WORDS.—SPELLING.—PRONUNCIATION

188. To write and to speak good English, one must have a good working vocabulary. He must know words and be able to use them correctly; he must employ only words that are in good use; he must be able to choose words and phrases that accurately express his meaning; and he must be able to spell and pronounce correctly the words that he uses.

Words

189. Good Use. The first essential that a word should have, is that it be in good use. A word is in good use when it is used grammatically and in its true sense, and is also:

(1) Reputable; in use by good authors and writers in general. The use of a word by one or two good writers is not sufficient to make a word reputable; the use must be general.

(2) National; not foreign or local in its use.

(3) Present; used by the writers of one's own time.

190. Offenses against Good Use. The offenses against good use are usually said to be of three classes: Solecisms, Barbarisms, and Improprieties.

191. Solecisms are the violations of the principles of grammar. Solecisms have been treated under the earlier chapters on grammar.

192. Barbarisms. The second offense against good use, a barbarism, is a word not in reputable, present or national use. The following rules may be given on this subject:

1. Avoid obsolete words. Obsolete words are words that, once in good use, have since passed out of general use. This rule might also be made to include obsolescent words: words that are at present time passing out of use. Examples of obsolete words:

methinks	yesterwhiles	twixt
yclept	afeard	shoon

2. Avoid newly coined expressions or new uses of old expressions. There are a great many words current in the newspapers and in other hasty writing that have not the sanction of general good use at the present time, though many of these words may in time come into use. A safe rule is to avoid all words that are at all doubtful. Examples:

an invite	an exposÉ	a try
enthuse	a combine	fake

A common newspaper fault is the coining of a verb or adjective from a noun, or a noun from a verb. Examples:

locomote	suicided	derailment
pluralized	burglarized	refereed

3. Avoid foreign words. A foreign word should not be used until it has become naturalized by being in general, reputable use. Since there are almost always English words just as expressive as the foreign words, the use of the foreign words usually indicates affectation on the part of the one using them. Examples:

billet-doux (love letter)	conversazione (conversation)
ad nauseam (to disgust)	distinguÉ (distinguished)
ad infinitum (infinitely)	entre nous (between us)

4. Avoid provincialisms. Provincialisms are expressions current and well understood in one locality, but not current or differently understood in another locality. Examples:

guess (think)	reckon (suppose)
near (stingy)	smart (clever)
tuckered (tired out)	lift (elevator)
tote (carry)	ruination (ruin)

5. Avoid vulgarisms. Vulgarisms are words whose use shows vulgarity or ignorance. Such words as the following are always in bad taste:

chaw	nigger	your'n
gal	flustrated	hadn't oughter
haint	dern	his'n

6. Avoid slang. Slang is a form of vulgarism that is very prevalent in its use even by educated people. Slang words, it is true, sometimes come into good repute and usage, but the process is slow. The safest rule is to avoid slang expressions because of their general bad taste and because of their weakening effect on one's vocabulary of good words. Examples of slang:

grind	swipe	booze
long green	on a toot	dough
pinch	peach	dukes

7. Avoid clipped or abbreviated words. The use of such words is another form of vulgarism. Examples:

pard (partner)	rep (reputation)
doc (doctor)	cal'late (calculate)
musee (museum)	a comp (complimentary ticket)

8. Avoid technical or professional words. Such words are usually clearly understood only by persons of one class or profession. Examples:

valence	hagiology	allonge
kilowatt	sclerosis	estoppel

193. When Barbarisms May be Used. In the foregoing rules barbarisms have been treated as at all times to be avoided. This is true of their use in general composition, and in a measure true of their use in composition of a special nature. But barbarisms may sometimes be used properly. Obsolete words would be permissible in poetry or in historical novels, technical words permissible in technical writing, and even vulgarisms and provincialisms permissible in dialect stories.

Exercise 76

Substitute for each of the barbarisms in the following list an expression that is in good use. When in doubt consult a good dictionary:

Chaw, quoth, fake, reckon, dern, forsooth, his'n, an invite, entre nous, tote, hadn't oughter, yclept, a combine, ain't, dole, a try, nouveau riche, puny, grub, twain, a boom, alter ego, a poke, cuss, eld, enthused, mesalliance, tollable, disremember, locomote, a right smart ways, chink, afeard, orate, nary a one, yore, pluralized, distinguÉ, ruination, complected, mayhap, burglarized, mal de mer, tuckered, grind, near, suicided, callate, cracker-jack, erst, railroaded, chic, down town, deceased (verb), a rig, swipe, spake, on a toot, knocker, peradventure, guess, prof, classy, booze, per se, cute, biz, bug-house, swell, opry, rep, photo, cinch, corker, in cahoot, pants, fess up, exam, bike, incog, zoo, secondhanded, getable, outclassed, gents, mucker, galoot, dub, up against it, on tick, to rattle, in hock, busted on the bum, to watch out, get left.

Exercise 77

Make a list of such barbarisms as you yourself use, and devise for them as many good substitute expressions as you can. Practice using the good expressions that you have made.

