Commonly Mis

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Problem phrases:

Supposed to: Do not omit the d. Suppose to is incorrect.

Used to: Same as above. Do not write use to.

Toward: There is no s at the end of the word.

Anyway:Also has no ending s.Anyways is nonstandard.

Couldn't care less: Be sure to make it negative. (Not I could care less.)

All walks of life: Not woks of life. This phrase does not apply to oriental cooking.

Chest of drawers: Not chester drawers.

For all intents and purposes: Not intensive purposes.

Easily Confused or Misused Words

affect / effect

Effectis usually a noun that means a result or the power to produce a result: The sound of the falling

rain had a calming effect, nearly putting me to sleep. Affectis usually a verb that means to have an

influence on: His loud humming was affecting my ability to concentrate. Note that effectcan also be a

verb meaning to bring about or execute: The speaker's somber tone effected a dampening in the

general mood of the audience.

all right / alright

Although alrightis widely used, it is considered nonstandard English. As the American Heritage

Dictionarynotes, it's not all right to use alright.

all together / altogether

All togetheris applied to people or things that are being treated as a group. We put the pots and pans all

together on the shelf. All togetheris the form that must be used if the sentence can be reworded so that

alland togetherare separated by other words: We put all the pots and pans together on the shelf.

Altogetheris used to mean entirely: I am altogether pleased to be receiving this award.

allusion / illusion

Allusionis a noun that means an indirect reference: The speech made allusions to the final report.

Illusionis a noun that means a misconception: The policy is designed to give an illusion of reform.

alternately / alternatively

Alternatelyis an adverb that means in turn; one after the other: We alternately spun the wheel in the

game. Alternativelyis an adverb that means on the other hand; one or the other: You can choose a

large bookcase or, alternatively, you can buy two small ones.

beside / besidesBesideis a preposition that means next to: Stand here beside me. Besidesis an adverb that means

also: Besides, I need to tell you about the new products my company offers.

bimonthly / semimonthly

Bimonthlyis an adjective that means every two months: I brought the cake for the bimonthly office

party. Bimonthlyis also a noun that means a publication issued every two months: The company

publishes several popular bimonthlies. Semimonthlyis an adjective that means happening twice a

month: We have semimonthly meetings on the 1st and the 15th.

capital / capitol

The city or town that is the seat of government is called the capital; the building in which the legislative

assembly meets is the capitol. The term capitalcan also refer to an accumulation of wealth or to a capital

letter.cite / site

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Citeis a verb that means to quote as an authority or example: I cited several eminent scholars in my

study of water resources. It also means to recognize formally: The public official was cited for service to

the city. It can also mean to summon before a court of law: Last year the company was cited for

pollution violations. Siteis a noun meaning location: They chose a new site for the factory just outside

town.

complement / complimentComplementis a noun or verb that means something that completes or makes up a whole: The red

sweater is a perfect complement to the outfit. Complimentis a noun or verb that means an expression of

praise or admiration: I received compliments about my new outfit.

comprise / compose

According to the traditional rule, the whole comprises the parts, and the parts compose the whole. Thus,

the board comprises five members, whereas five members compose (or make up) the board. It is also

correct to say that the board is composed (not comprised) of five members.

concurrent / consecutive

Concurrentis an adjective that means simultaneous or happening at the same time as something else:

The concurrent strikes of several unions crippled the economy. Consecutivemeans successive or

following one after the other: The union called three consecutive strikes in one year.connote / denote

Connoteis a verb that means to imply or suggest: The word espionage connotes mystery and intrigue.

Denoteis a verb that means to indicate or refer to specifically: The symbol for pi denotes the number

3.14159.

convince / persuade

Strictly speaking, one convinces a person that something is true but persuades a person to do

something. Pointing out that I was overworked, my friends persuaded [not convinced] me to take a

vacation. Now that I'm relaxing on the beach with my book, I am convinced [not persuaded] that they

were right. Following this rule, convinceshould not be used with an infinitive.

council / councilor / counsel / counselor

A counciloris a member of a council, which is an assembly called together for discussion or deliberation.

A counseloris one who gives counsel, which is advice or guidance. More specifically, a counselorcan be

an attorney or a supervisor at camp.

discreet / discrete

Discreetis an adjective that means prudent, circumspect, or modest: Her discreet handling of the touchy

situation put him at ease. Discreteis an adjective that means separate or individually distinct: Each

company in the conglomerate operates as a discrete entity.

disinterested / uninterested

Disinterestedis an adjective that means unbiased or impartial: We appealed to the disinterested

mediator to facilitate the negotiations. Uninterestedis an adjective that means not interested or

indifferent: They seemed uninterested in our offer.

elicit / illicit

Elicitis a verb that means to draw out. Illicitis an adjective meaning unlawful. No matter how hard I tried

to elicit a few scandalous stories from her, she kept all knowledge of illicit goings-on discreetly to herself.

emigrant / immigrant

Emigrantis a noun that means one who leaves one's native country to settle in another: The emigrants

spent four weeks aboard ship before landing in Los Angeles. Immigrantis a noun that means one who

enters and settles in a new country: Most of the immigrants easily found jobs. One emigrates froma

place; one immigrates toanother.

farther / further

Fartheris an adjective and adverb that means to or at a more distant point: We drove 50 miles today;

tomorrow, we will travel 100 miles farther. Furtheris an adjective and adverb that means to or at a

greater extent or degree: We won't be able to suggest a solution until we are further along in our

