[Kind of.] Not to be used as a substitute for rather (before adjectives and verbs), or except in familiar style, for something like (before nouns). Restrict it to its literal sense: “Amber is a kind of fossil resin;” “I dislike that kind of notoriety.” The same holds true of sort of.
Less. Should not be misused for fewer.
| He had less men than in the previous campaign | He had fewer men than in the previous campaign |
Less refers to quantity, fewer to number. “His troubles are less than mine” means “His troubles are not so great as mine.” “His troubles are fewer than mine” means “His troubles are not so numerous as mine.” It is, however, correct to say, “The signers of the petition were less than a hundred,” where the round number a hundred is something like a collective noun, and less is thought of as meaning a less quantity or amount.
Like. Not to be misused for as. Like governs nouns and pronouns; before phrases and clauses the equivalent word is as.
| We spent the evening like in the old days. | We spent the evening as in the old days. |
| He thought like I did. | He thought as I did (like me). |
Line, along these lines. Line in the sense of course of procedure, conduct, thought, is allowable, but has been so much overworked, particularly in the phrase along these lines, that a writer who aims at freshness or originality had better discard it entirely.
| Mr. B. also spoke along the same lines. | Mr. B. also spoke, to the same effect. |
| He is studying along the line of French literature. | He is studying French literature. |
Literal, literally. Often incorrectly used in support of exaggeration or violent metaphor.
| A literal flood of abuse. | A flood of abuse. |
| Literally dead with fatigue | Almost dead with fatigue (dead tired) |