Admire. Do not use admire in the sense of like.

Wrong: I should admire to be able to do that.

Right: I should like to be able to do that.

Aggravate. Do not use aggravate in the sense of irritate or disturb. Aggravate means to make worse.

Wrong: His impudence aggravates me.

Right: His impudence irritates me.

Ain't. Ain't and hain't are never proper as contractions of am not, is not, or are not.

Allow. Do not use allow in the sense of assert, say, or intend.

Wrong: He allowed that he had better start. I allow to be back before noon.

Right: He said that he had better start. I intend to be back before noon.

Allude. Do not use allude in the sense of refer. To allude to a thing means to refer to it in an indirect way.

Wrong: He alluded by name to John Milton.

Right: He alluded to Milton by the term "Blind Poet."

Any. Do not use any in the sense of at all or to any degree.

Wrong: Because of the injury he can not see any.

As. Do not use as for the relative pronouns who and that.

Wrong: I am the man as digs your garden. Not as I remember.

Right: I am the man who digs your garden. Not that I remember.

As. Do not use as in the sense of since or because.

Wrong: I cannot come as I am sick now.

Right: I cannot come; I am sick now.

Right: I cannot come because I am sick now.

At. Do not use at for in with the names of large cities

Wrong: He lives at Philadelphia.

Right: He lives in Philadelphia.

Attackted. Do not use this form for attacked.

Awful, awfully. These are two very much overworked words. Substitute other and more accurate expressions.

Wrong: We have had an awfully good time. That is an awfully pretty dress.

Right: We have had an exceedingly nice time. That is a very pretty dress.

Badly. Do not use badly in the sense of very much.

Wrong: She wanted badly to come.

Right: She wanted very much to come.

Beside, besides. Beside means next to. Besides means in addition to.

Right: John lives beside his mother.

Right: Besides the daughters, there are three sons.

Between. Do not use between when referring to more than two objects.

Wrong: There is bad feeling between the members of the class.

Right: There is bad feeling among the members of the class.

Blowed. Do not use blowed for blew or blown. There is no such word.

Best. Do not use best when only two objects are referred to. Use better. Best should be used only when more than two are referred to.

Wrong: He is the best of the two brothers.

Right: He is the better of the two brothers.

Right: He is the best of the three brothers.

Bound. Do not use bound for determined.

Wrong: He was bound to go skating.

Right: He was determined to go skating.

Right: He bound himself to pay three hundred dollars.

But. Do not use but after a negative in the sense of only. See §46.

Wrong: There isn't but one apple left.

Right: There is but one apple left.

Calculate. Do not use calculate in the sense of think, expect, or intend.

Can. Do not use can to denote permission. It denotes ability or possibility. May denotes permission. See §69

Wrong: Can I speak to you for a minute?

Right: May I speak to you for a moment?

Character, reputation. Do not confuse these two words. Character means one's moral condition. Reputation means the morality that others believe one to possess.

Clum. There is no such form of the verb climb.

Complected. Do not use complected for complexioned. See §40.

Conclude. Do not use conclude in the sense of forming an intention.

Right: Finally, I decided to go home.

Right: I was forced to conclude that I had made an error.

Considerable. Do not use considerable in the sense of very much.

Wrong: This lesson is considerable better than yesterday's.

Cute. A much overworked word. Use some expression that is more accurate; as, pretty, amusing, etc.

Decease, disease. Do not confuse decease and disease. The first means death, the second sickness. The deceased means a person who is dead.

Wrong: The diseased will be buried at four o'clock.

Wrong: The property of the diseased will be sold at auction.

Decease. Do not use decease as a verb in the sense of die.

Wrong: His father deceased last year.

Demand. Demand should not have a person as its object.

Wrong: He demanded John to pay.

Right: He demanded payment from John. He demanded that John pay.

Different. Use the preposition from after different, not than.

Don't. Do not use don't with a subject in the third person singular. See §64.

Down. Do not use down as a verb in the sense of defeat or overthrow.

Wrong: Our football team has downed every other team in the state.

Right: Our football team has defeated every other team in the state.

