted is not acceptable in either

speech or writing. The verb bust and adjective busted are both informal or slang terms; as such,

they should not be used in formal writing.

but however/but yet

There is no reason to combine but with another conjunction: She said she was leaving, yet (not

"but yet") she poured another cup of coffee.

but that/but what

As with the previous example, there is no reason to add the word but to either that or what: We

don't doubt that (not "but that") you will win this hand.

buy/by

Buy, a verb, means to "acquire goods at a price": We have to buy a new dresser. By can be a

preposition, an adverb, or an adjective. As a preposition, by means "next to": I pass by the office

building every day. As an adverb, by means "near, at hand": The office is close by. As an

adjective, by means "situated to one side": They came down on a by passage.

calculate/figure/reckon

None of these words is an acceptable substitute for expect or imagine in formal writing, although

they are used in speech and informal prose.

can/may

Traditionally, may is used in formal writing to convey permission; can, ability or capacity. In

speech, however, the terms are used interchangeably to mean permission: Can (May) I borrow

your hedge clippers? Can and may are frequently but not always interchangeable when used to

mean possibility: A blizzard can (or may) occur any time during February. In negative

constructions, can't is more common than mayn't, the latter being rare: You can't eat that taco in

the den.

cannot/can not

Cannot is occasionally spelled can not. The one-word spelling is by far the more common. The

contraction can't is used mainly in speech and informal writing.

can't help but

Can't help but, as in You can't help but like her, is a double negative. This idiom can be replaced

by the informal can't help or the formal cannot but where each is appropriate: She can't help

wishing that it was spring. I cannot but wish things had turned out differently. While can't help

but is common in all types of speech, avoid using it in formal writing.

canvas/canvass

Canvas, a noun, refers to a heavy cloth: The boat's sails are made of canvas. Canvass, a verb,

means "to solicit votes": The candidate's representatives canvass the neighborhood seeking

support.

capital/Capitol

Capital is the city or town that is the seat of government: Paris is the capital of France. Capitol

refers to the building in Washington, D.C., in which the U.S. Congress meets: When I was a child,

we went for a visit to the Capitol building. When used with a lowercase letter, capitol is the

building of a state legislature. Capital also means "a sum of money": After the sale of their home,

they had a great deal of capital. As an adjective, capital means "foremost" or "first-rate": He was

a capital fellow.

cause of ... on account of/due to

The phrases on account of and due to are unnecessary with cause of. Omit the phrases or

revise the entire sentence: One cause of physical and psychological problems is due to too much

stress. Change the sentence to: Too much stress causes physical and psychological problems.

censor/censure

Although both words are verbs, they have different meanings. To censor is to remove something

from public view on moral or other grounds, and to censure is to give a formal reprimand: The

committee censored the offending passages from the book and censured the librarian for placing

it on the shelves.

center around/center on

Although both phrases are often criticized for being illogical, they have been used in writing for

more than a hundred years to express the notion of collecting or gathering as if around a center

point. The phrase revolve around is often suggested as an alternative, and the prepositions at, in,

and on are considered acceptable with center in the following sense: Their problems centered on

their lack of expertise.

chair/chairperson

Chairperson is used widely in academic and governmental circles as an alternative to

"chairman" or "chairwoman." While some reject the term chairperson as clumsy and

unnecessary and use the term chair for any presiding officer, regardless of sex, chairperson is

still standard in all types of writing and speech.

choose/chose

Choose is a verb that means "to select one thing in preference to another": Why choose

tomatoes when they are out of season? Chose is the past tense of "to choose": I chose tomatoes

over cucumbers at the salad bar.

cite/sight/site

To cite means to "quote a passage": The scholar often cited passages from noted authorities to

back up his opinions. Sight is a noun that means "vision": With her new glasses, her sight was

once again perfect. Site is a noun that means "place or location": They picked out a beautiful site

overlooking a lake for their new home.

climatic/climactic

The word climatic comes from the word "climate" and refers to weather: This summer's brutal

heat may indicate a climatic change. Climactic, in contrast, comes from the word "climax" and

refers to a point of high drama: In the climactic last scene the hideous creature takes over the

world.

clothes/cloths

Clothes are garments: For his birthday, John got some handsome new clothes. Cloths are

pieces of fabric: Use these cloths to clean the car.

coarse/course

Coarse, an adjective, means "rough or common": The horsehair fabric was too coarse to be

made into a pillow. Although he's a little coarse around the edges, he has a heart of gold.

Course, a noun, means "a path" or "a prescribed number of classes": They followed the bicycle

course through the woods. My courses include English, math, and science.

complement/compliment

Both words can function as either a noun or a verb. The noun complement means "that which

completes or makes perfect": The rich chocolate mousse was a perfect complement to the light

meal. The verb complement means "to complete": The oak door complemented the new siding

and windows. The noun compliment means "an expression of praise or admiration": The mayor

paid the visiting officials the compliment of escorting them around town personally. The verb

compliment means "to pay a compliment to": Everyone complimented her after the presentation.

complementary/complimentary

Complementary is an adjective that means "forming a complement, completing": The

complementary colors suited the mood of the room. Complimentary is an adjective that means

"expressing a compliment": The complimentary reviews ensured the play a long run.

Complimentary also means "free": We thanked them for the complimentary tickets.

conformity to/conformity with

Although the word conformity can be followed by either "to" or "with," conformity to is generally

used when the idea of obedience is implied: The new commissioner issued a demand for

conformity to health regulation. Conformity with is used to imply agreement or correspondence:

This is an idea in conformity with previous planning.

consensus/consensus of

The expression consensus of (consensus of opinion) is considered redundant, and the preferred

usage is the single plural noun consensus, meaning "general agreement or concord": Since the

consensus was overwhelming, the city planners moved ahead with the proposal. The phrase

general consensus is also considered redundant. Increasingly, the word consensus is widely

used attributively, as in the phrase consensus politics.

contact

The word is both a verb and a noun. As a verb, it is frequently used imprecisely to mean "to

communicate" when a more exact word (telephone, write to, consult) would better communicate

the idea. Contact as a noun meaning "a person through whom one can obtain information" is

now standard usage: He is my contact in the state department.

continual/continuous

Use continual to mean "intermittent, repeated often" and continuous to mean "uninterrupted,

without stopping": We suffered continual losses of electricity during the hurricane. They had

continuous phone service during the hurricane. Continuous and continual are never

interchangeable with regard to spatial relationships: a continuous series of passages.

corps/corpse

Both words are nouns. A corps is a group of people acting together; the word is often used in a

military context: The officers' corps assembled before dawn for the drill. A corpse is a dead body:

The corpse was in the morgue.

counsel/council

Counsel is a verb meaning "to give advice": They counsel recovering gamblers. Council is a

noun meaning "a group of advisers": The trade union council meets in Ward Hall every Thursday.

couple/couple of

Both phrases are informally used to mean "two" or "several": I need a couple more cans of

spackle. I took a couple of aspirins for my headache. The expression a couple of is used in

standard English, especially in referring to distance, money, or time: He is a couple of feet away. I

have a couple of thousand dollars in the bank. The store will open in a couple of weeks. Couple

may be treated as either a singular or plural noun.

credible/creditable/credulous

These three adjectives are often confused. Credible means "believable": The tale is unusual, but

seems credible to us. Creditable means "worthy": Sandra sang a creditable version of the song.

