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 Effect is 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. Affect is usually a verb that means to have an influence on: His loud humming was affecting my ability to concentrate. Note that effect can 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 alright is widely used, it is considered nonstandard English. As the American Heritage Dictionary notes, it's not all right to use alright. all together / altogether All together is applied to people or things that are being treated as a group. We put the pots and pans all together on the shelf. All together is the form that must be used if the sentence can be reworded so that all and together are separated by other words: We put all the pots and pans together on the shelf. Altogether is used to mean entirely: I am altogether pleased to be receiving this award. allusion / illusion Allusion is a noun that means an indirect reference: The speech made allusions to the final report. Illusion is a noun that means a misconception: The policy is designed to give an illusion of reform. alternately / alternatively Alternately is an adverb that means in turn; one after the other: We alternately spun the wheel in the game. Alternatively is 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 / besides Beside is a preposition that means next to: Stand here beside me. Besides is an adverb that means also: Besides, I need to tell you about the new products my company offers. bimonthly / semimonthly Bimonthly is an adjective that means every two months: I brought the cake for the bimonthly office party. Bimonthly is also a noun that means a publication issued every two months: The company publishes several popular bimonthlies. Semimonthly is 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 capital can also refer to an accumulation of wealth or to a capital letter. cite / site

Cite is 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. Site is a noun meaning location: They chose a new site for the factory just outside town. complement / compliment Complement is a noun or verb that means something that completes or makes up a whole: The red sweater is a perfect complement to the outfit. Compliment is 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 Concurrent is an adjective that means simultaneous or happening at the same time as something else: The concurrent strikes of several unions crippled the economy. Consecutive means successive or following one after the other: The union called three consecutive strikes in one year. connote / denote Connote is a verb that means to imply or suggest: The word espionage connotes mystery and intrigue. Denote is 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, convince should not be used with an infinitive. council / councilor / counsel / counselor A councilor is a member of a council, which is an assembly called together for discussion or deliberation. A counselor is one who gives counsel, which is advice or guidance. More specifically, a counselor can be an attorney or a supervisor at camp. discreet / discrete Discreet is an adjective that means prudent, circumspect, or modest: Her discreet handling of the touchy situation put him at ease. Discrete is an adjective that means separate or individually distinct: Each company in the conglomerate operates as a discrete entity. disinterested / uninterested Disinterested is an adjective that means unbiased or impartial: We appealed to the disinterested mediator to facilitate the negotiations. Uninterested is an adjective that means not interested or indifferent: They seemed uninterested in our offer. elicit / illicit Elicit is a verb that means to draw out. Illicit is 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 Emigrant is 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. Immigrant is a noun that means one who enters and settles in a new country: Most of the immigrants easily found jobs. One emigrates from a place; one immigrates to another. farther / further Farther is 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. Further is 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

evaluation of the problem. It can also mean in addition or moreover: They stated further that they would not change the policy. few / less Few is an adjective that means small in number. It is used with countable objects: This department has few employees. Less is an adjective that means small in amount or degree. It is used with objects of indivisible mass: Which jar holds less water? figuratively / literally Figuratively is an adverb that means metaphorically or symbolically: Happening upon the shadowy figure, they figuratively jumped out of their shoes. Literally is 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 not flammable. flaunt / flout To flaunt means 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 flout means to show scorn or contempt for: Lewis disliked boarding school and took every opportunity to flout the house rules. foreword / forward Foreword is a noun that means an introductory note or preface: In my foreword I explained my reasons for writing the book. Forward is 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. Forward is also a verb that means to send on: Forward the letter to the customer's new address. founder / flounder In its primary sense founder means to sink below the surface of the water: The ship foundered after colliding with an iceberg. By extension, founder means to fail utterly. Flounder means to move about clumsily, or to act with confusion. A good synonym for flounder is blunder: After floundering through the first half of the course, Amy finally passed with the help of a tutor. hanged / hung Hanged is 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. Hung is 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, historic refers to what is important in history, while historical applies 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's is a contraction for it is, whereas its is the possessive form of it: It's a shame that we cannot talk about its size. laid / lain / lay Laid is the past tense and the past participle of the verb lay and not the past tense of lie. Lay is the past tense of the verb lie and lain is the past participle: He laid his books down and lay down on the couch, where he has lain for an hour. lend / loan