Exercise 78

Correct the italicized barbarisms in the following sentences:

1. They can go everywheres.
2. He spends all his time grinding.
3. There ain't a sightlier town in the state.
4. He ate the whole hunk of cake He was treated very illy.
5. Smith's new house is very showy.
6. Not muchly will I go.
7. All were ready for breakfast before sun-up.
8. Do you like light-complected people?
9. I had never orated before.
10. Their clothes are always tasty in appearance.
11. He has money, but he is very near.
12. He left the room unbeknown to his mother.
13. If manners are any indication, she belongs to the nouvea riche.
14. I feel pretty tollable today.
15. I reckon all will be able to get seats.
16. Do you callate to get there before noon?
17. If I had as much long green as he has, I wouldn't be such tight-wad.
18. He was the beau ideal of soldier.
19. John is a crazy cuss.
20. Let me say en passant we did not ask for the tickets.
21. Even at that time John had a bad rep.
22. That woman is the Countess of Verdun, nÉe Smith.
23. Methinks you are wrong.
24. The teacher spake sharply to her.
25. I didn't go for to do it.
26. It will be published inside of two months.
27. The duke and his wife were travelling incog.
28. I hadn't thought on that.
29. There is little difference twixt the two.
30. Come now, fess up.
31. It's a right smart ways to Williamsport.
32. You wot not what you say.
33. He bought a poke of apples for his lunch.
34. Brown runs a pretty classy store.
35. I finally got shut of him.
36. I could of jumped across.
37. That can't be done nohow.
38. You make such dumb mistakes.
39. I never saw such a bum show.

194. Improprieties. The third offense against good use, an impropriety, is the use of a proper word in an improper sense. In many cases an offense against good use may be called a barbarism, an impropriety, or a solecism, since the fields covered by the three terms somewhat overlap one another. Many improprieties have their origin in the similarities in sound, spelling or meaning of words. The following exercises deal with a number of common improprieties resulting from the confusion of two similar words.

Exercise 79

Study the proper use of the words given under each of the following divisions. In each group of sentences fill the blanks with the proper words:

Accept, except. See Glossary at end of book, under except.

1. I cannot —— your gift.
2. Have you no books —— these?
3. Cicero was not —— from the list of those condemned.
4. He —— the invitation.

Affect, effect. See Glossary under effect.

1. Will your plan —— a reform from the present condition?
2. The sad news will seriously —— his mother.
3. How was the bank —— by the indictment of its president?
4. The change of schedule was —— without a hitch.

Aggravate, irritate. See Glossary.

1. Her manner —— me.
2. The crime was —— by being committed in cold blood.
3. The children do everything they can to —— her.
4. His illness was —— by lack of proper food.

Allude, mention. See Glossary.

1. He —— (to) certain events which he dared not name directly.
2. The attorney —— (to) no names.
3. That passage in his book delicately —— (to) his mother.
4. In his speech the labor leader boldly —— (to) his recent arrest.

Argue, augur. To argue is to state reasons for one's belief. To augur means to foretell, to presage.

1. The reported quarrel —— ill for the army.
2. He will —— at length on any subject.
3. Her darkening looks —— a quarrel.

Avocation, vocation. A vocation is one's principal work or calling. An avocation is something aside from or subordinate to that principal calling.

1. The young physician enthusiastically pursues his ——.
2. Law is his ——, but politics is his ——.
3. The ministry should be one's ——, never his ——.
4. While preparing for his life work, school teaching was for a time his ——.

Besides, beside. Besides means in addition to. Beside refers to place; as, He sits beside you.

1. —— you, who else was there?
2. Is there nothing —— this to do?
3. John walked —— me.
4. —— me was a tree.

Calculate, intend. To calculate means to compute, to adjust or to adapt. Intend means to have formed the plan to do something.

1. He —— to sell books this summer.
2. He —— that the work will take ten years.
3. He —— to finish it as soon as he can.
4. The oil is —— to flow at the rate of a gallon a minute.

Character, reputation. See Glossary.

1. In this community his —— is excellent.
2. One's friends may endow him with a good ——, but not with a good ——.
3. Slander may ruin one's ——, but it will not destroy his ——.
4. See that your —— is right, and your —— will establish itself.

Claim, assert. To claim means to make a demand for what is one's own. It should not be confused with assert.

1. I —— that I am innocent.
2. John —— the property as his.
3. They —— their right to the land.
4. The cashier —— the money in payment of a note.
5. Do you still —— that you were born in America?

Council, counsel, consul. A council is a group of persons called in to hold consultation. Counsel means an adviser, as a lawyer; or advice that is given. Consul is an officer of the government.

1. In the colonies each governor had his ——.
2. The advisers gave him —— when he desired it.
3. The United States has a —— in every important foreign port.
4. In criminal cases the accused must be provided with ——.
5. The president's cabinet constitutes for him a sort of ——.
6. In Rome two —— were elected to manage the affairs of the state.