Credulous means "gullible": The credulous Marsha believed that the movie was true.

criteria/criterion

Criteria is the plural of criterion (a standard for judgment). For example: Of all their criteria for

evaluating job performance, customer satisfaction was the most important criterion.

data/datum

Data is the plural of datum (fact). Although data is often used as a singular, it should still be

treated as plural in formal speech and writing: The data pertain (not "pertains") to the first half of

the experiment. To avoid awkward constructions, most writers prefer to use a more commonplace

term such as "fact" or "figure" in place of datum.

descent/dissent

Descent, a noun, means "downward movement": Much to their surprise, their descent down the

mountain was harder than their ascent had been. Dissent, a verb, means "to disagree": The town

council strongly dissented with the proposed measure. Dissent as a noun means "difference in

sentiment or opinion": Dissent over the new proposal caused a rift between colleagues.

desert/dessert

Desert as a verb means to abandon; as a noun, an arid region: People deserted in the desert

rarely survive. Dessert, a noun, refers to the sweet served as the final course of a meal: My

sister's favorite dessert is strawberry shortcake.

device/devise

Device is a noun meaning "invention or contrivance": Do you think that device will really save us

time? Devise is a verb meaning "to contrive or plan": Did he devise some device for repairing the

ancient pump assembly?

die/dye

Die, as a verb, means "to cease to live": The frog will die if released from his aquarium into the

pond. Dye as a verb means "to color or stain something": I dye the drapes to cover the stains.

differ from/differ with

Differ from means "to be unlike"; differ with means "to disagree with": The sisters differ from

each other in appearance. We differ with you on this matter.

different from/different than

Although different from is the preferred usage (His attitude is different from mine), different

than is widely accepted when a clause follows, especially when the word "from" would create an

awkward sentence. Example: The stream followed a different course than the map showed.

discreet/discrete

Discreet means "tactful"; discrete, "separate." For example: Do you have a discreet way of

refusing the invitation? The mosaic is made of hundreds of discrete pieces of tile.

disinterested/uninterested

Disinterested is used to mean "without prejudice, impartial" (He is a disinterested judge) and

uninterested to mean "bored" or "lacking interest." (They are completely uninterested in sports).

dominant/dominate

Dominant, an adjective, means "ruling, controlling": Social scientists have long argued over the

dominant motives for human behavior. Dominate, a verb, means "to control": Advice columnists

often preach that no one can dominate you unless you allow them to.

don't/does not

Don't is the contraction for "do not," not for does not, as in I don't care, she doesn't (not don't)

care.

done

Using done as an adjective to mean "through, finished" is standard. Originally, done was used

attributively (The pact between them was a done thing), but it has become more common as a

compliment: Are your pictures done yet? When we were done with the power saw, we removed

the blade.

double negatives

Although the use of double negatives (They never paid no dues) was standard for many years in

English, today certain uses of the double negative are universally considered unacceptable: He

didn't have nothing to do, for example. In educated speech and writing, "anything" would be used

in place of "nothing."

doubt that/doubt whether/doubt if

Doubt that is used to express conviction (I doubt that they intended to hurt your feelings); doubt

whether and doubt if are used to indicate uncertainty: I doubt whether (or if) anyone really

listened to the speaker.

due to

In formal discourse, due to is acceptable only after a form of the verb "to be": Her aching back

was due to poor posture. Due to is not acceptable as a preposition meaning "because of" or

"owing to": Because of (not "due to") the poor weather, the bus was late.

each

When each is used as a pronoun, it takes a singular verb (Each was born in Europe), although

plurals are increasingly used in formal speech and writing in an attempt to avoid using "he" or

"his" for sentences that include females or do not specify sex: (Each of them had their (rather

than "his") own agenda. More and more, the same pattern of pronoun agreement is being used

with the singular pronouns anyone, anybody, everyone, everybody, no one, someone, and

somebody. When the pronoun each is followed by an "of" phrase containing a plural noun or

pronoun, usage guides suggest that the verb be singular, but the plural is used often even in

formal writing: Each of the children has (or "have") had a school physical.

When the adjective each follows a plural subject, the verb agrees with the subject: The rooms

each have separate thermostats.

each and every

Use "each" or "every" in place of the phrase each and every, generally considered wordy: Each

of us enjoyed the concert. Every one of us stayed until the end of the performance.

each other/one another

Each other is traditionally used to indicate two members; one another for three or more: The two

children trade lunches with each other. The guests greeted one another fondly. In standard

practice, though, these distinctions are not observed in either speech or writing.

elicit/illicit

Elicit, a verb, means "call forth"; illicit, an adjective, means "against the law": The assault elicited

a protest against illicit handguns.

emigrate/immigrate

Emigrate means "to leave one's own country to settle in another": She emigrated from France.

Immigrate means "to enter a different country and settle there": My father immigrated to America

when he was nine years old.

eminent/imminent

Eminent means "distinguished": Marie Curie was an eminent scientist in the final years of her life.

Imminent means "about to happen": The thundershower seemed imminent.

enthused/enthusiastic

The word enthused is used informally to mean "showing enthusiasm." For formal writing and

speech, use the adjective enthusiastic: The team was enthusiastic about the quarterback's

winning play.

envelop/envelope

Envelop is a verb that means "to surround": The music envelops him in a soothing atmosphere.

Envelope, a noun, is a flat paper container, usually for a letter: Be sure to put a stamp on the

envelope before you mail that letter.

especially/specially

The two words are not interchangeable: especially means "particularly"; specially means "for a

specific reason." For example: I especially value my wedding ring; it was made specially for me.

-ess/-or/-er

The suffix -ess has often been used to denote feminine nouns. While many such words are still in

use, English is moving increasingly toward nouns that do not denote sex differences. The most

widely observed guideline today is that if the sex of the performer is not relevant to the

performance of the task or function, the neutral ending -or or -er should be used in place of -ess.

Thus, words such as ambassadress, ancestress, authoress, poetess, proprietress, sculptress are

no longer used; and the airlines, for example, have replaced both steward and stewardess with

flight attendant.

et al.

Et al., the Latin abbreviation for "and other people," is fully standard for use in a citation to refer to

works with more than three authors: Harris et al.

etc.

Since etc. (et cetera) is the Latin abbreviation for "and other things," it should not be used to refer

to people. In general, it should be avoided in formal writing as imprecise. In its place, provide the

entire list of items or use "and so on."

-ette

English nouns whose -ette ending signifies a feminine role or identity are passing out of usage.

Farmerette, suffragette, usherette, for example, have been replaced by farmer, suffragist, and

usher, respectively.

ever so often/every so often

Ever so often means happening very often and every so often means happening occasionally.

everybody, every body/everyone, every one

Everybody and everyone are indefinite pronouns: Everybody likes William, and everyone enjoys

his company. Every body is a noun modified by "every" and every one is a pronoun modified by

"every"; both refer to a person in a specific group and are usually followed by "of": Every body of

water in our area is polluted; every one of our ponds is covered in debris.

everyday/every day

Everyday is an adjective that means "used daily, typical, ordinary"; every day is made up of a

noun modified by the adjective "every" and means "each day": Every day they had to deal with

the everyday business of life.

everywheres/everywhere

Everywheres is a nonstandard term for everywhere and should be avoided in speech and

writing.

exam/examination

Exam should be reserved for everyday speech and examination for formal writing: The College

Board examinations are scheduled for this Saturday morning at 9:00.

except for the fact that/except that

Use except that in place of the verbose phrase except for the fact that: Except that (not

"except for the fact that") the button is missing, this is a lovely skirt.

explicit/implicit

Explicit means "stated plainly"; implicit means "understood," "implied": You know we have an

implicit understanding that you are not allowed to watch any television shows that contain explicit

sex.

fair/fare

Fair as an adjective means "free from bias," "ample," "unblemished," "of light hue," or "attractive."

