Possible Grammatical Error # # A comment line. Something new for Grammarian V1.4.0! # A '/' can also indicate a comment line. # > AFFECT > EFFECT Affect or effect? AFFECT (vb.) - to influence, to change EFFECT - to accomplish (vb.); result (n.) >AFTERWARDS AFTERWARDS - Use 'afterward'. >TOWARDS TOWARDS - Use 'toward'. >ALRIGHT All right or alright? ALL RIGHT - the correct form ALRIGHT - no such spelling, use 'all right' > ALLUD > ELUD >REFER Allude, elude, or refer? ALLUDE - to refer to directly ELUDE - to escape REFER - to mention something definitely > ANNUAL ANNUAL - Don't use 'first' with annual. If it's the first time, it can't be annual. > AVERS >ADVERS Adverse or averse? ADVERSE - opposed AVERSE - disinclined > BLOCK Bloc or block? BLOC - a coalition of people or a group with the same purpose or goal. BLOCK - "Too many definitions to list. Consult the dictionary if a definition is required." > COMPOSE > COMPOSING > COMPRISE > COMPRISING Compose or comprise? COMPOSE - putting things together COMPRISE - once the parts are put together, the object comprises the parts > COUPLE COUPLE - It's never "a couple tomatoes." You need the 'of'. >DEMOLISH >DESTROY DEMOLISH or DESTROY - 'Demolish' and 'destroy' mean to do away completely. You can't partially demolish or destroy anything, nor is there any need to say totally destroyed. >DIFFERENT THAN DIFFERENT THAN - Things and people are 'different' from each other. Don't write that they are different than each other. >DROWN DROWN - Don't say someone 'was drowned' unless an assailant held the victim's head under water. Just say the victim drowned. >DUE TO >OWING TO DUE TO or OWING TO - The last is prefered: WRONG: The game was canceled 'due to' rain. STILTED: 'Owing to' rain, the game was cancelled. RIGHT: The game was canceled 'because of' rain. >ECOLOGY >ECOLOGI >ENVIRONMENT Ecology or environment? ECOLOGY - the study of the relationship between organisms and their environment ENVIRONMENT - the circumstances, objects, or conditions by which one is surrounded > EITHER >"EITHER EITHER - one or the other, not both >FLIER >FLYER Flier or flyer? FLIER - airmen FLYER - handbills >FLOUT >FLAUNT Flout or flaunt? FLOUT - to mock, to scoff or to show disdain for FLAUNT - to display ostentatiously. >FUNERAL FUNERAL - 'Funeral service' is a redundant expression. A funeral is a service. >HEAD UP >HEADS UP >HEADED UP >HEADING UP HEAD UP - People don't 'head up' committees. They head them. >HOPEFULLY HOPEFULLY - 'Hopefully' is one of the most commonly misused words, in spite of what the dictionary may say. Hopefully should describe the way the subject feels. For instance: "Hopefully, I shall present the plan to the president." (This means I will be hopeful when I do it.) But it is something else again when you attribute hope to a non-person. You may write: "Hopefully, the war will end soon." This means you hope the war will end soon, but it is not what you are writing. What you mean is: I hope the war will end soon. > IMPLY > IMPLIE > INFER Imply or infer? IMPLY - the speaker implies INFER - the hearer infers >IN ADVANCE OF >PRIOR TO IN ADVANCE OF or PRIOR TO - Use 'before' instead of 'in advance of' or 'prior to'. > IT'S >"IT's > ITS >"ITS Its or it's? ITS - is the possessive IT'S - is the contraction of 'it is' >LEAVE ALONE >LET ALONE 'Leave alone' or 'let alone'? LEAVE ALONE - to depart from or cause to be in solitude LET ALONE - to be undisturbed > LESS >"LESS > FEW >"FEW Few or less? FEW - used in reference to number LESS - used in reference to quantity >MARSHAL >MARTIAL Marshal, marshall, or martial? MARSHAL - a high official; a person who arranges the ceremonial aspects of a gathering MARSHALL - is correct only when the word is a proper noun (ie. John Marshall) MARTIAL - pertaining to war, military > MEDIAN MEDIAN - Use 'mean' as synonymous with 'average'. Each word refers to the sum of all components divided by the number of components. 