Books We Love Insider Blog: Speaking and writing rules

Do You Really Understand English

Everyone who reads my blog knows I love Reader’s Digest.

In their September 2010 issue, they presented an article by

Melissa Demeo and Paul Silverman that resonated with me.

Although I like to think I’m literate when it comes to speaking

and writing, I honestly had to pause after each example and

consider if I’m an offender.

I’m going to share some of their tips with you today. I suppose as

long as I’ve credited the magazine and authors, I won’t be brought

up on plagiarism charges. I’ve “bolded” the correct examples

below,and in some cases, both are appropriate when used in

the correct situation:

Could care less versus Couldn’t care less: Because you care so

little already, you couldn’t care less.

Less versus Fewer: Recommend the use of fewer when you

specify a number of countable things (50 words or fewer).

Less is appropriate when speaking of mass amount (less than half.)

*Raising

hand as guilty on this one.*

Hone in versus Home in: Since hone means to sharpen, Home in

comes from “homing pigeons.” which indicates being single-minded.

You either want to home in on something or, if you’re confused,

zero in on the topic.

Brother-in-laws versus Brothers-in-law: Form the plural by adding

an s to the thing there is more than one of. Of course an ‘s would

indicate possession by one brother-in-law. (applies to runners-up

and hole in ones, too)

Different than versus Different from: If you can substitute “from:

for than, then do it. Use “than” for comparisons. Example: My office

is different from any other in the building. My office is bigger than

any other in the building. *Raising hand as guilty on this one.*

Try versus Try to: If you are planning to do something, then try to

do it.Of course, try and try again makes sense, but remember the rule.

Supposably versus Supposedly: Although spell check tells me that

supposably is not a word, it is one—meaning “conceivably.” But, if

you’re trying to relay, “it’s assumed” than supposedly is what you

want to say and what most people recognize as correct English.

All of versus All: Drop “of” whenever you can, but not before a pronoun.

Examples: All the children were in their seats. All of them were in

their seats.

Outside of versus Outside: Both are prepositions and weren’t meant

to be used together.

Each other versus One Another: Each other is appropriate when

speaking of two people or things. Example: Ginger and Barbara

present each other with a gift for the occasion. One another is used

when more are involved.

Example: The debaters argued with one another.

Now for some confusing pairs:

Wary = suspicious	Weary = tired
Farther = physical distance	Further = metaphorical distance or time
Principle = rule	Principal = School official
Compliment = saying a nice thing	Complement = match
Continual = ongoing but intermittent	Continuous = without interruption
Stationary = doesn’t move	Stationery = paper
Imply = suggest a meaning	Infer = draw meaning from something
Affect (v) = to act upon. (n) = an emotional response	Effect (n) = something produced, but as a verb) to bring about