As an adverb, it means "favorably." It is used informally to mean "honest." Fare as a noun means

"the price charged for transporting a person" or "food."

farther/further

Traditionally, farther is used to indicate physical distance (Is it much farther to the hotel?) and

further is used to refer to additional time, amount, or abstract ideas (Your mother does not want

to talk about this any further).

fewer/less

Traditionally, fewer, a plural noun, has most often been used to refer to individual units that can

be counted: There are fewer buttons on this shirt. No fewer than forty of the fifty voters supported

the measure. Less, a singular noun, is used to refer to uncountable quantities: She eats less

every day. I have less patience than I used to.

Standard English does not usually reflect these distinctions, however. When followed by "than,"

less is used as often as fewer to indicate plural nouns that refer to items that can be counted:

There were no less than eight million people. No less than forty of the fifty voters supported the

measure.

figuratively/literally

Figuratively, meaning "involving a figure of speech," usually implies that the statement is not

true. Literally, meaning "actually, without exaggeration," implies that the statement is true: The

poet Robert Frost once figuratively described writing poetry without regular meter and rhyme as

playing tennis with the net down. My sister literally passed out when she saw what had happened

to her new car.

Literally is commonly used as an intensifier meaning "in effect, virtually": The state

representative was literally buried alive in the caucus. This usage should be avoided in formal

discourse.

fix

The verb fix, meaning "to repair," is fully accepted in all areas of speech and writing. The noun

fix, meaning "repair" or "adjustment," is used informally.

fixing to/intend to

Use intend to in place of the colloquial term fixing to: The community intends to (not "is fixing

to") raise money to help the victims of the recent fire.

flaunt/flout

Flaunt means "to show off"; flout, "to ignore or treat with disdain." For example: They flouted

convention when they flaunted their wealth.

flunk/fail

Use the standard term fail in speech and writing; flunk is a colloquial substitute.

former/latter

Former is used to refer to the first of two items; latter, the second: We enjoy both gardening and

painting, the former during the summer and the latter during the winter. When dealing with three

or more items, use "first" and "last" rather than former and latter: We enjoy gardening, painting,

and skiing, but the last is very costly.

formally/formerly

Both words are adverbs. Formally means "in a formal manner": The minister addressed the king

and queen formally. Formerly means "previously": Formerly, he worked as a chauffeur; now, he

is employed as a guard.

forth/fourth

Forth is an adverb meaning "going forward or away": From that day forth, they lived happily ever

after. Fourth is most often used as an adjective that means "next after the third": Mitchell was the

fourth in line.

fortuitous

Fortuitous means "happening accidentally": A fortuitous meeting with a former acquaintance led

to a change in plans. It is also used sometimes as a synonym for "lucky" or "fortunate."

from whence

Although the phrase from whence is sometimes criticized on the grounds that "from" is

redundant because it is included in the meaning of "whence," the idiom is nonetheless standard

in both speech and writing: She finally moved to Kansas, from whence she began to build a new

life.

fulsome

Originally, fulsome meant "abundant," but for hundreds of years the word has been used to

mean "offensive, disgusting, or excessively lavish." While the word still maintains the

connotations of "excessive" or "offensive," it has also come to be used in the original sense as

well: Compare the severe furniture of the living room to the fulsome decorations in the den.

fun

Fun should not be used as an adjective in formal writing. Instead, substitute a word such as

"happy," "pleasant," or "entertaining": They had a pleasant (not "fun") afternoon at the park.

gentleman

Once used only to refer to men of high social rank, the term gentleman now also specifies a man

of courtesy and consideration: He behaves like a gentleman. It is also used as a term of polite

reference and address in the singular and plural: This gentleman is waiting to be served. Are we

ready to begin, gentlemen?

get

The verb get is used in many slang and colloquial phrases as a substitute for forms of "to be." For

example: They won't get accepted with that attitude. In American English, an alternative past

participle is gotten, especially in the sense of "received" and "acquired": I have gotten (or "got")

all I ever wanted.

Both have and has got (meaning "must") are occasionally criticized as being redundant, but are

nonetheless fully standard in all varieties of speech and writing: You have got to carry your

driver's licence at all times.

good/well

Good, an adjective, should be used to describe someone or something: Joe is a good student.

Well, when used as an adverb, should describe an action: She and Laura play well together on

the swing set. Well, when used as an adjective after "look," "feel" or other linking verbs, often

refers to good health: You're looking well.

good and/very

Avoid using good and as a substitute for very: I was very (not "good and") hungry.

graduate

The passive form, once considered the only correct usage, is seldom used today: I was

graduated from the Merchant Marine Academy last May. Although some critics condemn the use

of graduate as a transitive verb meaning "to receive a degree or diploma from," its use is

increasing in both speech and writing: She graduated from elementary school in Cleveland.

great

The word great has been overused in informal writing and speech as a synonym for

"enthusiastic," "good," or "clever": She was really great at making people feel at home.

had drank/had drunk

According to some authorities, had drank is acceptable usage: I had drank a gallon of milk. Had

drunk, though, is fully standard and the preferred usage.

has/have; has got/have got

The word "got" is unnecessary; simply use has or have: Jessica has a mild case of chicken pox.

had ought/ought

Had ought is considered wordy; the preferred usage is ought: She ought (not "had ought") to

heed her mother's advice.

half/a half a/a half

Use either half or a half; a half a is considered wordy: Please give me a half (not "a half a")

piece. I'd like half that slice, please.

hanged/hung

Although both words are past-tense forms of "to hang," hanged is used to refer to executions

(Billy Budd was hanged) and hung is used for all other meanings: The stockings were hung by

the chimney with care.

have/of

Use have rather than of after helping verbs like "could," "should," "would," "may," and "might":

They should have (not "of") let me know of their decision earlier.

healthy/healthful

Healthy means "possessing health"; healthful means "bringing about health": They believed that

they were healthy people because they ate healthful food.

he, she; he/she

The pronouns he and she refer to male and female antecedents, respectively. Traditionally, when

an antecedent in singular form could be either female or male, "he" was always used to refer to

either sex: A child is often apprehensive when he first begins school. Today, however, various

approaches have been developed to avoid the all-purpose "he." Many people find the

construction he/she (or he or she) awkward: A child is often apprehensive when he/she first

begins school. The blended form s/he has not been widely adopted, probably because of

confusion over pronunciation. Most people now favor either rephrasing the sentence entirely to

omit the pronoun or reconstructing the sentence in the third-person plural: Children are often

apprehensive when they first begin school.

hopefully

Hopefully means "with hope": They waited hopefully for a look at the astronaut. In formal writing

and speech, avoid using hopefully to mean "it is to be hoped": We hope (not "Hopefully")

Captain Smith will come out of the hangar soon.

how come/why

How come is used informally in speech to substitute for why.

human/humane

Both words are adjectives. Human means "pertaining to humanity": The subject of the

documentary is the human race. Humane means "tender, compassionate, or sympathetic": Many

of her patients believed that her humane care speeded their recovery.

