From. Do not use from with whence, hence and thence.
| Wrong: From whence have you come? |
| Right: Whence have you come? From where have you come? |
Funny. Do not use funny for singular or strange. Funny is an overworked word.
| Wrong: It is funny that he died. |
| Right: It is singular that he died. |
Gent. Do not use the word at all. Say gentleman or man.
Gentleman. Do not use gentleman to denote sex only. Say man. Gentleman is properly used, however, to denote a person of refinement.
| Wrong: Only gentlemen are allowed to vote in Pennsylvania. |
| Right: Mr. Lincoln was a gentleman in the true sense of the word. |
Got. Do not use got with have or had to indicate merely possession or obligation. Got means acquired through effort.
| Wrong: I have got the measles. You have got to do it. |
| Right: I have the measles. You must do it. |
| Right: After much study I have got my lesson. |
Grand. Do not use grand in place of some more definite and accurate expression. It is another over-worked word.