Emigration, immigration. See Glossary.

1. Foreign —— into the United States is greatly restricted.
2. The —— of the citizens of the United States to Canada is becoming a matter of concern.
3. Our —— Bureau enforces the Chinese Exclusion Act.
4. The treatment of the royalists caused a great —— from France.

Good, well. Good is an adjective. Well is usually an adverb, though sometimes an adjective; as, Are you well to-day?

1. She talks very ——.
2. She prepares a —— paper, even if she does not write ——.
3. Do —— what you are doing.
4. Did you have a —— time?
5. Recite it as —— as you can.

House, home. House means only a building. Home means a place that is one's habitual place of residence.

1. He thought often of the flowers about the door of his old ——.
2. They have recently bought a —— which they intend to make their ——.
3. Mr. Heim lives here now, but his —— is in Lewisburg.
4. He has several miserable —— that he rents.
5. Such a place is not fit to be called a ——.

Most, almost. Almost is an adverb meaning nearly. Most never has this meaning.

1. I was —— injured when the machine broke.
2. It is —— time for him to come.
3. The —— discouraging thing was his indifference.
4. I —— missed the car.
5. —— of the books are torn.

Let, leave. See Glossary, under leave.

1. Will his employer —— him go so early.
2. I shall —— at noon.
3. —— me help you with your coat.
4. —— me here for a while.
5. This book I —— with you.
6. Do not —— that danger disturb you.

Like, as. Like should not be used as a conjunction in the sense of as. As a preposition it is correct. It is wrong to say, Do like I do; but right to say, Do as I do.

1. He looks —— James.
2. Read —— James does.
3. Does she look —— me?
4. She thinks of it —— I thought.
5. Lincoln could do a thing —— that.
6. Other men could not do —— Lincoln did.

Likely, liable, probably. It is better to avoid using likely as an adverb; but it may be used as an adjective; as, He is likely to come. Probably refers to any sort of possibility. Liable refers to an unpleasant or unfavorable possibility; it should not be used as equivalent to likely.

1. He is —— to arrest for doing that.
2. The president's car will —— arrive at noon.
3. It is —— to rain to-day.
4. Is he —— to write to us?
5. Continued exposure makes one more —— to serious illness.
6. What will —— come of it?

Loan, lend. Loan should be used only as a noun, and lend only as a verb.

1. I wish to obtain a —— of fifty dollars.
2. Will you —— me your knife?
3. A —— of money loses both itself and friend.
4. A —— is something that one —— to another.

Mad, angry. Mad means insane, uncontrollably excited through fear, etc. It should not be used for angry or vexed.

1. His manner of speaking makes me ——.
2. It makes one —— to see such behavior.
3. The noise almost drove me ——.

Much, many. Much refers to quantity; many to number.

1. Sometimes they have as —— as fifty in a class.
2. —— of the trouble comes from his weak eyes.
3. Do you use —— horses on the farm?
4. How —— marbles did the boy have?

Near, nearly. Near is an adjective; nearly an adverb.

1. Is the work —— finished?
2. The man was —— the end of the porch.
3. It was —— noon when Blucher came.
4. They are —— insane with worry.
5. Mary is not —— so old as John.

Observation, observance. Observation means to watch, to look at. Observance means to celebrate, to keep. Observation applies to a fact or an object; observance to a festival, a holiday, or a rule.

1. The —— of the astronomer proved the theory.
2. Sunday —— is of value to one's bodily as well as to one's spiritual health.
3. The —— of the sanitary regulations was insiste d upon.
4. The scientist needs highly developed powers of ——.

Respectively, respectfully. Respectively means particularly, relating to each. Respectfully means characterized by high regard.

1. These three kinds of architecture were characterized —— as "severe," "graceful," and "ornate."
2. Sign your letter "Yours ——," not "yours ——."
3. Their shares were —— two hundred dollars and five hundred dollars,
4. The class —— informed the faculty of their desire.

Suspect, expect. Suspect means to mistrust. Expect means to look forward to.

1. I —— that he will come.
2. He —— his brother of hiding his coat.
3. When do you —— to finish the work?
4. The man was never before —— of having done wrong.

Teach, learn. See Glossary under learn.

1. You must —— him to be careful.
2. He must —— to be careful.
3. To —— a class to study is a difficult task.
4. Who —— your class to-day.

Transpire, happen. Transpire does not mean to happen. It means to become gradually known, to leak out.

1. She knows everything that —— in the village.
2. It —— that he had secretly sold the farm.
3. No more important event than this has —— in the last ten years.
4. It has now —— that some money was stolen.

Quite, very. Quite is not in good use in the sense of very or to a great degree. It properly means entirely.

1. The book is —— easy to study.
2. Have you —— finished your work.
3. The train ran —— slowly for most of the distance.
4. That is —— easy to do.
5. We were —— unable to reach the city any sooner.