idea/ideal

Idea means "thought," while ideal means "a model of perfection" or "goal." The two words are not

interchangeable. They should be used as follows: The idea behind the blood drive is that our

ideals often move us to help others.

if/whether

Use whether rather than if to begin a subordinate clause when the clause states a choice: I don't

know whether (not "if") I should stay until the end or leave right after the opening ceremony.

impact

Both the noun and verb impact are used to indicate forceful contact: I cannot overstate the

impact of the new policy on productivity. Some speakers and writers avoid using impact as a

verb to mean "to have an effect," as in Our work here impacts on every division in the firm.

imply/infer

Imply means "to suggest without stating": The message on Karen's postcard implies that her

vacation has not turned out as she wished. Infer means "to reach a conclusion based on

understood evidence": From her message I infer that she wishes she had stayed home. When

used in this manner, the two words describe two sides of the same process.

in

Several phrases beginning with in are verbose and should be avoided in formal writing. Refer to

the following chart:

Replace the phrase …

in this day and age

With …

now

Replace the phrase …

in spite of the fact that

With …

although or even though

Replace the phrase …

in the neighborhood of

With …

approximately or about

Replace the phrase …

in the event that

With …

if

The following phrases can be omitted entirely: in a very real sense, in number, in nature, in

reality, in terms of, and in the case of.

in/into

In is used to indicate condition or location, "positioned within": She was in labor. The raccoon was

in the woodpile. Into, in contrast, indicates movement or a change in condition "from the outside

to the inside": The raccoon went into the shed. He went into cardiac arrest. Into is also used as a

slang expression for "involved with" or "interested in": They are really into health foods.

inferior than

Inferior to and worse than are the generally preferred forms: This wine is inferior to (not "inferior

than") the burgundy we had last night.

incredible/incredulous

Incredible means "cannot be believed"; incredulous means "unbelieving": The teacher was

incredulous when she heard the pupil's incredible story about the fate of his term project.

individual/person/party

Individual should be used to stress uniqueness or to refer to a single human being as contrasted

to a group of people: The rights of the individual should not supersede the rights of a group.

Person is the preferred word in other contexts: What person wouldn't want to have a chance to

sail around the world? Party is used to refer to a group: Send the party of five this way, please.

Party is also used to refer to an individual mentioned in a legal document.

ingenious/ingenuous

Ingenious means "resourceful, clever": My sister is ingenious when it comes to turning leftovers

into something delicious. Ingenuous means "frank, artless": The child's ingenuous manner is

surprising considering her fame.

in regards to/with regards to

Both terms are considered nonstandard terms for "regarding," "in regard to," "with regard to," and

"as regards." As regards (not "in regards to") your request of April 1, we have traced your

shipment and it will be delivered tomorrow.

inside/outside; inside of/outside of

When the words inside and outside are used as prepositions, the word of is not included: Stay

inside the house. The authorization is outside my department. Inside of is used informally to refer

to time (I'll be there inside of an hour), but in formal speech or writing within is the preferred

usage: The dump was cleaned up within a month.

insignia

Insignia was originally the plural of the Latin word "insigne." The plural term insignias has been

standard usage since the eighteenth century.

irregardless/regardless

Regardless is the standard term; avoid irregardless in both speech and writing.

is when/is where

Both phrases are unacceptable and are to be avoided.

its/it's/its'

Its is the possessive form if it: The shrub is losing its blossoms. It's is the contraction for it is: It's

a nice day. The two are often confused because possessives are most frequently formed with -'s.

Its' is nonstandard usage.

It's me/It's I

The traditional rule is that personal pronouns after the verb "to be" take the nominative case (I,

she, he, we, they). Today, however, such usage as it's me, that's him, it must be them are almost

universal in informal speech. The objective forms have also replaced the nominative forms in

informal speech in such constructions as me neither, who, them? In formal discourse, however,

the nominative forms are still used: it's I, that is he.

-ize/-wise

Use the suffix -ize to change a noun or adjective into a verb: categorize. Use the suffix -wise to

change a noun or adjective into an adverb: otherwise.

kind of/sort of/type of

Avoid using either kind of, sort of, or type of as synonyms for "somewhat" in formal speech and

writing. Instead, use rather: She was rather (not "kind of") slender. It is acceptable to use the

three terms only when the word kind, sort, or type is stressed: This kind of cheese is hard to

digest. Do not add "a": I don't know what kind of (not "kind of a") cheese that is. When the word

kind, sort, or type is not stressed, omit the phrase entirely: That's an unusual (not "unusual kind

of") car. She's a pleasant (not "pleasant sort of a") person.

later/latter

Later is used to refer to time; latter, the second of two items named: It is later than you think. Of

the two shirts I just purchased, I prefer the latter. See also former/latter.

lay/lie

Lay is a transitive verb that means "to put down" or "to place." It takes a direct object: Please lay

the soup spoon next to the teaspoon. Lie is an intransitive verb that means "to be in a horizontal

position" or "be situated." It does not take a direct object: The puppy lies down where the old dog

had always lain. The hotel lies on the outskirts of town. The confusion arises over lay, which is

the present tense of the verb lay and the past tense of the verb lie.

To lie (recline)

Present: Spot lies (is lying) down.

Future: Spot will lie down.

Past: Spot lay down.

Perfect: Spot has (had, will have) lain down.

To lay (put down)

Present: He lays (is laying) his dice down.

Future: He will lay his dice down.

Past: He laid his dice down.

Perfect: He has (had, will have) laid his dice down.

Although lie and lay tend to be used interchangeably in all but the most careful, formal speech,

the following phrases are generally considered nonstandard and are avoided in written English:

Lay down, dears. The dog laid in the sun. Abandoned cars were laying in the junkyard. The

reports have laid in the mailbox for a week.

lead/led

Lead as a verb means "to take or conduct on the way": I plan to lead a quiet afternoon. Led is the

past tense: He led his followers through the dangerous underbrush. Lead, as a noun, means "a

type of metal": Pipes are made of lead.

learn/teach

Learn is to acquire knowledge: He learned fast. Teach is to impart knowledge: She taught well.

leave/let

Leave and let are interchangeable only when followed by the word "alone": Leave him alone. Let

him alone. In other instances, leave means "to depart" or "permit to remain in the same place": If

you leave, please turn off the copier. Leave the extra paper on the shelf. Let means "to allow":

Let him work with the assistant, if he wants.

lessen/lesson

Lessen is a verb meaning "to decrease": To lessen the pain of a burn, apply ice to the injured

area. Lesson is most often used as a noun meaning "material assigned for study": Today, the

lesson will be on electricity.

let's

Let's is often used as a word in its own right rather than as the contraction of "let us." As such, it

is often used in informal speech and writing with redundant or appositional pronouns: Let's us

take in a movie. Let's you and me go for a walk. Usage guides suggest avoiding let's us in formal

speech and writing, although both let's you and me and let's you and I occur in the everyday

speech of educated speakers. While the former conforms to the traditional rules of grammar, the

latter, nevertheless, occurs more frequently.

lightening/lightning

Lightening is a form of the verb that means "to brighten": The cheerful new drapes and bunches

of flowers went a long way in lightening the room's somber mood. Lightning is most often used

as a noun to mean "flashes of light generated during a storm": The thunder and lightning

frightened the child.

like/such as

Use like to compare an example to the thing mentioned and such as to show that the example is

representative of the thing mentioned: Judy wants to be a famous clothing designer like John

Weitz, Liz Claiborne, and Yves St. Laurent. Judy has samples of many fine articles such as

evening dresses, suits, and jackets.

