Accident, Injury
Accident is sometimes used incorrectly for injury. as “His accident was very painful.”
Mutual, Common
Some men seek to be great by copying great men’s faults. Dickens may say “Our Mutual Friend,” but Dickens’s strong point was not grammar. If you have a friend in common with Smith, in speaking of him to Smith, say our common friend. The word mutual should always convey a sense of reciprocity, as “Happy in our mutual help and mutual love.”
This word is generally used for emphasis, as “I myself will do it,” “I wrote it myself.” It should not be used for the unemphatic pronouns I and me, as in “James and myself are going to town,” “He gave the books to James and myself.” It is properly used with a reflexive verb without emphasis, as “I will defend myself.”
Negligence, Neglect
Negligence is the habit, neglect the act, of leaving things undone. The adjectives negligent and neglectful should, in like manner, be discriminated.
Never, Not
The word never is sometimes colloquially used for not, as “I never remember to have seen Lincoln.” Say “I do not remember,” etc. Never should not be used in reference to events that can take place but once, as “Warren never died at Lexington.”