Drownded. Drownded is not a proper form of the verb drown. Say drowned. (Pronounced drownd.)

Each other. Do not use each other to refer to more than two objects. See §44.

Wrong: The members of the regiment helped each other.

Right: The members of the regiment helped one another.

Effect, affect. Do not confuse effect and affect. Effect means a result, or to cause a thing to be done. Affect means to disturb or have an influence on.

Wrong: The news effected him seriously.

Right: The news affected him seriously.

Wrong: The affect of this news was to cause war.

Right: The effect of this news was to cause war.

Either. Do not use either with reference to more than two objects, nor follow it by a plural verb. See §43.

Wrong: Either of the three will do. Either you or John have done it.

Right: Any one of the three will do. Either you or John has done it.

Emigrate, immigrate. Do not confuse emigrate and immigrate. To emigrate means to go out of a place, to immigrate means to come into a place.

Right: The Italians emigrate from their country.

Right: Of those who immigrate to America, a large number are Italians.

Enough. Do not follow enough by a clause beginning with that or so that.

Wrong: I studied enough that I could recite the lesson.

Right: I studied enough to recite the lesson.

Enthuse. Do not use enthuse in the sense of to create enthusiasm.

Wrong: He tried to enthuse his audience.

Right: He tried to arouse enthusiasm in his audience.

Etc. Etc. stands for et cetera, and means and so forth. Do not spell it ect. Do not use it in composition that is intended to be elegant.

Everybody. Everybody should not be followed by a plural verb or a plural pronoun. See §21.

Except, accept. Do not confuse these two words. Accept means to acknowledge. Except means to exclude.

Right: I cannot accept such slovenly work.

Wrong: I except your apology.

Except. Do not use except for unless. See §85.

Wrong: I can not sleep except it is quiet.

Expect. Do not use expect in the sense of suppose or think.

Wrong: I expect you have read that book.

Right: I suppose you have read that book.

Fine. Do not use fine in place of some more definite word. Fine is a much over-worked word.

Wrong: The book is fine for class-room work.

Right: The book is well adapted for class-room work.

Firstly. Firstly should never be used. Say first. See §40.

First-rate. Do not use first-rate as an adverb in the sense of very well.

Wrong: That does first-rate.

Right: That does very well.

Right: He is a first-rate fellow.

Former. Do not use former when more than two are referred to. Say first. See §41.

From. Do not use from with whence, hence and thence.

Wrong: From whence have you come?

Right: Whence have you come? From where have you come?

Funny. Do not use funny for singular or strange. Funny is an overworked word.

Wrong: It is funny that he died.

Right: It is singular that he died.

Gent. Do not use the word at all. Say gentleman or man.

Gentleman. Do not use gentleman to denote sex only. Say man. Gentleman is properly used, however, to denote a person of refinement.

Wrong: Only gentlemen are allowed to vote in Pennsylvania.

Right: Mr. Lincoln was a gentleman in the true sense of the word.

Got. Do not use got with have or had to indicate merely possession or obligation. Got means acquired through effort.

Wrong: I have got the measles. You have got to do it.

Right: I have the measles. You must do it.

Right: After much study I have got my lesson.

Grand. Do not use grand in place of some more definite and accurate expression. It is another over-worked word.

Wrong: We have had a grand time this afternoon.

Right: We have had a very pleasant time this afternoon.

Guess. Do not use guess in the sense of think or suppose.

Wrong: I guess the trains are late to-day.

Right: I suppose the trains are late to-day.

Right: Can you guess the riddle?

Had ought. Do not use had with ought. See §54.

Hardly. Do not use hardly after a negative. See §46.

Wrong: I can not hardly believe that.

Right: I can hardly believe that.

Have. Do not use have after had.

Wrong: If I had have been able to go.

Right: If I had been able to go.

Heighth. Do not use heighth for height.

Hung. Do not confuse hung and hanged. Hanged is the proper word to use in reference to executions.

Wrong: He was condemned to be hung.

Right: He was condemned to be hanged.

Right: The picture was hung in the parlor.

Humbug. Do not use humbug as a verb.