Many writers favor not separating such and as with an intervening word: samples of many fine

articles such as rather than samples of such fine articles as.

loose/lose

Loose is an adjective meaning "free and unattached": The dog was loose again. Loose can also

be a verb meaning "let loose": The hunters loose the dogs as soon as the ducks fall. Lose is a

verb meaning "to part with unintentionally": He will lose his keys if he leaves them on the

countertop.

lots/lots of

Both terms are used in informal speech and writing as a substitute for "a great many," "very

many," or "much."

mad/angry

Traditionally, mad has been used to mean "insane"; angry, "full of ire." While mad can be used

to mean "enraged, angry," in informal usage, you should replace mad with angry in formal

discourse: The president is angry at Congress for overriding his veto.

man

The use of the term man as a synonym for "human being," both by itself and in compounds

(mankind), is declining. Terms such as human being(s), human race, humankind, humanity,

people, and, when necessary, men and women or women and men are widely accepted in formal

usage.

-man/-person

The use of the term man as the last element in compound words referring to a person of either

sex who performs some function (anchorman, chairman, spokesman) has declined in recent

years. Now such compound words are only widely used if the word refers to a male. The sexneutral

word person is otherwise substituted for man (anchorperson, chairperson,

spokesperson). In other instances, a form without a suffix (anchor, chair), or a word that does not

denote gender (speaker), is used.

The compound words freshman, lowerclassmen, underclassmen are still generally used in

schools, and freshman is used in the U.S. Congress as well. These terms are applied to

members of both sexes. As a modifier, freshman is used with both singular and plural nouns:

freshman athlete, freshman legislators. See also chair/chairperson.

maybe/may be

Maybe, an adverb, means "perhaps": Maybe the newspapers can be recycled with the plastic

and glass. May be, a verb, means "could be": It may be too difficult, however.

me and

Me and is considered nonstandard usage when part of a compound subject: Bob and I (not "Me

and Bob") decided to fly to Boston.

media

Media, the plural of medium, is used with a plural verb: Increasingly, the radio and television

media seem to be stressing sensational news.

mighty

Mighty is used informally for "very" or "extremely": He is a mighty big fighter.

moral/morale

As a noun, moral means "ethical lesson": Each of Aesop's fables has a clear moral. Morale

means "state of mind" or "spirit": Her morale was lifted by her colleague's good wishes.

more important/more importantly

Both phrases are acceptable in standard English: My donations of clothing were tax deductible;

more important(ly), the clothes were given to homeless people.

Ms. (or Ms)

The title Ms. is widely used in business and professional circles as an alternative to "Mrs." and

"Miss," both of which reveal a woman's marital status. Some women prefer "Mrs.," where

appropriate, or the traditional "Miss," which is still fully standard for an unmarried woman or a

woman whose marital status is unknown. Since Ms. is not an abbreviation, some sources spell it

without a period; others use a period to parallel "Mr." It is correctly used before a woman's name

but not before her husband's name: Ms. Leslie Taubman or Ms. Taubman (not "Ms. Steven

Taubman").

much/many

Use many rather than much to modify plural nouns: They had many (not "much") dogs. There

were too many (not "much") facts to absorb.

Muslim/Moslem

Muslim is now the preferred form for an adherent of Islam, though Moslem, the traditional form,

is still in use.

mutual

One current meaning of mutual is "reciprocal": Employers and employees sometimes suffer from

a mutual misunderstanding. Mutual can also mean "held in common; shared": Their mutual goal

is clearly understood.

myself; herself; himself; yourself

The -self pronouns are intensive or reflexive, intensifying or referring to an antecedent: Kerri

herself said so. Mike and I did it ourselves. Questions are raised when the -self forms are used

instead of personal pronouns (I, me, etc.) as subjects, objects, or complements. This use of the -

self forms is especially common in informal speech and writing: Many came to welcome my wife

and myself back from China. All these forms are also used, alone or with other nouns or

pronouns, after "as," "than," or "but" in all varieties of speech and writing: Letters have arrived for

everyone but the counselors and yourselves. Although there is ample precedent in both British

and American usage for the expanded uses of the -self constructions, the -self pronouns should

be used in formal speech and writing only with the nouns and pronouns to which they refer: No

one except me (not "myself") saw the movie.

nauseous/nauseated

Nauseated is generally preferred in formal writing over nauseous: The wild ride on the roller

coaster made Wanda feel nauseated.

neither ... nor

When used as a correlative, neither is almost always followed by nor: neither Caitlyn nor her

father … The subjects connected by neither … nor take a singular verb when both subjects are

singular (Neither Caitlyn nor her father is going to watch the program) and a plural verb when

both are plural (Neither the rabbits nor the sheep have been fed yet today). When a singular and

a plural subject are joined by these correlatives, the verb should agree with the nearer noun or

pronoun: Neither the mayor nor the council members have yielded. Neither the council members

nor the mayor has yielded.

nohow

The word nohow, nonstandard usage for "in no way" or "in any way," should be avoided in

speech and writing.

none

None can be treated as either singular or plural depending on its meaning in a sentence. When

the sense is "not any persons or things," the plural is more common: The rescue party searched

for survivors, but none were found. When none is clearly intended to mean "not one" or "not any,"

it is followed by a singular verb: Of all the ailments I have diagnosed during my career, none has

been stranger than yours.

no ... nor/no ... or

Use no … or in compound phrases: We had no milk or eggs in the house.

nothing like, nowhere near

Both phrases are used in informal speech and writing, but they should be avoided in formal

discourse. Instead, use "not nearly": The congealed pudding found in the back of the refrigerator

is not nearly as old as the stale bread on the second shelf.

nowheres/nowhere

The word nowheres, nonstandard usage for nowhere, should be avoided in speech and writing.

of

Avoid using of with descriptive adjectives after the adverbs "how" or "too" in formal speech and

writing. This usage is largely restricted to informal discourse: How long of a ride will it be? It's too

cold of a day for swimming.

off of/off

Off of is redundant and awkward; use off: The cat jumped off the sofa.

OK/O.K./okay

All three spellings are considered acceptable, but the phrases are generally reserved for informal

speech and writing.

on account of/because of

Since it is less wordy, because of is the preferred phrase: Because of her headache, they

decided to go straight home.

on the one hand/on the other hand

These two transitions should be used together: On the one hand, we hoped for fair weather. On

the other hand, we knew the rain was needed for the crops. This usage, though, can be wordy.

Effective substitutes include "in contrast," "but," "however," and "yet": We hoped for fair weather,

yet we knew the rain was needed for the crops.

only

The placement of only as a modifier is more a matter of style and clarity than of grammatical rule.

