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0 English Writing > Elements 4: Misused Words > Flashcards

Elements 4: Misused Words Flashcards

1
Q

A-Allude vs Elude

A

Allude refers to something indirectly or mention something in a subtle or passing way.

Ellude is to escape or avoid something, often in a way that is difficult or tricky.

Note that allude and refer are not synonymous. Allude is an indirect mention vs refer which is a direct reference.

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2
Q

C4-A-Alternate vs Alternative

A

Alternate means every other one in a series or a substitute; alternative mean one of two possibilities.

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3
Q

A-Among vs Between

A

Among is used when more than two things or persons are involved (money was divided among the four players)

Between is used when more that two are involved but each is considered individually (an agreement between the six heirs)

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4
Q

A-Anybody (Everybody) vs Any body (Every body)

A

Anybody means any person whereas any body means any corpse/form

Everybody means all people whereas every body means every corpse/form

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5
Q

A-As to whether vs Whether

A-As yet vs Yet: No agreement has been reached yet (as yet)

A

Whether is sufficient

Yet is better

(As is unnecessary)

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6
Q

B-Being (regarded as being vs regarded as)

A

No need for being after regarded as

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7
Q

B-‘But’ after doubt or help (I have no doubt but OR he could not help but)

A

No need for but after doubt or help

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8
Q

C4-C-Can vs may

A

Can means ‘am able’, not to be mistakened with ‘may’

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9
Q

C-Couldn’t care less vs Could care less

A

Couldn’t care less is correct (could care less destoys the meaning)

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10
Q

C-Case (is it often necessary?)

A

It is often unnecessary:

In many cases, the rooms lacked air conditioning.

Better:

Many of the rooms lacked air conditioning.

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11
Q

C-Character (is it often redundant?)

A

hostile acts (vs acts of a hostile character)

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12
Q

C-Compare to vs Compare with

A

Compare to is to point out and imply resemblences between objects regarding as essentially of a different order

Compare with is mainly to point out differences between objects regarded as essentially of the same order

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13
Q

C4-C-Comprise vs Constitute

A

Comprise means to include (a zoo comprises animals)

Constitue means together to be (animals constitute a zoo)

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14
Q

C4-C-Cope with vs Cope

A

Cope with is correct (not cope on its own)

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15
Q

C4-D-Different from vs different than

A

Different from is correct

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16
Q

C4-D-Disinterested vs uninterested

A

Disinterested mean impartial whereas uninterested means not interested

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17
Q

E-Each and everyone (avoid?)

A

Avoid except in dialogue.

It should be a lesson to everyone (vs each and everyone) of us.

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18
Q

E-Effect (what does it mean?)

A

Effect (noun) means result

Effect (verb) means to bring about

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19
Q

F-Facility (overused?)

A

Why must jails, hospitals, and schools suddenly become ‘facilitities’? Use the correct terms

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20
Q

C4-F-Factor (overused?)

A

The expressions that use ‘factor’, can usually be replaced with something more direct:

Her superior training was an important factor in her winning the match -> She won the match by being better trained.

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21
Q

C4-F-Feature (overused?)

A

It usually adds nothing to the sentence in which it occurs (a feature of the entertainment…)

As a verb, to ‘offer as a special attraction’ it should be avoided

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22
Q

C4-F-Folk (how to best use)

A

A collective noun, equivalent to people. Use the singular form only. Folks is too colloqial

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23
Q

C4-F-Fortuitous

A

Limited to what happens by chance, not to be used for fortunate or lucky

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24
Q

C4-G-Get (when to use ‘have got’)

A

Have got should be avoided (He has no sense vs he has not got any sense)

Note the preferreable form of the participle is got, not gotten

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25
Q

C4-G-Gratuitous (meaning)

A

Means unearned or unwarranted (e.g. the insult seemed gratuitous)

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26
Q

C4-H-Hopefully (meaning, when to use)

A

The adverb means ‘with hope’ but is increasingly used for ‘I hope’ or ‘it is hoped’ which is not ideal

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27
Q

C4-H-However (how to best use)

A

Avoid starting a sentence with however when the meaning is ‘nevertheless’; it serves better when not in first position (At last, however, we succeeded in reaching camp.)