Although some people feel loan should only be used as a noun, lend and loan are both acceptable as verbs in standard English: Can you lend (loan) me a dollar? However, only lend should be used in figurative senses: Will you lend me a hand? lightening / lightning Lightening is a verb that means to illuminate; lightning is 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, nonplussed is 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. Nonplussed originates 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 Passed is the past tense and past participle of pass. Past refers 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, penultimate is 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 precede means to come before. Proceed means to move forward. He preceded me into the room; once I caught up with him I proceeded to tell him off. principal / principle Principal is 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. Principal is 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. Principle is a noun that means a rule or standard: They refused to compromise their principles. stationary / stationery Stationary is an adjective that means fixed or unmoving: They maneuvered around the stationary barrier in the road. Stationery is a noun that means writing materials: We printed the letters on company stationery. their / there / they're Their is the possessive form of they; there refers to place; and they're is the contraction of they are. They're going there because their mother insisted they become proficient in Serbo-Croatian. venal / venial Venal is an adjective that means corruptible; venial is 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's is the contraction of who is. Whose is the possessive form of who. Who's going to figure out whose job it is to clean the stables? your / you're Your is the possessive form of you; you're is 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.

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 merchantsailors who dominated the Spice Islands trade 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 Alumni This 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." Most often the form "alumni" is used for any group of graduates. Alumni Abbreviations Identify past and current students by their class years with an apostrophe before the year in the year 2000 or later. For graduates in the 1900s, use the four-digit year (1951). If a person received more than one degree from Carnegie 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 to using parens or commas and the use of spaces. Pick one and use consistently throughout your publication. Collective Nouns The 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: Right: Right: Right: The faculty is represented by Faculty Senate. Members of the faculty are dedicated researchers and teachers. Staff members disagree among themselves about the best benefits options. The Carnegie Mellon staff numbers almost 3,000.

Passive Voice Avoid 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 a student? 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 the construction and choose an active verb. Concise sentences with active verbs and a few, carefully selected modifiers communicate most clearly to the reader. Sometimes passive voice is a better choice. For example, when the recipient of an award is more important than the awarding body, it's better to keep this information in the lead of the sentence: "Director of Homeland Security Tom Ridge was awarded an honorary doctorate"

That/Which These words cause so much confusion, they deserve a section of their own. "That" and "which" often are used incorrectly 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 without changing the meaning of the sentenceuse the word "that" to introduce the clause. Essential clauses do not need commas. When referring to an object or nameless animal with a non-essential clauseone that can be eliminated from the sentence without changing the basic meaninguse the word "which" to introduce the clause. If non-essential clauses 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 the same thing, your clause should be introduced by "which." If taking out the clause changes the meaning drastically, it should be introduced by "that." Right: Meaning: Right: Meaning: Better: The club meeting, which was held in Skibo Coffeehouse, was lively. The club meeting was lively. (We must already know which club meeting it is.) The club meeting that was held in Skibo Coffeehouse was lively. 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.") The club meeting held in Skibo Coffeehouse was lively.

top 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're probably looking for "effect." If you're using a verb, you're safest with "affect." afterward not afterwards all right not alright allude/refer "To allude" means to speak of without mentioning. "To refer" means to speak of directly. allusion/illusion An "allusion" is an indirect reference. An "illusion" is a false impression or image. alumna/ae An alumna is one woman. Alumnae are a group of women. alumni/us Alumni are more than one man or a group of men and women. An alumnus is one man.

