Practical Grammar and Composition Part 63

Practical Grammar and Composition Part 63

Right: It is _singular_ that he died.

GENT. Do not use the word at all. Say _gentleman_ or _man_.

GENTLEMAN. Do not use _gentleman_ to denote s.e.x only. Say _man_.

_Gentleman_ is properly used, however, to denote a person of refinement.

Wrong: Only _gentlemen_ are allowed to vote in Pennsylvania.

Right: Mr. Lincoln was a _gentleman_ in the true sense of the word.

GOT. Do not use got with _have_ or _had_ to indicate merely _possession_ or _obligation. Got_ means acquired through effort.

Wrong: I _have got_ the measles. You _have got_ to do it.

Right: I _have_ the measles. You _must_ do it.

Right: After much study I _have got_ my lesson.

GRAND. Do not use _grand_ in place of some more definite and accurate expression. It is another over-worked word.

Wrong: We have had a _grand time_ this afternoon.

Right: We have had a _very pleasant_ time this afternoon.

GUESS. Do not use _guess_ in the sense of _think_ or _suppose_.

Wrong: I _guess_ the trains are late to-day.

Right: I _suppose_ the trains are late to-day.

Right: Can you _guess_ the riddle?

HAD OUGHT. Do not use _had_ with _ought_. See --54.

HARDLY. Do not use _hardly_ after a negative. See --46.

Wrong: I _can not hardly_ believe that.

Right: I _can hardly_ believe that.

HAVE. Do not use _have_ after _had_.

Wrong: If I _had have been_ able to go.

Right: If I _had been_ able to go.

HEIGHTH. Do not use _heighth_ for _height_.

HUNG. Do not confuse _hung_ and _hanged_. _Hanged_ is the proper word to use in reference to executions.

Wrong: He was condemned _to be hung_.

Right: He was condemned _to be hanged_.

Right: The picture was _hung_ in the parlor.

HUMBUG. Do not use _humbug_ as a verb.

Wrong: He has _humbugged_ the people for years.

ILLY. Do not use _illy_ for the adverb _ill_. See --40.

IN, INTO. Do not confuse _in_ and _into_.

Wrong: He went _in_ the house.

Right: He went _into_ the house.

Right: He exercised _in_ a gymnasium.

KIND. Do not precede kind by _those_ or _these_.

Wrong: I do not like _those kind_ of plays.

Right: I do not like _that kind_ of play.

KIND OF A. Do not use _a_ or _an_ after _kind of_. See --47.

Wrong: It is _one kind of_ a mistake.

Right: It is _one kind of_ mistake.

LADY. Do not use _lady_ to designate s.e.x only. It is properly used to indicate persons of refinement.

Wrong: Is Mrs. Johnson a colored _lady_?

Right: Is Mrs. Johnson a colored _woman_?

Right: Mrs. Johnson is a colored _woman_, and _a lady_.

LATTER. Do not use _latter_ to refer to more than two objects. Use _last_. See --41.

LAY. Do not confuse _lay_ and _lie_. See --57.

LEARN. Do not confuse _learn_ and _teach_. _Learn_ means _to acquire knowledge. Teach_ means _to impart knowledge_.

Wrong: He can _learn_ you as much as any one can.