The Art of Writing & Speaking the English Language, Sherwin Cody [hardest books to read .TXT] 📗

Not used for arrange or the like, as “fix the furniture.”

From. Say, “He died of cholera,” not from.

Got. Properly you “have got” what you made an effort to get, not what you merely “have.”

Graduate. Say, “The man is graduated from college,” and “The college graduates the man.”

Had ought. Ought never requires any part of the verb to have.

Had rather, had better. Disputed, but used by good writers.

Handy. Does not mean near by.

In so far as. Omit the in.

Kind of. After these two words omit a, and say, “What kind of man,” not “What kind of a man.” Also, do not say, “kind of tired.”

Lady. Feminine for lord, therefore do not speak of a “sales-lady,” “a man and his lady,” etc.

Last; latter. We say latter of two, in preference to last; but last of three.

Lay; lie. We lay a thing down, but we ourselves lie down; we say, “He laid the Bible on the table,” but “He lay down on the couch;” “The coat has been laid away,” and “It has lain in the drawer.” Lay, laid, laid——takes an object; lie, lay, lain——does not.

Learn. Never used as an active verb with an object, a in “I learned him his letters.” We say, “He learned his letters,” and “I taught him his letters.”

Learned. “A learned man”——pronounce learn-ed with two syllables; but “He has learned his lesson”——one syllable.

Like. Do not say, “Do like I do.” Use as when a conjunction is required.

Lives. Do not say, “I had just as lives as not,” but “I had just as Lief.”

Lot. Does not mean many, as in “a lot of men,” but one division, as, “in that lot.”

Lovely. Do not overwork this word. A rose may be lovely, but hardly a plate of soup.

Mad. We prefer to say angry if we mean out of temper.

Mistaken. Some critics insist that it is wrong to say “I am mistaken” when we mean “I mistake.”

Love. We like candy rather than love it. Save Love for something higher.

Most. In writing, do not use 'most for almost.

Mutual friend. Though Dickens used this expression in one of his titles in the sense of common friend, it is considered incorrect by many critics. The proper meaning of mutual is reciprocal.

Nothing Like. Do not say, “Nothing like as handsome.”

Of all others. Not proper after a superlative; as, “greatest of all others,” the meaning being “the greatest of all,” or “great above all others.”

Only. Be careful not to place this word so that its application will be doubtful, as in “His mother only spoke to him,” meaning “Only his mother.”

On to. Not one word like into. Use it as you would on and to together.

Orate. Not good usage.

Plenty. Say, “Fruit was plentiful,” not “plenty.”

Preventative. Should be preventive.

Previous. Say, “previously to,” not “previous to.” Also, do not say, “He was too previous”——it is a pure vulgarism.

Providing. Say, “Provided he has money,” not “Providing.”

Propose. Do not confuse with purpose. One proposes a plan, but purposes to do something, though it is also possible a propose, or make a proposition, to do something.

Quite. Do not say, “Quite a way,” or “Quite a good deal,” but reserve the word for such phrases as “Quite sure,” “Quite to the edge,” etc.

Raise; rise. Never tell a person to “raise up,” meaning “raise himself up,” but to “rise up.” Also, do not speak of “raising children,” though we may “raise horses.”

Scarcely. Do not say, “I shall scarcely (hardly) finish before night,” though it is proper to use it of time, as in “I saw him scarcely an hour ago.”

Seldom or ever. Incorrect for “seldom if ever.”

Set; sit. We set the cup down, and sit down ourselves. The hen sits; the sun sets; a dress sits.

Sewerage; sewage. The first means the system of sewers, the second the waste matter.

Some. Do not say, “I am some tired,” “I like it some,” etc.

Stop. Say, “Stay in town,” not “Stop in town.”

Such another. Say “another such.”

They. Do not refer to any one, by they, their, or them; as in “If any one wishes a cup of tea, they may get it in the next room.” Say, “If any one … he may …”

Transpire. Does not mean “occur,” and hence we do not say “Many events transpired that year.” We may say, “It transpired that he had been married a year.”

Unique. The word means single, alone, the only one so we cannot say, “very unique,” or the like.

Very. Say, “very much pleased,” not “very pleased,” though the latter usage is sustained by some authorities.

Ways. Say, “a long way,” not “a long ways.”

Where. A preposition of place is not required with where, and it is considered incorrect to say, “Where is he gone to?”

Whole of. Omit the of.

Without. Do not say, “Without it rains,” etc., in the sense of unless, except.

Witness. Do not say, “He witnessed a bull-fight”; reserve it for “witnessing a signature,” and the like.

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