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evaluation of the problem. It can also mean in addition or moreover: They stated further that they would

not change the policy.

few / less

Fewis an adjective that means small in number. It is used with countable objects: This department has

few employees. Lessis an adjective that means small in amount or degree. It is used with objects of

indivisible mass: Which jar holds less water?figuratively / literally

Figurativelyis an adverb that means metaphorically or symbolically: Happening upon the shadowy

figure, they figuratively jumped out of their shoes. Literallyis an adverb that means actually: I'm not

exaggerating when I say I literally fell off my chair. It also means according to the exact meaning of the

words: I translated the Latin passage literally.

flammable / inflammable

These two words are actually synonyms, both meaning easily set on fire. The highly flammable

(inflammable) fuel was stored safely in a specially built tank. Use nonflammable to mean notflammable.

flaunt / flout

To flauntmeans to show off shamelessly: Eager to flaunt her knowledge of a wide range of topics,

Helene dreamed of appearing on a TV trivia show. To floutmeans to show scorn or contempt for: Lewisdisliked boarding school and took every opportunity to flout the house rules.

foreword / forward

Forewordis a noun that means an introductory note or preface: In my foreword I explained my reasons

for writing the book. Forwardis an adjective or adverb that means toward the front: I sat in the forward

section of the bus. Please step forward when your name is called. Forwardis also a verb that means

to send on: Forward the letter to the customer's new address.

founder / flounder

In its primary sense foundermeans to sink below the surface of the water: The ship foundered after

colliding with an iceberg. By extension, foundermeans to fail utterly. Floundermeans to move about

clumsily, or to act with confusion. A good synonym for flounderis blunder: After floundering through the

first half of the course, Amy finally passed with the help of a tutor.

hanged / hung

Hangedis the past tense and past participle of hang when the meaning is to execute by suspending by

the neck: They hanged the prisoner for treason. The convicted killer was hanged at dawn. Hungis the

past tense and participle of hang when the meaning is to suspend from above with no support from

below: I hung the painting on the wall. The painting was hung at a crooked angle.

historic / historical

In general usage, historicrefers to what is important in history, while historicalapplies more broadly to

whatever existed in the past whether it was important or not: a historic summit meeting between the

prime ministers; historical buildings torn down in the redevelopment.

i.e. / e.g.

The abbreviation e.g. means for example (from Latin exempli gratia): Her talents were legion and varied

(e.g., deep sea diving, speed reading, bridge, and tango dancing). The abbreviation i.e. means that is or

in other words (from Latin id est):The joy of my existence (i.e., my stamp collection) imbues my life with

meaning.

it's / its

It'sis a contraction for it is, whereas itsis the possessive form of it: It's a shame that we cannot talk

about its size.

laid / lain / lay

Laidis the past tense and the past participle of the verb lay and not the past tense of lie. Layis the past

tense of the verb lie and lainis the past participle: He laid his books down and lay down on the couch,

where he has lain for an hour.

lend / loan

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Although some people feel loanshould only be used as a noun, lendand loanare both acceptable as

verbs in standard English: Can you lend (loan) me a dollar? However, only lendshould be used in

figurative senses: Will you lend me a hand?

lightening / lightning

Lighteningis a verb that means to illuminate; lightningis a noun referring to the electrical charges the

cause flashes of light during storms: The lightning struck, lightening the sky.nonplussed

Meaning perplexed or bewildered, nonplussedis very often thought to mean just the oppositecalm,

unruffled, cool-as-a-cucumber. A common mistake is to think the word means not plussed, but no such

word exists. Nonplussedoriginates from the Latin non(no) and plus(more, further), and means a state in

which no more can be doneone is so perplexed that further action is impossible. The lexicographer

grew increasingly agitated and nonplussed by the frequency with which she noted the misuse of

nonplussed.

passed / past

Passedis the past tense and past participle of pass. Pastrefers to time gone by; it is also a preposition

meaning beyond. In the past decade, I passed over countless opportunities; I was determined not to let

them get past me again.penultimate

Meaning next to last, penultimateis often mistakenly used to mean the very last, or the ultimate: The

perfectionist was crestfallen when he was awarded the penultimate prize; the grand prize went to

another.

precede / proceed

The verb precedemeans to come before. Proceedmeans to move forward. He preceded me into the

room; once I caught up with him I proceeded to tell him off.

principal / principle

Principalis a noun that means a person who holds a high position or plays an important role: The school

principal has 20 years of teaching experience. Principalis also an adjective that means chief or leading:

The necessity of moving to another city was the principal reason I turned down the job offer. Principleis

a noun that means a rule or standard: They refused to compromise their principles.

stationary / stationery

Stationaryis an adjective that means fixed or unmoving: They maneuvered around the stationary barrier

in the road. Stationeryis a noun that means writing materials: We printed the letters on company

stationery.

their / there / they're

Theiris the possessive form of they; thererefers to place; and they'reis the contraction of they are.

They're going there because their mother insisted they become proficient in Serbo-Croatian.

venal / venial

Venalis an adjective that means corruptible; venialis an adjective that means a slight flaw or offense: In

the Catholic church, a venial sin is one that is minor and pardonable, whereas a mortal sin is a serious

transgression involving more venal or depraved behavior.

who's / whose

Who'sis the contraction of who is.Whoseis the possessive form of who. Who's going to figure out

whose job it is to clean the stables?

your / you're

Youris the possessive form of you; you'reis the contraction you are. If you're planning on swimming,

then be sure to bring your life vest and flippers.

