The Atari Compendium/The Atari Compendium (Toad Computers) (1994).iso/files/umich/apps/wordproc/gram_110.lzh/GRAMMAR.INF

Text File | 1993-11-06 | 10KB | 253 lines

  Possible Grammatical Error
> AFFECT
> EFFECT
  Generally, 'affect' is the verb; 'effect' is the noun. "The letter
did not affect the outcome." "The letter had a significant effect."
BUT effect is also a verb meaning to bring about. Thus: "It is almost
impossible to effect change."
> AFTERWARDS
  Use 'afterward'. The dictionary allows use of afterwards only as a
second form.  The same thinking applies to toward and towards. Use
toward.
> TOWARDS
  Use 'toward'. The dictionary allows use of towards only as a second
form. The same thinking applies to afterward and afterwards. Use
afterward.
> ALRIGHT
  Use 'all right'. The dictionary may list alright as a legitimate
word, but it is not acceptable in standard usage, says Random House.
> ALLUD
> ELUD
  You 'allude' to (or mention) a book. You 'elude' (or escape) a
pursuer.
> ANNUAL
  Don't use 'first' with annual. If it's the first time, it can't be
annual.
> AVERS
> ADVERS
  If you don't like something, you are 'averse' (or opposed) to it.
'Adverse' is an adjective: adverse (bad weather), adverse conditions.
> BLOCK
  A 'bloc' is a coalition of people or a group with the same purpose
or goal. Don't call it a 'block', which has some forty different
dictionary definitions.
> COMPOSE
> COMPOSING
> COMPRISE
> COMPRISING
  Remember that the parts 'compose' the whole and the whole
'comprises' the parts.  You compose things by putting them together.
Once the parts are put together, the object comprises the parts.
> COUPLE
  It's never "a couple tomatoes." You need the 'of'.
> DEMOLISH
> DESTROY
  'Demolish' and 'destroy' mean to do away completely. You can't
partially demolish or destroy anything, nor is there any need to say
totally destroyed.
> DIFFERENT
  Things and people are 'different' from each other. Don't write that
they are different than each other.
> DROWN
  Don't say someone 'was drowned' unless an assailant held the
victim's head under water. Just say the victim drowned.
> DUE TO
> OWING TO
  The last is prefered:
WRONG: The game was canceled 'due to' rain.
STILTED: 'Owing to' rain, the game was cancelled.
RIGHT: The game was canceled 'because of' rain.
> ECOLOGY
> ECOLOGI
> ENVIRONMENT
  'Ecology' and 'environment' are not synonymous. Ecology is the
study of the relationship between organisms and their environment.
RIGHT: The laboratory is studying the ecology of man and the desert.
RIGHT: There is much interest in animal ecology these days.
WRONG: Even so simple an undertaking as maintaining a lawn affects
ecology.
RIGHT: Even so simple an undertaking as maintaining a lawn affects
our environment.
> EITHER
  'Either' means one or the other, not both.
WRONG: There were lions on either side of the door.
RIGHT: There were lions on each side of the door.
> FLIER
> FLYER
  Airmen are 'fliers'. Handbills are 'flyers'.
> FLOUT
> FLAUNT
  'Flout' and 'flaunt' aren't the same words; they mean completely
different things and they're very commonly confused. Flount means to
mock, to scoff or to show disdain for. Flaunt means to display
ostentatiously.
> FUNERAL
  'Funeral service' is a redundant expression. A funeral is a service.
> HEAD UP
> HEADS UP
> HEADED UP
> HEADING UP
  People don't 'head up' committees. They head them.
> HOPEFULLY
  'Hopefully' is one of the most commonly misused words, in spite of
what the dictionary may say. Hopefully should describe the way the
subject feels. For instance:
  Hopefully, I shall present the plan to the president. (This means I
will be hopeful when I do it.) But it is something else again when you
attribute hope to a non-person. You may write: Hopefully, the war will
end soon.  This means you hope the war will end soon, but it is not
what you are writing. What you mean is: I hope the war will end soon.
> IMPLY
> IMPLIE
> INFER
  The speaker 'implies'. The hearer 'infers'.
> IN ADVANCE OF
> PRIOR TO
  Use 'before' instead of 'in advance of' or 'prior to'.