'Median' is the number that has as many components above it as below. > VERBAL > ORAL Oral or verbal? ORAL - use of the mouth is central to the thought; the word emphasizes the idea of human utterance VERBAL - may apply to spoken or written words; it connotes the process of reducing ideas to writing. Usually, it's a verbal contract, not an oral one, if it's in writing. > OVER >"OVER >MORE THAN OVER or MORE THAN - 'Over' and 'more than' aren't interchangeable. Over refers to spatial relationships: The plane flew over the city. More than is used with figures: In the crowd were more than 1,000 fans. >PEDDLE >PEDAL Peddle or pedal? PEDDLE - selling something PEDAL - riding a bicycle or similar form of locomotion > PRETENS > PRETEXT Pretense or pretext? PRETENSE - a "false show"; a more overt act intended to conceal personal feelings: My profuse compliments were all pretense. PRETEXT - that which is put forward to conceal a truth: He was discharged for tardiness, but this was only a pretext for general incompetence >PRINCIPLE >PRINCIPAL Principal or principle? PRINCIPAL (n. or adj.) - the first dominant, or leading thing PRINCIPLE (n.) - a guiding rule or basic truth > REFUTE > RESPOND Refute or respond? REFUTE - connotes success in argument and almost always impiles an editorial judgement RESPOND - to say something in return >RELUCTANT >RETICENT Reluctant or reticent? RELUCTANT - if someone doesn't want to act RETICENT - if someone doesn't want to speak >TEMPERATURE TEMPERATURE - 'Temperatures' may get higher or lower, but they don't get warmer or cooler. >UNDERWAY >UNDER WAY UNDERWAY or UNDER WAY - Not 'underway'. But don't say something got 'under way'. Say it started or began. >UNIQUE UNIQUE - Something that is 'unique' is the only one of its kind. It can't be very unique or somewhat unique or quite unique or rather unique. Don't use it unless you really mean unique. >WHO >WHOM Who or whom? WHO - used when the somebody has been the actor WHOM - refers to someone who has been the object of an action A nineteen-year-old woman, to whom the room was rented, left the window open. A nineteen-year-old woman, who rented the room, left the window open. >WHO'S >WHOSE Who's or whose? WHO'S - though it incorporates an apostrophe, "who's" is not a possessive. It's a contraction for 'who is'. WHOSE - is the possessive WRONG: I don't know who's coat it is. RIGHT: I don't know whose coat it is. RIGHT: Find out who's there. >.* A 'space' was NOT found after a period. >,* A 'space' was NOT found after a comma. > ROUT Rout or route? ROUT - an overwhelming defeat ROUTE - the path taken from one point to another > ADAPT > ADEPT Adapt or adept? ADAPT - to adjust ADEPT - proficient > CONNIV > CONSPIR Connive or conspire? CONNIVE - to encourage or assent to a wrong by silence CONSPIRE - to plot or scheme for evil or unlawful purposes > DATA > DATUM Data or datum? DATA - a collection of facts or figures from which conclusions can be made. (Data is composed of datum.) DATUM - a known, assumed, or conceded fact from which an inference is made > PORE >"PORE > POUR >"POUR Pore or pour? PORE - a small opening, especially a minute perforation in the skin POUR - to cause to flow in a continuous stream > DISCREET > DISCRET Discreet or discrete? DISCREET - wise in avoiding errors or selecting the best means to accomplish a purpose DISCRETE - disconnected from others; distinct or separate >CONTINUAL >CONTINUOUS Continual or continuous? CONTINUAL - frequently recurring; refers to time and implies close succession (continual rains) CONTINUOUS - uninterrupted; refers to time and space and implies continuity (continuous heartbeat) > LOATH Loath or loathe? LOATH - strongly reluctant; averse. (Also spelled as 'loth'.) LOATHE - to feel great hatred or disgust for; abhor; detest > TAUNT > TOUT Taunt or tout? TAUNT - a sarcastic, biting speech or remark TOUT - to solicit customers, votes, etc. > SENSUAL > SENSUOUS Sensual or sensuous? SENSUAL - unduly indulgent to the appetites of sexual pleasure SENSUOUS - pertaining or appealing to or derived from the senses: used in a higher and purer sense than sensual > ANTAGONI > PROTAGONI Antagonist or protagonist? ANTAGONIST - an adversary; enemey PROTAGONIST - a leader in any enterprise or contest > CONSTRAIN > RESTRAIN Constrain or restrain? CONSTRAIN - to compel by physical or moral means; oblige RESTRAIN - to hold back from acting, or advancing; repress > CONNOT > DENOT Connote or denote? CONNOTE - to indicate or imply along with the literal meaning; mention by implication DENOTE - to point out or make known > ABUNDAN > FULSOME Abundant or fulsome? ABUNDANT - affording a plentiful supply; ample FULSOME - offensive and distasteful because excessive > GESTUR > GESTICULAT Gesticulate or gesture? GESTICULATE - to make motions with the hands or arms, as in speaking GESTURE - an expressive action or motion, used to express some idea or emotion > EVOKE > INVOKE Evoke or invoke? EVOKE - to call or summon forth; elicit, as an emotion or reply INVOKE - to call on for aid or protection > TROOP > TROUPE Troop or troupe? TROOP - an assembled company; gathering TROUPE - a company of actors or other performers > OPTIMAL > OPTIMUM Optimal or optimum? OPTIMAL - of, pertaingin to, indicating, or characterized by an optimum OPTIMUM - the condition or degree producing the best result >A GREAT DEAL OF Wordy - Use "much" instead of "a great deal of". >ANY ONE >ANYONE Any one or anyone? ANY ONE - used to distinguish one person from others in the same group or class: "Any one of these men may be guilty." ANYONE: Any person at all: "Can anyone identify the culprit?" > ROB > ROBBED > ROBBING > STEAL > STEALING > STOLE Rob or steal? ROB - to seize and carry off the property of by unlawful violence or threat of violence STEAL - to take from another without right, authority, or permission, and usually in a secret manner >ALL READY >ALREADY All ready or already? ALL READY - entirely ready (The work is all ready for you.) ALREADY - action has occurred (I have already finished the work.) > AND OR > AND/OR AND OR - Avoid the use of "and or" together in a sentence. Rewrite. >AROUND >ABOUT About or around? ABOUT - around the outside; on every side AROUND - so as to encompass or encircle all sides > ASSUM > PRESUM Assume or presume? ASSUME - to take up or adopt, as a style of dress, or character PRESUME - to take upon oneself without warrant or permission > CAN NOT CAN NOT - Usage error. Use "cannot" instead of "can not". >INSIDE OF INSIDE OF - Use "inside" or "within". >LATER ON LATER ON - Use "later". >MOST OF THE MOST OF THE - Use "most". > OFF OF OFF OF - Use "off". >ONE OF THE ONE OF THE - Use "one", "a" or "an". > END UP END UP - Use "end". >IN MOST CASES IN MOST CASES - Use "usually". >IN ORDER TO IN ORDER TO - Use "to". >IN RARE CASES IN RARE CASES - Use "rarely". >REFERENCE TO REFERENCE TO - Use "concerning" or "about". >AMONG >BETWEEN Among or between? AMONG - use when reference is to more than two BETWEEN - use when reference is made to only two persons >ACCEPT >EXCEPT Accept or except? ACCEPT - to receive EXCEPT - to exclude > FEEL > THINK Feel or think? FEEL - to perceive or become aware of by the senses: to feel the prick of a pin THINK - to produce or form in the mind; conceive mentally: to think evil thoughts > PASSED > PAST Passed or past? PASSED - (rarely used) to go by or move past and leave behind PAST - belonging in time gone by; hence, accomplished or ended >", A 'comma' belongs on the left side of double quotes. >". A 'period' belongs on the left side of double quotes. >"! An 'exclamation mark' belongs on the left side of double quotes. >ADVIS >INFORM >INFORMED >INFORMING Advise or inform? ADVISE - to give advice to; council INFORM - to tell (someone) facts or information previously unknown; make someone knowing to > CONCISE > PRECISE Concise or precise? CONCISE - expressing much in brief form; compact; terse PRECISE - shapely or clearly determined; exact >ACCEDE >EXCEED Accede or exceed? ACCEDE - to adhere to an agreement EXCEED - to surpass > APPRAIS > APPRIS > APPRIZ Appraise, apprise, or apprize? APPRAISE - to value APPRISE - to