Word Study and English Grammar - Frederick W. Hamilton (digital e reader .TXT) 📗

Same should not be used as a pronoun. This is a common usage in business correspondence but it is not good English and can be easily avoided without sacrificing either brevity or sense. Same as in the sense of just as, in the same manner should be avoided.

Score should not be used for achieve or accomplish.

Set should not be confused with sit. To set means "to cause to sit."

Sewage, meaning the contents of a sewer, should not be confused with sewerage which means the system.

Show should not be used in the sense of play or performance. Show up should not be used for expose.

Since should not be used for ago.

Size up should not be used for estimate or weigh.

Some should not be used for somewhat as "I feel some better."

Sort of should not be used for rather.

Splendid means shining or brilliant and should not be used as a term of general commendation.

Stand for means "be responsible for." Its recent use as meaning stand, endure, or permit, should be avoided.

Start should not be used for begin, e. g., "He started (began) to speak."

State should not be used for say.

Stop should not be used for stay.

Such should not be used for so. Say "I have never seen so beautiful a book before" not "I have never seen such a beautiful book before."

Sure should not be used as an adverb. Say surely.

Take is superfluous in connection with other verbs, e. g., "Suppose we take and use that type." Take should not be confused with bring. Take stock in should not be used for rely or trust in.

That should not be used in the sense of so. "I did not know it was that big."

Think should not have the word for added, e. g., "It is more important than you think for."

This should not be used as an adverb. "This much is clear" should be "Thus much is clear."

Through should not be used for finished.

To is superfluous and wrong in such expressions as "Where did you go to?"

Too alone should not modify a past participle. "He was too (much) excited to reply."

Transpire does not mean happen. It means to come to light or become known.

Treat should be followed by of rather than on. This volume treats of grammar, not on grammar.

Try should be followed by to rather than and. "I will try to go," not "I will try and go."

Ugly should never be used in the sense of bad tempered or vicious. It means "repulsive to the eye."

Unique does not mean rare, odd, or unusual. It means alone of its kind.

Upward of should not be used in the sense of more than.

Venal should not be confused with venial.

Verbal should not be confused with oral. A verbal message means only a message in words; an oral message is a message by word of mouth.

Very should be used sparingly. It is a word of great emphasis and like all such words defeats its purpose when used too frequently.

Visitor is a human caller. Visitant a supernatural caller.

Want should not be used in the sense of wish, e. g., "I want it" really means "I feel the want of it" or "I lack it." Want, wish, and need should be carefully distinguished.

Way should not be used in the sense of away in such expressions as "Way down East."

Ways should not be used for way, e. g., "It is quite a ways (way) off."

What is often misused for that, e. g., "He has no doubt but what (that) he will succeed."

Whence means "from what place or cause" and should not be preceded by from. This applies equally to hence which means "from this place."

Which should not be used with a clause as its antecedent, e. g., "He replied hotly, which was a mistake" should be "He replied hotly; this was a mistake." Which being a neuter pronoun should not be used to represent a masculine or feminine noun. Use who. Between the two neuter pronouns which and that let euphony decide.

Who should not be misused for whom or whose, e. g., "Who (whom) did you wish to see?" "Washington, than who (whose) no greater name is recorded." Impersonal objects should be referred to by which rather than who.

Without should not be used for unless, e. g., "I will not go without (unless) you go with me."

Witness should not be used for see.

Worst kind or worst kind of way should not be used for very much.

Womanly means "belonging to woman as woman."

Womanish means effeminate.

Tables of Irregular Verbs

Table 1 contains the principal parts of all irregular verbs whose past tense and perfect participle are unlike.

Most errors in the use of irregular verbs occur with those in Table 1. The past tense must not be used with have (has, had). Do not use such expressions as have drove and has went. Equally disagreeable is the use of the perfect participle for the past tense; as, she seen, they done.