Glossary Of Usage

Front 1

a, an

Back 1

Use "a" before words that begin with a consonant sound. Use "an" before words that begin with a vowel sound.

Front 2

accept, except

Back 2

"Accept" means to receive. Except means to exclude.

Front 3

ain't

Back 3

DO NOT USE IT!!!!!

Front 4

all right

Back 4

Always TWO words!

Front 5

a lot

Back 5

Should be written as TWO words.

Front 6

already, all ready

Back 6

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

Front 7

among

Back 7

between

Front 8

anyways, anywheres, everywheres, nowheres, somewheres

Back 8

These words should never have a final "s."

Front 9

as

Back 9

same, like

Front 10

as if, as though

Back 10

like, as if, as though

Front 11

at

Back 11

Do not use "at" after "where."

Front 12

bad, badly

Back 12

Bad is an adjective. Badly is an adverb.

Front 13

beside, besides

Back 13

Beside is a position that means "by the side of" someone or something. Besides means "in addition to" in preposition form. It means "moreover" in an adverb form.

Front 14

between, among

Back 14

Use between when referring to two items at a time. Use among when referring to a group rather than individuals.

Front 15

bring, take

Back 15

Bring means "to COME carrying something." Take means "to GO carrying something."

Front 16

bust, busted

Back 16

Avoid using in formal English. Use either burst, break, catch, or arrest when using verbs.

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 of with the helping verb could. Write could have.

Front 19

don't, doesn't

Back 19

Don't is a contraction of "Do" and "Not." Doesn't is a contraction of "Does" and "Not."

Front 20

except

Back 20

excluding

Front 21

fewer, less

Back 21

Fewer is used with plural words. Less is used with singular words.

Front 22

good, well

Back 22

Good is an adjective. Do not use good to modify a verb; use well, which can be used as an adverb.

Front 23

had ought, hadn't ought

Back 23

The verb ought should not be used with had.

Front 24

he, she, they

Back 24

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

Front 25

hisself, theirself, theirselves

Back 25

These words are Non-Standard English. Use himself and themselves.

Front 26

how come

Back 26

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

Front 27

its, it's

Back 27

Its is a personal pronoun in the possessive case. It's is a contraction of it is or it has.

Front 28

kind, sort, type

Back 28

The words this, that, these, and those should agree in number with the words kind, sort, and type. This and that are singular. These and those are plural.

Front 29

kind of, sort of

Back 29

"somewhat" and "rather" are preferred.

Front 30

learn, teach

Back 30

Learn means "to acquire knowledge." Teach means "to instruct."

Front 31

leave, let

Back 31

Leave mean "to go away." Let means "to allow."

Front 32

less

Back 32

less of something

Front 33

lie, lay

Back 33

Lie means "lying" or "lain." Lay means "laid" or "laying."

Front 34

like, as

Back 34

as is preferred

Front 35

like, as if, as though

Back 35

In formal, like should not be used for the subordinating conjunction as if or as though.

Front 36

might of, must of

Back 36

DO NOT USE!!

Front 37

nowheres

Back 37

DO NOT USE THE S!!

Front 38

of

Back 38

Do not use "of" with prepositions such as "inside","off", and "outside."

Front 39

ought to of

Back 39

same as could of

Front 40

real

Back 40

In informal English the adjective "real" is often used as an adverb meaning "very" or "extremely." In formal English, "very," "extremely," or another adverb is preferred.

Front 41

rise, raise

Back 41

rise: rose, risen
raise: raised, raised

Front 42

should of

Back 42

same as could of

Front 43

sit, set

Back 43

sat, set

Front 44

some, somewhat

Back 44

Do not use some for the adverb somewhat

Front 45

than, then

Back 45

Than is a subordinating conjunction used in making comparisons. Then is an adverb meaning "next" or "after that."

Front 46

that

Back 46

see who, etc.

Front 47

that there

Back 47

see this here, that there.

Front 48

their, there, they're

Back 48

Their is the possessive form of they.There is used to mean "at that place" or to begin a sentence. They're is a contraction of they are.

Front 49

theirself, theirselves

Back 49

see hisself, etc.

Front 50

them

Back 50

Them should not be used as an adjective. Use these or those.

Front 51

they

Back 51

see he, etc.

Front 52

this here, that there

Back 52

The words here and there are not needed after this and that.

Front 53

this kind, sort, type

Back 53

see kind, etc.

Front 54

try and

Back 54

In informal English, try and is often used for try to. In formal English, try to is preferred.

Front 55

type

Back 55

see kind, etc.

Front 56

use to, used to

Back 56

Don't leave off the d when you write used to. The same advice applies to supposed to.

Front 57

way, ways

Back 57

Use way; not ways, in referring to a distance.

Front 58

well

Back 58

see good, well.

Front 59

when, where

Back 59

Do not use when or where incorrectly to begin a definition.

Front 60

where

Back 60

Do not use where for that.

Front 61

who, which, that

Back 61

The relative pronoun who refers to people only. Which prefers to things only. That refers to either people or things.

Front 62

who, whom

Back 62

see page 521.

Front 63

whose, who's

Back 63

Whose is used as the possessive form of who and as interogative pronoun. Who's is a contraction of who is or who has.

Front 64

without, unless

Back 64

Do not use the preposition without in place of the conjunction unless.

Front 65

would of

Back 65

see could of

Front 66

your, you're

Back 66

Your is the possessive form of you. You're is the contraction of you are.