When however comes first, it means “in whatever way” or “to whatever extent” (However you advise him, he will probably do as he thinks best)

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28
Q

I-Imply vs infer

A

Something implied means something suggested or indicated, though not expressed

Something inferred means something deduced from evidence at hand

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29
Q

C4-I-Importantly (how to avoid)

A

Avoid by rephrasing:

Use whats more (vs more importantly) or more important (vs more importantly)

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30
Q

C4-I-In regard to vs in regards to vs as regards

A

In regardS to is incorrect; use either in regard to or as regards

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31
Q

C4-I-Inside of vs inside

A

Inside of should be used in the meaning ‘in less than’:

Inside of five minutes I’ll be inside the bank

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32
Q

I-Insightful vs perceptive

A

Insightful is usually an overstatement for perceptive; should be used only for instances of remarkably penetrating vision.

33
Q

I-‘In terms of’ (when to use?)

A

Best to be avoided:

The job was unattractive in terms of salary.

The salary made the job unattractive.

34
Q

C4-I-Interesting (when to use?)

A

Avoid using as a means of introduction; instead of announcing that what you are about to tell us is interesting, make it so

(Same if use to mean funny; nothing becomes funny because it is labeled so)

35
Q

C4-I-Irregardless (correct?)

A

Should be regardless

36
Q

U-Utilize (vs. Use)

A

Use is better; be aware of tacking on ‘ize’

37
Q

C4-K-Kind of or sort of (how should it be used)

A

It should be used literally as in as ‘a kind of fossil resin’ vs as rather (it is kind of late); same applies for sort of

38
Q

C4-L-Leave vs let

A

Leave is to go away, whereas let is to allow/release

39
Q

L-Less vs fewer

A

Less refers to quantity (his troubles are less than mine - mean his troubles are not as great) whereas fewer relates to number (his troubles are fewer than mine - mean not as numerous as mine)

40
Q

C4-L-Like vs as

A

Like should not be used for the conjunction as; like governs nouns and pronouns wheras the conjunction as is used for phrases and clauses

41
Q

L-Literal / Literally (can it be used in support of exageration?)

A

Best not to be used to exagerate a situation (i.e. a literal flood of abuse, literally dead with fatigue)

42
Q

M-Meaningful (useful adjective?)

A

It is a bankrupt adjective; choose another or rephrase

43
Q

M-Most as an alternative to almost (most everybody vs almost everybody)

A

Should not be used as an alternative to almost

44
Q

N-Nature (overused? in which contexts)

A

First, it is often unncessary (acts of a hostile nature should be hostile acts)

Second, can be more specific (lover of nature or poems about nature - what is meant by nature)

45
Q

N-Nauseous vs Nauseated

A

Nauseous means ‘sickening to contemplate’

Nauseated means ‘sick at the stomach’

46
Q

N-Nice (overused?)

A

Overused as an all purpose word

47
Q

N-Noun as a verb? (e.g. she headquarters in Newark)

A

Not all nouns used as verbs are bad but all are suspect. When possible, use alternative:

She had headquarters in New York.

48
Q

O-One followed by his or her? (One must watch his step vs one’s step)

A

When one is used in the sense of a person, it should not be followed by his or her:
One must watch one’s step.

49
Q

C4-O-One of the most…(wrong grammatically? ok to use?)

A

Although nothing wrong with the grammar, best to avoid

50
Q

O-..-oriented as in situation-oriented, manufacturing-oriented

A

Best to avoid

51
Q

P-Partially vs partly (when to use?)

A

Partly best used as in “to a certain degree”

Partially carries the idea of a part as distinct from the whole-usually a physical object

52
Q

C4-P-People vs Public vs Persons

A

The people is a political term, not to be confused with the public.

From the people comes political support or opposition; from the public comes artistic appreciation or commercial patronage

Also best not used with words of number in the place of persons

53
Q

C4-P-Personally (when to use?)

A

It is often unnecessary.

Example: Personally, I thought it was a good book.

Better: I thought it a good book.

54
Q

P-Possess (vs have or own)

A

Often used because it sounds more impressive; usage is not incorrect but is to be guarded against

55
Q

C4-P-Presently (meaning?)

A

Has two meanings: ‘in a short while’ and ‘currently’

Because of ambiguity, best restricted to first meaning (‘soon’)

56
Q

C4-P-Prestigious (when to use?)

