Glossary Of Usage

Front 1

a, an

Back 1

Use "a" before words beginning with a consonant sound.
use "an" before words beginning with vowel sound

Front 2

accept, except

Back 2

verb- to receive
Ann accepted the gift.

verb- to leave out
preposition-excluding
All my friends will be there except Jorge

Front 3

Ain't

Back 3

DON'T USE IT!!

Front 4

all right

Back 4

ALways TWO words!
Your science project looks all right to me.

Front 5

a lot

Back 5

A lot should be written as two words.
I have read a lot of books.

Front 6

already, all ready

Back 6

Already means " previously". All ready means " completely prepared".

Front 7

among

Back 7

see between, among

Front 8

anyways, anywheres, everywheres ,nowheres,somewheres

Back 8

These words should have no final s.

Front 9

As

Back 9

see like , as

Front 10

As if, as though

Back 10

see like as if as though

Front 11

at

Back 11

do not use at after where

Front 12

bad, badly

Back 12

bad is a adjective. It modifies nouns and pronouns. Badly is a adverb. IT modifies verbs, adjectives, and adverbs

Front 13

beside, besides

Back 13

Beside is a preposition that means" by the side of" someone or something. Besides , when used as a preposition means " in addition to " as an adverb, besides means :moreover"

Front 14

Between,among

Back 14

use between when referring to two items at a time, even when they are apart of a group consisting.
Use among when referring to a group rather than individuals.

Front 15

bring, take

Back 15

Bring means " to come carring something" Take means " to go carrying something" think of bring as related to come (to), takeas related to go ( from).

Front 16

bust,busted

Back 16

Avoid using these words as verbs in formal English. Use a form of either burst or break or catch or arrest.

Front 17

Can't hardly, can't scarcely

Back 17

the words hardly and scarcely are negative words. they should not be used with another negative word.

Front 18

could of

Back 18

Do not write if with the helping verb could, write could have. also avoid ought to of, should of, would of, might of, and must of.

Front 19

fewer, less

Back 19

fewer is used with plural words. Less is used with singular words. fewer tells " how many" less tells" how much"

Front 20

good, well

Back 20

Good is a adj. do no use good to modify a ver use well which can be used as a adverb.
Although it is usually adverb well is also used as a adj. to mean " healthy"

Front 21

Had ought, Hadn't ought

Back 21

The verb ought should not be used with had.

Front 22

he she they

Back 22

Do not use a pronoun along with its antecedent as the subject of the verb. THe error is called the doubel subject.

Front 23

hisself, theirself, theirselves

Back 23

these words are nonstandars English. Use himself and themseves

Front 24

how come

Back 24

In informal english, how come is often used instead of why. In formal English why is perferred

Front 25

its it's

Back 25

Its a personal pronou int he possessive case. It's is a contraction of it is or it has.

Front 26

kind, sort, type

Back 26

The words this that these adn those should agree in the number with the words Kind sort and type. THis and that are plural

Front 27

kind of, sort of

Back 27

In informal english kind and sort of are often to mean somewhat or rather. In formal englsih somewhat or rather is preferred

Front 28

learn, teach

Back 28

learn means to acquire knowledge teach means to instruct to yo show how

Front 29

leave, let

Back 29

leave means to go away or to depart fro let means to allow or to permit

Front 30

Like, as

Back 30

Like a preposition it introduces a prepositional phrase. In informal english like is often used before a clause as a conjuction meaning as. In informal english as is preferred

Front 31

Like, as if, as though

Back 31

In formal standard enlish like should not be used for the subordinating conjuction as if or as though

Front 32

of

Back 32

do not use with prepositions such as inside off and outside.

Front 33

real

Back 33

in informal english the adjective real is often used as an adverb meaning very or extreamly . in informal english very extremely or another adverb is preferred

Front 34

some, somewhat

Back 34

do not use some for the adverb somewhat

Front 35

than, then

Back 35

than is a subordinating cinjunction used in making comparisions then is an adverb meaning next or after that

Front 36

Their, there, they're

Back 36

their is the possessive form of they yhere is used to mean at that olace or to begin a sentence they're is a contraction

Front 37

them

Back 37

them should boy be used as an adjective ise these or those

Front 38

this here, that there

Back 38

these words here and ther are nit needed after this and that

Front 39

try and

Back 39

in informal english try and is often used for try to. In formal rnglish , try is preferred

Front 40

use to, used to

Back 40

dont leave off the d wehn you write used to. the same adivice applies to supposed to

Front 41

way, ways

Back 41

use way not ways in referring to a distance

Front 42

when, where

Back 42

do not use when or where incorrectly to begin a definitionn

Front 43

where

Back 43

do not use where for that

Front 44

who, which, that

Back 44

the relative pronoun who refers to people only. Which refers to things only. That referss ti either people or thins.

Front 45

whose, who's

Back 45

whose is used as the possessive formof who and as an interrogative pronoun. Who;s is a contraction of who is or who has

Front 46

without, useless

Back 46

do not use the preposition without in place if the conjuction unless

Front 47

your, you' re

Back 47

your is a possessive form of you. you're is the contraction of you are