Use previously to, agreeably to, consistently with, etc., instead of the adjective forms, in such expressions as Previously to my arrival, he had been informed; We acted agreeably to the instructions.
Beware of only. Better not use it unless you are sure it is correctly placed. Observe the difference in the meaning here: I have only spoken to him. I have spoken only to him.
Don't use liable when you mean likely. A man is likely to park his automobile so he will be liable to arrest.
Don't use painfully cut and similar expressions. One is not pleasantly cut.
Occasionally means on occasion. So don't write very occasionally, but very seldom or infrequently.
Farther is used to denote distance; further in other senses, as, I told him further that I walked farther than he.
ADJECTIVES
Be sparing in the use of epithets and of adjectives and adverbs generally. Especially avoid the use of superlatives. Superlatives are seldom true. Rarely is a man the most remarkable man in the country in any particular; rarely is an accident the worst in the history of the city. Better understate than overstate; better err on the side of moderation than excess. William Cobbett says: "Some writers deal in expletives to a degree that tires the ear and offends the understanding. With them everything is excessively, or immensely, or extremely, or vastly, or surprisingly, or wonderfully, or abundantly, or the like. The notion of such writers is that these words give strength to what they are saying. This is a great error. Strength must be found in the thought or it will never be found in the words. Big sounding words, without thoughts corresponding, are effort without effect."
Be sure to remember that nee means born. It is of course impossible then to speak of Mrs. Doe, nee Mary Roe, as one is never born with a Christian name, but Mrs. Doe, nee Roe. And, of all things when a widow has remarried, do not write Mrs. Richard Roe, nee Mrs. John Doe.