One of the chief characteristics of English is its teeming vocabulary, an estimated 80% of which has come from

other languages! Linguistic borrowing has occurred over many centuries, whenever English speakers have come

into contact with other cultures, whether through conquest and colonization, trade and commerce, immigration,leisure travel, or war.

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While English has borrowed most heavily from the languages of Europe and the Near East, it has also acquired

many loan words from Asia, sometimes through the intermediary of Dutch, the native language of the merchant-

sailors who dominated the Spice Islandstrade in the 17th century.

Many of these borrowed words no longer seem foreign, having been completely assimilated into English. Some

examples are boondocks, gingham, and ketchup. Others are still strongly associated with their country of origin,

such as terms for specific "ethnic" dishes or the different schools of martial arts.

Common Rules

AlumniThis word construction is taken directly from its Latin origins. Therefore, the noun forms are gender specific:"alumna" refers to one woman; "alumnae" refers to a group of women; "alumnus" refers to one man; "alumni"refers to a group of men or a group of men and women. It's rare to see the feminine plural form, "alumnae." Mostoften the form "alumni" is used for any group of graduates.

Alumni AbbreviationsIdentify past and current students by their class years with an apostrophe before the year in the year 2000 orlater. For graduates in the 1900s, use the four-digit year (1951). If a person received more than one degree fromCarnegie Mellon, use both years and put a comma between them. In this case an apostrophe may be used for the"19" in subsequent years.

Right: Laura San Giacomo (1984) had a supporting role in "Pretty Woman."Right: Paul Christiano (1964, '65, '68) served as provost during the 1990s.

Letters are often used before the year to indicate the school that granted the degree.

Right: James Gosling, CS1983, created the computer language JAVA.Right: Earl Wild, A1937, participated in Carnegie Mellon's centennial celebration.

Consistency is the key as to the method of indicating the alum's year of graduation. The choice is yours as tousing parens or commas and the use of spaces. Pick one and use consistently throughout your publication.

Collective NounsThe collective nouns "faculty" and "staff" are singular nouns. If you wish to use a plural construction, use"members of the faculty/staff" or "faculty/staff members."

Right: The faculty is represented by Faculty Senate.Right: Members of the faculty are dedicated researchers and teachers.Right: Staff members disagree among themselves about the best benefits options.Right: The Carnegie Mellon staff numbers almost 3,000.

Passive VoiceAvoid using the passive voice, which can contribute to imprecise, weak or wordy prose.

Think about this sentence: "Jane's classes were taught in the morning." Taught by whom? Is Jane a teacher or astudent? An active construction would clarify the sentence: "Professor Smith taught Jane's morning classes."

When a passive construction makes an appearance in an early draft, think about the sentence. Try to alter theconstruction and choose an active verb. Concise sentences with active verbs and a few, carefully selectedmodifiers communicate most clearly to the reader.

Sometimes passive voice is a better choice. For example, when the recipient of an award is more important thanthe awarding body, it's better to keep this information in the lead of the sentence: "Director of Homeland SecurityTom Ridge was awarded an honorary doctorate"

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That/WhichThese words cause so much confusion, they deserve a section of their own. "That" and "which" often are usedincorrectly in clauses.

When referring to a human being (or an animal with a name), any clause should be introduced by the word "who"or "whom."

When referring to an object or nameless animal with an essential clauseone that cannot be eliminated withoutchanging the meaning of the sentenceuse the word "that" to introduce the clause. Essential clauses do notneed commas.

When referring to an object or nameless animal with a non-essential clauseone that can be eliminated from thesentence without changing the basic meaninguse the word "which" to introduce the clause. If non-essentialclauses appear in the middle of sentences, they may need to be set off by commas.

A simple test: Once your sentence is written, try reading it without the clause. If the sentence still means about thesame thing, your clause should be introduced by "which." If taking out the clause changes the meaningdrastically, it should be introduced by "that."

Right: The club meeting, which was held in Skibo Coffeehouse, was lively.Meaning: The club meeting was lively. (We must already know which club meeting it is.)Right: The club meeting that was held in Skibo Coffeehouse was lively.Meaning: The only meeting being held in Skibo Coffeehouse was lively. (Another way to think of essential clauses

you don't really need the word "that.")Better: The club meeting held in Skibo Coffeehouse was lively.

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Commonly Misused Words

adverse/averse"Adverse" means unfavorable. "Averse" means reluctant.

adviser/advisor"Adviser" is preferred although both are correct.

affect/effect"To affect" means (1) to influence, change or produce an effect; (2) to like to do, wear or use; or (3) to pretend."To effect" means to accomplish, complete, cause, make possible or carry out. If you're looking for a noun, you'reprobably looking for "effect." If you're using a verb, you're safest with "affect."

afterwardnot afterwards

all rightnot alright

allude/refer"To allude" means to speak of without mentioning. "To refer" means to speak of directly.

allusion/illusionAn "allusion" is an indirect reference. An "illusion" is a false impression or image.

alumna/aeAn alumna is one woman. Alumnae are a group of women.

alumni/usAlumni are more than one man or a group of men and women. An alumnus is one man.