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/besides Use "beside" to mean (1) at the side of (sit beside me); (2) to compare with (beside other studies); or (3) apart from (that's beside the point). Use "besides" to mean (1) further-more (besides, I said so); (2) in addition to (and elm and maple trees besides); or (3) otherwise (there's no one here besides Bill and me). between/among Use "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 make up, 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 is composed of 12 people. continual/continuous "Continual" is a steady repetition. "Continuous" is uninterrupted. criteria plural (more than one criterion, which is a quality, a value or a standard of judgment) curricula plural (more than one curriculum, which is a program of academic courses or learning activitiesthe H&SS curricula) curricular adjective (H&SS' curricular philosophy) curriculum singular (the History curriculum) data plural noun, usually takes a plural verb; if used as a collective noun, when the group or quantity is regarded as a noun, it takes a singular verb (the data is sound). daylight-saving time not daylight-savings time different from not different than disinterested/uninterested "Disinterested" means impartial. "Uninterested" means someone lacks interest.

dissociate not disassociate entitled/titled "Entitled" means having the right to something (she is entitled to the inheritance). Use "titled" to introduce the name 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/less In 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-staff To use "half-mast," you must be referring to a flag on a ship or at a naval station. A flag anywhere else is at "halfstaff." historic/historical "Historic" means important. "Historical" refers to any event in the past. hopefully Unless 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: Wrong: Wrong: Right: Right: I hope we can go. Hopefully, we can go. Hopefully, the report will address that issue. It is hoped the report will address that issue. 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 or assumed. In general, if you imply something, you're sending out a message. If you infer something, you're interpreting a message. in regard to not 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." irregardless The 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").

lay/lie "Lay" means to place or deposit, and requires a direct object (forms: lay, laid, laid, laying). "Lie" means to be in a reclining position or to be situated. It does not take an object (forms: lie, lay, lain, lying). lectern/podium You stand on a podium and behind a lectern. let/leave To "let alone" means to leave something undisturbed. To "leave alone" means to depart from or cause to be in solitude. like/as Use "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. located In 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 the worst construction of all), write "Where are you?" many/much In general, use "many" for individual items that can be counted. Use "much" for bulk or quantity that is measured. midnight/noon Use instead of 12 a.m. or 12 p.m. Do not put a "12" in front of either one. me/myself Avoid 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/over Use "more than" when you mean in excess of; use "over" when referring to physical placement of an object, an ending or extent of authority. Right: More than 25 professors participated. Wrong: The university has over 50 buildings. nor Use 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 the process of reducing ideas to writing. partially/partly These two are not interchangeable. "Partially" is used to mean to a certain degree when speaking of a condition or state. "Partly" implies the idea of a part, usually of a physical object, as distinct from the whole. Right: Wrong: Right: Right: I'm partially convinced. The building is partially completed. The building is in a state of partial completion. The building is partly completed.

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

peddle/pedal To "peddle" is to sell. To "pedal" is to use pedals, as on a bicycle. people/persons Use "person" when speaking of an individual. The word "people," rather than "persons," is preferred for plural uses. 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 first performance. presently/currently Many 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 fine without using "currently." For example, "we are currently 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 false reason 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 noun meaning a fundamental truth, doctrine or law; a guiding rule or code of conduct; a method of operation. rebut/refute To "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 first-person future tense and expresses the speaker's belief regarding his or her future action or state. If "will" is used for first-person future, it expresses his or her determination or consent. At other times, "will" is used for the second- and third-person future tense. student body Use "student" or "students" instead. that/which See Common Rules. theater/theatre The 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. unique Commonly 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/utilize Use "use." "Utilize" is the awkward verb form of the obsolete adjective "utile." Why bother?