Exercise 80

The following list includes some groups of words that are often confused. Far the proper meaning of the words refer to a good dictionary. Write sentences using the words in their proper senses:

practical, skilled	sensible, sensitive
couple, two	access, accession
future, subsequent	allusion, illusion, delusion
folk, family	conscience, consciousness
evidence, testimony	identity, identification
party, person, firm	limit, limitation
plenty, many, enough of	majority, plurality
portion, part	materialize, appear
solicitation, solicitude	invent, discover
human, humane	prescribe, proscribe
bound, determined	some, somewhat, something
fix, mend	mutual, common
foot, pay	noted, notorious
creditable, credible	wait for, wait on
exceptionable, exceptional	in, into

Exercise 81

Show how the use of each of the two italicized words in the following sentences would affect the meaning of the sentence:

1. We experienced a succession series of hindrances.
2. That statement assertion was made by an eye witness.
3. The student has remarkable ability capacity.
4. In my estimate estimation the cost will be higher than fifty dollars.
5. The import importance of his words is not fully understood.
6. The union unity of the clubs is remarkable.
7. The acts actions of the president were closely watched.
8. The man needed a new stimulus stimulant.
9. He was captivated captured by her unusual charms.
10. We are quick to impute impugn motives that we think to exist.
11. He was convinced convicted by John's argument.
12. The dog's suffering was alleviated relieved by the medicine.
13. He persuaded advised me to consult a lawyer.
14. His behavior was funny odd.
15. The plan seems practical practicable.
16. That is the latest last letter.
17. That certainly was not a human humane action.
18. He waited on waited for his mother.
19. The completeness completion of the work brought many congratulations.

Exercise 82

Supply a word which will remedy the italicized impropriety in each of the following sentences. When in doubt consult a dictionary:

1. The majority of the illustrations are good.
2. No one can accurately predicate what the weather will be.
3. Shall you except the invitation?
4. They claim that the assertion cannot be proved.
5. They finally located the criminal in Dravosburg.
6. I shall leave you go at noon.
7. The balance of the essay was uninteresting.
8. By questions they tried to eliminate the true story.
9. They impugn false motives to me.
10. He was greatly effected by the news.
11. Sabbath observation was then very strict.
12. They expect that she wrote the letter.
13. The invention of electricity has revolutionized all manufactures.
14. Who learned her to sing?
15. Edison discovered the phonograph.
16. One cannot comprehend the enormity of a billion of dollars.
17. Many complements were paid to her beauty.
18. His consciousness pricked him.
19. How could any one be guilty of such a cruel action.
20. The advancement of the army was very slow.

195. Idioms. There are in English, as in other languages, a number of expressions that cannot be justified by the rules of grammar or rhetoric; and yet these expressions are among the most forcible ones in the language, and are continually used by the best writers. These expressions that lie outside all rules we call idioms. Compare the following idiomatic expressions with the unidiomatic expressions that succeed them. The second expression in each group is in accord with the strict rules of composition; but the first, the idiomatic, is far more forceful.

Idiomatic: The book which I read about.

Unidiomatic: The book about which I read.

Idiomatic: More than one life was lost.

Unidiomatic: More lives than one life were lost.

Idiomatic: Speak loud. Speak louder.

Unidiomatic: Speak loudly. Speak more loudly.

Idiomatic: A ten-foot pole.

Unidiomatic: A ten-feet pole.

Idiomatic: He strove with might and main.

Unidiomatic: He strove with might. (Might and main are two words of the same meaning.)

Idiomatic: He lectured on every other day.

Unidiomatic: He lectured on one day out of every two.

Idioms are not to be avoided. On the contrary, because they contribute great ease and force to composition, their use is to be encouraged. But the distinction between idiomatic and unidiomatic expressions is a fine one, and rests solely on usage. Care must be taken not to go beyond the idiomatic. There is probably little danger that the ordinary writer or speaker will not use idioms enough.

The following expressions are examples of commonly used idioms:

He was standing at the door in his shirt sleeves.

I don't think it will rain (I think it will not rain).

She walked out of the room on her father's arm.

John was a poor shot.

Do you feel like a little candy?

See what my foolishness has brought me to.

What part of the city will they settle in?

What was the house built for?

John needs a match to light his pipe with.

That is all I ask for.

What are you driving at?

Hard put to it.

By all odds.

Must needs.

I must get up by noon.

Get rid of.

Get used to.

Never so good.

Whether or no.

I can't go either.

You forget yourself when you speak so harshly.

I can come only every other day.

If the bell rings answer the door.

I take it that you will be there too.

Come and see me.

Try and do it.

The thief took to his heels.