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around/about"Around" should refer to a physical proximity or surrounding (I'll look for you around the front of Baker Hall)."About" indicates an approximation (Let's have lunch about 11:30 a.m.).

beside/besidesUse "beside" to mean (1) at the side of (sit beside me); (2) to compare with (beside other studies); or (3) apartfrom (that's beside the point). Use "besides" to mean (1) further-more (besides, I said so); (2) in addition to (andelm and maple trees besides); or (3) otherwise (there's no one here besides Bill and me).

between/amongUse "between" to show a relationship between two objects only.

Use "among" when it's more than two.

"Between" takes an objective pronounme, her, him. "Between you and me" is okay. "Between you and I" is not.

biannual/biennial"Biannual" is twice a year. "Biennial" is every two years.

complement/compliment"Complement" is something that supplements. "Compliment" is praise or the expression of courtesy.

compose/comprise/constitute"Compose" is to create or put together. "Comprise" is to contain, to include all or embrace. "Constitute" is to makeup, to be the elements of.

Examples: The whole comprises the parts. The parts constitute the whole. The whole is composed of parts.

The department comprises 12 people. Twelve people constitute the department. The department iscomposed of 12 people.

continual/continuous"Continual" is a steady repetition."Continuous" is uninterrupted.

criteriaplural (more than one criterion, which is a quality, a value or a standard of judgment)

curriculaplural (more than one curriculum, which is a program of academic courses or learning activitiesthe H&SScurricula)

curricularadjective (H&SS' curricular philosophy)

curriculum

singular (the History curriculum)

dataplural noun, usually takes a plural verb; if used as a collective noun, when the group or quantity is regarded as anoun, it takes a singular verb (the data is sound).

daylight-saving timenot daylight-savings time

different fromnot different than

disinterested/uninterested

"Disinterested" means impartial. "Uninterested" means someone lacks interest.

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dissociatenot disassociate

entitled/titled"Entitled" means having the right to something (she is entitled to the inheritance). Use "titled" to introduce thename of a publication, speech, musical piece (the piece is titled, "Love and Illusion").

farther/further"Farther" refers to physical distance. "Further" refers to an extension of time or degree.

fewer/lessIn general, use "fewer" for individual items that can be counted. Use "less" for bulk or quantity that is measured(not counted). "Fewer" usually takes a plural noun; "less" usually takes a singular noun.

half-mast/half-staffTo use "half-mast," you must be referring to a flag on a ship or at a naval station. A flag anywhere else is at "half-staff."

historic/historical"Historic" means important. "Historical" refers to any event in the past.

hopefullyUnless you're describing the way someone spoke, appeared or acted, do not use this one. Too many people use"hopefully," an adverb that must modify a verb only, as if it were a conditional phrase.

Right: I hope we can go.Wrong: Hopefully, we can go.Wrong: Hopefully, the report will address that issue.Right: It is hoped the report will address that issue.Right: She eyed the interview list hopefully.

important/importantly"Importantly" is incorrect unless it is an adverb.

Right: He strutted importantly through the castle.Right: More important, he said, the quality of the program must not suffer.

imply/infer"Imply" means to suggest or indicate indirectly. To "infer" is to conclude or decide from something known orassumed.

In general, if you imply something, you're sending out a message. If you infer something, you're interpreting amessage.

in regard tonot in regards to

"As regards" or "regarding" may also be used.

insure/ensure"Insure" means to establish a contract for insurance of some type. "Ensure" means to guarantee.

General rule? Use "ensure."

irregardlessThe word is "regardless." "Irregardless"? No such word.

-ize

Do not coin verbs with this suffix, and do not use already coined words such as "finalize" (use "end" or "conclude")or "utilize" (use "use").

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lay/lie"Lay" means to place or deposit, and requires a direct object (forms: lay, laid, laid, laying). "Lie" means to be in areclining position or to be situated. It does not take an object (forms: lie, lay, lain, lying).

lectern/podiumYou stand on a podium and behind a lectern.

let/leaveTo "let alone" means to leave something undisturbed. To "leave alone" means to depart from or cause to be insolitude.

like/asUse "like" to compare nouns and pronouns. Use "as" to introduce clauses and phrases.

literally/figuratively"Literally" means in an exact sense. "Figuratively" means in a comparative sense.

Right: The furnace literally exploded.Right: He was so furious he figuratively blew his stack.

locatedIn most cases, you'll find you don't really need this word. Instead of "The store is located in the University Center,"you can simply write "The store is in the University Center." Instead of "Where are you located at?" (which is theworst construction of all), write "Where are you?"

many/muchIn general, use "many" for individual items that can be counted. Use "much" for bulk or quantity that is measured.midnight/noonUse instead of 12 a.m. or 12 p.m. Do not put a "12" in front of either one.

me/myselfAvoid using "myself." In most constructions, it's the objective pronoun you really want:

Right: It's between you and me.Wrong: You can tell your supervisor or myself.

more than/overUse "more than" when you mean in excess of; use "over" when referring to physical placement of an object, anending or extent of authority.

Right: More than 25 professors participated.Wrong: The university has over 50 buildings.

norUse this word anytime you use "neither."

oral/verbal"Oral" refers to spoken words. "Verbal" can refer to either spoken or written words, but most often connotes theprocess of reducing ideas to writing.

partially/partlyThese two are not interchangeable. "Partially" is used to mean to a certain degree when speaking of a conditionor state. "Partly" implies the idea of a part, usually of a physical object, as distinct from the whole.

Right: I'm partially convinced.Wrong: The building is partially completed.Right: The building is in a state of partial completion.Right: The building is partly completed.

past experienceWhat other kind of experience is there? Just use "experience" alone.