inform, to notify APPRIZE - to put a value on; seldom used, same as appraise >FURTHERMORE >MOREOVER Furthermore or moreover? FURTHERMORE - in addition; moreover MOREOVER - beyond what has been said; further; besides; likewise > INSURE > ASSURE Assure or insure? ASSURE - to make sure or secure; establish against change INSURE - to contract to pay or be paid an indemnity in the event of harm to or the loss or death of > ASCRIB > DESCRIB > PRESCRIB Ascribe, describe, or prescribe? ASCRIBE - to refer, as to a cause or source; attribute DESCRIBE - to give an account of; represent, with spoken or written words PRESCRIBE - to set down as a direction or rule to be followed > HENCE > THENCE > WHENCE Hence, thence, or whence? HENCE - away from this place THENCE - from that place WHENCE - from what place. ('Whence' is correlative of 'thence'.) > ENCROACH > IMPINGE > INFRINGE > TRESPASS Encroach, impinge, infringe, or trespass? ENCROACH - to intrude upon the possessions or right of another by or as by stealth; trespass IMPINGE - to come into contact; strike; collide INFRINGE - to break or disregard the terms or requirements of, as an oath or law; violate TRESPASS - to violate wilfully and forcibly the personal or property rights of another > OBTRUD > PROTRUD > INTRUD > EXTRUD Extrude, intrude, obtrude, or protrude? EXTRUDE - to force, thrust, or push out; expel INTRUDE - to thrust or force in without leave or excuse OBTRUDE - to thrust or force (oneself, an opinion, etc.) upon others without request or warrant PROTRUDE - to push or thrust out; project outward > DISPENS > DISBURS > DISPERS Disburse, dispense, or disperse? DISBURSE - to pay out; expend DISPENSE - to give or deal out in portions; distribute (as medicine) DISPERSE - to cause to scatter and go off in various directions > SUPPRESS > REPRESS Repress or suppress? REPRESS - to keep under restraint or control SUPPRESS - to put an end to # # Added for Version 1.4.1 # > RACK > WRACK Rack or wrack? RACK - an open grating, framework to hold dishes, fodder for horses, etc. WRACK - marine vegetation and floating material cast ashore by the sea. The state of being wrecked; ruin; destruction. Shipwreck; a wrecked vessel. RACK or WRACK - thin, flying or broken clouds. Any floating vapor. # # Added for Version 1.5.0 # >ADHERENCE >ADHERENTS Adherence or adherents? ADHERENCE - attachment ADHERENTS - followers >ADDITION >EDITION Addition or edition? ADDITION - something added EDITION - the whole number of copies published at one time >ALL TOGETHER >ALTOGETHER All together or altogether? ALL TOGETHER - in a body (The family is all together.) ALTOGETHER - entirely (You are altogether right.) >ALLUSION >DELUSION >ILLUSION Allusion, delusion, or illusion? ALLUSION - an indirect reference DELUSION - an error in judgement ILLUSION - an error of vision >ALMOST > MOST >"MOST Almost or most? ALMOST (adv.) - nearly MOST - an adj., an adv. of comparison, a pronoun: most people, most beautiful, most of them > ALTAR > ALTER Altar or alter? ALTAR (n.) - a sacred place of worship ALTER (vb.) - to change >AMATEUR >NOVICE Amateur or novice? AMATEUR - one who engages in pursuit, study, science, sport as a pastime NOVICE - one new in a business or in a profession >AMORAL >IMMORAL >UNMORAL Amoral, immoral, or unmoral? AMORAL - nonmoral IMMORAL - dissolute UNMORAL - having no moral perception; synonymous with nonmoral >AMOUNT >NUMBER >QUANTITY Amount, number, or quantity? AMOUNT - bulk, the sum total referring to number NUMBER - refers to something counted QUANTITY - refers to something measured >ANECDOTE >ANTIDOTE Anecdote or antidote? ANECDOTE - a narrative of a particular incident ANTIDOTE - a remedy to counteract poison >ANYWHERES There is no such word as 'anywheres'. >APT >LIABLE >LIKELY Apt, liable, or likely? APT - suitable, appropriate, skilled LIABLE - legally bound; implies undesirable consequences LIKELY - possible >ASCENT >ASSENT Ascent or assent? ASCENT - act of rising ASSENT - consent >ASSAY >ESSAY Assay or essay? ASSAY - to test and to analyze, as