In strict, formal usage, only should be placed as close as possible before the word it modifies. In

the following sentence, for example, the placement of the word only suggests that no one but the

children was examined: The doctor examined only the children. In the next sentence, the

placement of only says that no one but the doctor did the examining: Only the doctor examined

the children. Nonetheless, in all types of speech and writing, people often place only before the

verb regardless of what it modifies. In spoken discourse, speakers may convey their intended

meaning by stressing the word or construction to which only applies.

owing to the fact that

"Because" is generally accepted as a less wordy substitute for owing to the fact that.

pair/pairs

When modified by a number, the plural of pair is commonly pairs, especially when referring to

persons: The three pairs of costumed children led off Halloween parade. The plural pair is used

mainly in reference to inanimate objects or nonhumans: There are four pair (or "pairs") of

shoelaces. We have two pair (or "pairs") of rabbits.

passed/past

Passed is a form of the verb meaning "to go by": Bernie passed the same buildings on his way to

work each day. Past can function as a noun, adjective, adverb, or preposition. As a noun, past

means "the history of a nation, person, etc.": The lessons of the past should not be forgotten. As

an adjective, past means "gone by or elapsed in time": John is worried about his past deeds. As

an adverb, past means "so as to pass by": The fire engine raced past the parked cars. As a

preposition, past means "beyond in time": It's past noon already.

patience/patients

Patience, a noun, means "endurance": Chrissy's patience makes her an ideal baby-sitter.

Patients are people under medical treatment: The patients must remain in the hospital for

another week.

peace/piece

Peace is "freedom from discord": The negotiators hoped that the new treaty would bring about

lasting peace. Piece is "a portion of a whole" or "a short musical arrangement": I would like just a

small piece of cake, please. The piece in E flat is especially beautiful.

people/persons

In formal usage, people is most often included to refer to a general group, emphasizing

anonymity: We the people of the United States … Use persons to indicate any unnamed

individuals within the group: Will the persons who left their folders on the table please pick them

up at their earliest convenience? Except when individuals are being emphasized, people is

generally suggested for use rather than persons.

per; a/an

Per, meaning "for each," occurs mainly in technical or statistical contexts: This new engine

averages fifty miles per hour. Americans eat fifty pounds of chicken per person per year. It is also

frequently used in sports commentary: He scored an average of two runs per game. A or an is

often considered more suitable in nontechnical use: The silk costs ten dollars a yard. How many

miles an hour can you walk?

percent/per cent

Percent comes from the English per cent., an abbreviation of the Latin per centum. It almost

always follows a number: I made 12 percent interest by investing my money in that new account.

In formal writing, use the word rather than the symbol (%). The use of the two-word form per cent

is diminishing.

percent/percentage

Percent is used with a number, percentage with a modifier. Percentage is used most often after

an adjective: A high percentage of your earnings this year is tax deductible.

personal/personnel

Personal means "private": The lock on her journal showed that it was clearly personal.

Personnel refers to employees: Attention all personnel! The use of personnel as a plural has

become standard in business and government: The personnel were dispatched to the Chicago

office.

phenomena

Like words such as criteria and media, phenomena is a plural form (of "phenomenon"),

meaning "an observable fact, occurrence, or circumstance": The official explained that the

disturbing phenomena we had seen for the past three evenings were nothing more than routine

aircraft maneuvers.

plain/plane

Plain as an adjective means "easily understood," "undistinguished," or "unadorned": His meaning

was plain to all. The plain dress suited the gravity of the occasion. As an adverb, plain means

"clearly and simply": She's just plain foolish. As a noun, plain is a flat area of land: The vast plain

seemed to go on forever. As a noun, plane has a number of different meanings. It most

commonly refers to an airplane, but is also used in mathematics and fine arts and is a tool used

to shave wood.

plenty

As a noun, plenty is acceptable in standard usage: I have plenty of money. In informal speech

and writing plenty is often a substitute for "very": She was traveling plenty fast down the freeway.

plus

Plus is a preposition meaning "in addition to": My salary plus overtime is enough to allow us a

gracious life style. Recently, plus has been used as a conjunctive adverb in informal speech and

writing: It's safe, plus it's economical. This usage is still considered nonstandard.

practicable/practical

Practicable means "capable of being done": My decorating plans were too difficult to be

practicable. Practical means "pertaining to practice or action": It was just not practical to paint the

floor white.

practically

Use practically as a synonym for "in effect," or "virtually." It is also considered correct to use it in

place of "nearly" in all varieties of speech and writing.

precede/proceed

Although both words are verbs, they have different meanings. Precede means "to go before":

Morning precedes afternoon. Proceed means "to move forward": Proceed to the exit in an orderly

fashion.

presence/presents

Presence is used chiefly to mean "attendance; close proximity": Your presence at the ceremony

will be greatly appreciated. Presents are gifts: Thank you for giving us such generous presents.

previous to/prior to

"Before" is generally preferred in place of either expression: Before (not "previous to" or "prior

to") repairing the tire, you should check to see if there are any other leaks.

principal/principle

Principal can be a noun or an adjective. As a noun, principal means "chief or head official" (The

principal decided to close school early on Tuesday) or "sum of capital" (Invest only the interest,

never the principal). As an adjective, principal means "first or highest": The principal ingredient is

sugar. Principle is a noun only, meaning "rule" or "general truth": Regardless of what others said,

she stood by her principles.

providing/provided

Both forms can serve as subordinating conjunctions meaning "on the condition that": Provided

(Providing) that we get the contract in time, we will be able to begin work by the first of the month.

While some critics feel that provided is more acceptable in formal discourse, both are correct.

question of whether/question as to whether

Both phrases are wordy substitutes for "whether": Whether (not "the question of whether" or "the

question as to whether") it rains or not, we are planning to go on the hike.

quiet/quite

Quiet, as an adjective, means "free from noise": When the master of ceremonies spoke, the room

became quiet. Quite, an adverb, means "completely, wholly": By the late afternoon, the children

were quite exhausted.

quotation/quote

Quotation, a noun, means "a passage quoted from a speech or book": The speaker read a

quotation of twenty-five lines to the audience. Quote, a verb, means "to repeat a passage from a

speech, etc.": Marci often quotes from popular novels. Quote and quotation are often used

interchangeably in speech; in formal writing, however, a distinction is still observed between the

two words.

rain/reign/rein

As a noun, rain means "water that falls from the atmosphere to earth." As a verb, rain means "to

send down; to give abundantly": The crushed piñata rained candy on the eager children. As a

noun, reign means "royal rule"; as a verb, "to have supreme control": The monarch's reign was

marked by social unrest. As a noun, rein means "a leather strap used to guide an animal"; as a

verb, "to control or guide": He used the rein to control the frisky colt.

raise/rise/raze

Raise, a transitive verb, means "to elevate": How can I raise the cost of my house? Rise, an

intransitive verb, means "to go up, to get up": Will housing costs rise this year? Raze is a

transitive verb meaning "to tear down, demolish": The wrecking crew was ready to raze the

condemned building.

rarely ever/rarely/hardly

The term rarely ever is used informally in speech and writing. For formal discourse, use either

rarely or hardly in place of rarely ever: She rarely calls her mother. She hardly calls her mother.

real/really

In formal usage, real (an adjective meaning "genuine") should not be used in place of really (an

adverb meaning "actually"): The platypus hardly looked real. How did it really happen?

reason is because/reason is since

Although both expressions are commonly used in informal speech and writing, formal usage

requires a clause beginning with "that" after "reason is": The reason the pool is empty is that (not

"because" or "since") the town recently imposed a water restriction. Another alternative is to

recast the sentence: The pool is empty because the town recently imposed a water restriction.

regarding

regarding/in regard to/with regard to/relating to/relative to/with respect to/respecting

All the above expressions are wordy substitutes for "about," "concerning," or "on": Janet spoke

about (not "relative to," etc.) the PTA's plans for the September fund drive.