A

Best to avoid

57
Q

R-Respective / Respectively (when to use?)

A

Can often be omitted

58
Q

C4-S-Secondly, thirdly (vs second, third)

A

Modern usage prefers: second, third

59
Q

S-Shall, Will (when to use?)

A

In formal writing shall is used for the first person and will for the second and third

In the first person, shall expresses belief regarding a future state or action (“I shall drown; no one will save me!”) whereas will in the first person expresses determination or consent (“I will drown” - as in a suicide)

60
Q

S-So (can be used as an intensifier i.e. so good?)

A

No

61
Q

C4-S-Split infinitive (ok to split infinitive with an adverb: to diligently inquire)

A

Unless the author wants to put unusually stress on the adverb, best to be avoided and hence:
To inquire diligently

62
Q

C4-S-State vs say/remark (when to use?)

A

Should not be a substitue for say or remark; restrict it to the sense of “express fully or clearly”

63
Q

S-Student body vs students

A

Nine out of ten times best to just use students (a student vs a member of the student body)

64
Q

C4-T-Than (when expressing comparison - what should one be careful of)

A

Make sure no essential words are missing.

I’m probably closer to my mother than (to) my father.

Need to include ‘to’ or else meaning may not be clear

65
Q

T-Thanking you in advance (when to use?)

A

Best to avoid since it sounds like: “It will not be wroth my while to write to you again.”

66
Q

C4-T-That vs which (which one is defining/restrictive and which is nondefinging/non-restrictive?)

A

‘That’ is defining/restrictive (The lawn mower that is broken in the garage)

‘Which’ is nondefining/restrictive (The law mower, which is broken, is in the garage.)

67
Q

T-The forseeable future (when to use?)

A

Best to avoid as is a fuzzy term

68
Q

T-The truth is… The fact is… (when to use)

A

Best not to use. If you feel you are possed of the truth or fact then simply state it

69
Q

C4-T They vs he/she (how to use pronouns after an antecedent)

A

Do not use they when the antecedent is each, each one, everybody, every one, anybody, somebody, someone - use the singular pronoun (usually he embracing both genders)

However, if there is any resistance to using he or she then alternatives are:
1. Use the plural instead of the singular for the antecedent: Writers must address their readers’ concerns
2. Eliminate the pronoun altogether: The writer must adress (his) readers’ concerns (note that his is eliminated)
3. Substitue the second person for the third person: As a writer, you must address your readers’ concerns

70
Q

C4-T-This as a means of referring to the complete sense of a preceding sentence

A

Be careful as using ‘this’ to refer to an entire sentence may produce an imprecise statement

71
Q

C4-T-Tortuous vs Torturous

A

Tortous means full of twists, turns, complexity

Torturous means causing or involving great pain

72
Q

C4-T-Transpire (how to use or not use)

A

Best not to use in the sense of ‘happen’ or ‘come to pass’

It should mean: breathe across or through. Hence can also be used in the sense of ‘became known’: Eventually the grim account of his villany transpired (literally leaked through or out)

73
Q

C4-T-Try to vs Try and (which is better)

A

Try to is more precise (Try to mend it vs try and mend it)

74
Q

T-Type (synonym for kind of?)

A

Better not to use it in the sense of kind of (kind of employee not type of employee)

Rather type of is more correctly a structured category (that type of fabric is water proof)

75
Q

U-Unique (are there degrees of uniqueness?)

A

No, hence it is incorrect to state something is more unique or very unique. It is simply unique.

76
Q

C4-V-Very (how often to use?)

A

Best to use sparingly; when empasis is necessary, use words strong in themselves

77
Q

C4-W-While (when to use)

A

Best to use in the sense of ‘during the time that’

Best to limit its use for ‘and’, ‘but’ and ‘although’. A semi-colon is often better

78
Q

C4-W-wise (as an pseudosuffix: taxwise, pricewise - when to use?)

A

Best to avoid

79
Q

C4-W-Would (when to use to describe habitual action in the past?)

A

When an idea of habit or repition is expressed in such phrases of once a year, every ay, each sunday, the past tense without would is sufficient:

Once a year he visited (would visit) the old mansion

Otherwise fine to use would to descrive habitual action

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