ore; to estimate ESSAY (vb.) - to try, to attempt >ATTORNEY >LAWYER Attorney or lawyer? ATTORNEY - strictly applies to one transacting legal business LAWYER - applies to anyone in the profession; also, one legally appointed by another to transact business for him >VOCATION Avocation or vocation? AVOCATION - a minor occupation pursued especially for enjoyment VOCATION - a regular calling or profession >BALANCE >REMAINDER Balance or remainder? BALANCE - the difference between the debit and credit side of an account REMAINDER - the comparatively small part left over >BIRTH >BERTH Berth or birth? BERTH - a place in which to sleep in a railroad sleeping car or on a ship BIRTH - act of being born >BESIDE Beside or besides? BESIDE - at the side of BESIDES - in addition to >CIE 'CIE' - Remember the well-known rhyme in spelling words: I before E Except after C Or when sounded as A As in neighbour and weigh >BIANNUAL >BIENNIAL Biannual or biennial? BIANNUAL - twice a year; synonymous with semiannual BIENNIAL - every two years >BOUILLON >BULLION Bouillon or bullion? BOUILLON - a clear soup BULLION - uncoined gold or silver in bars or ingots >BREATH Breath or breathe? BREATH (n.) - respiration BREATHE (vb.) - to inhale and exhale > BRING >"BRING > TAKE >"TAKE Bring or take? BRING - to convey toward (the speaker) TAKE - to carry from (the speaker) >CALENDER >CALENDAR Calendar or calender? CALENDAR - record of time CALENDER - a machine for finishing paper and cloth >CANON >CANNON Cannon or canon? CANNON - a large gun CANON - a law; a rule; a clergyman belonging to the staff of a cathedral or collegiate church >CANVAS Canvas or canvass? CANVAS (n.) - strong tent cloth CANVASS (vb.) - act of soliciting for orders, votes, etc. >CAPITAL >CAPITOL Capital or capitol? CAPITAL - the seat of government of a state or country; money invested in a business CAPITOL - a building in which a state legislative body meets; with cap., the building in which the U.S. Congress meets in Washington >CASUAL >CAUSAL Casual or causal? CASUAL - happening by chance CAUSAL - relating to a cause or causes >CENSER >CENSOR >CENSUR Censer, censor, or censure? CENSER - an incense pan CENSOR - a critic; to criticize CENSURE - to blame > CESSION > SESSION Cession or session? CESSION - the act of ceding, that is, a granting or a surrender of something, especially the transfer of territory from one country to another SESSION - a term or a meeting place; as a court, legislature, or any organized assembly >CHARACTER >REPUTATION Character or reputation? CHARACTER - sum of quantities that constitute the true individuality of a person REPUTATION - what others think of a person > CITE > SIGHT > SITE Cite, sight, or site? CITE - to summon to appear before a court, to quote by way of authority or proof, to refer to SIGHT - a view SITE - a place >CLIENT >CUSTOMER Client or customer? CLIENT - a person using the services of a lawyer or other professional person CUSTOMER - a person who purchases a commodity or service > CLOSE > CLOTHES > CLOTHS Close, clothes, or cloths? CLOSE - to shut; to bring to an end CLOTHES - wearing apparel CLOTHS - fabrics > COARSE > COURSE Coarse or course? COARSE - rough COURSE - a direction of going, action; part of a meal >COLLEAGUE >PARTNER Colleague or partner? COLLEAGUE - an associate in a profession or a civil or ecclesiastical office PARTNER - a member of a partnership, joint owner in business >COLLISION >COLLUSION Collision or collusion? COLLISION - a clash COLLUSION - secret agreement to defraud >COMMENCE >COMMENTS Commence or comments? COMMENCE - to begin; more formal than begin COMMENTS - remarks > COMPAR > CONTRAST Compare or contrast? COMPARE - to bring things together, to note points of difference or similarity CONTRAST - to bring things together to note points of difference >COUNCIL >COUNSEL Councel or council? COUNCEL - advise, legal advisor COUNSIL - an assembly or group for conference >CREDIBL >CREDITABL >CREDULOUS Credible, creditable, or credulous? CREDIBLE - worthy of acceptance