Wrong: He has humbugged the people for years.

Illy. Do not use illy for the adverb ill. See §40.

In, into. Do not confuse in and into.

Wrong: He went in the house.

Right: He went into the house.

Right: He exercised in a gymnasium.

Kind. Do not precede kind by those or these.

Wrong: I do not like those kind of plays.

Right: I do not like that kind of play.

Kind of a. Do not use a or an after kind of. See §47.

Wrong: It is one kind of a mistake.

Right: It is one kind of mistake.

Lady. Do not use lady to designate sex only. It is properly used to indicate persons of refinement.

Wrong: Is Mrs. Johnson a colored lady?

Right: Is Mrs. Johnson a colored woman?

Right: Mrs. Johnson is a colored woman, and a lady.

Latter. Do not use latter to refer to more than two objects. Use last. See §41.

Lay. Do not confuse lay and lie. See §57.

Learn. Do not confuse learn and teach. Learn means to acquire knowledge. Teach means to impart knowledge.

Wrong: He can learn you as much as any one can.

Right: He can teach you as much as any one can.

Leave. Do not confuse leave and let. Leave means to let remain. Let means to give permission.

Wrong: Will your mother leave you go?

Right: Will your mother let you go?

Right: I shall leave my trunk in my room.

Liable. Do not use liable for likely.

Wrong: It is liable to rain to-day.

Right: It is likely to rain to-day.

Right: He is liable for all that he has agreed to pay.

Lightning. Do not use lightning as a verb in place of lightens.

Wrong: During the storm, it lightnings frequently.

Right: During the storm, it lightens frequently.

Like. Do not use like for as. Like is a preposition. As is a conjunction.

Wrong: He doesn't talk like he did yesterday.

Right: He doesn't talk as he did yesterday.

Right: It looks like a mahogany chair.

Lit on. Do not use lit on in the sense of met with or discovered.

Wrong: I at last lit on this plan.

Lot. Do not use lot in the sense of a great number or a great deal.

Wrong: A lot of people were there, She talks a lot.

Most. Do not use most for almost.

Wrong: I have most completed the book.

Right: I have almost completed the book.

Right: He has done the most of the work.

Mrs. Do not use Mrs. before titles; as, Mrs. President, Mrs. Professor, Mrs. Doctor.

Much. Do not use much for many. Much refers to quantity. Many refers to number.

Wrong: As much as five hundred people were present.

Right: As many as five hundred people were present.

Mutual. Do not confuse mutual and common. Mutual means interchanged.

Wrong: John and William had a mutual liking for Mary.

Right: John and William had a common liking for Mary.

Right: John and William had a mutual liking for each other.

Near. Do not use near for nearly.

Wrong: He ran near all the way to the station. I came nearly making the same mistake.

Right: He ran nearly all the way to the station. I came near making the same mistake.

Nerve. Do not use nerve in the sense of impudence.

Newsy. Do not use newsy in the sense of full of news.

Neither. Do not use neither with reference to more than two objects, nor follow it by a plural verb.

Wrong: Neither of the three could come. Neither of the two are here.

Right: No one of the three could come. Neither of the two is here.

No good. Do not use no good in the sense of worthless or not good.

Wrong: The book is no good.

No place. Do not use no place after a negative. See §46.

Wrong: I am not going no place.

Right: I am not going anywhere. I am going nowhere.

Notorious. Do not use notorious in the sense of famous or noted. Notorious means of evil reputation.

Wrong: Gladstone was a notorious statesman of England.

Right: Several notorious thieves were arrested.

Nowhere near. Do not use nowhere near for not nearly. See §40.

Wrong: Nowhere near so many people came as were expected.

Right: Not nearly so many people came as were expected.

Right: James was nowhere near the scene of the fire.

Of. Do not use of for have in such expressions as could, have, might have, should have, etc.

Wrong: If I could of been there.

Right: If I could have been there.

Only. Guard against the improper use of only after a negative. See §46.

Wrong: There are not only four books on that subject.

Right: There are only four books on that subject.

Outside of. Do not use outside of for aside from.

Wrong: Outside of James, all had a good time.

