Chapter X
WORDS
New words and expressions, as well as new uses for old words, are being added to the English language daily. Likewise words and expressions once current are continually being discarded. The question that confronts any writer is, what words and expressions are now accepted as standard. In difficult cases only persistent consultation of the best dictionaries and a careful study of the practice followed by the best writers now living and by reputable publishing houses will furnish the correct answer. The practice followed by the majority of the leading writers and publishers of the present day determines good usage.
600. Consult a dictionary to determine the meaning of a word.
Be especially careful in using the following:
- aggravate
- alternative
- amateur
- among
- asset
- aught
- awful
- balance
- between
- borrow
- can
- claim
- depot
- expect
- fine
- learn
- locate
- mad
- mean
- nice
- outside
- over
- party
- propose
- proposition
- school
- unique
601. Distinguish accurately between words resembling each other in form, but differing in meaning.
- affect, effect
- all ready, already
- all together, altogether
- allude, elude
- allusion, illusion
- almost, most
- beside, besides
- continual, continuous
- emigrate, immigrate
- except, accept
- healthful, healthy
- lend, loan
- loose, lose
- luxuriant, luxurious
- plentiful, plenty
- practicable, practical
- principal, principle
- quiet, quite
- way, ways, away
602. Use words that exactly express your thought.
Do not be content with the first word that occurs to you. Strive for concrete and picturesque words—words that will convey an accurate and vivid image to your reader. The search for exactly the right synonym will be greatly facilitated if you will consult one of the standard books which list synonyms. Some of the good books of this sort are those compiled by Roget, Crabbe, Smith, Marsh, and Soule.
Instead of the word say, for instance, consider talk, utter, claim, affirm, shout, whisper, stammer, speak, lisp, giggle, maintain, state, answer, argue, laugh, preach, reply, respond.