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Style is important, I know. Though readers are primarily interested in what I have to say, the way in which I say it may either keep their interest or discourage them to read on. Every writer complies ( or at least tries to) some style set of rules. I’m guided by well written articles and essays in The Economist. So, The Economist Style Guide is the style book.

style is important

The New Yorker, 75th anniversary cartoon collection,

Bob Mankoff, Ed., Pocket Books, New York, 1999.

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.

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.

 2008-03-16 

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