196. Choice of Words. The words in which a thought is expressed may not offend against good use, and yet still be objectionable because they do not accurately and appropriately express the thought. One should choose not merely a word that will approximately express the thought, but the one word that best expresses it. The following suggestions are given to aid in the choice of words:

1. Choose simple English words and avoid what is called "fine writing." Young writers and newspaper writers are greatly given to this offense of fine or bombastic writing. Examples:

FINE WRITING	SIMPLE STYLE
Was launched into eternity	Was hanged
Disastrous conflagration	Great fire
Called into requisition the services of the family physician	Sent for the doctor
Was accorded an ovation	Was applauded
Palatial mansion	Comfortable house
Acute auricular perceptions	Sharp ears
A disciple of Izaak Walton	A fisherman

2. Distinguish between general and specific terms. In some cases general words may be used to advantage, but more often specific words should be used, since they call to the mind a definite image. Compare these sentences:

The high color of his face showed his embarrassment.

His crimson face showed his embarrassment.

He was a large man.

He was a fat man.

He was a man of large frame.

He was a tall, heavily proportioned man.

He was a man six feet four inches tall and heavy in proportion.

It was an impressive building.

It was a building of impressive size.

It was a building of impressive beauty.

His fault was robbery.

His crime was robbery.

3. Avoid over-statement of facts. The use of words that are too strong is a fault especially characteristic of Americans. Examples:

Poor: The concert was simply exquisite.

Better: The concert was very good.

Poor: She was wild over the mistake.

Better: She was much annoyed by the mistake.

4. Avoid hackneyed phrases; expressions that have been worked to death. Examples:

His paternal acres.

The infuriated beast.

The gentle zephyrs of springtime.

Was gathered to his fathers.

The blushing bride was led to the hymeneal altar.

Applauded to the echo.

Exercise 83

For each of the following expressions devise the best simple English expression that you can:

1. Individual was precipitated.
2. Tendered him a banquet.
3. At the witching hour of midnight.
4. The devouring element was checked.
5. Piscatorial sport.
6. Pedal extremities.
7. Fraught with tremendous possibilities.
8. Amid the plaudits of the multitude.
9. Caudal extremity.
10. Passed to his long home.
11. Dissected the Thanksgiving bird.
12. Presided at the organ.
13. Finger of scorn pointed at him.
14. Wended his way.
15. The green eyed monster.
16. The whole aggregation of knowledge chasers.
17. Maternal ancestor.
18. Shuffled off this mortal coil.
19. Failed to materialize at the banquet.
20. Tonsorial artist.
21. Twirler of the sphere.
22. Pugilistic encounters.
23. Performed his matutinal ablutions.
24. Partook of a magnificent collation.
25. Solemnized the rites of matrimony.

Exercise 84

In the third paragraph of the selection from Cranford (see §186) observe the use of the following words: human, weakness, hanks, twisted, annoyed, and undoing. Study the specific nature of these words by grouping about each of them other words of somewhat similar meaning, and then comparing the force of the various words in each group.

This sort of exercise may be continued by choosing passages from any careful writer and studying the words that he has used.

Exercise 85

Substitute for each of the following expressions some expression that will be less general or less exaggerated:

1. She is nice looking.
2. We had a perfectly gorgeous time.
3. John is a professional man.
4. The play was simply exquisite.
5. To hear his voice makes me feel funny.
6. The opposing team was completely annihilated.
7. A noise caught our attention.
8. His manners are horrid.
9. We had a great time.
10. Such arrogance is unendurable.
11. That is a good book.

197. How to Improve One's Vocabulary. The few following suggestions may be found helpful in the acquiring of a good vocabulary:

1. Cultivate the dictionary habit. Learn the meaning, pronunciation, and spelling of each new word that you meet. Only when these three things are grasped about each word, does one really know the word. Some persons have found it an invaluable aid to carry with them a small note book or card on which they note down to be looked up at a convenient time words concerning which they are in doubt.

2. In your writing and speaking use as much as possible the new words that you acquire.

3. Construct good English expressions for all the slang, fine writing, and hackneyed phrases that you meet, and then use the good expressions instead of the bad ones.

4. Study synonyms; words of similar form and meaning. Only by a knowledge of synonyms can you express fine shades of meaning. Crabbe's English Synonyms and Fernald's Synonyms and Antonyms are good books of reference for this purpose. In addition to these books, lists of synonyms will be found in many books that are designed for general reference.

5. Try to get the one word that will best express the idea.

6. Read good books and good magazines, and read them carefully.

7. Cultivate the society of those who use good language.

Exercise 86

Look up the meaning of each of the words in the following groups of synonyms. Construct sentences in which each word is used correctly:

1. Love, like.
2. Wit, humor.
3. Discover, invent.
4. Observe, watch.
5. Pride, vanity, conceit.
6. Proof, evidence, testimony.
7. Balance, rest, remainder.
8. Word, term, expression.
9. Bring, fetch, carry.
10. Abandon, desert, forsake.
11. Propose, purpose, intend.
12. Healthful, healthy, wholesome.
13. Student, pupil, scholar.
14. Capacity, power, ability.
15. Blame, censure, criticism.
16. Accede, agree, yield, acquiesce.
17. Trickery, cunning, chicane, fraud.
18. Instruction, education, training, tuition.
19. Hardship, obstacle, hindrance, difficulty.
20. Maxim, precept, rule, law
21. Multitude, crowd, throng, swarm.
22. Delight, happiness, pleasure, joy.
23. Work, labor, toil, drudgery, task.
24. Silent, mute, dumb, speechless.
25. Kill, murder, assassinate, slay.
26. Hatred, enmity, dislike, ill-will.
27. Example, pattern, sample, model.
28. Obvious, plain, clear, apparent.
29. Noted, eminent, famous, prominent, notorious.
30. Old, aged, antique, ancient, antiquated, obsolete.

