The New Yorker, 75th
anniversary cartoon collection,
Bob
Mankoff, Ed., Pocket Books, New York, 1999. |
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FACT:
The fact that can usually be boiled down to that.
FEWER
(not less) than seven speeches, fewer than seven
samurai. Use fewer, not less, with numbers of
individual items or people. Less than $200, less than
tonnes of oil, less than a third, because these are
measured quantities or proportions, not individual items.
FINALLY:
Do not use finally when, at the end of a series, you mean lastly
or, in other contexts, when you mean at last.
FORGO
means do without; it forgoes the e. FOREGO means go
before. A foregone conclusion is one that is
predetermined; a forgone conclusion is non-existent.
FORMER:
avoid whenever possible use of the former and the later.
It usually causes confusion.
FREE
is an adjective or an adverb, so you cannot have or do anything for
free. Either you have it free or you have it for
nothing.
GENDER
is a word to be applied to grammar, not people. If someone is
female, that is her sex not her gender.
GET:
an adaptable verb, but it has its limits. A man does not get sacked
or promoted, he is sacked or promoted.
HOMOGENEOUS
means of the same kind or nature. HOMOGENOUS means similar
because of common descent.
INVESTIGATIONS
of, not into. LAST:
The last issue of Foreign Affairs implies their extinction; prefer
last month's issue, the previous issue. LIKE
governs nouns and pronouns, not verbs and clauses. So as in
America not like in America. But authorities like
Fowler and Gowers is an acceptable alternative to authorities
such as Fowler and Gowers. ONLY:
Put only as close as you can to the words it qualifies.
Thus, these animals mate only in June. To say they only
mate in June implies that in June they do nothing else. PERCOLATE
means to pass through, not up or down. |
AFFINITY
is by definition mutual. It can exist between or with
things, but not to or for them.
AGGRAVATE
means make worse, not irritate or annoy.
AGREE:
things are agreed on, to or about, not just
agreed.
ANY
ONE refers to a number; ANYONE to anybody.
ANY
WAY refers to any manner; ANYWAY means nevertheless.
APPRAISE
means set a price on; apprise means inform.
CENTERED
on, not around or in.
COLLAPSE
is not transitive. You may collapse, but you may not collapse
something.
COMPARE:
A is compared with B when you draw attention to the
difference. A is compared to B when you want to stress
their similarity.
DIFFERENT
from, not to or than.
DISCREET
means circumspect or prudent; DISCRETE means separate
or distinct.
EFFECTIVELY
means with effect; if you mean in effect, say it. The
matter was effectively dealt with on Friday means it was done
well on Friday. The matter was, in fact, dealt with on
Friday means that it was more or less attended to on
Friday.
EVERY
ONE refers to a number; EVERYONE means everybody.
EX:
Be careful with ex: a Liberal ex-member has lost his
seat; an ex-Liberal member has lost his party.
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PRESENTLY
means soon, not at present.
PRISTINE
means original or former condition, not pure
or clean.
REPORT
on, not into.
SAME:
often superfluous. If your sentence contains on the same day
that, try on the day that.
SOME
TIME means at some point; SOMETIME means former: her
sometime friend.
SPECIFIC:
a specific is a medicine (a remedy for a specific
disease or condition), no a detail.
STATIONARY:
still. STATIONERY: writing paper and so on.
STRAIGHT
means direct or uncurved; STRAIT means narrow
or tight.
TARGET
is a noun. If you are tempted to use it as a verb. try aim
or direct. TARGETED means provided with a shield.
THERE
IS, THERE ARE: often unnecessary. There were smiles on every
face is better as A smile was on every face. There
are three issues facing the prime minister is better as Three
issues face the prime minister.
TIMES:
take care. Three times more than X means four times as
much as X.
VENERABLE
means worthy of reference. It is not a synonym for old.
WHILE
is best used temporally. Do not use it in place of although
or whereas.
Source:
The Economist Style Guide, Profile Books, London, 1999.
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