Strunk and White Chapter's 3 and 4

Hyphen use

When two or more words are combined to form a compound adjective, a hyphen is usually required.

ex) leisure-class

Do not use a hyphen between words that can better be written as one word

ex) waterfowl

Quotations

Formal quotations cited as documentary evidence are introduced by a colon and enclosed in quotations marks.

A quotation grammatically in apposition of the direct object of a verb is preceded by a comma and enclosed in quotation marks.

When a quotation is followed by an attributive phrase the comma is enclosed within the quotation marks.

Typographical usage dictates that the comma be inside the marks. As are the line from text matter begin on a fresh line and indent.

Quotation marks should not be used unless they appear in the original, as in dialogue

Quotations introduced by THAT are indirect discourse and not enclosed in quotation marks.

Proverbial expressions and familiar phrases of literary origin require no quotation marks.

Each/ Every

EACH: used to refer to every one of two or more people or things, regarded and identified separately.

"each battery is in a separate compartment"

EVERY: preceding a singular noun) used to refer to all the individual members of a set without exception.

"the hotel assures every guest of personal attention"

Aggravation/ Irratation

Aggravate means "to add to" an already troublesome or vexing matter or condition.

Irritate means "to annoy."

As good or better than

Expressions of this type should be corrected by rearranging the sentences.

NO: "My opinion is as good or better than his."

YES: "My opinion is as good as his, or better."

Different than

Here logic supports established usage: one things differs from another, hence, different from. Or, other than, unlike.

Effect / Affect (note exception to rule)

Effect: As a noun, means "result" consequence of an action or other cause.

Affect: A verb (action) to influence and have an effect on; make a difference to.

Care less

The dismissive "I couldn't care less" is often used with the shortened "not" mistakenly omitted: "I could care less." The error destroys the meaning of the sentence.

Disintrested

Means "impartial." Do not confused it with uninterested, which means "not interested in."

YES "Let a disinterested person judge our dispute."

Foreseeable

able to be foreseen or predicted. EXAMPLE: "the situation is unlikely to change in the foreseeable future".

Complement/ compliment

Complement: Complement is a noun and verb. It also has a matching adjective, complementary. In any case, it refers to something that completes or goes well with something.

EXAMPLE: "the libretto proved a perfect complement to the music".

Compliment: a polite expression of praise or admiration. EXAMPLE: "she paid me an enormous compliment"

Numerals

Do not spell out dates or other serial numbers. Write them in figure of in Roman notation, as appropriate

Exception: When they occur in dialogue, most dates and numbers are best spelled out.

Verbal

"Word for word" or something expressed in writing.

Break/ Brake

Break: a pause in work or during an activity or event.

Brake: make a moving vehicle slow down or stop by using a brake.

EXAMPLE: Before you take a break to check your text messages you should hit your brake and pull over to the side of the ride

Which / That

WHICH: asking for information specifying one or more people or things from a definite set.

EXAMPLE: "which are the best varieties of grapes for long keeping?"

THAT: used to identify a specific person or thing observed by the speaker.

EXAMPLE: "that's his wife over there"

Nauseous / Nasuseated

Nauseous: affected with nausea; inclined to vomit. EXAMPLE: "the smell was nauseous"

Nauseated: make (someone) feel sick; affect with nausea. EXAMPLE: "the thought of food nauseated her"

Infer / Imply

Not interchangeable. Something implied is something suggested or indicated, through not expressed. Something inferred is something deduced from evidence at hand.

Ex: Farming implies early rising.

Ex: Since she was a farmer, we inferred that she got up early.

Disintrested

Means "impartial." Do not confused it with uninterested, which means "not interested in."

YES "Let a disinterested person judge our dispute."

Farther / Further

Farther serves best as a distant word, further as a time or quantity word. EXAMPLE: You chase a ball farther than the other fellow; you pursue a subject further.

Lay / Lie

Lay: Lay means to put something [or someone] down. Because lay is a transitive verb, a direct object will come after it. A direct object receives the action of the verb. EXAMPLE:

Before returning to the Godzilla marathon on late night TV, Quentin laid his sleeping son Jeremy on the bed and covered him with a quilt.EXAMPLE: The playwright went home and lay down.

LIE: Lie, on the other hand, means to rest or recline. Lie is an intransitive verb, so no direct object will follow.

EXAMPLE: The center of Diane's bed always smells like dog because Reliable, her beagle, lies there every chance he gets.

Irregardless

Should be regardless.

Like

Not to be used for the conjunction as.

NOT "We spent the evening like in the old days"

YES "We spent the evening as in the old days"

Than

Used to express comparison. Don't leave any words out.

This

used to identify a specific person or thing close at hand or being indicated or experienced.

Split infinitive

a construction consisting of an infinitive with an adverb or other word inserted between to and the verb, e.g., she seems to really like it. Construction should be avoided unless the writer wishes to place unusual stress on the adverb ( describers that modify verbs, telling how, when, where, how much, or to what extent ex) gently, quite, then, and there).

Among / Between

When more than two things of persons are involved, among is usually called for: "The money was divided among the four players." When, however, more than two are involved but each is considered individually, between is preferred: "an agreement between the six heirs."

Literal / Literally

Literally: Often incorrectly used in support of exaggeration.

NOT "Literally dead with fatigue"

YES "Almost dead with fatigue"

LITERAL: taking words in their usual or most basic sense without metaphor or allegory (a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one).

"dreadful in its literal sense, full of dread"

Allude

suggest or call attention to indirectly; hint at. an indirect mention. EXAMPLE: "She had a way of alluding to Jean but never saying her name"

Allusion

an indirect or passing reference is a specific one.