> IT'S
> ITS
  'Its' is the possessive; 'it's' is the contraction of 'it is'.
WRONG: What is it's name?
RIGHT: What is its name? Its name is Fido.
RIGHT: It's the first time he's scored tonight.
RIGHT: It's my coat.
> LAY
> LAID
> LIE
  'Lay' is the action word; 'lie' is the state of being.
WRONG: The body will lay in state until Wednesday.
RIGHT: The body will lie in state until Wednesday.
RIGHT: The prosecutor tried to lay the blame on him.
  However, the past tense of lie is lay.
RIGHT: The body lay in state from Tuesday until Wednesday.
WRONG: The body laid in state from Tuesday until Wednesday.
  The past participle of the plain past tense of lay is 'laid'.
RIGHT: He laid the pencil on the pad.
RIGHT: He had laid the pencil on the pad.
RIGHT: The hen laid an egg.
> ALONE
  'Leave alone' means to depart from or cause to be in solitude. 'Let
alone' means to be undisturbed.
WRONG: The man had pulled a gun on her, but Mr. Jones intervened and
talked him into leaving her alone.
RIGHT: The man had pulled a gun on her, but Mr. Jones intervened and
talked him into letting her alone.
RIGHT: When I entered the room I saw that Jim and Mary were sleeping
so I decided to leave them alone.
> LESS
> FEWER
  If you can separate items in the quantities being compared, use
'fewer'. If not, use 'less'.
WRONG: The Rams are inferior to the Vikings because they have less
good lineman.
RIGHT: The Rams are inferior to the Vikings becasue they have fewer
good lineman.
RIGHT: The Rams are inferior to the Vikings becasue they have less
experience.
> LIKE
  Don't use 'like' for 'as' or 'as if'. In general, use like to
compare with nouns and pronouns; use as when comparing with phrases
and clauses that contain a verb.
WRONG: Jim blocks the linebacker like he should.
RIGHT: Jim blocks the linebacker as he should.
RIGHT: Jim blocks like a pro.
> MARSHAL
  Generally, 'Marshall' is correct only when the word is a proper
noun: John Marshall.  'Marshal' is used as the verb form or for a
title: Marilyn will 'marshal' her forces.  Fire Marshal Stan Anderson,
Field Marshal Erwin Rommel.
> MEDIAN
  Use 'mean' as synonymous with 'average'. Each word refers to the
sum of all components divided by the number of components. 'Median' is
the number that has as many components above it as below.
> VERBAL
> ORAL
  Use 'oral' when use of the mouth is central to the thought; the word
emphasizes the idea of human utterance. 'Verbal' may apply to spoken
or written words; it connotes the process of reducing ideas to
writing.  Usually, it's a verbal contract, not an oral one, if it's in
writing.
> OVER
> MORE THAN
  'Over' and 'more than' aren't interchangeable. Over refers to
spatial relationships: The plane flew over the city. More than is used
with figures: In the crowd were more than 1,000 fans.
> PEDDLE
> PEDAL
  When selling something, you 'peddle' it. When riding a bicycle or
similar form of locomotion, you 'pedal' it.
> PRETENS
> PRETEXT
  'Pretense' and 'pretext' are different, but it's a tough
distinction. A pretext is that which is put forward to conceal a
truth: He was discharged for tardiness, but this was only a pretext
for general incompetence.  A pretense is a "false show"; a more overt
act intended to conceal personal feelings: My profuse compliments were
all pretense.
> PRINCIPLE
> PRINCIPAL
  A guiding rule or basic truth is a 'principle'. The first dominant,
or leading thing is 'principal'. Principle is a noun; principal may be
a noun or an adjective.
RIGHT: It's the principle of the thing.
RIGHT: Liberty an justice are two principles on which our nation is
founded.
RIGHT: Hitting and fielding are the principal activities in baseball.
RIGHT: Robert Jamieson is the school principal.
> REFUTE
  The word 'refute' connotes success in argument and almost always
impiles an editorial judgement.
WRONG: Father Bury refuted the arguments of the pro-abortion faction.
RIGHT: Father Bury responded to the arguments of the pro-abortion
faction.
> RELUCTANT
> RETICENT
  If he doesn't want to act, he is 'relectant'. If