Glossary of Usage Week One Terms
Glossary of Usage Week One Terms
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
- ain’t
THE RULE
Do not use this word in speaking or writing; it is considered non-standard English.
- all the farther, all the faster
THE RULE
Used in some parts of the country to mean “as far as” or “as fast as.”
- 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.)
- 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.
- At
THE RULE
Do not use at after where.
EXAMPLES
INCORRECT: This is where I live at.
CORRECT: This is where I live.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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