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peddle/pedalTo "peddle" is to sell. To "pedal" is to use pedals, as on a bicycle.

people/personsUse "person" when speaking of an individual. The word "people," rather than "persons," is preferred for pluraluses.

pom-pom/pompon"Pom-pom" is a rapidly firing weapon. A cheerleader's prop is correctly called a pompon.

premier/premiere"Premier" is first in status or importance, chief, or a prime minister or chief executive. "Premiere" is a firstperformance.

presently/currentlyMany writers use these terms as if they were synonymous. But "presently" means in a little while, soon."Currently" means now. In most cases you can do just f ine without using "currently." For example, "we arecurrently revising the plan" works better when simply stated, "we are revising the plan."

pretense/pretext"Pretense" is a false show or unsupported claim to some distinction or accomplishment. "Pretext" is a falsereason or motive put forth to hide the real one, an excuse or a cover-up.

principal/principle"Principal" as a noun is a chief person or thing; as an adjective, it means first in importance. "Principle" is a nounmeaning a fundamental truth, doctrine or law; a guiding rule or code of conduct; a method of operation.

rebut/refuteTo "rebut" is to argue to the contrary. To "refute" is to win the argument.

regardless"Regardless" is a word. "Irregardless" is not a word.

shall/will"Shall" is used for the f irst-person future tense and expresses the speaker's belief regarding his or her futureaction or state.

If "will" is used for first-person future, it expresses his or her determination or consent. At other times, "will" is usedfor the second- and third-person future tense.

student bodyUse "student" or "students" instead.

that/whichSeeCommon Rules.

theater/theatreThe preferred word in the United States is "theater," unless the British spelling is part of a proper name, as in"Kresge Theatre" or "Chosky Theatre."

toward/towards"Toward" is correct. "Towards" is not.

uniqueCommonly overused, this word literally means one of a kind, without equal. "Unique" should never be modified by"truly," "rather" or "very." Something is either unique or it's not.

use/utilizeUse "use." "Utilize" is the awkward verb form of the obsolete adjective "utile." Why bother?

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who/whomWe rarely see the word "whom" in writing. But if your sentence has an objective clause referring to a person oranimal with a proper name, you're being ungrammatical if you don't use whom.

The word "who" substitutes for subjective pronounshe, she or they; "whom" must be used in the sense of him,her or them. If you don't want to use "whom," restructure your sentence. Don't just stick in "who" when it isincorrect.

-wiseDo not use this suffix to coin words like "weatherwise."

Xerox/photocopyA trademark for a brand of photocopy machine should never be used as a noun or verb.

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Commonly Misspelled WordsThis is just a small sampling to get you thinking. When in doubt, use a computer spell program or look it up (orboth).

accommodateacknowledgmentaesthetics (not esthetics)antiquatedcatalog (not catalogue)commitmentconscienceconsensuscounselordeductibledissensiondrunkennessecstasyembarrassexhilarateforewordharasshors d'oeuvresinadvertentindispensableinoculateinsistentirresistiblejudgmentknowledgeableliaisonmementonickel

occurredoccurrenceperseveranceprerogativeprivilegeproceedsponsortyrannousvacuumvilify

Hardas adjective (a hard time) poses no problem.Hardis also a flat adverb, however, meaning strenuously, withdetermination, strongly, as in We tried hard. It is not interchangeable with hardly, which means scarcely: We hardly tried.Hardly can also (in British English especially) mean severely, cruelly, harshly, and that sense can sometimes create

ambiguity, as in She was hardly used in the campaign, meaning either her talents were scarcely employed or she washarshly treated during the campaign. Note that the position ofhardly can controlShe was used hardly calls only for the

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harshly sensebut a shift in diction (scarcely used, ill-used, orunderused, for example) can do an even surer job ofavoiding ambiguity.

Commonly Misused Words and Expressions

A.D. anno domini means in the year of the Lord, so should come before the year:A.D. 2000; B.C. comes after theyear: 32 B.C.

accomodate should be accommodate

acronym should be used only of initialisms that make pronounceable words, like radarorNafta, notMRIorCIA

actionable means that which is subject to legal action or litigation, and use should be restricted to law

aggravate to worsen or increase in severity; does not mean to annoy or vex

agree sometimes stripped of necessary prepositions; should be agree on, to orwith, etc.

alright should be all right

an used before words, initials, etc., that have a vowel sound (regardless of the first letter): an MIA soldier; it isaffected to use before historic and other words with a sounded initial h

anchors away should be anchors aweigh

and/or an ugly construction; state in some other way in newspaper writing

annoint spelled with one n: anoint

anytime not one word; spelled any time

approximate often used unnecessarily for aboutto add false gravity to a statement

around often used by consultants as a universal preposition in the erroneous belief that it sounds intelligent:problems

around cost-cutting, questions around personnel issues

artic should be arctic; so too with antarctic

as follows not to be used before colons, as it is unnecessary

as per used often as an inelegant and lazy introduction:As per your request,

as to whether as to should be omitted

baited breath should be bated

balls of brass the expression is bulls of brass, or the brazen bulls that guarded the golden fleece; balls of brass, as infortitude symbolized by metallic male organs, is a bastard form

be it this is the ugly subjunctive; avoid it:I will fight it, be it communism, Nazism

begs the question the logical fallacy ofpetitio principii: assuming as the premise the very thing to be proved; does not meanprompts the question, as inBudget talks beg the question of deficits.

