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- a, an
- Use a before words beginning with a consonant sound: a program, a uniform. Use an before words beginning with a vowel sound: an open book, an uncle.
- accept, except
- Accept is a verb meaning "to receive gladly." Except is usually a preposition meaning "with the exclusion of."
- adapt, adopt
- Adapt means "to adjust" or "to make suitable." Adopt means "to take as one's own." If you adopt a child, you will have to adapt to it.
- adverse, averse
- Adverse means "unfavorable." Averse means "opposed to." I am averse to anything that has adverse consequences.
- advice, advise
- Advice is a noun meaning "guidance." Advise is a verb meaning "to guide." I advised her to take my advice.
- affect, effect
- Affect is usually a verb meaning "to influence." Bad weather seems to affect my mood. Effect is usually a noun meaning "result." As a verb, effect means "bring about." The new policy will effect important changes.
- aggravate
- "Make worse." Donna's asthma was aggravated by the polluted air. Also commonly used to mean "irritate," though some experts consider this incorrect.
- ain't
- Nonstandard. Am not, is not, are not, or have not are preferred in standard English.
- all ready, already
- All ready is an adjective phrase meaning "all prepared." They were all ready to go. Already is an adverb meaning "by this time." They have already left.
- all right
- Should be spelled as two words. An adjective phrase meaning "satisfactory."
- all together, altogether
- All together means "in unison; as a group." Altogether means "completely." The witnesses spoke out all together. They were altogether happy to get the chance.
- allusion, illusion
- Allusion means "indirect reference." Illusion means "false perception of reality."
- a lot
- Spelled as two words, not alot or allot. Informal. In formal writing, use much or many instead.
- among, between
- See between, among.
- amongst
- British equivalent of among.
- amoral, immoral
- Amoral means "neither moral nor immoral"; to some, it connotes "not caring about right and wrong." Immoral means "not moral."
- amount, number
- Amount is used with noncount nouns; number is used with count nouns. A number of people said they had a large amount of money to give.
- an, a
- See a, an.
- and etc.
- Redundant. Use etc. or and so on.
- ante-, anti-
- Ante- is a prefix meaning "before." The broker asked us to antedate the check. Anti- is a prefix meaning "against." Our planes encountered anti-aircraft fire.
- anxious, eager
- Anxious means "uneasy, worried." We were anxious about the weather. Eager means "having a strong desire." We were eager to see the show.
- anymore
- Should be used only in negative sentences. She doesn't live here anymore. In positive sentences, use nowadays. I have many friends nowadays.
- anyplace
- Informal for anywhere.
- anyways, anywheres
- Nonstandard for anyway and anywhere.
- as
- Be careful when using as as a substitute for because or since. As I fell asleep, I lost track of the time. Does as in this case mean "because" or "while"?
- as, like
- See like, as
- assure, ensure, insure
- These words have the same basic meaning of "to make certain." However, assure has a more personal orientation, "to set someone's mind at ease." Ensure and insure both mean roughly, "guarantee"; the latter carries a financial connotation.
- at
- Redundant when used with where. The colloquial Where is he at? should be shortened in formal writing to Where is he?
- at this point in time
- Wordy. Use now, at present, or currently.
- averse, adverse
- See adverse, averse.
- awful, awfully
- Avoid using these to mean "very," except in informal communication.
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- bad, badly
- Bad is an adjective and badly is an adverb; avoid mixing these functions, as in I feel badly or He plays bad.
- because of, due to
- Use because of after a clause. She had a headache because of stress. Use due to after a noun. Her headache was due to stress.
- being as, being that
- These phrases are colloquial when used in sentences like Being as the roads are icy, we should drive carefully. In formal writing, replace them with because or since.
- better, had better
- Had better is an idiomatic expression meaning "should." You had better leave. It is acceptable in formal writing. You better leave is too colloquial.
- between, among
- Use between when referring to distinct individuals, especially two of them. Let's divide it up between you and me. Use among when referring to a mass or collectivity: Let's divide it up among our friends.
- bring, take
- Bring suggests motion toward the writer or speaker; take suggests motion away from the writer or speaker. You bring something here, but you take something there.
- but
- May be used to begin a sentence. Be aware, however, that some traditionalists may disagree with such usage.
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- calculate, figure, reckon
- Colloquial expressions for "guess" or "suppose," as in I calculate we'll have a losing season again. In formal writing, use suppose, surmise, or imagine.
- can, may
- Can is preferred when expressing ability; may is preferred when requesting permission. May I have another piece? Can she walk without crutches?
- can't hardly, can't scarcely
- Nonstandard. In formal writing, use can hardly or can scarcely. Even accountants can hardly make sense of the tax code.
- censor, censure
- Censor means "to remove objectionable ideas from." Censure means "to condemn." Church authorities censored the film and censured the film's producers.
- center around
- In formal writing, center on is preferred. My paper will center on hate speech.
- cite, site
- Cite is a verb meaning "to quote." Site is a noun meaning "place."
- climactic, climatic
- Climactic is the adjective form of climax. King Lear's death is the climactic event of the play. Climatic is the adjective form of climate. Global warming could be a climatic disaster.
- complement, compliment
- A complement is something that completes a whole. The flowers beautifully complemented the table setting. A compliment is an expression of praise. She complimented me on my dancing.
- compose, comprise
- Compose means "to make up, constitute." Comprise means "to consist of." Seven days compose one week; one week comprises seven days.
- conscience, conscious
- Conscience is a noun meaning "a sense of right and wrong." Conscious is an adjective meaning "aware" or "intentional." Todd made a conscious decision to clear his guilty conscience.
- continual, continuous
- Continual means "repeated at intervals." Continuous means "without interruption." The flow of time is continuous, but a heartbeat is continual.
- could of
- Nonstandard for could have. He could have tried harder.
- council, counsel
- A council is an assembly of people who advise or regulate. Counsel means "advice or guidance." A council can give counsel.
- criterion, criteria
- Criterion is singular, meaning "standard of judgment." Criteria is the plural form.
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