CREDITABLE - praiseworthy CREDULOUS - ready to believe on uncertain evidence >CUSTOMARY >HABITUAL > USUAL Customary, habitual, or usual? CUSTOMARY - established by custom, conforming to common usage HABITUAL - according to habit USUAL - frequent, ordinary >DECEASE >DISEASE Decease or disease? DECEASE - death DISEASE - illness >DEVICE >DEVISE Device or devise? DEVICE - mechanical appliance DEVISE - to contrive, to give by will >DISCREPIT >DISPARAGE Discrepit or disparange? DISCREPIT - to destroy confidence in DISPARAGE - to speak slightingly of, to undervalue >DISINTERESTED >UNINTERESTED Disinterested or uninterested? DISINTERESTED - lack of self-interest UNINTERESTED - not interested, indifferent >DISQUALIFY >UNQUALIFIED Disqualify or unqualified? DISQUALIFY - to render unfit UNQUALIFIED - not fitted > DYING > DYEING Dying or dyeing? DYING - ceasing to live DYEING - coloring >EMERGE >IMMERGE Emerge or immerge? EMERGE - to rise from, to come into view IMMERGE - to plunge into, to immerse >EMIGRATION >IMMIGRATION Emigration or immigration? EMIGRATION - the moving from a country IMMIGRATION - the moving into a country >EMINENT >IMMINENT Eminent or imminent? EMINENT - outstanding, high, lofty IMMINENT - threatening to happen soon > EMPTY >VACANT Empty or vacant? EMPTY - having nothing in it (an empty bottle) VACANT - having nothing on it or in it (vacant land; avacant apartment) >INDORS INDORSE - in America it's preferred to use 'endorse' >ENVELOP Envevop or envelope? ENVELOP (vb.) - to put a covering about ENVELOPE (n.) - a wrapper > ERROR >MISTAKE Error or mistake? ERROR - an act involving a departure from truth or accuracy MISTAKE - a misunderstanding >EXCEEDINGLY >EXCESSIVELY Exceedingly or excessively? EXCEEDINGLY - very greatly EXCESSIVELY - too greatly >EXCEPTIONAL >EXCEPTIONABLE Exceptional or exceptionable? EXCEPTIONAL - unusual EXCEPTIONABLE - open to objection > EXCIT > INCIT Excite or incite? EXCITE - to stir up emotinally INCITE to stir into action >EXPECT >SUSPECT Expect or suspect? EXPECT - to regard as likely to happen SUSPECT - to doubt the truth of >EXTANT >EXTENT Extant or extent? EXTANT - still existing EXTENT - measure, length >FAMOUS >NOTED >NOTORIOUS Famous, noted, or notorious? FAMOUS - celebrated NOTED - eminent, well known NOTORIOUS - unfavorably noted > FLAMMABLE >INFLAMMABLE FLAMMABLE and INFLAMMABLE - synonyms meaning capable of being easily ignited >FORMALLY >FORMERLY Formally or formerly? FORMALLY - ceremoniously FORMERLY - in times past > FORTH >FOURTH Forth or fourth? FORTH - forward FOURTH - the next after third >GUARANTEE >GUARANTY Guarantee or guaranty? GUARANTEE - to secure (preferred in the verb sense) GUARANTY - financial security (preferred in the noun sense) > HANGED > HUNG Hanged or hung? HANGED - of a person HUNG - of an object >HEALTHFUL >HEALTHY >WHOLESOME Healthful, healthy, or wholesome? HEALTHFUL - health-giving, as of climate HEALTHY - in good health WHOLESOME - producing a good effect, as of food > HIRE > LEASE > LET Hire, lease, or let? HIRE - to employ, to obtain the use of LEASE - to grant by lease, to hold under a lease LET - to give the use of, to be let or leased > HUMAN > HUMANE Human or humane? HUMAN - pertaining to mankind HUMANE - benevolent >HYPERCRITICAL >HYPOCRITICAL Hypercritical or hypocritical? HYPERCRITICAL - too critical HYPOCRITICAL - insincere >IMPOSSIBLE >IMPRACTICABLE Impossible or impracticable? IMPOSSIBLE - not possible IMPRACTICABLE - not possible under present conditions > INDICT > INDITE Indict or indite? INDICT - to charge with an offense INDITE - to write, to compose and write >INGENIOUS >INGENUOUS Ingenious or ingenuous? INGENIOUS - clever INGENUOUS - frank, naive > LEAN > LIEN Lean or lien? LEAN - having little fat LIEN - a legal claim > LEAVE > LET Leave or let? LEAVE - to depart from LET - to allow, to permit > LEGIBLE > ELIGIBLE Legible or eligible? LEGIBLE - easy to read ELIGIBLE - qualified to be chosen > LESSEE > LESSOR Lessee or lessor? LESSEE - a tenant LESSOR - one who gives a lease > LOOSE > LOOSEN > LOSE Loose, loosen, or lose? LOOSE - free LOOSEN - to free LOSE - to misplay >MAJORITY >PLURALITY Majority or plurality? MAJORITY - more than half (sing. or pl. according to use) PLURALITY - the largest number of votes cast for one person, a greater number than any other but less than half of the votes cast > MEDAL > MEDDLE Medal or meddle? MEDAL - a badge of honor MEDDLE - to interfere > MINER > MINOR Miner or minor? MINER - a worker for a mine MINOR - underage; inferior in extent, importance, or size >MORAL Moral or morale? MORAL (adj.) - virtuous, right, and proper MORALE (n.) - state of mind (the morale of the students) > NEW > NOVEL New or novel? NEW - recent NOVEL - unusual >OCULIST >OPTICIAN >OPTOMETRIST Oculist, optician, or optometrist? OCULIST - one who treats eyes OPTICIAN - one who makes eyeglasses OPTOMETRIST - one who measures the vision >ORDINANCE >ORDNANCE Ordinance or ordnance? ORDINANCE - law, prescribed practice or usage ORDNANCE - military supplies >OVERDO >OVERDUE Overdo or overdue? OVERDO - to do too much OVERDUE - past due >PARTIALLY >PARTLY Partially or partly? PARTIALLY - in some degree PARTLY - in part >PARTITION >PETITION Partition or petition? PARTITION - a division PETITION - a formal written request, a prayer >PERSECUTE >PROSECUTE Persecute or prosecute? PERSECUTE - to oppress, to subject to persistent ill-treatment PROSECUTE - to sue >PERSONAL >PERSONNEL Personal or personnel? PERSONAL - individual, private PERSONNEL - the staff of an organization >PLAINTIFF >PLAINTIVE Plaintiff or plaintive? PLAINTIFF - a party to a lawsuit PLAINTIVE - mournful >PRACTICAL >PLACTICABLE Prcatical or practicable? PRACTICAL - that which can be done advantageously; sensible, not theoretical (can refer to persons or things) PRACTICABLE - that which can be done; used to refer to things >PRECEDE >PROCEED Precede or proceed? PRECEDE - to go before PROCEED - to begin >PROPOSAL >PROPOSITION Proposal or proposition? PROPOSAL - something offered for acceptance or rejection PROPOSITION - something offered for discussion, assertion >RESPECTFULLY >RESPECTIVELY Respectfully or respectively? RESPECTFULLY - courteously RESPECTIVELY - each in the order given > ROLE > ROLL Role or roll? ROLE - a part or character in a play ROLL - a list; to revolve >SALARY > WAGE Salary or wages? SALARY - a fixed periodical payment made to a person employed in other than manual or mechanical work WAGES - workman's or servant's periodical pay > SAMPLE >SPECIMEN Sample or specimen? SAMPLE - a part of anything presented for inspection SPECIMEN - a part, or one of a number, intended to show the quality of the whole >SEASONABLE >SEASONAL Seasonable or seasonal? SEASONABLE - timely, in keeping with the seasons SEASONAL - periodical, affected by the seasons >SPECIE Specie or species? SPECIE - coin or coined money, usually of gold or silver SPECIES (sing. and pl.) - sort, variety > STABLE > STAPLE Stable or staple? STABLE - firmly established, as stable price; barn STAPLE - produced regularly or in large quantities; a commodity for which the demand is constant > STAID > STAYED Staid or stayed? STAID (adj.) - sedate STAYED - remained, postponed >STATIONARY >STATIONERY Stationary or stationery? STATIONARY - not moving; fixed STATIONERY - writing material > SUIT > SUITE Suit or suite? SUIT - a set, as of clothes; a legal action; wooing; to please SUITE - a retinue; a number of things constituting a set, series, or sequence, as a suite of rooms >TALESMAN >TALISMAN Talesman or talisman? TALESMAN - a person summoned to make up the required number of jurors TALISMAN - a charm >TANTAMOUNT >PARAMOUNT Tantamount or paramount? TANTAMOUNT - equivalent in value, meaning, or effect (His staement was tantamount to a confession.) PARAMOUNT - highest in rank or jurisdiction >TEMPORAL >TEMPORARY Temporal or temporary? TEMPORAL - limited in time; pertaining to the present life, distinguished from the sacred or eternal TEMPORARY - lasting for a time only >UNQUESTIONABLE >UNQUESTIONED Unquestionable or