Spelling

198. The following is a list of words that are frequently misspelled or confused. Where possible, an effort has been made to arrange them in groups in order that they may be more easily remembered. The word with an added ending has been used in most cases in place of the bare word itself as, occasional instead of occasion. A few rules have been included.

accede	descend	pressure
accident	fascinate	misspelled
accommodate	mischievous	possession
accordance	miscellaneous
accuracy	muscle	recollection
succeed	susceptible	dispelled
occasional		miscellaneous
occur	existence	monosyllable
	experience	intellectual
across	sentence	parallel
amount		embellishment
apart	foregoing	wholly
arouse	forehead	woolly
		village
already	forty	villain
all right	foreign	till
	forfeit
amateur	formally	perpetual
grandeur	formerly	persuade
		perspiration
appal	fulfill
apparatus	willful	police
appetite		policies
approximate	guardian
opportunity	guessing	presence
opposite		precede
disappoint	imminent	preceptor
disappearance	immediately
	accommodation	fiend
choose	commission	siege
chosen	grammar	friend
	inflammation	yielding
boundary	recommend
elementary	summary	seize
	symmetrical	receive
final	committee	receipt
finally
usual	ledger	succeed
usually	legible	proceed
ascend	assassin	recede
ascent	dissimilar	secede
discerning	essential	accede
discipline	messenger	intercede
discontent		concede
discreet	necessary	supersede
descent	necessity
	passport

199. Words ending in a single consonant preceded by a single vowel, if monosyllables, or if the last syllable is accented, double the final consonant before the ending -ed and -ing, but not before -ence; as,

rob, robbed, robbing, robbers.

confer, conferred, conferring, conference.

transmit, transmitted, transmitting, transmission.

impel, impelled, impelling, impulsion.

Similar to the above are.

defer, infer, prefer, refer, transfer, occur (occurrence), abhor (abhorrence), omit, remit, permit, commit, beset, impel, compel, repel, excel (excellence), mob, sob, rub, skid.

If these words are not accented on the last syllable, the consonant is not doubled; as,

benefit, benefited, benefiting, beneficial.

Similar are:

differ, summon, model.

200. Words ending in silent e drop the e before a suffix beginning with a vowel; as,

arrive, arriving, arrived, arrival.

precede, preceded, preceding, precedence.

receive, received, receiving.

Similar are:

move, write, blame, tame, come, receive, believe, relieve, grieve, deceive, conceive, perceive, seize, precede, concede, supersede, recede, argue, rue, construe, woe, pursue.

201. Words ending in -ge, -ce, or -se, retain the e before endings: as,

arrange, arrangement; arrange, arranging.

Similar are:

gauge, manage, balance, finance, peace, service, amuse, use.

202. Words in -dge do not retain the e before endings; as, acknowledge, acknowledgment, acknowledged, acknowledging.

Similar are:

nudge, judge.

203. Most words ending in y preceded by a consonant change y to i before all endings except-ing:

busy, business, busied, busying.

Similar are:

duty, mercy, penny, pity, vary, weary, study.

204. Words of similar sound:

canvas (cloth)	principle (rule)
canvass (all meanings except cloth)	principal (chief)
capitol (a building)	stationary (immovable)
capital (all meanings except building)	stationery (articles)
counsel (advice or an adviser)	miner (a workman)
council (a body of persons)	minor (under age)
complement (a completing element)	angel (a spiritual being)
compliment (praise)	angle (geometrical)

205. Miscellaneous words:

annual	laundry	schedule
awkward	leisure	separate
beneficial	lenient	Spaniard
decimal	license	speak
exhilarate	mechanical	specimen
familiarize	mediÆval	speech
fiber	medicine	spherical
fibrous	militia	subtle
genuine	motor	surely
gluey	negotiate	technical
height	origin	tenement
hideous	pacified	their
hundredths	phalanx	therefore
hysterical	physique	thinnest
icicle	privilege	until
irremediable	prodigies	vengeance
laboratory	rarefy	visible
laid	rinse	wherein
larynx	saucer	yielding

Pronunciation

206. The following list is made up of words that are frequently mispronounced. An effort has been made to arrange them in groups according to the most frequent source of error in their pronunciation.

The only marks regularly used are the signs for the long and short sounds of the vowel.

a as in hate	i as in high	u as in use
a as in hat	i as in hit	u as in run
e as in me	o as in old	oo as in boot
e as in met	o as in hop	oo as in foot

When sounds are not otherwise indicated take the sound that comes most naturally to the tongue.