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who/whom We rarely see the word "whom" in writing. But if your sentence has an objective clause referring to a person or animal 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 is incorrect. -wise Do not use this suffix to coin words like "weatherwise." Xerox/photocopy A trademark for a brand of photocopy machine should never be used as a noun or verb. top Commonly Misspelled Words This is just a small sampling to get you thinking. When in doubt, use a computer spell program or look it up (or both). accommodate acknowledgment aesthetics (not esthetics) antiquated catalog (not catalogue) commitment conscience consensus counselor deductible dissension drunkenness ecstasy embarrass exhilarate foreword harass hors d'oeuvres inadvertent indispensable inoculate insistent irresistible judgment knowledgeable liaison memento nickel occurred occurrence perseverance prerogative privilege proceed sponsor tyrannous vacuum vilify Hard as adjective (a hard time) poses no problem. Hard is also a flat adverb, however, meaning strenuously, with determination, 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 was harshly treated during the campaign. Note that the position of hardly can controlShe was used hardly calls only for the

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harshly sensebut a shift in diction (scarcely used, ill-used, or underused, for example) can do an even surer job of avoiding ambiguity. Commonly Misused Words and Expressions

A.D. accomodate acronym actionable aggravate agree alright an anchors away and/or annoint anytime approximate around artic as follows as per as to whether baited breath balls of brass be it begs the question bell-wether blatant borrow bribe calender catholic caveat cheap chomp claim commentate could care less could of crescendo data/media

anno domini means in the year of the Lord, so should come before the year: A.D. 2000; B.C. comes after the year: 32 B.C. should be accommodate should be used only of initialisms that make pronounceable words, like radar or Nafta, not MRI or CIA means that which is subject to legal action or litigation, and use should be restricted to law to worsen or increase in severity; does not mean to annoy or vex sometimes stripped of necessary prepositions; should be agree on, to or with, etc. should be all right used before words, initials, etc., that have a vowel sound (regardless of the first letter): an MIA soldier; it is affected to use before historic and other words with a sounded initial h should be anchors aweigh an ugly construction; state in some other way in newspaper writing spelled with one n: anoint not one word; spelled any time often used unnecessarily for about to add false gravity to a statement often used by consultants as a universal preposition in the erroneous belief that it sounds intelligent: problems around cost-cutting, questions around personnel issues should be arctic; so too with antarctic not to be used before colons, as it is unnecessary used often as an inelegant and lazy introduction: As per your request, as to should be omitted should be bated the expression is bulls of brass, or the brazen bulls that guarded the golden fleece; balls of brass, as in fortitude symbolized by metallic male organs, is a bastard form this is the ugly subjunctive; avoid it: I will fight it, be it communism, Nazism the logical fallacy of petitio principii: assuming as the premise the very thing to be proved; does not mean prompts the question, as in Budget talks beg the question of deficits. a castrated sheep that wears a bell and leads the flock; a leader (pejorative) originally meant noisy, obstreperous; also means obviously objectionable; should not be used to mean obvious the verb describing receipt of a loan, not the making of it; you cant borrow me some money often used in an over-broad sense to encompass payment for goods and services; should be used pejoratively to indicate improper purchase of influence or favors should be calendar lower-case, means universal, not strict or conservative, the views of the church notwithstanding means warning or caution, not exception, reservation or clarification the thing bought is cheap, not its price; it is nonsense to say the price was cheap; so with expensive the expression is champ at the bit should be used in the sense lay claim to, rather than as a synonym for argue or state should be comment should be couldns care less as in, nothing is less important should be could have the crescendo is the rising action in music, not the climax itself these are plurals, though perhaps not for long

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different than dilemna disconnect due to e.g. effete enervate et al. exception