bell-wether a castrated sheep that wears a bell and leads the flock; a leader (pejorative)

blatant originally meant noisy, obstreperous; also means obviously objectionable; should not be used to meanobvious

borrow the verb describing receipt of a loan, not the making of it; you cant borrow me some money

bribe often used in an over-broad sense to encompass payment for goods and services; should be used pejorativelyto indicate improper purchase of influence or favors

calender should be calendar

catholic lower-case, means universal, not strict or conservative, the views of the church notwithstanding

caveat means warningorcaution, not exception, reservation orclarification

cheap the thing bought is cheap, not its price; it is nonsense to say the price was cheap; so with expensive

chomp the expression is champ at the bit

claim should be used in the sense lay claim to, rather than as a synonym forargue orstate

commentate should be comment

could care less should be couldns care less as in, nothing is less important

could of should be could have

crescendo the crescendo is the rising action in music, not the climax itselfdata/media these are plurals, though perhaps not for long

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different than incorrect; should always be different from

dilemna should be dilemma; as well fortrilemma, polylemma etc.; refers to a unavoidable choice between twounattractive options, not just any decision

disconnect a verb; the noun is disconnection

due to should follow a form of be or be attached to a noun;Due to budget constraints, there will be no Christmas

party is incorrect; The cancellation was due to weatheris correct

e.g. exempli gratia: for example; used to introduce an example; requires a following comma, not necessary to

italicize

effete exhausted, worn-out, lacking vigor or energy; does not mean effeminate

enervate to rob or deplete of energy; to do the opposite is to innervate

et al. means among others; when reading aloud, is read as among others rather than in Latin; not necessary to

italicize

exception the exception proves the rule does not mean that the exception is eventually determined to be the rule;prove

in this case means test, so the exception tests the validity or universality of the rule

facet refers to a face of a stone, not just any aspect of anything

feel badly should befeel bad; linking verbs such as be, seem, smell, appear, feel, etc. take adjectives; an adverb would

modify the manner in which you feel, not how you feel

fey fated to die or soon to die

forbid should be followed by to, notfrom, in all its forms;forbade is pronouncedforbad

forte the e is silent when used to mean ones strong point; it is sounded when used in the music sense

frequent robbed of its charm by overuse, and much misused; often illogically used to mean visitas a verb without

regard to frequency

fulsome means offensive through excess; not just a synonym for fullorcomplete

gender refers to the grammatical classification of a word only;sex is proper for male/female distinctions

graduate a college takes this action, not a student, so one is graduated from college, one does notgraduate college

grow as a transitive verb, it should be restricted to agriculture: you cangrow beets, but cannotgrow the economy;

however, the economy grew is correct

hale the correct phrase is hail and farewell, not hale and farewell

harass accenting the first syllable is an affectation that grew out of the Clarence Thomas hearings

however this should not be used as a coordinating conjunction as andorbutis; a sentence should still make sense it if

is omitted

hypocrisy feigning to be other and better than one is; assuming a false appearance or dissimulation of true nature or

beliefs; not necessarily contradicting ones words in ones actions

i.e. id est: that is; used to define, not to give an example; requires a following comma, not necessary to italicize

if and when an ugly construction; usually the and when can be omittedif I was should beIf I were; in conditional future (subjunctive), use the plural were even for singular nouns

ilk of that ilkdoes not mean of that kind or sort; it is used when the proprietor and property have the same name

(Fowler)

immolate to destroy or sacrifice, not necessarily by fire; does not meanset fire to

impact often used as a verb, though it is properly a noun; the verb to use is affectorinfluence

impeach to impugn or charge with a misdemeanor; does not mean to remove from office

inflammable means the same as flammable: able to catch flame

intensive purposes should be intents and purposes

ironic/irony does not mean coincidental, counterintuitive, strangely appropriate, unexpected, orpoetically just; it is where

the literal meaning and the intended meaning are in opposition, as a light form of sarcasm, usually understood

by part of the audience and at the expense of the rest; or, a turn of events that is the opposite, and as if inmockery, of what was to be expected

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irregardless no such word; use regardless

judgment no e

just assume should bejust as soon

just deserts spelled with ones because it is what is deserved

lily in ShakespearesKing John, the lily is painted, not gilt: To gild refined gold, to paint the lily

limpid transparent, diaphonous; not a fancy synonym for limp

literally does not mean very; means according to the literal meaning of words, not the figurative; if someone is

literally a jackass then he has actually taken the form of donkey

livid of a blue-leaden color, as if bruised

long-lived means having a long life, long-lifed; should be pronounced like the adjective live, not the verb

lowest common

denominator

a mathematical term, often incorrectly used to denote the worst or most base element: daytime t.v. appeals to

the lowest common denominator

manor the expression is to the manner born; does not mean privileged, but instead suited for the role

medieval not spelled midevil or any other such way; evalmeans time or age

metaphysical does not mean beyond physical, supernatural; speculative inquiry into the first principles of things, including

such concepts as being, substance, essence, time, space, cause, identity, etc.

militate to have weight or effect; usually used with against

millenium spelled millennium, with two ns

mischievious should be mischievous; pronounce without the third i,too

momento should be memento

moot open to discussion; academic or hypothetical (as in the practice sessions of law students); does not mean

obviated by developments or circumstances; a moot pointis still debatable, not rendered inconsequential

motivate transitive, so it must take an object;I finally motivated to go outis a bad way to sayI got off my arse; also,

does not mean to state the motivation:Motivate your answeris an incorrect way to sayExplain the reasoning

behind your answer.

