Then Phyllis took a chair and stood upon it and carefully lifted down the tea-pot. It was of coarse blue and white pottery, and had been made in Staffordshire when the art was emerging from its rudeness, and when the people were half barbarous and wholly irreligious—one of half a dozen that are now worth more than if made of the rarest china, the “Blue Wesley Tea-pot;” rude little objects, yet formed by loving, reverential hands to commemorate the apostolic labors of John Wesley in that almost savage district. His likeness was on one side, and on the other the words, so often in his mouth, “In God we trust.”—From “The Hallam Succession,” by Amelia E. Barr.
Discriminate in the use of AND and TO. Instead of saying “Go and see them before you leave;” “Try and help him obtain a place;” “Come and meet our friends at my house;” say “Go to,” “Try to,” and “Come to.”
Discriminate in the use of the word ARTIST. Keep artist to designate the higher order of workmen; as painters, sculptors, musicians, architects, and the like. Don’t use it to designate barbers, laundrymen, tailors, etc.
Discriminate in the use of BAD. Don’t say “I have a bad cold;” say “a severe cold.” As colds are never good, we should not say they are bad. We can have slight colds, or severe colds, but not bad colds.
Discriminate between BAD and BADLY. Don’t make the mistake, so frequently made, of saying “I feel very badly.” Use bad. Badly is an adverb, and should not be employed. One might as well say “I feel happily,” instead of happy.
Discriminate between BALANCE and REMAINDER or REST. Don’t say “The balance of the library remained unsold;” “He spent the balance of the evening at home;” “The balance of the money he left in their keeping;” “We will now have the balance of the toasts.” Use rest or remainder. Balance denotes the excess of one thing over another.
Discriminate in the use of DEPOT. The best critics contend that we should not call a railway-station a depot. A depot is a place where goods or stores of any kind are kept.
Discriminate between HAD RATHER and WOULD RATHER. Don’t say I had rather not do it; say I would rather not do it.
Discriminate in the use of POLITE and KIND. Don’t say “your polite invitation was received;” “You are very polite in being so obliging;” “They gave us a polite reception.” Use kind.