Right: Aside from James, all had a good time.

Over with. Do not use over with for over.

Wrong: I must write the letter and have it over with.

Pants. Do not use the word pants for trousers.

Photo. Do not use photo for photograph.

Piece. Do not use piece in the sense of way or distance.

Wrong: I shall walk a little piece with you.

Right: I shall walk a little way with you.

Place. Do not use place after any, every, no, etc., in the sense of anywhere, everywhere, nowhere, etc.

Wrong: I can not find it any place.

Right: I can not find it anywhere.

Plenty. Do not use plenty as an adjective or an adverb.

Wrong: Money is plenty. He is plenty able to do it.

Right: Money is plentiful. He is quite able to do it.

Poorly. Do not use poorly for ill or bad.

Wrong: He feels very poorly.

Principle, principal. Do not confuse principle and principal. Principle means a rule or truth. Principal means leader, chief, the most important.

Propose. Do not use propose in the sense of intend.

Wrong: I propose to tell all I know.

Right: I intend to tell all I know.

Providing. Do not use providing for if or on the condition.

Wrong: I will go providing you can get tickets for three.

Right: I will go on the condition that you get the tickets.

Raise, rise. Do not confuse raise with rise. See §57.

Recommend, recommendation. Do not use recommend as a noun. Recommendation is the noun.

Wrong: Her employer gave her a good recommend.

Right: Her employer gave her a good recommendation.

Right away, right off. Do not use right away or right off in the sense of immediately.

Wrong: After the play we will come right off.

Right: After the play we will come at once.

Same. Do not use same as a pronoun.

Wrong: I will write the letter and mail same at once.

Right: I will write the letter and mail it at once.

Say. Do not use say in the sense of order or command.

Wrong: Your mother said for you to come home at once.

Right: Your mother said that you should come home at once.

Scarcely. Do not use scarcely after a negative. See §46.

Wrong: There was not scarcely a pound of meat for us all.

Right: There was scarcely a pound of meat for us all.

Seldom ever. Do not use seldom with ever. Say instead seldom or seldom, if ever.

Wrong: Fires seldom ever occur.

Right: Fires seldom occur. Fires seldom, if ever occur.

Shut of. Do not use shut of in the sense of rid of.

Wrong: We are shut of him at last.

Sight. Do not use sight in the sense of many or much.

Wrong: A great sight of people flocked to hear him.

Right: A great many people flocked to hear him.

Sit, set. Do not confuse these two words. See §57.

So. Do not use so alone as a conjunction. Say so that.

Wrong: He spoke in the open air, so more could see and hear him.

Right: He spoke in the open air, so that more could see and hear him.

Some. Do not use some as an adverb in the sense of somewhat or a little.

Wrong: He plays the violin some.

Right: He plays the violin a little.

Sort of a. Do not use a after sort of. See Kind of a.

Sort. Do not precede sort by these or those. See Kind.

Such. Do not follow such by who, which, or that as relatives.

Wrong: All such persons who think so will soon see their mistake.

Right: All such persons as think so will soon see their mistake.

Right: He spoke with such force that we were compelled to listen. (That is not a relative here.)

Tasty. Do not use tasty in the sense of tasteful.

That. Do not use that as an adverb.

Wrong: I did not think the book was that small.

Right: I did not think that the book was so small.

That there, this here, these here, those there. There and here, in all these expressions are worse than unnecessary.

Them there. Do not use them there for those.

Wrong: Bring me them there books.

Right: Bring me those books.

Three first, two first, etc. Do not say three first, but first three. There can be only one first.

Too. Do not use too alone before a verb or a participle.

Wrong: He is too excited to listen to you.

Right: He is too much excited to listen to you.

Very. Do not use very alone before a verb or a participle.

Wrong: You are very mistaken.

Right: You are very much mistaken.

Wait on, wait for. Do not confuse these two expressions. Wait on means to serve. Wait for means to await.

Wrong: Do not wait on me if I do not come at noon.

Right: Do not wait for me if I do not come at noon.

Wake, awake. Do not confuse wake and awake. See §57.