The Art of Writing & Speaking the English Language Part 25

_Expect_. Do not use for _think,_ as in "I _expect_ it is so."

_Fetch_. Means to _go and bring,_ hence _go and fetch_ is wrong.

_Fix_. Not used for _arrange_ or the like, as "fix the furniture."

_From_. Say, "He died of cholera," not _from_.

_Got_. Properly you "have _got_" what you made an effort to get, not what you merely "have."

_Graduate_. Say, "The man _is graduated_ from college," and "The college _graduates_ the man."

_Had ought. Ought_ never requires any part of the verb _to have_.

_Had rather, had better_. Disputed, but used by good writers.

_Handy_. Does not mean near _by_.

_In so far as_. Omit the _in_.

_Kind of_. After these two words omit _a,_ and say, "What kind of man,"

not "What kind of _a_ man." Also, do not say, "_kind_ of tired."

_Lady_. Feminine for _lord,_ therefore do not speak of a "sales-lady,"

"a man and his lady," etc.

_Last; latter_. We say _latter_ of two, in preference to _last;_ but _last_ of three.

_Lay; lie_. We _lay_ a thing down, but we ourselves _lie_ down; we say, "He laid the Bible on the table," but "He lay down on the couch;" "The coat has been laid away," and "It has lain in the drawer." _Lay, laid, laid_--takes an object; _lie, lay, lain_--does not.

_Learn_. Never used as an active verb with an object, a in "I _learned_ him his letters." We say, "He _learned_ his letters," and "I _taught_ him his letters."

_Learned_. "A _learned_ man"--p.r.o.nounce _learn-ed_ with two syllables; but "He has _learned_ his lesson"--one syllable.

_Like_. Do not say, "Do _like_ I do." Use _as_ when a conjunction is required.

_Lives_. Do not say, "I had just as _lives_ as not," but "I had just as _Lief_."

_Lot_. Does not mean _many,_ as in "a _lot_ of men," but one _division,_ as, "in that lot."

_Lovely_. Do not overwork this word. A rose may be _lovely,_ but hardly a plate of soup.

_Mad_. We prefer to say _angry_ if we mean out _of temper_.

_Mistaken_. Some critics insist that it is wrong to say "I am mistaken"

when we mean "I mistake."

_Love_. We _like_ candy rather than _love_ it. Save Love for something higher.

_Most_. In writing, do not use _'most_ for _almost_.

_Mutual friend_. Though d.i.c.kens used this expression in one of his t.i.tles in the sense of common _friend,_ it is considered incorrect by many critics. The proper meaning of _mutual_ is reciprocal.

_Nothing Like_. Do not say, "Nothing _like_ as handsome."

_Of all others_. Not proper after a superlative; as, "greatest of all others," the meaning being "the greatest of all," or "great above all others."

_Only_. Be careful not to place this word so that its application will be doubtful, as in "His mother only spoke to him," meaning "Only his mother."

_On to_. Not one word like _into_. Use it as you would on and to together.

_Orate_. Not good usage.

_Plenty_. Say, "Fruit was plentiful," not "plenty."

_Preventative_. Should be _preventive_.

_Previous_. Say, "previously to," not "previous to." Also, do not say, "He was too previous"--it is a pure vulgarism.

_Providing_. Say, "_Provided_ he has money," not "Providing."

_Propose_. Do not confuse with _purpose_. One proposes a plan, but _purposes_ to do something, though it is also possible a _propose,_ or make a proposition, to do something.

_Quite_. Do not say, "Quite a way," or "Quite a good deal," but reserve the word for such phrases as "Quite sure," "Quite to the edge," etc.

_Raise; rise_. Never tell a person to "raise up," meaning "raise himself up," but to "rise up." Also, do not speak of "raising children," though we may "raise horses."

_Scarcely_. Do not say, "I shall scarcely (hardly) finish before night,"

though it is proper to use it of time, as in "I saw him scarcely an hour ago."

_Seldom or ever_. Incorrect for "seldom if ever."

_Set; sit_. We _set_ the cup down, and sit down ourselves. The hen _sits;_ the sun _sets_; a dress _sits_.

_Sewerage; sewage_. The first means the system of sewers, the second the waste matter.

_Some_. Do not say, "I am _some_ tired," "I like it _some,_" etc.

_Stop_. Say, "Stay in town," not "_Stop in town_."

_Such another_. Say "another such."

_They_. Do not refer to _any one,_ by _they, their,_ or _them;_ as in "If any one wishes a cup of tea, they may get it in the next room." Say, "If any one ... he may ..."

_Transpire_. Does not mean "occur," and hence we do not say "Many events transpired that year." We may say, "It transpired that he had been married a year."

_Unique_. The word means _single, alone, the only one_ so we cannot say, "very unique," or the like.

_Very_. Say, "_very_ much pleased," not "_very_ pleased," though the latter usage is sustained by some authorities.