207. a as in hate:

Word	Correct Pronunciation
alma mater	alma mater
apparatus	apparatus
apricot	apricot
attachÉ	attasha'
audacious	audashus
ballet	bal'la
blasÉ	blaza'
blatant	blatant
chasten	chasen
Cleopatra	Cleopatra
compatriot	compatriot
gratis	gratis or grahtis
harem	harem or hahrem
heinous	hanous
hiatus	hiatus
implacable	implakable
nape	nap
nÉe	na
nÉgligÉ	naglezha'
patron	patron
protÉgÉ	protazha'
rÉsumÉ	razuma'
tenacious	tenashus
tomato	tomato or tomahto
valet	va'la or val'et
vase	vas, vahz, or vaz
veracious	verashus
vivacious	vivashus

208. a as in hat:

alternative	alternative
Arab	Ar'ab, not arab
arid	ar'id
asphalt	asfalt, not fawlt
bade	bad
catch	not ketch
defalcate	defal'kate, not fawl
dilletante	dilletan'te
forbade	forbad
granary	granary
program	pro'gram, not grum
rapine	rap'in
rational	rational
sacrament	sacrament

209. Ä as in arm:

aunt	Änt
behalf	behÄf
calf	kÄf
calm	kÄm
half	hÄf
laugh	lÄf
psalm	sÄm

210. e as in me:

amenable	amenable
clique	klek, not klick
creek	krek, not krick
either	eether (preferable)
mediocre	mediocre
naÏve	na'eve (a as in arm)
neither	neether (preferable)
precedence	prece'dence
precedent	prece'dent (when an adjective)
predecessor	predecessor
predilection	predilection
premature	premature
quay	ke
resplendent	resplen'dent
sacrilegious	sacrilegious, not -religious
series	serez
sleek	slek, not slick
suite	swet, not like boot

211. e as in met:

again	agen
against	agenst
crematory	krem'ator?
deaf	def, not def
heroine	heroin, not like hero
measure	mezhure, not ma
metric	metrik
precedent	prec'edent (noun)
prelate	prel'at
presentation	prezentation
sesame	ses'ame
steady	stedy, not stiddy
tenet	ten'et
weapon	wepon, not wepon

212. i as in high:

appendicitis	appendicitis
biennial	biennial
biography	biography
bronchitis	bronkitis
carbine	carbine
decisive	decisive
demise	demise
dynasty	di'nast?
finis	finis
grimy	grimy
hiatus	hia'tus
inquiry	inqui'ry
long-lived	long-livd
peritonitis	peritonitis
privacy	privacy
short-lived	short-livd
simultaneous	simultaneous
tiny	tiny, not teny

213. i as in hit:

bicycle	bi'sicle
breeches	briches
breeching	briching
feminine	feminin
genuine	genuin
hypocrisy	hipok'ris?
italic	ital'ik
Italian	italyan
maritime	maritim
pretty	pritty
puerile	pu'eril
respite	res'pit
tribune	trib'un

214. o as in old:

Adonis	Adonis
apropos	apropo
bowsprit	bowsprit
brooch	broch not broosh
compromise	compromize
jowl	jol, not like owl
molecular	molecular
ogle	ogle
trow	tro
vocable	vocable
zoology	zoology, not zoo

215. o as in hop:

choler	koler
dolorous	dolorous
florid	florid
molecule	molecule
obelisk	obelisk
probity	probity
solecism	solesism
solstice	solstice
stolid	stolid

216. oo as in boot:

bouquet	booka'
canteloupe	can'taloop
coup d'État	koo data'
coupon	koo'pon
ghoul	gool
hoof	hoof
roof	roof
root	root
route	root
routine	rootine
wound	woond

217. u as in use:

accurate	ak'kurat
culinary	kulinary
gubernatorial	gubernatorial
jugular	jugular

218. u as in us:

constable	kunstable
courtesan	kur'tezan
hover	huver
iron	iurn
monetary	munetary
nothing	nuthing
wont	wunt (different from won't)

219. Miscellaneous words.

adobe	ado'ba
algebra	not bra
alien	alyen, not alien
ameliorate	amelyorate
antarctic	antarktik
anti	not anti
archangel	arkangel
archbishop	arch, not ark
arch fiend	arch, not ark
architect	arkitect
awkward	awkward, not ard
Beethoven	batoven
Bingen	Bing'en
blackguard	blag'gard
Bowdoin	bodn
brougham	broom
business	bizness
caldron	kawldron
calk	kawk
Cayenne	kien'
courtier	kortyer
cuckoo	kookoo
dilemma	dilem'ma
directly	not directly
dishevelled	dishev'ld
Don Juan	Don Juan or hooan
drought	drowt
drouth	drowth
extempore	extempore (four syllables)
familiarity	familyarity
gaol	jal
genealogy	-alogy, not -ology
gemus	genyus
Gloucester	gloster
gooseberry	gooz, not goos
Hawaiian	Hawi'yan (a as in arm)
Helena	hel'ena (except St. Hele'na)
inconvenience	inconvenyence
Israel	izrael, not issrael
jeans	janes
joust	just or joost
larynx	lar'inx' or la'rinx, not larnix
literature	literature, or choor
Messrs.	meshyerz or mesyerz
Mineralogy	-alogy, not -ology
nature	nature, or choor
oleomargarine	g is hard, as in get
orchid	orkid
oust	owst, not oost
peculiar	peculyar
pecuniary	pekun'yari
perspiration	not prespiratian
prestige	pres'tij or prestezh'
pronunciation	pronunzeashun or pronunsheashun
saucy	not sassy
schedule	skedyul
semi	not semi
theater	the'ater not thea'ter
turgid	turjid
usage	uzage
usurp	uzurp
vermilion	vermilyun
wife's	not wives
Xerxes	zerxes