relate to

The phrase relate to is used informally to mean "understand" or "respond in a favorable manner":

I don't relate to chemistry. It is rarely used in formal writing or speech.

repeat it/repeat it again

Repeat it is the expression to use to indicate someone should say something for a second time: I

did not hear your name; please repeat it. Repeat it again indicates the answer is to be said a

third time. In the majority of instances, repeat it is the desired phrase; again, an unnecessary

addition.

respectful/respective

Respectful means "showing (or full of) respect": If you are respectful toward others, they will treat

you with consideration as well. Respective means "in the order given": The respective remarks

were made by executive board members Joshua Whittles, Kevin McCarthy, and Warren

Richmond.

reverend/reverent

As an adjective (usually capitalized), Reverend is an epithet of respect given to a clergyman: The

Reverend Mr. Jones gave the sermon. As a noun, a reverend is "a clergyman": In our church, the

reverend opens the service with a prayer. Reverent is an adjective meaning "showing deep

respect": The speaker began his remarks with a reverent greeting.

right/rite/write

Right as an adjective means "proper, correct" and "as opposed to left"; as a noun it means

"claims or titles"; as an adverb it means "in a straight line, directly"; as a verb it means "to restore

to an upright position." Rite is a noun meaning "a solemn ritual": The religious leader performed

the necessary rites. Write is a verb meaning "to form characters on a surface": The child liked to

write her name over and over.

says/said

Use said rather than says after a verb in the past tense: At the public meeting, he stood up and

said (not "says"), "The bond issue cannot pass."

seldom ever/seldom

Seldom is the preferred form in formal discourse: They seldom (not "seldom ever") visit the

beach.

sensual/sensuous

Sensual carries sexual overtones: The massage was a sensual experience. Sensuous means

"pertaining to the senses": The sensuous aroma of freshly baked bread wafted through the

house.

set/sit

Set, a transitive verb, describes something a person does to an object: She set the book down on

the table. Sit, an intransitive verb, describes a person resting: Marvin sits on the straight-backed

chair.

shall/will

Today, shall is used for first-person questions requesting consent or opinion: Shall we go for a

drive? Shall I buy this dress or that? Shall can also be used in the first person to create an

elevated tone: We shall call on you at six o'clock. It is sometimes used with the second or third

person to state a speaker's resolution: You shall obey me.

Traditionally, will was used for the second and third persons: Will you attend the party? Will he

and she go as well? It is now widely used in speech and writing as the future-tense helping verb

for all three persons: I will drive, you will drive, they will drive.

should/would

Rules similar to those for choosing between "shall" and "will" have long been advanced for

should and would. In current American usage, use of would far outweighs that of should.

Should is chiefly used to state obligation: I should repair the faucet. You should get the parts we

need. Would, in contrast, is used to express a hypothetical situation or a wish: I would like to go.

Would you?

since

Since is an adverb meaning "from then until now": She was appointed in May and has been

supervisor ever since. It is also used as an adverb meaning "between a particular past time and

the present, subsequently": They had at first refused to cooperate, but have since agreed to

volunteer. As a preposition, since means "continuously from": It has been rainy since June. It is

also used as a preposition meaning "between a past time or event and the present": There have

been many changes since the merger. As a conjunction, since means "in the period following the

time when": He has called since he changed jobs. Since is also used as a synonym for

"because": Since you're here early, let's begin.

situation

The word situation is often added unnecessarily to a sentence: The situation is that we must get

the painting done by the weekend. In such instances, consider revising the sentence to pare

excess words: We must get the painting done by the weekend.

slow/slowly

Today slow is used chiefly in spoken imperative constructions with short verbs that express

motion, such as "drive," "walk," "swim," and "run." For example: Drive slow, Don't walk so slow.

Slow is also combined with present participles to form adjectives: He was slow-moving. It was a

slow-burning fire. Slowly is found commonly in formal writing and is used in both speech and

writing before a verb (He slowly walked through the hills) as well as after a verb (He walked

slowly through the hills).

so

Many writers object to so being used as an intensifier, noting that in such usage it is often vague:

They were so happy. So followed by "that" and a clause usually eliminates the vagueness: They

were so happy that they had been invited to the exclusive party.

so/so that

So that, rather than so, is most often used in formal writing to avoid the possibility of ambiguity:

He visited Aunt Lucia so that he could help her clear the basement.

some

Some is often used in informal speech and writing as an adjective meaning "exceptional,

unusual" and as an adverb meaning "somewhat." In more formal instances, use "somewhat" in

place of some as an adverb or a more precise word such as "remarkable" in place of some as an

adjective: Those are unusual (not "some") shoes. My sister and brother-in-law are going to have

to rush somewhat (not "some") to get here in time for dinner.

somebody/some body

Somebody is an indefinite pronoun: Somebody recommended this restaurant. Some body is a

noun modified by an adjective: I have a new spray that will give my limp hair some body.

someone/some one

Someone is an indefinite pronoun: Someone who ate here said the pasta was delicious. Some

one is a pronoun adjective modified by "some": Please pick some one magazine that you would

like to read.

someplace/somewhere

Someplace should be used only in informal writing and speech; use somewhere for formal

discourse.

sometime/sometimes/some time

Traditionally, these three words have carried different meanings. Sometime means "at an

unspecified time in the future": Why not plan to visit Niagara Falls sometime? Sometimes means

"occasionally": I visit my former college roommate sometimes. Some time means "a span of

time": I need some time to make up my mind about what you have said.

somewheres

Somewheres is not accepted in formal writing or speech; use the standard "somewhere": She

would like to go somewhere (not "somewheres") special to celebrate New Year's Eve.

split infinitive

There is a longstanding convention that prohibits placing a word between "to" and the verb: To

understand fully another culture, you have to live among its people for many years. This

convention is based on an analogy with Latin, in which an infinitive is only one word and therefore

cannot be divided. Criticism of the split infinitive was especially strong when the modeling of

English on Latin was especially popular, as it was in the nineteenth century. Today many note

that a split infinitive sometimes creates a less awkward sentence: Many American companies

expect to more than double their overseas investments in the next decade.

stationary/stationery

Although these two words sound alike, they have very different meanings. Stationary means

"staying in one place": From this distance, the satellite appeared to be stationary. Stationery

means "writing paper": A hotel often provides stationery with its name preprinted.

straight/strait

Straight is most often used as an adjective meaning "unbending": The path cut straight through

the woods. Strait, a noun, is "a narrow passage of water connecting two large bodies of water" or

"distress, dilemma": He was in dire financial straits.

subsequently/consequently

Subsequently means "occurring later, afterward": We went to a new French restaurant for

dinner; subsequently, we heard that everyone who had eaten the Caesar salad became ill.

Consequently means "therefore, as a result": The temperature was above 90 degrees for a

week; consequently, all the tomatoes burst on the vine.

suppose to/supposed to; use to/used to

Both suppose to and use to are incorrect. The preferred usage is supposed to or used to: I

was supposed to (not "suppose to") get up early this morning to go hiking in the mountains. I

used to (not "use to") enjoy the seashore, but now I prefer the mountains.

sure/surely

When used as an adverb meaning surely, sure is considered inappropriate for formal discourse.

