ADVERSE or AVERSE?

Adverse means “hostile”: They struggled up the mountain under adverse conditions.

Averse means “disinclined”: I'm not averse to a game of poker.

Affect (verb) can mean:

1. “to influence”: Alcohol affects coordination.
2. “to pretend”: He affected a superior manner.

Affect (noun) refers to an emotional or physical state of being. This form of the word is mostly used in medicine and psychology.

Effect (verb) means “to cause”: The protesters effected a walkout.

Effect (noun) means:

1. “a result or an impression”: The effect sad movies have on me is to make me cry.
2. “a possession”: After he had been dismissed, he collected his personal effects from the office.

Amoral means “outside morals, or unconcerned with morals”: It is most likely that animals are amoral in their actions.

Immoral means “sinful”: Most people consider child molestation to be an immoral act.

What are the correct ways of using the APOSTROPHE?

1. Add 's to single words to indicate possession, even if the word ends in s:

Tom's motorbike
the river's source
Jess's recipe

2. Add 's to plural words that do not end in s, to indicate possession:

the children's hour

3. Add only an apostrophe to plural words that do end in s:

ladies' underwear
the Browns' home


4. Insert an apostrophe where a letter (or number) is missing from a word:

don't (do not)
'cause (because)
'99 (1999)


5. It is still common to use an apostrophe to indicate the plurals of letters or years, but it is becoming increasingly acceptable to omit the apostrophe:

A's or As
1990's or 1990s

Common apostrophe errors:

1. Adding an apostrophe to possessive pronouns, such as its, yours and hers.



Incorrect: It's, your's and her's

2. Adding 's to make a word plural.

Incorrect: We are good friends with the Jones's.
Incorrect: Why are there no taxi's?

Correct: We are good friends with the Joneses.
Correct: Why are there no taxis?

What is wrong with the phrase AT THIS POINT IN TIME?

It is tautological (it repeats itself). Choose at this point, at this time, or now.

Biannual means “twice a year”.

Biennial means “once every two years”.

Is use of the phrase CENTER AROUND acceptable?

This is incorrect:

The discussion centered around equal wages.

It is illogical to use the preposition (a)round, as if center means the same as "gather". The middle ("center") cannot be around something. Use revolve around instead, or center on. You may also use in with center:

All power was centered in the monarch.

DESERT/DESERTS/DESSERT/DESSERTS?

Desert (noun), with the stress on the first syllable, means “a large area of empty, usually waterless land” (plural = deserts): The Sahara Desert is the largest of Africa's deserts.

Desert (verb) means “to leave, to abandon”: Good friends do not desert you in times of trouble.

Deserts (noun) means “that which someone deserves”. This is most commonly used in the phrase “just deserts”, as in: The murderer got his just deserts when he received a life sentence.

Dessert (noun), with the stress on the second syllable, means “a course of food, usually sweet, served at the end of a meal” (plural = desserts): Pecan pie is my favorite dessert.

Disinterested means “impartial”: A referee must be disinterested.

Uninterested means “not interested”: I am uninterested in sport.

Is FIRST AND FOREMOST acceptable?

This phrase is tautological (it repeats itself). Choose either first or foremost.

What is the difference between FLAMMABLE, INFLAMMABLE and NON-FLAMMABLE?

Flammable and inflammable both mean “easily set on fire”.

Inflammable can also be used figuratively to mean “easily excited”.

Non-flammable means “not easily set on fire”.

A HOTEL or AN HOTEL?

The use of a/an depends on the initial sound with which the next word is pronounced, not the initial letter with which it is written. For example, in hour the h is silent and we pronounce it our; therefore it is an hour. The h in hotel, however, is pronounced and therefore it is a hotel. The old-fashioned pronunciation of hotel with a silent h (and therefore with an) is becoming extinct.

The same rule applies to words that start with a vowel sound in their written form, yet are pronounced with a consonant. For example, one is pronounced won and therefore it is a one.

I or ME?

I is subjective:

I like pizza. (subject = I)
Tim likes pizza. (subject = Tim)
Tim and I like pizza. (subject = Tim and I)

Me is objective:

Jan kissed me. (object = me)
Jan kissed Pete. (object = Pete)
Jan kissed Pete and me. (object = Pete and me)

Should one use the phrase IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO?

This phrase is tautological. Choose close to, in proximity to, or near.

Its is a possessive adjective, used similarly to her or your: The train came off its tracks.

It's is a contraction of it is. The apostrophe denotes the omitted i in is: It's a lovely day.

See correct ways of using the APOSTROPHE.

How can one JOIN SENTENCES correctly?

When joining two sentences, it is necessary to indicate the join with a conjunction, a colon or a semi-colon.

Conjunction: We canceled the picnic because it was raining.

Colon: We canceled the picnic: it was raining.

Semi-colon: We canceled the picnic; it was raining.

It is incorrect, however, to indicate the join using only a comma:

We canceled the picnic, it was raining.

See our article on the comma error.

Why should one avoid the expression PART AND PARCEL?

This phrase is verbose and clichéd. Part is sufficient.

Can one end a sentence with a PREPOSITION?

It is no longer considered incorrect to end a sentence with a preposition. It is often natural and less clumsy to form sentences this way.

For example:

• He is pleasant to be with.
• Please come in.
• Justin likes to sleep with the light on.

Why should you not use REASON with BECAUSE?

A reason always follows because, so it is unnecessary to include both because and the reason in a sentence such as:

The reason I finished off the gin was because I was thirsty.

It is sufficiently clear that because I was thirsty is the reason why I finished off the gin. The reason is unnecessary.

Correct: I finished off the gin because I was thirsty.

Correct: The reason I finished off the gin is that I was thirsty.

Is it bad style to frequently REPEAT words when writing?

Yes – accidental, excessive repetition of words and sounds can distract or bore the reader. Try to avoid over-use of:

• the same word: I couldn't make up my mind which brand of make-up to buy.
• the same word form: I'm thinking of going out dancing without changing.
• the same first letter: Please process the pile of pink slips promptly.
• rhyme: They may choose to stay away on such a gray day.

When can you use SEMI-COLONS?

The semi-colon is appropriate in the following instances:

1. To separate two closely related clauses: He was a talented pianist; his son is an even more accomplished musician.
2. To separate items in a list in which there are already commas: In my first year I studied literature, which I enjoyed; Latin, which I despised; and history, which I failed miserably.

SENSUAL or SENSUOUS?

Both words refer to the senses, but sensual has more sexual associations, while sensuous has more aesthetic associations.

SHALL or WILL?

According to traditional English usage, it was considered correct to say: I shall wash my hair tomorrow.

Here, shall was used to indicate the simple future tense.

Although shall is still in use in conjunction with I and we, it is being “pushed out” of the language by will. It is now acceptable to indicate the simple future tense by saying: I will wash my hair tomorrow.

When in doubt, it is usually safe to choose will over shall.

Shall is still used (meaning “should”) in questions such as: Shall we bring you back some ice cream?

Stationary means “not moving”.

Stationery means “writing materials”.

Unique means “one of a kind”, and therefore cannot be compared. Do not place adjectives or adverbs before unique: most unique and very unique, for example, are incorrect.

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