220. Words with a silent letter:

almond	ahmund
chasten	chasen
chestnut	chesnut
glisten	glissen
kiln	kill
often	ofen
ostler	osler
poignant	poin'ant
psalter	sawlter
salmon	samun
schism	sism
soften	sofen
subtle	sutle
sword	sord
thyme	time
toward	tord

221. Works chiefly of foreign pronunciation:

Word	Correct Pronunciation
bivouac	biv'wak
chargÉ d'affaires	shar zha'daffar'
connoisseur	connissur
dishabille	dis'abil
ennui	onwe, not ongwe
finale	finah'le
foyer	fwaya'
massage	masahzh
naÏve	nah'ev
papier machÉ	papya mahsha
piquant	pe'kant
prima facie	prima fa'shie
pro tempore	pro tem'pore
rÉgime	razhem'

222. Words often pronounced with a wrong number of syllables:

aerial	aereal, not areal
athlete	two sylables, not ath e lete
attacked	attakt, two syllables
casualty	kazh'ualte, not ality
conduit	condit or kondit, not dooit
different	three syllables, not diffrunt
elm	not ellum
helm	not hel um
history	three syllables, not histry
honorable	not honrable
hygienic	hy gi en' ic, four syllables
interest	not intrust
interesting	not intrusting
ivory	not ivry
omelet	not omlet
realm	not rellum
separable	not seprable
ticklish	two syllables, not tickelish
valuable	valuable, not valuble
vaudeville	vodvil
Zeus	zus, not zeus

223. Words accented on the first syllable:

admirable	ad'mirable
alias	a'lias
applicable	ap'plicable
bicycle	bi'sikle
chastisement	chas'tisement
construe	con'strue
despicable	des'picable
desultory	des'ultory
disputant	dis'putant
exigency	ex'ijency
explicable	ex'plicable
exquisite	ex'quisite
extant	ex'tant
formidable	for'midable
Genoa	jen'oa
gondola	gon'dola
harass	har'ass
hospitable	hos'pitable
impious	im'pious, not impious
industry	in'dustry
inventory	in'ventory
lamentable	lam'entable
mischievous	mis'chievous
obligatory	ob'ligatory
pariah	pa'riah
peremptory	per'emptory
preferable	pref'erable
Romola	Rom'ola
vehemence	ve'hemence

224. Words accented on the second syllable:

Word	Correct Pronunciation
abdomen	abdo'men
acclimate	accli'mate
acumen	acu'men
albumen	albu'men
artificer	artif'iser
bitumen	bitu'men
chicanery	shika'nery
illustrate	illus'trate
incognito	inkog'nito
incomparable	incom'parable
indisputable	indis'putable
inexorable	inex'orable
inexplicable	inex'plicable
inhospitable	inhos'pitable
inquiry	inqui'ry
irrevocable	irrev'ocable
misconstrue	miscon'strue
nitrogenous	nitroj'enous
opponent	oppo'nent
pianist	pian'ist
refutable	refut'able
syllabic	syllab'ic
telegraphy	teleg'raphy
vagary	vaga'ry
Yosemite	yo sem' i te

225. Words accented on the last syllable:

address	address'
adept	adept'
adult	adult'
ally	ally'
commandant	commandÄnt' (Ä as in arm)
contour	contour'
dessert	dessert'
dilate	dilate'
excise	eksiz'
finance	finance'
grimace	grimace'
importune	importune'
occult	occult'
pretence	pretence'
research	research'
robust	robust'
romance	romance'
tirade	tirade'

226. Words whose pronunciation depends on meaning:

accent	Accent' the first syllable.
	Place the ac'cent upon the first syllable.

aged	An a'ged man.
	Properly aged wine (one syllable).

blessed	The bless'ed saints.
	Let them be blessed (one syllable).

contrast	The strange con'trast.
	Contrast' the two.

converse	Did you converse' with him?
	Is the con'verse true?

desert	The sandy des'ert.
	They desert' their friends.

learned	He learned (one syllable) to sing.
	A learn ed man.

precedent	A prece'dent place.
	It establishes a prec'edent.

project	A new proj'ect.
	To project' from.