much to do should be much ado about nothing

myself should not be used to replaceIorme; should only be used as a reflexive (action taken upon oneself: I kicked

myself.) or intensive (for emphasis:I myself am honest.)

noisome foul-smelling; harmful or injurious; related to annoy, not noise

nor must be paired with neither, not in all negative constructions: he was not fat nor tallis incorrect

octupi incorrect plural; the original Greek would be octopoda oroctopodes, but octopuses is best

one in the same should be one and the same

orientate should be orient

penultimate means next to last, not the ultimate or very most; antepenultimate means second to last,preantepenultimatemeans third from last

peruse to thoroughly examine or read; often misused to mean take a cursory look

plethora a favorite word of the semiliterate; means undesirable overabundance, not simply a multitude; from the

disease plethora, a morbid overabundance of blood

plus should be limited to its mathematically sense, and not substituted forandorin addition to: it is wrong to say

I met my dad plus my mom.

predominately should bepredominantly

pudding the expression is: the proof of the pudding is in the eatingnot the proof is in the pudding

reticent often used too broadly; means quiet, reserved, not reluctant

seperate should beseparate

supposably should besupposedly

suppositious should besupposititious; means fraudulently substituted for the genuine thing or person; counterfeit, false

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the fact that should be avoided as a way to cautiously abstract a condition:I hate the fact that she dates someone else.Omit the fact.

they incorrectly used as a gender-neutral third person singular; avoid this use by rephrasing the sentence

this point in time redundant; at this pointorat this time is sufficient

traduce to slander; sense of to pervert, transmogrify is obsolete

transpire to escape from secrecy; to become public: news quickly transpired; should not be used as a fancy alternative

to happen oroccur

try and should be try to

upmost should be utmost

utilize often replaces use to vainly add gravity to a statement; use use

vacillate means oscillating or tergiversating; changing ones opinion; not simply delaying or avoiding, or many of the

other meanings credited to it

wet of an appetite, should be whet, meaning to sharpen or make more acute

whether or not or notshould be omitted

zoology pronounced ZOH-ology, not ZOO-ology

Use one word for a phrase.

Many unecessary phrases are used by both native and non-native English speakers. Avoiding these phrases is a

simple way to make your writing clearer. The following examples should all be replaced by a single word.

avoid better

in view of the foregoing circumstances therefore

are found to be in agreement agree

has the ability to can

has the capability of can

(with) the passage of time (with) time

at this point in time now

due to the fact that because

examined in comparison to compared to

for the purpose of for

by means of by

a small number of few

a large number of many

Or can be deleted completely:

avoid "The CD57 expression on CD8+ cells in certain viral infections, such as CMV and HIV, has beendemonstrated."

better "CD8+ cells express CD57 in certain viral infections, such as CMV and HIV."

The correct phrase is almost always shorter.

A few specific phrases are commonly mistranslated by Japanese authors:

almost the same = equivalent, comparable

One commonly misused expression is "almost the same".

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Results may be "the same" or "identical", or they may be "equivalent" (the closest expression to the same), "similar", or

"comparable" in scientific writing. But "almost the same" is a more casual and inappropriate expression.

avoid: 'Patients in groups A and B had almost the same incidence of vascular complications'

better: 'Patients in groups A and B had an equivalent incidence of vascular complications'

avoid: 'Almost the same pattern of Zic 1 expression was seen in wild-type embryos'

better: 'A similar pattern of Zic 1 expression was seen in wild-type embryos'

Comparable and equivalent are used for quantitative comparisons:

example:

"Equivalent levels of sox 7 protein expression were found in..."

"Comparable levels of sox 7 protein expression were found in..."

on the contrary = in contrast

'On the contrary' is a subjective statement that indicates disagreement or opposition to a statement or opinion given by

someone else. Therefore it is usually only used in spoken English.

'In contrast' is an objective statement of a marked difference or opposite effect, and should therefore be used in

scientific writing.

avoid On the contrary, no H3 antibody reactivity was seen in yeast

better In contrast, no H3 antibody reactivity was seen in yeast

avoid On the contrary, there were no adverse effects in group B

better In contrast, there were no adverse effects in group B

But in spoken English:

"I think the American stock market will continue to grow."

"On the contrary, I think it will begin a slow decline very soon."

On the other hand = However/In contrast

The transition on the other handis frequently misused in English translations from Japanese. This phrase is usually used

as a translation ofmata ippou dewa,which is a transition that indicates a slight change in topic. In English, in this

situation it is usually unecessary to use any transition. If there is a comparison/contrast being made, then transitions

such as however,or if a difference is really being emphasised, in contrast(but not on the contrary) may be used (see

above).

Overall, on the other handis very rarely used in Scientific English, generally being more appropriate for conversation,

and if you are in doubt, don't use it.

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Double negatives

Double negatives are used in English to make a very positive statement, and this is usually not appropriate for a scientific

paper. In addition, in Japanese a double negative can actually strengthen the negativeness of a statement, which does not

translate into English.

avoid

"Background staining was not seen..."

"No background staining was not seen..."

better "No background staining was seen..."