unquestioned? UNQUESTIONABLE - indisputable UNQUESTIONED - that which has not been questioned >WAIVER > WAVER Waiver or waver? WAIVER - the giving up of a claim WAVER - to hesitate # # Added for Version 1.5.1 # >AGGRAVATE >IRRITATE Aggravate or irritate? AGGRAVATE - to add to an already troublesome or vexing matter or condition IRRITATE - to vex, to annoy, or to chafe >ALTERNATE >ALTERNATIVE Alternate or alternative? ALTERNATE - every other one in a series; a substitute ALTERNATIVE - one of two possibilities; a matter of choice that is never present with 'alternate' > ANY BODY > ANYBODY Anybody or any body? ANYBODY - in the sense of "any person"; not to be written as two words ANY BODY - means 'any corpse', or 'any human form', or 'any group'. >AS TO WHETHER AS TO WHETHER - 'Whether' is sufficient. > AS YET AS YET - 'Yet' is nearly always is as good, if not better. The chief exception is at the beginning of a sentence, where 'yet' means something different: Yet (or despite everything) he has not succeeded. As yet (or so far) he has not succeeded. >REGARDED AS BEING REGARDED AS BEING - 'Being' is not appropriate after 'regarded as'. >DOUBT BUT >HELP BUT DOUBT BUT or HELP BUT - 'But' is unnecessary after 'doubt' or 'help'. Rearrange sentence. > DATAS >PHENOMENAS > MEDIAS > STRATAS DATA, MEDIA, PHENOMENA, and STRATA - All these words are plural and do not require 's' added to them. >EACH AND EVERY ONE EACH AND EVERY ONE - Pitchman's jargon. Avoid, except in dialogue. > ENORMITY ENORMITY _ Use only in the sense "monstrous wickedness." Misleading, if not wrong, when used to express bigness. > ENTHUSE ENTHUSE - An annoying verb growing out of the noun 'enthusiasm' (use 'enthusiastic'). Not recommended. > FARTHER > FURTHER Farther or further? FARTHER - serves best as a distance word: A person drives farther. FURTHER - serves as a time or quantity word: He pursued the subject further. > FORTUITOUS > FURTUNATE > LUCKY Fortuitous, fortunate, or lucky? FORTUITOUS - limited to what happens by chance FORTUNATE - receiving some unexpected good LUCKY - having good luck; happening by chance >IMPORTANTLY IMPORTANTLY - Avoid by rephrasing. >IN REGARDS TO IN REGARDS TO - Wrongly written. Should be 'in regard to'. But 'as regards' is correct, and means the same thing. >IRREGARDLESS IRREGARDLESS - Should be 'regardless'. >MEANINGFUL MEANINGFUL - A bankrupt adjective. Choose another, or rephrase. >MOMENTO MOMENTO - Should be 'memento'. >NAUSEOUS >NAUSEATED Nauseous or nauseated? NAUSEOUS - causing nausea or disgust NAUSEATED - sick to the stomach >TORTUOUS >TORTUROUS Tortuous or torturous? TORTUOUS - a winding road TORTUROUS - a painful ordeal >UTILIZ UTILIZE - 'Use' is preferred. # # Added for Version 1.5.2 # >FAZ >PHAS Faze or phase? FAZE - to disturb the composure of (ex. 'nothing fazed her') PHASE - a particular appearance or state in a regular recurring event > HANGER > HANGAR Hangar or hanger? HANGAR - shelter, an enclosed area for housing aircraft HANGER - one that hangs or causes to be hung or hanged >EMPATHIZ >SYMPATHIZ Empathize or sympathize? EMPATHIZE - when one imagines the experience SYMPATHIZE - to share in suffering or grief >FOREWARD >FORWARD Foreward or forward? FOREWARD - a preliminary essay written by someone other than the author in a book FORWARD - near to the front >RESTIV >RESTFUL Restful or restive? RESTFUL - being at rest RESTIVE - stubbornly resisting control; balky; fidgety > REND Rend or render? REND - to remove, to tear apart RENDER - to melt down, convert into fat; to deliver a verdict >DESERT >DESSERT Desert or dessert? DESERT - arid barren land; unoccupied; deserving of a punishment DESSERT - a sweet dish served at the end of a meal >CENSOR >CENSUR >SENSOR Censor, censure or sensor? CENSOR - to examine or one who supervises in order to delete CENSURE - the act of blaming; to find fault with and criticize SENSOR - a devise that respond to a physical stimulus > VICE > VISE Vice or vise? VICE - corruption, wickedness; in the place of VISE - a tool for holding work