,Table of Contents
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................3
SPELLING MISTAKES ....................................................................................4
USAGE MISTAKES .......................................................................................15
GRAMMAR MISTAKES ................................................................................31
PUNCTUATION MISTAKES ..........................................................................40
,Introduction
INTRODUCTION
T his book is for writers who want to avoid the most common errors of written English without spending a
lot of time looking things up.
The list of 100 spelling, usage, and punctuation errors does not include every possible mistake, but it covers a
great many "howlers" that can put off potential customers and clients.
A few entries feature a spelling or usage that differs in British and American English, or an expression or rule
on which thoughtful people disagree. These entries are marked with an asterisk (*).
Grammar terms and grammatical explanations have been kept to a minimum, but it is expected that the
reader will be familiar with the English parts of speech and such basic terms as subject, object, clause, and
phrase.
The most essential pair of tools for every writer is a good dictionary and a respected style guide. To avoid the
most commonly-encountered writing errors, however, the writer in a hurry can save time by looking here first.
, Spelling Mistakes
SPELLINGMISTAKES
SPELLING MISTAKES
1. accept / except
INCORRECT: Please except this gift.
CORRECT: Please accept this gift.
Except, as a verb, means to exclude or leave out. As a preposition it means "with the exception of." Accept
means "to receive willingly." For example: We visited every landmark except the Eiffel Tower. The school is
accepting only those students who have had their shots; all others are excepted.
2. advice / advise
INCORRECT: He refused to take my advise.
CORRECT: He refused to take my advice.
Advise is a verb. The s has the sound of "z." Advice is a noun. The c has the sound of "s."
3.all right / alright
INCORRECT: He's alright after his fall.
CORRECT: He's all right after his fall.
Although arguments are advanced for the acceptance of the spelling, alright is still widely regarded as
nonstandard. Careful writers avoid it.
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................3
SPELLING MISTAKES ....................................................................................4
USAGE MISTAKES .......................................................................................15
GRAMMAR MISTAKES ................................................................................31
PUNCTUATION MISTAKES ..........................................................................40
,Introduction
INTRODUCTION
T his book is for writers who want to avoid the most common errors of written English without spending a
lot of time looking things up.
The list of 100 spelling, usage, and punctuation errors does not include every possible mistake, but it covers a
great many "howlers" that can put off potential customers and clients.
A few entries feature a spelling or usage that differs in British and American English, or an expression or rule
on which thoughtful people disagree. These entries are marked with an asterisk (*).
Grammar terms and grammatical explanations have been kept to a minimum, but it is expected that the
reader will be familiar with the English parts of speech and such basic terms as subject, object, clause, and
phrase.
The most essential pair of tools for every writer is a good dictionary and a respected style guide. To avoid the
most commonly-encountered writing errors, however, the writer in a hurry can save time by looking here first.
, Spelling Mistakes
SPELLINGMISTAKES
SPELLING MISTAKES
1. accept / except
INCORRECT: Please except this gift.
CORRECT: Please accept this gift.
Except, as a verb, means to exclude or leave out. As a preposition it means "with the exception of." Accept
means "to receive willingly." For example: We visited every landmark except the Eiffel Tower. The school is
accepting only those students who have had their shots; all others are excepted.
2. advice / advise
INCORRECT: He refused to take my advise.
CORRECT: He refused to take my advice.
Advise is a verb. The s has the sound of "z." Advice is a noun. The c has the sound of "s."
3.all right / alright
INCORRECT: He's alright after his fall.
CORRECT: He's all right after his fall.
Although arguments are advanced for the acceptance of the spelling, alright is still widely regarded as
nonstandard. Careful writers avoid it.