Avoid casual English

Casual language should be kept for conversation or other forms of writing. It must be replaced by the correct term, which is

often shorter:

avoid better

nowadays presently, currently

for instance for example

despite the fact that although

goes under the name of is called

on the contrary in contrast

firstly initially

to begin with initially

be that as it may however

at last finally

in as much as because

by the way delete

as a matter of fact delete

'til now (until now) to date*

*This last example also uses a contraction which cannot be used in scientific writing at all. Other examples include:

avoid better

it's it is

weren't were not

didn't did not

haven't have not

can't cannot

Common style errors

Transitional words allow ideas to flow from one sentence to the next. They are used extensively in Japanese, but in scientific

English care should be taken not to overuse them.

Transitions may:

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1. add information (in addition, furthermore, moreover);

2. show an effect or a result (therefore, thus);

3. contrast ideas (however, in contrast, whereas, although);

or:

4. summarise ideas (in conclusion, in summary).

Some transitions that are used in more casual conversation should be avoided.

avoid:

- Indeed, - In fact,

- On the other hand, - As a matter of fact,

- Accordingly - For instance,

- Nevertheless - Additionally

administer/administrate

To administrate means to manage or organize. A drug is administered, not administrated. Administration, however, is the

noun ofadminister, which may lead to this common mistake.

avoid Gastric ulcers were induced in rats by administrating 20% acetic acid.

better Gastric ulcers were induced in rats by administering 20% acetic acid.

avoid IFN was self-administratedsubcutaneously.better IFN was self-administeredsubcutaneously.

alteration/alternation

Alternation (the occurrence of two things by turns) is often wrongly used to mean alteration (simply a change).

Alteration may be used as a synonym of mutation.

avoid SMID is associated with mtDNA alternations.

better SMID is associated with mtDNA alterations.

better SMID is associated with mtDNA mutations.

common/popular

Popularis often mistakenly used to mean common, prevalent or widespread. This can be very inappropriate since

popularactually means especially liked or preferred.

avoid Strain of the ACL of the knee is apopularinjury among budo practitioners

better Strain of the ACL of the knee is a common injury among budo practitioners

avoid Cancer was the mostpopularcause of death in this population

better Cancer was the most common cause of death in this population

better Cricket is apopularsport in Australia

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conservative/conserved

DNA sequences may be conserved between species, and these regions are called conserved regions, not conservativeregions. Conservative implies a medical treatment that is by limited or well-established procedures.

avoid The conservative region of the pit 1 gene was amplified by PCR.

better The conserved region of the pit 1 gene was amplified by PCR.

avoid All clones contained the highly conservative sof sequence.

better All clones contained the highly conserved sof sequence.

avoid Due to complications, we selected conserved treatment for this case.

better Due to complications, we selected conservative treatment for this case.

describe/report

A patient is a person; a case is a disease. Patients or cases are described; only cases are reported.

good We describe a patient with gynecomastia induced by omeprazole.

good We report a case of omeprazole-induced gynecomastia.

dose/dosage

A doseis a specific amount whereas dosageimplies a regimen and is therefore usually indicated as amount per unit oftime.

example:

"Patients received an initial doseof 25 mg and thereafter a dosageof 10 mg twice a day for 2 weeks."

etc

Etc can only be used when the contents of a noninclusive list are obvious to the reader. However, etc is an imprecise

expression and should generally be avoided in scientific writing. When giving a partial list use such as or including at

the start of the list, and put nothing at the end of the list.

avoid (A, B and C, etc)

better (such as A, B and C)

avoid Physical factors (joint laxity, knee muscular force, etc) were compared to activity scores.

better Physical factors (such as joint laxity and knee muscular force) were compared to activity scores.

avoid

Trp is involved in substrate binding in most glycosyl hydrolases, including lysozyme, cellulases, xylanases

etc.

better

Trp is involved in substrate binding in most glycosyl hydrolases, including lysozyme, cellulases, and

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xylanases.

Try to avoid using eg (for example; from the Latin exempli gratia) and ie (that is; from the Latin id est).

If you do use them: Do not use etc after eg; and use ie when the list is specific and all-inclusive, or when clarifying or

defining something.

example:

Change in height (ie, height velocity) may only be transiently reduced in asthmatic children

example:

Lysosomal cysteine proteases have been implicated in specific pathological states (ie, arthritis and cancer metastasis)

Also avoid and so on, and so forth, and and the like.

mutant/mutation

A mutationis an alteration in the primary sequence of DNA.

Mutantrefers to an strain of organism, population, allele or gene which carry one or more mutations.

good We characterised four meiotic yeast mutants(i.e. strains of yeast)

good We characterised four meiotic yeast mutations(i.e. changes in the yeast DNA sequence)

good This G to T mutationin the lim 2 gene was linked to cataract formation in the TO3 mutantmouse

good Mice were homozygous for this mutantallele

Therefore a mutanthas no genetic locus, only a phenotype. A mutationcan be mapped, but a mutantcannot.

avoid We mapped the XYZ mutantto chromosome 6q16

better We mapped the XYZ mutationto chromosome 6q16

on/upon

Uponalways means onand should be changed accordingly.

remarkable/marked

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Remarkableis commonly wrongly used to indicate a change that is notable but not significant. The correct word is

marked.

avoid "There was a remarkableincrease in binding."

better "There was a markedincrease in binding."

reproductive/reproducible

Reproductiverefers to the biological process by which organisms produce offspring, and cannot be used to describe

results that could be repeated. Results that can be repeated are reproducible;they could be reproduced or duplicated.

avoid "Results were reproductivein all three experiments."

better "Results were reproduciblein all three experiments."

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Commonly Mis