Glossary of Usage Week One Terms

  1. a, an

THE RULE

Use A before words beginning with a consonant sound; use AN before words beginning with a vowel sound.

EXAMPLES

A student walked into the library.

Our town needs A hospital.

May I please have AN apple?

Martha worked for AN hour.

  1. accept, except

THE RULE

Accept is a verb; it means “to receive.”

Except may be either a verb or a preposition. As a verb it means “to leave out” or “to omit.” As a preposi

tion, except means “excluding.”

EXAMPLES

We accept your apology.

Senior citizens will be excepted from the fee.

Everyone except me has seen the exhibit

  1. affect, effect

THE RULE

Affect is a verb meaning “to influence.”

Effect used as a verb means “to accomplish.”

Effect used as a noun means “the result of some action.”

EXAMPLES

The bright colors affect the patients beneficially.

The doctors hope the treatment will effect a cure for the disease.

The bright colors have a beneficial effect on the patients.

  1. ain’t

THE RULE

Do not use this word in speaking or writing; it is considered non-standard English.

  1. all the farther, all the faster

THE RULE

Used in some parts of the country to mean “as far as” or “as fast as.”

  1. and, etc.

THE RULE

Etc. is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase et cetera, meaning “and other things.” Thus, and etc. means “and and other things.”

Do not use and with etc.

EXAMPLE(S)

My younger sister collects string, bottle caps, stickers, etc. (not and etc.)

  1. anywheres, everywheres, nowheres, and somewheres

THE RULE

Use these words without the final –s.

EXAMPLES

That bird is described somewhere (not somewheres) in this book.

I searched everywhere (not everywheres) for a blouse to match that skirt.

  1. At

THE RULE

Do not use at after where.

EXAMPLES

INCORRECT: This is where I live at.

CORRECT: This is where I live.

  1. beside, besides

THE RULE

Beside means “by the side of” someone or something; it is always a preposition.

Besides as a preposition means “in addition to.”

Besides as an adverb means “moreover or further.”

EXAMPLES

Sit beside me on the couch.

Besides songs and dances, the show featured several comedy sketches.

I have a long walk home. Besides, it’s starting to snow.

  1. between, among

THE RULE

Use between when you are thinking of two things at a time, even though they may be a part of a group consisting of more than two.

Use among when you are thinking of a group rather than of separate individuals.

EXAMPLES

Stand between Alice and Noreen in the third row.

The Civil War is sometimes called the War Between the States. (Although 35 states were involved, the war was between two sides.)

The manager could not decide which of the four players to select, as there was not much difference between them. (although there are more than two players, each one is being thought of and compared with the others separately.)

There was some confusion among the jurors about one part of the defendant’s testimony. (The jurors are thought of as a group.)

We collected only ten dollars among the four of us.

  1. Bring, take

THE RULE

Bring means “to come carrying something.”

Take means “to go carrying something.”

Think of bring as related to come, take as related to go.

EXAMPLES

Bring that box over here.

Now take it to the basement.

  1. bust, busted

THE RULE

Avoid using these words as verbs. Use a form of either burst or break.

EXAMPLES

The balloon burst (not busted) loudly.

The firefighters broke (not busted) a window.

  1. could of

THE RULE

Could have sounds like could of when spoken. Do not write ofWith the helping verb could. Write could have.

Also avoid ought to of, should of, would of, might of, and must of.

EXAMPLE

Diane could have (not of) telephoned us.

  1. discover, invent

THE RULE

Discover means “to be the first to find, see, or learn about something that already exists.”

Invent means “to be the first to do or make something.”

EXAMPLES

Marguerite Perey discovered the element francium.

The zipper was invented in 1925.

  1. don’t, doesn’t

THE RULE

Don’t is the contraction of do not

Doesn’t is the contraction of does not.

Use doesn’t, not don’t, with he, she, it, this and singular nouns.

EXAMPLES

It doesn’t (not don’t) matter.

This doesn’t (not don’t) make sense.

  1. Fewer, less

THE RULE

Fewer is used with plural words

Less is used with singular words.

Fewer tells “how many.”

Less tells “how much.”

EXAMPLES

There are fewer gypsy moths this year.

They have done less damage to the trees.

  1. good, well

THE RULE

Good is always an adjective. Never use good to modify a verb; use well, which is an adverb.

Although well is usually used as an adverb, it can be used as an adjective to mean “healthy.”

EXAMPLES

INCORRECT: Joey Votto plays good.

CORRECT: Joey Votto plays well.

She does not feel well (used here to mean “healthy.)

NOTE: Feel good and feel well mean different things. Feel good means “to feel happy or pleased.” Feel well means “to feel healthy.”

ENG III / AP ENG III – RCSHS – K.M.H.Page 1