Transcript Commonly Misused Words and Phrases

Commonly Misused Words and
Phrases
Part # 2 Part # 3 Part # 4
Where is the error?
• We received alot of e-mails supporting the
new policy.
• A lot is often incorrectly written as one word
(alot). The phrase a lot is informal and
normally should not be used in technical
writing. Use many or numerous for estimates
or give a specific number or amount.
Where is the error?
• The electrolyte actuates the battery.
• Both activate and actuate mean “make active,”
although actuate is usually applied only to
mechanical processes.
• The relay actuates the hammer.
[mechanical process]
• The electrolyte activates the battery.
[chemical process]
• The governor activated the National Guard.
[legal process]
Where is the error?
• Both General Motors as well as Ford is
marketing hybrid vehicles.
• Do not use as well as with both. The two
expressions have similar meanings; use one or
the other and adjust the verb as needed.
• Both General Motors as well as Ford is
marketing hybrid vehicles.
• Both General Motors and Ford are marketing
hybrid vehicles.
All right
• All right means “all correct.” (“The answers
were all right.”)
• In formal writing, it should not be used to
mean “good” or “acceptable.”
• It is always written as two words, with no
hyphen; alright is nonstandard.
Where is the error?
• To achieve Fairness, the scheduler should
assign resources equally between the three
users.
• Between is normally used to relate two items
or persons. (“The alloy offers a middle ground
between durability and cost.”) Among is used
to relate more than two.
• To achieve Fairness, the scheduler should
assign resources equally among the three
users.
Where is the error?
• We can not meet the deadlines specified in
the contract.
• Cannot is one word.
• We cannot meet the deadlines specified in the
contract.
Where is the error?
• A pre-defined criteria is used to evaluate the
students.
• Criterion is a singular noun. Criteria and
criterions are both acceptable plural forms of
criterion, but criteria is generally preferred.
• A pre-defined criterion is used to evaluate the
students.
Where is the error?
• He left work due to illness.
• Due to (meaning “caused by”) is acceptable
following a linking verb. Due to is not
acceptable, however, when it is used with a
non-linking verb to replace because of.
• He left work because of illness.
• His absence was due to a work-related injury.
Where is the error?
• The conference included speakers from five
countries; i.e., Germany, Italy, Japan, China,
and the United States.
• The abbreviation e.g. stands for the Latin
exempli gratia, meaning “for example”; i.e.
stands for the Latin id est, meaning “that is.”
• If i.e. or e.g. connects a noun and an
appositive, a comma should precede it and
follow it.
Where is the error?
• The conference included speakers from five
countries, i.e., Germany, Italy, Japan, China,
and the United States.
• If i.e. or e.g. connects two independent
clauses, a semicolon should precede it and a
comma should follow it.
• The conference reflected international
viewpoints; i.e., Germans, Italians, Japanese,
Chinese, and Americans gave presentations.
Where is the error?
• The sorting machine processes coins (for
example pennies, nickels, etc.), and then
packages them for redistribution.
• Etc. is an abbreviation for the Latin et cetera,
meaning “and others” or“ and so on.” do not
use etc. at the end of a series introduced by
the phrases such as and for example. Do not
italicize etc.
Where is the error?
• “Every one of the team members contributed
to this discovery.”
• Although normally everyone and everybody
are written as one word, write it as two words
if you wish to emphasize each individual in a
group.
• The sentence is correct and has no errors.
Where is the error?
• It is a fact that our research has improved
because we now have a capable technical
staff.
• Do not use the word fact to refer to matters of
judgment or opinion.
• In my opinion, our research has improved
because we now have a capable technical
staff.
Former/latter
• The president and his aide emerged from the
conference, the former looking nervous and
the latter looking glum.
• Former and latter should be used to refer to
only two items in a sentence or paragraph.
• Because these terms make the reader look to
previous material to identify the reference,
however, they complicate reading and are
best avoided.
Where is the error?
•
•
•
•
•
Janet presented a well plan.
Good is an adjective, and well is an adverb.
ADJECTIVE Janet presented a good plan.
ADVERB She presented the plan well.
Well also can be used as an adjective to
describe health (a well child, wellness
programs).
Omit unnecessary words
• In order to start the engine, open the choke
and then press the starter.
• Most often, in order to is a meaningless filler
phrase that is dropped into a sentence
without thought.
• To start the engine, open the choke and then
press the starter.
• Use the numbers in the graph in order to
evaluate the zero point.
Where is the error?
• Its essential that the lab maintain it’s quality
control.
• Its is a possessive pronoun and does not use
an apostrophe. It’s is a contraction of it is.
• It’s essential that the lab maintain its quality
control.
Where is the error?
• The media is the main reason behind the
problems in Egypt.
• Media is the plural of medium and should
always be used with a plural verb.
• The media are the main reason behind the
problem
• The Internet is a multifaceted medium.
Is there any error?
• The tests will give an indication if the virus is
present.
• Nominalization is a noun form of a verb that is
often combined with general (or “weak”) verbs
like make, do, give, perform, provide. Avoid
nominalizations when you can use specific verbs
that communicate the same idea more directly
and concisely.
• The tests will indicate if the virus is present.
• The staff should perform an evaluation of
(evaluate) the new software.
What is the correct sentence?
• None of the clients has been called yet.
OR
• None of the clients have been called yet.
• None can be either a singular or a plural pronoun,
depending on the context.
• None of the clients has been called yet. [Use a
singular verb even with a plural noun (clients) if
the intended emphasis is on the idea of not one.]
• None of the clients have been called yet. [Use a
plural verb if you intend none to refer to all
clients.]
Where is the error?
• Neither the architects nor the client were happy
with the design.
• Two or more singular subjects joined by or or nor
usually take a singular verb. However, when one
subject is singular and one is plural, the verb
agrees with the subject nearer to it.
• Neither the architects nor the client was happy
with the design.
• Neither the architect nor the clients were happy
with the design.
Where is the error?
• Mr. Smith gave his okay to the project.
• The expression okay (also spelled OK) is
common in informal writing, but it should be
avoided in most technical writing.
• Mr. Smith approved the project.
Where is the error?
• She is one of those managers who is
concerned about their writing.
• A dependent clause beginning with who or
that and preceded by one of those takes a
plural verb.
• She is one of those managers who are
concerned about their writing.
• She is the only one of those managers who is
concerned about her writing.