incorrect; should always be different from should be dilemma; as well for trilemma, polylemma etc.; refers to a unavoidable choice between two unattractive options, not just any decision a verb; the noun is disconnection 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 weather is correct exempli gratia: for example; used to introduce an example; requires a following comma, not necessary to italicize exhausted, worn-out, lacking vigor or energy; does not mean effeminate to rob or deplete of energy; to do the opposite is to innervate means among others; when reading aloud, is read as among others rather than in Latin; not necessary to italicize 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 refers to a face of a stone, not just any aspect of anything should be feel 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 fated to die or soon to die should be followed by to, not from, in all its forms; forbade is pronounced forbad the e is silent when used to mean ones strong point; it is sounded when used in the music sense robbed of its charm by overuse, and much misused; often illogically used to mean visit as a verb without regard to frequency means offensive through excess; not just a synonym for full or complete refers to the grammatical classification of a word only; sex is proper for male/female distinctions a college takes this action, not a student, so one is graduated from college, one does not graduate college as a transitive verb, it should be restricted to agriculture: you can grow beets, but cannot grow the economy; however, the economy grew is correct the correct phrase is hail and farewell, not hale and farewell accenting the first syllable is an affectation that grew out of the Clarence Thomas hearings this should not be used as a coordinating conjunction as and or but is; a sentence should still make sense it if is omitted 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 id est: that is; used to define, not to give an example; requires a following comma, not necessary to italicize an ugly construction; usually the and when can be omitted should be If I were; in conditional future (subjunctive), use the plural were even for singular nouns of that ilk does not mean of that kind or sort; it is used when the proprietor and property have the same name (Fowler) to destroy or sacrifice, not necessarily by fire; does not mean set fire to often used as a verb, though it is properly a noun; the verb to use is affect or influence to impugn or charge with a misdemeanor; does not mean to remove from office means the same as flammable: able to catch flame should be intents and purposes does not mean coincidental, counterintuitive, strangely appropriate, unexpected, or poetically 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 in mockery, of what was to be expected

facet feel badly fey forbid forte frequent fulsome gender graduate grow hale harass however hypocrisy i.e. if and when if I was ilk immolate impact impeach inflammable intensive purposes ironic/irony

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irregardless judgment just assume just deserts lily limpid literally livid long-lived lowest common denominator manor medieval metaphysical militate millenium mischievious momento moot

no such word; use regardless no e should be just as soon spelled with one s because it is what is deserved in Shakespeares King John, the lily is painted, not gilt: To gild refined gold, to paint the lily transparent, diaphonous; not a fancy synonym for limp 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 of a blue-leaden color, as if bruised means having a long life, long-lifed; should be pronounced like the adjective live, not the verb a mathematical term, often incorrectly used to denote the worst or most base element: daytime t.v. appeals to the lowest common denominator the expression is to the manner born; does not mean privileged, but instead suited for the role not spelled midevil or any other such way; eval means time or age 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. to have weight or effect; usually used with against spelled millennium, with two ns should be mischievous; pronounce without the third i,too should be memento open to discussion; academic or hypothetical (as in the practice sessions of law students); does not mean obviated by developments or circumstances; a moot point is still debatable, not rendered inconsequential transitive, so it must take an object; I finally motivated to go out is a bad way to say I got off my arse; also, does not mean to state the motivation: Motivate your answer is an incorrect way to say Explain the reasoning behind your answer. should be much ado about nothing should not be used to replace I or me; should only be used as a reflexive (action taken upon oneself: I kicked myself.) or intensive (for emphasis: I myself am honest.) foul-smelling; harmful or injurious; related to annoy, not noise must be paired with neither, not in all negative constructions: he was not fat nor tall is incorrect incorrect plural; the original Greek would be octopoda or octopodes, but octopuses is best should be one and the same should be orient means next to last, not the ultimate or very most; antepenultimate means second to last, preantepenultimate means third from last to thoroughly examine or read; often misused to mean take a cursory look a favorite word of the semiliterate; means undesirable overabundance, not simply a multitude; from the disease plethora, a morbid overabundance of blood should be limited to its mathematically sense, and not substituted for and or in addition to: it is wrong to say I met my dad plus my mom. should be predominantly the expression is: the proof of the pudding is in the eating not the proof is in the pudding often used too broadly; means quiet, reserved, not reluctant should be separate should be supposedly should be supposititious; means fraudulently substituted for the genuine thing or person; counterfeit, false

motivate

much to do myself noisome nor octupi one in the same orientate penultimate peruse plethora plus predominately pudding reticent seperate supposably suppositious