A qualifier like "certainly" should be used instead of sure: My neighbors were certainly right about

it. It is widely used, however, in speech and informal writing: They were sure right about that car.

sure and/sure to; try and/try to

Sure to and try to are the preferred forms for formal discourse: Be sure to (not "sure and") come

home early tonight. Try to (not "try and") avoid the traffic on the interstate.

taught/taut

Taught is the past tense of "to teach": My English teachers taught especially well. Taut is "tightly

drawn": Pull the knot taut or it will not hold.

than/then

Than, a conjunction, is used in comparisons: Robert is taller than Michael. Then, an adverb, is

used to indicate time: We knew then that there was little to be gained by further discussion.

that

The conjunction that is occasionally omitted, especially after verbs of thinking, saying, believing,

and so forth: She said (that) they would come by train. The omission of the conjunction almost

always occurs when the dependent clause begins with a personal pronoun or a proper name. The

omission is most frequent in informal speech and writing.

that/which

Traditionally, that is used to introduce a restrictive clause: They should buy the cookies that the

neighbor's child is selling. Which, in contrast, is used to introduce nonrestrictive clauses: The

cookies, which are covered in chocolate, would make a nice evening snack. This distinction is

maintained far more often in formal writing than in everyday speech, where voice can often

distinguish restrictive from nonrestrictive clauses.

that/which/who

That is used to refer to animals, things, and people: That's my dog. I like that pen. Is that your

mother? In accepted usage, who is used to refer only to people: Who is the man over there?

Which is used to refer only to inanimate objects and animals: Which pen do you prefer? Which

dog is the one that you would like to buy?

their/there/they're

Although these three words sound alike, they have very different meanings. Their, the

possessive form of "they," means "belonging to them": Their house is new. There can point out

place (There is the picture I was telling you about) or function as an expletive (There is a mouse

behind you!). They're is a contraction for "they are": They're not at home right now.

them/those

Them is nonstandard when used as an adjective: I enjoyed those (not "them") apples a great

deal.

this here/these here/that there/them there

Each of these phrases is nonstandard: this here for "this"; these here for "these"; that there for

"that"; them there for "those."

threw/thru/through

Threw, the past tense of the verb "throw," means "to hurl an object": He threw the ball at the

batter. Through means "from one end to the other" or "by way of": They walked through the

museum all afternoon. Through should be used in formal writing in place of thru, a colloquial

spelling.

thusly/thus

Thusly is a pointless synonym for thus. Speakers and writers often use thusly only for a

deliberately humorous effect.

till/until/'til

Till and until are used interchangeably in speech and writing; 'til, a shortened form of until, is

rarely used.

time period

The expression time period is redundant, since "period" is a period of time. The local

ambulance squad reported three emergency calls in a one-week period (not "time period").

to/too/two

Although the words sound alike, they are different parts of speech and have different meanings.

To is a preposition indicating direction or part of an infinitive; too is an adverb meaning "also" or

"in extreme"; and two is a number: I have to go to the store to buy two items. Do you want to

come too?

too

Be careful when using too as an intensifier in speech and writing: The dog is too mean. Adding

an explanation of the excessive quality makes the sentence more logical: The dog is too mean to

trust alone with children.

toward/towards

The two words are used interchangeably in both formal and informal speech and writing.

track/tract

Track, as a noun, is a path or course: The railroad track in the Omaha station has recently been

electrified. Track as a verb, is "to follow": Sophisticated guidance control systems are used to

track the space shuttles. Tract is "an expanse of land" or "a brief treatise": Jonathan Swift wrote

many tracts on the political problems of his day.

try and/try to

While try to is the preferred form for informal speech and writing, both phrases occur in all types

of speech and writing.

type/type of

In written English, type of is the preferred construction: This is an unusual type of flower. In

informal speech and writing, it is acceptable to use type immediately before a noun: I like this

type car.

unexceptional/unexceptionable

Although both unexceptional and unexceptionable are adjectives, they have different meanings

and are not interchangeable. Unexceptional means "commonplace, ordinary": Despite the

glowing reviews the new restaurant had received, we found it offered unexceptional meals and

services. Unexceptionable means "not offering any basis for exception or objection; beyond

criticism": We could not dispute his argument because it was unexceptionable.

unique

Since unique is an absolute adjective meaning "one of a kind," it cannot sensibly be used with a

modifier such as "very," "most," or "extremely": That is a unique (not "very unique" or "most

unique") outfit.

usage/use

Usage is a noun that refers to the generally accepted way of doing something. The word refers

especially to the conventions of language: "Most unique" is considered incorrect usage. Use can

be either a noun or a verb. As a noun, use means "the act of employing or putting into service": In

the adult education course, I learned the correct use of tools. Usage is often misused in place of

the noun use: Effective use (not "usage") of your time results in greater personal satisfaction.

use/utilize/utilization

Utilize means "to make use of": They should utilize the new profit-sharing plan to decrease

taxable income. Utilization is the noun form of utilize. In most instances, however, use is

preferred to either utilize or utilization as less overly formal and stilted: They should use the new

profit-sharing plan to decrease taxable income.

used to could/used to be able to

The phrase used to could is nonstandard for used to be able to: I used to be able to (not "used

to could") touch my toes.

very

The adverb very is sometimes used unnecessarily, especially in modifying an absolute adjective:

It was a very unique experience. In such instances, it clearly should be omitted. Further, very has

become overworked and has lost much of its power. Use more precise modifiers such as

"extremely" and "especially."

want in/want out

Both phrases are informal: want in for "want to enter"; want out for "want to leave": The dog

wants to enter (not "wants in"). The cat wants to leave (not "wants out").

way/ways

Way is the preferred usage for formal speech and writing; ways is used colloquially: They have a

little way (not "ways") to go before they reach the campground.

when/where

Where and when are not interchangeable: Weekends are occasions when (not "where") we have

a chance to spend time with the family.

where at/where to

Both phrases are generally considered to be too informal to be acceptable in good writing and

speech: Where is John? (not "Where is John at?") Where is Mike going? (not "Where is Mike

going to?")

where/that

Where and that are not interchangeable: We see by the memo that (not "where") overtime has

been discontinued.

which/witch

Which is a pronoun meaning "what one": Which desk is yours? Witch is a noun meaning "a

person who practices magic": The superstitious villagers accused her of being a witch.

who/whoever; whom/whomever

Traditionally, who/whoever is used as a subject (the nominative case) and whom/whomever as

an object (the objective case). In informal speech and writing, however, since who and whom

often occur at the beginning of a sentence, people usually select who, regardless of grammatical

function.

without/unless

Without as a conjunction is a dialectical or regional use of unless.

with regards to/with regard to/as

regards/regarding

Use with regard to, regarding, or as regards in place of with regards to in formal speech and

writing: As regards your inquiry, we have asked our shipping department to hold the merchandise

until Monday.

who's/whose

Who's is the contraction for "who is" or "who has": Who's the person in charge here? Who's got

the money? Whose is the possessive form of who: "Whose book is this?

would have

Do not use the phrase would have in place of had in clauses that begin with "if" and express a

state contrary to fact: If the driver had (not "would have") been wearing his seat belt, he would

have escaped without injury.

would of/could of

There is no such expression as would of or could of: He would have (not "would of") gone. Also,

of is not a substitute for " 've,": She would've (not "would of") left earlier.

you was

You was is nonstandard for you were: You were (not "you was") late on Thursday.

your/you're

Your is the possessive form of "you": Your book is overdue at the library. You're is the

contraction of "you are": You're just the person we need for this job.