Instructions for
Usage Notes
Choose one assignments from the following list and answer the
question
What do Bedford, The Elements of Style, Random House, and Modern English Usage say about the following words?
The books can be obtained from the library or from me.
These problems are definitely mentioned in The
Elements of Style. They might not be in the others, but do
check.
If there are two words on a line, it means that the usage problem is
that
these two words are often confused. Together they count as one
assignment.
As assignments are chosen, I will change their color to red so that you
know they have been done.
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allusion,
illusion an allusion is an indirect reference, an
illusion is a false vision
among,
between between for two objects, among for more than
two
being
case
comprise
different
due
to
effect different from
"affect" effect means to accomplish
factor
farther,
further "farther" should be used to
compare distances only
imply,
infer
in terms of
lay,
lie lay is transitive and needs an
object "I lay down the book", lie is intransitive.
less,
fewer the "rule" is that fewer
is used for things you can count
most,
almost almost "means not
quite"; don't use most when you mean almost
ongoing "continuing" is usually better
presently
than,
then then has the sense of time or
consequence
try
utilize
variation of "use"
while
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The
The Elements of Style, W. Strunk and E. B. White, 3rd Ed, Macmillan, 1979
The Random House
Handbook,
A Dictionary of Modern English Usage, H. W. Fowler, 2nd Ed, 1965