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the fact that they this point in time traduce transpire try and upmost utilize vacillate wet whether or not zoology

should be avoided as a way to cautiously abstract a condition: I hate the fact that she dates someone else. Omit the fact. incorrectly used as a gender-neutral third person singular; avoid this use by rephrasing the sentence redundant; at this point or at this time is sufficient to slander; sense of to pervert, transmogrify is obsolete to escape from secrecy; to become public: news quickly transpired; should not be used as a fancy alternative to happen or occur should be try to should be utmost often replaces use to vainly add gravity to a statement; use use means oscillating or tergiversating; changing ones opinion; not simply delaying or avoiding, or many of the other meanings credited to it of an appetite, should be whet, meaning to sharpen or make more acute or not should be omitted 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 in view of the foregoing circumstances are found to be in agreement has the ability to has the capability of (with) the passage of time at this point in time due to the fact that examined in comparison to for the purpose of by means of a small number of a large number of better therefore agree can can (with) time now because compared to for by few many

Or can be deleted completely: avoid "The CD57 expression on CD8+ cells in certain viral infections, such as CMV and HIV, has been demonstrated." "CD8+ cells express CD57 in certain viral infections, such as CMV and HIV."

better

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 better avoid better On the contrary, no H3 antibody reactivity was seen in yeast In contrast, no H3 antibody reactivity was seen in yeast On the contrary, there were no adverse effects in group B 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 of mata 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 for instance despite the fact that goes under the name of on the contrary firstly to begin with be that as it may at last in as much as by the way as a matter of fact 'til now (until now)

presently, currently for example although is called in contrast initially initially however finally because delete delete 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 weren't didn't haven't can't

it is were not did not have not 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, - On the other hand, - Accordingly - Nevertheless - In fact, - As a matter of fact, - For instance, - Additionally

administer/administrate To administrate means to manage or organize. A drug is administered, not administrated. Administration, however, is the noun of administer, which may lead to this common mistake. avoid better avoid better Gastric ulcers were induced in rats by administrating 20% acetic acid. Gastric ulcers were induced in rats by administering 20% acetic acid. IFN was self-administrated subcutaneously. IFN was self-administered subcutaneously.

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 Popular is often mistakenly used to mean common, prevalent or widespread. This can be very inappropriate since popular actually means especially liked or preferred. avoid better avoid better better Strain of the ACL of the knee is a popular injury among budo practitioners Strain of the ACL of the knee is a common injury among budo practitioners Cancer was the most popular cause of death in this population Cancer was the most common cause of death in this population Cricket is a popular sport in Australia

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conservative/conserved DNA sequences may be conserved between species, and these regions are called conserved regions, not conservative regions. Conservative implies a medical treatment that is by limited or well-established procedures. avoid better avoid better avoid better The conservative region of the pit 1 gene was amplified by PCR. The conserved region of the pit 1 gene was amplified by PCR. All clones contained the highly conservative sof sequence. All clones contained the highly conserved sof sequence. Due to complications, we selected conserved treatment for this case. 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 good We describe a patient with gynecomastia induced by omeprazole. 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 of time. 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 better avoid better avoid (A, B and C, etc) (such as A, B and C) Physical factors (joint laxity, knee muscular force, etc) were compared to activity scores. Physical factors (such as joint laxity and knee muscular force) were compared to activity scores. Trp is involved in substrate binding in most glycosyl hydrolases, including lysozyme, cellulases, xylanases etc. Trp is involved in substrate binding in most glycosyl hydrolases, including lysozyme, cellulases, and

better

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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 moremutations. good good We characterised four meiotic yeast mutants(i.e. strains of yeast) 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 better We mapped the XYZ mutant to chromosome 6q16 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 better "There was a remarkableincrease in binding." "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 better "Results were reproductivein all three experiments." "Results were reproduciblein all three experiments."

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